davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
How He Found the Pole.

In the summer of 1908, accompanied
only by my mother-in-law, / started
out in search Of the pole. thought 1t
best at this time not to make any
premature announcement of my inten-
tons, AZ my mother-in-law was not
feeling we'll and l was afraid that the
notoriety might unnerve her.
We passed the winter in Greenland,
where my mother-in-law knitted me
some worsted neckties and pair of
sealskin suspenders. In the dead of
winter we started north.
We both felt very confident of win
ming. az We had been practicins every
winter for years by going sleighing In
an old-fashioned New England sleigh.
Having survived that, the pole had no
terrors for US.
On the 31st We reached the pole.
The journey up was rather tiresome,
as my mother-in-law insisted on wax
ing me up at four o'clock every morn
ing and reading family prayers.
She IL there now.-Lfe.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
The Middle Splash.

THAT is impossible" said Senator
Aldrich Of socialistic proposition.
He laughed.
In its impossibility," he went ON,
"it reminds me of Joe Jobson's middle
splash.
Joe Jobson, very ignorant and
pig-headed chap, presented himself at
the church with his infant son for the
christening. The following dialogue
then took place between Jobson and
the minister:
what name do you give this
child?'
"'Peter Ananias Jobson.'
"'Ananias? refuse to christen
the child In that name. Do you know
who Ananias was?'
~ don't know who he was; and.
what's more. l don't care
but Ananias was the greatest liar
In all Biblical history
"'Well. that's nothing to me. My
baby amt no liar. SO what's the differ
ence? want him christened Ananias
because like the sound of it.
"I won't do 1t. I will christen the
child Peter jeremiah Jobson.'
And the minister was as good ~
his word, and as he repeated each
name he sprinkled little water on
the infants face.
"'And rub out that middle splash
said the father. heatedly. He rubbed
his sleeve across the child's wet face
and sprinkled little more water over
It. I rub out that middle splash, sub
stitute this one for 1t, and christen
him Peter Ananias Jobson. And that
settles it," - Seattle Post-Intelli.
Kencer.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
WAS NOT TO BE HEAPEckEp
Old Darky Had Money and Realized
the Strength and Dignity OF
His Position.

The old negro shufiied = muddy way
down the street. bearing in one hand
battered guitar and in the other .
string Of little catfish that suggested
tadpoles.
Catch 'em with your banjo, uncle!"
some one asked him. The old negro
paused.
subj" he inquired.
Catch 'em with music?" said the
questioner. The old negro held up the
tiny string Of fish soberly.
mo. suh." he said. Catfish dey
bites at wuhms. Meat hits good. too:
yassuh."
"What'll you take for 'em. uncle?"
The old negro considered. He weighed
the fish In his hand, and shifted I'M
easily about.
I'm bleeged. sah." he said, "yessuh,
but cayn't sell dem fish. No. sub. De
OIL oman she 'speck dem fish fob sup
pah."
well" said the questioner. you'll
have time to play US something. won't
your" This time slow. understanding
grin spread over the old negroes face.
He carefully laid down the Shiny cat
fish, and seating himself on the curb.
swung his guitar into position with an
ease born OF long practice. and began
tuning 1t.
"If only dat er boy o. mine cum err
long" he said, sadly. he'd play de
Frainch hahp-" Then he suddenly
rose to his feet and made a dive
through tangle of vehicles. return
ing dragging grinning young negro
by the arm.
II got him." he said. triumphantly.
"Play da Frainch hahp, boy"
The two sat upon the curb and
played until the gathering crowd
swarmed over into the gutter and .
policeman shouldered his way in.
The old negro took the hint. also .
half dollar that was handed him.
"T'ankee. ssah." he srinned. Jerking
OF his shapeless hat. "T"ankee. sub"
ma she SEN we t tell yoh yuh'd
betteh cum home" said the boy. "she
say she bin waitin' long ernuff." The
old negro frowned upon him.
run on home. boy" he said. stern
~: "run on home an tell dat oman
des t'wait fob me. I'll be dab when I
gifts time" Then as the boy moved OF
he called after him. hurriedly:
TELL dat CONAN got money. Heah
| me?"-Galveston News.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
WAITED FOR WHISKY TO AGE
One Man Of Sinful Party Proved He
Could Control His Appetite, at
Least for an Hour.

Three veterans OF civil war, who
aow make their home in Kansas, tell
story of time when they made moon
shine whisky. They were EARNING
about the incident several nights ago
around radiator, and while their
names cannot be used. the story can
be repeated. anyway.
at was Just at the close Of the civil
wal" said the man who was doing the
talking. I'VE three were together On
some isolated. out-of-the-way service.
We hadn't had good drink Of whisky
for about three months. Hard luck
met us everywhere. and we just nat
urally had forgotten the taste %
whisky. So we finally decided that
the only way to save our lives was to
get busy and distil some of our own.
We got some corn meal, some yeast,
and the other necessary or obtainable
Ingredients. and fixed up still out Of
an old iron kettle. We worked at It
for about two days before we invented
enough machinery to do the Job. But
we were rewarded with success in the
end. In our batch we got about .
quart Of whisky. really very poor
quality Of moonshine. But 1t had q
whisky taste and we were happy.
THE first thing we did was to divide
it into three equal parts! each Of US
taking our chaye. Now. Jim and Bill.
there, the darn ROSTERS. acted just
like hogs. They wanted whisky SO
badly that they actually drank theirs
hot! Think Of it! Drank 1t hot!"
The narrator proceeded to show
with intense emotion his contempt for
man who would drink green whisky.
whisky that had not even been allowed
to cool. He acted as II 1t was the un-
paronable sin.
What did you do?" asked one q
the listeners.
why, sir" he declared. Il let mine
age. Why, whisky that hasn't aged IL
not fit to drink. Age gives It mel
low taste; makes real whisky OF It.
Those fellows-bah!-dran theirs
right down-hot! I acted nationally.
waited-waited an hour!" n
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
A IMiatef.

-
The little girl was starting to Join
her mother, who was visiting friends
in 4 neighboring city. '"Tell mamma, -
said her father. as he put her on the
train and kissed her good-by. shat I
am taking good care OF the flowers in
the back yard
II will, papa"
"And be sure to tell her that the
goldenglow IL growing gioriously."
''Is1l remember papa"
The train moved OF and she was
gone. An hour or two later she deliv-
cred the message.
Mamma" she said. papa told me
to tell you that he was taking good
care Of the flowers"
II am glad to hear It, dear"
"Ahd was to be sure to tell you
that the groldengow IL glowing-no,
the goldengrow is going-I mean the
glorygrow is golding glorious-the
soryglow Ii goring-mamma. what is
the, name of that big, yellow flower
that grows in the back yard?"
"The goldenglow. dear"
well. he says its doing first rate"
Youths Companion.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
tttSudi run 6hUSiS Is
DESTROYED BY FIRE
OLD STONE HOUSE BURNED AND
HANDSOME spook 10 RouT-
ED BY THE FIRE.

PHILADELPHIA favortte resort for
ghosts has been burned. 1t was known
As the Stone house and was built by
Stephen Girard. $50 years ago. Moth
ing remains but the walls; even the
ghosts have neither been seen nor
heard since the IRE.
II the stories that have been current
in the Neck for the last so years or
so are true. these ghosts were Of
great number and variety. Some Of
them date back to Stephen Girard's
time and others are said to have come
to live there when the old place was
used as military prison during the
civil war. and still another is the
ghost of the handsome young man
who all foolishly hanged himself to =
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

rafter in the cellar Of the old house
because \ girl wouldn't marry him
smack OF. This was over so years
ago.
The ghost of this handsome young
man II the most popular one and the
one most often seen by the children
Of the section. His Is the story most
often told. too. and there are old.tim-
ers still living within stones throw
Of what remains of the Stone house.
who can tell 1t so terribly we'll as to
make any child's blood feel exactly
like soda water and to fetch to your
ears the very creak Of the rafter that
groaned under the swinging body
while the pretty young girl that the
handsome young man had the streak
on was OF gayly dancing with another
fellow.
Before the fre got It the Stone
house was familiar in the daytime as
q magnificent rambling pile of gray
stone. Its windows were all battered
out years ago. and to the children who
passed that way in the dusk of the
evening, and to some Of the older res
idents. too. 1t had the appearance Of a
living thing that had something ter
rible ailing its eyes: and. what was
worse, something terrible on Its mind.
It had been untenanted-but for the
ghosts. Of course-for many, many
years. The last to occupy 1t before 1t
was fnally and absolutely dese1ed
was q blacksmith who risked working
there in the daytime. He rugged up
a bellows and shod horses in the room
that Stephen Girard had fused up for
his main parlor. And there was some
thing sort Of uncanny. they say, about
the sight Of horse walking in
through the front door Of what was
once one OF the finest mansions in all
the city.
Even the blacksmith had to beat 1t
after q time. The ghosts didn't like
the noise about, the children said
They just sort Of got after the black
smith. and he had to pack up his tools
and 60 away. After that there wasn't
= soul who would risk more than a
few minutes in the Stone house, and
they always came out in a hurry. ask
ing "if you heard that" meaning queer
noises.
Some time before the war q widow
moved into the Stone house, and with
her went to live her handsome young
son-which brings us to the story.
None other was he than the handsome
young gentleman whose ghost the chill
dren OF the Neck are certain Il look
ing sadly for new home.
To the last the Stone house was the
property Of the Girard estate. Lacking
another name. It got to be called the
Stone house Stone House lane was
nsmed after It in turn.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
THOSE WICKED MEN
WHY OLD LADY HAS ALMOST
LOST CONFIDENCE IN THEM.
Happening Down In Prohibition Geor-
0ia Shows How Hard-Pressed
Old Satan Has Become In
That State.

"Sence prohibition broke out in
Georgy state" said the old lady, I'D
be suspicious after the CT man eff he
should come home with big seal
ring on his finger. for I'd think it
had some connection with drammin'
an that thar wuz secret pipe line
runnin' from 1t to some pocket whar
he had flask hid, an that you Jest
pressed the button an the flask done
the rest!
II thought it WIZ bad enough when
the oil man WIZ carryin' a book aroun'
marked New Testament an 10 an
behol' It wuz as holler on the inside as
the oil mans head is. with Jest room
enough for fiat pint flask! An what
wux the worst of it. the pint flask WIZ
thar. an hit plumb full!
''But now I'm a-comin' to what wuz
wuss'n that; Deacon Jones spent the
night with us las Tuesday wuz a
week. an after the supper wuz took
away an we wuz settin' roun' the
table-the OIL man smokin' an me knit
tin'-the deacon lowed that he had a
ragin' headache. Now. 1t 30 happned
that once, when the oil man come
home full. an had the favorable op-
portunity to sarch his pockets. found
a purity big box with label on 1t
sayin' thar wuz 'Sealache Pills In
side.
well. l. put 1t in the medicine chist
an forgot all about 1t till then when l
gets 1t out, an tells the deacon bout
it. ''I'll Jest try one o. them pills. he
stys, 'mebbe it'll ease tn pain AS the
deacon took the box in his han no
ticed the OIL man looked mighty intel
1igent and said that as he likewise had
the misery in his head. he'd Jest try
the remedy himself.
"An' now I'm a-comin' to the story:
Both him and the deacon took one
apiece; then the deacon said that the
one he took only eased one side O. his
head, an he reckoned he'd take an
other. Same here says the OIL man;
an down went two more pills. They're
mighty big ones,' says the deacon, AN
they bust in yer mouth an slide down
yer throat like they wuz creased
They do says the OIL man-swallerin'
two more-thats the beauty of EN-
"Well, in less time than 1t takes to
tell. the deacon riz up an'hit the table
with his fist sayin' that he wuz a bet
ter man than the preacher; the oil man
knocked the lamp over an said he 'wu2
q better man than the deacon, an to
my evelastin'horror both of 'em start
ed for the front yard to settle the diff
ference of opinion. You see 1t now
don't you? Them pills wuz nothin
more n'er less than what you NIGH
call concentrated liker in disguise
To prove it to my own satisfaction,
took one of 'em myself an in less'r
two minutes had holt O. the broom
stick beatin' both the deacon an my
OIL man! After that experience l sol
down with my hands crossed in my
lap, wonderin' what on airth WIZ a
comm to the country through the
Vaccinations Of Satan, an the work
Of evil spirits. by the pint or pill
Frank, L. Stanton. in Uncle Remus
Home Magazine.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
BANDITS CAREER
ENDED BY SHOT
MARION HEpoEPErH. TRAIN ROE
Ben, COMES CLOSE TO DYING
WITH "BooTs oN.~
CHIEF pesMo..D's OPINION
Former Hssd Of q. Leuls Detective
Force osys Man Slain by CHI
cage Policeman Was a Nat
~ uraI Criminal.

81. Louis.-When Policeman Decker
Of Chicago hred the shot that caused
the death Of Marion G. Hedgepeth. he
N4e1 the career Of a criminal who
vs. - daring and desperate as any
bandit who ever held up q train or
blew q bank safe.
The man in st. Louis who probably
knew moro about Hedgepeth than any
other person il Maj. William Des-
monA. former chief Of detectives and
one OF the greatest thief takers In the
country. Diamond has q reputation
among crooks az the cleverest
"sweAter" they ever had to deal with.
Billy. a. the old crooks call him.
never mistreated prisoner, but he
had . way Of putting them through
tho third degree" that brought re
sulta. It was a case of will power
with Desmond and he kept naggina
his man until he had confession or
was satisfied in his own mind that the
prisoner was innocent. ct. Louis lost
the best man it ever had on the 20
lics force when Desmond quit.
- Hedgepeth was killed by q 20
liceman." said the veteran detective
when informed Of the bandits death
in Chicago. well. I expected he
Would end that way. He told me once
he expected to die with his boots on
and he came pretty near doing it
Hedgepsth was . natural criminal. He
made all kinds Of vows when Gov.
Folk released him from the peniten.
tiaTy that he would lead straight
life. but had no confidence in him.
Desmond was among those who
worked up the Glendale train robbery
case against Hsdgepeth. the Job for
which the desperate went to the Mis-
souri, penitentiary for Is years.
Starting out in life a poor country
youth and living in Prairie Home,
Mo-. Hedgepeth~ became in q years
time criminal who tsrrorised the
entire west and whose name was
spoken in fear and trembling.
Up until before his death Hedge
peth worked In q shoe factory in Min
neapolis, MINI. His fellow employees
knew nothing Of his past. He fought
hard against tho desire to return to
his fcrmer 'murderous existence. Fin
ally It trjumphed over him. He quit
his position and went to Chicago and
attempted the robbery Of . saloon. He
was caught In the act. and when cor
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
Criticism pi.arrusd,

my barber put one over on me this
morning." said Mr.. Gillkintower.
"How does IT cut?' he said to me,
referring, as BARRIERS do, to the razor
with which at that moment he was
shaving me, and said, as customers
do, sometimes on such occasions:
"'Splendid.'
Then little later saw the barber
dry that razor and put It in a case
and wrap 1t up, and then he handed
It over to me. It was my own razor
with which he had shaved me. which
I had left with him the day before to
be put in order. ! couldn't growl
over 1t now. when came to use It,
after the praise Of 1t that he had
drawn from me unconsciously."
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
BaIllassrs First Law Case.

Richard A. Ballinger. secretary Of
the interior, tells Of his first law case
which he had at Kankakee, Ill. II had
hung out my single good while be-
fore any client arrived" he said.
Finally, one came. He was a weak.
meek being whom three determined
women had welded in rapid success
sion. and he was being tried for big
amy. As all Of the wives appeared
against him we lost the case. and he
got a term Of two years, but this did
not seem to worry HMM fact, he
seemed anxious for more. He was
taken to the penitentiary. and just
before his term ended got letter
from him. DO you think, the bigamist
asked. anxiously. that 1t will be safe
for me to come out?'"
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

nsrsd fought . desperate pistol duel
~ wounded him. He died An hour
later.
HsdSepeth's mother still lives in the
little Missouri village. He was known
by the aliases Of Sam Woods, L. l..
Williams, H. v. SWANSON, Marion G.
Hedspeth. Marion Davis. Marion C..
Hedgpeth and J. C. Clark. He was
Is years old at the time Of his death.
Hedgepeth staSted on his career Of
crime in November. 1888. when he was
arrested on charge Of larceny and
sentenced to seven years imprison-
msnt in the state penitentiary At JET
ferson City. Mo. He broke prison .
short time Afterwards. but was IT.
captured. In 1880 he was released
On February 10. 1892. he was az
rested in San Francisco. Cal. charged
with robbing 4 train At Glendale. Mo
He. was sentenced ON September 20.
1888, to serve u term Of rs years in
the Missouri state penitentiary after
q long trial He was pardoned in
1906,
On September 2. 1907. he was ar
rested at Omaha, Neb.. suspected Of
having been implicated in q robbery
At Council Bluffs. IL. He was convicted
and sent to the Iowa state prison at
Fort Madison ON March 3. 1908. and
released after serving ono year.
Fifteen years ago Hedgepeth was q
leader Of the notorious sly.Wilson
Gang of safe blowers and highway
msn. 1t was he who gave the police
the tip which led to the arrest and
conviction Of H. H. Holmes. the multi.
nrderer o. Chicago and Philadelphia
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Millionaire ito attorney)-It il my
desire to leave all Of my property to
the United States government How
can l do SO and be sure lot of relAr
tives won't get it after I'm gomez
Attorney-Turn your holdings into
United States bonds and notes and
burn them on your deathbed.-Judge.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Peoples ideas Of Christmas cheer
change as they grow older" said the
observant citizen.
Yes" answered Mfr. Growcher.
with small boy it's stomach ache,
and with a grown man it's = head
aahs."
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
Celebrating,

what was that terrible noise xoins
on in Popkin's apartment last night p
asked Wickley OF the tanitor.
They were celebrating their wood.
en- wedding" smiled the janitor. Mrs,
Popktn was hitting Popkin on the
head with a rolling-pin."
Knocking wood for luck, eh?"
grinned Wickley. as he passed on,
while the tanitor chuckled.-Harper's
Weekly.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
Doing His ssst to Prepare.

Doing HIS 8eet TO Prepare.
II want the most daring and reck-
less chauffeur you have"
Eyes, SIR"
"One who'll run over anybody and
speed away with a laugh"
yes. sir. Are you going to enter
. racer
mot much. want him to come
out home with me and tell the cos,k
she has to leave"
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Excited Naturalist-Are you aware.
my dear sir, that this gate post OF
yours is the femur of an ornithoscelidaf
Farmer tapologetically)-I always
thought 1t was somethin' odd like. 1t
don't match the other post uOhow!-
Punch
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

The Mother-I am sure you would
learn to love my children.
Nurse-What wages do you pay?
The Mother-Eighteen pounds .
year.
Nurse-I am afraid ma'am. could
only be affectionate with them at that
price.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
An Early Example.

Some people fall naturally into the
good things Of life
For instancew
Even among school boys there's
the handy kid who rings the bell, an
swers the door and manages to get
out of doing any studying"
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
post.Nuptisi Reflections.

Mrs Bcnham-How much did Won
pay the minister when we were mar.
ried?
Benham-Don't ask me: I hate to ad.
init that ! paid him anything.-N. 7.
PresS.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

8elftoh Fellow.
HE promised. II I married him, to
crafty my every WISH"
We'll, Doesn't he?"
"No; now he's kicking because I
want . divorce"
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Have you heard that poor Ffrmin
is dead?"
"No. He wasn't i'll long. surely"
"Ah, you see. medicine has made
great progress lately."-Bon vivant.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07
Decd Guess.

Bill SEQ the mines Of Montana
Town have . combined payroll Of
$4,000, 900 q year.
METhsy must be Butte's then.
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Poet-Here is a poem entitled .Wl
DO | Liver
Editor-It is a mystery. isn't it,
The Meeker herald., 1910-05-07

Elsie-I want something a bit
Frenchy, y'know.
Librarian-My dear little girl.
couldn't dream Of letting you have \
book of that description.
Elsfe-O, faint for me. I've read
'em. It's for my little sister.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-26

The rain Of Saturday was a most
welcome ene to those living in the
rural districts for IL condition bor-
dering on a water famine existed.
Fer those about town il was far
different. Tho rain began to fall early
in the forenoon and did not cease
until after midnight. What snCw was
On the SrGund vas melted away and
coating q: ice covered the walks.
Those VINO has put off their shopping
until the last minute was disappointed
and but few vcntured out during the
day. But business ut the post office
and the express offices was not quiet.
The delay Of the afternoon train of
Friday allowed II great mass of mat
Ter to collect and this was all started
from both places in the morning. The
carriers probably had their hardest
days work since the office was made
free delivery one for besides tho
heavy loads, there was the rain to
contend with and the matter had IN
be Kept dry. AT the end OF the aft
ernocn, all matter to be delivered was
1T its destination.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-26
GRACE STILL MISSING.
No Trace of the Enthusiastically
Lost in the North Sea.

London, Dec. 25-Many North sea
trawlcrs are home for Christmas, but
none of them brought news of Cecil 5.
Grace, the young aviator who disappear
ed on Thursday while attempting re-
turn fight from Calais to Dover. The
mission of the tugs sent out to scour the
waters along the coast has been equally
fruitless and there is but slender hope
that Grace is yet alive.
The only indication of ms prooapie
fate is the report of Flushing pilot who
arrived at Ostend on Saturday, TO the eff
feet that he passed wreckage of spars
and wires resembling portions of an aero
plane Grace's relatives, however, have
not abandoned hope and they are contin-
ming the search with undiminished effort