davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

/ terday / shouldn't have been quite SO
sure that she wasn't"
"Oh, she has her moods" Leah admit
ted. Il do my best to indulge them. "
| She looked up at me. so must you. too,
Mr.. Castler' She held my eyes deliber-
! ateiy, as If expecting my promise
How could I be so ungrateful as not
/ to. in the circumstances?
/ 81 mean-you see. she doesn't like TO be
| questioned. ] have to be very careful
She has her fancies, and often seems in
consistent, even a hit eccentric. II may
/ be her life here alone. You know she
| sees so few people. Yon won't notice it?''
Still her eyes appealed 10 me.
'I shan't at least show that ! do"
/ She seemed dissatisfied
Except, perhaps. TO you, / added.
| trying. as | had tried with Miss Fielding,
, to get to the bottom Of her dread.
"Oh, not 20 me-" she begged. "She' 5
too fine for us TO be discussing, I've
said too much already. I'm afraid. I
don't know why / did Only"
/ ! said 1t for her. 'Only am quartered
on you here and you can't get rid of me.
You have, in way. spy In camp. BY
az accident I'm here and you're at my
| mercy. Isn't that It? You don't. mean.
4HskS kiiDW NttdN all. anu gOu IKE 10
be able 10 trust me, whatever happens. -
It was a jump in the dark for me.
I could see her fingers working; she
had cIasped her hands
'Oh, / hope ] haven't given you the
idea that anything is likely to happen -
she said anXiOusly. If l have. I'm quite
sorry I spoke. If you'll only take every
thing quite as a matter of course-that's $
all I mean-her moods, you know, and
not think things"
She ended without attempting to be
more lucid. for there was a sound OF
some one coming upstairs.
Miss Fielding came into the room. and
her delicate right eyebrow rose at seeing
Leah sitting there doing nothing.
Leah, go down and tie up the dogs:
they're chasing all over the placer Her
voice was crisp and peremptory
Leah went away quietly; I got swift
glance of mute appeal at me as she left
Miss Fielding came to my side and look
ed down at me quizzically her thumbs in
her belt.
do you mind telling me your name?''
she said. It's rather awkward not to
know you know"
''Oh. Castles my real name, right
enough l answered.
CASTER she repeated. and then. as If
recollecting: "Of course. but I meant
your first name" Her face cleared.
Chester Castle. enlarged "A good
name for an architect. isn't it?''
An architect, really? Then I'll have
to get you to help me on my little house
But you're too good-looking for an arehi-
tect," she laughed. Il thought they al
ways wore pointed boards, like doctors"
''Oh. I'm not beaux arts man" l said.
keeping up with her mood
Are you fnarried?"
NO, I'm happy to say I'm not
so am t. she laughed THAT Is TO
say, I'm glad I'm not. ana I'm glad
you're not. My name is JOY. Isn't it
silly? It doesn't fit me at all / ought
10 have been called Edna
Very well. then, you shall BET" vol
unteered.
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

She took il without surprise or annoy
! ance. "Oh, / don't stand on ceremony
That's silly. II you're goirg 10 stay here
! for week ] shall have to call you Ches-
/ ter. Do YOU mind? It's an awful bore tC
have to say Mr. Castle all the time"
BY all means. Ny mother and my
/ friends cali me Chet-''
That's better still. Chet!" She tried
it audibly. Il rather like that"
You're welcome to it." / laughed al
her directness.
But you haven't asked me any ques-
/ tiOnsi 1 should think you'd be curious
Really IT isn't at all complimentary 10
/ have you so Indifferent"
! "Oh. I'm only keeping on the island "
I returned.
'Keeping-what?
| Don't you remember - about staying
on the island?' You know you asked me
I yourself to-
"Oh, yes-did I? | forget" The pug
Zled look on her face had appeared again,
| but Was driven away. We'll, there really
! isn't much to know about me. It's stupid
enough here at Midmeadows. It's my
| own place, you know 1t used TO belong
/ TO my grandfather. I've had it ever since
| he died. I suppose it's good for me here,
| for I'm Ill a good part of the time. I'm
up and I'm down But when I'm up. I'm
up pretty high. and when I'm down, I'm
way down in the depths"
She had sat down in a chair and had
crossed her legs. one over the other. wag-
| ging one foot and clasping her hands
across her knees so tightly that the blood
was driven from her white knuckles 10
the ends of her purple fingers. 1t is al
ways an awkward pose: ! have often
wondered how a pretty girl could ever
take 1t. Now she drew her chair closer
to the bedside and took my hand.
Let me see your hand" she said sud-
denly. tn read your palm. if you like. .
She bent over IL, drawing so near that
her head was quite close TO mine. so close
that. had it not been for the perfume
she used, I should have got the odor of
her hair. When she turned 10 me. smiI-
ing, she seemed very near indeed, though
none too near me. She began her read
ing of the lines. holding my hand in both
hers, pointing to the signs with one fin
ger, trying the resistance of my thumb,
squeezing the flesh TO determine its firm
ness. kneading IL and handling II in quite
the professional manner. II took her some
time. The opinions she gave me were
not particularly affording. but they were
rather cleyerly put She made a good
deal of my magnetism" saying that she
could actually feel It. was properly
fiattered. 1 could feel hers, easily
enough.
Then she dropped my hand. rose and
yawned as freely as had Nokomis herself.
I'm starving" she exclaimed. II must
see what's the matter with dinner. I'm
sorry you can't come down. Chet. / hate
to eat all alone"
why. doesn't Leah eat with your" l
asked, surprised.
'No. ] can't quite go thate she said
emphaticaliy. as she made an Irrelevant
athletic gesture. Il have to draw the
line somewhere. you know. have Uncle
JeTdon sometimes. though. just for the
fun of seeing him eat. He's perfectly
lovely He holds his fork In the Kan
sas City style, this way she illustrated
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

then elenched her fist firmly. They re
stronger than they look Try it"'
She took my hand in hers and gave
me grip as strong as any ordinary
mans.
THAT comes from your violin practice,
I suppose" I remarked.
Her eyes were on mine, and / saw that
the pupils We're dilated and the irises
so dark as almost 10 appear black. She
did not answer me for a moment, and
then nodded vaguely and changed the
subject.
I've taken the clock apart more than
once. The dining-room one, mean.
When the hands point to eight Il
strikes four and it's half-past two, really.
have tried to tell time by an algebraic
formula. I'm going TO disseet it again
and see If ! can't get 1t right" She
laughed merrily. swinging her foot back
and forth.
At that moment The collies began 10
bark again. She sprang up impatiently
and went to the window.
Darn those dogsr' she complained;
don't they make horrid racket though!
can't keep them quiet" Then she raised
the sash abruptly, leaned out, sad cried;
Hush up. there
ton. She let down the window with a
clatter, and walked to the mirror TO re-
arrange her hair. using silver pins that
shone conspicuously in her dark locks.
Her skirt had sagged away from her
belt at the back. from the violence of
her work. no doubt, and she reached to
fix it, turning to smile at me coquettishly
after she did so.
do you like my hair done high or
low?f she asked.
Il like it best the way I first saw it.
that night" l said. at was done in a
illet. or a bandeau wasn't it?'
why, no! It was pompadoured, wasn't
it? Oh, yes-perhaps il was-I forget-but
it's so fine that / can't do anything vita
It,"
Except for these little lapses of alb
straction when she stared so puzzIingly
at me, she was in high spirits. Her pres
ence filled the room with electricity; she
surcharged its atmosphere She seemed
more virile than ever, more full of life, so
full that 1t actually seemed TO splash over
In all sorts of energetic gestures of her
head and hands. AS she stood. now, in
the center of the room. she made a quick
dash at a fly that drifted past, caught
ii in her hand. smiled at her dexterity,
and tossed IT aside She made passes
and rapid motions with her arms. as If
she were swinging a tennis racket. and
tapped her toes and heels In little clog
dance as she walked. / saw that she was
getting bored,
''Well.' she said at last. Il must go TO
work. If there's anything you want,
Leah will do II for you. You can call
her. There's the bell. Don't hesitate TO
ring it. I'll be so glad when you can
come downstairs and see the place. It's
jolly old shack: you'll like it,"
She waved her hand jauntily and swung
out OF the room. l heard her run down
stairs, and little later the pounding and
the whistling RECOMMENDED.
She seemed different to-day. hut I i'm
agined that perhaps 1t WAS only that she
was feeling better in health and mind.
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

seemed TO be something antagonistie In
their protesting notes, as if some stranger
had perhaps passed the house. had got
the idea that MidMeadows was a lonely
place, though / had not yet seen the out
side of the building, and no doubt the col
lies were distrustful of visitors. l waited
eXpectantly to hear Miss Fielding call
them, one by one, as she had before;
but. if she did so. / missed it.
For half an hour or more there was a
steady pounding down stairs, and when
Leah came for my tray. / heard sons
one whistling, the least bit out of tune.
Leah was silent and reserved. She asked
how / had slept. and if I were better,
and there the conversation ended.
Finally, at about IL o'clock, Miss Field
ing came In. I looked up eagerly.
She wore a stit1y laundered shirt waist,
noticeably stained and soiled, though il
had evidently been put on clean that
morning. She wore no stock. and the
neck was turned away In Y carelessly,
showing a little gold chain with a sap
phire pendant, and the sleeves were rolled
up above her dimpled elbows. She had a
heavy walking skirt and heavy mannish
shoes whose Soles projected a full half
inch beyond the uppers. Her hair. which.
before, / had always seen exquisItely
coiled high on her head, was done in a
full pOmpadour, though now 1t fell in
fiat folds over her forehead and wisped
out in the back of her neck
She came up to my bedside and smiled
frankly at me. l got a pronounced oder
Of santal.
well, how are you to-day?" she said
jovially. DO you feel better?"
I said that did, noticing that she wore
three rings on her left hand. 1t was good
to see her so full of life and energy.
You were certainly a sight when YOU
were brought in,' she went on; L was
frightened 10 death. never saw any one
unconscious before. and I thought YOU
were dead. for sure. Isn't il lucky the
doctor was here? I'm awfully sorry your
auto was smashed up so. for I'd like
10 try ii myself. I've been wanting one.
Yours is foreign make. isn't it? I've
been looking It over It's a water-cooled
engine. l see. But I want a 6-cylinder.
I'm going to see if Uncle Jerdon and /
can't patch 1t up SO that it'll 60"
Fancy a girls caring about machin-
ery!" l said, smiling at her enthusiasm.
You're the last person in the world I'd
ever think would have any interest in
it,
"Why?'' she said. sitting on the edge
OF the bed. and. turning down her sleeves.
covered her round, strong arms
II thought that you were more of the
artistic temperament
''Oh, like TO use my hands. she said
She held out one. It's fingers sllffiy opened.
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

a familiar restaurant attitude. with the
thumb and little finger of her left hand
braced under a paper-knife, the three
middle fingers curled atop Then he
always loads up his fork with his knife,
little piece of meat. and a little piece
of potato. and a little dab of butter and
a little swish of gravy. and then" She
showed me how. pretending TO toss IL
into her mouth, ard wiped her lips with
the back of her hand. In a way that made
me laugh aloud. You could hear him
eat way up here, Golly, 1t makes me
hungry to talk about it," she added. I'll
see you later, Chet. Oh-Fu send you
up some current jelly. ! made it myself:
sure cure for the measles, Remember.
you have 10 like it," And she was of
In a two-step.
I smiled TO myself at her pantomime,
after she was gone. How / had misjudg-
ed her at first! She seemed commoner.
but our friendship Was, perhaps. moro
natural. She was no longer the wonder
full. exotic. medieval princess In the tow
er. but she was ii frank wholesome crea-
ture, full of human charms and faults.
/ decided. by reason of that sane analy-
sis. that | was improving in health. Ny
bang on the head, no doubt, had made
me unduly impressioEable
She did not keep her word in regard
70 coming in after dinner. Leah brought
up my tray. as usual. and took IL away,
saying that sne was unable 10 stay with
me. She seemed distracted and nervous.
and l forbore to question her ! spent
a dreary evening alone
The pounding went on for two hours
or more after dinner, and then Miss
Fielding came upstairs to her room. She
eontented herself with putting her head
through the doorway and calling out
Good night Chet" and then heard
her door slam. There was no talk be-
tween the two women that ] could hear.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27

though she had not appeared really i'll
before. She seemed younger than ever.
too. the little lines in her face seemed
TO be mostly roned out No doubt 1t was
as women say, 'her day" Her beauty
was move obvious; il was undeniable.
Yet something about her manner trou-
bled me- l was distinctly disappointed:
she seemed less subtle. less imaginative
She was no longer the princess OF my
fairy tale; the spell had waned. But if
! her familiarity and naturalness upon
| further acquaintance we're less romantic
they were more real, and had some OF
the actually OF PROSE We could still be
good friends for I liked her immensely.
/ Perhaps she had thought we had gone
too far sentimentally and was trying 10
put our relations upon a firmer and more
matter of fact basis. Perhaps. even. Dr.
Copin's VisiI mad in some way affected
her, and she had considered that her en-
tente with me was becoming dangerous
Well IL was certainly my place. as a
stranger thrust upon her hospitality. to
take whatever cue she gave ne, disap-
pointing as that line OF conduct should
prove For l had been stirred and awak-
ened by her. l could not deny that to
myself. And no doubt / had taken her
altogether too seriously.
| saw no more of her till late in the
afternoon, but meanwhile Leah made me
welcome visit After luncheon she
asked me. quite modestly, II I would like
her to read TO me or would rather play
chess I chose the reading. wanting very
much the opportunity of studying her.
Her attention seemed however, to be dis
tracted: | was sure of il when, a little
later. she excused herself to go down
stairs. Then I noticed the barking of the
dogs, high pitched and excited
She came back soon TO finish her read
ing. and that done. we fell to talkiAg
AS she sat, her dark face was outlined
against the white woodwork of the al
cove liizs a silhouette. Her white teeth
shone.
/ asked her about her education.
''I went to a school for eolored wom-
en-" she said. ''fitting myself to be
teacher But of course it's hard for a
colored girl TO get a chance except with
her own race, and I didn't want to go
South. Then l got this place with Miss
Fielding"
Il can't imagine any situation more lie.
lightful.' I said. watching her.
Her eyes burned, smothered in quick
ening tears. but her voice was calm
NHtNEu II > lONtlS hNH
the loneliness a bit. It's nothing to what
l have endured IN big cities"
She gave It to me simply, with no ap-
parent bid for sympathy. but / knew
enough of the pathetic isolation of the
educated negro, cut OFF from any real
mental communion with the blacks as
well as with the whites, to interpret the
repression of her manner There was
trasedy in her words.
We'll" I said. 'it strikes me that
you're in luck to be here with such
companion as Miss Fielding. And she's
as fortunate. too, I'm sure you get on
beautifully. Still. how she can stand it,
away off from every one, I don't see
quite so we'll"
do you think shes-unhappy? ?" Leah
asked after a pause.
Certainly not to-day. a; least. Yes
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27
CHAPTER ".

The next day was harsh and cloudy
There was a light fog in from the sea,
enough TO make II a little cold. and to
depress my spirits. II was, therefore,
with great impatience that awaited the
matutinal visit from my hostess, She
was usually up betimes: to-day she slept
late.
II had already become one of my chief
diversions 10 listen for the little morn
ing colloquy in the hall. but to-day /
heard nothing Till after O'Clock, when
Leah came upstairs, knocked on the OF
posite door, which was always half open
at night. and put her usual question.
Miss Fielding's voice came sharp and
clear. a little querulous.
"Oh, I'll have bacon and eggs, I think
but wait while, Leah; I'm sleepy and
] don't want TO get up yet"
Leah closed my own door softly and
went down stairs ! was disappointed. /
hoped Miss Fielding was not in a bad
humor, though that seemed impossible.
When Leah came up with the tray and
gave me a good morning." l said:
Leah. l wish you'd ask Miss Fielding
II Nokomis can't come up into my room
this morning, will you?''
She hesitated just long enough for me
TO notice that she was troubled; then
she put down the tray. saying;
"Nokomis is a queer old dog. Mr. Cas-
tie, and / don't know that she'll come"
why. she was here all day yesterday
and We had beautiful time together
Il know" Leah turned to leave. "Tll
speak about it, of course, but-well
these dogs have all sorts of fancies, and
YOU can't always depend upon them.
They will and they won't" She did not
look at me as she answered, and went
out Immediately
/ felt that l had somehow blundered
into indiscretiOn, though what Il was
couldn't possibly see II made me ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable. for would have
done anything rather than take advan.
tage OF the Kindness and hospitality with
which ] had been treated. I remembered
that 7 had not yet heard the dogs bark
ing; that might possibly mean something.
but 1t gave me no cleW | had 10 give
ii up and try to make amends as we'll as
I might.
little later l heard Miss Fielding's
door slam, and her footsteps running
down the stairs. That she had not come
in to see me, even II for only a few words.
did not decrease my annoyance. Shortly
after came a chorus of barks, but /
fancied that they were not of the same
mood that / had noted before; there
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27
. over the one-sided one.

het of thick
Toy
or
The Washington herald., 1910-11-27
A Buddha in Living Rock.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
ms IS ZHE2Ay
mar IS TIE R/D2Z
or ZHE SON

that in certain limitations it is possible
for any player of either team to obtain
possession Of the ball.
Had the same amount of protection been
given to the man who catches the ball
and the rule still have been in erect that
the player throwing the bali could throw
1t from any position which he could Sc
cure by his own efforts, the side IN pos
session of the ball would have been given
such advantage that in the case OF teams
playing where the strength of one was
greatly superior to that of the other. two
or three speedy runners would have been
able to- score almost at will and PROBABLY
until they would have been too tired to go
farther.
Alonzo Stagg, instructor at the Uni
versity of Chicago. who was suf1lclently
interested in the game to take team
south last year and experiment on posi-
BILE changes i'll the line. thinks 1t would
have been even more judicious il the rules
committee had modified the restrictions In
regard to the forward pass.
II have come to the conclusion, Sala
he..after the experience l had with my
players that it would have been better II
the rule, which now says that only
PLAYER receiving the forward pass can re-
cover It from tumble among the men
on his side, should have read that any
player on either side could recover. Such
q ulay would have made the game much
more interesting and decidedly faster. and
after the rules have been tried this year
and there has been opportunity to observe
their workings 1t is possible that another
season will find notifications made alonS
these lines. ---,-...-.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02

pass which never existed before, and it
may readily be understood how the older
foot ball players are inclined to fight
these innovations. which seem to them
to be detracting from the fundamental
intention of the sport:
STILL SO long as the forward pass was
insisted upon by those who can be in
duced to believe that 1t Is good foot ball.
II is evident that certain restrictions had
to be formulated and enforced to prevent
such rough and harmful play as had be-
come In evidence after coaches and play
ers learned how to block the use OF the
formation.
The practice had become common to
make the attack almost wholly on the
player who was eligible to catch the bali
Little attention was paid to the man who
was passing the ball, and risk was will
ingly assumed In the recovery Of the
ball. For the moment effort was con-
centrated on blocking the catch. and not
infrequently players who could not have
caught the ball were pushed to the
ground, caught by a neat device where
two men would run into one and back
him over q third, and in other ways so
roughly handled that complaint was COM
mon.
The question which arises is whether
the forward pass Is likely to become a
more popular play this year or one of in
frequent usage.
Some of those who have steadfastiy
stood up, for the forward pass insist that
it has been so well protected that for the
first time in its history it will begin to
show its advantage as spectacular and
strategic move.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
Open the Game.

When the forward pass was first put
into foot ball its advocates placed nothing
before the rule makers in it's favor except
that it would open the game and help kill
the mass play which had become so COM
mon that 1t was harshly criticised from
one end Of the country to the other.
II it has served to open the game, 1t is
not to the extent which had been hoped
for. Those who are its sponsors declare
that 1t is less the fault of the. play than of
the rules. and this year have devised
what they think will be better protection
for the play and result in better use of
the play without injury than any system
which has been advocated since the rule
changes were made.
Very likely the first effort which will be
attempted will be something which shall
tend to minimize the chances Of the sue
cess OF the maneuver. but that is only to
be expected. for where one class of
coaches devotes the larger portion OF its
time to inventing attack, another spends
great share Of the season In inVenting
strong defense.
When -the rule was changed as It now
stands 1t was argued that In the scramble
for the forward pass there would always
be an element Of risk. This, the rule
makers say, cannot be possible If the off,
Gals Of the game insist that the rule IN
regard to Interfering with players is
strictly enforced. 1t is evident that Off
claiS Will nave more on thelr hanos this
season than they have encountered in all
the trials and tribulations which have
been theirs in foot ball
Something about the use Of hands and
arms will not come amiss while discussing
the subject Of the forward pass. The
player running with the ball may ward
off opponents with hands and arms. That
has always been the case.
Here comes something in the line Of
what has just been written which should
be grasped by every player who takes
part in a game:
"No player while in the act Of catching
a forward pass shall be tackled, thrown,
pushed. pulled. shouldered or straight
armed until he shall have caught the ball
and taken more than one step in any
ference. which is incidental to a bona
f1de attempt to catch or intercept the
ball. shall not come within this prohibi-
ton"