davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18
The Humorous Hat,

HAS she any sense of humor?"
Il don't think so. She can look at
her hat without laughing" -Lippin.
colts.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18
Feminine Reasoning.

Stella-Her gown is just like yours.
Bella don't care if hers is a dupli-
cate Of mine, but don't want mine a
duplicate of hers.-Puck.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18

It's only on the morning after that
q young man is apt to realize he
can't get ahead by getting head.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18
Just So.

why do they call a bell boy In a
hotel 'Buttons?'"
Because he's always off when you
need him most, l guess"
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18

operation twas advised, which restored
her to normal condition.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18

Hix-Did you notify the police OF
the robbery?
Dix-Yes, and I am expecting at
any moment to hear that they have
arrested the wrong man.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-07-18

Dear John.-Sorry We had the run-in,
but It was all my fault. Am sending
you two rosebuds this evening as a
peace offering. Yours,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

here. I'm not anxious to sell mine, but if you boys want a slice af it I'll let you in."
 Before that day closed Mallory and his companions had paid $250o to their kindly friend for a small piece of land that would have been dear at s25 an acre ac- cording to the standard of values. The seller. when chided by another oil man for swindling the three lungers, excused bimself by saying if he didn't take ad- vantage of them some one else would and. besides. they didn't need so much money, for they wouldn't live long.
 With the purchase of the land Mallory and his companions were chock full of business. They were eager to get start ed, and the way they hurried rather siowgoing driller with whom they made contract to go into the Rosita and sink a well on their property was delightful to see. They did not know 1t, but they picked up the poorest driller in Calfor- nia Not only was Cassidy poor at the work, but his equipment was wretched. About the only thing to recommend the man was his good nature.
 Mallory and his companions had many a disappointment before they saw drilling begun. In the first place they discovered the land they had purchase was up on the side of hill, and no. down in the valley, as they. supposed. Mallory knew then that he had been robbed, but he had no recourse. He had to go ahead. There was no turning back The trium- virate had less than a thousand dollars left of their capital and Cassidy demand ed s150 for moving his plant to the Rosita and S1 a foot for the first 250 feet he went down and an increase in price for every additional 250 feet. While the plant was being moved Cassidy disappeared He didn't show up for nearly week. Then he was extremely penitent, having blown in the Sl50 he had received The week of delay told on the nerves of the three men, but once work was begun they became enthusiastic. The first day things went well and they went to bed happy, but in the morning it was differ ent. Things began to happen to Cassidy's rig. The cable broke. It took a long time to repair that damage and opera tions had not been resumed long before there was more trouble.
 Nearly every day it was the same way The equipment of the good-natured, self indulgent well driver was rotten. Mallory, quick to see the trouble, hurried to town and got some supplies that improved con- ditions materially, but the work was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

slow and tedious in the extreme. Through shale and fossilferous stuff, then through a fiinty rock and then shale again the drill was driven until 800 feet was reached. Cassidy at this point asked for more money. He got it, but when he was paid the three lun- gers held a council of war. They were near the end of their pile. They had hoped to strike oil at 250 or 300 feet. Such things had happened. Not, per- haps, high up on a hillside as their well was situated. but miracles have happened and it is pleasant to hope for one. When 400 feet was reached they felt that oil sands were likely to be en- countered any minute and they became extremely nervous and did not like to be far from the drill for fear they might not be present when the great event happened. At 800 feet most of their nervousness was occasioned by the financial trouble.
 At the council of war Mallory who al- ways took the initiative, said there only was one thing to do.
 We've got to find an angel" he an- nounced. Somebody has to be induced to finance this proposition of ours. It simply won't do to let go. In the first place we'd starA if we were stranded
 
 carried this drilling to a point where we are likely to hit oil any day. Now here's what I propose doing. I don't know whether eithe of you know old man Merritt down at Los Angeles. He is a queer genius. He has a fair bit of money and he is good hearted. I'm going to elect him angel. He may roar a bit about having the wings pinned on to his old hide. but some one has to wear them, and I see no good reacon why he shouldn't
 Anything, however preposterous, would have sounded good to the two de1ected men who listened to Mallory. All three knew 1t was no use to ap- peal to any one of the oil men in the San Jonquin valley, for a few stragg- lers who had come in from those parts had told them all the oil people were laughing at them for their folly or were indignant at the man who had swindled them.
 Mallory went to Los Angeles and called on MT. Merritt. He didn't make his story long. It is not wise to do so when you have a sharp-eyed, alert man listening to you.
 50 you want money?" said Merritt, strengthening his long, thin body up in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

bitter and walked off. but later in the day Mallory was in the office again. He looked so downcast and so i'll that Mer- ritt's heart was touched and he asked few questions about the drill work. Mallory went over the whole subject and Merritt, before he realized what he was doing, virtually had promised to help him out. Then, angry with him. self for his weakness. he went to the other extreme and announced that If he advanced any money to continue the work he would have to have 51 per cent of the property. Mallory, in no position to refuse. told him that was satisfactory, and Merritt thereupon agreed to stand responsible for the cost of further drilling, .but reserved the right to withdraw at any time if the prospect seemed dubious.
 Hour by hour and day by day the three lungers watched the work. The further the drill went the slower was the progress. When 1000 feet was re- ported Mallory felt that the end must be near. but HOO he was not so sure. At 1900 he was angry.
 Cassidy became jocose He never had seen so dry hole. There was not even a sign of water.
 There's oil down there sure, he would remark with a twinkle, "and if old Merritt will only stick I'll strike it sooner or later. Let me see. What's on the other side? Is it China or Rus- sia? I'll drill until we get there If the old man foots the bills. There's oil in China and there oil in Russin, so I've been told.
 linton and Moore watched the work and dropped as they watched. All their buoyancy was gone. Mallory tried to cheer them up, but with little success. At 1500 feet he had to use all his cour- ago to show a smiling face to them and answer Csssidy's jokes in light spirit
 There was a vehement protest from Los Angeles when Merritt got an ur- gent call for money after Cassidy reach 2000 feet. The old man announced that it was ridiculous to continue. but he did not order the work stopped. At 2500 feet, however, he lost all patience and telegraphed a premptory order to cease operations. The message was not re- ceived until Cassidy was down to 2750 Aet. There he stopped
 Hinton and Moore had nothing to sug- gest and nothing to say. Cassidy, who was called into the conference, frankly announced that it was waste of money to do any more work. He expressed sympathy for the three friends and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

said when he came across the shame
 less rascal who had played the scound-
 erly trick on them he would take great
 pleasure in beating the life out of him, but meanwhile he saw nothing for all
 hands to do but pull down the drilling sea fold get the tools together and move on. If he could do anything to help the three lungers he was more than willing. but the place for them was back in one of the cities. There they probably would get work or, if not could be in touch by telegraph with their relatives In the East
 Mallory listened patiently, and whom Cassidy finished he had this to say:
 No, boys" he said, we're not going to give up yet. It looks as if we're
 done for, but I'm not ready to quit. If
 Cassidy will let me have enough money
 to go to Los Angeles I'll make another
 play for old man Merritt. I'll get him
 to stick. He has to. He has put in too
 much now to abandon the work. We've been buncoed and we've been laughed
 at, but I'm not the one to let go because of that. I'll make one more try at it..
 The old man surely will go 250 feet
 deeper if plead hard enough"
 Cassidy gave enough money to him to
 pay his way to Los Angeles. The funds of the three friends had been exhausted week before. Not only did Cassidy furnish the money, but in his good-na- tured Irish way he declared that, pending the announcement of the deci-
 sion, he would continue drilling just for good measure.
 No" said the old man. when Mallory had reported and had told how just a | little more patience would bring suc-
 cess if success was to come to them. | "I'b through. I don blame you Nal | lory. I shouldn't have gone into this thing in the first place. It simply was
 a case of my sympathy getting the bet ter of my judgment. I wouldn't stand | for another penny. Pve sunk a darn sight more money in this proposition than I'll ever let any one know. have no. hard feelings in the matter, and if | you can get any other chump to back | you up in this affair go ahead and get him. I'll give you my 51 per cent in- | terest and not ask you to say thank | you. Here's the agreement we signed Put in your pocket or tear 1t up, but don't bother me again. I'll just put my | loss down to experience"
 | Pm sorry, MT. Merritt. mighty sorry | said Mallory.
 "So am I. Mallory" said MT. Merritt, and the two men sh ook hands.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

his chair. Well, knew 1t the moment you entered the office You're in the wrong pew, my boy I've grubstaked a hundred men In my time. I've lent a small fortune to honest but misguised people like you and your two friends, but I'm all through. There are holes in the ground. gold prospects. oil pros poets and the deuce knows what all the way from Patagonia to the Arctic cir cle that are monuments to my folly in money matters, but there won't be any more I never made a dollar through stalking anybody or going in with any body. What I've got l made by my lonesome. I don't want to be curt to you, but you're wasting time when you talk to me. You're nice young fellow and you talk mighty well. You may land some one here in town. but you'll have to pass me up.
 Mallory laughed and went away That evening he met Merritt again. Merritt thought the meeting was acci- dental It was not. Mallory had learned something about the old mans habits and haunts.
 Well. what luck?' asked Merritt.
 q met my man." replied Mallory. Met him today. He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to come in with us."
 "Who Is it?" inquired Merit.
 His name IS Merritt, salu Mallory.
 The old man looked the young man in the eye. Then he laugh ed. Say" he remarked, If had your nerve I'd be rich" Then he walked away.
 Tn the morning Mallory wandered in- to Merritts office. The old man frowned when he saw him. At noon Mallory was there again. In the af- ternoon Mallory was at the door when Merritt went out to visit a friend. In the evening Mallory was on the street when Merritt started on his customary stroll.
 It was the same thing the next day. Merritt couldn go anywhere without encountering Mallory. The. young man was not obtrusive but the old man felt there was no escaping him.
 This kept up for four days, and then Merritt lost his patience. See here, Mallory" he exclaimed, this thing has to end. You are annoying me. 1 want you to stop.
 q cannot. MT. Merritt" said Mallory, earnestly. "It's life or death to three of us. Heavens. man. it's more unpleas- ant to me to do this than 1t is to you to be subjected to 1t, but I simply have to get you to help us out"
 The old man scowled. said something
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

stream which flows through a desert, the great gorge or depression of Ghor. It has a scanty vegetation along its banks and it flows through a valley of death to the great salt sea, known as The Dead Sea The Abana and Pharpar are pure mountain streams, and the Abana is one of the most beautiful of the whole world. have travelled along it almost to It's source. It is a rushing river of pure, clear green water, which spreads life over all that it touches. Together with the Pharpar it makes green the great plain which lies below us and builds up the or chards of almonds, apricots, apples and the rich crops which cover it, as we'll as the white city of Damascus, which lies Tn it's center.
 Now turn your eyes to the city itself. With it's gardens and orchards sur yer poplars within and without, and the green shines over the houses. The town has been compared to a pearl It is shaped very like one. M, guide, Shammas, who stands beside me, tells me 1t looks like a camel. and a second glance shows me the head and neck of the beast reaching out to a point where lies railway station of the road going to Mecca. The road itself is the long neck of the camel and farther back Is tie body, the minarets forming the hump. Now look again. says Sham mas, and see if 1t is net like a fan" Very much so," I reply, "and it is also like great spoon with a long slender handle and large oval bowl"
 To come down to details Damascus is an expanse of pearly white. tinged with the jink of its roofs. The build ings rise high over the green. and out of them, like fingers pointing to heaven, are the minarets of 200 mosques, with the mighty dome of the Great Mosque in the center. At the right of the latter are the arched roofs of bazars which have been famous for ages, and away off from the rest is big, yellow building With roof of red tiles. That Is the center of Mohamme- dan fanaticism. It Is the barracks where thousands of Moslem soldiers are quartered. More than 12000 troops are Kept there, and in q time Of uprisings and massacres, such as that of last spring, they form the greatest danger to Christians.
 Damascus is Mohammedan city It has about 300000 people, and four-fifths of them follow the prophet It has also about 5000 Greeks, 5000 Jews and lesser numbers of Syrans, Armenians, Persians and Druses. The city has Mo ,nmedan schools and the students are as ..-.iger- ous as those who denounced Colonel Roosevelt in the University of Cairo. These people are very devout One sees them reading their Korans in their shops. and at every mosque I observe score or more of the faithful washing them selves before they go into their pray CTS The mosques are full of turbaned old men and young men. who all pray singly and in groups. and in many one finds companies of worshipers under a leader. There are also male classes lis- tening to the explanation of the korans by the priests, and there aie. men read ir~ singly.
 But come down with me frolf the hiu
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

filters something like the mule filters used in north China. These are beds slung between poles which are fastened gogues of Damascus, that he might bring such Christians as he found there to Je- rusalem for trial. He was on his way to camels. one going before and the other behind and trained to keep step. The camels are adorned with coins shells and other ornaments for the occasion and hundreds of small bells jingle as they march. In advance of the procession is a large camel litter hung with green cloth and embroidered with gold. This contains the green flag of the prophet and one of the oldest copies of the Ko- ran now in existence. In addition to the worshipers themselves, the caravan has an escort of soldiers and Bedouins. There are also many half-naked dervishes who sing and howl and cut themselves, shout ing out texts from the Koran. as they go on their way.
 Within the past few months the rail- road which has been building from Da- mascus to Mecca has been almost com pleted and it is question whether this will not cause this great caravan to be- come a thing of the past as far as the travel between Damascus and Mecca Is concerned. A pilgrimage also starts out from Cairo and one of these not long ago was headed by the present lShedlve.
 At Fatfma's Tomb
 During my stay here I have gone out to the cemetery to take a look at the tomb of Mohammed's favorite daught ter. As I remember it. Mohammed had sew eral wives. in addition to the four which he allows to each of his follow CTS. His first wife was Khadija. the widow whose fortune first made him prominent. and whose servant he was. As l remember 1t she was his first convert. Two of his other wives and Fatima are buried here, and Thursdays many yelled women come to mourn at their graves. Fatima's tomb is little domed mosque about 15 feet square with a praying alcove facing toward Mecca. Fatima lies in a marble sarcoph- agus, which stands on pedestal covered with green velvet and with d piece of green cloth at its head. As 1 looked at the tomb I saw several rags tied to the bars of the window and was told that they were put there as the pledges of sick persons showing that they would give money to the mosque if they should be cured.
 The tomb Of Saladin, the great Mo- hammedan general who fought Europe during the ;rusades. Is also in Damas- GUS. When the Emperor of Germany came here he wished to lay crown of gold on 1t but this was contrary to the principle of the Mohamm edan re : ligion. which will not allow such things in their mosque. Therefore they built an alcove running. from the mosque outside and 1t is there that this crown Is now kept under glass doors
 In the Footsteps of St. Paul
 have spent some time during my stay in Damascus in hunting up the foot. steps of St. Paul, the apostle. You will remember that he was one of the Jewish officials, and was "breathing out threat sning and slaughter against the dis-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
Copyright, 1910.

Copyright. 1910, by Frank G. Carpenter)
 Damascus. ~ TAND with me on the slope of the
 Lebanon mountains and take look e> over Damascus. We have climbed Wilhelm, the Emperor of Germany, when he visited this region 10 years ago; and are now on a bare lofty hill which the Mohammedans consider one of the holy spots of the world. It is where the Prophet Mohammed stood and gazed at the magnificent town which Damascus was in his day. He stayed here for hours, and then, turning away with sigh. said:
 T dare not go in. Man can enter para < disc but once, and if go into Damascus, this paradise on earth, l shall not be able to enter the paradise of the hereafter in heaven"
 The Oldest City of the World
 According to the Mohammedans. Abra- ham first received the divine revelation of the unity of God in Damascus; and Josephus says that the town was founded by Uz, the great-ereat- grandson of Noah. The Bible tells us that Abraham had a steward who came from Damascus and we know that King David besieged and conquered the place. There is no doubt that it is one of the oldest, if not the very oldest town upon earth. It was in existence before the days of Ra- meses, before Alexandria sprang into greatness at the mouth of the Nile, and while Nebuchadnezzar was chewing grass in the gardens of Babylon. It was old long before Athens had begun to be, and was already gray-haired when Rome was a baby. It antedates any of the cities of the present, and it is now one of the most thriving centers of the Mohamme- dan world.
 The Rivers of Nanman
 Damascus lies on the eastern side of the Lebanon mountains about 150 miles north east of Jerusalem. and, as the crow flies, about 53 miles from the Mediterranean sea. It Is an oasis city. being surrounded by deserts. It is fed by two rivers which flow out of sreat springs in the mountains of Lebanon and make green this sandy plain in which they are lost. These two rounded by deserts 1t lies under the magnificent mountains. There are sil- are the Abana and Pharpar of the Bible You remember how Naaman. the leper referred to them when Elisha told him to go and wash in the Jordan seven times and his flesh would be clean. Whereupon Naaman replied:
 ''Are not Abnna and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
 Yoii remember also how one of his ser wants told Naaman that Elisha was ask ing little thing of him and how he then went down and bathed in the Jordan, ''and his flesh came again. like unto the flesh of little child. and he was clean . As We stand on the hill of Mohammed at the northwest end of the city and look af Damascus we do not wonder at Naa- 1ran's contempt of the Jordan. The lat ter is winding. rocky, semi-alkaline
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

Mallory walked out of the office with head bent. If Merritt had shown anger or resentment he might hope to make some headway by another appeal, but against such kindly consideration az the old man had shown there could be noth- ing done Mallory thoubht of the two weak men up in the Rosita valley and thought of himself. He was so busy thinking that he paid no attention to . youth he bumped against and who ex- pressed himself vigorously for having one of his feet stepped on. It was not until Mallory was out on the street that he came out of his abstraction. Then he suddenly realized that some one was calling his name. It was a clerk from Merritt office who had run after him.
 Mallory went back. A small boy in messenger uniform was standing near a desk. He glowered when he saw Mall lory and then he raised one leg and rubb ed the shoe. just as if the rubbing would soothe the aching he had in his foot.
 There's a telegram for you" said Merritt.
 Mallory turned to the boy and took the envelope from his hand.
 sixty cents charges" said the boy.
 I'm afraid you'll have to pay 1t, MT. Merritt" said Mallory. I'm busted" You don't mean you're stone broker" exclaimed Merritt. L.. Not sou narque, said Mallory. There was a touch of sympathy in tho old mans voice as he handed bill to Mallory and remarked that he had no idea the young mans situation was so desperate.
 Mallory signed for the telegram and passed the bill to the boy before he read the message. Then let out whoop and threw the telegram to the old man.
 Say" said a wild-eyed messenger boy in the telegraph office a few min utes later You oughter see themi They hugged each other and danced around, and the young fellow beloved to old man Merritt. Half of it's yours! You have to take It. It's your gusher as much as it's oursr and when I butted in and said, Say. boss, I ain't got no change for this ten-spot, they just laughed funny like and old man Mer- ritt reached in his pocket and pulled out another ten-spot and gave 1t to me and says. That's all right, boy; there aint no change, and here's another to keep the first ten-spot company" Copyright, 1911, by Richard Spillane