davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

Chance bent over the form that sud
denly grew heavier 40 he held 1t.
(which way. Pete, which way?" he
cried, shaking the half.breed almost
savagely to force him to SPEAK again.
And Pete lifted ono hand slightly.
with . queer. unsteady motion south
east, but he made no answer. Power
Of speech had left him.
Chance waited . while. staring
blankly out at the wide. darkening
land with half.shut eyes. When the
last sunset glow broke haxily through
tho still. yellow haze in long. widen
ing lines Of dull red. he mounted 81.
wash and rode southeast, leaving .
defunct half.breed in the dry. mud
caked grasses Of the creek bed.
Miles to the southwest lay what had
been the reservation land. covered
now with the mushroom growth Of
tents and shacks Of the fall home
seekers. Miles north and east
stretched the prairie. . great dry sea
Of tawny. heat-scorched grass; and
every time Siwash lifted his nose and
shifted the air. It meant . fresh Whit
Of IRE on the wind.
Chance lifted his hat and rode fast,
- fast ~ he dared with Siwash's
dread Of stray badger hole. He
knew enough Of old man NawA's weak
ness and Leroux's far-sighted guile to
guess the missing parts in the half.
breeds narrative. Leroux held an In.
dian mortgage on the land drawn by
Madelaine Nawn. While It didn't
amount to the paper Il was written
on in the eyes Of the law, still he had
made old Nawn believe the claim was
Just one.
Steadily the scrawny, long.limbed
pony pushed ahead. his nose pointing
out. aggressively toward the point his
rider aimed at. Just ahead lay old
man Nawn's home. . meager dot
somewhere out under the waste of
the darkening blue sky On the soil.
tary prairie. To Chance that night
1t was like . sheep shelter and he
hsrder. hurrying TO save 1t from
wolves.
Home" he muttsrsd. "As II any
SPOT On the face Of Gods earth could
b. . homo just because It was ground
with your own particular tag On II.
81. few hours hack was homosick.
wanted some doggone little hole n
the ground for home: wanted plants
at the windows. and real clothes.
line out back. with women's aprons
and general dingbats hanging ON Il
maybe kids dingbats, too. And II
the middle Of the dream. ~ was Z
little girl-woman. understand. Name
Of Madslains."
He pursed up his lips into . whistle
He had almost forgotten that stark
dead body back In the tangled dry
grasses Of the creek bed.
Little bit Of girl-womAn. SiwasA
with brown eyes and curly hair good
deal the color Of this here prairie
grass. Name Of Nadelains. And she
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13
head, and utter calm succeeded.
In the Midst Of the Hippo Herd.

head, and utter calm succeeded.
In the Midst Of the Hippo Herd.
had marked the spot where the one at
which shot had disappeared and thither
we rowed. When we reached the place
told one Of the rowers to thrust pole down
and see if he could touch the dead body. He
thrust according, and at once shouted that
he had found the hippo; in another moment
his face altered, and he shouted much more
loudly that the hippo was alive.
Sure enough, bump went the hippo
against the bottom Of the boat, the. jar
causing US all to sit suddenly down. for we
were standing. Another bump showed that
we had again been struck; and the shallow,
muddy water boiled, as the huge beasts.
above and below the surface, scattered
every which way.
Their eyes starting, the two rowers began
to back water out Of the dangerous neigh
borhood, while shot at an animal whose
head appeared to my left, as it made off
with frantic haste; for took it for granted
that the hippo at which I had first fired
(and which was really dead) had escaped.
This one disappeared as usual, and I had not
the slightest idea whether or not I had
killed it,
had small opportunity to ponder the
subject, for 20 feet away the water dubbed
and huge head shot out facing me, the
jaws wide open. There was no time to
guess at it's intentions, and I fire. on the
instant. Down went the head, and felt the
boat culver as the hippo passed underneath.
Just here the lily pads were thick; so
marked its course, fired as it rose, and down
it went. But on the other quarter Of the boat
beast. evidently of great size-it proved to
be big bull-now appeared, we'll above
water; and put bullet into its brain.
Four Dead Hippo.
did not wish to shoot again unless had
to. and stood motionless with the little
Springfield at the ready. A head burst UP
20 yards off, with lily pad plastered over
one eye, giving the hippo an absurd resem-
blance to discounted prize fighter, and
then disappeared with great agitation. Two
half-grown beasts stupid from fright ap-
peared and stayed up for minute or two at
time, not knowing what to do. Other
heads popped tip, getting farther and farther
away.
By degrees everything vanished, the wa
ter grew calm and we roYed over to the
papyrus, moored ourselves by catching hold
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

and before she was aware Of his intent
he had deliberately shot tho two
ponies dead.
At Madelaine's scream old man
Nawn stumbled heavily out from UNI
der the blackboard; but before Le-
roux could shoot again, there came .
noise that checked his move, the
steady. hard thud Of horses hoofs.
and. even louder still. q low, queer
roar and the soft. quick wind that
comes before . prairie IRE.
"It's got us!" yelled old Nawn, 40
he raised both hands helplessly sky.
ward. Leroux rose His own horse
stood safe. and he hesitated. looking
at Madelaine. And even ~ no lin.
gered. there whizzed out over HE
head the circling line Of Chance
Haines' lariat. thrown neatly and with
precision, until 1t threw him nat on
the earth. roped ~ surely and safely
~ any steer.
at wasn't that I meant for him to
die outright" Chance was fond OF ex-
planning. But there wasn't no time
for fine calculations. Here was two
dead horses. Here was q prairie fire
a-sweeping down ON u like kingdom
come, at short range. Here was old
Pa Nawn. and over there was my own
little girl. How was I to stop and
take notice Of Jim Leroux against
such odds? All had time to do was
to put him out Of business. And
sure did. Then pop took his horse.
and I swung the little girl up close
to me, and we were of. That's all
amt It, Madelaine. honey dear?"
Madelaine said nothing. Az
"missus" Of the ranch, besides q real
house in the making, she fed the
brown puppies and let Chance do
the talking.
1T sure must have ,dawned on Jim
pretty sudden that he'd landed in tho
right place when the lire caught
him." said Bill a. he sorted out
flower seed envelopes o. the wash
bench outside the kitchen door.
God help him, anyway" whispered
Madelaine. with q shudder. and shs
leaned her head back on Chances
shoulder. Let's have morning glories
all over the porch. Chance. And
double hollyhocks, pink ones with
deep-red hearts. Chance"
"Sure." laughed Chance. kissing her
upturned lips. You can hang Bill
and me UP for ornaments. II you want
to. honey girl. Cause why? Cause
its going to be home. And you won't
be lonesome, will you. with just old
Bill and me and the dogs?" de gassd
at her tenderly.
i Lonesome?" she repeated, her big
eyes wide and reproachful. Lone.
some, Chance. where you are?"
Bill looked up thoughtfully ct the
blue oky and winked with an under
standing heart. The other two were
silent.
j (CopyrioM TAs Fra~k 4. ksnssy Gel
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

the reservation Indians. the name Of
Leroux had been enough to lend con.
hdence to any deal the half-bresd pro.
posed, until miles of the best land
lay under paper bearing the Leroux
stamp.
And from out the far east Of red
taped ofncialdom had swung the thun.
derbolt. After years Of pickering and
dallying, the reservation was to be
opened up that fall. The Indians had
moved northward to good, arabic.
guaranteed land, homeseekers had
crowded in down at Dallas, and, - .
side issue, totally unimportant, two
light-fngered gentlemen partners had
found themselves and their projects
squelched.
"It's too bad. Pete. it sure IT," said
Chance soothingly. who gave you
this one?"
Hatred showed in Pete's eyes.
''Leroux." he muttered. HE not
want me to tell Madelaine Nawn."
"Tell what?" demanded ChaHes.
The half-breed shivered, and his head
dropped lower On his chest. The sun
was half an hour above the line Of
the earth and sky. Before that time
the soul of Pete Frozen Nose would
have slipped out past the sky limits.
Chance pulled him up ON his arm and
gave him another drink. He didn't
want the soul to slip out before he
had all the news.
did he try to kill you. Peter" he
asked, bracing the half-brsed's head
against his own shoulder and knee.
Siwash whinnied anxiously. liftina
his nose to the wind.
"He shoot about the girl and the
land" began the half.breed slowly.
"She draw big land last fall-big In
dian land down at Dallas"
II know" interrupted Chanes i'm
patiently. AT the land drawing. Ga
On. quick"
"He an Lsroux hold lndian mort
gage onsthat land. Last week Lsrouz
nnds ore there, some silver. some
gold. Thea he 20 down an get old
man Nawn. and they play cards. and
Leroux gets back the land"
"But It's the girls laAd." bfoks IL
Chance.
"sure." Psts's liDs formed The
words stimy. "0irI rode down with
old man Nawn TO buy stuR. Come ID
whore Leroux's making the old man
give up. and stirs up big row. Their
they chase Leroux an me out Of town
and Leroux says wait for the two out
here"
"Wait out hsrs!" Chance lifted VI
his head and stared duly around al
the wide expanse Of "out here miles
upon miles Of bleak. silent land. with
no living soul a. far ~ the eye coult
see. what forfs
ITO kill old man Nawn. Then W
talk about Madslaias: and l say
like one yellow dog"
(which way did be goS~
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

needs W. now. s.: she surs needs u
bao."
There was no moon h the sky. A
strange, nebulous glow seemed to
overhang the prairie eiucs the night
had come on. 1t was hard to take In
q deep, full breath. And suddenly
Siwash ca1as to dead stop. head up.
ears pricked forward. listening.
From somewhere out Of the dark.
ness ahead there came the troubled
whinny Of horse.
Chance, peering keenly ahead. could
see nothing; but the noise came again.
The land was not level. It lay in
long. deep rolls: and Siwash made
straight for the nearest dip Of land.
Behind It. at 1rst sight, reposed a
peaceful and unsuspecting camp. A
couple of ponies we're picksted in the
shelter Of the slope. A blackboard.
with boxes OF provisions protruding
from ito buffalo robes. stood BY. I'm
der II reposed old 'man Nawn. sound
asleep. But, standing. facing each
other. were Jim Leroux and Made
laine.
The sound Of their voices came
clearly on tho silence Of the night
1T don't make no difference what
you say" Madelaine was saying, nor
head back like . fighting little wild
cat. Il know all about you. Jim Le.
roux. You can't talk your way round
me the way you do with daddy. The
land belongs to me. I drew 1t. Daddy
never even knew I was putting In q
bid for It. 1t was my idea and
mothers. You cant have 1t. We've
lived ever since ! can remember IN
that old shack, and hrst It wasn't
oven . shack. 1t was Just dusoM.
And daddy amt got . mite OF amoi.
tion. He'd Just - soon We al died
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

beast; it went under water once or twice,
but again came out to the papyrus and
waddled along the edge, its body out OF
water. We headed toward it, and thrust
the boat in among the water lilies, finding
feet deep. While still over hundred yards
from the hippo. saw it turn as if to break
into the papyrus and at once fired into its
shoulder, the tiny pointed bullet smashing
the big bones.
Round spun the great beast, plunged into
the water and with its huge jaws open came
straight for the boat floundering and
splashing through the thckgrowing water
lilies. / think that its chief object was to
get to deep water; but we were between it
and the deep water and instead Of trying to
pass to one side it charged straight for the
boat, with open jaws, bent on mischief.
But hit it again and again with the little
sharp-pointed bullets.
Once l struck it between the neck and
shoulder; once as it rushed forward with
its huge Jaws stretched to their threatening
utmost, fired right between them, where
at it closed them with the clash of sprung
bear trap; and then, when under the pun
ishment it swerved for moment hit it at
the base OF the ear a brain shot which
Dire .>ped it III its tracks.
Chanting the Feat of "B'Wana Makuba."
Meanwhile Kermit was. busily taking
photos of it as it charged. and, as he men,
toned afterward, until it was dead he never
saw it except in the "finder" of his camera.
i he water was so shallow there l had
killed the hippo that its body projected
slightly above the surface. 1t was the hard
est kind OF work getting it out from among
the water lilies; then we towed it to camp
behind the launch.
The engineer of the launch was an Indian
Moslem. The fireman and the steersman
were two half-naked and much-ornamented
Kikuyus. The two Kikuyus were uncon-
sciously entertaining companions. Without
any warning they would suddenly start d
song or chant usually an impromptu recita-
tive of whatever at the moment interested
them.
They chanted for half an hour over the
feat of the "Bwana Makuba" (great master
or chief, my name) in killing the hippo;
laying especial stress upon the quantity of
excellent meat it would furnish and how
very good the eating would be- Usually one
would improvse the chant, and the other
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

:suts the cs ss si ;.'; to to ss:
prairie fires.
Nowadays, the minute see that
yellow in the air. and the grass
crackles up crisp and ready under
6iwash's tootsies. Why. don't stop
70 do any blowing or back-hring. 81.
wash and me get the call of the south
quick. and we take the trail toward
Yankton."
"0oing to stop OF at old man
Nawn's place. - per usual!" inquired
/. eill mildly.
Sure" said Chance.
Going TO bring . missus back with
yer?" Still the tone was gentle.
Chance laughed and rubbed his IN
gers up through his thick. curly hair
apbiously.
''She wouldn't like It way out here.
would she. BilIf Even you and me
And It lonely. J guess . woman would
de-"
"Nope." one Of the brown puppisl
rolled nonchalsntly over into the pan
81 mHk, and Bill hehed him out care.
fully and rolled him on the ground
IN tender. motherly fashion. to dry
MIN OF. Women don't mind beinl
lonesome II they've got the man they
i0ve best and few chickens to looA
ont for and some dogs and cats and
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

lilies, with their lcathery-tough stems and
broad floating leaves, filled the shadows At
the mouth Of the main bay we passed
floating island, mass Of papyrus perhaps
hundred and fifty acres in extent, which
had been broken off from the shore some
where, and was floating over the lake as the
winds happened to drive it.
In an opening in the dense papyrus masses
we left the launch moored, and Cunning
hame and started in the rowboat to coast
the green wall of tall, thick-growing feather
topped reeds.
Immediately after leaving the launch we
heard hippo, hidden in the green fastness
on our right, uttering meditative soliloquy
consisting OF succession Of squealing
grunts. Then we turned point, and in a
little bay saw six or eight hippo, floating
with their heads above water.
A disappointment.
There were two much bigger than the
others, and Cuninghame, while Of course
unable to be certain, thought these were
probably males The smaller ones, includ-
ing a COW and her calf, were not much
alarmed, and floated quietly, looking at us,
as we cautiously padded and drifted nearer;
but the bigger ones dove and began to work
their way past us toward deep water. We
could trace their course by the twisting OF
the lily pads
Motionless the rowers lay on their oars;
the line of moving lily pads showed that
one Of the big hippo was about to pass the
boat; suddenly the waters opened close at
hand and monstrous head appeared.
Shoot" said Cuninghame; and fired into
the back of the head just as it disappeared.
1t sank out of sight without splash, al
most without a ripple, the lily pads ceased
twisting; few bubbles of air rose to the
surface; evidently the hippo lay dead under
meath. Polling to the spot, we at once felt
the huge body with our oar blades. But,
alas, when the launch came round, and we
raised the body, it proved to be that of a
big cow
So left Cuninghame to cut off the head
for the museum, and started off by myself
in the boat with two rowers, neither of
whom spoke word Of English. For an
hour we saw only the teeming bird life.
Then, in broad, shallow lagoon, we made
out dozen hippo, two or three very big
Cautiously we approached them, and when
seventy yards off fired at the base of the
ear Of one of the largest. Down went every
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

poJrlu0O pOllWO8b OOWH
under the creek bed. We're getting
80 plumb set that We don't care what
We turn into in tho next thousand
years, II they'll only let US alone. I'm
going to ride south tomorrow, and
I'm going to stop on at old man
Nawn's place and say 'howdy.'"
1t was a challenge to further argu.
ment. but Bill took 1t not up. He
knew the spring was against him, -
we'll as the memory Of Madelaine's
tanned, dimpled face. with it, quick
smile and big, soft, dark eyes. So
the next morning at daybreak Chance
rode south, rode with his head held
high to greet the dawn-light over his
shoulder. and his hat brim turned low
with jaunty twist, ~ betting q
wooing cavalier.
Every spring, for six years back.
he had taken the same route. II
had constituted his spring run after
the long, slow. snowbound winter
back up In the foothills where the
prairie breaks against their base like
long. rolling waves.
-Thtough the winter he and his part.
ner would live quietly In the little
rough shack that Rugged the shelteI
| Of the shelving butte behind Il. When
. bio storm was IN the cir. they would
ride out with the dogs and drive the
herds down into the gullies. IL va
the only exciting thing that ever hap
pened from November to April.
But when II was over, the wintel
wait then the zap Of spring ran fasl
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13
SUNDAY CAPITAL NEWS. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1a 1912

Join in the chorus Sometimes they would
solemnly sing complimentary songs to one
another, each in turn chanting the manifold
good qualities Of his companion.
The Hideous Eatoon.
The balloons were numerous around this
camp, living both among the rocks and in
the tree tops.
They are hideous creatures. They ravagc
the crops and tear open newborn lambs to
get at the milk inside Of them; and where
the natives are timid and unable to harm
them, they become wantonly savage and
aggressive and attack and even kill women
and children.
In Uganda Cuninghame had once been
asked by native chief to come to his vii
lage and shoot the balloons, as they had
just killed two women, badly bitten several
children, and caused such reign OF terror
that the village would be abandoned IT they
were not killed or inundated. He himself
saw the torn and mutilated bodies of the
dead women; and he stayed in the village
week, shooting SO many balloons that the
remainder were thoroughly cowed.
Balloons and boars are the most formid-
able OF all foes to the dogs that hunt them
just as leopards are Of all wild animals those
most apt to prey on dogs. A baboon's teeth
and hands are far more formidable weapons
than those Of any dog, and only very few
wholly exceptional dogs of huge size and
great courage and intelligence, can, single
handed, contend with an old male.
But we saw settler whose three big ter
riers could themselves kill fullgrown
wart-hog boar; an almost unheard Of feat.
They backed up one another with equal
courage and adroitness. their aim being for
two to seize the hind legs; then the third,
watching his chance, would get one foreleg,
when the boar was speedily thrown, and
when weakened, killed by bites in his stom-
ach.
A Floating Island of Papyrus.
Hitherto we had not obtained bull hippo
and made up my mind to devote myself to
getting one, as otherwise the group for the
museum would be incomplete.
Cuninghame, the two Attenboroughs
and started early in the launch, towing the
big clumsy rowboat, with as crew three of
our porters who could row. We steamed
down the lake some 5 miles to wide bay
indented by smaller bays, lagoons and in
lets, all fringed by broad belt of impene-
trable papyrus, while the beautiful purple
Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13

,eifers and plants and kids.
They like to be the whole
'how and boss . place like
this. They'd boss ~
something fierce II one
over did get q foothold
here, Chance"
- Wouldn't It do 40
good - protested
!" Chance. you and
~ me, Bill, we're get.
The Washington times., 1912-02-24
WILL ENUMERATE
Mr.. TAFT FIRST IN
RELIGIOUS CENSUS
Two Thousand Volunteers
Begin Canvass to Aid
Churches Tomorrow.

To give impetus to the house-to house
religious canvass that is TO be made
in Washington tomorrow afternoon, to
ascertain how many men and boys at
tend Sunday school and church, Presi-
dent Taft will be the first person emu
merated.
The religious enumerators, 1000 in
number, representing every Christian
force in the District, will make the can
vass, and as a, result of such investiga-
ton the churches of the city expect to
bring within their fold hundreds of men
and boys.
Cards will be distributed bearing the
following legend:
Name. Address. Age. Church OF
which member: denomination; name;
is 1t located in the District of Columbia ?
Church or Sunday school now attended
denomination; name. If you are not a
church member or are not now attend
ing a Church or Sunday. school, what
denomination is your preference?"
President Taft will be presented with
one of these cards promptly at oclock
Immediately the campaign will begin.
Every man and boy of the 1000 can
vassers figures on reaching fifty men in
the afternoon, thus 100000 men and boys
should be enumerated.
So great is the number of volunteers
who have registered for the canvass
| that 1t is expected the entire city Will
| be covered inside of three hours. Spe-
| CiaT visitors will be sent to hotels and
| apartment houses, and every man In
Washih gton will, II is believed, be regis
tered by the jnterdenominational can
vass
The organization of the movement
consists of central city committee. in
cluding representatives of Catholic and
| Protestant churches, both white and
| colored. and of the Hebrew congrega-
| tions of Washington; of local commit
| teemen in each church, and of the WIS.,
itors themselves. The central commit.
tee consists of fourteen members, oi
| which number eight are Protestants
| five Catholics. and one a Hebrew
| Three of the Frotestants and one os the
| churches.
Every male citizen over fifteen years
| of age will be registered at the place
The Washington times., 1912-02-24
Synopsis of Chapters Already Published

Cosmo versal. a scientist, discovers that
second deluge impends and tries to
warn the world of its danger.
The Washington times., 1912-02-24
THE ARK OF SAFETY.
CHAPTER III.
The First Drops of the Deluge.

THE utterance of the Carnegie In
stitution indeed fell fiat, and Cos
mo VersaTs star reigned in the
ascendant. He pushed his prep
arations with amazing speed, and not
only politics but even war that had
just broken out in South America was
swallowed up in the newspapers by
endless descriptions of the mysterious
proceedings at Mineola. Cosmo still
found time every day to write articles
and to give out interviews; and Joseph
Smith was kept constantly on the jump,
running for street cars or trains, or
Ieaping, with his long coat Tapping. in
to and out of elevators on ceaseless
missions to the papers, the scientific
societies and the meetings of learned
o. unlearned bodies which had just
been persuaded to investigate the sub
'cCt OF the coming flood. Between the
work of preparation and that of pros
lytism it is difficult to see how Cosmo
found sleep.
Day by day the Ark of Safety rose
higher upon its great platform, it's huge
metallic ribs and broad, bulging sides
CIintinc strangely in the unbroken sun
shine-for, as initiating the ominoUs
quiet before an earthquake, the July
sky had stripped itself of all clouds. No
thunderstorms broke the serenity OF