davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-04-23

Typewriter supplies at this office.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

and introduce him to Sinbad. This in
dependent excursion to Bagdad was
a stroke on my part; it will work into
the general plan as smoothly as If 1t
had been grooved for the part. Sinbad.
I might just as we'll have assumed
that name: Horace Sinbad, sounds
we'll and looks we'll" He unused in
silence, his hand gently rubbing his
chin; for he did possess the trick of
talking aloud, in a low monotone. a
habit acquired during periods of lone
illness, when the sound Of his own
voice had succeeded in steadying his
lettering mind.
What a woman, what q wife, she
would have been to the right man!
Odd thing, a man can do almost any
thing but direct his affections; they
-lust be drawn. She was not for him;
l-ay, not even on a desert isle. Doubt
less he was a fool. In time she would
have made him a rich man. Alack!
It was always the one we pursued
that we loved and never the one that
pursued us.
I'm afraid Of her; and there you
are. There isn't a man living who
has gone back Of that Mona Lisa smile
of hers. If she was the last woman
and 1 was the last man, I don't say"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

however, as If he had changed his
mind in the twenty-odd PAGES it took
to reach it. He stared for a long
period at the elderly gentleman who
was watching the feluccas on the
river through the window. The white
mustache and imperial stood out in
crisp relief against the ruddy sunburn
on his face. If he was aware Of this
scrutiny on the part Of the pursy gen.
tleman, he gave not the least sign.
The revolving door spun round, send
ing a puff Of outdoor air into the
lounging-room. The elderly gentleman
then smiled, and applied his thumb
and forefinger to the waxen point of
his imperial.
In the intervening time Mr.. Ryanne
entered his room, threw the bundle
OH the bed, sat down beside it, and
read his letter. Shadows and lights
moved across his face; frowns that
hardened it, smiles that mellowed it.
Women hold the trick Of writing let
tiers. Do they hate, their thoughts
flash and burn from line to line. Do
they love, it's lettered music. Do they
c~onspire. the breadth Of their imagi-
nation Is without horizon. At best,
man can indite only a polite business
letter, his love-notes were adjudged
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

long since a maudlin collection or
loose sentences. In this letter Mr.. Ry-
anne found the three parts of life.
She's a good general; but hang
these birthstone efforts Of hers. she
talks too much of heart. For my part,
I prefer to regard it as a mere phys
ical function, a pump, a motor, a pow
er that gives action to the legs, either
in coming or In going, more especially
in going" He laughed. well, hers
Is the inspiration and hers Is the law.
And TO think that she could plan all
this on the spur of the moment, down
to the minutest detail! It's a science
He put the letter away, slid out his
legs and glared at the dusty tips OF
his shoes. "The United Romance and
Adventure Company, Ltd, OF New
York, London, and Paris. She has the
greatest gift of all, the ems OF hui
NOR"
He rose and opened his kit-bag
doubtfully. He rummaged about IN
the depths and at last Strengthened
up with a mild oath.
mot a pair of cuffs in the whole
outfit, not a shirt, not a collar. On,
well, when a mar has to leave Bagdad
the way I did, over the back fence,
so to speak, linen doesn't count" -
He drew down his cuffs, detached
and reversed them, he turned his fold
ing collar wrong-side out, and used
the under side Of the foot-rug as a
~shoe-polisher. 1t was the ingenious
procedure of 8 man who was used to
being out late nights, who made all
things answer all purposes. This rapid
and singularly careless toilet COM
pleted, he centered his G upon
the more vital matter of finances. He
was close to the nadir: four sover-
eigns, a form, and a collection Of bat
tered coppers that would have tiokled
the pulse Of an amateur numismatist.
mo vintage tonight, my boy; no
long, fat Havana, either. A bottle Of
stout and a few rags Of plug-cut;
that's the pace well travel this eve
ming. The United Romance and Ad-
venture Company is not listed at pres
ent. II It was, I'd sell a few shares
on my own hook. The kind Lord
knows that I've stock enough and to
spare" He laughed again, but with
out the leaven of humor. when the
fool-killer snatches up the last fool,
let rogues look to themselves; and
fools are getting scarcer every day.
"Percival Algernon! o age Of po-
cts! l wonder, does he wear high col
lars and spats, or has she plumbed
him accurately? She is generally
right. But a man changes some In
seven years. I'm an authority when 1t
comes to that. Look what's happened
to me in seven years! First, Horace,
we shall dine, then we'll smoke. our
pipe in the billiard-room, then we'll
softly approach Percival Algernon
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

der his nose, epicureanly; then he
slipped the wine. Something like! It
ran across his tongue and down his
thr- at in tingling fire, nectarious; and
he went half way to Olympus, to the
feet of the gods. For weeks he had
lived in the, vilest haunts, in desperate
straits, his life in his open hands; and
now once more he had crawled from
the depths to the outer crust OF the
world. 1t did not matter that he was
destined to go down into the depths
again; so long as the spark burned
he was going to crawl back each time.
Damnable luck! He could have lived
like a prince. T~wenty-four hundred,
and all in two nights, a steady stream
of gold into the pockets Of men whom
he could have cheated with consum-
mate ease, and didn't. A fine wolf,
whose predatory instincts were still
riveted to that obsolete thing called
conscience! ,."t
Conscience? Rot! Let us for
once be frank and write 1t down as
caution, as fear of publicity, anything
but the white guardian-angel Of the
immortality of the soul. Heap up the
gold, Apollyon; heap 1t up, higher and
higher, till not a squeak Of that still
small voice that once awoke the chap
in the Old Testament can ever again
be heard. Now, no more retrospection,
Horace; no more analysis; the vital
question SINNERS down to this: II
Percival Algernon balks, how far win
four sovereigns co." r, /
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

He hunted for a cigarette, but failed
to find me-. Almost at the bottom,
boy; the winter of our discomfort, and
no sun Of York to make it glorious.
Twenty-four hundred at cards, and to
lose it like a tyro! Wallace has taught
me all he knows, but I'm a BOBBY.
Twenty-four hundred, firms money.
It's a failing Of mine, the firms money.
But, damn it ALL l can't cheat a man
at cards; I'd rather cut his throat"
He found his pipe, and a careful
search Of the corners of his coat-pock-
cts revealed a meager pipeful of TO-
bacco. He picked out the little balls
Of wool, the ground-coffee, the cloves,
and pushed the charge home into the
crusted bowl Of his briar.
ITO the devil with economy! A
pint of burgundy and a perfecto If
they hale us to jail for it. I'm dead
tired. I've see three corners In bell
in the past two months. I'm going as
far as four s~overeigns will take me.
49,. Fortune Chedsoye." His blue
eyes became less hard and his mouth
less defiant. II repeat, the heart
should be nothing but a pump. 9th
erwise 1t gets in the way, becomes AZ
obstruction. a bottomless pit. Will
power, that's the ticket. l can face a
lion without an extra beat, / a face
the various countenances of death
without an additional flutter; and yet.
here's a girl who, when / see her or
think Of her, sends the pulse soaring
from seventy-seven up to eighty-four.
Bad business; besides, it's so infer
nally questionable. It's hard work
for a man to keep his balance 'twixt
the devil and the deep, blue sea; Clio
conda on one side and Fortune on the
other. Gioconda throws open windows
and doors at my approach; but For
tune locks and bars hers, nor knocks
at mine. That's the way it always
goes.
III a man could only go back ten
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
e....riea Rnxes In Shark Stomachs.

surprlse Boxes In Shark Stomachs.
Fishermen in the Caribbean sea re
Gently found in the stomach OF a shark
which they had killed a good sized
bottle In which was a half-decipher'
able letter from a shipwrecked sailor.
Many such relics have been found. In
enc case a lady's bracelet was found
in a state of perfect preservation. to-
gether with a silver spoon and a thou
sand Spanish reals in fhoney. The
curious feature Of the finding OF the
money was that it was In an official
receptacle lost in the city OF Spanish
Town (Jamaica) during a negro upris-
ing in the seventeenth century. Where
had it been meantime? Surely not In
the sharks stomach, unless the shark
lives a much longer time Tor some OF
them) than science has any reason to
suppose possible. On the other hand,
if in the sea 1t would have been rem
dered unacceptable in a few weeks.
Had 1t been in the possession Of some
one shipwrecked. why had 1t been left
intact? The conclusion was newt
able that the shark must have fished
it out from a compartment Of some
long-submerged vessel. - Harper's
Weekly.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

less fool you were! You ran on, didn't
YOU, till you found your neck In the
loop at the end Of the rope? And
perhaps that soft-footed, estimable
brother of yours didn't yank 1t taut as
a hangman's? You heard the codic1l;
into one ear and out the other. Even
then you had your chance; patience
for two short years, and a million. No,
a thousand times no. You knew what
you were about, empty-headed fool!
And today, two pennies for a dead
mans eyes"
He dropped his fist dejectedly.
| Where had the first step begun? And
where would be the last? In some
/ drab corner, possibly; drink, NOR
phine, or starvation; he'd never have
the courage to finish 1t with a bullet.
He was terribly bitter. Everything
worth while seemed to have slipped
through his fingers, his pleasure-loV-
ing fingers.
Come, come, Horace; buck up.
Still the ruby kindles in the vine. No
turning back now. Well go on till we
come bang! against the wall. There
may be some good bouts between here
and there. I wonder what Gioconda
would say if she knew why I was so
eager for this game?"
He went down to dinner, and they
gave him a table in an obscure corner,
as a subtle reminder that his style was
yasse. He didn't care; he was hungry
and thirsty. He could see nearly every
one, ever If only a few could e him.
This was somewhat to his vantage. He
endeavored to pick out Percival Alger-
non; but there were too many high
collars, too many monocles. So he
contented himself with a mild philo-
sophical observance Of the scene The
murmur Of voices, rising as the. wall
of the violins sank, sinking as the
wall rose; the tinkle Of glass and
/ china, the silver and linen, the pretty
women in their rustling gowns, the
delicate perfumes, the flash Of an
arm, the CLINT Of a polished shoulder;
this was the essence Of life he coveted.
He smiled at the thought and the sure
knowledge that he was not the only
wolf in the fold. Ay, and who among
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Shedding of Sunshine VIII Be Found
to Have Good Effect on Those
Who Practice 1t.

It was Mr.. Barrie who quantity SAID:
Women who bring sunshine INTO the
lief of others cannot keep 1t from
themselves"
That is a recipe to learn and apply.
r. Won will not try to be a spreader or
ioy for the joy it gives do SO from
selfish motives.
Girls may think this farfetched-
Them one thought Is to snatch at JOY
for themselves. 1t takes experience,
perhaps bitter experience, to learn
that the JOY that counts most Is the
one with q rebound. Like a rubber
ball, the harder you throw 1t the
quicker it returns.
The girl who starts on a Joy quest
for herself cannot say: I'll be nice to
Door Maria, she has had such a stupid
time" and then go about her sunshine
shedding with patronizing airs. She
may give Joy, but the chances are that
her patronage will be felt and resent
ed. The sunshine that counts gloWs
in the heart and must come out.
One need not 60 into sunshine soci-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

| ing been so misunderstood. Your
room is 20S."
"Will you have a boy show me the
way"
II shall myself attend to that. If
the room is not what you wish 1t
may be exchanged"
THE room is the one I t~elegraphed
for. I am superstitious to a degree.
On three boats I have had fine state
rooms numbered 2OS. Twice the num-
Der Of my hotel room has been the
same. On the last voyage there were
2O8 passengers, and the captain had
made 20S voyages on the Mediterra-
nean."
"Quite a coincident."
"Ah, If roulette could be played with
such a certainty"
Mr.. Ryanne sighed, hitched up his
bundle, which, being heavy, was begin
ming to wear upon his arm, and signi-
fed to the manager to lead the way.
AS they vanished round the corner
to the lift, the head-porter studied the
guest-list. He had looked over 1t a
dozen times that day, but this was the
first instance Of his being really in.
terested in it. ,As his chin was fresh
ly shaver he had no stubble to stroke
to excite his mental processes; 80
he fell back, as we say. upon the con-
soling ends of his abundant mus
tache. Curious; but all these persons
were occupying or about to occupy
| adjacent rooms. There was truly
nothing mysterious about it, save that
the stranger had picked out these very
names as a target for his banter. For
tune C%hedsoye; it was rather an IN
usual name; but as she had arrived
only an hour or so before, he could
not distinctly recall her features. And
then, there was that word bucolic.
He mentally turned it over and over
as physically he was wont to do with
postcards left in his care to mail.
He could make nothing of the word,
| except that it smacked of the East
Indian plague.
l1SlS uc wax oofSo AL Luc1
cerebral agony by a timely Interrupt
ton. A man, who was not Of bucolic
persuasion either in dress or speech,
urban from the tips Of his bleached
fingers to the bulb Of his bibulous
nose, leaned across the counter and
asked if Mr.. Horace Ryanne had yet
arrived. Yes, he had just arrived; he
was even now on his way to his room.
The urban gentleman nodded. Then,
with a finger slim and well-trimmed,
he trailed up and down the guest-list.
"Ha! I see that you have the Duke
Of What.d:ye-call from Germany here.
I'll give you my card. Send it up to
Mr.. Ryanne. No hurry. I shall be in
again after dinner"
He hustled off toward the door.
He was pursy, wellfed, and decently
dressed, the sort of a man who, when
he moved in any direction, created the
impression that he had an important
engagement somewhere else or was
pairing minutes from timetables For
a man in his business it was a clever
%expedient, deceiving all but those who
knew him. He hesitated at the door,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Try Giving Joy to Others

cites to bask in the rays of Joy giving.
Nor need that sunshine be for out.
siders. misunderstanding, like char.
ity, can proftab1y begin at home. 1t
is not so exciting, perhaps, to try to
brighten the lives Of mother or small
brother or sister as 1t is to be a Lady
Bountiful, but the reflex action Is
quite as strong.
Try shedding sunshine wherever you
are. Do not let a day pass without do.
ing some little thing to brighten that
day for some one else. and you will
find your day more joyful.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
CHAPTER III.
The Holy Yhlordes.

d. 1893 EE.". H...H. H
George drank his burgundy perfume.
torily. Had it been astringent as the
native wine Of Corsica, he would not
have noticed 1t. The little nerves
that ran from his tongue to his brain
had temporarily lost the power Of COM
munication. And all because OF the
girl across the way. He couldn't keep
his eyes from wandering in her di-
rection. She faced him diagonally.
She ate but little, and when the elder.
ly gentleman poured out for her q
glass of sauterne, she motioned 1t
aside, rested her chin upon her fold
ed hands. and stared not at but
through her ~vis.a-vis. '
It was a lovely head, topped with
coils Of l~ustrous, light brown hair;
an oval face, Of white and rose and
ivory tones; scarlet lips, a small, reg
ular nose. and a chin the soft round
ness OF which hid the %resolute lift to
II. To these attributes OF loneliness
was added y perfect form, the long,
| flowing curves of youth, not the abrupt
contours of maturity. George couldn't
recollect when he had been so i'm
pressed by a face. From the moment
she had stepped down from the car
rage. his interest had been drawn,
and had grown to such dimensions
that when he entered the dining-room
his glance Immediately searched Tor
her table. What luck in finding her
across the way! He questioned II he
had ever seen her before. There was
something familiar; the delicate pro-
file stirred some sleeping memory but
did not wake it. ~
How to meet her, and when he did
meet her, how to interest her? II she
would only drop her handkerchief, her
purse, something to give him an ex'
cuse, an opening. All, he was certain
that this time the hydra-headed one
should not overcome him. To gain
her attention and to hold it, he would
have faced a lion, a tiger. a wildele-
phant. To diagnose these symptoms
might not be fair to George. Love
at first sight" reads we'll and sounds
well, but we hoary-headed philoso-
pliers know that the phrase Is only
poetical license.
Once, and only once, she looked IN
his direction. 1t swept over him with
the chill of a winter wind that ne
meant as much to her as a tree. a
fence. a meadow, as seen from the
window of a speeding railway train.
But this observation, transient as 1t
was. left with him the indelible I'M
nression that her eyes were the sad
dest he had ever seen. Why? Why
should a young and beautiful girl have
ewes like that? 1t could not mean
pbysical weariness, else the face
would in some way have expressed 1t.
The elderly man appeared to do his
hest to animate her; he twas kindly
and courteous and by the gentle way
he laughed at intervals was trying to
holster I'D the situation with a jest or
two. The girl never so much as smiled,
or shrugged her shoulders; she was as
r~esnonsive to these ovesures as mar
bile would have been.
ITO BE CONTINUEDD
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Preparinu For Conference.

High Point.-Dr. J. H. Barnhardt,
pastor Of the Washington Street
Methodist church, is doing all posi-
BILE to make the coming Of the 23rd
an7ua! assembling Of the Western
North Carolina conference, which con-
venes in High Point November goth
next, a successfully entertained one.
Some four or five hundred ministers,
delegates and visitors will be in at.
tendance. This conference, which is
among the largest Christian organi-
cations in the South, will be presided
over by Bishop Collins Denny.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Preparjnu for Wilson Day.

Raleigh.-Hon. Chas. A. Webb. as
state chairman of the Democratic eX-
ecutive committee, is getting we'll I'M
der way preparations for the observ.
ance of Woodrow Wilson Day through
out North Carolina, November I'd. The
demonstrations in the smaller places
will be at 4 o'clock in the afternoon
and in the larger towns and cities at
night. There will be a special mes
a e from Governor Wilson read at
each of these meetings all owe the
country, the movement being really
nationwide. .
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Politics In Halifax County.

Scotland Neck.-The camaign now
drawing to a close has been one OF
the quietest that has ever been con-
Quoted in Halifax county There has
been absolutely no account taken Of
county politics since the primaries
were held some time ago. The ticket
then nominated had no opposition and
will be elected next month. The Bull
Moosers called a meeting some time
ago to be held in Halifax, but If they
ever held it nothing has been heard
of it. 1t seems that it all ended with
the call.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Mystery of Love-.

If a man should importune me to
give a reason why 1 loved him | find
it could no otherwise be expressed
than by making answer. because 1t
was he; because it was /. There Is
beyond all that / am able to say, |
know not what inexplicable and fated
power that brought on this union
Montaigne.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

years and take a new start. ASST"
balling his fist at the reflection In the
mirror. Swivel and whine over the
bed of our own making. You had
your opportunity, but you listened to
the popping Of champagne-corks, the
mutter Of cards, the male drivel OF
chorus-ladies. You had a decent col
lege record, too. Bah! What a guile
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

these dainty Red Riding Hoods might
be fooled by a vulpine grandmother?
Truth, when a fellow winnowed it all
down to a handful, there were only
fools and rogues. If n was a fool,
the rogue got you, and he in turn de-
voured himself.
He held his glass toward the table
lamp, moved it slowly to and fro un-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
SYNOPSIS.

George Percival Algernon Jones, vice
president Of the Metropolitan Oriental Rug
company Of New York. thirsting for ro-
nance, is in Cairo on g. business trip.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Run Down by Switch Engine.

Asheville.-C. R Mccoy, formerly OF
~statesville, but for the last four years
weighmaster in the local Southern
Railway yards, was u down by a
switching engine and almost instantly
killed. The injured man was horribly
mangled and died in about twenty min
utes after being picked up. He never
regained consciousness. Just how
the accident occurred is not known,
but it is thought that he had his hat
pulled over his eyes on account of the.
wind and did not see the engine.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Uncle PennYWlse SAYS:

Some of us can laugh when the
Joke Is on US; but none Of us bAieve
in carrying that kind Of a joke too far.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30

Raleigh.-Sherwood Higgs and Jas.
Hicks, the two negroes who are charg.
ed with stabbing the Mexican Morrillis,
were committed to Wake Jail until
Morillis RECEIVERS sufficiently for the
hearing. Morillis is gradually i'm
proving and will recover. At first
it was thought that he could not live.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
Have Not Turned IN Expense Account

Have Not Turned N Expense Accounrs
Neutrality-suspicious. Of the candi-f
dates for the Senate in North Caro-
lima have turned in the first Install
ment of his expense account which
was due several days ago. There is:
considerable curiosity to see Just
what the campaign is costing Senaaaa
tor Simmons, Governor Kitchin and
Judge Clark. The publicity law
quires an accounting Is days before
a primary and Is days after one
There is some doubt in the minds OF
Senate officials as to whether the pu-
blicity law. applies in a primary like
the one North Carolina is having.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-30
immense Floating Drydocks.

A floating drydock with a lifting ca.
pacity of thirty thousand tons has
been built for the British admiralty.