davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

Well, we does our little bit, tn prof
and me, and then 1t comes time 6
clear the tent.
ION the out-sidei The out-sidei-|
crates the prof, herdin' out the cattle
They all jostles out-all but Moscow
He crouches down around the far
corner Of the tank an stays.
When the tent is full OF emptiness,
up he bobs, leans over the edge OF
tn tank. and Sim" says he. Sim.
it's a real huge 1T. this mimicai con
Of yours. marked up as the greatest
ever, and calculated to pull down more
coin than anybody can have an be
decent. Butt" Che waggles his head
at mel but now let me tell you
honest, It amt quite artistic enough.
an that's the Twin. For example
"Gwan!" l growls at him. Clear
outl No man what handles fangless
reptiles has any call"
Dear me, such langwidge!" he pro-
tests, mild as rabbits milk I'm dis
combobulated, honest / am, to hear
such from a lady mermaid! An.
moreover. Just think how imprudent
IL would be of you to holler-now
wouldn't it7 Sort OF shake public
confidence, an all that, en-? Down
Lucy, down. there's . good. nice lady
mermaid"
He reaches out an hits me a crack
over the sea-weed on my brow with
his long cane.
Down, Lucy, down." he repeats;
and his tone for pure Acne insulting.
ness was tn top-nitcher OF all time.
Il amt through with you yet" says
he, resumin' his mild manners. Com
pose yourself; there's another bunch
OF E. rs due in three minutes. See
you tomorrow" says he. land we will
resume the sport. Mermaid hunting
nothin' like Il; greatest ever!"
Must ha' changed his mind about
waitin' till to-morrow-maybe thought
I'd put tn prof. wise. an have him
excluded, which / sure would have
doue-for, anyhow, back he comes In
side OF an hour. an with him a couple
OF huskies with such low brows that
their hair tangles their eyeiashes. The
three OF 'em fronts up to our tank,
along Of a big an spellbound crowd {;
an none o. the audience seems more
plumb interested than them three.
MOSCOW > biccfS lOCt5 bOi6y'
The prof. he seems uneasy and on
his guard. / notices the stream OF
water amt comm in, and Judges Beef
is bein' held as a reserve for immejit
action In case o need. Ny nerves is
all to the dippy, SO I can't hardly do
my stunts at all, and the prof. has
to more than prod. Every time
dips or dives, "Gee." thinks /, this
here is just prolongin' the agony.
I'm sure workin' a shell-game on my
SELF" thinks l, an the sweat begins
to ooze An every time l comes up,
there still stands Moscow MacShane
and his L. BIS. just smilin'-smilin'
That bulgy sleeve feeZes me.
Make her dive again, professor"
speaks up one OF the L. BIS. innocent
like, tossin' a penny in. See II she
can find it on tn bottom. She can
see best in dim light can't she?"
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

-Eels. yes. Eels and-4nd such,
Anythin' marine, you understand. Ger
tainly. Marine food. that's IL such
as grows natural on tAem there coasts
of Van"
Hang tn diet." speaks up 4 B.
Nupber 1. II wants to see her stay
unEer water!"
Same herel- An here!--" persists
the crowd, which now is gettin' IN
ruly an hilarious. ALI this time.
understand. I'm in q despair so black
II makes SCOT snow-white by COM
parison. Make 'er stay down!
Down." shouts some in that jostiin'.
pushin' mob. Feed 'er!" vociferates
others.
The poor old prof.-say. had 10
pity him, spite o. my own bloody
sweat He grips his resolution. leans
over an pats me lovin' On the nozzle.
Dive, Lucy" he commands In q
trenholm voice. Dive, an stay down
"a spell"
Here's my speedy end" thinks I.
but III croak game. An Lord help
tn fish they fings 10 met" I crashes
my teeth preparatory TO dom murder
vicariously on Moscow MacShane in
the person OF said fish. It's all dark
an slippery down there on tn bottom;
can't more than see glimmer. From
above I hear rumble o. voices.
Then all OF a sudden I sees some
thin swirrmin' round-kind of a ish-
thing. big an brown. My lungs feel
like they was just plumb goin' to
bust every second, but makes grab
at the fsh-thing, misses, makes an
other, lands on it with my left. grap-
pies with my right, closes in and grips
till my knuckles crack. / feels the
fsh-critter give; there's a sudden Lash
an tangle-the water boils.
! And then-then- Gee Whillikerst
Ow! 90! Ooooool- Somethin' ex-
| plodes. Somethin' hits me. What is
/ it? Where am 1? Sparks an fire
envelope me. Can't let go-an' I'm
all tied up in bow-knots myself. Jump
/ in fewsharps Bout a million volts
! OF red-hot current racks my frame.
/ Whoot!- Up I surges. blind, deaf,
chokin'.
Plumb in the eye MacShane lands
me one. Down / goes backward
/ splashi-head over tail, down I souses
under water again. gulps a gallon an
comes up Just exDlodin' with a whoof!
whoofl that blows tn drink clean
over that hilarious mob of cutthroats.
But this time the prof. has numbered.
[ Beef comes a shown and the outside
man. too-there's achievements.
makes my get-out o. the diabolish
tank that time-falls on my map, out
side, and lays spranglin', all tied up
in my tail 'mongst the feet of that
stampedin'. fghtin'. roarin' multitude.
Mac, he drives q kick at me just as
Beef hands him right hook on the
ear. He drops. I'm top of him in a
wink, and the l.. BIS, the prof, the
outside-man an Beef Is top of US both
An after that It's just pure cannibal-
ism, with tn mob weepin' itself sick
fer Joy, an screechin' "Perlicei"
Perlice? Sure they come-after .
while. But there's no tent left. noth!n'
but ribbons.
Fact is. all tn good them perlice
done was shoot that there mermaid
food O. mine-that eel-that there
million-volt electric eel.
Say, you tumble?
Copyright, The Frank Il. Msnsey Co. y
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

the 'Subaquaticus Humaniformus,'
says he, reachin' over and strokin'
my snout. Highly intelligent, too.
Go fetch. Lucyi" An he heaves a
piece o. wood for me to retrieve.
Most unfortunate, they require a
dim light, like In tn caves an fast
nesses OF their native ahodes among
tn coral reefs" says be, "or you could
mark an behold the iridiscent colors
an beautiful contoors of this extry-
ordinary large specimen, captured
alive after a desprit struggle by Colo
mel Lysander Webb, K.C.B., on the
9th OF last March. of tn coast OF
Van Diemen's Land. in tn China Sea
and now exhibited at tremendous ex-
pense-only one ever in captivity!
They don't survive long In fresh
water" says he, pointin' at the spout
where Beef Westerhood is putin In
his best ticks, land direct daylight is
fatal to 'em immejit We will now
pass out, ladies' an gents, to permit
another audience In to witness this,
the greatest marvel OF all the ages.
Kindly pass on the outside, ladies'!
Gentlemane! On the out-sidei The
out-sidei"
II used to be, Pass on the in-side."
but now It's tough work to keep tn
mob shittin' at all. Faot is. we're the
broad-gage dream-pill pushers OF the
Pike inside of a week. the only orig
inal charter-m OF the Get
There Club. All the others has to
take our dust; Shamdow the Chain
breaker, Nine. Claire the Medium,
Moscow the Snake King, an all-'spe-
cially Moscow I used to know Mos
COW, understand. when his name was
MacShane. an you could put all the
love lost between us in your eye with
out seem none the worse; so II didn't
worry me much about his business
goin' TO the blinks. Oh. tell you,
the mermaid bunch was just swamped
in a tidal-wave OF rejoicin'. We sure
was goin' some, But it's just this
very pace Of ours that cut the final
crimp IN our gears-as you'll see all
in it's good an proper time. Don't
rush the hearse.
For, one day along the beginnin' OF
our third week since the boss grew a
spike-tail coat an the title OF pro-
fessor, / notices this same Moscow
MacShane in among the bunch Of
E. 2. Marx There's a difference be-
tween them an him, though, and it
don't look extra salubrious, neither.
They're all standin' with open traps,
gorgin' the prof.'s science, while he's
lurkin' By the far end OF the tank,
deaf to the spiel, but all there with
the optics. And as he pipes me he
smiles contented, in way that gives
me a sudden attack of blighted pros
pecks. That smile makes me feel like
bein' dropped from the top story in
one O. them sudden elevators; grows
that dopey the prof. has to jab me
with his pointer to make me paddle
an retrieve. And all tn time I'm
performin', Moscow is givin' me sensa-
tons like when you sprinkle sugar on
oysters. My hoods runnin' cold
enough to freeze tn tank.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

oAO1ANr
7 breaks away. sits up an looks az
him. He ditto at me. TIL big, round
mob ditto at both OF us. Then. sud
denly, l falls 10 who he RELY is.
why, Beef Westerhood, says I.
rubin my shoulder where the ground
topped up an pasted ii. why
Beef, That you? Where's tn
whiskers you used to float? An why
this unfamiliar corporosity? Is IT
you. or who Is it,
He scans me faithful a minute,
herdin' together his memories; then
his face folds into a grin. and out
comes tn joyous palm at me.
"Simi"
Beef"
Twelve years that we ANT 90 much
as batted an eye on each other is
bridged In a wink. while tn crowd
stretches red, cordy necks.
I'm sure astounded," ! murmurs to
him, dustin off my raiments. Ito find
you engaged in a ed-breakfast-fo6d
brace game. You, you Of all honest
fakirs, perpetratin' a mermaid"
"Fergit IT," he whispers. with
DRAWN me inside the tent, away from
that over-inouisitive bunch of horny
handlers. "Fergit Il, Times has I'M
derwent painful changes since you an
me paraded UP Popularity Avnoo to
the rattle of pill in a walnut-shell
It's a case with me of gan what's
offered. now. an no Corners barred.
But" ne adds vistful. can you i'm
prove this here lay? You always was
snappy with tn thinks. Can you dope
ginger into our modest attempt to put
tn jacks under this rural currency"
Can I? Well, some."
Fine an dandy! Percolate round
tonight after tn Pike closes. III
knock you down to tn boss, an we'll
rag-chew. Just now, it's Beefy to tn
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

THE night was moonless and star
lesS-velvet black A wet west
wind was melting the light,
early fall of snow, sinking into huge
shapeless splotches all signs OF travel
though, for safer concealment- Bob
Lasley's feet were tied up in old sacks,
as be detoured and made ragged his
trail TO mfr. David's" cornfield.
AS he mounted the rise on the sec
ton line between the two farms. he
stopped a moment and looked back ct
the freight wavering from his dugcui
door, with Mandy and the rude corn
mill looming grOtesquely in the ruddy
fare. Mandy was "totln' the kid" 10
keep II quiet, but the ,cOrnmill was idle
1t usually was idle. unless when grind
ing sweet, coarse meal on shares for
q neighbor, for Bobs corn had washed
out IN the spring, and he had been too
"busy" 70 replant.
Now Mandy and the kid were hun
CRY, and be had forgotten they were
out Of meal until coming in from his
disappointing rabbit hunt. He would
have stopped at the store If he'd only
remembered
To the northeast he could see Mr..
David's light-cheery and crimSon-red
from the gay silk shade. He had closed
lis business early. and was sitting by
his big fireplace, smoking and reading.
Many3n evening before Bob bad mar
ried Mandy be had sat with Mr.. David.
roasting peanuts and listening to his
quaint advice. He could see him now.
n long, slenderly built shape. stretched
out in his deep chair. his dark eyes
half closed. his smooth. red lips SHIFT
Ing the smOke-blackened brier-root /;
could hear him say, half sternly. bait
humorousIy: Bob, a mans man FOR
all that"
Bewilderei. but content. he had taken
Burns and the practical application
with Il vacuOuS earnestneSS that spoke
only Of a dim and disturbed under
standing. There WAS something appeal
inz IN this weak son OF rough. inlet
tered ~corncracker." There had been
q mother with . fender conscience and
weak viii. who. while she cooked
nrd, II she were very hungry. ale what
ever was brought in. still protested
tearfully that pilfcred spells were a
SiS-race
She was dead: but there lived "a
Their who saw no wrong in anything
but being found out. and who was wont
70 say: when ] wants inyihing
takes bit q I kin. No matter how nor
where. 50 longs I gifts hit
Always. when Bob had occasion TO
take advantage II dark rirht and =
hidden path. he halted and listened, ~
he did tonight. before stumbling and
Slipping down The bill Entering the
soddcn ranks that slapped against his
face Ike wet rags. he began stripping
of The big. fuif ears. II w'oridn't grind
very well. but Mandy could dry 70 be-
fore the fireplace. and meantime parrh
some 81 80 with bacon riri for hint
sell aud her. Very likely the I'll would
bc asleep By that time. 10 was Spi-
enn-cycd. wizeucd iitile creature fhat
thought more q sleep and wlf.lih
than ANYTHING else. and this had been
O chill day.
The sack was full To- bursting when
Boo suddenly heard tbr s0ft ihuf 81
lor-e< close DE-. There vas Tho 1ai-pat
of wet leaves striking each other. the
swish 81 DISTURBED snow, AND. bnaily-
yeices low and furJve. Three men
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

URRY, Hurry! Hurry! She's
here, Here! Have you seen
u her. ladies? Gentlemane? Tn
mermaid. Only a nickel-half dime.
An captured alive IN tn China Sea
by Colonel Webb. That's right, Jack,
give her plenty o. fresh. pure water.
TIL mermaid, TIL mermaid! Five
cents admits 10 everything. Ker-ak-
ak-ak-k-k-k k-k-kak,"
IAN tn papers talkin' about her!
Everybody sees her! And only half
dime to all, Just leetle more water.
Jack, fer tn China Sea gasteropodin-
Gus phenomena"
OF TO one side. on kind OF scafold,
stands Jack. He's red-wattled and
will kick the beam at two hundred
and fifty; and he's pumpin' water In
a trough. II sloshes down through a
hole in tn painted tent.
"Geel" says !.
Then / does a wriggle through the
bunch Of open-faced jaspers.
"Me for herl" says l, plunkin' down.
Few nickels ! had, at that; but
couldn't miss a Chinee mermaid, nixy!
me for tn mermaid"
Pass right on the inside" barks
the proprietor. harvestin' my coin.
ION the inside. the inside! She's
here, here, here!"
passes on the inside. It's hotter
than the Hinges. IN there under can
vas. Two or three rubber-plants 10
blossomin' over a red cloth screen,
observin' a Fake-an' the big T goes,
too! Five foot long she is. that mer-
maid. reposin' on a pedestal; she has
squizzled lamps, fsh-teeth glued in,
cocoanut-fber hair, an brown hide
cracked in places so the hay shows.
] shoots one look into her. an does
quick reverse.
Say" l registers kick with his
toutship, 81 wants that nickel back.
an wants IL sudden, see?"
He never even flashes his incandes-
cents on me, but hangs 10 that wicked
spiel OF his-"She's here, here, here"
"She ANTI" protests, raring on my
hind legs. mo. nor never was. Your
mermaid amt at home anywheres out
side a bayloft And what's more. she
wouldn't last two minutes IL trotter
got at her with the ivories! Dis
gorge, or I holierl"
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

Sheriff. We had 20 shoot him CT bed
a got clear or" was the concluding
boast.
Bob sroSe 10 bis feet with an effort.
and looked wildly around. With the
uncertain. furtive motions Of a hunte1
animal. he looked tais way and that
until his eyes fell upon the speaker
one II the three men IN The cornfeld-
Beside him was the other he knew
who had been the third: Not that u
mattcred very much-nothinS nattered
but his wounded shoulder. from which
they began cutting the sleeve prepara-
tory 20 bandaging 10. Weak from Joss
Of blood AID genuine terror. Bso finally
felt himself bois'cf onto the train and
pushed into n scat with the corpulent
oiiiccr u the Jaw.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

Sen Meadows aud Kit Paxton we're
somewhat exalted in the minds Of those
who had hitherto held them % be a.
bad a. Bob Lasicy-aibcit they would
work. Retained - witnesses for the
trial. The two men strutted about r.
couutin- the !ncsdeEts q the capture.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

ION your way" he
growls at me. tn
conifers for you"
About that time.
Jack has quit his
fres h pure water
stunt and is closing
in on me. There's
a mix. and J a C X
an me finds our
selves tangled on the
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08

Copyright, The Frank 4. Massey Cor
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14
COMMITTEE IS
 AGITATING MEASURE
They Would Change the Method of
 Selecting Election Boards.


 Little Rock, Aug. 13.-The Repub- can State Central Committee has circulated about 100000 pamplets in advocacy of the proposed Iniative No. 3, which is an act amending the present State election law, so that the State board of election commissioners shall select the county election com missioners certified to it by the chairmen of the State committees of the two political parties receiving the highest and next highest num- Der of votes in the preceding general election.
 At present there are three election commissioners for each county, no more that two of which can be of the same party, and these commits sioners are selected from large list of citizens recommended by respon- sible men of the respective counties.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14
BOYS ORGANIZE TO
 GAIN INFORMATION
CLUB FORMED AT Y. M. c. \. LAST NIGHT WHICH WILL EN. COURAGE YOUNG MEN
 TO HIGHER IDEALS
Current Topics To Be Featured and Eleyating Entertainments Ire
 Planned.

Last night at the Y. M. c. A six teen young men met and perfected a temporary oganizaticn of club that will be of importance to the mem bers, and of great benefit to the Y. M. c. A. and the whole city in gen. eral.
 It is a club to study and discuss current topics, political, social and religious and all ether questions Oh which young man should be inform ed. It is intended also to encourage muse and expression as arts and the introduction of wholesome, ele- vating enter. ainmeets. w. R. Pear son, secretary of the, association, through whose efforts the members Were drawn together, spoke upon the value of having a well stored mind
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14

and the seriousness of wasted golden hours and opportunity.
 Responses were made by Paul Davidson, MT. Hines and Spencer Fox, after which every man present added his name to the list of loyal supprters of the club. - After listening to a trio Speed Away" MT. Fox was elected temper rary chairman, committee of five was appointed to sdraft a constitu- tion and bylaws. A program com- mittee was included in the group in cluding Paul Day .dsoa, Owen, John son, Hines and Pearson. The next meeting will be On Tuesday night of next week.
 All young men are invited to join this movement, who are so inclined and wish to improve their store of general information.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14
INDIAN HERBS.

1S0 dcses or six months treat ment for $100. For any chronic di- sease caused from impure blood liver or kidney trouble, and must benefit or your money will be re- funded. I have handled this remedy for the past two years and have never had box returned The best family medicine on earth for both young and old. Can be taken for years with 10 ill effects. For chills and fever, I have failed to find it's equal. A free sample can be ob- tained by calling at my office. A fresh shipment no on hand.
 A. M. LEVEY, General Agent
 No. PIT 1-2 w. Barraque Street Phone No. BOY.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14
< ! + + + + * l. !. l. < + l. + . WEATHER REPORT
  Increasing clOudiness.

Tired feet?-'Well tell you what to use. Seawell's Pharmacy. Buy SeaweH quality, it pays. S14-1m
 Bath goods, Soap, sponges, brushes. Any thing you want. Sea- wells Pharmacy. Buy Seawell quail i'ty, it pays. S-14-1m
 FOR SALE+One hundred and six ty acres of land; we'll situated for truck farming, near Pine Bluff apd railroad. Will be sold at very req sonable price. Address G. l.. care Graphic. 3-23 tf
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-14
= . .. . LOCAL AND OTHERWISE . . . .
 . ' . +.++4+++&++%*%. :

-"La France" guaranteed for 20 yetars. Reap & Crawford Furniture Co. If
 -Leudenhaus Wagons sold and guaranteed by leveland-Matthews Hardware Co. If
 MT. and Mrs. Charlie Belvin have moved from Walnut street to No. 61O East Second avenue.
 Fix one floor with Chi-Nanel. Money refunded if not satisfactory Cleveland-Matthew Hardware Co. If
 Sole agents for "La France" mattress, guaranteed for 20 years. Reap & Crawford Furniture Go. If
 -"La Trance" made three ways, mattress guaranteed fer 20 years. Reap & Crawford Furniture Co. If
 If cur goods are not good, we'll make good. SeawelPs Pharmacy. Buy seawell quality, it pays. S-14-1m
 Our Duntley Vacuum Cleaner at $9.75 has set them all in a frenby of delight. Guar Ianteed to clean Rugs as we'll as a $125.OO cleaner. Reap & Crawford Furn. G. If
 Frank Lovejoy, Cotton Belt fire man, has returned to work after Having suffered with small piece of steel in one of his eyes.
 Detroit Jewel Gas Ranges stand for economy, durability arid simpl C. ity. If you want the best, buy one at Cleveland Hardware Co. If
 Earl McGaughy, who sustained severe cut on his arm several weeks ago, is again at work as collector for the telephone company.
 Are you particular? Then bring your prescriptions here. Seawell's Pharmacy, phone 6S. Buy Seawell quality, it pays. S-14-1m
 La France" mattresses won't pack won't knot, always soft and spungy. Twenty year guarantee with every one. Reap & Crawford Furni- tnre Go. If
 Sleep in peace on La France" You can get it at Reap 6 Crawford Furniture Co., If
 At cost-Gas Ranges and Refrig- orators at Reap and Crawford Furn. Co. tf
 La France" that 20 year guaran- teed mattress at Reap & Crawford Furniture Go. If
 --Fit for the child of a Qdeen- Our $12.50 and $15.00 Go-Carts. Reap < Crawford Furn. Co. If
 Passenger tra' n No. 106 Iron Mountain, ncrthbound, was delayed several hours yesterday afternoon on account of a freight wreck on the Louisiana division.
 Let us furnish you with Hammer House Paint, Linseed Oil and Turpen- tine as we'll as ChilNamel floor and furniture varnNsIh. Cleveand-Mat- thews Hardware Go. u
 Marriage licenses were issued yesterday by County Clerk J. H. Shelby to Paul Paschal, 27, and Miss Katena CEaleky. 19, and Abraham Moses, "A, and Miss Mary Vow, 19.
 Alex Batch, a negro. was arrest ed yesterday by Deputy Constable D. w. Stewart on a charge of assault and battery. He will be arraigned before Magistrate Gabe Meyer Sat- urday afternoon at ? o'clock. It is alleged that Batch whipped his wife severely.
 IWill Henderson the negro who was recently arrested on charge of |orgery, was arraigned before Magis- trate Gabe Meyer yesterday and held 70 the grand jury. It is alleged that Henderson fcrged check on City znineer r. R. Allen for $9 and sashed t.