davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

proves Compared with the game about to be enacted
before him, il wasn't prowes 1t required neither cour
age dexerity merely the desire to play. Now the
game had grown like the college. 1t elaborate,
strain to every nerve, strenuous and hazardous.
II did not take very keen observer to notice that
the game had passed into of intricate and
danger. Already thirty deaths and two hundred
accidents had occurred upon the grdiron that season
This is an inexcusable penalty for a game It is
necessary payment q sport SO Alcxande. .1cnwith
thought, and he was , weaking and no coward lie
had only the habit of estimating values Had he
not been extraordinary business man he would have
made an ideal judge
He was a man of plans Hitherto he had been his
prophet, and hoped to be the seer for his SON
While the boy and the mother were athletcally one
the lad and his father had not been at armed nett
raity, as might suppose They talked little to-
geher, for Mrs. Penwith monopozcd home covcrsa-
ton But the boy had silently measured the power
behind his fathers taciturnity, and had with com
pretending droop of the eyclids tasted wisdom as
in homeopathic doses.
AS it often happens with women of masterful in
tensty, while Mrs. Penwith had correctly estimated
her husbands character she had but scant knowledge
of his power. Brought up in the old school where e
ploson accompanied Eruption, she had little comprc-
hension of silent force. But the with whom Mr.
Penwh associated knew and respected the energy that
made him their peer their superior He put all the
qualities into business that his boy put into football
and then added potent virtues of which tic lad had
dreamed In the world of trade he was as re-
sistess his junior upon the gridiron. He had
forged out of nothing a house whose name was yigor
from the Atlantic to the Pacific He was a very
rich man. although few suspected the extent Of his
holdings He was simple and unostenatious sin
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

Then the cheering section of the visiting university
uttered great cry.
"Penwithl Penwith! Pena,ithl" Punctuating the
roar and splitting it, one distinctly heard the oashing
OF bodies curassed in leather. For, Penwh
caught the ball on the run he overwhelmed by
human missiles who lcaped upon him as if shot from
mortar Where had been the boosted interference that
should have protected the cacher3 Swept like dandc-
lion fluff in gale by the irresistible onslaught Every
jumped 70 his feet The upro the Blue side
suddenly gave way to a deat-ke silence, while the
cXpcctan nucness Of the Crimson "rootcrs' opposite
broke into a fanfare of clangor The hero of thou
sand scrmmages was downcd in his tracks before he
had advanced an inch. The shrl whistle OF the referee
announced the miraculous fact that this play was at
end. Crimson men began piling off of the discom-
fitted idol.
groan went up from the Blue side. This sound
OF agony stllcd the exutation of the Crimson cheers
For when the tacklcrs had clanbered their feet it
was noticed that man. clad in blue and buff OF a
mighty figure yet looking strangely shrunken lay ex-
tended upon his hfteen-yard line.
"Penwithl' shot the terrified whisper from board to
board Alexander Penwth forced his wife to her seat
The two were hemmed in by solid wall Of standing
boys They alone could not
"AIy Cody cried voice from below. Only thirty
seconds of play"
The emergency surgeon rushed to the boys side A
colored man hurried with pail of water Captain
Morgan sat down and took the limp head into his lap
lie sobbcd like a child But Penwith did not move
For three minutes-for three centuries-the injured
lay lifclcss The spectators stared 1t was for
this they had comcfor the possibility Of accident for
the lust OF horror. that their own souls would not
acknowledge And when the horror came they rcp,-
dated their innate savagery, and reubed the rag-
edy.
Surrounded by a stricken ring Of comrades the hall
back lay The surgeon had made slilfu examinations
There bones broken, Tic boys neck was in
tact at is only temporary" the surgeon explained,
and looked inpcronay cheerful. The gladiator's head
dripping with water, but his skin was yet chall,
and his ewes shut. The expression OF the face was
alooi from the game that the lips Of the watchers
quyercd approhcnsvcy. Yesthc heart was still beat
ing; but when;
The eyes Of the stricken hoy 7uttcred and then looked
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

around vaguely The surgeon redoublcd his mnistra-
tons faint color made hectic the players cheeks
and purple inundated his lips. He made motion
as ii to rise but held authoritatyey back by his
captain. \ cup put to his lips. These slowly
changed to a dull pink.
Then pcnwh shuddcrcd "Wherc am l." he cried
LET me up Captain Morgan appealed the surgeon
BY look The doctor nodded The referee twiddling
his whistle neryously, perplexed watched Pcnwth. As
sisted by two Penwith swayed to his feet. He
looked around if seeking for recogntons. His eyes
huge of pupil and CLASSY Of stare.
Seeing their hero upon his feet The leaders Of both
the rival cheering sections waved their megaphones
mady ThcyNhowlcd "Now three times three for
Pcnwith" But Captain Morgan, with sup
porting his Scarcst friend, raised the other toward his
GREATNESS college mates. The cheering leaders seemed
to have profancd solcnlny by their call for ap-
pausc. The silence became surcharged. The eyes Of
a thousand OF his own men were centcrcd upon stag
gcrinG figure.
With a mighty wrench Penwh broke suddenly from
his captains arm and started forward. Something in
their hcros attitude arrested the cheering section
OF his college and caused every heart to surge to the
mouth Only one seated couple did not see the tragic
pantomime. For in the impetuosity OF his solitary
rush, Penwith came suddenly to a halt; look of be-
widermcnt and then of terror swept his face. Awed
by the strange action, his men dared'not touch him.
Then the haf-back turned from the field to his side of
the stadium festooncd in blue lie put his hands to
his eyes ike sailor peering at iar-off smoke Then
the boy stretched ort both armsand walked faterinG,
proping staring terribly staring Another groan arose
like great chorus from the boys who loved him. Cap
tain Morgan grasped the swaying figure 1t had turned
and was cropping again. The groan became a sob.
"What's that? What's that" whispered Mrs. Pen
with For answer her husband dug his fingers into her
hard
LET me go!' A thrilling voice penetrated the vast
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

cerc and sympathetic that his unusua wealth was not
even imagined by his wife She looked upon him
patronizingy as Of only little than
age trade success Mental weight and physical force
seldom comprehend each other,
But Alexander Pcnwh felt that in spite OF his sons
lustihood the boy did understand him For that reason
the senior dreamed dreams lie saw his son beginning
at the bottom and reaching heights that he himself
never could attain TO MIR, rclVith tract, athletics,
baseball football were ony means to a dominant end.
1t would need an in,iaciIe physique to carry the boy
past "Americants' the goal OF his fathers ambi-
ton.
And because OF his dreams, because Of his ambi-
tons because OF his plans, Alexander Pcnwth feared
for his only son every time the haback strobe upon
the football field 1t takes hut very little to disturb
the balance Of nature. Pcnwh had ploughcd a large
field for his sons future. And while his wife, lance
eyed, watched the chosen place the ball for the
first kickoff, the father tromblcd,
The referees whistle blew stridcntly This sharp sig
nal announcing the beginning OF the great game smotc
the forty thousand into silence Insnctvcy every
spectator crouched for the kickoff.
The kicker stepped back from the unconscious ball
and for the culver of cyelash debcrated Would
he dribbIe the ball. holding it from bound in his own
line and depend on the proves OF advancing rushes
Or would he kick it with his might landing it as near
the cncmys goal as possible? Was the play to be often
sivc or defensive? His first move would prove the
kew TO the Crimson5 strategy The intake of great
breath was heard 1t sounded like gigantic sigh The
kicker walked deliberately toward the ball and then
increased his gait to a cantcr The spectators clon-
gated They stretched eager nccks. Many cried "Ahr
for it was a mighty boot
1I;ch toward the Blue goal the ball whrled Then
caught bv the wind it halted suddenly in the air anC
came down perpcndicularly, But that stop in mid-a
oave N. bounding Crimson tackers time.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13


figure fought with strong arms against the encasing
tenderness Of his mates.
Forty thousand people quaked in their hearts. What
had they gone forth to see This? Women were BEGIN
ming to become hystcrica Strong men gulped. But
the Blue men chokcd and knew.
II won't" cried the agonzed voice, in higher pitch
LET me alone Why can. sect"
Struggling fighting with all the force Of hundred
football engagements, the blind haf-baok protesting
and sobbing, was borne from the field lie bound
in the Of those who when they not fierce
as gorllas can be tender maternity.
When the referees sridont whistle announced the
beginning of the next play Mr. and Mrs. Alexander
Penwith were not TO be seen
The Penwith house had been hushed for six weeks
in darkcncd room, upon his own bed, the lad lay.
lie knew the worst lie had read it in his mothers
change. Her arms soft and yielding. The
zon had become tender, womanly, tactful. He knew
it from his father. He OWNED the craven wrinkles
the new white hair He felt it in the long strong mas
culinc grip that said everything and needed no word
of explanation.
The boy did not know the reason OF il. but he knew
his condition. Absolute blindness! The surgeon had
explained the accident to the parents with great learn
ing. The player had been hit upon the optic commits
sure the sensitive in the occipita region that
connects the two optic tfalam There was nothing to
do but rest in bed and wait It was only question
whether the injury too serious for absorption
If so, the boy blind for lie. There was no skill
earth that could him. only his own clean past
Nothing was allowed to excite the lad-no stories
Of football reports OF The ocitudc OF his college
mates
But every night when his father came home there
were deeper canons on the mans face silver on
his head, 4 grmmer, tcnscr carrying Of the Jaws He
would take two stairs at time in soft bourds glide
into the dim ROOM seat himself the bed, grasp the
~
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

IlEAT splotches Of blue fecked the east
of the stadium. Like patches of living
blood, solid masses Of crimson on the
west seemed ready to blur or to- blot the
few modest corn-1owcrs that had strayed
there. The massive stadium was hang
ing garden of human color. The sur
mounting curves of colonnades gave the
only touch of impersonal dignity in the
revcrberatng excitement that preceded the
historic struggle. These columns of Doric
effect seemed to the imaginative eye en-
blematic of that innate and eternal lust
for violence which in the Casarian age
i.s..izla.i Lla..L.. --acla t.c..c
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
Statue 10 Potatoes.

when | was in Germany last year"
says a man who travels, II saw some
people who like potatoes even better
than l do. At any rate, they erect
statues to them, and even II l could
afford 1t / hardly think l should do
that
Gutenberg was the first city to
erect monument Of this kind. The
upper part consists Of a statue OF
Sir Francis Drake, who Introduced the
plant into Europe. This. as well as
the pedestal, is draped with garlands
Of the potato vine. with full grown tu-
bers attached
On the pedestal. on one side, is Sir
Francis brakes name, the second side
explains what blessing the potato
has been to mankind, the third re-
cords that the statue is the gift OF a
certain Andrew Frederick Of Stras-
burg. The fourth contains the names
Of the erectors. A statue similar to
this is placed in the town of Murz.
and I have been told that there are
other copies in many small towns"
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
Brittany Bridal Superstltlons.

Il Ia interesting to note the number
Of shrines In Brittany dedicated to
marrfase. "At Ploumahach. a village
on the northern coast" says writer
in Country Lite. there is a shrine
picturesqueiy situated amid the rocks
which the sea washes round every
day. Only at low tide csn one clam
Der over the rocks to the canopied
figure OF st. Guerin. When Breton
girl desires to marry she sticks d pm
In the nose OF this saint; should u
drop out within the year she believes
her desire will be fulfilled. On anoth
er occasion, near Douarrenez, In the
Finistere district, came across q
small shrine decorated with orange
blossoms In a hedgerow, where q
young girl whom l had previously
seen tending her fiocks was kneeling
In prayer, after which she rose and
dropped a pin down the we'll. BY ques
tioning her I found that 1t was the
custom there to drop a pin down the
well before the saint, and eventually,
after the wedding ceremony, the
bridal blossoms were brought and
hung round the shrine. "-Tit Bits.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
Late Benefactions

In recent weeks we have been, get
ting into the habit of reading at our
breakfast tables the announcement of
another and still another splendid gift
from the estate of the late Mr.. Stew
art
These gifts have been coming along
in pretty regular order, and We have
rejoiced at every one thus far made.
The four Maine colleges, Higgins
Classical Institute, Maine Central In
stinute, the Maine Law School, and
the Maine Sanitorium are the Maine
institutions thus far benefited.
These gifts are great boon 10
these worthy institutions. It's a
mighty pleasing thing to have Maine
man remember so generously Maine
institutions.
But, gentle reader, how would you
like the work of giving away an estate
yariously estimated at from three to
six million dollars
Easy?
We never tried it, but we will wager
that the task isn't an altogether a
pleasant one for the administrator.
We would like much to read the let
ters that are doubtless pouring into the
Office OF the estate-begging letters
letters telling the good man just how
much and how little to give and
where he can best give.
Everybody knows just how to give
away six million dollars.
We think the administrator is doing
pretty good piece of work. He is re-
Numbering the institutions that should
be remembered. He is giving where
there Will be a rich return from the
invested capital
But, had We six million dollars in our
oYercoat pocket and were really
prompted to give it all away we should
draw our check for the full sum and
send it to the head of Good Will Farm.
That is, We should do precisely that
if we didn't want to speculate on the
future.
We could think up good many
places to put the money in gifts, and
in this giving we should take our
chances.
But when we gave it to that spen-
did institution down river we should
know that every dollar of it was
going to do worlds of good.
And we are sorry enough that the
coal bill takes every last copper and
Good viii Farm must take the will
.or the deed.
Whether the Stewart millions go to
Good Will Farm or to numerous other
institutions, the announcements make
delightful breakfast table reading.
Let them continue.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
Mysterious Number 9.

Has 1t ever occurred to you that
strange feats may be performed with
figures? Multiply the figure 9, for In
stance. Multiply 1t by 2 and you get
IS, and s and l make 8. Five 9s are
As, and and 4 make 9 again. Three
9's are 81, and and 2 make 9. Four
9's are 36, and 6 and make 8.
Nine Is indeed q mysterious num-
Der. Take any row of figures you
fancy. say S642. and II you reverse
them and subtract, 8642-2468, you
have left STA, which added together.
makes IS, or twice 8. Take the 1S.
and 8 and 1 make 9 again. II you
take FIVE figures, say 76543, reverse
them. 34567. and subtract you get
41s76, which. added together. makes
27-that is. and make 9, or three
9's are q.
Thlrty-seven IL another number spe-
cially adapted for figure juggling.
Multiplied by 8. 81 becomes III, and
no matter what multiple Of 3 you
use, the figures in the result will be
all alike. Twelve times 81 Is 444, 81
times 81 becomes TIT and so on.--An-
swers.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
New Arctic Cruise.

Pedro Christofferson. q rich Norwe-
gian living in Buenos Ayres, whose
contributions largely assisted in the
equipment of the expedition which dis
covered the south pole. has recently
furnished the money necessary to COM
plete the Amundsen expedition into
the north polar regions. The ship of
this explorer will be fitted out In San
Francisco and will sail In June. 1918.
with supplies for five years. although
it Is expected to accomplish the OBJ
jects of the voyage In three years,
The vessel will be sent as far north in
the Bering sea as possible and then,
entering the ice, will drift across to
Greenland. and 1t is hoped to get near
er the north pole in the vessel than
did any of the previous expeditions.
No special effort will be made to seek
the pole. but the expedition will make
a number of investigations and obser-
vations which may be Of great value.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
Cabinet Possibilities

Here's the new cabinet as thought
out by the New York Sun:
State-William J. Bryan of Nebras-
ka.
Treasury-William G. McAdoo or
| some one not yet mentioned.
War-Charles r. Crane of Illinois.
Attorney-General-A. Mitchell Pal
mer of Pennsylvania.
Interior-Edwin l.. Norris of Mon
tanna.
griculture-Herbert Quick of Ohio
Albert Sidney Burleson of Texas or
Obadiah Gardner of Maine.
Commerce and Labor-Louis l..
Brandeis of Massachusetts.
-General-Josephus Dan
iels or William G. McAdoo or David j..
Lewis of Maryland.
And the Sun comments as follows:
For the Department of Agriculture
the President-e has in mind three
men at least. They are Obadiah Gard
mr. of Maine, Congressman Burleson
of Texas and Herbert Quick of Ohio.
The objection to Senator Gardner is
territorial. Should he be named there
would be two appointments from New
England, since Louis d. Brandeis Is
sure to be Secretary of Commerce and
| n toll Nv. pY rIa NJ
the House would weaken the Wilson
leadership there. Mr. Quick is the
editor of Farm and Fireside and an
authority on agriculture.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
BANDED JOKES WITH KINGS
Witty saliles Which Royalty Has In.
voked, Sometimes Very Much At
Their Own Expense.

Thomas Carlyle observed that
kings are Ill to joke VII" but there
have nevertheless been plenty OF jok
ers so audacious as to Josh" royalty
with impunity. Indeed. there have
been rulers with a we'll developed
sense OF humor. such as Charles II.
capable Of enjoying a sally at their
expense.
It is related that one day when
Charles was inspecting warship al
Chatham he asked Killigrew: Don't
you think that I should have made q
good shipwright!' Charles was proud
of his reputed skill In naval architec-
ture, and, no doubt, by this query
sought a compliment. But Killigrew,
who was nothing of courtier, re
piled instead:
majesty would do better at any trade
than your own"
A lively example of French rotor
to royalty Is afforded by the story OF
Marshal Bassompierre and Louis
XIII The marshal had given his ma
jesty an account of his embassy tc
Spain, setting forth the manner IL
which he had entered the Spanish cap
ital mounted on a mule. AN asa
seated on a mule" exclaimed Louis
with a laugh. Yes, sir" replied the
marshal, land the joke of 1t was rep
resented you!"
Good old Queen Bess, 1t appears
had a pretty wit, which she was by
no means loath to exercise upon hei
subjects. In one verbal duel, at least
Elizabeth got the worst OF It, Observ
ing In the gardens courtier to whom
she had promised promotion that had
not materialized, her majesty thrust
her head out of the window and called
to him:
What does a man think Of, Sir Ed
ward, when he thinks Of nothing"
"Of a woman's promise your ma
jesty." was the response.
Among the neatest retorts to royal
ty whereof we have record was tina,
alleged to have been made to the
Prince Of Wales, afterward King Win
lam ", by the secretary of the ad
miralty.
William had been bantering the sec
rotary for some time at table. When
am king" said he, you shall not be
secretary to the admiralty. What dc
you say to that?"
God save the king!" rejoined the
witty secretary.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
$f,7O0,0Oo Muskrats.

1t rs not generally known that the
muskrat is the most important fur
bearing animal of North America. In
one year alone (1910) 100000 musk
rat skins were put upon the market.
realizing to the trappers a sum ap-
proximately $1.700.000. A large per
centage Of the muskrat catch is fur
nished by the tidewater region Of Ma
ryland, Delaware and New Jersey. In
Dorchester county. Maryland. the
marshes are usually leased to the trap
per for half the value Of the catch. In
that county some go. 900 skins are tn.
ken annually, says Harper's Weekly
Not only fur of the muskrat il used.
but the meat also, which finds local
consumption and 10 shipped to Balti-
more Wilmington and other cities. It
ls surprising to learn that the fnan-
cial return exceeds that of the large
oyster industry Of the same region.
The fur of the black muskrat COM
mands the highest price. and In Dor.
chester county some Of the marshes
yield fully one-half Of this variety.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
You,: Friends May Not
Know You

If you take Hoods Sarsaparilla and receive much
benefit from it did Mr.. Benjamin C. Rose of Saun
derstown, R. I. He says, my sickness and bad feel
ings from dyspepsia and nervous prostration ex-
tended seven years. Physicians, medicines
and treatments gave practically the same result
no help, but Hoods Sarsaparilla did the work for
me and did it we'll. Friends said did not seem to
be the same man. Hoods Sarsaparila is great
spring medicine, fine stomach and nerve tonic"
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-27
No Need to Stop Work

When the doctor orders you to stop
work 1t staggers you. l cant, you say.
You know you are weak, run down
and failing in health day by day, but
you must work as long as you can
stand. What you need ts Electric Bit
ters to give tone, strength and vigor
to your system. to prevent break down
and build you up. Don't be weak,
sickly or ailing when Electric Bitters
will benefit you from the first dose.
Thousand bless them for their glorious
health and strength. Try them. Every
bottle is guaranteed to satisfy. Only
SOC. at G. R. Fogg's.