davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Turkish Customs

Within two weeks after the recent as
sassination of Mahmoud Shefket Pasha,
the Grand Vizer of Turkey. 30 men were
put to death for taking part in the con-
spiracy says the New York Sun. Accord
ing to Turkish custom, handed down from
the time of Mohammed, there is no limit
as to the number of lives that may be
taken as a penalty for the murder OF one
man. Even those interested in the re-
motest degree are liable to the Sultan's
vengeance. 1t is not so much the num-
Der the ruler of Turkey is authorized to
put out of the way, but rather where
the line is to be drawn.
The Turks have a story of one of the
earlier successors of Mohammed whose
life was only endangered because of a
rock falling down a declivity near which
the Sultan was. riding with his retinue.
Half a dozen of those in charge of the
trip were put to death as an ordinary
matter of course. Then half dozen
more who might have remotely known
something about the facilities afforded
by the road for killing the. Sultan. Finally
all the members of secret club or lodge
were ordered executed because 1t was
ascertained that one OF the responses to
a password was: "Will you roll down
the stone?"
Despite the protestations of the club
members that the words had no signifi-
canoe at all with respect to the Sultan
or the Sultan's trip along the road, they
We're ordered to the scaffold. They
numbered 1lS in all, and died bravely,
assuring their executioners to the very
last they were innocent Later a eunucla
who told how the falling of the rock
was merely an accident. was also put to-
death for daring to say SO.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
IInexnected Effects

What Litt1e-Luclx did not know was
that arsenic taken in small doses is Il
remedy for phthisis. 1t does not always
cure. 1t is true. but gives sensible re-
lief to the patient
1t checks the fever, sharpens the ap
petite, facilitates sleep and makes
flesh and does not destroy the effect
of other medicines.
The count and Germane were much
together now. He would sit by her side
in the garden and read to her; but still
he played only the part of an humble
attendant anxious to add to her COM
fort
Nine. Chermidy had lie Tas wiste an
ANONYMOUS letter TO Little-Lucil calling
him fool and asking him what he
thought he was there for? How muci
longer was it going TO be before he
claimed his annuity?
Little-Luck--or Mantonx-ponaered
over this letter and a new idea came
to him.
"Ah, these clever women in the rue
Au Cirque-Mme. Chermidy's street
we're possibly not his dupes after all =
He went for walk to a iiftle cot
tage which he had picked out as his
residence when he should come into
his annuity
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Living Cost

The time was, easily within the recol-
lection of any man who has survived his
generation, when the American ideal was
higher living instead of the higher cost
of living, which comes of greed for the
cheapening of the creature comforts, tho
grossly appreciable advantages. material.
mental and moral, writes w. d. Howells
In Harpers. Yet our present recrudes-
cence is not wholly ungenerous II our
lower ideal is that not a few but all share
these advantages, that none shall be left
behind or aside in the race for them.
But rlndeniably we had once a fineness of
ideal from which tie present ideal has
coarsened. In that former time our liter
ature expressef a longing for the beauty
which is TRUTH neither Longfellow nor
Lowell nor Whittier could be content with
the lovely line alone; its curve must
lead TO the straight and narrow path
which few find, but none need miss; it
was sometimes even forced to this office
= he clear cold voice of Emerson called
from the crystal air of Concord in the
duteous accents which we seem to fail
of in the voices Of indianapolis and our
other literary centers. The greatest novel
of that day. the best seller of almost
any day flaluel from passionate ardor
TOR humanity. The Incompatible romances
OF Hawthorle bore a message to the con-
science of syery reader. IL ,Nte upon
the question put by our conteiaporary
had been taken In that day. would none
of those authors have been elected among
the 10 whom their countrymen could least
spare? Or would not Claiming, Beecher.
Parker, Hale, have been remembered as
our benefactors along with the first cleo
tricians. reformers. philanthrcpists and
scientists or their different epochs?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Agreeing to the Sacrifice

II am not sorry to have listened at
the door, she said, II shall marry the
Count de Villanera and adopt the son of
Nine. Chermidy.
1.-THE misconduct of these people will
restore comfort to my excellent father
and save the life of noble mother. And
| shall not die useless.
There remains as my only wealth the
memory of a pure life and a poor little,
name, spotless as a commandments veil
these | give my parents
So, in spite of the tears of the duchess,
the matter was arranged, and a few days
later the grim Countess de Vianera made
a formal proposal in behalf of her son
for the hand of Mile. Germaine.
At first she treated the duke and duch-
ess with a cold formality, seeing in them
only persons who had sold their dying
daughter for money. But in five minutes
she saw the noble soul of the duchess
and her heart warmed toward her.
As for Germaine, the countess said to
herself, after leaving the Hotel Sanglie:
what a pity she must die" She might
have been just the daughter-in-law to
suit me-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Too Large a Dose

And so they came to an understand
ing. Don Diego told Germaine that he
loved Nine. Chermidy no lonyer-that
his whole heart was his wife's
Germaine admitted that she had long
loved Diego, though she had fought
against that love. Long they sat there
and talked while the moonlight played
upon the waves before them.
Then Germaine sought her room. As
she was getting into bed she thought.
20, 1t would be too terrible to die with
love opening before me-"
She saw the iodometer and the idea
occurred to her--the little machine had
done her so much good-to hasten her
recovery by taking, unknown to the
doctor, large dose of the healing
iodine.
She adjusted the tube and began to
fnhale. She took an overdose and for
days lay between life and death. The
physicians despaired of saving her and
Little-Luck wrote off to Nine. Cher
mildly: when this reaches yon she of
whom you know will be no more"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
His Fortune Doubled

When plague spot of poverty
breaks out among the great nobility in
a fashionable quarter like the Eau
bourg st. Germaine everybody has an
interest in hiding it,
1t is not seemly that Duke de La Tour
dEmbleuse and his family should be
picked up from the public sidewalk
So when the ex-governor of Senegam-
bia had nowhere else to lay his head
the Count de Sanglie gave him shelter
In some rooms over the stables.
Duke Caesar de La Tour d'Embleuse
was the son of an "emigre," who, upon
the restoration of the Bourbons had been
most magnihcently recompensed for his
faithfulness to the King.
Duke Caesar had inherited his fathers
fortune, and at the age of 40 had been
appointed governor of Senegambia. where
he held the natives and the coast fever at
bay for two years, returned to France
and doubled his fortune by marrying the
beautiful Marguerite de Bisson.
Acquainted with poverty in his boy
hood, and kept in the country under the
infexible rule of his father until he was
appointed to Senegambla, Paris was a
new world to the duke and he plunged
into its dissipation with zest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Blindly in Love

one of the many facts concerning Nine.
Chermfdy, which was unknown publicly.
was that she was the mother of a boy
about years old. And Don Diego vii
lanera was the boys father
Don Diego was no harebrained and
inexperienced youth; but the fair Cher
mildly had made him her slave.
Had he OWNED an interested motive.
or surprised calculated movement he
would have put himself on his guard
and all would have been lost But the
Chermidy had completely fooled him
lie was convinced that she truly loved
him, and that it was through the power
OF her love alone that she had given
herself to him. So he responded by fall
ing blindly in love with he.
Now the Dowager Countess of Villa
era had arrived in Paris; and that tall
grim, forceful woman was not slow in
finding out how matters stood. Don
Diego confessed to her his love for Mime.
Chermidy and that he was the father
of a son.
She foresaw that Don Diego would
never marry, for fear of dsinheriting this
son; that he would turn his fortune into
money to put into his possession; that
he would sell the family estates and
that, of the noble name of Villanera and
the vast family possessions, nothing
would be left in half a century
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Pawnine Her Last Treasure

TT was New Years Day and Mar
guerite de Bisson. Duchess de LIZ
= Tour dEmbleuse. daughter Of the
Duke of Brittany and wife of an ex-
governor OF Senegambia. was hurrying
through the snowy, storm swept streets
to pawn her wedding ring in order that
monsieur the duke should have suit
able breakfast.
The duchess wore on her head a
straw bonnet dyed black, the strings
of which were twisted like twine. y
veil of imitation lace, torn in five or
six places, partly concealed ner fea-
lures and gave her a strange appear
ance-her beautiful face thus marked
by white spots of unequal size seemed
disfigured by smallpox.
An old crepe shawl. blackened by the
care of the dyer and Redeemed by the
fnclemency of the weather, hung about
her, the fringe sweeping the snow OF
the sidewalk.
The gown which was hidden beneath
was so much worn that it was almost
impossible to tell of what sort of stuff
1t was made. Her shoes possessed
neither form nor color.
But the duchess was neither thin
nor pale, nor in any way personally.
disfigured by the poverty and 1rivation
to which she had been subjected. She
had received from her ancestors the
gift of a royal beauty which resists
everything-even hunger.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
A Man Servant Wanted

Wei" answered lie Tas. "the last
ietter he showed you was from the dow
ager countess, ana in it she asked him to
send her a mansefvant to attend Ger
maine in place Of cne whom she had dis
charged.
If some one should say to you. Go,
take every care Of Wonder invalid; you
shall receive so much a week while she
lives and at her death You viii be given
an annuity of 1900 francs month for
life, how long would the invalid live?'
Il see replied che Chermidy. -,get me
auch a man. win have the duke send
him to Corfu
When the duke came that night to call
Nine. Ciiermidy told him that her maid,
lie Tas. had just the man for him-and
the duke was delighted at 5madame's
thoughtfulness.
lie Tas ferrcted out an ex-convlct
whom. after gaging him. she thought
rsoiIld suit her purpose. She brought him
10 madsme's house and had him wait at
table one night when a celebrated chem
list was dining there.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
A course of Arsenic

But the dowager was right. Germaine
and her husband were in love with each
other. And Germaine was living a very
pleasant life and gaining in health and
strength daily
The Villaneras Lad many neighbors of
different nationalities and there We're
many visitors at the Villa Dandolo
Everyone fell in love with Germaine.
DIR. lie Bris sent to Paris for an iodo-
meter, machine for introducing small
quantities of iodine into the lungs, and
this treatment accelerated the patients $
recovery.
Also, unwittingly, Little-Luck, while
trying to kill Germaine, was assisting
her recovery.
He had not been long in the employ
of the Villaneras when he purchased a
quantity of arsenic and started poison
ing Germaine by slow degrees. He made
a weak solution of arsenic and began
giving it to her in the sweetened water
she drank every night before retiring.
''She will fade away and die from the
arsenic thought Little-LucF, "and there
will be no suspicion but that she died
from the malady."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Stabbed Through the Heart

Il must consider said Mantoux and,
leaning upon the mantelpiece he began
to toy with the stiletto.
'I must kill somebody, see." he
thought. There are 100 900 francs in that
desk. We are alone. Fifty thousand for
killing Germaine. Why not kill Nine
Chermdy?"
lie Tas, the only other occupant of the
cottage. was asleep; no one had seen
him enter the place.
Next morning there was commo-
tion in the neighborhood. LIE Tas upon
entering her mistress room had found
her dead with a stiletto driven through
her heart.
And covered with blood, with his
arms around. the corpse. TO which he
was habbling idiotically. was the Duke
de La Tour d'Embleuse.
he could only mutter of having come
too late. of having found his uonorine
dead. He had indeed followed Mantoux
to the cottage and when he mad seen
him leave the house had broken open
q window and entered, to find dead
body.
In the dead hand of Nine. Chcrmidy
they found firmly grasped. rev short
hairs, coarse and of more natural
color than the hair of the duke
on the floor they found the brass
button of livery coat They found
that the money drawer had been rifled
They questioned lie Tas. She struck her
forehead and cried out:
Fool that / was--it is he. The
wretch! | could roast him alive. But
he would tell everything
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
As If He Were Her Own

Once, when the count had been par
ticularly attentive and Germaine par
ticularly harsh with him, she saw him
lean over the side of the travelling car
riage to conceal his face while q fear
fell upon the wheel. But she gave no
intimation that she saw it,
But to the countess, the doctor and
the child was she her old, patient, sweet
self.
From one place to another they went,
and no place suited Germaine She
was no sooner established in one city
than she desired to be taken TO an
other.
The doctor saw no Improvement in
her condition-though there were slight
evidences that the progress of the dis
ease had been a trifle arrested. His
letters to Nine. Chermidy we8e not
hopeful of the patient, though they
gave hope to their recipient.
From the first time that little Gomez
had been brought to her and had, after
looking intently, at her for a moment.
flown into her arms, Germaine had
loved the child as If he We're her own.
Her only pleasure now seemed to be
in having him constantly beside her
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Gernaine

The old man had Just consented to the
infamous transaction when the duchess
entered and he explained the matter to
her with childish glee.
There was to be no marriage, in real
ity, of course only the form of one. But
for the sake of appearances the count,
after the ceremony would accompany
Germaine and her father and mother to
italy, where she would stay for the short
time Germaine had to live.
The duchess began a noble and high
minded protest against the iniquitous
scheme when the door opened and Ger
maine who had overheard the conversa-
ton between the doctor and her father,
made her appearance.
She was clothed in white like Pauline
in the fifth act of ''Polyeucte.' pale
ray of the January sun fell on her fore
head and illuminated it with an aureole.
Her face was colorless and her black
eyes shone with dazzling luster. A mass
of golden hair, thick and fine, clustered
about her head. Her transparent hands
fell by her side among the folds of
her drapery.
And such was the emaciation of her
whole frame that she reminded one OF
those celestial beings who have neither
the beauties nor the defects of mortal
women.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
lie Tas Advises Murder

Easy enough" replied lie Tas,
there are ex-convists, men released
from the galleys, who can be nired for
the purpose The Duke de La Tour
d Embleuse shows You all tha letters
he receives from Corfu?"
Yes. the foolish old creature, | have
caught the idiot in my snare. He is
my slave
Il have even made the doddering old
slmpleton turn over to me the inscrip
tion de rente given him by Diego and
by virtue of which he draws nis 10000
francs a year.
pay him his yearly income, OF
course but ii was Well to have the doc
umcrt in my hands. If it suits me I
shall make the La Tour d Eimbleusc
family heggars again.
Il keep the old fool in constant
fever of hope and despair. l shall see
him insane yet. This suits inc as a
piece of revenge upon his daughter for
not dying"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Nine. Chermidy

Returning from a three years absence
at sea, he had found Honorine established
III an elegant house in Paris, surrounded
by luxury, every evidence of opulence.
When his wife appeared to him dressed
in a morning costume which would have
eaten up two or three years of his pay
as an officer, he forgot to fall into her
arms and departed without saying a
word
He was now commanding a ship on
the China station.
Nine Chermidy observed the proprie-
ties. No one could prove a single thing
against her. People talked to be sure,
but could prove nothing.
Nevertheless, though madams CHARM
ing salon was frequented by some of the
most respectable men in Paris their
wives never made their appearance there.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05

guests, in discussing the Eastern
Question" spoke of the "Ky-Teheu at
fair" and the death of Captain Cher
mildly of the Naiade. Newspaper are
scarce in the Ionian Isles and seldom
did one reach the Villa Dandolo.
Don Diego and Germaine saw their
guests out of the grounds and sat
down, side by side, on a bench over
looking the sea. Both felt that a crisis
had arrived in their lives
Germaine was the first TO speak.
Don Diego, did you know it?'
NO, Germaine." was the reply; "if l
had I should have told you. / nave no
secrets from YOU"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Cash Demanded

With the money which she got for
her wedding ring the duchess bought a
bottle of cod-liver oil for her daughter
Germaine, who was apparently in tho
last stages Of consumption, and for the
dukes breakfast a lobster and a part
ridge, returning home 10 the Hotel
Sangilie draggled to the knees and with
40 centimes remaining in her pocket.
She found her only servant old black
Semiramis, weeping over piece of
paper. 1t was bill from the baker
for 500 francs and a note to gay "no
more bread without money!
DO not weep" said the duchess,
handing Semiramis the 40 centimes,
there is money Go to the baker in
the rue Back; you will buy vienna
roll for monsieur's breakfast. Has tho
doctor seen Germaine?"
"Yes. madam, he is still in the cham
ber of monsieur the duke"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Little-Luck to the Last

Meantime MantouN had washed his
clothes in a secluded brook and when
the authorities engaged in the investi-
cation went to the Villa Dandolo they
found him sewing neV button on u
red plush waistcoat
They noticed that his hair was pre-
cisely of the color of the specimen
found in the grasp of Nine Chermidy.
He was arrested and taken TO prison
In the night he escaped and tried to
swim to safety but only 70 fall into
one of those large nets which fishermen
set at night and take up again in the
morning.
The Count and Countess Vilianera.
after long journey. returned TO Paris.
But little Gomez and the duke were
not With them The latter died st Corfu
soon after the murder of Nine. Cher.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Keeping Up Appearances

He tasted pleasure so late in life that
IT had not time to pail upon him. He
wept with pleasure at the birth of a
daughter, and in the excess of his happi-
ness he purchased country home for
dancer of whom he had become ena-
niored.
The dinners he gave at home had no
rivals--unless they were the suppers at
the house of his mistress
The world looked indugently at this
waste of life and fortune for he kept
up appearances. He never appeared in
public except with his wife, and would
rather lose rubber at whist than have
her go to ball alone.
The duchess, on her part, thought her
duke the greatest and best of men.
When his fortune began to dwindle
he tried to recoup himself at play. and
lost still more.
When he told his wife that they had
not 1000 francs that they could call their
own-her fortune gone and his. too--she
thought of her daughter and burst into
tears.
But the duke said ''Never mind.
The storm viii blow over. Count ON
me- 1 count on luck"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
DisQuieting Good News

After the dinner at which poison was
discussed Little Luck was started on
his way to Corfu with a letter of in
PRODUCTION from the duke.
Besides the news that Germaine's $
health was improving there was some-
thing else in the letter from the coun-
tess dowager to the duke which agitated
the soul of Nine. Chermidy.
The countess had plainly intimated that
she was of the opinion that Germaine and
Diego were falling in love with each
other. A horrible fear took possession of
Honorine.
But no. it could not be SO. 1t was
only the Imagination of the old dowager.
But if it should turn out to be so, what
revenge she would have! She would
expose the whole plot-would strike Die
go through his son.
Then she thought with a shudder that
a public scandal might so enrage her
husband that he would kill her
But Mantoux could put an end to her
anxiety. No. Diego must love her still.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05

was gratified to see that the man was
listening intently.
She had previously talked to him con-
cerning his new position with the Coun-
tess de Villanera in the words suggested
by lie Tas. saying: THE family will pay
your wages; will be responsible for
the annuity"
She had seen with joy that the man
changed countenance when she spoke OF
the annuity-that the idea which she had
sought to convey to him had arisen in
his mind. And what could be proved
against her?
She repeatedly charged him to take
the greatest care of Germaine, and her
satisfaction was complete when she saw
that the man considered her and LIE Tas
his dupes.
MantouX was the mans name. He had
tried-O, so hard-all his life to be suc-
cessful villain, but had so failed that
he had obtained among his fellow GRIM
inals the nickname OF Little Luck
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Declined With Thanks

FROM Pearson's Weekly.
The burglar season is now on. and
many small suburban households are
the sadder for visit from these
gentry.
There is a story told of a man who
prepared to meet possible burglars by
purchasing small revolver. 1t was
a nice little affair with For Burglars
neartly engraved on the butt. and he
was very proud of 1t. but one eevning
ne forgot to take ii upstairs to bed
with him as usual.
When he came downstairs In the
morning he found the house despoiled
of all valuables and note lying be-
side the revolver: "Thanks; but / al.
ways carry my own!-The Burglar
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-05
Driven from the Door

In two hours Nine Chermidy and lie
Tas were on their way to Corfu. She
drove to the villa Dandolo and sought
an interview with Don Diego, but was
refused entrance.
She hired cottage in the neghbor-
hood and determined to lay siege to the
villa.
Hard upon the heels of madame ar
rived the duke. He was in the last
stages of idiocy. But he had traced
Honorine to Corfu
They took the poor old man to the
villa Dandolo and he pleaded with i'm
becile tears to be informed of the hid
ing place of Honorine. Mantoux, walk
ing out to see This cottage" found Hon.
orine there.
Nine. Chermidy had, upon her arrival
found that Germaine had had a miracu-
ious recovery. She fell upon Mantoux
with fury. throwing off all disguise
Come tonight" she finally said, "and
we will talk it over''
The duke fixed upon Mantoux, "I
VIII watch him. thought the cunning
ldiot, he will go to her.