davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
A Question of Names

You did not seem to get on very well
with my friend" said Clara laughing, af-
ter they had left the cottage.
'Well no-that is to say" replied Will.
took her for somebody else that 1
had known slightly good many years
ago.
What was the other PERSONS name9"
"A Miss Vigo. She married a Mr. Bred
more. knew more of him than of her
She was a fast-going girl. and ner friends
were very sorry. But I think they are
dead or divorced. or that they have come
to grief in some way.
What rled me was the way she talked
OF the shooting. People do when they
take little shooting. They are gem
orally shopkeepers out of London. gin
distillers brewers, or people of that
sort"
Clara laughed again, and assured VIII
that the maiden name of Mrs. Askerton
was Oliphant-she had seen it written in
a book-a presentation copy-Miss Oil
phant-and Mrs. Askerton had, herself
acknowledged that such had been her
name before marriage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
An Uncomfortable Household

She thought it would be cruel to re-
fuse this last request and yet she knew
that no such waiting would be of serv-
ice to him.
"Will Will" she cried. at will be
of no use-but come again at Christ
mas, If you wish it."
When they returned to the house
Clara sought her father and told him
what had taken place.
The old man was rather querulous
and said that she might as well marry
VIII at once. He wanted to see grand
sons of his own living in Bolton Castle.
However, he supposed Clara would
do as she pleased. Probably she would
have to go TO the workhouse when he
was dead.
1t was a rather constrained and un-
natural household during the remainder
of Wills stay at Bolton.
Clara was all the time thinking how
much she would have liked to have
fallen in love with her great, bluff,
stalwart farmer cousin-had it not
been for Captain Aylmer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
One In,mise Exacted

So Will saw Clara safely up to Lon
don, where he turned her over to the
member of parliament, and then went
on his way back to his farm.
Now that Mr.. Amedroz was dead, tho
estate came as matter of entail to
his lawyer, Green, to place it at the dis
posal of Clara.
Clara refused to accept of such a gift
Captain Aylmer and bis mother insisted
that she should improve her financial
condition by accepting the generous Offer
Mrs. Askerton, before Clara left Bolton,
had long talk with the helpless or
phan.
Mrs. Askerton knew, she said, that IN
quiries had been made concerning her
past. That she had been much to blame
in many ways she acknowledged.
But / want you to promise me-" con-
tinued the lady, that whatever you hea.'
you will, before receiving 1t for the en-
tire truth, come to me for my side of
the story. 1t is not a nice story but
1t has been made worse than it really
is
And, my dear, | would advise you to
marry VIII Belton at once. However,
do what your heart c.icrates, and If you
find that Aylmer park is not agreeable
to you-why here is home for you."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25

whose ambition in life was to be, as
his crusading ancestors had been, Bel
ton of Bolton.
He came in good nature and Clara re-
eeived him in the same spirit. OF course
the Belton estate was to go to the heir
OF entail
But naturally the old squire hated the
heir of entail. Clara, who all her weary
life had been accustomed to defer to
those who told her what she should do,
also waited the advent of Mr.. Bolton
with some trepidation.
But when he came-the bluff, hearty
farmer-her father and herself some-
how forgaYe him his sin and welcomed
him as man who might rescue them
from their sad dilemma
One day at Bolton Castle and VIII
was the master of it. The farmer, to
whom the squire had leased the land,
VIII saw at once was an incompetent
man. 1t took 20 minutes for him to
buy the lease from the farmer Will
liam Bolton was a Sudden" man.
In "a hours he had conquired the
prejudices of his distant kinsman and
in IS hours he had decided that he
would marry Clara.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25

"a very considerable bequest," laughed
Mrs. Askerton, but what does it mat
ter? 1 hear your cousin VIII has ordered
his lawyer to give up to you half of the
Bolton estate, since you will not take the
whole of it, and take him with it. If he
asks you the question again what will
you say to him?"
''I do not know" replied Clara sadly.
Mrs. Askerton smiled and said slowly :.
"Tilat is Just 1t! Women are so cross
grained that 1t is a wonder to me that
men have anything to do with them.
"They have about them some madness
or phantasy which they dignity with the
name of feminine pride, and under the
cloak of this they feel justified in tor
menting their lovers lives out. The only
consolation is that they torment them
selves as much as their lovers.
your Cousin viii, who is, 1t seems, to
be Bolton of Bolton in spite of all, will
be here today to ask you TO walk with
him. If he asks you the old, old Ques-
ton again what will you say?'
II do not know"
''Will you walk out with him?"
''Why should l not? He is my COUSIN
Yes, 10 times removed" laughed Mrs.
Askerton, and Clara blushed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Unpleasant Comparisons

Had there been no Captain Aylmer?
But there was a Captain Aylmer, the
nephew of her aunt at Perivale and
member of Parliament, as proper a per-
son as the sun ever shone upon.
She could not help it-she told her.
self-she loved the captain and, though
the captain had never breathed TO her
word of love. that settled it, Her
heart was Aylmers.
Yet she made comparisons between
the two men. Her cousin viii she
thought the more generous and more
energetic perhaps. by nature, the man
of the higher gifts. In person he was
undoubtedly the captains superior.
But he was rough, awkward. but in
differently educated and with few of
those tastes which, to Clara, were de-
lightful She doubted if he could give
the name of a single member of the
cabinet or name a single bishop beyond
the see in which his own parish stood.
But Captain Aylmer knew everybod v
and had read everything and under
stood, as if by inspiration, all tho
movements of the world in which he
lived.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
His Only Desire

1t needed only few days at Aylner
park for Clara to find out that she was
persona non gratA 10 the Aylmer fam
lly. Her entire resolution was aroused
ny the overbearing conduct of Lady Ayl-
mer The captain seemed powerless be-
lore his mothers imperiousness
Clara fled from Aylner park and sousht
refuge in the cottage of Colonel and
Mrs. Askerton at Bolton. Go back to the
castle she would not. though VIII had
so generously placed it at her disposal.
Finally Will Bolton came himself to
Belton and sought to straighten out the
tangled threads of his own and his cou-
sins lives.
do not know much about the A,l-
mers, he said, nor why you ullarreied
with the people at Aylmer park | do not
want to know. But I know that nobody
can love you better than do; sometimes
fancy that nobody can love you as
we'll
1t seems to me to be honest that |
should tell you that the only thing |
care about in this world is that YOU
should be my Wife,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
,alled with Clara upon Colonel Asker

called with Clara upon Colonel Asker
ton, who rented the cottage and hired
the shooting.
Both the colonel and his wife were
people of middle age and seemed to
have no friends or relations. They
had evidently come to Bolton to live
quietly and unobserved
But between Clara and Mrs. Askerton
there had sprung up a warm affection
Mrs. Askerton was a woman of edu-
cation, who evidently had seen the
"world"-and such another woman
there was none at Bolton.
Colonel Askerton was not at home
when Clara and Will, out walking, had
stopped at the cottage. But when Will
saw the colonel's wife he looked
thoughtful and acknowledged Claras
Introduction in a rather gruff manner.
Mrs. Askerton herself was evidently
dlsconcerted at encountering the
farmer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Under "Prntectinn"

OF this Mr.. Green Will Belton asked If
he remembered a certain Miss Vigo who
had married an army officer named Bred
more and had gone to India with him.
Yes, Mr.. Green did remember, indis-
tinctly-there had been some scandal, he
believed. Bredmore was an unprincipled
drunkard. as he remembered. He would
investigate for his client.
The result was that in a short space
of time Bolton knew that the present
Mrs. Askerton had been obliged, through
the cruelty of her husband, Bredmore
to leave him. He had died soon after
But the point was that when she left
him she had left under the protection"
of Colonel Aslserton. When Bredmore
died the colonel and the widow were at
once married.
Having obtained this information, VIII
kept it to himself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
After the Funeral

AS soon as Bolton had left the castle
Clara went on one of her duty visits to
Perivale, where. of course, she met Cap
tain Aylmer, who was exceedingly at.cn-
tive to Mrs. Winterfleld just then-as
the old lady was rapidly falling and the
captain was her natural heir
The old lady took to her bed and died
in the course of this visit.
1t was the day after the funeral and
Clara and Captain Aylmer sat alone
in the parlor of the old house at Peri.
vale
we must settle our future plans" he
sald' 'of course, the longer you stay
mere the kinder you will be-"
i can do no good by staying
You can do good to me--but l sup
pose l am nobody. I WISH to know what
to do about this house But of course,
shall live here. Would you like it
yourself?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Afraid of Himself

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
The late Joseph Jefferson once told this
story to a friend:
II was coming down in the elevator of
the Stock Exchange building and at one
of the intermediate floors a man whose
face / knew as well as know yours got
in. He greeted me very warmly a. once.
said ii was a number of years since we
had net and was very gracious and
friendly. But l couldn't place him for
life of me. I asked him as a sort of a
feeler how he happened to be in New
York, and he answered, with a touch OF
surprise, that he had lived there for sew
eral years. Finally l told him, in ar
apologetic way, that l couldn't recall his
name. He looked at me for a momentI
end then he said, very quietly, that his
name was Y. $. Grant"
What did you do. Joe?" his friend
asked.
Dor he replied. with characteristic
smile. why, I got out at the next foor
for fear I'd ask him II he had ever been
In the war!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Excellent Mrs. Winterfield

The Bolton property was entailed,
and after her fathers death would go
to distant cousin, one William Bolton
of Plaistok Hall. Norfolk, unmarried,
of mature age-say 40 odd--who owned
and ran farm of some 800 acres.
over at Perivale lived another of the
relations by marriage of the squire and
Clara. Mrs. Winterfield of Prospect
Place.
Clara called her aunt, though really
she was not an aunt; but her brother
had married an aunt of Clara's, and
both uncle and aunt were dead long
ago. -
Mrs. Winterfield was an excellent
lady. To fight the devil and all his
works was her appointed task in life,
and she shrank from her duty.
Now an aunt of that kind, when she
assumes her duties toward a mother
less niece, is apt to make life serious
and SO Clara found when she went, as
in duty bound, every now and then TO
stop for & stated season at Prospect
Place. Perivale.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
A CL A S SIC
IN A P A C E

Henry James said of Anthony TroIope
that his great power was in depieuns tIe
English people lust as they are. he
held the mirror up to nature until people
began looking into 1t with interest at
seeing themselves reflected therein.
In no work of his does he do this more
completely than in "The Bolton Estate.
The manners, characters and customs OIL
The characters whom he puts into the book
are not draped for show nor exaggerated
in their social relations. "Belton OF
Belton" is a farmer, and Captain Aylmer
is a politician.
The story is rather an involved one,
and one in which no so many people are
brought on the stage for an epitome of
ii to do full Justice
While not we'll known and so gener-
ally read as "Barchester ToWerG," "Oriey
Farm or Can You Forgive Her? ii Is
safe to say that "The Bolton Estate is
enc of the most characteristic of Troll
lopes works.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25

Gradually the captain approached the
subject-the question-which he had pre-
pared himself to PROFOUND to Clara.
His aunt, upon her deathbed bad
asked him to give Clara legacy Of
s150O She had consulted the captain
concerning the sum that Clara ought to
have, and the captain had fixed it at
that amount.
Clara refused to take the money But
the captain walked with her out to the o d
bridge and talked with her of his home
in the north-of his mother, Lady Ayl-
mer, and his sister; of the old park and
of his prospects in life.
Finally he came to the words which
Clara had been longing to hear for SO
many years.
..Can you tell me that you love me and
will be my wife? Clara can you love
me well enough TO have me for your
husband7'
Il can," she said, with all my heart"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Asking for Time

20, that's all right, responded VIII
Belton lightly, II have spoken to him
and he is willing-if you are
''You have asked papa,-and-O, dear,
what am / to dor
Am l odious to you?'
"Odious? Do you not know that have
loved you as my cousin-that | have al
ready learned to trust you as though
you really were my brother? But this
breaks 1t ALL"
you cannot love me then as my wife,
No"
She pronounced the one syllable alone
and then he walked away from her as
though that one little word settled the
question for him now and forever.
But he did not leave her. When he
had gone slowly down the hill a little
way he turned and came back to her.
My dear" he said, II have been rough
and hasty I have been hasty and 1
have not known how to wait. Tell me
that | may come again at Christmas for
my answer. 1 will not trouble you till
then. VIII you not let it be until Christ
mas?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
All Passed and Gone

So as the sun was beginning to send
its shadows over the old oaks and the
rocks were winging home to the rookery
behind the castle, VIII Benton came to
the cottage and asked Clara II she would
stroll with him little way in the park
Are you--going to accept the provision
I want to have made for you out of the
Bolton estate?" asked VIII in his rough
est manner.
II don't think I shall want as much
money as that" replied Clara frankly-a
nice beginning for a true lovers talk.
IT never did like that Captain Aylmer,'
continued Will. Il hope 1t is all over
between you two"
Yes, 1t is all over. But we need not
talk about that, Will"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Noah in the Games

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
"They say that chess is the oldest
game. remarked the Old F'ogy
Poker is older than chess" said the
Wise Guy.
"How do you know" asked the Old
Togy.
Didn't Noah draw to pairs on tho
ark and get a full house?" replied the
Wise Guy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Too Brotherly to Suit

Clara felt that something was due to
her dignity as we'll as to her love, and
when the captain repeated:
Il hope we are in for it now-both
of us-are we not? I hope you have
no misgivings. Clara?"
She replied: 20. no, no misgivings.
But / will write you when I arrive
home"
And she did write him letter in
which she told him that 1t was better
that his offer should be reconsidered-
that If he wrote to her renewing it
after Christmas she would again con-
slider it.
He wrote after Christmas and she re-
considered.
VIII Billion visited the castle and was
kindly received in a "brotherly' man.
ner--which aggravated him. Clara told
him once and for all that she was go
ing to marry Captain Aylmer.
In rage VIII returned to the fens
of Norfolk, while the captain calmly
went up to London to attend his Par
liamentary duties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
The Family Opposed

His engagement to Clara had been Of
ficially made known by him to his father
and mother at Aylmer Park by this time.
There were stormy times at Aylmer Park.
Sir Anthony Aylmer, who was zero
in the family arrangements any way,
did not care and neither did the elder
son. who was away somewhere on the
Continent at swords points with his fam
ily-as most elder sons, at least in Eng
lish novels, are.
But Lady Aylmer cared immensely and
schooled her unmarried daughter to care,
too.
Lady Aylmer was the sister of that
Mrs. Winterfield who had, upon her death
bed, requested Captain Aylmer to marry
Clara Amedroz, and to give her some
money.
Lady Aylmer rebelled at both PROPOSE
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Last of His Line

~ ELTON Castle is a pretty country
* seat standing in small wooded
- park close to the Quantock Hills
in somersetshire. There lived, in the
early part of the last century, Bernard
Amedroz, Esq, widower, and his daugh-
ter, Clara.
All that remained of the old Bolton
Castle was a ruined tower standing at
a little distance from the ugly modern
building, which had been erected by that
Amedroz who had married the heiress
Of the Beltons many years before.
1t was a forlorn and distress house.
hold The son, Charles, by his debts
and that bad behavior which had con-
stantiy called upon his fathers resources
to help him out of scrapes. had ruined
the old gentleman, and he had ended
his career by committing suicide
Charles had been a spoiled child-the
worst incumbrance that this sinful world
holds.
AS for Mr.. Amedroz, he was not bad
man. as the world holds men to be bad.
lie was not vicious; he was not gam
bier: he was not a drunkard. He was
not self-indulgent to that degree that
brought upon him any reproach.
But he was an idle, thriftless man,
who, at the age of G7, had not done any
good in the world whatever.
Indeed he had done terrible evil by
lis blind indulgence of Charles, the son
who had died by his own hand
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Why He Asked It of Her

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger
Miss Edith asked a young man.
may I ask you, please, not to call me
Mr.. Durand?"
But said Miss Edith, with great
coyness. "our acquaintance is so short.
you knew. Why should I not call you
that?"
"Wel." said the young man, chiefly
because my name is Dupont"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
All Right at Last

But OF sudden, they came to a MIA cel
"nere TWO paths diverged. and he turned
upon her and asked quickly which nats,
they should take.
Look, Clara" he said will vo, sd
up there with me?"
IL did not need that she should loo,x
Tor she remembered the way he nointed
1t was toward the path which led IN N i
point of rocks where he had first made I'D
her his blunt offer of himself and hi al
love.
Il do not care which way" she said
family.
You may not but l do" replied VIII
and together, hand in hand, they walked
to the juttlng emlnence and saw the Ia SIT
shadows of the setting sun fading from
the landscape
1t is now al right, is 1t not. Clara ?',
said Will.
IF you think so'' returned she.
ABOUT two months after the scene Just
described Clara received two letters. one
was from Aylmer park and in it the cap
tain announced his engagement with the
Lady Emily Tagmaggert youngest 1augh-
ter of the Earl of Hull
Inc other letter was from Plaistow
Where WIN had gone to settle up his af-
fairs in Norfolk
The last letter said that the farming
there VIII had turned over to Bunce. his
head farmer, and that he was coming in
a few days to Belton TO marry his wife,
and that there would be once again a Bel
ton of Bolton.
Next weeks one page classic will be
The Lord of the Isles" by Sir Walter
Scott.
Copyright, 1918, by Irving King.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Overlooking the Estate

How pretty this place Is" said Will
liam as he and Clara walked in tho
park, you ought to see Plaistow Hall.
1t is good enough-an old fashioned
memorial, brick hall--but there Is not
tree In sight only level stretches
and dikes at right angles with each
other Let us walk UP this HILL
At the top of the hill was a point Of
rocks and there VIII Bolton seated
himself and looked over the pleasing
prospect Without realizing 1t Clara
seated herself at his side.
1t was a fair prospect that they looked
over, and Clara experienced a feeling of
safety and protection which had been long
stranger to her as she sat there.
who lives in that house?" abruptly
asked VIII, as he pointed with his stick
at cottage which was upon the border
of the estate.
Colonel Askerton," replied Clara; "he
has rented the shooting from father"
.MarIied?"
Yes, his wife is most pleasing per-
son. She is about the only friend L
have here in this lonely spot
''Humph," said VIII.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
Absolutely Correct

He was absolutely correct in all he
did. He was a man of prominence. All
his constituency admired him.
And Clara-Brought into contact with
him--admired him. too. From admiring
she came to love him.
lie was such pillar of the church
and state. How noble he was, No
breath of scandal had ever, sullied his
fair name. Clara worshiped an idol
and 1t was not a bad one-it was flaw
less.
But when four months after the trag
edy of Charles death, VIII Bolton wrote
to Squire Amedroz that he was very
sorry, of course, but as he was the next
heir of entail he would come down and
see how things were going and that. of
course, Mr. Amedroz could do as he
pleased with the estate, but that if he
could be of any service to him he would
do so.
Then the squire and his daughter
were very angry.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
In Quite a Friendly Manner

My dear WILL" she replied did vou
not once say that you would he a
prother to me always? I am. and will be.
an obedient sister to you, as a younger
sister should be-"
IL s no good,' cried Will. II might
as well shoot myself"
And the injured man went about all
DAY abusing everybody who came in
his way and kicking the dogs.
But hope was soon to dawn upon him.
Captain Aylmer wrote to know If il was
true that Clara was now the guest of the
forbidden Askerton family-and il she
persisted in remaining in their cottage.
Then the break became complete. The
captain reminded Clara that she had
twice accepted him. Now he must direct
her movements and select her friends
otherwise
Cara wrote hack releasing the captain
from any obligations. He accepted his
release and all was done in quite friend
ly manner.
Aylmer still insisted that Clara should
accept Of the legacy which. by verbal re-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25
An UnwelcOme Proposal

Clara" he continued, did any one
ever tell you that you were very hand
someSs"
1T is disagreeable to me-very," she
replied, blushirg. that you should pay
me such foolish personal compliments"
What 1 say is not foolish" retorted
Will There's a great difference, Clara
Il love you better than everything else
in the world"
Il hope YOU do not love me- respond
cd Clara slowly; indeed, you are bound
not to do so, for you promised that you
would be a brother to me-
Yes, L did; lat that will not satisfy
me now. Clara, I want to be your hus-
band"
',Will,' she cried, stop this; had
! loped you did not love me. What Will
papa say?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-25

uons and at once put on foot an inquiry
as to Clara's associates-her post record
and any other details which might be of
use to her in breaking off the proposed
match.
Her son, Frederick, the captain, was
a genius and must marry money