davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Finest Gentleman in Blankshire

A great duchess, who had come down from London to one of the assemblies" and from her superior height looked upon the petty inequalities which the provincialsy had built up for themselves as upon a level plain, declared that he was the finest gentleman she had met in her exploring expedition into Blank shire.
 He had even gone so far as to marry a niece of Sir Frank Holster Sir Frank was as poor as a church mouse and it was Lady Holster who had provided-at the request of MT. Wilkins-the gover- ness who had, since the death of his wife, been an inmate of Ford Bank-a Miss Monro.
 Both the Holsters had fallen out with Lawyer Wilkins now The lawyer had not shown sufficient appreciation of the greatness of Sir Frank.
 Miss Monro was still at Ford Bank and likely to stay there, although El- lpor was young lady. She was en- gagged in teaching her former pupil to translate Dante
 After the storms and trials of her life Miss Monre found Ford Bank delight ful haven of rest. Besidess he was truly fond of her pupil, and her pupil of her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Rapid Loyemaking

When the gentlemen came in from dinner it struck Ellinor for the first time in her life, that her father had taken more wine than was good for him. Indeed, it had rather become q habit with him of late, but at home he had always gone directly to his room and E1linor had not seen.
 In order to keep Mir Livingstone from observing her father she talked to him with redoubled animation. The effects of her behavior was far more than she had intended.
 She kept MT. Livingstone, it is true, from observing her father, but she riveted his attention on herself He dreamed of her that night and walked up the next morning to calculate how far his income would allow him to fur nish his pretty new parsonage with the crowning blessing of wife.
 The consequence was that the rash young man sat down and wrote out a formal proposal of marriage to Ellinor. And he found it harder work of com position than sermon-more perplexing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
k CL A $ SIC
 IN A P A G E
Copyright, 1914, by Irving King !

fcopvright. 1914, by Irving King. All
 rights reserved1
 The versatility Of Mrs. Gasken as writer needs no better illustration than the fact that she wrote "Crautoro' Mary Barton and A Dark Night ; Work
 Had the three stories been written ps three separate persons, .f.y could net have been more dissimilar in subject ana treatment. Even in style there Is differe nee. and a notable ono
 or course, Mrs. Gasken vas a1 her best in 'Cranford that Is, a. her best for her English speaking sisters But, curiously enough-er. perhaps, natui''iy enough-"Cranford' has ne fer been rSpa- lar in its translations into German ano French. wh;i, the anthurs s other works have. The delicate flavor of 'Craliioid evaporate m the translaues "nle ths. more rugged and dramatic Mar Barton and "A Dark Nights Morh' sland the test successfully.
 The social prejuaiees, euss '"is ano eth dition cf rural England such as Mrs Gaskell depicts them in .A Dark Night 5 Work still finger in some remote patis, but are rapidly passing away, where they have not aiready departed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
What Ellinor Found

The door leading to the garden was open and the candles flaring wildly For moment she thought the room was empty. Then she saw behind the table MT. Dunster lying, his head propped up on chair cushions.
 His eyes were open staring, distended There was a strong smell of brandy and hartshorn in the room Something gave her a courage not her own
 She took the brandy bottle from the table and tried to pour some of the spirits down the mans throat. This she could not do. Evidently with hartshorn and brandy someone had been trying to bring life to him before
 She heard a step behind her and looked around
 My God. Ellinor!" cried her father. what brings you here?'
 Is he dead?" was all she could say.
 Hush, child-it could not be helped
 And then behind her father she saw Dixon. She stepped forward and bent down over the corpse.
 How was it, father?'' said Ellinor.
 He was insolent--beyond my patience. l could not bear it. I struck him. I cannot tell how it was. He must have hit his head in falling. o, my God-and one little hour ago I was innocent of this mans blood!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
The Unwelcome Guest

When she bade Miss Monro good night she went up to her own room over the drawng-room and opened the window Her head ached and she sat looking ou; through the easement into the cool night air through which came the faint odors of the garden and the fields.
 Through the pine grove at a little dis tance the low night winds were beginning to blow with a moa- Sound. Her light was out; she sat in U Saik.
 Then she heard the gate> of the path which led through the stable gard click and saw in the gloom her father and Mir Dunster come walking toward the house. She knew that her father was always annoyed when Mir. Dunster came to see him at night-and this night Of all nightsl
 She felt annoyed. too. However. the unwelcome guest must soon go away. and then she would go down and ask her father to see MT. Livingstone the next day.
 She sat in the window seat. half drows- ing and thinking of Ralph Presently she felt cold and got up to fetch shawl It seemed to her to be growing very late
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Making Herself Miserable

It was given to Ellinor that evening as she was sitting with Miss Monro in the library. MT. Wilkins was dining out-she hardly knew where 1t was a sudden engagement, he had sent word from the office and he would dress in Hamley without coming home.
 As soon as Ellnor saw the signature she suspected the contents of the letter and went to her own room bread it. She made herself very miserable over it. thinking that something she mus. have done had occa casioned this false hope in MT. Livingstone.
 Then she went back to the library and Miss Monro and began hunting Up words in the Italian dictionary for her transa- tion of Dante. Miss Monro thought she was norc diigent than usual.
 As a matter of fact she was thinking all the tim ethat she would speak to her father as soon as he returned and beg him to undo the michief which her con duct the night before had wrought by frankly explaining the real state of af- fairs to him-that she was engaged all ready and shortly to pc married.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Useless Surgery

Could not a doctor uo something ?'' asked Ellinor of Dixon.
 Mo- he answered. shaking his head doctors can do nought. I'm afeared. All that doctor could do would be to open a vein-and that I can do along with the best of them. if I had but my fieam here.''
 He fumbled in his pockets and found a f1eam-or cattle lancet-which he had used that day in bleeding a horse. But the surgery was useless. The man was dead.
 Master Ned'' said Nixon-for they had been boys together-''we must do summat Did any folks see him come in here?'
 No one"
 Drink this, master Ned" And the man poured out large drink of brandy and handed it to the trembling man.
 Whats done can't be undone, num- bled Dixon; where shall we bury him? l wish we could put him in the church yar1s but that cannot be"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Pillows of the Night

And so it was that lawyer Dunster disappeared that night from the face of the earth and was buried by these three --Ellinor her father and Dixon--in the grove of pine trees beyond the gar den.
 When the ghastly task was accom- pllshed Dixon went to his room over the stables. while Ellinor and her fath- CT returned to the study where the candles still flared.
 She tried to throw her arms about her fathers neck and kiss him, but he pushed her away with. No. Nellie you must never kiss me again"
 Going to her room. Ellinor threw herself upon the bed and sank iuto u sort of stupor. Then the dawn began to break and the morning chill com pelled her to creep beneath the blan- kcts.
 Before Ellinor was dressed next morning her maid came to tell her that Mr. Livingstone was ih the drawing room and wanted to see her. He had asked for Mrh Wlkins first but mas ctr had not rung for his water yet and so James told him he was not yet up.''
 "Mr Livingstoner' thought Ellinor. why he belongs to the old life of yesterday"
 The pillows of the night had swept over his mark on the sands of her memory It was only by a strong ef- fort that she could remember who he was and what he wanted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
"NOt Yet-NOt Yeti"

Wilkins gave the best dinners, served with them the most choice wines of any man for miles around He built on to his house and filled it with works of art
 He improved his grounds and his sta ble. He liked to dine out as well as to give dinners; he liked to appear on the hunting field the best mounted man there. He attended the assembly room assiduously.
 He set up coat-of-arms and claimed to be related to the DeWintons of cas- tie Winton in Wales. They had been the Wilkinses once, but had assumed their ancient name"
 The DeWintons shrugged their shoul- ders and said they were richer in rela- tions than they had been aware of.
 He adored Ellinor and Ellinor adored her father. Of law business he came to have a distaste and left as much as he could of it to his clerks.
 So. when Ralph proposed to marry FL linor, he was pleased enough with the proposed match. But he was sincere in saying Not yet-not yet" He could not bear to think of the house without Ellnor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Not as Other Men

Ralph Corbet was 2l and Ellinor Will ! kins was 1S
 For two years they had been in love . with one another and so, when Ralph said one day: "Elinor, dearest, will you --can you marry me-" she replied with a deep blush and in a soft murmurlnS tone: 'I never thought of anything else"
 "Then I may speak to your father, may l not dearest?'
 "IIe knows, I am sure" replied FL lnoir, and he likes you so much"
 But still must speak to him before I go back to town. I must leave at 1 o'clock"
 e., Ralph found MT. Wilkins in his study
 Have chair" said MT. Wilkins, have a cigar
 'I never smoke" replied Ralph, and put little severity into his refusal.
 That was quite unintentfcnal, for, though he was thankful that he was not as other men, he was not at all a person /to trouble himself unnecessarily with their reformation.
 Ralph stated his case in clear and un- compromising terms, MT. Wilkins sighed --thinking of the time when he was young and of his dead wife.
 God bless you both," said MT. Will kins, q will give her to you some day only it must be a long time first. And now go away-go back to her.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Unpopular MT. Dunster

For the year or two MT. Wilkins had had in his employ lawyer who had been brought down from London to manage the business. This Mir. Dunster found things in great confusion and. also, found it impossible to make his employer at- tend to business.
 He was a grave, taciturn lean-faced man, who made no friends-nor. ap parently, wanted any. But he was ef- ficient
 Wilkins came to hate him. But he was efficient and at last MT. Wilkins took the man into partnership, think ing to throw off the whole load of business upon him. He hated the very sight of the man, but knew that he would attend to business.
 He himself knew nothing about his accounts except in general way. But Dunster knew all about them.
 And after he was taken into partner ship the man became more annoying than ever He would visit his partners house at any hour of the night if he thought that business required 1t and was always reproachful and hector ing"
 Undoubtedly the was laboring for the best interestss of the firm" But he was a thorn in the side of Wilkins and a thorn which he did not dare to pull out He had no illusions---he was sim ply lawyer Dunster
 The New Clergyman
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Resented by the County"

That was all very well, but when Ralph's letter announcing his engagement to Miss Ellinoir Wilkins of Ford Bank, Hamley, Blankshire, reached the ances- tral seat of Corbet hall in Shropshire, and was read in family council, Lady Maria Brabant happened to be visiting there-visiting because she was about to marry the elder son of the honse of Corbet-Captain Corbet of the guards, son and heir.
 And Lady Maria was tho daughter of one of the proudest earls in Blankshire. ' His lordship had always resented the appearance of the rich attorney, Will kins in the hunting field as an insult to the county families" and had ignored his presence at all the dinner tables at which they had met.
 The Corbet girls said that they had heard of these Wilkinses before. Ralph had been reading with Mr. Ness, the rec ,tor at Hamey, who was a friend, they believed, of MT. Wilkins, and Ralph had often dined with his tutor at Ford Bank -as they gathered from his letters.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Weary Years

weary year or two dragged on. Now and then rumors came from London of the rapid advancement of the rising bar rister. Ralph Corbet. Then Mir. Wilkins was taken i'll and died.
 Under his pillow they found an un- finished penciled note to Ralph. begging his forgiveness and asking him tr be kind to Ellinor. Ellnor put the note away with some other mementoes, Tn Ter writ ing desk.
 When they came to look into MT. Wilkins affairs they found he had died insolvent Nothing was left except r ,rd Bank, which had been settled upon Eli nor and was n the hands ot trustees. For her living she must depend upon the rent of the property.
 She shuddered at the thought of leav- l. E Ford Bank and that unmarked gcive GU, there iE the pine srov..
 Miss Monro was offered chance as day governess in the family of church dignitary in East Chester and he ;,se father had been presenter in the cathe- dral.
 She took Ellinor to live with her and by putting their two incomes together they got along very we'll
 Ellinor wanted to take Dixon with them, but the old man would not leave that fatal spot where so much hadstaken place. He must watch that that grave was not disturbed or discovered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Seen i'm the Moonlipht

She looked out and saw the moonlight coming fuller fnd fuller into the garden, It was late, Surely MT. Dunster must have gone. Nd there was the sound of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03

voices coming from her fathers study through the open windows.
 Angry voices they were. She knew her father was being irritated. There was a sudden movement as if chairs being hastily pushed aside and then a mystcri- ous noise-heavy, sudden. Then a slight movement of chairs again and then 8 profound stiffness.
 Ellinor leaned her head against the window to listen more intentty, for some mysterious instinct made her sick and faint. No sound, no noise.
 Then, by and by she heard her fath- er's hurried footsteps along the shrub bery path going to the stables. She could stand it no longer, and throwing a robe over her, went down into the study
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
An Unmarked Grave

HERE shall we bury him?
 I"I An octagonal room with
 granite walls; an open door
 ISS4E19I garden through which coor the wind which wandered sobbing through the dark night came in gusts that almost blew out the burning candles q On the floor a dead body and, looking down upon it, stolid-faced old servant, a white-faced and haggard man and a young woman in her nisht clothes with a robe hastily thrown over her.
 "where shall we bury him?" The three together took the body from the floor and carried 1t out into the night acf oss the lawn, into a grove of old trees at T distance from the old country house.
 That was the dark nights work. But many things were to happen before that tragic event which changed the course of destiny-fulhlled the destiny-ot hVe human lives
 Let us go back a few years and begin at the beginning
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
BY Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell

estate The body of Dunster had been found and with it a fleam bearing the name of Dixon.
 He must not diei" cried Efiinor, and in spite of all entreaties, started wildly for England
 Canon Livingstone accompanied her acting as her courier, he said She scarcely knew he was with her
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Laughing at Their Threats

He said that, of course. as Ralph was of age he could do as he liked But that if he married this girl he must never ss..vu<t to have her received as a daugh- Ger at Corbet hall.
 Mrs. Corbet added a little postscript telling Ralph that though as a second son he would inherit Bromley hall after her death, she could do much to make that estate worthless by cutting down oll the timber and that she would in fallibly do so if he persisted in his mad design to keep his silly engagement.
 Dear old father-how he busters. . en1iled Halph when he read the letter. JAS for mother, she has held that threat of cutting down the Bromley timber oyer me ever since l knew what rock ing horse was. and l have known for 10 gears that such a step would be il- legal.
 N ..As for that vulgar, high-born Lady Maria, they are all so full of-why she has not silver penny to cross herself with. and Is Flanders mare to my El- tinor When mother knows what El- 3unors fortune will be she will come
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Capital for the Headache

That and his excessive drinking. Ellinor had alluded to. Ralph felt ro- strained and uncomfortable at Ford Bank after Eliinor's confidence. He could not rightly calculate upon tho bert course for hin own hterest4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
A We'll Trained Squire

4, Now Lady Maria was a good-natured girl and meant no harm in repeating what she had heard her father say about the Wilkinses-touched up, 1t Is true, by some dislike she herself felt to an intimate alliance with "an upstart ,attorney," a person not received in the county
 Always trying to push himself into the set above him'-"not people papa would like her to know, whatever might be the family connection"
 Then there was a row. Mrs. Corbet and the girls set themselves franti- cally against this foolish entangie- ment'' or Ralph s-they would not call 1t an engagement
 And Squire Corbet of Corbet hall gen. orally did as his women folks told him to do. So the squire wrote letter to his erring son-and was cl,hef proud of his literary production.
 It took him only an hour or so to com pose 1t, and then he showed it to his wife for approval. He was well trained squire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03

round. bide my time-you dear old people,
 And he filed the letter away and went to call upon Ellinor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03

Looking From the Others Eyes When Ellinor entered the drawing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03

f1e WatCHeQ W llhlnS tiO8elY ana Wilkins felt with annoyance this watch fitness Ralph felt that he must go away away from Ellinor he could judge more correctly.
 He went to StolSely castle for his brothers wedding and met all sorts of great people there-among them cabi- net minister, who took him up and opened vistas of ambition to him. He went to London after the wedding and wrote occasionally to Ellinor.
 Months and months passed before ne saw Ford Bank again. Then he came on a visit and Ellinor saw a change in him and asked him if he wanted to break off his engagement.
 What nonsense'' he replied. But he reddened as he did so.
 That night when the ladies. Miss Monro and Ellinor, had left the dining room after dinner MT. Wilkins said; Have little brandy-it is capital thing for the headache and mine aches confoundedly."
 StudiOusly Careless
 T am sorry for it., said Ralph, re- fusing the brandy. flor I wanted to speak to you about business-about mar riage, in fact"
 Speak away, I am ready
 Ralph coldly stated that he supposed MT. Wilkins had the deed of settlement drawn up by which a certain fortune was settled upon Ellinor and that he wanted to be married in August.
 Wilkins thought with a pang that ne would be unable to furnish the thou sands required unless he went to the money lenders, who were already mak- ing difficulties His affairs were in a bad way.
 You must not be so hard upon me, Ralph; that promise was made before IIexactly knew the state of my affairs" Before Mir Dunsters disappearance?' "Yes''
 Ralph began some studiedly careless questioning about Dunster. but Wilkins sprang to his feet trembling.
 Good God sir, what is the matter2" cried Ralph, starting up, too.
 Tt is nothing-only this headache. But don't look at me that way. I tis very unpleasant to find a mans eyes prrpet- ually fixed upon you?'
 Ralrh answered coldly and MT. Will kins tossed off bumper of brandy.
 Ordered Out of the House
 I'll manage my own affairs went on the attorney, now drunk and surly and suspicious, "and if you ever venture to don't look at me that way. It Is very look at me and talk ome as you have the servant show you the door"
 Listen, MT. Wilkins answered Ralph evenly. 'henceforth we are strangers. As for Ellinor-I do not think we should have been happy. I to be turned out of your house!--I, Corbet of Westly! 1 would not submit to such an insult from a peer of the realm
 He was out of the room and out of the house before he had finished speaking. Wilkins tried to call him back, but he did not hear
 Ralph wrote note to Ellinor that very night, telling her that words had passed between her father and himself and bid ding farewell forever.
 She took the note to her father and told him of what she had confided to Ralph of a possible disgrace. Ellinor could not cry. She accepted her fate in a dumb agony. Her father sought to comfort her in vain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Stating a Case


 Ralph, she said suddenly. suppose that a girl was engaged to be n,arried-' "I can readily suppose that with you by my side,' he interrupted.
 70. l do not mean myself at all." she went on, q was only thinking of what might be. And suppose this girl had some one belonging to her--we will call it brother-who had done something wrong that would bring disgrace on the whole family if it were known-though indeed, it might not have been so very wrong as it would seem to the world ought she to break off her crgagcmen. for fear of involving her lover in tis- grace?''
 Certainly not, without telling him her reasons for doing so. Eut what ere you driving at, Ellinor? I think ou had better tell me fully what is on your mind. Something has happened to suggest these questions. l feel that this IS no suppo- sitious case'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-03
Letting the Public Guess

When she reached England she found that Dixon had been found guilty and condemned to death. He had been tried before Judge Corbet
 sne hastened to his place of confne- ment and had an interview with him, in which she declared that he should not die.
 She now began to realize how carefully Canon Livingstone had been watching over her, but when he said at parting he was going to East Chester-"Ellinor. we are frends-perhaps I should not urge a stronger claim just now?" she re- piled, No, no, not now"
 Ellinor hurried to London and went tol see Judge Corbet She told her former lover in detail the story of that dark night at Ford Bank and showed him that penciled note found under her fathers pillow after his death. when she arrived at the little house in a full pardon was made out for Dixon. The public was left guessing at the truth of the matter.