davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

and their feet we're frolic, but his voice
was solemn as a prayer. IF you are
not. | want to-tell you that you have
you are-that-well my heart is al your
feet"
Watch out, then, for | can't see my
feet, and my heels are sharp.
Wont you be serious
@You are the frivolous one. You've
only just met me; you don't know apy-
thing about me, nor ! about you, yet
you talk this talk"
I've known you long enough to
know that YOU are
.@Oh no, you haven't. You've only
seen me with my party manners on.
You haven't answered my question.
Are you engaged to that man?"
"Oh, 50 he is that man already?"
Are you going to marry him!
I'm no prophet, Mr.. Forbes"
The medley broke into the ribald tune
of a popular song. Half the dancers
shouted the refrain as they whirled.
Forbes heart selected from the sor-
did lyric only its rejoicing. He select
ed from Persis' words only the : ,pe
they negatively implied He began to
ndh(C uA = AC@hAllS " hAAGlS
whipping her of her feet. and clench-
ing her sweet body so close &c him that
she gasped:
Il have to breathe, you know"
Forgive me-" he murmureG into the
curls about her ear. But you're a
wonderful thingp
"Am II" she laughed, but With a
sort Of patient indifference
Il wish / dared to tell you that love
you"
Il hope you won't"
Men are always telling you that?
"No-pot alwavs-once or rwice.
She was so far away, though in his
arms, that her voice seemed to come TO
him across long wire
did you love any Of them"
NO"
Are you sure?"
There's nothing I'm sure- of that
that"
Does that mean that you are no: en-
gagged to Mr.. Enslee?"
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

table, and raised her bouillon cup with
both hands Her elbow touched thai
of Forbes, and she did not draw il
away For the matter of that, all the
elbows we're clsshing in the crowded
circle.
1t was now that Forbes was tempted
to make his first advance. How show
his love except by some signal? Be
fore all those ears he could not speak
his infatuation
Under the table he might have held
hands with her, but she kept her hands
above the board. Then, as she leaned
close to him to speak across him to
Mrs. Nef, her foot struck lightly
against his. 1t was gone at once, but
it suggested to his mind an ancient
form OF Irritation that has been more
honored in modern observance than in
modern literature. Remembering the
experience at the opera house, he was
visited with a tender temptation to re-
new that acquaintance of feet. "
He gathered his courage together, as
If he were about to step off a precipice
into a fog, and pursued her foot with
his. He found it, but at a touch it
vanished again Realizing that she took
his silly action for an accident, he de-
termined to see the adventure through.
He sent his foot prowling after hers,
found it, and raising his toe, pressed
hers softly.
This time her foot was not with
drawn, and he felt that his emprise was
rewarded But moment later, when
every ones attention was attracted to
another table, and the rest were discus
sing a premateurly fashionable costume,
Persis leaned close to him and mur-
INJURED:
''In the first place, how dare you. In
the second place, / have on white slip
pers. And in the third place, you are
perfectly visible from all the other ta-
bles."
And then she slipped her foot away.
Il was as if she had unclasped his
arms from about her waist, only not so
a precedent.
Forbes turned pale with shame. He
ielt that his deed was boorish, and now
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11
She laughed again.
Not neceSSariiy."

She laughed again.
Not necessarily"
The moment Forbes said he had been
jealous. and by his eager questions, by
their very inSistent impertinence. in
deed, proved that he was now jealous
he became important to Persis. The
fervor OF his previous actions WAS al
most justified. Even the intrusion upon
her foot was different act
Besides, there was something un-
canny to Persis in Forbes statement
that he had followed her up the Ave
nue., and had felt a jealousy of her
haste ;. because that had been i momen-
tous day altogether.
She had begun It by shopping raid.
She had run across a flock of new hats.
curious oddities from Paris, perched
like strange birds alighted in 4 window.
Determined to have those hats that day
or die, Persis had ridden all the way to
her fathers Office in Broad street to ask
him to buy them. She had found him
in great distress Before she could ex-
plain her errand, he had said, with
smile that was pitifully brave:
I'm in a lot of trouble. honey. I've
got to shift some of my leans to other
banks, and I've got to borrow a lot more
somewhere. And / don't know where.
I'm sorry to tell you, out you'd better
know"
She soothed MIN with loving terror.
He told her that she need not worry;
everything would come out all right He
was just little pinched for the mo-
ment. But he kissed her very devoted I
ly. and sighed and told her how beat .
tiful she was and how dear to i1im. !
She returned to her car. and ordered
the driver home. It was 4 long journey !
upon the canyon of Broadway a plank |
road for miles, since subway was bur-
rowing underneath She mad ample time /
to figure out just what 1t meant to her
10 be poor.
Cold flashes of fright ran through
Persis as the car rumbled and swerved. |!
Then she remembered that Willie Ems /
ee was to call upon her that afternoon.
lie had said that he had something very
Important TO say, and she had laughed !.
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

more to scout along her outposts.
That hat you wore, YOU remember
day before yesterday"
4 told you how I followed it"
Yes"
"My heart ran after yor like a news
boy calling to you. But you didn't
hear. | had a funny idea that you
might be making haste to meet some
man"
Let me seel Yes / was. l was
hurYing home to meet Willie. He is
always furious when | am late"
This time the name of Enslee was
like blow in the face. 1t dared
Forbes with a confirmation of his
worst fears. He did not realize that
he thought aloud:
Il guessed right! l knew it was a
man, and was jealous"
Persis stared up at him. She smiled
incredulously.
You were Jealous? But you hadn't
even seen me-"
No, but / wanted to see you. l felt
you in the air. And | was Jealous"
His eyes were laughing into her
laughing eyes But both of them were
a tritie solemn at heart. Forbes deter
mined to learn how her affairs stood
with Enslee.
Would you mind if / asked you one
very personal question:" he said.
Not if you'll look the other way
when / answer it."
Are you engaged to Willie Enslee?"
The question was so Unexpected and
so fortnight that it almost staggered
her. She flashed one look up into his
earnest eyes and laughed; but it was
cold laugh
You are the most amazing piece Of
lmpudence | ever met.
You haven't answered"
What difference could it make 70
your"
"All the difference in the world. 1t
is a matter Of the utmost importance
10 me"
"Nhyi"
Because if you are not" The
music was the most inconsequential Jig. !
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

il had been properly rebuked and re-
sented. The gentleness OF the reproof
made il the more CALLING; for il was
the gentleness OF authority so sure Of
itself that It needed no elamor Of as
sertion.
He snawed his lip with remorse; but
his apologies were frustrated by the re-
turn of all hands to the table. Persis
chartered with the rest and nibbled a
marron with an apparent relish that i'm
piled forgetfulness of what was only
an incident to her
After the supper no time was lost
in returning to the main business OF
the meeting. Again Willie claimed tiie
first dance, and Forbes was deputed
to Ten Eyck's debutante. The next
daIee, however, brought him back 10
Persis. He had asked her for il, un-
easily, and she had granted il with an
an amishle "Of course"
The moment they were safely lost m
the vortex he began to make amends.
While he was strutting hrs proudest
through the tango, he was stammering
the humbleSt apologies.
"Oh, don't let that worry you, she
answered. Il suppose all men believe
they have to do that sort Of thing to
entertain US. Poor fellows, ~; think
we women expect it Of you. Some OF
us do, suppose; but | don't ike. It:
And It doesn't seem quite what had
expected of YOU -..-.
And yet something was gone from
her warmth. She danced with him,
chatted, laughed But a chill was upon
her. That little bloom of tenderness
that had softened her words as the
down velvets the peach, had vanished.
Frost had nipped the trsthng of spring.
Forbes was infinitely repentant, re-
buffed, but not routed. He began once
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11
" AT the Door Of Her Heart

Forbes was much obliged to the dark
for hiding his hIushes. He made bold
to ask leading question:
you say that Miss Cabot is mixed
up hopelessly with Mr.. Enslee Do ycu
mean that they are engageas.
They haven't announced il, Of
course, but its generally agreed that
they are. Still. ! suppose that il some
handsome devil came along with a mil
lion or two, he might coax her away
They went through the revolving
doors and into the corridor, where
women in opera cloaks were moving
forward with something of the look of
spice caravan. soHse 70 the supper
rooms, and some toward the elevators
to the various assembly-rooms, where
various coteries were giving dances
The ways of Mrs. Neff and Forbes
parted at the elevators upper door. His
led to the large room where he passed
his hat and coat across a table TO be
slowed in a compartment in one of
the wicker wardrobes.
While Forbes was waiting for Mrs.
Neff, he saw Persis arrive with her en-
tourage. She was like the rest, yet
ever so different. In her there was the
little more that meant so much. She
had, of course, the. advantage of his
affection Yet he could see that every
body else gave her a certain prestige,
too. Il was "Oh, there she isl" Look
there's Persis !" Hello, Persis, row
darling Of you to come !"
The fly in the ointment was Willie
Enslee, preening himself at her side,
taking all her compliments for his own,
as if he were the proprietor of prize
winning mare at horse show Forbes
hated himself for hating him, but could
not help it. When Enslee left Persis
and entered the mems courtroom Forbes
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

she were mortised there. The very
concord of their bodies seemed an argu-
ment for the union Of their souls.
Once more Forbes was master of
Persis; she followed wherever he led.
He could whirl her, dip her, siddle her,
lead or pursue her; and she obeyed his
will as instantly as if he were her own
err She did belong to him. How could
he ever give her up5 And yet at the
moment the orchestra stopped he must
let her go.
The end Of the dance was theif di-
vorce. He transferred her into Bob
Fielding's arms for a time, while he
swung Winifred with as much rapture
as he would have taken from trundling
bureau around. Even Winifred's sur
prising lightnesS of foot reminded
Forbes of nothing more poetic than
casters.
Alter this ordeal a strict sense Of
duty forced him to dance with Mrs.
Neff once more. And after her with
an anonymous sprig, to whom Mrs.
Neff bequeathed him. And then, at
last, he was free to tango with Persis
again.
At the close OF the dance. the hour
being somewhat past midnight, supper
was announced. Persis seized upon one
of the small tables, and stood guard
over it which she, despatched Forbes to
round up Mrs. Neff and Willie and Bob
and Winifred. and Ten Eyck and
debutante he was rushing.N
Persis saw to II quite Casually that
Forbes sat close to her; and that was
very close, since the little clique was
crowded so snugly about the table, that
half of those who ate had to convey
the food across the elbows and knees
o! the others.
Persis sat with both elbows on the
The Washington herald., 1914-10-11

eyes followed him baIefuIly.
As he glanced down at him he could
not feel that even the Enslee millions
could suffice to make the fellow attrac.
tive. They certainly had not added a
cubit TO his stature. Persis could not
eonceivably mate herself for life to a
peevish underling like him.
Plainly Forbes needed only to be
brave and persistent and he would win
her. Then Persis reappeared, and
looked to be prize worth fighting for,
at any hazard OF failure There was a
bevy of young women about her, bright
clouds around a new moon. She pre-
sented Forbes to the galaxy with a
statement that he was a famous soldier
(Which brought polite looks of respect) +,
and love OF tangoist (Which evoked
sushes of enthusiasm).
The music is calling u.s." said
Forbes. May | have the honor?"
Il wish you might" Persis sighed,
but Willie would be furious if I gave
his dance away. And Mrs. Neff would
snatch me baldheaded if / kidnapped
her preux chevalier. I'm afraid she'll
expect you to pay for your ride in her
car by little honest work, won't she?"
Tn afraid so. OF course she will"
Forbes groaned, ashamed of his over
sight. But the next one may have?"
The next one is yours. Don't for
get"
"Forgetl" He cast his eyes up in a
look of horror at the possibility. He
fastened to Mrs. Neff, who was Just
simmering to boil. She forgot her
pique with the first sidewise stride. She
tried to imagine herself young, and
Forbes tried to imagine her Persis:
When the dance was done and the
encore responded to, Forbes
tried to carry on a traffic of conyersa-
tion with his hostess; but he had only
the faintest idea of what she said or
what he himself said-if anything. At
The first squeak of the next dance
Forbes abandoned Mrs. Neff like an
Ariadne on beach of chairs, and pre-
'ented himself open-armed before Per-
is.
She slipped into his embrace as i'll
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

teous and gentlemanIy in manner.
He treasured those who werc more
timid and tried to calm the women
who were frightened. With the men
he was more blum and made them
hurry in depositing their belongings.
He explained very politely that he
did not want jewelry-only money
When all the. passengers Of the
coach had passed him and paid theii
tribute he ordered them to sit down
across the gulch and remain quiet.
AS this order was accompanied with
sweeping motion of the rifle bar
rel in our direction, we lost no time
in complying with the request. Then
he began to take the small purses
from the bags and examine their
contents The large bags were left
on the ground for the owner to re-
cover later.
THE robber had difficulty in
opening one bag and said: This APP
pears to be a handsome bag and fun
of money. but am unable to open
1t! dislike spelling 1t by Sitting il
with MY knife, SO II the lady who
owns 1t Will be SO kind as to open
1t for me shall be very much
obliged One OF the ladies' then
stepped forward and opened the
bag and taking out the money; he
y.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

restored 1t to her. thanking her gra-
oiously.
"And SO It went ON. Coach after
coach. twenty-five in all, rounded
the curve into the little arena and
faced the deadly rife, the passen-
gers piled out and the coaches went
on down the road where they could
neither turn around nor drive rap
idly. The heap of>Inoney grew and
the group OF picked tourists also
grew.
! After We got our Threats cleared
of various choking sensations and
really knew the situation, elements
OF humor appeared and were appre-
ciated. We remembered the joy
Gus start from Old Faithful in the
early morning hours, the singing.
the Sightseeing. At one point our
driver had pointed out the scene of
the famous holdup OF 1908. where
sixteen, coaches were robbed, by one
man; and had. told US how things
were tame now compared with the
old days.
Yet let any one. OF Us now make
move and the unwaveringi line OF
steel with that unwinlSing circle Of
black stared you full in the eyes.
There was one intensely human
moment. An aged woman trem-
ga ~
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

Perhaps the only photograph that
was ever taken of a real highway
robber while in the vegy act Of rob-
bling stage coach fill OF people.
was that secured in the Yellowstone
National Park by young woman,
Miss Anna L. Squire of Chicago. one
Of the victims. The holdup oc-
CURED on July 20.
Knowing that none OF the tour
lists was armed. because OF the gov
ernmept restrictions against carry
Ing weapons in the park, the bandit
apparently felt perfectly safe. While
he searched the purses his rifle was
thrown on the ground, but within
easy, reach. On orders of the rob-
Der the. tourists kept on the oppo-
site side Of a little gulch from him
self so that he would have had am
pie time in which to recover his
rife had there been any DISPOSE
ton on the part of the men in the
party to interrupt the robbery.
Miss Squire, was In the NTH
coach that was robbed. They ar
rived on the scene about 10 O'Clock
and were astounded to find them
selves covered. by the bandits gun.
Following his inEtructions they de-
scended from the coach and surren-
dsred their purses, After giving up
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

were due for such an experience.
since the six years had passed.
Suddenly there was a commotion
in front" said Miss Squire. "The sur
rey ahead of our coach came to a
sudden stop. and the white faced
driver, turning in his seat. shouted
that we were held up. In moment.
man came along by the surrey and
coach with a repeating rifle under
bis,arn. aimed in our, direction.
simultaneously something inside
of me took firm hold of my heart
and elevated 1t to my throat. My
strongest feelings were annoyance at
the blackness and ropndness of that
gun barrel and positive certainty
that If I could get my throat from
feeling chokedS / would, be happy.
1T was as though nature had set
the scene for this mountain thriller.
Back Of us the road wound. its way
upward, flanked on one side by the
sheer rises of rock and close by on
the right by ravines. shudderingly
deep. The road here is really moth
ing but shelf along the mountain.
Teams can barely pass. could never
turn around and only a skilled driv-
er can handle a coach and four. with
safety. n
But here. where we. had turned
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

to the left at the bandits order,
mountain crevice. or gully. coming
to its outlet has. widened the road
into almost a semi-circle, a stage
where the back drops were the
mountains. where the audience must
sit close or fall off.
Z And in about the middle of this
outer curve OF the senticircle,, with
the rise of the mountain at his back,
stood q man, probably five feet eight
inches tall, erect as an Indian. wear
ing huge lumbcrjack shoes and
socks. with a black mask over three
fourths OF his face.
THE robber politely but firmly or
dered us to pile OUT which we lost
no time in doing. He then COM
nanded the driver of the coach to
drive on down the road and wait.
Wait! There was nothing else to
dot was nine miles to the near
est station.
Lying on the ground in front OF
the bandit, was a sack. He ordered
the tourists to pass in front of him
and toss their purses on the ground
as they passed, then to join those
who had previously been robbed
and were seated on the other side Of
the gulch.
THE bandit was cool and cour-
a. 81
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

their belongings they Joined the
other tourists across the gulch on
bank overlooking the scene Of the
robbery.
When the first shock of the en-
counter had passed Miss Squire de-
cided to take some pictures. Other
tourists pleaded with her not to. at
tempt to secure pictures, but she
decided not to overlook the oppor-
tunity. Concealed behind bushes
she pushed her camera through the
foliage and snapped, the holdup
man until her roll Of film was ex-
hausted.
Miss. Squire gave vivid account
of her experience. She and her party
had a delightful time while in the
park, she says. even including the
time they were held up and robbed.
On the day Of the robbery they left
Old Faithful at about a. m. Hav-
ing. a seat up alongside the driver of
the coach she chatted. with him
about the possibility OF being held
up. Whether from force OF habit or
not, the driver assured her that
there was, really a holdup in the
park every six years. and the last
one was In 1908. kThe driver went
on, while the people In the coach
laughed and suggested that they
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20
Where He Defied Villa.
Rival Bandit Of the North

able to rule Mexico. and he ruled
by fear. Even the strong Diaz was
unable to hold Mexico together after
he became old and was unfit for
field military service. Villa has
been the dominant figure in the.
northern revolutions. He had to
dght with Madero because he was
fugitive from the old Diax gov
eminent for killing the man who
wronged his sister. Zapata was q
fugitive from the Diaz government
because he was a cattle thief. a
murderer and an, all-aroupd, ban
dit.
He fitted from hiding place to
hiding place toescape the Diaz SOL
dierA He then made sallies from
his hiding place to get supplies. He
killed those who lent aid to the
Diaz soldiers. When Madero gained
authority Zapata continued oppos-
ing. the government He continued
to oppose Hnerta. Unlike Madero
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

and Villa. who. have promised to d.
vide the land among the poems,
Zapata promised to divide the land
among his followers. He is like
William the Conaueror who divided
England among his Generals.
People of southern Mexico lived
In mortal fear Of the bandit. He
had the power to destroy and they
knew It They also knew that the
general government was too occu-
/ pied with revolutions in Sonora to
protect them. The only thing they
could do. was to submit to Zapata's
rule OF force. They have. Joined his
army. They have fed his men and
have extended hospitality to him.
That is what has made zapata a
power which will have to be recck-
oned with In Mexico for some time.
Americans who have gone into
! Mexico and invested their wealth
OF course are suffering from the
rayages Of the revolutionists. They
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-20

The two dominant figures in Mex
tcp are bandits. While the unwrit-
ten law has been pleaded. in extern
uation of Villa. who killed the man
who wronged his sister and then
fed to the mountains for safety. no
such excuse has ever been suggested
for Zapata, the bandit of the South.
That Zapata finally fought his
way into Mexico Cityafter the with
drawal of General iBIanco caused
apprehension for; the future Of
Mexico to be voiced on every hand.
Emiiiano Zapata was not an or
binary bandit. White bandits in
Mexico have some standing, II never
was 50 with the Southern fighter.
The horse stealing cattle-running
outcast, who used, to hang emissa-
ries sent to suggest the disband-
ment Of his forces, thus finds him
self translated from mountain dens
and spp-haked cactus wastes to the
possession of enc of the wealthiest,
most beautiful capitals on the Con-
tinent. free to strut in the halls OF
the Montezumas and to do as he.
spleajes with. any who may have in
Tcurred his hostility in the past. Even
revolutionary annals. whose princi-
pal business is to record meteoric
rise AID fall In fortune, mention
few changes more startling.
For TIE bandit note which runs
through the biographies Of SO many
other Latin-American leaders Is
heavily emphasized inszapata's ca
reer: He was against Diaz, he was
against Madero. he was against
Huerta and he Is against carranza.
While he has professed to share the
sentiments Of other revolutionists
who have been against some or all
OF these leaders and has pretended
to fight for their principles, he has
held aloof from them all. He cared
not who wrote the manifestoes de-
!, Tending the sacred liberties OF the
Mexican people in hlgh-sounding
Spanish, as long as he could raid
haciendas, rob the highways and
capture towns for ransom.
Il zapata has been consistent in
any propaganda except the propa-
ganda of loot, the outside world has
never heard Of it. He seems to be
only one of the more successful type
OF camp followers revolutions carry
IN their train. Even among Mexi-
cans with bandit records of their
own, he is discredited.
MEXICAN RESIDENT
SEES ONLY DARKNESS.
That conditions in Mexico are
! anything but bright, viewed from