davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
BEAR AND A PANTHER
Killed Each Other Cubs-Boy Had
 Narrow Escape

when my grandfather was voune man he used to hunt a great deal lie had broth living in Montana and in the fall of 1858 he decided to go and spend the winter with this brotber ana hunt' says a writer in the Ameri- can Magazlne. One day his broth was telling about a large cave in tha mountains, where some partners lived lie thought 1t would be a good chance 10 try and one So one morning few days later he started out to find the cave. When he came in sight of IL ne didn't see any stir so kept ereep- Ing closer. He finally came to a hath. there seemed to be a lot of different tracks. He began booking for a place To hide and finally discovered a ledge ana climbed up and sat down to rest. suddenly he heard sound of clack- ing brush. He got his rifle up ready when down the path came an old bear and three cubs the little cubs were playing like kittens The old hear walked up to the cave~ sniffed a few times and went in. In a few minutes she came out with a little panther. killed it and gave it to the cubs. She repeated this three times and every one she killed would scream, and the old panther would answer away off In the woods and each time, nearer After she killed them all she cuffed the cubs and sent them up a tree. Then she be- gan digging a hole in the ground and shifting the air. In 0 few minutes the old panther screamed and 1t seemed just little distance away. The old bear lay down on her back in the hole she had dug. She was ready for fight. The panther came straight for the bear She gave one leap and struck on the bear. There was a fierce struggle with screaming and snarling and in less than ten minutes the bear was torn to Fragments. The panther walked in the cave and came right out again and gave scream that was ood-curdling. Just then she saw the cubs; she gave leap and brought one down and Killed 1t, and went after the rest and killed them
 She sniffed the air again and began coming toward my grandfather, who mad been watching from the ledge above He raised his rifle. took good aim and fired
 That was the last he knew until he became conscious again. for he fainted as soon as he shot, but the panther was dead-he had hit her between tha eyes.
 He didn't wait to pick up his lunch box but went fast for home.
 He often says that is the most xams he ever got with one bullet. but he wouldn't want to see 1t all over again,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Her Consent at Last

q suppose that is a bribe for you to marry Lilly?'
 No" he said; Lilly was, he thought, in love with him. But he had told the father and the father had told the daughter that his heart was Lefty Ken derline's alone.
 Besides. Lilly was dying with con- sumption, and had begged him to take the offered position, give up trying to be an artist and marry the girl of his choice Would Lefty consider?'
 After carefully inquiring what his pres ent salary would be and the probable rapidity of his promotion Lefty con- sented to marry him.
 "At last" thought Edna and William and there was great joy and peace in the Stedman household.
 But Lefty put the wedding date far off. Then, one night. Julius came to the Stedman's saying that he had done so well that MT. Marchnont was going to send him out to India-to Calcutta-to look after that end of the business.
 Would Lefty be married straight away and go out to India with him? Poor Lilly Marchmont was already dead Some said she had died of a broken heart-but the doctors called in consump- tion
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
DINAH M. MULOCK

ne dies you might never find out about your brother. Please come at onee.e
 fortunately the sharp child-her facul- iles sharpened by the constant necessity she had always. since she could remem- per been under of keeping things to nerself f'-remembered the address of pr. Stedman t
 The result was that Dr.. stedman al- ways eager to hear anything which con eerned his lost brother. came at once to the country inn. And there. in that wreck or man, he discovered his long-lost brother. Julius.
 At once. he telegraphed for Edna to come to his assistance. Together they nursed and doctored Julius back to life
 The neghborhood of Hollywell park bothered them not. The place was haIe closed up-the mistress at Brighton. The name of Lefty was never mentioned by the convalescent Juius
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
The Right Way to Get on

Edna and William, Ike all married people, had, now and then. their little family jars" An example of them and of how she had fully come into her kingdom and ruled 1t by shere force of righteousness and calm, good judg- ment of nasty places and nasty people: bringing home levers and smallpox and such cases with no money in sight for such practice.
 But l can get trusted for it"
 Why do you want it?"
 To increase my practice Just make people think you have a great practice and you get 1t. People flock to you, one after another, like sheep.'
 That 'sawbones in the tale by some funny fellow called Dickens which you were reading last night, who sent his boy out delivering unordered medi- cines and had himself fetched out of church every Sunday on imaginary messages, had not bad notion of the right way of getting on in the world
 "The right way?"
 "The best way. mean: the cleverest"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
The Artistic Temperament

He was an artist by profession, an aspiring artist, and good judges said he had future before him. But, like too many other artists of merit who never arrive" he had in his nature that com pound of helplessness, femininity and nonsense which is nowadays called, by euphemism, ''the artistic temperament.
 Everyone who has associated at all with artists must have met men of the Julius type. What is to be done with them-how are they to be treated so that their weaknesses shall be replaced by at least a modicum of strength; their err raticism converted into sanity without quenching the divine afflatus which, in such natures, consumes where it should illuminate?
 That is a question not answered yet; certainly it could not be answered by pr. Stedman with regard to his brother away back in the 40s.
 Ah well, future generations may solve the riddle of the Sphnx-and this one, too.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Talking It Over

Just as they were ready to remove him to their London home Mrs yanderdecken returned to the hall, and, hearing. of course, what had taken place at the inn. sent a servant with note to Edna. say- ing that she would be pleased if her sister would call at the hall, Ito talk it over"
 When Edna received this letter the doctor was in London. having been sum- moned there upon an important case. He was to return that evening Should she go' thought Edna. And then. Yes"
 She strolled over to Hollywell hall. Let ty received her as an old acquaintance 10 whom she was resolved to show every courtesy, but whose presence was, on the "hole' rather disagreeable and to be got rid or as soon as politeness would al- low.
 I am very glad to see you" said Lefty. It was very kind of you to come You see' l could not go and see you-it was quite impossible"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
A Matter of Nerves

T have often told you, Julius said the doctor to his brother one day. that some of your ailments are purely nerv- ous. By that l do not mean purely i'm aginary, but in the nerves. And the nerves are queer things, my boy; very much guided by the will-which is a queerer thing yet"
 70. you mean that I could walk if wanted to?"
 T do not say that precisely. But if some strong impulse came-say fire and you were compelled to walk you would find that you could do it."
 70. William, l wish I could gratify you. But 1 cannot. I am the most miser- able fellow in the world and you are the best Shall I try to walk?"
 Yes"
 And he did try, and he walked-not far, only across the room, and then sank back upon the sofa saying, Tt is such torture-the game is not worth the candle"
 ''once for all, Julius; do you wish to be cripple for life?''
 70, my God, no"
 ''Then tell you there is no physical reason why you should not walk
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Established in Kensington

Lefty had had all sorts of offers ol marriage-that is, all sorts except tne sort she wanted-an offer by a man or wealth.
 She realized fully her personal a,lrac- tions and hated bitterly her poverty anu the drudgery it entailed.
 It would be wrong to call her nirt' but she could not help looking her pest and giving those little side glances' those little down glances and that full look with lustrous orbs full in the face only for a second-which make man feel that, at least for that second, he has made an impression.
 No she could not help it-in fact, did not try to help if.
 The governess proposition being a fail- ure, taking it all around, Edna, who vas the general manager and treated her sister as a sort of wonderful big doll devised a combination day and boarding school for young ladies in a tiny house which the sisters owned in Kensington.
 Kensington was "genteei suburb then. not, as it now, integral part of great roaring London. People of exceedingly moderate means could live there and keep up appearances
 The hideous old Kensington palace with it's suggestions of royalty gave it quNe an "ar' and the Kensngton gardens were really delightful
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Convalescent

The sisters did very well indeed with their school until scarlet fever broke out among the pupils. Lefty came down with it and the school had to be closed, at least for awhile.
 Now behold the two sisters i'll a mod est boarding house in modest town OH the Isle of Wight-Letty convalescent
 "Oh Edna, I'm so tired and this IS the dullest place in all tEe world"
 Lefty was lying upon sofa with a querulous look upon her beautiful face and Edna was sitting by the window looking out meditatively at the wine dark sea-.
 My dear, it is the place to which you wanted to come"
 "Yes; but we might have found a nicer place. But you are quite happy. l think there is nothing in the world that would make you miserable
 Edna winced little and then said: "It is of no use quarreling because | will not see the black side of things. Time enough for that when We go back to Kensington. Here we are on holi- day-nothing to do but enjoy ourselves y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Gilded Misery

The soldier who brought the endan- gered child back to her mother gasped as he saw that beautiful face.
 Who is that woman?" he asked of a railway official The naughty lady her self har scarcely thanked him for sav- ing the life of her child.
 That is Mrs. Vanderdecken of Holly well Hall" replied the railway official.
 Soon after that gray-bearded man, wearing worn-out uniform, arrived at a little village near Hollywel Hall and took board in small inn. Private Stone he called himself. He had served in h. dia.
 He haunted Hollywell Park and often talked with the girl whom he had res- cued from the wheels of the railway train. Anyone can guess who this re- tired soldier was who reads the story. But Mrs. vanderdecken had no suspicion that he was her old lover.
 Her life was a gilded misery Her hus- band taunted her continually with her perfidy to the man whom she had been going to marry out in India. That woman had no kingdoml
 In India Julius Stedman had contracted the habit of opium eating and, in one of his debauches of that sort, he told the little girl-Gertrude was her name-much of her mothers history, and demanded that she repeat it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Not Too Old for Dreams

''Who are those gentlemen who have taken apartments across the hall?" asked Lefty after awhile.
 "One of them is an invalid and the other is his brother-a doctor'
 Have you seen the doctor?'
 NO. except his back, which was rather round, and the coat, which was shabby at the elbows
 He is not gentleman. then?n
 70, I can't tell. If he happens to be . poor gentleman why shoud not his coat be shabby at the elbows?"
 Edna and Lefty were still young wom- en--only 26-and talked as such They were not too old for dreams and romance.
 Edna had a vague impression, way down in her dear, honest heart, that sometime for her the man of her des- tiny would come. Lefty had the same idea-only" she considered that the flame of love would never light the kitchen fire and Cupid would, unaided, never turn the spit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

and most divinely falr' "iiiie a,o woe rather what the unregenera.e would call dump and had piai' face. hr.;ps
 They were poor and they had oraihS' rherefore after their fathers deathN their mother had died when they "ele bahies--and when the full force or eheA' novertv assailed them. they tooh 'o teaching. u.4,or
 For young ladies in their position well educated young ladies-teachiiis seemed the natural thing, and so they taught. choosing the vocation ot gov erness as the most "genteef' form oi teaching.
 pdna could get a position as gov arness with some difficulty, but once having gotten it, she could keep It. Let tv could get a position easily enough but could not keep it. She was loo pretty.
 When the mistress of the house Sd" how really pretty-eyen handsoihe-sne was. although Letty's conduct was us cretion itself. Lefty was gwen nei ..eonge." These husbands ana sro"i un sons you know-well, a plalner guy erness would do just as well Tn care 1ully regulated household.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

It not been for the promptness and the oaring of an old soldier who rescued her and brought her back, safe and sound, to the platform, where her mother received her.
 The mother was a tall and remark ably handsome woman So fair was her skin and so regular her features that, put Tor the rooted air of discontent which never left her, she would have been almost as comedy as young woman in her teens"
 The child, on the contrary, was short and round, button nosed" and far from pretty-though she was only 12 years of age. But she had a sweet, sensible look which one often sees in children that prognosticates good for their looks in the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Impartial Letty

This was before the brothers had be- come so intimate with the Kenderdine girl. and they had so often strolled by the side of the invalids chair
 After this intimacy had been estab- lished Julius wanted to walk-and found that he could walk-feebly at first, to be sure, but steadily growing stronger.
 They all four used to stroll together now, Edna generally by the side of Julius, watching to help him in feeble moments, and Lefty by the side of the grave doctor
 Lefty bestowed her smiles and her giances, her wondrous Vaccinations, inn partially upon the brothers. Also she managed to worm out of them, bit by bit, inforTation as to their social and financial .-tanding.
 The brothers were orphans. The doctor had 9200 a year and the. income of a small practice in kensington. He shared his home and his income with Julius.
 They had not near relations and their family was respectable-that was all. Nothing here to attract Letty-yet she could not help continuing her blandish- ments.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Near Her Ideal

How old is he-the doctor?" asked Letty-and then, as her eyes met her sisters, she laughed.
 .'Oh, don't be alarmed. He will not fall in love with me and l surely shall not fall in love with him. l have shab- biress and would not be a doctors wife anyway.
 "Only fancy having ones husband at eyerybodys beck and call-out at all hours day and night; never taking me to . party or giving party at home with out being fetched away to all sorts of peo- pie. O, what dreadful life.
 Do you think so?" replied Edna. "Why when was girl( used to think that, had ben boy, that was the pro- fession I should have chosen. There is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Julius, the Poet

Q, quite sermon,'' said Lefty; and, really, l don't deserve 1t. am sure it is time l made up my mind to marry some body-or my good looks will be all gone before I get a husband"
 What nonsensei"
 No, it is sense"
 There they comel" cried Edna, and Lefty. springing from her sofa. the sis ters hidden behind the curtain, saw Dr. Stedman wheeling his invalid brother in a bathchair through the garden gate.
 The doctor was 8 tall, strong, manly man, with look of resolution on his face his clothes were rather shabby.
 The brother, Julius was his name, seem- ed of much less strenous character. He had the face of a poet, or rather a face such as poets or supposed to have and never have had since Byron. Shelley or Keats
 Julius Stedman was recovering from an attack of rheumatic fever, which had left his heart weak and his brother had broughe him to the Isle of Wight for change of air.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Her Punishment

Then she burst out: 70, Edna, do give me little comfort I have been SO thoroughly miserable. I have great house here. MT. Vanderdecken is. of course, very kind-but o, Edna, I have made great mistake. But still, you must come through the house with me Really, it is worth Joking at.'
 All the servants in that great house pitied the gilded Mrs. Vanderdecken for the life she lived wih her husband-all the insults she had to put up ws:n u<en the wealthy merchant condescended to come frowingly and insultingly about all the neighbors knew of her state of life.
 Ham very sorry for Julius-really sorry said Lefty at last When vou go to the station won't you let me send my carriage
 Really, no,' replied Edna, "and, Letty. must be gone at once. My patient will miss me and my husband will soon he at the inn
 They got Juulius back safely to London and then to a little cottage in the sub urps which Dr. Stedman had bought
 10 make this story-so tragic in itself " SiiV "ith d trdSlC male Julius ought to nave died of a broken heart. But hearts do not so easily break
 He recovered enough of. strengt5 and enough of his old ability as an arfsst to make sufficient to pay reasonable soard to. his brother and his sister-iu.Iau He was simply broken-down old man be- fore his time
 But when some one spoke of Lefty ha would smile wan smile and say:
 There was never one so beautiful as that one. Here, William. l will draw you a head of her as she used to look,
 Mrs. Vanderdecken never came to sea her relatives and dragged on her life at Hollywell hall, while the celebrated pr stedman and his wife lived the envy of all who knew them.
 What strange, yet mild and talented man that curious brother of pr. sted. man is,' their acquaintances would some times say.
 Next weeks one-page classic will he. The Gilded Clique, by Emile Gaboriau
 Copyright, 1914. by Irving King).
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Only a Fortnight

At last the time came when the sis ters must return to London. They did not tell the brothers that they also lived in Kensington, and they parted as mere friends who were never to meet again casual acquaintances.
 What a time that had been on the Isle of Wight! It had been only fortnight IA days-a short time to build or wreck a life's happiness.
 Yet many have done it before and will do it again. Fate sometimes congresses into a few days the events and experi- ences of years
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Found at Last

William did understand and mentally entrusted the two sisters He felt that he, like Edna, had met his fate' But how did Edna feel toward him? Never had she, by word or sign, betrayed her self
 Then there was his duty--the care of his brother, his profession and his pov- erty. He buried his secret in his heart and went on. One day Julius came in radiant.
 I've done it. he cried: i've tracked them. I've found out where they live. It is such little house and such a. shabby one. No wonder they did not want us to know. I say, Will. don't you hear?"
 Yes" growled Will, "of whom are you speaking?''
 Why, of the Kendcrdines, to be sure who else? Tomorrow I am going to call and send in my card.'
 And what is to come of it?'
 Nothing in particular-just a little amusement. You.may think of marrying. old boy; you have house and profes- sion. But for me-bahr"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Gertrude Intervenes

That very day Letty-or Mrs vander- decken-took a train for Brighton to seek for lodgings This man. her former lover and her affianced husband, was haunt ing her, she felt.
 Little Gertrude, after her mothers de- parture. heard of the illness of her sol dier friend. Then she thought:
 T have heard mother speak of Dr. Stedman--he is some relation. l know, and once, when mother and I were in London, we called at a house where there was an aunt Edna. And I liked her. But mother told me never to speak of the family or my father would be angry"
 Gertrude went to the little inn and in quired of the landlady-"Mr. Stone is sick? Has nobody been to see him? Has he had no doctor?"
 He has no relatives as far as I know replied Mrs. Fox, "but I thought your mother-'
 Has mother been here?"
 ''Yes for a little while"
 T know a doctor who will come from London to see him. said Gertrude. If write a letter can anyone carry it?"
 "Yes, my son. Tommy, will"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
Saved by an Old Soldier

Al a small Junction station on one of the numerous lines of railways that diverge from London bridge a dozen or so of passengers were walking up and down the narrow platform as patiently as their natures would allow for the arrival of the never punctual" train.
 AS the train came at last a little girl
 seeking to regain dog which had jumped from her arms-fell upon the tracks and would have been killed had
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
The Cottage of His Jewel

Julius rattled on until his brother could stand 1t no longer, and, in a rage, grabbed him by the collar and shook him.
 Julius gasped with amazement. In a white heat of passion he said: q don't know whether you are mad or drunk But you shall repent this Good night. |" and he strode out of the room
 Now. Dr. Stednan had long known the place where the sisters Kenderdine lived "a place which he had allowed his broth- CT to take such infinite pains to dis cover.
 He had found it out from one of his patients soon after his return to town and many night had he walked by that httie cottage and thought of the jewel 1t contained-a jewel. he felt, never to be his.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
T'F4E' WOA K MFG XTATGT(ORH

something in 1t so grand and yet so use ful.
 He has much power in his hands, such unlimited influence over souls as we'll as bodies. Of course, it is hard life; but hardly even a clergyman could come so near my ideal of the perfect exis- tence-'he went about doing good
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09
The Bride Who Did Not Come


 When must you leave?" asked Lefty. Next week."
 70, l can never get ready in time You go out and I will come and join you there. We can be married in India. |" So 1t was arranged. Lefty read up on India, and fancied herself surrounded by swarm of native servants. She would be quite in her element out there, she thought, and could have many luxuries. Then, with petulance. she said to herself: 70. I wish Julius had something besides his salary"
 After many delays Letty embarked upon one of the Marchmont ships for India. She saw with something like a shudder that the name of the vessel was the Lilly Marchmont.
 A long time passed and no word came from either Lefty or Julius Dr. Sted- man wrote out to Calcutta and learned that when the Lilly Marchmont ar rived there Lefty had not been on it. She had become acquainted with a wealthy South African merchant on board the ship, had stopped off at Cape Town with him and married him.
 Julius had gone down to meet the ship upon its arrival at Calcutta. When he learned the facts he had fallen senseless upon the deck. Upon recov- ering he had gone ashore and utterly disappeared.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

wealthy indigo dealer and owner of in- digo plantation, had offered to take him into partnership after certain length of trying out as a clerk and manager.