davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Proof.

The lecturer raised his voice. "t is my belief. and I venture to assert it," he declared, that there isn't a man in this audience who has ever done anything to prevent the destruc- tion of our vast forests" A rather timid. henpecked looking man quietly arose in the rear of the hall and said: "I-er-Ive shot woodpeckers. -Ex- change.
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01

Hunter territory on Friday last, and it was matter of real pleasure to note the splendid progress being made in nearly every line in that section.
 The only disagreeable feature was the way the new Special Road District of Greenfield township are working their roads. but before I say anything about the way they are rough ing it up" Pm going to make the guess that they havn't their road implements yet and that they expect to do the work over, smooth lem up, drag em, etc. Let us hope for this for it would be a pity for them to leave them as they are. It would be worse than wasting money and l do not believe that any com- munity which has made the progress the Greenfield people have on a school will be back ward on roads.
 They are just finishing a neat addition to their pretty concrete school building and this addition has been fitted up with modern cooking range. kitchen cabinet. and other finishings, and a special professional teacher has been employed to teach the art of applied domestic science. Think of it ARGUS readers this going right on here in the rural schools of Monroe county-can you cealize just how fast we are moving?
 But the ARGUS Ford rambles along and we draw up for dinner at the Francis Rice Ranch. On Ill of these cross country trips the second essential is the food box. Gasoline is first. There's something about the outdoor picnic style of eating that makes everything taste extra good. A combination thermos case has been added to my ''auto buffet outfit" which now makes 1t about correct. Out of one bottle we poured streaming hot coffee and reaching down in the same ease. from another, iced distilled drinking water. Thus we are reminded that the world is mov- ing fast. The Francis Ranch is owned by Albert Francis. who with his family moved to this section from Illinois last year. The crop of rice foots up around POO acres and is fine. They are cutting now and the yield is perfect in every detail averaging around the 60 bushels per acre mark.
 Reaching Hunter the spirit of
 
 progress is noticeable everywhere. The first new sign is the man. moth new public storage ware house that is being erected directly on the Cotton Belt Ky. by M. Mushrush, the lumber and mill man. It is l28X48 feet and the concrete piers and heavy bridging foundation floor shows that it was put up for keeps. "
 The Prairie View Rice Co.,, is also finishing up a new storage warehouse directly in Hunter.
 The Hunter High School which is one of the prettiest and most modern school plants in the
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
CrocodIle,. ".

.o.,h The nest of a croeodII. ea esting object lately dss Scnultze ;. of the biolosIs,, at Manila. A peculiar Y, shore of a lake near T,,. proved to be the nest x a lustris, about five teet h'.. in diameter, and Nj, coarse, wiry grass t,l cleared from a space oI by nine or ten yards laid mixed with sand. Ti, thirty in number, vss of this mound, arransei 1. CTS. They were obloss 9 very hard, porous shell
 luster, and a white " middle. In this mOist ra ippines, the incuhatio.
 tween seventeen or df
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Retain Js,..,

If ws ns's''' am. Jewel of win n tss ss e.ss s.,s.a s', :, ',' . anything mns, n': rather t tn, . N s.. 1iTa must give si and iorsI,, mTs, m"st ha.s If our IT.! friends ,'l, s'' ll1t all thinss. hsss s,.S ss1'.ss then; ?. all things, rather sss ,a., gu ' precious, precious of all sas's', ssp trustworthy friend.
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Didn't Know When \

How did i. come. ,,l' looked like dat cullud got yo' plumb licked yd|7 over and hammered hiu sah, he didn't know xhea1 kept on uh-whippin' nc yi1 had gone out O ta,Ai City Star.
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Nsslss,

,.IS Notice is Asrss, 2, 'arnentary on < @a Sa''si' deceased, V. signed ss.. by the cls,. Of Monroe Count. '' {. aay y,' of ssp'embss,. m 's,'
 All persons NJ. "'s s,'A's ,hs s. are hereby ss,'' a', a",,'l same to the ss. a,ha'nsn'''aisd, ,ha sa. within 'hss 'hs date of such lett I.''., of said ina, De p'sclsdss estate. and {, exhibited s,,al .s as .t,'s..Is ,ss < 2. sass after the date of .sss ,4ssssr hana.. barred .sd ,'s' ocueflt from s...
 Given this lssha., ',' :,
 E.sou,sr :, .';l EMO cs deceased. osi4
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Not Uncommon Error.

"A man is liable to git in wrong."
 said Uncle Eben, "when he mistakes l0atin' for peace"
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
Chickens and Plos.

This years crop of spring chick ems and pigs is the largest that has ever been seen in Sevier County" said County Agent J. A. Woffard of De Queen. "The preparation for gar. dens was extra good. All barn-yard fertilizer was saved, new fencing done and many acres of new land cleared. Cotton acreage has been reduced more than 30 per cent Many farmers, how ever. have reduced their acreage of cotton more than 50 per cent. This speaks well for diversified farming. l"
 It is foregone conclusion that a COW cannot give full flow of milk unless she Is provided with feed from which to give that milk. Do not ex- pect something for nothing.
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01

LESSON TEXT-I Kings H:11-@ ,,, GOLDEN TEXT-Be sure your sin VIII lind you out-Num. 32:23.
The Brinkley argus., 1915-10-01
re'i 'em you saw II In the Arqu.

Biblical Proof.
 An old negro, who was the only Baptist in the neighborhood, always "stuck up for his own faith" and was ready with reason for 1t, although he was unable to read word This was the way he put 'em down." "Yo' kin read, now, kaint you?" Yes" Well, l s'pose yo' read de Bible haint your" "Yes. "Yo' read bout John de Baptis', haint yo'?" Yes" Well, yo' never read bout John de Mefodis. did yo'?"
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

to the bottom Of the shaft-a descent,
he estimated shrewdly, OF something
like hundred feet.
A hideous screeching followed, the
protests of rusty and greaseless ma
chinery. Twisting his neck, Barcus
saw the dim opening OF the shaft
slowly closing, as If a curtain we're
being drawn down over it. Jimmy
was closing the bulkhead door, leav-
ing them definitely prisoners, beyond
human aid, there in that everlasting
black hole.
With a final squeal and thump the
bulkhead settled into place A con-
fusion of remote sounds thereafter in
dicated that Jimmy with, perhaps,
Marrophats assistance) was making
the bulkhead fast beyond question
wedging and blocking it with timbers.
These ceased-and the silence was
broken by Alan's voice.
"Barcus,"
The latter grunted soulfully by way
of answer: he could do no more.
I've worked my gag loose" Alan
pursued In hurried whisper, but my
hands are tied behind my back Are
yours? Grunt once for yes"
Dutifully Bracus grunted a solitary
grunt.
Then roll over on your face and
give me a chance to work them free
that way. given time ;"
"Time!" was the mirthless thought
Of Barcus. Haven't we got all eter-
nity?"
For all that, he wasted no time
whatever in obeying Alans suggestion
then lay for upward OF ten minutes
with his face in the mold of the tunnel
while Alan chewed and spat and
chewed and spat and chewed again at
the ropes round the wrists of his
friend
II 1t were In truth no more than ten
minutes 1t seemed upward OF an hour
before the bonds grew slack and Bar
Gus with an effort that cost him much
OF the skin on one wrist worried
hand free, then loosed the other. re-
moved and spat out his gag, and set
hastily about freeing his friend. That
took but few instants-littIe more
than was needed to rid Rose of her
bonds.
That much accomplished, pause
of profound CONSERVATION followed.
The darkness was absolute in the tun-
mel, Jimmy having taken the candle
away with him; and Its silence was
rendered uncanny by the sobs and muir
murs of the lovers, that sounded some
how fearfully remote and inhuman to
Barcus-who had turned Immediately
to the bulkhead and was, without tho
slightest hope. cropping about ITS Joints
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29
CHAPTER XVI.
Flood and Fire.

Screaming to make himself heard
above the roar Of the deluge, Barcus
hammered in Alan's ear:
That devil! He's found the reser-
voir-opened the cegates-turned
1t into that shaft! We're done fort"
Alan had no argument with which to
gainsay him. Silently getting on his
feet, silently he CROPPED for Rose In the
darkness. momentarily becoming more
dense as the fall OF water shut out
the light, and drew her away with him.
up the slight incline that led back to
the bulkhead.
The water mounted rapidly. With
in five minutes 1t drove them back to
the elbow in the tunnel: within ten 1t
Tapped their ankles as they fingered
there, doubling which was the greater
peril. to advance or to stand fast and
let the flooding tide snufY out the fires
of life. To return to the neighbor-
hood of the bulkhead was to court the
death indicated by the fuse and the
keg of blasting powder
or a sudden the thought crossed
Alan's mind that Marrophat had ar
ranged the latter solely to keep them
away from the bulkhead. Now that he
thought of it, he felt certain that the
powder room had been deliberately
disclosed to him by Jimmy.
Probably, then. the keg and fuse
were but stage properties-or pos
sibly
Whether or no. was death In one
form preferable to the other?
He was decidedly of the opinion
that 1t were better to be extinguished
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

standing of Judith. Eyeing her mar
rowly though furtively, Mr.. Barcus
saw her handsome face darken omin-
ously.
And her father was as quick to
recognize these portents OF trouble
and to seek to advantage himself Of
them.
His head craned out horribly on his
long. wasted neck as he pitched a
slbilant whisper for her ears, and his
face in the moonlight seemed to glow
with the reflection of that inferno
which smoldered in his evil
But one was silenced, the other
quenched, all in a twinkling His
daughter turned on him in flash of
imperial rage.
Barcus caught snatches of the wom-
ans TRADE.
BE SILENT" he heard her say. BE
silent, do you hear? Don't ever speak
to me again unless you want me to re-
place that gag | say, don't soak to
me! | am finished with you
O"NS anu III Ill llihe, never again
shall you pervert my nature to your
damnable purposes-never again shall
word or wish Of yours drive me to
lift my hand against a man who has
never done you the least harm, though
your persecution of him would have
acquitted him of a charge Of man
slaughter in any court-on grounds of
self-defense Understand mel"
she ragged. I'm through. Henceforth
go my way, and you yours :"
Her voice broke. She clenched her
hands into two tight fists with the
effort at self-control, and lifted a
WRITTEN face to the moonlight.
God help us both" she cried.
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29
CHAPTER XIV.
The Bowels Of the Earth.

Awaking befell Mr.. Barcus in a
fashion sufficiently sharp and startling
to render him Indifferent to the benefi-
cial effects of some eight hours of
dreamless slumber.
He discovered himself lying fiat on
his face, with somebody's inconsider.
ate, heavy hand purposely grinding the
said face into the aged and splintery
planks Of the shed flooring. At the
same time other hands were busy
binding his own together by the
wrists and flashing the same to the
small of his back by means of a cord
passed around his middle, while his
natural If somewhat spasmodic efforts
to kick were sadly hampered by the
fact that his ankles had already been
secured by means of half dozen half
bitches and a square knot.
His hands attended to, his head was
released. Promptly he lifted it and
essayed to yell; an effort rendered
abortive by the gag that was thrust
between his teeth the instant his
jaws opened.
Then he heard laugh. q cold,
mirthless chuckle.
Now the blood OF Thomas Barcus
ran cold Tor he thought it did; which
amounts to much the same thing)
For II his senses had played fair, the
laugh he had heard was the laugh OF
Mr.. Marrophat, head-devil In the serv-
ice Of Senpca Trina
He twisted his head to one side
and glancing along the floor, saw moth
ing but the wall. Twisted the other
way, at the cost of a splinter in his
nose, the effort was repaid by the dis
covery of Rose Urine In a plight like
his own-wrists and ankles bound,
gagged into the bargain-the width of
the shed between them.
But of Alan Law, no sign.
The heart of Mr.. Barcus checked
momentarily; he shut his eyes and
shivered in an uncomfortable seizure
of dread.
Then, tormented beyond endurance
by the fears he suffered for the safety
of his friend, he began to wriggle and
squirm like crippled snake. pain
fully inching his way across the floor
toward Rose-with what design. heav-
en- alone knows Dimly his men
tai vision comprehended the bare pos
sibiiity OF his being able. with his fast
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29
CHAPTER KILN.
Camp-for-the-Njoht.

Well. gents!' the driver observed
cheerfully, withdrawing head and
hands from long and intimate COM
munion with the stubborn genius be-
meath the hood. Il reckon you-all
mays well make up yore minds to
christen this hyeh salubrious spot
Camp-for-the-Night You won't be
goin' no fartheh-not just t present.
Pulling this old wagon through them
desert sands back yondeh has just
naturally broke the heart of that en-
gine!"
What, precisely, is the trouble?"
Alan Law inquired, rousing from anx-
ious preoccupation.
Plumb bust all to- HE'LL the chauf-
feur explained tersely
Nothing could be fairer more ex-
act and comprehensive than that"
Tom Barcus commented
Law nodded head too weary to
respond to the others humor. His
worried eyes reviewed the scene of
the breakdown
What's to be done?" Mr.. Law won
dered aloud
Take it calm" the affable chauffeur
advised "Frettin' won't get you-all
nothin'. If it was me, I'd call it a
day, make fire, get them cushions
out of the cyah, and get some rest.
You can't do nothin' till | get back,
anyway and that won't be much be-
fore sunup."
Where are you going?" Barcus de-
manded.
"Walkin', friend; Just. waikiki"
What for?"
ITO fetch help-leastways, onless
yo've got some kick comm and nd
yuther stop hyeh permanent"
He turned off and busted himself
with preparations against his journey.
ITS simply things like this make
me believe this isn't, after all, moth
ing more nor less than a long-drawn-
out nightmare" Barcus observed pen
sively.
Bat Mr.. Law was no more attend
ing: he had turned away and was just
then standing by the running board of
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

numoing fingers, TO work loose the
Knots at Roses wrists but deep in
MIS- heart he knew this to be nothing
but torlornest hope.
With infinite pains he had con-
trised to bridge the distance by half.
or possibly not quite so much when
DARK body put the sunlight of the
open doorway into temporary eclipse.
Another followed 1t. Boots dumped
heavily on the flooring The laugh
sounded again, apparently in ironic ap-
probation of Mr. Barcus' efforts. Two
pairs OF hands seized him, one be-
neath the shoulders, the other be-
meath the knees. and he was lugged
laoorlously out into the sunlight, car
REQ considerable distance, and de-
posted unceremoniously within a few
rect or the mouth of the abandoned
mine just at the moment when he had
satlshed himself that the purpose
OF his captors was simply to throw
him into the black well.
he wasted look of appeal on the
frozen mask of villainy that was Mar
rophats twho bore the burden Of Bar
Gus head and shoulders) and got
laughed at for all his pains.
Then he was left to himself once
more, but only for a few moments;
the interval ended when the two ap-
peared again, this time bringing Rose
in similar fashion.
Not until she had been put down be-
side him did he discover that Alan
was likewise captive-trussed to a
tree at some distance.
The remaining arrangements Of
their captors were swiftly and deity
consummated, though their design re-
NAMED obscure to Mr.. Barcus until
he, after Rose, was dumped like a bale
into huge bucket, and therein by
means of rope and windlass lowered
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

Broad daylight surprised them IN
this state. still stubbornly travelling;
and shortly afterward showed them
one place so perilous that 1t shocked
them temporarily awake.
This was simply spot where the
trail came abruptly to an end on one
side OF cleft in the hills quite thirty
feet wide and several hundred In
depth, and was continued on the far
Their side, the chasm being spanned by
bridge OF the simplest character
no more than footway OF boards
bound together with ropes none too
substantial in seeming, with another
rope, breast-high, to serve as a hand
rail.
Alan tested the bridge cautiously.
1t bore him. He returned, helped Rose
to cross, and with her once safely
landed on the other side. took his life
in his hands and, aided by Barcus
unaffectedly afflicted with qualms,
somehow or other (neither Of them
knew precisely how persuaded the
burros to cross
After that, though the way grew
more broad and easy and even showed
symptoms Of decline, they had not
enough strength left to sustain
through another hour.
And what they thought good for
tune, opportunity at this pass, brought
them to a clearing dotted with the
buildings Of an abandoned copper
mine. Not soul was in evidence
there, but the rude structures offered
shelter for beast as we'll as man.
Barely had they made Rose as COM
Portable as might be upon the rough
plank flooring Of one Of the sheds
and tethered the burros out OF sight,
when Alan collapsed as If drugged,
while Barcus, who had elected himself
to keep the first watch and purposed
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

the motor car and civilly explaining
to Miss Judith Urine the purpose of
the chauffeurs expedition.
Judith herself poised on the
running board and smiling down at
her victim with warmth patiently
even more than the warmth of friend
ship; and at some little distance, Rose,
Mr.. Laws fiancee and Judith's sister,
eating her heart out with jealousy of
this new-sprung intimacy between her
sister and her loveri
bad business, my friend!" Barcus
mentally apostrophized the unwilling
Alan Law.
He interrupted himself to nod know.
hgly and with profound conviction /:
81 knew it, Now ii begins againi"
For Rose had abruptly taken a hand
In the affair. a gesture of evaporation
p-afacing her call "Alani"
To her Mr.. Law turned instantly,
with such alacrity that none who
watched might doubt which of the two
uomen came first in his esteem.
flor was this wasted upon the under.
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29

once and for all time. m tire space OF
second. anniirlated by an explosion.
than to die thus lingeringly.
On this consideration, he drew Rose
with him back to the bulkhead
When they had been some fifteen
minutes beside the bulkhead. the wa
ter mounted the head of a slight rise
perhaps ten feet behind them, and
poured down in ever deeper volume
to back up against the barrier.
1t was waist deep, however, before
they retreated to the head of that
rise.
In fifteen minutes more 1t had
reached their chins. And they stood
with head against the roof of the tun-
mel.
Holding Rose close to him. Alan
kissed her lips, that were as cold as
death.
Then, fumbling under water, he
found the hand of the man at his side.
The water Tapped his lips like
blind hand
In the tunnel that branched of from
the main shaft. beyond the buIkhead,
some thirty minutes before this juno
ture. candle had guttered In its stick,
The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-01-29


left carelessly thrust into the wall by
Marrophat's lieutenant. and guttering.
had dropped flaming wick into lit
tie heap of bone-dry debris. This last
flamed. licked hungrily at the timber
ing that upheld the falls of the tunnel.
The timbering caught fire without de-
lay. In space of time incredibly
brief the flames were spreading right
and left, the tunnel was vault of
blistering fury.
As Alan said his last mute farewell
to Rose and Barcus, the fire spread
out in the bottom of the shaft and in
vaded the powder room.
Alan had guessed Alright at Mario
phats design; the key of blasting pow
der was less than an eighth full; its
explosion could not possibly have eff
fected the cave-in Alan had at first
feared.
But what Marrophat had overlooked
was the proximity to the keg of somA
several sticks of dynamite, masked by
film of earth that had fallen from
the crumbling walls.
When the blazing fuse dropped
sparks into the blasting powder this
last exploded right willingly and the
dynamite took its cue without the
least delay.
The resultant defamation was ter
rife. The bulkhead was crushed in
like an eggshell barrier. Part of the
walls fell in, but the tunnels and shaft
remained intact. The released flood
streamed out and spread swiftly to tho
farthest recesses of the burning tun-
mel Dense clouds of steam filled that
place of terror as the fires were extin-
guished.
Swept with the stream as it poured
out OF the tunnel, Alan contrived
throughout to retain his hold round
the waist of Rose. Barcus shot past
him unseen in the darkness. 1t was
not until Alan had contrived to catch
an unburned timber and stay himself
and his almost witless burden beneath
the mouth of the shaft that he discov-
cred Barcus alive, If almost unrecog.
nizable in his mask of mold and SCOT,
battling back toward the shaft against
the kneedeep tide.
Half-blinded and stifled as he was by
the reek of steam and powder fumes.
Alan struggled with himself until his
wits were passably clear.
Immediately before him dangled the
hosting bucket and rope.
Surrendering the care of Rose to
Barcus, Alan climbed into the bucket
and stared upward, examining the
walls of the shaft for way to the
top.
There was none other than the most
difficult; gaps too great to be bridged
by climbing showed in the wooden
ladders.
The one feasible route was via the
rope. And there was nobody at the
top to work the windlass-and Alan
hoped there would be nobody to OPP
pose his essay.
He addressed himself to the task
without murmuring-liftedh himself up
on the rope, wound it round one leg,
and began that heartbreaking climb.
How he accomplished it he never
knew That it must be accomplished
was his one, all-absorbing thought.
And somehow, by some almost super
human effort, 1t was eventually accom-
plished.
He arrived at the top of the shaft
far too exhausted to show surprise
when, falling in half-fainting condi-
ton within two feet of the brink he
saw Judith Urine running like mad
across the clearing.
But without her aid he would not
within hours have been able to worH
the windlass and lift Rose and Rar
Gus to the surface.
Go BE coNTINUED)