davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

Dorothy suddenly sat up in bed and
listened. Peculiar sounds came from
the nursery. She was not the least
bit frightened She heard voices. to
be sure; but they were musical voices.
like the tinkle OF little bells.
II wonder what it means :" said
Esther. who had been awakened by
her sister. #5
Lets find out said Dorothy.
They crept out Of bed. found their
felt slippers. then went softly across
the floor and into the nursery, where.
strange to say. q light had been
turned on.
What they saw caused Esther 10
grasp her sister by the arm. Let's
hide, 40 they won't notice us." she
oxcitedly whispered
Then she and Dorothy crouched be-
hind screen that Was used to shield
persons from the crate fire.
NJ n Isn't it wonderful :.t said Dorothy.
For in front Of the dresser stood
Rose and Daisy. acting like real PEG.
pie and talking to one another.
What are they doing 3" said Es-3
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

business Is that it's got to be too
easy, and lots O. people rush into the.
courts without taking time to find
out whether they've got any real pro-
vocation or not
For Instance. suggested the red
headed man
We'll. just as an illustration. I'll.
tell you about little experience T
had few Years ago" said the passen-
ger across the aisle as he lighted a
fresh cigar IF you've ever been in
my town you know it's a great place
for rows OF fats and single resi-
sdences all built on the same pattern.
There's a certain extra long block OF.
tWo-story flats as much alike as SO
many clothespins. One of the sec
5ond-story apartments. near one end
of the row. was occupied at that time
by myself and wife. I don't live there
now. I got out soon after this Incl.
dent occurred and since then I have
been careful to select house that is
different from anything In the neigh
borhood ]
However, I had been resident OF
that block for over a year and had be-
come SO. accustomed to the location
OF my particular section Of it that I
thought I could walk straight to tt
with my eyes shut But one evening
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

Archipelago that cost me $4,000 and
my reputation as Jap killer
me Shoe Archipelago is long
way south Of the Marquesas. bur there
were shelters who'd have gone to the
Ice limit to put in years fishing at
Eight Bells Lagoon-that was the
name gave it. From reef to reef It
was packed with go1den-edged shell.
little baby pearl the size OF your
thumb-nail. stuff that Will tempt nine
thieves out OF ten into your waters.
Golden-edEe shell is slow to mature.
and thought 1t worth while to sit
down and wait a year or SO and give
it time to grow.
The old German who sold me the
island had put UP a notice stating that
he'd gun the first poacher who took
an oyster from the lagoon. So when
the nearl banks became nv property
7 recknned that the printed notice
had claim on my ammunition.
"One afternoon schooner rIpned
into the passage and started to wind
herself round the buoy Before my
mate Bill Howe. could bring me nv
Sunday uniform a couple rf laps mt
off In a dinghy and climbed lit the
stems to my tradehnuse veranda Their
names we're written IN ivory cards
Matt Hannikin and suatu Ma They
gave me to- understand that they were
graduates from the Tokyo University.
Then they bowed and showed me-
the diamonds on their fingers. was
considerably impressed. IT takes
three generations. they saw. to- make
a gentleman. I reckoned bv the way
they kowtowed that their fornfathers
had been practicinE bowling since Co
lumbus first pointed the way to Chi
caEo
Their business was in nutshell.
They had with them the skeleton OF 2
submarine designed and thought out
by themselves. 1t was an improvement
on the old French type and capable
of destroying the largest batt1esl1ip
atlnat. It's construction was begun in
the Trtted States. but as the model
grew they discovered that their ideas
were being assimilated by local ex-
perts. When you consider that three
European governments are willing to
pay an immense sum for reliable
navy smasher it seemed worth their
while to quit the States and complete
the submarine In England
Arriving at Liverpool they learned
that two American torpedo agents
were on their heels. Not caring to be-
gin work they postponed all further
trials until the coast was clear. But
the agents were painfully early risers
and logged their movements night
and day. To have started experiment.
ing on the open beaches and rivers Of
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

The doorbell rang soon after break
fast. Its Aunt Florence!' cried the
twins. and they dashed down stairs
Seven kisses were given each child
and then came the sound made by
rustling paper as packages were UNI
wrapped.
Isn't that Just splendid AZ and.
Aren't those too dear for anything!' ~
cried the children: then they carried
a dolls bed and two doll rocking
chairs into the nursery.
An hour later came Aunt Jennie.
and there were more shouts OF Joy
when a dolls dresser was unWrap-
ped.
Look at 1t. mother \. called Esther.
TT has q pincushion, scissors. nail
Inle. little box for powder and q
glass jar for massage cream = is
perfcct!'' II
That afternoon they arranged a
dolls corner for Rose and Daisy In
the nursery, and when the children
came to the birthday party they were
shown how comfortable the new ar
rivals had been made. $
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

or the present was something they.
could play with together, like n dolls
stove, or a set OF dishes. AS they
We're the only children these birth
days were grand occasions. and all
their aunts. uncles and cousins came
to share the cake, which held two
lines Of candles. one on each side.
The decorations on this cake marked
the only difference ever noticed be-
tween the little girls, for the candles
In one row We're pink and those in
the other row blue. Since they had
been old enough to hold a knife
Dorothy had made the first cut on
the pink side and Esther the first cut
on the blue side.
This birthday they were seven and
their first surprise came early in the
morning. in the form OF twin dolls.
dressed as young Indies. whom they
at once zchirstened Rose and Daisy
Dorothy said she would make Rose
her own and Esther took Daisy. In.
order that they might tell them
apart Dorothy fastened piece OF rib
bon to her dolls arm. M #
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11
By EtAelred Elkins

YOU? she cried.
Excuse me- stammered: 7
must mus be In the wrong house. and 4
turned to go down the stairs Then
the mother instinct took control.
But the baby!' she gasped; he's
ca toking;; maybe he's dying. Help me,
whoever you are
turned again and followed her
into the dining room A little tot of
perhaps years old sat In high
c sE at the table. struggling for
breath. He was blue In the face and,
apparently. pretty far gone I picked
him up. grabbed him by the ankles
and held him out with his head down.
Then gave him few pats on the
back and a piece OF meat the silly
woman had given him dropped ont OF
his throat to the floor. az Fl
oh, thank heaven.' she sighed as
Z put the little one In her arms, and
then she began to weep.
AT that moment key ratified in
the door. The woman looked up and
her face turned whittier than before.
That's John, now, she Whispered.
8hoarsely; he's crazy jealous, and he'll
kill you II he finds you here. What
shall we dog
We'll. there wasn't much time to
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11


Some little bird must have carried
the news to the twins friends that
they were going to have these pres
ents, for nearly all OF them brought
something to help the dollies keep
house. There were sheets for the
little bed. and pillow slips. and the
cutest little spread you ever saw.
One girl brought two pairs Of Slip
.pers and another dolls brush and
comb.
When the children had played with
Rose and Daisy for an hour they were
called into the library where magic
lantern pictures We're shown. then
there We're games until half past four,
after which ice cream and cakes were
served.
It had been such an exciting day
that Dorothy and Esther commences
to yawn soon after supper, and moth
3erI put them to bed half an hour
earlier than usual. But before they
crept between the sheets. to be tucked
in. they took a last loo at Rose and
Daisy.
About four o'clock In the morning
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

The other Jap. astride the machine.
seemed to be watching the fleet OF
gTay-hacked sharks swarming around.
f Inc lagoon was alive with 'nm. One
pig fellow with shovel sno11t looked
at the straddling Jap like Ell hungry
policeman shepherdinE pie.
The Jap inside the machine bobbed
Y MS head through the man-hole and
#heayrd a piece OF raw meat into the
Rater. About 200 full-Eruwn sharks
closed round 1t and fought for ten sec
4 onds IN a solid heap, turning. rolling
stna swapping atFeachA other like tigers.
II Jap at the manho1e disappear
pit. sNs 4. N 81 n IN "a 4
Goin' to measure himself for
new llEhttn'-cnrductor.t says Bill. T
counted the sparks In his eyes
TT e moved greasily.:8I put In. and
ner.t -
We saw a sky-colored light 1olt
from the stern window OF the machine.
It kicked the door of the lagoon ana
Whitened the top. Two seconds later
the water bulEes and drew itself to-
Eether as though the submarine had
given It headache. Up and UP It
lheaved. high as schooner's mainyard.
and then the blamed thing split IN
nine places. Whoosti Bang!
Sand, mud and shell ripped the air.
The lagoon shook as IL It had swal-
lowed a ton Of Eun-cotton. Az big wet
smelly fish whipped Bills face. A pair
of sharks were blown to the roof OF
the trade house. knocking the hagno1e
endways.
4 'Banzai!" said the Jap at the man
hole What you think Of that. Bully
Hayes r. M
Considered as side show II beats
whaling or footballs says !. Why not
put your water elevator on the mar
ket? It would sell In thousands az
pick-me-up.'
!" Tt would go well with soft drinks
says Bill, wiping a dead fish from his
eye
The Jap at the manhole promised
TO consider my proposal at an early
date Then he asked IL we had any
more sharks to spare. There we're
several floating round that looked hurt
and tired lie said.
followed Bill back to the trade
house. Nothing that had any bearing
on the Japanese submarine was left
unsaid. At slIn-up Bill complained Bit
terly about the smell Of dead shark on
the roof.
TITS the only derned thing they've
left us. says he.
'fBut he had to admit that the ma
chine was no fy-trap.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11
5fl!5-7I-51-L5El f9G1IlL

england would have been like hand
ing their brains to a foreign Torpedo
Trust. They got scared. and finally
hired schooner that brought them
and their submarine to the South Seas.
where the design-snatchcrs could be
dealt with4if they ventured within a.
hundred-mile radius.
The Jap inventors wanted the run
of 4 lagoon where stores and food
could be had. And they were willing
to paw handsomely. told 'em that.
the island was mine beach. palm
trees. trade house and laFoon-and.
that there wasn't a Niger in the South
Pacific game to rattle a handful Of
beads without my permission.
We fabricated extensively. TO each
others internal satisfaction. We also
smiled
.T was to be q partner il the sub
marine specHlation.A reliable subma-.
grfne isan investment that shnot4 half
a million into a mans Ian. He is dol
lar swamned. and his life is full Of
music and nress notices. was posi-
tive that the JAMS Invention was a
work Of genius. i miehtn't know q
inch grin from a gasnine. but YOU could
back horses on my instinct when it
came to drawing Tn an agreement
II stood hand on hin while the war
shifting machine wa landed at the.
foot OF the trade house. The deeds Of
partnership had been fixed I'D: It was
a concave agreement. with the bulge
In nay direction. I showed them Eight.
Bells Lagoon and the skr above 1T
asked them fit would suit their.sub-
marine.
After sizing it al round they said
It would fit. them to 4 yard
Before dinner we rowed across the.
lagoon In my whaleboat. was mum
about the rnldnn-edged apat living On
the floor. Couldn't see how it would
interfere with the submarine practice
Then I examined their credentials and
found 'em clean as a British Ambas-
sador's. Putting one thing with an
other I hailed myself partner in a spec.
that would pull out on the sunny side
of 100000.
"Bill admitted thou htfuI1v that he
hadn't seen the matter in that light.
Still says he. the blamed submarine
looks like the broken end of garbage
destructor.'
I've allowed the matter to drop un-
til the fifth night when the Japs start
ed maneuverinE their submarine
against the wind and tide. Bill rush
ed into the trade room like spring
heeled rooster looking for fight.
a'That war machines making its
fortune across the lagoon. Cap'n. says
he.
4. Doing submarine work says /.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11
By. aft Gregg
without getting out Of bed, VIII

my without getting out OF bed. VIII
liam VI
We walked round the lagoon. keep
ing well In the shadow OF The woods.
The moon was up and the water leap
ed and EurEled over the reefs az the
tide crnwled in. Bill my arm ana
pointed to a hundred ehnst-lirhts
flashing from the ocean into the la
COON.
The bulldogs says I.
The blood-scent had fetched 'em
from the north and south big. gray
backed sharks. is feet long You
could see and hear them moving In
droves across the lagoon
1.-The pig did it, Bill looked at
the sharks and chuckled.
80 It was a noble thought says I. "a
better man would have covered 1t
with patent rights an hour ago
We heard a scream: there's no es-
Gaping the wells of a skin diver when
a 13-foot shark mistakes him for an
elongated prawn.
=s Next moment we saw the two JAMS
astride the submarine. waving their
knives at the frothinE water around
them.
one Of EN- bitten on The foot.
Of crutches later on
= The schooner'sa dinghy will be
round by and by to see what's the mat
ter. says Bill
Depends on our shooting saws I.
THE two JAMS astridn the submn-
rine saw rs IN the moonlight One OF
'em stood up and waved his arms
XXI " ANYTHING wrong. says 7.
@''' "A light misca1cu1atiop.' says he.
The hnb-nosed twfner has become en-
tangled in the Aarnn-Jo11nson adiudi-
Gator "a three-inch whelp-incinerator
will neutralize the poisonous expnl-
siuns. He waved his arms cheerfully
at me and Bill.
" Rub with gasoline says I. and
wire results
Il was cool: my temperature would
have surprised a thermometer. It oc-
CURED to me and Bill that the Japs
were collecting their feelings You
could have repaired broken icehouse
with their faces.
Gentlemen. I nistook your ma
chine for Panama Canal excavator.'
says I. Be calm; don't let me hurry
you.
tBi1l said my speech would have
put Fenian into Parliament. The
Japs looked hurt. Matt unscrewed the
top Of a manho1e and slipped into the
shell-collector.
5 4 Funk. says Bill.
= Triple expansion OF the nerves.
Gone below to suicide with the oyster
opener. says I.
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

AFTERNOON silence. From cape to CO.
ral-bank the straits seemed alive with
wheeling sun-birds and slow-drifting
craft .,7 3
A laughing Assamese boy. steering
Iour Jap fishermen In a. half-decked
FaatWl. swung from the huddle OF drift
ing 1unks. and lay abeam OF the pear
ling feet. In a flash. It seemed. their
long lead sinkers were out. and their
four schnapper lines whipped the wa
ter simultaneously.
Captain William Hayes was at that
moment exhibiting several samples OF
black1ip pearl to a perspiring shell
buyer seated abaft the sitting deck
house Leaning over the rail. he
glanced darkly at the c1ose-driftfne
ya"l- Don't fly your blamed hooks
oyer my shel1-Erounds!" he said
harshly- These are licensed waters.
Mr Japan"
The Assamese boy held out his hand
#pleadfngly- You let us fish a little
while. Cap'n. Poor japanese boy no
work GET
Get work gunshot or two from
this lugger," nodded the white man.
asst month somebody's fishing-hnok
Iouled an air-tube and suffocated a
diver Maybe you Shinto people fancy
It's derned fine joke"
The four Japanese fishermen re-
NAMED mute as bronze images in the
yaWl. Save for the boys anxious
glance at the big white Captain above,
they seemed unaware OF his existence.
Hayes regarded them keen1y as the
tide drew them nearer and nearer the
vessels stern. They'd climb aboard
and loot the galley II went ashort."
he said to the astonished agent beside
him They'd steal the lash of a
crows eye-lid.''
The Japs remained motion1ess: the
EchapDer lines twined about their.
fingers. Not once did they look up at
the sbaying-voiced Captain.
Heard every word said" he con
ttnued, and they're digesting my
meaning like ostriches" Turning to
group OF shell openers squatting
ford beside their heaps OF rottfng
hurley. he addressed them In a sharp
undertone. One OF them, a half-ca ste
Burghis man. seized an unopened
oyster and hurled 1t with boomerang
Z 4 y ~ y \ & / r. Il l-9a Z r
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

With your golden-edEed shells
says he They've lifted and scraped
together half a ton OF pearl and pack
ed 1t away aboard the schooner. By
the time they're done with the lagoon
there won't be enough shell left to
cover dinner plate
You mean says I. that they're
loading adm that barre1shaped thief ma
chine with my golden dyed pearl? <
An An maneuverin. Cap'n.'
guess my intellect was on the
grass when It allowed couple Of
Shinto Ereasers and patent diving
machine into a lagoon that was pack
ed to the shore line with finest moth
8er-o'-penrl. and the schooner shipping
the3stuff as fast as they could load her
Bill asked me TO keep calf Talk
sense and bring out the cartridges
says I. s %
Then an idea foated into my head.
and after I'd rubbed its edges and
smoothed it into shape I commanded
Bill to kill a pig Cut it into dozen
pieces and scatter It about the lagoon
entrance says I.
What forr says Bill.
It will bring up my bull pups. You
watch the pearling industry by and By.
Bill.
There was an old hog IN the com
pound OF no particular account. Bill
walked round it4With an az and got
in first blow before the hog could
strike at attitude We spent two
hours cutting 1t up and scattering 1t In
the deep water at the lagoon mouth.
Then Bill heaved the hogs head and
feet astern OF the Jap submarine.
was hard at work on the edge Of
the shell spat. moving here and there
as the skin divers worked the shall
low floor Great scott!' says I. they're
sprinteTs at the game
could feel that the big barreled
machine was glutted with my golden
edged pearl. It was more li1te ho1-
low bathing house when 1t opened out.
and I could hear the clatter Of the
shell inside as the divers spilled It
from their loaded baskets into the
receiver.
ct g's:5=s these people have been
working :he game for the last ten
years. says to Bill. But wait till
my bulldogs come In. Gilbert and Sui
liTan's operas won't be IN IT.
We had whisky each. Then Bill
sc1awed the air and theorized about let
ting off his gun. Up to the third whis-
ky he kept to the point; after that he
talked hyperbole and frivo1ity.
You amt the man you was, Bully
says he bitterly.
Fighting is sinful says I. when
you can pawn and dislocate your enc
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

force through the air. The edge Or
the shell struck the nearest Jap full
on the chest; another followed that
skated dangerously between their
heads
There came no sound or protest
front the Japs: the man who bore the
shell scar8on his breast vn~ned de1ib-
eratc1y. Slowly. laboriouslv. It seem
ed. they heaved on their tattered jig
ger and boomsail caught the falling
slant OF wind.
You don't seem oTerpo1ite to vis-
1tors. Ventured the agent when they
. had gone We're they really interfer-
inr with your diverse
Guess IL you were losing $500
worth of pearl n month you'd think so
The Japs have a right. maybe. to sit
on the spike OF this continent and fish.
but II they're going to stick their
hooks into my air tubes and smbt her
Innocent men in 90 fa+hnns OF water
III uncover that machine gun ford.
1t hates jams like poison
You really think that some or YOUR
divers are in league with the Jap
annse buyers?''
Thinking won't stop $1,000 gem.
sliding from a divers hand to purse
ut the end OF o0-fathor1 line. sir.
You've got to shoot at sight and pur-
sue your mental Authorizations aft
erward. These laps are rushing about
the East like kids at q picnic" he went
on hus1si1v. They're marking off
things and places with pens and cam
eras. and they want to see how many
gates have been left open
The gent STAYED aboard the schonn-
feT to be entertained by the gruT-
voiced man named Hayes The husf-
ness OF shell samnlins over they sat
In their chairs under the double avn
ing away from the oyster heaps and
listened to the babel OF voices that
adrifted across the Straits of Torres.
The northwest monsoon had fallen to
three-knot zephyr. and the 30 lug
gers belonging to the Queensland
pearling feet rolled in half-moon
formation on the eastern limit Of the
Fanderdecken Rank
"A champagne cork popped under the
awning: the scent of cheroot rose
like incense amid the offal that trails
eternallF in the wake of pearls The
wine me1lowed Hayes. softened the
blade-like edge of this overweight
mind until his laughter was heard by
the TTepang fishers across the bay.
The man who owns pearl lagoon
has got to sell his dignity and watch
the skyline" he said, after pause.
1--WE been in the business for IS years.
sir. and I know q thief schooner from
mission boat. I bought a lagoon once
from an old German down in the Shoe
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

writer who seems to know what he's
talking about, who says that one out
or every twelve marriages ends In inc 70
divorce court"
-.Oh, cheer; up. cheer up" exclaimed me 20
the man across the aisle, the way
you fellows are grieving you'd think
you had a$corpse In the baggage car
There's 10 100000 happy homes IN this
country today, at least, they're as hap
nv as they deserve to beand Ill bet
there wasn't that many In the good
old times you're weeping over Do.
nestle trouble isn't a new inventions.
Our grandfathers and grandmothers
had their little scraps. and they didn't
always succeed in keeping the discord
TO themselves, either. But they had
to grin and bear it, while now they've
got a chance for a new deal The
only objection I've got to the divorce
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

,Dollies. Dollies !. cried Dorothy
and Esther. and they jumped up 80
suddenly that the screen was upset.
4As 1t fell the light went out and thars
was scampefing Of feet.
When the sisters talked It over IN
the morning they could not under
stand how they had made the cir way
back to- bed. and when they told their
mother about their adventure and
asked how It was that they suddenly
found themselves with their heads
resting on the pillo ws. she exclaimed:
You are funny little pussies. real
,ly believe you have the same dreams.
Dreams! said the twins. as III
with one voice: wait a minute and
we'll prove that Il WASH, al dream
this time. !" 81 iasf sss ss
They ran To- their mothers roor
and soon returned with her Jar OF "a ~
cream. Look inside. '' they said. and
see II somebody hasn't been taking
lot ont. Sis5a Al @
q Mother looked she sa.d
ssomebody surely has. and i woncsr
who It could have been ~ 81
N9t44 4. 4 u
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11
1<l91975IEIEl55 l5D6T25II5

SCORE OF he1meted
divers descended In
patches from the
steps of the lugEers
to the reef-strewrl
floor OF the straits.
The soft whining Of
atr-pumps. the loud,
unhealthy coughing
OF some lung-wasted
diver broke the hot
The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-04-11

was a merry
crowd Of men that
filled the smoker
as the train ho owl
along its way
mo wedding bells
for me- murmured
the red-headed man.
In the corner, as he
looked up from his
-nrnr HHara'R a