davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
C II A |

So thought the terrified peasants in
the sakhl. That Is why for them
the bowling of the wind was a grue-
some concert.
"Woo-o-o-o!" The wind grew still
stronger, the roof of the sakhi
crashed Every now and then some
one seemed to be stamping upon 1t.
TITS Hades outside" said one OF
the men. II couldn't want even my
enemy to be on the mountain now"
"On the mountain?" said another.
"Why, you wouldn't dare go into our
garden! Don't you hear the voices?
Heaven and earth have broken loose
against each other"
Silence again. The door creaked
heavily. Every one turned in the di-
rectlon where, In the half darkness,
appeared the figure of man dressed
in a shepherds mantle, looking like
a heap of snow. He must have been
out In the snow-storm a long time.
GOOD evening"" he said, shaking
off the thick layer of snow from his
mantle.
Good evening. Come right in.
Poor Chai, you look like a piece of
ice. Make room for Chat. Let him
sit down." ~ q
eyes, by Heaven am frozen" said
the newcomer, stepping forward. TITS
impossible to remain outdoors any
longer. 1t seems as IL the sky were
tumbllng down. What a storm!
What a storm. I thought I'd get
warm and then go out again."
The oil lamp burned peacefully
above the freslde In a little dark
opening. The dull fame wavered
and trembled softly as If 1t, too, were
afraid of the wind. Nevertheless, Its
faint light was sufficient to outline
some of the faces underneath their
thick lambskin caps. Some yellow
ish quivering rays fell upon the new
conner also. 1t was a peasants face
upon which q life Of suffering had
stamped the seal OF ruggeunesS, anu
sorrow had nestled in the deep fur
rows of his firm skin. He was still
young man, but he seemed to have
lived too much. Beneath his bushy
mustache appeared lips firmly COM
pressed, which lent stubborn ex-
presslon to his face. He was @
stranger who had come to the viii
lage short time ago. and, finding
no other work, hired himself out as
the village night-watchman. +r s5&F
Chai took his seat in corner
against the wall. He was silent. 1t
was warm In the sakhi, but the wind
continued to roar and howl like
wounded beast.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19

as.not to arouse suspicion.
"'Hey, Armenian, waltz he cried.
stopped and looked back. It's my
fate / thought. And, in truth, fate
might have borne the aspect Of this
Kurd. The rifle on his shoulder, the
simitar at his side, the dagger with
its white ivory handle stuck In his
girdle, hideous face with ferocious
eyes precisely like VOLTS.
HE walked up to me.
Tn these days he said, mo Ar
menian would dare to appear in
this place. You look suspicious to
me- 9-y> ., s I'VE -
"Kurd,' said, the times are bad,
but don't forget that we are neigh
bors. AS a neighbor, tell you I am
from Chut. You know we're starv-
ing there, SO am going to Derdshan
to buy some bread for my children.
Let me go in peace
"'No Armenian, you can't fool me.
You don't look straight a+.Ms
'Kurd, you believe in God, too.
You see have no weapons on me,
and no knife in my pocket. And
even If I turned into a wild beast,
what could do to hurt you? I beg
of you, let me pass e~r,,- p,
"'Come along. Walk in front Of
me. I'll take you to the police cap
TAIN iasJtRssstsss
''The police captain! That would be
dreadful. The police had been hunt
ing for us a long time. 'Kurd don't
take me to the police captain. I've
nothing to fear, but I'll be late. My
children are in an awful state they're
dying of hunger. For Gods sake,
Kurd, brother, neighbor, let me co.
''The Kurd remained anexorable.
It's my fate, I thought, and with
dropping head I walked in front Of
him. The superiority was all on his
poniard in his belt, the simitar at
his side. What could l do with my
two bare hands? 1t was certainly
my fate, and so I walked on in ad-
vance of him without any. thought Of
resistance.
1T was a beautiful day. The sun.
was bright, the sky clear, the noun
tains green. A crane scared up high
in the air, free and bold. I don't
know why, but, forgetting my plight.
I began to watch the bird. Was 1t
envy of its freedom, or was 1t some
thing else that fascinated me? I do
not know. but kept looking at him.
For a long time the crane scared in
the air, then he suddenly swooped
down upon a rock not far from us.
He had seen snake crawling there,
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
BY AVETIS CHKRONEAN

deadly enemy. the embodiment Of
fate.
y How was 1t that that day fate
had not been fulfilled? Is 1t possible
that God, who did not permit even
so loathsome creature as the snake
to fall an unjust prey to the crane.
would permit this Kurd, ten times
more loathsome than the snake, to
determine my destiny?
} mo, it is all mistake about
destiny, I thought. I mu"' find a
way of escape.
d "And began long, silent delipera-
( alton with myself. 1 looked for a
means of escape, but what could I
{ find? / didn't even have a knife. At
that moment, my eyes fell upon the
Kurd's pretty poniard which stuck in
his belt. Oh, If that poniard at least
were in my hand!
"'Go on cried the Kurd. What
are you stopping for?'
l. IT started. We descended into q
ravine-a black hole, with no human
soul around. The Kurd began to
look about, his movements uneasy
He repeatedly took the gun from his
shoulder then put it back again.
I felt my end was at hand, but was
mo longer ready to die. If the snake
had a right to live, then human
being, especially a Christian 1Ar-
:menian, cannot be robbed of hat
right. I gradually slackened my
pace. At any rate, I must not re-
main In front of the Kurd. That was
dangerous.
h "Quick, quick" he urged. He was
plainly trying to keep me ahead Of
him, while I was trying to keep
alongside of him. ss%>
I'VE seemed to understand each
other perfectly. We fought a silent
battle for life and death, which was
all the more terrible because of tay
'treacherous nature. -
\ II stopped suddenly. I had to tfss
my sandal-strings. The Kurd stepped
toward me and also remained still.
Without raising my head I observed
his position from below. He stood
erect at my right side; the white hilt
of the poniard shone from his belt.
"'Get done quick, Armenian he
said angrily, noticing my slowness.
- II lifted my head suddenly,
snatched the poniard from his belt,
. and, before he had time to defend
himself, I plunged it into his breast
. up 10 tne very mt. Ole PieiSHlS
cry, then he tumbled to the ground.
/ was saved, and this is the poniard
that saved me-"
p Chal drew from his belt poniard
with an ivory handle, and placed ~
before the men in the Melikh's house.
The shining blade cast a cold ray OF
light in the sheen of the lamp. All
the men got on their knees, and ex-
amined 1t in silence. The little, in-
significant Chai had become hero.
He was giant. He was master OF
his fate.
II don't believe in fate" Chat re-
peated, this time with pride.s But his
words now aroused neither anger nor
ridlcule; they awakened respect, and
stirred up thoughts of salvation.
thoughts of freedom, sacred thoughts
{ Of revenge. -~>-s'---.-'-''-''- -----'-1
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
(From the Eugene Daily Guard,

Continued from last Saturday,
another is turning into it from another
or intersecting street In all such cases
there is no fixed regulation, and the
rule of the common law prevails, requir-
ing due care on the part of BOTH When
an automobile coming out of one street
turns sharply to the left hand, in other
language 'cuts the corner the motorist
fails in his duty, and is therefore guilty
of negligence.
Running Over Pedestri-
ans have Il right to travel anywhere ON
u highway, and are not confined in the
right to erosswalks. Persons driving
automobiles along the road are liable if
they do not take care so as to avoid
driving against the foot passengers who
are passing ON the road. A man has Il
right to walk in the road if he pleases.
1t is way for foot passengers, as well
MS for carriages, All persons have n
right to walk in the road, aud are en-
titled to the exercise of reasonable care
ON the part of those who drive automo.
biles on it, But pedestrians as well as
all others are bound to exercise care
according to circumstances and especial
lily bound to look where they are going.
1t is negligence for foot traveller to
attempt to cross the public thorough
fare ahead of vehicles of any kind upon
nice calculations of the chances of in
jury. If such attempt be made and the
calculations fail to the person s harm,
he can have no address for injuries re.
ceived in the mistaken effort. 1t is not
the exercise of common or ordinary care
on his part When ahghting from a
street ear, II person is not bound MS a
matter of law to look both ways; but he
must look where he is going, and he
must not walk blindly into danger. A
driver of an automobile has the right to
suppose that person, whether on foot
or in vehicle, when duly warned in su.
fficicnt season, will not cross his path,
or attempt to do so but il he does
make such attempt, it is the duty of the
driver to do everything in his power to
avoid an accident. When two automo.
biles are passing, it is the duty of each
driver to look out for pedestrians sud.
denly appearing from behind the other
automobile
Persons Under Disabilities.-At times
a greater degree of care is demanded of
an operator of an automobile than at
other times. Thus, If person under
obvious disability such as old age, in.
fancy, lameness, drunkenness or the like
is crossing the road, the duty of avoid.
ing him is greater than il he were a
person of ordinary capacity. Care and
caution must be exercised in proportion
to the apparent risk.
(Babbitt's Law Applied to Motor Ve-
hicles, page 2I9,)
Children in the Street.-The rule of
law is, that streets and highways are
made for the use of all travellers, chill
dren as well as others. But in the case
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
Copyright, The Frank A. M,ss1 Co.

1t had turned into gall and poison
We abandoned everything-house and
family. land and possessions; and.
in order to cleanse our honor, each
took gun and withdrew into the
mountains. &H 9Sss s'ss'!s., ss..s So =
: ut was good that way; we were
free. Oh, when a man carries such
injuries in his bosom, when his child
has been killed and his old father
disgraced, then there is nothing in
the world to console him. nothing.
His breast boils and seethes IL takes
fire, tears are unable to quench its.
flames, comforting words are but,
mockery and scorn. But when he
presses the barrel Of his gun close,
himself splitting death upon the head
OF his blood-stained enemy, then,
only then, does his heart grow cool,
and he feels that he, too, has lamb
skin cap on his head. He has re-
acquired his honor. a. @s
~ 1.-THE Turks and Kurds called us
conspirators, but the Armenians
called US spirits Of revenge Terror
stalked before US, and behind us lay
death. We and the eagles remained
the sole rulers of the mountains. And
we resembled each other a little, for
we had the same way Of pouncing
upon our prey. We went everywhere,
and many were the Turks and Kurds
whose beastly greed and lust we
stifed forever. - f5ss- rs!s'' a y
q zone day, when we were on top Of
Sun Mountain, our provisions gave
out. I was chosen to go out and
forage. I knew the villages in the
neighborhood, but whether they were
still inhabited, or had been destroyed,
did not know. However, there was
nothing for me to do but go and
try. I left my nest in broad day
light, unarmed, even without club.
I hoped I would not meet the en-
emy, and IL I should meet him
thought I might save myself by hav-
ing no weapons about me; or, II I
should not save myself, then 1t was
evidently my fate. For long time
I met no one, and absolute silence
prevailed. Then, suddenly, saw a
tall Kurd approaching, Hornidy,
armed from head to foot.
= GOOD day, friend ] said care
lessly. xesssE xesE
l "Good day, Armenian answered
the Kurd, stopping and looking at
me. ~ -~'>'' s,'-: = .,'---'-;'
!. II did not stop, but walked on.
Though I felt that the Kurd was
still standing there, following me
with his eyes, ] walked no faster, So
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19

"It was on such a night that ou'.
)oor neighbor was lost" said the
,illage magistrate, Gevo. mo won
Ter he perlshed."
I'VE warned him over and over
again." said another. %
'Fool!" exclaimed the Mellkh,
while the wind piped shrlller than
,yer. cant you see that 1t was his
'ate? And who can argue with
fate?"
who, indeed" murmured the hud-
d!ed peasants.
II don't believe in fate" This time
the speaker was Chai, the stranger.
The other inmates of the sakhl
peered at him with mingled suspi-
clon and anger, almost with fear.
the rich and powerful Mellkh, he
believed in fate; so did Magistrate
and the pastoreno matter what SER
mons he preached, he we'll knew he
waD q mere tool in the hands or
fate. ? All were subject to the In
Visible power and were afraid of 1t.
Only poor little Chai did not believe
IN or fear 1t. ~
"No, I don't believe in fate" Chai
repeated in a bolder tone, aware OF
the mocking glances turned upon
him, "and I could prove to you in a
few minutes I'm right, IL I did not
have to go out to make the round
OF the village."'' tFS4Nssss@' 5N '95gsss2
SAY, stay" several voices cried
eagerly. Magistrate Gevo, tell him
to stay. Nobody is going to rob the
village on such a night as this .,
At the magistrates request, Chai
seated himself again, all eyes still
turned curiously upon him. vss22 5ss;t3 =
"rhere were ten Of us that year"
Chai began. "All Of us stark mad.
We all carried fire in our breasts,
FIRE kindled by the same stroke OF
lightning. 1t burned and drew US
close to one another. We all had
one intrepid heart, and what heart!
1t was a sea flooded over with PAIN
lowering with shame, a forest set
on fire by the passion for revenge.
For months we wandered about from
field to field, and from wood to wood,
from ravine to ravine. We drank
water with the snakes. and got our
snatches of rest on beds Of stone.
What could we do? Too long
had we swallowed dishonor; our pa
tience and suffering had been long,
but our enemy's iniquity, his shame
less brutality, knew no bounds. 1t
was impossible to live any longer;
there was no more bread, and what
there was could no longer be eaten;
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
Think Street Car and In
terurban Fares Are Co.
ing Up---Cost Is High

Denver, Col. Aug, 19.-The possibil.
ity of higher street ear and interurb'
an fares for everybody in the country,
as a result of the increased cost Of ma.
terials used in traction operations was
not scoffed at by officials OF the To-
cal lines when they declared today that
their operating expenses have gone up
from l2 to 300 per cent in the last five
years. The increased car fares would
affect every street ear and interurbau
system in the country, as all of them
have experienced the same higher cost
Of doing business.
The company cited l2 American cities
where increased fares have been de.
manded in the last two years. Toledo
went back to the straight five cent
fare from the three cent fare so long
fought for. Cleveland restored the one
cent charge FOR transfers. Several six
cent city fares in Massachusetts, towns
were cited. A Massachusetts, interurban
company also was granted an increase
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
LAWS OF OREGON AS
APPLIED TO AUTOMOBILES
Compiled by
G. j, HOWARD and @. R. BISHOP

lo' children, the question of negligence
becomes largely Il question of due care
on the part of the person having charge
of the child, allowing it to be in the
place where the injury was received. In
the case of children who are Of an age
to 20 about unattended, to school and
the like, the rule requires of them the
use of such discretion ms such children
have not so much as in the case of an
adult but only the ordinary care of
school children. The operator of a car
in a street where there are children is
required to manage his car with referen-
ce to all the risks that may reasonably
be expected, and among those may be
reekoned the risks arising from the
hecdlessness and indiscretion of child
rem in the street. Being or playing upon
street is not of itself contributory ne
gligence in child of tender years. If
the child is of sufficient age and dis.
cretion to be in the street alone, then
an error of Judgment, based on such ex-
perience and discretion as very young
cnild would naturally possess, is not
negligence on the child's part, parti-
cularly if the error in judgment was the
result of circumstances calculated to in.
spire fright, such as the unexpected or
sudden appearance of an automobile.
Defense of not Exceeding Speed Lii
mitations.-No owner or operator of an
automobile is exempt from liability for
u collision in II public street by simply
showing that at the time of the acci-
dent he did not run at a rate of speed
exceeding the limit allowed by state law
or city ordinances. On the contrary, no
matter how great the rate of speed may
be, which the law or city ordinances
permit, the operator of an automobile
still remains bound to anticipate that he
may meet persons ON any point in n
public street, and he must keep a pro.
per lookout for them, and keep his ma
chine under such control as will enable
hime to avoid collision with another
person using proper care and caution.
If necessary, he must slow up, and even
stop. No blowing of horn or OF whistle
nor the ringing of u bell, without an
attempt TO slow the speed is sufficient
IL the circumstances at n given point de-
mand that the speed should be slaeken.
ed or the machine be. stopped and where
such course is practicable. The true
test is, that the operator must use all
the care aud caution which careful
and prudent driver would have exercis
ed under tho same circumstances, The
idea prevails among some motor drivers
that when once they have sounded the
horn they are justified in going at any
rate of speed, and that people are bound
to get out of their way; but the law
will not excuse the owner or driver Of
an automobile for any such reason.
Evidence of over.Speeding,-In cases
whore drivers or owners are being pro,
secuted for over-speeding, the testi-
mony Of witness who has had expert
ence in timing or knowing the speed
OF motor vehicles is evidence Of better
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
1T was a cold winter night. A

Ut was a cold winter night. A
fierce snow-storm was raging.
SO heavy and awful was the
da rleness that the inhabitants Of the
mountain village could not recall
iwhen last they had seen the sun and
Ahe clear sky. The wind seemed to
tissue from the very gulf of death. 1t
Iroared wofully and ominously. 1t
lfoyed with the snow like demon at
play. 1t touched everything with a
killing breath. Men and animals
Ieroze; the whole village. with Its huts,
and its haystacks, and heaps Of dung
lfriel, seemed to tremble and shiver.
Twas the world aquiver with cold, or
Ivith fear. a ::.-.--7--;'.- ::.. -.-;---:;'----',.-
{ The villagers stood in great awe OF
nature. 5, Thunder and lightning,
storm and tempest were not the
harmless, aimless sports OF nature.
,,The peasant believes that these things
leone for definite and sinister pur-
jpose, and there is cause indeed for
,him to tremble. 1t was lucky that to
icounteract the lightning there wes
,khe sign Of the cross, and to counter
act the blizzard there were stables
Tor the animals, and warm sakhi,
marrow compartments in the huts for
khe men. 5Sa@
\, "woo o-o-o-o!" the wind howled, and
each time the fearful sound PEN
strated the house of the Meltkh-
Shahin, his guests, who sat ON both
sides Of the sakhi, ceased talking,
took their pipes from their mouths,
looked at each other, and felt an In
ner need to move closer to one
another.
sSnow and storm are good In their
Hme--but this terrible snow-storm
what did 1t slgnify2 No one dared
ko speak aloud the language OF the
formidable element, but they all we'll
knew Its meaning. 1t was the mighty
song OF fate, which the storm, the
eternal wanderer, sings to every man.
Into Its song It gathers the worlds
sufrerlng-the slghs and groans Of
the weak. the cries Of the helpless.
the tears of the unfortunate, the
misery OF the poor. The storm draws
hhem all into its ethereal bosom,
from the faintest heartrending whis-
per to the roar that shakes noun
talns. And oftentimes the storm
rIvets them to the highest peaks, OF
ITO the wide. cavernous darkness;
hut sometimes he releases them that
they may descend and re-echo through
she world, utterlng lamentable
threats, and announcing to fright
sned men the inexorable fate await
ing them. if,ys,s5-.... -...... ,s
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19

The snake writhed under the blow Of
the birds wings. and hid Its head
beneath its coils 50
| Both of US stood still. .ss$ $sl,,...,,i; =
"'You see, said the Kurd, "the Ar
menlan is like snake. He must be
strangled.' sA K
II did not answer but kept look
ing. The crane struck the snake;
with its bill, and stepped across It..
The snake made use of the interval
trying to escape, but 1t had scarcely,
started when the terrible enemy was
over its head. The snake again coiled
itself together and hid Its head. kS
r 1.-THE Kurd was right. There was
great similarity between the snakes
fate and mine. The snake has also
reached it's destiny, it cannot escape
any more, I thought. I even found
some consolation in the idea. ed
~ Gradually the crane grew bolder,
His blows became more and more
licquclts L Hc 5Ildhc otill hept ieo
head concealed, and continued to de-.
fend itself apparently very feebly.
i Suddenly, something remarkable
occurred. The half-dead serpent,
collecting all the remnant Of its
strength, made a final desperate eff
fort, leaped and encircled the cranes
long neck. In vain the bird tried to
extricate itself from the deadly coil.
He tapped his wings, prodded the
ground with his bill, pulled back
ward and forward, rolled on the
ground, and tried to rise again, to
ny, to escape-in vain. The snakes
desperate attack was terrible. It's
coil drew tighter and tighter. At
last, 1t was the bird which lay life
less on the edge Of the rocks. The.
snake glided away and disappeared.
"The Kurd was now silent. He.
looked at me. Our eyes met, and for
a few seconds we were unable to turn
our gaze from one another. Each Of
us endeavored to define what was in
his opponents mind. There was no
doubt that the thoughts of each Of
us were terrible. So much we un-
derstood, SO much we read in each
others eyes. knew that the Kurd,
angered by the snakes unexpected
victory had resolved to kill me. I
read it in his eyes plainly, for his
expression { was now even more
malicious than before. knew the
>Kurds well. ~ -!
ttS'But my mind, too, began to work.
The struggle between the snake and
the crane had wrought change in
me also. ! had never yet heard of a
snake being able to strangle crane.
The crane is known to be the snakes
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-19
Blissful Depravity.

In border southern town lives an
elderly negro carpenter, who is locally
distinguished for two things - the use
of large words and his abiding fear of
his wife, who is big, impressive and
domineering. In this town trio of
young professional men keep bachelor
quarters together.
"Boss," 4" inquired the old man, in the
midst of his work, "does you white
gen 7 mems live heah in total depravity
of the feminine seXq'
"We do" was the answer.
From the bottom of his hen.pecked
soul the old darkey fetched up long,
deep, sincere sigh.
"Well, sab. !" he said, "ef l wuz ez
you is, should suttinly remain so. -
Saturday Evening Post.