davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

with tolerable ease. Having reached
the house, pushed the front door open
and stood In the hallway. The only
light was from the lamp had seen In
the window, and l now saw that 1t
was in a bedroom In the rear. The
door Of this room was ajar, and en-
tered. There was plenty of furniture.
but it was dilapidated. Thus far en-.
countered no person.
fell exhausted on the bed and lost
consciousness. Presently felt suffo-
cation. awoke, conscious that was
losing my breath. felt a pair OF
clammy lips on mine. Putting out
both hands, l grasped pair Of arms,
cold as marble, and with strength
born of horror hurled whoever was on
me away. The light in the room must
have gone out. for was in darkness.
Yet In another moment was look
ing at a light. saw dimly different
scene from that in my bedroom. 1t
was q lantern a few yards from me
and higher than l. By it I made out a
team, and a dark figure was behind
the light. Then felt arms under
mine, and l was lifted and dragged up
on to the level, where man was hold
Ing the lantern. Then both men lifted
me on to the wagon. One got in with
me, the other on to the seat, and we
moved on. the horses struggling
through the snow, the man beside me
shaking and rubbing me.
After awhile the wagon stopped,
and I was helped into a house, where
a hot drink was given me and I was
put to bed.
The next day was all right. l ask
ed for the men who had rescued me
and was told that they had gone on.
I asked what had become of my horse
and was informed that he had sue
cumbed. My next question was about
the house where had slept, and after
describing it was told that it was
haunted and on that account had long
ago been deserted. told of my sleep
ing there and of my dream or night
mare or whatever it was.
was talking to an old woman, a
young woman and young man, the
younger woman's husband. When
had told of flinging of the monster the
three looked at one another.
"Now, Sam," said the old woman
to the man, latter this will you still
refuse to believer"
The man locked much disturbed.
what do you mean?" asked.
why. stranger" she said, "you was
a-dyin'. A vampire was a-suckin' OF
yer breath. Ell it hadn't been for the
two men as come along and pulled
you out Of the snow the monster ID a
got ye. Ye wasn't In the haunted
house at all"
Eyes. he was, maw," said the young
woman. THE vampire put the light in
the winder to entice him there fer to
suck the breath outen him.
Convinced that my nightmare had
been occasioned by my cramped posi-
ton, left this intellectual group. l
had been kept from freezing by the
warmth Of my horses body.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
"Hobson's ChoIco."

"Hobson's choice" may best be
translated, that or nothing" Tobias
Robson was a carrier and innkeeper
at Cambridge, who erected the hand
some conduit there and settled "seven
lays" of pasture ground toward Its
maintenance. But the story about
him, as told by the Spectator, Is as
follows: HE kept a stable of forty
good cattle, always ready and At for
travelling. But when a man came for
q horse he was led into the stable,
where there was great choice, but was
obliged to take the horse that stood
nearest to the stable door, 50 that ev-
cry customer was alike well served,
according to his chance, and every
horDe ridden with the same Justice"
Milton wrote two quibbling epitaphs
upon this eccentric character.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

and It ratified her bit Rather,
should say, she hoped for what was
coming. | had worked up to the decla-
ration point a number Of times and
stuck there. It's one thing to tell a
girl you love her when she has been
struck by lightning and falls into your
arms In critical condition: it Is quite
another to do the deed in cold blood.
At any rate. my efforts had all been
failures.
"Why did you intimate" asked, CO.
ing to her and leaning against the man.
tel over the fireplace. that am not
desirable parti?"
Il didn't"
Stuck again.
snow piling up in drifts. If one finds Il
task difficult under certain circum-
stances he thinks 1t would be easier
under other circumstances. l was in a
comfortable room with cheerful open
fire before me, but l thought I could
get out what wanted to say out in the
snow.
Let's 60 out and SNOWFALL" said.
She looked disappointed, but accedel
to my request. She donned warm
jacket and a woven hood. and we sal
lied forth.
You stand there" said ''I'll stand
here. You throw the first ball at me"
/ How I was to make a proposal while
! pelting her l didn't know. hoped
something would turn up to help me.
1t did, but Phillis turned it up: didn't
Phil made q SNOWFALL and threw it at
me. lodged it. l threw one ut Phil.
It went wide Of the mark. She hit me
on the chin. neutrality-suspicious. it
was the sting-put an extra amount Of
| force into my arm as threw the next
! ball. couldn't see that it had hit her,
but she put her hands to her eye and
sank down on the cold snow with
moan. l ran to her.
"Phillis, dear! Sweetheart! Forgive
me! am beast to have hurt you"
! I pulled away her hands. and she
looked at me with inexpressible sweet
ness. l kissed the wounded eye.
Now, that eye should have been
either inflamed or cold or snow wet.
! 1t was neither. a few bits of snow
were on her shoulder. The SNOWFALL I
had thrown was squashed against the
fence directly behind her.
"Phillis, dear. let us 60 back to the
library"
! l supported her into the house. and
we stood again before the fire.
| "Oh. Phillis!' exclaimed. Suppose
! had darkened that dear eye forever!''
She shuddered.
If had I should have devoted my
life to you. Would you have let me?"
"Yes, Bob"
drew the sofa before the fire, re-
moved her wrap, and we sat down to
the happiest hour Of my life. The deed
| was done.
There should be school for maidens
who are troubled with balky lovers
They should be instructed to collapse.
md collapsible methods should be civ
| IN them.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
where it belonged, another cleanup
commenced that took up what remained

where it belonged, another cleanup
commenced that took up what remained
O. the honeymoon.
After the cleanin' had wore me out
said, II s'pose we kin rest"
no. she says. "I've been q month
putin the house in order, but while
I've been dom one thing the dust has
been accumulatin' elsewhere. The first
week washed the winders. That's
three weeks ago. I got to wash 'em
again."
"How about the sweepin'?' asked.
gloomy like.
"The sweepin' IL come the day after
the winders is washed"
One day-it was in the last week O.
the honeymoon-1 was walkin' along
the road comm toward my happy
home. over which hung a cloud o. dust,
when I met Jim Simpson.
Look a-there," says, pointin' to the
house. "That's what y done by dis
satisfyin' me about my housekeepin'. "
rs yer house aflre?' he says.
NO." says I, SEEM stream o wa
ter beatin' agin the upper story.
That's my wife playin' the hose on
the winders."
"Go0'by," says Jim, and he lit out.
I'm gittin' used to it now, and it
don't trouble me so much as it did, but
often sigh for the happy, quiet times
when I used to drive the dishes into
the crick and do my sweepin' when I
liked and let the dirt alone and lived
in peace. But them days has gone for
ever. In my bone there's perpetual
scrubbin' and washin', and every
spring I'm transferred for two weeks
to the barn while the spring cleanin' is
1Oin' on.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
How to Learn to Write.

now 60 Learn 20 Wroees
Putting words together is not writ
ing; making fine sentences is not writ
ing; celebrating striking plots is not
writing. OF all the arts literature is
the most exacting mistress. To write
you must have lived, you must have
suffered and know Joy, you must be
able to analyze people, to understand
their motives, to love them.
Granted that you have learned some
thing of the motives, the passions, the
sorrows that rack US humans, then you
must also have your medium In con-
troll. Words are like little creatures
that march and fight and sing. They
are like extra bands and brains. All
the passions wait on them. Until you
get this sense Of the choiceness, the
fragiity, the power Of words, you are
not ready to transcribe your thoughts
American Magazine.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

his protests, but paid little attention to
them, not infrequently taking out a
snufbox, offering it to him, then TAX
ing pinch while he was speaking.
Walter kept his promise to his fan
Gee, nobly refraining from the habit he
had eschewed. In due time he was
graduated from college, and his father
in-law to be had consented that he
should 60 into his counting room on the
street facing the East river and begin
preparation to take position as mana
ger of the business when Mr.. Spring
stead retired. While learning the busi-
ness Walter was to draw nominal
salary.
Walter was the envy of all the young
men in town. Engaged to lovely girl
and heir to a fine business. Surely
providence had favored him.
The wedding day opened bright and
beautiful. Walter, after breakfast,
went to the Springstead home and was
placed in a front room which faced the
bay to await the hour for the cere-
mony. The sun glittered on the wave
lets. The islands to the left, the right
and in the distance stood out clear aud
green. Directly In the foreground was
the old fort about which the city had
grown and prospered. Walter was su.
premely happy.
The door opened and Gertrude came
in bearing the snuffbox he had given
her months before.
II can't leave this here" she said
After l have left mother will 90
through my room, and it will be dis
covered"
"Give it to me-" said Walter. Il will
take it away with me and get rid of II
on our wedding trip"
Gertrude handed him the box and
fastened away to be robed in her wed
ding garments. Walter opened it and
held it under his nose. What a deli
cious fragrance! How pleasant II
would be to take just one pinch! TAX
ing little Of the snun between his
thumb and finger, he held it near hif
nostrils. Then he thought of the rish
he would take If he indulged and put
|
other pinch, and again the aroms
greeted his nostils.
Mr.. Springstead, passing through th.
hall, heard a violent sneeze. Opep1ns
the door Of the room from which II
seemed to come, there was Walter with
an open snu6box In one hand and hi,
handkerchief in the other. He greeted
his father-in-law to be with anothe,
sneeZe.
When. couple of hours later, guest,
arrived to witness the nuptials the,
were Informed that there would be n,
nuptials. No reason was assigned. Mr
Springstead put veto on his daugh
ter's marriage, and the groom went {,
his own quarters.
For pinch Of snu6 he had given ,
bride, fortune and q, splendid busi
ness.
Not long after his loss the Revolutao,
broke out, and he Joined the continep
hi army. He was killed at the battl,
tof Long Island. 81.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
EVOLUTION OF A SENATOR.
His Career Briefly 6i<etohed From Bah
Holding 70 Congress-.

S1uO S3TOOr 0TIOUy oNOSOuOo TVU 00Oy
Holding 70 Congress.
Prior to election future United
States senator is meek and lowly. he
Is not averse to holding babies or four
aces, as the environment may demand,
while campaigning for votes. One may
safely slap him on the back without
fear Of rebuff. Before the last precinct
Is counted he seems to know his sue
cess. for the senatorial candidate stiff
ems, dons his black clothes and a fresh
collar and begins to practice a digni-
fed stride for future use on Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Babies and jackpots
have lost their alluring possibilities; no
longer does he tolerate familiarity; he
is as patronizing as a rooster who
scratches worms for the hens and then
eats them before his invited guests ar
rive.
Seated In a niche Of the hail Of con-
gress the new senator feels as though
he should peer through microscope
to make sure he is there, but conf1den-
tial letters sent to the editor Of the
Jumpon Breeze tell how he is prepar-
ing q bill advocating the irrigation Of
Sagebrush valley; also how he 10 work
ed to death by other senators asking
favors Of him. Az a school for fiction
writer's the United States senate has
al other correspondence schools lashed
to the mast.
Many senators fail to receive Just re-
ward at the conclusion Of their maiden
voyage through the troubled congres=
sional waters probably because tho law
Is 80 strictly enforced against murder:
-Harper's Weekly.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
Muddlod Thlnklno.

It would be foolish to say that a dy-
namo and an electric light are the same
thing. that green apples IS term syn
onymous with indigestion, that an ar
chitect's plans are the same thing ~
completed building or that sex attrac-
ton is but another name for the social
institution called the family. In the
same way it is an evidence Of maddled
thinking to maintain that being good Is
the same thing as being religious
Bernard I. Bell In Atlantic.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
MARK TWAlN'S LAST DAYS.
ssorry, but Can't Hurry This Dying
Business" Ho Told q Friend.

Mark Twain's last days. it will be re-
membered, were spent in Bermuda, at
the home Of Vice Consul Allen, where
he had gone following the shock Of his
daughter Jeans death. The great
humorist, suffering from heart attacks
which began to recur with increasing
frequency, knew that he was dying
man. Yet his whimsical humor never
failed him. His biographer, Albert
Bigelow Paine, writing in St. Nicholas.
recalls how Mr.. Clemens at this time
referred to the hypodermic injection.
which had become necessary to him. as
Hypnotic injuncttons."
"As long as remember anything"
writes Mr.. Paine In describing the trip
from Bermuda, II shall remember the
forty-eight hours of that homeward
voyage. He was comfortable at first
and then we ran into the humid, op-
pressive air Of the gulf stream. and he
could not breathe. It seemed to me
that the end might come at any mo-
ment, and this thought was in his own
mind, but he had no dread, and his
sense Of hum0r did not fail Once,
when the ship rolled and his hat fell
from the hook and made the circuit of
the cabin floor, he said, The ship IL
passing the hat
Il had beea instructed in the use of
the hypodermic needle and from time
to time gave him the hypnotic injunc-
tion,' as he called 1t. But It did not af-
ford him entire relief. He could re-
main in any position but little while.
Yet he never complained and thought
only of the trouble he might be max
ing. Once he said:
"I am sorry for you, Paine, but l
can't help tt can't hurry this dying
business
"And q little later:
"'Oh, it's such q mystery. and 1t
takes so longv"
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
For a Pinch
Of Snuff.
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

In 176- Walter Watherspoon, a stu
dent at Kings (now Columbia) college.
was crossing the campus, situated in
the lower part of New York, not far
from the city hall, when he met Ger
trude Springstead, the daughter of
China merchant, going to her home on
the Battery. The two were lovers and
expected to be married after young
Watherspoon's graduation, which was
to occur in the following June. Before
seeing his fiancee coming he took his
snuffbox from pocket in the volumi-
nous skirt of his coat and, placing
pinch between his thumb and finger.
crammed it up first into one nostril.
then into another. shifting Justify.
"Oh. Walter" said the girl when
they met, "if father knew you snuffed
it would be all up with us! He detests
the habit and would force me to break
with you.''
"In that case, Mistress Gertrude" re-
piled Walter, II must not let him see
me snufing."
"But suppose he hears that you
snuff"
"You are right must drop the hab
it till at least after we are married"
Taking lacquered box from his
pocket, he handed it to Gertrude, tell
ing her to keep it till after the we'd
ding, at the same time promising her
that he would not buy another or more
snuff till they had been married.
Now. Watherspoon was poor as a
church mouse and was obliged to work
his way through college, which he did
by giving so much Of his time as he
could spare from his studies to tai
low chandler. Gertrude, on the con-
trary, was the only child and heiress
to what was then large fortune. Nat.
urally the young man was 10th to lose
his sweetheart and did not relish losing
the fortune she would bring him.
Watherspoon worked hard all winter
both at his studies and pouring melted
tallow into candle molds After a few
weeks he found that he could get on
very well without snufing and assured
Gertrude that there would be no trou
BILE for them on that score. He even
declared that taking tobacco into ones
nose was a filthy habit, and he would
never resume it, which was, of course
very pleasing to her.
A new convert is always an enthusi
astic convert. Walter, having thrown
of the shackles of bad habit, callei
the attention of his friends to its dis
agreeableness to others than the snuff
er. Why should one pause while chat
ting with another to cram nasty pow
dered weed into his nose, making dis
gusttng noise through his nostrils ant
leaving his nose smeared with tobacco
His friends listened deferentiallY t.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
IheGuiltyM
By Nj. QUAD
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

was not tramp, but l had to be-
come the next thing to one in a sense.
With my having been i'll and out of
work for months, with my being penni
lesa and seedy and discouraged, with
my asking for meal here and bed
there as l tramped the highways be-
tween London and Liverpool, no one
could be blamed for sizing me up as
professional" and treating me accord
ingly.
One night, in the county Of War
wick, I came upon a farmer who had
neither wife nor children, but was
living alone on his small holding. His
/ He was Holborne, and, though gruff
~ first, he finally gave me hearty
supper and the privilege Of passing
the night in his barn. When supper
was finished and he had heard my
story, ne offered me pipe, and We
sat at his door and smoked and chat
ted for an hour. 1t was agreed that
should turn to next morning and work
with him in his fields for half month.
While we were chatting, neighboring
farmer named Saunders came up and
halted for five minutes, and two others
passed on the highway and saluted
Holborne with a good evening. 1t was
10 o'clock before l went to the barn,
and, being tired and sleepy, was soon
In dreamland. How long had slept
when was awakened by the sound OF
voices in anger, I could not say, but
heard what seemed to be quarrel be-
tween Holborne and another man. The
voice Of the other was high pitched
and had a catch In it. 1t was not a
stammer, but q sort of gasp, as If
catching his breath. I was not fully
<aroused. nor did the quarrel continue
lcag.
1t was sunrise next morning when
woke and turned out. The house was
only about five rods away, and after
looking about to see If Holborne were
In sight l moved along to the house
His dead body was on the grass before
the open door. He had been struck OF
the head with a club and killed by .
single blow. was upset by the dis
covery. as you may believe. Afte1
touching his face and finding it cold
started of on the run for the neares
farmhouse, half a mile away. Th,
farmer was milking his cow, and hi!
wife was preparing breakfast, but they
returned with me at once, and othe1
;. neighbors were called, and a boy wa
!. sent of to the nearest police station
told my story to the people, and al
believed me, as why should they no
when Saunders was among them? An,
yet when the police came their yer.
first move was to arrest me as tn
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

murderer A tramp had passed the
night in the barn. OF course the tramp
had murdered the farmer.
If you agree that the police were
asses you will agree that the others
were fools. No sooner was charged
with the murder than all turned
against me. Saunders suddenly re-
membered that our conversation was
heated as he came up. The two who
passed by thought they heard me use
threatening language. A farmer whom
had not seen at all the evening be-
fore claimed to have come near enough
to the house to have heard me ask
Holborne for the loan Of f2. l was an
gered. but not frightened. asked the
police to investigate my bed on the
straw. and they found it still warm. l
asked them to look through the house,
and they found nothing disturbed.
asked them to note that the body was
cold, and the doctor who was sum-
moned said that life had been extinct
for seven or eight hours.
was examined by a magistrate,
who said / would no doubt get my
just deserts, and the police made no
move whatever to find another party.
Even the jailer and the turkeys
chuckled over the hanging that must
result. told Of having heard the
quarrel, but they said lied. told
Of the arrangements made to 60 to
work for Holborne in the morning,
but they smiled in derision.
| was almost ready for the assiZes
and the hanging when person, whose
Identity do not know to this day and
who must have been moved by spirit
the lawyer money to work with. Presto
change! Why, born fool could have
picked up the threads Of the case and
cleared me. Within six hours after
had told the lawyer Of the quarrel and
the man with the catch in his voice
they had the murderer spotted. His
name was Jamison, and the quarrel
was over the lease of the farm, and
the club with which he had delivered
the blow, having lost his temper, but
not meaning to kill, was found in his
house. More than that, he broke down
and made full confession, and when
the assizes came on he stood in the
dock in my place. Nevertheless, ir
setting me at liberty the judge did II
grudgingly and with warning that
my crimes must sooner or later find
me out, and l was scarcely clear OF
the courtroom when the Inundated
and chagrined police overhauled me-
and said:
1T is just possible that you did mo-
commit this crime, but only because
somebody else got ahead of you. W.
know you had planned to do it and arr
a dangerous man to be roaming about
and if you are not outside the county
by sundown you shall be run in OF
suspicion!''
Jamison was hanged for the killing
and long confession was left in writ
ing over his own hand, but there wer'
scores Of people who still believed tina
1.-The tramp had something to do /,
some wav with that murder.
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
The Doctoro Prescription.

Inc O0SSoTO VtOScTtpTUoOs
OF historical interest is the emblem
found on every prescription written by
a physician, consisting Of the letter r
with thin line across the tail at an
acute angle. According to historians, it
had its origin in the ancient custom Of
allowing the stars to dominate every
day incidents of life. The R thus mark
ed is said to have been the emblem used
by the ancients to designate the su-
premacy Of Jupiter. Therefore It seems
probable that some chemist Of ancient
days gave prescription or a recipe to
some patient and wrote upon it the en-
blem Of the planet then in the ascend
ancy, which happened to be Jupiter.
This emblem has come down to the
present time and Is always used. In a
more modern sense It stands for a
recipe, or an order or instruction to
take something. Literally construed.
recipe means take" or take thou"
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
1olstoy'o Intensity,

Everything in TOlst0y's character,
says Russian writer, attains titanic
proportions. "As 4 drinker he absorbed
fantastic quantities Of liquor. As 4
gambler he terrified his partners by
the boldness Of his play. Az q soldier
he advanced gayly to bastion' four, the
bastion Of death at sevastopol, and
there he made dying men laugh 1T his
witty sayings. He surpassed every
one BY his prodigious activity IN sport
as well a. In literature"
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

Why Ammonia Cleans Clothes,
Ammonia, the great spot remover of
the American people, is really 4 gas
dissolved In water. It belongs to the
alkan family, and on account Of its
mineral origin is the foe Of all oils and
grease, which explains the easy way
Il 0aposes Of spots that soap and wa
toe cannot affect
Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29

where they will spend Thanksgiving
with Mr.. and Mrs. o. q. Benson.
Sunday school st ten O'Clock and SER
vices at eleven o'clock next Sunday
morning at the Ebenezer church. On
Thanksgiving eve services will be held
at eight o'clock. Rev. John HedbeeE Of
Minneapolis will speak at this service.
pastor.