davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30

Hardly five seconds had passed since
the last gasp of Louie solomon. so fast
does a man think under such a stress.
when the P~earlhunter threw the mask
down by the body and turned to steal
back up the hill.
up with 'emr"
He whirled; stared; slowly raised
his hands. It's one thing TO face odds;
quite another to face certain death.
Behind the three black muzzles poking
out through the bushes glowered the
truculent bearded faces of Louie Solo
mons three rover
Grim as the three Fates. they stalked
toward him. Two of them kept him
covered. while the third plucked the
revolver from his pocket and dropped
ii into his own. After that he bent
owe the body OF Ills master; touched
his face; lifted a hand laid II across
his breast. He picked up the red mask
and snarled around at the others. The
others growled swore; and the Pearl
hunter fancied the revolvers pointed
Ill HlIII u niue SlTutSHt'f, a iltllC hiotC
vindictively. Ii was nrt the first time
these three had faced the Red Mask.
He had long been their particular
nightmare. 1t was the first time they
had seen him with his mask off, and
with empty hands.
The one kneeling by the bouy
seemed to he the leader. He felt care
fully inside the pocket where the pearl
had been pinned; searched the other
pockets: felt carefully over the cloth
ing. He rose after the fruitless search
and faced the ~Pearlhunter.
"Where ISIS 1T"
The P%earlhunter shook his head
With a snarIed word Of Yidd,sh.
doubtless a curse. and a flourish os
his clenched hand that came uncoIu-
forrably close to the young mans
face. the jew began 10 search him
pockets: hens: waist-band; socks:
wen his hatband. ears and hair. az
course the search again proved fruit
less. The Jew drew his revolver.
cooked II. and thrust 1t into the Pearl
hunters face.
"Whern lisa I'll"
The bearded lips were drawn ~
tense that the yellow teeth were hare.
The PearIhunter knew the yellow
teeth meant exactly what they seemed
10 mean. Louie Solomon's three
guardsmen had a reputation along the
Wabash. The reward for the Red
Mask was the same whether dead or
alive. Still. his death would moi bring
rhem any neprer finding the pearl. lie
mined his hope there. and shook his
head.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30
New Year Kissing
Customs
2,
Saluting the Parish Pump
THEl,E has always been a close
and mystic association of kiss

"HEltE has always G a close
and mystic association of kiss
ing with the New Year. Ev- ry
lover. II circumstances permit, thus
salutes his sweetheart al the dawn Of
the New Year-and some lovers are
not particular whose sweetheart she
Is that they thus salute on this aus
picinus occasion.
There Is an ancient kissing custom
associated with a parish church In
Lancashire. The legend Is that any.
one who at the first stroke of mid.
night kisses the keyhole Of the church
door. and then runs right round the
edifice In time TO kiss the keyhOle he
fore the last stroke of the hour. is GER
tain OF good luck during the whole Of
the year.
II requires a certain amount of
nerve 10 enter this country churchyard
at the dead Of night. ever for such a
purpose. hut hath II that no
new year Is born without someone es.
saying the race round the church. The
distance rs such that II Is impossible
for more than n person to thus court
a years tuck.
C~hurchyards have always been favo-
rite places for New Year oscillations.
In the Wensleydale district. In days
gone ny. all and sundry could kiss
without scandal" on New Years eve
In the porch of the church.
II was largely awaited of. too, for
Il II on record that the accommoda.
ton fell lnmentahly short Of the de-
mand. and consequently there was
even squeezing than kissing-if
that were possible. y
A somewhat gruesome kind Of
churchyard kissing used TO obtain
among the RasQues of the Pyrenees
on New Years eve. II was the custom
for the maidens 10 Their repair to the
churchyard. and on their fingers watt
Kisses to the four quarters of the uni
verse.
A kiss was supposed to brush their
lips on return. and II u was warm n
Indicated that they would marry and
be happy ever after. On the other
hand. II h kiss was cold and NJ the
earth earthly. the Inference was that
single "hiessedness" would ne their LOT.
The only mems by which the omen
could ne broken was by repairing to
the church and kissing the church he'll.
gravesrone and . piece Of coffin
wood. This remedy was very fire.
Qnently resorted to: and SO supersti.
tious were the BASQUE maidens thnt
hut for the consolation afi orded some
Of them would have lost their reason.
In these degenerate days the lot of
the mayor Of Durfnm In far happier
than thrf Of his predecessors ii, "a.
cient times. n tradition &c ne relied
on the chief magistrate war then ur-
der on obligation to kiss the arst COW
the first sheep and the first DIG
brought into the FIRST market OF the
New Year.
This went On until Il occurred to Z
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30
v WITH 'EM!"

Synopsis.-Never having known
mother on a ~houseboat on the
Wabash river. Pearlhunter-the
only name he has-learns from
her a part OF the story OF her sad
life. He meets a young girl
whom he mentally christens the
Wild Rose. She eludes him be-
fore he can make her acquaint-
ance A vacant cabin on the
shore has attracted the attention
OF the ailing woman. and they
move into IL. Their first meal 10
interrupted by the Man-in-the-
Fancy-vest. Pearlhunter strikes
him. Gunplay threatens. The
mother dramatically drives the
intruder away. She says he 10
the other Man" whom she has
not seen for 20 years. They find
a red mask dropped by the Other
Man. That night Pearlhunter
finds the Blue Moon. a great
freshwater pearl. His mother
dies without revealing his ia
theirs name. Pearlhunter and the
Other Man meet in the VILLAGE;
a pistol fight Is narrowly averted
Pearlhunter believes him to be
the Red Mask criminal Pearl
hunter rescues Wild Rose from
the Other Man and meets Wild
Man, her father. He Is a man of
culture. crazed from conclusion
OF the brain, the result OF an at
tack by wearing a red
mask. Nobody knows his iden-
tity: he Is known at the post Of
fee simply as Box 20. Pearl
hunter proposes that he sell the
Blue Moon and send for a sur
geon to operate. Wild Rose
agrees. Pearlhunter sells the
Blue Moon for 5000 to Louie Solo
mon.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30

resourceful occupant Of the mayoral
chair 10 interpret the custom IA reiat-
ing TO the first three market women,
and hencefOrward they were the re-
~cipients Of the New Year kisses until
he ancient custom vanished alto
gether.
II Is much TO be feared that the
abuse of kissing customs has been
largely responsible for their falling
into dlsuse. though some of them ara
certainly nor honOred In the breach
than IN the observance.
One such. which used TO obtain In
O~xfOrdshire, concerned the tenants OF
certain estates which they held on
condition that on New Years morning
or paid a drink fine to the assembled
populace.
As might be supposed. the tenants
almost Invariably preferred to pay the
fine. hut IL Is on record that one mis-
guided. close-fisted individual actually
kissed the pump In order to keep the
fine In his pocket.
lHc puI,uihCe were 10 NlSgUSteU at
his ann and Infatuated at the
loss of the liquor that they held him
under the pump and pumped the wa
ter on him until he was almost washed
away.
The exchange Of drink for kisses
was. In the bad old days. a not infre-
quent New Years day practice In pub
lie houses. where II sometimes led to
rows and riots among the frequenters.
AT u hosiery I'm the metropolis
II was the custom for the landlord 10
hand out to every member Of the sp-
posite sex who called before the hour
of noon OF New Years day a measure
Of ale In exchange for o kiss.
What the landlords better half
thought OF this proceeding report say
eth not.
At another London public house Il
used TO be permissible for the frst Gus
TONER on New Years morning "a kiss
the barInaid by way of paying for his
liquor. But only the FIRST was entitled
to this privilege, and any subsequent
caller who presumed to pay In this
fashion had I forfeit half n crown to
the barmnid. One astute Hrbe 20, her
sweetheart TO call first and mu,cted
several later callers OF the customary
half crow In the course of the morn
Ing.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30
Obe
Blue Moon
a Tale of the FlatWoods

much the pearl had brought. One Of
the crowd. a lanky, one-eyed fisher
man, sidled up to the PearIhunter.
"Y'u got II. didn't y'uY"
The P~earlhunter was too slow, and
the little jew answered for him.
Course he got II. What chance a
pore devil pearl buyer got NIT de
whole town against i'm 7"
That statement, or one like II, was
what the crowd had been waiting for
The tension q over. The finding and
selling Of the famous EN-, the most
valuable pearl ever "h'isted' along the
Wabash. Was now history-Flatwoods
chucked his hat up In the air and
yelIed-a lusty cheer, In which the
crowd Joined. One would have thought
that each man there had sold a Blue
Moon-or found one.
The P~earlhunter felt a good deal as
the crowd seemed to feel-a l%oosening
of the tension. For that matter. the
fat little buyer seemed to feel some
thing Of the same relief. Caught up In
the crowd. both buyer and seller were
swept across the road and into the ex.
pectant door Of the Mud Hen.
The PearIhunter had just twenty-five
dollars and twenty-seven cents IN ms
pocket. He had counted II that MORN
ing while waiting for Louie Solomon TO
come. II was the last cent after pay
Ing his mothers funeral expenses. He
threw a pocket-worn twe~nty-dollar bill
on the bar and motioned TO the crowd.
make 1t good whisky" he said. mo
squirrel goes this round"
He couldn't have made a better
speech for the occasion. The crowd
cheered. The little Jew said some
thing, but II couldn't be heard. The
bartender set out a long row of glasses.
The river men grew suddenly quiet
with the gurgle of the filling.
Each man picked up a glass and
stood waiting until every other man
was served. The crowd was too occu-
pied TO notice II, but the P~earlhunter's
knees were fairly shaking under him
his face set and pale. He was about
to do the hardest thing he had ever
tackled in his life, even harder than
mentioning money to the Wild Rose.
He picked up his glass; set 1t Town
pushed II back.
"Water for miuel"
To a man, the crowd whIrled and
stared. Louie Solomon swore.
"Vot iss !" he said. "You make II
foolishness?"
NO" was the slow answer. 'I'm
off this for keeps"
"H-lW growled the one-eyed fisher
man. "Since't when did y'u quit?"
"YeSterday-about shutdown"
He raised his glass and clinked with
Louie ~Solomon-the a%ristocratic bour-
bon against the Flatwoods spring-and
drank the celebration of his great day
/. in a glass of water The others were
too busy just then. or cared too little
TO press the point, or take the trouble
70 wonder Just what and what all he
meant by ''yesterday-about shutdown. ;"
Louie Solomon set his glass down
with a hang.
"Ilimmel! Dot don'dt shtruck hot.
tom yet. II vas all soaked UP in mine
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30

throat Already. Fill 'em up ag'in. all
hands roundt. Uhdt dis one iss on
Louie.
.Where iss mine friendt vot trim
from me twenty-t'ree dollarf" Louie
asked. feeling his vest pocket. as he
had done probably a score OF times
since crossing the street.
"Oh. he up the Yellow branch
this afternoon to look at some timber
options" the bartender answered,
''Tell I'm mebbe he rome by de camp
t'night undt gin me chance to git II
hack my twenty-t'ree do'sar."
"l'll tell him when he comes In"
the bartender wiped OF the bnr. The
Pearlhunter was already out on the
sidewalk. where the Jew soon Joined
him. and they walked together down Ia
the white skin. The three overs were
still In their places. glum as their em
Ll0yer was volublA-
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30
VII.
The Face In the Draft.

The banker brought back the plush
case and set itldown on the table. The
Jew took out his check book and be-
gan to write.
The Pearlhunter never could re-
member the thoughts that came ever
him AT that high moment Of his life.
For all he could recall. there were no
clear thoughts at adjust a %loosening
OF the throat; a relaxing of the
muscles. as II he had dropped a load
under which he had beer straining.
He didn't know II, but the old banker
was watching him. The old. embar.
RAISING question-what nam TO write
in the check-brought him back out
of the haze. He noticed that the
Jews hand trembled as he wrote. II
was an odd trile to notice. but II was
the n thing he could afterward
clearly recall.
The check. made out to "P%earlhunt-
err" was In his fingers! Five thou
sand dollars-in words. and big plain
figures! II was the first check he had
ever owned-the first one he had ever
seen. He was stu reading II. puz.
yling e II. when the banker grasped
his hand. The banker shaking hands
with himl This was his dayI
"May ] have the money on thisT"
"Why. my dear bow" the banter nm
swered, laughing. and slapning him on
che shoulder, 'there isn't that much
cash In the hank"
That was q new one on the Pearl
hunter. Tie had supposed a hank had
"a IN vaults unlimited loads of money
"Uhar will I do?"
"YOu ran draw part Of II, and de
posit che rest To your credit"
All 81 which was a foreign language
to the pearlhunter.
"I didn't want to use any Of the
money" he finally managed 20 say. ~
dat exnect 70 spend n cent Of II for
--you know--smail Matters. expect
to leave II righr here TIL I ran spend
II for something-well-hig. just
wanted to show n 70 ATTEND"
"You might show your-friend the
check." The banker stole n glance NJ
Solomon gloatinr openly over the gem
now that the deal was closed. "No."
ne continued. there's a better
safer. he WINS about TO shy. hut didn't
way than that. Why not deposit
the check and take out n draftg"
aDraftf WHAT'S that?"
The old banker reached his fingers
up through his hnir and studied the
man before him. Sitting down nj his
desk. he wrote rapidly for a moment.
'This IL a draft" he said. handing
over the slip he had heen writing on
and taking the check In exchange. ut
IL as good az gold anywhere. at any
bank. any time. Show II { your
friend. and I suggest that you after.
ward bring II back TO the hank and
deposit II. ! will then give you a
check book and show you how to use
It."
The PearIhunter read the paner
over with curious interest. put II In
the big. formidable envelope the hank.
er gave him for the purpose. and hut.
toned II away In IN inside pocket of
his blouse.
The little Jew had by this time put
the Blue Moon hack In the plush case.
put the case IN his yes pocket. and
pinned ur the pocket.
ssHimmel he grunted. turning
away from the tauie. 'You pearl fish,
ers iss nil cr1,zy. I'D gif Il to you a
tsousan' more"
~ got my price,"
~Undf dots more M anybody gnt II
vt from Louie Solomon"
He chucklrd al she way a. thc door
4 small crowd waited outside, No
hcdv KNOWS how news lenks out In q
snsip sowr Net ! man but knew how
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30
A NEW YEAR, WISH.

To those my friends who hold me dear,
! wish great Joy throughout the year.
To other friends. who like me less,
A full ten months Of happiness
For such ~ like me not n all
! hope they'll have good lux til fan
Iris.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-30

(To BE c~oNrINUEDl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
CrackerFans Shriek Their DisapproUal at 7eamManager
and Chattanooga Split Twin Bill-Great Disorder

Atlanta, Ga, May S.-Chattanooga and Atlanta divided double-header here today. the Crackers taking the first to 1 and the Lookouts the sec ond to 2. The first game was re- plete with snappy fielding by both teams and was won when. Atlanta punched hits off Marshall in the first inning.
 The second game was marked by errors and was delayed for about ten minutes in the fourth inning while the spectators roared their disapprovai of Pitcher Ledbetters being taken out fo. a pinch hitter. Police could do nothing to stop the rain of bottles and cushions that showered the field and here and there men shouted for the umpire to take advdptage of the de- lay and forfeit the game to Chatta7 no0ga.
 Ledbetter had been Litching wonder ful ball in the face of heart-breaking support and the fans resented his be- ing removed When Mittwede batted for him and flied weakly to center the crowd roared it's delight and the dis order broke loose. After time the game started again and for about an inning every time a Chattanooga player handled the ball he was greeted with a roar of applause. Score:
 FIRST GAME
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
R H F.
Field Games In
 South America
 Coming Popular
By Associated Press

New York, May S.-With the probabil- ity of teams representing some of the South American republics being sent to compete in this years Olympic games at Antwerp, Belgium. the growing interest ir track and field athletics in south America was considerably stimulated on April g, 24 and 25, when teams from Chile, Uruguay and Argentina met at Santiago, Chile, in what is known there as the South American Olympic games. The Chiians won by total score of G1 points against 4S for Uruguay and 20 for Argentina
 While they were not strictly Olympic games, inasmuch as the first interna- tional contest of this kind was held. last year between Uruguay and Chile and it is planned to hold contests annually, they have been so designated by the news papers as they correspond, in character to the four-year international Oympads tEat are held in the northern hemisphere or Europe
 The initial South American internation- al track contest in April 1919. was held in Montevideo and resulted in a victory for Chile by a score of 64 points to IT. Argentina declined to enter the contest, but this year her national athletic or ganization decided to send team.
 While the records made last year do rot approach, in most instances, those that have been scored at the interna- tional Olympiads or by North American club and college athletes, it must be borne in mind that track athletics in South America are practically in their infancy. The Latin-American athletes have not yet had the advantages of the scientific training developed in the north- ern hemisphere, That the South Amer ican athletes are improving in their track form is shown, however, by the fact that new records were established in three events. The records, they stood at the close of the games at Santiago Chile, last month are follows:
 Shot-put (Chile9, 37 it. 619 in
 Notwithstanding (Chie), 150 it, 71a in.
 200 meter hurdles (Chile), 26 los
 Standing high jump Uruguay, 4 it. 71s in.
 SC0-meter run Uruguay). m. AS S.
 4oo-meter hurdles (Chile>, 59 1-5 s.
 Hammer-throw Uruguay). 106 it. 9 in.
 1,500-meter run (Chie), 4 m, 29 2-5 s.
 400-meter dash (Chie), 52 2-5 S.
 Pole cault (Chile), 10 it. in.
 1l0-meter hurdle (Chile) F S.
 10.0N-meter run Uruguay. g m. 57 S.
 Dscus-throw (Chile), 116 it. in.
 1.e0o-meter relay (4-men teams, Chile), m. p9 S.
 2eo-meter dash (Uruguay), % 2-5 s.
 lOJ-meter dash (Chile>, 19 4-5 s.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
St. Louis Wins In II Innings From the Reds
NATIONAL LEAGuE

St Louis, May S.-St. Louis defeated Cincinnati, to 1, in an eleven-innins game here today, The winnig run was scored singles by Lavan and Ciemons and Smiths long fly tc Roush. Ring forced over the tying run in the nlnth, when he walked smith. sending Fournier home. Manager Moran of the champions was sent to the clubhouss in the eleventh by Umpire Rigler for arguing when Rigler refused to allew Groh to take his base after he claimed he had been hit on the hand by pitched ball Score; k. H. E. Cincinnati ... 100 100 coz 00-4 ST. Louis ... 900 O20 oil 01-5
 Batteries: Ring and Rariden, Schupp, Jacobs and Clemons.
 CHICAGO DEFEATS PITTSBURG
 Pittsburg, May S.-Chicago defeated Pittsburg today, 1 to 1, but not until Vaughn tripied to left center in the nInh inning. while the bases were full and the score stood to 1. The locals scored their run on a pass to Whittel and errors by Vaughn and Holocher. killifer was put out of the game by Umpire Emslie for protesting the de- cision which allowed the Pittsburg run, Score; R. H. E. Chicago ......... 010- 900 0O8-4 Pittsburg ....... 900 001 00o-1 Q
 Batteries Vaughn and Killifes OFarrel, Hamilton and Schmidt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
GLEASON FAILED TO
 RATTLE THIS PITCHER
So Manager Tried Right Hard Get Next to Deaf and Dumb Player--Good First Baseman Es-
 sentia to Infield
By JAMES J. CoRBETT

or unsteadies it. If he's a great fielder and gets the ball no matter where the boys toss it, it gives the whole infield a great amount of confidence, The other three men take all sorts of chances to make put-out with throws from any old a!.gle when they've got a great first base- man on the receiving end.
 But if the first sacker poor, it makes a world of difference. The other three in fielders, feeling that the throw must be perfect, set themselves before tossing. By doing that they lose a secondhand a sec ond in baseball sometimes is the differ CT ce between defeat and victory
 Every, batsman knows a 'jinx" twirler some moundsman who can baffle him in every start. A recent instance of this which has come to light concerns Ray Chapman of the Indians.
 Since 1915 Mel Gallia of the Browns has allowed me only two safetes," con- fesses Chapman "I can clout the other boys with fair success, but not Gallia."
 Mogridge of the Yankees long has been the stumbling block for Ty Cobb.
 T guess my grand batting average against that bird figures about .0s1, said Cobb, Every time he goes against me I might just as well put my bat in the old bat bag. It's useless against him. If I had to hit against Mogridge as a regular thing, I'd be out of baseball in two weeks"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-09
PRELIMINARIES IN BRITISH GOLF MEET
 PLAYED IN IRELAND

Newcastle. County Down, Ireland, May s.-A chance of seeing the golfing form of two American entrants in the British ladies golf championship tournament, which begins next Tuesday, was afforded spectators of the preliminary matches yesterday between married and single women. Mrs. C. II. Vanderbeck, Amer ican, was drawn against one of the most formidable Irish players. Miss Jackson, and was defeated Mrs VanderbecS to whom the course was new. played a good game. and it is considered only necessary for her to become familiar with the course to bring her into her usual form
 Miss Marion Rollins, the only othey American competition with her tremenA, dous drives, easily defeated Mrs. Hull ton, of Ireland who was runner-up for championship honors in 1911.
 Heavy showers and a strong wind, all ternated with brilliant sunshine during the match.