davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

cliff. Trembling in his embrace she yielded to him. Trustingly she heard how he would come back to her and forever they would live in the hills. With his passionate kisses burning on her red lips she watched the big car roll away to the north. From early dawn until the glittering stars sparkled in the opal skies Wanda sat by the trail watching, waiting for her lover to return. Wild with grief, believing with rage, Sam Hawkins, Wanda's fa- ther and squaw man, with his Plute wife went to the Indian agent on the reservation. They demanded that he find the handsome stranger who had ruined his daughter. This official smiled and wrote a letter to the ad- dress they gave him. In the Spring Wanda with the child at her breast, sat on the slope of Harmony Ridge watching the roadway for the glitter ing automobile. One day the agent
 sent for Sam and showed him a letter
 in which Howard Harrington denied
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

windows appeared to be locked tight ly. The officer walked around the house shooting his flash light in the dark corners of the porch and out buildings. He tried the front door and started back step as 1t swung open to his touch. He stepped in the dark hall. A rush of icy air swept past him slamming the door shut and he heard the spring lock snap to place. A bleod-curdling scream echoed through the bleak house. With creaking hinges door opened to his right and a gaunt, ghostly figure swept out to- wards him. One wild look and he saw the grinning skull and shrank in ter TOT as the bepy fingers clawed at his coat. A white, phosphorescent glow followed the figure as it foated in the thin air. O'Malley sank to the dutsy floor in crouching heap. His legs refused to hold him as the sweat poured from every pore of his big body.
 Give me rest. Give me rest" walled the shrill voice of the rattling bony figure. Mechanically the policeman reached for his gun and fired at the ghost. As the gun roared out, the pink flame piercing the blaekness the trailing figure uttered 9 howl of rage
 doated down the hall and disappeared
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
The Girls Retribution

ry beautiful heiress and the wedding was to be social event unequalled in brilliancy and lavish expenditure of money. Florists and decorators spent days in preparing for the nuptials.
 AS the glittering array of gowns slowly came down the church aisle with the organ and hired orchestra pealing forth triumphant wedding march the vast assemblage of society's elite arose as the bride leaning on the arm of her father walked to the altar rail. Accompanied by his best man Howard Harrington proceeded from the Vestry door to meet his bride to be. The solemn words of the vested priest intoned throughout the church.
 "If any person knows why this man and woman should not be joined in holy matrimony let them now speak or forever hold their peace"
 With wild cry of fear Howard reeled back from the railing, for facing him with a babe in her arms stood the shade of Wanda. Her soulful face
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
The Morningstar Murder

A second trip to the buyer put Mo Nabb in touch with the downtown house handling the foreign-made bags. The buyer there confirmed the de- partment store mans statements about the constant trouble with the imported goods. He said he expected the Au
 strian manufacturer to be in America in the near future, McNabb went out on routine city work and awaited de- velopments. The buyer of the import ing house agreed to let him know when the Austrian arrived. The detee- tive was in the outer offices when he called on the importing firm. When he left his hotel that evening McNabb was ehadowing him at every step. He took hotel cab, McNabb following with g cab driver he often used for such trips. Reaching a house on the east side of the city the cab stopped. The driver of the police car stopped hun dred yards behind and extinguished his lights. Next to the house was a drug store of the old style pharmacy order. McNabb noted the German name over the door. Slipping up quietly he saw the Austrian first try
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

the remains were buried at the County Farm.
 Poor soul, 1t wanted decent burial, that's alI,' said the professor to the reporters People scoff at the ghost idea, but these spirits can not forget the home they had on earth and will not pass until the old temple is laid at rest"
 The professor had turned down his study light preparing for bed when he looked around quickly as the hall door was slowly opening. The bent figure of an old man glided in. The profes- sor was startled, as no one had rung the bell and he was sure the household were all in bed. The old man glided up to the study table and sat down. Noiselessly he reached for pen and wrote. Professor Mitchell did not speak, for he knew he was in the pres ence of the dead. There was the snap of metal as the electric light popped out. A rustic of wind. The odor Of
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

the door of the house and then evi- dently realizing some mistake enter the drug store. By peering through the window the detective saw him talk ing to a short, red-haired man, also of the foreign type. The druggist got his coat and hat and came out driving away with the foreigner. MeNabb's cab followed. A dozen blocks to the further East Side, they weaved through the traffic.
 The cab drew up before four-story tenement house and the man entered. Silently McNabb crept in the dingy hallway and heard them going up the creaking stairs, He heard door open and shut on the floor above. Tiptoeing up the stairs he saw beam of shroud- ed light coming over a transom of a room door. He could see that either papers or cloth had been draped oyer the glass of the transem to keep any one from looking in. As he leaned near the door the voices inside were plain enough, but the conversation was all in German and he could not un- derstand a word. Remembering the cab driver was a German student at
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

the woods and was almost killed. He got well, all but the badly injured leg and it did not mend. The woman thought of the man, then the horse and plunged into the gray sea, more like a wilderness of vapor than any thing else, Her heart was beating wildly, but after while she felt she was safe on the road.
 It matters not just how she went or where she went or how she got there, for it was in her days travel. From time to time her youthful mother lips prayed for the sick baby. What pray CTS they must be, so devotional, so sure of beautiful faith in one to care when mother can't. Then when she felt the assurance of her natural Pro- tector in that wilderness, her horse stopped. She urged 1t forward, but it did not move.
 T am off the road, know" she walled" This is horse sense." She got out and went ahead. True, she had driven into fence corner, and did not
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

as blind as herself and all the instinct which horses are credited with having in the dark was not highly developed in the blinded animal she was driving. She now knew she could not get to town and 1t was foolish to think she could. She got into the buggy and drove on. How far she went or where she went, she did not know. If any thing the day was darker and driz- zling rain fell. Presently voice sounded right by the buggy. "Can you tell me where I ann" it exclaimed.
 She laughed slightly. Can you tell me where I am?" I have been lost for hours. am after the doctor. My ba- by Is sick2"
 "Well, I am no doctor and my ma chine is over an embankment close by here and you'll be over it too, unless you walk as I am doing. Let your horse go If you don't want to be killed, and maybe we can find way out"
 For a second she mistrusted the
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

up the stairway. The bullet tore a big hole in the wall. 0'Malley heaVed to his feet and pulled at the front door. It would not budge an inch. Frantic ally he jerked at the rusty lock watch Ing over his shoulder for the white ghost whom he could now hear wailing 1n the upper rooms. Trembling in ev- cry limb he shot through the panels of the door. The shots were heard bv Mccarthy on the beat who ran to the house and battered down the door to rescue his comrade.
 Professor Mitchell of the West Side University was greatly interested in the newspaper accounts of the police mans experience. He asked the po- lice department to allow him to stay in the house alone at night. Hardly had he closed the front door when the ghosts flew at him with me cry ef- Rest, rest, give me rest"
 Undaunted by the weird cries of the
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

murmured, taking in every detail of the superb figure of the Indian girl Flushing under his bold look Wanda turned to run back in the brush when the lady called to her. The soft voice made her pause.
 Come here. dear, I want to talk to you"
 Shyly she walked to the side of the car A white, gloved hand reached out to her. She put her little brown one in 1t, The lady asked the girl num- Der of questions about the section tell ing her they wanted to camp for while and that their baggage auto was following.
 Strolling about the camp grounds while the servants prepared the camp for the night Howard Harrington thought about the pretty half-breed girl of the morning. Standing at the edge of the clearing he saw her coming back from school. He walked down to the Harmony Trail to intercept her. For half mile he walked towards her home with her. Wide-eyed, half fright ened, the fawn-colored maiden listened in wonderment to his smooth, polished speech and blushed furiously when he paid her dainty compliments. Every morning he was waiting for her. Tn the afternoon she ran with fluttering heart to meet him in the shadow of the
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

the grave and hissing of indraBn breath. Quickly the professor snapped on the light again. His visitor was gone. The writing on the table read. "I am at rest, I thank you. Give me vengeance. See James Roberts, CleTe- land" As the professor held the pa- per it slowly turned brown, erumpled up and fell like ashes to the floor, but he understood. The next day he talked with Sergeant MacNei. at the Central Station.
 Stoutly Roberts, who live In the house, denied his guilt or any knowl- edge of the dead mans body. They took him to the deserted house and as the party entered the darkness of the front room a brilliant light illuminated the hearth and there stood the old man, his accusing finger pointed al Roberts and then the speeter disap- peared, With gurgling cry, Roberts confessed he had murdered the grand father tc get his money.
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

had been done and the murderers van ished into thin air.
 McNabb retired to his home to think the matter over. He noticed leather handbag belonging to his daughter lying on the dining-room table. It was a peculiar glossy black leather, but beginning to wear at the seams to a dull yellow where the enamel had cracked. Borrowing the bag he went to the department store where she had purchased the article. The buyer said that particular brand of bags were inl- ported to compete with the Morning star leather goods, which were con trolled by New York jobbing house and held for high prices owing to the superior quality. The buyer stated the foreign-made goods were inferior to the Morningstar leather goods and they had continual trouble and com plaints about the foreign-made ones.
 McNabb learned from young Morn ingstar that his father obtained the secret of the glossy enamel from his grandfather and the process would now be lost, as his father had not given him the formula or the secret process.
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

any knowledge of the girls misfortune and through his lawyer demanded that she cease any further reference to him. The next morning ranchers found the dead body of the beautiful half-breed girl with a crushed baby at the foot of Lovers Leap in Rumble Canyon.
 First Lester Merwin declared he saw the Indian girl with her baby sitting on rock by the trail. He called to her and she vanished. Rugby Som mers saw her one morning sitting by the roadside and straining her eyes up the roadway. He passed near by and spoke to her in the Plute tongue. She melted into Yapor and disappeared. Many others saw the sweet-faced child mother sitting along the roadside watching for some one, only to sud denly disappear if approached or spoken to.
 Society papers came out with glar- ing headlines. Howard Harrington son of the wealthy widow, was to mar
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
Going Through With It

VT was early morning. A crippled
 man was sitting before huge fire in an immense kitchen. Plain ly the kitchen was the living room of tho house. His wife, a young woman, wRs preparing breakfast. She was tall and slender, she stepped with an Rlertness not seen in women lacking ambition The quietness of her move ment was merely an instinct not to jar the ragged nerves of the sick man nor waken the baby lying in Its little crib.
 But presently the baby threw out an arm, then moaned. There was short, quick wheeze which warned the wom- an across the kitchen that the baby was sick again, and terror crossed her face, for she was miles from a doctor and had been unable to find the medi- cine she brought home.
 The man exclaimed "0h, my!" then nraned his neck to get a better view of the child. He tossed his head like Rp infuriated beast, for he could not move a step toward the baby. But the
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
By Margaret Taylor

know what corner it was. She re- traced her steps as far as possible, feeling for road and presently came to it. She stood like blind person, trying to pierce the darkness with un- seeing eyes. Not even the glint or out line of the sun was visible. She did not know which direction to take It might lead back home. Then feeling the road again, she was indeed dis mayed, for she was on a dirt road and the one she should have taken was macadamized.
 "I must be in the lane," she moaned. Then after another long search she found her horse and buggy. She pat ted the horse and said: "I'll have to leave it to you to get me to town or back home. Go on!"
 Again the horse stopped and again she got out to find the road. This time her hand touched grass. She must be in 2 pasture Held! How on earth she got in there she did not know. She now knew the horse was
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
By JoelIa Johnson


one time he crept down the stairs and had him come up to the door.
 Outrageous, robbery" said the shrill voice of the Austrian manufac- turer in German, translated the cah man whispering in McNabb's ear. You cheat me. For that little bottle you ask thousands of marks and 1t cost you nothing"
 q got it, didn't I, for you, and now you pay me notl" growled the other.
 "Is 1t the goods right2" asked the Austrian evidently of the little drug gist,
 "It Is right. I analyze 1t good.' said the druggist.
 Gold I pay. sure. But how I know you not tell others how it made is, yes?" the Austrian asked fearfully.
 T stay here no more. You think l kill man for gold and stay where po- lice find me. I go back to Vienna and talk nothing" the man hissed this as if in fear.
 "I go to Germany soon I sell my drug store" said the druggist.
 Gold clinked on the board table Clutching the cab drivers arm McNabl
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

pierced the old mans brain. Then thii man leaned in the window and squeezed the liquid from the sponge ir g bottle he carried and got away. That is why there were no tracks inside or finger marks. The sharp point of the wire scratched the face as he jerked 1t away. This guy is wanted in Au- stria for a dozen bad deals and is in the power of this druggst who helped him get away from the old country. The manufacturer is cousin of tho druggist, so there you are. To know the Morningstar secret meant millionf for the Austrian concern and they stopped at nothing to get hold of 1t The nfahufacturer did not think mur- der would be necessary and he had nc part in planning it, so we will let him go back to Austria, but this prisoner and the druggist will go up the river to await an electric shock from all can see now"
 Chief Mullins sent Miss Mary Mo Nabb a dainty handbag made of Morn, ingstar leather as compliment to her keen daddy. Conrad, junior. found the old formula in note book and was able to continue the work.
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

~oNRAD MoRNINGSTAR, expert
 manufacturer of enamelled
 leather, was found dead in his little workshop. His only son found him lying across a pile of half-inished hides. In his hand, clntched tightly, was the soft sponge used in giving the Gnal gloss to the leather which made the product in such demand for fancy leather goods Police investigation showed the safe had not been tamr- cred with and nothing was missing from the workroom The only mark of violence on tho body was thin stream of blood dried under the left eye. A slight scratch across the cheekbone might have produced the blood stream. Questioned by the off, cers Conrad, Junior, could not recall any enemies of his father or give a motive for the murder. The examin- ing physicians declared the man had been in perfect health when death came suddenly. Nevin McNabb, city detective, was assigned to the case. There was not the slightest clue in way of foot prints, finger prints or any evidence of an intruder. Murder
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

turned to him. The glorious eyes alight with ghostly gleam. Her robes of color brilliant with 8 silver sheen. One fawn colored arm raised and pointed at him, then to the babe at her breast. Bringing in terror Howard backed into the arms of his best man, covering his face with his hands.
 Take it away! Take 1t awayI" he shouted The wedding party looked at each other in amazement The bride to be tainted in her fathers arms. Shrieking, clawing to get away How ard tore through the crowd and ran down the aisle Softly like the melt ing of twilight the figure at the rail faded and was gone. The wedding broke up in disorder.
 Days later trappers saw a wild-eyed. disheveled young man with tattered clothes running along Harmony trail calling for Wanda. Up and down the ridge he ran. At dusk Murphy 0'Day hunting timber wolves saw him racing up the slope crying and waving his
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

woman had the little one in her arms. Its face was hot and flushed, the tiny body twisting in agony. Quiet tears fell down the woman's face, but she hid them from the man. She knew his cup of sorrow was bitter enough. Then-how do they do it, these brave, good npthers?-she smiled and said she would go to town.
 You cant go, Alfreda," protested her husband. Look at the dense fog. No mortal soul could have gone through it yesterday and 1t is no bet ter today. It is almost dark" s
 Well, am going. have little medicine here that will keep her from choking and think I can get to town. I'll move the crib here and leave ev- erything within your reach. Oh" then she suppressed the sob as the baby gasped and fell back into her arms.
 The horse was a new one, had not been over the road but a few times when Garry had his terrible fall in
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
Believe Ii or Not

spectral apparition, the man of science spoke quietly.
 "Rest. my spirit friend, you shall have. Tell me how"
 Floating through the door of the front room the white light went to the fireplace and pointed its Beny hand at the stone hearth. With vail of grief like a perishing human the rat ting bones sank to the floor and dis appeared, leaving the professor in darkness.
 'FVery simple, men," said the profes- sor the next day, directing the work men as they dug up the stone over the hearth. You will find something down there"
 As the iron bars pried up the heavy stone the lanterns showed lying in the accumulated soot and ashes the dou- bled Up, decaying body of a man with a bullet hole in the forehead. It was plainly murder.
 Reyerently with religious services
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

or anything out of the ordinary as might be hoped. He was just an ordi- nary man and by the time he reached safety he had arrived with an appe- tite for substantial meal. He got his dinner, supper, and breakfast the next morning. Then he went after his car. He might have taken the crippled man to town to see the doctor. but he did nothing of the kind. The baby laughed
 and played which was payment enough, and when a neighbor boy brought home the horse and buggy, there Eas more rejoicing.
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

THRILLING like 8 bird, dancing
 over the soft turf, the half
 4 breed girl bubbled with the health of the open. The fires of her primitive ancestors responded to the glory of the western hills and thrilled with joy of life as the perfect human animal, the long black braids shining with gloss of the Indian. The pinkish gray complexion. The sparkling black eyes. Built like gazelle, willowly, clean limbed and sturdy as the sway ing pines on the slope. Wanda stopped on tho Harmony Trail and looked wonderingly at the glittering automobile gliding along the smooth road. Not that cars were novelty to this child of the forest but the gayly dressed tourists attracted her girlish admiration. She was on her way to school in the white building at the fork of the creek. As the big car came near a feminine voice called to the driver to stop. The speaker an elderly woman with white hair and the patri- clan face of the worldly rich had seen the trim little figure on the pathway.
 "oh; look Myron, isn't she pie tutsf A young man smoking cigar cite loillng back in the heavy up- hoistery raised himself up and looked uuizzicallE at the girl by the roadside.
 "some kid, I'll say. mother" he
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20
and thoroughly wv frightened the man rushed in
 fba Central poIina Station

the Central Police Station. Be muttered a jumbled story about seeing ghost in the front yard of house near his home. The cynical, soubting police officers made 8 note of he complaint and sent Reserve Officer Bernard o'Malley to investigate. This policeman was not afraid of anything living or dead. He went with the ter riaed citizen back to the nelghborhood. The man said while he was returning home from hls night shift at the city pumping station the white sheeted fig nre had screamed at him from the front porch of the vacant house and he ran away from the scene fast as he gould to the station. The officer, men tally dubbing the whole story as pos Vibly the result of drink, directed the man to go home and he would inTesti- gate.
 The house was a two-story frame building that had been vacant for Lbout two years. It sat way back in a slump of maple trees. The front yard was weed-grown and the fence broken and delapidated OMalley remem- 9ered when he was on the beat he heard the family living there had aoTed to another city. The doors and
Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-20

A party was surveying on farm when an old man came hurrying out of his house and asked;
 -What arc you doin' hereT
 Surveying was the reply of one of the engineers.
 Surveying for what7"
 For . railroad"
 "Where's it goin'T'
 Right through your barn, I gusss,- laughed the engineer.
 well, now mister, I reckon I've got somethin' to say to that. I want you to understand that I've got somethin' else to do besides runnin' out to open and shut them barn doors every time 2 train wants to go through"