davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Search Most Successful
When He Explored Attics

"But my search was most successful
when confined my attention to attics,
says the doctor.
"NIost Of my finds. and they were
well up in the hundreds. were made in
the antique horsehair trunks and the
old ia shioned chests of drawers which
nestle beneath the caves of nine out or
ten American homes.
"Sometmes. when my researches had
isolated some particularly desirable vol.
ume in such q place. the difficulty would
arise of the refusal of the owner to part
with it for sentimental reasons.
"NIore than once l have been held up
for several years by this sort of thing,
when ] could not find another copy else
where
Some of the novels. especially the
Western ones. have risen in value from
ten cents to many dollars They vary
in price from so to SG2 now, according
to the difficulty in getting them.
"The Grizzly Adams is worth $62
now. and in n short time will be price,
less. The California Joe volumes are
valuable. too.
The character whose exploits form
the central theme of the latter work
was u historical character, DIR. O'Brten
saws, about whom mystery and Ger
tain quality Of unique intrepidity nave
woven veil of legend and romance.
! at is definitely known that he fought
! in the Civil War under an assumed
name" the doctor says. land that his
deeds were Of the sort to gain him fire.
Quent mention. He is known to have
captured q Confederate battery single-
handed.
"The secret Of his identity has never
JTn iS tho Man in tho Iron
Mask of nineteenth century America, u
Iashing. picturesque figure who carried
his life in his hand and seemed to at
tach no Importance whatever to It.
"IIe flashed up and down the Stste
of California like n fiery meteor, and
wherever he went there was sure to be
action and excitement
New York itself. citadel Of COM
merce and stronghold of the matter:o Of
fact. was levied upon by the imagina-
tive novelists of the Beadle school for
situations unrivaled in the domain OF
the dime novel.
Long before o. Henry came out OF
the South to touch its prOsaic towers
and bastions with his magic wand, the
dime novel had invested Manhattan
with a mantle Of delightfully."- mysteri-
Gus adventure and intrigue which, while
parallelcd perhaps by actual conditions
today, was ueNOlu OF lle pia,hhtiy boS
did quality which now forces Itself upon
the attention.
In the pages OF Bcndle's Dime Novel
library moved world of secret plot
and counter plot, mysterious snug
glers, subterrancnn passages, riverside
caves and faces at the window at night.
And through it all thread of In
frangiblc optimism that assured the
breathlcss reader that right, though
temporarily defeated by the villain.
would triumph in the end and that the
final paragraph would find that despic-
able individual breathing his last. -
What dcvotec of paper back litera.
turc, be his locks white as snow and
his memory clOUded with the mists OF
time. can forget that ineffable thrill
which scampcred up and down his spine
when lie sat far into the night reading
Jack IIarkaway in New York. or The
Adventures Of the Travellers Club"2
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Woodrow Wilson Called
Literature Excellent

A moan of horror broke from tho
Ups Of the maiden, and then her orer-
foTcd brain care trGy aud she hung
Hfclcss reiGht across the stumpy
right arm of the outlaW.
DR.. O'Brien's contention that the
dime novel Is endowed with true lit
erary merit has not lacked the con-
drmation of scholars. No less per-
sonage than Woodrow Wilson. when
surprised in the act of perusing one
he was reading literature of undoubted
excellence.
Abraham Lincoln always said that
Mrs Nictor's "Maum Guinea was
vastly superior to "Cncle Toms Cab
iin' as exposition of slave conditions
before the Civil War, and yet that
OF the most perfect compositions in the
English language--cost ten cents and
was rcligiously banished by all thought
ful parents.
Only recently the dime novel found
an added champion in Irwin Cobb,
whose impn nsSioned defense OF that
much -maligned institution pointed out
the indubitabe fact that there was
no taint of sex appeal within its virile
pages. that the problem is banned and
tnat ovcrripc sentiment is conspicuous
Dy Its absence.
AN abundance of action, yes said
Mr.. Cobb in effect. "but all good. clean.
rapid action; and what. after all, ia
nalf so interesting as action?"
,'"Domn" cried Iron 4 be, in a ter
rb'e Doice. "Domn, and feed the
V0iCGuO fresp
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

There was Picnyune Pete; Spitfire
Saul, King of the Rustlers; Iron armed
Abe, the Hunchback destroyer; Black
Sam, the Prairie Thundcrbolt-tha was
a good one and there was Redpath
the Avenger. or the Fair lIuntress of
the Trapping Ground, and. Of course,
the king of them all, the great Dead
wood Dick, the Prince of the Road.
"When / had enough money would
go off and lay in stock of the latest
novels and bring them home and hide
them. After q while ] had so many
that | couldn't hide them any more,
and then | had an interview In the
woodshcd that ! remember yet"
lie paused, while his expression In
dicatcd clearly that his mind ranged
in bygone scenes.
IL was obdurate in my passion for
dime novels he continued, "and moth
ing could make me give them up. so we
finally reached an arrangement that al
lowed me to keep the books, but not to
sit up late reading them.
However, that wasn't until after
ran away. You see, ] was filled with
n longing to go out and live the wild
free life of the boundlcSS west, md
also with q desire 10 get even with my
parents for denying me my greatest
source of enjoyment.
$50 ran away Ethcre was a de,
ridcd twinkle in his eye nOw-'and
started in Il general westerly direction.
1 figured on arriving on the plains in Il
day or so, and starting right In shoot
ing Indians at the right hand OF Pawnee
Joe.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
"You Are Dealing With a Man
Not q DefenseieSs Woman"

"Do not morer' ordered Major
Harrington. from bcfpcen clcnchcd
teeth. "My rerolrer is at gour heart,
and at the slightest eridence OF
treachcry I uiH use it. You are
dealing rith a. man, nor-not o
uedk and defcnSciess momdn" ~
With smart like That Of cild
beast. Cactus Joe slunk into the
night.
Like all things which become both
cheap and plentiful the dime novel.
having had its day. was threatened
with the lack of a loving hand to pre-
serve it. Familiarity. that prolific
breeder of contempt. smothered any
impulse which the public at large may
have felt to save II. Had it not been
for DR.. O'Brien it would doubtless
within a few years have been impossible
to make any collection of dime novels
even approximating completion.
It was sometimes necessary to ndver.
tise widely for certain rare volumes,
and hs found it impossible to pursue his
Investigations without carrying on an
extensive correspondence, not only with
former writer's whose works appeared
under the Beadle banner, but with re-
mote antiquarians and book dealers In
all sections of the country, of whom he
knows hundreds.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

stock, and his early life was that of
tn" pioneer.
But pioneers initiative took diff
ferent turn with young EraStus. lie
conceived the idea Of marking -four
bags with rude printing blocks. which
he carved himself from hardwood. With
these he toured the country, marking
the farmers -four bags and making
money, until he decided to enter the
printing trade, which he proceeded to
learn with characteristic thoroughness.
BY 1852 he owned his own printing
shop.
After a few preliminary experiments
with ten cent handbooks. all of which
have been preserved IN Or. O'Brien )
collection, he launched his great idea
in 1860. The good fortune which at
tended the venture was phenomenal.
II ,cas situation to try the nerre
of any man. but .NOmdWk Nat did
not qudil, faced as he ras tcith orer-
porer'ng odds.
You fcnds" he Kissed. you
/ think 10 drd,c from me some sign OF
despair. but you tciN fdil.'
With a proud gesture he drec him
self erect and looked the hotrlin0
sardges Jull in the eye.
The Civil War proved boon indeed
for the house Of Beadle & Co., for the
diverting and inexpensive dime novels
met the needs of the soldiers for quick
entertainment IN their spare moments.
MiAions were sold and the public de-
manded more.
The period of Western expansion
which followed the war was marked
also by corresponding Western cx-
pansion in the dime novel industry.
Particular efforts were made to OBJ
tain the services of famous hunters.
guides and Indian fighters in order to
satisfy the public demand for the West
ern atmosphere. Bcadle himself made
tn extensive tour of the region beyond
the Mississippi, observing for himself
the life and habits of the citiZenry and
the conditions under which they lived.
OF the above celebrities two were
personal friends of DR.. O'Brirn. With
Buffalo Bill he maintained Il more or
less regular correspondence, begun in
thc pursuance OF his quest for missing
Items OF the BCadlC collection, and
continued in tn" friendship which re-
suited.
Colonel PrcntiSS mgraham. who died
III lool, was an old and valued friend
OF Dr. y Bricn :. The manner Of their
meeting is little less romantic than
those tales (which cmanated 50 profuscly
ana gracefully from III" cOloncl's mind
One day handsome, breezy stranger,
wearing long. flowing muStachr and
an air SmHrking of open places. entered
i'r, hlirIcn' Ollie" for professional
treatment.
The doctor Wa stirred with vague.
halt formed n"hulac Of memory. Th,
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

"My name" he confded with
chucklc, twas to have been Fearless
Frank, the Terror of the Redskins!
"Well, I had eighty cents. but the
ticket agent informed me l didn't have
quite enough to buy ticket with. Ac-
cordingly, I helped myself to place
In vacant box car.
II fell asleep, and was awakened
later to find that the train had started
and that l was locked In. I was in
there about ten minutes when the train
stopped and presently the door was slid
open and large, low -browed person
with n peculiarly brutal countenance
came and kicked me OUT
"HOld uou ScoundreH One step
bevOnd that line and you are dead
man! / hare heard of your insults
to this iGdy, and ] girc you tdir
Warning that their repetition eil re-
sult'm your timely end
'"That cured me-" said DR.. O'Brien.
II was so Inundated ut this experience
that l had no further heart for the
West. Fearless Frank. before whom
the Redskins quail, kicked out OF a
boxclr by brakeman
II went home. utterly detected, but
the welcome ! received soon revived
mo. Then it was that ! was allowed
to keep my dime novels
DR.. O'Brien paused Significantly.
II remarked ! regret now doing
this" he said. "Well, on the occasions
when my father outwitted me l re-
gretted 1t even more keenly.
1.-THE boys in our neighborhood had Q |
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Sickening Thud as Body
Struck the Rocks BeiOU

Quick as flash his tgSty rite
leapcd In his shoulirr. There tcqs
report, wild yell from the barred
tangs of Indian Pete, and the in
trcpid trapper fingered bv the ra-
rineS edge pet a moment ere he heard
the dull, sickcning thud as the body
struck the rocks bclOr.
Even as young man DIR. O'Brien
was imbued with n sense Of the impor-
tanre of the dime novel from literary
point of view.
The basic idea Of the dime novel, Or
O'Bricn contends, was stroke of gem
ius in itself.
"Erastus Bcddle. the originator and
first publisher of the dime novel;" he
says. hit upon the idea of getting out
dollar and half novel for ten cents.
That in itself was n stroke of genius,
and also enough to bring down upon him
the wrath of the other publishers"
The traditional hostility of n great
portion Of the American public, he
thinks. had its origin in this bias of
rival publishers, which in turn was
founded upon Cammcroial motives.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Beudle NOUeliSt Took
Heroes to South America

And still farther afeld ranged the
bounding imagination of the Beadle
novelist. He took his heroes to South
Amcricn. wherc breath taking adven.
lures tran>pircd on the Argentine PAM
pas. lie immurcd his dauntless char
artcrs in the slough of the Florida
Everglades. whore they combated
snakes, Indians and circumstances. He
took them upon the deep and engaged
them with fcrociOus and altogether un-
principlcd pirates.
Nor were the Bcadlc publications
confined to novels. In addition num-
t"r of specialized journals. such as ths
"Dcbatcr," "IIouscwife's Manual"
and "Iadics' Letter WRITER" were
published The firm issued song
book. which iS of particular value in
that II presents compilation Of bal
lads Of a bygonc day. many of which
hay" completely passed beyond the ken
Of our present generation,
1T Is 10 be observed that sentImoi In
NOR" firmly intronch"d here than in,
dim" novel, aS witness: plea.
Father Don't Drink Any More" "She
W"pt Her Life Away" "She Was
Clerk in Candy Store" "Dear Father,
Come Down With the stamps"
"Brighl. Bright Wine" THE Cracks-
man : Chant, "fhargc the Can Cheer
ily," "S"r That Ny Nose Is Kept
Red, " "1'hc Rat Cutchor's Daughter Z"
"Go It While You're Young" andI
"r> "t similar nature.
"Ih,m dic Hkc tie dog ron ard
c,.id Lc0drHc LoH. Cnd b0unding va
! the door he hHrlcd his Bouie knife 4
| tie CrOHching fgarc. the jl0
f0Shcd once and buried itself in
PiWie's neck, the Whiie a terri
| death Shrek rent tks ar.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Dr.. O'Brien Long Recognized
Value of the Dime Novel

Bclated as has been the recognition
que the dime novel the proper place
which it should long ago have assumed
IN IN literature has been clear to DR..
" Bri"n ever since he first scanned the
Srlpping nagcs of California Joe and
Mustang Sam.
when was boy he said, 81
nad the most Unsuitable appetite for
DOCKS about the West. There was Il
glamour about Buffalo Bill particularly
mat has not worn off in all these years.
EvSsn today the very thought of him
makes my blood tingle.
used t" read the Beadle Series in
al my spare time. my average being
SIX week Remember, the ninty eight
pag" dime novel of those days was in
Su'h tne print that 1t was the cQuiva-
"ht of @OO!pHgc novel today.
often sat UP in bed until 3 or I
o'clock In the morning. reading the lat
est one ! can remember them now
! can even remember the plots Of. some
Of them"
he leaned back in his chair, closed
s,s eyes and licked them of on his
S"eS'o'
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

nail pulling with tweezers. amnutat!on
of the nose, ears and legs, and sever
ance of the neck in case of detection.
The official curse of the society, pro-
nounced only upon traitors, was so COM
prehensive in scope rs to include sug-
gcstions for the disposal of the victim,
not only in the immediate future. but
in the life hereafter, together with his
relatives, ancestors, posterity and WELL
wishcrs.
I'VE would all gather there and
read" said the doctor, until the
brother or sister of one Of the members
came to the tower Cthe ground level
opening) and informed the Seneschal
that supper waited and please send
RObhy right home
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
From the Storm BATTERED W'oodshed to
the flushed Sblendor Of NesU York
Public Library Is Quite Leap, but
Devotion Of Dr.. F: p O'B1en Has
Made 1t Possible \
Has COLLECTED WORKS
OF BEADLE AND ADAINS
AFTER 81 YEARS. SEARCH
Aud Nozc That Enthralling, Forbidden
Dime Novel Of Boyhood Days Has
Been Lifed From Obscur1ty of Corn.
silk Cigarette Cache and Stamped
With Abbroval

THE dime novel stands vndicated before the world
That enthrang, deicousy forbidden of
lifted from the obury cigarette stamped
established
authentic literary merit.
It the spendor
York Library amazing transition gnominious
axle of parental disapproval acclaim of
The of Dick,
Eve deathless
yesterday less real triumph that of
Caesar swahy swung
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
DICK A1VD HIS PALS OF CORY FA1NEf
VOW STAND INDICATED BEFORE EYES OFWORLl

At last, the stranger, moved
tpasm of pain, gave vent to his feeitn
in manner so picturesque, and 30 uu{
mistnkably favored with the alkalt5g
the West. that his native State coul9
no longer remain in doubt. ME
Excuse me-" said DIR. O'Brien,
"but could it be that you are tho
Ingraham who is one of the valued cons'
tributors to the Beadle novels?' sxs
"You called the turn, Doc" rune
bled the other. "I'm the huckleberry.
Colonel Ingraham was the real bioks
raphcr of Cody" says DIR. O'Briens
"and was considered the foremost auA
thority on matters pertaining to the
life and personality of that great man.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

the spoils of Asia in their train.
The outward manifestation Of the
dime novels conquest over bigotry
and prejudice is to be found in the
bronze and margle exhibition room
of the New York Public Library,
where, guarded from dust and decay
BY innumerable glass cases, are
1880 little paper-covered books, COM
prisng all that was best Of this
unique and altogether noteworthy
phase of our national literature.
They represent the devotion and
generosity of DR.. Frank P. O'Brien,
Of Ais West Forty-seventh street.
New York, the donor.
When Dr.. O'Brien arrived in this
country from Ireland, at the age of
nine, he had six pence-the sum total
of his savings and the limit of his
financial resources. His first act
ashore was to have this changed to
American currency; his second was
the purchase Of an alluring volume
dealing with the romantic adven-
lures of Mustang Sam, the King of
the Plains.
Since that time, thirty-two years
ago, DR.. O'Brien has devoted his en-
tire spare time to the collection OF
the publications of the immortal firm
Of Beadle and Adams, the pioneers
and sole dispensers of the true dime
novel. The results of his labor of
love, in the course of which he WIS.,
tied twenty-five States and con-
Quoted numerous individual re-
searches, has been presented to and
accepted by the library.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
Beadle Was Born in n. Y:
Came From Ancient Line

Erastus Btadle. was born in Piers
town, y. Y, September II, ISL. lie
rumc Of an ancient line whose men
fought the French, the Indians and tho
British, while the women melted the
bullets and loaded the long woods
mems rifles. His was trues pioneer
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

day, Also there was an oath and a
curse
This interesting pledge of fcalty is so
bloodthIrsty that only its less CORY de-
tails are suitable for reproduction, but
among these latter might be mentioned
the full permission by the applicant of
the right to practice upon his person
a number Of atrocities. including toe.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

clnb,' he went on, "known ms The
hed Avengers We met in an ancient
cellar, deep underground beneath an old
house that had been condemned and
uninhabited for years.
1.-The purpose of this club was to OBJ
tain and read dime novels. There was
password, usually the name of one
OF our heroes, which was changed every
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28
4h' Wizard Brothers;
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Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

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Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

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Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-28

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New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-10
Guests Miss Only
Popping Corks on
Fire-Seared Liner
Prefer Cool Breeze ON the
Nieuw Amsterdam to Life
i'm Hotels Ashore. Even if
Liquor Supply Is Sealed

Practically all Of the surplus water
that was pumped into the Holland
America liner Nieuw Amsterdam to
put out the fire in No. hold on Sat
urday was pumped out again yesterday
and gangs were put to work to clear
the section of its charred cargo Of
ships stores The ~.oid had cooled
sufficiently to permit the longshoremen
to start work early in the day and
last night the damaged cargo had been
removed.
A survey of the burned stores
showed that the grain which was
slowed at the bottom of the hold had
not been reached by the flames and
this disproves the theory that the fire
had it's origin from spontaneous com
bustion of the grain cargo.
Officials of the line said that prac-
tically all of the first and second cabin
passengers elected to stay aboard, pre-
ferring the cool of the waterfront to
the heat of the hotel district in Man
haitian. Meals were served with the
smoking room and social lounges were
used for entertainment at night by
the land bound passengers with as
much enthusiasm as If the vessel were
on the Atlantic.
Only few features of "the life at
sea- were missing. One was the ocean
bound horizon another q speed of six
teen knots, and last, but most impor