davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
THE INDIAN DRUM
ByWiuam MacHmg and edann Bahnr

at. The and addresses OH these
oldest. yenowed pages had been first
written, II was plain, all at the same
time and with the same pen and ink,
and each sheet In the beginning had
contained seven or eight names Some
Of these original names and even the
addresses had been left unchanged,
but most Of them had been scratched
out and altered many times-other
and quite different names had been
substituted; the pages had become
finally almost illegible, crowded
scrawls, rewritten again and again In
Corvet's cramped hand. Alan strained
forward, holding the first sheet to the
light.
Alan seized the clippings he had
looked at before and compared them
swiftly with the page he had just read (;
two of the names-Westhouse and
French-were the same as those upon
this list. Suddenly he grasped the
other pages of the list and looked
them through for his own name; but
ii was not there. He dropped the
sheets upon the table and got up and
began TO stride about the room.
He felt that In this list and In these
clippings there must be, somehow.
some N general meaning-they must
relate In some way TO one thing they
must have deeply, intensely concerned
Benjamin Corvet's disappearance and
his present fate. whatever that might
be, and they must concern Alan's fate
as well. But In their d~isconnection.
their indifference, he could discern no
common thread. What conceivable
bond could there have been uniting
Benjamin Corvet at once with an old
man dying upon a poorfarm In Emmett
county, wherever that might be. and
with a baby girl, now some two years
old, In Sturgeon Bay. Wisconsin?
He called Wassaquam into the IL
brary and brought the lists and clip
pings out again.
do you know at all what these are,
Judah?" he asked.
mo, Alan. ] have seen Ben have
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22

them. and take them out and put them
back. That is all | know"
DO you know any of these peO-
ple?"
He gave the lists to Wassaquam,
who studied them through attentiyely,
holding them to the lamp.
"No, Alan"
"Have you ever heard OF any of
their names before?'
THAT may be. ! do not know. They
are common names"
DO you know the places?"
"Yes--the places. They are lake
ports or little villages on the lakes. !
have been In most Of them. Alan. En-
met county, Alan. l came from there.
Henry comes from there, too"
Then that is where they hear the
Drum
yes, Alan
my. father took newspapers from
those places, did he not?"
W~assaquam looked over the adj
dresses again. Yes; from all. He
took them for the shipping news, he
said. And sometimes he cut pieces
out Of them--these pieces, I see now /;
and afterward | burned the papers /;
he would not let me only throw them
away"
That's all you know about them,
Judah"
"Yes. Alan. that Is all"
Alan dismissed the Indian, who.
srolidly methodica. In the midst of
these events, vent downstairs and
.mmenced to prepare a dinner which
an knew he could not Fat. Alan got
up and moved about the rooms: he
went back and looked over the lists
and clippings once more; then he
moved about again. How strange "a
picture of his father did these things
call up to him. When he had thought
Of Benjamin Corvet before. Il had been
as Sheriff. had described him, pur-
sued by some thought he could not
conquer. seeking relief In study. In cor
r~espondence with scientific societies.
In anything which could engross him
and shut u memory. But now he
must think Of him. not merely. as one
trying to forget; what had thwarted
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22

Sheriff. h~esitated. then assented; and
they went round the block together to
the Coryet house. Sheriff.. after a few
instants' hesitation. took the key from
his pocket and unlocked the door and
went In. The rooms. they saw, were
all In perfect order: summer covers
had been put upon the furniture; pro-
tecting cloths had been spread over
the beds upstairs. After their inspec-
ton. they came cut again at the front
door, and her father closed 1t with a
swapping OF the spring lock.
Constance, as they walked away,
turned and looked back at the old
house, gloomy and dark among its
newer, fresher-looking nelghhors, and
suddenly she choked, and her eyes
grew wet. That feeling was not for
Uncle Benny the drain of days past
had exhausted such a surge of feeling
for him. That which she could not
wink away was for the boy who had
come 10 that house a few weeks ago
and for the man who just now had
gone.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22

Alga's passion broke out suddenly.
Were anything but that. Judah. I
found him, the first night I got here
and while you were away. going
through my fathers things. / fought
with him. and he ran away He was
the one that broke into my fathers
desks; maybe you'll. believe that, even
II no one else will"
"YesT the Indian questioned
"Yes?" 1t was plain hat he not only
believed but that believing gave him
immense satisfaction. He took Alan's
arm and led him into the smaller Ii
brary. He knelt before one of the draw
ers under the bookshelves-the drawer,
Alan recalled, which he himself had
been examining when he had found
W~assaquam watching him. He drew
out the drawer and dumped its con
tents out upon the floor; he turned
the drawer about then, and pulled the
bottom out of it. Beneath the bottom
which he had removed appeared now
another bottom and a few sheets of
paper scrawled in an uneven hand and
with different colOred inks.
AT sight Of them, Spearman, who
had followed them into the room, ut
tered an oath and sprang forward. The
Indians small dark hand grasped
Spearman's wrist, and his face
twitched itself into a fierce grin
which showed how little civilization
had modified in him the aboriginal
passions. But Spearman did not try
to force his way; instead. he drew
back suddenly.
Alan stopped and picked up the pa
pers and put them In his pocket. If
the Indian had not been there, 1t
would not have been so easy for him
to do that, he thought.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
"You mean you want me to
marry you-at once, Henry?"
GRO BE c~oNTINUED.)
Human Life Too Short.

BY all the rules which nature OBJ
serves among humber mammals, 100
years ought to be a very ordinary age
for a human being. Where Is the
mammal which, unless It's life Is cut
short by accident or disease. fails to
i've to an age five times as great as
he time 1t took to reach maturity? A
fairly careful survey Of the field an
swers Nowhere" Indeed. the ratio
Of total life to maturity Is more likely
10 be six. seven or eight. than FIVE.
But man, whose maturity cannot be
placed at less than 20 or p. thinks he
is doing well when he passes three
score and ten. and only one out Of
many thousands reaches the age Of
n hundred.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
EUDdddys
B6EveNn8
EaiLyIale. :.
BROTHER sAcoNs IDEA
~MARY GRAHAM BOWER
- crnSss " vpisas ssvySs ussscs---

"Grunt. grunt." said Brother Bacon
"What have you TO say for your
self. squeal. squealr' asked Grand
father Perky Pig.
.Grunt, grunt, what have you to
sayf I'd like to know. too" said Miss
Ham.
80 would I. squeai, squeal." said
Mrs. Pink Pig.
"And I'd like to know" said Master
Pinky Pig.
"As long as we haven't anything
to eat" said P.nky Pigs mother, ut
is a good time to hear what Brother
Bacon has to say. OF course IL we
had anything to eat 1t wolld be fool
Ish to listen to him."
every foolish indeed, squeal, squeal."
said Miss Ham.
Extremely foolish. grunt, grunt,'
said Grandfather Porky Pig. I'm fact
| shall use a very strong word. 1t
would be idiotic."
"You are right. Grandfather Perky"
said Sammy Sausage. "Yes, you are
quite right"
quite" said Mrs. Pink Pig, 'squeai,
squeal, you are quite right"
"Of course | am right" said Grand
father Porky. IL haven't lived all
these years In the Pig Pen not TO
know that I'm right In what | say.
have lived a long time with myself
and myself and | agree perfectly on
all important questions.
"But let young Brother Bacon
speak, for this is a good time for
him."
e" have an idea." said Brother
Bacon, and all the pigs s~quealed and
grunted and wiggled their little
twisted tails and looked out of the
corners Of their eyes and winked ut
each other.
"Good for Brother Bacon" they
shouted. "He has an idea. Huirah for
the pig with an idea, hurrah, hurrah.
Three cheers"
Brother Bacon didn't mind what
they said. He didn't even mind IL
when Grandfather Perky said that it
would be idiotic to listen TO him were
there anything to eat. In fact he
lutte agreed with Grandfather Perky
az far as that was concerned.
"Yes," said Brother Bacon, Il have
a real idea, and / want TO talk 1t oven
with al! yen pigs"
They all gathered about and It's.
tened to Brother Bacon.
"Ofs course" he began. I'm not
sure whether the former would agree
10 my suggestion, and ! don't even
know If he would understand If !
tried In my pig fashion to explain my
suggestion to him. But he might, he
might. | have ideas IN how TO e
plain IL to him."
"What is your SUGGESTION they all
squealed. 'Tell II 10 us"
Yes, / want to talk II over with
all Of you first" Brother Bacon said.
II thought II might be a good idea
II I could persuade the farmer to let
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
LAND or THE DRUM.

SYNOPSIS.-Weaithy and highly
placed In the Chicago business
world. Benjamin Corvet Is some
thing of a recluse and a mystery
to his associates. After q stormy
interview with his partner. Henry
Spearman, Corvet seeks Constance
Sheriff.. daughter Of his other
business partner, Lawrence Sher-
rlll. and from her a prom
Use not to marry Spearman until he
returns. He then disappears. Sher-
rill learns Corvet has written 10 a
certain Alan Conrad. in Blue Rap
ids, Kansas, n exhibited strange
agitation over the matter, Alan
arrives in Chicago. From a state
ment of Sheriff. IL seems prob
able Conrad is Corvet's illegitimate
son Corvet has decided his house
and its contents to Alan, who takes
possession. That night Alan dis
covers a man ransacking Corvet's
apartments. The intruder thinks
Alan a ghost and raves OF the Mi
waka." After a struggle the man es-
capes. Next day Alan learns from
Sheriff. that Corvet has decided his
entire property to him. Introduced
to Spearman, Alan is ~astonished at
the discovery that he Is the nan
whom he had fought in his house
the night before. Spearman laughs
at and det.es him. Spearman poi
sons C~onstance's mind against
Alan. Somebody tries to kill Alan
in the hight Corvet's Indian serv-
ant, Wessacuam, tells Alan he be-
lieVes his EMPLOYER is dead He
also tells hin, the legend of the In
dian drum, which according to old
superstition beats once for every
life los on the Great Lakes. TWEEN
~ years before. the great freighter
Mtwaks had gone down with
twenty-five on board. but the Drum
had soprded for only twenty-four,
leaving the Inference that one per-
son had been saved. Luke. who
has long been blackma'ting Corvet.
appears, talks mysteiiously and
dies.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
CHAPTER XII
The Things From corvet's Pockets.
Miss Constance Sheriff.. +"

Inc Ihinqs From Corvefs
Miss Constance Sheriff.,
Harbor Springs, Michigan"
The address, In large scrawling let
tiers, was written across the brown
paper of the package which had been
brought from the post office In he lit
tie resort village only "a few moments
before. The paper covered a shoe box,
crushed and old, bearing the name of
IS. Klug, Dealer In Fine Shoes, Mani
towoc, Wisconsin" The box, like the
outside wrapping, was carefully tied
with a string.
Constance, knowing no one in Mani
towoc and surprised at the nature Of
the package, glanced at the postmark
on the brown paper which she had re-
moved II too was stamped Manito-
woe. She cut the strings about the
box and took off the cover. A black
and brown dotted silk cloth filed the
box and, seeing ii. Constance caught
her breath. Ii was-at least II was
very like-the muffler which Uncle
Benny used to veal IN winter.
She started with trembling fingers
TO take it from the box then, realiZ-
ing from the weight of the package
that the cloth was only II wrapping or,
at least, hat other things were In the
box, she picked up box and wrapping
and ran up TO her room. She locked
the door aid put the box upon the
bed now she lifted out the cloth. 1t
usnC an N.ranVip, for tho bnnNinr fhiplY1
came with it; and now, also, 1t re-
vealed itself plainly as the scarf-Un-
Gle Benny's scarf! A paper 0uttered
out as she began to unroll it-a little
cross-lined leaf evidently torn from a
pocket memorandum book. II had
been folded and rolled up. She spread
it out writing was upon it, the small
irregular letters Of Uncle Benny's
hand.
"Send to Alan Conrad" she read
there followed a Chicago address-the
number Of Uncle Benny's house on
Asfor street. Below this was another
line:
Better care of Constance Sheriff.
(Miss)." There followed the Dher-
rills' address upon the Drive. And to
this was another correction:
Not after June -; then to Harbor
Springs, Mich. Ask some one of that (;
be sure the date after June u"
Constance, trembling, unrolled the
scarf now coins showed from a fold,
next a p~ocketknife, ruined and rusty,
next a watch-a mans large gold
watch with the case queerly pitted
and worn completely through in places,
and last a plain little band of gold Of
the size for a woman's finger-a we'd
ding ring. Constance, gasplng and
with fingers shaking so from excite
ment that she could scarcely hold
these objects, picked them up and ex,
amined them-the ring first.
1t very evidently was. as she had
Immediately thought, a wedding ring
once fitted for a finger only a trifie
less slender than her own. One side
of the gold band was very much worn,
not with the sort OF wear which a
ring gets on a hand, but by some diff
ferent sort OF abrasion. The other
side Of the band was roughened and
pitted but not so much worn the In
side still bore the traces Of an In
scription. "As long as we bo /.
all alive" Constance could read, and
the date, June 2. 1891"
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22
CHAPTER xi
The Land of the Drum.

Inc Idnu OF tUc OTuH.
Alan vent with Wassaquam into the
front library, after the Indian had
shown Spearman out.
This was the man, Judah, who came
for Mr.. Corvet that night | was hurtT"
Eyes, Alan," Wassaquam said.
He was the man, then. who came
here twice a year, at least, to See Mr..
COrvetf'
yes"
II was sure of it," Alan sad. Can
you tell me now why he came here,
Judah?"
81 have told YOU | do not know"
Wassaquam replied. Ben always saw
him; Ben gave him money. ] do not
know why
Alan had been holding his hand over
the papers which he had thrust into
his pocket: he went back into the
smaller library and spread them under
the reading lamp to examine them.
But, as he looked the pages over now,
he felt q chill of disappointment and
chagrin. They did not contain any
narrative concerning Benjamin Cor
vets life; they did not ven relate to
a single event. They were no nara
tive at all. They were-in his first
examination of them, he could not tell
what they were.
They consisted in all Of some dozen
sheets of irregular size. some Of which
had been kept much longer than 9TH
ers. a few of which even appeared
fresh and new. The three pages
which Alan thought, from their yell
lowed and worn look, must be the old
est. and which must have been kept
for many years, contained only a list
of anne and addresses. The remain
ing pages, which he counted as ten
In number. contained nearly a hun
dred brief clippings from newspapers;
the clippings had been very carefully
cut out. they had been pasted with
painful regularity on the sheets. and
each had been dated across its face
dates made with many different pens
and with many different inks. but all
In the same irregular handwriting as
the letter which Alan had received
from Benjamin COryet.
Alan, his fingers numb in his disap-
pointment. turned and examined all
these pages: but they contained moth
ing else. He read M Of the clippings,
which was dated "Feb. 1912"
"The passing away Of one of the
oldest residents of Emmett county oc-
Cured at the poorfarm on Thursday
Of last week. Mr. Fred Wesrhouse
was one Of four brothers brought by
their parents into Emmett county In
1S48. He established himself here as
a farmer and vas well known among
our people for MANY years. He was
nearly the last Of his family. which
was quite well off at one time. Mr..
westhouse's three brothers and his
father having persisted In various dis
asters upon the lake. His wife died
two years ago. He is survived ny a
daughter. Mrs. Arthur Pearl. Of Flint"
He read another:
"Hallford-S pens. On Tuesday last
Miss Audrey Hallford. daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Pert HalJford. Of this
place. was united In the bonds Of holy
matrimony to Mr.. Robert Spens. Of
Escanaba. All wish the young couple
we'll"
He read another:
"Rorn to Mr.. and Mrs Hal French
a daughter. Saturday afternoon last
Miss Vera ArabeIla French. at her ar
rival weighed seven and one-haIf
pounds"
This chipping was dated. In Benja-
min Corvet's hand, sturgeon Bay,
Wis. Ang. 1914" Alan put 1t aside
in bewilderment and amaze and took
Up again the sheets he first had looi J
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22

me go over 10 the ~neighboring Pig Pen
and there call upon one of the young
Miss Pigs I've seen in the distance"
Brother Bacon has fallen In love-"
all the pigs squealed and they winked
Mt each other again.
.Nonsense,n said Brother Bacon.
'gThen why would you go a-court-
mgr they grunted.
"Ah," said Brother Bacon, II would
go accounting with the idea that my
bride would help me with the market
Ing. / see the farmers wife help
bring I'm the milk and the eggs and
she gathers beans and peas and so
forth.
II would have a mate to help feed
me. She would be my true mate and
/ would teach her to be a loving, duti-
full pig mate from the start"
"Your idea Is no good, no good"
said Porky Pig. I'm the first place
you're very conceited as you've no
Idea whether your Miss Pig would
accept you. But l hope she wouldn't.
For she's a pig, you know. even II
she looks like a lovely bride from
afar.
"No, don't let's get another pig into
our pen. Why she'd eat up some OF
the food that we would otherwise
have. And help your
.No, Brother Bacon, your Idea Is
very foolish. She would not help TO
feed you, but would make you un-
happy with her greedy ways"
And Brother Bacon agreed with
Porky Pigs sentiments SO he decided
hat there would be no Mrs. Brother
Bacon-at least while he thought as
he did now.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-22

In Bad. M
al don't know how to go home after
this poker game"
you're only out 81"
"But / promised my wife half nj
winnings Judge.
The Monett times., 1922-07-14
THE JUNIOR CHAUTUQUA
GREAT FUN

Great fun for our boys and girls is
promised by the program Mr.. Brad
ford has just received from the White
& Myers Chautauqua System. In adj
dition to enjoying the big Chautau-
qua, the youngsters are to have a
Junior Chautauqua with program all
their own and tent of their own,
which the boys set up while the girle
oversee the job.
Four or five days before the big
Chautauqua begins, the young woman
in charge of advance work will arrive
bringing the boys ana girls tent-a
regular khaki affair, with blue poles
and with canvas fence around it
precisely like the one the big tent has
only not so high. Very soon-that
evening, perhaps-it will be set up.
Every boy and every girl is invited.
A notice stating the exact time will be
printed in this paper. Then, until the
big Chautauqua begins and even dur
ing the big Chautauqua, this
smaller tent will be used by the Junior
Chautauqua. The Juniors will need
Chautauqua tickets for admission to
the Junior tent and to the big tent.
From the day the Junior tent goes
up, there will be program inside it
at A O'Clock every afternoon, When
the big tent has opened, there will be
a program every morning at the
Junior tent, as well as other enter
tainments in tie big tent in the after
noon and evening.
The Monett times., 1922-07-14
CIRCUIT COURT PROCEEDINGS

Walter Perry & Co., VS. R. and A.
Weis, appeal from ]. p, stricken from
docket.
In the matter of A. L. Brown as
signment, j. E. Safer, assignee,
stricken from docket.
State VS. B. F. johnson, violating
prohibition law, continued.
Chas. Hutchens VS. J. H. Wagner
commission, continued.
Mildred Beaver VS. Lewis Crabaugh,
breach of promise, judgment for
plaintiff for $4,000.
Monet State Bank VS. c. j. Rath-
ers, appeal from j. p. continued.
K. c. Overton VS. Oscar Overton,
partition, continued.
Irl Cox VS. Unknown heirs of A. F.
Smithson, decd, to quiet title, dis
missed.
A. b. Swaffer VS. Unknown heirs
of Henry Crowell, VIM. johnson, quiet
title, decree for plaintiff.
Luther B. Underwood VS. Rosa M.
Underwood, divorce, dismissed.
Earl Burchett VS. Ida Burchett, di-
vorce, continued.
Ollie M. Frazier VS. Theo Frazier,
divorce, dismissed.
John Phillips VS. Zenie Phillips, di-
vorce, decree granted.
Ora l.. Jackson VS. Homer Jackson,
divorce, dismissed.
Myrtle Long VS. John Long, divorce
decree granted with custody of child.
Veta NJ. Gravctt VS. DR.. S. w. Chan
dler, damages, trial by jury and YER
dict for plaintiff for $500. Motion
filed for new trial.
Beada Breliford VS. Richard A..
Brcliford, divorce, decree.
Virgil Hubbard VS. Pauline Hubbard
divorce, decree.
Robert Andrew vs. Rosa Andrew, di-
vorce, decree.
Alma SWearingen VS. H. Swearia-
gen, divorce, continued.
0. L. Hisaw VS. Lorene Hisaw, di-
vorce, decree and $50 in gross alimony
Lille Beck VS. Lewis A. Beck, di-
vorce, decree.
The Monett times., 1922-07-14
BOARD PREVENTS
1900 STRIKING
Strong Hope is Expected For Early
Ending of Shop Mems Walkout.

Chicago, July Ga threatened ex-
tension of the strike of railway shop
men to include $4,000 signal men was
prevented today by members of the
United States labor board when D. w.
Helt, head of the Brotherhood of Rail-
road Signalmen, which has been TAX
ing strike vote, promised to main
tain the status quo pending further
conferences.
1t was the second time that inter-
vention of board members has avert
ed an extension of the walkout, a
threatened strike of maintenance of
way men having been prevented Tues
day through the efforts of Chairman
Ben w. Hooper and w. l.. McMeni-
men, labor members Of the board.
Meanwhile, railway circles express
ed strong hopes of "quick settlement
of the shopmen's strike" which began
July l. B. M. Jewell, head Of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, who is
directing the shop mems strike, today
reiterated former statements that the
shopmen were willing to consider a
settlement proposition sumbitted by
any authoritive body.
The Monett times., 1922-07-14
HYDE SENDS RAUPP TO
STUDY SLATER SITUATION

jefferson City, July 6.--Adjt. Gen.
w. A. Raupp went to Slater, Saline
county, this afternoon to make an in
vestigation of the strike situation in
connection with the disorders report
ed yesterday at the Chicago & Alton
shops. General Raupp left ON his
mission after Governor Hyde had de-
clared earlier in the day that no
national guard troops will be called
for strike duty in Slater. The COVER
nor made the announcement after
conference with General Raupp and
Capt. R. A. Johnston of Boonville. An
investigation of the strike situation
was made yesterday by Captain john
ston.