davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-11-15
PITHY PARAGRAPHS

PITHY PARAGRAPHS
We have many things to be thank
full for this year, and one Of them is
that Congress hasn't met for long
time.
The trouble with some Belington
men is they think if they are nice to
everybody else they have a right to
be like bear to the wife and kids at
home
The price Of coal has about gotten
up to where it pays fellow to save
even cinder when he gets one in his
eye.
We've also reached the point where
you hear more talk about the full gas
oline tank than you do Of the full
dinner pail.
Back in the good old days when
Belington couple Dragged about
their machine they meant their sew
ing machine.
There are many causes of war, but
we'll bet the next one comes through
some nations belief that it can lick
all the others.
TIL Indians didn't have sense
enough to pass laws preventing for
eigners from coming over here in
droves and look what happened to
the Indians.
We heard Belington woman say
yesterday that men are just like eggs
they're either fresh, rotten, hard,
bioled or just spoiled.
What has become of the old-fash-
Toned woman who used to borrow egg
when they were high in price and re-
turned them when the bottom had
dropped out of the egg market?
You are also safe in betting that
as long as they can pass the cost Of
a strike on to the consumer there
is always going to be strikes.
Our idea Of genius is the Beling-
ton man who can compliment his wifes
new hat before he knows what it cost
him.
About this season of the year it's
common thing for a fellow to have
someone mention him for office,
whether he goes any further or not.
AS political orphan Henry Ford
doesn't seem to care what political
party adopts him.
Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-11-15
Variety Of Drivers

Bunk: "Are you a good driver?"
Spunk: Motor, golf, charity, pile
or salve?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
"He was in dire straits. starving, half mad with thirst and exhaust ed with fruitless fighting"

the days The same pitiless sun burned and scorched his flesh from midday, to sundown-every evening he breathed the same little gasp of relief as the fiery red ball sank be- beaten rocks. Yet the nights brought him no relief.
 Then there came a night when he awoke with sharp cry and a rush of blood to his poor, numbed heart from one of those long agonizing dozes, which was as near as ever he could' come to sleep.
 The cry was stifled by hot hand thrust upon his mouth, and a gentle exclamation of warning.
 A man had crept out from the shadow of the rock, and was stand ing behind him. a man whose face was familiar. whose expression was one of mortified pity.
 He told himself that this must be a ightmare-he had had them be- fore-and he dug at his eyeballs. and then, opening them wide stared and did not fade away as those others had done. On the contrary, he was drawing nearer. his trembling lips were parted, and hoarse whisper came. frCm them.
 You know me. Godfrey, old chap. I came out here to look for you-they said that these devils had done you to death, Thank God that have found you. Have couragel"
 There was short tense silence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

wistfuJY and fearfully eastwards. Many thousands of miles away, nEan was being tortured to death, and he. too. was thinking of that night.
 At last l have found you, then. Helen, Do you know that I have. been looking for ytu everyWhere?"
 She turned round slowly and un- willingly A tall. soldierH man was standing by her side. a man who looked at her only as man looks at the woman he loves. She saw and shfank from t-as she had done many a time before. She wanted no mans love save his who was gone,
 Helen he said at last, there is some news which I Wish you to hear first from me. The evidence of poor Geoffrey's d@th had been accepted unanimously and without question by the court. l believe that since mid day l have had the right to call myself the Earl of Lechfort."
 "The proofs she said slowly. may seem convincing l do not blame the courts for admitting them, or you for taking the title. Yet, for myself l am woman, and I must have something to live for. I am going on hoping. What else can I do?"
 Helen, when you say that" he answered, you rob me of the one
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

His heart was humping against his ribs, and his head swan. Yet with this sudden birth of hope, sc mething of his old coolness was back again. He was able to think and think clearly. Afar off there was a break
 in the night-the dawn was already frightening in the east. Soon they would be bringing him his handful of dried peas and water. He looked anxiously towards the hut. where all was still.
 There are twelve men guarding me-" the captive whispered. notion ing towards the hut. "SCon they will wake and bring me food. Go and hide until night comes again. When 1t is dark enough, I will call out as though in pain. They will take no. notice 1 have shriek ed through a whole night, and they have not turned their heads. Come softely to me then, and have a knife ready to cut these accursed ropes. How did you come? On foot?"
 T have horses-two spare ones little mountain pines. They climb the mountains like cats. Once away they will never catch us. Bear up old chap. Till tonight"
 Surely the sun had never moved so slowly-the darkness had never been so long delayed. Yet slowly though that fiery red ball sank into the west, his setting was none the less sure.
 At last his rim touched the broken line of rocky hills beyond which was home and freedom. Then. all quiVer- ing with impatience. the man waited whilst grey deepened into black, and the voices of his guards, seated to- i,, Jic%, ,I,nx ci.,r. and fainter.
 And the day, too, had been long the longest of his life to the man who lay behind a rock waiting. only few hundred yards away. Months ago, when first he had heard some vague rumors of an Englishman held in cap tivity and tortured by this cruel and savage people, he had only one thought, to push on at all hazards and at all risks. He had only half believed their story-even if there were truth in it he had not expected to find in their captive the man wht was the aVowed object of his expe- dition.
 During that long horrible day be began to realize what the finding of Godfrey must mean to him.'
 It was the deathblow to his hopes with this mans return to life must end the one great desire of his heart. It was like some madness creeping into his brain. He had never doubted that he would go home after many dangers and many privations to take her hand in his-to tell her that he had done all man could do, that failure was written in the book of death beforehand, and then-some day-to plead for his reward.
 What was there left for him? With out Helen. life in any form was bare ly nurdable-the desire for her had been the one great passion of his life. Helen was SC beautiful-she would so soon learn to love him. If he crept away now down into the little valley, where the ponies were tethered, and his worn-ou guide was sleeping-in an hour he would be far away. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

again he was in a torpor. and death hovered around
 He was xtlu unconscious, when a knife cut his bonds, and then the arm of d strong man lifted him. d poor, helples wreck. from the ground.
 The motion cf pony revived him for a moment. al the sound of shot he opened his eyes. He was in a strange place. and. as he staggered back to consciousness he saw such a sight IS few have looked upon.
 He saw Morton. with blood stream ing from his face. and eyes flashing all the fires of hell. fighting like a man possessed of devils.
 With q two-edged sword, which gleamed in his hand like whrling silver, he had cut down three of his assalants. in his left hand his re- Yolver was flashing out of the fires of death
 The desire of his life seized hold of the half-conscIous man. He slipped from his pony, and snatching a sword from the dead hand of a prostrate man, joined in the fray It was q battle of hideous odds, but when it was over Geoffrey was unhurt, and his deliverer. with an arm hanging useless by his side. and the lust of blood in his red eyes. was looking about for more men to kill and there were none.
 It was years before Godfrey knew the whole truth, but he and Helen heard 1t together OF Chrostnas morning, when d great guest honored them by coming straight to Elton Towers on his return from a cam paisn which had made his name a household one. and himself the idol of an enthusiastic country. Outside the way across the park to the church was lined with people who were wait ing tC see him pass out. who had come from far and near on the chance of seeing him. He took them both into the great library and bade them listen 10 him.
 With slow bitter words and ben head he told them the story of that night and day; he told of his flight and of the agony of his repentance; how he had ridden back through the soft, gray drawn-light and the burn ing heat. as though the fires of hell were at his back. But they never let him finish. Godfrey had seized his hands and with deep sob had begged him to stop-but the wom- an bent over and closed his white lips with hers.
 When they had passed out across the park, and between the lires of people who had been waiting, with uncovered heads in deep respectful silence for a glimpse of him, he bowed td them with smile which for many years no man had seen. Those who knew him from his photo- graph wondered.
 Later in the clubs men coneratu- lated him upon his altered looks and obvious happiness. He laughed at them always and passed on. He alone knew how slight the joy which his fame and success had brought; how immeasurablE sweet the dropping of that grim burden of self-hatred which, at the touch of her lips and the clasp of Geqffrey's hands. had fallen away from him forever.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
"TbD Tror0dx1 Of A N,6b+"
 1llC lldSCOy Ol A 1NlSllC Oppenhe

| aside with indifference. It was no
 desire to avenge them which kindled their raEe-which had made death too slight punishment to be meted
 out to him--which had put torture Iinto their minds. For it was going to be torture. The man saw it in their faces, read it in every grin and | letr which chilled his blood. He ] tgrCaned, aloud It was an evil end
 for him. Godfrey Felbrigge, Earl of Lechfort, Lord Lieuteant of his country, and master of hounds. | An hour afterwards they left him
 He. was trussed and tied to the post which they had improvised, his
 hands and legs were aching with the
 cords which cut into his flesh, his face turned with relentless irony to
 the city of his desire.
 A fierce sun beat uptn him all
 day. For ten hours he had neither
 eaten nor drunk, and the roof of his
 mouth was like blistered leather.
 His eyes were bloodshot and his tongue swollen. He had tugged ait his cords until his arms were
 bruised, and the blood had forced it's way through his frightened skin, | Then a partial. but merciful, un consciousness came tC him. He
 was back in London, back in the
 long drawing room, face to face
 with the woman whose invincible pride and his own stubborness had
 driven him forth a reckless wan derer, had kindled in him the old, wild spirit-the passion for new countries which, before he had met
 her, had been the joy of his life.
 Tall and fair, and slim sln her , white evening gown, he could see her standing before him, with eyes which bade him stay, which said
 things to him which her tongue had been too proud to utter. It was his fault, he mnttered fiercely to him
 self. his fault. The thought of her his wife-the only woman he had
 ever loved, soothed him for one
 moment only to madden him the next She would be waiting for him. and he would never return.
 He would never be able to take her hands, to look into her eyes, toi smooth her hair, and kiss away these tears, as he had longed to
 many time since he had left London in sudden fit Cf blind, unreasoning fury.
 On the balcony of one of the great
 mansions In Cadogan Square, woman was standing alone. She had escaped for a moment unseen from the brilliantly lighted room. Her. face was turned eastwards, and her eyes were soft with unshed tears. It was moment which she had snatched for herself. a moment rem dered necessary by sudden rush of memories, which had brought lump into her throat and a strange sadness into her heart.
 oh, how mad. how foolish, she had been to let him go, when a
 single word from her would have stopped him. Never day had pa ssed but she repented the stupid, stubborn pfide which had kept sealed her lips. Where was he now? Lost to her-perhaps forever. She gazed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

the man repeated slowly What further proof will satisfy you?" "The sight of his body or speech with one that has actually seen it." she answered slowly. Nothing else"
 Listen, Helen" he said q am an idle man. I will humor your fancy. You will not listen to me unless you have speech with some one who has seen Geoffrey's body, or can bring you certain word If his death. Very well. Where he went I will go. I will follow in his footsteps until l come to the. end He is dead. I know it. Never mind will bring Eou' the proof. And them"
 She shooh her head sadly.
 'I cannot make any bargains she said. Tt is too hideous. Besides yCu know my belief, You will find Godfrey alive. am sure of it. You will bring him home to me. If you do that-oh, if you do thati"
 The light upon her face was bril- liant revelation of her surpassing beauty. but the man who saw it was white to the lips. To him it was torture. If only she would care for him like that.
 There was a time when the man had clung to life-but that time had he prayedLfor forgetfulness, for oblivion. Of time he had lost all count. There was no chance in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
By E. Phillips Oppenhein

way back was easy. There would be
 no one ever to whisper word of his
 treachery; rather. he would be praised
 for his gallant journey into the heart
 of q dangerous country.
 What was Geoffrey to him9 There
 had been no pretense at friendship l between them-they were kin, and
 that was all. And Helen-he closed | his eyes. and stood once more by her side on the balconX-the perfume of her hair. the soft. silent music of her eyes-with swift rush of memories these things became suddenly real to
 him in the deep silence Cf a breeding and unpeopled land.
 When the sun set, he was ten miles away, riding with white, hard face and loose hands breathing sharp, and
 with a glare in his eyes which was like the glare of d madman. For he was pursued by ghosts they were on
 every side of him, in front, their voices whispered to him through that gathering darkness.
 Was it he, Morton Felbrigge. sol der and gentleman, a man of honor and a good conscience, who was rid
 Ing Into the night with ashen cheeks never daring to look behind, trem
 bling at every shadow, starting at every breath of wind which moaned through the few lone trees? He thought of his last campaign. of that
 terrible battle whence he had come drenched with blood. with the body of his comrade upon his shoul ders and the thunderous applause of his wildly excited regiment in his
 ears He thought of the small iron
 cross, which d queen had pined to his breast, and which, it had seemed to | him. must forever keep the man against whose heart it beat from
 even the passing thought of meanness
 or dishonor. He thought of the wCm .
 an who trusted him. with whom his life, if indeed. he ever dared to
 claim her, must be one long. living | lie, of the grim secret which as the
 years went on would work in his
 veins like poison until the hour of inevitable confession came. and the
 eyes, which had learned tG look upon
 him kindly. blazed out the scorn of a | wronged and deceived woman. He
 thought of these things Until his heart was full of horror, and he
 hated himself and what he was doing
 with deadly. siekenng hatred. yet
 he rode on still into the night
 And behind, across the Steppes and up the gorge, man was waiting for him With breathless and passionate eagerness The sun had set and dark
 ness had come. With pain and diff culty he moved his head a little, and looked around. Where was Norton
 his deliyerer-why had he not come 7? Every moment now was a golden mo-
 ment wasted. The night was dark, his guards weresa sleep-manN times his cry strained at first, but pitifully now in earnest, had walled out upon
 the thick darkenss. Sometimes his guards had cursed. sometimes an ami
 nal from that distant belt of woods had yelped back an answer-but Nc rton never came, and of all the
 nights of torture which the man had passed that was the eruelest. When | morning came he was near to death
 when the midday sun beat upon him | he was raVing. When night cam
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
CHAPTER 70

The second trial was held in the same district court but different judge was presiding. Mine was his first homicide case. There was also another prosecuting attorney the one who prosecuted me at the first trial having died Two members of that former jury had also died. No doubt those three who took so prom inent part in that first trial had little idea that they would leave this life ahead of me.
 An additional attorney had been SC cured or our side, and l noticed that well-knoNn lawyer of that city was there in the courtroom consult ing with the district attorney from time to tirXe and, evidently, advising him. lie was not there in the capac- ity of a special prosecutor, it would seem, but he was there, nevertheless; and right from the beginning l knew
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

careful and cool reasoning, and it was backed up by the truth, irrespec- tive of how much against me some parts of that truth stood.
 Senators And Governors Help.
 By the time that summer of 1904 was merging into autumn, l had met and talked with almost hundred persons of standing in that city and state. Letters from. various sources had reached most of them. Those letters had without exception spoken of the fact that it would be highly improper, of course, to go to an eX- treme in discussing the case while it was pending before the supreme court. but still the possibility that the court would not be warranted by law in reveysing the decision led the writers to hope that in some way, without q defeating of the ends of justice, my life might be spared.
 Apart from knowledge of the work ing of my original plane due to the callers, there were many newspaper articles telling of the influence that was being brought to bear in my case. The papers would set forth the names of the persons who had been cL Lmmunicated with by others, and 1t ght here be said that interest had been reused as high up as to include a few persons in both houses of the United States Congress. Among those from Missouri who interested them selves in my case were two United States senators, three members of the House of Representatives, an eX- governor and various state officials. And all of that was most gratifying to me; and just as I had sworn to myself that if legal means failed I would, before going to that death chair. take any desperate chances: so also l affirmed solemnly and with much feeling that if, by the help of all those big-hearted and good peo pie. my life shC uld be spared. I would put forth supreme effort toward proving the soundness of their judg- ment and in working out my own salvation.
 After the sixth day of June was the only man left on the con demned mems tier. Contrary to the judgment of the fellow who had acted as death watch on Frank Flowers that first night of my stay on the tier-and contrary to the Judgment of most other persons who knew of the case-at the last moment Dutch Charley's life had been saved by the board of pardons.
 Charley Cheers Me-.
 It was joy to see kim, as he walked forth from the miserable mar row cell in which he had been com fined under death watch for more than two days. In his surprise and excitement he lapsed into the .most careless and broken language
 T shust must say word to John Kane" I heard him tell the guard, And then moment later .he halted on the lower floor, right near where Frank FlLwers had said he would see Charley on the other side, and called to me.
 Hey! Vot you t'ink now-old Dutch Charley saved by the skin of his teeth'
 You don't know how glad l am, Charley" l told him.
 q know you are" he returned. and I shust feel sure that you too VII "rRank Rarl 'Hre you. us" Charley" I replied
 moment later he was gone-and I was left there in solitary confine ment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

great hope of my life. You know very well what l mean. You know that I love you, No, don't shrink from me! I am not a poisonous thing, There is nGthing criminal in loving you, If tbere is. I have been crimipal all my life. for l have never cared for any other wom an. I don't ask for anything now no, not even for hope. It is too soon. You have not realized as yet that Godfrey has gone. I am going to wait--very quietly and very patiently. I ask for nothing; but I want you to know"'
 A WOman's Intuition.
 Morton" she said. perhaps it Is as well. that you have spoken; I ca tell you my mind now plainly. If you wish to remain my friend. you will never breathe word of this again. To you Godfrey may seem dead. To me, he is alive. l am a woman, you know, and l am hard to convince. Facts count for little with me against consciousness, I feel that Godfrey is aliverI re- fuse to believe him dead. He may never come back to me, but 1 shall wait for him-and hope!"
 Ut is ridiculous" he cried pas- sionately. You mean that you will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17

A man stripped to the shirt, bruised and disfigured in many places with blood and dirt. lay prostrate upon sandy hillock. his blood shot eyes turned steadily westwards. He was in dire straits, starving, half mad with thirst, and exhausted with fruit less fighting. For every barrel of his empty, still smoking revolver a dead or dying man lay upon the little plateau around him. He had fought as. q man fights who sees his own life forfeited by reason of overmast- ering odds, yet girds himself to meet death as becomes one of a great race and great country.
 The number of his assailants had been such as made fighting a panto- mime. and his desperate resistance 2 farce, a S far as any chance of es- cape was concerned. A hundred savage soldiery, whose language was mystery to him. and whose arms and whole appearance a revelation, had come upon him in his sleep short hour ago.
 Away over the stony steppes and on across the mountains his false guides were flying in mortal terrCr Of their lives. For this was an un- known country of horrors. at whose portals whole generations of explor- CTS had perished; whose great city was still the home of mystery, the despair and the desire of travellers, of all nation. Alone on the face of the earth this people had resisted the march of ,civilization, had held firm and unshaken the great barriers which nature and their own savagery had reared about the sacred capital. Wonder it lay on the cold, grey light across the plain, it's great walls, monuments of marvellous masonry, encompassing it like an iron band behind a heterogeneous multitude of pennants' and strange square ctl- umns; flat-roofed houses, and curi- ous watch towers.
 Even in these moments of his agony the man forgot his sufferings and his approaching doom in the mingled eXultation and despair of the explorer. He, first of all Eng lishmen, first, indeed. of all Euro peans. was looking, through from afar off and in grievous plight, upon the sacred city of Thibet. Even luOuSH He pau lOE HlS Wlth his life. as seemed, indeed, certain, this was at least some measure of consolation.
 He had heard many stories of the tortures which these people inflicted upon chance travellers drawn to- wards their city as moth to the candle by it's solemn and impene- trable mystery. What they had done to others they would surely do to him, and presently it appeared that he was right A dozen of them came dragging a pine trunk, stripped of it's branches, up the side of the wooded ravine hundred yards away Others began to drill hole in the rising ground close to where he lay.
 Their dead comrades they kicked