davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Omaha morning bee., 1925-04-05

chairs tilted back and feet on the
table. freed from the scrutiny of the
public. Everything in the days work
Of juror is set forth.
The Omaha morning bee., 1925-04-05

vastly different young girls. one is
Sev York debntante-the. other i
Bedouin princess
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13
synopsis of Preceding Chapters.

Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
CIDoNIA. daughter of Lame Liza.
- the towns sorceress, brooding
over her loveless state. comes upon
a mob Of witch burners dragging
an old bag to a fire stake in the
forest. Her frenzied appeal for
mercy incites the rabble with the de-
sire Of adding her to the holocaust. also.
But she escapes their wrath, only TO
run into the treachery Of a travelling
Jester and his juggling companion.
who trice her up to a sapling and are
squabblinc for the privilege of first
tasting her lips when her cry for
help brings 10 her rescue knight in
armor But what a strange. silent
knight, Even while she is in the
refuge Of his arms he fails TO speak
To her and her superStitious mind
pictures him not of this life hut as an
angel Torn with disappointment
when her mute hero abandons her in
the silence Of her doorstep, the witch
maiden invokes the spirit Of evil.
Immediately the sable pail of dark
ness about her takes form. and
masked figure gathers her up and
eventually deposits her in the midst
Of the Thieves Kitchen. an under
world hrothel. Here dancing with
the masked unknown. she forgets her
angel hero. who is spending a feverish
night visioning the loveliness Of the
girl he So opportunely rescued and
then So unceremoniOuslv abandoned.
The muffled sound Of Halloween
revels chafes the witch maiden's ears
as she finds her way home. She re-
members how her mother on such
night as this was wont To invoke the
demons Of the air. "Typurgus. APPLE
stus. Philokreus. Miastor.' her lips
mumble-and then utter forgetfuluess
Of earthly fears and cares encompasses
her In a dream she drifts along.
tumhling on the hack Of a winged
horse and holding converse with such
whimsical inhabitants of the air as
were-cats. goat-legged fauns and imps
of all sorts ridden by people OF the
town some Of whom she recognizes II
was late next day when the witch
maiden awoke 10 the spectacle Of the
Young Lord Gervais' victorious en-
trance into the town. He had been TO
the war and everybody was out to do
him homage. No sooner dives she set
foot in the streets. however. than n
cry Of witch brat" sends her scurry-
ing into the shelter Of what she dis
covers is a wealthy mans home. From
this place of refuge she sees the young
lord. son Of Arnold. the towns ruler.
ride by. and he. looking up dis
covers in her the girl who has been
troubling his dreams
For the first time in her life. Sidonia
enters church. Something in the
young lords glance lures her there.
She would view the thanksgiving for
his safe return. But even in the
e'lifce the mob attacks her. pushing
her. beaten and in tatters. directly
under the feet of the young lord him
self as with his stepmother Sabine
and his father Arnold. the holy count.
he Is leaving the church Sabine
spares the crumpled figure from
further insult and connives within her
heart 70 use this witch girl and her
nostrums TO enslave the affections Of
her sfensOn.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

person who passed by; he should
have Knocked at the closed doors
and Intercepted those who dwelt
behind them by the right of his
position-but he could do none of
these things 1t is terrible
to be shy when one is twenty, and
a belted knight.
"What now? Though the
last of the sun still gilded the top
most thatch the chill, blue dusk
was emerging from hooks and
crannies, and beneath a score of
archways the night had already
come The night of the
thanksgiving feast in the fortified
dwelling of the Holy Court. He
must return. Tomorrow he would
go to that notable house from
whose opened window his girl had
looked down upon him. He would
not hesitate-he would ask all
necessary questions, and the peo-
pie of the house would answer him
meekly because he was the son of
Count Arnold.
A horrible doubt as to the flesh
and blood reality of the girl sud-
denly assailed him. Perhaps she
was some faery thing that appear
ed and disappeared at will. He
went cold at the thought, and then
hot, and his teeth gritted together.
"T'll find her, if have to look
for her in the underworld' he
said within himself.
A wall shrine showed dimly in a
Swallowed angle. 1t represented
three martyrs surrounded by the
symbols of their suffering, and the
wooden figures had been freshly
painted so that the blue and green
of their no, es and the liberal scar
let of their blood was very vivid.
Bunches of little waxen replicas
Of arms and legs hung on either
side of the shrine-votive offerings
from sufferers miraculously freed
from rheumatic Affections or heal
ed of fostering wounds. Going
down quickly upon his knees be-
fore the three martyrs Gervais
signed himself with the cross.
"Let me find her. Bring me to
herr he implored beneath his
breath.
Back in the witch's loft Sidonia,
who had brought handful of sill
yer coins for her mother, and a
Sleeps liver for the cats, was
cropping in the chest for the love
philtre. and for the waxen image
that should be named "Gervais."
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

Anne, who always became mark
eddy sedate after she had swal-
lowed wine, sat with a rigid spine,
turning her face very formally
first to the man on her right and
then to the man on her left. II a
hand was laid on her knee she
drew down her fair brows in a
frown. But with Margaret the
progress of the banquet had had
just the opposite effect. Her dark,
loose-flowing hair was disheveled,
and the bright coloring of her face
was so heightened that one would
have thought her checks were
painted. The spreading stains of
spilled zine marred the bleached
linen. Some of the guests were
still eating, using knives and fin
gers.
Glow orderly everything isl"
said the wife of a prominent
tOwnsman to her husband. ''If it
wasn't for the talking ! could inn
agine that / was in church."
"Ah, we're among well-man-
nered people here" said the towns
man, plunging his hand into the
yawning cavity of a half-demol-
ished pigeon pie. "This is house
hold where everything is sumptu-
Gus and seemly."
Under the dull-red canopy Sa-
bine, over whose food-soiled hands
a serving boy had poured water,
was drying her fingers languidly
with napkin. The tempered yell
low light shed by the candles, and
dimmed still further by the hearth
smoke, swan into a mist before her,
for the southern wine was thor
oughly mingled with her blood. A
dwarfed hunchback, with a face
like a grotesque wood-carving-
one Of Sabine's diversions-sat on
a footstool beside her. With
worried, preoccupied air - his
great lower lip thrust out like a
shelf-he was scratching his rough
head.
The Count had not spoken for
quite a considerable time. But this
was nothing new. Since his con-
version he had acquired the habit
of monosyllables. Speech seemed
unnecessary to him. He would sit
for long periods so motionless that
the sparrows alighted on his lap
and shoulders-but always in some
place where there was no likeli-
hood Of a woman's intrusion. No
one could tell what he was think
ing-or If he thought at all. He
touched no wine, left all business
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

He did as she had hidden him,
mechanically. She was something
upon which it was always pleasant
to let ones eyes rest, and sic was
kind also. He was not as shy with
her as he was with most women.
"Gervais, there is a matter upon
which | wish to consult you-a
matter than can be spoken of only
in private. Will you go to
my chamber after the guests have
risen and wait there until ! come
to you? 1t is a matter of impor-
lance"
The young man looked toward
her. II was quick, yet an alb
stracted glance.
eyes. Yes, of course,
madam"
He did not question her. Some
times it had dawned even upon
her unspeculative and serenely
feline brain that he shrank from
speech exactly as he shrank from
love. But he was not invincible.
She knew this quite certainly. Her
instincts brought her all necessary
knowledge.
A little hourglass, whose frame
work was OF ivory-a trifle Of lux
ury brought from mythical coasts
stood on the board by Sabine's
silver plate and goblet. Its filling
of coarse white sea sand had half
drained away. Sabine eyed 1t
.placidIy. In half an hour the
feast would be over and Geryais
would ascend to her chamber.
She turned her head aside. and
spoke to the serving boy who had
poured water over her hands:
"Peter, 90 at once and find sid
onia, the girl who was brought
mere to-day and who is under my
protection. Tell her to immedi-
ately perform the task | have set
her. Be quick or I'll have
you whipped"
The boy sidled off crab-like.
The Countess servants might re-
gard her as pious and chastely
complaisant, but they knew also
that she had temper.
Sabine turned her face lgain
toward Gervais. II was comfort
able to know that as she leaned
back in the cushioned chair that
was set side by side with his, the
witch-girl was mingling the love
draught and speaking the neces-
sary spells above IT, A feeling of
gratitude spread itself over her
like the warmth of the southern
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

IN the hands of his stewards, at
tended daily mass, and was sus-
pected of a hair shirt. He was
saint-there was nothing further
to be said or done about it.
Sabine became aware that the
Count had risen to his feet. He
raised his hand and the unweary-
ing racket of the music stopped,
and with il the noise of the guests.
She heard him, in one short, for
NAL sentence, make his excuses.
He bowed, turned, and she drew
back her crossed feet TO let him
pass. He looked more like mi
raculOusly incorrupt corpse than
usual. His handsome, expression
less face was earthly sallow. The
hunchback nearly tumbled off his
footstooI in nervous effort to
clear the vi: y for him, and then
the music with an hysterical
screech of bow-sawed strings, be-
gan again. Across the vacant seat
II at was between them Sabine
turned a Slow sleepy gaze that
was of an infantile blueness upon
Gervais.
His raiment was of a deep blood
color. A gold chain was about his
neck. He was beautiful to look
at, but seemed sulky-close-lipped
as her father.
Geryais was tormented. He had
been balked-and by nothing more
tangible than his own terror of
men and women. Why had he not
gone straight to the house from
whose window the girl had looked
down on him instead of to the
Street Of the Martyrs? How was
he to endure the useless night that
was before him?
He wanted her. Nothing
else was Of the least importance.
The banquet was tedious.
A dozen seats further down Hugh,
his friend, was becoming playful
with a little high-colOred dark girl
Margaret, one of his step
mothers favorite maidens. To
such a bleak height was he raised
by the spiritual and physical tr0u-
BILE that the sombre thought came
to him, "What does Hugh know of
love ?"
"Gervais," said Sabine in voice
like dove wooing.
eyes, madam"
'Now that your father has left
us, ] think you should take his
seat It is your place to preside"
eyes, MADAME"
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

wine. Tomorrow she would dis
tribute aims among the beggars of
the town.
Gervais moved uneasily in his
seat, stretching his legs. He
wished, with irritation, that he
were outside in the frosty cold
roaming the black alleyways and
trusting in the mercy of Provi-
dence to lead him, by some mir
acle, to love. :,
The long table was being cleared
of its disheveled meats and reset
with dried fruits and CONNECTIONS.
The candles were burning low
There were kissings and hugging>
and the little, sharp, whispering
cries of women, for the majority
of the guests were now more drunk
than sober. The music had be-
come fitful, for the musicians
were exhausted. The banquet was
nearly over.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

ERVAIS was in the Street
7 of the Martyrs. He was
unarmored-wrapped in a
hooded cloak. He glanced from
side to side, looking up at the
rickety houses between which the
cobbled laneway-eight or ten feet
across-wandered like a straying
dog. The wooden window shutters
were closed. Here and there a
small, square window-aperture was
blocked with a sheet of stretched
parchment.
The grass that tufted the steep
roofs of thatch was mingled with
tiny red, blue and golden flowers,
bird-sown. In another week, or
perhaps two, they would be shrivel-
led by the white rigors of winter
frost. If shutter was opened
and pushed back it was to allow
refuse to be empted from above
into the street. Half thawed muck
was in some places nearly ankle
deep, but the stencil at this season
was not very great. In the mid
months of summer it is probable
that even Celestial messengers fy-
ing over the town on errands of
mercy or terror sheered widely
away, muffling their faces in their
robes perfumed with myrrh and
spikenard.
The laneway-though II smelt
similarly-did not look as II had
done on the previous night, with
an enormous amber moon rising
through the frosty haze. Gervais
recalled that there had been an
archway at the spot where he had
halted his horse Presently
he found it, and paused. Various
people passed him, most of them
wearing wooden shoes stuffed with
straw. He would like to have
questioned them, but did not know
what to say.
How could one inquire for a
young girl in torn clothing. won
derful as a vision, when one did
not even know her baptismal
name? He had been filed with a
burning confidence that as soon as
he reached the street where she
had said she lived he should en-
counter her.
He stood at the side of the
skulking archway, becoming every
moment more tormented. A bleak
ness of loss that was unbearable
dswned and grew in him. He was
balked-and he could not open
his mouth to anyone.
Two women were coming along
the laneway-Catherine and Syl-
vane. Sylvane was half drunk,
though she walked steadily enough,
her splendid, dishevelled head held
as high as a queens. As they
approached, the tall young man in
the dark cloak stood still, his hood
shadowing his face. Gervais cleared
his throat. With a sudden access
Of courage he had determined to
question them-but Sylvane fore
stalled him.
Good evening, sweetheart.
You're lonely, aren't you?-I'm
lonely, too. Give me a kiss, boy"
She swayed slightly as she stood
with her feet planted rather wide
apart, one hand on her hip. An
atmosphere of wine surrounded
her like tavern-halo.
Gervais, stiff in the joints from
embarrassment, turned from her.
"Here, Haven't you got civil
word? Is the black plague on
me?"
Gervais walked faster
He should have made himself
known TO the woman, and had her
grOvelling at his feet; he should
have questioned, with a manner Of
absolute authority every shutting
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

But there's a cross
hung round her neck"
"The Countess must have given
her that. She's going to try and
make a Christian of her"
Two pages-leggy lads with the
pimples of adolescence breaking
out on face and neck-were
whispering huskily. They glanced
sidelong, not having courage to
stare full-faced.
'Look at the cat" said one of
them, and caught at the others
arm.
By the light of a torch thrust
into an iron bracket fixed against
the wall Sidonia, sitting on wood
en- bench, bit keenly into the ten
der, meaty leg of a roast capon.
A platter balanced upon her knees
held big slice of white bread
soaked with gravy. She was in
tent-very much occupied. No
thing mattered at that moment
except the meat on the capon. But
a little half grown cat, black as
sin, with a rat-tail and dropped
headquarters, came Sinking, and
suddenly mewed-loudly, and with
the shamelessness of hunger.
Sidonia turned her eyes quietly
upon the kitten, loosened a strip
of capon meat with teeth and
fingers and dropped it upon the
floor. 1t vanished as if by magic
and the black kitten stood up on
its hindlegs. laying Us little round
forepaws against her knee.
This was too muchl The ages
vanished as magically as the tidbit
of capon had done. II takes a
stout heart TO support the sight of
witch-girl eosseting a familiar
spirit. Doubtless the creeping cat
with the unnatural cry would leap
onto her lap in another moment
and take the shape of a marmoset.
Instant retreat was the only course
open.
Sidonia was alone. She had
scarcely observed the two lads
with their particoloured hose and
long. hanging, seallopped sleeves
of scarlet. The half grown cat,
uttering loud, blatant cries, stood
upright with its forepaws on her
knee. When she had given it the
nearly picked bone she licked her
fingers delicately. II was wonder
full to look and behave like a lady.
Her hair, which hung loose
upon her shoulders. had beer
thoroughly cOmbed out. II was
sleek as the plumage Of a black
bird, long and heavy. She had
washed her face, her neck. her
hands with water infused with
cleansing herbs, and faint, balsa-
mic Odour chung TO her. Her fasti-
diousness might have been that of
a bride.
She was alone save for the bone
gnawing cat, but on the left. be-
yond an arched doorway, all the
chief persons of the town sat at
the feast given in honour Of Ger
vais. Flutes and fiddles sounded.
Leaning a little forward Sidonia
could glimpse the tall candles,
each bearing soft yellow star.
and enwreathed with evergreens
as though il were Christmas.
Solitariness ever since
the first days that she could clear
ly remember. Daisy-pied COW pas
lures with other children running
and jOstling together, and herself
very little and serious-left
standing under a thorn tree.
"Witch-brat! Witch-brat. Oo-er!
Witch-brat" Forest hollows
where running water clucked soft
~ among stones, and leaves fell.
and deer appeared like dappled
visions, and small, bearded gnomes.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

hAoh q ing VI biCQth tldt w
like a gasp he caught her SUI
denly in his arms, and a sens
ton of fire went over him fro
head to foot"
Cobbled lanes, and the folk
shrinking ever so slightly aside
only the yellow-eyed mich goats,
though unresponsive, seeming in a
saturnine way to be friendly when
she touched them. The loft
with its fetid silence, broken some
times by sharp, causeless rappings,
and herself with her cat in her
arms staring and staring at the
few red embers.
As leper Of long standing must
take his isolation for granted, Sid
Onia accepted her position without
thought.
On her right, behind a half
closed door, the kitchen folk, be-
coming merry with liquor, threw
the picked leg bones of duck and
capOn at each other, and smote
backs, and dug humorous elbows
into ribs.
On her left, beyond the arch
way, the linen cloths and the can
dies lent the banquet something of
the appearance of a church, and
the smoke from the open hearth
crept beneath the soot-mantled
roof rafters~ and the voices and
laughter of fifty persons nearly
drowned the noise of flute and
fiddle. But where Sidonia sat,
played over by the light Of the one
torch, there was only the draught
of the passage-way and the name
less cat, that certainly did look
rather like a familiar spirit as II
covered at her feet, looking up at
her with lambent, grass-gTeen eyes
that asked for more food.
In the hall Of the banquet the
long, white-draped board was clut-
tered with the wreckage Of many
meats-disemboweled pies, bid
carcases, stripped ham bones.
Beneath a red canopy, at the
head of the table, the Count sat,
with Sabine upon his left hand and
Gervais upon his right. Hand
some and Of a waxen yellow hue,
he kept his eyes downcast.
Sabine, leaning a little back in
her cushioned chair, was relaxed
in a happiness Of family and even
ly purring senses. She had drunk
a good deal Of raisin-tasting wine
brought from the south and had
eaten well. Her only irritation
was that the Counts person barred
her from the sight of Gervais un-
less she leaned forward, which was
tax on her Incidence. But Ger
vais would surely be hers before
very long. She had paid the price
of the love philtre.
The two rows Of seated guests,
having drunk already as much as
they were able, were no longer re-
strained. Ladies' sagged toward
their male partners and found the
support Of shoulders seasoned TO
carry the forged steel coats of war.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13
CHAPTER Xxx.

fNO you see that girl there?
That's the witch"
"Rut there's q crnss
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13

"Gervais lifted his
hand and it came,
like the light, tenta-
tive touch of a fow- y
Ter on a shared bird
upon the girls shoulder. Flesh
and blood! With a sharp
indrawing of breath that was
like a gasp he caught her sud-
denly in his arms, and a sensa-
ton of fire went over him from
head to foot"
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-13
CHAPTER XIX.

ERVAIS was in the Street
l T of the Martyrs. He was
unarmored-wrapped in
Imperial Valley press., 1925-10-13
ROBRER RETURNS,
R0RS ROBERTS0NS
TWICE IN MONTH

October 13 proved nlucky for
Gerald Robertson and John Il. Rob
ertSon, as the thief who visited
their home ON September Is appar-
emily paid a return visit in the
early morning hours today. making
away with leather coat belonging
TO Gerald, and several pair of
trousers belonging to John r.
On his previous visit, the thief
left the John r. Robertson home at
1919 Olive street after acquiring his
loot and visited the home of Fred
Robertson, brother of the other two.
ON Brighton avenue Fred was not
paid the compliment of n visit this
morning. but is not making any
complaint on that score today.
Just why the thief should have
\ particular grudge against the
Rohcrtsons is question that is
pu22ling Gerald and John. The only
explanation that can be offered is
that the first syllable of their name
may act as "A magnet for the noe
turnal visitor.
1t is understood John and Gerald
are in the market today for a good
Siberian flea hound to act as watch
dog of the premises.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-10-13
FINDINGS FILED
In MOVE TO CURB
SIGNATURE CHECK
Clerk Restrained From
Counting "a Names
For Recall

Findings of facts and conclusion
OF law in the case of Harold Rum
sey and Bales G.. Walker against
County Clerk Mousseau, were flied
in the latter's office this morning
The decision of Judge Ira F.
Thompson who presided at the hear
ing here two weeks ago, in which a
against the county clerk to restrain
him from making any further
check of the signatures to the recall
against District Attorney Utley, is
practically the same as announced
by the court at the conclusion of
the hearing.
The county clerk is restrained
from counting or allowing ~ sig
natures which the court declared
We're invalid because of difference
i'll the address given in the recall
petition and the address shown on
the registration certificate.
The permanent injunction is de
MED. except as applying to the n
names mentioned. Y
The temporary injunction is CON
tinued pending decision ON the
appeal from the court = decision.
Five days after entry Of iudg
ment the plaintiffs are allowed to
file notice of appeal Thirty days
after the entry Of Judgment the
Plaintiffs transcript on appeal is to
be filed in the court Of appeal, and
- days thereafter the plaintiff
shall file the opening brief on ap-
peal. Within Is days after receipt
from the defendants, of the defend
ants reply brief on appeal, the
plaintiffs reply thereto shall be
served and filed.
Within 10 days after the filing of
plaintiffs closing brief, the pIaint-
ifs shall file with the court of ap-
peal and application for an early
hearing on the issues involved.
The defendants are granted their
cost incurred in the hearing