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| title
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|---|---|---|---|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Don't be alarmed, miss; American soldiers don't harm ladies,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, I am not at all alarmed, she returned with a look of amusement directed first at Cousin Ronald, then at Max;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, please somebody hide me! hide me quick! quick! before those troops get here. I'm falsely accused and who knows but they may shoot me down on sight?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, run round the house and get the servants to hide you in the kitchen or one of the cellars,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thanks!"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, it's real, isn't it?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, don't be afraid, laughed Grace;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm sure they won't hurt us or that poor, frightened man either."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, chuckled Ned."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "If he went to the kitchen, as I told him to, he'll have plenty of time to hide before they can get here."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Sure enough, laddie, laughed Cousin Ronald,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, sir; and I won't believe they are real live fellows till I see them."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well now, Ned, said Lucilla,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I really believe they are very much alive and kindly making a good deal of fun for us."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Who, who, who?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Our two ventriloquist friends,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, what was that?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Nothing dangerous, my dear, said Mr. Dinsmore, drawing her into the shelter of his arms."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It was no mouse; only a little noise."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, yes, uncle, I might have known that,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, cried Ned,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "If they do I hope they won't hurt him,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Here I am, safe and sound, thanks to the little chap who told me where to hide. The fellows didn't find me and I'm off. But if they come here looking for me, please don't tell which way I've gone. Good-by."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wait a minute and tell us who you are before you go, called out Eric Leland, and from the tree came the owl's"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Who, who, who?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Who I am? returned the manlike voice, seeming to speak from a greater distance,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Well, sir, that's for me to know and you to find out."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now please tell us which of you it was--Cousin Ronald and Max,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That's for us to know and you to find out, little brother,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Papa, said Ned, turning to their father,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I wish you'd order Max to tell."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Max is of age now and not at present under my orders,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Brother Max, he queried,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, little brother, returned Max, looking slightly amused,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I consider it my duty to obey papa now whenever it pleases him to give me an order; and that it will be my duty as long as he and I both live."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And you mean to do it?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, indeed."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "So do I, returned Ned with great decision."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And I think all our sisters do too; because the Bible tells us to; and besides papa knows best about everything."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Very true, Ned; and I hope none of us will ever forget that or fail to obey his orders or wishes or to follow his advice."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "How very good, kind, and attentive you have been to me, Harold. I think that but for you and the other two doctors--Cousins Arthur and Herbert--I should now be lying under the sod; and I must acknowledge that you are a most excellent physician and surgeon,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Thank you, Dick. I consider your opinion worth a great deal, and it is a joy to me that I have been permitted to aid in helping on your recovery; but I am no more deserving of thanks than the others. Indeed both Herbert and I felt it to be a very great help to be able to call Cousin Arthur in to give his opinion, advice, assistance; which he did freely and faithfully. He is an excellent physician and surgeon--as I know you to be also: knowledge which increases the delight of having been--by God's blessing upon our efforts--able to pull you through, thus saving a most useful life."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thank you, replied Dick in a moved tone."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "By God's help I shall try to make it more useful in the future than it has been in the past--should he see fit to restore me to health and vigor. I feel at present as if I might never again be able to walk or ride."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I think you need change of climate for a while, said Harold."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What do you say to going North with us, if Captain Raymond should give you and Maud an invitation to take passage in his yacht?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, that is a splendid idea, Harold! exclaimed Dick, with such a look of animation and pleasure as had not been seen upon his features for many a day."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Should I get the invitation and Bob come back in time to attend to our practice, I--I really shall, I think, be strongly inclined to accept."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I hope so indeed, Harold said with a smile,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The three of us, Harold? Are we all angels to-day?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Quite as welcome as if you were, cousin, said Dick."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Ah, captain! it was you we were speaking of at the moment of your arrival."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah? a poor substitute for an angel, I fear, was the rejoinder in the captain's usual pleasant tones."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "But I hope it was the thought of something which it may be in my power to do for you, Cousin Dick."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thanks, captain; you are always most kind,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, certainly, he said."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It will be an easy matter to make room for Cousins Dick and Maud, and a delight to have them with us on the voyage and after we reach home until the warm weather sends us all farther North for the summer."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, delightful! cried Maud."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Dick, my dear, it will set you up as nothing else could; and you may hope to come back in the fall as well and strong as ever."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, cousin, she said with a smile,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I think we can make you very comfortable; and that without inconveniencing anybody; especially as Grandpa and Grandma Dinsmore decline to return in the _Dolphin_. They go from here to Philadelphia by rail, to visit her relations there or in that region. So you need not hesitate about it for a moment, and, glancing at her brother,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, laughed Harold,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I shall do my best to keep my patient within bounds and see that he does nothing to bring on a relapse and so do discredit to my medical and surgical knowledge and skill."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Which I should certainly be most sorry to do, smiled Dick."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "If I do not do credit to it all, it shall be no fault of mine. Never again, cousin, can I for a moment forget that you stand at about the head of your profession--or deserve to, certainly--as both physician and surgeon. Captain, I accept your kind offer with most hearty thanks. I feel already something like fifty per cent. better for the very thought of the rest and pleasure of the voyage, the visit to my old home and friends, and then a sojourn during the hot months in the cooler regions of the North."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It is good news, said Grandma Elsie;"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "In regard to what?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The reception to be given our bride and groom, she answered."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I want it to be given here; all the connection now in these parts to be invited, house and lawn to be decorated as they were for our large party just after the wedding, and such a feast of fat things as we had then to be provided."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That is just like you, mother, said Captain Raymond;"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Ah, it seems to me that I am the one to do it in this instance, she returned with a gratified smile,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "A most excellent and kind plan, cousin, as yours always are, said Chester, giving Mrs. Travilla a pleased and grateful look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I have no doubt it will be accepted if Dr. Harold approves."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "As he surely should, since it is his mother's, remarked Violet in her sprightly way."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Suppose you drive over at once, mamma, see the three, and have the whole thing settled."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "A very good idea I think, Vi, was the smiling rejoinder."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Captain, will you order a carriage brought round promptly, and you and Vi go with me?--taking Elsie and Ned also, if they would care for a drive,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And if Cousin Dick is not well enough for us to go in, we can stay in the carriage or out in the grounds, till you and papa and mamma are ready to come back."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, said her father;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "There will still be a vacant seat, said Grandma Elsie,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, thank you, ma'am, said Grace."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I should like it very much, if papa approves,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Certainly. I am quite sure that my daughter Grace's company will add to my enjoyment of the drive,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And, Grandma Elsie, cannot you find some use for the stay-at-homes? asked Max."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Chester and myself for instance. Would there be any objection to having 'Old Glory' set waving from the tree tops to-day?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "None whatever, she returned with her sweet smile."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I, for one, never weary of seeing it 'wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.'"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I think anyone who does isn't worthy to be called an American!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Unless so unfortunate as to be only a South American, remarked Eva with a smile."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You would not expect such an one to care for our Old Glory."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, no, certainly not; it is no more to them than to the rest of the world."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But I dare say it is a good deal to some of the rest of the world; judging from the way they flock to these shores,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Which I sincerely wish some of them wouldn't, said Lucilla;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Honest and industrious ones we are always glad to welcome, said Chester,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And I heartily agree with you in that,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But unfortunately we have too many selfish politicians--men who are selfishly set upon their own advancement to wealth and power and care little, if anything, for their country and their country's good--who, to gain votes for themselves, have managed to have the right of suffrage given those worthless, ignorant foreigners in order to get into place and power through them."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I haven't a particle of respect for such men, exclaimed Lucilla hotly;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Very true, my dear sister, said Max, with a roguish look and smile,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The right! I think they have that already, she returned with rising color and an indignant look,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, daughter, laughed the captain,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I had no idea that you were such a woman's rights woman. Surely it is not the result of my training."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, indeed, papa; though you have tried to teach me to think for myself, she returned with a blush and smile, adding,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I am not wanting to vote--even if I were old enough, which I know I am not yet--but I do want the laws made and administered by my own countrymen, and that without any assistance from ignorant foreigners."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, and that is perhaps the result of my teachings. Are you not afraid, Chester, turning to him,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Ah, captain, if you are thinking of frightening me out of my bargain let me assure you at once that it is perfectly useless,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, yes; I suppose so, sighed the captain in mock distress."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "But I must go now and order the carriage,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And we to make our preparations for the drive and call at Torriswood, said Grandma Elsie, addressing Violet and the younger ones, expecting to be of the party."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Dick and Maud should have as early a report of our plans and purposes as we can well give them."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Is that so, cousin? exclaimed Violet with a pleased laugh,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Ah, if I can only recover the amount of strength I had before my accident I shall be satisfied, said he,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Star-spangled Banner."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now, Cousin Ronald, he exclaimed, turning to Mr. Lilburn,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "As bonny a one as ever I saw, laddie, responded the old gentleman with a genial smile."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And don't you know that having adopted this as my country, I now consider it as truly my ain banner as it is yours?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, yes, sir, and I like you to, returned Ned with a pleased look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I like this to be your country as well as mine."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It's a grand country, laddie, was the pleasant-toned response,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Dick, dear fellow, are you still unable to move about?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, I'll soon be all right, Bob; though if it hadn't been for Harold here, giving the latter a warmly affectionate glance,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I doubt if you would have found a partner in your practice on your return."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "In that case I am certainly under great obligations to you, Harold, Robert said with feeling, as he and Harold grasped hands with cousinly warmth."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You could hardly have done me a greater service."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't talk of obligations, said Harold with emotion."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Dick and you and I are not only all members of the same profession, but all near kinsmen; so that Dick had a double and strong claim upon me and my services."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And we all think he needs a change, said Maud, standing near,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The very best thing that could be done, I think, said Robert;"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Grandma, said little Elsie, coming to Mrs. Travilla's side one morning as she sat on deck busied with a bit of fancy work,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, dear, was the smiling reply,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Something about General Marion, grandma, if you please. I know a little about him and admire him very much indeed. He was a South Carolina man, I know, and when I heard papa say a while ago that we were on the South Carolina coast, it made me think of Marion and that I should be very glad to hear something more of what he did in the Revolution."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And so would I, grandma; ever so much,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Then sit down, one on each side of me, and I will tell you some things that I have read about General Francis Marion, one of the boldest, most energetic, and faithful patriots of the Revolution. He was born in South Carolina in 1732, and it is said was so small a baby that he might have been easily put into a quart pot."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He must have had to grow a good deal before he could be a soldier, grandma,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, but he had forty-three years to do it in,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "That many years before the Revolutionary War began, said her grandma,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Grandma, didn't he and his soldiers camp in the swamps a good deal of the time?"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It is said that the young officer gave up his commission on his return, saying that such a people could not, and ought not to be subdued."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Marion and his men must have loved their country and liberty to be willing to live in swamps with nothing but potatoes to eat, said Elsie;"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Grave men there are by broad Santee, Grave men with hoary hairs, Their hearts are all with Marion, For Marion are their prayers. And lovely ladies greet our band With kindliest welcoming, With smiles like those of summer, With tears like those of spring. For them we wear these trusty arms, And lay them down no more Till we have driven the Briton Forever from our shore."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And we did drive the British away--or Marion and his men, and the rest of our brave soldiers did, exclaimed Ned when the recitation of the poem was finished,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, Neddie boy, God helped us to get free and become the great nation which we are to-day; and to him let us give all the glory and the praise."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, grandma, I know that even those brave and good fighters couldn't have done it if God hadn't helped them. Did Marion live long after the war was over?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "About a dozen years. He died on the 29th of February, 1795. We are told his last words were, 'Thank God, since I came to man's estate I have never intentionally done wrong to any man.'"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And is that all the story about him?"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Then Mrs. Motte invited both the American and the British officers to a sumptuous dinner which she had had made ready for them."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Grandma Elsie, she said as that lady paused in her narrative,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I am not sure that I do, was the reply."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Can you repeat it for us?"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, I think our soldiers were the bravest,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, said her grandma,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Please, grandma, tell us another Revolutionary story,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Did you ever hear the story of what Emily Geiger did for the good cause?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, ma'am; won't you please tell it?"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Her captors, now convinced of her innocence, made many apologies and allowed her to go on her way. She reached Sumter's camp, gave him Greene's message, and soon the British under Rawdon were flying before the Americans toward Orangeburg."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Is that all, grandma?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "All for the present, Neddie, she replied."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Some other time I may perhaps think of other incidents to give you."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, mother, so you have been kindly entertaining my children, who are great lovers of stories, remarked the captain."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I hope they have not been too exacting in their entreaties for such amusement?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, no, she replied;"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He was a brave, gallant man, was Francis Marion, thoroughly patriotic, and one of the finest characters of that time; a countryman of whom we may well be proud, remarked the captain, speaking with earnestness and enthusiasm;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I am proud of him as one of my countrymen, said Grace."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He was sometimes called 'The swamp Fox,' was he not, papa?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes; the swamps were his usual place of refuge and camping ground."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I admire him very much and like to hear about him and all he did for our country, said little Elsie;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "As you well may be, my dear child, said her father."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "We cannot be too thankful for the liberty we enjoy in these days and which was largely won for us by Marion and other brave and gallant patriots of those darker days. They, and our debt of gratitude to them, should never be forgotten or ignored."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, how delightful it is to be at home again! exclaimed Grace, dancing about and gazing this way and that into the beautifully kept grounds."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I am always glad to go, but still gladder to get back."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And so am I,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And I,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And I am as glad as anybody else, I think, said Max,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, indeed! the dear ones make more than half of home,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, said Grace,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He certainly is to me--his wife,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And I certainly know of no man who has less reason to complain of the lack of appreciation by his nearest and dearest,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "This is certainly a happy home-coming to us all, said Max,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "We seem to have come into a haven of rest, Maud, my love,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, my dear, laughed Maud,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes; I wish everybody had as good, kind, capable, and helpful friends and relatives as ours, and as able to give them such royal entertainment."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Cousin Elsie is the very person to have large means, said Maud,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I heartily agree with you there, said Dick."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I have known her since I was the merest child and she has always seemed to live to do good and show kindness to all around her. She evidently looks upon her wealth as simply a trust--something the Lord has put into her hands to be used for his glory and the good of her fellow creatures."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I am sure you are right about that, said Maud."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And her children resemble her in it. What could have exceeded the kindness of Cousins Harold and Herbert--Cousin Arthur Conly, too--when you were so ill? Oh, Dick dear, I thought I was going to lose you! Oh, how could I ever have borne that? she added with a sob;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "We do indeed, he said with emotion;"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "he added tenderly and in quivering tones, drawing her down to give her a fond caress."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And how kind Vi and her husband have been, he went on."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The captain is a grand good man and quite as anxious to use all he has for the glory of God and the good of his fellow creatures as dear Cousin Elsie herself."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes; I don't wonder his wife and children love him so dearly; and I could hardly love him better were he my own brother, said Maud."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I am so glad he and Cousin Violet fancied each other and married when they did."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, they are the most enjoyable of relatives to us and very happy in each other."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Indeed I should like it, was Dick's prompt response,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Perhaps even with only your cane, if I give you the support of my arm,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thank you, yes,"
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "What is it, mother? and received the reply,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I expect the whole connection here to take tea and spend the evening, and I want you all to come."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Surely there is nothing to prevent any of us from going, he said, and she at once answered,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Thank you, mother, you may expect us all."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Papa dear, mayn't I walk with you for at least a few minutes? I am neither sleepy nor tired, and it is so seldom now that I can have my own dear father all to myself."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, daughter dear, he said, putting an arm about her and caressing her with tenderness."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I am very glad to have your company if it is not going to weary you or rob you of needed sleep."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It is so sweet to be alone with you once in a while, my own dear father, she said."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I think, papa, if my engagement has made any change in my feelings toward you it has been to make you seem to me nearer and dearer, if possible, than ever. Oh, I think it would break my heart if I should ever have to go so far away from you that I could not see and talk with you every day!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Dear child, those are sweet words to my ear, he said in moved tones,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, papa; that assurance is one of my greatest joys. And I am so glad that my dear father is so strong and well, and not so very old,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I am not very young, daughter, he returned pleasantly,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That is a very sweet thought, father, she said."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What a care and anxiety it would be to us to have to choose all those changes for ourselves. How kind in the dear Lord Jesus to bid his disciples to take no thought--which you have explained to me means no care or anxiety--for the morrow--telling them that 'Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.'"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes; and when troubled with cares and fears for the future we may be sure that it is because we are lacking in that faith which trusts all in his hands."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, I want that faith! she exclaimed earnestly, though her voice was low and sweet."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Papa, pray for me that I may have it."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I will, daughter, I do, he said;"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Where are we now, papa? and to what port bound as the first?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "We are nearing Delaware Bay, he replied,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, I like that plan, she said;"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I shall be glad to give you that pleasure, daughter, he said."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now it is high time you were in bed and asleep; so bid me good-night and go."
}
]
|
32103 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "She certainly must need an occasional rest, said Grandma Elsie one day, talking with Violet and the captain,"
}
]
|
467879 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "In that case I hope I shall he hated. I shall shun people who love me,"
}
]
|
678108 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I won't drink it."
}
]
|
298352 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "What's the matter, hey, Colonel? Sorry as all that to see me back?"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall he took me into the house and introduced me to more wimmin folks than I ever seen before in all my life at one time. I guess they were havin' some kind of society doins at Henry's house, one old lady sed to me,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall sir that's a sort of a lotery ticket; every time you leave your clothes thar to have them washed you git one of them tickets, and then you have a chance to draw a prize of some kind. So I sed--wall now I want to know, how much is the blamed thing wuth, and he sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I spose bout ten cents,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, I went along with the rest of them, and durn my buttins if thar wa'nt a feller what had more picters painted on him than thar is in a story book. Wall, I'd jist got to lookin' at him when that feller what had charge sed,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Uncle Josh, but the durned critter wouldn't do it, so I got mad at him one day and throwed him out in the barn yard amongst the chickens, and left him thar. Wall, when I went out the next mornin', I tell you thar wuz a sight. Half of them chickens wuz dead, and the rest of 'em wuz skeered to death, and that durned parrit had a rooster by the neck up agin the barn, and jist a givin' him an awful whippin', and every time he'd hit him he'd say,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now you say Uncle Josh, gol durn you, you say Uncle Josh."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I sed the place whar they've got all them bulls and bears a fitin'. Wall he looked at me as though he thought I wuz crazy, and I guess he did, but he sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall I went along with him, and he took me up to some public institushun, near as I could make out it wuz a loonytick asylem. Wall he took me into a room about two akers and a half squar, and thar wuz about two thousand of the crazyest men in thar I ever seen in all my life. The minnit I sot eyes on them I knowed they wuz all crazy, and I'd hav to umer them if I got out of thar alive. One feller wuz a standin' on the top of a table with a lot of papers in his hand, and a yellin' like a Comanche injin, and all the rest of them wuz tryin' to git at him. Finally I sed to one of 'em--Mister, what are you a tryin' to do with that feller up thar on the table? And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall he's got five thousand bushels of wheat and we are tryin' to git it away from him. Wall, jist the minnit he sed that I knowed fer certain they wuz all crazy, cos nobody but a crazy man would ever think he had five thousand bushels of wheat in his coat and pants pockits. Wall when they wan't a looking I got out of thar, and I felt mighty thankful to git out. There wuz a feller standin' on the front steps; he had a sort of a unyform on; I guess he wuz Superintendent of the institushun; he talked purty sassy to me. I sed, Mister, what time does the fust car go up town. He sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I sed to him--is that my car over thar? He sed"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I sez, wall guess I'll take it anyhow. He says"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I sed, wall now, I want to know, is thar anything round here any fresher than you be? He sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "So I told him I'd jist writ a letter home to mother and Samantha Ann, and I'd like to go to the post offis and mail it. And he told me"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I alowed as how I did. Wall he says,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You jist go out thar and put your letter in that box, and it will go right to the post offis. I sed--wall now, gee whiz, ain't that handy. Wall I went out thar, and I had a good deal of trouble in gittin' the box open, and when I did git it open, thar wan't any place to put my letter, thar wuz a lot of notes and hooks and hinges, and a lot of readin,' it sed--"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "or somethin, like that, I couldn't jist rightly make it out. Wall I yanked on that hook 'till I tho't I'd pull it out by the roots, but I couldn't git the durned thing open, then I turned on the knob two or three times, and that didn't do any good, so I pulled on the hook and turned on the knob at the same time, and jist then I think all the fire bells in New York commenced to ringin' all to onct. Wall I looked round to see whar the fire wuz, and a lot of fire ingines and hook and ladder wagons cum a gallopin' up to whar I stood, and they had a big sody water bottle on wheels, and it busted and squirted sody water all over me. Wall one of them fire fellers, lookin' jist like I'd seen them in picters in Ezra Hoskin's insurance papers, he cum up to me madder'n a hornet, and he sed"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "So I told him I'd jist writ a letter home, and I wuz a tryin' to mail it. He sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall I guess you could have knocked me down with a feather. I sed--wall you'r a purty healthy lookin' lot of fellers, it won't hurt ye any to go back, will it? Wall he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall they all drove away, and I went over to the other box, but I didn't know whether to touch it or not, I didn't know but maybe I'd call out the state legislater if I opened it. Wall while I wuz a standin' thar a feller cum along and looked all round, and when he thot thar wan't any body watchin' him, he opened that box and commenced takin' the letters out. Wall I'd heered a whole lot 'bout them post offis robbers, when I wuz post master down home at Punkin Center, so jist arrested him right thar, I took him by the nap of the neck and flopped him right down on the side walk, and sot on him, I hollered--MURDER! PERLEES! and every other thing I could think of, and a lot of constables and town marshalls cum a runnin' up, and one of them sed"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": ", and he sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And I sed, there's matter enuff, by gosh; when I cum in here I had a pockit book in my pockit, had fifty dollars in it, and I lost it somewhars round here; I wish you'd say to the feller what found it that I'll give five dollars fer it; another feller sed"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "another sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "and another sed"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mr. in the name of all that's good and bad, what do you call that thing? He sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, sir, that's a Fifth Avenoo 'bus. I sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, now, I want to know, kin I ride on it? And he sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You kin if you've got a nickel. Wall, I got in and sot down, and I jist about busted my buttins a laffin' at things what happened in that 'bus. Thar wuz a young lady cum in and sot down, and she had a little valise in her hand, 'bout a foot squar. Wall, she opened the valise and took out a purse and shet the valise, then she opened the purse and took out a dime, and shet the purse, opened the valise and put in the purse, and shet the valise, then she handed the dime to a feller sottin' out on the front of the 'bus, and he give her a nickel back. Then she opened the valise and took out the purse, shet the valise and opened the purse and put in the nickel and shet the purse, opened the valise and put in the purse and shet the valise, then sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Stop the bus, please. Wall, I had to snicker right out, though I done my best not to, but I jist couldn't help it. I didn't have any small change so I handed the feller a five-dollar bill. Wall, that feller jist sot and looked at it fer a spell, then he sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "stopped the hosses, cum round to the hind end of the 'bus and he sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Who give me that five-dollar bill? I sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I did, and it was a good one, too. He sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, you cum out here, I want to see you. Wall, I didn't know what he wanted, but I jist made up my mind if he indulged in any foolishness with me I'd flop him in about a minnit. Wall, I got out thar, and he sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now look here, honest injun, did you give me that five-dollar bill? I sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, sir, that's jist what I done, and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, now, which one of the hosses do you want?"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I guess you mean a department store, don't you? I sed, wall I don't know bout that; they may sell departments at one of them stores, but what I want to git is some muzlin and some caliker. Wall he showed me which way to go, and I started out, and wuz walkin' along down the street lookin' at things, when some feller throwed a bananer peelin' on the sidewalk. Wall now I don't think much of a man what throws a bananer peelin' on the sidewalk, and I don't think much of a bananer what throws a man on the sidewalk, neether. Wall, by chowder, my foot hit that bananer peelin' and I went up in the air, and cum down ker-plunk, and fer about a minnit I seen all the stars what stronomy tells about, and some that haint been discovered yit. Wall jist as I wuz pickin' myself up a little boy cum runnin' cross the street and he sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh mister, won't you please do that agin, my mother didn't see you do it."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh you git out, you've got hay seed in your hair. Wall I jist looked at that bald head of hisn, and I sed, wall now, you haint got any hay seed in YOUR hair, hav you? Everybody commenced a laffin', and he got purty riled, so he sed, smart like,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall he showed me round and I bought what I wanted, and when I cum to pay the feller what I had to pay, it didn't look as though I wuz a goin' to git any of my money back. I handed him a ten dollar bill, and he jist took it and put it in a little baskit and hitched it onto a wire, and the durned thing commenced runnin' all over the store. Wall now you can jist bet your boots I lit out right after it; I chased it up one side and down the other, I knocked down five or six wimmin clerks, and I upset five or six bargain counters; I took a wrastle out of that bald-headed feller, and jist then some one commenced to holler"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "CASH"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Quick Lunch. Wall, I felt a little hungry, so I went into the resturant or bordin' house, or whatever they call it, and they had some sines hangin' on the walls in thar that jist about made me laff all over. I noticed one sine sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Put your trust in the Lord, and right under it wuz another sine what sed"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Try our mince pies."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Frog in your throat 10C."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Boots blacked on the inside."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "This is the door. Now, any durned fool could see it wuz a door. And then I seen another sine what sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Walk in. Wall, now, I wunder how in thunder they thought a feller wuz a goin' to cum in, on hoss back, or on a bisickle, or how. And then I seen another sine, it wuz in a winder and had a lot of tools around it, and the sine sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Cast iron sinks."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall every one begin to laff, and the conductor sed,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "and the big lady sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall if they did they wouldn't stop fer you."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "and the little boy sed,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ten days; ten dollars; Geery society; foundlin' asylum; case dismissed; bring in the next prisoner, and the Lord only knows what else. Wall, some of the cases they tried in that cort house made me snicker right out loud. They brought in a little Irish feller, and the Judge sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Prisoner, what is your name? And the little Irish feller sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Judge, your honor, my name is McGiness, Patrick McGiness. And the Judge sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. McGiness, what is your occupation? And the little Irish feller sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Judge, your honor, I am a sailor. The Judge sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. McGiness, you don't look to me as though you ever saw a ship in all your life. And the little Irish feller sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall Judge, your honor, if I never saw a ship in me life, do you think I cum over from Ireland in a wagon? The Judge sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Case dismissed. Bring in the next prisoner."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Prisoner, what is your name? And the prisoner sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Jd-Jd-J-J-Judge, yr-yr-yo-yo-your h-h-h-hon-hon-honor, m-mm-my-my n-n-na-na-name is-is-is----. The Judge sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Never mind, that will do. Officer, what is this prisoner charged with? And the officer sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Judge, your honor, the way he talks sounds to me like he might be charged with sody water."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, Lige, I've cum over to git my cow. And Lige sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Cum after your cow? Wall, if you've got any cow round here I'll be durned if I know it. Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, Lige, I left my cow with you. And Lige sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, that's a year ago, and she's et her head off two or three times since then. So Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, Lige, you've had her milk fer her keep. And Lige sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Milk be durned, she went dry three weeks after you left, and she ain't give any milk since, and near as I can figger it out, seems to me as how I've pestered her and fed her all this time, she's my cow. Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, Lige, that wa'nt the bargin. But Lige sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Bargin or no bargin, I've got her, and seein' as how posession is 'bout nine points in the law, I'm goin' to keep her."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The Cort is compelled, from the evidence sot forth in this case, to find for the plaintiff, the aforesaid Silas Pettingill, as agin' the defendant, the aforesaid Elijah Willet. We find from the evidence sot forth that the cow critter in question is a valuable critter, and wuth more 'n a year's paster and keep, and, tharfore, it is the verdict of this cort that the aforesaid defendant, Elijah Willet, shall keep the cow two weeks longer, and then she is hisn."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I sed, no sir. Wall he sez"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "This car goes to Coney Iland without change."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Shoot the Shoots. It looked like a big hoss troff stood on end, one end in a duck pond and tother end up in the air, and they would haul a boat up to the top and all git in and then cum scootin' down the hoss troff into the pond. Wall I alowed that ud be right smart fun, so I got into one of the boats along with a lot of other folks I never seed afore and don't keer if I never see agin. They yanked us up to the top of that troff and then turned us loose, and I jist felt as though the whole earth had run off and left us. We went down that troff lickety split, and a woman what wuz settin' alongside of me, got skeered and grabbed me round the neck; and I sed, you let go of me you brazen female critter. But she jist hung on and hollered to beat thunder, and everybody wuz a yellin' all to onct, and that durned boat wuz a goin' faster'n greased lightnin' and I had one hand on my pockit book and tother on my hat, and we went kerslap dab into that duck pond, and the durned boat upsot and we went into the water, and that durned female critter hung onto me and hollered"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "How's things over your way, Si? Si remarked:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Did you git religion, Si? Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, Deacon; I got baptized, but it didn't take--calculated I might as well have it done while thar wuz plenty of water."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Thought I'd cum over today, Ezra; I've got some brooms I'd like to sell ye. Ezra sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Bring 'em in, Si, spring house cleanin' is comin' on and I'll most likely need right smart of brooms, so jist bring 'em in. Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, Ezra, don't see as thar's any need to crowd the mourners, can't we dicker on it a little bit; I want cash fer these brooms, Ezra, I don't want any store trade fer 'em. Ezra sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, I don't know 'bout that, Si; seems to me that's a gray hoss of another color, I always gin ye store trade fer your eggs, don't I? Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Y-a-s--, and that's a gray hoss of another color; ye never seen a hen lay brooms, did ye? Brooms is sort of article of commerce, Ezra, and I want cash fer 'em. Wall, Ezra, he looked 'round the store and thot fer a spell, and then he sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Tell ye what I'll do, Si; I'll gin ye half cash and the other half trade, how'll that be? Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Guess that'll be all right, Ezra. Whar will I put the brooms? Ezra sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Put them in the back end of the store, Si, and stack 'em up good; I hadn't got much room, and I've got a lot of things comin' in from Boston and New York. Wall, after Si had the brooms all in, he sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, thar they be, five dozen on 'em. Ezra sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Sure thar's five dozen? Si sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yas; counted 'em on the wagon, counted 'em off agin, and counted 'em when I made 'em. So Ezra sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, here's your money; now what do you want in trade? Si looked 'round fer a spell and sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I don't know, Ezra; don't see anything any of our folks pertickerly stand in need on. If it's all the same to you, Ezra, I'll take BROOMS?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, Si, that baptizin' didn't take."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "T, and they had a wheelbarrer full of little Injun war clubs. They called one a nibbler, and another a brassie, and a lot of other fool names I never heerd afore, and can't remember now. Then they brought out a little wooden ball 'bout as big as a hen's egg, and they stuck it up on a little hunk of mud. Then they told me to take one of them thar war clubs and stand alongside of the ball and hit it. Wall, I jist peeled off my coat and got a good holt on that war club and I jist whaled away at that durned little ball, and by gum I missed it, and the boys all commenced to holler"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I want you all to cum over to my place; I've found out what's alin' them hogs. Deacon Witherspoon sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, what is it, Jim? and Jim sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, you see the ground over in my hog lot is purty soft, and when it rains it gits right smart muddy, and the mud gits on them hogs' tails, and that mud it gits more mud, and finally they git so much mud on their tails that it draws their skin so tight that they can't shet their eyes, and them hogs air jist a-dyin' fer the want of sleep."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Whar you goin' with your hogs, Jim? Jim sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Goin' to Concord, Jabez. Jabez sed"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, now, I want to know. That's what cums from not readin' the papers. Why, Jim, they've got more hogs up Concord way than they know what to do with. Lige Willit took his hogs up thar, and Eben Sprosby took his'n, and Concord's jist chuck full of hogs, and so consequintly the markit's away down in Concord. But the paper sez it's good in Manchester, and you'd make money, Jim, by goin' thar. So Jim shifted his chew of terbacker over to the northeast, and sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, boys, I calculate we'll hav to go to Manchester, so jist head the hogs off and turn them round. Wall, they druv them hogs 'bout three days towards Manchester, and jist 'bout when they wuz gittin' thar, along cum Caleb Skinner, and he sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, thunder and fish-hooks, whar be you a-goin', Jim. And Jim sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "As near as he could figure it out from his present bearin's, he wuz most likely goin' to Manchester. And Caleb sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What fer? Jim sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Didn't know exactly what all he wuz goin' fer, but if he ever got thar, he'd most likely sell his hogs. And Caleb sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, your goin' to the wrong town. Manchester has got a quarantine agin' any more hogs comin' in, 'cos what hogs they is thar has all got colery, and you'd better go to Concord. Besides the paper says markit is purty well up in Concord. Wall, Jim sed a good many things that wouldn't sound good at a prayer meetin', and then he sed:"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, boys, gess we'll start back fer Concord, so turn round."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Jim, you didn't do very well with your hogs this year, did you? And Jim sed:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, I don't know; that's jist owin' to how you look at it. I never caught up to that blamed markit, but I had the society of the hogs fer two weeks."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall now, if you'll jist wait 'til Josh Weathersby makes another trip or two down to New York thar'll be gold bricks enuff a-layin' 'round Punkin Centre to build a new town hall."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "My dear sir, I am astonished at you. I've looked over your entire premises and I find you haven't got a lightning rod on any buildin' that you possess. Why, my dear sir, don't you know you are flyin' right in the face of Providence? Don't you know that lightning may strike at any time and demolish everything within the sound of my voice? Don't you know you are criminally negligent? Why, my dear sir, I am astonished to think that a man of your jedgment and good common sense should allow yourself to---- Wall, about that time I'd got my breath and wits at the same time, and I sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now hold on, gosh durn ye, what hav ye got to sell anyhow?"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Someone sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, Si, how hard did you ever see it rain? and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall one day last summer down our way it got to rainin' and it rained so hard that the drops jist rubbed together comin' down, which made them so allfired hot that they turned into steam; why, it rained so gosh dinged hard, thar wuz a cider bar'l layin' out in the yard that had both heads out'n it and the bung hole up; wall, it rained so hard into that bung hole that the water couldn't run out of both ends of the bar'l fast enough, and it swelled up and busted. Wall, we all took a fresh chew of terbacker and nudged each other; and Ezra Hoskins sed he didn't remember as how he'd ever seen it rain quite so hard as that, but he'd seen some mighty dry weather; he sed one time when he wuz out in Kansas it got so tarnation dry that fish a-swimmin' up the river left a cloud of dust behind them. And hot, too; why, it got so allfired hot that one day he tied his mule to a pen of popcorn out behind the barn, and it got so hot that the corn got to poppin' and flyin' 'round that old mule's ears and he thought it wuz snow and laid down and froze to death. Wall, about that time old Jim Lawson commenced to show signs of uneasiness, and someone sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What is it, Jim? and Jim remarked, as he shifted his terbacker and cut a sliver off from his wooden leg,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I wuz a-thinkin' about a cold spell we had one winter when we wuz a-livin' down Nantucket way. It wuz hog killin' time, if I remember right; anyhow, we had a kittle of bilin' water sottin' on the fire, and we sot it out doors to cool off a little, and that water froze so durned quick that the ice wuz hot."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Guess its 'bout shettin' up time."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Deacon, I've got a hoss you ought to hev; he's a setter. Wall, you could hav knocked the Deacon's eyes off with a club, they stuck out like bumps on a log, and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Why, Jim, I never heered tell of sech a thing in all my life; the idea of a horse being a setter! Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, Deacon, he's bin trained to set for all kinds of game. I calculated as how I'd git a shotgun this fall and do right smart of hunting. So the Deacon sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, now, I want to know; bring him over, Jim, I'd like to see him."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, what's the matter of your hoss, Jim, look what he be a doin'. Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Deacon sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, now that's the most remarkable thing I ever seen in my life; how'd you like to trade, Jim? Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, Deacon, I hadn't calculated on disposin' of the hoss, but I ain't much of a hand at huntin', and seein' as how it's you, if you want him I'll trade you, Deacon, fifty dollars to boot."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'll trade you, Jim. They traded hosses, and when they wuz a-comin' home they had to ford the crick what runs back of Punkin Centre, and when the old hoss wuz a-wadin' through the water, Deacon went to pull his feet up to keep them from gettin' wet, and he tetched the old boss on the sides and he squatted right down in the crick. Deacon sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now look a-here, Jim, what's the matter with this ungodly brute, he ain't a-settin' now be he? Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes he is, Deacon, he sees fish in the water; tell you he's trained to set fer suckers same as fer rabbits, Deacon; oh, he's had a thorough eddication."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I make a moshen; and Deacon Witherspoon, he wuz chairman, and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now look here, young feller, don't you make any moshens at me or durned if I don't git down thar and flop you in about a minnit. You take your feet off'n that desk and that corncob pipe out'n your mouth, and conduct yourself with dignity and decorum, and address the chairman of this yere meetin' in a manner benttin' to his station. Wall, Jim he got right smart riled over the matter, and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, you gosh durned old gospel pirate, I want you to understand that I'm a member of this body, a citizen, a taxpayer and a honorably discharged servant of the government, and I make a moshen that we build a new school-house out of the bricks of the old school-house, and I do further offer an amendment to the original moshen, that we don't tear down the old schoolhouse until the new one is built."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The gentleman is out of order; and Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I ain't so durned much out of order but that I kin trim you in about two shakes of a dead sheep's tail."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The Punkin Centre Weakly Bugle; old Jim Lawson he wuz editor of it. You see Jim he wuz sort of a triflin' no 'count old cuss, so to keep him out of mischief we made him editor. Wall, Jim he had his place up over Ezra Hoskins' grossery store. He never got any money for the noospaper--always got paid in produce, and Ezra's store wuz a mighty good place fer him to take in his subskriptions. Wall, things went along pretty smooth fer quite a spell 'til one day a feller he cum in and give Jim a keg of hard cider fer a year's subskription to the noospaper, and we all calculated right then that somethin' wuz a-goin' to happen; and sure enough it did. You see 'bout that time Jim had got two advertisements; one wuz fer Ruben Jackson's resterant and the other wuz the time table of the Punkin Centre and Paw Paw Valley Railroad. Wall, Jim he got to drinkin' the hard cider and settin' type at the same time, and when the paper cum out on Thursday it wuz wuth goin' miles to see. Neer as I kin remember it sed that:"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Ruben Jackson's resterant would leave the depo every mornin' at eight o'clock fer beefstake and mutton stews, and would change cars at White River Junkshen for mins and punkin pise, and cottage puddin' would be a flag stashen fer coffy and do nuts like mother used to make, and the train wouldn't run on Sundays cos the stashun agint what done the cookin' would have to run en extra on that day over the chicken and ham sandwitch divishion."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, my dear beloved brethren and sisters, we should not be too severe on the monopolists. If we read the scripters closely we observe our forefathers wuz all monopolists. Adam and Eve had a monopoly upon the garden of Eden, and would have had it 'til this day, no doubt, had not Mother Eve got squeezed in the apple market. Yea, verily, Lot's wife had a corner on the salt market. And while Pharoe's daughter was not in the milk business, yet we observe she took a great proffit out of the water; yea, verrily."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Uncle, we'd like to have you help us play a game of base ball. I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Boys, I'm gittin' a little too old fer those kinds of passtimes, but I'll help you play one game, I'll be durned if I don't."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wat be you a-doin' down here? And they sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, Mr. Hoskins, we're surveyin' fer the railroad. And Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "So we're goin' to hav a railroad, be we? Is it goin' right through here? And they sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, Mr. Hoskins, that's whar it's a-goin', right through here. Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, I s'pose you'll have a right smart of ploughin' and diggin', and you'll jist about plow up my medder field, won't ye? They sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, Mr. Hoskins, we'll hav to do some gradin'. Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, now, let me see, is it a-goin' jist the way you've got that instrument p'inted? They sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, sir, jist thar. And Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, near as I kin calculate from that, I should jedge it wuz a-goin' right through my barn. They sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, Mr. Hoskins, we're sorry, but the railroad is a-goin' right through your barn."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, I s'pose the community of Punkin Centre needs a railroad and I hadn't oughter offer any objections to its goin' through, but I'm goin' to tell ye one thing right now, afore you go any further. When you git it bilt and a-runnin', you've got to git a man to cum down here and take keer on it, cos it's a-cumin' along hayin' and harvestin' time, and I'll be too durned busy to run down here and open and shet them barn doors every time one of your pesky old trains wants to go through."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now let me see what little boy can tell me who slew the Philistines and whar at? Wall, no one sed anything fer about a minnit, then a little red-headed feller down at the foot of the class sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Commodore Dewey, at Manila. The Deacon sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, Henry, it wasn't Commodore Dewey what slew the Philistines, it wuz Sampson. Another little feller sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, Deacon, I think you've sort of got it mixed up; he wasn't there; Schley is the feller what done the job, at Santiague. The Deacon sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now, boys, you've bin readin' too much about them war doin's in the papers. Now what little boy can tell me what is the first commandment? And Ezra Hoskins' boy sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Remember the main. Gosh, I had to go right out of the meetin' house, whar I could have a good laugh. Wall, I wouldn't have bin down thar in the fust place, or the second place, fer that matter, if it hadn't bin fer old Jim Lawson. You see, Jim he's a peculiar old critter. He's got one eye out; lost it lookin' fer a pension, I believe. Wall, Jim he cum over to my house and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Josh, let's you and me go down to the baptizin'. I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What do you want to go down thar fer, Jim; you can't git any pension thar, kin ye? Jim sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, you see, Josh, thar wuz a pedler left some hymn books at my house, and I want to go down thar and see if I can't sell 'em. Wall, we hadn't bin thar more 'n a minnit when Jim he told the minister he had the hymn books to sell, and the minister sed he'd tell the congregation all about it. Then Jim he sot right down in the meetin' house and went to sleep; and then he went to snorin'; you could hear him clar across a forty acre lot. I wouldn't a-keered a gosh durn, but he woke me up Wall, about the time the minister wuz a-gittin' through with his sermon, he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Now all members of the congregation having babies here to-day and wantin' of them baptized after the sermon is over, bring them up to the pulpit and I will baptize them. Wall, Jim he woke up about that time, and he thought the minister wuz a-talkin' about his hymn books; so he stood up and sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now all you folks what ain't got any I'll let ye have 'em, twenty-five cents apiece."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Nancy Hanks;"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thereby hangs a tale."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Guess the Deacon won't put blinders on himself when he gits thar."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Let's you and me go down to the cirkus, and Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "All right, Joshua. So we got on our store clothes, our new boots, and put some money in our pockits, and went down to the cirkus. Wall, I never seen any one in my life cut up more fool capers than Ezra did. We got in whar the animals wuz, and Ezra he walked around the elefant three or four times, and then he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "By gum, Josh, that's a durned handy critter--he's got two tails, and he's eatin' with one and keepin' the flies off with t'other. Durned old fool! Wall, we went on a little ways further, and all to onct Ezra he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Geewhiz, Josh, thar's Steve Jenkins over thar in one of them cages. I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Cum along you silly fool, that ain't Steve Jenkins. Ezra sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wall, now, guess I'd oughter know Steve Jenkins when I see him; I jist about purty near raised Steve."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You go 'way from me you painted critter, and that clown he jist up and yelled to beat thunder--sed Nancy stuck a pin in him. Wall, everybody laffed, and Nancy she jist sot and giggled right out. Wall, they brought a trick mule into the ring, and the ring master sed he'd give any one five dollars what could ride the mule; and Ruben Hoskins alowed he could ride anything with four legs what had hair on. So he got into the ring, and that mule he took after Ruben and chased him 'round that ring so fast Ruben could see himself goin' 'round t'other side of the ring. He wuz mighty glad to git out of thar. Then a gal cum out on hoss back and commenced ridin' around. Nancy Smith sed she wuz a brazen critter to cum out thar without clothes enough on her to dust a fiddle. But Deacon Witherspoon sed that wuz the art of 'questrinism; we all alowed it, whatever he meant. And then that silly old clown he told the ring master that his uncle committed sooiside different than any man what ever committed sooiside; and the ring master sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, sir, how did your uncle commit sooiside? and that silly old clown sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Why, he put his nose in his ear and blowed his head off."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mister, did you lose anythin' 'round here any place? He sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, sir, I lost a ten dollar bill; if you find it I'll give you two dollars."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "We're having a little party down behind the barn; will you dance with me this set? and she sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No, sir, I'm engaged to his nobs for this set. Gosh, I wuz afraid to go out in the barnyard one while, cos one day when I wuz out thar I heerd a hen say to a rooster,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thar's that old gray-headed cuss we've bin a-layin' fer."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Keep your eye on him, pard, I don't think he's cum fer to stay; His eyes are too shifty and yeller, And his face is sullen and hard; And 'taint that so much as a feelin' I have; Anyhow, keep your eye on him, pard."
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'll start early in the mornin' and take a load of produce with me, and that will sort of pay expenses of the trip."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Good mornin', be you the storekeeper? And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, sir, I'm only one of the clerks. So I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, be the storekeeper to hum? And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, sir, would you like to see him? And I told him as how I would, and he turned 'round and commenced to hollerin'"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "FRONT,"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Show the gentleman to the proprietor's offis. Wall, I went along with that boy, and presently we cum to a place in one corner of that store; it wuz made out of iron and had bars in front of the winders, and looked like the county jale. The front boy p'inted to a man and sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Go in, and I sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I gessed I wouldn't go in thar, cos I hadn't done anything to be locked up fer. And that front boy commenced to laffin' tho' durned if I could see what he wuz a-laffin' about, and the storekeeper he opened the door and cum out, and he sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Good mornin', what can I do fer you? I sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Be you the storekeeper? and he sed he wuz. So I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Do you want to buy any pertaters? And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, sir, we don't buy pertaters here; this a dry goods store. So I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, don't want any cabbage, do ye? And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, sir, this is a dry goods store. So I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Wall, now, I want to know; do you need any onions? And by chowder, he got madder 'n a wet hen. He sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now look a-heer, I want you to understand onct fer all, this is a dry goods store, and we don't buy anything but dry goods and don't sell anything but dry goods; do you understand me now? DRY GOODS. And I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, gess I understand you; you don't need to git so tarnaly riled about the matter; neer as I can figure it out you jist buy dry goods and sell 'em. And he sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, sir, only dry goods. So I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Do you want to buy some mighty good dried apples?"
}
]
|
970 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Hester Brown, beloved wife of James Brown, and on another it sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Prudence Brown, beloved wife of James Brown, and on another it sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thankful Brown, beloved wife of James Brown. Wall, I couldn't jist make out what she had to be thankful about, but I sed,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Jimmy, you had a right lively time while you wuz in Boston, didn't you? Then I seen another toomstone and on it it sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Matilda Brown, beloved wife of James Brown,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Sara Ann Brown, beloved wife of James Brown, and over in a little corner, all to itself, I seen a toomstone, and on it it sed,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "James Brown, At Rest."
}
]
|
303082 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The fella can play,"
}
]
|
14220 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The Tale of Peter Rabbit,"
}
]
|
14220 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Flopsy Bunnies."
}
]
|
14220 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "One, two, three, four! five! six leetle rabbits!"
}
]
|
14220 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "One, two, three, four, five, six leetle rabbits!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Eh? What's that? What have they been spoiling now?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "One, two, three, four, five, six leetle fat rabbits! repeated Mr. McGregor, counting on his fingers--"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't you be silly; what do you mean, you silly old man?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "In the sack! one, two, three, four, five, six!"
}
]
|
14220 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Not fit to eat; but the skins will do fine to line my old cloak."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Line your old cloak? shouted Mr. McGregor--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I shall sell them and buy myself baccy!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Rabbit tobacco! I shall skin them and cut off their heads."
}
]
|
781824 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But where's Leithcourt now?"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mighty beach to-day!"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "They've seen us, sir, at the factory, said Mr. Balgarnie."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "All the boys are out working cargo, and there's old Swizzle-Stick Smith sucking his eternal pipe and hustling them with a chiquot. I can catch the glint of his eyeglass. Wonder how long that man's been out on the Coast? Must be a matter of twenty years now by all accounts since he had his last run home. He's found the right kind of ju-ju to dodge fever-palaver, anyhow. They say he's a lazy old beach-comber as a general thing, but he's up bright and early this morning."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wouldn't you rouse out in a hurry if you only saw a Christian steamboat once in three months at the oftenest? I told the second mate to make fast the whistle string to the bridge rail when he judged he was five miles off the old sinner's beach, and I guess Swizzle-Stick Smith jumped slap through his mosquito bar at the first toot. See those pyjamas he's wearing? He bought them at the forecastle shop aboard here just six months ago."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Blue, with a pink stripe, so they are. This is a rare good glass of yours, sir. Yes, I remember Chips telling me. Three pairs he got at nine bob a pair. Wouldn't pay a sixpence more. And tried to get a bottle of Eno thrown in as a make-weight. Phew! but this day's going to be a ringtailed scorcher. Look at the mist clearing away from those hills at the back already."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It's a murdering bad beach to-day, he repeated."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Always is when there's a few tons of cargo waiting for me to get commission on."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I see old Swizzle-Stick's making his boys run down the oil casks into the surf. They'll never swim them through. Rather a pity, isn't it, sir, to stay on here and let them try? They're bound to get half of them stove at the very least."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "That's his palaver. I missed calling here last round. There was a swell like a cliff that day; but then there always is a bad beach along this run of the Coast; and so he should have double lot of cargo ready for me. There'll be oil and there'll be rubber, and I shouldn't wonder but what he's a few bags of kernels as well. I bet that factory on the beach there is just bulging with cargo. It ought to tally up to quite fifty tons, and I'm not going to have some other captain snapping up old Swizzle-Stick Smith's trade if I know it. Balgarnie, my lad, I'd the straight tip given me from O'Neill and Craven's in Liverpool when I was home. If we don't make it handy to call at their factories along this Coast, the Hamburg boats will. They've shipped a new director or something at O'Neill and Craven's--K. O'Neill he signs himself--and that man intends to make things hum."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "My Whiskers! said the Purser."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I clean forgot. We've a new clerk for O'Neill and Craven's here at Malla-Nulla. It's that red-haired young chap, Carter, in the second class."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Last three red-haired passengers I knew all pegged out within three months of being put ashore. Color of the hair seems to counteract the effects of drugs. Purser, I'll bet you just two cocktails Carter's planted before we're here again next trip."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It's on, said Mr. Balgarnie,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That doesn't get over the red hair, Purser. You'll lose that cocktail. Bet you another cocktail, if you like, he gets spilt in the surf getting ashore."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Then we'll consider that last one lost already. He put his head inside the chart-house and called out the captain's Krooboy steward--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Brass-Pan?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yessar."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "We fit for two cocktail."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Savvy."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You lib for my room, you fetch dem gin-bottle, an' give him to bar steward."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Savvy."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Well, what are you waiting for? Get along, you bush-man, one-time ... That's a poor boy I'm afraid you've got, Captain."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Pipe-clays shoes very neatly, said Captain Image."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, you've brought those papers for me to sign. Well, come into the chart-house, Purser, and we'll get them through. Hope that fool of a boy will bring the cocktails quick. These early morning chills are dangerous unless you take the proper preventives."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "There, my lad, he said to Carter, as he made the presentation,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Thanks, said Carter."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But I always understood----"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I'm sure you did. Now there's one other thing I want to impress on you, my lad. Your duty is to get on, and the way to do that is to scratch up cargo and send it home by the _M'poso_. You see, my lad, I've got more influence with O'Neill and Craven than any other captain on the Coast (though you needn't go and stir up mischief by spreading that about), and if you keep yourself in my memory by the way Malla-Nulla ships cargo by me, I'll let them fully understand at the home office that services like yours want a big raise in salary. There, don't you bother to thank me, my lad, and just you stow that box of pills where they won't get lost if you're spilt going ashore through that surf. It's a mighty bad beach to-day."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ah, morning, Carter, said Mr. Balgarnie as he bustled up."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Got all your things up on deck? It's no concern of mine, of course, but if there are any little odds and ends you want, such as socks, or Florida water, or a mosquito bar, I believe Chips and the bos'n keep a sort of surreptitious shop somewhere in the forecastle where you could fill up your stores."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Much obliged, said the passenger,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Remembered to bring donkey-clippers for hair-cutting? No? Well, just as you please. What I really wished to mention to you was this: when your pay comes in, you'll naturally want little comforts sent out from home, and you won't care to worry any of your friends to get them for you. Now don't you have any qualms about making use of me. Just say what you want, and I'll get it and bring it out. Mr. Balgarnie winked most pleasantly."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm purser here, of course, and have to back up the Company's charges, but I can always make the rates reasonable to oblige a friend. There, good-by, old fellow. The boat's ready to take you off."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Don't jump too soon."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Take care you don't drop that new pith hat."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mind, don't let the boat come up and squash you."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't flurry the man so. Put your feet in your pocket if you see a shark."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, get on! For Heaven's sake, get on!"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "If in a surf-boat you see the boat boys jump overboard, jump yourself also if you do not wish to have the boat on top of you."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Get back, you black swine! Get back, and fetch out my clerk. If you drown my clerk, I will drown you, too. My last clerk died a year ago, and they have got me no other out here since. I won't lose this one. Back, you bushmen!"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Smith. You give cash, suppose we fit for catch 'im?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You lib for beach with my clerk, and I dash you one whole box of gin. Hurry up now, you thieves, or a shark will chop him, or else he'll drown."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It's all very well for this K. O'Neill to send out letters that the firm is going to double its business, he grumbled,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Beggar's got an arm broken, he commented."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Just my luck. And K. O'Neill will expect the work to be done just the same. Oh --he said when the dripping Krooboys had put down his guest on the counter--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm afraid you've had rather a rough bout of it, landing, my lad. It's a very bad beach to-day. There, don't move. You're all right. You'll feel a bit queer yet."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The boat upset----"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It did, most thoroughly. But you're now at Malla-Nulla factory in West Africa, and I bid you welcome. I'm Mr. Smith, your commanding officer. You'd like to lie still for a bit, perhaps?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Well, buck up, and you'll soon be all right. You needn't fancy you'll be a candidate for a top-hat and a gun-case yet."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "For a which?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That's a gun case. Man's usually too long to fit it comfortably, especially if he's as well-grown as you are. So we knock out one end, and nail on an old top-hat. Then you can plant him in style."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "A most tidy custom, he said faintly."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But I say, could you do anything for my arm? Sorry to trouble you, but it's most abominably painful."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Your arm's broken, worse luck. I'll set it for you when I've got off this cargo."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'd rather have a doctor. Will you send off to the _M'poso_ for the doctor there, please?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "My lad, you don't understand. You've left the steamer now, and her doctor's not the kind of fool to risk his own bones trying to get here with the beach as bad as it is to-day. I don't suppose he mistakes you for a millionaire. You came out in the second class, I suppose?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Then there you are. His responsibility ended when you left the steamer, and ship's doctors don't come ashore on this Coast unless they're sure of touching a big fat fee. Now you must just lie quiet where you are, and bite on your teeth till I've some time for surgery. Trade comes first in West Africa."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It's this new partner, K. O'Neill, that I don't like the sound of, he explained to Carter one day."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "By the way, who is he?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Don't know. As I told you I was staying with my father at the vicarage, and I was engaged by wire the day before the _M'poso_ sailed, and only caught her by the skin of my teeth. There was nobody there to see me off, and on the boat all they could tell me was that 'K.' came into the business when the late head died."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Old Godfrey, that was --Swizzle-Stick Smith sighed--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Here's expense! grumbled Swizzle-Stick Smith."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Letters landed at our Monk River factory, and sent on to Mulla-Nulla by special runner. K. O'Neill's orders, the Monk River agent says. In the old days you could always bet on the beach being too bad for the steamer to call twice out of three times, and you weren't pestered with a mail more than once in six months. That's mainly why I've stuck by O'Neill and Craven all these years. Now this new man wants our output of kernels to be doubled by this time next year, and hopes I'll take steps to work up the rubber connection. If I can't see my way to do all this, will I kindly give my reasons in writing, and if necessary forward same by runner to a steamer's calling point, so that reply may be in Liverpool within six weeks at latest. What do you think of that?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, I should say it was reasonable enough from the Liverpool point of view."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Bah! There's not much of the Coast about you. He tore the letters into shreds, and folded these carefully into pipe-lights."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Dear old Godfrey trusted me up to the hilt, and this new fellow's got to learn to do the same, or I shall resign my commission. If he understood anything about running the office, he might know I should do all the work that was good for me."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I'm sure you do, said Carter civilly."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm afraid I'm the slacker. You let me have such an easy time of it whilst my arm was getting well, that I've slid off into lazy ways. I must buck up, and if you'll load the work onto me, Mr. Smith, you'll find I can do a lot more."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well, he said at last,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ever since the first factory came down to blight this Coast, Smith explained,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Still, Carter pointed out,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "And you are the kind of fool that goes on the principle of 'obeying orders if you break owners.' Well, go ahead and carry out instructions. I won't interfere with you. I'd rather like to see this cocksure K. O'Neill get a smack in the eye to cure his meddling. And for yourself, keep your weather eye lifting, or some indignant nigger will ram a foot of iron into you. It's the Okky-men I'd take especial care of if I were you. They've got their tails up a good deal more than's healthy just now. I'm told, too, that their head witch doctor wants his war drum redecorated. Mr. Smith grinned--"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I don't want to be personal, of course."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, don't mind me. So far I rather fail to understand what I've got to do with the Okky City war drum."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You see you carry round with you something that would make the very best kind of heap-too-good ju-ju."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Still I don't understand."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It's that red head of yours, my lad, he said over his shoulder as he went out."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Every witch doctor in West Africa that sees it will just itch to have it amongst his ornaments. I'd dye it sky-blue if I were you, just for safety sake."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Here, fire that ruffian out,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Dat you, Smith? Yessar, I come one-time,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Here you, said Carter to the big Okky-man,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Here, you, come and carry your master outdoors --the men hesitated--"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Upon my soul a most interesting picture! Just like a kid's fairy tale book. Gallant young knight rescuing distressed damosel from the clutches of wicked ogre, who incidentally happens to be the King of Okky as anyone but a born fool could have guessed from his state umbrella, and one of the firm's best customers. Kindly observe that I'm the good fairy who always comes in on the last page to put things safe. Carter, I prithee sheath thy virgin sword, and then for God's sake run away and drown yourself."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Champagne, Mr. Smith kept on suggesting,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Smith, he said,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I fit for champagne-palaver, one-time, and loosened the tuck of his ample waist-cloth to give space for the expected cargo."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "No damn use more talk-palaver now."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Most happy to have been of service to you, madam. Won't you come into the factory and have a cup of tea?"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "the girl was murmuring,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I wish you'd mentioned it earlier, Carter blurted out,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, that wouldn't have done. There's the law to be thought of even here. Besides, he's a King, and could let loose, so they say, twenty thousand fighting men against the Coast factories, and wipe them out. If only I could get away to some place he couldn't reach! She shivered."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "If I stay on here at my father's factory, I'm bound to be caught and taken to Okky City."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You speak of your father's factory. Do you mean to say that you live here on the Coast?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "At the Smooth River factory."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "What, Slade's place?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, I'm Laura Slade. Couldn't you guess?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "How could I? Carter blurted out."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. Smith told me that Slade's girl--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mr. Smith, I suppose, described me as a nigger."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. Smith, of course, knew my father, and my mother, too, for that matter, before I was born. My mother was a quadroon, and that makes me, you see, one-eighth African."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You did not arrange your pedigree any more than I did mine. If you hadn't told me, I should never have guessed you weren't a full-blooded European. And after all, what does it matter?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "There speaks the man who has only been out on the Coast six months."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Six months or six years, said Carter stoutly,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I take frankly what you offer, she said."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "If you let me become your friend, I shall count myself fortunate; you see, after what you have done for me to-day we can hardly start from the ordinary basis."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I've arranged, he said, when next he saw her,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I say, Mr. Assistant, wake up."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't get up, please. I apologize for waking you, my dear follow, but since you turned in, you've been made a pawn in the great game of diplomacy. The fate of empires trembles on your nod."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Don't you think the empires would tremble no more if we left them over till to-morrow morning?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It would be most undiplomatic to leave them trembling too long. I can tell you I have had a devilish hard time of it putting his Majesty to sleep. He can carry his liquor like a man, and he'd a most royal way of seeing I drank level with him. But he may wake up any minute. Put not your trust in the sleep of kings, Mr. Carter."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "All right, sir. I'll make a note of that. I'll brew the gasolene, and when the King wakes I'll stand by with soda-water and fusel oil, which I should think will heal the breach between us."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't you believe it for one instant. The King of Okky's a seasoned vessel with a copper tummy, and you could no more thaw the wickedness out of him with soda-water than you could bring the devil to a reformed temperature in an ice machine. You must recognize, Mr. Carter, that both the King of Okky and the devil have their little ways, and it's above your art to change either of them very much. Question is, how much allegiance do you think you owe to O'Neill and Craven?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That's an interesting point, sir. I hadn't reckoned it up before. But I shouldn't like to give you an answer to so important a question about the firm on the spur of the moment. So by your leave, I'll sleep over it, and tell you in the morning."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Sorry, but can't allow you the time, and as you don't seem to grasp the fact, I must point out that the fate of this factory of O'Neill and Craven's at Malla-Nulla depends on the august will of the King of Okky. His Portliness also threatens to stop the roads which feed our other factories at Monktown and Smooth River, though I don't think when it comes to the point he'll do that. However, Burgoyne and Slade must see to those themselves. After the way this new K. O'Neill's been treating me on paper, I'm not going to concern myself with the general welfare of all the firm's factories on this coast. But I am in charge of Malla-Nulla, and I'm going to preserve the trade here from extinction if it can be managed."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm afraid, sir, I must ask you to come down to my level, and speak rather more plainly."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. Smith closed his eyes and evidently imagined that he was uttering his next thought silently."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Keep the young beggar out of the way of Slade's girl, too. By Gad, I'd no idea Laura would grow up such a pretty child. If he'd been an ordinary clerk I wouldn't have minded, but the lad's a gentleman by birth, and now he's done the gallant rescue business as a start, he's just the sort of quixotic young ass to think he ought to go and marry the girl as a proper capping for the romance. And that of course would be the end of him socially."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I say, Carter called out loudly,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mr. Smith, do you know it's four o'clock in the morning, and there are some dangerous chills about just now? Don't you think you had better have a cigarette paper full of quinine by way of a night cap, and then go to bed? It will be turning-out time in another hour or so."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Matches, please. My pipe's out. Ah, thank you, Mr. Carter. Well, as I was saying, the King's awfully taken with that punkah you rigged for the mess-room, and the water wheel you set up in the river to run it, and when I showed him the native arrowheads, and the spears, and the execution axes you'd made to sell to the curiosity shops at home, he began to change his tune. By the time we'd got to the fifth bottle he'd given up asking for your head in a calabash to take home with him, and before we'd finished the case he'd offered you the post of Chief Commissioner of Works in Okky City, with a salary in produce and quills of gold that'll work out to £1,000 a year."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That's very flattering."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Yes, isn't it, when you remember how he started. The only question is, will he keep his royal word when he's sober?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It's a nice point. Among other things I believe they're cannibals up in Okky City."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, come now, Mr. Assistant, you mustn't malign my friend, the King, too much. You need have no fears on that score. The Okky men have never been known to eat anybody with a red head. The only thing you'd have to funk would be sacrifice--with, of course, a most full and impressive ceremony. So I think you'll go, eh? All for the sake of K. O'Neill, whom you admire so much? And then the King won't stop the roads."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, said Carter shortly."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I have no intention of committing suicide at present. But if I'm an embarrassment at Malla-Nulla, you may fire me, or I'll resign if you wish it."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Shouldn't dream of letting you go, my dear fellow. Always make a point of sticking by my officers. Just thought I'd let you know of the King's offer in case his Majesty refers to it to-morrow. There now, go to bed again, and don't dream the fighting's begun. You'll see plenty of service over this affair without dreaming over it on ahead."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Smith, he kept on saying,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I savvy champagne palaver, n' I savvy cocktail palaver, n' I fit for chop when chop-time lib. But I ask you for tell me, one-time, if you fit for dash me dem Red-head that savvies machine-palaver. If you no fit, I stop dem road, an' no more trade lib for Malla-Nulla."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You're pulling my leg, old Cockiwax, Mr. Smith would say."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I pray you cease, and you shall have the best cocktail this pagan Coast has seen or sniffed."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Smith, the King would say,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I fit,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mr. Assistant, he said, when at last he put down his knife and fork, and the houseboy handed him his pipe and a match,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Mr. Assistant, I intended to make you a bearer of dispatches, but the gout's got into my confounded fingers this morning, and I doubt if even Slade could read my writing. So we'll just have to do the thing informally. We must have some more of that spot-white-on-blue cloth, and you must post off to the Smooth River factory and bring it back with you. It seems to be in heavy demand just now, though why, I can't imagine. I've been on the Coast twenty-five years now, and I can no more foretell the run of native fashions than I could the day I landed. But there it is, and though I'm sure Slade won't want to part, you must just make him. Say we'll pay him back in salt. He's sure to be short of salt. I never yet knew Slade to indent for half as many bags of salt as his trade required. You needn't hurry. If you're back here in three days' time that will be quite soon enough. You can take a hammock, of course."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thanks, very much, but I'd rather walk."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well, just as you please. You must commandeer what carriers you want from Slade."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, said his valet when they had left the factory buildings well out of earshot,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It was about time I tidied up. When we get back to the factory I'll teach you how to pipe-clay shoes."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I fit for tell you, Carter, dem last white man I pipe-clay shoes for, he lib for cemetery in two week. Savvy, Carter? Two week."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "All right, don't get so emphatic. I wasn't doubting you. But I'm going to risk the cemetery all the same. You may start by providing me with one pair of clean shoes a day, and when I get the taste of cleanliness again, maybe I'll run to two. Savvy?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Savvy plenty, grumbled White-Man's-Trouble, and then presently."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You no fit for steamah palaver? You no lib for home?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No, I'm not going home yet awhile."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "But you plenty-much fine."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Yes, admitted Carter,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I caught sight of myself in mildewed pyjamas and a fortnight's beard, and was struck with the general filthiness of my personal appearance. Savvy?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Savvy plenty. Oh, Carter, you lib for wife-palaver? Dem plenty-much fine clothes always one of the customs before wife-palaver."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Carter?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Well?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Dem Slade. You savvy seegar?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I suppose so. Why?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I see Smith dash dem Slade one box seegar an' he got what Slade said 'no fit' for before. Oh, Carter, you dash dem Slade one box seegar,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Whatever for?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Because then, after he got dem seegar, he sell you Laura for half dem price he ask before."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You're an impertinent savage,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I Krooboy, sar. I no bushboy, sar! I lib for educate as deckboy an' stan'-by-at-crane boy on steamah, sar. I no fit for stay with you, sar, if you call me impertinent savage."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Good heavens, man! I didn't intend to hurt your feelings."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Carter, you apologize. Palaver set."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now, lad, remember always you're a white man, and don't get mixed up with any woman who owns a single drop of blood darker than your own. If you do, you can never come back here, and you'll hate yourself all the rest of your life. Remember I held an Indian chaplaincy before I got this living, and I know what I'm talking about."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Slade, oh Slade, to"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Stop dem dam gun-palaver."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Good God! he rapped out,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "he said as he came nearer, and saw his caller's spruce getup,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Unless, said Carter,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Haven't you come from Malla-Nulla?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Left there about a quarter to four."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And hasn't it been sacked?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "It was sitting down by the beach, looking just as white hot as usual, and no more, when I left."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "What about the King of Okky, then?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "He was there at Malla-Nulla, filling a very big chair on the veranda."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "And there has been no raid? I don't understand."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The King of Okky, said Carter patiently,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He's stopped the roads right enough."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Not he,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Come along with me, he said."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I guess ocular demonstration is about the only thing that will convince you that there is mischief in the air, and that that crafty old devil of a king is at the bottom of it. He led to a factory outbuilding, threw open a door, and scraped a match."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Look in there."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Two, four, seven. And all killed the same way. I say that's pretty ghastly."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Isn't it? They were all fine healthy Krooboys when they marched out of here this morning, carrying up some salt bags to our sub-factory on the Okky road. There were some bits of feathers and a rag or two strung up alongside the path, and they didn't notice them, or didn't tumble to it that they were ju-ju. Consequently they are now what you see. This is the King of Okky's way of hinting that the road is stopped. That pot-leg must have been fired at not more than a two-yard range. Some of the poor devils are regularly blown inside out. Here, come into the open again."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thanks, you needn't give me the details over again. I saw all that for myself."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "That infernal King must have sent off his messengers the very moment after you had that turn-up with him about Laura--which, by the way, is a thing that I personally shall never forget, so you can draw on me over that down to the last breeches button. You see Okky City is closer in at the back here, but it's quite five hours' march further from Malla-Nulla. So the treacherous old brute stayed where he was, tippling with Smith, in the pious hope of keeping you all quiet till his men could come down and blot you all out. How you got through is a marvel to me. They must have reckoned on getting you as you walked here along the beach or they'd never have let you slip away. You and your boy have certainly escaped by the skin of your teeth. It's a moral certainty that they've got old Smith."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I don't think so. But I shall go back and see."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Rubbish! We may be able to hold out here, and perhaps will not be attacked at all when they find out we're ready for them. But it's perfectly impossible for you to get back along the beach to Malla-Nulla. Come up into the house, and we'll find you a bite of something to eat, and Laura shall mix you a whiskey and soda. We've a bit of the last steamer's ice still left, and you shall have it."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Thanks. I'll come up and see Miss Slade, but I shall start back for Malla-Nulla in half an hour from now. And if, as you prophesy, I don't land, well, at any rate, I shall have done my best to get there."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "It's very nice of you, and all that, but do you think old Smith is worth it?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Mr. Smith's a rough handful, but he's a good sort, and I like him. Besides he happens to be a gentleman."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Or was one once. A lot of us on the Coast were gentlemen originally. I come of good people myself, and was at Eaton and Jesus, although I don't suppose you'd have guessed it if I hadn't told you. But you see Nature built me with a cutaway chin, and I couldn't hold down a job at home. However, come in, and we'll scratch you up some chop. Here, Laura, I've brought a caller."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I feel this dreadful trouble is all my fault, said the girl as they came into the lamplit room."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "If you had been killed, Mr. Carter, I should have looked upon myself as a murderess."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "My dear Miss Slade, you really mustn't worry about a matter you've no concern in whatever. The whole thing's a 'regrettable incident'--I believe that's the proper term--that Mr. Smith told me has been brewing for years. It's all due to the drop in the price of palm oil on the Liverpool market, which means that we white traders pay less for it on the Coast here, and the black traders get less, and so there's less for the King of Okky to squeeze out of them as they march through his territory from the hinterland. That's what's put his fat back up. The only great mistake that's been made is that I didn't split the old brute's iniquitous skull when I had the chance. I say, do you mind my commenting on those flowers you've got on the table? I haven't seen a cut flower since I left England."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You do the thing rather palatially here, Mr. Slade. Board walls and real glass in the windows! We've bamboo walls at Malla-Nulla that let in the dust and the mosquitoes and the Krooboys' stares just as they occur. It felt rather like living in a bird-cage till one got used to it."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "The walls are Laura's doing. You know she was at school in a convent in Las Palmas, and came home with all sorts of extravagant notions. Why, she actually insisted on a tablecloth for meals, and napkins. I'll trouble you, napkins! And yet they still call us palm oil ruffians in Liverpool, and firmly believe that we live on orange-colored palm oil chop, which we pick out of calabashes with our fingers. I sent K. O'Neill a photograph of this room by the last mail, with the table laid for chop, and flowers as you see in a china bowl, in the hope he'd be impressed by it, and raise my screw."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He's quite likely to do it, too, said Carter,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'm in the same box, Slade confessed."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Godfrey, his predecessor, of course I knew well enough. But this new chap I only know from his letters, and they're a deal too rousing for my easy-going tastes. Ah, here's the boy with a tray of chop for you. Observe the parsley; that's Laura's latest triumph in Coast gardening. Boy, Mr. Carter will sleep in the spare bed in my room. See that there are no live things inside the mosquito bar."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I thank you, said Carter firmly,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "He wants to go back to Malla-Nulla, Slade explained to his daughter,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I am sure father could spare you some men. With an escort you might get through. I wish you were not so plucky."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, I am frightened hard enough, but I should be still more frightened at what I should think of myself if anything happened to Mr. Smith which I could have prevented if I'd been there. It's very kind of you to offer an escort, and I'd thought of that before; but I'm sure I shall be able to move quicker and more quietly without one. But if Mr. Slade could lend me a gun, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with that."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Certainly, my boy, certainly. You shall have my Winchester, and I believe I can scare up a revolver somewhere."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You are very good. I have a revolver already, but it's only useful to me as a sort of knuckleduster. I couldn't hit a haystack with it ten yards off. Same with the rifle; I've never used one. But where I was brought up in Wharfedale, you see, the Governor had some glebe, and his income was small. We mostly lived on rabbits and a few grouse in the season, and so you see I learned to be pretty useful with a shot gun."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "There you are. That's a double 12-bore hammer gun, and both barrels are cylinders. It's an early Holland and was a swell tool in its day, which was some time ago."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Thank you very much. I hope I shan't have to use it, but it'll feel comfortable under my arm. When you've lived most of your life in the country, you miss going out with a gun. Well, now, I'll say good-by."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Wait a minute till we've called up your boy. I'll shout from the veranda."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Don't, please, said Carter, remembering that on all previous occasions when trouble foreboded White-Man's-Trouble disappeared. He did not wish to call Laura's attention more than necessary to the risks of the journey."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'd far rather go alone."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Carter, said the voice of the Krooboy from the darkness outside,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Now, that's a real stout boy of yours, Carter, the trader said."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Hi you, come in. You fit for a peg?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I fit for a bottle,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Kate will like that man, she said to herself, and then she shivered a little."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I wonder if Kate will take him away from me?"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, I think dem Smith, an' all dem boys at factory lib for die. Dis place lib for full of ghosts. I fit for run back for Smooth River."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Run away, then,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, I no fit for march back alone. Dem ghosts plenty-too-much fond o' Kroo chop. Oh, Carter, you no be dam fool an' stay here. You lib back for Smooth River all-e-same me."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "My pagan friend, don't get too familiar. The next time I hear you calling me names, I shall break my knuckles up against one of the places where the worsted's been shaved off your skull. Observe --said Carter, and poured some whiskey onto the table top and set light to it--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Observe those blue flames that crawl and flicker about, but do not burn the wood. In those the ghosts that have been threatening you are now being most painfully consumed. Do you believe it?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I fit for see 'em die, said White-Man's-Trouble devoutly."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, you plenty-much-fine witch doctor. I fit for pipe-clay dem shoes, three pair a day. Oh, Carter, if Okky men lib for come, you burn them, too?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Certainly, said Carter,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Smith? Oh, Carter, dem Smith lib for surf boat."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "How on earth do you know that?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Dem surf boat no lib for beach. Dem paddles no lib for veranda, Okky man no fit for boat boy. So Malla-Nulla Krooboy, dey boat boy for dem Smith in Malla-Nulla surf boat. Savvy?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I do clearly. But why the deuce didn't you tell me all this before?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Because, said the Krooboy simply,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I too plenty-much frightened o' dem ghosts before you burn 'em."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I wonder, said Carter thoughtfully,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Fever lib,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I'm in for my usual two days' touch,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You fit for quinine-palaver?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I suppose so."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I'd some pills of my own somewhere."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Steamah pills. Dem Cappy Image pills no dam good. I eat dem box myself."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You thieving scoundrel!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Oh, Carter, I tell you dem pills no good. He laid a hand on his midriff."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "No fit for give you even small-small twist there. Oh, Carter, I save you lose your temper over dem pills when I eat 'em mine self."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I wish they'd been calomel. You'll get poisoned one of these days, Trouble, if you don't stop stealing. I've some corrosive sublimate tabloids for skin preserving stowed away somewhere, and if you bolt one of those, you lib for die one-time. Here, give me a dose of quinine."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Quick, now, get me some blankets, he chattered."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I shall burst if I don't sweat directly."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That last's the quinine, he told himself; and then,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I say, Trouble, you'd better think for your own neck now. I shall be otherwise occupied for the next thirty hours. You'll be well advised if you went away back to Smooth River. If the Okky men come here and knock me on the head, I really don't care. And if they'll only chop my unwholesome carcass, and get indigestion from it afterwards, I feel I shall get a grim enjoyment from watching their writhings from my own comfortable (or maybe uncomfortable) seat on the Other Side."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You lib for bad fever,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Hullo, Pater! Fancy seeing you out here in this filthy hole! Well, sir, it is real good of you to leave Wharfedale and come all this way to look me up. How's the Mater? All right, eh? And did she do you in the eye this year over the roses, or did you manage to snip off the buds ahead of her? You didn't happen to bring any beer with you, did you, sir? Nice cool draught of Pateley ale, in your big silver tankard that you won for stewing Hindoo babies alive at the burning ghats? We've got muggers here, too.... Lord, what rot I'm talking, and you aren't the Pater at all, but only a dashed good sort of an ugly nigger with a blue frying pan tattooed across the bridge of your nose. White-Man's-Trouble, tell me solemnly and truly. Why do noses have bridges? Why, for instance, not ferries? Wake up, you image, and give me a civil answer."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You lib for dam bad fever, said White-Man's-Trouble still more thoughtfully,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "You a doctor! With peacock's feathers growing out behind your ears instead of whiskers!"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I savvy nothing white-man's drug-palaver. But I savvy plenty cure fever Krooboy fashion."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Do you? Which of you? What rot I'm talking! But upon my Sam, the Pater's gone, and there are three distinct White-Man's-Troubles standing there all in a row. I'll just talk to the middle one, and you others shut up. Now, then, sir, you say you savvy Krooboy doctor-palaver?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Savvy plenty."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Then, doc, I offer myself as a patient. Never mind sending in to Grasington for your amputating tools. Remember you are a Dales doctor, and as you've pointed out with offensive cheerfulness many times, you saw me into this hot and wicked world, and I know you jolly well hope to see me out. You catch the patient and we do the rest, as the undertakers say when they send round their cards about top hats and gun cases. Special quotations for fever patients F.O.B., for then a couple of firebars out of the engine room does the trick, and saves the cost of an elaborate coffin."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, listen to me."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I lib for Krooboy quarters for fetich ju-ju. You sit here. No run away. Savvy?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Be long gone?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I come back one-time."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "All right. Give my compliments to Miss Slade, and say we had a jolly walk in the moonlight and found everything all right when we got here, except that Mr. Swizzle-Stick--whose other name I forget--had eloped with the assistant typewriter. Say, it was rather a nuisance about the typewriter woman, because she was the one who made the jellies, jolly cool yellow jellies with just a drop of sherry in them that were perfectly ripping when you had been sick. My mother used to make jellies like that herself for us kids when we were sick----"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Perhaps I should explain, sir, said Carter, stiffly, when the flow of words at last ended,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Get up, man, and look at yourself in the glass."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Good Lord, he said,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I don't wonder you think I had been on the razzle. What on earth's this white stuff painted round my eyesockets? I look like a clown in a circus."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Oh, Carter, said White-Man's-Trouble,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Do you think that's likely, sir? You know West African ways better than I do."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Beyond me. But you never can tell, and there's always the probability of Africa springing something new upon one. If I were you I should let your personal appearance slide and risk wearing that decoration for the day, if your boy says so. Ju-ju's a dangerous thing to meddle with anyway, and he calls it that. Besides your fever's gone, you say?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Absolutely. And I don't even feel a wreck."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You're sure you were pretty bad last night?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I fancy I was close upon pegging out. I never had such a stiff bout before."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Well, Mr. Carter, said the old man screwing in an eyeglass and staring at him,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well, I don't know what he's done yet, sir. Mr. Slade said he had wiped out Malla-Nulla factory and killed you and all the boys, but that seems, well, exaggerated."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Slade always takes the gloomy view. The King talked; and I'll admit things looked ugly for a bit. You see you'd walked off with the Firm's artillery."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Good heavens, do you mean that my tin-pot ten-and-sixpenny revolver was the only gun about the place?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Certainly I do. You see--er--Mr. Carter, one occasionally--er--dines rather heavily here, and once after dining too well I saw a man shoot another whose loss he regretted afterwards. So as I wished to spare myself those regrets, I saw to it that there was nothing more deadly about the place than trade guns, and you wouldn't catch me loosing off one of those, however drunk I might be. I regret to say the King didn't continue to carry his liquor like a gentleman after you'd left; he grew quarrelsome; and finally I had to pull him up with some sharpness. Then came the ultimatum. He said I should find the roads stopped already--the old scoundrel had been playing me like a trout, it seems, till everything had been got ready, and he told me that as a fine for your lèse-majesté he should help himself to the contents of the factory as they stood."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "But you headed him off there, sir, at any rate."
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I've written out all Horace twenty times over in impositions and know the bulk by heart, but I can't say I ever got a taste for construing it."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well, we won't argue out the value of a classical education just now. Anyway the King of Okky was impressed. Of course he twigged the stuff was not English, or Okky, or Kroo, or Arabic, or any of the tongues hereabouts. He asked what it was. I said it was a priest's tongue. He asked what the words meant. I romanced then and told him they prophesied that the factory would be looted by a King who had made himself a King--the old scoundrel was born a slave, you'll remember, and made the throne vacant by killing his predecessor--and that two days afterwards a new and very curious sort of ju-ju would be put on that King, who would thereupon die a new and very painful sort of death."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Ripping!"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "The meeting broke up in confusion just about then, because his soldiers down below began to run amuck among our boys, and the King heard the row and went for me. However, I'd my big lead tobacco box handy, and I wiped him over the head with that, and as the boys below were frightened, and had got our surf boat ready for launching, I saw that they intended to quit, whatever I might say, and I didn't see the force of holding the fort here alone. So I went to sea with them, and spent the evening preaching them a long sermon on the vice of cowardice. I hadn't much faith that the King would be fool enough to swallow my prophecy, but as I say, you can never be sure which way the African brain will twist. And here you see's the factory untouched."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "When Mr. K. gets a report on this, sir, I fancy you'll have a letter you will like."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Maybe. But I shan't wear myself out expecting it. Look here --Mr. Smith produced a letter from the breast pocket of his stained pyjamas--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Any instructions for me, sir?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Well, yes. First of all there is a direct one. K. says, 'As Mr. Carter seems a good hand at collecting native curios, I should be glad if he would get me some ivory war horns. I want a row of them on my drawing-room wall.' So, young man, you had better get hold of some escribellos and your carving tools and set to work."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "I don't propose, said Carter shortly,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "As you like. Well, the letter goes on to advise us that the next thing America and France and Great Britain are going to gamble over is rubber. Not collected wild rubber, you understand, but rubber estates where the vines can be planted and cultivated. K.'s evidently going in for Company Promoting, and as a preliminary he instructs me to get options of suitable territory. He's got an idea that an uncleared estate on the Coast here, which could grow rubber if it had the chance, can be bought at the rate of a case of gin per thousand acres; and if you've a fancy for untouched bush, and a doubtful title, I daresay that is so."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But one can get a clear title, I suppose, if one takes the trouble?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Depends who you mean by 'one.' If you're hinting at yourself, I have no doubt you could manage it, because--you're a very painstaking young man, and I'm sure--you see yourself as a partner of K. O'Neill already. Isn't that so?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "That might do when I'm ready, sir, said Carter laughing,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "If you were referring to me, I shouldn't recommend you to bet on the result, unless the odds are big on your side. And mark you I've been dabbling in West African real estate at intervals for five-and-twenty years --he pointed to the crown of his bald head--"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "But surely there's the alternative of doing neither?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Certainly, if you can get the Government to back you up, and that's the rarest thing imaginable. You see any land trouble of that kind, whatever the rights or wrongs of it may be, always means a war when the white man refuses either to pay or quit. The local kings and ju-ju men always snap at the chance. Well, we needn't argue this out any further. I know all the districts in at the back here where rubber can be grown, and I shall go off on a trip up country and see what I can do in the way of negotiations. I leave you in charge here at Malla-Nulla. Your particular object in life will have to be keeping down expenses."
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "You think there will be no trade then?"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Not now the King of Okky has closed the roads,"
},
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Nothing like work--and a moderate amount of drugs--for keeping fever and mischief out of a man,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "His last instructions, wrote Laura,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "I do love the girl, he declared,"
}
]
|
55962 | Unknown Title | Unknown Author | [
{
"from": "human",
"value": "Open the roads, said he,"
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"value": "Not one sixpence, said Carter,"
}
]
|
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