davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
THE GREAT SECRET.
Reproduced from Youths COMPANION.

ers, of the same blood as Sir Walter
Raleigh, and other titled gentlemen and
women. Those who were to be guessed
decided for themselves who they would be.
Then all the guests asked questions, to
which correct answer was given. If the
name was not guessed within five minutes
1t had to be told, for longer than five min
utes made the game too tedious.
This game was followed by two of the
girls taking seats in the middle of the
room. They bad previously withdrawn
and put over their pretty dresses queer
looking old shawls, and covered their
chestnut brown curls with odd LOOKING
bonnets tied under the chin. Then a cup
OF tea was given to each, and looking in
tently at one another, slowly stirring their
tea meantime, one exclaimed in high
pitched voice, you don't say so" where
upon our hostess inquired. WHO can tell
what these girls representa- and number
of voices replied, Gossip" At this an
swer the girls rose and laughingly threw
aside their shawls and hats.
Then the. youngest boy took one of the
chairs made vacant by the girls. After
seating himself it was noticed that he put
big coat over his lap, and making big
show of threading his needle he diligently
sewed on button. And the hostess
asked, What does Charley represent ?"
The children could hardly reply for laugh
ing, for the boy looked SO demure and in
dustrious but after moments hesitation
there came the vigorous answer, "A bach
elor."
Then Aunt Charlotte, an old negro
woman, entered; she pretended to be q
fortune-teller. And | afterwards learned
her coming had been all arranged by the
hostess, to whom / had been foolish enough
to tell of the advent of my valentine
She approached me first, and prostrated
herself, face downwards. on the floor
why, Aunt Charlotte!" exclaimed, ''do
get up
''Lor', honey, l never specs to see de
creates ladie in de LAM"
well, stand up" was my agtated re-
ply, "and explain what you mean"
bless de chile! I love to think Pm
some count"
"Hurryl' was my impatient exclama
ton, II can't wait" And all my young
friends were grouped close around, zeal
ously listening for what the old creature
was about to say.
Il mean you'll make the grandes' mar
rage bout here"
Whom will / marry?' were nv now
eager though venturesome words.
why, de young mars who sent you de
valentine
| was SO provoked with myself that I
could have bitten my tongue off, though,
alter all, it was most natural answer TO
give on st. Valentines night; and thus
having decided my future, Aunt Charlotte
hurriedly TUNED to another, and yet an
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
DONALD sERIES-NO. XVI.
FoR TINY BOYS.


Our funny little boy has made garden,
and I'm sure never before was garden
made as his, and | feel certain that you
will think just as ! do when you read how
he made it.
One day, not long ago, his mamma gave
him small plat of ground call for his
very own," and she also gave him hand
tul OF seeds, two kinds, nasturtium and
sweet pea.
AS the ground was so soft after the rain,
Donald soon had made many little holes
IN his plat, into which he poured his seeds,
leaving them mixed. srrrH
The next day the little boy received q
present of silver dollar, so the very first
time he went uptown after this he spent
his dollar for a set of garden tools-a rake
hoe and spade-with good, long han
dies.
Just as soon as they were delivered Mas
ter Donald went to work. They were line !!
He placed the spade on the ground, put
his foot up on one side of 1t, pressed hard,
and brought it up just full of dirt. Then
he turned it over and chopped the dirt
with the side OF the spade, exactly as he
had seen Patrick, the garener, do.
Well, in a shorter time than l can tell
you, Donald had his garden all spaded.
When little Rags" saw his master
working so hard he wanted to work too.
So every time Donald turned his back the
doggie would dig as fast and as hard as he
could with his two front paws and his
shiny nose besides, making the dirt fly all
over the yard.
Donald did not like this at all. So In
order to keep his mischievous pet from
spelling his garden he nailed boards all
over the top of it close to the ground.
And now the little boy is waiting for the
plants to appear, and Donald's mamma
wonders if any flowers will ever grow in
that garden, and if they do what kind OF
flowers they will be.
She thinks, too, that Donald's way of
planting the seeds first and digging up
the ground afterward Is a very strange
way in which to make garden.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

other, as both boys and girls pressed for
ward tor their turn. When she reached
George Washington I listened closely. She
told him he would ride IN coach and six,
and that "we've nuver seen such wondrous
time as Mars George ii have"
When the fortune telling was concluded,
learned that it was already considerably
beyond the time to start home, and there
tore speedily made my adleux; few
moments later found me in our high
stepped carriage rapidly rolling out OF the
Oakland grounds.
And thus ended the episode which 1
promised to tell you," said Martha Was sh-
ington. the wife of the commander-in-
chief of the Continental army and Presi-
dent of the United States, to the French
otflcer De Grasse at the peace ball given In
fredericksburg.
Pardon, madam; not ended, but rather
begun" was the courtly response.
"Oh, what lovely party.' was the ex-
clamation from many of the attentive lis
teners. "And why couldn't We repeat it
now? was the Immediate question.
Indeed | shall" said one OF the girls,
with decided shake of her long curls.
My very next party will be an old Vir-
glnla evening-dresses, dances, games and
all; Emma J. Gray in Harper's Round
Ta bIe
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

told me you We're much like your old
friend Madam Ball, and she was a great
BELIEF; and then continuing. foolish child
looking at the group of visitors, she tan
talizingly said, Open it, .dearie, and see
what George has sent YOU
This was too much and | fed from the
room.
Grandmother was right and l knew it,
for | was learning TO know George Wash
lngton's handwriting, and [ was already
planning how [ would tease him when we
met at the party to be given the following
evening at the Oaklands, to which home
we were both invited.
There had lately been wedding at our
house-a cousin of my mother was the
brlde-and such gay time as this excite
ment had brought. George Washington
was among the guests and l was much
pleased because he danced with me several
times.
Referring to an old Virginia wedding,
there IS nothing comparable to it, as the
preparations go regularly on for successive
nights and days-such preparations as
rutfie e-crimping, ielly-straininp, cocoanut-
grating, egg-frothing, silver cleaning. to
be ready for guests who arrive g. few days
before, and, as IN our case, remain for a
week or more atterward. Nor do the
guests arrive alone; they come in their
private carriages, with horses and an army
OF negro servants 10 be entertained. Just
tnInk OF the mum berlesS rice Waffies beat
biscuit, light bread, mullins and laplanGs
to be brought hot on tie breakfast ia BILE |!
and the ham, dried venison, turkey, fried
chicken, cinnamon cakes, ounce marina
lade on the tea table. Oh, a wedding
meant an out-and-out stir in those davs |!
But our house was large old place in the
midst OF scenery both lovely and pictur-
esque, and we owned many negroes, wh o
had been taught all sorts of work, and
therefore it was easy for us to prepare
Indeed, our head cook, Aunt Tanner, was
a character, black ana .portly, but cleanIy
turbaned and white-aproned. | seem to
near her now pralsing her own concoc-
tlons, and she was especially proud of
"bakln' de bes' beat-biScuit an loaf bread J"
But | was talking about nv valentine
and the party. Probably because the fete
OF st. Valentine belongs TO nearly every
country, and since the fifteenth century il
was exceedingly popular in England and
france, the girls were asked to wear fif-
teenth-century costume; my dress was of
the hnest white null, as fine as spiders s
web, and embroidered with lilies
valley. The boys clothes were in exact
copy o. old English Gentlemen, and they
wore long queues tied with black rib bons,
wide ruffted shirt fronts, short breeches
and knee buckles. The decorations were
elaborate-plnk roses and ros ebuds in
| SOLD banks or lavishness. Indeed, the
large square rooms seemed transformed
into ower-gardens. One exquisite effect
was produced with magnolia leaves and
! wax candles. These leaves formed a cor
nice to the drawing room ceiling and the
candles were so deftly placed that only
the lighted tapers were SEEN They
shone like stars On summer s
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

night, for the dark green gloss on
the large leaves acted as re6ectors.
while suspended from the ceilings center
were several rows of pink satin sash rib
Doh, each piece hanging SO gracefully that
Wnen the ends were fastened about four
feet below the cornce the ceiling was as
effective and beautiful as the most critical
fresco-palnter could desire. Where each
end was fastened there was large bunch
or magnolia leaves and candles assimilat-
ing side chandelier, and in the center of
TIE celllng there were magnolia leaves in
profusion.
No sooner was 1 in the drawing-room
than my. friend George Washington gal
lantly advanced and begged me to do him
the honor Of being his partner in the CO.
!, tlllon. After that there followed many
other dances, ali of which he would ask
me to dance; but | did not forget he had
sent me valentine the night before, and
therefore, l decided TO tease HIM by dane
ing with some OF the other boys, especially
with my particularly kind friend, young
Custis
| We had reels, cotillons and schottisches
| almost without number; but the dance
! Just before supper was arranged for the
occasion and called st. Valentine. Our
hostess suddenly appeared in soft, feecy
white stuff, with spangled wings, as
! Venus, the goddess of love, her mother
explained. First dancing one of the plan
tatlon dances that her old nanny had
tauSht her, she sang song about valen-
tines; then taking gilded basket and
coquetting through the drawing room in
the most graceful of reel steps, she gave a
valentine to each guest. Then again
dancing another of the plantation dances
| she as gracefully withdrew.
A few moments later musicians voic e
called, "Choose your partners by match
| ing valentines" and thus again George
! Washington advanced, and finding that
his valentine really was the exact counter
part of mine, We walked to our places in
the now rapidly forming minuet, and
afterWard we marched together UP and
down the rooms and through the wide
halls to supper.
After supper we played several games,
one OF which represented prominent char
acters and some not so pronunciation ex-
ample, making believe we were our own
mothers or fathers. In this way Colonel
| Ball of Lancaster, who was George Wash
lngton's grandfather, was taken, and Au-
gustine Washington, his father. George
| Washington himself took the character of
George III, while [ took the character of
Betty Washington, his sister. But some
| Of the other boys and girls preferred rep
resentlng Sir Walter Raleigh. Lord Fair
fax, Governor Dinwiddie, Miss Burnev,
Hannah Ball, who married Raleigh Tray
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
Martha washington's Valentine.

A group OF merry girls and bows were
talking with Mrs. General Washington
one February evening when one of the
number suddenly inquired: Did you ever
get valentine from the President?"
To which came the ready reply, "Of
course did ~ as a conscious smile rippled
over the still beautiful though now elderly
face
"And did you ever go to a valentine
party when you were girl?'
why, of course l did, and Mrs. Wash
ington Strengthened herself more particu-
larly in her high-back chair.
"Oh, do tell us all about 1T"
And as she responded with a most in
duigent smile they gathered close to her.
1t was night in old Virginia when, for
the entertainment of our visiting friends.
grandmother laid aside her knitting and
glided slowly, stately, gracefully around
the room. She was dancing the minuet.
Unexpectedly my maid entered, bearing
tray on which was white envelope
sealed with rose-colored wax, imprinted
with laughing cupid. l was much en-
barrassed at receiving this before so many
curious eyes, and warningly looked at the
girl, but 1t was too late; indeed, her ready
words made me only the more conspicu-
Gus.
Il member to watch, kase uver sence
dey herewith a nod of her head in the
visitors direction-''youngm misses mons'us
quietw
Fearing she might become yet more gar
rulous, I hurriedly asked, Nancy, did the
carriage return from the Kings mill plan
tation?" and the girl left the room to in
Quire.
1t was st. Valentines eve. And who
had sent this beautiful valentine - fo,
beautiful | knew it as-notwithstandine
that as yet the seal remained unfastened
Would open it before all these guests, OIL
would / make excuse and go in hiding?
Grandmother settled the question by in
qu1rIng, Valentine, dearie? Many's the
one got when l was girl"
Il suppose you did, grandma, for you've
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

that [ was, with quick rush of the red
blood all over my face. even to the roots of
my hair, I've heard, too, that her daugh-
ter, when at my age, was just the comeliest
maiden possible-so modest, so sensible
and loving, with hair resembling fax,
and cheeks like May blossoms"
These words caused grandmother to
asked, ''Why, what's pat Mary Ball into
your head, child?' And not waiting for
reply added, You cannot deceive your
old grandmother. You might as well give
up now as at any other time" And point
ing to the still unopened valentine, while
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
happy. If you do not believe me come and see
BYRA SILL, Watsonville.

EsPARTo Feb. 8, 1896.
Editor of Children'S Realm !: My uncle takes
The CALL, and as l am staying here and going
to school see the paper every Sunday. have
taken quite an interest in the children's page
and Will try and find the word asked for in to-
days CALL.
think it is valentine, because it is composed
OF nine letters, and comes IN February.
If the letters ''v q e t. are taken away the
word nine will remain, and if you take the six
letters ''v a / n e" away the word ten will re-
main.
hen, it says that the word contains much
wlckedness. and in the word valentine is evil,
which means wickedness. In this word also
are words meaning o. a wanderer from home,
alien; (2) large tank, vat (3) an evil quality,
lie: a. spike of fork, tine (5) climbing
plant, vine (6) an appendage, tail; % scra ped
linen, lint; (S, parts OF fishing tackle, line 9)
a narrative, tale; Q0) an industrious insect,
ant; (11) wea thereock, vane; Q2)two bever-
ages, ale and tea; (13) piece of burnt clay,
tile; l4) two numbers, nine and ten; (15] an
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

Little Bobby Bubblejohns
Bought valentine.
A gayly colored comic one,
To send 10 Robby Kline.
Then little Bobby laughed and laughed,
AS he never laughed before;
"'Tis such funny valentiner'
Said he and laughed the more.
Little Peter Pepperpods
Sent to little Bobby
a valentine exactly like
The one Bob sent to Robby.
Then little Bobby Bubblejohns
Grew cross, % Judge by signs;
ait isn't any funri he growled,
''I'm tired of valentines!'
Youths Companion.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
Incidents in Childhood's Realm.
(TRUE.)

A tired mother was trying to wash her
three-year-old boys face. Trying, say.
for every time sponge touched saucy nose
off the little feet scampered, carrying
laughing face far out of mothers reach.
In moment of despair she said, "Oh
darling. if you don't be good boy and
allow me to wash your face, mamma will
get sick and go away; then papa will have
to buy you a new mamma "Umph,'
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
PuzzIers for Busy Brains.
/ am q name.

1
While it takes just seventeen letters to
spell me, yet l hold 1000 pounds, besides
containing mountain gorge; something
found in the laundry; tropical fruit; !;
one of the parts of the head; anger; sor-
row; strife of nations; place; wise man
degree OF temperature; head covering
and that which is the food of millions.
Please find and number each word and
give the entire name.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
Caiifornia's Flower.

SdlQ luut Ut WOulu
eat any little boy
whom he could find.
One day a small
boy named Delmore
started for town. He
had not gone very
far when Longlegs
saw him. So on went
Longlegs' boot and
away he strobe after
Delmore. Our little
boy saw Longiegs
CO m i n 6, SO he
crawled under a rock
that was near by;
there TO hide until
Longlegs had passed.
AS Longlegs came
down the road he
made the earth
that Delmore was
rJt ~ Lso W.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
PI
G IN HRfAF7 30 iHs Mcy1uoR"

alley. lane; 16) time of day, eve; Q7) a.
metal, tin; QS) hole, vent; Q9) a girls
| name, Lena; (20) shade of color, layentine
and t21) part OF lady's wearing apparel,
veil
Now Mr.. Editor. don't know about that
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

cunning little black cat for pet. like the
"Donald'' series very much. Yours truly,
ALICE JOHNSON, aged u years.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
QUITE DIFFERENT.
From Hdrl

in these three words written across the
box in which il came-.'To My Mother"
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

answered the child. 1--WE can't buy nam
mas. God makes mammas."
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
kebus.
ETH HREAFT Fo IHs NCYTUoR.

ETH HREAFT Fo his NCYTUoR.
l. A term often applied to Washington.
q When George Washington was boy, wh at
did he best like to study?
3. How much of school education did he
receive?
a. Why do you think George Washington
was great man?
5. Where is he buried?
g.. What custom is followed with reference to
his burial place?
HAYwARDs. CAL, Feb. TO- 1896
Ny Dear Editor: thought would write YOU
'sChildhood's Realm" and always read it. I
always tear it out and keep it.
Now have enough to make a book of them.
Every Sunday morning as soon as THE CALL
comes my little sisters run to get it. l have
two little sisters and three brothers. have
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

A Cradle Song.
Tell me what shall we do, baby byea
You and I?
On some bright sunny day
Let US sail far away,
Far away TO the sky, blue and high.
Tell me what we will see, baby byes
You and /?
All around we will go
On a pretty rainbow
Far away in the sky, blue and high.
We will hide in the clouds, baby bye,
You and l.
We will laugh at the sun,
And away he Will run,
Till his face disappears from the sky.
o. the man in the moon, baby bye,
You and /,
We will worry and tease
Till we get him TO SneeZe
Just to look at the crick in his eve.
We will say, "Mr. Moon," baby bye,
You and I,
ais 1t true, If you please,
You are made of green cheese?
Do they nibble you up in the sky?"
With the dear little stars, baby bye,
You and I,
AS they twinkle and peek,
We will play hide-and- seek
Till we chase them all out of the sky.
Mail and Ex press
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

color, because have never heard of the word
before, and just guessed at 1t, but am sure
that the word 10 be found is valentine. Yours
truly MYRTLE H oUX, age IA years.
Esparto, Yolo County, Cal.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

a little boy after saying his prayers on,
evening turned to his mother with the in
qulry, Where's Mrs. God?"
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
A term often applied to Washington.
Letters and Ouestions.

All letters containing matter referring to
Washington are reserved for next Sundays
CALL.
Correct answer to puzzle published Febru-
ary g.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
SAN FRANcIsco, Feb. 9, 1856.


Editor Children'S Page: DEAR SIR-As Valen-
tine is composed of nine letters and belongs TO-
the month of February make 1t the lounda
tion Tor the following: l. n n e-nine. 2
Tin e-ten. 8. Pretty valentines carry love
4. Comic. often carry wickedness .. Val
entines are always sent, consequentiy y are wan Wn
Saint. IL Lint. II. Line and net. 13. Tale
ID. Ant. 10 Vane.. 16. Tea and al e. IL Tile
Is. Nine and ten. 10. Lane. 20. V-5 O'Clock
viz. (nine or ten). 81. Tin. %. Vent 70.
Ann or Lena. "a. Tan. 25. Vail Hoping am
correct remain yours truly,
ALICE NJ. BELL.
Q923 Geary street, age 13.)
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

A VALENTINE came to me. 1t is
~ a beautiful one and is such q
~ treasure that no matter how
L N tempting the offer l should be
loath to part with it.
its purchase price was not high, because
know that certain little bank contained
but few paltry dimes.
The materials of which my priceless
treasure is woven are only paper, wood and
celluloid.
do not wonder that you are amazed
when 1 call it priceless" The secret lies
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16
The Bad Memory of Rogues.

Possessed of engaging manners and not
too far advanced in years, young woman,
aided by her charms, imagined a new and
successful way of gaining dishonest liv-
ing. Her way was to stroll carelesSly
along. taking care to ogle the drivers OF
the delivery vans of the big shops. When
she had fixed on a suitable victim she
would ask him which way he was going.
NO matter to what quarter of the city his
business led him, il always happened TO
be the direction in which the fair maiden
desired to go. She would ask him
pressingly if he would object to
taking her with him, and so save
her the trouble of walking. Nine
times out OF ten the coachman consented.
The deceltful damsel then jumped up be-
SIDE the accommodating driver and made
herself excessively agreeable, wheedling
herself into the mans favor that he quite
forgot to keep an eye on his money bag at
his feet. Not so the female thief, for
while keeping up the blanishments she
would gradually transfer the contents of
the bag to her own pocket. The vehicle
was then stopped and she would disappear,
after gayly wishing her conductor good
day. 1t was only when too late that the
coachman discovered his loss. Unfortu-
nately for the continued success OF the
plan, mademoiselle had bad memory
and did not remember faces. Recently
she accosted man who had already sui
fered from her depredations. He promptly
accepted her request and drove her straight
to the nearest police station, where he
gave her in charge.-Paris Letter.
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

Miss Caroline B. Hendricks, a daughter
OF the late A. w. Hendricks, and niece OF
Governor Thomas A. Hendricks, was ad-
mitted recently to practice law in the Cir
cult and Superior courts of Marion Coun-
ty, Ind. Miss Hendricks has the honor of
being the first woman admitted to the bar
in that county
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

One night after vain attempt to soothe
her six-year old boy to Sunderland by
singing the rhymes of dear old Mother
Goose" from first to last, mamma was re-
warded by receiving this very doubtful
compliment: "Oh. mamma, don't you
know you could sing real well if you
could only get the tune"
Caiifornia's Flower.
Many, many years ago, when grandpa
was little boy, there lived huge giant.
HIS name was Longlegs, and because some
small boys had made fun OF his name he
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

looked around. but he was so tall that ne
could not see the rock which was shelter
ing Delmore. When Longlegs could not
find Delmore it made him very angry, but
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

shake SO much that Delmore was
AFRAID the rock would fall on him. When
The San Francisco call., 1896-02-16

he was obliged to go home without the
boy. AS soon as Longlegs was gone Del
more ran home to his mamma.
A good fairy had seen all that took
place, and, going up to the rock said,
Dear rock, because of your kindness to
little Delmore will reward you by caus-
ing to grow near you the most beautiful
flower in fairyland, and it shall be known
all over the world as the Califo rnia
poppy" AS the fairy said these words
she struck the earth with her wand near
the rock and beautiful golden flower
sprang up. Since that time we have found
the poppy all over our hills and valleys.
Salinas, Feb. IA j. M. K.
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-06-08

For fine large views, interiors Of
rooms, picture frames, copying and
enlarging, and everything In the
picture line, see Hartung near post
Office. IN