davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

shores or Cuba, at the close OF the war be-
| tween the United States and Spain.
| Neptune with Icing, foam white beard,
entered the manse, hung his crown and
! trident in the hat rack, pntted the sea-ur-
| chins on the head. shook hands with the
little mermaids and the exiled Spanish
mackerel. and said pleasant word TO
everybody.
give me d small seat IN the corner"
| said the whale, as he came in, pufing
| and blowing. He shook hanf with tho
| little mermaids, asked the Spanish mack
erel # they had lost much property n
cuba by the war, and wished all happy
| Christmas
The devIl-nsh promised to be good If
| thew would let him come I'm and see the
Chris tmas tree. He folded all his arms, and
cat In corner, as quiet as a church
mouse thinking how good he was. hhe
little sea-urchins amused themselves by
counting the arms of the octopus.
Santa Claus came IN a rainbow tinted
saa-sherl, drawn by six dappled seA-horses.
| He said;
Merry Christmas. little mermaids. IT'S
a tribe damp on the way to Coral Name
| There must have betn heavy dew IN the
| ocean this evening"
The little mermaids laughed, and said It
was as dry in the ocean as II always was.
| The sea-urchins spoke up and said they
had never known the ocean TO be dryer
Suddenly all the lights went cut ana
left the coral Chri tmas tree in the dark.
what is the matter with the ees2' ask
ed Santa Claus.
The electric cells were turned on again.
Some sea-robits settled In coral Hight
tree, under a window Of the Manse, ana
sang Chris mas carols.
Iater on Santa Claus disr buted the
gifts To every sea urchln, he gave a
Noah's Ark, fun Of marine animals that
no. hf nQFd 2 and 10
every member Of the school of fish, nau-
teal dictionary Then he presented 10 each
littie mermaid a golden comb, neck ace
Of rear g, a mer doll and many other beau
tiful pres.nts
AS TIE dainty little mcrmaids walked
home along he &C an floor, the moon
shone Gown through the waves, and 81 mt
ed on their golden combs and 80 mmered
On their pearls They felt sorry fer the lit-
tie earth-ma ds, who live where pearls are
scarce and have no Christmas tree-oniy
stockings 10 hang up.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
PARROTS At SCHOOL.
When They swear mt Preacher IL
Is to the Credit of Their Teacher
in One Way.

Is to the Credit of Their Teacher
ia One Way.
From the New York Sun.
'If you was to judge by what you can
hear almost anybody say" said the little
o'd man in the bird store, "even II you
was to take the word Of lots Of them that
sells birds there wouldn't be any need OF
my business, which is teaching birds TO
talk and sing. ! guess II was a younger
mon with a good deal more push than I've
got now, ia call myself professor and be
running a Conservatory Of Bird Music AS
Il is, l guess / get all the promising birds,
and when / send them back to the dealers
It's not until I'm sure they'll do me credit.
Take parrots. There's plenty 10 tell you
that all the education any parrot needs Is
to put il IN cage for a few days ana
swear at IL regular. | have known deal
ers who would pay 81 for a bird on the
docks here, give il a regular cussing every
day, and at the end of a week charge so
for II as an educated bird, and what's
more get Il, too. and no questions asked.
Now mind you, l. IN not denying that there
Is something educational In swearing at
a parrot, but that's only one part Of the
business and a mighty small one, at that.
"A parrot Is a mighty sagaeious bird.
It's got Just as mucn intellect as IL mas
beak, and 1t uses both for the same pur-
pose namely and 70 wit, improving itself
and taking unexpected nips out Of some
body else You can't begin to teach a par
rot without recognizing it's intellect and
deyoting your attention to that In order
that you see how you can best bring Il out.
The first thing / do is to feed the bird
properly, for on yhe ships which bring
them here they get almost anything and Il
most likely disagrees with them. You've
got 10 remember that the parrot is a fruit
eating bird and It's strong beak WIS not
given 20 Il for nothing; 80 don't crack the
nuts first: let the bird do that. and Il will
be 80 much the better for his health.
Brazil nuts - what / give them, and / let
them feed hearty until they are plump
and in good feather. When the bird IA
content with his material surroundings
thena the time 10 begin his education.
Just about the strongest sentiment
there In In a parrot Is curiosity. Did YOU
notice how a parrot acts when there's
anything new about? DoesnH he side up
and examine first from one side ana then
another, FIRST with one eye ana then the
Other2 Wen. that's his curiosity. when
i have a parrot 10 teach ! put a light bag
over his cage. II should be chick enough
70 keep him from seeing through and at
the same time hight enough 20 give a
plenty OF light Whether there's one or a
dozen birds Ia % clnsa rs an che same.
Zach BIRD - Ia cage ~ himself, end
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

bag over that. Then / speak distinctly
the sentence / want the birds 20 learn
say 1t over once a minute, and IL may be
that ! nave TO keep It up as much as an
hour before a single parrot does anything
but scream. But all the time the birds
are devoured by curiosity to know what's
going on outside of fheir own individual
bags. After lot Of figuring the parrots
begin TO repeat the sentence to themselves
In what you might call a whisper As
soon as one OF the birds gets so he can say
me sentence without an error my work Is
done. for that parrot win teach all the rest
and / can go away and leave them in tho
bags all day without a knowledge that
their education win go on.
''Then comes the very important thing,
and that IS the application OF the lesson.
Wen suppose I've been teaching the class
the sentence Come, kiss me- g'he birds,
we will say, are all letter perfect in their
parts, but they have no idea of the. bual-
ness. The first impression when the bags
are lifted off the cages Is what does the
application. For that sentence. ! have
young girls come in and lift off the bags.
That fxes' that sentence In the parrots
deep brain with pretty girls, and he uses
il ever afterward IN the right place.
When they've been learning to say Gran
ny where's your specs2' they learn TO as
sociate it with an old woman with glasses
ana white hair. Then, OF course, people
have "a right to expect that every
parrot Shall have few phrases
that are UNIT for publication. Wen,
when I've been giving lesson In
the damns and dashes I uncover them
with a very exaggerated clerical makeup.
That's the real reason why most birds
fairly RIP and tear when the minister Ia
making a pastoral call; they've been
taught TO do II as a part of their education.
But most people think It's natural, and
I'VE had 'em tell me Il showed the OLD
Adam IN the birds II didn't do anything
OF the sort: It only showed that they was
a credit TO their teacher.
sometimes | have special orders, ana II
may be that ! spend as much as year
teaching some particular bird. But th0
most OF my work comes from dealers.
They buy up the young birds ana send
them to me to work over. That takes
about four months and in that time
figure on teaching them twenty phrases
with the words and business complete, to
scare a cat and dog, to whistle five
ways. and to sing one line Of song. and
that's the hardest thing there is 10 learn
ls my academy. bird with those accom-
plishments has also acquired great deal
Of self-conhdence, and that makes II easy
for him to pick up whole lot Of things
apparently without teaching, ana that
makes the parrot seem IKE a memper on
the family. Some things they really do
invent for themselves Look al this old bird
OF mine. She's so wise that you might
almost call her a professor In the academy.
Now. listen, will you. TO what she says
when l show her this tin pail and say,
polly, chase the cam Would you lis
zen 10 that. now? TO hell with the beer
There, that's not nice language for gem
teel bird, but somehow or other she learn
ed It for herself, and she's proud TO teach
Il TO the other birds. She wen knows
what she's about"
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

was wishing it would freeze so we could
nave skating Christmas and the wind
turned and it began to freezer
Il was wishing the very same thing
When 1t happened" said Margaret laugh
/ !hs. i wish 1 could have everything 1
wish, as quick as that"
Perhaps, If two or three wish at exact
~ the same minute, exactly the same
thing, with all their heart and might Il
comes true" said Hope, bobbing about TO
keep warm, while Margaret was tying her
pony. Let's both wish for something
else as hard as we can and see if it hap
pens"
Il wish with all my heart and might
that mamma and papa were going 10 be
home tomorrow, but it won't bring them"
said Margaret sadly.
Il wish with all my heart and might
they were going to be home, too" said
Hope, with little scream of laughter.
What are you laughing at?' asked
Margaret, quickly, turning to look at her
"Oh, nothing, you mustn't ask questions
Christmas time. l know what you came
up to see me for. You came to invite me
to the party
why, I didn't know you knew about
the party!
Yes, we all know. My costume is all
ready. I'm going to be Topsy, cause
Use so funny and so wicked, you know"
tell me you were all going to wear differ
ent characters Who am 1 going to be?"
You are going to be little Red Riding
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

ed the pack that Santa Claus had brought,
but she found Ii was only a large roll of
cotton cloth. The rest OF the presents
were to come later. And when she ran
down stairs TO examine her stockings she
found nothing in them but rosy checked
apples. And when she went TO Aunt Hell
ems room to say good morning and Merry
Chris mas she found the Ioom empty and
the bed all neatly made.
"Oh, I've guessed I've guessed The
party is going to be over at my house,
because It's larger and Aunt Helen is over
there"
Aunt Helen wore blue sack apron. and
her hair was curled and tied with pink
ribbons on each side.
Il can think just how you looked when
YOU We're little girl said Margaret ad-
dressing her.
What do you think of Debby?" a ked
Aunt Helen
Mrs. Deborah Madison trfpped forward
in little white muslin dress, founced TO
the waist. She wore a blue sash with
large bow, and her white hair hung in
long curls and was bound with a blue rib
bon.
"Oh, you are so little can see just ex-
actly how you used to lookl Isn't sc
lovely?"
Yes. it is just as though little Debby
Madison of 90 years ago had come back to
us" said Aunt Helen.
The two men, who were ssed as lit
tie boys, acted very much mcre Ike boys
than they looked, but they were very
funny
Margaret and Hope ran away 10 put on
their costumes of Topsy and Little Red
Riding Hood, and then they all sat down
to the Christmas breakfast.
And this is only the beginning Of a long
day of role and fun. Skating and dane
ing and singing, and the good Christmas
tree in the evening"
ut is the best Christmas I ever had"
said Margaret, when she kissed her moth
er good night, but the best Of all is hav-
ing you home again and TO think / can
sleep in my own litte room once more"
Gertrude Smith
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
Festivities in The Cave.

in the East. She gave US some clever men
in Allison Frank Hutton, Postmaster Gen.
eral; Horace Boies, w. W. Belknap, Becre-
tary of War; James Harlan, Secretary Of
the Interior; George w. McCrary, secre-
tary of War; Senator Gear and Coy Kirk
wood JEFF Davis, lieutenant in the Unit
ed States army, thrashed lot Of white
folk in Dubuque and the Mormons settled
at Council Bluffs. Another thing-Iowa
passed law prohibiting liquor dealers
from making more than 80 per cent profit
on sales What else is she famed for?
The Poweshiekers remark led to study
Of the physical peeuriafites OF several
states In proportion to size Georgia has
a great many more counties than any 9TH
er state, the present number being 1877,
With promise of a new one to be named
after Lieut.. Brumby. Texas. with nearly
four and a half times the area Of the
Cracker" state has "a. Georgia has
no lake, and her rivers and creeks are not
above the average. Massachusetts has
20S ponds, 122 rivers and more eoves and
harbors than any other state except Flor
ida Hard 10 believe, isn't it?
The average reader win be amazed 70
learn that nttle New Hampshire with less
Than 10000 square miles has no less than
4o6 lakes and ponds l54 brooks IS rivers
and 29l mountains. This makes Iowa
hook small. Colorado, a big state, has
Csc creeks Texas has comparatively few
rivers, lakes and creeks. Alabama has
6Gs creeks and 81 rivers. Iowa cannot app
proach that record. Minnesota has 222
lakes and 40 rivers
Pennsylvania, one Of the biggest, richest
states, has altogether only lG rivers and
not s. creek. Kentueky, also a big state,
has no creeks and only q rivers. Tonnes
see has 81 rivers ana creeks al told. In-
diana has 8 creeks, ? lakes and 70 rivers.
New York. a state Of modest eize, ~ well
equipped with rivers, lakes. islands and
mountains Louisiana n nearly on rivers
ana bayous and Florida is largely made
% of creeks, islagds. lakes and rivers.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
Reading the Telegram.

ing the surprise from you for a week past.
The guests are invited and the costumes
are planned 1 tried TO think of some
thing entirely new and different so you
would be happy and contented this first
Christmas you were every away from
home"
'In be happy, ! know, Aunt Helen. OF
course, I'll miss mamma and papa, be-
cause we've always been together Christ
mas, but I can write to them about our
party and they'll send me a present.
want Hope Sargent because she IL make so
much fun; 1 don't know who else"
We'll, I've made out list for you there
on my desk. You may invite twelve ="
Aunt Helen hustled out of the room to
answer the door bell, which rang at that
moment
Here is Mrs. Madison, Margaret" she
called from the hall I'VE have some
work TO do on her costume. You may
come with us, or you can ride over and
invite Hope, and tell her about the party
I'm go and invite Hope" Margaret an
swered, running to the door. Her aunt
and Mrs. Madison were ascending the
stairs with mysterious bundles under their
arms
"Oh, won't Mrs. Madison make a pretty
girl, Aunt Helen?" she exclaimed, as the
little old lady turned and smiled down at
her
You used to be called the prettiest girl
on Williamet river, didn't you, Debby?'
Yes; just wait Margaret till YOU see
me dressed and my hair in curls. You'll
choose me for your best friend, / know
I'm sure I will; isn't Aunt Helen good
TO plan such nice time for me? Papa
will bring her something splendid when l
write him about it.
SAN 1 want your father to give me is
ms al II fr and
tnat closed house open once more. NOW
so and see Hope and bring her home with
you if you can. Tell her the party be-
gins tonight for her."
Margaret took her hat from the hall
rack and went out of the front door In
the adjoining yard was beautiful big
stone house. The blinds were closed ana
there was a deserted look about the entire
place that was very said at Christmas
time.
Margaret's mother and father had been
travelling in Europe for nearly year. lt
mad not been thought best to take the 1T
tle girl out Of school, and so for the first
tlme In her life she was TO be separat d
from her mother and father on Christmas
day.
Her own little black pony was in Aunt
Helen's stable ana she went around ana
Faddled and bridled IL herself and IN
lew minutes was galoDing along the road
mat bordered the Willamet river.
IL won't be like Christmas az al with
out skating, Margaret said aloud looking
across the dark flowing river. II never
hhew II TO be 80 warm IN December As
fhe spoke the wind suddenly whcelei
al"pt 20 the northwest and by the time
tne mad reached Hopes house, mi
way, The mercury had dropped 20 4 g
i.''zing point and ell The ii.tle pools
ice.
hope ran down 10 the Flio Ia q red hood
Hlf cape 10 meet Margaret
On Margaret" she called, 'such
NNA4efful thing happened spsi nos.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
MARGARET'S SURPRISE
CHRISTMAS.
A Holiday Story for Girls.
BY Gertrude Smith.

81 am going to have a Christmas party
and invite the boys and girls love the
most"
Margaret threw down her book and
sprang to her feet, clapping her hands
"Oh, what fun Aunt Helen! Who shall
we ask?'
q shall ask Mary Carver ana Danny
Carue and Wisely Brown and Debby
Madison"
why those are grown up. You said
boys and girls"
"Wel, they were boys and girls just the
other day." replied Aunt Helen.
"It is no time since Debby Madison and
I were wading in Hickory creek and Wis
ley Brown was throwing stones and
splashing the water over us. Except for
a few gray hairs and important wrinkles
between our eyes Wen dress up very well
for children"
"Oh, will you dress up like children?
Oh, oh, won't that be fun!"
Eyes. I've just about dubbed over keep
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

Hood. This is your hood and cape Mother
made it. She had just finished it when
we saw you ride up to the gate. Aunt
Helen kept everything from you so there
would be more fun in a bunch, but you
mustn't ask me any more questions, for
I'm not going to tell you another thing"
"All right, won't. Can you go home
with me and stay all night?"
Yes, that's all planned, too. Mother
told Aunt Helen / could 60"
Mrs. Sargent met them in the doorway.
smiling. Every one has secrets that L
don't know" said Margaret kissing her.
you don't know halls You don't halfy
sang Hope, dancing about the room. Mrs.
Sargent rolled up the bundles with the
costumes for Topsy and Little Red Rid
ing Hood and very soon the two little
girls were on Margarets pony galloping
back to Aunt Helens
"You must tell me one thing" said Mar
garet, 'are we expected to give presents?
1 only nave one for you and one for Aunt
Helen and that wouldn't seem fair
Santa Claus is going to bring the pres
ents. He's going to fill your stockings
and-oh, 1 mustn't tellr'
"oh, are we going to have a Santa
Claus?'
Eyes, and you mustn't ask another ques-
ton. I've told you mere now than Aunt
Helen said l could"
Lets get the key and go over to my
house. l want TO get some thing out of my
room," said Margaret, as they rode into
Aunt Helms yard
"Oh, no, l hate to go into a caozed house
where It is so dark!' said Hope, in a tone
of great alarm.
why, we've been in there lois of times
when il was nearer dark than this" re-
piled Margaret.
Il don't care, it's awful spooky. 1
wouldn't go in Christmas eve for any
thing"
AT that moment the pony stopped before
the door and Hope stopped off aud ran
on before into The house.
"Oh, Aunt Helen" she exclaimed, bouuc-
ing into the room where Mrs. Madison and
Aunt Helen were still al work on the cos
tunes Margaret says she's going over
home after something. If she does she'll
guess the biggest, best part of the secret.
she wanted me 30 go, TOO, but / toli her
l was afraid when 1t was 50 near dark"
Now, Topsy, you mustn't tell fihs, even
to keep a secret" said Aunt Helen, laugh
ing GO and ten Margaret I want her 10
make a cup cake for supper. TIE only
thing to do is to keep her busy every min
ute until the party begins"
II.
Margaret made cup cake for supper and
afterwards Hope proposed making mo-
slssee candy, and 80 all the evening was
full. and at o o'clock Aunt Helen sent them
10 led.
Tomorrow Is going 10 b. The happiest
funniest Christmas yol ever had" said
Hone. when they were cuddlAd down in
bed.
~ may be- the funniest, but II can't be
the happlost. without mamma" said
Nar7arei. A moment later Hope felt the
bedoloihes rife and fan and knew that
Mnrgaret was cwing.
nft's 100 bad Tor her to cry 70 on Christ
mas eve" she thought. rive a good mini
al tfll hor. then she'll wake up happy in
fho morning. There Is - much going 20
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
LnnR-Toea shoes.

From the Gentleman's Magazine.
From the reign Of William Rufus TO that
Of Henry VII, fashion appears to have
played the most remarkable freaks with
shoes and boots, all the more remarkable
because played In a practical very much
out-of-door and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. age
with articles OF dress which were neces-
stiles for use, not mere accessories capa-
BILE Of any amount OF grotesque absurdity.
Fashion dictated as enormous absurditiea
as IL did, say, among the grandfathers In
the days Of the regency. Especially dur
ing the reign OF the Plantagenets, the shoe
craze attained its most extensive dimen-
sions. Richard II-who was, however, in
This earlier manner a far more strong
minded and clever Prince than usually
deemed-had later a good deal Of George
" in him as regards interest in matters
eartorial.
Probably the high-water mark of shoe
folly was reached at that Plantagenet
period when the leaders Of fashion had the
points of their shoes turned up much In
the fashion OF a rams horn, and linked up
with golden chains to the knights knees.
Grim-visaged war had here, indeed,
smOothed his wrinkled front, for the
doughty warrior, however renowned in
battle or at the chase Of the tall deer-the
only occupations for nous autres for CEN
turies--could not, when wearing these up
to-date shoes, get his feet into the stir
rups And walking. except on the most
level surfaces-whlch in the days of rush
strewn floors and roads OF the most rudi-
mentary kinds such as Arthur Young hum
dreds Of years later execrated, must have
been rare-dinicult. indeed. Fulke. Count
OF Anjou. - credited with having orfgi-
mated the fashion, 10 hide an excrescenco
OF one OF his feet. Sometimes az the ex-
treme point OF the shoe Ia ultra-fashlon-
able wearers some fantastic device. az for
instance a bird. was carved.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
CHRISTMAS AT CORAL MANsE.
BY L. III. Tupper.

Three little mermaids, playing ON the
yellow beach Of a little is ana In che
North Atlantic. looked up wlstfully, and
said:
shall we have Christmas tree this
year, Aunt Margaret?"
Aunt Margaret was a midlge aged mer-
lady, who acted as chapeyone and gov
erness for young mermalds. She glanced
, over her spectacles, and replied:
IF your department. continues to be cor
rect, we will have Christmas tree at
Coral Manse. All who are in the swim VIII
be invited"
In her youth Aunt Margaret" had filled
holiday engs cement In Barnum's mu-
scum, at New York. She saw msny Chris
mas trees in the metropolis, and on her
return to her ocean home Id the mer-peo-
pie all about hem. They thought IL a pref
ty custc m and were about to adopt a.
And now, little meymalds,' said the
mergovernness, "ycu may return to sc 90
and resume your lessons in seashels."
The three little meImatis div,d into the
blue waves on their way 10 the iii ed
coral school house
Aunt Margaret still st on the b h
knitting. She was knitting gloves. f3r the
mermaids do net wear h Sc And t was
precisely because hey have no sto k ngs
to hang up, that they were all so eager 10
have Christmas tree.
Christmas eve came. Coral Manse
which was an old-fashioned house, with
seaweed growing on the roof was bril-
liantly Illuminated by an electrlcal-eel
apparatus. Its Old red walls, with many
tower and angie were rudy with cheer
full light On the green lawn grew many
delicate sea flowers and rare submarine
plants. In the garden beyond the manse,
flourshed sea-cucumbers and other ma
rine vegetables.
The Christmas tree, handsome pink
coral with many delicate and airy branch
es, stood in the middle of the drawing
room, mellow with st, Elmos lights. gilt
tering with star-hsh, and cleaning with
pearl! Boughs Of mistletoe and punches
of red holly berries, drfted hither by the
Gulf stream, added to its beauty. II hung
fun of toy drum-fsh, lin sword-fish and
wooden sea-horses, and whales. that had
been saved from the flood, pended from
its branches. 1t had many ingenious me-