davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1902-08-16
Facts About Woodchucks.

From Country Life in America.
Perhaps no wild animal is more familiar
to country people than the woodchuck Ev-
cry hillside and meadow is dotted with
small piles of earth which mark the door
way to his home The woodchuck prefers
a hillside or knoll in which to dig his
hole, for here he can easily make the end
Of his den higher than the beginning, thus
avoiding the danger of being drowned out.
What could be more unlike in general ap-
pearance than a woodchuck and a squir-
rel? Yet they are cousins, both belonging
to the same family of mammals. The trim
body, sharp claws and agility of the squir-
rels make it possible for them to lead an
arooreal life, jumping recklessly from
branch to branch, while the fiabby form
and snort legs of the woodchuck better
adapt him for digging than for running or
climbing. =.
The nature of the food of the woodchuck
Is such that he cannot lay up stores as the
cnlpmunks do, nor is it Of such kind that
IL can be obtained during the winter. The
case OF TINS creature during the winter
seems to be, therefore, "sleep long and
soundly or starve.' During the winters
sleep or hlbernation life processes go on
very slowly. Breathing is reduced, and the
heart beats become so slow and feeble that
they cannot be felt. They come from their
winter sleep about March 1 in New York
Evening star., 1902-08-16
Rain Lore.

The weather is most important con-
sideration, but. owing to the fact that SCI
ence has not yet discovered the laws of rain
men are unable to foretel it for any con-
siderable period. Hence there are in use
many lists of weather wisdom by which tho
fall of rain is supposed to be governed.
The faster the rain. the quicker the hold
up Is piece OF weather lore dating as far
back as Shakespeare's day for in Richard
IL (act ,, scene j. John of Caunt Is repre-
Sented saying:
. For violent fires burn out themselves
small showers last long, but sudden storms ars
A further adage on the subject reminds US
how
The sharper the blast
The sooner tits past
Many Items of weather lore have b1en
from time immemorlal associated with what
Is generally termed "a sunshiny she yer"
Although Ii is said to be of short duration
1t Is an indication that it will rain on the
following Gay about the same hour.
Among the numerous rhymes, this one is
current in some Of the midland countries OF
England:
"A sunshny shower
Never lasts half hour
There is popular fancy tha. rain on FRI
day insures a wet Sunday a superstition
embodied In the familiar coupet:
"A rainy Friday, a rainy Sunday;
A fair Friday, fair sunday"
Another version of this rhyme saws:
AS the Fridays, 50 the Sunday:
As the Sunday the week.
Sundays rain is in many places regarded
as the forerunner Of a rainy week.
In Norfolk II is commonly said:
Rain afore chutch (church),
Rain all the week,
Little or MUCH
Rain in springtime Is regarded as a good
omen:
"A wet spring. a dry harvest"
The possibility of foreteling rain by OBJ
SerVatiOn of the sky Is referred to IN the fol-
lowing rhymes:
Evening led and morning gray
VIII speed the traveller bis way;
evening gray and morning red
VIII bring down rain upon his head"
"A red night is the sailors delight:
red morning is the sailors warning
"a rainbow at night is the shepherds delight:
rainbow at morning is the shepherds warming"
The duration OF rain is supposed ID be
governed by the following rule:
Rain before seven, quit before eleven
Many OF the charms used by children to
avert rain are curious. THIS Cne is current
in Northumberland:
Rain. rain, go away,
Come again another day:
When | brew and when | bake
IL gle You little cake
In Scotland children are often heard apos.
trophizing rain follows:
Rain. rain, go TO SPAIN
And never come back again
In Durham charm prevalent TO insure
a fine day consists in laying two straws IN
the form of cross and saying:
Rain. rain 90 away
Don't come back TIN Christmas day
1t is said that this mode of procedure Ia
seldom known to fail.
ALLAN SUTHERLAND.
Evening star., 1902-08-16
THE WRATH OF THE BEE.
A Study of the Behavior of This Use
full Insect

From Harper's Magazine.
The bee, essentially SO pacific, so long
suffering, the bee which never stings GIn-
less you crush herr when looting among g
the flowers. once she mas returned to her
kingdom with the waXen monuments re-
tains her mild and tolerant character, or
grows aggressive and deadly dangerous
according to whether her maternal city
be opulent or poor Here, again. as often
happens when We study the manners Of
this spirited and mysterious little people
the provisions of human logic are utterly
at fault. 1t would be natural that the
bees should defend desperately treasures
SO laboriously amassed, a city such as
We find in good apiares, where the nectar,
overfiowing the numberless cells that rep
resent thousands of casks piled from cellar
TO garret, streams in golden StalactiteS
along the rustling walls and sends far
afield, In glad response to the ephemeral
perfumes of calyces that are opening, the
more lasting perfume of the honey that
keeps alive the memory of calyces that
time has closed. Now this is not the case.
The richer their abode the less eager
ness they display to fight around it. Open
or turn over wealthy hive. If you take
care to drive the sentries from the entrance
with puff of smoke, it will be extremely
rare for the other bees to contend with
you for the liquid booty conquered from
the smiles, from all the charms of the
beautiful azure months Try the expert
ment | promise you impunity, if you
touch only the heaviest hives. You can turn
them over and handle them. Those thrOb-
bing fagons are perfectly harmless. What
does it mean? Have the fierce amazens
lost courage? Has abundance unnervad
them, and have they. after the manner of
the too fortunate inhabitants of luxurious
towns, delegated the dangerous duties to
the unhappy mercenaries that keep watch
AT n has hann oh
served that the greatest good fortune re-
lakes the valor of the bee On the con-
trary, the more the republic prospers the
more harshly and severely are its laws ap-
piled, and the worker in a hive where,
superfuity accumulates labors much more
zealously and much more pitlessly.
Evening star., 1902-08-16

In the woods the little oak saplings are
growing sJurdny beneath the great oak
tres.
Last spring the tiny baby oak that lay
asleep in each acorn. awakened and stretch
ed its little arms until the acorn burst. A
small white arm came out and grew down
into the soil. Then another arm was
stretched out and up into the sunshine.
The two arms grew longer and longer, and
the white arm was the root and the other,
which soon became green, was the stem.
The root has sent out many rootIets that
have spread through the soil. and the
stem has sent out branches and green
leaves that lift their sweet young faces to
be kissed by the sun.
Each part OF the oak has its own work
70 do. and it does IL faithfully. The root
lets drink in water, which IS forced up
through the trunk TO the leaves The
leaves take in quantities OF air, and all
day long while the sun is shining they
Evening star., 1902-08-16
BAcKYARDvILLE OUTINGS.
FIRST EXCURSION

Betty, Beth and Ben rushed into the sit
ting room almost out Of breath.
Aren't we going away soon?" demanded
Betty.
"To the seashorer begged Beth, who
liked to build houses out of the sand which
was easy to dig.
mo. no"' cried Ben. "To the country,
where there's lots of pigs and things
Dicky Sumers is going to bully farm TO-
morrow"
"All the children are going somewhere"
plaintively finished Betty. There isn't
anybody to play with"
Mr.. Waiter got up and walked around
the room, and Mrs. Waiter dropped her
eyes to her lap. Big Sister Sue spoke up
quickly.
We are not going anywhere this sum-
mer."
But we always have gomez cried Betty,
disbelieving, and the twins waited to see if
they need not cry, after all.
Listen, dears," said Mother Waiter
soberly. Father and L are so sorry-we
home"
Did somebody else get some of fathers
money!" asked Beth, Indignantly
Father Waiter laughed and swung her
up to his shoulder No, indeed miss; we
nave to pay more for what We eat, and
ray the doctor because I worked too
hard at school, sighed Sister Sue. ooh.
dear! why don't we know when we're do
ing too much?'
Never mind about that" said Mother
Waiter There's the long back yard for
little chickens to run in"
on, L known cried Sister Sue and the
children waited eagerly, for when she said
that, there always followed fine times. Il
can't tell you any more now-just wait"
The next morning Ben brought to the
he firct oi,,cy rrTD
which had blossomeu IN the yard.
Why. have you been way out to Back
yardville before breakfast" exclaimed Sis
ter Sue in surprised tone. 1T must be
twenty miles,
"Backyardville-" breathessly repeated
the three children, while their eyes sparkled
with anticipation.
There's to be a big excursion to Back
yardville at o'clock this morning L
thought you might like to go so 1 bought
tickets and put them under your pIates'
Betty stopped to clap her hands, so it
was Ben who first held up a square of
white paper.
Evening star., 1902-08-16

how long those places are" called Sue
We do" promptly said Ben. How can
we?"
Walk along beside them and count when
you put your foot down. Every foot is a
mile you know, and you put the num-
Der of miles on the signs. Here's a pencil"
Never heard of pencil going through
the telephone" chuckled Ben.
And here's a letter for Betty. 1t came
by special delivery and must not be opened
till you've measured the places"
When they had time to look at the letter
Betty read aloud:
THE wife of the owner of BackyardyiI1e
would like a list of the pretty things to he
seen on the excursion ground 5-cent
angel cake will be given to the twin who
makes the longest list without help. Will
Miss Betty write the lists?'
For the rest of the afternoon Betty
wrote in one column what Beth whispered
at one ear and in another column what Ben
whispered in the other Frequent trips to
the telephone for aid in spelling We're nee
esSary, but in spite of delays long lists
were ready by the time the express started
back.
Beth always sees pretty things, so 1
know she'll have the most" said Ben, as
he washed and dressed, and at dinner it
was announced that she had five more.
When the lists were put together and dupli-
Gates marked out Mother Waiter read:
l. Big black and yellow bee.
2. yeIIowjacket.
4. Fuzzy green peach.
D. Purple lark s-spur
g. Purple morning glory. gone 10 sleep.
Z. Yellow and green poplar leaf.
g. American flag.
o. Black and white butterfly.
10. Clematis blossom.
IL. Green bunch of grapes
IL. Four-leaf clover.
IL. Baby cantafoupe.
IL Reddish rose leaf.
Is. White clover with pink edges.
16. Shiny white stone.
II. Cat asleep top of fence.
Is. Blue sky.
10. Yellow mas
20. Pink toadsto0l
81. Brown and black caterpiller.
%. Light blue and white worm
%. Sparrow carrying straw.
"a. White cloud.
25. Red rose.
20 Red geranium.
q. Pink rose.
%. Purple and yellow pansy.
%. Tall green and white grass.
30. Crow flying yard.
81. Watermelon rind
81. Pink geranium.
30. Piece of green glass
Were going to eat the cake right after
dinner, amt we?' anxiously inquired Ben.
And what'll We get with the fourteen pen
MES we've earned?'
Lets save evrything till tomorrow and
have some more fun in Backyardville,"
said Betty. 1T won't be an excursion like
today" regretfully, but We can play lots
of things
'Therell be another excursion next week,
so watch for it," said Sue.
'Oh, my" cried all three at once.
Evening star., 1902-08-16
THE ENCHANTED FIREPLACE.
By CAPT. THOMAS WILSON, U. s. A.
(Coprrigbt 1o0o1

By CAPT. THOMAS WILSON, L. s. A.
Copyright, 19oa)
Again the children bowed, while the great
Rajumrust smiled and said:
Welcome, welcome, children dear,
l am glad TO see you here
'Why, that's rhyme cried Dorothy.
''It is the only way he can speak" ex-
planned the king; you see, they always talk
poetry UP there" pointing overhead.
Why do you always speak that way,
sir?" asked Jack, addressing the King of
the Clouds. who seemed intently watching
the sky, but Old King Cole held up his
right hand warningly. Jack Immediately
subsidized and both children wondered what
was about to happen. Presently Rajumrust
spread out both hands and began to chant:
by the light of the great north star,
BY the strength Of the dread monsoon,
BY the wheel of the juggernaut ear,
Sail In sight, oh gracious moon
Then came to the ears of the listening
children strains of low, sweet music, while
the sky overhead began to grow brighter
and brighter
why. it's the moon" whispered Doro-
thy, and so 1t was.
Softly radiant it sailed majestically over
head until 1t was opposite King Rajumrust,
when it began to waver from side to side
and then suddenly stood perfectly still.
Now. of course this was wonderful
even more so, for no sooner had the moon
stopped than there stepped from inside of
it most winsome, dainty little maiden with
Evening star., 1902-08-16
A Child BiShop.

From the LOndodn Chronicle
a curious custom formerly prevailing on
St. Nicholas day was the election of a boy
to maintain the state and authority of a
bishop, for which purpose he was clothed in
rich episcopal robes and wore a miter.
Dean Colet, in the statutes of St Paurs
School. expressly ordains that ''his schoI-
ars should every Childermas (innocents)
day come to Paulis churche and hear the
chylde-Bishop's sermon; and after be at
the hygh masse. and each of them offer a
penny to the chylde-Bishop." On Novem-
Der Is, 1904, the bishop of London ordered
that all the churches in his diocese should
elect boy bishops to take part in professions
In the streets of the metropolis With the
rise OF Protestanism this election was sup
pressed. but the Eton montem was con-
tinuance under another form The '.boy-
preacher" was known in England before he
came from Americai
Evening star., 1902-08-16
Butterflies and Birds.

From Country Life in Amertra, 4
OF all the children of the air" that glad
den June day, the monarch butterfly is
one OF the most noticeable, Its wings shim-
mer like gold alloyed with copper it pur-
sues Its lazy flight in the sunshine. The
male monarch is true dandy and carries
on eact hind wing a black sachet bag con-
tanning a strong perfume most attractive
to the other sex. The honarch Is immune
takes bite from it wines its beak in dis
gust and forever after conneets the noisome
taste with orange wings, A too hasty con-
clusion of which the viesroy butterfly takes
advantage and. by donhfng the monarch s
uniform, escapes scatheiess.F although any
bird might find 1t a beaksorfie morsel.
Evening star., 1902-08-16

Hidden words.
A-Grace dares youi
B-Emma, please don't.
C-Is that thief lying on the benchf
D-Those men are boxing.
E-Can you chin a bar?
Eve can observe seasonable changes.
Concealed Fish.
A-Find fish in tot, tut, trot
Blind fish in sam, moan, loan.
C-Find fish in rick. peck, lick.
D-Find fish in found, fern, loud.
E-Find fish in said, die, ran.
Find a fish in car, par, pa, rap.
Ladder.
Uprights, five letters:
Left-Abbreviation of city of the United
States
Right-Abbreviation of a state OF the
United States.
Rounds, four letters:
1st A home for insects.
I'd. A money transaction.
Word triangle-Note.
In these you read across and down Each
horizontal line or word contains one less
letter than the one above it. The triangle
ends with single letter at the bottom.
1-Where we all love to be.
Evening star., 1902-08-16
That Little Chap of Mine.

Mrs. Ida Goldsmith Morris of Glasgow.
Ky, some time ago wrote a poem entitled,
That Little Chap of Mine" 1t was copied
everywhere. the Southern clipping bureau
reporting over a thousand papers that had
used 1t. Then 1t travelled to England and
went the rounds there. Here is reproduced
That Little Chap of Mine" by permission
of the author:
Bout like the common of men, no better an
I can't lay claim to anything as fur as looks may
An when it comes to Farming why. 1 don't stand
But thar must he somethin more in me than other
. folks kin see.
Cause I've got little chap at home that thinks
heap Of me.
GIVE, had my ups an downs in life. as all folks
have. | guess.
An, take it all in all, couldn't brag on much
But it braces up feiler an 1t tIckles him to
Thar's some one that takes stock in him no matter
how things go;
An when get the worst of IT. In proud as I
To know that little chap of mine still thinks a
heap of me.
10 feel his little hand in mine cIingin' an so
To know he thinks I'm strong enough to keep him
To see his lovin faith in all that kin say or do
IL sort o shames a feer but it makes him better
too; ''
That's why try to be the man he fancIes me TO
be- A' "
Jest cause that little chap of mine he thinks a
heap of me.
Il wouldn't dsappoint his trust for anything on
earth "e H
or let him see how little 1 jest naturally am
worth '
An after all it's easy up the better road to climb
win little band to help You on an guide you
all the time; 7 80"
An ] reckon I'm a better man than what used
heap of me.'' ~
Evening star., 1902-08-16

1t had rained and rained for days II
had rained so hard and for such a long
time that Hugh had lost nearly a week
at school. One day he took down the spy
glass. and was looking through it up at
the sky. His mother saw him standing
there by the window and cried out: Hugh,
Hugh, what are you doing with that spy
glass?' II was thinking" he answered.
that God has forgotten that he prom
ised there never would be another flood,
and l am trying TO see if there won't be a
rainbow somewhere up there, so We will
be sure"
Evening star., 1902-08-16

counter to get 1t to a vacant space but
1t must not be jumped over more JhIn ono
counter a time.
CD Counters at the right. as In Fig J.
must be moved only to the left and those
al the left can be moved only to the right,
No moving backward allowed
t4 If you make a mistake you must be-
gin again.
Note-Make a sketch of Fig I on paper,
omitting the checkers. Make squares au
inch and a half on each side Sc this in
doing the puzzle
Evening star., 1902-08-16
The Cry-Baby Bow.

There was once a boy who did nothing buf cry
He cried from morn till noon;
He cried for dog. he cried for goat
He cried for big balloon.
At last one day her patience was trIed
And his mamma bought a balloon:
In IL she tied him, hard and fast
And sent him way up to the moon
Now every night when the moon is bright
And thij Is really true
You can see his pale face way up In the noon
And he's looking right down at you.
WIN. B. WOOD
Evening star., 1902-08-16
The Boy Was Right.

School teacher, examining the class, lights
on the youngest, and Is 50 struck with his
intelligent aspect that he questions him
forthwith: Now, my little man, what do
D and maker" The little one remained
silent; Well. suppose. now, were to give
morrow, how many rabbits would you
have then?" .'Eightp promptly answered
the juvenile. Eight! Why? How do you
make that out? "'Cause I've got one to
home Already -.-,-.7ss
Evening star., 1902-08-16
What Answer Gould She Make.

Elsie, your sister tells me you
took second helping of pudding at Mrs.
Browns today"
Little Elsie-"So did, mamma"
DO you think that was right, Elsie?'
Yes. You know You have often told me
NOT TO contradict any one. and Mrs. Brown
SAID; know, Elsie VIII have second
neiplns to pudding, and I couldn't CONTRA
diet her, could I?'
Evening star., 1902-08-16

The Travellers-Drop word puzzle:
Sald Folly and Molly and Bobby and John,
w VIII go TO Europe and back again.
We're afraid we will drown IL we 20 in the
boats,
So We'll go instead in a railroad train.
Answers to rebuilt words:
IL, Parsley. 2, Pearls. 3, Spear. 4,
Peas. 5, Ape. g. Pa. Z, A.
2-1. Parsnip. q Sprain. 3, Spain. 4, Span.
5. Sap. 6. As. Z. A. ..
Condensed words-1, Cincinnati. ., sa-
hara- 3, Alaska
Golf-hog-2-Rat-tar.
Evening star., 1902-08-16
Good Morning, Miss Toad.

What a queer little house
Tucked under the hedge;
III keep still as a mouse
And peep meath the edge,
For toads are so shy
wink makes them h0p.
If they see this fat fly
They'll invite me to stop.
Good morning, Miss Toad.
I've brought you a bite;
Tis quite a big load
held TO him tight.
It's bluebottle sure.
So juicy and sweet;
May | sit by yon door
While you taste of the meat2
Oh! Grandpa. come quickI
See what / have found.
Call Dorcas and Dick
Creep softly around.
Six tiny brown toadlets
To boot, what a snap;
Six wee blinky tUadlets
Awake from their nap,
Evening star., 1902-08-16

make from the water and the air the food
OF sap. upon which the whole tree lives.
The sap flows to each part of the tree.
The roots grow longer. the trunk grows
larger, new branches are formed and many
new leaves are spread to the sunshine to
make more food for the hungry tree.
So all through he summer the busy
leaves make sap while the sun shines. and
the little oak grows sturdily beside its
great mother. II. T H.
Evening star., 1902-08-16

Mamma said a little girl, as she
watched repeated efforts to make a fire in
the little stove in her room. IL think this
chimney is nOn-ConductOr." WHY
Alice" said her mother what makes you
think that? Well" said the little maid,
wisely II know 1t didn't conduct Santa
Claus down from the roof in the way he
usually comes. for he had to call pana 20
help him. / saw papa bringing in my Sled
by the front door"
Evening star., 1902-08-16
right AND LEFT" CHECKER PROBLEM.

Six checkers are used. three red and three
ofack. At the start they are arranged as
in Fig. 1, upon a row of seven squares,
the center one. d. being left vacant.
Required: To transpose. according to the
rules, the red and black checkers; that is.
to arrange them so that those at the right
in Fig 1, shall be al the left, and the others
at the right
Rules: % A checker can be moved but
one space at a time.
C2) A checker can be jumped over single
Evening star., 1902-08-16

Everyday Birds" by Bradford Torrey.
Houghton, Miffiin & Co.
Secrets of the Woods by William J.
Long, CHM & Co.
Fifty Famous Stories Retold," by James
Baldwin. American Book Co.
''The American Boys Handy Book" by
D. c. Beard. Charles Scribner's Sons.
Evening star., 1902-08-16

SSomething dug from the ground.
"a pronoun.
A vowel.
Word square
IA bad feeling
2-Measure
IA drop of water.
4-What people do who work for none.
Evening star., 1902-08-16
The Man in the Moon,

long golden hair soft gray eyes and dressed
all in white. Three times she bowed to the
King of the Clouds, who gently waved his
right hand and chanted:
The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-04-18
ALBANY
WAS
STARTLED
Sleepwalker Stirred the
Town Effectively.

ALBANY, April 1S.--Last night
about 10 o'clock womans screams in
the neighborhood of Second and Bak.
er streets, created considerable com
motion. Cries of Murder" stop
him." and other hair raising ejacula-
tons aroused the sleeping inhabitants
of that vicinity. A man attired In his
underclothes dashed madly up Baker
street to First At the corner he en-
countered two women homeward
bound. At the sight of this unlocked
for apparatlon, the ladies yelled loud
ly, and added to the already noisy dis
turbance Half-clad men and women
emerged from rhy residences, but
the half-clad man needed not the
throng. He rushed wildly to and fro,
and the bystanders who did not under.
stand the situation gave him a wide
berth.
Chief of Police McClain and Police.
man Reuttner were standing in front
of f. II. Pfeiffer, when they heard
the yells over three blocks away. They
made an even start, but the 225-pound
policeman proved too fleet for his chief
and VI is asserted, by a reliable wit
ness, that he passed the chief the first
ten feet Down the street went the
big peace guardian at terrific pace.
His dog attempted TO follow, but lost
the trail, and gave up the chase.
When the police arrived on the
scene, they found a young man about
Is years old in a semi-dazed condition.
He was unable to tell of his actions,
but said the last thing he remembered
he was in bed. It was soon learned
that the young man resided near there
and had been suffering from the
mumps. He had jumped through Il
window at home, and started up the
street. His mother heard the noise,
and made the first outcry. He was
probably asleep during his perambula-
tions, and, being sick. he might have
been slightly delirious. Chief of Police
McClain took him home, and quiet and
peace was restored In the neighbor-
hood.
Now some Of the business men want
to back the policeman against any
swift thing in Oregon, for fun, money
or marbles.