davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
Jim Leveri11's Daughter
BY ZOE ANDERSON NORRIS
1903 by Zoe anderson Norris
By ZOE ANDERSON NORRIS
She studied for a space.
Copyright, 1908. by Zoe Anderson Norris

| She studied for space.
Amt it strange now, Mirandy," sh,
questioned wistfully, that the gooc
Lord sends so many Children to Z
man what amt got half enough
money to feed and clothe EN-, what
has to let 'em sort of grow up jest so
like and forgets to send any at all tc
rich people what's got money to burn
Yes. 1t allus seemed strange to me
passin' strange"
There followed another period freight
ed with thought
But then" she concluded, when we
leave off walkin' through this vale OF
it won't make no difference whether
there's Children or no Children and
they don't take the stock in marriage
and givin' in marriage that they dc
here We'll find out he knew what be
was about, 1 reckon
The unwashed clothing still weighed
heavily on Mirandy's mind.
II reckon we WILL" she assented po-
litely, erasing a feck of soapsuds she
had left on her arm with the other
hand
Jane put the spool of thread in her
pocket and carefully Strengthened a
blue and pink morning glory into place.
'Of all the girls Jim Leverin's got, "
she recommended, "and hes got about
ten, that there Margaret was the most
harum scarum. He couldn't do nothin'
with her, nothin' at all. She was romp-
around. They couldn't get her to help
in the kitchen or darn the stockin's or
mind the babies what was thick as peas
in a pod croppin' up under your feet
everywhere, one a little higher than
the other, like stair steps. All they
write and add I'D sums. Yes. She was
smart enough at addin' up sums, and
that was queer, too, for girl; so smart
she done all the account keepin' for Jim
Leverin; that is, all the account keepin'
he had for her to do, which want, to
say, nothin' to hurt"
YES" encouraged Mirandy, anxious
ly filling up the pause, which showed
symptoms of lasting till the boiler
boiled over
Well" continued Jane, latter time
Jim Leverin, seem the girl want fit
for nothin' on top of earth but, as
say. this readin', writin' and 'rithmetic,
he cudgeled his brain, layin' awake o.
nights, thinkin' what to do. Finally he
hit on a plan. 1t was this. You know
these here country schools where the
teachers teach Children for little or
nothin'. boardin' round from place to
place for part of their pay ami waitin'
till judgment day for the rest? ''
"Umph hum" replied Mirandy with
sigh, part impatience and part resigna-
ton
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
THE HOUNDS IN MIDsTREAM.


and then is when the wading comes in.
The hunters must follow as fast as they
can the otter that is swimming under
water. 1t glides swiftly 10 another hole
in the bank and tries to hide itself there
and often does. The effort of the dogs
and hunters is to keep the animal NOV
ing on land. if possible; if not, at least
in the water.
The hounds follow the offers scent,
the terriers dislodge it from its hole
1t leaves its scent in an unusual way.
not in its tracks. but in the water that
rubs of its wet fur upon leaves and
branches as il runs past them. This
scent is very strong. Sometimes an
otter takes TO the water and tries TO
swim across the stream. In after it
goes the whole pack of dogs. hot. eager.
painting and swimming their best. dog
fashion" Do you know how 10 swim
dog fashion?
One Of the shrewdest OF creatures is
the otter. Unless a sharp lookout is
kept 1t will sometimes double back the
way ii came, swimming under water UP
or down stream and escaping. If at
last, however. it lodges into a hole in
the bank or hollow tree and is so
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

erin EN- about IL? 1t seems that there
was great big. broad shouldered. sun
burned felier what was determined.
when he see a girl rUnnin' the school.
to break ii up. You've heard. haven Z
you. OF young mems schools being
broke UP by toughs? But you'd think
they'd let a girls school alone. Wouldn't
you? But he didn't. He made Mar
garet all the trouble he could and she
stood 1t pretty brave, as / say. for six
weeks. Then he got worse and worse.
till one fine day he brought some OF his
pals along with him and said as how
he was going 10 close the school then
and there and send that sassy little
teacher home. where she belonged
Now, as il happened. Margaret had
made q few friends for herself the time
she'd been teachin'; so she was pretty
certain she could count on some backin'
in case OF a fight She want much
afraid: but then she don't hardly Nnoyv
what il is 10 be afraid. nohow She
was at her desk teachin'. then. that
mornin' when she saw him and his
friends comm along the road 20 close
up her school She is a big broad
shouldered. strong girl. that Margaret
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
A PocketfnI of nfrd..

What odd places the little dicsie
birds sometimes choose for their nests.
Two men who were recently working in
wood left their coats hanging under
the trees for some days When they
went TO put them on they discovered
a birds nest in one of the pockets.
The owner Of the coat decided 10 leave
it. and in a few days several eggs ap-
peared in the nest. followed ln due
course by the small birds Don't you
think II was very kind Of the woodruan
to study the birds and manage with
out his coat ali that timer
Baby birds have TO be very sharp
now. for pussy is most anxious 20 make
their acquaintance Haven't you
watched her slyly creep along and dart
on the spot where dickie is summing
himself AS q rule. happily. be has
gone before she reaches him = cat
tried 10 get az a blackbir1s' nest once
by scrambling through a hedge. bat
dozen OF the old birds Jew al her. sna
pussy returned feeling decidedly sorry
for herself
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

~ NE of the gamest animals hunt
IK 3 ed by man is the otter. It's fur
is SO valuable that it is now be-
coming very scarce in the civil
hEed countries. 1t feeds on fish and
lives along the banks of rivers and
lakes. II has a den in the earth on the
hank of 2 stream, and when dogs and
hunters chase ii home il dives under
water and swims a long way from
home before it comes up to breathe. 1t
Belongs to the class of aquatic mammals
that is, it is an animal that can also
live in the water and swim like q fish.
In England and Wales. and especially
fl Wales, dogs have been trained to
hunt offers. There is a kind of hound
called the otter hound and some of
these lead the pack, with foxhounds
and terriers following and "whooping 1t
up" otter hunting is done in warm
weather because the hunters must 60
into the water.
An otter hunt is a hard chase. but so
exciting that many men and some wo-
men are extremely fond of it. To begin,
the hunters must wade in water up to
the waist sometimes and remain in it
a long time. Ladies who engage in the
sport wear short skirts. The hunters
put on their wading clothes. arm them
selves with strong iron tipped poles
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

ievei best for her mother and the little
Children and him.
80 he got her ready, as much ready
as ne could get her with fifteen other
mouths 10 feed and bodies TO clothe.
ana packed her of"
A pubbling sound suddenly issued
from the kitchen. Mirandy glanced
wildly around.
fouu have TO excuse me a second"
crled she It's the boiler boiiin' over.
We been waitin' for il 1 knew II
would And she sped up the steps.
rushed to the stove. prodded the siz-
zhng clothing with the whitened end of
long, large broomstick and then ran
back again
Il won't keep you a mint longer" de-
clared Jane. Il just wanted TO finish
the story, to tell you how it all came
out Well, I went over 10 see the Lev
erins the night after Margaret was
gone. and, would you believe it, after
all his big talk about breakin' the
girl in and maxim her worth somethin'
TO other people besides herself in this
world and givin' her taste of roughin'
IL and that, there set Jim Leverin in a
| chair by the fireplace. all bumped over
world. his face every whit and grain as
long as my arm.
What's the natter SAYS l.
Nothin' says he. But his wife set
tin in the other corner of the fireplace,
rockin a two-year-old baby to sleep.
with another not much more than
three years old swingin' to her skirts
and cryin', speaks up. He's worryin.
H. a
now that he's sent her way of to them
mountains among them strange people.
now that he's started her out in life.
10 say, driven her from home'-she
couldn't speak for a spell for somethin'
what got stuck in her throat-'he's
sorry for il. And he'd oughter be- she
adds when her voice comes 10 her
better. repeatin, and he'd oughter be
Jim Leverin raises his head at that.
7 amt sorry, neither he speaks up
sharp like. But all the time he set
there the rest of the evenin', dumb as
an oyster, with never word to say TO
nobody. Because, you see, Mirandy.
harum scarum or no, Margaret was his
favorite of the whole sixteen, and had
allus BEEN
And did anything happen to her?'
Intercepted Mirandy, beginning at last
to be interested.
Wait It's what I was goin' TO tell
you. She went to that there mountain
school and taught it. She boarded
round, first one place and then an
other and never wrote a single COM
plainin' word home to nobody. You'd
"a thought from her letters she was
havin' the time of her life, and maybe
she was.
1T might "a been that that was ex-
actly the sort of life what suited her
harum scarum as she was, trampin'
miles and miles from them places where
she boarded to that log schoolhouse of
hers, goin' through all kinds of weather.
mud and snow and slush, such weather
that she had to wear mems boots and
take them off when she got there,
carryin' her shoes along with her TO
put on. She wrote that much, that she
had 10 wear mems boots. never seemin'
TO think there was anything about il
TO complain of; but then she was like
that. There was allus a sort of spunk
i'm the girl what carried her through
Jim LeveTin had TO own il. Spunk and
bravery. Once he told her she was
sassy TO him and he started to slap her
He raised his hand. ne said. but there
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

surrounded by hunters and dogs that
there is no escape then it turns and
begins fight for its life. One OF the
hravest and most desperate Of all these
animals is the female otter that has
young ones 10 defend. She will even
attack people in her fierce rage and
pluckiness. She flies directly at her
enemy's throat and bites It through.
Many fine dog has been killed thus.
With so many enemies, though-men
and women with iron pointed sticks
and dogs with teeth and claws-the
poor otter is usually finally killed.
The otter has a strong tail which.
like the tell I'm OF a fish. serves II as s.
rudder with which 10 steer. An otter is
really water weasel. having webbed
feet When fish are scarce il VIII at
tack hen roosts as readily as the weasel
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

he did not understand what was said
70 him
When the woman met the monkey
suddenly on the stairs one day the crea-
tire stood in the corner 10 allow her 20
pass. and when she said Good morn
ing he took OF his cap and bowed
Are you going away" sne asked
Where IS your passport" Pulling or
his cap. he took from the crown pa
per. opened Il and showed II 20 her.
When some one observed that her dress
was dusty the courteous monkey took
brush from the table and carefully
brushed her dress and then her shoes
When any one gave him food be al
ways made q low bow before taking t.
and then ate Il slowly and tsintily. he
had been taught to eat eggs with
spoon and 20 use . knife and fork He
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

Ia ~ Yes
sW ~ The voice, issuing from {
r. head bent over a washtub
came in a half smotherec
way.
You're washin', amt you? Their
don't let me bother you; but if you car
stop half a minit-I won't ask you te
stop bat half a minit-I want YOU
should lend me a spool of thread
AIirandy stood erect. She came re
luctantly forward 10 the kitchen door
wrinkled her eyes in the sudden flash Oh
sunlight binding them and peered al
the figure of her neighbor framed III
the morning glories of the garden fence
Her sleeves were rolled to the elbows
Briskly wiping her soapsudded arms Oh
the hem of her apron, she asked:
What number, Jane?"
Number 60. - answered Jane. IF you
haven't got so, though, 20 II have to do;
but Ia rather have 60. if you've got IT.
And she fell to humming a quiet little
tune to herself as Mirandy disappeared
within doors in search of the thread.
Presently coming back. she ran down
the steps of the porch and stood by the
fence.
Il didn't have so" she regretted. /
couldn't find it anywhere. so 1 had TO
bring you 20. I'm sorry, Jane
Never mind" soothed Jane. III
make it do
Whereupon she leisurely unwound
half yard or so and wound 1t up
again, while Mirandy waited with sup
pressed impatience to get back to the
washing. seeping in the tubs.
You're in a hurry?" she questioned
by and by, looking up. "Ain't you?"
Mirandy smoothed some wrinkles out
of her apron in an embarrassed way.
"A little" she acknowledged, trying
hard to be polite.
We'll then, I won't keep you min
it" she declared. occupying the min
ute with picking a morning glory leaf
from the vine and tearing it systematic
ally half in two. but have you heard
about Jim Leverin's daughter Mar
garet?' she queried.
Mirandy gave rapid glance KIcheh-
ward over her shoulder before she an
swered. NO"
Its what 1 come to tell you about"
said Jane; that and to get the thread.
'Twon't take a mint 1 know you're
I'm a hurry and SO am 1. I must get to
my SEWN or it II never get done this
side of eternity-sewin' machines don't
run NJ their own accord, I'm sorry to
say-and the things them'childer1 needs
before school begins, 1t fairly makes
my hair stand on end to think of the
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

muscular as many boy. she's gone IN
little. too. for this here phiEKical cult
cher they talk so mich about. expand
in her chest and the like she hain't
been behindhand either in practicin' her
muscles on the Children IN the school
Shed jest about licked one or two 81
'en. Jim Lcver!n told me laugh;n' Ar
10 split his sides every blessed naorain'
she'd been there, 20 sort OF keep her
hand in Ike. So that was how. Il hap
pened that she had a fine lot OF birch
rods hangin' right over her desk. con-,
venient, when she saw this big giant
felier comm TO break up her school
We'll. she gets up out OF her seat.
closes her book and takes down The
birch rods"
Here Jane commenced to laugh
And them urged Mirandy.
You'd hardly believe it, gasped
Jane but that sirl Margaret. shs
whipped the bis teller with them there
birch rods Ill he yelled FOR mercy
That's what they said he Gid, yelled
FOR mercy. his friends. thunderstorm
past helpin' him. I suppose. standin'
by with their mouths open. lookin' on.
She whipped him Till she got good and
tired. Then she let his friends take.
him home. After that she set down
agin. opened her book and went on
With the school \
Another at OF laughing took posses
sion of her.
And that amt all she starnmered.
finishing With cough.
Mirandy rested her hands or her hips.
the wash forgotten
What happencde" she queried
eagerly.
That there big Teller come back TO
school the next day. meek as any lamb.
turned over new lear and took 10
studyin'. he cot to De Margaret's best
pupil. they said. followin' her round
s IL he was tied 10 her apron strings.
and after awhile getting SOS he could
help her with The others. Then when
school was out and Margaret was
about 10 come back home. guess what
he did?
He didn't ask her TO marry him.
calculated Mirandy. helped to an mA
SEPARATION by the twinkle In James eye. =
That's just what ne an" nodded
Jane. Asked her 20 marry him. You'd
think he'd be afraid wouldn't YOU. "a
ask a girl 20 marry him what had
whipped HIM once? You'd think he'd
pe AFRAID she u hCk him every morn
in regular before breakfast 20 keep
her hand in. same 5 she did the chill
dern in the school But 10 seems ne
want. He was ready and wiliin' TO
risk il. 'peared like Yes. That was
what he did. up and asked her TO
marry him"
And do you think" demanded MI
randy. that she will9'
"Margarct's given him TIN fall. putin
him on his good behavior Then II shs.-
don't find nothin particular % com, y
plain of-you can allus find somethin'
to complain OF in a man. YOU know.
Mirandy-if she don't find nothin' out of
the usual run. 20 say maybe. Jim Lew
erin tells me. she viii.
That's your boiler ag'in. Mirandy.
I declare It's pity you left such a
hot fire under it, 10 keep &c bo!iln' over
like that I'm sorry I've kept Won from
your work so long. But / knew you'd
want 10 hear the news and I was spill
IN 20 tell IL To you. Much obliged FOR
The spool OF thread. Z say Mirandv.
much Obliged. Come over when YOU Z
can. Mirandy. and eoodby now. I m8ss
get 20 my work or I won't finish Il ;iii
do0Insday. Goodhy. Goodby
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

does. The otter of Europe, when fun
grown. weighs about twenty pounds;
that Of North America is larger and
more valuable for its fur. In our own
country these animals are as fond Of
eoasting as children are. In winter they
have fine snowslides. like boys and
girls. and II does not matter 70 the
otter whether il gets wet or not. so is
ooasting hill IS often on the bank OF a
river and lands il in the water. IN
summer offers have mud slides These
coasting places may sometimes De
found on the banks Of streams
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

hydrates as the West Indian and :
about / per cent richer N aI5uminolds.
Its nutritious properties exceed that
OF arrowroo, and other starchy food
usually administered 70 inyail6s
Columbia university has secured Al
g London auction the most complete
collection Of ararchistic literature N
existence. including many sets o. news
papers and hundreds Of pamphlets and
posters
II Is said that iy.ects VIII never al
tack books which are busted once 2
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

dern, amt it? Too many. accordin' to
my notion. Too many by half. Let me
see. There's sixteen, amt there? There's
Lucy and Mary and Net and Nan and
WHIP
She finished inaudibly, used up all her
fingers counting and broke off with a
laugh.
1T amt no USE" she determined. Il
forget half their names. there are so
many Jim Leverin forgets 'em HIM
SELF He's told me so. Sixteen, amt
there2 Yes Sixteen Nine blue eyed
and seven brown eyed. That makes six
teen. Don't it? Nine and seven. Or
is it eight and seven? No. Nine and
seven"
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

h~sgh' his wss~fst shesfs - 81 roens.
z 8 frfs .a A~.Eht ~ sf.azl1 wesEs "a
l-ssres
TIE greenlara sl-ch "a fha smallest
TIRE n iee w1 ia Aga = t<zs
shas thFes iznes
= sszffs - sassfass Hher- 30 4~e~.
asf f1t1fal ss nar usora shas t~e
tfr1ss. . sQsafs Fssis q lard $50 su1-
fprf euiF eiEAs ~ H.nr ssssp n
S2<n0s AgTes ne szrsse AREA. sin
sh.Tsy fossF ls<1es q F4sn. szspasts
.,ss4 a1esg.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

iho>e parts q servia vssre thsr~ ars
10 railroads
An enfsrGrsgsnz draper 90 Sev Tors
sTnptoys an assistant wno g. ps<s4c-
ulzrly exert ~ srrzrEinE crsFsts ss.
re rrost fashion. afr sANres TIE as
sirfars attends ~esf.nEs e15 hsSpa ~
bssssErsorn and bssf r1su.
The o.csr a r1sAr gees BE SIS c1Ilirzi
he -
\ perfectly srcporftor<s r-s1 Stia1tc
weigh - pounds fo- ssery foos y hsH
hesgs. x he % .ssE - iacAss -
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

more numerous than those among wo-
men.
Paper was invented by the Chinese
l2S years before the Christian era
Paper floors have been adopted in
Germany. They have 10 joints 10 har-
Dor dust or insects and are sof, TO III.
tread They are also cheaper than hard
wood floors The paper is spread in
she form OF pulp. rolled. and when dry
painted TO initiate wood.
Banana HOUR from India contains
about the same quantity OF CARLO
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

smell that he can detect the presence
of human being at a distance OF loo
yards
in Markneukirchen. Saxony. and in
the neighhorhood there are altogether
about i5.oe0 people engaged exclusively
in the manufacture Of violins
English has been made q compulsory
suo5ec, OF study in Austrian schools.
IL has been estimated that sudden
deaths among men are eight times
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

year with powdered alum and white
pepper Three parts % alur1 should
D. uset 20 one % pepper.
Rent from American property owned
~ foreigners OF Americans AfinE
asroae .s believed 20 amount annually
20 not less than 81 90 Co
II the general elections Il Germany
the total vote % Ire Social Democrats
was 2sI1.2l7 an increase Of 50 90 over
tses
E.s%ctr5c motor cars are rur toF TIE
conveyance Of passengers ard goods ~
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

was somethin' so brave and quick and
bright in her black eye he had TO stay
his hand. 1t fell ar his side Of its own
accord He couldn't. he said
No. That amt the boiler boilin'
over ag'in, Mirandy. Don't worry
can see II from here. I'm watchin' OF
it. One mint longer and I'm done
Margaret had taught he school six
weeks about when she begun 10 have
trouble. Mind you. she didn't write a
word about il till il was all over and
done with. But think how il must
"a worried her at the time Spunky,
want it? Not to write home, both
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
THE ABSENT MINDED FARMER.

4 fsrusr walked across his land
and gazed Hpon the ground
Alas "a blade of buckwheaf crop
Was now here o. be found
come hithsr. Johnt Pa sadly cried.
''T0 what ] say give heed.
II i remember rightly. John.
We dldn't plant tine seed
That's true enough. sir John replied.
4 finger cu hif brow
but. with a team ~ horscV. sir.
] drove a careful pillow
-Ah John the farmer sadlg said.
Ito ne ms very plsiu
That when you fail - plant the sss<
The pillow VIII be in vain"
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
A had Example.

Mamma 10 Bobby. Who wants more
pie)-You ought not TO eat any more
pie. Bobby. and I ought nos 70 give Il
20 you. but VIII this time
Bobby-Well. Il a boys mamma -
willing TO DO things she ought rot 20.
why shouldn't tire boy himaelf2
And Bobby ate ire PIE with clear
conscience.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
MARY and Her Lanb Axas.-
Gsnnadrams

When one splits he sides -l'h lanxh-
ter pc ehosid run Until be gets a sfltoa
30 Them
bcW foes pair ~ bellows 6irsr
from a prize aghteFf one h.oas ma
Gre whae fhe other frrs the bows
what month - ne year l. tbe xrasa-
ss1g August
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

Teacher--Sow. sAns su ths Children
70 look az TomraTs HANDS ars ofaervs
Bow clean taeT sTe era zee 81 asi ~ yaa
eanrof cnue e. schooi sifh clsaa~r
hare4. Tommy perhaps wlu fea a.
sso'F Pc keesr faeT1 - ric-
Tofnnay- Tes-n- STA makes re pssh
he breakfast ts,nxs every saornirx
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08

could lock and unlock drawer. thread
a needle. uncork bottle and polish his
great pleasure in gay company and
paid close attention 20 the converse
ton. looking in turn at each speaker
as IL he understood what was said.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-08
ITEMS FROM NEAR AND FAR.

Al 81. Augustine. Fla. is the only
mill in the world that gets its power
direct from an artesian well.
The hawk flies at the rate OF $50
miles in a single hour. the elder duck
%, the rock 60 and the pigeon 40. Car
rier pigeons from Paris to Versailles
eover the ten miles In twenty minutes.
The cocoanut palm has leaves nearly
thirty feet long.