davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-07-01

AS an illustration OF the damage
wrought by the late June floods In the
west we cite the case Of a single tract
OF the choicest agricultural land in the
west. ten miles wide and sixty miles
in length. lying in northeast Missouri,
which has not been touched by food
waters for thirty five years. This tract
was covered with luxuriant crops Of
winter wheat nearly ready for the har-
vest and a vast acreage OF corn, the
whole tract at the time of the food
being buried under five to ten feet Of
water and all the magnificent crop to-
tally destroyed.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-07-01

Where milk is set in deep cans in
cold water and the cream thus raised
the farm separator will step in and
give the dairyman about 20 per cent
more cream. You can do some figur-
ing yourselves with this fact to start
from.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-07-01

On nearly all the rights Of way Of
the northern railroads sweet clover
grows in the greatest luxuriance and
profusion 1t will grow on the clay
sides of the deep cuts, on sand and
among rocks and gravel where scarcely
any other plant can sustain life. On
the slopes of the cuts II must form a
valuable binder to prevent washing
and sliding The curious thing about
this plant is that 1t seems to gain no
foothold In the pastures or cultivated
fields adjoining the railways. We term
Il very useful weed.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-07-01

-Lidderdale and Lanesboro are
bright new towns on the Ohlcago
eSreat Western Railway. For particu-
Cars write Edwin b. Magill, Mgr,
Townsite Dept, Fort Dodge Ia 25-3
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-07-01
For Sale.

Do you want to sell your house list
it with Prastmark & Son, East Water
st.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

see why he was leading his children
such a race and the other officials tried
to keep up with the Mayor. Tom gig
gied as he winked at them and thought
what great fun he was having.
After that 1t was all up with the
great men who controlled the town.
There was nothing for them to do ex-
cept keep running and a pretty sight
some of the latest ones made of it as
they hustled around corners and jump
ed over badly paved spots.
Away went the mob until finally
Tom found he couldn't turn any cor
ners and the others were in the same
fix. 1t is a good thing the street was
straight or they might have bumped
into something hard.
Down where the creek crossed the
street the old wooden bridge had been
taken down to make way for a new
one. and a small bridge had been put
across at one side. Everything would
have been all right if the racers could
have turned into this but they
couldn't.
The most natural thing in the world
happened. The Mayor, the teacher.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

Tom the councilmen, the policemen,
the school children and everybody else
in the race went head first, kerplun-
kety PUNK, into the creek The wa
ter was clean, so no one was badly in
jured except one of the councimen
who had a fat stomach on which most
of the fallers fell. II took an hour
to get him back to consciousness.
Zeke reached the spot just as the mob
was crawling out of the wet and start
ing again on their mad race. He wink
ed at them and everybody stopped.
blowing like porpoises, and saying
swear words not fit for children to
hear.
Many attempts were made to explain
why this wonderful thing had happen
ed but il could not be done and the
three hundred persons made their sor-
rowful way homeward. Zeke was so
afraid that he might be found out that
he kept his eyes on the ground all the
way home and did not look up until
he was going by the Stringer house.
He peeped through the picket fence
and there was Tom out in the yard
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

appearing switches. But a second COM
mand brought the bully to the dreaded
desk. The teacher didn't waste a word,
but, grabbing Tom by the arm, brought
the switch down where it belonged.
Tom howled. the pupils giggled and
Zeke, looking carefully at him, winked
that eve.
After this there was only one thing
for the teacher to do and that was to
keep on whipping Tom, who danced
around and yelled as loud as he could
Zeke wanted to be sure and get Tom
a good whipping, so he held the eye
lid open with his fingers, being fearful
that he might let il close accidentally
The beating might have lasted a
month, bringing great JOY to the other
boys, had not Zekes finger slipped
while he was looking at the teacher.
Immediately the whipping stopped
but as zeke had not wfnked at Tom
that poor fellow had to go on dancing
bowling and trying to dodge the whip
which had stopped whipping. This
was, If anything, funnier than the real
thing but Zeke soon grew tired of it
and winked the other eye at Tom, who
had made up his mind to leave school
at once and forever and seized the op-
portunity to sprint out of the door
AS he started the teacher darted aft
er him. Zeke gave each one a wink
as they passed out so they couldn't
stop, and on they went down the steps,
through the gate and into the street.
1t was a picnic for the other schol-
ars and while they We're dancing
around in glee, some one suggested
that they all follow and see the race.
Without any hesitation out went the
whole school on the run. Zeke stood
at the door and winked as each one
passed putting his own legs in motion
as soon as the last pupil had gone out
When he reached the street he saw
great sight There was Tom going
like a runaway trolley. After him
came the MASTER his long hair and
coat tails standing straight out behind,
while about 200 shouting school chill
dren brought up the rear.
Once more the merchants and people
rushed out Of the buildings along the
street, The Mayor and his officials were
holding a meeting In the town hall and
they all came out TO see what was go
Ing on.
The Mayor ran after the teacher 10
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17
THE QUEER CASE
OF ZEKE HIGGINS
PART NO. 4.
Peculiar Things Happen When
ever the ZekeSville Boy
WinkS His Eyes.
BY HARRY BAXTER MASON.

1t was many a day before Zeke Hig-
gins forgot about his great kite and
the way it carried him up to the spire
of the church. He rather expected that
something more wonderful might hap
pen to him-and it did.
AS he went down to breakfast one
morning he felt curious twitching
of his right eyelid.
Zeke's father was just trying to sip
a cup of hot coffee. 1t was so very
hot he couldn't stand much of it, but
tust as he touched his lips to the cup
zeke happened to look at him and
wink his right eye.
Instantly Mr.. Higgins began to
drink.
He swallowed every drop of that
scalding coffee, but still kept the cup
to his mouth and went through all
the motions of drinking, all the time
writhing and groaning with pain.
Zeke couldn't understand, but while
looking at his father ne just happened
to have the good luck to wink his left
eye.
with that wink Mr. Higgins put the
cup back on the table with a jar that
broke II into several hundred pieces
After gasplng for a while and pour
ing a quart OF ice water down his
throat. Mr. Higgins looked suspicious
~ NJ his son.
''-'.'- '~~'-- Wka ,,,o~e - ,-hur work
ecnwl, while H.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

tried to appear as innocent as he real
ly was. THAT coffee was as hot as
cotton, but for the life of me
couldn't stop drinking it, nor could
I even put down the cup. I'd give a
nickel to know if you did anything,
Zeke"
you might as well make it a quar-
ter replied the youngster. II couldn't
get II. 1 didn't pull my ear, twist my
nose nor do nothin' of that kind"
Then and Mr.. Higgins sighed a
sigh big enough for a pony, IT guess
must be getting a stroke of paraly-
SIS
Zeke knew such a thing might be
possible, but ne couldn't help think
ing his winks must have had some
thing to do with it. But he was I'M
able to help matters. so he trudged off
to school.
Just outside of the yard ne met Tom
Stringer, the town bully. AS luck
would have it Tom spied him at the
same time and decided to whip him.
So at Zeke he came with roar. There
is no telling what might have happen
ed, had not Zeke winked at the right
time. Somehow or other that wink
of the right eye kept Tom going. He
grabbed as he went by, just missed
his intended victim, and went down
the street as fast as his legs could car
ry him.
well, I'll be tiggered," remarked
the youngster as he watched his old
enemy disappear down the street.
something mighty queer is going on
with me now" Then he walked on to
school.
AS usual Zeke began to study his
lessons as well as he could, when sud-
denly the schoolhouse door flew open
and in came Tom Stringer on the run.
Tom had been sprinting all over town
and had finally come to the school in
the hope that some one would catch
him and stop his legs. He ran around
the room several times, humping into
desks and overthrowing seats. Tom
winked at him and he suddenly stop
ped at his seat, into which he sank
quite GREATNESS, as old Prof. Rogers
ordered him TO come TO the front for
punishment.
Tom muttered TO himself that he'd
be switched n he would. which Is quite
likeiv inaEmuch ms the teacher was
''rrr 0''eiW e. f'is'~ uuch of healthy
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

markable how often he could miss hit
ting what he threw at. Even when
the rope struck, the moose kept as
tightly shut as a steel trap on the
| hind leg of a bear. But this did not
| discourage Boobies, and he always car
ried his lariat, or rope" as he pro-
fessionally called it, wrapped around
his waist
So now, uncoiling the lasso, he made
! one or two throws in the direction of
I the boat. These showed him that the
rope was not long enough to reach the
whole distance. So he waded into the
stream, and after several misses, final
ly managed to land the end of the rope
near the snake. This seemed to make
: the moccasin very angry.
! The trouble, probably, was that the
] little snake was nearly scared to death.
/ He could not help being poisonous, and
may have been very good to his mother.
But this was no time for asking the
snake whether his intentions were good
or not. He came gliding along the
water straight toward Boobies, and
Boobies made for shore without asking
any further questions. He beat the
snake in. When the snake reached the
bank the eleven Lakerimmers also
beat him in-with clubs.
ana now READY Sald TO MS DrOtner'
Say, Heady, you swim out and bring
in the canoe. l sprained my ankle. d"
To which Heady Indignantly replied:
"Swim out yourself! I'll bet that
snakes chums are just waiting there
for the first fellow that gets in reach.
| Besides, l barked my shins."
While they We're squabbling, Bob
bles. by some lucky accident, managed
to throw the rope around the PROV of
the canoe. Then he brought it ashore
and acted as if he We're a cowboy, who
could do that sort of thing in his sleep.
(To be continued.)
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17
CAPTER III.
ON THE TIP ACK


And so the tribe of Indians in i'm
aRinary war paint put out to sea that
bright and early morning. They pad
died along in leisurely fashion, and.
late in the afternoon, reached the head
of the lake. There they were Just
unloading their supplies to camp for
the night, when a man, who was loaf
ing around the shore, came up and
looked them over as if he were about
TO make a bid on them. Finally he
drawled:
Air you fellers maxim for the Mis-
sissippi, too?"
Certainly not" said Tug, and Quiz
added: "Why?"
The man answered: Because 1
seen a young Teller with a cap and
feathers like yours goin' by a few
days ago, and he said as how he was
maxim for the Mississippi"
"B. j." they all exclaimed in chorus.
Then Quiz inquired: How far
might it be to the Mississippi"
ut might be as far as the moon,
but it amt said the stranger. It's
a good piece. But about three mile
away there is a little crick that leads
right to the river If you fellers was
in your boat over there in that there
crick, it would not take you long to
reach the Mississippi"
Then the stranger wandered away
and the Lakerimmers looked at each
other in silence for a long time. Then
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

with hammer and nails, making a cage
in which he said he intended to put
Zeke.
Tom was hammering away like a
fiend. BY one of those accidents, for
tunate for Zeke, unfortunate for Tom,
the bully struck at nail, missed. hit
his thumb and yelled, just as Zeke
peered through the fence and winked
with that terrible eye.
It was all up with Tommy-nothing
was left except to keep on hitting at
the nail, missing and smashing the
thumb.
Every time he hit the thumb Tom
would yell frightfully Then he would
go at it again, miss another nail hit
the poor thumb, raise the hammer
again, bring it down on the sore flesh.
and so on, while Zeke was so tickIed
he lay down on the sidewalk and held
his stomach; it hurt so much to laugh
so long and so hard.
Before long Zeke got so it didn't
hurt so much to laugh and he took
another look through the pickets. Tom
was still smashing the thumb and
making faces that would have made
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

one by one. The last of them alive was
Tug, and he half snored:
AT daybreak WE'LL" But he never
finished the sentence; and little differ
ence it made since there was nobody
to wonder what he was going to say.
CHAPTER ".
1t was evidently to be a time Of
wonders, for Sleepy, of all men or
boys, was the first one to wake the
next morning. But it was not his fault:
crack in the side of the barn sent
a gimlet of sunlight right through his
eyelids, and he could not dodge it, for
whichever way he moved, he brought
growl from some of the other fell
lows.
He stood it until the roosters, the
freshman class, undoubtedly, began to
give their college yell.
And then Sleepy gave up trying to
sleep, a thing which he had always
been able to do before without trying
He attacked the other Lakerimmers
with unmerciful jabs and pokes, and
gave them long lecture on the evils
of lying abed late in the morning.
They arose, and, as they came out
of the barn door. they found the sun
just walking in over the horizon They
spent some. time shaking themselves
like water-spaniels to get the hayseed
out of them, and they pulled the straw
out of each others necks with true
brotherly affection. Then they washed
their hands and faces at the pump and
looked blindly around for towels. But
there were no towels to be had, and
they had to use their pocket handker-
chiefs. BY and by the farmhouse was
awake, and the smell and sizzle of
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

him a fortune in comic opera.
Zeke was just getting ready to gloat
all the remainder of the day, but a
cinder flew into his eye and before he
knew it the lid had closed and the
hammering operation stopped While
Tom put his bleeding thumb into his
mouth
When Zeke had fshed the cinder
out of his eye he tried a dozen times
to make Tom do it all over again, but
somehow the cinder refused to work
and spoiled all the fun.
All the way home Zeke tried expert
ments with his winks but they couldn't
be made to work properly.
Last summer a visitor to the town
of Zeeksville made Zeke very angry
by remarking that he didn't believe any
| such thing ever happened.
So Zeke took him down the street
and showed him the new bridge and
pointed out the very spot where all
the people leaped and fell while under
the influence of that remarkable eye
lid.
(To be continued.)
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

nowhere, and, most troublesome of
all, keep together.
After any number of mishaps they
came out upon a broad reach where
the stream widened cut into almost a
little lake. Here the current was
slower. and the canoe dawdled along.
Here, too, the water as they found 1t
was very deep. They stood on the
shore and whistled to the canoes and
called them pet names and other kind
of names, but the canoes did not care
to leave the middle of the stream.
Plainly they must swim for it.
Tug, Punk and Sawed-off stripped
quickly and rushing into the water
raced for the goal with rapid over
hand strokes, that soon brought them
to the side of the war canoe. They
righted it, and were about to Chamber
in. when they found they had scooped
into the boat an inch of water. and
several inches of water-moccasin.
Tug remembered that this was one
of the three poisonous snakes of
America, and also that it was pleas
anter ashore. Once more the three
raced, this time in the opposite di-
rection, and If any one had held a
stop-watch on them he would have
found that they broke the Lakerim
swimming record.
Then all the eleven stood on shore
and called the snake insulting names,
and dared it to come and fight them
on land. But this did not bring either
the snake or the canoe ashore. His
snakeship curled up on one of the
seats and prepared for a pleasant nap.
Reddy suggested throwing rocks, but
Heady objected that they would
smash the canoe.
Boobies suddenly remembered his
lasso. Since the last circus in Lake
rim .he spent a large part of his time
trying to throw a slip moose around
everything in sight. II was really re-
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

Punk said: at is not very long
portage"
What is portage?" asked Quiz.
"Why, a portage is where you pick
up your canoe and carry it on your
head from one stream to another"
Hist'ry kindly explained. Then Reddy
and Heady broke out at the same time,
Il say we go for E. ].
I'VE might catch him before he
reaches the Mississippi and bring him
home" said Tug.
Jaw, it would only be wild goose
chase" growled Sleepy, who always
objected on principle to anything that
meant work.
1T would be lot more fun pursuing
that runaway scamp" said Jumbo.
Than loafing around the camp for
two weeks" added Sawed-off, who al
ways agreed with everything Jumbo
proposed.
There was a long debate which end
ed when Boobies limited:
Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to go
over and have little cruise on that
stream, just to see how it looks
To this they all agreed, and with
a mighty Juggling and launching and
lifting they got the canoes out OF the
water and on their shoulders. Then
they set off on the road the stranger
had pointed out to them.
Three miles is more of walk when
you are carrying large boat than
when you have nothing on your Shout
ders but your head So they all found
themselves very tired at the end OF a
mile. They also found themselves in
front of large and hospitable farm
house. So Sleepy who looked with
suspicion on any kind of food that was
evaporated or compressed, suggested
that they should buy their supper at
the farm house. The rest of them de-
cided that it would save their supplies,
and as they saw the farmer and his
daughters milking the cows, and as the
thought of the fresh warm milk made
their mouths water, they were soon
asking the farmer how much he would
give them supper for. He gave them
wholesale rate of 10 cents a head. and
in due time they were all making his
supper look like 80 cents head.
After supper they found themselves
very drowsy, and the thought OF I'M
packing everything to get at the tent.
which was, of course, at the bottom OF
r. US canoe, made Sleepy so tired
that he drawled:
Il think for the first night we had
better sleep in bed, while we have got
the chance"
The farmer, however. SAID he was
not keeping hotel and could not take
tribe of Indians in his house.
But there is a barn, and you can
make yourselves t'home in the hay"
Make yourselves t'home in the hay,
chi" growled Sleepy. What does he
think we are at home, eowS?"
We'll, 1 say we sleep in the barn,
anyway" said Boobies, tits twice as
big and not half as old as the house. 3"
So before long they were all in the
loft, disgusting the chickens which had
gone TO bed at a respectable chicken
hour, and making the horses in the
stall below think the world must be
coming TO an end.
They kept each other awake for some
time sneezing, until Jumbo sang out:
This is the worst case of hayfever
/ ever had"
And talk about farmers with hay
seed In their hay" said Sawed-off. Il
wish we had brought along a folding
waterproof thrashing machine"
There was some talk about plans for
rescuing 3. j.. but Sleepy muttered;
Keep quietl Can't you see I'm sound
asleep"
And the conversation grew more and
more feeble as the Eleven dropped on
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

my pa is just a plain, common labor
ing bear, and so 1 don't have to put on
airs. 1t must be dreadful to have to
put on airs and make believe that you
don't want to make mudpies."
What's your name?" asked Nebu-
chadnezzar.
Brownie Crowley Grunty Towsle
Bear" she replied. I'm awful glad
that l didn't have to go to school to-
day. We can play all day"
What school do you go tor" asked
Nebuchadnezzar as they walked along
why, to the Cub Lick School, of
course. I'm up to c nova, B, C. 1t
wasn't much fun to learn A, but it's
awful nice to study B. Yesterday 1
studied one B and just as soon as 1 got
so / could c her, l followed her for a
mide till she went into a hollow tree
and l found a whole lot of honey in it"
THAT must be pretty good school,"
said Nebuchadnezzar. smacking his
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

Nebuchadnezzar to give her a push.
Nebuchadnezzar did it willingly He
gave her the next push almost as will
ingly and the next push almost as will
ingly as the second push. After that
he did not really get so much pleasure
out of ii and before long he expressed
the strong opinion that it was his turn
to sit in the swing.
Dear me, no." said Brownie. THAT
isn't the way we play in Bungle Land.
It's your turn to push all the time"
This simple statement so vexed
Northumberland that he gave her a
push in which indignation and ferocity
were so strangely mingled that
Brownie went soaring, and soaring,
and soaring up into the air until at
last she was only little dot
Nebuchadnezzar gazed at the dot,
expecting 1t to vanish-but it didn't. 1t
stayed just where it was. And it be-
gan to appear strangely familiar. More
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

(see illustration). Fasten one end
with a pin to the top of a large book
or ledger standing upright. Fasten the
other end to the top of a smaller book
also standing upright.
Now your loop is all ready to be
'looped." All you need is a COM
mon ordinary spool. Start it at the
higher end and it will rush around the
loop without falling off.
An Improvement can be made by
constructing a small car out of two
spools, as shown in the illustration.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17
THE DANCING PEA.

This is a remarkably simple, but al
ways surprising and effective trick.
The performer takes the stem of a
broken clay pipe or a straw and, hold
ing it perpendicular to his mouth.
places a pea quickly upon the upper
end. Then he makes the pea hop up
and down to a lively tune on the
piano.
The whole trick consists in stick
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-17

and more familiar it looked as he star
ed, until all at once he realized
that he was looking fixedly at a period
in his spelling book.
And the same moment the voice of
the teacher made him jump.
acknowledgements Hiawatha Column
bus JONES'" she exclaimed, I've been
watching you for fifteen minutes and
you were sound asleep all the while.
You stay in to-day and do all your ex-
amples after school"
And that is how Nebuchadnezzar
escaped from Darkest Bungle Land.
CThe end).