davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-04

FOR SALE due lets 14th ard HARRISON
EEg each Strauss Age1cT
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

Old Mark Duncan was always a
kindly man and no one ever appealed
TO him for help in vain.
At twenty-five years he was prom
!sing farmer IN Connecticut; five years
later he was q more promising farmer
out West. and ten years later he was
railroad man. and so rich that up
one. not even. he. knew the extent Of
his riches.
Wealthy and kindly was he, but not
tina ginative. Very practical and hard
headed and so1t-hearted, which Is a
good deal better than being hard
hearted and soft-headed. But his wife.
who had been q school teacher in Con
recticut before he married her, while
as kindly as ne. was much given 10
day dreams. and when a son came 10
them he r.artC.1k Of the kindness Of
both parents and the imaginativeness
Of his mother.
Most successful Westerners come
70 New York sooner or later; the
Durcars were no exception. il so hap
pening that they arrived in Decem Der
OF the year 1895. While their palace
was building they stayed al . hyphen-
ated hotel on Fifth avenue.
Oliver Wolcott Duncan was JUS
twenty-one, but as his father was not
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

when he failed his assistant was call
ed. After an hour of puzzling he
thought they would better call in the
chief polisher of the bell tongues, and
the chief polisher Of the bell tongues
brought in his wife who was the
holder of the belfry keys, and his
brother. who was the second inspector
of the steeple weather vane, and his
sister, who was the chief custodian of
the cathedral broom and dustpan.
They all failed, so did the town
beadle, who had a purple hat and red
nose, and the sexton. who had red
hat and a purple nose. and the town
clerk. who had a purple hat and pur-
pie nose, and the Lord Mayor him
self, who had red hat and red
nose.
Finally the town doctor was called
in and he said at once. We are all too
old to see well. Why not let the chill
dren try it? They have clear eyes
and clear brains and they know"
So it proved. Almost in a minute
the children of the old city put each
Fobidoodle just where he belonged so
that both hands were on the iron
ring tightly. so he couldn't fail of. and
no Fobidoodle touched the other
Fobidoodle.
The bells drew a long breath and
rang out like anything.
Now try it yourself and see IL you
can make the Fobidoodles swing on
the ring as they should.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

but discord. At last the chief bell
ringer climbed up into the airy belfry
TO investigate.
There he found that the imps of the
bells-the wild and frisky and merry
COLLINS that dwell in the steeples and
carry the bells voices out on the
wind-had fallen in a heap from the
round iron ring on which they were
wont TO hang, swinging and twirling
as the bells were pulled.
There they lay-Door little Fobi-
doodles-each with his hands and
body still held in the position in which
he had been accustomed to swing.
The chief bell ringer thought that
il would be easy TO put them back.
He lifted the oldest FobidoOdle and
put him UP. Then he put another one
up. But before he had gone far he
found that he couldn't get them all
on. try as he might. for somehow he
couldn't fit them TO the ring so that
they wouldn't touch each other. and
! he knew that each one must swing
perfectly free.
The chief bell ringer tried until he
was completely mystified. Then he
called the first assistant chief bell
ringer and he tried. But he failed.
too, and he called in the deputy first
assistant chief bell ringer. Next they
called in the second assistant bell
ringer. After him came the deputy
second assistant bell ringer Finally
the chief rope puller had TO try it, and
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

he had TO content himself by making
big clutches with his right hand and
filling his pockets before his strength
gave out.
Not far from the barrel there was a
flag pole on top OF which was a cask
and those boys who could climb were
invited TO do so by Oliver himself. who.
with his father, was enjoying the gay
scene that the park presented.
In order TO prevent confusion COM
panion flag pole had been placed very
near the other so that as soon as a
boy had helped himself 10 the contents
Of the cask he could slide down and
make way for others.
Jimmy had no idea what was in the
cask. but he Skinned up, telling little
Nelly not TO cry, for he'd be back soon.
-Jimmy'n be all killed" said she.
her lips quivering, but Mrs. Duncan.
who was standing by. patted her on the
head and said, NO. Jimmy viii come
down by the other pole and will bring
something 20 you. I'm sure"
When Jimmy put his hand into the
cask he dld 80 with perfect confidence.
although there might have been crabs
of spiders Boz IT, But ID was not crabs
but eagles that were ln the cask. gold
eagles. and Jimmy. supposing by the
feel y them that they We're quar-
teri. gladly clutched a whole handful
When be had re.oined Nelly he was
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

in society and did not care TO b, the
young man did not hayea party in
his honor.
Instead Of that he decided 10 con
vert Madison Square into q fairyland
OF Christmas Eve for the benefit OF
such Of the poor Of New York as
cared 10 come 10 the festivities.
The Mayor Of New York al that
tiu7e was a man Of q very gay and
sympathetic nature, and when Oliver
told him what he intended doing he
was delighted and assured him that
he would aid him by every means in
his power.
Old Mark may have thought the
idea foolish. but be did not say so.
and as the money was TO be expended
for people who had had little JOY in
their lives. Mr.. Duncan told The young
man 10 go ahead and spend all he
wanted. short Of paving the Square
with gold blocks.
As for Mrs. Duncan, she was de-
lighted with The idea and gave Oliver
all the help in her power. suggesting
many OF the best features ani acting
with the enthusiasm Of a young girl
Many Of the poor Of New York en-
5oyed the wonderful spectacle. but
you may get d better idea OF il if !
follow the fortunes Of Jimmy Nc
kenna. who lived il Cherry street and
who first heard OF what was TO be
done when q gilded wagon drawn by
SIX milk white horses passed by his
home.
Seated in the chariot was a very no
ble-looking parsonage. who looked as
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13
WHERE THERE is
NO CHRISTMAS.

How do we spend Christmas at
sea?" repeated the New Bedford
whaling captain. ITO tell you the
truth, I'd have to look at my log
book to tell you just what happened
on Christmas Day in our cruises, for
we don't observe the day anything
differently from what we do with any
other day.
You see, after a ships been out at
sea for five OF six months every
body begins TO lose track of the days.
They are watched sharply enough by
the officers for the purposes of navi-
CATION and such, but in every other
way it gets so that one day is like
another, and at last We don't know
any more whether it's Sunday or
week day.
Now I see" continued he, running
over the log book that he had opened
that last Christmas Day we were
off the Azores and struck four whale
one of 'em a hundred barrel fish, so
you can bet we didn't have any time
left TO celebrate Christmas. And the
year before that-wen," said he,
chuckling, my first mate spent =
SOOu part OF AnIlStitlcS LAY WIN ~
crew trying to stay on the surface
of the South Atlantic Ocean where
it's about a mile and a quarter deep.
His boat had been caught by a fiuk-
ing whale and smashed into little bits,
and as all the other boats were fast
to fish, why, we couldn't give EN-
any help. So We comforted EN- by
telling to hold on good and hard until
we could get round to EN-, which we
did about dusk.
In the meanwhile they laid their
oars across what was left Of the boat
and hung there. You can bet there
was nightly little plum pudding where
they waited.
NO. we don't have Christmas or
Fourth of July or other fixings on
board a whale ship unless she hap
pens TO be laying in some CIVILIZED
port at the time"
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

Jimmy and Nelly were so thirsty
from their swift ride that they did not
stop 10 examine their cups. but drank
eagerly and copiously Of the various
1avors.
When they had quenched their
thirst for the time being they be
came aware Of an enormous barrel at
least twenty feet high and thirty feet
in circumference which Stood 10 the
right Of the fountain.
From its top hung many ropes and
walking around and around it was
another Santa Claus inviting any boy
who wished 10 climb up the rope and
take what he saw.
Nelly wanted TO climb up, but jim
my told her he'd grab for two when
he got there He had one good pocket
in his jacket with no hole in il worth
mentioning.
up hand over hand. and the sight that
hold. The finest candies that Oliver
could get in New York were in that
barrel and by means Of an ingenious
piece Of mechanism the contents kept
rising 10 the top so as 10 be within
reach OF the eager paws that were
ciutChing on all sides.
From time TO time the supply was
replenishe6, and I would not dare say
how many thousand pounds Of candy
were put IL and then grabbed out OF
that barrel by soiled little hands.
Jimmy wished he might hold on by
his chin and so use both hands. but he
was not gymnast enough for that, Sc
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

forehead. Numbered in tones that had
been given 10 il many hundred years
before, when men hung il in its place
10 peal alarm. And then its voice
meant sudden death and burning
towns and pillaged lands.
Near IL hung another ancient bell
that had been carried in a day Of vic
tory from its far home in Italy, where
IL doomed out over the blue sea to
call the fishermen TO prayer. And
even to-day its voice stirred those who
heard it and woke them TO peaceful
thoughts.
And so hung bell on bell, each with
voice that was given to il in his
Jorical time; until al last one came TO
the chimes that had been bought for
the old cathedral in modern days by
, The children of the city-the children
whose time had fallen in better days;
whose eyes saw no bloodshed; whose
skies were Redeemed by no battle-lit
fires; and whose ways were smoothed
for them by love and wisdom.
Naturally, the chimes rang out with
the sweetest of all the voices that
sounded from the old cathedral tower,
and pealed triumphant in silvery
music high above the roaring and
mutteTing and laundering of the an
cient bells that hung with them.
But now the bells were in trouble;
and the bell ringers, though they
toiled and sweated at the ropes, could
not make their tones ring out in aught
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

L ms ancestors had been princes for
seven generations. His name was
: emmy Scanlon.
re distributed pretty cards with a
s3lctlre on one side Of Santa Claus
-gLg 10 climb into the top of Madi-
sll Square tower. and on the other an
irritation to every child under twelve
- coZe 10 "Fairyland" opposite the
E-z1rou building al any time from
: 70 = Christmas Eve.
jimmy wanted his mother to go up
VIA El-r. but "Fairyland" was word
Eg FL Ter dictionary, and while she
= e. CAD 70 have him go and take lit
IL EslT. she stayed behind herself
7 was q bracing winter evening. and
trs u-T vas Etin decorated with ice
rfsH r-a1 a storm had left behind
w1ar ~ PASSED over the land.
There Nzr 8 EDo1lsh crowd steering
20 Fairlaaal and Jimmy found Il
lard -l rursr even standing room for
Pc tas fHE-eF o- me electric car that
ce~ls- tnsrr 10
The az VA Eis1 wi.n shouts % ap-
tTrfaa "a eart ragaa1 was empfied
80 fas anuf-s Tta -sertla -Ftlble purse
- f1f ,arssfp nat in1eed made it a
ia4fl - n9lrt rns ler storm had
coliFs-e $4,000 ~ fns Ff-er ard
tpDf- ltnt ruuf nasa been q nl
Aph t-F flurlsnesfr Errff % fhH
go ~ 20 ntnna ~ fnf many
Yea D. Aa-elpgt bgalFe. arG I verify
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13
CHILDREN OF
THE PRAIRIE
Or the Adventures of Sam and
Betty.

CHAPTER Y.
The next day after the destruction
of our village by the stampeding herd
Of buffaloes. Gray Horse sent about
thirty warriors, squaws and boys to
other bands Of our tribe to buy, beg
or borrow cooking utensils and other
things badly needed. When they had
departed he took ten warriors with him
and started in the direction of the Ne
braska state line. I understood quite
we'll that he hoped TO come across some
lone settler or band Of emigrants on
the move and secure lot of plumber.
When all the parties had got away
there were not more than forty people
left in the village, and Red Moon was
again in charge
If Betty and were TO make our es-
cape now was the time. did not
think it would be much of a trick for
US TO steal out at night and catch and
mount two ponies and so galloping
away. The only fear l had was that
we might lose our way again in the
darkness. From where we were now
ii was a good hundred miles to the
first settlement, and that meant rid
ing all night and part of next day
over strange ground.
The war party left the village on a
Monday morning. Betty and had a
long talk before noon. and il was
agreed that we should start out that
night at 10 O'Clock. We were both to
slip out of our wigwams and meet at
certain tree on the edge of the grove,
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

a little disappointed
"Dey're counterfeits," said he, for he
had never before seen any gold money.
But when Mrs. Duncan explained TO
him that each coin was worth forty
quarters he Immediately wanted to
climb up again. Oliver hated 10 re-
fuse him. but there were crowds OF
children waiting their turn, so he SAID;
Have you been 10 get your spur
rels?"
putting his money in the lining of his
hat.
over by the ST. Gaudens statue Of
Farra gut" said Oliver. and Jimmy
taking his little sisters hand. threaded
his way TO where there was huge
gilded cage containing numoerless
gray squirrels.
Give us a squoil." said Jimmy ca
gerly to the gaily attired attendant
who, bowling low, said, 1t shall be as
you wish"
Then he opened a door in the cage
and drew out silver gray squirrel
"One for Nelly, too" said Jimmy
never forgetful.
1T looks like a rat, on'y its tail is
swelled." said Nelly. patting her SOUR
rel's head.
The little animals were as tame as
kittens, and indeed they had nothing
to fear from the McKennas, who loved
animals and who had once made pet
of a rat.
While they were petting the squir-
rels, they heard music away up above
them. and on asking a superb young
prince" in a cooked hat where il was.
they were told that il came from the
fairy orchestra.
II can't see," said Nelly with tine
ture of wall in her voice. She was
fearful of losing some phase Of this
wonderful fairyland.
"Oh. l see it. I see it," shouted
Jimmy. Look, Nelly, up in der tree.
Little fellers. Gee, can't dey play
The little fellers" were dressed up
TO represent fairies, and not one of
them was more than fifteen years old
but they certainly could play. They
sat perched on the different branches
OF a noble elm, and they were strap
ped to their places Ito tell you a
secret) lest in their enthusiasm they
might fall from their perches.
There were violins. and a cello. and
flutes. and harp. and a triangle. and
they played music that pleased every
one. big and little.
The sweet harmonies floated down
from the trees and the branches sway
ed. and the ice crystals and the lights
sparkled, and the fountain gushed its
sweetest. and New York. stirred by
the spectacle. made up its mind to
make the next day a very Merry
Christmas indeed.
1t was late at night before the hap
by children departed. II fell TO Jim
my's lot 10 see Mrs. Duncan and OIL
yer again. Jimmy was leading Nelly
along, and she was very sleepy and
Just a little cross. being only six.
Didn't she have a good timer
asked Mrs. Duncan. patting her head.
sure, ma am. Tomorrow she'll still
have it, She don't remember now
because she's dead sleepy II was der
greatest cinch I was ever at. ! bet
der saints'll have IL IN fer der people
dat got II MP. Pity Il couldn't be all
der VILE"
Fancy Fairyland "all der vile" IN
New York.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13
THE WONDERFUL MANATEE.
The Graphic Description of One by a
Man Who Saw 1t Unexpectedly.

The Graphic Description of One by a
Man Who Saw 1t Unexpectedly.
A sight that is getting more and
more rare now is that of manatee, or
sea cow-the wonderful mammal that
lives exclusively in the water ike a
fish, and that has furnished the foun-
cation of many a mermaid story by
thrusting its head and shoulders out
of the ocean near shore just in time to
let a startled crew see it.
Il shall never forget the scare
got at the first sight of a manatee."
said John Mansfield. the angler. 1T
was last year in the Indian river in
Florida. My boat was anchored near
a bank of grasses, and was lolling in
the stern looking idly downward into
the water and thinking of anything
except a sea monster, when suddenly
a vast form made me pull my head
back instinctively.
The thing was so dark that il
looked almost black. 1t was shaped
like a huge, thick carrot, only instead
of the thin tail of a carrot il had a
broad, fat tail exactly like that Of a
lobster.
II CdlllE dAO4E SAA4OONlAls anu S44EllL-
ly, gliding close along the bottom. and
at first 1 couldn't see any head al all.
1t looked wierd, and 1 couldn't imag-
inc what it was.
Suddenly it bent that big lobster
tail backward, doubled il beneath
itself, and instantly its progress stop
ped as if il had put on brakes.
The next morning the thing was
apparently standing straight up on
end. Then I saw two bony things
like arms shoot out from the upper
part of its body, and the thing began
to bob back and forth like a very
clumsy person trying TO make funny
little bows.
Then 1 realized that what I was
looking at was manatee, or sea COW,
and that ii was in the act OF feeding.
A big bunch of river grass grew just
where it had stopped, and it was TAX
ing il down in great mOuthfulS.
Il now saw that it had a head. sure
enough, although it was q most alb
surdly small head, looking like a little
cork in big fat bottle. But the most
remarkable thing about the head was
the mouth.
The lower Jaw was all right. 1t
was like that of a seal. But the up
per Jaw was split vertically so that it
opened like the upper lip of rabbit.
1t was a true hare lip, only il was
about forty times as hig as the worst
hare lip that ever was on dry land.
With that queer upper lip the man
atee seized big whisps Of river grass,
and handled them as an elephant
would handle hay with his trunk.
Then the lower jaw would shoot out
and yank it into the cavernous mouth.
Ii was a great sight-the funny mouth.
the tiny head, the huge body twice as
big around as that of a man and about
as long, the rough hide, the tiny flip
pers and the lobster tail-a veritable
cross between a cow and a seal and
a fish and a water bug.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

ised to be very careful to do nothing
that should arouse the suspicious of the
Indians. The Indian boys and girls
vert very watchful. and Talking Wom-
an was always saying that We would
some day escape if not burned at the
stake. During the afternoon I gath
cred much larger heap of frewood
than ever before, and I dug a lot of
roots in the grove and provided for
Red Moon the best I could, and the
hours wore away, and by and by night
was at hand.
When 10 o'clock finally came and
the people all seemed TO have gone
TO bed, l rose up and was ready to
start out and meet Betty. Red Moon
also rose up. and, after kissing me on
both cheeks and patting me on the
head, he handed me his knife and tom
ahawk, and I passed out into the dark
ness. l found Betty at the tree, and
ten minutes later We had mounted two
ponies and were of. I had the luck to
get two of the best, and I tied their
heads together so that we might ride
side by side. We walked the ponies for
a full mile before we set them at a
gallop. and for an hour we hardly
spoke a word. 1 did not think the
Indians would miss and follow US that
night, but my great worry was TO keep
the true course for the fort. After
going FIVE miles we crossed the first
creek and soon thereafter the ground
became rolling. There was no moon
and only a few stars out. but it was
not so dark but that we could see quite
a distance around US.
When we had crossed the creek and
left one of the big groves on our right
l felt easier in my mind. and we then
let the ponies go at a faster pace.
expected they would give us consid-
cradle trouble, as we were riding bare
back and had only piece of hide rope
for bit and bride, but they went along
as II glad TO bear US TO safety. Just
at daylight we saw Fort Atkinson about
a mile ahead of US, and ten minutes
later we reached it. TO be welcomed
and cheered by the soldiers. We had
not been there above half an hour
when ten Indians from our village came
in sight. They had missed US and
started in pursuit but We were among
friends and our adventures were at an
end.
('The Enil
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

believe that the sun would have been
blinded by the glare Il he had not gone
10 bed long since.
Gaping nnouthed children wandered
here and there trying 70 see all there
was 10 be seen and 10 Go all there was
10 do.
The first thing that caught the chill
dren's eyes was the apparatus for
coaSting that Oliver had caused 10 be
built Il was an inclined plane run
ming around all four SIDES Of the
Square. and covered with well-packed
snow
Jimmy and his sister went TO the
door Of admission. and seeing q man
in a very gorgeous uniform standing
there, the boy said. Does il cost any
thing 10 coast
No. indeed" said the man. we
pay you 10 90 up in the elevator and
you can take the sled home with you.
He pointed as he spoke 10 a pile
OF sleds. and Jimmy picked out TWO.
Then the man handed Them each
quarter. and they STEPPED with many
others into a huge elevator that bore
them swiftly 10 the top Of the hill
Arrived az the top they cast themselves
on their sle6s and rushed down the
speedway. turning four sharp corners.
but meeting with no accident.
Almost before they knew it. they
had passed out into the street and en-
tered the park again. this time seeing
straight ahead Of them a wonderful
fountain that spouIed seven different
kinds q soda water.
No one could drink al this fountain
unless he was provided with a silver
cur-so the big Santa Claus said who
stood by It's si6e-but he smiled as he
said il. and sanded TO each child who
came forward a very pretty silver cup
with Merry Christmas, 1915 ea-
grave5 or il.
The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

and then I would go TO the herd and
bring out two ponies. Both of US
We're in a tremble OF excitement when
We had named the hour, and I DO not
claim that 1 had any more TO do with
the planning or was any head
ed than my little friend.
At noon I had the luck to shoot a
rabbit. I had cooked it for Red Moon 5
dinner and was going to the grove in
hopes to kill another, when he called
me back to the wigwam and stood and
looked at me for a long time. Not a
word was spoken, but I plainly under
stood him TO say that he knew we were
going to try 10 escape that night Ny
heart began to beat painfully and ny
legs TO tremble, but what did the good
old man do but let me know that he
was glad we were going. He motion
ed out that we must exercise great care
not TO be seen by any one. We had
planned 10 head for the settlements. a
long distance away. but he let me
know that we could do better than
this. Almost directly south Of US and
only thirty miles away was Fort At
kinson. If We could hold a true
course We could reach it by daylight.
Red Moon talked with me in the
sign language for two hours. Some
few things I could not make out, but
I understood enough to make me feel
sure that we could escape unless some
accident happened. He seemed TO
know every mile Of ground between
the river and the fort. He motione1
out that we would have TO cross five
different creeks that after getting a
few miles from the village the coun-
try would be rolling instead Of level;
that there We're two large groves
which We must leave on our right;
that about half way to the fort, if we
held true course, we would come
across great mass Of rock cropping
up out of the prairie. All these and
many other things he told me. and
then he suddenly became an Indian
again and turned his back on me and
would not say another word.
That was the longest afternoon 1
ever saw. At o'clock I managed to
meet Betty as she was going for wa
ter and to tell her that Red Moon was
helping US in our plans, and she prom