davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

Scrooge and the Genii sang away at the
tops of their notes.-the reporters voice
seeming a bit husky while the Geniis
sounded like penny fife.
AS the last harmonic strain died away the
chorus girls crowded backward into one
tremendous group and made way for the
carnival procession that was coming around
the Circle. The pageant was headed by the
most grotesque brass band that the news
paper man had ever run across in all his
life. The musicians were dressed in every
conceivable kind of uniform and their in
struments were unlike any musical instru-
ments that had ever been seen before dur
ing the worlds entire history. Each
musician was playing tune of his own and
paying no attention whatever to the music
of his co-workers. No two melodies were
alike and no two instruments were being
played in the same key. Every member of
the band seemed to be bent upon blowing
his lungs out. The director of the organi-
cation was furious he kept running wildly
about among the musicians trying to get
them to stop, but he might as well have at
tempted to push over the monument. The
drum major who stalked along in front of
the band had gone crazy. A little boy
walked beside him with a golf bag filled
with batons and acted as a sort of caddy,
handing his master a new stick from time
to time as the drum major either broke q
baton in his desperate efforts to do some
thing extraordinary with it or lost it entire
ly by throwing 1t up on to the roof of q
building.
Its the band from the top floor of the
Franklin building" whispered the Genii to
the reporter, "but don't tell anybody. It's
secret. All the members have mothers
and fathers and relatives, and they want
to protect THEN family names. Everybody
in town has heard 'em practicing for the
last year-every night, nearly-but nobody
ever saw 'em before. The chairman of
the great entertainment committee thought
that this would be a splendid time to break
'em in. Look there-the bass horn player
has fallen into his Instrument"
IT was a fact. The base horn player had
disappeared completely and two burly po-
licemen were having a hard time of II
pulling him out of the horn. The peculiar
feature of the accident was that the musi-
clan never for an instant stopped blowing
and the most weird tones imaginable came
out of the big brass instrument. When he
was finally extricated he was still putting
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

"HE LAUGHED ENORMOUSLY FOR
FULLY THREE MINUTES
laughter at his own joke. He laughed up
roariously for fully three minutes and then
managed to sing the chorus. with everybody
joining in: The chorus:
Then laugh lads,
And quaff. lads.
And sing with all your might:
And drink your best,
With merry Jest,
Until the morning light"
And, bursting into laughter again, the
basso profundo held the bucket up to his
colossal mouth and swallowed the contents
at a single gulp. Then he turned on his
big heel and staggered toward the opera
house, while the jolly onlookers on both
sides of the thoroughfare pelted him with
flowers and sang a little snatch of song.
running
1T was the Dutch,
II was the Dutch:
,ould Englshmen be born with such a thirst?-
not mucbp
In the midst of the music the loud boom
ing of a cannon. occurred. and Immediately
the ringing of chimes seemed to fill the air
on all sides.
They're the joy-bellsv exclaimed the
Genii, land that giant firecracker was the
signal for the grand aerial ballet. We're
to take part in 1t, you know-its the real
climax of the great entertainment. Here,
grab my hand quick, quick, quickr'
Scrooge, more bewildered than ever be-
fore, did as requested, and at the same
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

have any words. Remember, this is a
night of frivolity-the night Of the great
entertainment"
AS he spoke, the song of the festival, be-
ginning:
81 love ev'ry inch OF my native town.
And hail II with gladstone shout
foated through the night air from across
the big circular space. The Genii grasped
his companion by the hand and exclaimed:
Away with us! We are missing some
thing"
The comrades dashed off and ran as fast
as their legs could carry them until they
drew UP In front Of the magnificent build
ing of the Columbia Club on the other side
of the monument. Here they found a con-
tinuation of the carnival merrymakers, all
of them raising their voices in the joyous
chorus. Men and women, dressed in the
brightest of costumes, were waving little
banners of green, on each Of which was
embroidered in scarlet this slogan:
"Stand Up for the Great Entertain
ment of 1908"
The happy throng seemed to be waiting
in great expectancy for something or other
Just as Scrooge was about to inquire of
the Genii as to the nature of the antici-
pated event six beautiful young women. in
lovely gowns and enormous picture hats
came strolling gracefully across the as
phalted thoroughfare, the chorus singers
forming a hollow square into which the fair
creatures passed. And then suddenly the
great front doors of the Columbia Club
flew open, and down the stone steps sprang
six handsome young men in evening dress.
and each of them carrying in his right hand
a huge bouquet of flowers. The big or
chestra across the way struck up a melody
that was reminiscent of 'Florodora" and
THE Prince of Pilsen' without belonging
to either of those pieces. and while Scrooge
was wondering if he had ever heard 1t be-
fore the young gallants from the club, who
had by this time joined the young ladies,
began to sing. This musical number proved
to be a new sextet, very tuneful indeed.
This was the way the song ran:
Men with fattering glances):
Captivating little maidens. let us wander with
Underneath big branches of the mis-tle-toe"
Maids lin pretended scorn):
such familiarity How can we forgive you?
Have a care, good sirs. and do not US so. -
Men Offering the bouquets to the girls):
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

But Jack could not give up. With strain
ing eyes he searched yet again. getting
down ION all fours." the better to see.
Mercy goodness! What's this?" and
there was Miss Mollie. the little primary
teacher. and his own Miss Bette at her side.
Jack stood and told his story.
Suspicion rose in the women's eyes. What
a temptation to many! That had not entered
Jacks mind.
I'D earned dollar extra workin' late.
| wouldn't care so II twas all mine-seven
dollars is Mr.. Blanks I'll lose my job.
I'll never get another. 1 must find it,
The keenly conscious pupil of poverty re-
newed his search. wide-eyed and shivering
Wen help" said Miss Mollie, suiting ac-
ton to word. Miss Bette wrapped her
muffier round Jacks neck and ears, men
tally weighing the possibility of sparing ten
doliars-and Christmas coming.-for this de-
spairing child. In school he had seemed a
big boy; had his determined spirit deceived
herr
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

The trio hunted In silence. The latest
day laborers-street Observation-Disclosures
homeward, singing or whistling merrily.
Miss Mollie was some distance away from
the others when a wagon stopped near her.
You lose sumpin'. lady? You done los
sumpin', eh?'
She quickened her step toward Miss Bet
tie, a big. long coated man following. The
trouble was told. while she was still hunt
ing.
Oats mighty badr'-joining their task.
"Clar ter gracious looks lax ole Tribalashun
done ketches one en- all un us!'
Now flashed the belated electric light
from the Reformatory.
Oats a bawn b.essin. Yer wrop hit Ii
write papah, / amt ben hoodooed yitl i
mighty ap' fer ter come up wild UNI! wife
papah!''
Lets go!" whispered Miss Mollie.
Not yeti" said Miss Bette.
A few feet away the negro began sing
ing. low. slow
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

in an appearance. The instrumentalists, &C.
cupied chairs in front Of the hotel build
ing-a long row Of them that extended from
one end of the great structure to the other.
Seated in this fashion. they resembled
nothing so much as the first part of
minstrel show.
AS the song was sung the girls executed
PRETTY little marches and went through
many interesting evolutions. The melody
OF this opening chorus seemed very familiar
TO Scrooge. He couldn't place il at first
but finally he remembered that 1t was the
tune OF MY Own United States that was
so prominent a feature of the military
opera, when Johnny Comes Marching
Home" And Ii may as well be mentioned
at this point that. just as this melody
dominated the performance of that musical
comedy, so 1t was this theme that kept
coming and going through the great en-
tertainment And these were the words:
81 love ev'ry inch of my native town.
And hail IL with gladstone shout:
I'd love IL the same were IL upside down
or IL IL were inside out.
You may sing OF the towns Of the East or West,
On the plains beside the sea;
I'll sing OF the one that like the best
Indianapolis for me-.
When the chorus was repeated everybody
in Monument place took up the words and
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
NIGHTS Entertainment Christine:
By L ouis w. Jon

instant a pretty girl caught hold OF his
other hand.
Come along!" said the maiden. sweetiy.
up we goi' chirped the Genii.
And up they did go. while the orchestra
played wildly and the chimes rang out as
chimes had never rung out before in the
whole history of the world. Scrooge found
himself shooting up into the air as IL he
were a bird on the wing. and looking about
wildly discovered that he and his two COM
panions were only three of a circle OF hilar-
ious creatures that extended around the
great stone shaft All of the participants
in the flying ballet held hands, and the
spectacle reminded the scribe OF a ring
around-the-rosy affair on a spectacular
scale. AS he few up past the groups OF
statuary he noticed with awe that the fig
ures had all come TO life. George Rogers
Clarke was waving his sword and singing
a stirring soldiers song. and all of the
other Indiana soldiers and statesmen were
bowling their Acknowledgements TO the APP
plauding multitude. while the little bears
were dancing a funny whirling Dervish
dance. Scrooge had always suspected those
bears of being Turkish dancers Dust OBJ
serve them closely yourself some time), and
this feature of the general awakening OF
statues surprised him less than did any
other.
But now came the most glorious event
Of all. AS the circle of aerial ballet dancers
reached the top of the shaft another ex-
plosion took place and at the same instant
the figure of Indiana underwent a trans
formation. Her graceful drapery was
whisked from her by unseen hands and
vanished into the highland beholdi she
was CARRIED as Folly in dazzling costume
of scarlet and green. And instead OF the
sword she held a TESTERS stan in one hand
and in the hand where the torch had been
uplifted for long a time was a big
Christmas cornuco3ia, out OF which she
shook beautiful flowers and bonbons and
Christmas cakes and candies, which fell
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
Act Two-The Monument

Scrooge never could explain afterward
Just how 1t happened, but all Of sudden,
in the twinkling of an eyelash, a most won
derful thing took place. The great circular
space, there in the very middle Of old In
dianapolis Town, had been beautifully illum-
mated all alone, but-presto!. and dazzling
Transformation had occurred, brought about
by the blazing forth Of millions Of multi
colored lights.
They've lighted the Christmas candles!
cried the Genii. hopping first on one foot
and then on the other. hardly able to contain
himself in his excitement.
And behold! The Monument was as an
enormous Christmas tree extending almost
to the very skies above. The tremendous
stone shaft had suddenly become clothed
in holly and evergreen and bay leaves, with
thousands upon thousands of clusters Of
brilliant red holly berries, and thousands
upon thousands of kaleidoscope waxen can
dies cleaning from their resting places
amid the garlands and wreaths.
A shout went up from the multitude that
must have been heard hundreds of miles
away, and then, as If at given signal, ev-
erybody burst forth into song again. Scrooge
and the Genii joining in with right good
IL.
to the scribe, although he could not, for the
life of him, remember ever having sung
them before. The tune was very familiar,
somehow or other. This was the song:
"Oh, say can you see. by the monuments light.
What so proudly hail our own Indiana {?
She's perched on the top like bird Of the night.
With far-reaching glance from Detroit to Sa-
vannah.
| She's quite up to date,
With each neighboring State,
| And her vigil she's keeping both early and late.
! Oh. say, does our queen still look down from
up there
On her Hoosiers at play In old Monument
Square?'
'It hasn't much sense in it. has it?''
''Scrooge confided to the Genii: but then
everything seems rather foolish tonight,
and suppose it doesn't matter much
What hasn't much sense in it?" asked
| the Genii, in an injured tone.
why, the song" said Scrooge. 1T
seems SO ridiculous. And besides. you
know, this isn't Monument square-this is
| monument circle"
''Ho! there you go trying to make a song
| cycle out of a gayety ditty!' cried the
| Genii, in great indignation. ''Well, the
name of Scrooge fits you pretty well, IL
seems to me-" And then, in a gentler
voice. he added: But come. let's don't
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

away-at nothing in particular. The po-
licemen replaced the horn in his hands and
pushed his head down over 1t so that his
mouth was once more glued to the small
end of the thing, and sent him on his way.
And so the band passed on, while the
CENT, holding his little sides with mirth.
tumbled over into the fountain and had
to be fished out by the monument GUS
todian, who kept Indignantly repeating over
and over again that nobody had any bust
ness in the fountain-even Genii-and that
he would report the matter to the President
of the United States just as soon as the
great entertainment was over.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

merry Christmas on the morrow. He
placed the fairy tale book on the top of the
other volume and again leaned back in his
chair, lost in reverie, with an amused
smile on his face. His eyes lighted on his
faithful old paste pot and he sat staring at
II as II he were immensely interested in the
familiar article. although his thoughts were
Ear away.
the wall, monotonously. The man at the
desk felt that his eyelids were growing
heavy and that he ought to be stirring him
self. now that his work was over for the
night. The electric lights in the office
seemed to be growing DINNER and DINNER
and the hum of voices from the reporters
room next door seemed to be growing fainter
and fainter. The clock licked on and the
tired-out fellow unconsciously kept time
with one foot to its measured sounds.
Tick-tick. -tick-tick. tick, tick
why, what in the world was this? An
unheaval was taking place in the paste pot
The paste had suddenly commenced to boil
and bubble just as IL the pot were on top Of
q hot stove instead OF standing on COM
mon-place, wooden office desk. What on
earth could 1t all mean? The astonished
curiosity satisfied. for soon cloud of steam
began to issue from the china vessel. becom-
ing thicker and thicker with every second.
And then. gradually. the cloud formed itself
into a definite shape and the man in the
chair found himself looking up at the grin
ming face OF the strangest thing he had ever
seen In all his life. 1t was the figure Of a
man-but what comical figure! About
three feet In height 1t was. with funny
round body that resembled rubber ball and
q pair OF thin legs that were never still for
an instant. but which kept up continuous
shufiing as IL their owner were bent upon
performing an endless clog dance. The lit
tie man--for such he seemed to be-was clad
IN scarlet and green from the top OF his
little pointed cap to the pointed toes OF his
curious shoes.
Don't be alarmed" he said, in a voice
that sounded like a little tin whistle. I'm
q Genii.'
"a Geniir' cried the newspaper man, in
amazement. and then. in his confusion he
added. with two Tsp
Yes, and a nose." chirped the newcomer
ct mean." said the scribe. do you spell
Il with two ISL mean. In fact. are you a
real Genii OF the Arabian sort?'
NO, I'm genii of the Indoo-apol
kind" the little chap replied. 'I come to
earth only once in a thousand years to be
present at the Great Entertainment"
''rhe Great Entertainment" echoed the
puzzled reporter.
'sWhy. yes. of course. How stupid you
are. Christmas carnival. you know. which
takes place here once in every Thousand
years The last one was in 9Os-oh. but thai
was a bully one, Things will be different
tonight. Things have changed so. Yot
know. this used to be the home OF a trib,
or Aztecs- II was called Indoo-apoli then
understand you call IL Indianapolis now
Come on. Scrooge. or we'll miss the fun.
But my names not Scrooge."
well. you act as IL II were Scrooge. whc
but a Scrooge would be sitting up here In
stuffy newspaper office when a lot OF fur
- going on Just outside. I'm going TO cal
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

'COME ALONGE SAID THE MAIDEN,
SwEETLY"
upon the heads of the merry-makers on
the ground below.
II was a magnificent sight! And oh what
a merry. happy, never-to-be-forgotten
dance that wasl Around and around the
beautiful Folly the aerial dancers went.
while the everlasting song of the festival
rose from the voices OF the multitude. sung
faster than ever before.
'T love ev'ry inch of my native town
And hail It with gladstone shout
sang the delighted populace. and as
Scrooge warbled away with all OF his
might he pressed the thin little paw OF
the Genii and the dimpled hand of the
Pretty Girl and gave himself up to the
wondrous bliss of the most memorable
time in all his life.
Booml 1t was another explosion. The ter
rife noise gave the scribe such a fright
that he let go Of the Genii's hand. In an
other instant he was dangling In the air be-
low the circle Of dancers, while the Pretty
Girl struggled vainly to pull him back into
place. The Genii was shrieking in voice
of mingled merriment and rage:
Come back into line-come back into nnei
We're going round the other way nowr'
But 1t was too late. Try as he would
Scrooge could not scramble I'D into the cir
Gle again. 1t was too much like Ginning
horizontal bar-and he was never any
good at that. He made one more desperate
attempt-and failed. He felt the hand OF
the Pretty Girl slip from his own, and
then
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
He was falling-falling-falling. Oh,
would he never reach the bottom? The sus-
pense was terrible. And, to make things
worse. the lights were fading away and the
voices OF the singers were growing fainter
and fainter, and the music Of the great or
chestra seemed to be getting further and
further off. All Scrooge could hear was the
Ginning Of the bells.
Down-down-down-
He was sitting at his desk In the news
paper office and the bright morning sunlight
was streaming In upon him. He sat back
in his chair and with heavy eyes stared
blankly at the old paste pot there before
him and at the two children's books which
he had purchased for the dear youngsters.
What did it all mean? What in the
world
Morning papers!
L tHc foASC VI q ncWSDOy IndOe MIN ttdfL
to his feet with his hand to his forehead.
He tried to collect his thoughts. The bells
were still ringing, but where, how. when
He dashed to of the windows over
looking Monument place. There was the
| grand old monument, stately and magnif-
cent. unchanged from yesterday He caught
sight of the newsboy on the pavement be-
low-the newsboy whose voice he had
heard. He flung the window open and
/ leaned out over the sill.
Hi, there." he called out
The boy looked up at him with twinkling
blue eyes shining from dirty face.
Merry Christmas! Christmas gift"
| called back the urchin.
The newspaper man gazed at the boy in
| silence for a moment. Then II gradually
dawned upon his mind that the bells. which
were still ringing out. were the beautiful
chimes from picturesque Christ Church
across the esplanade. A smile OF illumina-
| ton crept over his face.
| Merry Christmasi" he said.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

tie. I'VE all want tor blinked Miss Mollie.
concernedly adjusting her hat.
TOO cole now foh quality. De wet des
sifen down. Hop in my attermobeel. boy!
Hop in. CANT? Den I bleezed ter hop,
Dab. now!'
Turning to the ladies, he continued pa
tronizingly. ST gwine kyah IN ter my ole
oman: she mex de change. Wha yuse all
live, cnile?"
1--WE git dab. shippitty, shippitty. ship
pitty!"
Jack could not yet speak. Big tears stole
down his cheeks as he sat staring at the
long walls of the Reformatory with who
knows what grateful thoughts,
Miss Bette told how to find the shanty
home far down the riverside. She thanked
the negro for his kindness and charged
him to take good care OF Jack.
IT do dat, I do dat. ladies'" with ches-
terfieldian obeisance: II sho' Wilt"
The two teachers were discussing the cpl
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
mo use ter wait twel termorrer!
De sun mustn't set on yoh sorreri

mo use ter wait twei termorrer!
De sun mustn't set on yoh sorrerl
Sin sticks lax a bamboo briah-
AK de Lawd for ter fitch yo up hiah."
Suddenly down near the corner he stopped.
He rose slowly and slowly turned. Then
he approached Jack. saying:
Use de man wat kin show a passed. er
boys wat kin tear up keration dat dey amt
got all de eyes dey Is yit!''
Down he squatted, UNFINISHED tight little
roll and displayed the BILL
Rapturousiy Jacks right hand grasped 1t.
and fiinging his left arm across the negro's
shoulder he buried his face In the big coat
collar and wept aloud. Brawny black hands
patted and rubbed the shaking form. hold
ing IL close.
'Poh Ill pickaninnyl De cole sho rassel
yer bones! Yer done had de speirence. now.
honey Yer won't do hit no moh. Amt
yer done got hit? Cose yer is! Wat foh yer
do dis erway. chile?'
''Oh. let him cry!'' commanded Miss Bet
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
When Black Was White

matter?' cried boys and girls crowding
around
"Ten dollars" he gasped. i've lost it,"
Eyes filled with amazement, then with
honest sympathy. Eagerly they began
searching the snowy ground.
Twas In white paper-I was to change
IL at the postoffice.'
They rearched street, gutter and side
walk. and forbidden precincts of front
yards. Housewives came out, pinned their
shoulder shawls over their heads. twisted
their hands In their aprons and chattingly
helped--all In yaini
IL grew late Better go home. children -
advised mothers, you'll get the grip.'
Finally all deserted him.
carwori<ers came by. kicked the snow
about inyestigatingly and disappeared.