davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

U nodded. "a, and O are the
strongest of us. They often stand
alone. But sister L is in everything
nearly-quite Intrusive. think. How
ever, as | said, she is quite overwork
ed, and can't help herself, poor vowel!
But, to go on, brother is an egotist,
always strutting by himself, when
he gets chance, and swelling into
capital. f and myself never have
!. chance to be big. except when we
lead a sentence or begin proper
name. Then, there's sister o, the
most emotional creature when she's
alone. always surprised or shocked
or sorry or glad. And now for my.
SELF" complacently. I'm very de,
pendent, you know. G guards me
good deal, and Q rarely quits me-he!
he! See?"
Helen looked rather dubious for
moment, and then frightened. "Oi
courae!'
II hate some of the consonants,
though" u chartered on, with pet
fish air. IN is always making me UNI
happy or uncomfortable:l and with r
rough old thing!-I get rude, rush
about, and run into some trouble or
| other always. It's fun sometimes to
be with F; but people are often very
disagreeable when walk out be.
/ tween d and Mia! ha! 1 have ito
laugh. You know I'm the last vowel
in the alphabet, for w is only my
double first cousin, and Y is a kind
foster brother of /. But it's awfully
dull down there with v w Ky q;
they hardly ever so with me-"
Helen nodded thoughtfully.
And now" continued the letter,
brightly. before / leave" but as
Helen listened eagerly, the scene be-
gan to change. She found herself in
a schoolroom, with her head on a
desk, listening to chorus from the
reading class, led by the teacher.
Not dooty, but duty: not tootor, but
tutor; not noos, but news; not
stoopid. but stupid
You'll catch it, going of nodding
4 like that!" said familiar voice in
her ear, which sounded very like that
of Mabel Lawton, her deskmate
But where is w" cried Helen. Gag
erly.
Where is you!' mimicked Mabel,
smiling. "oh. my eye, what gram
mar! Why, here l am. of course"
with Convincing pinch.
This rouser was effectual, but
Helen never forgot her two minutes
dream.-A. j. Backus in Nicholas.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
Mexico citx,a PROGRESS.

The unprecedented amount of Inn
provement that is going on in the res.
idence section of the Mexican capital
exceeds even that OF the business por-
ton of the city. In the new colonies.
opened largely by American capital.
and in fact throughout the city and
suburbs, thousands of residences and
groups of flats are in course of cree.
ton, and with the close of the rainy
season this r4onth hundreds more will
be begun. Mexico City is every year
becoming more delightful place for
permanent residence. The suburban
towns of the valley are being built up
in substantial manner that was un.
known before the coming OF the cleo
trio railway. Many families who for.
merly went out of the city for the
summer season are now living all the
year round In their suburban homes.
The great expansion of the city's resi-
dence section has had wonderful
effect upon property values, that have
increased from 200 to 500 per cent.
in many Instances within few years.
Modern. Mexico.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
AN OLD SAVING FALslFlEo.
Lightning Struck Washington Monu-
mcnt Thrice in n Year.

Lightning Struck Washington Monu-
mcnt Thrice in Year.
According to Colonel @. s. Brom-
we'll. superintendent of public build
ings and grounds, the Washington
monument was struck by lightning
three times during the last year. First,
on Sunday, July IA, 1908. No damage
was done to the monument, but the
lightning entered the motor-room from
the shaft, burning the insulation from
the telephone wires, jumped to the
switchboard, burned out the under
load coil for the 1. 7. u. circuit-break-
err and relay coil, thereby stopping the
running of the elevator until the relay
coil was rewound.
On the morning of Wednesday,,
April 81. 1904, the shaft was again
struck. The bolt entered at the tor.
burned out the telephone there, thence
passed down the iron columns to the
lower floor through the shaft alley to
the motor-room, where 1t burned out
a relay coil on the switchboard;
thence along the electric cable to the
dynamo-room in the power-house,
where 1t entered the ground.
Lightning arresters We're Mt once
placed in the motor-room at the monu-
ment to protect the switchboard md
machinery there, and to protect the
machinery in the pit, and on the bot
tom floor of the shaft one-half inch
| pnnnpr emilia .y0c ronnnrio1 with tho
bottom of one OF the iron columns In
the drum pit and grounded to the
water pipe i'll the motor-room. To
protect the switchboard of the gener-
ating plant In the power-house No.
g copper wire was grounded to the
water pipe in the lower engine-room
and when the plant is not in opera
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
Boueht a rarm to owa a Tree.

All the country knows Elihu Root,
the lawyer, man Of affairs. and cabinet
officer, but there are less-known sides
to his makeup which are. perhaps,
more Indicative of the man himself,
and which are, too. more interesting
for the very reason that they are less
appreciated. For instance, lie is
enough OF sentimentalist to have
bought farm that he might own a
certain tree.
He was born in Cabinet Hall, one
of the buildings Of Hamilton College.
New York, where his father, Orcn
Root, was professor. In his boyhood
years the two used to take long walks
together, and, time and again, on their
homeward way, it was under a splen-
did hemlock OH Kirkland Farm that
they would rest. The hilltop com
manded a magnificent view of tine
Oriskany Valley, across TO the Adiron-
dacks to the north, and often the elder
of the pedestrians would say, us they
started on again: 81 wish owned
that tree"
In the years since there have been
many changes at Hamilton and in the
country round about, but the old hem
lock has remained untouched-and the
other day Elihu Root bought Kirkland
Farm and the tree which, he declares,
has long been landmark in his life.-
| SurcesS u
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
joint committee, had requested him to

joint committee, had requested nlm 10
make this Recommendation.
1t was nearly six years before Wash
ington issued another Thanksgiving proc
lamation; then he set apart Thursday
In February, assigning as one of the
reasons, "for the seasonable control
which has been given to a spirit Of dis
order in the suppression of the late in
surrection," referring to the almost for
gotten Whisky 1nsurrection in western
Pennsylvania.
President Adams twice proclaimed
spring fast days, but he urged that the
duties of humiliation and prayer be ac-
companied by praise and thanksgiving.
Madison, during his eight years In the
White House, set apart four such days,
but none of them fell in November.
Thanksgiving is not the only holiday
introduced by proclamation. The Gov
ernors Of the States in which Arbor day
is observed usually take this means Of
calling public attention to its objects.
The old New England fast day was al
ways announced by proclamation,
which was read in the churches the Sum
day preceding, as the Thanksgiving proc
lamation still is.-Youth's Companion.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
Turkey-oh, I don't know. You're
not In it with me just now. I'm the
most popular thing on the walk at pres

ent.
Rooster-Wcll, madam, stretch your
rubber neck up over my head oil you
want to to-day, but just you wait till
tomorrow! When your skinny legs are
being dragged to the execution block,
I will look on at your CORY expiration
and from the bottom of my lungs will
crow for victoryl
Turkey (taking two struts coopward
and landing in the center of the stage)
Aye, aye, sir! But listen. Death
hath its rewards, and to sacrifice myself
Mt the altar of revenge Is more glorious
than life. What if my beauteous wings
shall switch the dust from out tho cracks
of the kitchen stove? Wait till my nude
and helpless form lies stretched upon
the platter Of tho feast! Then shall re-
yenge come - me, for never yet was
one Of our tribe sacrificed at the altar of
Thanksgiving that the merciless gour-
mands did not SO o'erstuff themselves
that nothing In all the world WAS worth
the having for three days in advance.
Revenge! My friends, revenge indeed
Is sweetI-Detroit Free Press.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

times lacking in the true Thanksgiving
devorI but the big, thick, yellow pump
kin pie with the genuine New England
taste and old-fashioned filling capacity.
Be The dinner ever 30 long and its courses
elaborate beyond description, there is al
ways room at the end for generous
slice Of grandma's pumpkin pie.
The pumpkin, as you may surmise, be-
longs to the gourd family. Just where
II originated cannot DO learned with any
certainty, because in the early days rec
ords Of such things We're not kept. Many
varieties Of it are cultivated suscess-
fully In both temperate and tropical eli
mates, and in Southern Asia 1t is espe-
clally cultivated. There is no such thing
10 wild pumpkin. The plant accommo-
dates Itself to differences in soil and eli
mate very. readily, and this fact accounts
for the difference in shape and flavor
which Is often noted.
The cultivation Of gourds began before
the dawn Of history, and both edible and
ornamental varieties were abundantly
raised BY the races of antiquity. The
pumpkin, which of course belongs to the
former, has become SO modified by cul-
ture that the original plant from which
It descended can no longer be traced. The
innumerable kinds to be seen in India
would seem to Indicate that that part of
Asia was its birthplace, but some appear
to have been under cultivation in Africa
from the very earliest ages. The Rom
ans were familiar with certain varieties
Of It, and 1t was used by them as an
article Of diet. Thus three great coun-
tries of the Eastern hemisphere might
claim 1t as their own as far as we would
have any right to say. Perhaps the
pumpkin is native Of the whole world
Tor It was found in the Western hemi
sphere by the first white man who land
ed, and it must therefore have been in
digsnous to American soil. The Indian.
knew 1t and cultivated 1t for centuries.
That the pumpkin was at one time {
much more important crop than it is to
. day Is certain. 1t was as easily raised
then rs now, as "stolen CROP" tn,
seeds being planted in fields Of corn o
potatoes. usually the former. Before tn
Introduction of the squash the pumpkin
was uped as table vegetable, and i
many Of the countries of the Orient thi
use continues to this day. A white
pumpkin grown in Turkey Is snow white
This variety is sold extensively on tn
streets OF ConstantinOple. In Hungar
attempts to turn pumpkins to account i
the manufacture of sugar, in the sam
way that beets are used, have bee
made, but they were not attended wit
any great degree of success. Sometimes
in the United States, when sugar an
money are both scarce, the pumpkin
boiled to syrup, thus furnishing a sui
stitute for sugar, which, under the Gil
cumstances, goes very well.
The American pumpkin is big yello,
fellow, though attempts are CONSTANT
being made to substitute the smalle
and often less available, kinds. The fat
remains that the pumpkin which grow
In the field along with the corn is til
best for the Thanksgiving pie, after a
Il said and done. 1t has no frills, and n
high sounding name, but, in the languag
Of the poet, 1t gets there just the sam,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
A yoLuBLE VOWEL.

"IInpratefu1 naODlei Oh DEAR Oh.
da.r,, rinod . small voice, at Is! TOO
had, am NOT going to stand it
much longer ri inst leave the Eng
,ish a,nbahat viii and 90 over to
France where thew do try to pro.
nonnce mo even If IT is oueerly?"
Helen who was inst starting for
school looked about her. Who was
,,il,ing9 There was certainly no one
in the room Hello" she cried. try.
ing not TO feel scared.
"W.h.e.r.e are Won. and what's
vopr nameqp stammered Helen.
q am the fifth vowel, and the way
i am treated is perfectly shameful.
i could excuse the baby calling me
.ooa went on Master ~ with rising
nassion: .but when men Of letters are
careless # is too much. Letters. in
deed,o snitefully. .They are hardly
men of eonsonants. i should trans.
MORT them to Siberia. or at least to
Russ,a and then they,d miss the
vowe,s, But IT'S inst because we arc
81, imnosed upon. Sister p is really
The only one of us they treat at ali
deoent,y she always works SO much
Tor them And sister O they respect
little. though when I'm with her
| tbey turn and twist us all sorts of
ways especially if G and H. join us. .
"But what do they do to your" ask.
ed Helen. much interested in this
long speech.
Dol" screamed u. why, they
4 slight me! I'm only safe in books, or
when thev call the roii that is to say
The alphabet. Please spell duty /"
Din doc t.y. dooty.' said Helen
elibly.
.oh of course!" bitterly. Nov
smell tutor"
.T.u. too. tor, tootor."
eyes. YOU are lust as bad as the
rest Never give a fellow half q
I chance.
what do YOU mean, anyhow,
Can't YOU explain?r asked Helen.
u paused a moment. and then sale
4 firmly: ..of course can. Take thu
word mute, You've heard of that
/ hone. Oh. YOU have! Well, do 70,
call It moot?
"of course not" said Helen, witt
a laugh.
Then YOU have 40 right to cal
duty 'dooty;' l., when my double frs
cousin w is in word with E. 80,
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
TWO LITTLE DEGGARS.

TWO LITTLE DEGGARS.
Tn through the meadows of Basy-
land two
Little beggars have come to town,
And one he has eyes of the brightest
blu,,
And the other ones eyes are brown.
Any they beg all day for "a story,
please.
These two little, dear little men;
They crowd my rocker and climb to
my knees
Oh. what can do with them?
"Please tell us story about Jack
Fross,
And the snow that comes with
whirl;
Bout the nl1e Little Pigs, and one
got left;
And when you were little girl:
"And the one you know about Jack
and Jill;
b Auu UOut lilliS ASSN AsANA'Ao
And all how she met the bad, naugh-
ty vol.
And her grandma lived in the
wood;
"And Jack and his Bean; and Three
LittlJ Bears;
And one that you never have told;
And tell us another; and then one
other!'
Cry these little beggars SO bold.
What shall do with them? what
shall do
With beggars that clamor and tease
And beg me for stories the whole day
through.
Such dear little beggars as these!
Rosa Hartwick Thorpe. in Little
Folks.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
Tho First Thanksgiving.
The snow upon the hillside lay,
And matched the cottage roof.


The snow upon the hillside lay,
And matched the cottage roof.
Tho web Of vines by the Pilgrims door
Was filled with icy wool.
The boughs were leafless on the trees.
Across the barren plain
The north wind swept despairingly
And moaned like one In pain.
ut whimpered like some hungry child
That clasps Its parents hand
And pleads for bread when there 10 mono
In all the dreary land)
Above the little Plymouth town,
Circling with empty nav,
Mocking their hunger, few the crow,
Shrleking his shaw, haw, haw."
Patience, blue-eyed maiden.
(Her eyes with tears were dim)
From hunger feeble, trembling knelt
And raised her voice to Him.
Dear bod" she said in pleading tones,
Tender, plaintive and sweet,
yves almost 'tarved, an won't 200
Send down some Hngs to eat?"
Then all day long her watchful eyes
GaZed down the village street,
Not doybting but she soon would see
Some one with "lngs to eat"
And, 10! before the sun Ind set,
With wild fowl laden down,
Four hunters from the forest drear
Came marching into town.
And las in answer to the prayer.
To add to ali the cheer,
And Danish famine from the place,
Came Indians with deer.
The Joyous villagers rushed out
The ladened ones to meet,
But Patience knelt and said: Tanks
bod,
For sendin' fings to eat"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
For More IRRIGATION.


Irrigation plans already outlined in
California, Oregon and the Dakotas
will involve the expenditure, in round
numbers, of $21,O00,00o, and reclaim
a million of acres of land, capable Ut
supporting a. population of five hu.i.
dred thousand. This will be making
blades of grass grow by the AGRA
where not single blade grew before.
AS the money is to be repaid to the
reclamation fund from, the sale Of the
reclaimed lands, the process can be
repeated Indefinitely, until all the
lands known in American Biographies
of half century ago as The Great
American Desert" have been conquer.
ed TO the uses of civilization.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
THANKSGIVING ON THE FARM.

Feels like Thanksgiving round the farm!-
The kind o. crispy mir
That makes yer glad ye're livin,' an not
much pertic'lar where
20 l0G - Z kss sh ,ap SsIm Is w0rin an kin all
With that double compound extrac' o. per-
petuai youth an vim;
1n' t' ssy t fSsn yfs bout seF s0methn to De
II IT'S only Coz you're up an dressed an
Looks like Thanksgivin'' round the placed
The naples burnin' red
An the apples sorted out In heaps, n-ripen-
me ss1ss sAs.taa do Sa5eF e. the leaves
y 81 astt|fs CROWN Crown ye'sf an 'ns pas,
The rpbbips hyin' low along the sheltered
An the Orchard cleans whistle COZ the
cider-makins done
smells like Thanksglyin' round the housed
rather guess you'd know
What day It wuz by snifan' round, Coz
-, eysIywhere YOU so, ...an. -. .,o
smell o. pies an cakes,
DIM sary makes
Jest fsr Thanksgiyin'; coz. she says, she
4 man ter takin, somehow. more thank
ful view o. things
sounds IKE Thanksglvin' round the farml-
The blackbirds chattrin SO,
The partridge whirrin' In the woods, an
everywhere you 60
Ton hear the fails a-asin' an yer hear the
drivers call
Clean from the pike (the airs SO clear, an
then, the best Of all
Ter near the wagon rattlin', an yer know
It's on the way
From the station with the children-come
to spend Thanksgiyin' day.
An 'tiy Thanksgivin', no mistake! Coz
money couldn't buy
The love zee A-beamin' from the mothers
glist'nin eye,
Ner the kiSeAs Nv the children, ner the hap
pinebs feel
When l bee 'em gathered round us fer one
more Thanksgivin' meall
ter let us know
That ~ time that we wuz thankful an ter
tit us feelin' SO!
-William Cary Duncan in Farm and
Home. -
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
DETECTIVE INGENUITY.
Scratch Of the serewdriver Showed
Where Booty Was Hid.

vvtsSs = SSShy w 80 SVu0s Z
Nearly four years ago number OF
Nelson relics were stolen from Green
witch Hospital. Nothing was heard Of
them until February last. when one
Carter wrote to the British Museum
from Melbourne and offered to restore
the Nelson watch and seal for re-
ward Of s120. Later on the man him
self arrived In London and boldly went
to Scotland Yard, where he sought to
drive a bargain with the officials. The
police refused to deal. but induced
Carter to give his address.
Inspector Arrow found. by inquiries
at Carriers lodgings, that he had re-
moved one ct his articles of luggage
Gladstone bag-and for this he made
untiring search at the left-luggage Of
fees OF all the railway stations. He
was, it was true, mar 'ellously helped
by luck, for Carter ~ been rash
enough to give his own name. Even
when the bag was found there was
no sign of the missing lost. and moth
ing in the least suspicious.
But there was a concetina in the
bag. In itself that was not ineriminat.
ing. But cancertinas may hold things
more substantial than doleful sounds,
and the inspector l2oked it carefully
over while he debated whether he
should make an autopsy. A scratch
near one of the screws caught his
eye. The scratch suggested the ANA.
teur use of screwdriver; 1t cried
aloud that some one had been open.
ing the concertina, and as the owner
was man known to the police" his
object in opening IT was more likely
to be concsalment than desire to
look at the works. Inspector Arrow
was right. Inside the concertina was
the Ne's-n watch, and the reward
hunting Carter was laid by the heels,
London Telegraph.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
a1urphy's Turkey Rattle.

Murphy he'd turkey rattle,
All tn push wuz theyr,
Dinnis Doan controlled tn sale
Shtandin' nn chair.
Tlckits wuz half O. PUNK;
Turkeys they wuz fat.
Everybody winned bird
'Ceptin' me and Pat.
Inter 'leven pools we whit;
Thought 1t wuzn't right,
An Pat e got 'is dander up
An shwore they'd be fight.
He wuz ono agin tn push,
So OF bolted in,
Couldn't see an Orishman
18th nary chance to win.
sich sight We niver seed,
All Ground TIL floor
They wuz turkey feathers shpread
Mingled 18th tn gore.
Pat e smashed dozen heads;
A dozen more did OF,
An whin TIL fun wuz done they wux
Nary foemun by.
They lift dozen fowls behind
(Not bein' ca'fuD
An me an Pat divided these
At Murphy's turkey ratile.
Detroit Pree Press.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
Cynical,

"see here" exclaimed the city edit
or, "you speak Of the bride us being
led to the altar"
"NNell:" replied the new reporter.
.Well, that's nonsense. There never
was bride who couldn't find her way
there, no matter what the obstacles
might be.'-philadelphia Ledger.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
A MECHANICAL TOY GAME.

A new use for the tin mechanical
toys sold on the streets and in the
shops is suggested in recent num-.
Der of one of the household maya
zines. At child's party the toys
were raced by the small guests. a
handsome silk pennant going to the
child whose toy won. This might be
made an amusing feature Of grown
up party, each guest bringing his own
toy. and, of course, trying to select
an especially rapid one. They might
be raced for prizes. or partners. or
tables, if the party included a pro-
gressive game of cards. The very
absurdlty of the proceeding would
make it interesting.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

"Golng to celebrate Thanksgiving at
your house, Ephi"
"I'se feerd not, sah. Dat neighboh OBJ
mine dat raises chickens an turkeys hab
les bought bulldog, sah."
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
A BARNARD DRAMA.

The Victims Dream of Horrible
Revenge.
Rooster-so you will steal my corn,
will you? Oh, you needn't strut around
here as though you were the only one
In this menagerie.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
FLOWERS IN SOAP BUBBLES.

FLOWERS IN SOAP BUBBLES.
To blow a flower inside soap bub-
BILE, the surface OF plate should be;
covered with a soapy solution at least
half inch thick. In the center OF
this place any compact flower, over
which place tin funnel. While slow
ly lifting the latter. continue blowing
until large film has been made. The
funnel is then disengaged, after hay
ing turned it at right angles.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

We're easily moved about and did not
even require ponies to transport them.
Two mon. with section strung upon
a pole, could carry it without great
fatigue.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

Jimmie" asked the Sunday school
teacher, "why is it that SO many people
are grateful on ThanksgiyingW
"'Cause that's the time they allus gets
turkey"
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
N the wire is connected with the

ton the wire is connected with the
switchboard
During the year lG3,S34 persons Wis
tied the top of the monument, of
which number 133,061 assembled in the
elevator and 30,773 by the stairway,
making total of 2,442,S0 persons
who have visited the top since the
shaft was opened to the public Oct. o..
1855. Washington Star.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23
AND NOW THE PUMPKIN.

Das and Yellow and, Under Proper
Treatment, Full Of Delights.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

The Evangelical Church Council Il
Hungary has given taxpaying womel
the right to vote.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-11-23

Wife-Breakfast will be served in
about fifteen minutes
Husband-Why, thought the cook
had everything ready.
Wife-So she has; everything but
that new instantaneous breakfast
food."-Philadelphia Ledger.