davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
A Poetry Game.

From st. Nicholas.
When the fall and winter make it seem
delightful to be again indoors girls often
like to have suggestions for methods of
making their meetings attractive-some-
thing besides the usual talk and refresh
ments."
A series of little meetings. each in cele-
bration of some poets birthday or other
anniversary, would be an excuse for
making some interesting additions to
the usual program. Thus there Would be
no great difficulty in arranging a Shakes
peare party or Milton party. in which
quotations from the works of either poet
were used in invitations. dinner cards, bills
of fare and so on. Or American poet
might be chosen. Oliver Wendell Holmes
would furnish lines Of a cheering nature fit
for mild festivities: or you might introduce
your guests to some of the beautiful poems
Of Celia Thaxter. or of Jean Ingelow, If
you do not mind going outside of our own
land.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

He fixed a comfortable place for them, and
then waited for them to grow
While looking for his next chance he
struck piece of luck-he found a very
good pocket knife one day in front OF the
village post office. Dicky was an honest
boy, even though he was poor He knew
he would not like to be the loser of such
knife, and so he took pains to ask every
one he could about the loss. Some of the
boys declared at once that they had lost a
knife But when Dicky demanded a de-
scription of it their claims exploded.
AT the end of a week Dcky felt that the
knife belonged to him. He already owned
an excellent knife which had been given
him last Christmas, so he began to look
around for a trade. The only thing he
found was little four-wheeled wagon be-
longing to George Fairbanks. The wagon
had been a good one in its day. and George
had been quite energetic little bust
ness man doing errands for the neighbors.
AS the wagon grew older George lost his
ambition-and his business. He was just
ripe for a trade, and ready to accept al
most anything Dicky had to offer.
III give you the knife" declared Dicky
in a manner intended to show that he
placed high value upon that article
George examined the knife and thought it
dandy. At the same time, be was tired
of his wagon, but still thought the wagon
worth more than the knife. Finally Dcky
promised that when he had some little
rabbits George should have one to boot.
That closed the bargain. Dcky took the
cart proudly home. Inside of a week he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

painted it red. and within a week had three
more steady customers.
Early in September Dicky found that he
had fourteen dollars. The sale of five little
rabbits made ii fifteen. One day fine car
riage with a man, woman and boy stop
ped at Dicky's home. The man called him
and said:
IF you are Dicky Stone I can tell you
where to get a fine goat"
Dicky's eyes opened wide The man con-
tinued:
HE is broken to harness. aud would not
be sold except that we are going to the city
for the winter and have no place there to
keep it. My boy has two of them, with
a fine wagon and harness. The rig cost
thirty dollars. l will sell you either one
of the goats for six dollars"
Dicky could hardly believe his ears. He
thought of all the money he had and asked
the man what he would take for the team,
wagon and harness.
IN take fifteen dollars" said the man
Just half price
TIL buy them Bring them down tomor-
row." answered the young trader
Dtcky goes to school now, but he still
has his business, which he and his team
look after nights and mornings. Men who
think 1.-THE child is father to the man" pre-
dict that 1t is only a matter of time when
Dicky will have an express route of his
own, and that finally he is bound to become
a railroad president.
But all he needs now he hasa team OF
goats, earned by his own industry with a
capital of only forty-flve cents.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

had the rafting places nailed or wedged up
and a new coat of red paint on It that
made It appear brand new.
Then he went around to build up q
business for himself. like the one George
Fairbanks had lost. He contracted to keep
wood boxes filled, to distribute mail
throughout the village twice day. to call
for grocery or meat orders, and later to
deliver the articles to the buyers. The
housekeepers who had no children of their
own found Dicky emphatically useful. Then
each of the two rival grocers promised
him a rakeof.
By midsummer Dicky had at least a
dozen steady customers, besides a large
business in odd Jobs. His price for a regu-
lar customer was ten cents a week, and his
other work brought his weekly income UP
to at least two dollars. Dicky was doing
well. He was prosperous. There were five
young Dummies which would soon be worth
twenty cents apiece. George Fairbanks had
traded off his claim to one OF the rabbits
by getting Dicky to do errands.
Thus George went swimming but Dicky's
five rabbits will bring him a dollar now
soon.
There was one trouble with the wagon.
it was too small He knew that Farmer
Myers had two-wheeled cart that would
hold three times as much and push much
easier. Washing the wagon well OF he
went one evening to sound the farmer about
a trade. He found that two of the Myers
| children had become very envious of the
errand boy and his red wagon. so the far
mer offered to trade for a dollar to boot.
Dicky couldn't see that. but offered so
cents.
Its your cart" said Farmer Myers: ana
Dicky took it proudly home. He washed II,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
Dolls Trousseau-

1t Is estimated that fully half a million
dollars year is spent in New York on
dolls dresses. This figure seems almost
incredible, but has come from good author
ity. There are four hundred women who
devote all their time to the development of
dolls outfits and find 1t a profitable bust
ness. Children in quite moderate circum-
stances insist on having one new frock for
each doll at least once a year. but there
are little mothers who have most ex-
travagant ideas for their dolls which are
carried out by doll modistes who visit the
shops and keep in constant touch with all
the latest whims of fashion, making min
iature copies of the latest creations In
frocks, coats. hats and lingerie.
dolls trousseau recently made Is a
marvel of beauty. 1t contains bridal out
fit. from the wedding gown down to the
"trotting" suit of black and white checked
taffeta. The lingerie follows the latest
Partisan ideas and is trimmed with filmy
lace and neatly beribboned in the most APP
proved style. Machine stitching is almost
entirely eliminated from a fashiona BILE
dolrt outfit, and in its place is used the
finest kind of hand sewing, which will not
draw. Dolls trunks have every convenience
and usually contain several trays in order
that the dainty dresses will not be crushed
in packing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
THE HICKORY NUT MYSTERY
BY MILDRED NORMAN.

Walton Hunter was marching up the
street with a grain sack over his shoulder;
marching to the strains of Yankee Doodle
II was a CHEEKY, hearty whistle. The crisp.
frosty air of the bright October morning
had "A good deal to do with the whistle. so
had the grain sack. The whistler stopped
before little, brown house, set some ways
back from the stone wall, that separated
the yard from the street He made a
trumpet of his hands and shouted, All
aboard, Jack
A curly, brown head and thin, white
face appeared at the corner of the window
that lacked a pane of glass and a piping
voice called back rather family. Coming"
Walton waited impatiently for Jack to
reach the stone wall; 1t seemed as though
he haG never been so slow on this par
ticular morning. when he was in a very
particular hurry. step lively" he cried,
I'VE don't want the Worthwhile fellows to
get ahead of us this year. Where's your
sack?'
Il can't go nutting this morning muir
INJURED Jack, shrinking from the surprised
and displeased face of his caller.
Not going" said Walton, "of course you
do as you please l hope you are not go
ing to be mean enough to back out now.
You promised, you know, fair and square"
Il wish l could CO." said Jack, looking
quite disturbed but I can't"
why can't you go?' demanded Walton.
Mothers ailng, and the baby frets and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
A Newspaper Long Ago.

The newspapers of a century ago We're
very different from those Of today. They
were serious sheets intended for business
offices, and were delivered by special mes
sengers. The man who first thought of a
bright, newSy and cheap paper is almost
unknown. He was Horatio D. Sheppard,
and strange to say he was not journalist
He was a student of medicine who used to
pass daily through Chatham street New
York. where all sorts of things were sold
for a few cents. He noticed that the
cheapest articles sold most most readily
Nobody seemed to mind spending a cent
Suddenly the thought of a 1-cent news
paper came to his mind-to be sold by
boys. just as peanuts and candy were sold.
Sheppard tried to interest the printers of
the town in his plan. They laughed at it.
as people laughed when Fulton spoke of a
steamboat. To sell newspapers like cakes
seemed ridiculous.
One printer, however, listened to Shep-
pard. This was Horace Greeley. He was
born in New England in 1911, coming to
New York at twenty years of age. He ex-
cited ridicule by his homespun clothes, but
soon people realized that despite his clothes
and peculiar appearance Horace Greeley
knew what he was about. With friend
named Story he formed a partnership They
agreed to publish Sheppard's paper, but in
sisted that the price must be cents. On
odhudIy L, 1000, tllc hOIillllS OSl WAS IS
sued amid terrible snow storm.
There were few people in the streets; the
newsboyS were soon chilled and were glad
to run home The Post lived just two
weeks and three days and then appeared no
more. The venture, however, was not a
failure, for from 1t the modern newspaper
was developed
Don't YOU think its originator. Horatio D.
Sheppard would be surprised could he see
one of our big newspapers with news in it
for every member of the family not ne
glecting the boys and girls, but giving
them "Children's Page devoted exclu-
sively to their interests?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
WHAT STARTED NANCY

They made a funny-looking outfit, Farm
er Dobbins, Johnny Dobbins and the eve
necked mare old Nancy Dobbins, all going
| to town on a rickety, rattle-trap wagon
with load of apples
Farmer Dobbns was Woodworking man,
as might be seen by his round shoulders
and his big, grarled hands. He wore heavy
cowhide boots with high tops, blue jean
overalls. and big peaked hat like an UNI
brella opened half way. This hat was
turned up sharply behind. but down in
front, so that all you could see of the farm
ers face was his tuft of chin whiskers.
Johnny was small edition of his father,
except that he went barefooted most of the
year, and instead of chin whiskers there
was just visible beneath his peaked hat
the lads mouth, which he usually wore
open. He passed for dull boy in the
neighborhood. In fact, he talked very little,
but people who understood him best thought
he did know a thing or two-at times.
Nancy, the old mare, was generally faith
full. In her youthful days she had been
known to balk, but that was so long ago as
to be forgotten and forgiven. On this par
ticular day, either some dim recollection
of the past or a perverse and ungrateful
notion possessed her, for she baked square
ly, right near the little grocery by Sanders
mill.
Farmer Ijobbins used every kind of per-
suasion he could think of to make her GO
He coaxed, pushed, pulled, beat and kicked
her, but Nancy would not bulge. Through
it all Johnny sat in open-mouthed silence
At last he said slowly:
Pop, put a bunch of frecrackers under
her."
Farmer Dobbins looked at his son for a full
minute Then he began searching his over
all pockets all through-plenty of matches,
but no money.
Not even copper!' he muttered. your
idees all right, son, but we haint got no
fire crackers, nor no money"
Johnny replied that he had a nickel, and
at the same moment by a single motion he
slid to the ground and ran like a streak
back to the little grocery.
Very soon he came back at a kind of lope,
a short step and long one, holding the
ammunition as high as he could reach.
II got 'em!" he shouted.
Farmer Dobbins told Johnny to climb TO
the seat and hold fast. He himself climbed
up beside the boy, shut his mouth SO that
his whskers stood out, took a firm grip on
the lines. lighted the corner cracker in the
pack and dropped it at old Nancy's heels.
For two miles the mare ran as she had
never run before. When at last Farmer
Dobbins got her down to a trot Johnny
turned to his father and said:
Pop, money makes the mare CO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

toms face. Not a nut was to be seen.
Nothing but some empty shells.
A very angry young host stalked back 10
Jack knows where l keep the key to the
barn chamber"
TT is not like Jack" said Walton's
the house Jack Bowles will pay dear for
those nuts he said.
jack exclaimed his mother, you do
not think"
mo. 1 don't think, I'm sure. No one but
mother. It's always possible TO be mis-
taken"
mot this time" said Walton. He ran
down to Jacks and burst into the room
where he sat reading. Give me back my
nuts" he shouted.
Jack started up: his pale face turned
crimson. He hung his head when he met
Walton's angry eyes. Give me back my
nuts, every one of them" he repeated.
Mrs. Bowles looked at the two boys with
a troubled face. 81 don't know anything
about your nuts said Jack.
'They gone" said Walton. and you
are the only one who knows where l keep
the key. What's the use playing Off?
Jack sat down by the table and leaned
his head on his hands.
II am sure Jack would not steal,' said
Mrs. Bowles. Perhaps you had better talk
it over with him another time, he Is not
feeling very well this morning"
Maybe he'd feel better if he would own
up" said Walton.
II can't own up to what 1 did not do"
said Jack. and there was nothing for Wal
ton to do but to go home again, angrier
than ever.
After the holidays there was much won
derment among the boys over the GOODNESS
between Walton and Jack, but as both re-
fused to give any explanation they were
left to make their own surmises.
Walton" said his mother one day when
he came in from school, 81 wish you would
go down TO the cellar and look at the rat
trap. I think there is a great rat in it by
the noise. l think it got in last fall. for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
Curious Habits of the Duck.
rom the Era Magazine

From the Era Magazine.
Men whose lives have been spent in the
care of domestic birds tell me that there
are none more nervous than the duck. AL
though 1t is apparently an easy-going, dull
and sensuous creature. the duck is said to
be the most easily excited of all the feath-
cred ones which comprise SO much of our
food supply. And this is accounted for by
the fact that duck is light sleeper. 1t
never retires for rest until midnight. and
by 4 o'clock or 1t is out again ready to
begin another day. If you enter a chicken
coop between midnight and morning the oc-
cupants. huddled together on their roosts,
will be stepped in slumber. But invade a
duck COOP at the same hour and there will
be at once jargon of protestations.
And none of the domestic birds is as
easilv disturbed as the duck. The appear
ance OF anything unusual will set 1t and
dts comrades all a-flutter and interfere seri-
ously with their egg laying. Unlike chick
ems or pigeons. the duck does not require q
rest. but is satisfied to lay its eggs on he
fiat ground.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
A WISE LITTLE GIRL.
Finds Playmates and Playthings in
the Weeds.

From st. Nicholas.
Across the commons from us there stands
a little brown house, where nothing thrfves
but poverty and weeds and happiness. Year
after year the garden fails and the flowers
die, but the weeds grow tall and straight
and strong, and bring joy to the Little
Girl. The Little Girl is strange little
girl All the drowsy summer afternoons
she lies in the shade of the great rag
weeds, and dreams and plays. To her the
ragweeds are not ragweeds; they are tall,
glorious trees, wherein dwell wondrous
songsters; a ladybug is a redbird and a
wandering fly a nightingale. At her head
in a break in the ragweeds grows a tall
buttonwood. To the Little Girl it's rich,
golden blossom is as beautiful as the choic-
est rose In the center is a wonderful bed
of stamens-and the sepals and petals are
a gayly painted fence. Or, sometimes, the
Little Girl turns them upside down, and 10!
there stands an ancient dame In green
kirtle and crumpled yellow petticoats. The
seed-pod is no less wonderful to her Many
time she has pondered over its wondrous
molding, and the blending shades of green,
light at the top and shading down into
dark almost black. This, inverted, the
Little Girl uses as a potato masher for
her pebble pota toes-but in her heart there
is no lack of reverence.
At her feet, In company with the tickle
grass the bull nettle and nightshade grow
side by side. To the Little Girl the berries
of the latter two are the most beautiful
of all the weeds. Big brothers have for
hidden her to touch them, but she does
not understand, and the green-golden ber-
ries of the bullweed furnish oranges daily
for the dolly's table. The strange struc-
ture of the nightshade berries she cannot
understand; the thin transparent green
walls through which the tiny seeds can be
seen puzzle her.
II guess they are made that way so that
they could look up and see the stars she
confided to me one day. She meant the
pure white, star-shaped blossoms with their
protruding little yellow eyes. and could
but agree.
A vigorous growth of smartweed with the
delicate pink and red white blossoms firing
es her playhouse-some of the plants at
least two feet high. These the Little Girl
does not value SO much; she plucks them
to pieces, part by part, to see how many
different colorS of pink she can find, and
then, in fit of contrition, drops the poor
mangled blossoms into the pan of cool
water placed in the weeds for the chick
ems.
But far in the heart of the great weed
patch there is a rich growth of goldenrod
and this, unsullied by the name of weed,
is dearest of all the blossoms in the Little
Girls eyes. This she never plucks, but
often, from my window l see her bend over
and press its sprays to her cheeks. Her
big brothers have never penetrated, even
in their widest games of ide-and-go-seek;
knows the heart of gold in the refuse.
And so an interest, subtle and strange as
the fragrance of the goldenrod, hangs over
the Little Girl and her treasures.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
Old Rhymes.

The common little rhyme beginning,
Thirty days has September" If not as old
as the hills, at least is as old as 1896. for
In that year it was printed in London In
an old arithmetic. This is how It reads in
its original form:
'"Thirtie daies hath September, April
June and November, Februarie eight and
twenty alone, all the rest thirtie and one"
The rhyme beginning Multiplication Is
vexation," is likewise not an outburst of
modern scholars, for It is found in q
manuscript of even an older date 1870
Multiplied ton is ME vexation
And division quite bad,
The Golden Rule is ME stumbling stule
And practice makes ME mad"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
In Dolldom.
BY RUTH DART.

My dolls are all great magic folks,
They live in Wonderland;
And they can turn to anything
When | just wave my hand.
Most all the time live there. too,
And sometimes I'm queen,
Sometimes a fairy godmother,
A witch-but never mean
Though do have to turn some dolls
To bad men, for in plays
They have to have one truly bad,
So good can get more praise.
My dollies all have matinees,
And lovely concerts, too:
The prima donna always is
My singing dolly. Lou.
1 punch her and she sings so sweet
The others all admire.
And often when we're PLAYING church
We two make up the choir.
Doll Vernon's always making love
To little FlorabeI
She laughs and turns away her head,
Just like my Auntie Nell.
And all that ! see grown folks do
l let my dolls do, too.
1t seems so real I'm Wonderland
/ quite believe it's tr,le.G
I'm always Mother just sat dusk,
And rock my dolls TO rest,
For they all turn to babies then,
And then l love them best.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

there's lots to do faltered Jack. and then
be turned quickly and ran into the house.
Walton walked away frOwning. ''He
don't want to go; he's just sneaking out or
it, He likes nuts though, but he won't get
any of mine"
Every boy knows 1t is no fun gI.ng nut
ting alone; but what would Thanksgiving
be without the harvest of nuts? And how
disappointed the four cousins would be who
came every Thanksgiving to make merry
with Walton.
to shout 10 or to race with, but the nuts
We're gathered at last and stored in the
barn chamber today. AS he turned the
key he said Not nut does Jack get.
Thanksgiving morning there was a STAN
ped Of the cousins for the barn chamber.
Il have the biggest nuts this year you ever
saw" said Walton, throwing wide the door.
There was a rush. a halt; blank looks on
the cousins faces, CONSERVATION on Wal
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

asleep, regardless of stations, was Weakened
by Owney's barking. The dog had a fine
silver collar, of which he was very proud.
One day clerk slipped 1t off to examine
the medals which Were hung on 1t, and in
the hurry of extra work the collar was
laid aside.
Owney had no idea of leaving his collar
behind him. No. indeed! He put his nose
through 1t. and rubbing his head against
a post. slipped it on himself. After this he
was often made to put on his collar 10
amuse his visitors.
Owney died a few years ago, to the grief
of the largest circle of friends dog ever
had. In every large city in the United
States he was known and missed, and many
years will pass before Owney will be for
gotten.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
Jack Knives.

The word jack is applied to any con-
trivance which does the work of boy or
servant. In French the name Jacques" is
term used for youth of mental con-
dition. The term country jake" is of
kindred sense.
Jack-lord, jack-a-napes. Jack Tar. jack
o'-Lantern. black jack, jack rabbit, the
term Jack applied to the knave In playing
cards. jack-in-the-box and Jack-of-all-
trades. show the derivative meaning. Hence
jack knife means a boys knife. In early
days the Jack knife headed the list of q
boys toys, and. with his skates. gave him
the greatest pleasure. His skates were
made of-what do you suppose? Beef bones,
fastened to the soles of his feet!
The boys pushed themselves on the ice
by means of poles shod with sharp iron
points.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12

have heard a good deal of noise for long
time. | have missed things from the clothes
basket. too. l would not wonder if it had a
nest down there"
Walton ran down and cautiously raised
the lid of the box trap. A sudden shout
s-nt his mother below to see what was the
trouble.
IT'S a squirrel-a great gray squirrel"
cried Walton. May be it's Charley Tor
reys pet squirrel that he lost last Novem-
Der"
They looked about the cellar and found
behind some boards, not only a nest, but a
nice little store of nuts.
The next instant Walton darted out of
the cellar and ran down the hill toward the
little brown house. He found Jack sitting
on the doorstep and looking quite forlorn.
I've caught the thief" he shouted, come
up to my house and see him. cried Walton.
And Jack got half of Walton's nuts after
all