davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
Busy New Yorker Takes a
Day Off and Revsls in Mem
ories-A $1,000 Telephone
Talk With the Old Doctor.

friends Of my youth, and first went to q
library. a public library, where knew they
had the directories OF all the leading cities
OF the country. Ihad about twenty Of these
directories brought and piled up on broad
table in an alcove Of the library and then
sat down. thought hard for perhaps half
an hour, putting down In q list the names
OF all the old time friends 1 could remember
whom would care to know about or. TO sec
again.
when the list was made up picked out
the Utica city directory and went through
1t hunting for every name on my list l
found two. next tried Buffalo, and here
found three. found mono In Rochester,
none in Syracuse, four in Binghamton and
one in Poughkeepsie. These were all the
boyhood crowd could get trace Of 10 the
directories. Then started out for the COL
lege bunch, and hunted further-that is,
in cities outside the State. was delighted
at my success. The boys are Uttered all
over the map, and got tracks Of them all
through tho middle West and oven out on
the Pacific slope.
Say, l was in that library from II o'clock
in the morning until they put me ont at
closing time In the afternoon. At noon l
telephoned to the Office telling clerk where
was, and that il Iwere needed to call me
I'D. No call came and there sat reveling in
old time memories. Why. 1t was wonderful
the amount Of information got from those
directories 1t gave me q strange feeling,
the like Of which I had never before ex-
perienced.
AS l opened q directory it was like
getting Oh train at a railroad station and
starting out to look for familiar faces.
Every time took up fresh directory had
. feeling that it was foolish to look in such
a big book for friend name. But would
start out With my alphabetical list just the
same, and 1t would give me a pleasurable
thrill when came across some one knew.
Sometimes the name would be In black
faced type, meaning that the person was Of
| some consequence In his community, and
I for advertising reasons had paid to have
bis name made conspicuous.
Il remember looking UP one chap who.
the last time saw him, was nothing but a
redheaded, freckled faced kid OF ten, who
was forever playing hockey from school.
His last name was O'Brien and we used to
say that he would have the jail for his II he
didn't watch out. But he turned of some-
where on the road evidently, for he's a
priest now, according to the { ire Glory
and In charge Of one of the biggest churches
in-w-ll. l won't say what city in this State
] Of New York. III bet the boys Of his parish
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

don't fool him much. and perhaps that has
something to do with his popularity, for
he knows human nature.
well, 1t was fascinating work. l found
doctors and lawyers, and one with lab
after his name showing that he had stayed
down where he started. The funniest OF
all l came across in that directory hunt was
the case Of the boy who was the bully OF the
school and who was able to bat the ball
further than any one else. He's man
milliner now.
Another Who, remember. carried
pledge, solemn promise, neither to drink
DOR smoke for the rest Of his life, Is to-
bacoonist ! remember he made the whole
schools life burden with that pledge OF
his. Now he lives OF smcke-think OF 1t.
Against some Of the names found notes
in fine type telling the reader to see ad-
vertjsing page so and 80. or course
would see the page and you'd be surprised
how many times those ads revealed to me
that what had Planned for this fellow or
that had come true.
This was especially true In the cases Of
my college classmates But l suppose this
was because had known them just as they
were, about to begin their life work. Once
in a while found that hoy whom had
known us the poorest Of the poor In this
worlds goods had somehow or other fought
his way up to something fine when you con-
sidered his antecedents and the chances
he had as a lad. g
y actually found they'd made a Mayor
OF large city out Of one boy who used to
come to school hungry in the mornings and
then 1t flashed across me how I'd carried
hot baked pototoes from my mothers table
10 that boy. wrapping them in my hand
kerchief. and snealsing them out OF the bowl
when nobody was looking. could see that
boy standing behind the schoolhouse, just
az he did thirty years ago, devouring that
potato, skin and all, like hungry rat, his
eyes hulging out with the fear that he might
not get it all inside his mouth before the
school bell stopped ringing.
when came out ofthe. library was like
a man in a dream. was under sort OF
spell for two or three days. had found
the friends OF my youth and now knew
following out their life's pathways, many
OF them, within 20" miles Of my home.
Then /. occurred to me that hadn' t looked
In the New York and Brooklyn directories
That caused me to have these two volumes
I brought into my private room from my
outer office. Here was another revel at ion, foI
found that twenty or thirty fellows whom
l hadkaown at one time or another were
, located all around me. Would you believe
It, I found an old prep school seatmate
right In the same Office building with me
and when went into his Office discovered
that he was man whom had seen nearly
every day for the last three years and hao
not known him.
But my strangest experience In this
whole search came when I took to thu
| telephone book to see II I could make con
meet ions with few voices that had no
heard for many q year. First started II
on my old town. the village where wa'
brought up. 1t had never occurred to mt
until got this directory habit that there
could be sach thing as telephone con
| nection with the Old town, I hunted fol
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
Found the
Friends of
His Youth

.Where are the friends OF my youth?'
Z. the way the old song goes" remarked
busy New Yorker, 'and l suppose have
sung that song five hundred times. sang
It as an urchin standing beside my mothers
elbow on a Sunday afternoon when they
wouldn't let me go out with the boys, for
they knew I'd 60 in swimming or skating
30 they sought to keep me interested by
singing songs. Then l didn't know what
friends were-that is, didn't know what
the word meant, and the word youth was
Sanskrit to, me. As soon as was old
enough to know what those two words
meant stopped singing the song-had
no time, suppose.
II don't suppose had thought OF the old
song for fifteen years until one day last
week. when caught myself humming 1t.
Then broke of humming and said: Well.
where are the friends Of my youth. any
way? Now. I've been pretty successful the
last ten years or SO, have made lot OF
money; there's no use Of my telling you I
haven't. for you happen to know better.
The way I've made my money has been to
make up my mind to get what wanted
and to leave no stone unturned and to keep
all wires hot until got 1t. So, after asked
myself where my old friends we're, said
to myself, III find out And have found
out
1T was easier than you might think /
didn't 60 paving around among grave
yards under weeping willows, parting the
grasses from in front Of tombstones for
knew the messy marbles didn't rest on
the remains OF many Of the kids used to
play with or Of the boys with whom I went
through college. for they were a husky
lot, most Of them, and their chances for life
were good when last saw them. I am
no psssimist, and / didn't sit and NOPE
and think about the hereafter and the pro.
cession OF sheeted figures waiting for me
on the other side.
II star ted out with the assumption that
the gang was alive and kicking. I figured
At once that while some might be far away
% the sentimental song makers love to tel
Hs. the great majority Of the bunch must
be doing business OF one sort or another
within 200 or 800 miles OF New York city
] figured also that some OF them had buzset
about the world at one time or another
looking for fortunes and so on, but reasoned
1t out that they were all old enough to have
gotten over the fortune hunting fever ant
to have come back to the old neighborhooc
to get tie benefit Of what papa had done
before them.
.You see this season Is my easy time
The family is away and there was no business
doing on the day began my search for thu
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

An animated fringe Of children sur
rounded the tank Of the Alligator Mtsiis-
sippisnsis, looking excitedly over at the
family which appeared at first blush TO
consist Of father and seven ,oontented
small children. Big Ben, head Of the fam,
his being eaten BY tho others, lay olose
against the network Of wire fast ssleep.,
He was about seven feet long .9d OF an
ashen gray that went we'll with the dust.
Now and again Without opening hts eye s:
distributed themselves promiscuously about
where tho sun shone Warmest. A baby
alligator about the size Of an ordinary
shopping Rag had crawled out OF the tank
and 81 read itself comfortably upon the
fringe OF observing faces it had closed its
ewes. 1t seemed to he signal for general
closing Of eyes.
They are ill dead decided a youngster.
who had arrived too late to zee tho baby
cray AZ that Rt B Biz "a" Ben orened one Of tho puy
eyes that decorated the top Of his head
and closed II ayain in o way which showed
fatigue. At the same time small alli-
GATOR orawled slowly out from under the
shade Of O leaf that had got In the way Of
the sun.
mo, they amt dead. concluded the boy.
"You get In that tank once" remarked
his companion "a they loped away, .and
voull aee mighty quick whether they are
dead or not, They're man eatin'.'- -.
supercilious smile commenced at Big
Ben's front teeth and reached little above
each ear before It got through, but: HIS
eyes remained closed as before
Two more boys took the place Of those
who had left. "
down amt ii S e. pig sa "a sss ssm nv then s.
brother was down In Florida once. He
eaid he was, at pionio there and thew all
came to log that looked invitin', They
sat down on the log and It got, UP and ate
EN-. II wasn't log at all. II was an
alligator" 49, .....
There came still, two others. Transi-
tory these were. They sped by, In fact.
"He' d eat your head on II he got chance.
DRIED one, looking wildly back at Big Ben.
He won't get q Glance" cried the other
The woman wanted an Introduction to Big
Ben, and came upon the keeper OF the deer
II can tell you little about the alligators,
/ be said, but can't 60 to the tank with
you. ! nuist stand around here.
Big Ben tried 70 eat 4 keeper the other
dayf Caught his overalls and tore them
Of him. Big Ben eats overaIls q II he
likes them. Gobbles them. up. Seems
like thcm alngators don't think Of nothing
but eAtin Minds dwell on it all the time
There's no teifin' how many little alligatort
Big Ben has eaten. We haven't kept count
Couldn't. Hewouldn't leave one in the tanl
! to tell the tale II We didn't overfeed him.
And be amt tho only hungry one. Tho
little ones eat the ones smaller than they
are. Not 80 much now In the summer
! when they can sleep In the sun and forget
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

but in the winter, when there's nothing
much dom, It's all We IAN do to keep the
tank flled with enoug h alligators to interest
folks.
People give them to us. Every little
GhIe come woman viii bring one from from
are Harmless when they are very small
you know They don't begin to eat Lcorle
till they've out their wisdom teeth. That's
Why the women make pets Of them at first
When they begin to try to make breakfast
Of en-. they bring them to us. Oh yes,
morning almost minus an alligator, Big
Ben there is, so fond Of alligators. it's
wonder he don't eat himself"
An entirely different fringe surrounded
the tank.
NY rara's got a dress suit case exactly
like that big alligator, said boy Of six,
my mamHa'i got a rccse hook like the
one on the Sep" retorted his girl COM
panion; adding, It's lot prettier thanyour
| paras dress suit csse.'
Big Be"'s thr at to move had the effect
Of ending this discussion before it grew
Look at him!" exclaimed the girl child:
he gets ri9htup on his feet when he walks
Big Ben half stood, walled forward three
stems further into the sunshine and dropped.
1t aecred to re a signal for all. One u"
or Q thew moved forward crawling azil over
each otfe- and fell into weary att tudcs:
"'H YOU please, tho woman began imidiy.
and very politely TO Big Ben, j should life
to have aword with YOU. That is, of course
II you are not too tired
He showed his teeth nightly before ne
spoke. ;"
II am quite willing to talk with youn;,
he asid In a kindly manner. If you WI.
promise to leave pocket books and dI na'
suit cases out OF the conversation !hey
are not at all interesting to us, Resides.
we have had enough. They stand over
us and talk Of them all day long, Nobody
ever seems to think" somewhat angr'y'
sthnt 1t hurts o.lr feelings to be always re-
minded Of what we are coming to- no"
would you like II II you knew you were TO
be turned into satchel as soon RS you
dropped dead1" .v,,
He answered his own question You
wouldn't like II at all
to have gone to sleep. The woman 'ooSA
| small pebble and cast II at him.
Il bog your pardon &C he rona"d anu
opened another eye, "as you we're say
sAs was saying, some Of them bring
their rocketbooks along and hold them up,
comparing them with us. II he Wa
tanned. now, they any, he'd make loI YEN
pocket ook. You never can tell how tn s,
gill look as pocketbooks, lying there nan
dead In the, sun
we wouldn't have half the reputation,
we've got az man eating animals II ~
wasn't for those pocketbooks. We've 60.
TO do something to get even, so we t f,,.o
bite out Of keeper. Sometimes all J w
got to do to scare the life out OF them Is =.
open my mouth and yawn. That T'ar
EN- for homo sometimes, but not always
y And once moro be slept.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

businoss, she said, .this pieco could run on
Broadway for months. There's seven
NV Gods and eleven .Merciful heavens
In my part alone. Inever know o. any'n'hs
90 strong. -,
The rehSarsals continued, for a week with
increasing vigor until the company, with sne
camel In . box car. departed for HaverArsw.
There the advance sale WIS slight, Due
Fibinlte was not undnly depressed.
sThe parade will settle the nights oun-
nsss,' he said deoisively. wen got right
out, and 60 past al the brfckyards. RAJ
ferty, you will ride the camel -
s0ood Gawd!' said Rafferty,, Il cant
ride horse =.
"A osmel's different thing altogether,
said F1ibinits. "The humps will prevent
you from falling on
.The parade will help some said tho
local manager. But you've como at the
wronx time. The briokyards don't pay Oh
till the last OF Tho month
Tho Arabs 10 their picturesque attire
led tho parade blowing Justify on brass.
The heavy and juvenile mon followed on
foot, and after them came tho ladies IN
the station hack Rafferty, finished an I'M
posing. pageant on the camel.
Good heavensl' groansd Rafferty,. i
don't know whether It wv hurt moro 70
stand I'D or sit down after this. Why did
ever 20 Tits the !eEiti'
The local manager. who acted az psth-
finder, took them In every conceivable direc-
ton where there was . dwelling house.
IT forgot to tell you, said F'libinite cheer
fully to Rafferty,. after he was rescued
from the camel, that 1t will be part OF your
duties to look after the camel Since you
work together, you ought to get to under
stand each other
Excuse me- said Rafferty,, .but what's
the matter with one Of your Arab 81
They've been brought up with canels
! and know the game"
mot these Arabs" said Flibinite. sThey
come from Milwaukee. Two Of them
worked In a brewery. No, Rafferty,, you
must look after the camel
you son Of a gun OF tho DESERT said
Rafferty,, as he left the animal In Its stall
.StufY yourself, and try to get some flesh
on your humpsl'
Then he limped painfully away to eat his
dinner and prepare for the final rehearsal
to which he was obliged to escort the camel.
"The play will be Knockout said
F1ibinite. viewing with great satisfaction
the scene In the Sahara In which tho pyra-
mids we're set before house drop Of q
rocky pass.
.The sale has taken . sudden brace.
said the local manager, who was picking
up old programs from the door. There's
been q Us sold since the parade
| sGood!' said Mr.. Flibinite I'VE shall
turn them away; you see II We don't
But when he counted up there was only
tss In the house.
.Ye Gods!' he cried. .Think Of I'll
Sixty-eight dollars for tho premiere Of
a big productioni II this had been at the
Knickerbocker in New York 1t would have
been 5000. Why didn't choose Broad
way opening7'
.Yes, why didn't you choose the sub
way7' said the local manager sarcastically.
Talk about concealed moisture. this here
piece Is about the frappiest thing I ever
saw
Heavens, mani said Flibinite. Cant
you hear that applause''
THAT amt applause said tho local
manager, they want their money back.
The next morning tho show got safely
| away and started to work West. Un'
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

the name and found it, with four or Ave
telephone numbers in it, too. Three did
not know, but the postmaster and one OF
the dootors-their names were the good
old names. rubbed my eyes. 1t could
not be that these old chaps COZ Id still
be living and doing business!
First tried the postmaster, sitting In
my library at home, with my feet on the
library table and the desk phone in my
lap. 1t was about $50 at night and I figured
that the postmaster must have just finished
sorting the evening mail and the crowd Of
hangers on must have melted away, 1t
took long time to get the connection, but
when I got it I could recognize the very
voice Of the old man who used to chase me
oft Of the ohlos twenty-five years ago
Il gave him strenuous two minutes
trying to guess who l was. and then told
him. Then we had good chat. going over
the five minute period into the fifteen; hut
what did carer 1t was cheap to me. He
told me more about men and women and
things up in that poky little place than
had gathered from meeting old friends In
twenty years.
Then called up the old doctor, for the
postmaster had told me that the name
I had found in the telephone book was that
Of the old practitioner I had known as q
boy. and not his son. Now, this old saw
bones was Of the rare old sort, veteran
of the rebellion. a surgeon, who was shot
in the back while leaning over a wounded
man on the field, and who always hated
to tell us boys where he was wounded for
fear we might think he had run away In
battle. So when l got the connection
and the good, crisp old voice said: Well.
what is it| began: What is your opinion,
doctor, Of soldier who comes out Of q war
with wound In the back?'
who are you, and what the devil do
you mean, sir? You've got no business to
talk to me like this. This ia an outrage.
I'll report this to headquarters, sir; to Cen
trail and have"
Il was really afraid the old chap would
| 70 into apoEiexy, 80 broke in and humbly
begged his pardon, apologising over and
over again and telling him that knew
how he was shot, telling him the very name
Of the wounded man he had ministerec
to at Charlottesville when he got his
wound. told him that had 1t all from
my own father, and then he burst in with
who the devil was I again and what wa
| i
OF the string yet
Say. doctor said, as soon as he hat
Gained down little, is yours desk phone
for l don't want to keep you standing.
have a whole lot to say to you.
u am sitting In my Office chair. sir
but If you don't stop this damn foolishnes
and tell me who you are and what you wan
shall hang up the receiver
Well, doctor. said, and here stoppe'
my foolng, just before called you VI
/ called up Mr.. Lewis, the postmaster. and
well. you see, told him who was befor
got through and as my father and Mr.
Lewis and you were all in the same regi
ment. he told me a little moro about you
personal affairs than he would probabl.
otherwise havo done. He told me, If YOU
pardon me for mentioning 1t over the wire
and the two Of lis hundred miles apart
more or less. that you've had trouble
financial trouble, and that some shark OF
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

Maudlin Marriage aloud to Pansy. who
wept copious yet reptilian tears when little
Otto Omosaurus died Of Jura ssio pip IN tho
seventh chapter. For Pansy's birthday
1 shall give her a periods subscription to
the Lady Lizards Home Companion, lam
that generous
82-For several days have been receiving
letters telling me that would better en-
gage the services Of young Claosaurus
Annectons on my weed farm, as he is the
best ever and that II don't the world will
know that have more than two temporal
vacuities. The letters are signed Lewis
Jarvisaurus. Who's he, wonder. think
Annectons is Swede. Skoll hire him?
7O--It looks as though the Predentata
would get the pennant this year. Those boys
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
DOWN AT THE POST OFFICE THIS MORNING.

certainly have got it on all the others when
it comes to running bases on their hind
legs, using their tails as a means of propul-
sion The mob at Pittsburos threw several
tons OF rock at them the last game thsy
played there.
73-Warren Agathaumus, bright young
Kansan, is visiting friends here. He says
his way. III bet any Of the Theropoda
brothers could lick the octopus. They
know all about frenzied finance, too. We
are going to have picklsd Nanosaurus for
supper. 1t ia the smallest and most delicate
game there is. We will have white weeds
4 la beurre on the side.
76-I feel like Rynchocephaliau to-day,
having had nine mint smashee last night
with the marching club. Pansy has gone
up the valley for bromide.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
mo. he says, Il shave myself.
amt quite got that through my

.No," he says, Il shave myself
amt quite got that through my head
yet.
4e-Pansy is bothering me for new srit
Of armor, tailor made. She says Mrs.
Scledosaurus has one and she hasn't got q
new scale to her back As Pansy's pretty
broad girl III be broke for a month II 1
let her have her way. That little game In
the cave last night made bum OF me.
suspect that Stegorsaurus marked the
playing stones with his spine II he's
eau ht cheating it'll 60 hard with him.
Shown at the post Office this morning
the boys were saying that the Citizens
Union is going to get after our orga nization.
II has read that we have ruled the land
since the Triassic time and Ia going to put
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

1t seems they have a new servant who
came over from Bavaria. Her last name
is Compsognathus. How queer! I'll bet
her first names Minnie. / must have a
look. Had luncheon with Ed Stegosaurus
IN the swamp to-day. He's found new
place where you don't have to take claret
with your table d'hote weeds. Says they
had a great pedro party at their house
last night. with cold filet OF Cetrosaurus
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

43-Bill Atantosaurls was around to-day
with new joke.
why" says he, docs an Ornithopoda
cross the street,"
-Damfino," said I.
ITO get on the other side says he and
laughs fierce, slapping me with that thirty
foot tail OF his.
Amt you the smart guy, says l. Did
you read that in Pudge2'
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

JuRAssIc PERIOD, Stage No. 2s-Dark
days, these, for all us lizards. The weed
crop has failed according to the latest
news from Colorado, brought In by gallop-
ing Hallopus this morning. The little ones
had only 200 pounds Of predigested marsh
food to-day and they are bowling in the
nursery
25-Pansy. my wife, lis in with gossip
about our neighbors, the Scelidosaurians.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

for lunch afterward. How thnt boy does
like to fill his beak.
2s--Brite and fare-There have been
rumors Of burglars again and Pansy In
sisted on my going to the Belgian Iguano-
don fancier and buying Watchdog. He's
not armored and he has funny birdlike
head. but he maks a noise Ike glacial
cataolysm. Maybe he'll do. Anyway, the
children like him.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23
heAMaator'
Speaks.
,s ,

REFLECTIONS ON PocKETBooKs BY THE
HEAD OF, THE MlsslssIPPlENsIs FAMILY