davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

There was 10 be a great celebration on the glorious Fourth in the beautiful grove of elms and oaks that grew iD a most propitous spot near a cool. sparkling stream one mile from Beeville.
 And all Beeville was up and doing at the first peep of day; even the very young and small Beevillers found them selves wide awake at the first sound of the roaring anvil which wns fired at the town smithy as early Ns o'clock.
 One of the happiest little Beeyillers. who had lived for week prior to the Fourth on happy anticipation. was Fred Harper. aged 10. Op the morning in ques- tion Fred's mother came into his room and said: "To-day's the glorious Fourth. Freddie"
 On other mornings Fred's mother had to caII him many times before she could prevail upon him to open his eyes. but on this morning the few words she spoke worked like magic In waking him in- stantly. With eyes wide open md heart full of eagerness Fred leaped from bed and bathed and combed and dressed him self in his Sunday best in much less time than 1t usually took him 10 get his eyes really open.
 You see, Fred was a true patriot. to whom the occasion meant great deal.
 After DreAHTaSL start for the celebration grounds, ana could hardly wait till his mother had their luncheon baskets packed and his father was at the gate with two-seated spring wagon to carry them to the grove.
 But after arriving at the picnic grounds the time passed very rapidly. indeeh' TOT there was music by the band and singing by the towns best vocal talent. Anu' besides these features of entertainmeh,' there was n drum-corps parade, In wnlch Fred proudly marched at the head carry ing the flag.
 Then came the reading of the Deciara- tion of Independence by a deep-voiced vounq lawyer who was duly impressed bv inc honor conferred upon him by the celebration committee. Although the great words and sentences that fell from the young readers tongue found place m the ears and minds of the Beeville rathers and mothers. the younger listeners grew . h,t restless and found 1t hard to keep tbeir seats beside the enthused parents.
 More than once Fred's mother was obliged to shake him to keep him awake, and once, losing all patience with him. tshe whispered in his ear: Nov, son, won sit up and keep your eyes on the young man who is reading, and listen to everything he says; and mind, IT you don't keep awake I'll not let you have the skyrockets l have in mind 10 ouy TUT you this evening"
 Fred at once sat up, batted his blue eyes and pinched his legs to keep himself awake. Then he riveted his eyes on the reader of the Declaration of lndepend- ence, his poor ears catching an occasional and. to him, meaningless word.
 But as he sat there the young lawyers face began to change and his voice to sound dim and far away. Then sound
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

to just fool round till after dinner" There would be time enough In the after noon to go up the mountain. against whose base lay the brown ugly hills that had been their choice for a picnic ground. To pass the time away they tried build- Ing castle of sand. but found 1t was more unsatisfactory than building air castles, so they decided to He on their. backs in the sand and erect few of the latter.
 Thus the time passed and noon arrived. Then the three opened the baskets and spread the picnic cloth on the sand. But Just as they were about to seat them selves to enjoy the feast-for they were rayenously hungry-Paul noticed that the four burros were acting strangely. They would put their noses to the earth. then raise their heads and shake them un- easily. As the children were watching
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
bls new companion opportunity to speaA

hls new companion opportunity to speah first.
 Well. Freddie" said the human sky rocket, In a strange metallic voice, "l don't blame you for getting tired of all that lingo l was reading. for 1t made me tired. too. So l thought I'd just change shape and have q little real Fourth of July fun. Truth is, people-nor kids neither know what real sport Is on the Fourth If fellow'd have a good time he's got to turn himself into sky rocket or einnt firecracker and shoot him self Into the clouds Then he can see wauts to-"
 "That's greatl" exclaimed Fred. ad- mirng greatly the young lawyer who possessed the magic charm that could turn himself into the form of q sky rocket the size of a telegraph pole. Wish l could be even a iirecracker.'
 Enough said.' remarked the lawyer. ''You shall go with me in the shape of a giant firecracker. Come. what suy you to thatY
 But before Fred could reply he felt his two legs turn into one. his hands slipped Into his pockets, and became at- taced to his sides, and To. he looked ut his own reflection in the grass-a most peculiar phenomenon and saw that he was the thing he had wished to become -a giant tirecrncker
 "Oh, ho!" he cried merrily. I'm at. most as big as you Bet can outshoot you!''
 .I take the wager" responded the sGyrocket. Do you happen to have a match about you7'
 i've matches. but no hands 10 get to them with " replied Fred That Is. |
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

ceased altogether and the reader gradual ly took on the form of huge skyrocket. his horid face looking for all the world like the gaily red-painted business end" of the rocket
 This amused Fred so much that he snickered, whereupon his mother took hold of him and pushed him away from the bench where he had been sitting be- side her, whispering grossly to him to run on away Into the woods and amuse himself since he was too stupid and too sleepy headed to listen to the reading of that "grandest thing ever written-the Declaration of 1ndenpendence'
 So Fred, shaking out hls sleepy feet md stretching his arms that ached to be doing omething, walked willingly away toward the dense timber that bordered the brook He had not gone far when be heard a rustllng noise In the grass behind him, and, turning round, he saw the young lawyer, who was still In the form Of Il giant skyrocket, coming at full tilt after him.
 Fred stopped and waited till the strange being came up. also kept silent giving
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

you up as dinners 'hout ready to eat. Pm invited by yer ma to eat with you, an she says Pm to go home with you an help to shoot off the fireworks at she's got laid up in the closet to s'prise you with"
 Fred at last got up. shook himself fully awake, and then. taking Billy to one side, asked in low. confidential whisper; Say, Bill, have you seen the lawyer man what was reading the Declaration of DependenceT
 Sure; wonder he Is buyin lemonade for his best gurl," answered Billy. point ing with an unwashed finger toward the honored man of the day, who in very truth was standing close beside pretty young lady In pink, both drinking with apparent relish some picnic lemonade.
 Gee whiz," exclaimed Fred, .it hasn't been half an hour since l saw him shoot into the clouds explodid' as he went as loud as a cannon. wy, he was the big pest skyroeket l ever saw in all my life. He was"--
 Come off," cried Billy. giving him the last drop of water from the squirt gun. What you talkin bout, anyway"
 Guess was dreamn. answered Fred. But 1t was the most amusin dream 1 ever had. Wish you could have seen the lawyer man shoot into the sky about n second after you touched match to bim."
 .S -er.l touched match to himr cr,ea Billy, Then, taking Fred by. the arm he continued: Guess you're either sunstruck or the glorious Fourth has gone to yer head. Come-after you've ct Some of that friend chicken l seen yer ma takin out of basket you'll come to-"
 Hope SOL grinned Fred. But, hon est, it was funny to see that lawyer man go Into the air. though. And when 1 bursted" -
 But Billy. dragging him toward the picnic spread. broke In. with: Nov, that's 'nough for this time. Save the rest fer next Fourth O Julie.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

them the four animals turned as one toward the camp. starting at q brisker walk than was their usual gait. Annie, Paul and Nell were obliged to run in pursuit of them and turn them back. But us the burros seemed stubborn. and bent on going or towards camp. Paul de cided to hobble them with their bridle reins. This done the three children sat down to the spread, but just as Paul was unwrapping a tissue papered sandwich there came across the plain bit Of a whlrwind--cailed In that part of the world sand devil" It was nothing more nor less than miniature cyclone. whirlng and leaping and gathering sand and alkali dust as it came.
 The children quickly spread cloth over their food, holding It down at the four corners till the sand devil' passed. Then. wiping the dust from their eyes they began their luncheon. But they Lad scarcely done so when the wind came across the level expanse of sand with sudden fury. And with 1t came sand and alkau dust. making 1t impossible for the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

his eyes so full of dust md sand that he could scarcely hold them open. Come, I'll help you girls to mount. then I'll get on my burro. But we must manage to keep together. for if we .hould get sep arated we'd not be liable to 6nd each other soon, for look! we can't see dozen yards beyond the spot where we stand"
 Nell and Annie obeyed paul's tnstruc- tions and soon all were mounted. and the pack burro left to follow without the baskets. for there was no time to pick up the baskets. luncheon md napery.
 We are going In a circle!" cried Nell. her heart beating violently with the fear she felt. .'7e'll never never get to camp if we don't go right"
 ''How are we to know the directionsT' demanded Annie. "We can't see even the hills"
 ''rhe wind Is from the south. Wen go full against It." cried Paul. But try as l may can't turn this brute's head In that direction"
 ''rhe wind h not from the south" !" ds-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

burros," as they said mentally. But Paul, believing in the Instinct of the little animals to take them aright. sat up In the saddle hopefully.
 After sometime-which seemed much longer than 1t really wns-the children heard voices calling. "HeIloa! helloa!' They answered back with beating hearts. "Helloa! heloa!" And In few minutes there blew Into the circle of their vision rescuers from the camp. And then the happy trio learned that they were within quarter of mile from camp. the trusty little burros having carried them safely In the right direction. much against the childrens wish, for they the girls es- pecially-had declared that ''fhe stupid little beasts were travelling In circle.
 After Annie. Paul and Nell had rested and partaken of some dinner they sat in the midst of their parents and friends and found much pleasure In describing their "pfcnlc on the desert "Well. we've had m experience worth telling about" said Paul. 6rolly. ''lt win sound great to our Eastern cousins whea VI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01


 giving arrangement of bands.
 No. ? shows top of hat.
 Few girls like to wear anything to a picnic which will not bear rough usage, and especially do they feel particular in regard to their millinery. Even the mex pensive little ''ready-to-wear" hats are too dainty to withstand the wear and tear of a day in the woods, and many girls will say: "I don't mind soiling my muslin frock, for It will bear the tub. but If my hat gets crushed or it's shape spoiled by the dew there Ia no remedy save to replace 1t by new one"
 Now here is a suggestion which am su many girls will be glad to follow, a suggestion for a picnic nat" Get very large, strong palm-eaf fan-a nice one can be bought for few cents-and cut off the handle close against the edge of the fan. Bind the edge of the fan with some pretty colored ribbon and sew 6rrn- ly in the center-0n the curved side--a ba ndenu to 1t the head. One may buy bandeau at the miiliner.s fer trine. pr bandeau of a bit of milliner's canvas and wire. This should be covered on the exnosed side with ribbon the same as Is used for binding the edge of the hat
 Nenr the outer edge, on top of the fan, piace at eitner side full bows of the rib bon with long streamers to tie beneath iv. When the ties are not needed they mar be caught up in loops with [ trim ming pin or carelessly knotted behind The ssfsn picnic hat'' is useful unique and vsry becoming to frosh young facea
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

children to eat.
 Hurriedy they sprang to their feet, and while Nell put the food away In the baskets Annie and Paul ran to fetch the burros that were again starting home ward
 "Guess we've got regular desert sand stornf" called out Paul above the noise of the rising wind. "There's but one thing to do. and that Is to pull for camp as lively as these burros will travel"
 .'We'l never be able to see our way!" cried Annie. her fears almost mastering her. She had heard of people being lost on these plains in sand storms and per ishing for water. Already her throat felt parched. and she ran to the baskets and procurel a bottle of water which she in- tended to hold to in case of emergency.
 Well we must get on the burros and trust to their saglcity." declared Paul.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
BY HELENA DAVIS.
A PICNIC ON THE DESERT. A BY HEl

clared Annie. Ut followed in the path of the sand devil. and that came from the west"
 But all argument was stopped by the terrible dust and sand that filled eyes, ears, nostris and threats, and the chil- dren kicked and pounded the burros with all their feeble strength to urge them on.
 'I don't know as it's any use to try to guide eml' at last called out Paul. "Give em the reIns! They may take the right course.'
 Both Annie and Nell now felt that all hope might as well be abandoned. They were doomed to be lost on this desert. where they would perish Tor water. Even the bottleful that Annie carried would quench their thirst pur once. Then all would be over.
 Thus giving up to despair, the little girls gave the reins to the poor. stupid
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

When I'm growed up to be a man. And own a little boy, I'll never stamp my foot and storm And say he does annoy Me out of all my very wits;
 Nor will I scowl and frown, And call him just the very worst Of all mean kids in town. I'll simply take i'm on my knee. An lis'sn to the jokes What he Is soin' fer to play
 On all old cranky folks That are forglttin' every day
 They was ever young an good. Or at they e'er enjoyed life
 Like happy youngsters should.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

tell them that we were lost in a sand storm"
 "And that we didn't even have donkey sense," interrupted Nell, now alive to the humorous side of the situation. "For hadn't we trusted ourselves to those poor, stupid lItt.e burros we might have still been blowing about among the sands"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
IRISH WIT.

Pat-Pshure an the doctor performed an operation on me brother Tim. O'Leary-Phat did he operate on him forf
 Pa.-Why, man, for S10o. to be surel Nora-Mike, Is that Patrick Ryan an honest mani
 Mike-I don't like to accuse man without substantial proofs, Nora. but Pm afraid he's the kind that needs watchin'. Nora-Why, Mike?
 Mike-Shure, an he's seen too often with new umbrellas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

For t pears to me at peopl- most Grows sourer with each year, An only live to frown an scold. An spank their children. dear. For doin' of the very things That once they did with glec When they were young an very good The same as you an me. An when l have little boy. He may eat an eat an eat. Till he Is full to busting From mouth down to his feet For this Is how I look at it. Men live both long and old; But boys don't live to be past 12; At least. so I've been told.
 MAUD WALKER
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

bits of white paper, which he throws out along the track as he runs. This is the .'scent" that the hounds follow. But the fox must use caution In throwing the paper out in too great quantities. for the hounds must be obliged to hunt the scent at times, otherwise the fox might be too easily overtaken and the game prove en- tirely too tame.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
SONG OF THE FIRE
 WORKS.

On the Glorious Fourth we're welcomed
 by all. The young and the old, the short and
 the tall. The lean and the fat. the sour and the
 gay, Come forth to greet us on that festive
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01

And gaily we sally out hand in hand. Loving to follow the loud-playing band: And filling the streets with our own lusty
 noise That drowns the sound of band and of
 boys! In the pockets of youth we're carried
 around, And thrown out to burst ou tue grassy
 ground Near the feet of some picnicker. all un.
 aware That boy with cracker Is near any
 where. or mayhap we're shot like ball toward
 the sky; And we carry flame and roar on high. Or in form of balloons we are sent up so To soar through the clouds. far, for nwnv.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-09-17
John Morley Trusts the People.

India is part of the British EN-
pire. and the Indian people are part
of the great family over which King
Edward reigns and for which parlia
ment makes laws. John Morley thinks
the new spirit discovered among In
dian natives not only is not to be fear
ed, but must be catered to-. A short
time ago dire happenings We're prOphc-
sled for India and the British govern
ment warned to get ready. More troops
We're dispatched to the east to hold tho
people down.
One bold utterance Of MOrley's to his
colleagues was that India cannot be
governed from Westminster. The poll
cy of running distant parts of creation
from London has given England no
end of trouble from 1774 to date. Nor
ley would have the government of In
dia run the cOsntry and have cOmpe-
tent and able natives share largely in
the administration. He is glad that
there is a new spirit" in India. spirit
born of native contact with European
ideas, with higher education, with the
use of telegraphs and railways and
the postoffice and with western litera-
ture and industry. 1t is not q fact to
be frightened over, but to recognize
and to face with candOr and cOnSid-
Grafton" In other words, the white
mans burden" now is to foregO espion-
age and tutelage and give the people a
square deal"
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-09-17

One of the lessons to be learned from
the recent earthquake in San Francisco
appears to be that the ordinary tall
brick chimney is great source of dan
ger when earth movements take place,
particularly when the chimneys are
built with large heavy caps. OF course
where tall stacks are constructed of
REINFORCED concrete the case is differ
ent, as also it is with comparatively
short steel stacks. 1t would therefore
appear that in countries subject to
earthquake shocks it would be wise
precautiOn to build chimneys either of
REINFORCED concrete if ta;l or steel II
low and use mechanical draft with the
latter If brick alone be used the Chin
neys should be built short and not have
heavy caps.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-09-17
SOMETHING OF IRON AND FLOUR
Was First Produced in This Country
Near Richmond, Virginia.
THROUGH HENLL

The great digging after historic
facts in connection with jamestown
Exposition has brought to light a re-
markable coincidence in regard to the
manufacture of iron and flour in Amer
ica
The iron and steel trade will be in
terested to know that the first iron
manufa ctured in America was in the
year 1919. 1t was made from bogore
of which a large deposit had been dis
covered by Capt. John Smith in the
meadows along Falling creek, tri-
butary of the James river, only a short
distance from Richmond In 1919 the
London company. pioneers of the Vir-
ginia colony, sent to jamestown
party of one hundred and fifty skilled
workers in iron under a Mr.. King
They erected works and opened the
mines expanding 100000 in the work
good quality of iron was produced.
the settlement prospered and the viii
lage that grew up around the works
was named Warwick. 1t bid fair to
become the most prosperous settlement
in the colony. For three years all
went well, but on March %, 1922, the
Indians under Opitchapau, brother of
Powhatan, attacked the village and
murdered every soul in it except boy
and a girl who had hid in the bushes.
In that massacre more than one hun
dred and fifty men and women per-
ished and the iron industry persisted
with them for the furnaces were never
lighted again.
In 100 Touring mills We're built up
on the ruins of the iron furnaces and
Warwick again came into being and
fourished until it was burned by Col.
Tarleton. the British raider during the
revolutionary war.
The mills at Warwick ground out the
first American flour and exported great
quantities to South America. Thus
was Virginia first in iron and flour
probably the two most Indispensable
articles of commerce. and it is remark
able that both these industries should
have had their birth place on the same
spot.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-09-17
Graft ssHiSh CpJ In Russia.

1t has been said In st. Petersburg
that the real reason of the sudden dis
solution of the douma lay In the fear
Of exposure Of wholesale peculatiOns
close to the throne. The story has it
that certain radical and powerful men,
bers OF the national assembly proposed
to have commission investigate the
manipulation of national funds by the
uncles, cousins and aunts of the auto
crat When the threat reached Nicholas
be, good nephew and cousin that he Is.
Immediately said that the douma must
go. Under the fundamental law of the
empire the car reserved to himself the
right to dissolve the chambers, and dis
solve them he did.
The reason given for putting an end
to the dOuma may not be likely one.
but 1t Is certain that the facts alleged
behind the story are as real as any
thing In Russia. Unless history Is all
lie the grand dukes and grand
duchesses of the house Of Romanoff
are no better than they should be and
none too good to steal right under the
nose of the car. 1t Is an old notion Of
autocrats that no parliament OF the
people has a right to inquire into the
expenditure of money appropriated for
specific public purposes. The car no
doubt is personally honest, and no
doubt also the grand ducal and other
bureaucratic circles in st. Petersburg
are as corrupt as any parasites that
every cursed n monarch. In holding
that the dOuma had no right to inveS-
tigate anything involving them they
only lived up to the standard of their
kind since the days of the Stuarts.
The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-09-17
Interesting Exhibition.

NIDDLEBURG, Holland, Sept. IT,
The interesting exhibition of Dutch
gold and silver objects of vertu which
!, held here is attracting a great deal
attention in widest circles. Among
lie objects exhibited are the smallest
.0h ever printed and the smallest
mnomorative medal in the world.
=. LtIiputian volume is the size of
e. bean. 1t contains a poem, entitled
"P.pmhofie." or The Little Flower
Garden. ana was printed in 1872 by
G. Van Tango. Its binding is of red
morocco. fooled in gold, and it is
adorned with two of the tinieSt silver
clasps This curiosity is the property
O.. q Paris cOnnOissseur who possesses
library of 400 diminutive booklets,
which find ample room in a case the
size of a cigar box. But, "Bloemhofje'
Is the smallest of the collection.
The microscopic medal is of gold,
and may be compared in size with the