davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
MIR. BOwsER ESCAPED.

has a reason for everything"
Il give up that I don't know and
lecture nthe Holy Land at our
church this evening, and I want you to
go with me. We haven't been out an
evening for two months"
Il am sorry to disappoint you. Mrs.
BOWser, but the Rev Gleason and his
Holy Land must wait We have be-
fore US a question that has bothered
naturalsts for the last two thousand
years. The bullfrog bellows, but why
does he below"
But why should we care about his
belIowings2 It is going 10 be very
Interesting lecture and I want to hear
it The builfrog can be attended to
any time.
Exactly like woman. said Mr.. Bow
ser, with superior smile. No doubt
the wife of Sir Isaac Newton wanted to
go to a circus the afternoon he dis
covered gravitation. and If he had gone
with her the world would have had to
wait another thousand years. You can
run right along and hear all about the
Holy Land. but I shall devote the ev
ening to solving this problem. The pro-
fessor holds that the bullfrog bellows
to attract his food to him, I hold that
he bellows under the idea that he is
pouring forth lullaby to put the world
to sleep. Each one of US will make his
own Investigations tonight and COM
pare notes tomorrow"
And tomorrow night you'll be in
vestigating why owls hoOt, I supposea
sarcastically observed Mrs. Bowser.
Possibly. my dear woman-possibly.
In fact. I have often wondered just why
owls did hoot instead of keeping their
heads shut. There need be no acrimony
about this matter. You can run along
to the Holy Land and I shall take a
suburban car out into the country"
But something will happen to you
and you'll come home mad at me-"
Nothing whatever will happen to
ne, and I shall come home feeling just
as placid as I do now. shall be placid,
dollars to cents that I knock the pro-
fessor's theory into a cooked hat. He
isn't the only man in this world who
has had his eye on the bullfrog''
Mrs. Bowser wouldn't go to the lee
ture without him. and so it was settled
that she should stay home. Just as
dusk was coming down Mr.. BoWser
took his departure for the country and
the land of bullfrogs. He didn't have
to wait long after taking his car to
get some information to assist him in
his Investigation. A farmer directed
him to a big pond where clay had been
dug out for a brickyard, and then nat
urally askeds
Coin to catch mess Of frogs to
eat2'
No. I am going to- study the frog" !"
There hain't no use in that Any
book about animals and things viii tell
you all about him. ] can do 1t myself,
for that matter DO you want to know
why his hind legs are the longest?'
NO. sir II you know all about the
bullfrog tell me why he bellows.
What's his game2 Is he talking to
other frogs7 Does he imagine he's
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
hundred different intonations.

hundred different intOnatiOns,
Thirdly. defiance. sorrow, pathos in
difference and exuItation seemed to be
about equally mixed. When one old
frog was sending a lullaby out to the
sleeping world another was trying to
wake up everybody within two miles.
It looked as if the problem was being
tied up in hard knots when two men
suddenly appeared before Mr.. Bowser
and one of them called out:
We'll, old cove have you come back
for the rest of the tools2'
sir. are you speaking to me?" ask
ed Mr.. Bowser, as he rose up.
Il am. What are you doing around
here at this time of night2 Some one
was here a night or two ago and stole
all the pickaxes. but don't think you
can get away with any more of en-"
II came here, sir, to study the frog,
and I object to being talked to in this
manner"
"Jehosaphat,' gasped. the man.
''Say, Jim, this must be the lunatic
that escaped from the asylum yester-
day If we take him back, they'll give
US a hver. Come on
Mr. Bowser escaped. but he was
pretty we'll wrecked in the doing of it.
He was rolled in the mud and had his
clothes torn and lost his hat At II
o'clock, with Mrs. Bowser still up and
waiting for him, he softly unlocked
the front door and sneaked upstairs.
She heard him, but in the goodness of
her heart did not call out. She gave
him half an hour and then went UP to
find him asleep. He was asleep, but
his mind still worked AS she bent
over him he groaned out and then
muttered:
I'VE know why his hind legs are
the longest, but why does he below
What's the object? What's the game p
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
BoWSer Investigates
He attempts to Solve a Problem
2,00O Years Old.
Copyright, 1906, BY c. H. sutcliffe.)

URING the afternoon a neigh
Dor had come in and told
Mrs Bowser about a lecture
on the Holy Land that was to
- be given at the church that
evening, and therefore an
extra good dinner had been planned
with the cook for Mr.. BOwser and he
good natured and he praised the
dinner. and all seemed to be going well
when he put a stumbling block in the
way by saying:
a rather interesting incident oc-
CURED at the office this afternoon.
You have heard of Prof. Stackhouse,
1 presume 2''
Il think I have seen his name in the
papers" replied Mrs BOwser.
He is the most celebrated student
OF natural history in the world. Show
him a rabbits foot and he will tell
you how old the rabbit was-to what
epoch he onged@whether he was
shot or run down by a dog-in brief,
ali about him. I have long wished TO
meet him, and we had visit for two
hours or more.
Yes"
I'VE were in accord in all but one
thing. You know ] am a man who
has opinions of his own I did not
swallow all of his because he was a
professor. Mrs. Bowser, you were
brought up in the country"
$50 were you. Mr.. Bowser. The first
time I ever saw YOU you were cutting
up pumpkins to feed a one-horned
cow"
He flushed up and his eyes snapped.
and for a moment he appeared about
to make an angry answer Then he
hung on to himself and forced a
smile and said:
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
singing a song? Is it a note Of de-

singing a song? Is it a note of de-
fiance?"
by thunder, but you've got met
exclaimed the farmer. after thinking it
over. i've been living with bullfrogs
for the last forty years, but it has
never occurred to me to ask why they
bellered. And you are goin' to find
out. are you?"
'.If it's a possible thing"
'sWall, by George, [ hope you can. If
we can find out why they beller, mebbe
we can buy 'em off. There's about a
million Of EN- in that pond I spoke of,
and you won't have any trouble to find
'em. You'll hear 'em a-whoopin' as
soon as get off the car
The man spoke truly. When the car
reached the terminus and Mr.. Bowser
got off he heard the hoarse voices of a
bullfrog concert down the highway,
and he realized that he had struck it
rich. The way to Investigate is to in
vestigate. Five minutes after reach
ing the pond Mr.. Bowser had taken a
seat on a log and was giving all his
mind to solving the problem
he first estimated the number Of
frogs before him a an even million.
Secondly. he made out about five
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

to below at night. Did you ever stop
to think, Mrs. Bowser, why he bel
lows -
Because he was made to. the same
as 4 rooster was made to crow" she
answered.
But why was he made to-why =?
The rooster was made to crow that he
might wake the farmers hired man
up at four o'clock in the morning, but
for what particular reason should the
bullfrog below? They say that nature
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

He has a gas bill
in his hand"
But do men
chuckle and smile
when they receive
gas bills %
Not always, my
son, but this is an
exceptional C a s e.
The man has been
away with his fam
lily for a month and
his house has been
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

brought up in the country It is all
the more to the point in this case. AS
country bred folks we know what the
bulIfrog is. He is found in ponds and
marshes. His principal occupation is
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

o. Henry has spent four years loafng
in New York with his weather eye
peeled" for the real thing in New
York life. The Four Million" is the
result Of this loafing and a complete
Justification of it. Condensed into the
score of storiettes is the real soul of the
rushing metropolis on Manhattan isle.
By his "Cabbages and Kings" dealing
chiefly with Central America, Mr..
Henry established himself as one of our
best tellers of humorous stories. He is
a humorist still in The Four Million ,,
but has added a deeper note in these
brief narratives They disclose now
and again a pathos and a sense of the
grimness of the struggle, again a touch
Of the bizarre or extravagant, that rank
them with the tales of Poe or de Mau-
passant The title 1.-The F'o- II Million"
seems self-explanatory, since nowhere
In this country. except in New York, are
there four million people gathered to-
gether.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
The New School Reader
Designed and Invented for
YOUnq americans.
Copyright, 1906. BY P. c. Eastment.)

ming to sprout on their shoulder
blades"
Yes. I see them. Are they men who
have lifted up the moral standard of
their fellow men and taught them the
beauties of Truth and Integrity2"
Well, not exactly that. On the con-
trary, they are three poor men who
have been struggling against adversely
for a number of years and now see their
way clear for the first time"
That IS good. Virtue should always
be rewarded. What is their little pian?'
1t IS merger. A merger IS so
called to save writing three or four
letters and prOnouncing the word com
binatiOn- The two are twins. These
men have merged the baby carriages,
the nurse girls, the paregoric and the
nursing bottles of the country, and II
j take one you have got to take the
three others as well. No baby carriage
no paregorie; no paregoric no nursing
bottle; no nursing bottle no red-headed
nurse girl. You must order all four
through the same agency. No cut in
prices"
There is no but about it, Take 'em
or leave 'em. If you don't take EN- the
merger will ind law to prevent your
baby from rolling around on the floor
and drinking milk out of a teacup."
But suppose parents are not able to
pay the prices ?s
Then they must kill their children
off with the crowbar''
And won't this add to what they call
race suicide2"
Decidedly, but what's the population
of this country a hundred years hence
compared to the profits a merger scan
make today?"
What do we see here?s
There are three men chasing a
speckled pullet, living out in Iowa, when
and why do they chase the young and
innocent hen2"
seThev are mon sent out nv the egg
trust. The trust had got everything
ready to hold the price of eggs at 60
cents for the next six months when this
speckled pullet, living out at Iowa, went
and laid an egg and busted the COM
binationt
And viii they have her life?"
For sure. Love of country IS ali
right in man who sits around the
grocery and is too lazy to work, but
when a speckled pullet loves her coun-
try and shows it by laying an egg. she
bumps right up against the bulwarks Of
capital and must be suppressed Now
take your drops and run out and play
and be glad you were born in the best
country on the face Of the earth"
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

"Oh. yes. Skinner was a beneficiary un-
der old Roxley's wiz
I didn't know he was a relative of Rox-
Iey's."
He wasn't; but he was attorney for
relative. e.''-Philadelphia Ledger.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

What is the man reading and why
does he laugh as he reads?"
rs he not reading a magazine p
"He is. and it contains an article
about him.
.sThen it must tell what q great man
he is and how this country would miss
him if he happened to fall into Lake
Erie and drown"
ION the contrary, my son, the
article says that Senator Blank is dyed
black with corruption; that he is a
CRATER and a tool of the trusts; that
he runs the legislature of his state
and is q political boss. A senator
couldn't get a worse raking Nown."
But why should he smile and
ehuclkle over 1t ~
Because he has long wanted to be
a leader, and he knows that fifty 9TH
er men will envy him his reputation
and have to fall into line below him. IN
our time 1t is the very. very good man
or the very, very bad man who gets
to the top, and the rest of US don't
amount to shucks."
Look closely at our next picture, my
a.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

what do you see in this picture
'I see a man hiding in the woods,
and other men seem to be searching
for him. The one in hiding may have
no hope for his life. Has he just es-
capped from prison?"
Hardly that"
HAS he committed some great
crime. and is he seeking to fee the
NO, it is not that Look at him
more closely and you will see that he
has an honest look about him.
THAT is true, but why should he
cover and tremble as these men are
searching for him %
Il viii tell you, my son. He is a
policyholder in a life insurance COM
pany.'
but is that a crime?"
Not altogether. but being he is a
policyholder he has a vote. Having q
vote. these other men are running him
down in hopes to get a proxy and have
things go their way"
4 understand now. And will they
succeed? ?"
Unless he commits suicide. Alas,
poor mani Little did he dream what
was in store for him when he took out
that policy and so joyfully carried It
home to the old woman. His fate
should be a lesson to all"
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

DO you see the MANI"
Yes, I see the man. Why does he
chuckle and Smile2'
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

the table regulations for the inhabi-
tants Of Atlantis in "The Scarlet Em-
ptre,' D. NJ Parry novel Of socialism,
are not without interest. There the
meals were served in courses, each
course consisting of a sample of food.
carefully measured out and weighed,
so that no person had the fraction of
an ounce more than another. Minute
rules provided for the amount Of food
to be inserted in the mouth at
time, the manner in which the eating
utensils should be handled, and 50 on
ad infinitum. Innumerable meal in
! spectors We're on hand with alert eyes
/ ever ready to detect the least infrac-
ton Of the rules. All food came from
/ the government granaries and stock
yards and was prepared in the gov
/ ernment kitchens. The hero made
great reputation by introducing a bill
/ in the legislature requiring that food
should be chewed nine times on the
right side of the jaw and nine times
on the left side So would Mr.. Parry
reduce the principle of equality and
/ the demand for governmental inspec-
ton to an absurdity.
The Baker & Taylor company has
/ recently sent to press again my
/ Mamie Rose. by Owen Kildare, the de-
mand for which continues to be large,
although the book is nearly three
years old. Scarcely a day passes with
i out either the author or the publish
+ ers receiving a letter from some en-
thusiastic admirer of the book. or
/ clipping of a sermon which some min
/ lister has preached on this remarkable
/ life and its lessons. Probably no
| book save the Bible has furnished
more texts in the last three years.
"Oh. yes, Skinner was q, beneficiary un-
der old Roxley's will.'
7 didn't know he was a relative of Rox-
] Iey's.''
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23


In so far as the effect which Upton
SincIair's The Jungle" is producing
just now. that story has been placed
along with Charles Reade's novel,
Never Too Late to Mend" which
brought about reform in the English
prison system; Sir Walter Besant's S
"All Sorts and Conditions Of Men, =,
which resulted in the establishment of
the Peoples Palace in London, and
Charles Dickens "Oliver Twist" which
led to a radical change in the poor
schools throughout England "The
Jungle by the way, has reached its
eighth American edition, and is now the
best selling book in the United States.
It's publishers, Doubleday, Page & Co,
announce that in England it continues
to create much interest and comment.
a fourth edition for that country hav-
ing been ordered by cable. Canada also
has had two editions.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

sole throughout the world CutieuFa Soap, 25c Clint.
4sni We, kesolVent oe- (il faFn q Chocuete Coated
fils e Rsr yial Of Co. Depsssi London g Charter
hoPe 81 &sIis Ruq De ie PaiEi Bossn, Ia7 Columbus
Ave foltsE Ding & Chen. Corr. Sole PFcpa.
9S-Aaasd kEas. "A Peck for y omsn-'
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

The recent death of Hendrix Ibsen.
has increased the interest in the re-
markable essay on him contained Ia
James Huneker's "Iconoclasts," which
was published not long ago and is al
ready in its third edition. Nearly one
half Of the book is devoted to the essay
on Ibsen. wherein Mr.. Huneker gives Il
most brilliant and discriminating esti-
mate of Ibsen's work and ideas and also
an illuminating analysis of each of his
plays. There is nothing else in English
as able and satisfactory on this particu-
lar subject
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

So many artists in depicting the
characters and scenes of the books
they illustrate, fail to satisfy the au-
thors, that an exception to the rule is
worthy of note. The eight drawings
made by Alice Barber Stephens, the
well known Philadelphia illustrator,
for the new edition of that popular
American romance, Truth Dexter, -
just issued by Little, Brown & Co,
Boston. have won tho unstinted praise
of the person or persons whose identity
is concealed by the name, Sidney Nc
Call painted on the title page as au-
thor. You have drawn Truth Dexter
just as [ see her in fancy is the sub
stance Of the message from author to
illustrator, after the drawings had
been shown In addition to Mrs
stephens pictures there is a title page
Vignette by Jessie WILCOX Smith, rep
resenting the heroine of the book. This
conception of Truth Dexter was in
spired by the authors comparison of
the IOvabIe heroine of lie Pages
Jeanne dare" Truth Dexter is
one of the few books published in 1901
that continue to be in considerable de-
mand, being at the present time in its
eighty-second thousand. The publish
ers of Truth Dexter continue to
maintain a strict silence regarding the
identity of Sidney Mccall, who has
since written THE Breath of the
Gods" although an authoritative state
ment viii doubtless be made in the fall
when a third book from the same pen
will appear.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

Fenno & Co, of New York. seem to
think they have the book that will
prove to be the best seller in the fall.
From the title of the book. 1.-The
Court of Plate it would appear that
their expectations are well based. It
IS a well known fact among publishers
that the auG~Dr who has the ability to
base his romance in such an interest
ing time and place as Jerusalem while
Christ was on earth has success al
most assured from the start. Nearly
all important periods in history have
been covered in romance, vet this, the
most interesting OF them all, remains
practically unteuchedzmore the Won
der. Authors seem to be afraid. "The
Court of PLATE" is by Roe r. Hobbs.
a magazine writer OF considerable
prominence, and his book will be
awaited by a great many people who
know his absolute fearlessness IN deal
ing with his subjects.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

Il 4ook closely at our next picture, my
son. You see three men with angelic
countenances and angels wings begin-
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

shut up. He has arrived nome TO nnd
gas pill awaiting him, and he is
chuekling and smiling as he thinks how
he will upset the gas office. Poor man!
Little does he know what is before
him"
rs something going to happen to
him.
,.sure. Mike. The gas office people
won't be three minutes satisfying him
that their meters never lie. and that he
hasn't been out of town one day in the
| last five years"
! AMI he viii paw"
He will He will not only fork ever
the amount, but be much obliged that
they didn't make it $12 while they were
about it."
do you see the boy crying as he
walks home ?''
Yes I see him. -
AN that other boy is calling after
him and making him feel still worse
That is very wrong. Have they been
quarreling about the broken kite see
on the ground2"
"Oh. no. It was the fault of neither
that tie kite was broken. The boy
who stands by the fence happened to
casually remark that his father was the
It because he was member of the
state legislature. The one who walks
homeward then casually replied that his
father was the It because he was the
president of a railroad.
And then they disputed?"
yes. The son of the legislator con-
! tended that his father made the laws,
/ and the son of the railroad president
contended that the railroads carried the
| LEGISLATORS around in their hind pockets
and the feelings of the former were
hurt He is going home TO- ask his
/ father to decide the question"
And what will his father say?
[ seHe will get a bit red in the face and
reply that it IS his busy day"
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

In view OF the hue and cry now be-
ing raised for proper food Inspection.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

Thomas Hardy may be seen almost
daily at his country place in Dor
chester, England. walking slowly up
and down the garden, like a man pre-
rnatureIy aged. his hands behind his
back, and his head usually bent in
meditation. The whole face is finely
chiselled. but it is the forehead which
stands out paramount IN conversa-
ton the sad eyes light up. but he
conscious of his own cleverness. IN
his own opinion, the work of his
which win live the longest is Jude
the Obscure but he believes that his
greatest book is yet to come He lives
very simply and quietly enjoying na-
ture, and writing. or late he has
turned his attention to poetry.
In view OF the hue and cry now be-
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

esqueness blending the whole, believe
it to be much the best OF all his
works" The eight chapters of Denis
Duvai" show a power almost as great
as that animating ''Esmond" Would
that the story could have been com
pleted with its foreshadowed episodes
of the French Revolution.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

? a LITTLE book. light as a bubble
~ and easily read at a sitting,
comes from Miss Alice Brown,
~ which will inveigle the reader
~ by its title, and capture him
ln- its futeresf and attractive
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

- u A@ee1--g eA-g 4AA7tot Ae%AAt AAee1
Just been unveiled in front of Trinity
college, Dublin On this occasion
Lord Baltimore announced as a fact
not generally known that Lord Sails
bury had pressed upon Lecky the ac-
ceptance of the regius professorshfp of
history at Oxford The archbishop of
Armagh celebrated the unveiling by
publishing a poem containing these
well meaning but curiously unpoetic
lines;
Champion of Reason: twas high JOY
for him
To watch its eager dawning not in
vain,
First whitening on thoughts window
long time dim
Till all the morning flushed from
every pane.
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

What is the man reading and why
does he laugh as he reads?"
The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23

A Liverpool bookseller has at hand
fine set. extra-i1lustrated, Of Forster's
"Life" of the novelist and the Letters
Of Dickens" edited by his daughter
and sister-in-law. The six volumes are
extended to twelve and contain two
autograph letters.