davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

South. After awhile he came to n cross
road, and here he met a number Of farm
ers sons. mostly about his own age. who
had been too young to fight when the
DlItong and his mea5e four and at last
they came to n little lager in the hills.
where nearly 200 men were crOuching
In the rocks. watching the campfire of
the Englishmen below them.
They were under 4 brave leader. called
De Wet, who had been n butcher in
BlOemfontein before the war. The Eng
fish had tried many times to catch him,
but be always got away. Then the Eng
hsh built great blockhouses all along the
roads, which they connected with barbed
wire, and they sent out different columns
TO surround him. Once he was nearly
caught, but De Wet gathered his eat
tie in the night and drove them against
the wires and broke them, following with
his men, SO that only a few were cap
tured- StePhanus followed him for nearly
three months, but although the English
chased him for days and days they could
never catch him.
At last, however, two different columns
Of English soldiers cornercd the com
mando among Il range of hills. and they
were forced to fight. half mile to the
right they bad set up a dummy srun ~
wood. and they laughed to see the big
shells of the Englishmen knocking the
rocks to pieces all around it, while they
themselves lay snugly in their trenches.
waiting for the opportunity to steal awav
Mt night Presently, however, the Eng
ilsh seemed to discover the trick, for
they ceased to fire at the dummy gun, and
now the Beers heard the great shells
come shrieking over their own heads,
tearing up the ground and covering the
rocks with yellow smoke, which suffo-
Gated all those who breathed it. Now,
Stephanus was very much afraid, espe-
cially as he covered among the rocks
ana heard the bullets singing and whist
ling through the air, but he did not show
that he was n aid, for fear that his
friends might laugh at him.
All at once a great shell came plump
into the middle of them and the rocks
few straight up into the air with the
force of an explosion For while Ste
phanus did not know where he was. Then
he opened his eyes again and found that
he was lying with a number of dead
and wounded men, and the rocks were
covered with splashes of yellow poison
from the she'll He saw his comrades
running toward their horses and he heard
some of them call to him, but it all
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06
Stephanus Paulus Jouber B B9; story Emanuel g Boy Hero

This is the story Of a iift Boer boy.
and 10 Is the story Of thousands Lore
and in no way remarkable
His name was Stephanus Paulus Jou-
bert The frst two names were given
him because they were in the Bible. and
the last came to him fro his great
grandfather, who had been driven out of
France by the French King Louis XIV
because he was n Protestant and had set
tied ln South Africa. Stephanus lived for
the first I'VE yea p his life IN the Cape
Colony. One day surveyors came along
and began to lay out township near the
farm. Afterward there came wagons full
Of bricks and storekeepers came with
goods, and they began to lay lines for
the steam carriages. When his father
saw these things he said TO his WIFE
''Jacomina. hier kom de Engelsmans. Lat
ons nu trek" So they packed all their
goods into the big. canvas-covered OK
wagon inspanned the 70 oxen. took their
cattle and sheep and trekked away north
ward TIL they had left the Englishman
far behind. After abolt two months
seeing that the oxen were thin. his father
stopped beside a stream and said,
''Jacomina. laat ons nu uitspan." So they
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06
The Evolution of the Horse

All children love that noble animal. the
horse. But l wonder how many of them
know from what sort of little animal
yes, little, and emphasize the adjective,
toO-be evolved from.
AS we trace. step by step. the horses
descent. by the marked peculiarities Of
teeth and feet. we find that he came from
a line Of ancestors so unlike the present
development that they would suggest
nothing of the horse that we know. His
first ancestor was strangely similar to
the contemporary ancestors OF the tapirs
and rhinoceroses. which proves still fur
Their the theory that all modern quadru-
peds have diverged from one type.
Now, here is a fact which quite aston
ishes us-the earliest known ancestor of
our horse was no larger than the domes-
tic cat and 1t had four toes on each
front foot and three on each hind foot.
The horses ancestors changed gradually
as conditions changed about them. AS
the continents rose higher and higher
above the sea level, and other Influences
brought about change in elimate-w which
became colder and dryer-the forests
gave place to broadening, grassy plains
which had effect upon the forest ami
mails. A a former period of the world 8
history. about the end of the Age Of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

while the women loaded their guns for
them. until thousands of zulus lay dead
outside the lager.
He had learned all about the English.
too. who had taken away the slaves. and
how six rebel Beers had been hanged at
Siaughters Mex in his grandfather's time.
when the ropes broke. and the soldiers
sent for new cords and hanged them
again. Then Of the War of Independence,
when the rooibatjes. as the English we're
called. had been shot down at Langs Mex
and Ingogo; and how General SHUTS, with
n handful Of volunteers. of whom his Ia
Their had been one, scaled the PERCEPTIONS
Amajuba Mountain in the dark and seat
tered the kedcoats like herd Of ante
lope and won hack the Independence of
the land So it was no wonder that he
grew up to hate the Englishmen But
when the English hunters rode up to the
farm his father welcomed them and gave
them coffee seven times n day. and
showed them where were the zebras and
the buffalo and the big antelope for the
sake Of the freemasonry of the hunters
craft
When stephanus was - the rumor
spread through the land that the Eng
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

Il think as brother does agreed
Oracle i don't Ike living in the coun-
try"
''An right" answered their mother,
well talk it over with papa this evening
during supper"
And so they did, the plan developing
to send the twins to school in town for
the remainder of the winter But at first
their father shook his head and said:
What, give up my little man and
woman? Why, home would be almost IN
bearable without them. It would be like
q day without sunshine"
But 1t would be for the rest of the
winter only" urged Bert. ''As soon as
school is out in the spring here we would
be again with lot of city education"
But there is plenty of time for city
schooling after while" argued papa. And
he put down his knife and fork why,
1t takes my appetite to think Of coming
in and finding no little, troublesome
twins here to make me happy"
"Oh. you would see US every week, -
explained Oracle. You and mamma
would come to town every Saturday, you
know"
And we'd come home for Thanksgiving
and Christmas" promised Bert.
''All right" consented papa, rather du-
biously; but mamma looked at him so
reassuringly that the cloud passed from
his brow. Wen let Bert and Oracle go
and stay in town till they express desire
TO come nome dSIius she SAAGs quietly
So the plan was settled.
Early the next morning, which was Sat
urday, the twins, in company with their
parents. started to town. In the back
of the spring wagon were their little
trunks containing school books and cloth
ing SO no more country school for Bert
and Oracle that wi1terl They were to
become city master and maid and learn
to conduct themselves accordingly. No
more carrying OF dinners to school IN a
tin dinner pail No more long walks over
the country roads on frosty mornings.
No more Of anything that smaeked of
rural surroundings. So thought Bert and
Oracle as they rode along towards the
mecca of their hopes.
On reaching town Mr.. TompkIns drove
at once to the home OF his friend. Judge
Grey They were welcomed warmly by
the Judge and his wife, who gladly made
room In their house for Bert and Oracle.
After the business Of the IIdren's
board and schooling vas arranged Mr..
and Mrs Tompkins kissed the happy
twins good-by and departed for their
home. promising to come again IN two
weeks. Two weeksi" And Bert smiled
when his mother said 1t would seem
like a year. And Gracie smiled bit
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

also, remarking: ooh. mamma dear. two
weeks in town will fy by. We won't get
lonely or homesick.r
All afternoon the twins busted them
selves getting settled in their new Ouar-
tiers. At 5 O'Clock Oracle, her room In
perfect order, sat down to write to her
mother. After all, It seemed lons
time since she had seen her. When
Bert learned what Oracle was doing he
laughed and asked: what can you have
10 tell mamma so soon7 why, she left
US only an hour or so ago."
An hour or SO agoi But to Oracle. 70
was a mothers girl, 1t really seemed
whole day. oh" she replied, 9TH write
her how lovely my room is" Then she
looked at the clock and continued to
speak: why. brother. it's chore time
at home. Mamma Is looking aIUer the
cream and milk pans" Then poor Oracle
sighed In spite of her effort not to.
q guess Dave will finish stacking the
fodder this afternoon ventured 1t, his
mind also flying home.
at seems most like a jail-this being
In town. said Oracle, looking from the
window. Just see how the people hurry
along without ever speaking to each
other. The street seems full Of strang-
ers.''
Then both Bert and Oracle sat silent.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

Oracle and Bert Tompkfns we're twin
sister and brother. They lived IN the coun-
try, far, far from any town or city
very few times they had gone with their
parents to see the sights of the nearest
town, which was half a days Journey
from. their home. But these occasional
visits had had a bad effect on the emil
dren. inasmueh as they were made dlssat-
ished with their rural surroundings ana
iouged TO live in the busy center or that
part of the country.
one day. as they were playing about
big hay stack near the barnyard. Bert, De
coming weary OF the sport. lay down on
the loose hay that Uttered the ground anu
began to build air castles.
aSav." be called out to Oracle. don't
YOU wish we were living in town haIs
This quiet country life I'd Ike. ABOVE al
things. to go to town to school, II only
for one winter
.Ob so : ould - cried Oracle. see,
tbsre are wagons going to town now Wish
We we're riding along in one OF then-
And Oracle looked longingiy aIter seFeIai
farm vehicles that were vending Slowly
oT-ar the section road towards the place
- +hair desire Il wonder" she continued,
..wbv it has never occurred to papa ana
mamma to send US to town to sehoolf A
great many people do send their cnHdren
there you know. We could boaro-and
have the loveliest time I'd rather De d
town girl and wear hat to school than
to be a country girl and wear sunoon-
net"
tsS'pose we ask mamma and papa to take
us to town for the remainder or the VIII
ter suggested Bert. There's Judge Grey,
who is one of papa's best friends. He
would take US to his home to board, I'm
quite sure"
And Judge Grey hasn't any children q
his own" said Oracle. Maybe ne would
like having US for while. Mamma says
Mrs. Grey is so quiet and digniied; per
haps if she had a pair of noisy twins ike
US to manage it would put more life In
her"
well, so my little birds would fly away
from their own nest to liven up that of
others, would they? ?" asked voice near
by; and Bert and Oracle looked up to see
their mother standing near them. She
had been listening to the childrens con
versation. Sitting down on the hay beside
the little ones she put her arms about
them and said: Come, tell mamma what
you would do"
Wed like to go TO school in town, .
explained Bert. 1T would be so nice to
ger away from the farm while We wish
to be like the town boys and girls
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

seemed like a dream. and he felt sleepy
and comfortable and had no desire to
move or answer them. So he lay still.
listening to the roar of the big guns and
the crashing of the shells, and presently
he fell asleep.
When he opened his eyes again he was
surprised to see that he was lying upon
The grass little distance from the white
tents of the EnSlishmen. lie was wrap
ped In q blanket, and close by him were
q number of other blankets, each of
which contained the body of a Boer who
had been killed by the explosion. Not
far away from him were men with spades
and when Stephanus realized what had
occurred he felt very serious and tried
to draw cut his Bible from inside his
coat; but he could not move his arm.
because il had been injured by a piece
Of the she'll
Then somebody who had seen him move
came up, and soon Stephanus was sur
rounded by a circle of men in yellow
jackets, whom he knew to be English
soldiers. Out from among them stepped
q big man with two stars upon either
shoulder and Z short, red beard. He put
his arms round him and lifted him from
the ground, and Stephanus, thinking that
he was TO be killed, kicked the big man
upon the shin, so that he dropped
him and said Wow And everybody
laughed
Then the big man looked severe and
said to StephanuS; My boy, where are
the headquarters of your commander"
Stephanus lay silent and pretended not
to understand what the big man had
said, although in reality he understood
English quite well, because 1t is so ike
the Boer speech that everyone who is
not as stupid as an Englishman cannot
help understanding it the minute that
he hears it spoken.
Then another man came up. Stephanus
hated him the moment that he set eyes
on him, for he could see by his appear
ance that he was one of those renegade
Beers who were traitors to their coun-
try and had Joined the Englishmen. So
when This man repeated the English Of
feer's question in the Boer speech it made
Stephanus so mad that he replied: Il
shall not tell you"
Then the big Englishman looked still
more severe. and said to Stephanus. DO
you understand the consequences Of your
rcfusaI2'' Stephanus, forgetting thai he
had pretended not to understand Eng
lish, answered: Il don't care
Thereupon the big Englishman. with a
ferocious scowl, took out pistol from
his belt, loaded it, cooked It. and pointed
IL at his head and said
IF yon do not answer me you will be
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

"a whisper is something said with your
weentsy- teentsy voice. Hardly anybody
except a school teacher, can hear a whIs-
per. But teacher can mostly always
hear onei Sometimes. when you whisper
so little that you can't even hear II your
own self. the teacher hears It. and you
get wolioped for it
"A whisper Is the same thing beside a
big loud word that asleep Is beside awake.
or night Is beside day, or Ike the moon
beside the sun; it looks Ike thirty cents.
Secrets are always told in whispers.
But the next day the person who heard
the secret tells 1t TO everybody what
oughtn't to hear It In q loud voice
That's the strongest evidence against
whisper.
Nobody what Is mad at you ever tells
II In whispers. A whisper Is the private
property OF friends. But there's an ex-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

outspauned and unpacked their goods and
built a square house of logs and mud and
sowed maize and Kadir corn and settled
there
After awhile some other families Of
Beers came into the district having also
trekked from the encroaching Euglishmen.
Everybody was glad to meet, partly be-
cause all BOer people are related to one
another. and partly because they settle
some miles apart and do not intrude upon
one anOther's privacy. Then traders visit
ed them and purchased their wool and
ostrich feathers. so that they soon became
prosperous. But the father of Stephanus
always gave a 1.-THE of his possessions to
the predikant who travelled from farm to
farm In order to hold the services on Sun
days.
Stephanus did not have much education.
The predlkant taught him to write, and
he learned to read from the Bible. Once
he was sent to school to an Englishman;
but he was told that the world was
round. which seemed contra dfctory to the
Scriptures. Stephanus did not say any
thing, but he thought it over for a week
and then saddled his horse and rode back
home again.
But his head was packed with real
knowledge Of essential things. He could
talk 80 well in three different dialects of
Kahir. even including the clicks which
You make with your tongue In speaking.
that If he entered r kraal at night time
he was taken for a native boy He had
shot two lions, which came down upon his
herds, he could outrun the zebra for
short distance, and he could put q hole
through an empty meat can al 300 yards
he knew all the traditions of his country
how the first settlers had been treacher-
ously murdered by the Zulus on Dingaan's
Day, and the avengers. forming their
wagons into a square. had broken the at
tack OF the ferOcious savages, firing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

fish and Beers were going to war again
Nobody knew exactly why because these
people were D0pper Beers who sang
psalms instead of hymns and cut their
hair in the form of plate, and lived in
q remote corner of the land. away from
the railways and the newspapers; but
they asked the predikant. and he said
that IT was all on account of two men
called Ballot and Franchise, whom their
Old president had refused to deliver up
to the English al the demand of Cham
beraln. As they had great confidence
in the old president, who had been IA
nous as q hunter In former days, every
one was sure that the war was just So
after awhile the father of Stephanus sad
died his horse. hung a large bag of mealie
-four upon his saddle, filled both his
pockets with sticks of dried meat called
biltong, took his new rife and his bando-
her and rode away.
Nothing more was heard Of him for
nearly two years, but sometimes reports
would come that the English were be
ing driven into the sea, and so they all
prayed to God and hoped that it would
soon be over and that the Beers would
once more possess the whole of the
land. At last g Kafir brought inteIIi-
gence that a new army of rooibatjes,
thicker than locusts. had come up from
the coast, occupied the capital and driven
the BOer cammandos northward b, re
them. Soon afterward it was reported
that the father Of Stephanus had been
killed.
When Jacomina heard Of this she
brought her son the Basuto pony, which
could tread safely over the toughest
ground, and he took his fathers old rife
and the cartridges and the bandolier and
the Bible and the biltong and the maize
-four, not forgetting to put two boxes
of matches into the pockets of his trou-
sers, and he said good-by and rode away
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06
(z.s 4 D - = T7 AndH They FOundOuf
VI d~lC 1lIu DCIt III AOWIl Country

over to Berr.s door and listened TO hear
II he were awake. She could hear hin
moving about IN his room. as though ne
were busfly engaged In some work She
tapped gently on the door. which Bert
slowly and cautiously opened. In the
center Of the room stood his open rrunk.
with his clothing and books piled near
preparatory to packing. What you
want?" asked Bert. holding the door
slightly ajar-
4 want to go homes And Into his
room darted Oracle. bursting into tears
and burYinR her face in enc bed covers
We'll don't be silly" said Bert. IF
you wish very much to go I may dad
some one N town from out our way. to
pack up your things"
They're already packed" sobbed
Oracle. drying her eyes. what are you
packing for7 Do you wish to go home.
tOoq
"wen." slyIy grinned Bert. does ii
strike you that a fellow would pack his
buds If he wasn't going anywhereP'
Mrs. Tompkins was Just putting the
Sunday dinner on the table when the
sound of wheels In the yard attracted
her notice. why, papa, who do you sup
pose has Gomez" she asked, turning to
Mr. TOmpkins who sat BY the window
reading his weekly paper. But before
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

Mr. Tompkins could get to the front door
to look out. in rushed an excited pair OF
twins. who gave a leap, landing IN bis
arms.
Tonpkins. kissing each twin on the
cheek. What does this mean?'
THAT town isn't to our liking" ex-
planned Bert. just a wee bit embarrassed.
but say, papa, I took the liberty to hire
a man to bring US home. Our trunks
are out there in his wagon. We thought
it over and decided we can learn a
whole lot at our district school for a few
years yet And Gracie-well, she was
sO-homesick, you know"
You would better make your own
excuses" retOrted Oracle, turning on
Bert. You were packing to come be-
fore you knew / had done the same thing
well, WE'LL" declared Mr.. Tompkins.
this Is the happiest day I've had since
since"
"since our Jewels left US yesterday"
said Mrs. Tompkins. s'But-the dinner
will spoil; I must set extra plates for
our visitors And, papa, have the driver.
who brought our little man and woman
home. stop for dinner
'Is there enough for alp asked Bert.
smiling his nose In the kitchen. I'm
about starved for our old home cooking.
Town meals don't seem to agree With me
somehow
Plenty. and some to spare declared
Mrs TompkIns. 1.-THE truth Is just felt
that there would be company today for
dinner, and / put visitors names IN the
at is my prayer being answered. con
hded Oracle, her arm about her mothers
And we don't wish to go to town to
said Bert. 1--WE are we'll enough on
as we are. I'd rather live IN the country
jail-to anyone who has been used to
better things
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-06

eeption to this rGle. When you are show
Ing on before company who are at yonr
house your ma comes and whispers to
you on the sly that she'll attend to your
case after you have got in bed: or, maybe.
your papa whispers for you to leave the
room at once or sooner. These kind Of
whispers are called signal whispers. Sig
nal whispers never tickle the ear as It re-
ceives them
A good, kind whisper is one that comea
from your chum, telling you there's ~
be a baseball game on Saturday afternoon
out at the edge OF town, and that ron
can go out along with him and Iav on
your stummick and peep under the fence
Another whisper that / Ike is when an.
cso1sa SHu4 Whispers ana tells you to
5fta oere- ' +, Dsnllu the Darn ana get a
AFTER ali, though, q whisper AIM Ifks
notnlng else In the English Language