davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

Dear Old Santa want you to bring
me, some blocks and an auto. fir'
engine, a milk wagon and a train
Bring sister and mother something.
am a little boy eight years old.
Your little boy,
ALBERT LEACH
Dear Santa Claus-Please bring me
a doll, stove, buggy and a piano
some oranges. figs, nuts, raisins and
apples. | go TO school every day.
Miss Mary Blackburn is my teacher.
am nine years old. live on the Mt.
Pleasant pike, so don't forget to come
around. Your little friend,
PEARI4IE FOSTER.
My Dear Santa Claus want you
to bring me big doll. little chair,
candy, apples, bananas. nuts of all
kinds. oranges, fire works, raisins.
Please don't forget my little sisters;
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

Dear Santa Claus am a good lit
tie girl years old. / 30 TO Sunday
school every Sunday and Uncle Harry
is my teacher. Please bring me a doll
and doll buggy and set of dishes
and some oranges, candy and cakes,
and remember little brother and bring
him rubber doll and rattler Well
l believe that is all. Don't forget papa
and mama. Good bye, dear Santa.
Your little girl,
LILLE MAI DAVIS.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

My Dear Old Santa Claus-As l
have lived in Texas two years, I
thought / would write and tell you to
bring me a big doll, doll buggy and
some candy. nuts of all kinds, oranges,
apples. &c, try TO be good girl
Please bring me some fire works. !
live in Texas. Please bring me some
toys. CELIA GIBSON.
Midlothian, Texas.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

Dear Santa Claus-I want doll
and doll buggy and bed for her
to sleep in. ! try to be good / want
some candy and some good things to
eat. Do not forget my little brothers
and sister. ! am eight years old. MY.
name is LORELLE SCOTTEN.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

Dear Santa Claus--I am a little girl
eleven years old. want you to bring
me little stove and some apples, or.
anges and some candy. have a lit
tie brother. ] want you to bring him
something. ! want you to bring me
a story book Good bye, Santa Claus.
LOU WILLIE JOHNSTON.
Mt Pleasant, Tenn. Il
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

My Dear Santa Claus-Please bring,
me set of carpenters tools and a
nice little rocking char, and lots of
fire works, for / am large enough this
year to shoot them. Bring anything
else, Santa, that you think would
suit little boy years old
! am your little boy,
MALLOY SHAW
p. S.-Hurry. Santa, Hurry!
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21
LETTERS TO SANTA CLAUS

they want some candy and n6ts. Bring
my little baby sister a rubber doll and
RATHER Bye Bye,
LENA MAI GIBSON.
Please don't forget mama and papa.
They want something. too. Don't for
get my little neice, Pauline r.
Sealed with kiss to old Santa.
Don't forget Maud.
Midlothian, Texas.
Dear Santa CIaus--You have given
me so many things, but want some
more. | want a necklace and a pref
ty chair for me to sit in, and a tri-
cycle, but if that is too much you can
leave off some. Good bye Dear Santa,
ELLEN DOUGLAS EVERETT.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

Dear Santa Claus-I am little girl
eight years old. want you to please
bring me doll and doll bed. stove
and vessels, apples. oranges, bananas,
candy raisins and don't forget my
little twin brothers, Powell and Dow
ell. Bring them something nice.
Your little friend,
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

se7 Gould street Hillsboro, Texas.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

My Dear Santa Claus have tried
to be a seod little girl since last
Xmas and | want you to please bring
me big doll dressed in blue and
some good things to eat.
Your little girl,
EUGENIA JACKSON,
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-12-21

P. S.-Hurry. Santa, Hurry!
The Washington times., 1906-12-23
GARDEN

81 hlie ue was wondering Bill Cham
bers passed. lie always did pass
Georges 'ouse about that time in the
evening. =: being on IS way ONE,
and he saw George standing at is
gate with a letter in is and looking
very puzzled.
% Evenin'.' ses George.
Not bad news. l 'ope?' ses Bill.
noticing Is manner, and thinking It
was strange.
No ses George. I've just 'ad a
very eggstrordinary letter from Aus
tralia, he ses, that's all
'Bill Chambers was always a very
inquisitive sort O man, and he stayed
and talked TO George until George.
arter fust making him swear oaths
that e wouldn't tell a soul, took i'm
inside and showed i'm the letter.
1T was more like q story book than
a letter. Georges mate, John Biggs
by name. wrote TO say that an uncle OF
his who had just died, on is deathbed
told him that thirty years ago he 'sd
been in this very village, staying at
this ere very CaulIhower. whose beer
we're drinking now. In the night
when everybody was asleep. he got up
OF 5l7 sovereigns and ! half sovereign
in one OF the cottage gardens till e
could come for il agin. He didn't say
'Ow he come by the money, and. when
Biu spoke about that. George English
said that, knowing the man. he was
afraid e 'adn't come by it honest. but
anyway his friend John Bisgs wanted
IT, ana. Wot was more. 'ad asked i'm
in the letter to get it for i'm,
" And wot I'm to do about 1T. Sill
he ses. I don't. know. All the 5irec-
uous he gives is. that e thinks BE- was
the tenth cottage on the rlght-'and
side OF the road, coming down from
the Caulifiower He thinks it's the
tenth. but 'e's not quite sure. Do you
think Ia better make Il known and
offer a reward OF 10 shillings. say, to
anyone who finds 81?
&c No ses Bill. shaking is cad. I
should hold on a bit II I was you. and
think 1t over. I shouldn't tell another
single soul. Il was you
Il. believe you'e right ses George.
John Biggs would never forgive me If
/ lost that money for i'm, YOu'u re-
member about keeping It secret. Bnl?'
Bill swore he wouldn't tell a soul.
and a went of ONE and 'ad his sup
per and then e walked up the road
20 the Caulifiower and back, and then
Up and back again. thinking over what
George 'ad been telling I'm. and no
ticinE what e d never taken the trou-
BILE 10 notice before. that is very
house was the tenth one from the
CauIhowcr.
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

didn't stay long enough TO say much
When Joe Gubbins started digging
up is garden people began 70 think
they were bewitched. and / went round
10 see Henery Walker TO tell i'm wor
fine chance ed got, and TO remind
i'm that I'd put another ninepence on
i'm ths night before All e said was,
More fool YOU and went on digging
a ole In his garden big enough TO put
'ouse IN,
In fOrtnights time there wasn't 1
a garden worth looking at IN the
place. and it was quite clear there'd d
be no Flower Show that year. and 0f
all the silly. bad-tempered men in the
place them as ad dug up their pretty
gardens was the wust.
1T was just a few days before the
day fixed for the Flower Show, and
1 was walking up the road when ! see
Joe and Henery " Walker and one or
Two more leaning over Bob Pretty's
fence and talking 20 i'm. l stopped,
too. 10 see what they were looking at,
and found they was watching Bob's
two boys a-weeding Of Is garden.
II was a disgraceful. untidy sort of
place. as l said before. with 4 few
marigolds and nasturtiums. and sieh-
like put in anywhere, and Bob was
walking up and down smoking OF IS
pipe and watching is wife hoe atween
the plants and cut off dead marigold
blooms
" That's a pretty garden you've got
there, Bob ses Joe. griuning.
q" I've seen wuss. ses Bob.
" Going in for the Flower Show,
Bob ses Henery, with a wink at US.
20 course / am, ses Bob 'olding
is cad up; my marigolds ought To
pull me through, he ses.
"Henery wouldn't believe it at first,
but when he saw Bob show is missus
'ow TO pat the path down with the
back o. the spade ard hold the nails
for er while she nailed a climbing
nasturtium to the fence. he went off
and fetched Bill Chambers and one or
two others. and they all leaned over
the fence breathing their 'ardest and'
a-saying of all the nasty things to Bob
they could think of.
It's the best-kep' garden in the
place ses Bob. ! amt afraid o your
new way o. cultivating flowers Bill
Chambers OId-fashioned ways suit
me best; 7 learnt 'ow to grow flowers
from my father
" You amt ad the cheek to give
your name in, Bob? ses Sam Jones,
staring
Bob didn't answer i'm. Pick those
bits o. grass out O. the path. old gal,
he ses to is wife: they look untidy.
and untidiness I cant abear.
He walked up and down smoking
is pipe and pretending not TO notice
Henery Walker. wot 'ad moved farther
along the fence, and was staring at
some drabble-tailed-loOi1ing gerani-
ums as If ed seen 'erl afore but
wasn't quite sure where
'' 'Admiring my geranitans. HeneryY
ses Bob. al last.
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

unfortunit man; he's got the name
for it. He was just 'aving another
drink as Bill said that. and this time
We al thought ed gorn. He did
hisself
Mrs PaWlett and the psTsOn came
ONE next day. an er voice got that
squeaky with surprise il was painful
10 listen TO her Ali the chaps stuck
to the tale that they'd dug their gar
den mp to give the others n chance
and Henery Walker. e went further
and said il was owing TO sermon on
uuselfshness wot the curate 'ad
preached three weeks afore. He adj
"A nice little red-covered 'ymn book
the next day with From friend
wrote in it,
"AH things considered. Mrs Pawlett
was for doing away with the Flower
show that year and giving two prizes
next year instead. but one or two
other chaps, encouraged by Bob's eX-
ample, sd given in their names too,
and they said IL wouldn't be fair 20
their wives. All the gardens but one
was worse than Bob's. they not having
started till later than wot did. and
not being able 10 get their geraniums
den was Ralph Thomson's. who lived
next door to i'm. but two nights afore
the Flower Show is pig got walking IN
its sleep. Ralph said IL was a mys-
Jery 10 i'm 'ow the pig could ma got
out. it must ha' put It's foot through a
hole too small for II. and turned the
button OF its door. and then climbed
over a four-foot fence. He told Bob
2 wished the pig could speak, but Bob
said that that was sinful and un-
chl stian OF i'm. and that most likely
II il could, IL would only call I'm a
lot o. bad names. and ask i'm why he
didn't feed It properly
There was quite a crowd on Flower
SHOW day following the judges. First
OF all. TO Bill Chambers establishment
and surprise. they went TO 5 place and
stood on the caps I'm is garden tudg-
ing en-, while Bill peeped AT en-
through the Kitchen winder 'arf-erszy-
They went To every garden in the
place. until one OF the young ladies
SOt yired OF il. and asked Mrs. PawletJ
whether they was there TO judge cot
tage gardens or earthquakes.
Everybody ed their brsaths that
evening in the school room when Mrs
Pawlett got mp on the platform 2 ID
took a slip or paper from one of ne
judges. She stood a moment waF az
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

Where'd YOU get emp ses Hen
cry, ardiy able 20 speak
My florists srs Bob. ia a Off
hand manner
Your wotg asks Heuery
Ny florists. sez Bob.
And who might e be when es at
home asked Heuery.
90 'Tain't so IiEs,v I'm going 20 tell
YOU that ses Bob BE reasonable,
Heuery. and ask yourself whether it's
likely ] should tell you Is name
Why. I've never seen sich fine geran-
iums afore. I've been nursing EN-
inside all the summer, and just
planted en- out
About TWO days aTter I threw mine
over my back fence, ses Henery
Walker. speaking very slowly.
'Ho,' ses Bob surprised I didn't
know you 'ad any geraniUms. Henery.
1 thought You was digging for gravel
this year
"Henery didn't answer i'm. Not be
cause e din't want 70, mind you, but
because he couldn't.
That one ses Bob, pointing al
broken geranium with the stem is
pipe is a Dock a. Wellington and
that white one there is wot I'm going
10 call '-Pretty's Pride" That hEe
marigold over there, wot looks like a
sunfower, is called Golden Dreams
' Come along, Henery.' ses Bill
Chambers. bursting, come and get
something to take the taste out OF
your mouth
I'm sorry I can't offer you a how-
er for your button-'ole,' ses Bob, per
Iitely. but it's getting so near the
Flower Show now , can't afford il.
II you chaps only kr Nv WOt pleasure
was to be 'ad sitting among your in
nocent flowers, YOU wouldn't want to
go to the pubIic-hous- so often
He shook s cad at EN-, and telling
his wife TO give the Dook o. yelling
ton mug of water, sat down in the
chair agin and wipec n sweat off IS
brow.
"Bm Chambers did bit O. thinking
as they walked up the road, and by
and by e turns to Joe Gubbins an e
ses
Seen anything O. George English
late. Joe?'
Yes. ses Joe
Seems to me we all ave ses Sam
Jones
None of 'em liked 20 say wot was
in their minds. 'aving all seen George
English and swore pretty strong not
to tell his secret. and none OF 'Sm lik-
ing to own up that they'd been digging
mp their gardens to get money as ed
told EN- about. But presently Bill
Chambers ses:
Without telling no secrets or
breaking no promises. Joe. supposing
"a certain 'ouse was mentioned in a
certain letter from fOrrin parts. wot
'ouse was it,
'SuDposing it was SO. Joe. careful
too, the second 'ouse counting from
tine Caulifiower.
-' The ninth ous' YOU mean ses
Henery Walker. shI.oly.
go Second 'ouse i'm Mil Lane. YOU
ue1n ses sam Jones, wot lived there,
"Then they all see 'ow they'd been
dofe and that they wasn't in a man
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

for silence. ana then 'eld Up her and
10 stop what She thought was clapplnE
at the back but which was two or
three wimmen who ad al 70 taks
their crying hlhies out trying TO quiet
EN- in the porch. Then Mrs. Pawlett
put 'er glasses on her nose and Just
read out. shert and sweet. that the
prize OF three sovereigns and a metal
TEAPOT for the bost-kenf cottage gar
den 'ad been won bv Mr.. ROberf
Pretty
One or two people patted Bob on ti,
back as r. walked Up the middle II
take the prize; then one or two more
did. and Bill Chambers pat was the
earliest Of 'em all. Bob stopped and
spoke 10 'im about IT,.
-'Yo1 would 'arIlv think that Bob
nd have the cheek tu stand up there
and make a speech. but e G!d He
said it gave 'in great pleasure 10 take
the teaTnt and the money. ard the
more pleasure because 'e felt that a
had earned EN-. He said that il e toll
EN- all ed done 90 make sure o. the
prize they'd be surprised. He said that
ed been Ike Ralph Thoms0n's mig
up early and late.
44r S+c1tA up Ei4Fie lathl-l4 a. lllGLasH
2 was never going 10 leave Ofe. and
said that p hoped as 'Is example
would be Of benefit 10 is neighbors.
Some Of 'em seemed 20 think that dig
ging WAS everything, but p could ssy
with pride that = adult put a spade 10
is garden for three years untH a week
ago and then not ul5==Hs.
He finished is remarks bv SAYING
that e was going to give a tea-party
up at the CaulifioWer 10 chrisren tire
teapl {. where ed be pleased TO wei
come all friends. Quite a crowd Eot
up end followed I'm out then. instead
O. waiting for the diss0lyiug views
ana came back arr an hour arier
wards. saying that until they got
as far as the CauIihnWer t.ey-d 45
idea as Bob was so periIkler who e
mixed with.
That was the last Flower Show We
ever 'ad in ClayDuTy. Mrs PaWIo1t
ard the Judges meeting the tea-par. y
coming ONE. and 'sving 10 get over
a gate into a field 10 let il pass. What
with that and Mrs. PawIett tunbIfne
over something further up the road
which turned out inc teaDGL
smelling strong Of beer. the Flower
snow was given mp. and the uaTs0u
preached three Sundays running an
the sin OF beer drinking 10 children
who'd neve- 'ad any and Wimmen
who couldn't get g."
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

uer o. speaking. referring 10 the same
letter They came up and sat ere
where were sitting nov, all dazed-
ike II wasn't only the chance O.
losing The prize that upset EN-, but
they'd wasted their time and ruined
their gardens and got called mad ny
the other folks Henery Walker s
state o. mind was dreadful for to see,
and he Ssp' thinking of 'orrible things
to say to George English. and then
being afraid they wasn't strong
enough.
While they was talking who should
come along but George English his
Self He came night up to the table,
and they all sat back on the bench
and stared at I'm fierce. and Henery
Walker crinlled is nose at him.
90 Evening, he ses, but none OF EN-
answered i'm; they all looked at
Henery to see wot e was going to
say.
a" "wots up?' ses George. in surprise.
'- Gardens. ses Hene y.
'' 50 I've card ses George.
He shook his cad and looked al
them sorTOwful and severe at the same
time.
50 l card. and 7 couldn't believe
my ears tin / went and looked for
myself. he ses. anu wOt ! want 10
say is this: you know wot I'm refer
ring to. II any man as found wot
don't belong TO him 2 knows who to
give iJ to. II amt wot I should ave
expected OF men wots lived in the
same place as me for years Talk
about honesty e ses, shaking is cad
agin, I should Ike 10 see a little of
Peter Smith opened his mouth 10
speak. and ardly knowing wot e was
doing took a pull at is beer at the
same time. and If Sam Jones 'adn't
been by to thump i'm on the back 1
bIieve he'd ha' died there and then.
'' Mark my words ses George En-
glish. speaking very slow aRd solemn,
'there'H be no blessing on Il Who
ever's made rs fortune getting up and
digging his garden over won't get no
real beneht from il. He may wear a
black coat and new trousers on Sun
day, but e won't be 'eppy. III go and
get my little taste o beer somewhere
else e ses. I can't breathe here
He walked of before anyone could
say a word: Bill Chambers dropped
is pipe and smashed il, Henery Wal
ker sat staring after i'm with is
mouth wide open. and sam Jones, who
was always one to take advantage,
drank is own beer under the firm be
lief that it was Joes
' I shall take care that Mrs. Paw
lett ears o this ses Henery, at last.
And he asked wot you dug your
garden up for ses Joe, and ave to
explain that YOU broke your promise
TO George. Why. she'd talk at us for
years and wears.
And parson 'ud preach a sermon
about it, ses Sam; where's your
sense. Henery?'
we should be the larftng-stocS
for miles round ses Bill Chambers
If anybody wants 10 know. I dug
my garden up 20 enrich the soil for
next year, and also 20 give some
other chap chance OF the prize
Peter Smith as always been a
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

Mrs. Chambers woke up at . clock
next morning and told Bill 10 get up
further. and then found e wasn't
there. She was rather surprised at
first. but she didn't think much OF II,
and thought, what happened 10 be
true, that e was busy in the garden.
Il being a light night. She turned
over and went to sleep again, and at
.. when she woke up she could dis
tinctly ear Bill working Is 'ardest
Then she went 10 the winder and near
" dropped as she saw Bill IN his shirt
and trousers digging away like mad
A quarter of the garden was all dug
up. and she showed open the winder
and screamed out 10 know what e was
doing.
Bill stood up straight and wiped
is face with his shirt-sleeve and start
ed digging again. and then his wife
just put something on and rushed
downstairs as fast as she could so.
What on earth are YOU a-doing
of. BIu?' she screams.
Go indoors ses Bill, still digging.
Have you gone mad?' she ses,
half-crying
"Bm Just stopped TO throw a lump
''- AlADlG at A4NlH anu LAlEL went Oh
digging till Henery Walker, who also
thought e ad gone mad, and didn't
want TO stop i'm too soon, put Is
cad over the edge and asked i'm the
same thing.
Ask no questions and yOu'n ear
no lies, and keep your ugly face your
own side Of the edge ses Bill. Take
it indoors and frighten the children
with he ses I don't want II staring
al me-
..Henery walked of offended, and
Bin went on with his digging. He
wouldn't go 10 work, and q ad his
breakfast In the garden, and his wife
spent an the morning in the front
answering the neighbOrs' questions
and begging of EN- to go in and say
something 10 Bill one of EN- dId go.
and came back "a most directly and
stood there for hours telling diff
people wot Bill 'ad said 10 'er, and
asking whether q couldn't be locked
up for it,
by tea-time Bill was dead-beat.
ana that stiff he could 'ardly raise IS
bread and butter to his mouth. Sew
eral o. the chaps looked in in the even
ing but all they could get out OF i'm
was. that it was a new way O cult
waiting is garden e ad just card Of,
and that those who lived the longest
would see the most BY nighttime
ed nearly finished the job. and is
garden was just ruined.
"Af0re people 'ad done talking about
BIZ. I'm blest If Peter Smith didn't go
and cultivate is garden in exactly the
same way. The Pa-son and is wife
was away On their 'oliday. and nobody
could say a word. The curate who al
come over to take is place for time,
and vino took the names of people for
the Flower Show did point out 10 i'm
that ne was spelling is chances. but
Peter was so rude 10 i'm that he
The Washington times., 1906-12-23
AT LEAST PART o. A BIRD.

Fine feathers may ncs make fine birds.
As we've been told. aud stlll
I hey're pretty sure - just mas cur
words
To make a little bill.
Philadelphia Press.
The Washington times., 1906-12-23
PAY ROLLS OF TEMPLES
DISCOVERED IN NIPPIIR

Ut OF the dust OF ages delivers
sent out by the University Of
Pennsylvania have dug one Of
The Washington times., 1906-12-23

December %. 1906
Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-12-01
PEGASUS, Lambs.

Pegasus Lewellyn Dillon, the prize
footracer of Coney Island, alone in
the great city Of New York. financially
chagrined, and otherwise incapaci
tated for the society OF the -Four
Hundred" took Gseeley's advice and
went westl arl ga8gy g evgg 10
Itqwas beautiful sun-kissed morn
Ing in early July (note the merciful
avoidance OF working June overtime)
| when Pegasus left the Becindered
bumpers at Butcher Knife Creek
Arizs and set oSk to panhandle q
| breakfast. .#e
Two hSuzs lAAev he hit the trail for
! Coolers ranch. As he loped along
In his oid-tfme form the prairie hens
nSw cackiIng frcm hls path, while the
coyotes duckcd to safety In their
earthly dens. But Pegasus, unmindful
of the voices of nature, was coaxing
his stomach to be mesmerized until
he could appease its pangs at Coolers
table.
When that worthy had fed him, a
| bargain was struck and next morning.
as the bel1-wether of Coolers sheep
ambled away over the prairie's breast,
she was followed not only by the
flock, but by Pegasus Lewellyn Dillon
as we'll
For a week Pegasus maintained his
vigil upon the prairie alone with the
sheep, the coyotes and the honey bees.
Then there came a night when the
bell-wether ambled home in the van
of her flock without the great foot.
racer.
Rancher Goober, peering long to-
ward the setting sun for sight Of the
missing herder. corraled the bleaters
and sat down upon the threshold of his
shack to mediate.
He was deep In reverie when a
worn and bedraggled pedestrian, mud
stained and weary, doomed into view
It was Pegasus, but his breath was
labored and he threw himself upon
the grass with that entire ahandoa
which denotes complete exhaustion.
81 - had - had = the CShewl j.
the hardest race Of my-lifel" he
painted, stretching out on the grass
like minkSkin on a drying bQarR. 81
run--Gun EN- in. thought | rih-Asem
In"
Ran what inf' deman9aSl GAaher,
splitting a hood of tobacco ,jtlIee 1t a
tumble-bug m the gtEss. Run what
lAr" ~
"The-lambs!"
"They amt no lambs in my fiock!"
said Goober, doggedIy. What's the
matter of you anyhow, Pegy"
AS Pegasus led him to the corral
door there was a sneer on the west
erner's face.
There are yer id lambs!" ex-
ploded the Splinter pointing waver-
ing finger as he leaned against the
corral for support, There's six of the
fastest running lambs in Arizonie!"
Goober took one look!
Jack rabbits. by Halifax" he
shouted, "Jack rabblts!"
And It was indeed true!