davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

he did, there would soon be no poet"
There's something in that, too" said
the kinget But now. Sir Austed. write
me a sonnet on my new subject. Sir John
Dough-"
The poet sighed and began writing on his
tablets; and presently he read this:
1.-THE Kinglet OF Phreex, 1t is said.
Has a knight made Of stale gingerbread:
We could eat him. but yet
The dyspepsia we'd get
Would soon make us wish we were dead
That" said John, Indignantly. lis rank
libel; and If your majesty will loan me
your scepter I'll make an end of this poet
in seven seconds by the clock"
You have my permission to make mince
meat Of him." replied the kinglet, cheer
fully.
Mercy! mercy, my lord." screamed the
poet, falling upon his knees before John
and hastily wiping the verse off his tablets,
give me one more chance, l beg OF your!
Very WE'LL said the gingerbread knight,
But If it's no better than the last you
shall be discharged. Is it not so, your
majesty?"
quite So" laughed the kinglet.
The poet nervously scrubbed another set
of lines. which he read in a voice that
trembled with fear:
1.-THE Gingerbread Man is so sweet.
To eat him would be rare treat
Hes en t crisp and We'll veil s Pn soo,
That the eggs in him cannot be beat"
That's better, said John, but I'm not
sure about the eggs, as 1 did not pay much
sincere tribute to my excellence Will save
you from my displeasure, and you may go
free"
The poet did not wait an. instant, but ran
from the hall as fast as his legs would
carry him.
The kinglet now dismissed the Failings
who left the royal presence quarreling and
threatening one another and making Sc
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
"John Submitted to Being Dressed in

ArmOr
man, and Immediately resumed his seat
and closed his eyes again.
1.-THE kinglet sighed, and turned anew to
the Failings.
LET me see," he remarked; where
was I?''
You were by your halidom. your mai
esty,' suggested the Blunderer
"Oh, yes Again the long freckled face
took on a frown. by my halidom, churl-''
He stopped to glance at the fat man.
"Churl is all right" mumbled Nebbie
without opening his eyes.
by my halidom, churl, you shall either
swallow my scepter or die the death!'
What death?" asked the Blunderer,
trem bling
1.-THE one that makes people dead re-
varlet-' ("Varlet is good" said -Nebbie,
quickly, to avoid thrush whether to
swallow my scepter or die the death!'
The Blunderer glanced at the scepter the
teweled ball Of which was nearly as large
as hts head.
I'll swallow the scepter," he said.
Good" cried the king, and held it toward
him.
"But not now" added the Blunderer.
hastily. 'I'll take my time about it. You
didn't say when, you know"
The kinglet turned red with rage.
Now, by the royal Juggernaut Of Jowl-"
he began.
IF I should swallow 1t now" continued
the Blunderer, calmly, you would cease to
be a kinglet; for a kinglet without a scepter
Is nothing but flibberjig.
WHAT" shreked his majesty, jabbing
the fat man furiously.
That's right" declared Nebbie, groaning
and rubbing his fat face dolefully. "a
kinglet without scepter Is a fibbertig and
I'll be black and blue by tomorrow morn
ingw , o..ou oon.,,.u
ing the matter. II forbid you Sir Blum
derer to swallow my scepter until I give
you leave"
Then his eye fell upon John Dough and
Chick. who were standing at one side OF
the Failings. and Immediately the little
kinglet looked surprised, and then curious
and then annoyed. But perhaps the an
noyed look was because Chick laughed in
the royal face in a way that was certainly
disrespectful, and even John Dough didn't
look at all humble.
Here you, Chick; behave yourself" COM
manded the kinglet.
II WON'T" said Chick, pouting two pretty
lips.
well. this kingdom existed at one time
without an Incubator Baby, and I believe
we could spare you now. III have your
saucy head cut Off" declared the kinglet.
Il dare you!'' said Chick, making face.
There's a nice child, I must say!" re-
torted the kinglet, scowl:ng. But what
can We expect of baby that has no par
ents and no proper bringing-up? Bah! I'm
Don't you dare say anything against my
Incubator cried Chick, angrily. Il guess
I've had as good bringing-up as you have,
you disagreeable kinglet, your
His majesty was at first about to retort
with equal anger; but he suddenly changed
his mind and turned to John Dough.
who are you, Stranger" he asked. "And
why are you wearing the Blunderer's ar
mor?"
So much disrespect had been shown this
kinglet by his subjects that John was about
to reply lightly to these questions: but to
his surprise Chick grasped his hand and
whispered to him to make a low bow and
to be very careful what he said. So the
gingerbread man stepped forward and ad-
dressed his majesty with great ceremony.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

rN the twenty-four hours from midnight
until midnight of any one day in New
York there are many things to be
seen and heard. The metropolis al
ways throbs with life, whether 1t be in
the early dawn or at noon or at vespers.
New York is a big place. Its limits are sell
dom understood, and the New Yorker him
self knows less about his city than the WIS.,
fling outsider. This was learned by the two
Star men who travelled from one end Of the
village to the other. lengthwise and
crosswise 1t was always the Chicagoan-
the Bostonian or the man from Kalamazoo
who could intelligently answer a query
about the town itself.
When 1t was midnight and the two Star
men found themselves on Broadway they
at once OWNED that the street knows not
the stiffness of the night. The theaters had
closed but half an hour before and the gay
pleasure seekers thronged the street, espe-
cially the east side 1t was only at Herald
square that they crossed to the other side.
where the departing crowds thinned out i'm
perceptibly. disappearing for the most part
into rathskellers, restaurants, grill or ale
houses Many of the men and women were
IN evening dress. On the particular even
ing in question the pedestrians held sway
over the thoroughfare, although automo-
bteS, cabs, carriages and cars were ire
Quent and all well filled.
The theater patron who goes directly
home after the performance Is the excep-
tion rather than the rule in New York. His
favoEAe resort is one of the many places
where for a sum he may enjoy a nonsen-
steal dish with a pint of wine or other bev-
erage on the side. And how much more
happy he seems when a beautiful woman
is his partner. happy go-lucky and spirited
and easy-going. knowing that no one will
look questioningly upon her presence at
drinking place at 1 o'clock in the morning.
Walking down Broadway. the throngs be-
come thinner and thinner as Union square
IS reached. Sitting on the park benches are
specimens OF manhood which betray the
light of better days. When 18th street is
reached, especially In the neighborhood of
Sd avenue. there are shops still open for
business, newsboys peddlng the last extras
of the evening before, expecting to profit by
the generosity of some of the bibulous Pc
destrians or the seemingly closed dancing
hall and other all-night places. Then there
are the front doors of the so-called
"Raines law" hotels. which are securely
locked. the dark curtains studlously ar
ranged over the windows for the benefit of
the officer on duty, while the bartenders
are tirelessly serving whatever is asked for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

in the wet-goods line in a back room. to
which access is had through side door
X
AS the Inmates of a dancing hall come
out. the men make loud remarks about this
and that. and their language Is not studied.
The glazing lights, like SO many huge
stars. outline comprehensive and incom-
prehensible consultations upon iron frame
works, standing out in the gloom of the
night. The noisy and brilliantly lighted cars
whiz by in rapid succession.
On reaching a darker block the scene
changes aspect. The elevated railroad
arches and the pillars supporting them and
the black spaces Immediately beneath have
an almost unnatural appearance. Looking
down the street, the shop windows on both
sides were like so many toyland castles as
the wares within showed from the dis
lance, taking strange shapes and the colors
mixing in confusion. The elevated train as
1t passes overhead penetrates the ears with
Its screeching. reverberating sound.
AT O'Clock the streets were anything
but deserted Policemen were rarely seen
and Few vehicles were in evidence. But
here and there f1ared the torches used by
street repair gangs, OF making light for
men with p1ckax and spade tearing up
railway tracks. adjusting electric light
wires, laying pavements, repairing a water
main. In New York when they cannot
build something new they will rebuild
tHe Oid- occasionally an auto sped by,
and once the fire engines went rushing
across 18th street.
The Star men strolled slowly through
the park at Union Square. The sight was
crtainly strange one, and at first thought
II would seem next to impossible that such
things should prevail in such a large CEN
ter as New York city. Almost every bench
was occupied by some man. Many of the
men showed evidences Of dissipation, and
all seemed afflicted with poverty. One, an
old man of about sixty-five years. stirred
uneasily as the visitors passed, and glared
through his tired, half-open eyes, as
though resenting the appearance of others
at that place at that hour There were
few young men occupying benches on this
evening The park, 1t Is stated, Is usu-
ally the resort of elderly men. There are
some whose faces have been seen In that
neighborhood by the officers on the beat
for years. And these shiftless homeless
fellows in many cases represent the noblest
things in life which have been subjugated
by idleness. misfortune and vice. OF abou-
twoscore men there, 1t was pointed out to
The Star man by an oblging officer in citi-
zens clothes. eight had been lawyers and
the others were divided one doctor, three
architects, several expert mechanics, and,
foremost among all of them, a surgeon,
who In past years had enjoyed an excel
lent and lucrative practice, which was de-
stroyed by the mans fondness for cocaine.
He worked periodically. during the lucid
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

full length upon the path and broke his
knife blade into a dozen pieces. But he
squirmed forward, and was about to bite
into Johns leg, when the big-headed man
came to the rescue and threw a handful
of pebbles into the Arabs open mouth. and
so prevented him from doing the ginger
bread man any damage.
He seems dangerous, remarked the
Blunderer. Lets tie him up before he
hurts some one"
So while the Arab was coughing the peb-
bles out of his mouth the Brotherhood of
Failings bound his hands and feet with
strong cords that he could not move
Hes mine!' shouted the Arab, as soon
as he could speak. He belongs to me. I
claim him for my own"
There's no harm in that" replied the
Fresh Air Fiend. But one of the laws of
this isle Is that no person shall be injured
by any one except the kinglet. And every
one here must obey the laws. So. unless
you promise not to carve or to eat this
man of gingerbread, who is now a subject
Of our kinglet, We must lock you up in
prison"
'I'u eat him as soon as I have the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

my dear Failing; but when you're planted
in the ground you'll not sprout at all.
That's where I'm your superior, for l m per
petual- Every one of my eyes is good for
a half-peck of potatoes at least
UNLESS you're boiled with the jacket on,
rema rlSed the Ugly, with sour smile
Come, come, let us on, interrupted the
little man with the big head. Our k1nglet
doubtless awaits U.S."
When they had gone a few steps farther
the Incubator Baby paused to say: Some
one Is following u.s. and it's a stranger.
This remark caused John to look around.
and Immediately he stopped short with an
expression of horror upon his frosted face.
For there, turning the corner of the rocky
path, was Ali Dubh the Arab. The fellow
at once uttered yell of JOY and triumph,
and drawing his cleaning knife he rushed
upon John Dough with great eagerness.
The gingerbread man had given up all
hope of escape and stood trembingly await
ing his foe, when Chick suddenly grasped
the Blunderers lance and tripped the Arab
so neatly with 1t that Ali Dubh fell his
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
The Castle of Phreex.

much noise and uproar that the gingerbread
man glad to see them go.
Aren't they nice?" asked the kinglet,
looking after them. ''Id like to drown
them all in the castle moat, like kittens,
but every king, they say, has his Failings,
so I suppose l must keep mine"
He sighed, and continued: But what did
the poets sonnet say about your being
crisp and well spiced and rather good eat
ing were you slced?"
Don't pay any attention to that your
majesty" said John, hastily.
But why not7' persisted the kinglet. "I
declare, Sir John, there's something about
you that makes me hungry whenever look
at you. I don't remember having eaten any
gingerbread since I was a boy-ahem!-I
mean since I came to rule over the Isle of
Phreex. Ho there. my guardsl Fetch me a
knife!"
John was now trembling with terror, but
Chick said to the kinglet: Your majesty
forgets that you are to have pancakes and
maple strip for tea. What's the use of
spelling your appetite, when you know the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

poet; and, pompously unrolling scroll, he
read in loud, falsetto voice these lines:
There is a wise Kinget Of Phreex,
Whose wit is great that it leaks;
His brain isn't big
But who fig
While wisdom from him fairly reeksE'
"Now, that's not so bad" said his mai
esty. reflectively. But can't you make 1t
a little stronger, Sir Poet?"
"Ill try" replied Austed Affirm. and after
penciling some words on his tablets he read
as follows:
''The Goddess Of Wisdom felt sad;
And when asked why she whimpered so bad,
Said: There's one, 1t is true,
Who knows more than do
And the Kinglet Of Phreex is the lad!''
NOW that" said his majesty, STRIKES me
as being real poetry. How does 1t strike
you, Sir John Dough-"
IT'S fairly good" replied the gingerbread
.'The poet doesn't dare do his majesty
Justice" said the Disagreeable Failing. IF
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04
A Lemon Instead.
From Harper's Weekly.

From Harper's Weekly.
do you know" a pretty bride of three
months said to a friend the other day. 81
think all these Jokes about young wives
having so much trouble with butchers and
grocers. and being cheated and all that, is
just too foolish
Then 1 presume you are getting on all
right with yours, dear?" her friend inquired.
'Why, of course ami Anybody would IL
they would just deal at a reliable place"
the young wife declared Now there Is my
grocer" she continued, "he is just as oblig-
ing and thoughtful as can be- The other
day I ordered a dozen oranges and when
they came I found there were but eleven in
the bag, so when / went to the store again
/ told him 80.
Why, yes, maam,' he said, L know
there were. / had put in a dozen, but l
noticed that one of them was o--ed and
of course / wouldn't send you any but the
best goods, so took 1t out
Now don't you think that was nice in
him to be so thoughtful and honest% she
concluded.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

teen minutes the streets are filed with
store clerks. and after while there ap-
pears the vanguard Of the army of women
, toilers. 1t Is o'clock. The feminine pro-
cession increases in volume.
broadway at the corner of either 23d or
14th streets Is the receptacle OF the masses
coming from the Jersey City Shore where
in single hour passes the greatest army
of commuters in the world. New York
Is practically wide awake. and by a quar-
ter after 1t has reverted to Its element
Of noise and turbulence and Of restlessness
and activity. The METROPOLIS is now COM
Incredibly itself.
At 10 o'clock the first representatives OF
wealth and luxury are about the streets.
The carriages stop anywhere on 9th ave-
nue. before fashionable stores Sometimes
the occupants go to one of the many hotels
Tor their breakfast. The crossing police
| man, a very paternal person. Is always on
the lookout for the unattended old man or
the particular woman, and is whistling his
signals indicating when the drivers may
proceed north or south. east or west. ALI
this is done with such precision that but
few accidents occur.
\
The two Star men decided to follow the
shopping crowd. and saw many interest
ing sights in the large department stores
where women elbowed their way through
the crowds and pushed and showed in order
to get at the bargain counters
At busy corner an interesting scene held
the visitors attention. An Italian was SELL
ing toy balloons, and a child was having an
argument with his mother.
81 want balloon! Mama! Mamal Wah!
I want balloon!"
George, behave yourself" the mother
demonstrated.
IT want balloon, mama! want baMoon!'
"George," she exclaimed, shaking him
sternly and then stopping to wipe the tears
from his eyes. behave yourself. I said no.
and mean no."
"wah-ah-ah! ooooh! ooooh-wahl ]
But George got no balloon.
On Madison avenue near 18th street the
visitors saw the enactment Of pathetic
scene in metropolitan life. street urchin
an officer, dog and spinster we11A the
characters The officer asked of Tho boy
what he had done to the dog
II didn't do nothin' to 'im," the boy an
swered after pause, and affecting q surly
expression.
Come. now. explain yourself" said the
spinster. 'If you had not leased the dog
he wouldn't have hurt you"
IT didn't tease 'im''
How did you get the dogs ribbon?' the
officer wanted to know.
None Of yer biz" was the defiant re-
ply.
well then" The officer made a move
for the patrol box, and the urchin recon-
s;dered
"All right. boss. I'll tell yer, then" he
said. II wuz a-walkin down the street,
tinkin' of me hard luck, without even a
yeller cur to keep me company. I tell yer
it's tough life, this ERE, an begins ter
fink of Mamie, the best goil dat ever
wuz, an that amt never got one red cent
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

in me pockets ter buy 'er 'tings She's
always a-tellin me Of the pretty things her
fixes er lot, an II had the dough she
wouldn't have ter wait long time afore 1
got EN- But l amt wo'kin' man-me
parents amt taught me much OF anythin'
But after I meets Mamie I wanter be a
respectable woikin' man. An I been
woikin for der past week, an'si am goin'
ter learn a trade. I worked for whole
week, an my boss didn't pay me- nohow.
I wuz afraid to pipe me goil hard-luck
story. So I wuZ comm down the street
when me peppers spot the dorg an the rib
bon roun' the neck. Ter t'ink dat Mamie
amt got a piece OF silk I says to meself,
I says. an dis ere dorg has enough ter
make 'er happy I says to meself. It's
dirty shame So calld der dorg to me an
I pats him on de head Then l undone the
Il didn't know the dorg ad sense, an ere
Is the ribbon
The spinseer had been inclined to anger in
the beginning, but the boys story touched
the boy go. This he did, with reprimand
But the boy was not consoled until the
spinster said something to him, and then
q grin lightened his features.
Il
Ask the old New Yorker about the Bow
cry, and he will Immediately reply that It
has changed, and changed greatly. AL
though with an unsavory reputation to live
down, the tide OF ordinary business has
drifted toward this old thoroughfare. Above
Grand street, with the exception of few
notorious resorts, known by all who pro-
fess to know New York. and avoided by
all such who do not care for this sort Of
amusement, the Bowery is a place in itself.
where the visitor could spend several in
teresting hours in sightseeing. and in COM
ing in contact with things to be found no.
where else in the United States.
It is only in a few, widely scattered
places that brightly-lighted resort at
tracts the uninitiated to see an uncommon
ly bad performance, with gaudy scenery
and hand painted actors. who must be seen
to be unappreciated. But below Grand
street, even there the Bowery compares
favorably with many other streets that do
not have similar reputation. It is
but seldom that one finds on the Bow
cry those characters which have become
associated with that thoroughfare through
the efforts Of books. plays and narratives.
Chewing Maggie" as represented in a
New York melodrama. La as impossible as
walking fish. "Hully gee" Is an obso-
lete expression. And so are many essen
TALLY quaint Bowery traditions.
One OF the many things directly respon-
sible for this change Of the Bowery, so It
is said, has been the new Williamsburg
bridge. Both sides Of the street are We'll
represented with all sorts of shops. from
mercial purposes to the moro pretentious
two window store. In these stores one
may find things Chinese. japanese, Ar
menian Norwegian. Russian and Spanish.
Each proprietor usually represents corner
Of the globe. Therefore, the Bowery may
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

are two or more partners and ask for the
one who happens to be out. They have a
way Of knowing when the certain party is
out. The impoSters represent themselves
Bent partner, who have met with a misfor-
tune, and called to see him to have him
help them out. etc. The help usually comes
from the unsuspecting partners. The post
age stamp CRATER always willing to send
a letter home to mother, and hasn't the
price of a stamp. can usually gather about
hundred or so 2-cent stamps q day,
which he sells at half-price.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-04

intervals, doing whatever he could find to
do. and earning enough to tide him over
his next spree. But how most of them
live was mystery to the officer. He said
hands on sufficient money to buy them food
and drink.
Union Square was left behind. The news
paper men went to the river front. There
all was quiet, although the play of the
scattered lights on the water was beauti-
full to look at. The prevailing dreamy ST.
lence was occasionally broken by the
splash Of water against the piers or the
faraway sound Of fog horn or ferry boat
signal. The CLEAN Of lanterns on the
framework of the wharves fickered in the
light wind Of the night. The red or green
lights OF a small tugboat or launch, al
most lost against the dark surface of the
waters glided and vanished. Now and
then a rope creaked and the rafting Of
chains at the distant ferry houses was
heard.
Three o'clockl The hour was sounded by
bell tolling somewhere in the city. It
was with reluctance that the river scene
was given up. Its placid stiffness was well
come
Broadway was once more the scene of
interest. How different would it be? Not
very different. The people there had les
sened in number. The majority, it was
evident, were nOme-DOund. They walked
with a quick step and disappeared down the
numbered streets. There was one lone way
farer who entered into an argument with
an innocent lamp post, and finally left it
with faltering step in search Of his home
somewhere in wide New York.
A glow In the east indicated the approach
of dawn. The day was breaking cold and
gray, and mist folded heaven and earth
The outlines of the tall buildings were still
indistnct. But the streets were far from
quiet, The rattle of heavy wagons echoed
in the stiffness. The delivery wagons,
Iolk papers. began to rattle along the
ice wagons. Gradually the wagons began to
increase in number.
Where the houses on both sides of the
streets were dark half an hour before there
may now be seen shades drawn up and the
panes rejecting the light within. Chimneys
begin to smoke. and housewives are pre-
pairing breakfast. AS the glow of the dawn
increa ses the street gas lamps go out one
by one. The breeze Is fresh, and 1t brings
to the ears the yawns of the waking city,
Shrill whistles are heard. and the machin-
cry which helps man in his daily labors
is ready to do Its work.
The report of cannon announces the
rise of the sum- and almost simultaneously
the arc lights are out. Daylight comes
more rapidly. and everything is steadily
reGainins It's familiar aspect.
Mechanics and laborers are In evidence.
They carry the familiar pail or lunch box