davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
THE DOG THAT LOOKED
LIKE A TIGER
260 Thornton Street. san Francisco.
Ocean House School, sixth
Grade. Age Is
MARY FoX.

About four years ago my father. who
was working at the oyster bed in Dunn
barton, wrote me that L could spend
vacation with him.
The men that worked liked me and
whenever they went to town always
brought me candy
Tiger, who belonged TO the foreman
Of the place. liked candy. so in few
DAYS we were fast friends.
One day as Tiger and / were sitting
Al the end Of the dock looking in the
direction where the men were digging
oysters. . strange man suddenly ap-
peared before me- Before / could stand
I'D he took nay hand and asked me to
come out rowing with him. ! refused.
50 knowing that no one could hear me.
he was about 10 force me in the boat.
when ] commenced 10 CRY. At the sound
Of my weeping Tiger awoke and, TAX
ing Ia the situation, jumped from the
dock and bit the man in the leg.
Then Tiger. seeing me get UP, jumped
10 my side and together we went in
the house
/ told nay father what had occurred
and Of how Tiger had punished the
man and saved me from being carried
away.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
AWARDED A WATCH
BRUNO
CHARLES LEWIS,
SebastopoI. Age IS Years

There are three brothers besides my
self in our family, so !. being the
play with our cats and dogs, although
we have a fire. big Newfoundland dog
called Bruno, whom I was always very
fond of. One day while on the street
he was run over and one of his paws
hurt I was first to see him. SO I ran
and got bandages and doctored him
ell up and after that he was always
my friend. He would not stay very
much more with my brothers. Not
very long after that he and / took a
walk far in the woods and got lost.
We both looked for our way out for
long time, but could not find it.
Finally 1 grew tired and sleepy. so
lay down and Bruno lay down by me
and watched all night while / slept.
In the morning he started early to
look for the way out and soon found
1t and came back for me. He took me
by my clothes and led me out When
we got home mamma was very glad
to see US. She gave him big bone
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
OUR DOG
EDNA MARKER.
Bodegu. Age Is Tenrs

Mig was hero when pup. H9'
strayed into our town and stopped at
the shop. where he saved great deal
OF meat from spelling. The butcher
gave him TO US and he is a valuablal
dog He hunts animals and birds. and
has caught salmon in shOal water. and.
will pull them out on the bank. trees
wildcats, foxes and cOOns, and viii;
bark all night il no one comes TO shoot
his game He is so wise that when hel
trees anything not too far away from
the house he runs home and barks.
then back TO the tree before the animal
escapes
One night Mig had great time kill
ing a coon and freeing another. 1t
was dark and papa held a lantern on
top OF his head. which is six feet three
inches from the ground my aunt aimed
at the shining eyes OF the animal and
fired; it fell wounded. and Mig soon
finished the job He Is a good watch
dog. and I hope this win bring me a
watch also.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16

Scamp was quite large dog and very
bright, so he was taught many tricks.
such as shaking hands, jumping
through ring or playing dead dog.
But his greatest trick was to put
out fire by dragging carpet over it
His master always kept a piece OF
carpet for Scamp in the WoOdshed One
day his mistress and the children went
away on a picnic. He was sleeping
on the porch and thought he smelled
smoke. He got up and ran around the
house, and finally down to the cellar
There he found the fire. He ran for
his piece OF carpet and soon had the
hre out. after hard struggle and quite
a few burns.
Afterward his master found the fire
had been set by a man he had dis
charged few days before. Scamp
burns were soon healed and he re-
ceived a fine new collar and much
praise. And he was a very happy dog.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
AWARDED A WATCH
CARLOS BRAVERY
DONALD MINsOR.

31e Randolph Street, Naps, Cal. Age
IA Years
One morning about 1 o'clock we were
awakened by our dog Carlo barking
furiously, and. looking down from our
window. we could see three men trying
to get into a downstairs window.
Father got his shotgun and ordered
them to stand where they Were. 1hen
my brother, who is older than I. Went
and called up the marshal and police
and they were. captured. few days
later we received a letter saying tnat
they were notorious robbers and that
we would get reward. which came 10
us after while.
Carlo came as q tramp. He won
his way into the family by his kind
ness and is now loved by all.
He likes above all things TO chase
eats and we hear him barking nearly
every day at eat under the house or
up a tree. He IS yellow and has dark
brown eyes. He IS very pretty.
We have taught him few tricks
which he will do when asked. lie viii
speak. shake hands, get on chair
and go to bed. He likes to bark 4
the shadows OF birds in the trees.
He Is so smart that I think If | were
TO get watch l could teach him the
time.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
MY PET DOG
ALvERTA VARGAS

Sa, LOrenzO. San LOrenzO school, Sixth
Grade. Age IL Years
I have a dog named Teddy. His color
Is brown He has long ears and curly
hair.
He plays hide and seek with me and
whenever he catches me he gives loud
bark
In the morning when my parents let
him in the house he always runs in
my room and jumps on the bed TO see
If I'm awake.
The day that the butcher comes he
always runs out to get a bone. He is
a pet dog, but a stranger he would try
to bite.
When I go to school he goes as far
as the gate with me and comes to meet
me again after school.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
FAITHFUL SHEPHERDS
JOS. A. MAGUIRE,
1887 Seventeenth Street, San Francisco.
Age IL Years

In Sacramento valley there are many
f1ocks of sheep. each of which have
different owners. Mr.. Brown, one
owner, hired two men to watch his
sheep while on a vacation. He also
supplied them with dogs and pro-
visions
One Of the men went to town. got in
toXicated, and brought also liquor to
the other. Both. being intoxicated the
work fell to the dogs.
Wolves soon approached, but by the
dogs faithfulness were kept away.
Their barking and the wolves howl
ing attracted the attention of some
hunters, who assisted the dogs IN their
struggle Two dogs We're bitten. but
kept on The men were fired and others
taken in their places, Mr.. Brown re-
warded the dogs by keeping them
about his house
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
MY PET DOC
CHARLES ID. WEIGH.
65o6 Fremont street. Oakland

once had a pet dog whose nam9i
was Teddy, and when I had no boys -
10 play with he and / would play hide
and go seek. I would tell him to hides
his head and I would go and then II
would call him. He would ind me and
run back TO base
He would play ball with the hoys-
He would 90 and get the ball andl
bring IL to the pitcher: II the catcher
would miss IL he would bring IL back
10 him. He would like TO tease the,
boys by taking their hats and keep
them chasing him till they got tired
then he would give the hat back to the'
boy who owned it,
When 1 would go TO the city I hadl
to lock- him in the house then hel
would cry like a baby. He AWAY 81
slept In bed with me and always would
sleep on the pillow by my head. and
when 1 would sing he would sit By
my side and howl Just the same as IL
he were singing.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
REGGIE
SHIRLEY JONES.
Purlssima. BOX I5 PurixSima school,
Fifth Grade. Age IL Years

D0G lJs FUTfSS1mR SCno0A,
Fifth Grade. Age IL Years
Reggie is a clever fox terrier and
does some amusing things. Mamma
kept her pies, cake. etc, on the lower
shelf in the pantry. He soon found
how TO open the door and jumps up
and paws at the button until he
opens 1t
The door leading from the kitchen
INTO the dining room fastens with an
oid fashioned latch Reggie jumps up
and pulls the string In his mouth until
ne opens the door.
one day he saw his reflection on the
plano and did not know what to make
OF it He looked at ii a moment and
then began 10 bark. He saw his re-
nection barking also. He soon saw It
was no use. but after that whenever
he came into the parlor he used to
20 and look in It wag his tall and bark.
ne tnlnks the dog makes the music.
Reggie takes the kittens in his mouth
and tries to carry them like their
mother He always sits In chair and
tetches his blanket to me when he is
cold
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A DOG
VIRGINIA F. CORY,
$50 Homer Avenue, PalO Alto, Age IL
Years


460 Homer Avenue, PalO Alto, Age IL
Years
I am a small collie dog by the mama
OF Dandy. When I was about two
months old heard my masters parents
talking about sending me 10 PalO Alto
At last it was decided I should go
1. came up on the train with my
father and my master. After riding a
day and a night I found myself IN
Palo Alto. That night l was taken to
my new home. ] slept in the basement
of the house Next morning my mas
ter, whose name was Harold, brought
some wire and fenced in little yard
for me. was fed well and grew fat
When I had been here about two
months I grew tired of my home and
ran away. I could find no place which
suited me so well as my former home.
Two days after 1 had run away girl
found me and brought me back
Ny mistress had decided 10 go to
Los Angeles and I was sent out TO a
fraternity house on the campus Fra
ternity life was too much for me so 1
ran home But, alas I was found
again and was sent back to the fra
ternfty house
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
HOW MIDGE SAVED HER.
MISTRESS
Age n
ALICE DODGE.

1124 Byron street. Pale Alto. Age II
/ know a lady who has a little
French poodle dog. whose name iS
Midge. She has curly white hair and
she has to be bathed quite often tOi
keep her hair clean and white she
always sleeps at the foot OF her mis-
tress' bed
One night her mistress was awak-
ened little after midnight by Mfdge 3
furious barking Her mistress aWoke|
to find her room full OF smoke. She
Jumped out OF bed and with her father
and mother hurried out OF the house,
taking the dog with them The house
proved to be on fire, and soon burned
TO the ground.
That is the way that one small dog
saved the lives OF three people.
Mtdge still sleeps in her favortte
her mlstresss bed she growiB and
barks quite fiercely
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
A FAITHFUL DOG
ALVIN e. BuRDICK.
204 Chestnut Avenue. Santa Cruz
Age IL

lUE GncSTntI HFEEuFs SEEIH JTuZ
Age IL
Once we had dog named Sport It
was a big, ugly dog My father used
it for a watch dog when he was the
night watchman at the car shop.
He would tell Sport to come over to
the house and see If everything was
all right He would go UP to the screen
window and scratch his paws against
Sport" and then he would go back to
the car shop.
One night when Sport came over to
the house he heard some one around in
the woodshed. When the dog did not
go back 10 the shop papa came home
and found a tramp In the shed and
Sport about ready to bite him.
Another night the dog found tramp
lighting a fire near the shop and held
him by the leg till papa came.
He would let my brother ride on
his back and pull his ears and tail.
He would not let any one come in the
yard while my brother was there.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
A FAITHFUL NEWFOUND.
LAND DOG
ANNA JANsEN.
Lincoln. Placer County, Cal. Lincoln
Public school. Fifth Grade.
Age II Years

- Newfoundland dog is faithful
-uimal
lie shows his devotion 10 man ia
many different ways
re viii watch constantly over child
and no harm can come 10 IT while he
is around
should the child fan asleep outside
he viii guard il faithfully until its
mother comes and gets fl.
"A lady once left her Newfoundland
dog in the yard 10 watch her baby at
plaN. But The baby soon grew tired
and wandered out Of fhe gate into the
public road. followed by the dog.
rho baby soon fell asleep IN the mid
ole of the road and the dog lay down
beside it,
soon a farmer came along IL DiE
Wa cor Ne saw the baby and sprang
from his wagon TO lift il out Of the
road Bnt the dog would not let him
touch the baby and the mother had
10 come and get Il
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16

:33 North n Street. Tulare.
school. sixth Grade. Age II he"rr a
1 Onca owned a shepherd dog am an
the dog also thought he owned ne. .as .aa
used to think il his duty 10 look aIteI
me and my things. On one Occaslol u0 ~
Bit one OF my little neigHDor ooJS II
the face because he picked up ny ,- Pa--
He was constantly watching my ptEdsyS,
things. and would snap At any ehi.1 w
who touched them. lie was WY
smart dog in every way
= One day we had some friends 10 cdits
Ny dog was in the house with Us anu
my mamma said coyote. puppy oOS.
as that was his name. and away ~
ran to the hill and very soon we nedlu
a coyote bowling. Every time we saw
our friends they would say somethIhS
a about that dog. We then lived on ranch
near Lindsay and owned some cdttle-
When mamma would drive them up
my dog and were her companions. o-
course. Ny mamma would say puppy
dog. bite old Petes tail and he WOuid
go and grab his tail
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
NELLIE AND OUR BIRD
MARY A. HURLBUT.
25I4A Bush street. Denman School.
4 Eighth Grade. Age 13 Years



Nellie was our little dog She was
part rat terrier and black all over. She
was q peculiar dog. She would chase
Wild sparrows. but would never touch
canary birds
Mamma was very fond of canary
birds so we had a great many of them.
one Of these was named Bobby. One
very cold winter he had the rheuma-
tism in his legs so badly that he could
not get upon the perches OF his cage.
Nellie loved this little bird very
much. Mamma used 10 let him out on
the floor every morning Before dinner
mamma would put him in his cage.
She would tell Nellie to go and find
Bobby and she would go and search
until she found him, then she would
stand by it until mamma came to get
hiu.
When mamma picked him up she
would ask Nellie if she wanted TO kiss
the birdie and she would look up in
mammals face as If TO say Yes" Then
mamma would hold Bobby down within
Nellie's reach and she would bend over
and softly kiss the top OF Bobbie's
head.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
FRISKY
ALICIA BALBACH,

I65 Pierce Avenue, San Jose. Age Ii
Years
My dogs name is Frisky. He was
given to me by some friend who was
going to move to the city. In the
morning he would go out and get the
paper and he would bring 1t in and lay
it on the chair. We would write a
note and give it to Frlsky and he would
go down to the store and jump upon
the counter and the man would take the
note and wrap up the parcel and Frisky
would bring it home. One day we went
on a picnic and when we came home
Frisky was dead. I felt so sorry that
cried and / have never had dog since.
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
SCAMP'S BRAVERY

RUTH HUFFMAN.
22s Kentucky street, Petaluma. Wash
fngfOn Grammar school. High
Seventh. Age Il Years
The San Francisco call., 1909-01-16
AWARDED A WATCH
MY FAITHFUL PUPPY DOG
KENNErH GILLIAN.

:33 North Street. TuIare. TuIa1@
school. sixth Grade. Age n Years a
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14

ing IN this era OF equal rights In the val
entine lottery and henoeforth the names
OF young people OF both sexes were writ
ten on bits OF paper and placed ia the
proper rcceptscles so that at the drawing
each participant was sure to secure
partner from the other sex The Seicc-
tion thus made was supposed TO seal ii
sentimental bond that should endure for
al least year, II not terminated By mur-
rlnge Throughout the twelvcmonth
couple designated partners by fate's de-
cree stood In the relation of cavalier aud
lady OF beauty. the knight being bound,
OF course. 10 honor and defend his charge
who repaid his championship by smiles
and sentimental tokens
Tho custom soon spread from France to
England and was In high favor there as
enrly as 1890. Tho practice OF bavlng
both the young men and the young wo-
men draw lots or valentines" had ono
disadvantage In that It was seldom TINT
partners were placed In d double bond
by each drawing the name Of the other
As rule, a young man who drew the
name OF q girl would md that his name
In turn had been drawn by some other
girl. However, disputes as 10 the pos-
session were In a great measure forcstNlled
by the accepted custom OF young mon in
general 10 show greater Rllc,lance TO the
valentines that fell TO their lots than 10
the maideps who drafted them aR n
We're In Scotland IL was the custom sey
cral centuries 0go for young men and
young women 10 regard as n ''yalontIns"
the hr0t representative of the oppoJlte
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14
NSauaD2zY I1G7ZIneS'

Z" CONSIDERABLE proportion OF our
m American holidays are, before oil else.
U cbudren's festlvAls-thnt u. children
derive the kcenest enjoyment from their
Observance However, the one obscrv-
nnce that is not only prc-emlncntly. bat
almost universally. a young peoples hoD-
dny. is st Valentines Day. The de-
voices Of the February feast OF sentiment
Include oil members OF tho junior genera
tlon from little tots too young 10 under
stand the Significance Of the exchange OF
pretty pictures to young men and young
women who take advantage OF the license
OF this occasion to make more or less
veiled declarations OF regard or the re-
verse.
Oddly enough the origin OF ST. Vnlen-
tines Day would seem to give little war
rant for the modern custom OF cKcbang-
ing on February II mis5ivcS and cpistles,
either comic or sentimental. Certainly
there WAS nauGbt In the life OF Saint
Valentine, bishop or pope OF Rome
TO suggest the promiscoous dispatch OF
tokens wherein nre conveyed 10 prose,
In verse or 10 emblcmatlc picture the
love OF the sender or the faults aud
foIbles OF the recipient. As a mntter OF
fact Saint Valentine led a particularly
somber existence. Cllnglug stcadfasty TO
his fnith during the ClAudlan persecu-
tIons he was cast into jail and ultl-
mntely was beaten with clubs and Lnally
beheaded
second cburchmnD bearing the name
or Valentine whose possible connection
with the origin Of ST. Valentines Day
las sometimes been suggested. WIS like
wise q bishop. Both bearers OF the now
magic name were accounted 10 possess
miraculous powers for the sick. The
hrst-mentioned bishop while IN prison
cured OF blindness the daughter OF his
keeper, and 10 the second prayers are yet
onered up In Germany and Italy for the
cure of epilepsy. This second Bishop
Valentine also met a violent death. being
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14

the outside of a lot OF purl In frec.mnch
fashion At all events. according to the
chronclcr, they went after the birds with
the same patience the modern "bugolo-
gst" expends In chasing butterflies over
a cw.plowcd field. and received their
rewnrd with an applause and admiration
similar to that the prescnt-dny head OF
n fnmlly receives II he can get out Of
bed on TO the cold door In the morning
and turn on the steam without q muir
mur Though scarcely necessary TO say
80, Il Is incumbent upon the writer to
relate that he has not been able to dis
cover q survival OF this custom In any
form In tho modern American celebration
OF st, Valentines Day.
In many OF the European countries the
st Valentine Day kiss was exchanged
between young people ns n token OF good
VIII. The exact nature of such an oscu-
latory performance Is somewhat vague.
Though the snm0 conscientious chronicler
docs not mention the relationship, 1t sug
gcsted that this St Valentine Day kiss
Ia a third cousin. at least, deceased. Of
the famous soul kiss. There is some
doubt on this point, however. for In no
way can an cIegcsls OF the word 'aflin-
ity" lead the Investigator back to that
time, On the other hand, the fact that
this custom Is now In vogue universally
not only on st. Valentines Day, but
on other days. and far Into the night as
WELLS significant The only difference
Is that the so-called st Valentine Day
willard other things
Can IL De PossibIc:
Apropos OF the same elucldatIng sub
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14

ancient custom that was extraordinarily
singular Early In the morning of st
Valentines Day young men, necessarily
OF the character that Ndec-llGbtS' In tho
strenuous life. started out together with
u clap.nct TO catch an owl md two spar
rows 10 some ncichborinS barn II they
were successful In catching the birds and
brought them to tho village Inn without
Injury and before the women folk had
risen, they were rewarded with three pots
OF purl twbntcycr that lei by the inn
keeper, They also enjoyed the privilege
of demanding similar consideration at the
hands Of every householder In the neigh
borhood
Things thnt bear the cnrmnrkS of age.
even though they he nothing more sacred
than customs, should bo reyerenccd. II Is
true. But wee bit Of speculation as to
how II felt to be there" can scarcely be
considered iconoclnstlc or irrcvercnt-
though IL may he somewhat Irrelevant.
In the nrst place. 1t may be noted this
unique and lnborious method OF procur-
Ing the aforementioned purl was evidently
a species of graft that appealed strongly
to the minds of those rustic swolns.
Why They Did II.
Just why this purl should be considered
worth crawling ont OF a warm bed at
In the morning and stnbblng around In
the dark with cl0p-nct for an owl not
ION to his job while the hny from the
loft of the barn sItcd down Into ones
nostrils, the chronlclcr fails to relate
Perhaps the young men OF those days
considered such a stunt n regular belluSa
time. Or, perhaps. II was simply case
OF selling nn opportunity of getting on
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14

DSn Done.
Students of history and delivers Into the
lore OF tradition have made vorlous at.
tempts. none wholly successful to cx.
plain how the modern festival OF mlrth
and sentiment derived Its nnme One OF
the most plausible theories Is bnsed on
the fact tbnt In the oldcn days ~" and
''g" were frequently interchangeable In
popular speech, There Is evidence that
the Norman word golantiD-n gallant
and lover Of the fair sex-wns frequently
written and pronounced v0lantan or va
lcntin. With such q foundation lt Ia
easy 10 credit the corruption of the
phrase TO the prcsent-day Valentine Day
or mGybap, by confusion OF names,
Bishop Valentine may have been cstAb,
lishcd as the patron snint of lovers aud
swectbearts, although. ns We have seen
In a ncetipS glimpse OF his biography,
there wos no wnrrnnt whatever for such
designation.
As far back as 1921 when Valentine
Day was already an established custom
In England we find one British writer
attempting 10 explain It's origin on The
premise that about this time OF year
the middle OF Fcbruary-the birds choose
their mates and that probably this sug-
gested the custom OF young men and
moidcns adopting the snmc scnson as q
time for choosing valentines or special
loving friends An even more plausible
explanation is that our latter-dny feast OF
st Valentino Ia merely the ChristiaDlzed
form OF the classic Lupercalia-n feast
held annually In Roms during the month
OF February In honor OF Pan and Juno
and the chief feature OF the ceremonies
OF which was the practice OF placing the
names OF young women In box or other
receptacle from which they were drawn,
as chance directed. by young men.
As the story goes tho Christian clergy,
despite repeated efforts, were never able
10 abolish this pagan practice During
the sixteenth century the church In tue
The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-02-14

the recipients name written In gold let
ters upon blue paper, Then brief mot
toes, such as Most courteous and most
fair" began to make their appearance
upon the primitive valentines, and grad
ually, step by step. there WAS evolved tho
silk and sotin lace paper CONNECTIONS OF
the present orn.
For many years the bellies and beaur
had 10 depend for the fnshionIng OF valcn-
tines wholly upon their own Ingenuity
and skill In penmanship. At the outset
all such tokens had needs TO be delivered
by the author In person, and oven after
tho establishment OF post systoms this
practice was largely adhered TO for the
dispatch of love tokens by mail was an
expensive luxury. Then with the reduc-
tlon In postal rntes and Appearance OF
printed valentines there dawned the pres
eDt regime of manufactured sentiment
run riot Cheap postagc and the oppor-
tunities the malls afford for concealing