davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1909-04-18
By William J. hampton

silence during his brief prayers, they at least kept
their jibes and their hands to themselves
That is to say they did at the beginning But
Nancy accepted all these indignties with such scrip
tural complaisance that in time they began feel
urgent necessity for something that would produce
the results they sought to provoke. The practical
joker finds little satisfaction jokes that do not
show where they hurt
There is limit, however to all earthly conditions
that are good, and Nancy was earthly; grade finer
clay perhaps, but still clay The trouble began by
of the more thoughtess and rreverent throwing
small chips and pebbles at Nancy while he read by
the fireplace, and was continued by making target
of his broad back he knelt at his bunk But Nancy
smitten, and their derision of his faith did
not provoke him to violence. But he did not grin
was his won't He smiled, and there was depth to it
beyond that of his grin. something of the martyr
almost holy; and something of the avenger, almost
Internal
THE men failed to distinguish any difference and
went still further in their vexatious prosecutions
One night, when Nancy went to take his Bible from
the sacred corner of his bunk in the shack
in its accustomed place The sat round the fire
outside, expectant. In moment Nancy emerged
from the shack The grin was no longer on his big
pink face nor the smile There were hard lines there
and his cheeks were the color of tallow.
Does any Of you know where my Bible is?" he in
qulred in trembling voice as if afraid
No one answered
Il wisht you'd tell me if you do, he went on,
cause want to read little afore goin' to bed
Two of the men laughed. One of the others tossed
him copy of The Police News" Read that, he
That's SO, Nancy put in another, land you
want to ketch up with the percession" "
Bible, Bible, who's got the Bible?" chuckled
other after the words of the old game of button and
taking the book from beneath his coat he threw it
across the fire to some opposite. 1t was caught
Evening star., 1909-04-18
IF THE WOODCHOPPERS

and passed to the next the whole crowd setting up
shout OF delight and derision Some in the ex-
Citement muffed the flying book and it fell into the
blaze. Nancy's talow changed to ashes, and, with
hoarse exclamation, he snatched the book from the
flames and smothered its kindng leaves his callous
hands The men laughed Some of them fairly
howed with joy.
Nancy was hard hit at last Bill Ball the sugger
of the camp the never-beaten Bill had first thrown
the book. Nancy turned to him with choking speech
did ever interfere with your religion Bill! = he
said slipping the SCARED Bible into the bosom of his
loose WOoen shirt.
Il han't got none" leered Bill with a shade of
nervousness in his manner for Nancy was becoming
ominous The others applauded the sentiment
YES you have too, Nancy dissented firmly
Your religion is to and drink and gamble and
fight and live life that puts your Maker to shame
That's your religion; but never nerfered with your
livin' up to it, did II"
Il guess you afeared to- " said Bill getting up
THERE general shutting about the fire, and
most of the men stood up. crisis impen-
ding The bully stepped close to Nancy and stood
glaring at him Quicker than lightning Nancy's great
shot out he caught Ball by the collar jerked him
into the air, and shaking him he flung him senseless
over the creek bank into the shallow water six feet
below. Then he turned to the others, who
startled into silence and inanition
i never did Nancy went on, as though there had
been interruption, and l never interfered with
none of your'n. Any man here that says ever did
is liar and by God! if any of you ever interferes
with mine ag in, III thresh the daylight out of hm
Never man spoke; never man moved and
Nancy taking his beloved Bible from his bosom,
spread out the scorched pages and read undisturbed
by the freight.
After that they never called him Nancy again to
his face
Ball came out Of the creek converted.
Your baptizin plumb done fer Bill said Tom
Brent to Nancy few days later.
Kinder saved some of the rest of us, too guess,
added Joe Smith, and Nancy grinned. 1t grin,
pure and simple, with no martyr marks upon it
Evening star., 1909-04-18

phrey is here, and he wants me to say for him that
There's snort comes through the transmitter.
and then Priggle breaks in with, No, sir no. sir
Public apology, sir, before the whole office; and
after that
"Ah, thatl'' says I. Hey you pop eyed,
pompous little imitation of Simon Legree listen
here! Humphrey amt apologizin' to-day not
any two-by-four runt like you! He sends his com
pliments, and says for you to crawl backwards into
the general managers Office, bump your head three
times on the rug, and tell him to go jump off the
dock, and take you and your measly little eighteen
dollar job along too. Get that, do your"
| guess he must; for there's sound like cat
with bone in its throat, and the receivers banged
up hard.
That's the way to resign" says I,-"when you
can Now, when do you start!"
If thered been any ocher streak in Humphrey,
he have wanted to hang around awhile and collect
information and perhaps backed out altogether
for he knows little about this Alberta proposition
as do, and all my stock of knowledge comes from
one glance at the chart. But Humphrey is clear
blue He says he II pack his trunk tonight and take
the first train that leaves after his bank opens in the
mornln as ne wants to draw out what's left of his
pile
l there to see him start and the last glimpse
l had of him he was climbin' aboard Montreal ex-
press, wearin a Panama hat and carryin' bamboo
cane.
Poor cuss!" thinks l. Eight miles south of
Wallytunk! But it's what he called for
THAT was early last September; and for weeks
stood ready to wire Humphrey the price of
return ticket when he should write that he was
startin' to walk back But not a word do hear
Every in awhile durin' the winter I'd think of
him and wonder whether he still existin
SNOWFALL Diet if he restin calm and peaceful
under forty-foot snowdrft; and ( took turns.
blamin first myself, and then Priggle. There
times when l was tempted to go down and hunt up
Prggle and kick him around the block, and other
times | almost the point of fittin out a,
rescue expedition
But you know how easy it is to sidetrack worry
about other folks troubles After little Suly comes
the scene and starts in to train him along scien
tfc lines of my own, my minds good deal taken up
at home; and I'm more or less busy here IN the
studio, kind of forgets Humphrey
So it was something of jolt when here the other .
day the door opens and in walks well colored young
Continued page IL
Evening star., 1909-04-18
NANCY o.
THEY called him Nancy,-amo the woodchop-

i pers,-a great pink checked and blond giant
who might have picked up the Gates of GAIA and
carried them away joke on the entire community
He was meek and mild, and the other choppers i'm
posed upon him in all the ways of annoyance known
to the rough wild of the woods Their conscious
of his superior brute force encouraged them in
their pranks, because there was an element of
bravery in annoying such man which would not
have obtained if he had been physically weak
Nancy's all right, said little Tom Brent, ban
tam whom the big fellow could have picked up and
sand in his craw-and we'n put it there for him
Here goes for my share of the conterbution!" and
with that explanation he emptied handful of fine
gravel between Nancys blankets in his bunk
good natured grin at Tom; but said nothing
Brent felt that his effort had been in vain and was
not pleased
"Nancy's mlder than mornin's milk, Joe Dell
asserted, and we've got to sour him someway"
Whereupon Doll poured more vinegar into Nancy's
coffee than improves that beverage, and the others
laughed.
When Nancy came back from the creek which was
their open air washroom, he took mouthful of the
mixture and spat it out with grimace. The crowd
hawhawed, and Nancy, as usual, grnned. The grin
was not malevolent; it was good natured. 1t was
always good natured it was certain to appear
met every prank in the unvaryng fashion, until
his grin became almost idiotic
NANCYS most seriously objectionable weakness. in
the opinion of his 1awless companions, was that
he was religious They might have been more toler-
ant if he had lived the Christian life less obtrusivey
and less IN contrast with their brutal mpiety and in
humanity. But Nancy would not hide his light under
cover OF any sort. He had Bible which he read in
the presence of them ALL and he not ashamed to
go down his knees his bunkside and pray before
he turned in for the night
Oddly enough he had not been disturbed at these
devotions. The choppers for reason not clear
themselves had left him in peace at his read
ing and though they did not show their respect by
Evening star., 1909-04-18

hang where it is Its of him right away for it.
But" says he, Il suppose ought to call up the
office and tell Prigge I've resigned"
Think you can do the subject justice?" says l.
Say from all I've heard of this gent, it strikes me
it would do him good to have message like that put
in language ned understand; Now what do you say
if kind of break it to him."
HUMPHREY grins and waves for me to go ahead
- And inside of minute more I've got Priggle
with his ear to the phone.
Mr. Priggle," ! begins, smooth and oily, Hum
Evening star., 1909-04-18


head of his into the waste basket, holdin' lin
until he stopped his racket, while the Whole
roars Result, Humphrey is suspended n the
with orders to report to the general manager
thirty next morning.
A S I'm about the only one he's told his trou
"A Humphrey pixies straight up to the studi
gives me the tale hot off the bat.
1T want gentlemanly thing to do. I'll a
says he.
There's times, though" says l, when
even the best of us forgets ourselves. Wish
I'd been there to see. And now what?"
I'm sure don't know" says Humphrey.
"Priggle will have me discharged if he can,
l suppose. l almost hope he can. l wish /
was quit of the whole rotten business, and off
in the wilderness somewhere, thousand
miles from an office building"
"A thousand miles from Broadway?" says
1. That's an awful wish, Humphrey"
Il mean it, though says he.
And just then my eye happens to catch
sight of that gold brick deed stickin' out of
a pigeonhole in the desk.
wavn % an h says pskn t ~dsrnsss eas aoa
mentioned? Well. maybe can fit you out,
after ALL happen to own little private
wilderness that I'll be glad to give you the
use of until you get over this crouch. There's
one hundred and sixty acres of it, accordin'
to this document, and I'll swap you a years
lClIC LII d OOHC SOildl OoILOH. ID IL SO.
"But where is this-er-" begins Hum
phrey.
Eight miles southland be sure to get the
direction right-south of Wallytunk," says
/. Sounds like a suburb of Philadelphia,
don't it! But it amt. It's somewhere near
Calgary, wherever that isl"
"Calgaryl" says he. why, that's in
Alberta. | know fellow who's in the real
estate business up there"
"Good!" says1. That's probably fancy
name for the ice cuttin' industry Anyway,
when you get settled on my estate you can
invite him up for week end of polar bear
shootin' and a view of the northern lights"
That don't scare Humphrey any, though
He's in dead earnest about this exile stunt,
and as soon as he makes sure of my ownin'
reservation, and my bein' willin' to let him
have the run of it, he says he don't give
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

Moasrn Editors: Not infrequontiy.
do We hear the expression OF wiah
that Carnegie and Rockefeller and
other wealthy Northern people might
extend their gifts 10 our educational
needs In the Southland. regardless of
the fact that such offerings must
needs carry n condition OF some sort
--"string" with every one OF them
In rcfrcHhing and striking con
traHt with this sickly. dependent son
timcnt are the seif-rcapoc,ing and
manly words OF DR. James w. Lee. OF
Georgia Give them wide currency:
rs any one ready To say that
the Southern people are not able
10 equip their schools. colleges
and universities up TO the level
OF those favored Institutions In
the East. North. and Vest II
80. IL may bo answered that any
people with patience. courage
and indomitable energy enough
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

wealth arc tho results Of Industrial
education
II education and hbijl ran ship our
cotton. sold at an average price Of
$50 bale. 20 tar,RwAy %cw Eng.
land AMI Tho lands beyond tho acaH.
and r~ll & back 20 ~ 1T from 1850
% $4,000 per bale. 81 they can ship
our lumber 10 tho East. make Il into
furniture. and then ship s, back 10
our homca. II they can ship our coal
80 fhr-nNay States TO turn tho wheels
81 their factories. then. | submit.
that education and skill. given 10 all
our people. will give TO ua these un-
rivnlcd advantages rlgh, here tn our
own state
have been travelling for the past
TWO years through the rural diatrlc,a
Of Mississippi. aud fear no contra
dic;ion from tho farm homes OF our
people when declare that they are
dissatisfied with their school syHtcm.
and that they want i, developed un-
~ their children shalt have mn equal
chance ia nghtinR lfr'a battles. | be.
licyo the day IS coming when the
farm homes 81 Mississippi will de-.
mand from the Legislature that sane
and reasonable legislation needed TO
develop our school ayB,"m until every
child in the rural districts shall be-
enabled 20 get training that will
develop him the only way a great God
would have him developed and that
IS TO the fullest extent
The Remedy for These Conditions.
want 10 say right here To those
who may be disposed 10 criticiAe the
remedy which am going 10 suggcat.
that before they begin their criticisms
IL Is but fair that they should sug-
geAt something better. The Depart
mcnt OF Education is eager and anx-
ious TO adopt any suggestion that Is
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31
As DiRnified to Teach Agriculture as to
Teach Mathematics.
Appeal of Mississippi Children Is for an td"'ah
That Will Enab to Their Work in the Best and
SUR


North learned this lesson. but even
far-away Japan. country that only
awoke from It's sleep Of centuries a
little more than nifty years ago. has
developed system Of education
which ships our cotton 20 that far
away country and eoIls & back 10 us
in textile goods Al great proat
Little switzerland Withou; any sea-
coast. with no fuel within tho bosom
81 old mother earth. owning no vcs-
soils OF her own. takes our cotton and
actually ships us more cotton goods.
N value. than Wc ship TO the rost OF
tho civilized world Remember. that
all az those Advantage and this
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

10 triumph in single genera
ton over the ravages OF the mos.
disastrous war ever wagod IN
history. and who. when fully on
their feet. have moral force
enough soon to eliminate b. acts
OF legislation n drink bill OF
nearly n half billion dollars an
nually. have the innate manhood
20 amaze all mankind with what
they can do. The Southern peo-
pie can do anything they deter
mine TO do"
W. y BETS. Ph. Il.
Nontroao. Miss.
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

II education can develop the
Weed into the tomato: II IL can take
tho common cow and give un the
1crter and iIniatrin. /, Il can
take the scrub horse and give us the
Thoroughbred &, IL can take tho
razor. back hog and give ia IN. Bork
nhl'o and tho Poland China. then T.
can iako little human aoui and Dc
felop i,a attributes. expand ItA mind
and snnd II NJ on tho mountain-topa
"a Gods sunlight whcvc. strong earn
eat and atalwArt. II shAll stand pre-
pared 10 play It's righttui part In dl-
rccting The destiny OF state and Ma.
ton. For such an education. LEI the
people 81 Mississippi pledge them
sclvoH. and he who throws one Oh
stAclo In tho way of one OF those III
ito onca. /; ~cro better that mill
stone be hanged about HE neck and
he be cas-; into tn. depth OF tho sea
Mothers and fathers OF the farm
homes OF Mississippi. will You not
nnawcr the hllcnt appeal Of Miasin-
eipp's children Who 1.-Two In the rural
diHtrIcth7 ls Il not better to spend
money 20 make strong. influential
men and women than 10 sacrifice
children 10 save money
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

worth while. Here are some OF the
things we need TO do:
() To supply trained teachers for
the rural schools the State should
provide State Normal School.
Teachers attending this should be re-
quircd TO teach at least one year In
tho rural schools OF the county in
which they live This would mean
trained teachers for the rural schools
in every county
60 To provide high school facil-
tiles at actual cost. an agricultural
high school should bo established In
each county. supported BY local tax
alton and BY an appropriation OF al
Toast $4,000 each from tho State.
In this connection favor tho abol-
Ishmont OF tho preparatory depart
mcn's Of all the colleges The money
that tho State approprlatss TO main
tain these departments should DO In
vested In high schools In tho coun-
tics
(3) To provide better school facil-
itics for the common schools In the
rural districts. n local tax should be
levied and more State aid given To
these schools
In thia connection. favor an APP
preparation sufficient TO maintain the
schools Ia tho weaker counties. where
tho property valuation IL low. for n
length Of term equal 90 that IN the
Weather counties.
The time has come for tho people
10 inpToaa on tho members OF the
Legislature the necessity 81 bringing
hbou. y solution Of 'hla problem. let
us not forget that back OF all stands
The child With hands upll'tod !n;o our
llvcs asking for holp Shall wc deny
him Please God. no
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

The Arkansas Farmers Union is
holding n six weeks cotton school AZ
Little Rock The various features OF
cotton raising and marketing are dis
cusscd The school Is for members
Of the FarmcrS' Union only. 4 good
idea for which tho Union deserves
commcndation
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

which carries the best school adyant-
ages 10 all the people.
CD The State. which IS but the
spirit OF the people. can never b" as
forceful and elevating rs It should be
until the attributes of the soul and
the faculties OF the mind OF all the
people are developed to tho fullest
extent
90 The universal prosperity and
the lasting contentment and happi-
ness OF State depends upon the
education OF all tho people
90 No system Of education can be
developed from above downward, 81
mus, DO built from below upward
80 A system OF education soon be
comes top-heavy which seeks to car
~ the people 10 tho school rather
than the school 10 the people
60 No system Of education ever
developed tho resources OF people
that failed TO provide Industrial
training in all the schools.
ca II has been conclusiyoly proven
tina; the wcalth-earning power Of y
people is in direct proportion TO tho
length Of time the average citizen at
tends school
go "Enllghtcn tho people gcnor.
ally and tyranny and op2rcssion OF
mind and body wlll fec like evil
spirits at tho dawn Of day"
Ny message TO the farm homes 81
Mississippi shall bc plea FOR active
earnest work on the part OF our rura'
people 10 develop system 81 ciuca
ton in our Common wealth that All
carry on, these eight arioms
am now discussing the rura
school problem only County AZTEC
county can be named whore 'h'
schools are ia scsslon for only nvs
months IN the year Not only ~ this
term too short. but tn many OF th"a'
schools there are no libraries Man
are taught ~ tcach"rp sto avc un
trained and ot'-'iinos iarE'ng y
scholarship In manr ~nsa;ion Their
are no high schools wherr 'he pupi
may attend AT actual cost
Our schools should Train for Iif~
In practically all tho schools OF III
State we ind aystcfn Of education
which seeks 90 III our children TO
the professions This. In the face o
the fact that only per cent OF GU
people are engaged In the profession
while more than so per cent follow
agricultural pursuits We md iit,l'
training 10 give Intelligent direction
TO the hand. 10 give dignity 20 labor
II ought To ~ Just M dignified fo
the schools to teach hoy how tn L.
come skilled ngriculturist "a q
teach him how Ia work out n com
pIcx problem In mathematics. !
ought to be- Just a. cl~vating and no
BILE for "a girl la learn I'm th" school
room how Ia cut and III "A Carmen
A. Ia learn how To translate Latin
II should be taught IN every schoo
that the only way for our people &
compete with the people OF New Eng
land. who ship our cotton. lumbe
and other raw material thousands q
miles away 10 be sold back TO us IA
an enormous profit. rs through indus
trial training In the public schools
We should learn that whatever on
State visions as good In It's own al
vance must be impaired through III
public schools
We Have Neglected Industrial Edu
cation.
Not only have the people OF IN
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

Growing student body. Some reduce ex-
pcnsos by engaging tor students work. Fo-
IN ale College, Port Gibson. Miss.
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31

There is no such fatterer as a
mans self Lord Bacon
The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1909-07-31
BIZ Hon. J. ". Ponsrs.

mn ERE ARE SOME propositions
N" which seem TO me self-evident.
The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-28
IS Still after
BANK STATEMENTS
AUDITOR SMITH is MAKING AN
OTHER TRY TO GET THEM
A Telegram Just Received From the
Comptroller of the Currency is
Sent Out to Eighteen Banks.

JACKSON, Miss, May 2S.-Follow-
ing the publication of list of eighteen
banks in the state who had failed to
respond to his numerous requests for
statement of their condition as to
assets and liabilities on April 2Sth,
Auditor Smith has received a tele-
gram from the comptroller of the cur.
rency asking for information in regard
to those who have reported and urging
that he use every possible means Of
getting statements from the remainder
Mr.. Smith is unable to understand
why any bank should be either indif-
ferent or negligent in such a case,
where the figures are wanted for gov
ernment statistical purposes, to be
treated individually confidential and
published only in tABulated aggregate
form, and he is particularly dfsappoint-
ed at the attitude of one or two cash
iers who have actually refused to fur
nish this information, either explain
ing that they did not have time, or
some similar excuse.
In view of the fact that the auditor
has been unusually lenient with those
banks which have occasionally had
their quarterly reports which they are
required by law to make, delayed for
a few days beyond the time allowed
them by statute, their discourtesy in
a case where he has authority only to
request a compliance is difficult to
understand.
Mr.. Smith is now sending out to
these eighteen delinquent banks a
copy of the comptroller's telegram to-
gether with another urgent request,
and hopes that he has now put the
matter before them in such light as
to secure an early compliance with
the request for figures.