davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
WATCHING HIS CHANCES
FRANCES OLIPHANT.
1885 Fourth Avenue. Oakland. Frank
lin SchOOl~Fifth Grade. Age
IN Years

At the time OF the fire in San Fran
cisco some people came 10 stay Win
us. as they were burned out. While
they were in the park a bird was ny
ing around. They caught IL and put IL
in a large cage that their bird was
in They brought il over TO Oakland
or so. They gave me the bird
This bird was a beautiful singer anu
was so much like the one we had pc
the other one
1 kept Dickey in a cage with their
bird Whenever Dickey would wan
something TO eat or drink he would
have To watch his chance. because II
he took il when the other was look
ing there would be a fight. But soon
their bird would let Dtckey get MS
meals without fear When we put
Dickey in another cage they would talk
and sing TO each ether.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
A POLITE MONKEY
HERMAN FUEIFfH,
27J9 Golden Gate Avenue, San Fran
cisco. Frank j. McCOppia school,,
A Fifth f:rade. Age IL Years
HERMAN FOEHR,

n UEaUC. -ABc II AC@NAS
/ am very fond of little monkeys. and
the other day when l went to school l
heard some nice music coming up the
street A nice little monkey was dane
ing in front of the houses. / asked
my mother If L could have n nickel, as
1 would like to see the monkey dance:
You ought to have seen how glad
was when / got the nickel,
So L ran down the stairs as fast as l
could. and the monkey was still dane
ing in front of the houses. while the
man made the music box go. l gave
the monkey the nickel and what do
YOU think he did! He took off his cap
to me and then he wanted TO shake
hands with me. And where do you
think he put the money. He put it in
his ear and then he began TO dance
once more.
And as soon as~he had been dancing
about 8 minutes the man put him In a
bag and went away.
Don't you think that the little
monkey was polite to me when he took
off his cap?
Why The monkey was acting just
like boys who have polite manners
This is my little story about the
polite monkey.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
FOXY BEsS
EDDIE COSTELLO,
44o5 Twenty-Fourth street. san Fran
eIsce. ID Seventh Grade. james
Lick school. Age II Years

Bess is a very wise old cow
I first saw Bess last summer Wnil9
on my vacation in the country
1 wondered the first morning l was on
the ranch why Bess never stopped
mOOing.
L soon found out. however. 1t was
time for Bess to have her hair combed.
My cousin and / went to the pasture
where BeSs was, to comb her
1t was funny to see BeSS stand 50
patiently while she was having her
hair cOmbed.
After Bess had her stomach cembed
she would get down on all "fOurs 10
have her back cOmbed-
If any parts of her body would
itch. she would try and show my eous-
in by a switch of her tail or with her
hind foot, and leave my cousin 10
scratch her with the comb.
II Bess happened to spy my cousin
holding her apron UP OF carrying
wood she'd take 1t for kale or beet
roots and come running toward her.
She would follow my cousin to the
garden gate. And there she would
stand and moo until some one threw
her few kale leaves.
She would then be satisfied and go
back to her pasture.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
DOGS HANGED FOR CRIME
HAROLD KRoN.
HAROLD KRONQUEST,
1929 Rhode Island Street. San Fran
cisco. Eighth Grade. Column
bia Cosmopolitan School.
Age ID Years

A short time ago an Eskimo boy
six years of age was playing with
some sleigh dogs at Sandwich bay,
Labrador, when his foot tripped and
he fell TO the ground. Two OF the
dogs, like so many sleigh dogs of
the north. seeing their opportunity,
pounced upon him and killed him
while he was down. The father of
the child went to Cartwright, the
missionary who owned the dogs. and
hanged as a penalty for their crime:
and SO. to pacify him. the dogs We're
condemned TO death and formally
hanged.
Animals, though having no con-
science, are often punished for their
wrong doing. The sheep stealing dog
was marked for death. and the one
that bit a child or an adult was only
permitted to live by the federation
of the community.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
AWARDED A WATCH
FLUFFY
DOROTHY WALSH.
2I9 Eighth Avenue, san MateO. Age Il
Years. san 8IateO Public School

sle Eighth Avenue, San MateO. Age Il
Years. san sIateO Public School
Fluffy was beautiful white Spanish
poodle with soft curly hair He did
not always keep it that way, as he
loved 10 roll in irrigating ditches on
warm days.
Once when he was very i'll a veteri-
nary surgeon said he should not be fed
meat or il would kill him. Thereafter
he was given dog biscuits and milk,
but Fluffy had ideas of his own. He
made midnight raids TO neighbors'
back yards. securing meat. one morn
ing he came home with q huge ham
bone which was taken from him. He
had a very detected air No serious
results ever came from il.
His boon companions were three
large bulldogs that every other dog IN
the neighbOrhood feared. but he felt as
big as any.
He was an artistocratic little dog,
for he always gauged people by their
clothes II any one came shabblly
dressed he would try TO keep them
from the door.
He was devoted and faithful to those
who Were kind TO him and loved TO do
~ -errands We would say. Fluffy. get
rhe paper and he would bring the
morning paper 10 rs.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
MY LAMB Bah
STEWART FILMS.
Santa Rosa. Age II Years

When Bah was real small his mother
died so I took him and raised him on
bottle When he grew bigger
would give him sugar and he got TO
be so fond OF me that everywhere I
went he was always with me. i would
wash him every day so he was always
clean. Sometimes / would take him
in the house and up stairs He could
go up and down stairs as fast as
could. Whenever i took q walk he
was right behind me. Every morn
ing when I went to school he would
walk about half a mile with me and
then there was a gate so I shut him
out and he would go home alone. The
cats and dogs were all friends with
him.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
A STRAY DOG
FRANCES DE VERE,
1927 Twenty fourth street, San Fran
cisco. James Lick school. B Fifth
Grade. Arc II Yearx

1t was a rainy morning as l was COM
ing from the baker shop, accompanied
by my little brother Paul. We met d
dog that appeared to be almost starved
and so weak that he could hardly walk.
My little brother was eating a cake
that the kind baker lady had given
him, but when he saw the dog he would
not eat another bite and said. Poor
doggie,' and reached out his cake. The
dog ate it and showed his gratitude by
wagging his tail and then followed us
home. we named him Shep, because
he was a shepherd dog. Brother has
become very much attached to Shep
and likes to feed him One morning
he took Shops breakfast out. but he
was not there as usual Just as two
stray cats We're fighting over the food
Shep made his appearance and chased
the cats. which pleased brother. who
said: 1T serves them right for tight
ing"
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20

II34 Hampshire street. san Francisco
81. Peters school. Eighth Grade.
Age 10 Years
Among the many animals that inhabit
the earth is the dog. The dog is Il
carnivorOus mammal Of the genus CAMS
The appearance Of The dog depends on
the kind TO which he belongs. The food
% g dog does not need 10 be the best.
one that is accustomed TO be fed deli
cacies viii eat with voracity a piece Of
6ecaying flesh.
one Of the peculiar traits of a dog is
fle fidelity with which he clings to his
master. No matter where he is led or to
what cruelties exposed, the fidelity Of
the dog never relaNes. When starving
has fidelity seems 10 be increased. When
far from home. on some dreary tramp
although weary and footsore, this faith
fui animal trudges on. Therefore il f.
not an uncommon sight 10 see a dog
treated almost as the member Of the
family.
Thus we see the usefulness OF the
dog-his fidelity 10 is master fighting
fOr = persons life. reseHing drowning
persons. his usefulness lting and
IN trailing down crimif r-.i tend TO
increase the estimation which the
dog is held. Hence * ma ave truly said
that outside Of human beings mans
best friend is his dog
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
THE FAMILY DOG, SHOCKS
WALTER OSBORNE.
126. Sixth Avenue. san Francisco
Sutro SCHOOL. Age I3 YenTS

One Sunday morning l arose early
and went to the front door and got
the Sunday Call. which of course came
early. / hurriedIy got out the comic
section and began TO read 1T. Snooks,
the pet dog of the family. was sitting
at my feet watching me- l read one
side of the paper and turned 1t over
to read the other As soon as / did
this Snoeks jumped up, barked loudly:
and cut up many capers. jumped
up. threw the paper on the hoor ana
went to see what was wrong The
dog instantly ran to the comic sec
tion and eagerly looked at ii. Went
to see what he was looking at and
found him intently looking at the
two little pups. Every Friday and
Saturday evenings now he goes to bed
early so he can be up on Saturday 10
see Alonzo in the Junior Call. and the
two little puppies in the comic section
on Sunday morning.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
HOW DANDY SAVED EVELYN
DONALD ABSHRIE.
YrelSa, SisExiyou County. Grammar
School, seventh Grade. Age IL Years

4 SLSk1EOu
School, seventh Grade. Age IL Years
He was just a common dog with big.
honest eyes, long hair and went by
the name of Dandy, but Evelyn liked
him just the same.
They would play along the beach to-
gether. They had been playing when
they. found cave and entered it, when
q slide of dirt covered up the mouth
of the cave and it became very dark.
Dandy not liking to be covered up
began to scratch at the dirt. Finally
out popped a little head and the dog
started toward the house as fast as
he could run.
Evelyn's father seeing Dandy coming
without her started up.
Dandy tried to make her father un-
derstand by wagging his tail and bark
ing. Then he guided Evelyn's father
to the cave and together they be-
gan to dig. Finally a little figure
crawled out of the cave.
''Dan-Dandy left me-" sobbed Evelyn.
Well Dandy shall never leave you
again" said her father.
Why, papa! How did you know I
was here?' said Evelyn
Dandy did it ALL" said her father;
but the hero just wagged his tail.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
TWO MisCHIEvoUs MAGPIES
KATIE LYNCH.

Port Costa, Cal. Age 13 Years
Magpie No. 1 was on the ground poking
his beak into the hedge and magpie No
? sat in the tree. and watched his
friends doing. Presently No. 1 seemed
to think his work was finished ana
after looking at il a minute or two he
cheerfully flew away No sooner had
he disappeared than magpie No. 2 flew
down 10 the hedge and began pOking
in the same place. After a while he
gave a chirp and pulled an old curtain
ring out of the earth so this is what
he was hiding, is it?" he said TO him
self I will hide it now so that h9
won't be able to find it," So he carried
off the treasure.
All this time in the house Mrs. kel-
leher was hunting for her lost curta in
ring. She scolded the servant Mary for
not putting it away. She was quite
cross with Tommy. In the afternoon
when Tommy went to play he saw a
magpie poking in the hedge 1t was
magpie No. l looking for his treasure,
of course he did not find it. and as
magpie No. quite forgot where he
left 1t that curtain ring was lost for
ever and ever
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
MY LITTLE DOG SPORT
LIONEL r.. SMITH.
I2ONEL H. SMITH,
1919 VI. Street. S0uth sen Francisco.
A Eighth Grade. Bay View School.
Age II Years

I have little dog Sport which is
a very clever little animal He waits
for his breakfast morning. noon and
night. One day l was very late in
giving him his breakfast. He barked
as if to say: Am l not going
to get my breakfast this moring?"
Well, when / gave him his breakfast
he jumped for JOY and barked as If
to say: Well, you did not forget me,
anyway. didR you.' One day I took
him over TO the beach and gave him
a swim He saw a duck and immed-
lately he was in the water swimming
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
BEAUTY
ALICE r. LINDSAY.

275 Clipper street, san Francisco.
Eighth Grade, James Lick Gram
mar School. Age IA Years
The latter part OF our summer va
cation was spent with my uncle on
his farm. My favOrite pet was a large
Newfoundland dog called Beauty
Early every morning. we would go
Tor a swim in the river. a half mile
away. OF course. Beauty. who was
very fond OF swimming. came too.
One morning after we had been
swimming for about ten minutes
Beauty came running TO me hOwlinx
and barking. She looked at me as III
to say. "Oh please come qufckr
followed her for three quarters OF a
mile down the river. / could see
nothing but trees. Coming around a
bend in the river Beauty broke into
the brush When I arrived what a
sight met my eyesl Under a great
bed OF twigs lay a little girl Of about
five summers I picked her up and
found her unconscious. Ny uncle
said she lived on the next farm from
ours. We took her home and found
that the child had wandered from the
house that morning. II IL had not
been for Beauty'S bravery. the child
no doubt, would have been drowned.
Beauty was presented with a collar
with Our Hero on it.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
MY LITTLE KITTEN
HAZEL STEVENS.
Red Bluff Public school, Sixth Grade.
Arc 10 Years

One evening we were all in the sit
ting room, when we heard a noise on
our porch. We opened the door ana
found dear little kitten.
She would sleep in the rocker ana
evenings would get UP on papas desk.
and with her paws she would take
everything off and put it on the Hour.
Mamma could not leave anything on
her machine. as the kittie would take
everything OF.
One afternoon we came home AKA
found in the bathtub two little kittens
with their eyes closed. In the IaldGie
of the night mamma heard the moSAer
kfttie crying and the next minute she
put q Kttie in mammas 5 hand. She
did that three times the first nlgal-
Mamma had to put them in basket
behind the stove.
Baby and the kittens were great
friends. They just loved each 0ther
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
OUR PETS
CLARA KENDRICK.
S012 Shattuck Avenue. Berkeley. Ag
13 Years

ID ECGrS
Our home being a place for pets. we
have many stray pets. We have a dog
named Dollie, who is considered as one
of our family because of her Smartness
in performing tricks. We also have
two cats, one is an angora and the
other maltese The maltese cat seems
to be very cross and VIII net stand any
fun from the dog. while the angera is
just the reverse and wants the dog TO
play with him, bat Dollie seems TO ig-
more him.
One day. however, our maltese ca
was chased by a fierce bulldog and was
almost exhausted from running when
the angora cat sprang to the rescue.
but was soon overpowered by the dog.
The two cats braveiy faced their foe.
when DolIie. hearing the noise, came
running to the spot The bulldog was
a coward before so large an opponent
and soon took to his heels. with D0Ilie
following Doliie would not have faced
him. but as she had. him running she
kept him so. After that the cats were
the very best friends of Dollie, as they
looked up to her for saving their lives.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
AWARDED A WATCH
SMUT, THE POLICE DOG
s23 n Street. san Francisco. Sixth
Grade, Laguna Honda school.
Age IL Years
EDWIN sULLY.

Smut is a brindle bull terrier with
q black and tan coat and a black
nose which gives him his name. He
was born in the Concord jail and it
was there, perhaps. that he acquired
the intense aversion to tramps which
first won him the notice and friend
ship of the police. Never a tramp
who has heard of Smut dreams OF ap-
preaching Penaeook. When a wander
ing Nagabond does by chance appear,
the buil terrier promptly chases him
out of town.
Let the fire alarm ring at any hour
OF the day or night and smut is one
of the first to respond But his chief
happiness is to join an officer on pa
troll. then he frequently has a chance
10 make himself useful If an offender
resists arrest, the dog clings to his
coat tails, snaps at his shins and wor-
ries him so, he is soon glad TO have
the handouts put on and the dog
called off
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
ANIMAL STORIES AND PRIZE WINNERS

her small cart to drive her in. me
first time I hitched her up In II Sne
broke the cart Then I made Slsu, S,,
7 would lead her around until | could
make her understand what ] wanted
She became q nice calf to drive. Apout
two weeks ago my uncle TOOK nv
away to pasture and now 1 am lone
some for her: but / will have anOther
calf to play with after while
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
SPORT "a True Story
GEORGIE EVERETT,
GusDSs0

I was delighted one day when mann
ma brought home little black and
white puppy. such a time we did have
teaching Sport some tricks as he grew
older. The most important thing he
does is to bring The Call from the rail-
road track Just after the noon train
passes our house. He has to go at
least quarter of a mile. but he never
fails TO GO rain cr shine. The Sunday
Call is so large that he can hardly
run with it, and sometimes the wrap
per breaks when it is thrown off the
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20

he told Ronp to bring his slippers to
him.
Romp didn't obey but skunk back
to corner and the slippers could
nowhere be found.
Some hours later his master went
to the postoffice AS he was going
along he passed the butchers store
The owner asked him to step into the
store and Romp gave his masters
slippers to him. Romp had carried
the slippers one at a time to pay for
his meat.
Now don't all you Juniors think
that this was a clever dog?
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20

I45 Noe Street. state Normal school.
Lower Fifth Grade. Age IL Years
have goat by the name of Prince.
he came from my fathers ranch His
color is dark gray. When he came from
the ranch he came with Dhue the dog.
Prince did not like it at first when
ne came here. I wanted to train him
IN a cart. 1t was hard at first TO get
him to pull the cart, but he got used
TO ii. trained him to do some tricks
whenever he got mad at Dhue he
Jumped up on his hind legs and tried
10 buck him. My father has a dairy
and around the corner is the stable. and
Prince could go from the dairy door
10 the stable door. One day early in
the morning Prince went TO the dairy
door and found it open. He went
around the corner TO the stable door
he stood there and bleated until the
stable man came and opened the door
for him.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
AWARDED A WATCH
MUD
DOROTHY KALMA FRIEDENHAL
1864 I4arI1in street. Saa Francisco. 4
sixth SsraGe. Pacific Heights
school. Aged II Years


sixth Grade. Pacific Heights
school. Aged II Years
Mud was a little black dog. He could
90 tricks. as most dogs can. but such
tricks, One day his mistress had COM
pany and they asked him TO show his
tricks off. You may think il is funny
that I said they asked Mud. but he
. could understand a great many things
said TO him.
Wen. they asked him to do his tricks
ard he did them. He took down a
Chinese gong Chat was hanging on the
Wal) with his teeth and beat upon il,
carried n kitten around in a basket
and did numerous other tricks. too. But
the crowning joke of the afternoon
was this. 1T was getting darker and
darker but every one was so interested
in his performance that no one noticed
It, AT last Mud. who couldn't see very
well in the darkening twilight
stopped and looked around. Then he
jumped upon a chair b. the wall. and,
putting one paw on the back of the
chair. he stood Up and pressed his
other paw on the wall. hard In sec
ond the room was light. Every one
looked around. Mud was just getting
of the chair when they applauded
heartily. He had turned on the electric
switch
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
AWARDED A WATCH
JOE BUSH
RICHARD RAMrINs.
CuPertfno, Doyle school. tcfffh Grade
Age IL Years

.
Age IL Years
Joe Bush was an ordinary bay horse.
owned by a COW outfit IN Colorado and
used in the string OF horses ridden by
Wat Wright, and was known all over
sthe country as one OF the best rope
horses that ever-led calf 10 the fire to
be Branded.
The instant the rope was thrown he
would turn and gailop toward the fire.
II the throw was a miss be would stop.
shake his head. rs much as TO say
don't miss again turn and walk
back He was noted for his ability TO
understand what was said to him.
When Wat wanted Joe he would ride
out into the cavalry yard and say.
s'COme on. Joe. let's go TO camp. He
would follow as though being led. Ar
riving at camp Wat would say. Stay
there, Joe" and without saddle. bride
or rope he would stand for an indefinite
time He was used one winter by too
little girls who rode him to school a
distance of two miles. Arriving at
school they would rein him up and
send him home. IN the evening he was
r~Saddled and sent after them
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
BOB'S DEATH
ALFRED KoLB

ALFRED kOLB.
sol Castro Street, san Francisco.
seventh Grade. Hearst Grammar
school. Age 13 Years
While we were living IA the coun-
try little shepherd pup was given
10 US. As he was only two months old,
he. Of course. had no name so we
called him Bob He was very lively.
and bad. too, sometimes and liked to
chase our buggy horses to see them
run.
Whenever we left him in the stable
any length of time they would be-
come very frisky and jump. kick and
cut al kinds of capers when let loose.
Well. on one of these days, Bob
thought he would be smart and chase
one of the horses and, in return, re-
ceived a kick that knocked him
senseless. We tried for hours to
bring him back 10 consciousness but
failed, and he died. We all felt very
badly and my brother built a little
coffin and covered it with black cloth.
Then we buried him in our back yard
and planted his name in grass on his
grave.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20

toward it. But, alas, the duck was
what you call diver and every
time the dog got near to him he would
dive under and come up away OF
from where the dog was. He would
cry and feel very sorry. l know. When
I called him in he was so cold from
staying out in the water so long ne
was nearly stiff.
Well. this is just little compost
tion about my little dog, sport.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
FAITHFUL CURLY
BUFF HOWELL.

Box 1OI Richmond. Public school,
Sixth Grade. Age 10 Years
When / was a baby my papa brought
home little black curly puppy for me.
NY mamma used to put him in the baby
buggy with me when / slept and no
one dared come near the carriage. One
day | was in the baby buggy on the
front porch with the dog. and a strange
man came up on the porch and Curly
bit him on the ankle. The man had
my papa arrested for allowing a wild
and vicious dog to run the streets with
out a muzzle. Papa put the dog in his
overcoat pocket and when the judge
asked him if ne was guilty he pulled
the dog out of his pocket and held ii
on his hand, and the judge dismissed
him. | still have him.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20

GLADYS ALEXANDER.
1924 Shattuct Avenue, Berkeley. lie
Contc school. Acc II ears

Contc school. Age IL Years
One day Trix ran away from home
He went to the forest and then clear
on until he came to town. He met an
old lady who had a little sick boy,
so she took the little dog home with
her The little boy had many other
pets. Among them was another dog
He had taught the other dog many
tricks and he thought that he could
Trix learned them all he would come
into the room and dance before the
little boy. One day man came to see
the little boy and he knew the little
dog He asked where they got him
and they told him, and he said that he
knew where he lived, so he took Trix
back home.
The San Francisco call., 1909-02-20
DAISY
ERIE BENJAMIN SMITH.
Sixth Grade. Maxwell Public school
Age IL Years

Daisy was a bay mare. She held
her head high when we rode her, for
we did not drive her. When you rode
Daisy if you shut your eyes and
leaned back in the saddle you would
think you were in hammock. On
Sunday when papa came back from
his ride he would let me ride up the
street and back. / could not go far
beca she was young then Papa
was going to let me ride her next
summer but she died about a month
before school was out
She left a colt which we named
Daisy because she was just like her
mother. We raised it on milk until
il was old enough TO eat
When it was born. she was Not
much bigger than Alonzo. but she
would make a dozen of him now.