davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16

guilty., 1eelluS the QeS1re 10 DlOW Ile
foam off a crock of suds, but when he
felt in his pocket he found himself
discharged for lack of evidence Some
body had disturbed his change during
the commotion. So we sat, dry. upon
the stools, listening to the dagoes fid-
ding on deck. If anything, Tobin was
lower in spirits and less congenial
with his misfortunes than when we
started.
On seat against the railing was =
young woman dressed suitable for red
automobiles, with hair the color Of an
unsmoked meerschaum. In passing
by Tobin kicks her foot without in
tentions. and, being polite to ladies'
when in drink, he tries to give his hat
twist while apologizing. But he
knocks it off. and the wind carries It
overheard.
Tobin came back and sat down. and
l began to look out for him. for the
mans adversities were becoming fire.
quent. He was apt, when pushed 80
close by hard luck, to kick the best
dressed man he could see and try to
take command of the boat.
Presently Tobin grabs my arm and
says, excited:
"Jawn," says he, do ye know what
we're doing? We're taking a voyage
upon the water"
'"There, now," says 1; "subdue yer
self The boat II land in ten minutes
more"
Look" says he, ''at the light lady
upon the bench. And have ye forgot
ten the nigger man that burned me
ear? And isn't the money had gone
"a dollar sixty-five it was?"
l thought he was no more than sum-
ming up his catastrophes so as to get
violent with good excuse. as men will
do. and | tried to make him under
stand such things are tri1es.
Listen" says Tobin. we've no ear
for the gift of prophecy or the mira
cles of the inspired. What did the
palmist lady tell ye out of me hand
'Tis coming true before your eyes.
Look OUT says she. for dark man
| and Il light woman: they'll bring ye
! trouble Have We forgot the nigger
man, though he got some of it back
from me fist? Can ye show me {,
lighter woman than the blond lady
! that was the cause of me hat falling
/, In the water? And where's the dollar
sixty-five had in me vest when we
left the shooting gallery"
The way Tobin put it It did seem to
corroborate the art of prediction.
though 1t looked to me that these acci-
dents could happen to any one at Co
ney without the implication of palm
istry.
, Tobin got up and walked around on
deck. looking close at the passengers
out of his little red eyes. | asked him
the Interpretation of his movements
Ye never know what Tobin has in his
mind until he begins to carry 1t out.
"Ye should know" says he. 'I'm
working out the salvation promised by
the lines in me palm. I'm looking fol-
the crooked nose man that's to bring
the good luck. 'Tis all that will save
us. Jawn, did We ever see straighte,
nosed gang of hellions In the days OF
your life:"
Twas the $50 boat, and we landed
and walled uptown through Twenty
second street, Tobin being without hii
hat.
On street corner, standing under I
gaslight and looking over the elevated
road at the moon. was man. 4 lonl
mamie was, dressed decent. with {
cigar between his teeth. and saw tha
his nose made two twists from bridgs
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
An Ant Simile.

Some men have Il career like golf
ball. They are helped out Of one hole
only to get into another. -Lipp'nrott's
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
He Told Her.

Housekeeper-You promised that II
Id give you good meal and Il suit
OF old clothes you'd tell me how to
keep the premises free from tramps.
Tramp-Yes. mum. an I'm man
OF me word. mum. an Ill keep me
promise. although that meal wasn't no
great shakes an this suit Of clothes
amt much of a lit. But I'll tell We.
well. what course am to purSue!"
Never give 'em anything. mum.
Good day. num-
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16

make a voyage upon the water very
soon and have financial loss. sec
one line that brings good luck. There's
q man coming into your life who will
fetch We good fertune Yell know him
when We see him by his crooked nose" /"
"Is his name set down." asks To
bin. Twill be convenient In the way
of greeting when he backs up to dump
off the good luck
His name," says the palmist.
thoughtful looking, ''is not spelled out
by the lines, but they indicate it's a
long one, and the letter % should be
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
Snuff Snoons.

All the world Is familiar with snuff.
boxes, but snuff spoons are pretty lit
tie refinements of which this genera.
ton has hardly heard. Very probably
they came into use about two years
after Sir George Rockies expedition TO
Vigo bay in l7O2. when he captured
half ton of tobacco and snuff from
the Spanish galleons. and snuff thus
became n common article In England.
One of the characters in a comedy
published at Oxford In l704 entitled
IAN Act at Oxford" by Thomas
Baker, says, But carry sweet SNUFF
for the ladies'" to which Arahella re-
plies: "A spoon too. That's very gal-
liant. for to see some people run their
fat fingers into box is as nauseous
as eating without fork"
In the forties and fifties Of the las
century SNUFF spoons were still in use
on the Scottish border. They were Of
bone aud Of a size to 90 into the snuff
box. People fed their noses. it was
said. as naturally as they carried soup
to their mouths. AS late MS 1877, i
farmer at Norham-on-Tweed was seen
using One.-I4ondon Saturday Review
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
Between Two Fires.

She was desperately gone on them
both. and she couldn't think which
one 10 choose. 1t was rather perpIex-
ing. no doubt. for one she was bound
10 refuse.
She gazed at them both in despair
quite puzzled TO know what to do AS
soon rs she thought about one she
cared for the other one too.
They still remained under her gaze.
little recking the trouble they brought
1t really was hard TO decide. They
were both so delightful. she thought.
She conldn't say which one shed
have: her efforts fell hopeIessIy Hat.
It's really exceedingly hard select
ing new autumn hat.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
The Pink Of Propristy.

When the stringed band. hidden be-
hind the rose and carnation screen in
Mrs. Poole's dining room. began to
play IN air from one of Meyerbeer's
operas. the daughter Of the house turn
ed hopefully to the young and appar-
emily dumb stranger who had been told
off to take her in.
Here was promising opening for
conversation. -.
"Do you like MeyerbecrY' she asked.
Il never drank glass Of one OF
those layers In my life" the young
man replied coldly.
His Party.
A matfon Of the most determined
character was encountered by young
woman reporter on a country paper.
who was sent out to interview leading
citizens as to their politics. MAY I
see Mr.. -y' she asked Of Il stern
looking woman who opened the door
at one house. no. you can't" an-
swered the woman decisively. .Rut
want to know what party he belongs
to-" pleaded the girl The woman
drew up her tall figure. We'll. take
good look at. me- she said I'm
| the party he belongs tor Argonaut.
! The Sultan's Smoke.
| During the last few days the sultan
Of Turkey was shut up in the Yildiz
| kiosk he is said to have smoked over
thirty cigarettes every hour to cool
his nerves" For years. Abdul Harpid
| has smoked dozens Of strong cigarettes
every day. and it can be said witho.,
fear of contradiction that he has been
/ the most ardent deyotee Of the fra
grant weed that was ever seated upel
! throne.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
How He Raised II.

How on earth did yoli ever rulti-
vnte slci, II beautiful black eye:" ask
ed Browns friend
OH" replied Brown. who had unin
tentionally been illustrating the fan 1T
man on roller skates. II raised II fr,m
Slip Every body's Magazine.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-16
Good and Simple.

Let 1t not be In any mans power to
say truly of thee that thou ar, not
simple or that thou art not good. nut
let him he a liar whoever shall think
anything of this kind about thee. and
his Is altogether in thy power. for
~ is he that shall hinder llpe from
ing good and simple:- Marcus An.
t,IlilIS
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
A TARDY JUNIOR.

once there was a bright little girl
named Fanny But there was one
very bad fault she had and that was.
that she was alwast a moment 100
late One day she brought the paper
IN the house, and anxious to hear the
contest, she read it aloud She asked
her mother if she couldn't write a
letter and get a package of flower seed.
her mother told her she might. But
as it was habit Fanny had formed.
she decided not to write for a few
days as the contest wasn't to close I'M
til the 18th Of the month. So FANNY
waited until the day before the contest
was to close, Then she wrote her let
ter, and the day when the Ottumwa
paper was to come. When she read
that some other little girl had got the
prize she was disappointed But She
was disappointed worse than ever
when she found out her letter was not
even in print. So the next time when
the Junior came she was reading the
chlldren's page and she came across a
little piece written by the editor saving
there was nice little letter written
by her but that it got to Ottumwa too
Iale LOT the contest. This taught
fanny lesson never to be late.
Pearl Thomas,
Abba, Ia, r. f. d. No. 2.
"a
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
Age 8.
OBSERVATION CONTEST.
Forest Weber,
Ottumwa, Ia,
1905 E. Main st.

On April IL, 1909, my bother set the
Incubator on 179 eggs. They were
turned every night and morning. The
second week mamma and brother
tested the eggs and 25 had no chick.
ems in them. About the second week
they began to feel lighter.
The nineteenth day we heard a lit
tie chicken. The next morning
(Which was Sunday four chickens
were Matched. A good many Matched
that day and that night we took out
thirty-six. like to see them coming
out of the she'll
They Matched the second and third
of May.
We had 1876 little chickens hatch
out Of the incubator, but few have
died. We have Plymouth Rocks,
Brown leghorns, white leghorns, black
ones and twelve Rhode Island Reds
We have the Klondike incubator No
2. am a Daily Junior.
Maude Skirvin, age II.
Ottumwa R. r. No. 7.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
A NEW CONTEST.

We have had so many splendid
stories on our presidents that we have
decided to ask the Juniors to write
on some Of the European rulers. Last
week we had pictures of Queen Will
helmina as she appears today and
when little child. Today we have
two pictures of King Edward, show
ing how he looks today and how he
looked as little child. Now we want
the Juniors to write some nice short
stories about King Edward and Queen
Wilhelmina- Next week we will have
another queen. The subjects for to-
day are:
King Edward Today"
Queen Wilhelmina Today"
king Edward as Child"
Queen Wilhelmina as Child"
The close of the contest will be an
nounced later. The prizes will be
boxes of letter paper.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
WILLIAMS OBSERVATION.

Among the most interesting things
of observation birds nests are the
best. once stood quite ways Off
and watched the mother and father
robin build their nest. There was a
brook right near, too. The father bird
had bright colors, the mother bird
was of a lighter color. They first flew
up in the tree and sort of formed
sticks to hold it in, then the father
flew down to the. brook and bsought
mud to his mate on his feet and bill
Then the birds sort Of fixed it where
she could easily get it. And the faith
er bird flew away for some string and
grass and brought them back. BY
that time the mother bird had the mud
put in the place where she wanted IT,.
Then taking the hair and grass and
string sort of weaved them in with
the mud. Then in order to get it in
good shape she sort Of laid down
and rubbed her body and neck in or
der to get it right. Now the nest was
done.
William Names.
1923 North Wapello street.
OttumWa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
A TARDY JUNIOR.


Most Juniors are children. Now if
every week Junior sees some subject
in the Junior paper and the child
knows he can write good story he
keeps putting it off and off until Sun
day comes. Then mother will say to
him: you haven't written the Cour-
Ter yet" He says I'm going to this
afternoon" Afternoon comes and he
wants to go out in the woods Mothes.
says Il thought you We're going TO
write to the Junior" II will tonight
he says. SO he goes to the woods.
At night he wants to go to bed early.
So it goes until Thursday noon. Then
he writes story, and the story isn't
near as good as it ought to be. and
it is tardy to the office. This child is
always tardy for school too. Hardness
isn't a good habit to form. Some day
You will be asked to lead meeting.
Before you start You will perhaps bake
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15


when he went anywhere he was al
ways getting into mischief.
He promise his mother that he would
try and do what she had told him to
do. He went over to his friends house
as happy as he could be to play with
his little friend. They played together
for long time, then they began to
quarrel The little boy remembered
what his mother had told him about
not to do this and don't do that. After
while the little boy went home, but
not as happy as he was when he went.
His mother asked him IL he had done
what she told him not to do. He hesi-
tated for a while and then he said he
had quarrelled with his little friend.
He said he remembered her telling him
not to do this. and don't do that. His
mother would not let him go over to
his friends house to play for long
time. After that he always remembered
the horrible word don't"
Mary e. Locke,
Selma. Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
Age 10.
THE HORRIBLE WORD DON'T.

l am a Tri- Weekly Junior. I thought
would write story as my sister is
writing. once there was a little boy
named Charles, who was in mischief
from morning till night. He had a
kind, sweet mother. who did not like
to scold him, but she would call out
Don't to him every little while in
order to keep him from mischief Soon
the don'ts, which at first seemed so
shocking to Charles became so COM
mon that he no longer needed them.
he very soon became carless boy
an11 fell In bad company in spite of
all his mothers good counsel One
Gay MS mother was sick with the fever
and the doctor said she did not have
long to live, SO Charles was called to
MS mothers side and she said to him
Whatever you do. Charles, don't med
ole with drink Soon there was a
knock at the door and Charles opened
1t, and there was two of his chums.
who wanted him to go to town with
them. Charles got his hat and they
were soon gone. When they got up
town, they all went into the saloon
anddrank three or four glasses of bee.
and told Charles his mother was dead,
put ne was too drunk to understand.
80 he never went home that night.
Inc next day his mother was buried.
When Charles came to his senses his
mothers words rang in his ears. So
ne hastened home and found that his
mother was dead and buried. He was
almost heartbroken, and very sorry
Tor his disobedience. He learned a
lesson which he never forgot. and re-
solved to touch not, taste not, handle
not.
Lola Breckenridge.
Abba, Ia. r. f. D. No. 9.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
LELA'S OBSERVATIONS.

One day when 1 was in the. barn
yard two pigeons flew down near me.
Each picked up straw and flew up in
cupalo on the barn. l watched them
for quite a while. They kept flying
back and forth, each time taking a
straw to make a nice comfortable
nest After they had made the nest.
they carried feathers, hair, wool and
leaves and lined it. This made it very
warm and coy. After it was made
the mother bird flew in it.
She seemed to be very much pleased
with her new home. She laid two pref
ty white eggs and went to sitting. She
was very happy when one little egg
Matched.
The mother bird would fly out every
da- and bring it some seeds or a worm
to eat. But one day when she had gone
to get it something to eat a bad thing
happened. 1t fell out of the nest down
onto the barn floor and broke on of its
wings My sister put it is the hay loft
and the old ones fed it. The mother
bird will be happy when 1t can fly up
to the nest
Lena Saum,
BlakeSburg, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
= STORIES-LETTERS :.
SECOND oBsERvA.
TON


This week I have observed some.
thing about the father-bird. The part
of the bird which we call the foot is
really the toe. The joint in the part
which we call the leg is the heel.
Therefore birds stand en- their toe.
The father-bird has been singing his
mate pretty little song. Now and
then he brings her a worm. He is
now standing on the ground, hunting
for insects. I have noticed that while
he Is flying he lets his brightest feath-
ers show, and when he is standing on
a tree or on the ground he hides them.
will be very glad when the little
birds come out, because I can watch
the mother and father bird feed them.
Last night as | was coming home from
town saw the father-robin trying to
pull worm up out Of the ground for
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
CORN OBSERVATION.

Among the most observing I think
corn is the best. How it is planted
and all. First it is planted in the dark
earth. The rain comes, the se.ad
swells, pretty soon it sends down in
the earth little greenish brown root.
By and by 1t swells more until little
green sort Of stem comes pushing
through the earth. BY and by it turns
to leaf. 1t grows larger and larger
until the stem becomes a stalk. And
by and by two or three green ears
spring out. They begin to turn brown
with the sun. and by and by the corn
is ripe. And maybe there is a thou
sand seeds on the stalk. So we learn
the same holds good with seeds.
Laura Names, age 10.
1928 North Wapello ST., Ottumwa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
OBSERVATION CONTEST.

Since 1 wrote. last week / observe
that the trees are much more adyanc-
ed than they were last week. The
cherry trees are full Of pretty white
flowers and the apple trees are In bud.
They are pink and much prettier than
smell.
The bark on the cherry trees Is Of a
dark brown color almost black, and
very shiny, and has gum that gath
ers on 1t in the summer. The apple
tree has light gray color for its coat,
and much smoother. The little petals
will fall off and leave the little green
cherries and apples. We have several
peach trees In our yard but they are
to small to bear. we did have SIX
cherry trees but they all died but one.
they are not very long lived tree.
There is tree called the flr.s.I guess
all the boys and girls like to see 1t on
Christmas, as that is what It. is used
for. The Christmas trees, have
SO many nice things HANGING on them
for us. Then there is the oak. 1t Is q
wind and does not break so easily in
the fall. They have acorns that drop
on and are nice to play with
The cautaba tree has the largest
leaves Of any tree I know Of and has
such pretty clusters of flowers after
they are leaved out. We have two in
our yard that mamma planted the seed
and one Is about twelve feet tall now.
We have seven different kinds Of
trees in our yard. They are the APPLE,
boxelder, cautaba. peach, crabapple.
cherry and walnut. We have lot Of
roses. | think they are so pretty.
They are all leaving out and about the
last of the month they will be full of
pretty roses.
Forest Weber,
Ottumwa, Ia,
1906 E. Main St
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
A DAY IN THE WOODS.

l received my Easter card and will
write story about dog in the woods.
One day Blanche and Clyde Brown
went to school and the teacher told
them that they would all go for day
in the woods. So they all started for
the woods.
They picked flowers until they were
tired and sat down in the shade to
rest. After while they ate their picnic
dinner. Then they found violets, blue
bells, mayflowers and Easter lilies
They they went back to school and put
their flowers on the teachers desk.
They were all very happy, but as Clyde
had fallen into the creek while gather
ing flowers he was not so happy as the
rest. When Blanche and Clyde got
home they told their mother that they
had had very nice time in the woods.
Leila Shaffer,
Douds- Leando, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
Red Top in the
Far N0rthland

Once upon time, long ago, away
up In the northland where the sum-
mers are very short and the winters
very long, lived Grandam PecAer I
cannot spell It for you as they spell it
In Northland, but this Is the way to
spell it in English.
would not wonder If they gave her
that name because she was always
pecking about with her sharp sticks,
gathering bark, leaves, twigs and
roots. Nobody knew how old she was; ;
she had thin little body and face
80 wrinkled that it looked like the
bark on the tree trunks.
"I'm clean beat Quit" cried Grandam
Pecker, staggering into her tiny hut
just as the sun ducked its head be-
hind the big, dark forest that stretch
ed from north to south as far as one
could see. why, have been two
hours picking UP this basket of
sticks"
Grandam Pecker grumbled and
mumbled across the earth floor and
dumped the basket upside down on
the hearth. She sat herself down on
the bench beside the fire place to rest
bit gnd get her breath. '1t must be
that those Ferguson scavengers have
been out today. What is poor old
body like me to do with five pairs of
such nimble feet and hands fitting
about and filching every blessed thing
their eyes can spy out?"
But pretty soon Grandam Pecker be.
stirred herself. 81 will make me a
good fire and bake tasty cake for
my supper and brew me cup of my
b>st herb tea. That will put a scrap.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
AGED IA,
GLEN LIVES ON AN so-AcRE FARM

GLEN LIVES ON AN so-AcRE FARM.
Dear Editor:
1 am boy eleven years old and live
on farm Of eighty acres, four miles
south Of Moravia and one-half mile
northwest of Hiattsville I go to the
New Hope school and have mile ia
walk. 1t was out the last day OF April
and we had program. / spoke piece
and was in a dialogue, "The Bashful
Boy" and a song. I had eight studies
in school, reading, writing, history,
arithmetic. physiology, language, geo,
graphy and spelling. We have about
It's little chickens and I have q
guinea. For pets 1 have little spot
ted Shetland pony which think Is
very nice. 1 call her Roxy and dog
whose name is Teddy and two little
calves. Their names are Bessie and
Buster. didn't get fooled the first
of April. I hid several eggs Out
Easter. I wrote to the Courier Junior
once before and got a card and wish to
thank the editor for it. I have about
ninety post cards altogether. AS my
letter is getting long l will close.
Glen Hiatt, age II.
r. F. D. No. 8, Moravia, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
THE OBSERVATION CONTEST.

l will write in the Observation cor
test. This spring saw many things
saw some flowers and many other
things. First Of the trees 1 saw there
were no leaves. And after while
when it got little warmer saw the
leaves coming. Pretty soon they were
clear out. The cherry trees are now
full of blossoms. They are very pretty.
The plum trees have blossomed and
the blooms have all fell off. The
flowers are now all blooming. I think
flowers are very pretty. I haven't
seen many flowers this spring. 1 will
close my story, wishing the Juni,r
much success.
Mabel Skirvln, age II.
R. F. D. No. Z.