davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
BY WILLIAM WALLACE. JR.

ME 0HN and Fred Davis and Martin Drown were passing part of the win
 ter trapping xid animals. They had a small camp on a mountain ~ side, desolate. timbered place where man was seldom seen. A few brother trappers were camped 10 miles up the river but John, Fred and Martin had pushed their way to the very verge of Nowhere, as they called the country to the north of them. Indeed, there was not habttation-save the trappers' camp up the river-within 15 miles of their camp which was little log cabin chinked with mud to keep out the weather.
 The boys were having some success in their business, If one could judge from the many skins hung out nn board stretch CTS to dry or to season." as the boys put it. There were no large animals In that part of the world, but small ones abounded in great numbers. So the boys hoped for prosperous season.
 One day after securing several fine belts. the boys returned to camp quite worn out from their long, hard tramp up and down the mountain. for the cold est days had come and the temperature had not risen above zero for a week. So the boys were very glad to get back into the cabin. where fine wood fire blazed in the rude stone fireplace. As Fred and Martin washed and stretched the belts on wooden frames John prepared the sup per. As he mixed buckwheat "f1apjacks'' and sliced bacon he whistled a gay tune, to which his fellow-workers sang in time. A merry. busy trio were the three boy trappers. the oldest one being just IS.
 Come, boys" said John. after half an hours work over frying pan and griddIe, come. set to: the grub pile is on. And If you are as hungry as I am I'll have to fry 40 or 50 more flapjacks. I feel IS though l could stow away half a nun dred."
 And l can keep pace with you and let you have the handicap of, say, 10." laughed Fred, pouring some bacon gravy over stack of steaming "fapjacks."
 Martin had poured the coffee into three tin cans, which served as cups. The dishes on the table eorresponded with the cans. for they consisted of tin plate and an old yellow searthenware bowl for gravy. The forks wer old wooden handled affairs, and the knives used at the work of skinning animals were good enough-after washing well-to cut bread and meat.
 But had the mothers of the boys en- tered the cabin at the minute of their sitting down to supper they could have made no objection to the table manners of their respective sons. Each boy had washed his face and hands till they looked wholesome and clean. and each had combed his hair very carefully, stand ing before the bit of broken mirror that was held against the log wall by sey- eral tacks Even in the wids of an uncivilized world the boys did not for get their careful home training. And it would have done their parents good could they have seen them seated about the coarse meal, spread on bare deal
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

put them away in a wooden box which served for cupboard, and replenished the fire, around which they sat talking over the days experiences. Then, be- fore turning into their hunks for the night, John-the eldest of the trio-read a few chapters from well-worn book, a thrilling tale of the frontiersmen oi century ago. The boys had read and re- read the book many times, but there were fayorite chapters, dealing with h. dian fights and priyation, that they found ever new md interesting. Also. their camp library contained Bible. book on the care of belts and book of jokes and conundrums. Each of these had their special reading. The Bible was always read before breakfast on Sunday, then put away carefully till the next holy day should come round. The joke and conun- drum book was referred to whenever the boys found 1t necessary to ''borrow laughter as they put 1t. Usually. they found enough to keep them merry and happy-hearted while abont their camp work. but on occasions when their spirits seemed bit low the joke and conundrum book acted as a laugh tonic.
 After the reading had been completed for the evening. the boys tumbled Into their hunks to sleep sweetly and deeply.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
LITTLE RUTH'S FAIRY.

such a thing as a fairy. And I'll tell every kid know. too.'' Bob spoke the last sentence in a very threatening voice, and if any fairies happened to be listen ing at the time, they must have felt it very trying moment, for as we all know. fairies are not bakers or cooks. But Bob-the skeptical-thought fairy could bring him whatever he wanted and at any time--if they really existed.
 But little Ruth knew otherwise. She knew that fairies only come to children In distress, and she also knew that Bob was not in need of any kind of cake especially ginger cake: so she was bit worried over what Bob said. She loved him very dearly, and it would make her so much happier in her own belief In fairies If Bob believed in them, too. So, hoping for some sort of miracle-by which Bob might be made to believe In fairies she had urged him to wish, and to wish very, very hard, with his eyes shut, for the ginger cake.
 "All right, I'll put down the book and wish very hard for some ginger cake, said Bob But you'll have to keep per fectly quiet, and maybe you'd better wish, too"
 .T'll tell you what we'll do,'' said Ruth. You stay in this room and wish and I'll go Into the library and wish. Buff you don't get ginger cake just for wish ing, you mustn't think there aren't any fairies. Maybe they'll be out of ginger cake. Maybe they'll be out of all sorts of cake. You know people often get out of things to eat; so why shouldn't fairies get out of cake, too?'' Ruth had clinched the argument, and Bob could not reply to her. So he said, "All right, I'll wish for ginger cake first; and then I'll wish for ordinary cake; and then I'll wish for something good to eat. But if l open my eyes and find nothing beside me why, Ill know there aren't any fairies" ."
 Then Ruth ran into the library. where she curled herself up In big chair be-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
Biographical Sketch of
 Andre1D Johnson.

been designated as an orphan Is not ex- plained for his mother and stepfather were living at the time and in good health and strength.
 When Johnson was IS years of age his term of apprenticeship was ended, and with his mother and stepfather he left Raleigh. N C. (his birthplace). and went to Greenville, Tenn. The following year he was married to Miss Eliza MeCardie.
 The home of the young couple was a log cabin of two rooms, one room serving as tailor shop and the other as living apartment-kitchen, dining-room and par Tor in one. And there the two brave young people worked and studied, for after his marriage Johnson learned to read and write, his wife being his teacher
 Soon after locating in Greenville John son took great interest In the affairs of the city, and was twice elected to the office of alderman. Later he was elected to the Tennessee legislature. Then came term in Congress, at which time he sold his business to another tailor, but kept the log shop, which was never oc- cupied by anyone after the Johnson family left 1t for better house.
 But Andrew Johnson was always a poor man. and 1t took the greatest tact to manage his financial affairs when he was governor of Tennessee A Mrs Patterson was engaged as, housekeeper--and one might truthfully say the pursekeeper also, for she it WAS who made the contents of very slim purse go very long way. And after Johnson became president of the United States Mrs. Patterson was installed in the White House as house. keeper. where, with the assistance of Johnson's eldest daughter she took entire management of the expense account of the executive mansion. The president hnd no personal fortune nor income, and the salary paid to the chief executive was scarcely sufficient to meet the demands made on him unless the strictest account of every dollar was kept. But his family were plain, unpretentious people, and the strictest simplicity in living was obsery ed by them During the first part of his term as president his family with the exception of his eldest daughter-re- mained In their home in Greenyille. Later they took up their residence in the White House.
 People who knew Andrew Johnson throughout his young manhood and dur ing his public career said of him that he had never borrowed dollar in his life nor spent one that he mad not himself earned. He was a nun of fine Integrity and had an intense hatred of debt To make an honest living, to put honor and industry above the sordid things of life, to learn something daily was the example set by Andrew Johnson
 MARY GRAHAM.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

Fred and Martin stood open-eyed and open n-mouthed. In front of them. pressed hard in the shape of the door, was white wall of snow. A snowstorm had ragged during the night and the wind had carried the snow round the cabin, piling it against the door and two windows till all were buried. How much of the back and sides of the cabin was covered by the snow the boys did not know, but Fred wisely struck upon plan. Lets knock out some of the mud chinking at the back of the hut" he suggested. So. with sharp sticks, they worked away at the chinking between two logs and after a few minutes had opened crack sew eral inches long and about two inches wide through which the sunlight poured. "Ah, hai' said Fred. Its only big drift round the front of the cabin. had feared it might be worse-maybe a gentle avalanche which had buried us 50 feet deep But it's nothing serious. We can let the fire burn down and then we'll go out through the chimney"
 'Tm mighty glad it's only drift, !" said John, a smile of thankfulness on his face ..It might have been verse, you know
 Say, it's a good thing we have a shovel" declared Fred. "While you fei-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

lers are preparing our breakfast I'll be- gin tunneling through the snow at the door. It's better to go out through tunnel than to climb up the chimney
 But the tunnel will have to be made from outside," explained John. "Other- wise we'd fill the cabin up with the snow dug from the tunnel. Sect"
 "Ah. you're right" Martin said. "well, we can get enough fresh air from that crack in the back of the cabin to keep us going for awhile. So I move that we have breakfast before letting the fire go out. I'm all-fred hungry, and the thought of cutting through 30 or 40 foot snowdrift has encouraged a good appetite"
 Second the motion," said Fred. Then the three boys hurried with the breakfast after which they put out the fire by throwing snow, taken from the open door. upon 1t. When the chimney had cooled. they climbed through it to the roof. From there they looked upon a new worthwhile. white snow many feet deep over the level. while here and there on the southern side of rocks or clumps of trees drifts 20 to 50 feet in depth lay. And from the roof of their own cabin. leading over the door and win dows, stretched a. drift fully a hundred feet in length and about 10 feet deep at the doorway. It took the three boys nearly all the forenoon to dig a tunnel from the outside into the house. and when the sun marked the hour of noon they entered their doorway, a hungry and a happy trio.
 Well, boys say it's jolly experf- ence." laughed John. piling some wood in the fireplace and starting a fine blaze And now one of us must write an ac- count of our being showed under and send 1t to the old folks at home"
 "Yes, but first let's have dinner" said Martin Being showed under may have it's exciting points, but 1t doesn't rob a chap of his liking for grub--when the grub time comes round"
 And John and Fred agreed that Mar tin was right and the three set about to get the best dinner they had eaten since Christmas Day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

"MONG the many instances of poor La nen rising to the highest ranks Of
 fife in this country may be cited The case of one of our presidents.
 Andrew Johnson. And 1t may not be generally known that he bore the dis tinction of being the poorest president of the United States. With the exception of John Adams and his son. John Quincy Adams tsecond and sixth presidents of the United States); John Tyler, who sue eeeded to the presidency on the death of William Henry Harrison, and Andrew Johnson, who succeeded to office on the death of Abraham Lincoln. all the presi- dents have been either men of wealth or fairly well to do on entering the White House. But Andrew Johnson was as poor on the day when by accident be became the chief magistrate of the nation as when he was member of the legislature of Tennessee.
 When Andrew Johnson was yet a very young child his father died. leaving large family in the very depths of pow erty. Soon afterwards the Widow John- son married again. But that did not furnish Andrew with a home, for when the lad was IA years of age his mother bound him out as an apprentice to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

the fairies really and truly came" she cries They didn't bring ginger cake. for the. know ginger cake isn't good for little children. But they brought us good old fashioned taffy and popcorn. which arc better than cake"
 ''Yes. I'd rather have popcorn lihb thy| -and taffy. too-than all the gingN <caF| ever baked" declared Bob. But co4 let's see If mamma has returned VI We must teii her that the fairies dknl0 to us and brought us some candy and popcorn, to prove to me that there are fairies. Aren't they. good fairies to go to 70 much trouble for mef'
 ''Yea, they arc always good. fairies are, declared Ruth. feelingly. "But you mustn't wish too much for them, for they don't like seldsh little children, and Il you should ever raally need them they wouldn't como if you had wished thsu hero when you rally dh not med th1u, galF1es ars made to Aplp ch1dren h 1is 0e1s sn4 not to 1ood fhom e cnIkn an1
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

side the warm steam radiator. There she fell asleep after a few minutes. Bob. re maining in the playroom, stretched him self out on a huge fur rug. lying on his face, his arm under his head and his eyes shut. There he remained very quiet. wishing and wishing in low tone:
 Good fairy, bring me some ginger cake. Good fairy. bring me some ginger cake
 Good fairy. bring m-e-m-e-
 Some c-a-k-e--c-a-k-e--f-a-i-
 And then Bob fell asleep to the sound of his own voice. And while he lay
 there he dreamed that fairy came into the room and placed little box beside him, and In that box he found some candy and nuts, but no ginger cake. And when he asked the fairy why she did not bring ginger cake she replied: .The cook has gone on a strike, young man, and we are out of cake. But we have candy-real old-fashioned tany-which you will find very toothsome. And some nuts in the box are freshly gathered from the trees that grow in California and they are. very deiiciour D Thus, while Ruth slept, dreamless, in the library, and Bob slept, dreaming, in the playroom, their mother came in from shopping in the city. She carried two large paper bags-one for Bob and one for Ruth. On peeping into the playroom and seeing Bob fast asleep on the rug. she walked softly in, so as not to wake him, and placed one of the bags close beside him on the floor. Then she went in quest of Ruth, whom she found curled up In the chair. Gently she placed the other bag In the little sleeper's lap. Then she withdrew to her own room Half an hour later Bob awoke, and the first thing he saw was the bulging paper bag be- side him. Then he recalled the circum- stances under which he had lain down on |, the rug and gone to sleep An. the fairiesI- He had been wishing for proof of their existence when he shut his eyes. And here, paper bag lay beside him! He reached out his hand and opened the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

bag Candy-ol old-fashioned tany - was therei And under the candy was huge popcorn ball all sweet with molsssesI Now, he had not dreamed of popcorn but he had dreamed of nuts along with the candy And. of course. the fairy had brought the popcorn instead of the nuts. Maybe they were out of nuts as they were out of ginger cake.
 Bob sat up and smiled and nlled m mouth with popcorn. Then he remem- bered Ruth and ran to call her. She was still sleeping h the big chair: but he reused her by exclaiming: "Why, the fairies have breught you bas juss Ike mine. and. q course t holds candy and popcorny'
 Then Ruth awoks and looked bit sur- pFised at what Bob was Daying. During sleep aho had forgotten the conversatton between herself and Bob relative to the existsnce of faixiea. But t took only . fsw verde fyom Rob to bring the Vhele thing fronh c her u1n4 oSA1ns and then dho 1nmpoo 70 and deua ulf1 3ak Sob
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
S SOURpUzZLE . .OOR!!NEp B!

LETTER ENIGMA. My first is in pill. but not in take; My second is in burn. but not in bake; My third is in frolic, but not in glee; My fourth Is the same as my first. you
 see;
 My fifth Is in light. but not in dark; My sixth is in canine, but not in bark:
 My whole spells color
 That's beautiful and rare:
 Iris a color that royalty
 Has loved always to wear.
 zIGZAG PUZZLE.
 This zigzag contains seven words of four letters each. If the words are right ly guessed and written one below another in correct order, their zigzag letters, be. ginning with the upper left-hand letter and ending with the lower left-hand letter. will spell the name of barnyard fowl. The cross-words are : 1. To be wealthy. 2. A stupid silly person. g. To stand still 4. That which a person suffers when he has been robbed. 5 Structures built by savages. 6. A common food all over the world. 2. A garden implement.
 BEHEADINGs. < 1. Triply behead to be happy and leavA that used by soldiers when in camp 2. Behead the name of a spring month and leave form of early architecture. 8. Triply behead a song and leave a young boy.
 CURTAILINGS.
 1. curtail that which is pleasant in temperature and leave fierce conflict between men 2. Doubly curtail an anglo in a room and leave kind of grain 8. Doubly curtail the name of parent and leave a destroying insect
 ppvVsT srD 0Svrc
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
Bbe Scarlet Thread.

T YER since the day of Nelson, Er peculiar custom has been observed A in the British navy. A scarlet thread is woven into every one of the thousands Of ropes used in the British naval service. This includes all ropes. from the smallest heaving line to the largest hawser. Several romantic sug- gestions have been advanced as to why the thread is woven into the ropes, but the real reason is a simple and practical one.
 It simply means a sure way of identi- flying royal property, and if any rope with the red thread is found in un- authorized hands the presumption is that it was improperly taken It is forbidden that any rope manufactured for private use contained the red thread, in just the same way that in the United States the manu- facture of paper for private use contain ing bits of si k is forbidden. This paper in the United States is used for currency purposes only.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

D UTH and Bob were sitting on the H> floor reading from one of the pie EM ture books which Santa had given
 W them on Christmas. '1 say there aren't fairies" declared Bob. nine years old 'They are only in books; I'm sure of it.
 ''Ob-o-oi" exclaimed Ruth. looking really shocked at what her brother had said "Oh-o-o-o aren't you ashamed Bob. to say there aren't any fairies 'cept In booksT' Why. I'm very sure there are fairies, am."
 Well, when you get as old as l am, you'll know better" declared Bob. You see, you're but seven. and I'm two years smarter than you. One can learn about lots of things in two years you know.
 Ruth didn't know but she tried to look as though she did. But she resented Bob's saying there weren | any fairies. In fact, as the two children sat turning the leaves, Ruth kept wishing with all her might that something might happen to prove to Bob that fairies really did exist. After d little while she said: ''S'posen something should drop beside you all of a sudden-some candy or an apple--or some thing very. very good to eat Wouldn't you then believe in fairies?''
 Oh" replied Bob, in q very wise way, pursing up his lips and assuming a skepti- cal air, If ginger cake should drop beside me-here on the door--I might be- lieve in fairies. But it'd take a ginger cake, and nothing else, to make me be- lieye"
 Well, maybe if you wish hard enough for fairy to come and drop ginger cake beside you. she'll probably do so. But you have to wish very, very hard, with your eyes shut and nobody around" ." said Ruth.
 Well, I'll try it," consented Bob, his mouth watering for ginger cake. his favor fte sweetmeat But, If l keep on wish ing for long time, ana the ginger cake doesn't come-why. I'll know there isn't
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

When they awoke the next morning their view of the outside world. which was to be. got through two little windows. was curtained. The glass panes of the win dows were white and opaque. John was the first to leap out of bed. He ran to the window. saying to Fred and Mar tin: Gee whiz, boys. l do believe it showed heavily last night. Just look at the windows!''
 stnntlv. trying to clean spots on the win.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

have come down by the ton last night while we slept" Sc said Fred. Lets get into our duds and go out and see what we have to wade through" said Martin, drawing on bis clothes as fast as he could. Fred and John followed his example, and as soon as John was dressed he opened the cabin door. The sight which met his eyes made him ejaculate: "Holy-gee! look at that, boys! We're showed under. as sure as we're oil
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

table, their faces beaming with health and cleanliness and their hands as care fully kept as though they were at home. in the bosom of their respective families. And they ate their food slowly and with as much grace as their table accessories would permit of. In fact. camping and trapping in the wilds had not made ruff fans of these three weIl-reared, naturally refined boys. It merely made them re- sourceful and independent.
 After supper they washed up the dishes,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
PARIS STRONG MEN,

~ HE strong men of Paris wear the largest hats in the world. They are
 - from the markets and are famous for their feats of strength. They wear, as a sort of badge, large felt sombreros, each being a yard Tn diameter. The custom is a very ancient on and the men think they are the only ones entitled to wear the hats. The hats are considered pro- tecti ID to the head, as the greater portion of the heavy loads are carried there. The strong market men compete for prizes every three years and some of their feats of strength are wonderful
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

dow by blowing their warm breath against the glass. But to obtain clear place through which they could look out was impossible. Yep, it's snow, piled up against the windows. Gee! it must
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
4 MAxIsr.

F in your work you would suc- A ceed,
 Do nothing that's not right: Apply this maxim every day; "TTstt the other fellow white. Y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

M BOY went a-skating one A day On a pond that was not far away; And he skated till eve,
 Then the pond he did leave, For the dark drove him home
 from his play.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS PUZZLES LETTER ENIGMA-Co,cdrd
 HIDDEN PROVERB-t 6 an tU toted that bloaUs nobody 0ood.
 REVERSED WORDS: 1. Rdt0-sodr; 2. Trap-part; 8. FIoso-tooIf; 4, Rat-tay.
 ILLUSTRATED PRIMAL ACR0STIC-- Winter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-16
SOME CURIOUS FACTS.

SOME CURIOUS FACTS. YER 4,060 muscles have been count ed in the body of single common V moth.
 The Chinese divide the day into 12 parts. Each part Is distinct in itself and is of two hours duration.