davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-23

which is active in the interests of the
church. They do a great deal along
missionary lines and raise money for
church funds from their excellent
musical programmes and socials. The
officers are: President, Rev. Mr..
Grunden; treasurer, John Nelson; and
secretary, Miss Ellen Johnson.
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-23

There was quite party OF Charles
City people at the Prescott hotel to-
day. ali In to visit the Fargo stores,
and attend to business in the city.
Nearly all were seen this morning in
the Prescott lobby and reported favor
The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-23
First Presbyterian.

The Christian Endeavor society OF
the First Presbyterian church has a
most suggestive name as well as one
that affords motto at all times to its
members. This society does much ac-
tive work socially In church circles and
also missionary work. The president
Of the society, Charles Harrison, re-
Gently left the city and new officer
has not yet been chosen. The other Of
fcers are: Vice President, John Hufe;
Secretary, Miss Phoebe Foag: treas
urer. Miss Emma Christianson, and
corresponding secretary, Miss Fanny
Pickton.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

this?" For there, in one corner. was a long work bench. with tools and boards and nails and shavings. and every other sort of litter made by the carpenter, strewn about in work day fashion. In another corner, which was carpeted brightly and warmly. stood a bed. wash-stand, a dresser and a large clothes press. In front of one of the three big windows stretched a cushioned window seat. and table-flled with books and pa pers-was close at hand. A reading lamp and an easy chair made this especial end of the room look most inviting. The other two windows were held by the work bench, which ran along the wall near to them, get ting the full light coming in. The centre of the room held a miscellane- ous collection of finished and unfin- ished work. There was one very pretty chair, all done but the staining. (See illustration.) It was made of soft pine, but was strong and serviceable The young carpenter had made 1t for his little sisters playhouse. Also he was at work on a library table for the same little sisters playhouse. and tabourette for his mother. This last piece of furniture was very elab- crate in as much as the young carpen- ter had done some very artistic carv- Ing on it. The tabourctte was to be stained a pretty dark green, and the carved design would be delicately shaded from light to dark The pieces of furniture for the little sister s "play- house" would be stained light oak
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

And on the way there, we'll talk over your future. You must continue in school, and after graduating from there, enter university and take up whatever profession you desire. A boy of your metal shall not be wasted by being deprived of an opportunity. I need just such a fellow as you in my offices-a little later on. after you have been prepared for the work. And we'd better know each others names, while we're about this business. The old gentleman smiled as he said this.
 My names William Burton" in formed our young hero.
 And my name is Charles Gray Goodman"
 "Yes, Sir. I knew who you were when we turned into this fine home. And I have learned something else, too, if you don't mind my saying 1t. You are not the hard. cold man l have heard you are. but as kind and generous as human can be. But how can I accept all you are offering me? I would become dependent, and that would ruin me, absolutely ruin me. One must be independent and self-supporting to be of any worth in this world.'
 The old man looked the admiration he felt for his young visitor. You shall be independent as soon as you have received your education. my dear William. And while you are getting it, 1 have decided on this plan: have your mother come here and look after my house. for I certainly need a woman of refinement and good sense
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10
WILL BURTONS CHRISTMAS LUCK.

celebrate with you. There are but two of us at home-Mother and l. And we try to stay together on all our holidays. To be sure. we shall not celebrate in very big way, for I'm just looking for my first job, and may not be earning much when Christmas comes. But you have no idea how much pleasure 1t would give me to ac- cept you invitation"
 Say no more, my young man." in terrupted the old gentleman. T un- derstand fully your position. You are right-the mother first. Out siders must come afterwards. But how would 1t be for me to come and celebrate at your house? I have no family. My house is lonely, only serv- ants -and-portraits and-mem- ories. I could manage it to come to your house, Syou see."
 Will turned a bright scarlet. His confusion was noticeable to his aged companion, who pretended not to see it. You see," spoke Will, my father has been dead for many years, and our living has devolved upon Mother. We're in rather close circumstances Oh, not very poor. you know" he hastened to explain. We aren't hungry. nor anything like that. We
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

at my table. That will throw us you and me-together a great deal My sons room will be at your dis posal. It has been closed since hi' death-twenty five years ago. An, f has been long twenty-five years! Bu henceforth I shall have some one tt take his place in my home, yount fellow to bring up-to-date ideas ant warm life to me. We shall get or famously-the three of us. And youi- mother will find her duties very eas, looking after four servants ant Keeping them busy. And best of all watching her own sons advancement.
 Then a servant announced that tn, car was at the carriage entrance, ant Will, MT. Goodman leaning on hi arm, followed the servant to the door
 Well begin our good work or Christmas, then" said MT. Goodman Will that suit you, my son?"
 "Yes, yes" declared Will. And shall certainly say that I have hat Christmas luck. And could one wan good things to come to them on better day?"
 "A day when all men should purg, their souls of sin," said MT. Goodman slowly. And his eyes were moist when they drew up in front of Wilpt home in a cheap rooming house in poor side street. And Will was over flowing with happiness when hi mother came to the door, surprise ant pleasure in her eyes on beholding he boy enjoying a ride in a great tour ing car beside such a splendid-look ing and dear old gentleman.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

themselves to place the poles in the pit, for there were so many elephants that even though half those caught in the pit died, there remained enough to supply the trade. Those killed out right, or dying from their injuries, were not a dead loss, for their ivory, hide and bones were sold to good ad- vantage.
 The only pace of the elephant is a walk or a sort of shuffle, and when making his greatest speed. the animal cannot cover more than fifteen miles an hour, and he cannot go at this pace more than a few minutes at a time. It can neither trot, canter. nor gallop. It does not move with the legs on the same side together. but nearly so. A good runner can easily keep out of an elephants way on a smooth piece of turf. but on the ground where they are usually met. any attempt at flight, except by con cealment, would be unavailing.
 The idea that elephants have de- creased of late years in India has given rise to orders being issued by the Local Governments for their J. tection. This has also been done in Ceylon, where there is no doubt of the marked decrease in the number of elephants.
 On measuring an elephant. 1t has ! been found that twice around his foot will with rare exceptions meas ure his height. This would seem to be impossible, for the foot looks small when compared with the creatures height. But it is q rare instance to find an elephant whose height goes more than two O. three inches over the double measurement of his foot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

The African elephants. are greater in size and height than those of Asia. They usually measure a foot or four teen inches taller than the Asiatic ele- plants, and are not so easily taken into captivity.
 One of the most remarkable facts in connection with elephants is the extreme rarity of any remains of dead ones being found in the jungles. This circumstance is so marked as to give rise to the notion amongst the natives that elephants never die. In the wanderings of a hunter and natural ist through the elephant jungles of India, he declares that not one car cass was ever seen by him. One dead elephant was seen in a basin of wa ter, having been carried down by a mountain torrent during a heavy freshet. Another elephant was found dead from wounds. But no carcasses, nor bones. indicating the deaths of animals from old age or natural causes, were ever found, although he made careful search for such proofs of the mortality. Bones of other wild animals were often found. and whole carcasses.
 It may be possible that in the thick forests vultures do not attract atten- tion to the dead elephants. and de- vo-r the flesh quickly, leaving the carcass to be. disposed of by the mon soon rains and jungle fires. Still. one would think that some of the bones and an occasional carcass would be found by the explorer and hunter whereas. they never are. Of course the elephants die. but there has beer no reasonable explanation of what be- comes of their remains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

HEN we go to menagerie or to a geological garden, and ~ there see the fine animals, we W little think of the cruelty practiced in their capture. Perhaps none are treated more cruelty by those taking them into captivity than the elephant. This is largely due to tho splendid creature's enormous size which makes it very difficult for man to take him alive or without wound ing him mortally.
 There are several ways of captur- ing the elephant, but the one here de- scribed has been the favorite way for many years, especially by the natives of the lands where the elephant lives. It it perhaps the most barbarous method in existence, and it makes our hearts ache to think of helpless crea- lures being put to such torture, not to speak of the frigntful loss of life the system entails.
 Great pits are dug in the ground, in . narrow pass used by the elephants when going to some watering place. These pits are carefully covered by a light layer of brush and grass and leaves to deceive the unsuspecting animal to be caught in 1t. The stand ard native measurement for the pit is fifteen feet deep, ten and a half feet long and seven and a half feet wide. You will see by these dimen- sions that the pit is a close fit for the full-grown elephant This is inten- tional. for if the elephant had more room than required to accommodate his body, he could move about and dig his way out with his tusl1s. Some times in the case of small elephant and one which has not been injured by the fall, it does succeed in digging Cts way from the pit. But such cases are rare indeed.
 The depth of the pits being so great M may be ina gined that an immense majority of the elephants that fal into them have their legs dislocated or broken, or receive some fatal in ternal injury. In some cases, the poor beast is killed outright by hay ing it's neck broken in the fall. T. prevent such mishaps. so far as is possible. a strong pole Is placed across the pit about halfway down, in such position as to catch the falling ele- phants neck, and while the poll breaks beneath the heavy weight. 1t decreases the violence of the animal fall In the old days of elephant hunting. the hunters did not trouble
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

Breakfast will be on the table in ten minutes"
 Then Mrs. Squirrel went down to her children's bedroom and called 10 them: Come, my darlings. We shall have a great time today. for we are to go hunting of our Christmas tree. It showed last night
 "Oh. Mamma, did fl snow last night?" And Peek-a-Boo Squirrel sprang from his little bed. tossing his tail around in great glee. And we shall go in quest of Christmas tree, shall we? oh. what fun"
 Showed last night Mamma?' And little Pinky-Pan also leaped from her little bed, and firted her tail about in great glee. "Oh. what fun she said. Let's hurry up breakfast And she darted up the steps to the dining room. passing through her fathers and mothers room on the way.
 After breakfast the Squirrels-al II four of them went into the woods to hunt for a nice little Christmas trc }. Each year they did this and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

just then a fresh whiff of wind caught and shook the tree-top, and the flakes flew faster about her. Then she un- derstood. It was not really showing now. It had showed last night, and the limbs of the tree were so full of the white feathery stuff that the sharp morning wind shook it off in little flakes. But. ah! it was such beauti- ful morning! How could MT. Squirrel lie abed and snooze when the sun had already come popping out of the hill- top across the lake? She must run down stairs and get breakfast and wake the children.
 So down stairs she went-to the third story. The Squirrels house was very very high, comprising several stories, and each story having but one room. The very top room was the kitchen, and the second story (they counted downward) was the dining room and sitting room. The third story was the bed room of MT. and Mrs. Squirrel, and the fourth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

l ~W HRl SIMAS was coming. 90 M was Will Burton's birthday. for A he had made his appearance FAa% in this world on Christmas Day, and his happy parents had de- i clared that never never had couple been so blessed by Santa Claus-or 1 the Stork-before. tOf course, many boys and girls come to bless their parents on Christmas, but the Bur tons-like all foolishly- proud young parents-did not realize it.)
 And as Will Burton sauntered through the park on a crisp Decem- Der morning. his face clouded. he soliloquized thus:
 Fifteen years ago this coming Christmas. came into the world. I have heard dear Mother tell how hap py she and my dear father were to have a little son. And as the first seven years of my life went by, how blessed was our home. And l can remember a lot of the time after my fourth birthday. 1 can see as plainly as though it was yesterday my first Christmas tree, and how Papa assisted a huge Santa Claus to lift the many SlIIS ITOll lHe llGt. anu lp lldhu AtSlh around to the many friends who had been invited for the celebration. And what a load of pretty things I got!- soldiers, dolls, Noah's ark, too many things to remember. An, that seems a long time ago. so it does!"
 Will sighed and found a seat be- side a playing fountain. The weather had not been cold enough to war rant the city's turning off the water in the public fountains in the park, and the thousands of sparrows de- lighted in ice-cold baths, desporting themselves in the fountain. Will fell to watching the birds, but continued his mental soliloquy. And when l was seven-ah, then dear Father got injured in railroad accident. A few months later, he died of his in iuries. Then came the first hard times we had ever known. The small amount of money Father left us, and the added small sum the railroad com pany paid as damages for Fathers death soon dwindled. and when I was ten, dear Mother had to go to work by the day as a seamstress in cloak factory. Since then well, there's been no Christmas festivity as of old. Occasional invitations to some friends house on Christmas Eve, or a tree at the church, has been all that we have had to recall the days when we were once so happy. And now-Im big strong chap, almost fifteen. and have done nothing to help Mother to earn our living. Bless her dear heart, 1t has been her wish that l remain in school till I graduate. But 1 shall stop school and go to work for her. She has slaved long enough for me. It is time that she should rest"
 But Wills soliloquy came to an abrupt end. Sitting a few feet from him was an old gentleman. in fur lined coat and silk hat. Everything about the aged man indicated wealth and refinement, and on taking his seat, will had observed him with a feeling of admiration and veneration the latter being due to the gentle mans advanced age. Will had al- ways loved old people. and be they rich or poor, his heart yearned to be of service to them in some small way.
 The interruption of Wills soliloquy had been caused by a sudden move .ment made by the old man. He had half risen from the bench on which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

Come in, won't your" asked the old gentleman. ringing the door bell. q want to show you some family DOT traits-all that's left of my family. You see, I have passed through the fire-I have bowed to the rod. My only son died when about your age. My wife followed him within a year. I have suffered Only business has kept my mind off my sorrows.'
 A house. maid opened the door. and Will followed his host into a bright. warm library. As soon as they were seated the old gentleman touched a bell. Another servant came, and was given an order for luncheon to be served for two in the breakfast room
 "Oh, Sir, I thank you-ever and ever so much," cried Will, rising to his feet. "But-I-I-really cannot stop to luncheon, if I am the second person you mean when you>, say luncheon for two.'
 You are not the second one young man." smiled the old gentleman. T am the second party: you are the first, seeing that you are my guest. Surely, you will at least allow me that little pleasure, since you have been so good as to conduct an almost help less old man home"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

just have to live very simply till after I get to earning something"
 They finished the last half block of their walk in silence, and Will feared he had hurt the old gentleman's feel ings by openly showing him that he could not invite company to his poor home on Christmas. He was on the point of trying to explain more fully their circumstances, when the old man turned into a deep lawn which sur rounded one of the handsomest resi- dences in the city. WilPs face changed suddenly He recognized the place as belonging to one of the rich est men in the state-the president of a bank. and owner of many great en- terpriseS.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

threw 1t at one another, just for all the world like little children. And they wore their winter coats and shoes. and Pinky-Pan carried bit of huff her mamma had made for her out of lose sparrow feathers s.io had gathered from the ground.
 It was about noon that they found nice evergreen grove, and Mir. Squir- rel soon had tree cut down. for he carried with him a nice little hatchet which Santa Claus had put on the tree for him the last Christmas. Santa had overheard MT. Squirrel wishing for new hatchet with which he might do some carpentering)
 Now. my dears. said Mir. Squir- re- how shall we manage to take the tree home. As you see. it Is too large for one squirrel to tote alone"
 'I have It. cried the ever resource fu Mrs. Squirrel. Let's tie your long neck-s scarf about the stem of the tree and all hands drag It. Isn't that good suggestion?"
 My dear. you are made up of wis do:n." replied MT. Squirrel. And soon
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

As they went slowly along the park path the aged man asked Will how it happened that he was not in school.
 There was a quaver in the old gem tleman's voice. and it touched Wills heart. He was weakening when thought of his mothers anxiety came to him. T should love to stay" he said gently, but my mother will be expecting me for lunch. She, always comes from the factory at noon and fixes something for us. She'd be wor- ried if I were not there. You under stand, Sr?'
 Indeed I do." cried the old man warmly. Say, tell me your name, young chap. I appreciate a good boy when I find one. You are as good as gold. I'm not fattering you, my fine young fellow. believe in giving praise where it is due. Now, tell me your history-what you can tell of it dur ing the fifteen minutes you have to stay with me. It wants half an hour till twelve. You can stop half of that time, cannot you?"
 And Will found himself telling of his life, of the hardships suffered for so many years by his mother. You see, Sir she always spared me = Mother did. Now l must begin spar int her"
 The time being up, Will was about to depart when the old gentleman rang for servant and ordered his motor car to be brought to the car rage entrance. "I mean to take you home in my car" he informed Will.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

he was sitting, and had as suddenly staggered and dropped back upon it again. His face became ashen, in color, and Will thought he was about to fall to the ground. Rushing to the aged mans side, Will asked in solicit ous tones: Are you i'll, Sir? And can be of any. assistance to you?"
 Why, yes." replied the gentleman feebly. putting his hand to his head, T feel rather faint. It will pass away, however. l am subject to such spells. I'm not a young chap like you" And he smiled into Wills anxious face. Thank you, my young man, for your kindness. And if you have the leisure, l shall ask you to accompany me to my home. which Is not far distant. But tell me. why is il that you are not at school?"
 This is a Saturday, Sir" remind ed Will, as he assisted the old gentle man to his feet. But 1 am quitting school, anyway. I shall go to work Monday-if I can secure a job"
 Well. well, we'll" The old man spoke slowly. seeming to be much in terested in what his young companion was saying. And why do you stop schcol9 You cannot have finished
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10
The Squirrel Family Prepares for Christmas.

he had his neck-scarf tied firmly about the little evergreen's body and with his wife's and sons assistance. set off over the snow-clad hills. drag ging home the Christmas tree.
 That evening the tree was set In place, and all the neighbors came to look at it. And each declared he would go to the evergreen grove on the morrow and fetch home tree. Gut very few of them did as they said they would, for they did not like hard work we'll enough for cut ting down treesD
 "Ah, Santa will be happy when he sees that fine tree!" exclaimed Peek a-Boo, looking down from high limb that night. as the moonlight flooded the spot. And won't we be happy when Christmas really comes?"
 "Oh, won't we though?" asked Pinky-Pan. creeping out upon the limb in her white nightgown, with pink bow on 1t.
 Come in out of the cold, my dears,' cried MT. Squirrel. '"Come, or you'll catch cold in your noses and toses.''
 And, laughing, Pinky Pan and Peek a-Boo ran downstairs to the din ing room where their Mamma sat pre- pairing a nut pudding for Christmas
 You sec" she explained, T al- ways make my Christmas cake early, for standing improves it,"
 Yes, if we squirrlies don't get in and nibble at it-like mice," laughed Peek-a-Boo.
 Should you do such a naughty thing, you'd get 2 good spanking threatened Mrs. Squirrel. And her husband seconded what she said. So there is no danger of Peek-a-Boo sneaking into the cupboard after that cake, and he'll not get to touch 1t til, the Christmas dinner is set upon the table and the guests all assembled.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-10

story was the childrens bed room. Below that was the cellar or store room which was filled with provisions for the winter.
 Mrs. Squirrel stopped in her own bedroom and shook her sleepy headed husband by the paw: Come. my dear. You must get up. Don't you know that we always go In search of our Christmas tree after the first snowfall? And we have such d beautiful day for 1t. Come, set a good example before the children. am going down to wake them up.