davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

three entered the courtyard and went to the door of the palace. There they saw the sailor standing, fumbling in his pockets as if trying to set some thing. He did not see the little boy he had left in the cellar gagged and bound, nor his two companions. They had crept in too quietly. So when the sailor said to the doorkeeper, T have the noble's button here in my pocket, and you are to admit me to the palace" the doorkeeper replied:
 ''If you can present to me one of my masters magic buttons I shall admit you, for only those close to my master are permitted to carry one of those silver buttons with gold mounting"
 "Ah, that's the kind of button l have" returned, the sailor. who was still searching about among his nu- merous pockets. Tt is to admit me to the library to read and acquaint myself with learning"
 The doorkeeper looked at the sailor in doubtful way, for he did not like the fellows appearance. How ever. if he could show the magic but ton-the kind given to his friends by the master of the palace-the door keeper could do nothing but admit him.
 Well, must have left 1t at home. said the sailor. his tone full of disap- pointment. "But, my good keeper of the door. can't you let me in without 1t? l can describe the button to you so accurately that you will feel as- sured that have 1t at my lodging"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

"No," said the doorkeeper," I can no. admit any one on hearsay without possessing the magic button. My mas ter has made the rule strict" rvery well, l shall return after an hour with the button" and the sailor turned about to depart when he fell right into the hands of the bailiff and Canni. He also saw Toney standing there, holding the button out before his eyes. You couldn't keep it. you thief" cried Toney.
 Just at that moment changing of
 bells announced the arrival of the mas
 ter of the palace and you may better believe he had the robber-sailor taken into custody, promising to appear against him on the following day. And to Toney he said: You have proven worthy of the trust placed in you. Come you to my palace and become one of my household and receive in- structions from the tutor of my own sons who will return to tho palace
 this very week,S
 And Toney was too full of gratitude to the noble to offer him the thanks due his great generosity. Taking the button from his pocket he pressed lit to his lips. T shall never part from this without your commanding me to do so. And shall be your debtor for life."
 "No more than I shall be your debtor, my young friend" declared the, gentleman. "F'or is not the entire world indebted to the man of great |learning?. And you will become fine Ischolar--I can sec that"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

was revealing her great secrets to him. He was happy.
 One evening as he ran homewards from the noble's palace, he fell in with a sailor who often came to his fathers shop. The sailor spoke nicely to Toney and opened a conversation. This fattered the little boy and to show the sailor that he was growing in knowledge he related many won- drous things he had read about in the noble's books. The sailor said: Why, where do you read such things, Toney? You are barber's son. Only the sons of the rich have books of learning. How game you by such knowledge
 Then Toney related his good for tune, and went so far as to show the silver button to the sailor. The sailor asked to have it in his own hand for a moment. Toney gave it to him. They were just turning the corner of the street where stood an old empty building. The sailor thrust the button into his pocket and grab bed up Toney and covered his mouth with his thick hand and darted into the empty building with him. He ran to the very cellar-a, sort of dun lgeon-beneath the old house and tkere he placed Toney on the ground
 "Now. my fine lad," said the sailor
 "I mean to use this button tonight
 So until I have had what use of it need I shall keep you here a prisoner You shall come to no harm. my fine
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03
x .zO1Z.E ooeor " eH.ZH.Z EZZCy

Ior wonderful thing to accomplish. Today the runners go in for short and rapid races. The result is not always good. Some of the profess sional athletes have suffered so from
 bleeding at the nose after making strenuous, short runs that they have
 had to abandon the exercise alto gether But even, slow running can- not do harm to the participant. It aids digestion. develops muscle and endurance; in other words, 1t strengthens the entire body and freshens the mind.
 Jumping is another form of exer- else that Is most beneficial if par ticipated in moderately. High jump- ing should be attempted only after long practice at Jumping by degrees or stages. Many boys have received serious injury because of attempting to make very high jumps without having had the necessary practice. There is nothing better to fit boy for jumping than running. In fact, running forms the base of all ath- letics. To be an athlete in any line one must be good runner.
 In the indulgence of such vigorous exercise as running and jumping one must use caution. Take it by de- grees," an old man used to tell his athletic sons. '"Then you'll grow and last" And just so it is. One must grow slowly to grow surely. Too viz orous work on the ball ground or the racing road will wear one out. It will all come with patience and prac- tice. The old German proverb, Make haste slowly" can be applied by boys learningN athletics.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03
Who said to himself, "rll be
LETTER ENIGMA.

My first is in black. but not in white:
 My second is in travel, but not in sight: My third is in tin, but not in gold: cold: you know:
 My sixth is in arrow. but not in bow:
 My seventh is in rake, but not in dig: My eighth is in dog. but not in pig.
 My whole spells a storm
 Which in winter we see,
 For 'tis terribly cold
 And of intensity.
 ARITHMETICAL PUZZLES. The sum of four figures
 In value will be Above seven thousand
 Nine hundred and three. But when they are halved
 You'll find, very fair, The sum will be nothing.
 In truth, declare. 2. What is the difference between six dozen dozen and half-a-dozen dozen?
 BEHEADINGS. 1. Behead a flame and get anger. I2. Behead certain spot and get fine trimming. 8. Doubly behead a country and get Kitchen vessel. 4.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

ace of its gold and silver plate, its rare treasures, such as gems of great price. Also I shall carry away any coins that may be hidden there. Now you know why I want the button."
 Poor Toney's heart was heavy. Oh, to think that he-whom the good gentleman was treating with such kindness-should be responsible for his benefactors loss! He began to weep and to beg on bis knees that the man would not do so wicked a thing. The sailor soon hushed him up, however. by putting a wooden gag between his teeth. after which he tied the poor little fellows hands be- hind him and his feet tightly to- gether. Then, the wicked fellow hur- ried out of the cellar and went off towards the palace. But he did not carry the button in his pocket---as he thought he was doing. While in the act of tying the boys feet the button had slipped from the sailors greasy pocket and lay hidden beneath Toney's jacket.
 After the man had gone. Toney be- gan trying to loosen his hands from
 
 sailor had had the rope and gag in his pocket, for he always carried such things, being a. very dangerous fellow). But in vain did the child struggle. he could not loosen the cord But just as he was on the point of giving up in despair something bright rolled from under the edge of his jacket Toney's eyes bulged. As fota good gentleman had given him. How could the sailor happen to drop it? Toney began wriggling towards the button when of sudden his hands became loosened and he drew them from the knotted rope. Then it took but a moment to undo his feet and to pick up the precious button and leave the horri- ble place. He ran down side street towards his fathers shop, holding the button tightly in his hand and against his breast. His father was on the point of starting home, supposing his son had gone there from the noble's library instead of coming to the .shop as was his habit. Toney excitedly told his father the story of his short imprisonment and how. the wicked sailor had in some way dropped the button. The good Canni was more ex- j cited than his son, and ran out and called to bailiff to accompany him at once to the palace of the noble man. As the three hurried along. lit- tle Toney relating the story in detail, they saw a dark form slouching along close to the wall of the palace. Toney pointed him out and said in whisper to his father:
 There's the sailor now. He hasn't discovered the loss of the button yet
 Then the bailiff and Toney's father and Toney himself crept into the 4 shadow of some trees and waited. The sailor went to the palace gate and rang the bell. A man let him in. Then the bailiff and Canni and Toney also went to the gate and Toney. who knew the gatekeeper well, peep led through the sentinePs window and called softly to the man. He opened the gate without asking single ques- ton, for Toney was allowed to enter lat any time that he wished: The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03


 no such thing as a public
 school. and children were edu- cated at / private expense. Therefore, a rich mans sons had far better advantages of education than did the sons of the poor man. (Girls were not considered in the matter of education in the time of this story).
 There dwelt in city-the capital of kingdon-a barber and his fan fly. They were poor and dwelt in a common part of the town, place where congregated sailors, fishermen, arAnourers, smiths, and worlIingmen of all kinds Canni Fretti was the name of the barber, and his wife was Nene. Their one child was named Toney. He was ten years of age at the time of the beginning of this story.
 One day little Toney sat looking out across the blue waters of the bay which Tapped the very edge of the street on which his fathers shop stood. And Canni, observing the wist- ful look in his sons eyes, asked 'What would you like, Son? You seem unhappy"
 "Yes, father, I am unhappy. There are the three princes-the kings sons who have everything their hearts crave. And the best of tutors are employed to give them learning. But they say the princes will not apply themselves, and do not care for study. Now I should love to have an oppor- tunity to learn all that is contained in the great books that one sees in the book shops.'' %
 Canni's face became grave. He loved his son very dearly and would have loved to give the child advan- tages of education, but his means would not allow. Books were very expensive in those days, and tutor would ask as much money to instruct little Toney as the poor barber earn ed. So an education for his son seemed out of the question.
 "I had meant to make you a bar ber-lilxe myself" explained Canni "But you dosnot seem to care to fol- low my poor trade. Well,~ I would love to see you gentleman, son. But how can l afford to make you one?"
 ''Ah, father, do not think that despise your trade" cried tender hearted little Toney. Tt is not that father dear. Neither do I wish to become a gentleman-to spend my days in hunting and pleasures. wish to become a great scholar. fla ther."
 Then a gentleman of quality en- tered Canni's shop to have his fine beard clrled and his hair trimmed at the ends. (Men wore long hair and full boards in those days.) Cann bowed low to the gentleman and pre- pared the chair for him. Then, the { gentleman. seeing Toney sitting be- side the door, said to Canni: Your ] little son, my good Canni?" Where upon Canni proudly said that Toney was his only child. And to Toney's embarrassment the proud father re-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

Then the gentleman paid Canni and arose to go. At the door he gave Toney, button which he had felt lying loose in his pocket. Its sil- yer button with gold-mounting," he explained. Tt came off one of my silk waistcoats, and I dropped it into this pocket. Just by chance I found it there in reaching for a coin for your father. I shall tell the servant in charge of my door to admit the little boy who presents to him a button bearing my coat of arms. All my servants know the peculiar design of my buttons. So if you keep this but ton carefully put aw.y, and use it only when asking admittance to my palace, it will stand you in good stead."
 The following day Nene, Toney's pretty little mother, dressed Toney in his best Sunday clothes and let him sally forth to the palace of the noble who had promised him such riches in the way of reading. At the door
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

~ ONE boys think that they must lN go away from home-to some ~ college or preparatory school V before having the advantages of real athletics. The truth Is some of the very best ball players-even
 expert pitchers-come from small towns and villages. There they have
 their practice ground" and become pretty fair players before going into the bigger fields. Boys who care to go in for athletics should club to- gether and form what they might call an Athletic Club" They need not be from college-just plain Pub lie School will do. The work de- bends on the boys. Of course a good coach is quite necessary, but one is always to be found. And there is not town or village in the country that cannot provide the ground and furnish the boys for the National Game.
 Running, too, is a fine branch of athletics. And there the country boys (of town. and village) have the advantage over the city boys. Dis tance. and 'dirt" roads are to be had all round them. AS running is one of the finest exercises for developing muscle it behooves all boys to prac- tice this old-fashioned pastime. In the days of our grandfathers good runners were not so scarce as they are today. Where today do we find the ordinary boy who can set out after supper and run, slowly and evenly, five miles without stopping :? Yet that feat used to be performed by the boys of the early pioneer days without their thinking it an unusual
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03
TOUR PFT DOG.

Now, don't forget that a dog is a noble animal. He has fine feelings. His deep affection has been proved He will follow beloved master to the ends of the earth, share hardship and misery, even starvation, but will not leave the one he loves. Such de- votion is rare even in men. Remem- bering this, do not mistreat your dog. See that he has a fine kennel, warm in winter and dry and clean the year round. See that your dog has only good wholesome food. Don't feed him just scraps" Give him meat once a day-never too much, as it is not well to feed domestic animals (cats and dogs) on too much flesh.
 A dog is fond of most anything that mN eats. He will make a hearty meal on bread and a little gravy over 1t. little potato left from dinner may be put with sweet milk and fed to your dog. He will enjoy it. Eggs, raw, are a fine food for a dog-say one or two at meal. These need not be given to him every day. Only feed eggs to him on the days that you bar meat from his meals. Eggs are a fine substitute for meat.
 Do not fail to drop into your butch CTS and ask for old bones. Leave as little meat on them as you can, as it has been proved that meat raw is not so good for a domestic animal as when cooked. Give these bones to doggie. He enjoys gnawing them by the hour and they keep his teeth sharp and strong. After he has gnawed one to his hearts content you will see him hide it away in some convenient place where he can find
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

93 HO Is not familiar With that
 part of the life of Henry M Stanley, explorer, which deals " with his many wanderings In
 the heart of the Dark Continent? But
 how few know anything about the early life of the man whom Great Britain honored by comforting knight hood upon him. How many school children know that Henry M. Stanley s name-the name they know him by was given to him by adoption ?-and that he was once a charge in an aims house-or rather a "Workhouse" as he himself calls it in his interesting autobiography?
 Few men who have advanced to prominence-to positions of honor are obliged to look back upon so sad an early life as did Henry M. Stan ley. His childhood was one of pow erty, poverty made harder through the absence of parental love. It is to be wondered at that the child lift ed himself above his surroundings, developed into great mind, when one reads every line of his own life story. Thought to be a burden on his grandfather, the little chap-of very tender years-was given over to the care of Workhouse officials. His own mother visited him but once and then there was no tender greeting between them. The little boy stood in awe of the mother he had never known. The mother, who had aban- doned her babe at his birth, leaving him in the charge of her aged and poverty-stricken father (who was a widower) only scowled at her oldest child, and spoke to him as though he were stranger She had visited the Workhouse to leave with them another child-a little girl this time, and half-sister to Henry. Henry's s own father had died when Henry was but a few weeks old.
 Something of the horrors of the boys life in the Workhouse may be understood by the following descrip- ton of his first flogging in the school. It is given in his own worlds
 My first flogging is well-reme mem- bered. It was Sunday evening. and Francis (the. school master at the Workhouse) was reading aloud to us the 41st chapter of Genesis, prelimi- nary to dismissing us to the dormi- tory. There was much reference in the chapter to Joseph, who had been sold by his brothers as a slave. In order to test our attention, he sud-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03
Qn Interesting Peep Into the @
 @ ohildlife of Henr9 O. Stonle9.

would be flung down on the stone floor in writhing heaps. or stood with blinking eyes and bumped ebony ruler, or were sent pirouettine across the school from 8 ruffianly kick. Every hour of our lives we lived and breathed in fear of the cruel hand and blighting glare of one So easily frenzied'
 Stanley goes on to tell us of one poor little pauper school-fellow who suddenly died, and from every indi- cation his death was due to fnhuman beatings inflicted by that cruel mas- ter. Francis. It stands to reason that it was so, for years later this same school master died in a mad house. But there were no interested and lov- ing parents or relatives to inyesti- gate the manner of the life of the victims of the Workhouse. It was a survival of the strongest. The del icate died of their abuses. And who can tell of the nights and, days of Loneliness, of heartache, of longings for that dear place called home, and for those dear ones called by the names of father and mother?
 It was a more cruel beating than had gone before which caused the young child, Henry Stanley, to rebel against such inhuman treatment, and to retaliate by kicking the mas ter in the face, thus shattering his eyeglasses and causing him to fall backwards against hard bench. The blow he received occasioned a short unconsciousness. During the exciting minutes that followed such an un- heard-of thing-a boy daring to fight back" the master-little Henry, frightened half to death over what he had done, slipped from the Work house, in company with a friend-in- misery, called Nose. The two small runaway paupers went off through the fields in search of they knew not what. But Freedom-that beautiful thing we all love = was beckoning them as they fled through the fields and down the country roads. Their first night wSs spent in disused lime kiln. Afterwards they had many hard knocks. too many to write of in this small space. But what be- came of little Nose we know not. Stanley went his own way a few days after running away from the Workhouse, and Nose, who had found his own poor home, remained there for the time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

rising wrath. I could not understand wherein lay the difference between the two names.
 "He grew tired at last, and laying hold of new birch rod he ordered me to unbreech. upon which I turn ed marble white, and for a moment was as one palsied, for my mind was struggling between astonishment. ter TOT, and doubt as to whether my ears had heard alright, and why I was chosen to be the victim of his anger. This hesitation only increased his wrath, and while I was inwardly in a turmoil he advanced upon me and rudely tore down my neither garment and administered shower of force ful blows with such telling effect that I was bruised and bloodied all over, and could not stand for some time. For some weeks I was under the inn precision that the scourging was less due to any error than to some mys- terious connection with Genesis.
 Day after day we little wretches
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03
7a1e MAGIC BUTTON

peated all that Toney had said about wishing for an education.
 "Ah, I see. The little one wishes to become a scholar" And the gen. tleman smiled indulgently on Toney. Well" he said, again addressing Canni, what shall l do for your son, my good fellow? 1 have as fine a library of books as is to be found in the kingdom. Shall l allow your son the privilege of the library? Can he read?''
 Canni shook his head, whereupon, Toney sprang to his feet. "Yes, fa- ther, I can read. Uncle Jacobi taught me how to know the letters and to pronounce the words they spell Yes, I can read quite we'll"
 "Ah. and I never knew your good
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

lof the palace Toney was admitted when he took from his pocket the button and showed it to the servant in charge.
 Then Toney was conducted along
 a splendid hall to the library which
 opened to Toney the greatest hopes and possibilities It was lined and lined with splendid books.
 All that week did Topey read from
 the books in the great library. And
 each night he went home to tell his
 mother wonderful things. He was
 learning all about the stars, the
 moon. the sun. He also read much
 philosophy, which he understood well flor a boy of his years. The world
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

AH, he's just a dogl' Haven't H you often heard a person make
 H that remark on preparing sup
 v per for the house dog? He's just a dog-feed him any old thing" And so old bits of stale bread and decaying scraps of meats are tossed to the poor dog. But that same good old doggie is expected to do his work and to do it well. If on a farm he is called upon to assist in driving the cattle home in the evening. He is expected sto keep all tramps away from the house. He watches the family and the four-footed creatures while they sleep. Doggie is supposed to sleep at any time-snatching a nap now and then.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

old uncle was teaching you to read,' declared Canni with surprise. But he ed to his patron. If you will be so very good as to allow my son Toney to read from the books in your li- brary, I shall be your debtor for life. And you shall pay me nothing when you come to my shop"
 Nay, nay, Canni, my good fellow" said the gentleman, putting up his hand, II shall pay you in the future las have in the past, and shall not consider You indebted to me because your son reads in my library. It will be good for the volumes. for they need airing"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-03

If the above pictured words arc rightly guessed, their initial letters will spell that which we all enjoy see- ing during the summer time.
 ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS
 PUZZLES.
 LETTER ENIGMA: Milton. PRIMAL ACROETIC: Mdson. Pic. tured ,oords-1. Monkey g. Artist. 8. Singer. 4. open. 5. Noon.
 ADDITIONS: 1. Print-Sprtnt. 2. Pray-Spray. 3. Lip-SHp. f. Ldve- SIGUe.