davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

get the same thing from Sears Roebuci.
81 Co, for sl.35."
That's less than It cost me-" said thu
dealer, but I'll sell it on the same terms
as the mail order house Just the same"
"All right" said the customer. you
can send it along and charge It to my
account"
Not on your life." tho dealer replied,
mo charge accounts. You can't do bust.
ness with the mail order house that way.
Fork over the cash"
The customer complied.
NOW two cents for postage and five
cents for money order"
"What--"
certainly you have to send n letter
and money order to mail order house.
you know"
The customer. inwardly raving. kept To
his agreement and paid the nickel
Nov 25 cents expressagc"
well. | De-" he said but maid
it saying. Nov hand me that saw and
I'll take It home myself and be rid OF
this fooery.'
Hand it to you? Where do YOU think
you are? You're in oklahoma and I'm
in Chicago, and you'll have to wait
two weeks for that saw"
Whereupon the dealer hung the saw
on a peg and put the money in his cash
dra Wcr.
"1'hat makes s1.G7 he said 1T has Gosh
you two cents more and taken you two
weeks longer to get 1t than n you haA
paid my price in the first place.
Another and quite consequential q
phase of the problem Is this: How much
does the mail order house contribute
by taxation or otherwise to the mainten-
aLnce of any community in which II reaps
rich rewards by means OF profits? In
the summer Of 1911. Newport held 10th
anniversary celebration. toward defray-
ing the expenses Of which sl1oo was SUBJ
scribed by firms and individuals In add-
ton to $500 appropriated by the town.
We have peruscd that subscription paper
many times ana find the names of near
~ every merchant in Newport opposite
which appear generous sums according
to their means and the size of their bus
mess, but the most careful scrutiny n,
that paper fails to discover the names
Of Sears. Kocbuci & Co, ontgomery,
Ward Co, Butler Bros or any of the
other large concerns which claim to bs
doing wonders to relieving the people
from the oppressive burden Of high
prices.-Newport, n H, Champion.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

'If WILL JUST BE A QUESTION OF WHO
SHOOTS FIRST
that hat" queried Freckles. holding
1t up.
The morning breeze waved the rib
bons gracefully. binding one about
Freckles sleeve and the other across
his chest. where they caught and chung
rs if magnetized.
YES" said Sarah Duncan, ITS ex-
actly what Id call heavenly hat"
Sure" said Freckles. for it's be-
longing to an angelw
Then he told her about the hat and
asked her what he should do with 1t.
Take II to her, Of course!" said
Sarah Duncan.
YOU think I should be taking 1t
homer" he said.
"Of course We must" said Mrs. Dun.
can. "Ye gang ava and take the bless
ed little angel her beautiful hat"
Are you sure 1t will be all right?"
urged Freckles. DO You think II Mr..
Mclean came he would care?"
ma" said Mrs. Duncan. Il dlnna.
II ye and me agree that thing ought
to be done. and | watch in your place,
why. it's bound to be all right with
Mclean. Ought We put on your Sab
bath day clothes?"
Freckles shook his head. He knew
what he had to do. but there was no
use in taking time to try to explain 1t
to Mrs. Duncan while he was so hur-
ried. He exchanged his wadinG boots
for shoes. gave her his club and went
spinning toward town. He knew very
well where the angel lived. He had
passed her home many times, and he
passed 1t again without even taking
his eyes from the street, steering
straight for her fathers place of bust
ness.
Carrying the hat, Freckles passed a
long line of clerks and at the door of
the private office asked to see the pro.
prietor. When he had waited a mo.
ment tall. spare. keen eyed man
faced him and in brisk. nervous tones
asked. How can l serve you. sir?"
Freckles handed him the package
and answered: by delivering to your
daughter this hat. which she was after
leaving at me place the other day when
she went of in n hurry, And by say.
ing to her and the Bird Woman that
I'm more thankful than III be having
words to express for the brave thing
they was doing for me- I'm McIeans
Limberost guard. sir"
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

do you work on the room o. the
books mostW
ION the room just what 1t takes to
keep it up and the rest Of the time on
me books"
The angel eyed him sharply. "Well,
maybe you are going to be a great
scholar" she said, but you don't look
1t. Your face isn't right for that, but
It's got something big in it-something
Just great. must find out what 1t IS
and then you must 30 to work on II.
Your father Is expecting you to DO
something. You can tell by the way
he talks. You ought TO begin right
away. You've wasted too much time
already"
Poor Freckles hung his head. he
had never wasted an hour in his life.
There had never been one that was MS
TO waste.
The annol. studying him intcntly,
rend his thought in his face. "Oh.
don't mean that" she cried. with the
frank dismay Of sixteen. "Of course
yourc not lazy! Nobody would ever
think that from your looks. It's this
7 mean. There is something fine. strong
and full of power in your face. Ihere
is something you are to do In this
world. and no matter how hard you
Wort, at all these other things nor how
successfully you do them it is all vast
ed until you ind the one thing that
Won can do best. If you could go any
where you please and do anything you
want. what would you dog
I'D go to Chicago and sing in the
First Episcopal choir" answered
Frcckles promptly.
The angel dropped back on Il seat;
the hat she had taken off and held III
her fingers rolled to her feet There
she exclaimed vehemently, "you can
see what I'm going to be. Nothing.
absolutely nothing. You can sing?
OF course YOU can sing! 1t Is written
all over YOU"
Anybody with half wit could have
seen he could sing without having to
be told she thought. "It's in the
quick. nervous touch. 1t is in the
brightness of his hair. the fire Of his
eyes. the breadth of his chest, the
muscles of his throat and neck and,
above all, it's in every tone Of his
voice
"Will you do something for me-" she
asked.
I'm do anything in the world you
want me to-" said Freckles largely,
land if l can't do what you want III
go to work at once and I'll try till
can"
Good" said the angel. eco over
there and stand before that bank and
stag something-anything you think Of
first"
II was a children's song that he had
led for the little folks at the home
many times.
To fairy land We go,
With a song OF joy. heigh-o!
in dreams we'll stand upon that shore
And all the realm behold
Wen see the sights so grand
That belong to fairy land.
It's mysteries we will explore.
Its beauties will unfold
Oh. ira, la. Ia oh. ha. ha, ha! We're hap
by now as we can be.
| Our welcome song we Will prolong and
greet you with our melody.
o fairy land. sweet fairy land. we love to
| sing
Nothing could have given the intense
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

Freckles' voice better scope. He for
got everything but pride in his work
with the sound of his voice. He was
or the chorus, and the angel was shiv-
ering In ecstasy when clip, clip. came
the sharply beating feet Of swiftly
ridden horse down the trail from the
north. They both sprang toward the
entrance
"Freckles, Freckles!" called the voice
Of the Bird Woman.
They were at the trail on the instant.
both those revolycrs loadedT" she
asked
yes" said Frckles.
as there WAY you can cut across
the swamp and get to the chicken
tree in few minutes and with little
noise?"
yes"
Then go flying" said the Bird
Woman. GIVE the angel lift up be-
hind me. and we will ride the horse
back to where you left him and wait
for you. finished Little Chicken in
no time and put him back. His mother
came 80 close. l felt sure she would
enter the log. The light was fine. 90
set and focused the camera and Gov
cred 1t with branches. attached the
long hose and went away of over l0C
feet and hid In some bushes to walt
A short, thick man and tall. dark
one passed me 70 closely l could al
most kmye reached out and touched
them. They carried big saw on their
shoulders. They said they could work
until about noon. and then they must
lay Off until you passed and then try
to load and get out at night They
went on-not entirely out of sight
and began cutting tree. Mr.. Mclean
told me the other day what was likely
to happen there. and II they get that
tree down he loses his wager on you.
Keep to the east and north and hustle.
Wen meet you at the carriage. am
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
LESSON IN HOME PATRONAGE.

retail merchant to-day. Is the immense
business which is being done by the
mail order house. Mail order business
violate, substantially all tho laws Of
commerce, and is an unnatural and un-
satisfactory method of buying. The con-
tention of the mail order house, is low
price, and the mail order patron pile up
fictitious savings on tho same claim.
But this sometimes Is one of the many
that will not stand the test of analysis,
The following instance is typical of the
mail order business:
Down In Oklahoma the other day a
man went into store to buy saw.
He saw the kind he wanted and asked
the price. 1t was 90 the dealer said,
Good gracious" said the man. II can
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

always armed. We will separate and
creep up OH them from different sides
and give them a fusilade that will
send them flying. You hurry. nowr'
She gathered up the reins and started
briskly down the trail. The angel. hat
less and with sparkling eyes. was
clinging about her waist.
Freckles worked his way with great
care. lodging limbs ana bushes with
noisee5s tread and cutting as close to
where he thought the men were as he
felt that he dared II he were to remain
unseen. AS he ran he tried to think.
1t was Wessner. burning for his re-
venge. aided by the bully Of the local.
ity. that he was going to meet.
He must follow tho Bird Woman's
plan and meet them at the carriage,
help him he must not allow 1t. Let
the angel try to handle a revolver In
his defense? Never! Not for all the
trees in the Limberlost! She might
shoot herself. She might forget to
watch sharply and run across n snake
that was not particularly well behaved
that morning. Freckles permitted
himself grim smile as he went speed
ing on.
When he reached the carriage tho
Bird Woman and the angel had the
horse hltched to it, the outfit packed
and were calmly waiting.
"Give babe one of your revOlvers
quick" said the Bird Woman. I'VE
will all creep up until we are in fair
range. The underbrush Is SO thick
and they are so hard at work that they
will never notice us. ii we don't make
noise You will fire first. then |
will pop in from my direction. and
then you. baby. and shoot quite high,
or else very low. We mustn't really
hit them"
FreckIes protested.
The Bird Woman chose the middle
distance, and for last time caution
ed the angel to lie down ald shoot
high. as she moved away.
Freckes revolver spat fire. Lead
spanged on steel The saw handle few
from Wessner's hand and he reeled
with the jar of the shock. Black Jack
Strengthened. utterng a fearful oath
His hat was taken Off by shot from
the northeast The angel had not wait
ed for the Bird Woman. and her shot
could scarcely have been called high.
at almost the same instant the third
shot whistled in from the east Black
Jack spnnS into the air with yell OF
complete panic. for 1t ripped heel
from his boot
Freck!es enptied his second chamber
and the dirt spattered over Wessner.
| Shots poured in thick and fast. With
out even reaching for n weapon. both
! men broke for the east road in great.
leapinG bounds. while leaden s!ugs
sung and Kissed about them in deadly
earnest.
Freckles was trimming his corners
as closely as he dared. but if the an
gel did not really intend to hit. she
was shaving the limit in scandalous
| manner.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
n the moss In front of his pretticst

On the moss In front of his prettiest
seat lay the angels hat
He went and picked It up, oh, so
carefully. gazing at 1t with hungry
eyes. but touching 1t only to carry It
over to his case. where he hung 1t on
the shining handle bar of the new
wheel and locked It In among his
treasures. Then he went out to the
trail with n new look on his face. He
was not In the least afraid Of any.
thing that morning. He felt he was
the veriest Daniel. and all his lions
seemed weak and harmless.
Black Jack was not man to give
up his purpose or to have the hat
swept from his head by bullet and
bear it meekly. Moreover. Wessner
would cling to his revenge.
When Freckles gained bis room he
tendcrly laid the hat upon his book
shelf and, to wear off his awkward
ness. mounted his wheel and went
spinning about the line again.
"Weel, | be dra wed Onv' exclaimed
Mrs. Duncan an hour later.
Freckles stood before her. holding
the angels nat
I've been thinking this long time
that We or Duncan would see that sun.
bonnets werena Draw enough for a
woman OF my standing. and ye're a
guild laddie to bring me this beautiful
Init
She turned it about. examining the
weave OF the straw and the foliage
trimmings. passing her rough fingers
over the satin ties delghtedly. As she
held II up. admiring It, Freckles' aston
ished eyes saw a new side of Sarah
Duncan She was testing. but under
he Jest the fact ioomed strong that
there was something In her soul cry
ing out after that bit of feminine fin
cry He resolved that when he
reached the city he would send her as
me hat as the angels If 1t took S5(
to do 1t.
She lingeringly handed it back t.
him.
ITS unco guild of We to think Of me.
she said lightly. but maun question
your taste wee. Dye no think Y,
had best return this and get woman
with half her hair gray little plaine
leaddress? Seems like that's far owe
! gay for me- I'm no saying that IT.
no. exactly what I'd like to haze. but
| mauna max myself ridiculous Ye'C
I nrst give this TO somebody young ant
ur"tty. say about sixteen. Where dil
SO come by it. Freckles: If there
anything been dropping lately ye ha
f2rgotten to mention it."
DO YOU see ANYTHING hea venlY abou
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
WIFE TRUE ECONOMIST.

Il hate to boast" said Cleveland
LAWYER but my wife is certainly one
of the most economical women In the
world
THE other day she told me she need
cd a new suit. said she ought TO have
h by all means, but asked her not to
spend any very large sum of money with
out letting me know about It,
well. the next day she remarked,
The tailor said he couldn't make that
suit for tess than $3.50. ! thought 1t was
too mch, but told him to go ahead
Wen. I suppose It is all right
said, but why didn't YOU consult me-
irst?'
Why dearie, didn't want to spend
car fare for two visits
Il tell you. it's these little econo.
mics that count. shr'-Clsveland Press.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08

lNI his voice: Head them of on
the south. boys! Fire from the
south!'
AS he had hoped. Jack and Wessner
instantly plunged into the swaie. A
storm of lead spattered after them.
They crossed the swale. running low.
with not even one back ward glance,
and entered the wood beyond the cor
duroy.
tree.
I'D better fix this saw so they can't
be using it il they come back" said
Freckles. taking out his Ratchet and
making the saw teeth fly
"NOw we have to get out OF here with.
out being seen." said the Bird Woman
to the angel 1T won't do for me to
make enemies of these men. for am
liable to meet them about my work
any day"
"YOu can do 1t by driving straigh,
north on this road" said Freckles. IL
will go ahead and cut the wires for
you. The swale is almost dry. You
will only be sinking few inches at
most. In few rods you will strike
corntield. will take down the fence
and let you into that. Follow the fur
rows and drive straight across It until
you come TO the other side BE follow
ing the fence south until you come to
Then take that road and follow east
until you reach the pike. You will
come out on your way back to town
and two miles north Of anywhere they
are likely to be. Don't for your lives
ever let 1t out that you did this" he
earnestly cautioned. "for it's black en-
emies you would be making"
Freckles snapped the wires. and they
drove through. The angel leaned from
the carriage and held out his revolver
Freckles looked into her face and lost
his breath. Her eyes were black and
her face deeper rose than usual. He
felt that his own was white as death.
Ibid | shoot high enough she ask
ed sweetly. ~ really forgot about iy.
ing down."
Freckles WINGED Did the child know
how near she nad goneY surely she
could not. Or was it possible that she
had the nerve and skill to tire like that
purposely!
II will send the frst reliable man l
meet for Mclean" said the Bird Wo-
man. gathering up the lines. III l
don't meet one when We reach town
We will send a messenger. Ii 1t WASH
for having the gang see me would so
myself"
Round eyed. Freckles watched the
Bird Woman and the angel drive
away After they We're out Of sight
and he was safely hidden among the
branches Of a small tree. he remeIn-
bered that he had neither thanked
them nor said goodby. Would the Bird
Woman and the angel come again
No other women that he had ever
known would. But were they like any
other women he had ever knowny He
thought OF the Bird Womans unrJffied
face and the angels revolver practice,
and presently he was not 80 sure that
they would not come back.
What were the people out in the big
world like? His knowledge was SO
very limited. There had been people
at the home who exchanged stilted.
perfunctory sort of kindness for their
salaries. The visitors that called on
receiving days he had divided into
three classes--the kind that came with
a tear in the eye and hypocrisy In ~
cry feature OF their faces; the kind
that came In silks and jewels and
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
(TO BE CONTINUED.
RAlSIN LOAF CAKE.

A piece of raised dough, 0ne-hak cup
butter. one cup sugar. three eggs well
beaten. one cup walnuts chopped. one
pound seedless raisins. one tablespoon
cinnamon. Mix well and ~ Hse until
light; bake in mould
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-08
CHAPTER X.
FRECKLEs WINS HONOR.

FRECKLEs WINS HONOR
!: IS: S: :: e: e: 5: :: ::
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-24
Rubber IPavlnoi.

The prophecy of the president OF
the rubber exhibition, held at the Agrt.
cultural hall, that the time will soon
come when the price Of rubber would
be low enough to make rubber paving
an accomplished fact in the streets
Of London, is excellent hearing. When
ever one comes across one or other OF
the few specimens of,srubber paving
which are to- be found at present In
the metropolis, one experiences a
sense of grateful relief. But up TIL
now wider use Of this material for
such a purpose has been prohibited by
the question OF expense. although It
has been thoroughly recognized that
az q substitute for the ordinary ma
terials used in paving the streets, rub.
her offers enormous attractions. II 1t
could be employed in large quantities
in certain localities, London, one I'm.
AGNES, would be a happier place. for
there is no doubt that. as things are.
the increase of traffic must be attend
ed with increase Of noise, and that
though Londoners may become dulleds
nv painful habit, to the ceaseless roar,
the nerves of the community are GER
tainly, even. if unconsciously, In
state of tension. At the same time.
however, we trust that the evil win
not now be allowed to go unchecked
.imnly because there is chance that
the adoption of rubber paving Is nkely
to cure it in the future.-Lonooa
Globe.
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-24
Would BE Interesting Reading.

~ .a
eve may wonder If the world will
ever be allowed to see the private cor
respondence amassed by the late
Queen Victoria" says writer. 1T is
stored away in strong room built
into the walls of Buckingham palace,
ana the queen shared her confidence
With no one So long as she was
physically able to do so she opened
and closed the safe herself and ar.
ranged its contents. When she, was
too feeble to do this she employed an
old and trusted secretary, but even
he had to work under the royal eye.
He was never allowed to keep the
keys nor to read the letters that he
handled. Queen Victoria was always
a voluminous letter writer, and she
was in constant communicationiw with
most Of the royalties in Europe.
Every domestic secret and priyacY OF
royalty during half a century is said
to be represented by the contents OF
this wonderful safe, and it is easy to
believe that the modern historian
would find his hands full If he were
permitted to browse among these let
tiers. But probably he will have to
wait a few hundred years, and then
his popular audience will be a Ian,
guild one It is one of the ironies OF
life that we can never have things.
when we want them" 5.S s;,s
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-24
prehiatnric Art.

IN the side of steep down In the
old town Of Cerne Abbas, Dorset, Eng
land, a huge figure Of man appears
cut deeply in the hard turf. It Is :
creation OF a period hidden IN the
mists Of antiquity The body resem-
bles that Of the simian, the arms are
unusually long and outstretched, =:
are the legs. The right hand grasps
the handle OF an enormous club, ana
the general attitude suggests pursuit
Of game.
The head seems sunk between the
shoulders, and the face, which 10
roughly cut, exhibits an uncanny leer.
Students Of types attribute the
giant" as the Dorset figure ia called,
to the bronze age. The figure has
been cared for throughout the CEN
turtles Of its existence. Originally It
is supposed to have been regarded as
bringing good luck to the people dur
ing the Celtic and early English
epochs. 1t receives attention now on
account Of its qusintness and age.
The Dorset giant is incised In the
turf after the manner Of the Long
Man Of Wilmington and the White
Horse Of Berkshire and elsewhere.
The turf is SO hard that the outlines
Of the figure have been preserved in
tact for many centuries. s.$
Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-24
An Inventor.

When interested and disinterested
persons tried to extract from Molly
Hobart anything except praise Of the
man whom she had chosen from
among her village suitors. they soon
found that it could not be done.
II went over to see Molly this aft
ernoon," said Mrs. Ransom to her
husband at supper one evening. II
declare she's right about one thing.
Jake has plenty Of invention If he is
shackless in his ways. Do you recall
that / asked her last time you and I
were over to the farm what Jake was
keeping those old wheels right out in
the yard for, with most of their spokes
gomez"
!. Mr.. Ransom nodded.
"Well, his wife chuckled, as she
went on with her story" Molly told
me then that Jake would find good
use for EN-, and he has. He's took
and knocked away all the spokes that
were left, and he's run those two
hubs down onto two stakes out in
his meadow, and tied rope round
each of 'em, and hitched the other.
ends to those two COWS of his.
"And when was over there today,
there they were, walking round and
round, free as you please, and the hub
slipping round and rourd with the
rope, and not chance of their get
ting twisted nor tangled!
"Molly says Jake has some thoughts
of getting out patent on his idea.
S'pose he could?"- Youths Compan-
ion