davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
STORIES IN. PRIZE CONTEST


Once as Emmy and May were
walking to school they were startled
by q queer sound: "mew, NEW, NEW.
They walked on little further and
the sound seemed to grow nearer and
nearer. NEW. NEW. new" Pretty
soon they found wee kitten lying
in the snow, for 1t was winter. 20
Emmy. EMMY" exclaimed May, who
was the younger and the more timtd.
why, May. its only kitty, What La
the matter with you-afraid of a catP"
asked Emmy. Then May put out her
hand and touched IL. "Oh. Emmy,
it's so soft and NICE said May.
Please let's carry 1t home?" IAN
right" said Emmy, well take It home
and give 1t some milk" Then she
laid 1t in her apron and started on,
When they got to school they told
the teacher about It, and the teacher
gave them an old shawl to wrap 1t
up in. and they laid 1t by the fire.
They decided to name 1t ''Tabby."
Soon they went home and carried
their new pet with them. As soon
as they got home they gave II aorne
milk and bread. 1t ate It all up and
mewed for more. which 1t didn't get
May wanted to give II more, but En-
my didn't want II TO eat too much.
Tabby liz now big cat and there
once were a great many rats In the
house, but now there Is not q one.
SAIILIE E. SCOTT,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
Where Was Speckle' S Nest

"Dia YOU all find the hens nestT
said mamma, as the children came IN
the house. I'VE couldn't find the
hens nest anywhere. | don't believe
she lays an egg every time she caekles,
she lust makes believe" replied the
children. But she must lay said
mamma, FOR every day she comes out
nf the barn. cackling as If her life de-
pended on the amount of noise she
made"
IT believe Spot eats eggs" said Tom.
'he has found the eggs and eats them
as fast as Speckle lays them"
A new door was put on the barn.
and Spot, the guard dog was smut
up.
The next day the children went to
look for Speckle's nest. They pulled
down hay, turned over boxes, push
ed over boards, but stln Speckles nest
could not be located. After dinner
thew took another search. but not a
new nest could they find.
II was getting late In the season
and mamma was afraid speckie would
set and bring a brood of young chick
ems out TO freeze their feet and toes
| of. AS she couldn't climb che asked
papa TO see If he could find Speckle' s
| nest. So off he went 70 the barn, and
/ found the nest upon the rafter with
fifteen eggs IN it. He opened tho barn
1 door and cried .'Children. 1 found il.
/ "Where?' they all cried out together
Guess" he said, but they couldn't
| guess He started off 10 the barn, but
/ NOT alone, for four children were run
ming close behind,
EMMA ELIZABETH STAT Err
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
Two Lazy Boys

Once upon a time there was q
farmer, who loved work very much
and he had two sons who loved sleep
as well as their father loved work
The farmer would go 70 the boys
room every morning when the cock
a-doodles began to crow. and say
Get up. lazy boys and let's go te
work"
Lets kill the hateful things and
then our father won't know wha,
time TO go to work" said one OF the
boys one night ----------
Agreed" said the other, Tets kill
them this very night. after they have
gone to roost."
So that night the two boys stole ou'
to the barn and killed the cocks
doodles.
Now for a good long Sleep" said
the boys as they crawisd in bed
They were awakened about mid
night by their father. Get up boys
and go to work, the cock -adodles have
been killed and now we won't know
what time to get up and We may over
sleep ourselves, 30 get up and go to
work"
so by killing the cock-a-doodles
the boys had to get up earlier than
they did before.
EDITH RAWLINGS.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

Robert and Roberta were twins.
They lived in the city. II was
drawing near the time when they
should go to spend the day with
grandma. The day came for them to
start Ii took them about an hour
to reach the station where they were
to get Off. Grandfather was there to
meet them. In about half-hour they
were IN grandma's arms How de-
lightful she was to see them! She
carried them into her pantry, for she
thought they must be hungry after
driving such a long way. and gave
them some nice tarts. cakes, pies. and
best of ALL some of her best jam.
Soon they were ready for play. They
had not been out long when grandma
lied And what do you think
Grandma had her bonnet on and grand
father had the horse hitched. They
were going on a real picnic IN the
woods by the brook What fine time
| they had They took off their shoes
and socks, and went in wading. and
grandma had thought. and brought
/ three hooks and lines All OF them
got into the boat and grandfather row
ed while grandma and the twins fish
/ ed What a time they had, Grandma
caught three fish. and the twins two
apiece.
| Grandma had brought pie. cake, tarts
| and many other good things for lunch,
/ When they had finished eating, they
! all went for stroll In the woods. The
| twins saw many things they had never
| heard OF or seen before. When they
| got home they told mother all about
| their good times at grandma's,
LUCILLE MARST0S.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
Th0 Three F&ath&rS

just at the same moment as Dunn
ming.
The king was astonished when the
carpets we're spread out before him
and he saw the lovely thing Dunn
Milling had brought.
THE prize" said he. should by
rights, belong to my youngest son. J"
But the others were so angry at
this. and worried their father so
much. that for very peace he had
to consent to new test.
So the king gave out that who
ever should bring him the most
beautiful ring should be king when
he died. and he blew up the feathers
as before, and babe the youths fol-
low them.
The two eldest went east and west.
but Cummings feather did as 1t
did the first time. and fell to earth
Just by the trapdoor. SO he pulled
lit up once again and went down the
steps.
When the door was opened, he
told the big frog that he wanted the
most beautiful ring In the world. So
she sent one of her little attendants
hopping for her jewel casket. and
when it was come, she took out OF
It ring that fairly blazed with dia-
monds and other Jewels, and finer
than the finest workmanship that
could be obtained You may In
agine Dummling thanked her very
warmly for the ring, and hurried
off back to the palace as fast as his
legs could carry him. He found
his brothers had Just arrived with
rings they had taken no more pains
to make than to heat two rusty nails
into .circlets. Az soon as the king
saw Cummings lovely jewel, he
cried out:
1.-THE ktngdom belongs to him"
| But the brothers flew into a pas
sion at this, and said that a youth
who had as little wit as Dummlins
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

where In the atmosphere. but this ~
an assumption that passes for know
ledge, since no one can refute you
Electricity has never been placed
under the microscope. 1t has not
been weigh ed In the scales. Chemical
tests fail to find II.
A wire that Ia charged with cleo
trtcity looks, feels. smells exactly liks
a wire that is not charged.
Franklin caught 1t on . kay. hut
did not sneceed In his endAavDv to
bottle II. All he caught was . oolA
We say that electricity travsiA Bua
this. too. IL only figure Of speeoA.
and a variation Of the rood old brOua-
ide that ~Ail we see 10 It's nonifeGtn-
ton"
Yet we manipulate this particular
! medium of energy which We caIl
electricity. We know soma Of the
things we can DO with II. and ~
know q few Of the things vA -canncA
do with II.
Egypt. Assyrta Greece. Rome
great civilizations a1i---went down -
| tricity.
The whofs scteucs Of electricity hAs
been horn, practically, within our own
time, and no man can sxy what f1aa
| final achievement Of the slsct14ctaA
will be. 4,e.ss4
Electricity In phenomencn -
as the spirit that animatss = naxm -
/ a phenomenon.
Electricity Ia form Of attrucktun
and repusion; Of give and take. q
absorption and dissipation.
Electricity seems to fill thA connect
| ing zone between spirit and matter.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
ELECTRICITY
By Ebert HUBBARD

Copyright. 1912. International News
Service)
In the wear 1879. when I attended
scientific lectures at Harvard, GER
tain professor OF physics once tex
planned to us the nature of light.
had a notebook and industrionsiy
wrote down the principal points OF
the address. hoping thereby to mem
orize what the professor said, In
order. II possible, that some day !
might be Just as wise as he.
Said the learned professor, where
A. no light without combustion
There ts no combustion without
oxygen. The sun. therefore. Is
molten mass Of fire surrounded by
oxygen When tho oxygen IL con-
sumed the light will go out, and that
will be Judgment Day. Every form
of life will then disappear from the
face of the world, and the earth will
be like the moon, an extinct planet.
The oxygen has not been all con-
sumed, up to this writing.
It was not very long after I heard
mat lecture on light that a man at
Menlo Park, New Jersey. succeeded
in sending current OF electricity
through a vacuum. In this vacuum
| was a small fliament. and the. cur
rent, when turned on, produced
| soft, mellow light that filumined the
room. Edison had succeeded in pro-
ducing light without oxygen.
OF course. IL Edison had enjoyed
the same educational advantages that
| 7 had had, he would not have tried
his fool experiment because he
would have known beforehand that
there can be no light without oxygen.
Thirty years and more have passed
since the incandescent light was first
exhibited as a curiosity, and we do
not know anything more, practically
about what electricity is than We did
then.
What is electricity?" once asked
a professor OF his class.
Several hands were held up Welt
Mr.. Brown, you can tell US whas
electricity is"
Mr.. Brown hesitated and then ex-
planned, II knew once, but just al
| this moment 7 have forgotten.
What pity that the only man in
the world who ever knew what cleo
tricity is should have forgotten,
unused the professor.
Electricity Is not . fluid. huid
Is one Of the three forms of matter.
the other two being gas and solid.
All matter can be subjected to these
70. ms ut will, under the right condi-
tons.
( We sometimes talk about electric
power We see the trolley car flying
along through The, country, and we
say 1t 10 run by electricity. But this
IL the language Of colioQuialism. not
of science. The electricity Ii only
a means Of transporting power.
Whenever you see a trolley car
moving along 30 smoothly over the
rails just remember that somewhere
there Ia . steam engine burning UP
coal or a water power that II fair
ing without ceasing II that water-
power should be diverted or the
steam engine run down. the trolley
would come to = stAndstilL
We ~ tA9a. 111atSta1fx "a aEApa
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
The Man Who Did Not
Like to Work

Once there was man who did rot
Ike to work. So one night he tcid
his. wife that he was going to steal
some corn from his neighhor, and
carry IT TO the mill and have 1t ground
into meal. IHst as he had got into
the field, and began to gather corn
and put II into his bag. he heard his
neighbor coming. He began TO run.
and he ran into wasp's rest. The
uasps began TO sting him and he
screamed for help. The neighber came
and took his corn away from him,
and his VIE came and carried him
home The wasps Htuug him so bad
Inst ne stayed in bed a week
RUBY RAWLINGS
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
The Story of Cap, 3
Fire Dog

Cap was a fire dog, one of the best
that ever lived He came to the fire
men OF Sixth avenue. a poor hungry
dog They called him Cap because he
had a patch OF white hair on his head,
which closely resembsAd cap The
Bremen slept upstairs in long rows OF
white beds, Whenever the fire bell
rang they would pat on their clothes
rapidly, and then slide down a brass
pole. Cap would try to slide downs
but he couldn't do 1t, so he would
rlear the stairsteps at three bounds.
ana then take his place in the chief =
car
Ono eveing the fire bell rang
luatliv Cap. as usual. took his place
IN the chiefs cart, As II was day
time everybody came A little boy STA
years old ran across the street Down
tn" road came another IRE engine.
Cap Jumped out Of tho chiefs cart.
and pulled the little boy out, Of the
WaY
Cap lived "A long time, but this Is
an can imagine about his life.
A.L.cARSON.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

John was going fishing In a nearby
creek. His sister. Florence" was
going. too. On their way 10 the creek
they met two little boys who were 60
ting fishing. SO they decided they
would all go together. One Of the
boys whose name was Sherman" fell
over a Little Rock" and hurt his knee.
The other boys mama was Clinton.
They were slI ASKING when John yell
ed Look Out" and a snake WAS lying
near his hat. They were an scared as
they could be, and Johns sister wss
so scared that she walked backwards
tumbled, and bumped her head till IL
was az BLACK" AZ black could b.
They were 40 frightened by this time
they decided to walk along side OF
the creek to see what they could hnd.
They saw Beaver" sitting on =
log. and II scared them for they had
never seen a beaver before. II was
getting dark now and thsy thought
they had better start FOR home, when
John explained that he had to stop
by his Aunt Sophia's. When they got
there she gave them soma fresh
cookies. and John gave her the notA.
which his mother had sent her. And
whom they had told Johns aunt
Farewell" they went home and Ep&
there Just in time for supper.
EMMA EIIZABEH SLATER
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

Willis, Va.
Dear Aunt Nancy am sorry my
puzzle was too late for the contest.
/ will gladly tell my cousins that my
prize was a great big Mother Goose
Paint Book
/ think all Of the puzzles were ex-
ceilent Sunday, but Louis Dahfs Love
Dirty" was best of all
I wish to thank Frederick Higgasop
for the nice poestala IL In such pleas
ure for me TO correspond with my
cousins. My little cousin IL visiting
me now. / expect to go hack home
with her. We have some jolly times.
/ have been canning peaches for about
two weeks We have forty fine cans
Of peaches l have also been gather
ing peas and lots Of other work We
have three trees full of pears
Much success to all,
I remain,
ALMA KEMP.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

Vineland, Va.
Dear Aunt Nancy.-I saw Ruby
Rawlings letter in the paper. she il
INV cousin. ! am sending YOU story.
but ] am afraid your goose Will COB
bic il before you read IT. l know you
will have n hard time picking ana
choosing stories this week we VIA
have a private teacher again tins
year. and she will come SATURDAY, 20
7 viii have To begin school Monday,
7 v,til ha glad when school begins.
Mamma has gone to town today So nay
cousin and / are keeping house, !
don't know any thing else TO tell you,
so will close. Hoping to win a prize.
i remain,
our TIFTF
EDITH RAWLINGS.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

could not possibly reign over the
land. So they worried the father at
last to make just one more condi-
ton; and this time he said that who
ever should bring home the most
beautiful woman In the world should
succeed to the throne. A third time
he blew the feathers into the air,
and the youths set out after them.
Cummings feather foated and
fell down as before, and again he
pulled up his trapdoor and went
down into the presence of the old
frog, and told her that this time he
wanted the most beautiful maiden
in all the world,
Hum" said the frog, ~it Is not
every one who gets that; still will
do my best for you. nevertheless.
But first take this" and she gave
Dummling little toy cart made OF
a hollow carrot to which were har-
messed six beautiful white mice.
The youth looked at this rather
doubtfully, and asked the mother
frog what he was to do with 1t.
Il will tell YOU" she said. Take
one of my little frog attendants and
set her on the carrot"
So Dummling picked up the one
that happened to be nearest him and
put her on the carrot. and 10 and
behold, no sooner was she seated
than she changed into beautiful
maiden, and the carrot and the mice
into grand chariot drawn by six
! prancing horses AS soon as he
could stop rubbing his eyes from
wonder Dummling kissed the mai
den, and drove of in triumph to the
palace.
Meanwhile, the brothers, as usual,
had taken no trouble whatever, and
at the moment Drumming drove I'm
peasant girls. who were not even
pretty.
OF course the king Had nothing to
do but to award the kingdom to his
youngest son, and. of course, the
elder brothers still grumbled, and
made such fuss that at last the
poor king had to consent to yet
another trial.
To prove which was the best wife
OF the three. he decided that they
should all jump through hoop in
the wall. and the one who did il
most prettily was to be the winner.
And now all the court was gath
cred together in the hall to see the
contest. The country girls jumped
but were so plump that they fell
heavily and broke their arms and
! legs. Then Dummling's lovely mai
den sprang lightly and gracefully
I through the ring, and landed safely
on the other side
SO at last the brothers had to be
content, and in time Dummling came
to the throne and ruled wisely and
well for many, many years. .9..s,sz~e
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
Pand1ainn "

Pendleton. Va
Dear Aunt Nancy am sending
you some drawings which ! know
will be meal for the Gray Goose. /
am not going to send a story this week
as 1t Is so late. ! know Louis Dahl
Is glad that he got the prize. / know
would be If I was to get Il, but !
crazy To know what the prizes are,
for ! am real curiosity box" too.
My school viii start October the first.
think that the puzzle of Louis Dahfs
was fine | made out part OF 1t, but
couldn't make II all out. Well as
haven't any news I reckon I better
quit and give room for the more in
teresting letters
From your niece,
leila TOWSEY
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
The Weekly Visit
FROM AUNT NANCY


ueoC
Edith Rawlings today
small
expressed The other stories the contest
the will have good
time them today
BE workC
Will warded member VINO
bestpi of
will be
original This contest
equal opportunity winning the prize for you are
talented an
Marstons sugges ton that our r. v j. g.
Will
nieces and nephews by theirs lear that when
have fair viii think
lived in the shoe VIII want to put us in
to study hard
will hnd little bit of time TO send
to Each Of is like INK
in imagine how are
mat and AuntNa say,
articles in
&C S0' ~ ' NANCY.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
T unuu, Va

/
Nv Dear Aunt Nancy see in the
naper where the prize for stories WIN
close Thursday. 50 I am going to try
and send mine In time,
certainly do think oar page is
growing rapidly. We have so many
new members TO try for the prizes
rea offer. Aunt NancF,-AnNl car NY ,
are kind to offer 80 many prizes.
hope ali OF your nieces and nephe"s
uke you as much as l DO
want to tell all Of the members 10
raar thefr r = H-tn the fA1f-
n that we can make ourselves known
And Won wear yours, TOO, Aunt Nancy
80 r. I see a lady with r. v J. e.
min or. | am certainly going 10 speh \
Il her for Aunt Nancy. For ooh
xuess anyone else would wear one On,
.sthat was grown except you. so
rIease don't any of you forget your
n,n. shall wear mine,
HOPING much success To our page
yemain,
Your loving member,
LUCILLE MARsToN.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

We have boy ut our house. Some
one was playing on words. asking
IND you ever hear napkin ring or
see lamp smoke when this boy
calculated, "Chestnuts, did you ever
see the sugar bowl. or the pepper box.
or the spoon hold her? Did you ever
go down q salt cellar or hear a water
spout or drink from an ink well?"
Exchange
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

Mathematical Puzzles.
/. II from six you take nine, ana
from nine you take ten.
Ye wits, now the puzzle explain:
And if fifty from forty be taken, there
then
VIII just half
A dozen remain.
2. What number diminished by 1875
leaves FL?
Place three skies together 80 as TO
make seven.
ALMA l. KEMP.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

and the door opened. and he saw
large frog squatting in the middle
of a circle of little ones. The big
one bowed to him as he entered, and
asked him what he sought.
please" said Dummling. taking
off his cap and returning the bow,
IL want to know II you can help me
to get the most beautiful carpet in
1.-THE world"
The frog rolled her eyes for a
minute. and then, turning to one OF
the little ones at her side, said:
GO bring me hither the big cas-
ket," and the little frog hoped
away, and came back dragging a
large box.
Then the mother frog took key
that hung around her neck on a
chain, and opened the box and drew
forth the most beautiful carpet that
was ever seen.
Dummling was delighted with H.,
and thanking her very heartily; he
hurried up the steps, eager to take
II 10 the palace.
Meanwhile, the two brothers,
never thinking that Dummling was
clever enough TO find any sort OF
carpet at all. said to each other
Let us buy the shawl Of the first
peasant woman we meet, That
should be good enough to win us
the KINGDOM"
go they bonght commnn-ai
shawl at the first opportunity. and
took It home to the palace. arriving
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
PUZZLE DEPARTMENT

Riddle.
What IL the longest word In the
English language7
EDITH RAWLINGS
Jun,bied Names Of Boys.
I. I~i-w-a-l-i-
2. H-n-1-o, t,t
3. N-y-h-r-a
4. E-j-o.
s. B-o-r-t-e-r. --------
sALLIE z. SCOTT.
Rebue
YYUR.
YYUR
ICUR-
YY.
FOR ME-.
LUCTLE MARSTON
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
panplin. Va

Dear Aunt Namely saw the puz-
,,a Ia the paper last Sunday. am
sending a puzzle and drawing thl4
-,sak The drawing is an oil well. i
came from Indiana. where there are
lo,s Of oil wells. like 1t better mere
,ban do here ! cannot SEND some
,hing every week since schoo nag
~ ~,-,-n -fa44-n+@-.xeuse the hlnts--I
hone the Old Gray Goose WI" hot eat
Your nephew.
cIFNNAfRE I4ONGWORTH-
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29
GLFNNAiRE LONGWoRTH-
C1aYNille. Va.

~ar,her NJ your club This is the
az, ,ime have written to you.
hone Inc old Gray Goose will not gon-
h,a !, mn. am ten years old. I nave nave,
three brothers and one sister; / I'VE I'VE
op the farm Hoping you VIII PRINT
my letter I am,
Your little niece, ue.
LOUISE CLEMENTS,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-29

"Gony. but it's tiredr exclaimed a
tan and thin negro. meeting a short
and stout friend on Washington
street. What you been doin' to get
tired" demanded the other. well, !"
explained the thin one, drawing a
deep breath. over to Brother Smiths
dey are measurin' de house for some
new carpets DEFY haven't got no
yawd-stick. and rs Just exactly six
feet tall 90 to obndgs Brother
Smith, rs been a-laytn' down and
a-gettin up all ovsr der house."--
Youth = CDnanentrn,