davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

With me-. One moonlight night came
round 10 the front o. the house and
found long row ~ plnsics. They
had such saucy faces that stepped
~ 70 make friends. They hadn't the
FIRST idea how 90 play. 90 I taught
ihem. % take moufhful ~ them
ana growl and throw myself hack
ward. AMI tho pansies and / would
roll over together.
u vas great fuu. luf didn't want
~ hurt auyonr.a feelings. and : pulled
them at un..cyerv ono Il took rho
nearly ail might and when DAYLIGHT
came ] began 20 feel quite nerv0us I
wondered what tho white woman
would think You SOC. We didn't ~
ways think alike 70 was very ruco-r
Portable. 20 crawled back under tho
vor11da ~ was almost pr0vidonflat
mat I'D because verv soon she came
ont Gracious Fhe was mad, never
sow vet hon. but n 81 could gcf
mafder fhan tho white woman Z
don't vent 90 rorf ono The ehIav
man cam" or and asked 70 che would
like another lamb person Tor her
birthday
" you arc going 'o talk Ike an
Idiot. you may go dDuuf0wn
Then Tho pup came out and looked
Fo pleasant almost went oh
mu71or' sh" cried Hes so little.
know hos sorry"
licl Boo e0-r'er sfW uhen . gst
him"
cr7wied back in tho darn and hid
The black woman came around from
tho hfrhon. She had broom in her
hand
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

They fcd me lovely puppy cakes and
soup and carrots. and all things
healthy for youngsters. The only
trouble was that I never got enough.
They gave il 10 me in a little dish.
and every time the white woman
fixed my food she hammered the
cakes 10 bits on the corner OF the sink.
II was very misleading. or course.
7 thought every time anyone ham
meTed - was time 10 eat. know
! walked a Thousand miles around the
table while the cook was heating bis.
cults. but never got Crumb. one
day a carpenter came and did some
thing 20 tine sink lie hammered. and
wagged my tail and smiled. Then
no hammered some more. and
warged again. T. went on half a day.
And Do you think he gave mo NOR.
sel' NOf he-my tail was tired for a
week
The week after came the family
expected company. 80 the white
woman put on a long apron and got
some laundry soap md carried mo up
no the bathroom. She wet the soap
and rubbed r. all over me didn't
mind that / tried 10 bite her I'm
gers. and We had good time: but
VIZ 90 o VI .'' az quo ~ "NF N.NA NV INV To
IN The water D. nearly scared me into
ifs. She rubbed mo and scrubbed me
and tho pup came and helped 10 hold
mo. aud I wished was dead. and I
forgot that hulltorriers never whined.
and ! Vhined and vhinpd u was
over a. last. and she wrapped me up
and sal ~ the FIRE tlil 7 stopped shly-
ering Then she hold mo up before
tho mirror. I vas ell pure white with
n black nose She told mo that
vas beautiful thing and q lamb per.
con. and that ny name was Hosco
This surprised me-. but vas 20 sleepy
! iust burroNed under her arm and
went ~ sleep
vas always hungry There was a
pleasant smelling can In the back yard
whore Tho black woman put lots Of
good things. hif she would never give
mo taste. o. saf NJ on boz and
rouIdnf reach DO. but ] vas CROWNS.
and ] knew that before long 7 vas
RD.uE f0 have one square meal one
d1v Tho white woman went 20 town
and fhe black woman came ont with
Some drIcarIrH Tor fhc pail when n
friend called Dor. She aef tho dish on
ihe rr0rrl and went ~ tho fence
ny. Oh. NV Thorc vas pic and lemon
peel 7rd wrrf liam.-i Think aud colo.
FIHw and coffee grounds ate If 900
To was rapfurouq lime when rho
come back she called me greedy
thing. ana said. u speck Is Roiug 70
catch b. nov f1r sure"
We wont 'r tho Kitchen lay down.
hNf wanted fob rof up Whom 2 vas
NO wanted f0 Ua down Inside 2
f'It Ito ld avafowed high wind.
every aerusd % uuaef 7 felt
'Iko rDur'lirv awfui uas going ~
h4rrrr. end 20 did, The t.r~k woman
ruf mo 0uf ~ DOORS and 2 lay in n
'ornr~ and rroaned 800 Tho white
rDman came She said ~ served us
both riFhf 8ud took mr. upsfairs q
f'fnf oven bite her fingers. huf juaf
joy sfIn Shn said she fh0ughf 20 bet.
f'r have r.e often N o. made rr 20
rriof fIf1f core. Z vas ro rfrt
p" Do" H Huh person again fhaf moth
.rr msffef.I
uf' r.lr nr .sr. G.f IIf .omo
tines D E.f iDLeiy ,lt r.u'Yur fY nIay
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

clerks and small business men in n
certain well-known city. Their hands
were white and soft and their chests
not astonishing either for length or
breadth.
Therefore. because the Spirits less
easily discerned than the flesh. their
comrades-in-arms. veterans OF two
campaigns, dubbed them the Mollie-
coddles on their first appearance.
Tho regiment suffered the label
with only a mild resentment. Indi.
vidually. they knew they were not
towards. and they trusted confidently
in the future to justify their presence
in arms.
AS regiment they had not yet
found themselves. They had no esprit
de corps They were n collection OF
units instead of the single and par.
tcular entity a regiment should be
Then came the catastrophe.
Tho army was facing the enemy
with river in the rear. and f. 90
happened that the Molliecoddles held
the extreme right wing. Here the
general commanding made his initial
mistake.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

lay in tho hall doing. when right
through tie front door walked large
black cat. one with green eyes and
a long 'all--just such n cat a. / would
have selected
she archcd Lr- bach and srlt -
soon as she saw me. End brIsfIr!
ana suarIad a~d rot reacy 10 Jump.
Jut she Slipped ht me aud ran up
stairs. was there % protect tho
white wOuau's home. 50 rushed
ate. the cat. determined to soc CHAT
no ham came tJ anything under ms
care
on dear u didn't turn ou' 10 au
az wanted if to do. trf know my
Intentions were tho very best 70 the
cat had r0n" down fn tho cellar.
where things DIDN'T break so easily.
feel suse no family would have n
murh higher opinion of mo than they
now hnve.
70 wasn't nv fault that shc Jumped
ON Tho dressing table. whore all tho
white wof1a1a knickknacks were Ut-
tered around. jumped after her.
a0d ] must cay "a good many THINKS
Tell ~ and broke The mirror struck
q chair and there werr bottles and
brushes and lots ~ STUFF There
really vas 10 room f0r d1r. go 49,
soon 90 %" cat jumped OF fol
loved.
she went un on the manf.i. and 1
called after her q couldn't get ruifa
up. but ! cous.f Der taU ard swung
aU nov weight on o. what 90 tou
think frppencd ncrt9 Tho glass be-.
bind thc manfel lranod over ao ]
cnu'd 900 mysef. ana ftc0 i feu and
split OF FOB pieces D. vas o. mercy I
got away unhurt Or tta cat iif oul
Tor The third nOor. 900 went. too
waTnt thinking very much about
protecting anything now Just
wanted tO Fsf me cat and NIL hor a
iew times. snd then co ont Tor walk
before Tho family came home. IN all
The fun end excitement. 7 sfil felt tho
most curious nervoueura- about the
family ~ was worse than when !
iaught The p1rqica tp play.
Tho cat made n bee line Tor Tho new
den. and 7 tore after her. urseffinc
"trrvfrinr 7 passed she lrapcd on
tho fehl" md ? vas up nearly OIL soon
n9 She vfa There was uir. bottle
of int. which ssuf over as soon a. 9
'OHO nfd DO SIc ncw fur Tho ri..sf.
and fuo1 "a shorf e,.f i.tfas sA- s.t ..
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

Tn the camp of the Molliecoddles
at the rear with tho baggage
wagons, men sat silent about the
fires and avoided one anothcr's eyes.
Now and then one cursed bitterly
and the others would turn his way for
an instant and then come back to
their vacant staring. Bewilderment
seemed TO be their attitude. utter
blind bewilderment.
We never had a chance" NUT
tered one. We never had chance. q"
Another suddenly flung down n
paper he had been reading in the red
light. cursed like drover for mo-
ment, and fell silent again.
In his tent the colonel spoke BIT
terry TO his adjutant.
They needed a scapegoat. and
they've pitched on us" he said
A common sentiment ran from the
head OF the regiment to the meanest
private in the ranks. II was, more
over. a perfectly legitimate. we'll
founded sentiment. and the facts
lpon which IL was based we're these:
The Molliecoddles were a brand
new regiment. Most OF them had been
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

7 GUESS you never were lamb
i person. I never knew anyone but
me who was. It's very pleasant. espe-
cially ~ you are only month old and
have Just been taken away from your
mother
The way II happened was this. A
colored boy took me and my brother
in basket TO a house where a black
woman sat in a white dress. She
told the boy 20 walt. because they
was at dinner" She and the boy
talked and my brother slept. but I
wanted TO know: so ! climbed MP on
the side OF the basket and howIed.
Just enough TO LEI people know I was
thess.
heard a rustic and a white woman
in black dress came in. There was
another one with her. only smaller. I
decided she must be the white
Womans puppy liked her. She al
ways made you feel that she was
WagSing her tail Poor thing I
found out aftsrward that she didn't
have one. but u she had know she
would have wagged 81 all the time.
She took my brother. and Tho white
woman took mo into another room.
where man with shiny top sat
eating cake.
The white woman put me on the
table. and the shiny man laughed
"HaW. hawi" Then the pup put my
brother on, too. and the SHINY man
laughed Haw. hawt" again. Which
oue?' be asked. and the pup said 20
keep my brother. They put us on tho
floor. and brother whlned and went
70 sleep. but I wanted 20 know. 10 Z
took a corner Of the table cloth and
pulled and growled Then tho shiny
man laughed. "HaW. haw. haw," and
said. Look ~ the little rat
The pup said. oh. father. look a.
mine And he did look. and said ne
vas "A buster and mo- rnisfaxo."
Then the white woman took me un
under her chin. "BIf. Sam. look ~
mine. he Is his mothers lamb per
son
The shiny man laughed araIn. "Of
course that makes 90 me difference Zoo
the world a lamb person Ia some
thing no lady should be uItnout-
She made a face % him. ali told
me in confidence that she bad f0 puf
up with bis rudeneas because ah. oas
financially embarraafod and was hop
ing ho would buy mo Hs said mat
Then 7 know her better ! would find
that financial embarrassmen' vas hcr
chrome STATE
re fook a coin ou' ofhis pocket ami
SID. Heads. Lamb person. isUs. fhr
slob"
BE threw 10 uD. and uher n feu o.
vas tails 40. tuf The uhfe woman
said she hadn Q agreod. ana fhoy would
beep me 30 ruldlrd under her
chin. and The shiny man laurhed
'Haw hav' and Vlrn fLo t1v -rrr~
money. That was how . began to be
q lamb person
The fret niFhf was aufI They
put ne in box and ue1' fY Bod aHI
left mo. could goo r.f rrf 0
couldn't Eef Ouf. ard q r.rfrf 90
know ~ ! hovlef arf fonfeG trrr
While scrambled aIf .ri found 4.
nice 'orner ou tHs bare f1ar. shsre
I aloLL - peace
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

All the ink IN the bottle poured over
me as ! came out, but the cat was
on the closet shelf. splitting and max
ing faces at me.
| shook the ink OF my back and
made lunge. She saw me coming
and backed out OF sight. but when /
/ fell brought down lovely play
thing. n new white chiffon dress. I
never played with one before. but I
would recommend a. TO ANYBODY with
g playful dispOsifiCn. took up great
lmouihfuls. and when bit down on II
there was nothing there. II was soft
ana slippery. and ] pulled and tore II
ali 10 bits. Then ] got g. all or the
silk lining and ran round the room
win It. ] rolled in IL and Eot some
more ink or my back After that I
made u into ball and jumped on 10
and Erowied
was fearfully tired Ru5 must
nave gone 10 sleep. for ! wakened I'D
when / heard the white woman com
Ing In the front door ran and put
my plaything in the closet and pushed
che door shut; then went UP in the
corner and sat down.
] vas very uncomfortable. You see.
! couldn't tell them that the cat had
-.aA' % .'NNH atlN 4 AfNN NAtINE sure IMNN
would blame me hate 10 be- blamed
DO any time. bat 10 have TO stand for
'ne wrong doing Of n cat vas very de-
pressing
The white woman came up 10 her
room END stopped. Then size said.
For Heavens sake Annie. Annie.
come up here AZ once and tell me
what This means!"
The black woman came runnfnz. and
she stopped. She said she had been in
me laundry and hadn't heard word.
but 81 course 20 vas Bosco lie was
30 plum ruint for n whipping. Hen
tear fhe house down nrxt"
This hurt my feelings 80 that I
froancd. and they came running I'D
10 me new den. 7 really thought the
white woman was going 10 burst. !
never saw anyone so mad.
wouldn't mind 40 much she said
tt hts mother had not hrcd the room
What VIII she think Of me-"
She's Rwlno 20 think you r. n
I1isiiy poo excuse. Miss Lacy. She
"Oh. we'll snapped The white
woman. She always has. anyway. 90
she wont have 10 change her opinion
much"
no maan. she aint going ~ like
YOU no hotter f6r This. You knows
tnaf What's that dirty raE under tho
closet door"
! crawird 50 close IN the corner I
almost stood ON my head. The white
woman opened the door and gave one
shrek
OBJ. Annie. ny brand new white
dress! oh. What Will . do7 n Isn't
paid Tor. haven't even worn 30
What can Do What can I do"
You can't do nothing 20 the dress.
its done spilled. but you can beat that
low down Bosco 10 death That's
What you ought to do You IL
n. Fhty nice INDY. hgt you don't whip
nobody Ike the. ought to be whipped
TIE is Just 90 stuck up he thinks he
owns The place. and you just got 20
rit Co work and Nit him frs the
only wnv Won ever Kin teach him to
behave hisseIf jos. wish you'd LET
me do &c. ! wouldn't leave o. hair on
his hidr"
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

vance was In skirmIsh formation and
far more dificult TO stop.
Men began to fall behind the
breast-vork. Bullets sang over their
heads and spat viciously into the wall
in front of them.
But fifteen OF the needed twenty
minutes had elapsed. IL they could
hang on for FIVE more!
Ihey were firing at will now. The
voileys had ceased. but there was n
steady, continuous rattle Of musketry.
Inc colonel walked back and forth
behind his line. fercely chewing his
mustache. pausing TO glance al the
cloud OF skirmishers coming steadily
on. or noting with a groan that his
left was overlapped for a quarter on
a mile and must speedily be turned.
IL could not be helped. He was
holding what he could. but his line
was woefully thin and every moment
becoming thinner. The singing hui.
lets took n steady toll.
Down the slope before the stone
wall n mass Cf men pressed forward
yelling. The thin line behind the wall
concentrated all It's fire upon them,
put IL no longer availed. On they
came, logged. determined.
Men dropped steadily. but stiIl they
came on. The twenty minutes were
up. Where we're the reinforcements ,
The colonel glanced about. Woods
behind him shut out all view OF the
regiments and brigades hurryIng
breakneck TO the rear that had be.
come the front.
All he knew was that he was alone
protecting the army from overwhelm-
ing defeat. towards, were thew
Even in that red. fiery moment he
had time for an instant Of bitter pride
and exultation as he viewed his dead
behind the stone wall.
The rushing mass IN front was
close up now. lie knew he could NOT
stop them. He lacked the men. He
had held them back for more than the
time demanded Of him.
should he order his men 10 fall
pack? The regiment had done IFS
WORK. More could not reasonably be
asked OF thcr.
Ihey were outhanked on either
mana. and about TO be overwhelmed.
should he order them back?
mere came 10 him another THOUGHT
They called US towards" and with
that he hurried along the line ujtb
the command. Fix bayonets."
He would stay there and MAJ,
them. II It cost him every man. "They
called us towards, boys" he shouted.
This is our chance"
ON came that yelling wave in front
Loading and firing as fast as they
could, the remnant Of the regiment
could not stop II. But not n man he
bind the stone wall finched before I,
The Inevitable weaklings that are
IN every regiment had long since
sought tho rear. Those who STAYED
would stay to the end.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

They were lamentably few, but
those few were bad men to face. At
their colonel's call they rose, gripping
bleeding heads, men with limp arms.
men who rose only to fall again and
again struggle 10 rise.
With a yell the wave broke over
the stone wall. and in an instant the
Molliecoddles were overwhelmed.
Fighting like demons. madmen, or
heroes. they went down before SUI
perior numbers, but not before they
had taken full toll for their defeat.
Through his glasses the general in
command saw their heroic stand The
regiments breaking from the woods
behind saw IL and burst into cheers.
sudden wave OF firing broke out on
either flank, and then the conquerins
enemy reeled before the charge OF
the advancing regiments.
A moment OF fighting hand TO hand,
bayonet 10 bayonet. and then the
fresh troops dropped behind the stone
wall and poured n CALLING fire into
the retreating foe. The day was won.
the army was saved. and IL was the
Molliecoddles who had done IT,
In the camp OF the Molliecoddles
that evening men sat weary and de-
jected about the fires. Their attitude
seemed much the same as on that
other evening. There were gaps in
every group. and mems voices were
low and awestricken.
They discussed their casualties with
an appearance of wonderment. Tuck.
er's gone. eh?" BILLY AIKEN got II in
the head They've took of Nor
tons leg" and so forth.
"How's the Old Man to-nIght?"
asked one. Heard anything?"
They say he's doin' well. II he
pulls through. I reckon they'll make
him brigadier."
Too bad they got him. He hadn't
ought to have stood up"
We'll, anyway. we held EN-"
That was the finale always. No
matter what had come 10 pass No
matter who had died, or who was
wounded. or who was missing: Wen.
we held EN-"
A battery came past. the trace
chains rafting, the wheels clankipg
in the ruts.
What regiment is that?" called an
officer.
The Molliecoddles." came the de.
iant answer.
oh" said the officer. and the bat.
terry moved on.
But every gunner's eyes turned sud
denly toward the camp-hres, and the
Molliecoddles returned the gaze with
erect heads. II was as though they
asked; IF II wasn't for US, where
would You be-"
And from the faces OF the gunners
one understood that they had no ade-
quate answer.
Copyright The Frank A. uunsey IN,
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

woman stood up and took of her slip
per. doubled up against the wall
and tried TO swallow myself "Bosco,
come here" Her voice was awful.
Just like the dog catcher before l got
my license. ! didn't come. / really
could not.
"Bosco. come here at oncei' I
didn't bulge. The voice froze my
blood. Come. you brute. or I'll come
over there and then"
started TO crawl TO her ! couldn't
look al her. and dragged myself to-
ward her very slowly Just as she
laid her hand on my collar. had tho
Inspiration OF my life. / sat up on.
my launches. folded my paws over NV
nose end prayed. My. how did pray!
Tho white woman took her hand
away from my collar. and the black
woman said: For the lands sake!
Look al that"
The white woman took my collar
again. and. lifting the slipper. said:
III whip you just the same. because
you are wretched beast and have
spoiled everything Before she could
MI me the black woman broke in.
Don't you do 81. Miss Lacy.
honey. You mustn't do n. lie ain Ill
Dc didn't know no better. Sides that.
he's cr pra! yin. and nobody can't col
more than pray. You knows yo'seif'
mat hts mighty easy 10 stray from
me right way. buf 81 you whips that
poo dog you is going 10 have a jedg.
ment sent on TO you. That's what
Jon g.. shonun"
] opened one eve and looked ~ .be
white woman. but she still looked aw-
iuly mad. Ny tail was numb from
sitting on Il. but 81 was no time 20
stunt myself on prayers. 30 shut my
eyes ught and sat up and groaned
horribly. ] heard her catch her
breath. then she sat down on the floor
ana began 10 cry 7 rushed into her
zap and licked her face. but she sfuI
cried. She needn't have Kept on CRY
ihE. forgavo her ~ once She had
never chased a cat. and. OF course.
couldn't understand.
Annie came and patted her head. |
ana said she was her mammvs babv.
but she kept on crying. Then 7 tore
Gown 20 The back yard and got bone
u had been buried n week and Waa
very choice. ] took % upstairs %
laid u In her lap and stepped bacE
20 SEQ her enjoy herself she didn't,
lse o. but she laughed and laughed !
and l.uFhed.
Take the horrible thing away. An.
ME. Erf wasn't he smart 20 DO III"
heFsum. that's n powerful fine dor.
ana W IL mighty lucky 10 have him .
] climbed into the white woran'a
ap aeain. and she held me close. and
= pit my head up under her chin and (
~is lamb person Tor Ions time
Ihen We OF went fo work and cleaned !
lp. Frcsh milk took all the ink ont %
lne csrpet. and We put a biC picture
~ behind the m1ufci " didn't take
ions. and 7 liked 70 better
When everything was done ne
black woman and 7 went down to- thsl
Slichcn. She SAT in n chair. and n
sal on tho 1oor in front oi her q
PVT my head ON one side and vinkcd
slowly with NY icft eye. abc card.
go way from hero. yo' sassy dog.
No viukin' 1t me "a settled woman. 2
lo. is fc1nlous' Tnats what 70 Is.
frlulcust"
'..'.-i .-' roe l-~-4 p.- 90.
The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-19

across the river. the enemy proceeded
to take the offensive. BY a rapid
march In the night a long column
crossed the river some miles above,
aiming by a wide detour to fall sud
denly and Unexpectedly upon the rear
of the demoralized force.
so silently and swiftly was this
maneuver accomplished that no word
of II reached the rival general till his
communications had been cut and a
frightened crowd OF teamsters and
camp-followers came streaming up
the road.
Close on their heels appeared the
van OF the eager enemy. In their
way stood only the despised and re-
jected Molliecoddies.
At the first sign OF trouble the
colonel OF the regiment deployed his
men across the road and prepared TO
hold that line eth the COWS came
home"
stone fence afforded excellent
protection and the Molliecoddles
spread themselves along this breast
work with the hot blood humming in
their veins. towards. eh?
They would show what sort OF cow
ards they were. They ceased that
moment TO be a collection OF units.
and were in a way TO become a reSi.
ment
They were madmen. most OF them.
ready TO go red-eyed and homicidai
at a pin-prick. They had been gonded
and buneted with no chance to reply.
They had read ironical newspaper
comments by men who had never
smelled powder till their nerves
were strung like hair-triggers.
Almost TO man. they yearned for
slaughter with the primitive thirst OF
savagery. They wanted to got square.
Ihcy wanted to clear themselves.
They wanted to show up their critics
for the blatant liars they were.
Across field I'm front OF them came
line of hurrying men. followed by
another and another. They were
overlapped on either nank. What
matter? An aide gslloped up 20 the
colonel.
Hold them for twenty minutes,'
was his cry. almost despairing. Hold
them II you lose every man"
IN hold en-" said the colonel
grlmly.
lie knew the temper OF his men. II
was identical with his own.
directly battery whirled up and
numbered In the road. That would
help. Tho stan officer had gone to
hurry up the support. The colonel
stalked along his line.
Across the open ground IN front
the enemy neared rapidly. They came
almost rccklessly. expecting little op-
position. Tho only task they saw be
iore them was TO drive their foe into
the river.
They made for the stone wall with
yell. At sight OF the guns in The road