davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

An it's dot little spoon all wifi 1t ready to eat out of I boughted 1t for you myself, Margaret. Do you like it?"
 "Um- m m-m' And Margaret smacked her lips. Its goody!"
 But she never offered Dorothy so much as one single taste
 Just then something seemed to catch hold of Mammals dress and pull iher toward the nursery. Mamma didn't know what 1t was; in fact, Mamma didn't even know that any thing was tugging at her dress But, all the same. she suddenly felt minded to go to the nursery and see how the little girls were getting along. Be- sides. even had she seen Swifto--- which she couldn't because of his in visible cloak-she wouldn't have rec ognized him.
 So. at precisely this moment, Man. ma came into the nursery.
 Look what Dorothy bringed mel" cried the selfish Margaret. helping cream
 Wy, WdSn that nlC6 or DOrOtny!', agreed Mamma. And then she turned to the little visitor. Dorothy" she asked, "did your Mamma give you this to bring to Margaret?"
 "No'm." she replied. q boughted it at the candy store" "And-if you don't mind my asking, my dear-how much did you pay for it?"
 "A penny" said Dorothy. "A penny-a whole penny?" ex- claimed Mamma, vastly impressed. And where did you get the penny, Dorothy? Did your Mamma give 1t to you to buy this for Dorothy with ?"
 "Oh. nom" Dorothy shook her head gaily Her eyes were shining with real pleasure. T saved the pen ny from last Monday so I could bring Margaret a present."
 Just then something perched upon Margarets tiny shoulder and took a firm hold on a beautiful golden key he was arrying-though neither Mar garet, or Dorothy nor Mamma could see either him or his key.
 It was Swifto.
 Goodness mel" said Mamma. Isn't it fortunate. Margaret, that Dorothy didn't bring you chocolate
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
CHASING BUTTERFLIES

7 ll1HELMINA would chase butterflies. She didn't care how many she caught and :" killed. or how pitiably they f1uttered their pretty wings and in what agony they died. She loved to feel their soft, beautiful bodies and would you believe ito keep them imprisoned in large paper bag,
 She had made a net in which to catch them on the wing out of mos quito netting and had fastened it on a slim, light pole, whittled round and smooth, you may be sure. to keep from scratching her hand
 Early in the morning, when the dew was still on the grass and the sun not so very hot Wilhelmina-cruel Will helmina--would sally forth over hill and down dale to entrap the lovely. frolicsome creatures as they fitted about.
 And she was really an expert at catching them. Poor butterfly, Once Wilhelmina espied him he was g. doomed creature. Very few of them escaped her, for she followed swiftly and stuck to her task with a de- termination which, had it been ap- piled to her lessons, would have placed her easily at the head of her class. But Wilhelmina did not like lessons and books, and she did like chasing Butterflies
 One bright morning she was out, as usual, fairly flying over the ground, her net held high in air ready to swoop down and entrap helpless but terf1y and, in her other hand, the pa- per bag in which she placed her cap- tives.
 Suddenly she espied a beautiful vel low and gold one. shimmering in the sunlight.
 "Oh." cried Wilhelmina. q must have him!'
 Clear across the lawn she chased him and on down through the pasture and into the corn-field. As she ran, she saw a number of butterflies which came within a few inches of her net but her whole attention was centered
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
THE KEY to the SELFISH HEART

~ WIFTO bowed low before the Fairy Princess.
 ~ our Majesty" he said In his
 high, piping voice, '.methinks have case that will interest thee to- day. 'Tis of little igirl-they call her Margaret-with bright, golden curls and fair blue eyes, who yet hath a heart that needs must be unlocked to love and kindliness A pretty child. Your Majesty, and one strangely self ish and unkindly"
 "Ah, 'tis we'll spoken. Swifto," said the Fairy Princess, rising from her silken couch and coming to the edge of the beautiful marble porch. Thou needst not longer kneel. Of truth, It pleases me much to hear of such a case. My guardianship of the Keys to Human Hearts rests heavily yet pleasurably upon me. as thou know est. And whene-er thou or any other of my brave messengers can find a heart that needs one of my keys I re- joice at the discovery. Here, Swifto. is the Key to the Selfish Heart. Take it and seest that thou dost use all the power I have delegated to thee to un- lock the heart of little Margaret God speed thee, Swifto. Fly!' And Swifto was off on the wings of the wind. carrying with him the cloak which would make him-and the key-invisible, when needs must arise.
 Wouldn't you like to give Dorothy some of your chocolate caramels, Margaret?" asked Mamma, as she fin- ished tying the pretty pink sash around her little girls waist 'She has just come to spend the afternoon and I told her to wait in the nursery until I had finished dressing you. I know Dorothy likes caramels"
 Margaret shook her golden curls. "No-o-o-o.' she whined "They's my caramels an'-an'-an' Dorothy tant have none! I wants them all myself, does,'
 Mamma looked at her daughter sadly. My, my, Margaret" she said sorrowfully, "all those nice caramels and you won't give little Dorothy one not even one?"
 Again Margaret shook her head. And again she answered "No-o-o-o!"
 'I am quite sure." urged Mamma,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

caramels. Because then you wou,d nave had to offer her some of them. But-but-there's scarcely enough of the ice cream for two little girls Is there? And yet I'm sure Dorothy would have liked some caramels. Let me see how many caramels can you buy for cent-two. believe. Now l."
 But little Margaret. her face flushed and her eyes ashamed, was already out of the nursery and in search of the box of chocolate caramels.
 Swifto had vanished from her shoul- der!
 She returned presently, bearing the open box In front of her.
 Have some of my car'mels, Dor othy' she said sweetly. "Dey's awful goody an-an'-an' hopes you des' eat lots an lots of theml"
 "There" cried Mamma gaily. "There! Now my little girl is a nice little girl"
 Swifto bowed low before the Fairy Princess.
 Your Majesty" he said in glad
 
 cured. With the aid of her Mamma and strange thing that the humans call candy ice cream I found oppor- tunty to insert the Golden Key in her heart and unlock 1t. The work Is be- gun. She hath performed her first unselfish act. Methinks the charm will work well until she herself be- comes strong enough to rely on her own good heart"
 s Well done, Swifto!" cried the Fairy Princess. "Tis happy indeed I am! And happy thou art. too, I we'll know. The day is still young, my Swlfto, so fly hither and yon and see if thou canst find another childish heart that needs the Golden Key. Away! God speed thee!"
 And Swifto straightway flew to-
 Perhaps you know of Some selfish little girl he may be watching!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

Yes, there was her net-and in 1t she could make out a dark. f1uttering body. With a cry of joy Wilhelmina plunged her hand inside the net But she withdrew it, even more rapidly. with a howl of pain.
 "Oh! Oh Oh," yelled Wilhelmina "Oh-o-o-o-oh! It hurts. It hurts!"
 She popped her finger into her mouth. But that didn't lessen the pain one bit. Then she kicked out at the net viciously and tried to trample on the dark, fiuttering body within.
 Buzz buzz zz- zz-zz." went the dark body. in angry tones.
 And presently Wilhelmina kicked the net so hard that she kicked a hole in it--and out flew the dark, f1utter- lng buzzing body and would you be- lieve it-flew up and stung Wilhelmina for good measure. right on the tip of her nose,
 "Oh-o-o-oh" bawled Wilhelmina again, grabbing first her finger and again. "Ouch. Ouch, It hurts. It hurts.''
 Wilhelmina. the tears streaming down her cheeks and great bumps swelling up on her nose and her fin- ger, turned and fled to the house, leaving her net and the paper bag behind her.
 As for the dark. futtering body, 1t circled round a few times, buzz buzzed triumphantly and sailed away over the tops of the waving corn.
 If was a bee!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
"a A REAL STORY ~~

~ HE other day I heard little boy complain because there was no
 no real work for him to do. - You see," he confided in me, Brother is big and can be of real try if it needed him. Sister is a school-teacher and helps the little ones to grow good and wise. Mother has her house to look after. and father has the shop;-but I-well. I'm just no good at all."
 I drew him to my knee. Come" l said, "1'll tell you a story"
 "A real story?" he asked, for he, like most children, loves stories.
 ''Yes, all about a lot of tools that lay in a big box in a carpenters shop"
 Tt sounds as though it was going to be funny" said the child, settling himself to listen.
 Not a bit of it." I answered. For one of those tools was as discontented as you, and such a state of feeling is no laughing matter. now is it?"
 "N-o-o-but how could tool have feelings?"
 Tt was the littlest tool in the box,"' I continued. "and it had moved way down to the corner to cry into the ear of the hammer. It began by say ing. I'm sick of life. My work Is so limited and small. All l can do is to bore holes in the wood'"
 "Oh. that must have been the gim- let" cried the boy. Father has one in his tool-boxn'
 'Yes, it was the gimlet, and 1t went on complaining. All the other tools do big things You, Mir. Hammer, are very important and you know if. And
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

that if they belonged to Dorothy she would give you-oh. lots of them"
 T don't care l wants them all myself,"
 Very we'll" said Mamma "Only, I'm afraid my little girl is very, very selfish. Run in and see Dorothy now"
 Margaret hung her head moment, then shook it and ripped lightly into the nursery.
 "Lo. Dorothy" said by way of well come.
 "Lo, Margaret" answered the little visitor politely. My Mamma says I may play wifi you a whole hour. An see what I bringed you, Dess what 1t ts?" She was laughing, holding some thing behind her back that Margaret might not see 1t.
 "Oh, goody." cried Margaret. "Somepin for me? I dess it's a-a-a. new jack-ball." And her eyes lighted hopefully.
 ''No 'Tain't a ball." said Dorothy. her little face expressing the surprise she felt that Margaret should have expected such a nice present.
 'Den-den--." said Margaret think ing hard, "den it's a--a-a box of ice cream. Oh. is it?"
 Again Dorothy shook her head: but
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

this time she smiled. You is gettin' warm, Margaret" she whispered.
 warm meaning, you understand, that while 1t wasn't box of ice cream It was something that was something like box of ice cream.
 But Margaret's patience was gone by this time. T div upl I div upl" she cried. Tell me what 1t is, Dor othy Div it to me-right away! My Mamma says I mustn't be teased''
 1ts--it's candy ice cream!" said Dorothy. bringing her hands from be- hind her back and exhibiting a small tin dish filled with a white candy that looked for all the world like Ice cream.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

on the big yellow and gold one. Sev- eral times she all but caught him; yet each time he would just manage to elude her sweeping net
 Wilhelmina became hot and angry ana even more determined And when the butterfly led her into the held of corn and, a few steps ahead of her, settled down on a swayine cornstalk, Wilhelmina gave a cry of delight and thrust her net outward and downward and A .e
 "Oh-o-o-o-ohl ouchn4 Fled Will helmina. For just as she Thrust with her net her foot caught inithe furrow and she plunged headloag to the ground, pumping her he d a good hard bump.
 She sat up presently and gathered her scattered wits. Her first thought was of her net and the yellow and gold butterfly. She looked quickly around.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

Meanwhile, other States had taken more active interest in the matter, and one after another established a Day-Law, until today there are more than forty-five states in which the first Monday of September is ob- served as legal holiday.
 Nor did the Labor Day celebration confine itself to the United States. It is observed in Porto Rico. Hawaii. Alaska, and the Philippines. The true significance of the event lies in the fact that in these times of ambition. and desire to make money, we are willing to forget 1t all for a while and to join happily and unselfshly in the ceremony of Labor Day
 It was pretty sentiment to have this holiday come at the beginning of the new working year.
 Your working year is before you. and very soon you, my young friends. will resume your school routine. Do you appreciate the fact that the vaca- ton. of the American school child is longer than the European holidays?
 l trust that you all have enjoyed your summer, and are ready to start to work in the right way
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

there's the axe, it cuts down huge trees and goes with our master every time he jaunts through the forest See the plane down there in the box said the little gimlet with bitterness in Its voice, it lifts its head in pride, and no wonder. Our master needs it to smooth and finish the best of his work and 1t has fine work to do. I am simply the beginning of the small est jobs fret and l tumble until I scratch the wood and then along comes nail and slides into the little hole made, and acts as though 1t had done it all. l repeat I'm tired of it all and I've made up my mind to. tell Master that I'll not do anything more. if he doesn't put me on bigger jobs"
 "'You foolish little fellow an. swered the hammer You surely don't know your worth. Master would have a sweet job without you. You're
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

Two Months Vacation.
 Will it be unwillingly?
 remember standing at my front window last September on the first day of the school term, as the boys and girls came trooping by. They were not creeping like snails, but were walking brislxly and talking eagerly.
 What bright-looking lot of chill dren." I thought. How happy they seem to begin work! How healthy they look after their two months va cation." And then I wondered what would be their future, and I wished l could follow each ones career to its finish and see what he or she would make of his or her life.
 Going to school is like digging ion gold. To some the gold is on the sur face. and they have but to wash the sand away to obtain the pure metal; but for others the finding of the prec- ious metal is more difficult, and they have to labor and wait, if they would possess it.
 There Is an old Persian story about certain pavement that was supposed to have nuggets of gold under it. The man who did not attempt to lift the pavement would get none of the gold. He who lifted part of it might or might not find the treasure, but the one who lifted the whole pavement would possess all
 Opportunities. golden opportunities, are under every days pavement for you, and the school is the pavement under which you will surely find the nuggets If you but lift the stones to find it. Don't pass by one stone, for it might be the one covering the treas ure of which you are in search.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
Y YOURPUZZLE| HOORNER
HIDDEN PARTS OF THE BODY.

HIDDEN PARTS OF THE BODY. My sisters Hannah and Sarah are very pretty girls.
 Edgar made a fine appearance at the Army ball.
 The icicle grew large and heavy toward evening.
 Ethel bowed with much grace and dignity.
 Should errors creep into our work we should try to correct them saw Milton ailing but did not know how to help him. Do you see that fish with the queer fin. Gerald? Pm going to catch him.
 ENIGMA. My first and second are in Sweden but
 not in France, My third and fourth are in Imogene
 but not in Nance; My fifth and sixth are in slim but not
 in fat, My seventh and eighth are in gnu but
 not in cat. -afy whole is the name of summer
 sport.
 Answers.
 DDEN PARTS OF THE BODY: IA Arm, Leg, ElboV, Shoulder, ,lNNlRN3MA Sicimming.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

Tor very many the holiday sea
 son ceases after tomorrow. To-
 morrow. Do you know what that day means?
 Although it is a Monday. usually so full of work--perhaps the busiest of all the week-tomorrow will be marked by the closing of factories and mills, and will be a day of rest for the laboring man.
 We have come to regard Labor Day as one of the natural American holidays, and lose sight of the fact that 1t is of comparatively recent origin.
 In 1883 the labor organizations of New York held a parade on the first Monday in September and one year later the Central Labor Union adopt ed resolution declaring the first Mon day in September to be the Labor Day, and immediately took steps to have a law made that the recurrence of the day every year should be legal holi- day It was not, however, until May 6. 1887, that the bill was passed by the New York Legislature
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
|7@ ZIZHZ29
 |/zyZZ/e>/ /ZlI7

> EPTEMBER l. 1870, Capitula- ton of Sedan
 N September 2. 1866, Great Lon V don Fire.
 September 5. 1774. Seat of Govern ment established at Philadelphia.
 September 5. 1901, President McKin- ley shot at Buffalo.
 First Monday in September, Labor Day.
 September 8. 1900, Galveston tor nado.
 September 8. 17s1. Battle of Eutaw Springs.
 September g, 1s6o. California admit ted to the Union September g. 1850. New Mexico ad- mitted as Territory.
 September II, TIT. Washington de- feated at Brandywine.
 September II, 1874, McDonough's g victory in Battle of Lake Champlain.
 September 12, Old Defenders Day in Baltimore.
 September IS, 1759. Battle of Que bee. French and Indian War.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
HUMBUG.

i Hamburg Is city in Germany.
 The word "Humbug" comes from Hamburg. Tn Germany, proverbial expression for false report or rumor was called "a piece of Hamburg news"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

And shining morning face, creeping
 like a snail
 Unwillingly to school"
 This picture of the boy may have been a true one in the old bard's time but l do not think he would be writ ing in that strain were he living now
 In few days your school will re- open. and with satchel and shining morning faces. you will enter the ranks and be on duty for another year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05

September IS. Battle of Chapult- epec.
 September If. 1874. Key wrote Star Spansled Banner
 September IA, 1901. Death of Mckinley.
 September Is, 1S47. City of Mexico taken by the l.. s. troops.
 September Is. 1776, Americans vic torious at Harlem Heights.
 September IT, 1882, Battle of An tietam.
 September IS, 1793. George Wash ington laid cornerstone of U. s. Cap itoi at Washington.
 September 19 and 90, 1883. Battle of Chicamauga-
 September 20, 1870, Italians occupy Rome.
 September 24. 1869. Financial Black Friday in New York.
 September "A, 1777. Battle of Sara toga.
 September 2s. 17s1, Beginning Of the Battle of Yorktown.
 September 2s. 1911. Italy declares War on Turkey.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
School Days

70 HAKESP FARE in his well known lines of "As You Like It." speaks of the schoolboy in this fashion: v The whining schoolboy, with his
 Satchel
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-05
&IABOQ DAY

D HE. summer is about over. and for very many the holiday sea
 son ceases after tomorrow To-
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24
THE BEST THAT is IN Us.

II day of beautiful hgof ufu1 thoughts and
beautiful deeds.
We fail in v IDEAS Of beauty somehow
diamonds and books; send presents
and neglect their mail check
their
they they the small boy
toe turkey o. much
of Il mistakes in tla am That
the
But nobody spoil Christmas
there who would do Santa Claus
who gift making thai this of mex
that indulgence table vulgar and that
keys hgh-prced
sc nobody spoil Christmas.
This his desire a little llc Kinder and itte
as he grows little older.
But he does this wish Ilot put their ideals
into action rather than words.
in mighty The
him his express his notion of The Good the
beautiful without
H know and little enough abou his eternal 1eies but
the he his chance Of critics and carpers to make
Christmas his o
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24

Zone of tie Armies, Somewhere IN
France-On the morning after the at
tack at -------- | witnessed one Of
the most splendid incidents ! have
seen in the war.
went to lhe front lire trenches
with French howitzer officer to OBJ
serve his fire. Armed with strong
maEnifying periscope very little ea-
capped me. ~ went to his gun in
the rear, 20 point Of vantage
where ! could easily observe the eff
feet Of the hoWitzer fire ON mine
crater held by the enemy 80 yards
distant
In the huge circular mound Of new
ly-turned earth a score Of soldiers
were lying just as the hand Of death
had left them. Gray and khaki ami
folms lay side by side, British Tom
my and Plussian Boche. Nol a sound,
not stir.
Suddenly hhaki-ciad form began
TO move, feebly; hand stretched oue
and clasped a water bottle lying nesr
by The bollle was painfully raised
to the bloody bandapod face 1t was
empty. Then fell the agonized wal:
Water"
The weakened frame SANK back on
the side Of the crater and the wind
waited babble of delirious rawlings
from the stricken soldier.
Volunteers for a rescue party
sprang up everywhere. Two soldiers,
marmed, crept out from the lip of
the crater.
Our enemy was trying to rescue Tie
man
Thc two cray-elad figures were only
five yards away when FIRST seen by
our men, who started clappng. The
enemies hastily retired whence the.
came.
And the cry arose again:
Water"
~ who knows German, joined
me. He yelled over the parapet:
May we take our wounded man
in?"
Two-gray-capped heads rose above
the earth line and shouted in Eng
lish:
give minutes; we'll see an Off
Ger
Five minutes later a typical Ger
man officer appeared, very spruce,
splek and span He held up two fin
gers to indicate that he permitted two
men to 20 out.
OK instantly sprang over the par
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24

apet followed by our stretcher bear
er. The two reached the wounded
man,
X" saluted the German officer,
who gravely returned it.
Our poor Tommy was lifted onto
the stretcher and carried home
As the rescue party reached the
trench "X" DOTTED his cap and called
for three cheers for-the enemy.
SO ended the armistice-unofficial,
without permission.
1t was not war, but it was magnifi-
cent.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24
UHE CHRISTMAS SEASON.

Throwing feeling the hroVgh
upon least will itself cce
the good old fashioned possibly VIII
be the feeling of love back of these because,
Europe, spirit o the day i completely lost.
Imperial Valley had
tive character growth brought completely
in line with the world
IS he celebration elsewhere.
Possibly though the postal dep ul"em hec bigger factor ia
celebration than eew for have beewe
ded into unity many friends
miles away them all and the memory will
help TO MAX and all Merry Christmas.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IN THE TRENCHES

BY Mary Boyle O'Reilly
London. Dec. 24.-The last place
in the world to look for the
Christmas spirit would seem 10 be
in the Wal zone. But hundreds
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24

6 letters from soldiers to their
wives and mothers contain stories
of the splendid humanity which
survives il the trenches, even aft
cr these long months Of hatred
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24

and horror. Today | am sending
a tale which carries the true
Christmas flavor, even though the
event occurred several weeks ago.
1t is the story of an entirely un-
official armistice as an English
officer related it in a letter to his
wife.
Imperial Valley press., 1915-12-24
WYE SKIP 4 DAY.

w Christmas holidays which the Press
issued joining the observance Of the day