davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
A School Girls Dream

~ H, why did I wish the vacation
81 81 over, and why was I eager for
school to begin" Lena sank
~ YEARLY into an armchair at the
end of the first school day, as she
calculated this, and frowned at the
Primer that had fallen to the floor,
why were books ever invented ?" she
went on musing, land why do girls
have to spend most of their young
lives studying lessons!"
Then a strange thing happened.
The door suddenly burst open and In
tumbled lot of queer looking elves.
They hoped on Lena's head, they
danced on her feet and hands, they
sat on her lap. and some even climbed
up her back.
She tried to shoe them off, as one
would flies in summer, but they chung
to her. and like mosquitoes, the
stung and hurt her.
you wretched little girl" cried
one, and Lena thought she had never
seen any one resemble Y more.
How dare you question our exist
ence, how dare you take my name in
vain all the timer"
"I-I-take your name in vain?" an
swered Lena, more astonished than
she could say. 81 don't even know
you"
"oh, yes you do. You've met us
all many a time and oft, only your
memory is poor. Look at us-now do
you know us?"
why you are the ALPHABET. as
I live" exclaimed the child and a
smile of recognition spread over her
face. II thought you were
THE trouble with you. as is with
many little girls. is that you don't
use your thinker properly. When
you are in school you are thinking of
other things. Yes, we are the 26 let
tiers, and we are every school child's
friend. We are willing to be even
more helpful than friends, we will be
your servants"
Twill your" cried Lena, "then may
be I'll be able to spell and read more
correctly tomorrow"
IF we are to be your servants you
must be our mistress, or better still
we'll be the soldiers and you can be
our General said the Y who made
himself the spokesman, land like a
good general you must work for our
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

water just as you do air."
Then if you keep your nose up
stream it makes it easier to breathe %
asked the little boy who was very
much interested in what the fish had
to say.
yes, very much easier" said the
fish. I'm fact we never go down
stream at all unless we go faster than
the water"
What do you do when the water
don't run % asked Tommy.
I'VE make it run ourselves" was
the answer that surprised him very
much.
How"
"By working the little fins back of
our gills. That draws the water
through our mouths and keeps us
alive
THAT is strange" said Tommy. but
I have seen little gold fish come right
up to the top of the bowl and breathe
real air.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

TRY again." urged the teacher.
The boy tugged and pulled, and
finally, after much effort, he sue
ceeded.
Very good" said the professor;
"but I'll not be satisfied until you
have tried your strength on this and
he pointed to full-grown tree.
81 cannot gasped the boy.
"Try,' said the teacher.
The tree resisted his might, and
stood SO firmly rooted that the leaves
barely trembled as the youth bent
himself against the trunk of the tree.
why" questioned the student,
''why have you asked me to do such
an impossible thing?"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

tle-1y settled on his upper lip and
brought him to his feet in anger.
Edgar slapped at him hard-and
missed the fly, of course, but landed
squarely on his own nose. Which,
as you can well imagine, made the
tears spring to his eyes. Now that he
was up, Edgar thought, he might as
we'll get that cool drink he'd been
wanting all afternoon. So. still
sleepy, he walked to the well.
He drew up the bucket, balanced
1t upon the edge Of the well and took
a long, long. deep, cooling drink.
Then he let the bucket fall back into
the well again and-and-and--
There! Now you've done it!'
cried a funny little voice right at his
elbow. why didn't you let us get
aboard before you lowered that
bucket? I've had to slide back down
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
He Had About A Million Brothers And
Sisters.

of the pond, and eat few dozen of
them, before they could hide in the
mud. When Tad got to be about three
months old, he was much surprised
to see two little feet sprouting from
each side of his body.
These legs grew so fast, that in a
short time, he could go farther
through the water with one good kick.
| than he cbuld with a hundred wiggles
of his tail.
Then his front legs, or rather his
arms, began to show, and very soon,
( he was perfectly formed little frog,
only he still wore a tail, that the light
shone through. 1t was not long be-
| fore the tail disappeared, and he was
quite an orthodox frog, but still a
very small one. With his change from
a tadpole to a frog, also came a
complete change in his nature. Up to
this time, he had been content to
| feed on the green pond weed, that
foated about in such a don't-care way,
but now, nothing tasted right except
worms bugs, and other insects. AS
he could not find enough of these in
the water, he crawled out on the bank
to hunt for them.
One day he was sitting on the bank,
wondering If his tongue was long
enough to reach beautiful red bug
that was climbing down a grass stem,
when a great white crane came wad-
ing through the water right up where
he was.
Tad barely had time to get under
lily leaf, and tuck it down all around
him, when the crane stepped right
over him. The big birds body was
perched up in the air on the ends of
two tall, pink legs, and he had a bill,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

got to the nest it showed the bubble
under the thimble house and came
and got another. When the nest was
full of air the spiders wife came and
lived in it.
DO they have to bring down bub-
bles all the timer" asked Tommy.
"Oh, no." said the lazy fish. They
only do that at first. After the nest
is made there is enough air sticking
to their fuzzy backs when they swim
in and out to keep the air fresh"
But Why do they live way down
under the water?" asked Tommy.
ut IS just their way of keeping
away from their enemies and getting
their food"
"Why people don't know half of
what is going on in the water" de-
clared the lazy fish and after Tommy
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
Tommy and the Lazy Fish

'"That is on account of the water
being bad. A fish cannot live in wa
ter that is not changed occasionally"
it said, after which it took him to
place where he could look down into
the clear water and there he saw
ever SO many fish. One had some
thing like a pole and line fastened
to its upper lip and it was fishing
just as the little boys did except that
when any thing came near the bait
the fish caught it in its mouth. And
there was fish with sword on it's
nose and another called a torpedo"
that had an electric battery with
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

the rumblings of many bulls. He was
as proud Of his new spring suit as
he was of his deep bass tones. A low
cut vest of old gold and black, jacket
of brown, splashed with green, and a
pair of the tightest fitting trousers.
you ever saw. completed his loud at
tire. He had grown as Zig as your
fist, with mouth that extended be-
yond where his ears should have been.
And his legs were SO long, and his
muscles SO strong, that he was easily
the best jumper, and the best swim
mer, in all the marsh.
We are sorry to have to say, that
sometimes, when he was very hungry,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

which he shocked a big fish that tried
to bite him. My how the big fish
padded away. After waiting for a
while he tried to bite another fish
but it splashed something like ink all
around it and the big fish couldn't
find it. How Tommy and the lazy fish
laughed.
Here is the strangest thing / know
off, said the lazy fish and he showed
Tommy some spiders that were build
ing their nest down under the water.
They made web on some grass near
the bottom and when they had 1t done
it looked like thimble.
How are they going to live in 1t
without any air." asked the little boy.
Just look" replied the fish and
Tommy looked and saw one of the
spiders come to the top of the water
and gather bubble of air and swim
down to the nest with it. When 1t
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

he would SO far forget himself, as to
swallow a few little tadpoles-tad-
poles just like he was year or two
before. But, most of the time, he
fed on earth worms, fish eggs and
insects.
On warm. still nights, when the
whip oor-wil1s were calling in the
willows, and when the lightning
bugs" were turning the darkness of
the swamp, into a ''great white way"
he would climb on a floating lily-pad,
clear his throat, and boom, and bel
low, until the turtles had to draw in
their heads. and shut tight their
shells, to keep out the awful noise
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
From the Bottom Of the Well

that rope a dozen times in two days
and my hands are all sore and raw."
Edgar looked down, and there, to
his amazement, he beheld two strange
figures perched on the edge of the
WELL They seemed to be old men
who were still young boys, if such a
thing is possible. They were no larger
than the palm of your hand and were
dressed in black velvet jackets and
knickerbockers. Under the jackets
were fine white silk waists and their
hats were not unlike the ones worn
by Mexicans.
Edgar gasped for breath.
81 say" cried one of them sharply,
you'll have to haul that bucket up
again and let us down in it!'
''Are-are you-you thirsty?" Edgar
managed to stammer.
| .Whereupon the queer little old man
turned to the other. who had sat down
on the edge of the well, poked him in
the ribs and began to laugh until the
tears came.
"Bless your heart mol" he said
presently. That's where we live and
we want to get back to-
"Wh-where you live?" cried Ed
gar. "You-you live in the well?"
Certainly" said the old fellow
gleefully. 1--WE are Well Sprites-we
live in wells, in the cracks between
the rocks and the stones. And we
pick lots of impure things out of the
water so you men and women and
little boys and girls won't drink
them" He turned and looked silly
at his partner and laughed "And
sometimes we put a frog into the
bucket as it's being pulled up-just
for the fun of it.
| you remember last Monday when
your big sister May found frog in
the bucket? And you remember how
she screamed and dropped the bucket
and, oh. just carried on? Well, Splash,
good joke. My name is Drip--he likes
to make splashes in the water and
like to catch the water that drips
out of the bucket when it's being
pulled up; so I guess that's how we
get our names"
wouldn't you like to go down with
us, little boy?" asked Splash, in an
inviting tone.
But Edgar shook his head; there was
something about Splash's manner that
seemed to say, "Be careful, I'm up to
one of my practical jokes again!"
mo thank you," said Edgar po-
litely Then he added, Don't you
get wet down in the well?"
4 Drip threw back his head and
laughed. "Bless your heart no! Why
the water runs off us like it does off
a ducks back We can swim right
in it and step out as dry as smoked
herring. You have no idea what fun
it is to hang on to the bottom of the
bucket and be pulled all the way up
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

Then the professor spoke:
my son, 1 have noticed some bad
habits growing in your nature. I'm
less you root them up in your youth
they will take the same hold on you
that this tree has in the ground, and
you will not have strength enough
to pull them out. At first they are
SO easy to cast off as-well as that
weed yonder; bud once let them take
root in the soil, and only divine
power can cast them OUT
The student could not have had a
more wholesome lesson, for no one
knew better than he how he had en-
couraged the habits of procrastina-
ton, slovenliness, carelessness, waste,
laziness and impure speech
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

~ Any fish, lazy fish, shouted
Tommy as he dropped a hook
and line into the stream and
Ia watched the cork float away on
the water
why do you call me lazy?" asked
the fish as it looked back without
turning around; for fish, you know
can see quite as we'll by looking back
ward as it can by looking straight
ahead.
II think you are lazy because you
won't turn around and let me catch
you," cried Tommy who by this time
was tired and did not care if he did
make a noise.
Il can see that you don't know
much about living under water" said
the fish, cor you would know that we
never keep our heads pointed down
stream If the water is running fast.
If we did it would get into our gills
and drown us. That would be breath
ing the wrong way; and we breathe
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

had picked UP his pole and line and
started home he got to thinking Of
what the fish said and of the strange
things it saw every day. And when
he saw his papa he told him that he
believed that next to being a little
boy it would be the most fun to be a
fish
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

to test his legs, and Chamber out on
a sunny bank, and resume his watch
for flies. aE
20 His voice had undergone a change,
too; it used to be just the thinnest
squeakiest kind of a voice, but, now
when he swelled out his cheeks just
as far as he could, and then blew
out the air. the noise was like the
scraping of many bass violins, and like
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

MA EARLY all afternoon Edgar had
IA been lying in the hammock
N half-asleep. 1t was dreadfully
@ AZ hot and the flies persisted in
biting his chubby bare knees and his
round red cheeks. Besides, he was
thirsty; he told himself hazily a dozen
times that the very next instant he
would get out of the hammock and
go to the well for long, cool, refresh
ing drink from the old oaken bucket
that hung there. But, somehow, he'd
doze off again, before he could sum-
mon the energy TO do SO.
Finally, however, great big bot
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
N OurPuZZle Corner =

My-6-7- 5-4-10-1l-An allowance
of food.
My 9-11-A metal.
My whole is a solution of the prob
lem of war.
ANSWERS
COLOR PUZZLE-1. Grayling. 2.
Redolence. 3. Blackberry. 4. Green
house.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

to the top of the we'll. Only, this
time, the bucket slipped out of your
hands before we were able to jump
aboard"
Tin sorry" began Edgar.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

OK pulling hard pillow, preparing ground for corn;
~ A flea to get the riding on his horn
But when they paused and he behd the powman coming
He hid among the hairs beside the OK listening
Said he my friend not here give you moeation,
But simply that wish to get little information
You know that very small. seeking observation.
Yet quite distinguished known of every tribe and nation
Il hold the record of the world for speed and standing
| ride the boncho the highest camel hump.
will make lion and run about his
Or make the express himself with rage
Nov why should you great beast submit your neck
To haul or pull pow and follow at his becka
Replied the OK. I'm well repaid for service given men,
With having food enough protected In my pen.
My with o make for a pleasant bed;
He cure me, and ofentmes he pats the head.
Yes" said the flea. he often tries to place pat
But when see it coming prefer not there to be-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

=" PROFESSOR was taking
walk through the woods one
day with some of his botany
y 3 students, when one of the boys
stopped and pulled weed out of the
ground. A little farther on they
passed a small bush, and the student
to show his muscle, pulled it up by
the roots, but he found that it was not
nearly SO easy to do as pull up the
weed.
After while they stood before a
shrub, grown large and hardy with
age.
Now" said the professor, "show
your strength; pull up this shrub"
The boy gave pull, but the shrub
did not bulge.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

THINGS WHICH HAVE COLOR"
1. A fish of the salmon family.
q A sweet scent.
3. A fruit.
4. A house in which plants are
kept.
NUMERICAL PUZZLE.
My-3-10-1-6 -An animal
My-S-
My-5-2- -4-11-To educate.
CHESTNJ
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01

WdVy, TAIL, that was transparent IIke
a piece of thin china; and on each
side of the head, were little fringe
arrangements, that could be used as
fins in swimming. When the sun was
warm and bright, and when the wind
wasn't blowing, they would all swim
up where the water was shallow, each
little head pointing towards the bank,
and doze and sleep, until some old.
rough-neck turtle would crawl up out
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
. TAD .

e had about a million brothers
"a and sisters, all just like himself.
They were small, black and
round, and each one had long,
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
Cortelyou Will
Work for Colonel
CBy the Sun News Service.)

Oyster Bay, n. Y, June "a new
champion has taken the field for Col.
Roosevelt, and is on his way to Chicago
to help direct the battle to get the Re-
publicans to nominate Roosevelt. He is
George B. Cortelyou.
These are the facts as Col. Roosevelt
admitted them: That Mr.. Cortelyou called
on him today, and that when he left
Sycamore Hill he started for Chicago;
that was all.
But beneath these simple chroniclings
are important conclusions that may
change the entire trend of affairs in Chi
cago, for Mr.. Cortelyou, who was regu-
lar Republican in 1912. and who has not
appeared in the campaign for Roosevelt,
has jumped into the arena on the eve
Of the Progressive and Republican con-
ventions to work with George Won l.
Meyer, William Loeb, jr., George w.
Perkins and the other Roosevelt lieu
tenants IN Chicago
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
1000 Marines to
Santo Domingo
Additional Re-enforcements
Sent to Admiral Caper-
tons Aid.

Secretary Of the Navy Daniels yester-
day ordered 1000 marines from Pacific
Coast ports to Santo Domingo, where
American lives and property are threat
ened by activity of revolutionists.
The marines Will go to New Orleans
and take passage on the transport Han
cock. joining the force already on that
vessel With the arrival Of these re-en-
70, cments, Rear Admiral Caperton will
have 5000 marines in Santo Domingo and
Haiti. Marines have been landed at
Santo Domingo City Monte Cristo and
Puerta Plata.
Tne Navy Department has asked Ad-
miraI Caperton for more complete re-
port Of the fight at Puerta Plata on May
81. in which Capt. Herbert J. Hirshinger
was killed. Reports received said his
death occurred after a two hours fight.
Naval officials are certain there was a
heavy death toll among the Haitian rev.
olutionists.
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
J. Ogden Armour
Booms Roosevelt

(By the International News Serviceo
Chicago, June 81. Ogden Armour in a
statement today came out for Roosevelt
for President. Mr.. Armour said:
"I am for the Colonel for President be-
cause there is no mistaking his position
on Americanism, preparedness, and the
othe. vital issues of the day. We know
where he stands. This much cannot be
said of any other candidate.
'T think If he is nominated America
will go through a period of prosperity
that will last long after the war in
Europe is over and this, in my opinion.
is a very important factor for the Ameri-
can people to consider.
Roosevelt has had wider experience
than any other man in this country. He
has held the office and knows the situa-
tion. both here and abroad, better than
any other living man."
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
Presidents Closing Order
Will Add 10000 Marchers

William F. GUIDE. chairman of the
preparedness parade committee, last
night declared that the action of Pres
ident Wilson in deciding to issue an
executive order closing all government
in the District will add
at least 10000 marchers to the de-
on June II.
Mr.. GUIDE pointed out that there are
thousands of government clerks who
have been eager to join the units or
ganized in their respective depart
ments, but who knew that they would
be too late to take part If the offices
did not close until noon.
President Wilson will sign the exc
cutive order this morning. This an
was made by the White
House late yesterday afternoon, after
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
TALKS AT GIRLS SCHOOL
Justice Says Flag Means
America First and I'm
divided Allegiance"
HIS SPEECH WAS UNHERALDED
Promised Daughter in October to Ad-
dress National Cathedral
Pupils. q

For the first time since attention
has been centered upon him as a pos
sible Presidential candidates, Associat.
Justice Hughes yesterday disclosed
mis- attitude on the question Of pre-
paredness.
The speech was made at tn. e1er-
cises Of the graduating class Of tn.
National Cathedral School, where his
daughter is a pupil
In presenting the flag Justio.
Hughes said:
"It means America firstt IL mean, an
undivided allegiance. IL means Amer
lea united, strong and efficient, equal
TO her tasks IL means that you can
not be saved by the vaIor and devo-
tion of your AncestorsT that TO each
generation comes its patriotic dutyt
and that upon your willingness 10 sac
rifiee and endure. ss those before you
have sacrificed and endured, re.ts the
national hope"
Justice Hughes appearance at Ii.
annual flag day ceremony OF the Cath
edral School was almost unhersld.d
and almost escaped attention except on
the part OF the students and their
friends.
Justice Hughes daughter is a u1srnber
Of the graduating class and last October,
before there had been much oiscussiou OF
the possibility Of his nou,tnscor- be con-
sented to make the presentation Of the
flag.
On this happy occasion Justioe Rushes
said: I'VE meet to measure and reward
achievement
Peculiarly Is It necessary for us 10
realize the need OF thorough. weu-dI-
rected training. You cannot expect to
make efficient men and women out Of
the in-instructed and undisclplined.
1t is a beautiful prize that I an Priv
ileged to give. There Is not q thread IN
It but scorns self-indulgence. weakness.
and rapacity. II is eloquent OF our com
mon interests, outweighing all d.
vergences Of opinion. and Of our common
destiny. Given as a prize 70 those who
have the highest standing. it happily en-
forces the lesson that intelligence and
zeal must go together: that discipline
must accompany emotion, and that We
must rely upon enlightened opinion
The Washington herald., 1916-06-06
LODGE LIKELY TO HEAD
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE
(By Sun News Seryice.1

Chicago, June 5.-Senator Henry Ca
bot Lodge, of Massachusetts,, who prob
ably will be chairman of the resolu-
tions committee that will draft the
Republican platform, arrived here to-
day and Immediately entered upon a
conference with George Perkins The
question Of the platform was dis
cussed.
1t is the expectation now that Col.
Roosevelt will be consulted in great
detail in regard to the platform dec
larations and that they will be made
the chief basis Of bringing the two
parties together.
1t is understood that one tentative
draft Of the platform prepared by DR..
Nicholas Murray Butler already has
been submitted to Mr.. Perkins, who
will consult Col. Roosevelt.