The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-12-09
AUTOBIOGRAPHY SKETCH.

According to the testimony of my
parents, | was born in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Of four children | am
the eldest. When l reached the age
of one, we moved to Mole Street,
where | began the activities of my life
by falling down a flight of stairs.
However, with the exception of a cut
lip, a few minor bruises, and the ire
mendous strain upon lungs and tear
glands, | was none the worse for this
adventure.
During my childhood we lived in
Philadelphia during the winter and in
Atlantic City during the summer. l
distinctly remember my first expert
ence in the ocean. l was taken in by
my father and enjoyed it greatly, but
l loved better to sit on the beach and
paddle around in the sand. For a
long time / was somewhat afraid of
the "big waves mountain high, which
came dashing by"
| was just four years old when my
uncle, who lived in Virginia, sent me
a very shaggy, little black pup, to
whom l was soon ardently attached.
Whenever | leased the little fellow, he
would yelp, Xxi, VI" and so I called
him very properly, Noodle. Where l
was, there also was Noodle, as Uncle
expressed it. Kioodle lived to the ripe
old age of five years. He never grew
very large. When he finally died,
there was much sorrow, especially on
my part, for he and l had become de-
voted companions. l took an old
wooden box and after carefully depos-
iting among clusters of wild flowers,
the remains of my little friend, Sis
ter gravely said a few words which
seemed appropriate. | took one last
lingering look, and the remains of
poor Kioodle were silently returned to
the mother earth.
Well, l did not remain Respondent
very long, for Uncle soon sent me
another pup, and l haven't been with
out a dog since. But cats-goodness
gracious! l have a natural horror of
anything that belongs to that family.
| had one once and she scratched my
face and hands so ~viciously that |
chased her away from home. Lucki-
ly, she never returned. / like horses
and dogs best of all animals.
At this time we lived on a farm in
the picturesque city of Absecon. Here
| contracted the habit of stone throw
ing, of which my young uncle, who
had the same habit, accidentally broke
himself and me. One day he and a
friend were having a stone battle
around the barn. l was in the barn
and as l stepped outside, he threw
without looking. The missile was
flung with force and l suffered a deep
cash under my right eye, where the
mark still remains. We have been
very careful how, when, and where we
throw stones ever since.
| liked Absecon, because l had many
boyish experiences there,--being stung
by bees, Choking" apples, hunting,
nutting, going fishing, and swimming.
All of this time my mother was
carefully teaching me reading, writ
ing, spelling, and arithmetic at home.
I have always loved to read and the
first piece of literature l remember
reading was, "The Chinaman's Pigtail
Still Hangs Behind" At the age of
ten l began school in Absecon, at
tending there from September until
November of the same year. We then
moved to P~leasantville, where / again
entered school and have been a regu-
lar student ever since.
About this time father took me with