davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
CHAPTER ~
The First Day of School.


Jim Irwin was full of his Emerson's
Representative Men," and his Car
lyle's French Revolution and the
other old-fashioned, excellent, good
literature which did not cost over %
cents a volume; and he had pored long
and with many thrills over the pages
of Matthews Getting On in the
World" His view of efficiency was
that it Is the capacity to see oppor-
tunity where others overlook it, and
make the most of 1t.
All through his life he had had his
W plans for becoming great. And
all the time he was bare-footed, ILL
clad and dreamed his dreams to the
accompaniment of the growl of the
pillow cutting the roots under the
brown furrow-slice, or the wooshing Of
the milk in the pail. At twenty-elght,
he considered these dreams over.
AS for this new employment. he saw
no great opportunity in 1t. He went
into the small, mean, ill-pald task as
a part of the days work, with no
knowledge of the stirring of the nation
for a different sort of rural school,
and no suspicion that there lay In it
any highway to success in life. He
rather wondered why he had allowed
Jennie's sheer to sting him into the
course of action which put him in this
new relation to his neighbors.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

what they had and not what they de-
sired. The father was faded, patched,
gray and earthly, and the boys looked
better than the rest solely because we
expect boys to be torn and patched.
Mrs. Simms was invisible except as a
gray blur beyond the r%aln-barrel, in
the midst Of which her pipe glowed
with a regular ebb and flow of embers.
On the next rainy day Jim called
again and secured the services of Ray
mond to help him select seed corn. He
vas going to teach the school next
winter, and he wanted to have a seed
corn frolic the first day, instead of
waiting until the last-and you had to
get seed corr while it was on the stalk,
if you got the best.
No Simms could refuse a favor to
the fellow who was so much like them
selves, and who was so greatly inter
ested in trapping, hunting and the
Tennessee mQuntains-so Raymond
went with Jim, and with Newt Bron-
son and five more they selected Colo
mel Woodruff's seed corn for the next
year, under the colonel's personal
superintendent.
In the evening they looked the grain
over on the Woodruff lawn, and the
colonel talked about corn and corn Sc
lection. They had supper at half past
six, and Jennie waited on them-hav-
ing assisted her mother in the cook
ing. 1t was quite a festival.
Jim Irwin was the least conspicuous
person in the gathering, but the colo
mel, who was a seasoned politician,
observed that the Farmland had be-
come a fisher of men, and was angling
for the souls of these boys, and their
interest in the school. Jim was care
full not to flush the covey, but every
boy received from the next winters
teacher some confidential hint as to
plans, and some suggestion that Jim
was relying on the aid and comfort of
that particular boy.
Newt Bronson, especially, was
leaned IN as a strong staff and a very
present help in time of trouble. As
for Raymond Simms, 1t was clearly
best to leave him alone. All this talk
of corn selection and related things
vas new to him, and he drank 1t in
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
CHAPTER Ill
What Is a Brown Mouse?

Immediately upon the accidental
election of Jim Irwin to the position
of teacher of the Woodruff school, he
developed habits somewhat like q
ghosts or a bandits. That is, he
walked of nights and on rainy days.
On fine days, he worked in Colonel
Woodruff's fields as of yore. Jim's
salary was to be just $500 for nine
months work in the Woodruff school,
and he was to find himself-and his
mother. Therefore, he had to indulge
in his loose habits of night walking
and roaming about after hours only,
or on holidays and in foul weather.
The Simms family, being from the
"mountings" of Tennessee, were rather
startled n night, when Jim Irwin,
homely, stopped and errandless, 81
lently appeared in their family circle
about the front door. They had lived
where it was the custom to give a
whoop from the big road before one
passed through the palms and up to
the house. Otherwise, how was one
to know whether the visitor was
friend or foe?
From force of habit, Old Man Simms
started for his gun-rack at Jim's ap-
pearance, but the Lincolnlan smile and
the low slow speech, so much like his
W in some respects, ended that.
Stranger" said Mr.. Simms, after
greetings had been exchanged, you're
right welcome, but in my kentry you'd
find 1t dangersome to walk in thlsa-
way"
"How so?" queried Jim Irwin.
you'd more'n likely git shot up
some" replied Mr.. Simms, confess
you whooped from the big road"
81 didn't know that" replied Jim.
I'm ignorant of the customs of other
countries. Would you rather I'd
whoop from the big road-nobody
else WILL"
"I reckon" replied Mr.. Simms,
"that VEAL will have to accommodate
ourselves to the ways hyeh."
Evidently Jim was the Simms' first
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
By HERBERT QUICK
Copyright by The Bobbs- Merrill Company.

caller since they had settled on the
little brushy tract whose hills and
trees reminded them of their noun
tains. Low hills, to be sure, with only
a footing of rocks where the creek
had cut through, and not many trees,
but down in the creek bed, with the
oaks, elms and box-elders arching
overhead, the Slmmses could imagine
themselves beside some run falling
into the French Broad, or the Holston.
The creek bed was a withdrawing
room in which to retire from the
eternal black soil and level cornfields
of Iowa.
The soil was so poor, in eompari-
son with those black uplands, that the
owner of the old wood-lot could find
no renter but it was better than the
soil in the mountains, and suited the
lonesome Simmses much more than a
better farm would have done. They
were not Of the Iowa people anyhow,
not understood, not their equals-they
were pore" and expected to stay
"pore"-while the Iowa people all
seemed to be either weli-to-do, or ex-
pecting to become SO.
Jim Irwin asked Old Man Simms
about the fishing in the creek, and
whether there was any duck shooting
spring and fall.
"We git right smart of these little
panfish." said Mr. Slmms, IAN Calista
done shot two butterball ducks about
'tater-plantin' time"
Calista blushed-but this stranger,
so much like themselves, could not see
the rosy ~suffusion. The allusion gave
him a chance to look about him at the
family. There was a boy of sixteen,
a glrl-the duck-shooting Calista-
younger than Raymond-a girl of
eleven, named Virginia, but called
Jinnie-and a smaller lad who re-
joiced in the name of McGeehee, but
was mercifully called Buddy.
Callsta squirmed for something to
say. Raymond runs a line o traps
when the fur's prime" she volun-
teered.
Then came a long talk on traps and
trapping, shooting, hunting and the
joys of the NOTWITHSTANDING which
Jim noted the ignorance and poverty.
of the Simmses. The clothing of the
girls was not decent according to local
standards; for while Calista wore a
skirt hurriedly slipped on, Jim vas
quite sure-and not without evidence
to support his views-that she had
been wearing when he arrived the
same regimentals now displayed by
Jinnie-a pair of ragged blue overalls.
Evidently the Simmses were wearing
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
CARGO TRAMP SHIPS DREAD
No One on Ship Carrying Case Oil
Can Tell When He Must Take 4
to the Boats.

A cargo that few tramp steamer
shippers care TO carry is one of case
oil-petrol and paraffin-in fve-gallon
cans. packed in cases of three.
Our tramp steamer. having loaded
this dangerous cargo at New York,
says a tramp skipper, We will say.
goes on her way TO Australia. She
encounters fine weather, and all is
well. Then, perhaps, one afternoon
when the steward is giving the second
mate his afternoon tea and toast on
the bridge at six bells. a light haze of
smoke rises from one of the bunker
~yentllators.
In the ~twinkllng of an eye the Off
Ger is at the bridge telephone. shout
ing to the third engineer.
Sorry to interrupt your siesta.
Third, but your thwartship bunker's
smoking like a blinkln' yolcanol"
The third engineer discovers a fire
due to spontaneous combustion in the
coal, and he sends up to the deck de
partment for assistance,
Though every effort is made by the
ha~lf-choking men TO direct the solitary
hose on the fire, it is soon apparent
that il is certain 10 heat the steel
bllkhead between the bunker and the
forehold, and ignite the thousands of
cases of parafin stored there. That
means Finish :"
Boats are swung ont, and the wire
less operator. penned in his little
cabin, is frantically sending the s 0 S
to an unresponslve ether. and trying
TO pack his bag at the anne timel
Flames break out Of -SSe after end
Of the fore hatch, and the wooden
floor of the saloon sends up little
spirals of smoke, which change pres
entity TO darting tongues of flame.
The captain, on the bridge. realizing
that an explosion may occur at any
moment, gives the order: Get that
port Hfeboat away. Mr.. Mattel" and
dashes down to his cabin TO get bis
papers,
Two llfeboats ride together on an
oily swell. In the distance Is a blaz-
ing island that has been a ship.
Yes; case oil is a cargo few tramp
shippers care TO carry
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
CHAPTER Il-Continued.

The president followed usage when
he said: IF there's no objection, it
will be so ordered. Prepare the bal
lots for q vote on the election of teach
er, Mr.. Secretary"
There was no surprise in view of
the nomination of Jim Irwin by the
blarneying Bonner when the Secretary
smoothed out the first ballot, and
read: james <. Irwin, one" But
when the next slip came forth. James
r. Irwin, two," the board of directors
of the Woodruff Independent district
were stunned at the slowly dawning
knowledge that they had made an
election! Before they had rallied, the
secretary drew from the box the third
and last ballot, and read, James e.
Irwin, three"
President Bronson choked as he an
nounced the result-choked and stam-
mered, and made very hard weather
of 1t, but he went through with the
motion, as we all run in our grooves.
1.-THE ballot having shown the unani-
nous election of James E. Irwin, / de-
clare him elected"
He dropped into his chair, while the
secretary, a very methodical man,
drew from his portfolio a contract
duly drawn up save the name and sig
nature. This he calmly filled out, and
passed over to the president, pointing
to the dotted line. Mr.. Bronson would
have signed his own death-warrant at
that moment, not to mention a per-
fectly legal document, and signed
with Peterson and Bonner looking on
stonily. The secretary signed and
showed the contract oyer to Jim r.
win.
"Sign there" he said.
Jim looked it over, saw the other
signatures, and felt an impulse to
dodge the whole thing. Then he
thought of Jennie Woodruff's
"Humph !"-and he signed!
"Move we adjourn" said Peterson.
mo 'bjection It's so ordered !" said
Mr.. Bronson.
The secretary and Jim went out,
while the directors waited.
what the Billy" began Bonner,
and finished lamely! "What for did
you vote fof Tne1GD, Ez?"
81 voted for him." replied Bronson,
because he fought for my boy this
afternoon. l didn't want it stuck into
him too hard. l wanted him TO have
one vote.'
An l wanted him to have wan vote,
too" said Bonner. 81 thought mesilf
the only dang fool on the board-an'
he made a spache that ARMED wan
vote-but FIR the love of hivin, that
dub FIR a teacher. What come over
you, Haakon-you voted FIR him, too !"
cay wanted him to have one vote,
too" said Peterson.
And in this wise, jim became the
teacher in the Woodruff district-all
on account of Jennie Woodruff's
"Humph !"
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

tube-llke affair for the body, with two
small tubes for sleeves; but If the ma
terial is chosen with care and the
trimming applied with discrimination,
the finished garment has the dignity
and charm that belong TO simplicity.
A garment of this character is shown
at the right of the picture. 1t is Of
brocaded silk. cut in the straightline
style, and is trimmed with plain silk
.ruffles at the sleeves and along the
side opening. Six large pearl buttons,
and a belt of the material, contribute
the proper finishing touches to this
ingenious, practical and becoming
frock.
The other extreme of the present
fashions is illustrated in the frock
shown at the left. This is of midnight
blue crepe de chine with a deer
plated lace bertha at the neck. The
circular skirt Is draped In a long
spiral, beginning at the waistline. The
cuffs are of Empire inspiration and
are made of dark georgette, edged
with lace, and caught up to the
sleeves with fiat velvet bows.
The first velvet evening gowns of
the season have made their appearance
and, naturally, they are shown In the
long simple lines that are favored In
coats and suits. Many are sleeveless,
with LONG walstlines, and jeweled Cir
dies about the hips. Underblouses Of
metallic cloth and brocade are beauti.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

diversified styles in all departments Of
dress that this generation has seen.
Taking dress accessories made of
ribbon al an example, We find them in
greater numbers than ever, and Of rib
bon girdles, sashes and bags 1t is safe
to say that most of them are made at
home. Women see them in the shops
and copy them, and special designers
keep turning out new models of these
enticing and beautiful accessories.
A flower girdle and two bags are H.
Illustrated here. Those forehanded
women who occupy their leisure time
making gifts a long way in advance
of the holidays will find inspiration In
these fine feminine belongings. Two
toned satin ribbon in peach and yellow
is used for the lovely girdle-two
lengths rolled and twisted together
support three flowers. have pointed
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

petals and little rose centers made Of
the ribbon. The girdle fastens with a
snap fastener under one of the flowers
and three ends of ribbon, in different
lengths, fall from it. They are trimmed
on the bias as the ends and the middle
length show the darker side of the
ribbon.
At the left a flower bag is shown
made of two-toned (black and white)
satin ribbon. Lengths of the ribbon
are stitched together to form the bag
and a fiat rosette is set in a bow of
ribbon on one of its sides. The ENTER
of the rosette is sprinkled with French
knots in white silk floss, prettily simu-
lating stamens of the flower.
Two widths of green and gold bro
caded ribbon are stitched together to
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

the AK belongs to the Copper Age or to
the more recent Age of Brass; and
examining a piece of the metal with
the microscope and by electrical
analysis, they were able to show that
the metal Of the ak is 90 per cen COP
per, with some arsenic and very small
proportions of tin, lead, iron, and
traces of silver, that the AK was made
from metal that had been cast and
forged. The result of it's chemical
analysis shows us the value of mod
ern science in throwing light on tbs
/ ancient world.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
RrettThin$<
Hhat z made
%dt Home

HOWEVER Informed and urpos
IL full women of today may be. how
ever ~businesslike and practical. they
show no disposition to turn their backs
upon the pretty furbelows that it is
the privilege of the gentler sex to
wear. The more advanced they be-
come, the more generally appreciatiye
of the niceties of dress they are; the
more. alert and alive TO its possibili-
ties. The fall season is here and has
brought with it the most elaborate and
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
Forged in 1900 B. C.

Some. French engineers have just
been entrusted with the chemical
ANALYSIS of an AK brought back from
Salonica where 1t was found In a
tomb. From a study of the ground
in which the ak lay scholars have
made sure that 1t dates back to 1900
B. c., and our knowledge of the Mace
DOMAIN people of that time is very
scanty. The question the experts set
themselves to answer was whether
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

make the rich bag shown at the right.
The bag is lined with silk gathered at
the top and sewed to a metal bag-top.
A good quality Of silk or satin lines
these bags and often their handles
are made of the ribbon or of silk cord.
which is run through a casing near
the top and out through openings at
the side.
A frock, following the fashion of
simplicity to its extreme, may con
sist Of little more than one large
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
Shrewd Business Trick

I must confess to a sneaking adj
mIration for the ingenuity Of a fake
mining-stock promoter who did this;
He wrote to the mayors of O number
of the smaller cities and asked each
n for a copy Of the local telephone
directory. He could have written d.
rect to the telephone company, but he
Invariably sent his request to the
mayor. Most Of the mayors granted
his request. When he received a phone
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
CONTROL YOUR OWN THOUGHTS

1t is always your imagination that
will win out. Look at your imagining
faculty. See what you are imagining.
You believe you can take cold. Eyes,
If I sit In a draft" You make the law
to yourself. Your subconscious mind
takes care of 1t. 1t is what you imag
inc and 1t Is the law that you make to
Yourself that works, says Mary Chaplin
in Psychology. 1t works while you
are asleep. and works when your con-
scious mind is not working.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

directory, he checked off the names in
it that looked promising and wrote let
tiers which began as follows:
You name has just been brought to
my attention by the mayor of your
city Fred c. Kelly, in The Nations
Business.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
Stools and o.tomans

Stools and ottomans may be OBJ
tanned in a great variety. There is
always just the right place for thee
pieces of furniture in our homes. They
are always very much liked by young
people.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

81 know the diamond he gave me IL
paste" confessed the dear girl, but |
am satisfied. for l know he loves me
Just as much as II It was real and had
cost 2 hundred times as much"
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

fully combined with the fashionable
colors in velvet, beading is stronger
than eyer and a new development in
beading appears in large, cut beads
that resemble precious stones.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26

Luncheon Frocks Favor Black Chiffon.
The black chiffon frock made Sc
verely plain with seml-sleeves and me
side panel makes an approved lunch
con costume with a hat of graceful
draped black lace,
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
A Practical Gown.

A frock Of crepe de chine in shades
of biege or gray made on straight
lines and finished with collar and cuffs
of colored linen frilled at the edges
is as useful as it is smart. The sleeves
are long and tight.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
An Unusual Dinner Froek.

Cafe au lait satin and lowered geor-
pette are combined in producing a din
n,r froek of exquisite beauty.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
unusua Box Coat.

Most unusual is a short box coat Of
cream-colored oyelet embroidery made
over aame-colored georgette.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
Evelst Embroidery.

Vests of eyelet embroidery are pop
ular with navy blue suits, Usually
they take the place of a blouse.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
"Half the kids call him Jim,"
said Bonner.
(TO BE C~ONTINUED)

No woman is satisfied unless she
has something to worry about.
The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
"A BROWN MOUSE"

SYNOPSISJennie woodruff
refuses to marry Jim Irwin.
young farm hand, because of his
financial condition and poor pros
poets. He is intellectually above
his station, and has advanced
ideas concerning the possibilities
of school teaching and farming,
for which he is ridiculed by
many. In short. Jim is an off OK.
He flocks by himself and reads
hooks and has a philosophy of
his own. But there are latent
powers in him unsupported even
by himself and Opportunity
comes knocking at his door. Jim
is nominated for school teacher,
as a joke.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28
Admission to the Bar.

Each state prescribes Its own rules
and regulations with reference to adj
mission to the bar. These are not uni
form. Most of them require the ap-
plicant to pass an examination, and
If he can do so and will subscribe to
the oath of office he will be admitted
to practice regardless Of where he OBJ
tanned his legal education. The oath
of office is usually to the effect that
the applicant will support the Consti-
tuition and laws of the United States
and the constitution and laws of the
particular state in which he makes ap-
plication for admission.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28
How Male AIbatross Makes Love.

How Male AIbatross Makes Love.
Little Is known of the habits of the
albatross, although many persons are
familiar with this bird as It Is depict
ed In 1.-The Ancient Mariner"
A distinguished British writer, In
describing their mating habits, In
forms us that when male albatross
makes love he stands by the female
on the nest, raises his wings, spreads
his tail and elevates 1t, throws up his
head with the bill in the air or
stretches it straight out forward as
far as he can, and then utters curl
GUS cry. While utterlng the cry, the
bird sways his neck up and down.
The female responds with a similar
note and they bring the tips of their
bills lovingly together. This sort OF
thing goes on for half an hour or so
at time"
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28

There are several living specimens
In zoos of the tenrec, the hedgehog
of Madagascar. 1t Is said that stuffed
specimens in museums give no ade-
quate idea of these very curious
creatures. Their resemblance to
hedgehogs rests only on their posses
sion Of a spiny covering. The shape
of their bodies resembles that of an
inflated globe fish. They are insec-
tivorous. aad are declared to be re-
stricted to the island Of Madagascar.
The specimens seen in this country
are remarkable 70" their habit Of
yawning.
Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2S, 1928.

Mrs. George F. French OF Port
land, who appeared before the legis-
lative committee in opposition to the
proposed change in the primary law,
voiced the sentiment of the women
of Maine on this important matter.
For many years" she said, Il have
watched the legislature, and well
coined any movement which gives
the government back to the people.
The primary does this. The old con-
vention system, if we should return
TO it. means boss rule. Women or
Maine now have their political free
dom. To many minds the nominal
lions are more important than the
election. Under the direct primary
the women have some influence in
nominating, and it is that privilege
that we claim"