The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], March 09, 1913, Image 44

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
X^fLEEPy'-T/ME Tale&
■fvrtheIjttlEvS’T Ones1''
Aunt Margaret and the Telephone
A UBT as Mamma was putting lit
*■ tie Dorothy to bed the other
evening Papa came In to tell
^ W her that some one -wished to
talk with her on the telephone. 80
Mamma left the room and. after a
while, came back and told Dorothy
that she had been talking with little
Margaret Ayers' mother.
Mow Margaret was Dorothy's very
best friend and playmate and her
Mamma was going to give her a birth
day party on Saturday afternoon.
More than that, she had asked
Mamma, on the ’phone. If Dorothy
could oome to It. Mamma said that
she oould, for Dorothy had been a
good little girl for ever so long and.
besides, there was do school on Sat
urday, of course.
“Oh, oh. oh!" cried little Dorothy,
clapping her hands and Jumping up
and down in bed until It bounced her
around as though she were In a ham
you to hear Uncle Will's voice talk
ing out of that queer, funny-looking
little thing they call a 'receiver' ?
Well, It seemed Just that way to Aunt
Margaret.
“She was amazed—and. I think, a
little bit frightened, too. But she told
Papa how much she loved him and
missed him and how he must try to
oome home to us Just as soon as he
oould. She was Just In the midst of
sending him a sweet little good-night
kiss over the wire -when she dropped
the receiver and began to weep.
“ ‘Oh, Mamma, Mammal’ she cried.
"I asked what was the matter but
she wouldn’t tell me — she wanted
Mamma — your Grandmother, you
know. So Grandma hurried to her, j
thinking she had been taken sud
denly 111.
" ‘Mamma! Mamma!’ cried Aunt
Margaret, ‘Oh—oh—please, please j
make Papa come outl’
“ 'Come out?' exclaimed Grandma
I
I held her up to the 'phone ho slie could talk to Father.
mock that someone was shaking and
Jiggling. '‘And. Mamma,” she cried,
"can I, please, tell Margaret tomorrow
that I’ll come to her party? Can I
tell her on the telephone?”
Mamma assented and smiled.
"That reminds ms, Dorothy,” she
•aid, “of a little girl named Margaret
who once talked over the telephone
In a most amazing fashion. Shall I
tell you about her as your Sleepy
Time story?"
But It was quite unnecessary for
Mamma to wait for a reply, for Doro
thy had already tucked the covers In
•round her and propped her tiny lit
tle chin lr her hands, ready to listen.
"Well*’ began Mamma, "this story
!■ about your Aunt Margaret. She’s
_ „ tffown-up now, but when she talked
on the telephone for the first time
she was almost as little as you are,
Dorothy. I was much older and. In
faot, I myself held her up to the
’phone eo she could talk to Father—
your Grandfather, you know—who
bad been called on business to a city
nearby.
"It was the very first time Aunt
Margaret had ever talked over the
’phone, remember, and she was Just as
delighted as you were when you did.
Remember how strange It sounded to
and I In the same breath. ‘Come out
of what?'
■' ‘Out—out of that—that thing!'
wailed Aunt Margaret. ‘Oh, Mamma,
how can he ever get out of that little
hole!*
"Orandma sat right down on the
floor and laughed and laughed. And
I thought It so funny I had to put
your Aunt down for fear I would let
her fall.
"Think of It! Aunt Margaret
thought Grandpa had crawled inside
of the receiver and was talking to
her from it! Now wasn’t that funny!
You see, in those days, Dorothy, the
telephone was just beginning to be
used by people, and lots and lots of
them didn’t know how it worked. Of
course you do—” and Mamma smiled
at the little girl.
■* ‘Oh, yes. Mamma,’ said Dorothy,
‘there's a little fairy that runs along
the wire and tells the other person
what you say."
And then Mamma laughed ngaln.
“Goodness gracious, Dorothy!” she
exclaimed, “who over told you that?
No indeed, there Is no fairy unless
you want to call him Electricity—
but it’s way past your bed-time now.
So I’ll have to tell you about that
some other time.”
Queer Feats of Animals
CHE next time you visit a Zoo or
go to the circus stand in front
of the cages of certain animals
and see for yourself what re
markable things they can do. Per
haps, at the time, they will not per
form for you; but do not doubt, for
that reason, that they are capable of
doing some very strange things.
Now you would never expect an
animal to aot like , a prize-fighter,
would you? Well, the kangaroo does.
He has little short front legs, you
remember, and very long, powerful
hind ones. And he fights with these
hind legs, being able to hit a blow
hard enough, to break a man’s leg or
even a horse’s.
But the most peculiar thing about
it is that, when he fights, he stiffens
his thick, strong tail, sticks it in the
ground and supports himselt on it,
thus leaving him free to strike out
with his hind legs. Now isn't that
strange T
More than that, a kangaroo can
Jump, with those same powerful hind
legs, over twenty yards at a single
Jump. Of course he doesn’t cover
that distance always, but it Is on rec
ord that kangaroos have cleared that
measure at a single bound.
No doubt you havj seen a mouse
scurry across the floor and Into his
Thus leaving
flim free ho
8li*lVie Out .
wtlh me /
ITiTvd l^e$e (
f t
ho'e. right In your own home. Uut
have you ever seen a mouse that spins
round and round, Just like a person
waltzing? Well, there are such mice
and, mind you, they not Infrequently
waits In pairs, almost like real peo
ple!
Now a turtle Is not an Impressive
looking creature, at best. But when
you learn that he can support and
carry a load that weighs three times
as muah as he does, then you Just
can’t help having a better opinion of
him, oan you? Think about It a mo
ment. Can you carry a thing that
weighs three times as much as you
do?
It Is surprising what wonderful ath
letes oan be found In the animal king
dom, aside from the turtle which oan
certainly be called the "Strong Man.”
There Is the ostrich, for Instance,
which oan run even faster than a
horse. And surely no man can wres
tle as well aB the Bear, for they wres
tle with each other nearly all the time
and roll each other over and over In
quite the most approved fashion.
And when It comes to thrilling feats
on “flying rings” and ■ "tlght-rope
walking" and the "swinging trapeze,”
surely none can equal the Jumping,
darting, chattering monkeyl Stand
In front of a cage of them some day
and see for yourself!
The President’s
Newsboy
^TBN example of what oan be ao
compllahed by persistent effort
V I and promptness 1.: given by
•e I little Sam April, a Washington
newsboy who serves papers at the
White House. He Is now eleven years
old and has been official newsboy to
the Executive Mansion slnoe he was
nine.
Not that anybody appointed him to
the position. Sam saw that there
was such a vacancy, nominated and
elected himself to It and has held It
against all the other "newsies" who
would like to have the honor of hand
ing the President his newspaper each
afternoon. He has performed his
duties so well that no matter what
other changes may be made It Is very
unlikely that he will lose his job.
To read about it makes It appear
a mighty easy place to fill, but like
all good places it took energy and
determination to get. Before Sam
took over the privilege of this dis
tinctive paper route, whichever news
boy reached the White House first
had the honor of selling four copies
of both afternoon papers. This meant
eight cents to the young vendor and
also that he had beaten all the other
city newsboys in thei. race for the
entrance to the Mansion. For, in or
der to avoid a riot in the grounds,
It was decided among the boys them
He Walked In And Explained Wliat i
Ho Wanted.
selves that the one first reaching the
doorway should go in and sell the
papers.
Of course, older and larger boys
had an advantage. Sam had to stand
In that long struggling line one sees
about the press-rooms of afternoon
papers and await his turn to be sup
plied. Unless he was the very first
In line he could not hope to "make”
Qur puzzle Corner i
ADDITIONS.
1. Add the letter H to a planet i
tod get a part of a fire-place.
2. Add the letter P to the edge i
Of a plate and get to affect great j
preciseness In dress and manner.
>. Add the letter R to a part of I
the human body and get to cause to ]
fester.
4. Add the letter S to a thick,
rich liquid, and get to cry out In u
sudden, shrill way.
NOVELIST PUZZLE.
This puzzle contains seven words of
equal length. If they are rightly
guessed and written one below an- j
other their prlmals will spell the i
name of a well-known novelist. The
cross-words are: 1. A place of abode.
2. A body of water. 3. A large fish.
4. Gateways leading outward. 5. j
Branches. 6. Grounds where a game t
Is played. 7. A point of the compass.
NUMERICAL ENIGMA.
I am composed of twelve letters.
My 6. 2, 10, 4, 6 Is liquid color.
My 8, 9, 7, 11, 12 Is what trains
run upon.
My 8, 1 la the only verb In tills !
sentence.
My whole Is the name of a famous ;
saint whoao birthday falls In this |
month.
ZIGZAG.
This zigzag contains seven words of
four letters each. If the words are
rightly guessed and written one be
low another their zigzag letters will
spell the act of giving money to a pub- ;
lie official to corrupt him. The cross
words are: 1. A fowl. 8. Eyes. 3. ;
FKUIT PUZZLE.
* IBETrvi
VOU CANT pJr
v guess CS,
k.'A THIS jtS
^ PtZZLg :Y/
Bobby is carrying home n basket of fruit, tliat suggested to him this
pn/.7.le. lie says he bets you a big red apple you can’t cut out these three
black pieces und arrange them so that they will form the silhouette of a
■-. Could you guess?
Particles of Ice which fall from the
clouds. 4. Part of an arrow. 6. A
part of us. G. A strong cart used for
carrying heavy burdens. 7. Chrlst
mastlde.
ANSWERS
ADDITIONS: 1. -Earth-Hearth. 2.
Rim-Prim. 3. Ankle-Rat:kle. 4. Cream- j
Scream.
NUMERICAL ENIGMA: — Paint, I
track, is; St. Patrick.
EIGEAO: Bribery. Cross-words: ■
1. Bird. 2. Orbs. 3. Hail. 4. Barb. 6.
Feet. G. Dray. 7. Title
NOVELIST PCZXLE: Howells.
Cross-words: 1. House. 2. Ocean. 3.
Whale. 4. Exits. 6. Limbs. 6. Links.
T. South.
SOLUTION OF FRUIT PUZZLE.
the White House In time. Often he
got there, and just as often he was
disappointed.
After competing with other boys
for quite awhile, Sam proved that he
had that thinking brain which always
elevates Its owner above other men
and boys who Just go along In a rut.
One day, when i ellverlng his pa
pers at the Executive Offices, he asked
timidly If he could talk to one of the
Presidential Secretaries. The door
man was good natured and delivered
his message. Carrying an armful of
papers, he walked In and explained
what ho wanted. His plea that he was
always flr~t In the line but, because he
was so young, older boys got there
ahead of him as they could run faster,
made an Impression on the listeners.
Thereafter Sam was announced as
regular "newsy’ to the White House.
No matter how fast the other boys
ran, he sold the papers. It was not
favoritism, for any of them could
have asked the ame thing. Only—
none of them did!
One of the biggest honors Is that
he Is paid by check. Any boy will
appreciate what It means to walk
into a bank every month and pre
sent to the paying-teller a check for
$2.50. But Just think how Impressed
the bank must be when It Is a big
United States Treasury check and
bears the signature of M. P. Weuster,
special disbursing agent!
TheDutchConcert
An Indoor Game For Little Folk.
TN this game all the players alt
down. Each person makes a se
lection of an Instrument, say a
flute, a guitar, a violin, a drum, etc.,
and each makes the motion appro
priate for playing the instrument he
has chosen, and Imitates to the best of
his ability the sound of the instru
ment. The leader of the band has
been chosen before the beginning of
the concert, and as soon as all are
seated, he rises, gives the director’s
signal to begin, himself starting some
familiar tune, such as "Yankee
Doodle,” "A Hot Time In Old Town
Tonight," "On The Khine,” and other
old songs. As the playing proceeds,
the leader may take from any player
his Instrument and go on playing It in
his place. But the idle player must
keep a sharp eye on the leader, for
the moment that he ceases to play, the
player from whom he has taken the
Instrument must Immediately take his
Instrument again and resume playing.
If he Is not prompt In this, he Is ex
cluded from the band, and at the
close of the concert he must pay a
forfeit. In the case of the leader
making a mistake In playing the In
strument he takes from one of tho
band, he must pay a forfeit at the
end of the game. But he continues as
leader throughout, the game running
till nearly all have lost their places,
or till those participating are tired
and wish to play at something else.
It Is a jolly game, but a noisy one
as well, and unless the consent of the
parents is granted, the little players
may look for an interruption very
soon after the concert has begun.
However, most parents love to have
their children and their children’s
guests enjoy such lively games.
A Brave Retort
nOW a boy may not think much of
his little baby brother—that yell
ing squalling little bundle of pink,
mostly flying fists and kicking toes—
deep down in his heart; but when It
comes to an outsider saying unkind
things about him then it Is a different
matter Indeed. Little Bobble found It
so only the other day and rose to the
occasion like the fine, loyal little man
ho is.
He was playing with Freddy In the
front yard when Nurse came out on
the porch holding Bab; by his dress
and trying to teach him to walk with
out falling. Freddy oaught sight of
the baby and stopped In his play.
"Shucks!” he exclaimed. "Hop old
is that ltld brother of yours, Bobbie?”
“One year old," replied Bob, look
ing up In surprise from the wonder
ful fort ho had been building of small
stones.
“Shucks!" exclaimed Freddy agnln.
"Shucks—why, I’ve got a little dog
that's only a year old, too, but 1: can
walk twice as fast as that ugly little
brother of yours."
Bobble stood staring at him a
moment and his faco flushed with
anger.
"Well," he replied presently, "why
shouldn’t he? Hasn’t that dog of
yours got twice as many legs?”
And Freddy hadn’t a word to say!
I
The Brave Color
Bearer
DID you ever hear the story of the
brave lad, a color-bearer in the
Union Army, who held aloft the
Stars and Stripes at the Battle of Get
tysburg during the Civil War, amid
a perfect storm of shot and shell and
kept his soldier comrades from re
treating in disorder? There Is a mar
ble monument to him now In Gettys
burg, and It shows him with the flag
clutched In one hand while he stands
shaking his other fist at the enemy.
But here Is the story:
He was In the front of the line of
Union outposts—on the very spot
where his monument now stands—and
knew that the sight of the Flag would
do more to keep the soldiers from
falling back, before the advancing
superior body of Confederate troops,
than anything else. The Union forces
were far out-numbered but they had
to hold the position until more troops
could be rushed up from the rear.
One by one the men were falling
around him and a general panic
seemed Imminent. But the brave lad
stepped right out in front of the line,
held his flag aloft and waved It wild
ly. He seemed to bear a charmed
life, for the bullets whizzed past him,
chipping places off the flag-staff he
held and ricidling the flag. The sight
so Inspired his comrades that they
Held Ills Hug aloft aud waved it.
rallied round him and fought back
for a long time.
But finally It was evident that they
must retreat until reinforced from the
rear. So they fell back In good or
der. The little color-bearer was the
last to turn. And before doing so he
clenched his small fist and shook It
at the enemy. Then he turned to re
luctantly follow his comrades In
arms.
Just then a bullet found Its way
to his heart and he fell dead, still
clutching his beloved flag.
The Union soldiers wept. And the
enemy—brave men that they were—
praised his courageous, fighting spirit
and even forgot that he had been
their enemy.
□LONG while ago—for the little
boy In thin story Is now a
grown man—a lad named
James, In the town of Jaok
sonburg, Ohio, came near having to
spend a moat miserable Christmas
day—all beoause In his exoltement he
got up too early to see what Santa
Claus had brought him.
He and his little brothers and sis
ters were all on tip-toe about the
Christmas presents they expected to
receive — like all children are—and
had been for days and days. Usually,
they received stockings full of oranges
and nuts and the kind of candy that
every child knows as an "all-day
sucker." And then, too, there was al
ways a toy or two for each of them.
Long before this particular Christ
they had hung their little stockings.
And then—they stopped! They were
afraid to look In the room for they
Just knew they would be disappointed.
One tiny oandle was burning, for In
those days they did not have gas and
eleotrlo lights as you have now In your
home. And this dim light made every
thing seem all the more hopeless.
Finally little James plucked up hii
courage—and looked.
Were all their fears In valnT Haf
they been needlessly worrying about
Santa’s falling to remember them}
Were their stockings fairly bursting
with good things? No—no Indeed!
There hung their stockings—empty!
And not a toy was visible on the
hearth! Santa Clause had forgotten
them completely!
Their poor little hearts sank within
them. And, sobbing aloud, they crept
mournfully up the stairs again. Oh,
what a sorry little family they were!
And you would have been, too, If you
had been one of them! They were
so disappointed that they cried them
They filed slowly down the stairs, a sorrowful, forlorn procession.
mas Eve, as they were dancing about
and listening to see 1" they could
yet hear the tinkle of old Kris Krln
gle's sleigh-bells even In the distance,
their parents seemed to be very sad.
Somehow, It wasn’t like Christmas.
And finally their Mother told them
that she was not certain Santa would
visit them this year. And Papa, too,
shook his head doubtfully.
Even on the night before Christ
mas, Papa and Mamma could offer
but little more encouraging news.
Perhaps Santa would drive over their
roof without stopping? But maybe,
after all, he would remember to climb
down their chimney!
You can Imagine how miserably un
happy they must have felt! So, when
they went to bed, they tossed and
tossed about In the covers and wished
and hoped and prayed—oh, how hard
they wished!—that old Santa would
not forget them. And can you blame
them for not being able to go to sleep,
with Christmas morning coming on
and no presents? Just think of ltl
Well, after a long, long while, they
finally dropped off, one by one, to
sleep and dreamed terrible dreams of j
a Santa Claus, with a bag full of toys,
who merely laughed at them and
passed by without giving them so
much as a bag of candy out of his
sack.
And then, after a while, James
woke up. He was sure It was Christ
mas morning. So he called the rest
of the children and told them It was
time to go downstairs and see If Santa
had at last relented and filled their
stockings.
So, with James In the lead, they
filed slowly down the stairs, a sorrow
ful, forlorn procession. Step by step
they went down and down, nearer and
nearer to the door of the room where
A BAT) START.
“You shouldn’t toko apples to de teacher. It's wrong.”
“How’s dat?”
"A man was Just sent to do penitentiary for bribing a Judge, and dey
i sny lie started dat wtty.”
selves to sleep.
The next morning—when It was
really morning—their Mamma had to
call them and call them to get up.
Imagine It! Just Imagine having to
tell any little boy or girl to get up
on Christmas morning! But the chil
dren knew there was nothing to get
up tor—that Santa had Indeed forgot
ten them!
It was not until breakfast was ac
tually on the table that they came fil
ing down—slowly and quietly, with
out any enthusiasm or without even
seeming to be aware that the day was
Christmas.
And then—and then—as they en
tered the room they glanced mourn
fully toward the chimney place.
What? Could It be? Surely they
must all be dreaming! No, they were
wide awake! There—'there right be
fore their eyes—hung their stockings
bulging with the good things that had
been crammed into theml And there,
too, on the hearth was a toy for each
child! What had happened?
Why, you see. It was quite simple.
Little James had thought It was
Christmas morning when he awoke
the other children, but In reality It
was only a little after midnight. Bo
they had not given busy, bustling
Santa Clause time to get around to
their house, you see. But little James
felt somehow that Santa came near
forgetting them after all; and not
even his joy at discovering he had not
was quite sufficient to make him for
get entirely the narrow escape they
had.
James Is now grown to manhood!
and he Is a big man, too, for his full
name Is James M. Cox, and he Is Gov
ernor of the State of Ohio. But he
still remembers that dreadful Christ
mas eve—and shudders when he
thinks of it! So would you, if you
had been In his shoes. Just think how
awful It would have been If Santa
had passed by their chlmneyl
Not Fresh
nOBODY likes a "fresh" child.
He's a nuisance, aside from his
being extremely Impolite. But
when little Bertha answered a question
asked her by Teacher the other day
she had no Intention of being "fresh,”
though It certainly did sound that
way. Judge for yourself:—
“Bertha,” asked Teacher during the
spelling lesson, "how do you spell
needle?"
Bertha rose from her seat and stood
by her desk In the correct attitude.
Hut her little brain was all whirl; .
that was one of the words she simply
couldn't remember how to spell.
"N—n—n—n—n—” she began.
“Yes,—n-,” said Teacher en
couragingly.
“N—niedle!" declared Bertha, in a
mighty effort to remember.
"No, Bertha,” replied Teacher pa
tiently. "That Is Incorrect—It has no
'1' in it.” ,
Bertha looked up Instantly, her face
aglow.
"But, Teacher," she cried, "then
It tain t a good needle 1"