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+ <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
+ <meta content="Letters of the Motor Girl" name="DC.Title"/>
+ <meta content="Ethellyn Gardner" name="DC.Creator"/>
+ <meta content="en" name="DC.Language"/>
+ <meta content="1906" name="DC.Created"/>
+ <meta name="generator" content="ppgen (1.09) generated May 29, 2011 07:20 PM" />
+ <title>Letters of the Motor Girl</title>
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+
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Letters of the Motor Girl, by Ethellyn Gardner
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Letters of the Motor Girl
+
+Author: Ethellyn Gardner
+
+Release Date: May 30, 2011 [EBook #36280]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS OF THE MOTOR GIRL ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'>
+<a name='i001' id='i001'></a>
+<img src='images/illus-fpc.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br />
+</div>
+<p>
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+</p>
+<p>
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+</p>
+<div class='center'>
+<p><span style='font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;'>LETTERS OF THE MOTOR GIRL</span></p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p>BY</p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p><span style='font-size:larger;'>ETHELLYN GARDNER</span></p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p>BRILLIANT, THRILLING, STARTLING</p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p>The breeziest bunch of letters ever published</p>
+</div>
+<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'>
+<a name='i002' id='i002'></a>
+<img src='images/illus-emb.png' alt='' title=''/><br />
+</div>
+<div class='center'>
+<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>Distributed to the trade by</span></p>
+<p>The New England News Co.</p>
+<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>14 to 20 Franklin Street</span></p>
+<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>Boston, Mass.</span></p>
+</div>
+<p>
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+</p>
+<div class='center'>
+<p><b>Letters of the Motor Girl</b></p>
+<p>BY</p>
+<p>Ethellyn Gardner</p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p><i>Copyright, 1906</i></p>
+<p>By Ethellyn Gardner</p>
+<p>&#160;</p>
+<p><b>Colonial Press</b></p>
+<p><i>C. H. Simonds &amp; Co.</i></p>
+<p><i>Boston, U. S. A.</i></p>
+</div>
+<h1><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_1'></a>1</span>LETTERS OF THE MOTOR GIRL</h1>
+<h2><a name='letter1' id='letter1'></a>LETTER I</h2>
+<p>
+I am fourteen years old to-day, June 17th,
+1905. Pa said he hoped I would live to be at
+least one hundred, because my Aunt Annie
+wanted me to be a boy, so she could name me
+Jack; she had a beau by that name and then
+married him, and he married some one else,
+so had two wives at once, and got put in
+jail. Pa says he’s a live wire. I have seen
+his picture, but I thought he looked too stupid
+to get two wives at once. I would think a
+man would have to be very smart and step
+lively to get two wives at once. Pa says he
+has stepped over all the good he had in him
+he reckons.
+</p>
+<p>
+I am learning to drive a big touring car, the
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_2'></a>2</span>
+Franklin, Model G. It’s a cracker jack car,
+just let me tell you. The manager is the
+nicest man I ever saw. He said I looked like
+Pa—that’s why I think he is so nice—my
+Pa is the very nicest man I ever saw. Then
+Levey Cohen comes next to the Franklin car
+manager. If you want a good car that can
+pick up her feet and fly on the road, you get
+a Franklin, and you will find that the finest
+car made is the Franklin. I am in love with
+my car. Pa says I know a whole lot for my
+age, almost as much as a boy. I am glad I
+am a girl, boys are horrid sometimes; they
+don’t like to spend all their money to buy
+chocolates for the girls. Ma says Pa sent her
+a five-pound box every Sunday. Pa says
+nearly all boys are good for is to play ball,
+and smash windows, and cry, if they have to
+pay for them. Pa says I will change my
+mind when I grow up, but I am not going
+to grow up. I have seen Peter Pan, and I
+like wings, and angel cake, very much indeed.
+Next to my Pa, comes chocolates—I like all
+the good ones. Levey Cohen says I am a
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_3'></a>3</span>
+sugar-plum, but Pa says I need a whole lot
+of sugar yet, to be very sweet. I told him
+I knew flies could tell the boys that were
+sweet, because some of their mothers put
+molasses on their hair to keep it smooth,—Johnnie
+Alton has lots of flies around his head,—and
+I wondered why, so one day I put my
+finger on his hair when he wasn’t looking, and
+pressed just a little, and the hair cracked.
+My, he was mad. He said, “Cut-it-out,” and
+I said, “Oh, Johnnie, you would look too
+funny.”
+</p>
+<p>
+Now about my motor car. I took my first
+lesson of the manager the other day; he says
+I will be going up the sides of the houses
+before long if I don’t look to the wheel more.
+I like to let the machine go after she starts.
+Surely those lights ought to show the way.
+My, how she will go. Levey Cohen says I
+am a nice girl and when I get big he is going
+to marry me. Well, I don’t think I will get
+married. Pa says I had better stick to him
+and Ma, and, anyway, I am having lots of
+fun. I went out alone in my car. I went all
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_4'></a>4</span>
+right for awhile, but there always comes a
+time when a car won’t go, and I got that
+time out in Brookline near Dr. Jones’ house.
+I went in and telephoned for the manager to
+come for me—he came in another car and
+towed me home. I don’t like that. I told Pa
+I hoped that car wouldn’t lose its breath again,
+and now in four weeks she has done fine.
+</p>
+<p>
+I can’t write always every day. I write a
+whole lot when I feel like it, then I don’t
+think of it again for weeks. Pa says he nearly
+died laughing reading the diary Ma made. I
+shall give my diary to Levey Cohen when we
+are married—I suppose I shall have to marry
+him some day, just to prove to him that I
+don’t like him any too well. Pa says that
+you had better not marry any one you really
+care for, then you won’t need to expect to
+find any letters in their pockets—Pa’s pockets
+are always full of letters, he never thinks to
+mail them—and every week Ma and I take
+them to the post-office in a bag. When Pa
+begins to look like a bundle of straw with a
+string tied in the middle, Ma will say, “Elsie,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_5'></a>5</span>
+it’s mail-time.” Sure as you live, Pa says he’s
+a walking post-office, but Ma says, “Yes, a
+dead-letter office out of date.” Now I will go
+for a spin in my car. It’s a fine day and the
+sooner I get started the longer I can be out,
+so bye-bye till later on, as we are going to see
+Barnum’s circus.
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+Pa and Levey Cohen and Ma and I all went
+to the circus. Really, it was very good—we
+all enjoyed it very much. Ma fed chocolates
+to the pet elephant and so did I. Pa and I
+took in some of the side-shows. What an
+awful cheat they are! We saw a sign that
+read: “Come in and see the $50,000 Horse,
+his tail where his head ought to be.” We
+paid our money and went in, and we saw
+the wonderful horse turned around in his
+stall—true, his head where his tail ought to
+be. Pa said he knew it was a big sell, and
+he laughed; said he would try again. A little
+further on we saw another sign that read:
+“See the wonder Dog—half bear.” Pa said
+that must be a novelty, so we went in, and saw
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_6'></a>6</span>
+a big Newfoundland black dog standing on
+a box half-shaved close. Pa said, “Which
+half is bear?” and the man said, “The half
+that was shaved, mister.” We looked up and
+saw a sign that read “Sciddoo!” We did.
+Pa said Barnum was a smart man—said he
+had fooled more people than any one man on
+earth, but the best of it all was they were just
+as eager to be fooled the next year. Pa says
+if that law about whiskers gets into force it
+will be mighty interesting for some good men
+like Dr. Parkhurst and Anthony Comstock.
+Neither of them poor devils will dare go out,
+except in the evening, and then the cop may
+get them for carrying about nude faces. Pa
+says it’s a bad place for microbes to settle
+down in a man’s beard. All the wise men
+I know goes smooth face and that’s the best
+way, I think. We have a Frenchman who is
+our gardener. He can’t talk very good English.
+He told Pa the other day, speaking of
+his memory of his childhood, that he could
+remember backwards very far. When he tried
+to harness the horse on our little farm he
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7'></a>7</span>
+said to the horse: “You, good huss, just open
+your face now and take in your harness.”
+Pa says, brush away and come to dinner, so,
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>So long,</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<p>
+P. S. Pa says here are some questions that
+half of the Public are asking the other half:
+Question—What is an automobile? Answer—A
+wagon with big rubbers on its feet.
+Name two uses of the automobile? Ans. To
+run people down and to run them in. What
+is the horn used for? Ans. To frighten the
+life out of one, so he will stand still and get
+run over. What’s the difference in running
+over a dog and a man? Ans. If you run over
+a dog it costs you $5, or if a man, 5 years.
+What is a constable? A man with the hoe
+who is too lazy to work, so arrests every man
+he sees in an automobile.
+</p>
+<p>
+Pa says these are all for now.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>E.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8'></a>8</span>LETTER II</h2>
+<p>
+Well, what do you think! I have been to
+Atlantic City for the Automobile races. Had
+I been older Pa says I could have entered my
+Franklin car for the race, but he said “no
+use for a girl to try,” so I just looked on. I
+fell in love with Miss Rogers, she is a smart
+woman, a real thoroughbred, Pa says. Ma
+don’t dare to drive a car; she is a ’fraid-cat,
+won’t even shoot the shoots at Coney Island.
+Why, they don’t make anything I wouldn’t
+try! I got old Deacon Weston to ride the
+flying horses with me at Coney Island, and
+the band played “There will be a Hot Time
+in the Old Town To-night.” Deacon Weston’s
+coat-tails blew out behind him like the
+American flag in a gale of wind, and the boys
+nearly died to see how hard he held on. It’s
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9'></a>9</span>
+jolly fun to live! I heard Pa say Mrs. Pat
+Campbell and her poodle had solved the joy
+of living, but I don’t believe she has half the
+fun I do. Why, I can climb a tree if I like
+to. Pa says I shouldn’t, else I’ll be a tomboy.
+I don’t see how I can be a tomboy when I am
+a girl, but Pa says that there are lots of
+things you don’t learn in school. I like school
+pretty well, but like most girls, I am more
+fond of vacations. In vacation, in summer,
+we go to grandpa’s in the country, out in
+Pennsylvania. I stepped on a bumblebee one
+day—that is, I tried to, but I didn’t step
+heavy. He saw my foot coming and it was
+bare, and he made me dance good, for a little.
+I don’t think I’ll walk in the dewy grass any
+more in the morning. Pa told Ma it would
+keep me always young, and as I don’t want
+to grow up I just went out to try it, but I
+believe I will even be willing to wear long
+dresses and grow up, if I have to dance to a
+bumblebee sting; I don’t like the music at
+all, too much pain in it, for harmony.
+</p>
+<p>
+My grandma has a pet little cow. Pa says
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10'></a>10</span>
+it’s a calf, and I got the pony’s harness and
+put it on the calf, and he didn’t like to be a
+pony at all. He just kicked and tipped me all
+over the yard. Ma screamed and Pa laughed.
+Pa said, “Let them alone, both those kids are
+just alike,” meaning me and the calf. We are
+better friends than when I first came here,
+for he would run when I came in sight, but
+now he runs to meet me, ’cause he expects
+me to give him some sugar. He likes it just
+as well as my pony does. I often feel sad
+to think that I can’t feed sugar to my
+automobile—don’t it seem a real shame?—but
+they are built to live on electricity or gasoline.
+I just pity them. Think of not being able
+to eat ice-cream and chocolates. My Uncle
+Smith is coming to see me from Buffalo. He
+is the dearest man. He has a camera and the
+first time I saw him he had on a brown suit
+and his camera slung over his shoulder, and
+oh, my! but he looked the professional. I
+was almost scared of him, but he is a mighty
+nice man. He has taken lots of pictures of
+me with my Franklin car, and he got a snap
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11'></a>11</span>
+shot of Deacon Weston on the flying horses,
+and I nearly died myself when I saw it. He
+looked worse than a scotcher after a highball,
+Pa said. I never saw a highball, but Pa
+says it’s a live wire, so I shall keep in the
+middle of the good path. I heard a Salvation
+Army man say that, so it is on the level. Pa
+says slang forms too great a part of the
+present-day conversation, but I don’t think I am
+any joke, only I know my Pa knows all that
+is worth knowing. My Pa is a very wise
+man for his years—he’s been married twice,
+and he says two marriages will either make or
+break a man, depends on his disposition. Pa
+says he made a mess of his first marriage,
+but the second one was good. I belong to
+the second house. Pa says a man who is
+married twice can learn to manage the worst
+kind of an automobile. He says none of
+them could have more kinks than some
+women, and do such unexpected stunts. I
+guess the man I read about in the automobile
+magazine that never swears under any
+condition has been married twice. Pa says two
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12'></a>12</span>
+marriages will smooth out a man’s disposition
+as nice as a hot iron will a shirt-bosom. They
+asked Pa to run for Governor of New York
+State; said he could govern anything, but Pa
+is very modest. He said his wife didn’t like
+society and he considered her happiness first;
+said all men should. Pa knows which side
+his bread is buttered on, Ma has all the
+money I I sang that song one night called
+“Everybody Works but Father,” and Pa
+nearly lost his temper. He took it personally
+to himself, so for the last few days he gets
+up at five o’clock and goes up Commonwealth
+Ave. with his car and blows his Gabriel horn
+for all he is worth all the way. Once I heard
+him say as he went out: “Yes, everybody
+works but Father, do they? Well, I guess
+they will think Father’s working some to-day.”
+</p>
+<p>
+Isn’t life a queer problem? My, I wonder
+what it all means! Sometimes it seems like
+a continuous vaudeville show, then it changes
+and becomes serious, clouds and tears, and,
+oh, dear, I don’t understand it at all. I will
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13'></a>13</span>
+try to be a good girl, but being a real Sunday
+girl isn’t any fun. I think I am a little
+related to Buster Brown, anyway, I would like
+to have his dog. Levey Cohen said he would
+get him for me, but I thought Buster would be
+lonesome, and I have my Pa, and automobile.
+Why is it that girls like their Pas so much?
+I have got a beautiful mother, she is too
+handsome and queenly for anything, but I seem to
+be Pap’s own girl. He says I am the light of
+his eyes. Pa’s as much of a boy as I am, only
+he’s grown up. He has beautiful brown hair;
+he isn’t bald on the top of his head. I have
+always been told when a man is bald-headed
+it was because his wife was a tartar and
+robbed his pockets while he slept, and pulled
+his hair out, if he noticed the loss of his
+money. Pa has plenty of money. Pa said
+he settled the money question with Ma’s Pa
+before they were married; he said all men
+making second marriages should see about
+the financial end of the game. I never knew
+just how it ended, but I do know that Pa is
+considered very swell, and rich, and he says
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14'></a>14</span>
+Levey Cohen has his eyes on his pocketbook,
+but I don’t see how that is, for Pa never
+carries it out of the house. It’s in the safe in
+the billiard-room and Pa has never asked
+Levey to play billiards because he always
+calls in the late afternoon, and Pa always
+plays billiards at noon, or early in the day.
+Pa says the ice man would be as much of a
+gentleman as an actor, if he had the free
+advertising that some of them get. I like actors
+because they can be anything they like from a
+beggar to a king, and all they do is to put on
+different clothes. One would think it was an
+easy thing to be an actor, but I guess they
+have their ups and downs; they are not all
+kings, but I like some of them tip-top, say,
+for instance, Mr. Edmund Breese and Mr.
+George Coen. All the girls like them. I
+heard Pa say that they understood the real
+act of impersonating as well as any he knew
+of on the boards—and the women on the
+stage are all fine, that I have seen. I think
+Elsie Janis is a darling. I just love her. I
+would be almost willing to let her marry
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15'></a>15</span>
+Levey Cohen if I didn’t think I really wanted
+him myself. I am pretty willing he should
+take her out in his car. Levey Cohen is a very
+handsome chap; he is four years older than
+I am, and Pa says he’s doing well for a kid.
+I don’t like to be called a kid, and I don’t
+think Levey does either, but it’s Pa’s way of
+talking. My Pa is a cousin to Bill Nye that
+used to write for the papers so much. Pa
+said he was better than he looked in the
+papers; I hope he was, because he looked in
+the papers, poor man, like a bean-pole with
+a rubber ball on the top of it for a head. He
+was a funny man, on paper, but Pa says in
+his home he was Mr. Edgar Nye, loved and
+respected by all, and that’s saying a good deal
+in this age of rush and tear.
+</p>
+<p>
+Well, good-bye, little book, I have told you
+all my secrets for four weeks past now, and
+I will say good night. It’s 6 P. M. and we
+are going to the Touraine for dinner as the
+cook got dopy, Pa says, and let the fire go
+out in the kitchen. Ma, poor dear, can’t cook,
+so we are going out to dine and then to see
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16'></a>16</span>
+some circus on Mars they have here. Pa says
+I must learn to cook if I want to keep Levey
+at home after we get married, and I am going
+to learn. I boiled some eggs for Pa the other
+morning when the cook went to market. I
+thought they would cook in three hours, most
+meats will, in that time, but Pa said, “Nay,
+nay, Pauline, make it three minutes,” so I
+did. My Pa can cook, but he won’t. He says
+it’s the cook’s work. Pa objects to doing
+other people’s work for them; he says they
+must all do it some time, and why not begin
+here, now, so that’s how we stand on the
+cook-book question.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<p>
+P. S. Pa says he’s from Missouri when the
+cook says the air is bad and the coal won’t
+burn. He says it’s more likely it’s her breath
+that stuns even the coal and that it’s 23 for
+ourn, as far as dinner goes, that’s why we go
+to a hotel.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17'></a>17</span>LETTER III</h2>
+<p>
+Well, here I am again, little book. Pa and
+I went to Harvard Class Day, out to Cambridge.
+I took him in my Franklin car. I
+have never had any trouble since that Brookline
+adventure, and was towed home. My!
+but I felt cheap. I would have sold that car
+that day for 99 cents, but she’s all right ever
+since—has just been making up for past bad
+behavin’, just like a naughty little girl I know
+of. Pa says of all the colleges in the land Haryard
+is the best. Pa graduated from Harvard
+and Levey Cohen is a junior, and they are
+worse than ten old women about the old days
+Pa spent at Harvard. Of course I like Harvard
+because Pa does; I never question Pa’s judgment
+because he says it’s so, and there is
+nothing to do but believe him, especially when
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18'></a>18</span>
+Levey Cohen always backs him up. It’s two
+men against one little girl, and I don’t have
+a bit of a show if I don’t side in. Pa is a
+Democrat and Levey and I are both staunch
+Republicans—so is Ma—Pa don’t dare mention
+politics in the house, he goes over to
+South Boston or down to Salem Willows
+when he feels a political spell coming on.
+He don’t have our company then. Ma says
+two marriages ought to change any man from
+a Democrat to a Republican, but it hasn’t
+worked on Pa’s constitution yet. Harvard
+is just a dear, so many really handsome men,
+and fine fellows. Lots of them have automobiles
+and they make them hum. They
+say it’s lots more fun driving a car above
+the speed limit and being chased by a
+policeman than it is to steal barber poles and store
+signs; they all have drop numbers on their
+cars, so no one has ever been caught yet. I
+have one on my Franklin. I had to use it
+one day, for I run a race with Harold Hill,
+of Brookline, and beat him by two miles, but
+I also beat the policeman, and Pa said he
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19'></a>19</span>
+would give me credit for being my father’s
+daughter. But you will laugh when I tell
+you Pa has been fined three times for fast
+speeding, but he has forgotten all about that
+and I haven’t the heart to refresh his memory,
+Pa’s such a dear. I went to a football game
+a year ago, and Alice Roosevelt was there,
+and a big crowd beside. I don’t care for
+football. I think it’s too much of a mush for
+comfort. I like golf. Pa is a cracker jack
+on golf; he has friends in New Jersey who
+are fine players. Pa won a cup one year. It’s
+a beauty. I like that sport. I can beat Levey
+Cohen every time. I rather play with him
+because I always get the game. Pa says
+Levey knows his business, but I don’t care,
+so long as I get the game. Pa says: “Just
+wait, little girl, till you are married, and you
+will be surprised how much faster Levey will
+pick up his feet in golf than he does now.”
+That’s about the meanest thing Pa ever said
+to me in all his life. He won’t get but two
+kisses, for saying that, this day. I usually
+count 80, but he will see that kisses have had
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20'></a>20</span>
+a big slump since this morning, and he will
+be out altogether. He won’t have margin
+enough to cover, I’ll bet you, he’ll be taken
+so off his feet. Pa has dabbled in stocks
+enough to know all the points of loss. He
+says he was a hoodoo on the market; when
+he sold stock went up, and when he bought
+they slumped, so he will say it’s his regular
+luck. Poor, dear Pa, no one will ever know
+how much I love my father. He’s the dearest
+man on earth—except Levey Cohen—he is
+next best. It would be an awfully bad thing
+if I didn’t marry Levey Cohen, after all, but
+I will; he’s the only right sort. I know others
+are good, but—he is goodiest of all. He
+always lets me have my own way and any
+girl likes that. My Pa thinks it’s just awful
+to put any money on a horse, but my Uncle
+Smith from Buffalo is a live wire, and he
+took me to a race at Readville this spring
+and he put a thousand, 10 to 1, on Bumshell,
+for me, and a thousand dollars for himself.
+When he gave me the $10,000 I took it home
+and showed it to Pa and he said: “Elsie,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21'></a>21</span>
+where did you get that money?” and I said,
+“Off Bumshell, he won the race.” “Did
+your Uncle Smith back you?” “Sure he did,
+Pa” “Thunder! What does he mean? My
+daughter learning to gamble on the racetrack?
+Your Uncle Smith ought to know
+better than that.” “Well, Pa, he said if we
+lost it would be a gamble, but if we won, why,
+it was O. K., so we won.” Well, Pa put the
+money in the Charity box on Sunday and said
+he hoped it would do some poor cuss good,
+for I didn’t need it, neither did he. I don’t
+know what he will say to Uncle Smith when
+he sees him, but I am going to write and tell
+him to wait a little till Pa cools off. Ma said
+I had better tell Uncle Smith that Pa had
+suddenly gone up above par in gambling
+stock, and to wait till the excitement was
+over before he came in. Well, I telephoned
+him instead, and he waited two weeks and
+then asked me to ask Pa how the market was.
+That was too much for Pa. He laughed and
+said, “Tell Uncle Smith to come over to dinner
+now the cook’s breath don’t put the fire
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22'></a>22</span>
+out.” So we will have a jolly dinner and go
+to Keith’s this evening.
+</p>
+<p>
+So good-bye, for I hear Pa asking where
+his little girl is.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23'></a>23</span>LETTER IV</h2>
+<p>
+Well, dear little book, here I am again.
+We have all been down in Maine for six
+weeks. What a fine place “In the Good Old
+Summer Time.” We went first to Rockland,
+then to Portland and Bangor. We used the
+Eastern Steamship Co. boats. They are certainly
+very nice, and have all the comforts
+of home, except bath-tubs. Pa says if they
+would only put in bath-tubs the public would
+call them blessed forever. At Bangor we
+were introduced to Mr. Lorison Appletree
+Booker; he is one of the youngest and smartest
+lawyers in New England. Pa says he
+knew his father and they were of fine stock.
+I had my Franklin car, so Pa asked Mr.
+Booker to show us about the city. Bangor
+is a nice city, but it don’t have any barrooms
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24'></a>24</span>
+in sight like most cities do. Pa says it’s a
+matter of legislation whether they are in sight
+or not. Pa says a glass of their whiskey down
+there will make a man think he owns the
+State. Pa says he has never delivered any
+lectures on the temperance question, so he
+won’t begin now. Pa says if you want to
+shoot big game go to Maine; if you want the
+finest trout in the world you will find them at
+Moosehead Lake, Maine; and if you want to
+tramp miles over hills and dales after golf
+balls, go to Kineo, Maine, it’s one of the
+grandest of all places in New England. If
+you want to see the ugliest woman on earth
+go to Lowell, Mass., she’s there. I saw some
+fine automobiles in Bangor and Portland.
+The people down there are all up-to-date;
+they know a good thing when they see it
+advertised. Pa says you can’t do anything,
+these days, in business, if you don’t advertise.
+Pa is great on advertising business of all
+sorts, he has helped many a firm out on ads
+to sell and display goods. Pa has his own
+ideas, and when he has sold them they have
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25'></a>25</span>
+come high, but the one that followed them got
+a big pile of dough. Pa says the business
+man to-day must spend money to make
+money, and the one who places the best and
+most judicious advertising gets the most business.
+Pa says even a business that’s no good
+can be made good by advertising. Advertising
+makes people think—some think right, some
+wrong, some look and wonder. Pa says there
+is only one sure way to get rich quick, and
+that is to marry a rich woman, any other way
+is a snare and delusion. Pa knows by experience
+that this is true, so he gives his
+knowledge free to save others from expensive
+experiences. Pa says that women should be
+very careful about getting married to
+strangers that can’t really account for their
+silver and their business. He says to especially
+beware of any slick good talker you
+might meet in a bank where your hard earnings
+are deposited and you are afterwards
+made acquainted with the same man you saw
+hanging around at the bank. You remember
+noticing him because he looked pleasant and
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26'></a>26</span>
+dressed nice. Well, Pa says look out and
+don’t think of getting married to such a man,
+for he’s only another hawk, and is after your
+bank-book; perhaps he’s had twenty or fifty
+wives, one cannot tell. If you want to marry,
+grow up with the man, Pa says, as I have
+with Levey Cohen. I have known him ever
+since I was five years of age and I know he’s
+the best and dearest boy that was ever—even
+Pa thinks Levey is a sparkling light, and I
+know I do, for he brings so many boxes of
+chocolates. I don’t know which kind I like
+best yet, but sometime I will decide.
+</p>
+<p>
+Well, so long, we are going to Bar Harbor
+in our car from here, so I won’t write again
+for some days.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27'></a>27</span>LETTER V</h2>
+<p>
+We didn’t go to Bar Harbor; we came back
+to Boston, for Pa had to see about one of his
+inventions—Pa’s a wonderful man, he has
+invented lots of things—I don’t dare record
+the name of his motor car, for he has arranged
+by phonography and electricity a whole band,
+and when he goes out by himself always turns
+on the power and a band plays wonderfully
+clear—sounds as if it were just coming up
+the street. People rush to the doors and
+throw up the windows, and look up and down
+the street, but no band appears, and as Pa
+rides up the street the sound gets fainter and
+fainter, till it vanishes into silence; then he
+will put on the echo, and they hear it all over
+again as distinct as before. They never connect
+Pa with the band, and I have been with
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28'></a>28</span>
+him several times early in the morning and
+Levey Cohen has gone in the evening, and
+people are wondering what it all means.
+They wrote it up in the papers, but no one
+has yet found out what it is, or where it
+comes from. When they do I don’t know
+what will happen. I am very sure I don’t
+want to be around. The other night we were
+coming home real late from a trip to Wonderland
+(say, that’s a good name for that place;
+I have wondered a whole lot since I saw it).
+We had had a wonderful day, Pa and I (Pa
+is a dear. He will shoot the shoots, ride the
+roller coaster or stand on his head if I say
+so to have fun). Well, we were riding real
+slow in Pa’s automobile, the nameless wonder,
+when all of a sudden I heard something that
+scared me. I heard a man’s rough voice
+shout, “Hi, there! stop or I’ll shoot!” Pa
+stopped so quick that it shook the machine
+good and the band struck up “Where Is My
+Wandering Boy To-night?” The burglar
+listened for a moment, spellbound, took off
+his hat and bowed his head and said, “That’s
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29'></a>29</span>
+my sainted mother’s favorite song, I have
+always been bad and my poor mother has
+died of a broken heart.” Then as he proceeded
+with his story, Pa pulled out a second
+stop and the cornet played the second verse
+and a fine sweet tenor voice sang with such
+feeling that I nearly cried myself. The burglar
+was entirely broken up, and when the
+song ended and one of Sousa’s marches began,
+the man pulled himself together and said,
+“Well, that song saved your garl darned neck,
+for I intended murder to get money. Good-bye,
+that band will be in sight in a minute
+and I don’t care to be seen.” So off he went;
+then we moved on. Pa put on the echo and
+it all came back, the moon came out and it
+was the most dreamy thing you ever heard.
+The burglar waited some moments by the
+roadside in the bushes for the band to appear,
+but none came. He pondered a moment, then
+said, “Strung, by gosh.” When I got home
+I told Ma she had missed the best fun of her
+life, for I had had dreamland all day and all
+the way home besides. We didn’t tell Ma
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30'></a>30</span>
+about the burglar, she would have had a real
+fit. Pa says Ma is too timid for a real modern
+1906 woman—said she should have been born
+in ye olden days, but I don’t think so, my Ma
+is a darling and no one knows it better than
+Pa, either. Sometimes I sing, “Where Is My
+Wandering Boy To-night,” and Pa always
+laughs, and Ma don’t see the point at all.
+She says it’s sad, but Pa gets a fit of the
+giggles just like a girl and Levey Cohen and
+I have our hands full to keep Ma pleasant,
+for she thinks Pa is making fun of that poor
+wandering boy, when in reality Pa’s only giving
+thanks in a vocal way of his scalp and
+pocketbook being saved by his wonderful
+invention of a band. We have a fine burglar-alarm,
+Pa made it. It’s a cracker jack, I tell
+you what. When it is set, woe be to the one
+who tries to rob our house, he won’t try only
+once. A stranger is sure to bump into a wire,
+but they are very small, yet they work
+wonders; they run about the walls and floors so
+close that no one sees them, but we put down
+the plates under the rugs at each door. When
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31'></a>31</span>
+one steps on one of them plates it turns on
+the lights, opens the telephone to the police
+station and in three seconds any burglar
+would wish himself electrocuted for the things
+that happen before he can say Jack Robinson.
+If he isn’t out of the house before three
+minutes the police get him, and there you are.
+Our gate has a red mark on it, small, but
+distinct. Pa says it is a warning for tramps and
+burglars to go by and not take the trouble
+to call. No one of that profession has ever
+called on us but once, and the police got them.
+They got 20 years and it is not time for them
+to call again for 19 years, they won’t be out
+till then. All of that profession know that,
+and they think that the Shaw Mansion is a
+very nice place to let alone, so we surely are
+blessed. We don’t put the silver away at
+night, for we feel sure it will be right where
+it was left the night before, even if that were
+out on the piazza.—or under the trees. Pa
+is a big man so he can do anything he likes.
+</p>
+<p>
+We all went fishing out in a catboat and I
+love that sport. I caught 10 fish all
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32'></a>32</span>
+myself, except Levey Cohen baited my hook and
+took off the fish. I don’t like to do that part.
+Pa got more than I did, and bigger ones, too,
+one weighed 20 pounds—it was a cod. I got
+small fish, mostly, for I didn’t think I could
+handle a big one, so I told the little fishes to
+bite my hook and for all the big ones to go to
+Pa’s side, and they did. Ma don’t fish, she
+says she never went but once and that’s when
+she caught Pa. She said it was easy to land
+him and I said, “What bait did you use, Ma?”
+and she said, “I just baited the hook with five
+million dollars.” Pa says that’s the biggest
+fish story he ever heard, so does Levey Cohen,
+and Pa says he has been on exhibition ever
+since, as a good catch. Ma says Pa is the only
+man she ever could love, so I am glad she
+married him. We are all very happy and have
+such jolly times, all the time. It’s a picnic
+for four all the time. When Uncle Smith
+and Levey Cohen is here I have heaps of
+friends that we see once in awhile, but I am
+too much taken up with my dear Pa to be
+much away from him. I go along with him
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33'></a>33</span>
+everywhere I can because he likes to have me
+so much.
+</p>
+<p>
+He is calling me now for a drive in my
+Franklin car, so
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>Bye-bye,</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34'></a>34</span>LETTER VI</h2>
+<p>
+Well, little book, it has been some few days
+since I made you a call. Pa and I went over
+to New York City. We went in Pa’s nameless
+motor, and such a trip, I won’t forget in a
+hurry. Pa had the misfortune to kill a Jersey
+cow and had to pay $60 in hard cash for the
+privilege. Pa said he was more sorry for the
+cow than for the man who owned her. He
+said the cow looked like a good one, while
+the man looked altogether to the bad. When
+we got to New York City we went to the New
+Astor House, up-town—that’s a very decent
+place to stop at, Pa says. Ma seemed pleased
+with our suite of three rooms and bath. We
+stayed three days—Ma had some shopping to
+do and Pa and I had some sightseeing to do—so
+we were all busy. Pa and I started to
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35'></a>35</span>
+walk up Broadway a little below the Herald
+Building, when we came to a poor, old blind
+beggar playing a very squeaky organ. I gave
+him some pennies, so did Pa, and asked him
+how business was. The beggar said, “Bad,
+very bad, haven’t taken 10 cents all day.” I
+told Pa I would sing if he would grind the
+organ. I thought Pa would choke for a moment,
+but he concluded he would grind the
+organ while I sang. We moved up a little
+from the old man and then tuned up. I sang
+“Pickles for Two,” and Pa ground out “Sally
+in Our Alley” on the organ. The singing and
+the playing didn’t go on very well together,
+so I told Pa to play and I would dance. Well,
+that went better. The organ piped out,
+“Coming through the Rye,” and I danced the
+Highland dance; some swell guys went by
+and dropped in several silver pieces and some
+that wasn’t so swell did the same. One asked
+how long I had been in the business, and I
+told him about a half-hour. I had my automobile
+veil over my face so they couldn’t see
+me much. Pa had on a false mustache and
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36'></a>36</span>
+goggles, so his own mother would not have
+known him. Well, any way, we had the fun
+of earning eight dollars for the beggar man.
+Pa said it wasn’t a good example, but I told
+him we were commanded in the Good Book
+to help the poor. Pa never objects to do
+anything when I tell him it’s in the Good Book.
+He says he don’t know the Book any too
+well at best and is always glad to have me
+remind him when he does anything it says
+to do. A man tried to steal my purse in New
+York, but he didn’t get it. Pa gave him a cut
+that changed his mind quick. He picked up
+his feet and flew. Pa said that was just the
+way, help a beggar on one corner and be
+knocked down on the next one. I told Pa,
+yes, it seemed so, but not to mind, as long
+as the thief didn’t get my purse. Pa said all
+he minded was because the policeman didn’t
+arrest him and get his dollar commission in
+court the next morning. I never saw so many
+pails and pitchers in commission as we saw in
+New York the three days we were there. Pa
+says if all the beer was put together, sold
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37'></a>37</span>
+those three days, it would cause the Charles
+River here in Boston to be a Johnstown flood,
+and if all the cigarettes were put in a line
+that they smoke over there in a week they
+would belt the globe. Pa says beer and
+cigarettes ought to be cut off the map. Pa don’t
+smoke because Ma objects to the odor of
+tobacco, and Pa says a model husband won’t
+make himself a weed to please some man.
+Pa says it will count for more in the end to
+please one’s wife—I wouldn’t think Pa was
+half so sweet to kiss if he smoked—Pa is
+such a darling; I wish every little girl had
+such a nice Pa as mine. Pa tells such fine
+stories; Pa says when he was a little boy he
+lived with his grandma and he went to the
+edge of the woods to get some berries that
+grew there and he heard a growl and looked
+up and saw a big black bear as big as a horse—he
+ran like fun for home and told his
+grandma a bear chased him. He looked out
+of the window and told his grandma the bear
+was coming down the road. Well, grandma
+looked out and said, “Why, my dear boy,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38'></a>38</span>
+that’s Green’s black dog.” Pa says that’s all
+the bear he ever was chased by, and I guess
+it was enough as it nearly scared him to
+death. Pa and I have heaps of fun flying
+kites. We have had some splendid ones and
+they go up like the wind. Pa fills them with
+a new discovery he has, and they go up like
+a shot. Pa won’t tell what he puts in, and no
+one can find out. We rented a balloon and
+we went up till I thought I could see people
+on Mars, then we came slowly down to earth
+again—we had a glorious time among the
+stars, seemed as if they were very near, and
+we could almost touch them. I am fond of
+everything Pa is, I guess, and he has splendid
+taste.
+</p>
+<p>
+Well, good-bye, little book, it’s time for
+dinner.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39'></a>39</span>LETTER VII</h2>
+<p>
+Well, I have been having a very remarkable
+experience, and not only myself and Pa, but
+all the United States as well; the excitement
+spread all over the country. I am going to
+put this down to tell my grandchildren about,
+for I hope they never will have such a time
+as we all have had for the past few weeks.
+I went with Pa to do a little shopping because
+my dearest girl friend, Mary Potter, of Brookline,
+had a birthday, and I did, at last, but
+such a time. I went to the counter where
+diamond rings were displayed and selected a
+beauty—Pa said he could not have picked out
+a better one for the money himself—and I
+took my purse, opened it to get the $200 to
+pay for my friend’s present, when I found
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40'></a>40</span>
+my purse empty but for a few small silver
+pieces. I gasped for breath and told Pa. He
+looked at the purse and declared he knew it
+was clasped tight when he took it from his
+pocket inside his vest to give me, and I knew
+I placed three hundred in one hundred dollar
+bills in the purse before I started. Pa got the
+three new bills at my bank that very morning,
+but they were gone, and no sign of how, or
+when.
+</p>
+<p>
+Pa said: “Never mind, Elsie, I have some
+money myself, also I happen to have my
+check-book, so you can have the ring just the
+same. I don’t care for the loss of that three
+hundred dollars so much as the peculiar way
+of its disappearance, but perhaps you left it
+at home in your room.” The clerk said I
+could telephone and ask, which I did. Ma
+answered the phone and looked in my room
+and asked the servants, but no money was
+found, or had been seen. Well, Pa took out
+his pocketbook and said I could have what
+bills he had, which was one hundred and fifty
+dollars, and give a check for the other fifty,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41'></a>41</span>
+so while he was talking he was opening his
+pocketbook, and he too started, and gasped
+for breath, for no bills were to be found,
+nothing but two silver quarters did Pa’s
+pocketbook contain, and they were as mum as
+oysters. Pa said: “Elsie, I don’t understand
+this. Child, we have been robbed since we
+left home, but I am at a loss how and when;
+I am also sure I had one hundred and fifty
+dollars, besides these quarters, in my pocketbook,
+but they are all that is left to tell the
+tale, and they don’t tell it.” We both laughed
+like two kids—I felt like crying, and Pa
+said the cold shivers were playing up and
+down his spine. So he wrote a check for the
+two hundred dollars and I took the ring and
+we went directly home and told Ma. Poor
+Ma couldn’t understand it any more than we
+did.
+</p>
+<p>
+Pa went to the police station and reported
+his loss, also my loss, too. The sergeant
+said it did look queer. However, we looked
+all over the house, but not a sign of the
+missing bank-notes. Before twelve o’clock
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42'></a>42</span>
+that day the police were nearly wild, for
+hundreds had reported losses of from five dollars
+to one thousand in bills, no one had a sign
+of a bill on his person—people seemed to be
+going mad, for every one would swear they
+had so much money in the morning and some
+time during the day it disappeared like the
+dew before a hot August sun. The police
+were at work on the case, so were the newspapers.
+</p>
+<p>
+Hearst’s “American” got the real first
+news; said a man in a big house in the suburbs
+had all the money that had been lost,
+but not much came to light till some days
+later, for the house had a high stone wall and
+was guarded by big men, who said Mr. Worthington,
+the author, was busy writing a book
+on his European travels and could not be
+disturbed, so no one was let into the author’s
+house. Mr. Worthington was also a clever
+scientist—although no one knew that except
+his servants. He was always seeking to find
+some new hidden power he believed to be
+attraction, that was yet unsolved, so he spent
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43'></a>43</span>
+his life among his books in study, also
+making experiments and writing when nothing of
+greater interest came to hand. For a few
+days he had been operating a peculiar machine
+that in appearance looked like a telegraph
+instrument, with the result that had caused
+all the commotion in town those few days.
+It seemed he had dreamed that a
+combination of chemicals, used with the peculiar
+machine, would attract money to it on account
+of the silk in the paper money was made of.
+It would go through everything except a
+vault; leather was no protection at all, and
+no one could explain it, and when the
+servants waited till ten A. M. on the fifth day,
+not having seen or heard of the author after
+leaving his food in the dining-room that was
+eaten always, till the dinner the night before—which
+was the general cause of alarm—they
+pushed in the door. Well, they tried.
+It would not yield much, but it was dark and
+stuffy, so they got a ladder and went to the
+window. They could see nothing but one
+solid mass of green, with now and then a
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44'></a>44</span>
+gleam of yellow. What to do they did not
+know, so they telephoned the police, and they
+came and saw—what? Why, the poor man
+actually dead in the middle of a room crowded,
+packed down, with greenbacks, of all denominations
+from one dollar to one thousand dollars.
+The police said there were millions of
+bills; some of them went crazy looking at it,
+and some wondered how it could have been
+done. No one had an idea. The servants declared
+that Mr. Worthington had not left his
+house in ten days, and had not left his room
+except to go to the dining-room for five days,
+but he was in the midst of millions, and it had
+smothered him to death. A man was found
+who tried to explain how the machine attracted
+that silk in the money. Some believed
+him, others said he was a fool. The money
+was restored, as far as it could be. Pa and
+I got ours back because we had the first experience,
+but oh, my! such excitement I never
+heard or witnessed before. People didn’t dare
+carry any greenbacks in their purses or
+pockets for weeks after the whole thing was
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45'></a>45</span>
+over. Pa said his check-book would be his
+closest friend for a time; said that infernal
+machine might go off any minute and make
+another collection, and he was going, for one,
+to be on the safe side. I am glad it couldn’t
+attract automobiles, for Pa would have lost
+his Brass Band and the whole business, and
+my car might have gone, too, then I would
+have had a good cry, for I most surely love
+my dear old Franklin. She is such a flyer,
+and I have had so much fun touring in that
+car.
+</p>
+<p>
+I am glad, however, to be settled down once
+more to our normal life, and I feel much
+better. I, with many more, have had a horrible
+nightmare. I have related these facts as
+well as one could expect of a girl fourteen
+years of age; anything one may wish to know
+more about, my Pa can tell them, he’s a very
+learned and wise man, and he says he fully
+understands all about the attraction of the
+money to that machine—but I am sure I
+don’t and Levey Cohen says he don’t see any
+sense in it at all, and so I don’t feel so awfully
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46'></a>46</span>
+alone in not understanding all such high science.
+Pa is way up in science.
+</p>
+<p>
+I hear Pa calling for his girlie, so
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>Good-bye,</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47'></a>47</span>LETTER VIII</h2>
+<p>
+I have been very much interested in a Benefit
+for the Sufferers of the late California
+Earthquake. It was held in Mechanics Building
+and twenty thousand dollars was raised. It
+was all done by the young people of Boston.
+We had the Salem Cadet Band as a foundation,
+and then the children gave pretty dances,
+marches, songs, readings, etc. It was a vaudeville
+and pop concert show all in one and it
+lasted two days. Such gay crowds I never
+saw. Pa said the ladies were lovelier than
+ever and every one was glad to help, by her
+presence, and also many brought friends who
+were strangers here. I think that the Salem
+Cadet Band is a peach. Every one enjoyed
+listening to the band and then they made a
+splendid orchestra for the fancy dancing; so
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48'></a>48</span>
+that it all together was a fine success. I have
+jotted down two of the selections given by
+children present. David Westfield, six years
+of age, gave a wonderful selection which I
+shall put right here; it was called “Esau
+Buck and the Buck-saw.” Pa said how a boy
+six years old could recite a piece so complicated
+was a wonder. He said that David
+Westfield was a live wire, and he should keep
+track of him to see what end he made. He
+says he is liable to be a big man some day,
+and something will drop at City Hall if he
+got power there. Now for the selection.
+David made a low bow to the big audience,
+stood up on the seat of a big automobile that
+was on the stage as one of the props, and
+began thus: “An old farmer, way out in
+Kansas, whose sons had all grown up and
+left him, hired a young man by the name of
+Esau Buck to help him on his farm. On the
+evening of the first day they hauled up a load
+of poles for wood and unloaded them between
+the garden and the barnyard. The next morning
+the old man said to the hired man, ‘Esau,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49'></a>49</span>
+I’m going to town this morning, and while I’m
+gone you may saw up the wood and keep the
+old Buck out of the garden.’ When the old
+man was gone, Esau went out to saw the
+wood, but when he saw the saw, he didn’t saw
+it. When Esau saw the saw he saw he couldn’t
+saw with that saw, so he didn’t saw it. When
+the old man came home, he said, ‘Esau, did
+you saw the wood?’ and Esau said, ‘I saw
+the wood but I didn’t saw it, for when I saw
+the saw, I saw I couldn’t saw with that saw,
+so I didn’t saw it.’ Then the old man went
+out to see the saw, and when he saw the saw,
+he saw that Esau couldn’t saw with that saw.
+Now when Esau saw that the old man saw
+that he couldn’t saw with that saw, he picked
+up the ax, and chopped up the wood and made
+a seesaw. The next day the old man went to
+town and bought a new Buck-saw for Esau
+Buck and when he came home he hung the
+new Buck-saw for Esau Buck on the sawbuck,
+by the seesaw. At this time Esau Buck saw
+the old Buck eating cabbage in the garden,
+and when driving him from the garden Esau
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50'></a>50</span>
+Buck stopped to examine the new Buck-saw
+that hung on the sawbuck, by the seesaw.
+Now when Esau stopped to examine the new
+Buck-saw that hung on the sawbuck, by the
+seesaw, the old Buck made a dive for Esau,
+missed Esau, hit the seesaw, and knocked the
+seesaw against Esau Buck, who was getting
+up with the Buck-saw, which hung on the sawbuck,
+by the seesaw. Now when the old man
+saw the old Buck make a dive for Esau Buck,
+miss Esau, hit the seesaw, and knock Esau
+over the sawbuck, by the seesaw, he picked
+up the ax to kill the old Buck, but the old
+Buck saw him coming, dodged the blow,
+knocked the old man on to Esau Buck, who
+fell on the Buck-saw, over the sawbuck by
+the seesaw. Now, when the old Buck saw
+Esau Buck knock the old man over the sawbuck,
+by the seesaw, and break the Buck-saw
+and the sawbuck, and the seesaw, he went
+into the garden and ate up the old man’s
+cabbage.” You should have heard that crowd
+cheer that kid; he had a big bouquet of
+daisies. Pa said he ought to have had a whole
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51'></a>51</span>
+field for that piece of work. I liked one very
+much that Millie Green read, it was called
+“Naughty Zell.” Pa said it was the limit for
+a saucy girl. Pa said it was the best he
+ever heard, so here it is: “The other day,
+Kep Elbert, that’s my beau, was goin’ to go
+fishing on Soap Creek, and he said I could go
+long too, if I would be real good, and not
+scare the fishes, so we got up dest as early.
+Kep thinks an awful lot of me, so he does, he
+let me dig all the fish worms. I got mamma’s
+milking-pail half-full of ’em—it’s lots of fun
+to dig fish worms. I heard the old milkman
+coming and I had to run like everything and
+put the pail back quick, ’cause he might ask
+Bridget for a pan and then she wouldn’t let
+us go fishing. Bridget is awful mean—t’other
+day she just up and slapped me ’cause I put
+a toad in my grandmother’s bed, to see if she
+wouldn’t scream like everything when she saw
+it. I knew it wouldn’t bite her all the time,
+so I did, but the man poured the milk in the
+pail all right and I breathed easier again. I
+had to dig a whole lot more, though, before
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52'></a>52</span>
+we went. First thing, we had our breakfast,
+’cause we’se awful hungry, then I put the bait
+on the hook, and Kepie fished. We had to
+drink water out of Kep’s shoe—it didn’t have
+but a teeny, weeny, little hole in the
+toe—’cause I had to leave the pail at home. Kep
+was awful cross, though, he wouldn’t let me
+whisper for an hour—guess it was more than
+two hours. I just had to keep a-biting my
+tongue, atween my teeth, ’cause I wanted to
+know so awful bad why he didn’t catch any.
+I was kind of glad when a snake runned over
+my bare foot, so I had to scream, and then
+Kep said, ’twas no use a-trying to fish where
+girls was. I guess Kep had a good time, but
+I don’t think I care for fishin’ much, it’s too
+much like Sunday school for me. My mamma
+tells me when I’m naughty to tell Satan to
+get behind me, and I did tell him, and he
+pushed me right into the creek. I don’t think
+I’ll tell him that no more, ’cause I had on my
+best apron and stockings, and when I got
+home, why, there was a lot of company there,
+and mam’s face got awful red and everybody
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53'></a>53</span>
+didn’t say nothin’ for a long time, an’ then
+pretty soon I heard an old man say, ‘H’m,
+that young one is a regular torment, she needs
+a rawhide to guide her for awhile;’ and I
+said, ‘Oho, ol’ man, was that you a-talkin’?
+You had not better get too smart around here,
+I’ll fire you out bodily. Who do you think you
+are talkin’ to, anyhow, ha? You old crank,
+you!’ You bet I scared him, he never said no
+more about me, you bet you. I don’t care,
+he’s dead now, and I am glad. Would you
+believe it, my mother sent me to bed without
+my dinner. Don’t you think she did, I don’t
+care, ’cause some day I’m going to die, then
+she’ll wish she had been kinder to me when
+I was just taking my own part, so she will—she
+will too. I never stayed up there neither,
+I run over to Nettie Bell’s house, and when
+I came back, why, the company wasn’t gone
+yet, and I said, ‘Mamma says city folks is
+always coming here three times to her once,
+and always staying all night, and the boys
+have to sleep out in the barn,’ Then everybody
+looked funny, and Mrs. Hull said,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54'></a>54</span>
+‘William, children and fools always speak the truth,
+let’s go home at once,’ and I says, ‘No one
+wants you here.’ Then mamma cried, and
+papa laughed, and big brother Fred got a
+big stick, but he didn’t catch me ’cause I run
+awful fast, when I was going to get a licking.
+I had to run outside into the yard and hid
+under the rose-bushes, close to the hammock,
+until they forgot. That’s where Mary and
+Slicer does their sparking, an’ they don’t ‘low
+us children round there neither, don’t you
+think they do, and I knowed I either had to
+hide under the rose-bush or skip, and what
+do you think I did? I bet you can guess. I
+hid under the rose-bush, so I could take notes,
+’cause Kep thinks an awful lot of me, and why,
+if we’d ever get big, why, an’ if we’d ever want
+to spark any, and if Kep didn’t know how,
+I’d know, but I couldn’t hear what they was
+saying ’cause they never said nothing for a
+long time, and then pretty soon they would be
+a-talking just as low, and just as low, and
+then pretty soon, Slicer said, ‘My Precious
+Darling! I couldn’t in the world ever love
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55'></a>55</span>
+any one else but you,’ and then he gave her
+a great big kiss, and she never said quit that,
+or nothing, an’ I jumped right out and said,
+‘That’s a great big fib, ’cause I saw you taking
+another girl out riding on Soap Creek, so
+I did,’ and he said, ‘You rattlesnake, where
+do you spect to go for tellin’ such great, big
+fibs, what ain’t so,’ and I said, ‘I don’t expect
+to go to no place where you are, you old
+smart crank. I just hate all men and boys
+except my Dad, and Kep, so I do, that’s my
+mind right now, see?’ Say, I know something,
+something good, about some one. I
+ain’t going to say who said it, but the one
+that did don’t tell lies. ’Twasn’t so, though.
+I was walking t’other day down-town when
+I heard some one talking about me, and I
+knew if I didn’t go back I’d never know, so
+I went back, and some one what knows very
+much said, ‘There goes the prettiest and
+smartest girl in town,’ and that was me; just
+’cause my Dad’s rich is no sign I am smart.
+Why, my Dad’s got ever so much money, he
+could just throw it away if he wanted to, but
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56'></a>56</span>
+he don’t want to. This is about the worsest
+dress I got—’taint the very worsest, I guess
+it’s about the best one I got, tho I can have
+better dresses than this if I want ’em, but I
+don’t want ’em, ’cause I have got better sense
+than to want things I can’t get. I guess folks
+think ’cause my ma dresses me up so nice that
+they can get me to speak every place, but I
+don’t ever want to speak, ’cause I don’t guess
+they want to hear me, all the time. On Kep’s
+birthday he had a great big party to his house,
+and they got Kep to speak first, ’cause I guess
+they wanted to save the best for the last, and
+pretty soon they didn’t ask me to speak. I
+know they wanted to hear me awful bad, but
+they didn’t ask me, so pretty soon I said I
+guessed I’d speak my piece now, and I did.
+I guess everybody thought I spoke it awful
+good. I didn’t hear no one say they did, but
+I guess they did. I’ll speak a teeny, weeney
+little bit of what I spoke at Kep’s birthday
+party. I won’t speak all of it ’cause I guess
+you don’t want to hear all of it. (Bows) I
+know it but I can’t think of it—now I know:
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57'></a>57</span>
+‘Mary had a little wool,’—no, that isn’t it—‘Mary
+had a little lamb, its wool was black
+as dew’—oh, no—‘Mary fleeced a little
+lamb,’ no (not as bad as that), ‘Mary had a
+little lamb, its fleece was wool, and died.’ Oh,
+I don’t know what Mary did have, boo-hoo.”
+So ended that. Then a boy gave a monologue
+called, “Every Little Bit Helps.” It was fine,
+and was received with much applause and
+laughter.
+</p>
+<div class='center'>
+<p>EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS</p>
+</div>
+<p>
+Did you see that old maid? Holly Gee,
+isn’t she ancient? She belongs to a very old
+family. Just think she is a cousin to Lydia
+Pinkham, of Lynn, Mass., and a sister to
+Josiah Allen’s wife. She’s looking for a man,
+and I reckon she will have to look till she
+gets on two pairs of glasses, and we have
+sunsets in the east. Really she must feel like
+shooting the shoots, when she sees all the
+summer beaux, in Central Park.
+</p>
+<p>
+Did you ever go fishing with dried apples
+for bait? It beats the flies all to smithereens.
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58'></a>58</span>
+A boat and a bag of dried apples is all you
+need. When you find plenty of fish, just
+throw in a few handfuls of dried apples, and
+the fish will gobble it up and then the dried
+apples will swell and they will come up to the
+surface to see the sun set in the north, and
+wink at the stars, and you can pick them as
+fast as strawberries in a cabbage patch.
+</p>
+<p>
+I went to church last Sunday, and, as they
+were short of teachers, they asked me to take
+a class of boys. I tried to tell them about
+Daniel in the lion’s den, and Alexander, the
+coppersmith, etc., and then a boy began to
+tell me the biggest lie I ever heard, and I
+asked him if he didn’t know it was awfully
+wicked to tell lies, and he said, “Didn’t you
+ever tell a lie?” and I said, “No,” and he said,
+“Great Caesar’s ghost! Won’t you be lonesome,
+though, when you get up to heaven,
+with no one but George Washington for company?”
+</p>
+<p>
+I went to a reception the other night, and
+was introduced to the great Prof. Bobs. “So
+glad to meet you, old chap. They tell me,
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59'></a>59</span>
+Prof., you have mastered all tongues.” “Well,
+all but my wife’s and her mother’s.”
+</p>
+<p>
+I met Mr. Dooley on the street the other
+day and he began to tell me a tale of woe,
+and I said, “Now see here, cheer up, don’t
+make mountains out of mole-hills.” “Well,”
+said he, “that’s all right, but I knew a man
+that made a whole barrel out of a bucket
+shop.”
+</p>
+<p>
+I went to a school exhibition the other day,
+and the teacher said, “The class in ‘spasms’
+will recite,” so John Jones was asked to tell
+what a straight was, and he said, “Just the
+plain stuff with nothing in it.” Then the
+teacher said, “If 32° is freezing-point, what
+is squeezing-point?” and Johnny said, “2° in
+the shade.” Then the teacher says, “Johnny,
+how old are you?” and Johnny says, “I ain’t
+but 12, but my pants are marked 16.” Then
+Danny Jones was asked to give the positive,
+comparative, and superlative of “sick.”
+Danny—Sick, worse, dead.
+</p>
+<p>
+Oh, say, Prof., what letter would you say
+if your mother-in-law fell into the ocean?
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60'></a>60</span>
+(Prof.) “Well, I don’t know.” “Why, letter
+B.”
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+Pa and Levey said it was a howling success.
+I had a fine spin in my automobile to-day.
+I go out every day generally with Pa,
+unless he wants to have his band along, then
+I go by myself. Pa says we’ll go to the Empire
+Races later on—I hope so, it’s great
+sport to see a good live race between fine-built
+autos. Makes one feel one’s a live wire, to
+keep up. Levey Cohen has a new machine,
+a Sparklet. It’s a new make, but Pa says it’s
+the real goods. Ma says Pa always thinks
+Levey is all right and so he is, bless his dear
+heart. My birthday is soon coming and I
+will have a big celebration. Pa says the district
+attorneys are looking for whiskey within
+four hundred feet of schoolhouses to get the
+people to think they are doing something.
+Pa says that’s a rummy way to get a living. I
+guess Pa don’t think much of that kind of
+popularity. Levey Cohen says a man can
+find enough that will help the people, and
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61'></a>61</span>
+keep them busier, and not have such a bad
+smell as whiskey. I hear politics discussed
+nearly every day at dinner when Levey Cohen
+dines here, that is if it’s on the Republican
+side—Democrats are not allowed to talk in
+our house. Ma, Levey Cohen, and I are good
+Republicans, so,
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>Good night,</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62'></a>62</span>LETTER IX</h2>
+<p>
+Now, little book, I am going on a trip to
+Europe and this is my last letter till we come
+back in October. Pa and Levey Cohen have
+become personally interested in the queerest
+boy I ever saw. He is fourteen years of age,
+and a newsboy, from New York City, and
+Coney Island. He has bright gleaming red
+hair, large brown eyes, more freckles than
+Dr. Woodbridge could ever count, and two
+front teeth knocked down his throat in a fight
+in which he says, for once, he got licked by
+a Chink, which hurts his feelings more than
+the lickin’. Pa got him a new suit and a hair
+cut. You couldn’t tell where his hair began
+and his face left off. Pa says, like good
+whiskey, he will improve with age, and I
+should hope he might. Up to now he has
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63'></a>63</span>
+slept in barrels and boxes mostly and never
+had a human being kind to him in his life.
+He’s got a common yellow dog named Teddy—he
+said he wouldn’t come unless Pa adopted
+Teddy, the dog, and Pa said there was room
+for the dog, so when “Jimmy Jones” got that
+letter he wired back to Pa saying: “Dear
+Sir: Your offer accepted, quicker than instantly.
+I telegraph you my answer, but I
+expect to get there before the telegram does.”
+He told the telegraph man to collect on the
+other end, that was the end the money pot
+was, and he sent the message, also the bill.
+Pa said he had great hopes of “Jimmy,” after
+he got that telegram. “Jimmy Jones” boards
+with our gardener, and Pa had a nice room
+fitted up for him, and when it was shown him
+he looked at the bed all made up nice, and
+white, and said: “Hully gee! what’s that? a
+dining-table! Gosh, but ain’t it grand?”
+When told it was a bed he said, “Gosh, I
+couldn’t get on to that, I would soil the top
+right off.” Pa told him after he had a bath
+and was scrubbed off—which he didn’t like
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64'></a>64</span>
+at all—he was left to his first night’s rest
+in a bed that he could remember. He told
+Pa the next day that he could sleep a
+hundred years and never want to wake up to the
+bad world in that bed. He said he wondered
+why people wanted to go home, but now he
+said it was clear to his mind that they wanted
+to just sleep in a nice comfortable bed. He
+told every policeman he met to come and rest
+their lamps on his bed, said it was good for
+sore eyes, etc. Pa took Jimmy to Dr. Atwood
+on Boylston Street to have two teeth put in on
+a bridge. Jimmy didn’t like the process, but
+he stood it fine; the gardener says he’s a
+brave boy. Anyway, he looks better with the
+teeth in. Before he looked for all the world
+like that yellow kid boy I saw when I was a
+very little girl, that was before Buster Brown
+appeared in the Sunday papers. Pa says he
+will let Jimmy learn to drive his automobile—thinks
+he can learn in time, all but his
+slang. I never heard such a string of slang
+in all my life. The other day he was telling
+the gardener about his summer at Coney
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65'></a>65</span>
+Island; I heard a part of what he said: “Yes,
+Coney Island is de place where all de swells
+go to dat tink they are swells. Hully gee! all
+that is swell about them is their heads. They
+are, all told, a rummy lot. Lots of times they
+steal a paper or a shoe shine. Yes, I blacked
+the President’s boots for him. Naw, not the
+President of the United States of freedom,
+but dis was a President of a peanut trust, he
+gave me Mary a handful of his hot peanuts
+and I don’t forget it, you bet your best hat.
+I have sold papers to the elete of New York.
+I can lick any kid on the Row. The policemen
+never tells me to move on, now, they
+know I’m de real ting, see? and a live wire.
+They don’t let on they see me, half of de time,
+’cause I know a lot of de monkey shines going
+on and dey let me alone. I gits along wid
+de push all right. I stand up for all de newsboys,
+’cause dey will be all men some day, and
+may even own a automobile. My! but dey
+are de live ting, don’t dey hum and kick up
+de dust, though. I sold papers for de sufferers
+of de Cal earthquake, and I got a heap of
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66'></a>66</span>
+money. It would do your old lamps good to
+have seen de pile I took in. I got ever so
+much money—too much to count. I never
+seed so much all to once in my whole life. I
+most wish I had been killed in an earthquake,
+bad as it was, and got a handful of dat dough.
+I never kept a cent for myself, no sirree, I’m
+honest if I am only ‘Jimmy’ de newsboy.
+Dey all knows me in New York. I have found
+good friends here, just tink, I am going to
+school at night and git learning, so I can do
+tings and propel a automobile. Hully gee!
+you bet your last year’s top hat I’ll sit up
+straight and go like de dickens, no snale
+creeping for mine. I tink I will be a good
+driver for that kind of a water wagern. De
+Governor has a brass band on his wagern
+and dat takes my blinkers and thinkers, most
+awfully much. Hully gee! but the natives of
+this town will stare when dey sees ‘Jimmy’
+go out for a spin up Tremont Street—dat’s
+de toney street of Boston, ain’t it, Cap? Oh,
+ye don’t tell me it’s Commonwealth Avenue,
+dat is de swellest, is it? Well, I’ve heard of
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67'></a>67</span>
+Tremont Street and the Old Howard Theatre
+and of Austin and Stone’s and that’s all I
+know of Boston. I don’t read de papers much,
+you see, ’cause I’se too busy selling ’em, but
+now I am here and going to become a natural
+sized sitizen of dis United States of Boston
+America, why, cos I has to git on to de place
+wid both feet. Now don’t scowl and find fault
+wid me talk, for I let you say what ye like and
+I’ll do the same, unless de cops git on to me
+game and shut out me lights. I don’t tink I
+will ever want to vote, ’cause ye have to wait
+till yers are twenty-one and dat’s too long. I
+can’t git old but a year at a leap, and any
+furreigner can be natural and made a American
+sitizen here just before each election and vote.
+Some of dem get to be new natural Americans
+every voting time, so I will stick to de automobile
+and de papers, for my daily grub.
+Well, course, if de Governor says I am to
+keep shut up tight when I am on de box all
+right, I can. I can tink and say so to myself,
+quiet, so no one will hear me express myself
+only in silence. Well, good-bye, I am goin’
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68'></a>68</span>
+to try on me new suit the Governor sent me.
+I will be a real Tremont Street swell sure’s
+yer live.”
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+Well, now Jimmy has disappeared and I will
+just note that I am perfectly shocked at his
+way of talking, but Pa and Levey Cohen both
+says he is a diamond in the rough, and I do
+hope they can polish off some of the rough
+corners soon. Pa has always wanted to take
+just such a character and tame him. Now
+he has got the raw material and I shall be
+waiting anxiously to see what comes up next.
+Uncle Smith is coming soon and I expect
+when he sees the boy Jimmy—well, Uncle
+Smith will say words I won’t write. I can
+hear that Jimmy talking yet with the gardener,
+that is, Jimmy is talking and the gardener
+just listening. I will put down what I can
+hear: “Say, Harvard College is a swell place
+I guess. I have read in de papers dis mornin’
+dat dey want twenty million dollars to make
+de place solid. Gee whiz! what do dey do
+wid all de money dey gets? I know a lot of
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69'></a>69</span>
+dem Harvard fellows; in New York dey always
+gives a fellow a few extra pennies and
+dinner, on holidays. I likes dem Harvard
+fellows ’cause dey has got a generous vein
+in der hand. Guess dey are taught to be
+generous to us kids in college, dat’s why dey
+need so much money to carry dem along.
+Say, wouldn’t you like to get your lamps on
+twenty million dollars all in one bunch?
+Don’t it make ye faint to think of it? Gives
+me a hungry pain in de left side of me liver.
+Say, Mr. Gardner, dat waking suit of yourn
+(scuse me for saying so) in New York would
+be called loud enough for a talking machine
+reckord. Say, I’se got a best girl, I has.
+She’s a cracker jack; she’s got the beautifullest
+hair yer ever saw. It’s a high-toned
+shade; they call it ashes and roses, but I don’t
+see why, but they do. Her eyes are violet,
+oh, so find. Hully gee! but they snap when
+she gits mad. She boxed my ears one day
+’cause I tried to kiss her. She got awful mad
+and threw a wash-tub at my head, but I
+dodged it and it went plunk into a big
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70'></a>70</span>
+policeman who was stooping down to look into a
+barroom window. Peg said it served him
+right for snooping, but she run like anything
+and so did I, and when de policeman got up
+we war way off. He took de wash-tub wid
+him, but no one saw any one fire it, so it was
+never reclaimed. Peg said the tub cost a dollar
+and twenty-five cents and if she claimed
+it, why, she was likely to get pinched, and
+get thirty days, so she said the policeman was
+welcome to de tub; said she bet a button de
+next time dat policeman stooped down to look
+at anything he would hire a man to watch
+behind him. Oh, I tell you what, de papers
+are all de time having excitement. Why don’t
+all de people go to Sunday school and be
+good? If dey would de papers would be put
+out of biz. Dey are watching all de time
+for de man or womans dat do wicked. All
+de good ones are never spoken of except when
+dey die, and den only a few lines way back in
+de paper in small print, but let a man give a
+lot of money like some fellows rocks I heard
+of, and dey will put de heading in capital
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71'></a>71</span>
+letters, a little bigger den de common readin’,
+den you notice dat de oil we use to feed our
+lamps on goes up, perhaps only a quarter of
+a cent, but if you can get a few billion quarter
+of cents together all to once it would buy a
+good many turkeys for Thanksgiving. Say,
+mister, Christmas and Thanksgiving are de
+only two days in de year I can git full. Naw,
+I don’t mean full of liquor. (I never drink
+anyting but milk and cold water.) I mean
+get full of grub, wid all de good tings de rich
+people has. Wouldn’t I like to be rich? No,
+I don’t tink money is all dare is, but it is a
+whole lot to fill in wid. A pocket full of
+greenbacks would make me feel better than
+a pocket full of emptiness with a big appetite.
+Say, mister, I can sing and dance to beat the
+cars. I singed ‘De Pride of Newspaper Row,’
+last winter in New York and I got an applecore
+to sing another verse. Ought to be
+encore? They said I did fine. Say, mister,
+if you saw an automobile coming down the
+street at sixty miles an hour and a deaf man
+crossing the street, what’s the answer? Not
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72'></a>72</span>
+yet, but soon! Did you hear about the new
+Irishman over to East Boston last week?
+Well, Mike McCarthy told me about it. He
+said he and Pat Murphy was working on Mr.
+Smith’s house, the one that married Mary
+Jones, of Salem, and Pat was working on the
+roof when all of a sudden the staging broke
+and Pat slipped and slid, till at the very edge
+he caught on to the tin gutter and hung in the
+air, six stories from the ground. Mike and
+the other yelled to Pat to hold on till they
+got something to catch him in. In a couple
+of minutes they had a big canvas sheet by the
+corners and told Pat to drop into the canvas,
+and Pat cried: ‘How in the devil can I let go
+when it’s all I can do to hold on?’ Oh, did
+yer hear the one about Pat and the ants?
+Well, Pat, after eating his lunch, lay down
+under a tree to get forty winks before the
+whistle for one o’clock blew and he layed on
+top of an ants’ nest, which he didn’t dream of,
+but pretty soon the whole ant family came out
+to see what kind of a lobster was in their
+yard, so they crawled all over Pat and bit
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73'></a>73</span>
+him to see if he was good eating, etc., and
+pretty soon Pat brushed them off and went
+to sleep again as best he could. They all
+came for another look at Pat, and he brushed
+them all off again, till bime by a big spider
+dropped on Pat’s bald head and bit him
+good. That was enough for Pat. He got up
+and said: ‘Now, then, all of yers get off.’ Did
+you hear about Mr. Burbank’s Jersey cow?
+Well, a vishus dog bit off her tail so she
+looked so funny that Burbank concluded to fat
+her and sell her for beef, so in four months
+she was in prime order and he took her to
+the stock yard to sell her, but when the man
+saw her he said, ‘Mr. Burbank, we don’t retail
+any cows here.’ Oh, did you hear the
+description of Noah’s wife? Well, the
+minister read that Noah took unto himself a wife;
+her hight was three hundred cubits, her
+breadth fifty cubits, made of Gopher wood,
+pitched within and without with pitch. He
+looked rather surprised as he read on, then
+paused, and in a solemn voice said, ‘’Tis true,
+we are fearfully and wonderfully made.’
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74'></a>74</span>
+(Some bad boys had pasted the leaves
+together, hence the good old man’s surprise.)
+Oh, say, mister, I know a real funny piece
+about balls. Ever hear it? Well, here it is.
+I went to the newsboys’ ball in New York
+last spring given by Mr. Frank Ball, of Chicago.
+I know of several kinds, for instance,
+there are snow balls, foot balls, rubber balls,
+rifle balls, base balls, cartridge balls, cannon
+balls, basket balls, croquet balls, Ping Pong
+balls, pool balls, fish balls, billiard balls,
+tennis balls, bowling balls, camphor balls, and
+some policeman bawls, and if you miss hearing
+me bawl you will want to eat some raw
+dough balls to make you remember to go to
+our ball next year, sir.”
+</p>
+<p>
+Good night, I’m twenty-three for bed.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75'></a>75</span></div>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76'></a>76</span>LETTER X</h2>
+<p>
+Now, little book, I am feeling a little too
+proud, I expect, for Pa is going to take us all
+over to London in his new air-ship. It’s called
+the Margaret, and she looks like a couple of
+large cigars tied together. Pa made a
+scientific combination of steel and aluminum,
+which, with some secret liquid added, makes
+the lightest and strongest metal ever
+produced. The whole ship, with all its apparatus
+for a trip across the ocean, only weighs one
+thousand pounds and will carry six hundred
+pounds. We will start at nine o’clock
+Monday, and we expect to be in London by
+Wednesday eve, at ten P. M., so I will stop
+for a little till we are on board. I will write
+on board if we don’t rock too much. I hope
+we don’t go to the bottom of the sea, that’s
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77'></a>77</span>
+all. We are to have a wireless telegraph to
+let the people know how we get on. No one
+knows when we are to start, or where,
+because it got into the papers that the trip was
+to be made, and many would gather to see
+us start, but Pa says no, he wants to be far
+away before any one knows it, and I guess
+it is better so, too. Pa is calling, so I must
+run to see what he wishes.
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+4 P. M., Tuesday. My goodness, we are
+skimming over the top of the ocean like a
+large white bird. My, but this is the most
+beautiful trip I ever had. We are sailing
+about two hundred feet up above the water,
+Pa thinks; he hasn’t asked the captain to be
+sure, but it is glorious. We have passed several
+steamers and they saluted with all their
+power. We waved the Stars and Stripes to
+them in reply, and sent a message that we
+were going fine, and without any hitching.
+We have heard from Boston and will soon
+have a message from the King. A big reception
+is to be given to us, but I dread that, for
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78'></a>78</span>
+our luggage had to go over by steamer, and
+although it was sent a week ahead, if it don’t
+arrive when we do I guess we won’t be much
+to be seen. My, how grand the sun is, and
+the moon and stars, when you are up above
+the earth some ways. The ocean is a dream
+of delight to look upon. Pa planned to come
+when the moon was full so we could see all
+the wonderful beauty of sea and sky. No
+tongue or pen could ever fully describe this
+journey. We have sailed along as smooth as
+any one could wish. Ma is delighted. She
+said she was just frightened to death, but felt
+it her duty to come if Pa went to kill
+himself, and Levey Cohen and I—that she
+Couldn’t live without us, so she was willing to
+die too. I don’t think she is bothering much
+about dying by the way she is laughing with
+Levey Cohen. I have to write now or when
+we land I would forget half of the fun we are
+having. Pa says a big crowd is waiting to
+meet us in London. I wonder where Pa will
+keep this machine when we get to London,
+probably it will be kept on the top of some
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79'></a>79</span>
+automobile garage. Pa don’t say; I bet he
+don’t have any idea where it will be kept.
+We seem to be attracting a great deal of
+attention. Why, I don’t think this is such a
+wonderful thing because Pa did it. Pa is
+a wonderful man, but when you live with
+such a wonderful man I guess you forget a
+good deal about the wonderful part till you
+hear other people say so. We don’t eat as
+much up here as when we are on earth,
+because we are nearer heaven, and are looking
+up and thinking of higher things than material
+eating. My, how fast we go, the clouds fly
+by and we go right through them like
+everything. They seem to fly like the trees and
+fields in an automobile race. I don’t care if
+we don’t ever stop, or come down. I could
+go on forever like this. Jimmy went over in
+the steamer with the luggage. Pa says we
+will land now in a few hours. Pa had a band
+made by phonographs, so we have had music,
+and Ma brought the pol parrot. He has heard
+Jimmy talk and to-day he has shouted several
+times what Jimmy said when his steamer went
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80'></a>80</span>
+out. “Hully gee, don’t git drownded.” I
+don’t think we will, but it would be an awful
+drop if we did bust up; however, I don’t feel
+afraid now any more. Huray! we can see
+London. Pa says it’s a fine sight. The stars
+bright and the moon like a big golden ball in
+the sky, and all London lighted up. They
+have sighted our ship, for I can hear their
+bells ringing.
+</p>
+<p>
+Well, we are on the good earth once more.
+We had a fine greeting and this afternoon we
+will look over London a bit. We are to be
+presented at Court, and I don’t know what
+all. I have seen the Shontworths. They are
+still here and made much of. We have our
+trunks and now we can go out and look and
+feel well groomed. Jimmy was so glad to
+see us safe and sound he forgot to use slang
+for once. Pa and Levey was pleased enough,
+but it didn’t last, for soon he got into a fight
+with a London newsboy and it took a policeman
+to separate them. Jimmy told the
+English newsboy that “America was de onliest
+place fit to live in on earth,” and naturally
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81'></a>81</span>
+the English boy resented it, so it was a free
+fight to settle the matter. As the policeman
+dragged those boys apart Jimmy screamed
+to the top of his voice, “America ahead, by
+thunder!” Pa made Jimmy promise to be
+good else he would send him back on the
+next ship. I guess he will; he felt cheap to
+think he was caught in a street fight, as soon
+as he landed, nearly. Jimmy means all right,
+but he has a queer way of showing it, his fists
+seem to be his most familiar mode of
+expressing internal feelings.
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+Well, I have been presented to a real live
+King and Queen. It was rather a trying
+thing, after all, so different from home, but
+we liked it, as it’s the fashion. We have been
+invited to several affairs and Pa delivered a
+talk before the King and Queen and the Royal
+House about his air ship. To-morrow he is
+to take the King and Queen out for a short
+sail. It seems strange, to talk about sailing
+through the air, but it is so, and I reckon air
+ships will become somewhat popular; but Pa
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82'></a>82</span>
+says most people will rather dangle their feet
+in the water in a boat than take chances in
+sailing in an air ship. It is majestic to sail
+through the air like a big bird, I think.
+</p>
+<hr class='tb' />
+<p>
+Well, here we are in Spain and we have
+been presented to Spain’s King and Queen.
+Pa won’t display his air ship here. We are
+to stay only ten days, then return back to
+London for our homeward trip. We shall
+stay in Liverpool some weeks, I expect, as
+Pa has a cousin there who is crazy about air
+ships, so Pa will stay with them and I
+expect he and Pa will plan another wonder.
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83'></a>83</span>
+</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84'></a>84</span>LETTER XI</h2>
+<p>
+Well, dear little book, nine busy and happy
+months have passed since I have been able
+to find you. I have lots more stories to put
+down when I get time, but I will only record
+the one that seems to me most wonderful to-day.
+Pa has had the most wonderful success
+with his air ship, but I somehow cling pretty
+strongly to earth and my dear old darling
+Franklin car. She’s a beauty and just as fine
+as ever, and I like her better every day. She
+is like a dear friend, the more you know their
+beautiful traits of character the more you love
+them, and that’s the way with my Franklin—a
+royal friend, proved solid, true and loyal—what
+more could one ask of an automobile.
+Pa says Jimmy is getting on fine in his studies.
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85'></a>85</span>
+He is learning to be a valued boy for Pa, and
+his nameless wonder. The only trouble with
+Jimmy is that he wants the band going all the
+time, and he to dance. Pa asked him how he
+expected to dance and motor both at the same
+time, but he will; he will dance and hop and
+keep his hands on the wheel. It’s a funny
+sight.
+</p>
+<p>
+Well, what I started out to say was that
+“Jimmy Jones” has a newspaper record. His
+picture was in the paper and he got dozens
+of them and had them all pinned up all over
+our private garage last Sunday week. We
+had an awful, awful thunder-storm and Jimmy
+was in the garage with Teddy, the yellow
+dog. Well, all of a sudden an awful flash
+of lightning came and the thunder was so
+loud that we were all most stunned. Jimmy
+declared it clean knocked him off his pins. A
+few seconds after the flash and thunder was
+over Jimmy noticed a ball the size of a large
+orange and about the same color, bobbing
+against the window pane, like a grampa longlegs
+in summer. Jimmy said it crackled and
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86'></a>86</span>
+sputtered like anything, as it bobbed against
+the pane, like a rubber ball. When he opened
+the window the ball bounced into the room
+and floated about the room like a balloon.
+Jimmy grabbed the broom used to sweep the
+garage, and struck at it. He hit it several
+times, but it would bound off again, but at
+last the blow went home and the ball busted,
+and hundreds of the most beautiful stones I
+ever saw fell on the floor. Jimmy ran for
+Pa and we all went out to see the wonder—which
+was a wonder. A note was found
+written in French, saying the Ball and Jewels
+were from the Planet Jupiter; that the people
+were men very like us, only they were all
+golden blonds, both men and women, and that
+they all spoke the French language; that
+they had had automobiles and air ships for
+over five thousand years, and that their best
+speeder was the Franklin touring car; said
+the roads were smooth and level, and that
+they were just natural; that they had been
+watching this world for a long time, and said
+we were getting on; said Jupiter had many
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87'></a>87</span>
+more men than women, and would like to
+send some of them here, perhaps they could
+in 2906, also that precious stones were as
+thick on Jupiter as fleas are here in haying-time;
+that the ball of jewels sent was shot
+out of a lightning cannon, which they hoped
+would shoot far enough to reach this earth;
+said if it wasn’t back in six months, they
+would know some one got it; said the jewels
+were the finest, but not so expensive there as
+here, because there they are very plentiful;
+said the “Man from Now” once lived in
+Jupiter and they kicked him out, that’s how
+he was showing around Boston; said there
+was a man who spent heaps of Jupiter Globe
+funds and declared he was a brother to
+Fitzgerald here; said automobiles don’t kill the
+people in Jupiter because they can all fly, and
+get out of the way; said they would make it
+very homelike for any Boston schoolmarms
+that want husbands; said there were no rum-shops
+up there (some people of Boston would
+have to get a new job that are saloon
+hunters); that the Golden Rule was all the
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88'></a>88</span>
+religion they needed, and was signed “Weston
+Franklin,” the maker of the noted Franklin
+Automobile.
+</p>
+<p>
+When Jimmy was telling the gardener about
+it he said, “Hully gee, how am I to let dose
+guys know I got de rocks, de Governor says
+dey are worth a big pile of dough here and he
+will sell them and invest de money and I will
+have to study hard and be a man. Golly, does
+he tink I am a cow? I don’t care. I wouldn’t
+know what to do with de money, so de Governor
+might des as well keep it for me. I
+will go up to Jubator myself some day when
+dey gits de air ships going safe. I didn’t ever
+expect to see de one dat went ober across de
+pond, a few months ago, but it came down
+safe and all on board. Yes, I’m getting along
+fine on de automobile. I can run it all right
+but I can’t keep me feet still when I hear dat
+band of de Governor’s, though. Say, dat’s a
+peach you bet yer boots. It’s a hummer. I
+reckon de Franklin car is de best on de street.
+Now dey has it on de planet Jubator all de
+swells will have one here; it will be more de
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89'></a>89</span>
+rage dan ever before. Miss Elsie, she says
+she always felt it was de best one, and she
+knows what’s good. Yes, I will turn in now.
+Good night.”
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90'></a>90</span>
+</p>
+<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91'></a>91</span>LETTER XII</h2>
+<p>
+“Jimmy” has been relating more of his
+troubles to the gardener. Last night it was
+so unusual that I will record it, as he seems
+to be a part of our life in a way. Pa and
+Levey Cohen say he is naturally a good
+foundation to build on—and they must know.
+“Say, Mr. Gardner, what you tink, de boys
+are calling me Mr. Jones, since de Governor
+sold dem rocks and got fifty thousand dollars
+for de lump, and I have had my picture in de
+Boston ‘American.’ Say Hearst is a pretty
+good man; he would be all right if he was
+a Republican, but Dick says he’s on de wrong
+side of de pump in politics. Anyway he
+treated me white—made a very decent picture
+of me. It looks a sight better any day,
+than I does, Peg says, and she has good eyes,
+she has. Well, as I was saying, fancy me
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92'></a>92</span>
+being called Mr. Jones. Hully gee, it made me
+sick to me stomach. I wonder if de push
+tinks I am going to swell up and bust ’cause
+I’ve got a few dollars now? I ain’t seen it,
+de Governor says I’se got it, all right, but I
+don’t feel no different than I did before,
+except I have de faith dat if I gets a college
+ice once a week I won’t miss de five cents
+when I needs a pair of shoes, or a handkerchief.
+Say, mister, I notices some charge ten
+cents for dem college ices. I had one what
+cost ten cents de other week and ’tween you
+and me I couldn’t see a might of difference
+in de two, except de price. Dick says I’m
+like de Irishman. Said all de taste I had was
+in me mouth. I’ve got on fine at de night
+school—de teachers say I must drop my
+slang, but, hully gee! I don’t use any slang,
+much. I told de Professor to go oil his lamps,
+and he got mad and kept me after school.
+I be hanged if I notice that I use much slang.
+Wouldn’t it bust de buttons off your vest how
+perticular some folks be? Hully gee! I don’t
+want to be mean, nor nothing, but I must
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93'></a>93</span>
+have time to git my own lamps trimmed,
+’cause I’se always had to bump up against it
+hard, ever since I was born. I would like
+awful well if I could run up on de silver rays
+of de moon to dat planet Jubator; it must be
+a fine place up dare. Just tink, no rivers, and
+seas, to git drownded in, just deep wells,
+thick as peas in a pod, but no boats, or ships.
+Hully gee! only land, land everywhere. I
+would feel lonesome without de oder of de
+Charles River here. Sometimes it smells
+pretty bad, but I could even stand that than
+no smell at all. Oh, I want to tell yer before
+I forgit it. I went out in de country last
+night with Dick, to see his granny what lives
+out to Salem Willows. Well, they have a
+little patch of land there behind the house
+and Dick’s granny keeps a few hens, and she
+had some nice custards in old cups and we
+had a feast, let me tell you. Dick’s granny
+keeps a goat, and a male sheep with big
+horns. He’s an awful ugly cuss, and we saw
+ample proof of his ugliness. Dick went out to
+feed him and he broke his chain and came for
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94'></a>94</span>
+Dick lickety slap bang and bunted Dick all
+over the yard. He tried to get up, but every
+time he moved the old he sheep would draw
+back and knock him down. He kept him there
+for more than an hour, I guess. Last his
+granny missed him and went to the door and
+Dick yelled for me to come out and drive
+the old he sheep off. I got the poker and
+went for Mr. Sheep. I gave him a good clip
+over his nose and he didn’t feel like bunting
+any more; then I turned to Dick and said,
+‘Button, button, who got the button?’ and
+Dick said, ‘Well, if you had been here when
+I first came out you would have seen plain
+enough who it was.’ Then we came back
+home and Dick says he’s no friend to that
+he sheep any more. I don’t blame him at all.
+That he sheep ought to have had more sense,
+but he didn’t. Dat he sheep seemed to have
+a heap of respect for me after I gave him a
+rap over his nose. I reckon he would have
+called me Mr. Jones, if he could talk, with
+the accent on the Mr.
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95'></a>95</span>
+</p>
+<p>
+“The Governor told me if I wanted to get
+ahead I must get the bulldog grip. I told
+him I never seed one, and he said, ‘Jimmy,
+didn’t you ever see an old maid in the country
+set the bulldog on a tramp and see with what
+a grip the dog held on to the seat of the
+tramp’s trousers as he tried to get over the
+fence?’ I said I had, and he said that was
+what a bulldog grip means. Just get a strong,
+good hold and hang on. He said the Mason’s
+grip wasn’t so strong; said I ought to see a
+Mason ride the lodge goat. He said it was
+more fun to see the other fellow do it than to
+ride yourself.”
+</p>
+<p>
+We are planning for the Automobile Magazine
+Cup race. The cup is a stunner; it cost
+five thousand dollars, the most unique cup
+ever offered for a race. Pa says I can enter
+my Franklin Flyer as I am set on it so much.
+Levey Cohen says I’ll win, so does Jimmy.
+I hope I do, then folks would have to say
+a girl can do some things, too, as well as boys
+and men.
+</p>
+<p>
+Oct. 15, 1907. Say, but I am excited, for I
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96'></a>96</span>
+have won the race. Fifteen hundred miles
+with not one bad mark—a perfect score for
+a kid is rather good, I think. I feel more
+pleased than I can tell. They had a plate
+made with brilliants that spelled “Franklin,
+Model G,” and put on to the space left for
+the name in the cup. It’s a dandy, let me tell
+you that. Jimmy Jones yelled himself sick
+shouting for the Franklin at the end of the
+tournament when the trophy was awarded.
+He said it took a live fish to go up stream
+and the Franklin car was it. I never saw a
+boy so crazy before. He said he would like
+to see the maker of the Franklin car President
+of the United States, but I told him I guessed
+he would rather turn out fast cars than to be
+president of anything but his own company.
+There’s only one President ever got rich while
+sitting in the Presidential chair and he ought
+to have been in better business, Pa says.
+Jimmy says we have a bully President now,
+and I guess that’s right, anyway, Pa and
+Levey Cohen say so, and they know.
+Jimmy was telling our gardener more yarns
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97'></a>97</span>
+and I will write what I can hear: “Say, mister,
+wouldn’t de new style of trousers put a feller
+on de bum, though? I never seed such big
+wide trousers. Be gosh, I believe dey are
+trying to git skirts on to de men. When I
+put me new suit on de Governor got me last
+week, I thought it looked mighty queer, yet
+I never gave it much thought till Peg got
+her peepers on them. She jest hollowed and
+she says, ‘Git on to de dude, trying to be a
+womens; almost petticoats,’ says she, ‘not
+yet but soon. See de crease warble when
+ye walks. Hully gee! Jimmy, if yese can
+walk and keep dat crease straight de cops
+will pull yese in for talking too much boose.
+Ye will walk like a streak of greased lightning
+to keep up wid ye pants, bet ye life, it
+will be more work for ye than for a womens
+to keep her hat on straight, see?’ Well, I
+did see, and I asked de Governor to send dem
+to de dressmakers and git de seam took in,
+but de Governor said, ‘Jimmy, dat’s de style,’
+but I says, ’Scuse me, sir, but I want me
+pants to look like they were cut for me and
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98'></a>98</span>
+not for John L. Sullivan.’ Peg says all de
+swell guys look like a pole wid de cloth
+draped on to cover up dar slimness. Now
+what I want to know is what de fat man can
+do wid all dat extra cloth around his pegs.
+He will look like he was sent for and didn’t
+come at all. De tailor what made dat style
+must have been down East somewhere, perhaps
+down to Wonderland or Lynn, and got
+too many drinks, so he thought everyting
+went, even to de cloth for de trousers. I
+don’t know whether he gits his money by
+de week or per. Oh, I saw dat fine actor,
+Mr. Edmund Breese, in de ‘Lion and de
+Mouse.’ Say, dat Breese man is a peach. He
+is mighty good actor, mister. I wish you
+would go and see him. Peg says she wishes
+I could make love like he can on de stage.
+She says she saw him at de Castle Square,
+Boston, and he was de handsomest lover on
+de stage—so de papers said, but you see I
+ain’t it for polished manners. De Governor
+says I’ve got to watch out all de time so not
+to git throwed down. I am doing the best
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99'></a>99</span>
+I can to stand on both me pins at once, but
+it must be mighty find to be really born a
+gentleman like Mr. Breese. He bought a
+paper of me several times when he was at
+de Park Theatre and he’s a good sort, all
+right. Got lots of good sense in his head,
+and he’s popular. Oh, I say, mister, did you
+ever hear one of them vaudeville fellows what
+talks down in his boots and then yer think
+somebody’s under the stage, or in a trunk, or
+something awful. I mean one of them ventriloquists.
+Well, mister, I have seen ’em all
+from Dan Harrington to dat English chap
+what dey call Charlie Prince, but dey can’t
+any of dem fellows hold a candle to Harry
+Kane. Kane he styles hisself on de bill at
+de theatre. He does de best act wid dem
+dummies I ever seed. Peg says all de others
+are dead slow, but Kane makes his Irishman
+mighty mad at de nigger boy he has. Dat
+Irish doll boy nearly gits alive, really, mister,
+he is so mad at being near a nigger. Gosh,
+I never seed such a fight as dey gits into.
+Makes ye wish you could go right down on
+<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100'></a>100</span>
+de stage and give dat black nigger a big
+punch in de eye, so if ye wants to see a
+good A1 ventriloquist see Kane. Say, you will
+miss me gab ’cause de Governor has given
+me three weeks’ vacation. Me salary goes
+on just the same. I feel like a bank clerk or
+a cashier of a swell bank. So long, now, till
+Christmas, which is not yet, but soon.”
+</p>
+<p>
+I reckon I’ll say good night, too, little book,
+for my eyes are heavy with sleep.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ELSIE.</p>
+<div class='center'>
+<p>THE END.</p>
+</div>
+<p>
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+&#160;<br />
+</p>
+<div class='center'>
+<p>TESTIMONIAL</p>
+</div>
+<p>
+I am a pupil of the International Correspondence
+School of Scranton, Pa., in Complete Advertising,
+and am very much pleased
+with their course of instruction. It is plain,
+thorough, and meets every need of the student.
+I am sure it’s the “Open Sesame” to
+a successful business life if one is in earnest
+and willing to study. Study is the only password
+to success. This school is a mighty
+ally with one when willing to work to reach
+the very top of the tree of knowledge, and
+have a part in the world of successful men
+and women. The prizes in life are only for
+those that work for them, and I am heartily
+in the race, and advise earnestly any one wishing
+to gain knowledge and position, to come
+with us. Your highest ambition can be attained
+if you will only work, and the teachers
+of this school will show you how and aid you
+in your desire to better yourself, and the
+world, by your work.
+</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>A grateful student,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>ETHELLYN GARDNER,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
+<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;'>Author of “The Letters of the Motor Girl.”</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Letters of the Motor Girl, by Ethellyn Gardner
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+</pre>
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+</body>
+</html>
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