Hellisotherpeople/Lipogram-e · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 662
By Autumn, a man who took his vacation in July, would hardly know his
town upon coming back, so thoroughly had thousands "dug in" to aid in
its transformation.

"Boys," said Gadsby, "you can pat your own backs, if you can't find
anybody to do it for you. This city is proud of you. And, girls, just
sing with joy; for not only is your city proud of you, but I am, too."

"But how about you, sir, and your work?"

This was from Frank; a boy brought up to think fairly on all things.
"Oh," said Gadsby laughingly, "I didn't do much of anything but boss
you young folks around. If our Council awards any diplomas, I don't
want any. I would look ridiculous strutting around with a diploma with
a pink ribbon on it, now wouldn't I!"

This talk of diplomas was as a bolt from a bright sky to this young,
hustling bunch. But, though Gadsby's words did sound as though a grown
man wouldn't want such a thing, that wasn't saying that a young boy or
girl wouldn't; and with this surprising possibility ranking in young
minds, many a kid was in an anti-soporific condition for parts of many
a night.

But a kindly Councilman actually did bring up a bill about this diploma
affair, and his collaborators put it through; which naturally brought
up talk as how to award such diplomas. At last it was thought that a
big public affair at City Hall, with our Organization on a platform,
with Branton Hills' Mayor and Council, would furnish an all-round,
satisfactory way.

Such an occasion was worthy of a lot of planning; and a first thought
was for flags and bunting on all public buildings; with a grand
illumination at night. Stationary lights should glow from all points
on which a light could stand, hang, or swing; and gigantic rays should
swoop and swish across clouds and sky. Bands should play; boys and
girls march and sing; and a vast crowd would pour into City Hall. As on
similar occasions, a bad rush for chairs was apt to occur, a company
of military units should occupy all important points, to hold back
anything simulating a jam.

Now, if you think our Organization wasn't all agog and wild, with
youthful anticipation at having a diploma for work out of school
hours, you just don't know Youth. Boys and girls, though not full
grown inhabitants of a city, do know what will add to its popularity;
and having had a part in bringing about such conditions, it was but
natural to look back upon such, as any military man might at winning a
difficult fight.

So, finally our big day was at hand! That it might not cut into school
hours, it was on a Saturday; and, by noon, about a thousand kids,
singing, shouting and waving flags, stood in formation at City Park,
awaiting, with growing thrills, a signal which would start as big a
turn-out as Branton Hills had known in all its history. Up at City
Hall awaiting arrivals of city officials, a big crowd sat; row upon
row of chairs which not only took up all floor room, but also many a
small spot, in door-way or on a balcony in which a chair or stool could
find footing; and all who could not find such an opportunity willingly
stood in back. Just as a group of officials sat down on that flag-bound
platform, distant throbbing of drums, and bright, snappy band music
told of Branton Hills' approaching thousands of kids, who, finally
marching in through City Hall's main door, stood in a solid mass around
that big room.

Naturally Gadsby had to put his satisfaction into words; and, advancing
to a mahogany stand, stood waiting for a storm of hand-clapping and
shouts to quit, and said:--

"Your Honor, Mayor of Branton Hills, its Council, and all you out in
front:--If you would only stop rating a child's ability by your own;
and try to find out just _what_ ability a child has, our young folks
throughout this big world would show a surprisingly willing disposition
to try things which would bring your approbation. A child's brain is an
astonishing thing. It has, in its construction, an astounding capacity
for absorbing what is brought to it; and not only to think about, but
to find ways for improving it. It is today's child who, tomorrow,
will, you know, laugh at our ways of doing things. So, in putting
across this campaign of building up our community into a municipality
which has won acclaim, not only from its officials and inhabitants,
but from surrounding towns I found, in our young folks, an out-and-out
inclination to assist; and you, today, can look upon it as labor in
which your adult aid was but a small factor. So now, my Organization of
Youth, if you will pass across this platform, your Mayor will hand you
your diplomas."

Not in all Branton Hills' history had any boy or girl known such a
thrill as upon winning that hard-won roll! And from solid banks of
humanity roars of congratulation burst forth. As soon as Mayor Brown
shook hands (and such tiny, warm, soft young hands, too!) with all, a
big out-door lunch was found waiting on a charming lawn back of City
Hall; and this was no World War mobilization lunch of doughnuts and a
hot dog sandwich; but, as two of Gadsby's sons said, was "an all-round,
good, big fill-up;" and many a boy's and girl's "tummy" was soon as
round and taut as a balloon.

As twilight was turning to dusk, boys in an adjoining lot shot skyward
a crashing bomb, announcing a grand illumination as a fitting climax
for so glorious a day; and thousands sat on rock-walls, grassy knolls,
in cars or at windows, with a big crowd standing along curbs and
crosswalks. Myriads of lights of all colors, in solid balls, sprays,
sparkling fountains, and bursts of glory, shot, in criss-cross paths,

By Autumn, a man who took his vacation in July, would hardly know his

town upon coming back, so thoroughly had thousands "dug in" to aid in

its transformation.

"Boys," said Gadsby, "you can pat your own backs, if you can't find

anybody to do it for you. This city is proud of you. And, girls, just

sing with joy; for not only is your city proud of you, but I am, too."

"But how about you, sir, and your work?"

This was from Frank; a boy brought up to think fairly on all things.

"Oh," said Gadsby laughingly, "I didn't do much of anything but boss

you young folks around. If our Council awards any diplomas, I don't

want any. I would look ridiculous strutting around with a diploma with

a pink ribbon on it, now wouldn't I!"

This talk of diplomas was as a bolt from a bright sky to this young,

hustling bunch. But, though Gadsby's words did sound as though a grown

man wouldn't want such a thing, that wasn't saying that a young boy or

girl wouldn't; and with this surprising possibility ranking in young

minds, many a kid was in an anti-soporific condition for parts of many

a night.

But a kindly Councilman actually did bring up a bill about this diploma

affair, and his collaborators put it through; which naturally brought

up talk as how to award such diplomas. At last it was thought that a

big public affair at City Hall, with our Organization on a platform,

with Branton Hills' Mayor and Council, would furnish an all-round,

satisfactory way.

Such an occasion was worthy of a lot of planning; and a first thought

was for flags and bunting on all public buildings; with a grand

illumination at night. Stationary lights should glow from all points

on which a light could stand, hang, or swing; and gigantic rays should

swoop and swish across clouds and sky. Bands should play; boys and

girls march and sing; and a vast crowd would pour into City Hall. As on

similar occasions, a bad rush for chairs was apt to occur, a company

of military units should occupy all important points, to hold back

anything simulating a jam.

Now, if you think our Organization wasn't all agog and wild, with

youthful anticipation at having a diploma for work out of school

hours, you just don't know Youth. Boys and girls, though not full

grown inhabitants of a city, do know what will add to its popularity;

and having had a part in bringing about such conditions, it was but

natural to look back upon such, as any military man might at winning a

difficult fight.

So, finally our big day was at hand! That it might not cut into school

hours, it was on a Saturday; and, by noon, about a thousand kids,

singing, shouting and waving flags, stood in formation at City Park,

awaiting, with growing thrills, a signal which would start as big a

turn-out as Branton Hills had known in all its history. Up at City

Hall awaiting arrivals of city officials, a big crowd sat; row upon

row of chairs which not only took up all floor room, but also many a

small spot, in door-way or on a balcony in which a chair or stool could

find footing; and all who could not find such an opportunity willingly

stood in back. Just as a group of officials sat down on that flag-bound

platform, distant throbbing of drums, and bright, snappy band music

told of Branton Hills' approaching thousands of kids, who, finally

marching in through City Hall's main door, stood in a solid mass around

that big room.

Naturally Gadsby had to put his satisfaction into words; and, advancing

to a mahogany stand, stood waiting for a storm of hand-clapping and

shouts to quit, and said:--

"Your Honor, Mayor of Branton Hills, its Council, and all you out in

front:--If you would only stop rating a child's ability by your own;

and try to find out just _what_ ability a child has, our young folks

throughout this big world would show a surprisingly willing disposition

to try things which would bring your approbation. A child's brain is an

astonishing thing. It has, in its construction, an astounding capacity

for absorbing what is brought to it; and not only to think about, but

to find ways for improving it. It is today's child who, tomorrow,

will, you know, laugh at our ways of doing things. So, in putting

across this campaign of building up our community into a municipality

which has won acclaim, not only from its officials and inhabitants,

but from surrounding towns I found, in our young folks, an out-and-out

inclination to assist; and you, today, can look upon it as labor in

which your adult aid was but a small factor. So now, my Organization of

Youth, if you will pass across this platform, your Mayor will hand you

your diplomas."

Not in all Branton Hills' history had any boy or girl known such a

thrill as upon winning that hard-won roll! And from solid banks of

humanity roars of congratulation burst forth. As soon as Mayor Brown

shook hands (and such tiny, warm, soft young hands, too!) with all, a

big out-door lunch was found waiting on a charming lawn back of City

Hall; and this was no World War mobilization lunch of doughnuts and a

hot dog sandwich; but, as two of Gadsby's sons said, was "an all-round,

good, big fill-up;" and many a boy's and girl's "tummy" was soon as

round and taut as a balloon.

As twilight was turning to dusk, boys in an adjoining lot shot skyward

a crashing bomb, announcing a grand illumination as a fitting climax

for so glorious a day; and thousands sat on rock-walls, grassy knolls,

in cars or at windows, with a big crowd standing along curbs and

crosswalks. Myriads of lights of all colors, in solid balls, sprays,

sparkling fountains, and bursts of glory, shot, in criss-cross paths,