davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-11-01
the VERMONT MUTUAL INSUR-
RMCE COMPANY.

Mutual Fire Insurance Company for ISS3 are due
October 18th. Please do not delay to pay the
same on or before this date to Page e Mcfarland,
agents, and save the trouble and expense of re
hitting to the home office.
HYDE PARK Oct. ), 1853.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Christmas Presents.

Children of the present generate,
are not aware, probably, how much hot A
ter they fare at Christmas and on tbe;.
birthdays than their fathers did. And
it is a conclusive proof of the growth -
our people on the sentimental side Of
their natures, that it is 50.
Forty years ago, in this country. it !.
not likely that one boy out OF a seo,a
expected to receive even one present ~
Christmas. The practice has grown
almost universal within the last genera
ton.
Now it might be easy to say the. III.
change arises out of the greater abun.
dance of money in the country. That
has helped it, no doubt. But there have
always been ways to,give presents with.
out spending much money for them
And those presents which we receive at
Christmas-tide, which are the hand;'
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
ST. NICHOLAS.

Ho! there at the wicket, who pounds at the
door?
Such a din in Olympus was neer heard be
fore
would I'D, slecp-got yc sone-1'm aiing-rm
What the deuce-therc again-who is calling
st. Nicks''
Arouse ye! Arouse ye! It's dawning
The star that once beamed over Bethlehem S
plain
The star Of the Magi that shone on the morn
when earth's blessed Savior, the Christ-child,
was born!"
"Ho! Ho! Is it 50? Then Til up and away
AS soon as the COLLINS can harness my Sleigh"
Then he roared such laugh as he sprang out
of BEL
It startled the stars in the sky overhead,
And they winked at each otheras much as to
! say:
There is something gone wrong and Old Nick
lst pay.
It took but moment to jump in his boots
10 wrap himself up in the best Of fur suits,
~ run to the closet and drag out his pack,
Which ne swung with cnuckle across his
broad back:
Then off to the stable he dashed through the
snow,
Where the reindeer were prancing all ready
to go.
He was up in a iltfy, and. cracking his whip.
With . Hi. there! my hearties" he let the
reinS slip.
Straight down through the wclkin they sped
like the light:
without pause or turn to the lctt or the right:
The clouds dragged their skirts to get Off OF
the track,
The winds shrank alarmed-all quite taken |
aback.
Fen the moon drew in haste a veil DER her |
face,
So quick cracked the whip and 50 fast was the
pace;
And he pealed out laugh so jocund AMI gay
That Aurora woke up long before it was day:
Oh, never such sleigh-ride was ridden before
AS that of ST. Nick with his rich Christmas
store!
Far down in the distance Earth rolled fast
asleep,
Dark night having wrapped it in silence SO
That the chi lren, tucked close in their snug
little IDS,
Whence nothing peepcd out save their chcru-
bin heads,
We're dreaming of fairies of frolic and fun,
And other stern faces of life just begun.
It was three by the clock, whom out on the
That tnkle of s'eigh-rells and taps of a hoof
Made their little hearts bound and flash round
the Earth
A smile such as welcomed the Lamb at its
birth;
But they woke not. Oh no! Old Nick is 50
sly
lie fastens a paddock on each prying eye.
With whoa, there, my prctties," he stops i
with jerk,
lights his pipe, swings his pack, then away to !
his work. ;
OVER steepes and house-tops, in windows, +.
down hucS, p,
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Mistletoe at Christmas Tide.

The hanging of the mistletoe is the
cause of much frolic and laughferin the
house. 1t is the rule that whoever is
passing under the mistletoe- Dough must
submit to being kissed then and there
by whatsoever chooses to take that lib
erty. AS bough usually hangs from
the center of the ceiling, spreading over
large space, it follows that there must
be much lodging or much kissing;
am inclined to think there are both.
The origin of this use of the mistletoe
is not known; but we do know that
more thln eighteen hundred years ago,
wen the glad stars sang together over
the manger in Bethlehem, and when
wise men brought gifts OF gold, frank
incense and mYrrh to young Child in
the peasant mothers arms, England
was chill, mist-covered island, inhab-
tied only by savages, who wore gar
ments of skins and lived in huts of mud
and stones. Among these savage Brit
ons there were pagan priests called
Drulds. These priests were mysteri-
Gus folk, who lived in dense woods far
away from other men, and who, in the
gloomy solitudes OF the forest: performed
strange secret ceremonies. The sacred
groves, as they were called, were of
oak; for the oak was q divine tree, ac-
cording to the Dru deal religion With
in these sacred groves the prize is, it is
recorded in history, offered their sacri-
fees, and in some manner now not
known they employed the mistletoe
But all mistictoe was not sacred to the |
Druids They would have none but
that which chung to the trunk and was
nourished by the sap OF the divine oak.
10 them the apple-tree miStletoe, which
modern England Uses so free in her
holiday festivities. would be worthless
and common thing.
When i'll later centuries England was
'aught the Christian religion by priests
Who went thither from Rome, the peo-
Die. though protesting a beliefin Christ,
'etained many of their heather rites and
customs changed from their original
meaning and purpose. AT any rate,
rom the Druids has come the modern
'sa re of the mistletoe- bough. strangely
preserved in festivities which commem-
rate the birth of Him whose pure wor-
hip destroys all heather supers, itions.
81. Nicholas.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

and rosy had a Hedake. then went to bee
but Some thing had made me orful sick tho
don't belief it was cake s. l went to rosy
| room softly. She was cryin s. sittin on the
floor by the fire then went in to mas room s
She was cryin too Il Pa was sayin We are LiV
In on a Vc'caner tell you.
/ was kinder skared be kause volkaneers
bum you all up & are very dangerus. Ma
says samuel Kant help it the girls must dress
s. wa must keep up appearance says ma why
Xs1t VIC moove off the v0lkaner s. buy new
! House up to Sentril Park.
| "pa says where did that young skamp come
| from 4 then the flor iumpt up & hit me ma
sed it was kanse he'd ct too much terrasn.
IS was orful sick all mite. The mex morn
| ing Kan the made helped me git up & sed
was to go rite Off to skool Agen & the Coach
| man was to take care of me went to say good
| BY to loo she was in bed with griddions in her
hair citing lots of breakfast rosy kissed me &
| her eyes was al red & she sed teddy deer they
! are breaking my hart & prommsed Her wen
| i grow up viii lick them al.
"Flikc Rosy pretty well cOnsderin she is
ny sister pa IN ma H. was shut up in the
:" Ho said look at them
dresses. bonnits, tneary, jewelry. kant
pay them tell You we are Twin beyond our
menes. so is ev'ry body says ma but the girls
viii marry wei. says pa look at ROSY she is now
IN lov with that good lookin RASCAL on Il hun
drid year.
"She shant hav him says ma now don't be a
" utc iilu CUT uOWu EXPENSES DCrh01S 10 will
help you out my brot' or 10 is IL :,tingee ole
kur says pa. g. if he knows we are fled an ears
over in det he wuddunt leve Tct: a sent.
don't want sent pa says five sents aiAt
much one sent ant nOthi'. and uncle 10 is
an Old bare says. o Send the boy to skooI he
makes me Graz Ly says pa & ma kissed me in
a hurry 4 pusht me Long to the dore.
pa had his he'd burryel in his hand &
pcarances So am tired of ri'Ing such a long
Compression and the coachman TOOK me bac
to skool q that is all know Bout ncwyears'
Uncle Joe quietly folded up the
scrawl, and looked out from under the
thatch of his eyebrows at Hedge, who. I
glancing at Lou, and seeing She was
dangerous, silently left the room and
the house. Sorghum followed also,
politely escorted to the door
by Uncle Joe's steady gaze. The
method failed with Fred Trcmainc, for
the look only sent him as far as Rosic's
side, where he sat down with determi-
nation. Mrs. Gloss was sobbing hyster-
ically, and her husband seemed inclined
to drop down dead.
"Well," Uncle Joe began, "well,
aren't you u pack of idiots to sacrifice
your comfort and honesty for this
show OF fashionable life?
Now, I've always disappointed you in
the money way, and I'll do it still"
MIR. Sam Gloss trelnbled. 'Ill do it
still; for you think L going to see you
90 to ruin, and won't. | will look
over matters with you, Sam, and find
out how l can put you on your LEGS
again. But stop this high-pressure iv-
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
How Times Have Changed!

"Changed!' exclaimed Deacon Green
to the dear little school-ma am, a YEA,
ago come Christmas, 81 should think
they had changed. Why, many's the
time Eve heard my dear old father tell
how, years ago. when he and Aunt Mary
were children living on their fathers
farm in old England, the least little nres-
ent used to delight them.
"Ihey were weli-to-do people, too. the
Greens were: but to find one book or a.
ball or shepherds pipe in his Christ
mas stocking would make father perfect.
y happy when he was boy; and his
sister thought box Of sugar-pIums. or
a new doll. or any one pretty gimcrack
was 10y, indeed. Changed! well. I'd
like to know! Why, I'm told that a bow
OF this day, a real boy of the period.
would consider himself q much-abuseI
fellow if he didn' find on his Christmas.
tree ball, a six-bladed knife, a scientific.
top. box OF carpenters tools. a print
!ng-press' a llg-saw, a sled, y bicycle,
ice-skates, roller-skates, u Punch.and-
Judy show, telephone, steam.cn.
Slne, microscope, steamboat a
working train of cars. q box of parIor
magic, pistol a performing acrobat. \
real watch, gold scarf-pin, gold cuff
buttons, bound volume of St. Nicho.
las and twenty or thirty other books
more or less. besides a pocket-book with
gold money in it, and pair of kid
gloves.
~ may have forgotten sometimes
added the Deacon, wiping his brow.
"but so lar as can make out, that's the
proper thing for an average bows
nowadays.
"As for the girls" the good man went
on IA ia sing his voice, 'as for the girls
:, How she did it, do not know; but
that wonderful little school-ma'am AZ.
luaily stopped the proceedings then
and there. So, to this day your Jack
doesn't know what an average pirl Of
the present day does, might, could |
would or should find on a Christmas.
'ree. --&. Nicholas. '''''
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Christmas.

The stockings are numerous. and
they become more numerous year NV
year; but there is wealth ENOUGH to iii
them all. The Lord takes care of these
things, and no little child will appeal
to the Christmas heart in vain. There
are problems in political and social
economy which can never be satisfac-
torlly solved; but there is Il beneticence
IN the general plan of living and diving
which will permit no gross in ustice'
We go to the Father and to His Son
when we die, trusting to their generosi-
" and knowing well our feebleness;
and no little child in New York and
let us believe in all the land--for a
single exception at t:lis time would be
injustice to the whole plan-will appeal
TO the Father or the Son. or to any OF
the!r representatives. who is not
their representative in the Christmas
tlme?-in vain.
1here should be no children's tears
to-day or for days to come. AS we
hope for charity for ourselves, let us be
generous to the helplessness which is q
type OF our own helplessness in the
eyes OF the Power to which we pray.
The little children are bad and GOOD
ana ragged and we'll clothed, and prom
l'slng and unpromising, and bright and
dull, and lubilant and sullen, and Iowa
bic and ENJOYABLE; but there is in every
par OF eyes the same pleading look and
the same KIND of tear, either of graft
tude or disappointment, and for the
most part they have the same kind Of
l nears ana the same ability to under
s'aiu disappointment and injustice.
Light up these little eyes on Christ
mas morning, and use the means to it
at once. Brighten these little faces.
though the shining of them shine
through dirt that a better article of
general government ought to have
washed away. Smooth ont the care
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

SO fleet you would think he hid w.ngs to his
shoes.
he whirls, ""''
NOW plnching the babies, now kissing the
Filling up all their stockings with goodies and
toys,
Nor forgetting the switch, always left for bad
boys. '''1
Ihen on through the play-roons to plant
those great trees
"hcre grow do.lies and drums will. exquisite
ease.
W, what a jolly fat fellow! so little and spry.
With round dimpled cheeks and a fine flash.
ing eve, s''
Hair jewe!ed with hail-stones, and such red
nose, " Nv
IL III ilghts up the pathway wherever he goes!
men MS llch, merry laugh-ah. never, fenr
VIII MUSIC so sweet again gladden. the year!
E Hut time fiesapace. Even now q faint ray
STRUGGLES up through the East US the herald
The winds wake in protest and scatter the
snow: VIC
Now, listen! the signal! hear tho cock crow
Ho' , no. cries Old Nick with his checriest
Merry christmas to all! and to all good
AnorlliHS. -Edlcdrd c. Hancock.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Christmas Is Coming.

Hope it won't be II green Christmas
Boston Post
bet you that you get Il pair of slip.
pcrs on Christmas -Cyece,aaQ
N0in0culer.
The turkey that escaped Thanks
giving Begins to trcmble for Christmas.
-Clecelaad Raindtaler.
Married people are generally good
mind rea iers. JUS now wives and
husbands are artfully trying to deceive
each other as to what they want for a
Christmas present.-Bosion Globe.
Pay that ten dollars to-day? WHY.
my dear sir, do you expect a man 10
take Christmas money to pay debtso
NO, sir! no, sir! | still have a warm
heart in my bosom, r!"-LouisviUe
Courier-Jou1Wal.
1t seems like taking ADVANTAGE of
an innocent turkey to 1atten him for
Christmas or the remains of the dress
ing left over from, perhaps, her fathers
OF mothers skeleton, but such thinos
are done.-focdester Post Express.
Gust at this season of the wear tho
W, world is divided into two classes
Those who find difficulty in selcctino
appropriate Christmas gifts and those
who lind difficulty in purchasing them
after they have been selected. The latter
class is the more numerous. --Rochester
Post-E1press. ''S''''
:" Are you going to present vour
husband with a Christmas dressino.
gown, asks the Detroit Free Press 81
the Ladies. Perhaps it is not competent
Dut there are a great many wives who
Will present their husbands with Christ
mas dressing-down if they don't ret
"hat they want.-Boston Globe.
~ maiden fair. the Christmas comes
ana Christmas snow is Hooking
Inou hast my heart, sweet ono ~ a,s.
I'd put it in thy stocking. u 0''0
Close by the chimney it should hanp
rr; ni ie warmer grow. and warmer.
AZ ~, m me morn its captur came.
inc darling little stormer,
y naiden fair. the Christmas comes
anu CHRISTMAS snow Is tockinr
Behold lover at thy feet,
II not at thy dear stocking,
-Ao'slsUiIle Cou,1er.Jossruaz.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Our Daughter and Neighbours Son Decide the
Supplement Good Enough for Their Use.
TED'S ACCOUNT OF NEW YEARS..

''By The way" said Mr.. Samue
Gloss. GIVE q letter from Ted. It's
quite heavy one, you see, for char
OF ten; but | can't make out such q
mass of scrawl. Here, mamma, sup
pose you read it,
Before Mrs. Gloss could reach out her
hand Uncle Joe, Mr.. Gloss bachelor
brother, interfarcd with: LET me have
the boys letter; | always did like that
young scamp of yours
After smiling at the down-hill tenden-
cy OF the superscription, Uncle Joe soon
became abSOr cd over the pages that
began in text-hand, continued in spider
tracks, and at last rose to the dignity
OF heroglyphcs.
The Gloss family, tired out after the
holiday season, were having domestic
evening in The dining-room The libra
ry, hung in old Spanish leather, lacked
the embellishments that grow out of
daily use, AMI oppressed one like a
great bronze extinguisher; the long
drawng-room, the conventional New
York parlor, was too like a mammoth
and splendid hearse to permit of even
ats proprietors feeling at home in it. SO
about the dining-table were gathered
Papa and Mamma Gloss, the Misses
Lou and Rosie Gloss, Mr.. Sorghum, a
gentleman OF many smiles and compli-
'ments, OF many suits of fine clothing,
OF dog cart, and gorgeous living GEN
orally, and Uncle Joe, unmarried.
crusty and rich. There was also a
young fellow called Fred Trcmaine, but
he was only chap in papa's office at q
small salary. Though he had six good
feet OF uncommonly good looks, still he
was very modest ''And no wonder as
Lou whispered to Rosie. "He ought to
be: Twelve hundred year, indeed"
Sorghum remarked, in his sweetest
Zones: 'How seldom a poor dog of
bachelor like me has the chance of en-
joyIng happy family gatherings
"A sigh, carefully given out for only
Rosie to hear. was graceful hint ri
his dissatisfaction with a bachelor ex-
istence.
Mamma Gloss clasped her plump
hand In little ecstacy, and answered:
"No one can have an idea of the peace
and content of family life!' A smile.
both maternal and encouraging, showed
that Mr.. Sorghum was an approved
candidate for the position OF son-in- I
law
Lou who was clever, and had a lofty :
bearing, marblc-white skin, and won /
dcrful rows of coal-black scallops on :
her pretty forehead, made properly
and glrlIsh comment or the bachelor re- q
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

mark; but Rosie, who was q contidino.
blonde with big gray eyes, said moth,
ing, and kept on with her crochet work
Sorghum used inwardIy warm emol-
lent of Wall street invectiye, and
wished himself the Afghan stripe that
could so hold her attention.
Just then Charlie Hedge (the Young
stock brokerage firm was Hedge Z
oorghnm) dropped in, and nodding ia
m!'iiarly to his partner. joined the fam
ny circle by taking aplace at Louis side.
He exclaimed:
How Jolly! A regular boom in do
mestlc evenings, ch, Miss Lou?'
NOW, Uncle Joe was sixty at least,
tall grlzzled. clean-shaven, heavy
proved, with q cast-iron look that
seemed made to withstand humbup.
and steel-cold, sharp eye that could
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

that comes prematurely to faces that
should only know merriment and be an
evidence OF nothing more serious than
careless study and thoughtless play.
The Christmas is civilization. and civil
cation means the tenderest of judgment
and the largest of humanity, And of
all the humanity that ever blessed man
kind, the kind that put its ann around
the child and strove to lead him to
think well of the world, including its
law and its gospel, has done most for
the manhood and womanhood that
grew up from that experience.
What more might be expected of the
Christmas season than this? What
more might The Savior, whose birth we
celebrate, ask? What better can we do
for ourselves and our happiness? For
the little children who are. to grow up
and be men and women along with our
children. fighting for life with them in
the ordinary existence of every day,
are going to give them hard rubs if they
are not treated as the Father and the
Son want them to be treated now.
1t is the Christmas season, and Christ
mas is civilization. Let us see how
we are. Let the snow
drift or the ran fall on no I'M
protected child. Let there be no little
onc yearning in vain for good fellow
ship. What Il farce would Christmas
1e if there were such fricndless, home |
ess. suffering wajf in all this world
y. Y. GruM'c.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

ing, and give this girl, Rosie, to Ire
poor" ~
Rosie and Fred tried to say some
words OF thanks, but. failing to do lust
ice to their feelings. conso!ed each other
by clasping hands.
There is worse misery than poverty"
Uncle Joe went on, "and Miss Loo had
better cast about for some good boy at
thousand.dollar salary. for no more
brokers will desire her dowry to mend
their capital. As for Ted" and Uncle
Joe rose to 60 into the library with his
brother-''he's an example to all young
wrlters-eXact, truthful. impartial. I
value his manuscript. shall keep him
IN pockct-money and make him nv
herr
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Crisn,us.

] like Crismus first rate. grismus is
a Jolly good Teller. So is my mother.
When Cr;smus comes mother ALWAYS
gifts a headake, COZ she bakes pies in
hot oven. l wouldn't bake no pies in a
hot oven if | was my mother. I'd let
somebody else bake 'em, an I'd eat
EN-. Cr;smus comes but onct year.
l visit it would come every day.
crlsmus comes when there is snow and
ice.
don't like snow on a pond, coz your
skates stick so. an you can't see tho
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
THE NEW YEAR.

When, oh! when did the New Year comey
~, When the midnight bells were ringing.
Ihcre were shadows DARK in the far-otf skv.
An nc. we were as e,,p, dear, you and I,
when the little New Year came winginp
Its downward flight
From an unknown height.
In the restful, peaceful, watchful night,
HOW did the New Year come to us?
Unstained and pure and tender,
WIN the light from the Star OF Bethlehem
On the fair young brow like diadem.
Shining in all its splendor.
Are You sorry, dear
That the bright New Year
VIII grow dim and weary with us here?
M. d. Brine. Ia ~ Y Iu.iepeudcnt.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
work of loving friends, are those which
are most priced.

"oEh VI loving lEicuuS, .TC those Which
are most priced.
The last fact shows that present-eiv-
ing ut stated seasons is matter ii
sentiment. and it also shows that tia
more it is that, and the less it is mat.
ter Of gain, the more pleasing it is to
us. Accordingly it is not that part Of
present giving which is due to the great.
er Nat onal and individual wealth, but
that which comes from tie sentimental
willingness to work for others. and to
make an outward expression of tina
goodwill which is not doubted that is
worth noting and praisng.
This laudable tendency of Americans
at the present day shows itself also in
the fashion of card-sending. Many a
miss still at school can remember the
time when the practice of sending holi-
day cards was almost unknown.
Nowadays everybody sends cards
and holidays are almost invented for I.
the purpose of aifording an excuse for
the cards. The artists and the publ sh.
ers vie with each other in producing
pretty and elegant designs. Christmas
New Years Day and Easter cards ara
published and sold by the million. The
mails are loaded with them.
All this is very pleasant, indeed. Let
the gruf and old-iashioned sheer ut tho s.
folly ard the hollowness, as they deem s
it, OF making presents which ara. ex-
pectcd. and of wishing Merry Christ
MAS by sending 4 chlom
Most OF what is pleasant and aoreea.
bic in our association with others come, Il
from the observance of certain iormal;- s
lies. When you bid your neighbor
good morning" what do you mean
oy itP Certainly not TO give him any in
.ormation. You say it as a matter Of Il
ormal courtesy. 1t means that, and
1othing more.
But who would abolish the mornine
Erecting. the gentleman's hand-shake'
he baby's kiss, that raising of the hat
o all lady acquaintance And to all
men acquaintance who are accom-
panied by ladies, and the other formal
of life?
An excess of sentiment and an over
loing of the outward expression of feel
ne are possible. But americans have
long road to travel before they are
a danger of failing on that side. 1t
MI be tor our great-grandchildren to
reach from the textiles sentiment
nd more heart.-Iouth's Con,paaion.