davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1883-04-27

o. the ri ht side.
+. ther Nick ma moved that Presi
dent Arthur be censured for lack o
good ia t &, and dishon-tt conduct. Ill
thought If President Arthur ever cam'
up for reelection he should MT have
re vote Of IRISH Americans. and thin
should be the sense of lis convention
The motion was ruled out of order.
THOMAS BRENNAN's ADDRESS.
Pending the report of the Conference
Comm tt e, Thomas Brennan, Seer. Try
of the Irish National League, addressed
the convention. He said it was but
four years since the first me, ting was
held in an Irish town that ipaugurated
the land war in Ireland. He compared
Irelan6's present independent spi'it
with the then prevailing spirit of servi-
tude and sycophany. These four years
had not cert iniy been spent in vain.
They had prevented repetition OF
t,"se friqhtful and appalling scenes of
lS47, which disgraced Ireland aud ap-
palIed humanitY, The Gre ed of man
hood had taken the place of the
letharpy of slaves in Ireland. The
Land League Of the United St tes had
been one Of the chief agents in effect
ing this change the time had
come when the begging cry shoul,
cease to pass around, Will Irishmen
continued to give up to an idl +, as' 'ss
and ind. lent lass the fruits Of their
til, which they shouli keep for them
Ives. Let the oppressors bear the
fruit, of their own f.lly and crime.
The power of the l,ndl ,rds over the
minds of the Irish peol !, was now com
II ly broken. The L,nd League had
saved twenty m II on d, II .rs t the pre-
ducers 10 Ire land, had wrung astound-
ing concessions from the Eugl'sh Par
and had Great ID
A SPIRIT WHICH LAUGHS AT DUNGEONS
And does not fear the gallows. Pre-
vious t, the Land L-ague movement 1t
was hard to tn he farmers in Ireland.
There is now no division in Ireland.
All are agreed that Irish lsndlordism
must be overthrown and abolished.
CLOSE OF THE DAYS BUSINESS.
The Chairman of the Conference
Committee presented a report, wit
-esolut tons He SAID the committee
1ad decided not t, adolt any plan for
merging or reorganiza ton of the Land |
league, but would leave 1t to the con-
'ention t, agree on such plan. The
eport was adoi ted.
Patrick Egan. Treasurer of the Irish |
and League, then addressed the coz
'ention. He rehearsed the history Of
ne organ cation and development OF
le moveme' in Ireland. giving stats
ics regarding the disposal of the
league funds. He said its accounts
ad never been questioned except by a
ew blackmailers.
The resolution reported by the Con
errence Committee, pledging all the
elegates t. attend in body the
s;innal Convention tomorrow and
i've their efforts in behalf of the new
rganizatiop, was adopted; also, q
esolution ordering the transfer of all
to the new League.
The convention then adjourned.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
The jones' Skeleton.

Peace, like white winged dove, has
lately brooded over the Jones family,
but one day last week the demon of dis
cord entered most unexpectedly. Jones
was getting ready to 60 down town in
the morning. and in looking for a hand
kerchief in the family bureau found a
drawer that resisted HMM fact it was
locked, most unheard of thing in that
family. At first it only made Jones
mad, because the resistance threw him
across the room, and bounced him up
againsta chihonier on the other side,
but when he regained consciousness he
called Maria and asked her, with white,
calm lips, where the key was. She
said it was in her pocket. He demand
ed it. She refused to give it to him; and
then ensued one OF those painful do
nestle silences which are so much more
narrowing than words or blows. Jones
went out and came in for three days,
and sulked during the whole time, Tor
an awful suspicion had taken possession
OF him. He remembered that Maria
had been distraught and mysterious
lately, with a CLASSY look in her eyes.
He recalled the fact that several times
the door bell had rung IN the evening
and she had eyaded his inquiry as to
who was there. He knew the evil ten
dency of the age and shuddered at the
idea that Maria had met handscmer
man than he. Green-eyed Jealousy took
possession OF his soul and ate and ate
into his heart like canker!
But all things come to an end. One
night Mrs. Jones went out, and as she
tripped past the parlor door she looked
in and said: ''Jeptha, if you hear the
baby gurgle wish you'd look at him.
That was his opportunity-now or
never. He crept softly up stairs and
entered the peaceful room where their
child was sleeping and turned the gas
down to the merest glimmer; then be
stealthily produced a key and fitted it
into the lock of that drawer and pulled
it silently open, and there lay before
hinl-the picture of that other man?
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
Old Traditions.

There is an old tradition tAat Christ
was born about midnight. From this,
bells are rung at midnight in England
and on the Continent. In Ronaan Cath
Ole countries it has long been custom-
airy to inaugurate Christmas with the
celebration Of g midnight mass, which
The devotion of the oxen was derived
from an old story that an OK: and asss
which were in the stable atithe birth
of Christ, fell Oh their knees in a sup
plant position, and that a cock crew.
The custom of singing carols .at Christ
mas, which has passed into oblivion, is
said to have sprung from tlEc songs Of
shepherds and others at the birth of
Christ. The common custom of dec
Grating houses and churches with ever
greens is derived from q common be-
lief that sylvan spirits woull flock to.
those evergreens and remain shere until
the coming in of milder season. Hol-
ly and ivy are the eyergredns chiefly
used in England; these are :also worn
about the head, and the phrases, to.
kiss unde. the rose'' and ts whisper
under the mistletoe,'' have reference to
this practice.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22


the counter was giving Mr.. Daley a
good many orders, but she had ears for
the conversation going on between
Dakie and the grocer-boy, and she
smiled at Dakie as she went past him
out Of the store-door.
Perhaps that would have been the end
of it, if, on her way home in her car
rage little later, she had not passed
Dakic again with one arm full of his
small parcels. just at that minute a
big dog bounced up against him, and
down went Dakie ON the sidewalk; and
the paper of sugar burst open. and the
ra:sins were scattered about, and more
than half of the crackers went into the
gutter.
.'Oh, dear me!'' said Dakie, as he be-
gan manfully to repair as much of the
mischief as he could.
'.No pudding now" thought the
lady; and in minute more she was
| being driven back to Mr.. Daley's store.
| There the soap-boX was pulled out
from under the counter, and into j;
went all sorts of nice things; raisins and
currants and figs and nuts and candies.
until it was quite full Then the cover
was nailed on, and Mr.. Daley's man
was hurried away with it to Dakie's
home, where it. arrived almost as soon
as Dakie himself
"Why, why, who sent it?' cried
| Dak;e.
| 81 don't know" said Mr.. Daley
man.
But Dakie knew the moment he read
in big letters on the cover: ''For the
| baby's Santa Claus
'.It was the ladyp' cried he. ooh
| isn't she beautiful
..Bu'ful!n echoed the baby Toseth'
| Communion.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

Oh no! but pair Of slippers embroid-
cred in red, green and yellow with q
terra Gotta -. j, in wreath OF eglan-
tine on each toe and a ''Merry Christ
mas'' card tackled to the pair. Poor
Jones! this was even worse than he ex-
pected. 1t is enough to break up any
man to thrust pair of embroidered
slippers upon him, and as he stood and
looked, and shivered, and realized that,
the thirgs were four inches too short,
and hat soft heels, he saw a paper stick
ing u2 caliously on one side. 1t was
addre, Sod in a mans handwriting to
Mrs. .;oaes. Ha! ha! this, then, was a
clue!
1t 4es.s;; it was the bill from the man
whc @osed the shoes, and it included
one t:,r the velvet and another for the
emf .ottcry, and Jones was trying to-
focA tbs matter up to his satisfaction,
Wien {. tremendous blow fell upon his
h::ad snd a fearful howl rent the air as
Es1dgat shrieked:
CIV, We m:zzable. Uneven, maraud-
ii nlagggard, I'll tache We to stale into
!accnt peoples houses oh, howly
MS.ses! it s the master himself, lad cess
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
Christmas and New Years Items.

the small. Thomas Iusser.
How to present a Christmas pres
ent to children-sock it to 'em. Lou
ell Courier.
Without the door let sorrow lie,
And il for cold it hap to die,
Wen bury t in a Christmas pie.
And evermore be merry. -Htther.
I'm England barrel of oysters is q
very common Christmas present to a
country friend.
The night that erst no name had worn,
To it happy name is given;
For in than stable lay, eW-bOrn,
The peaceful Prince of Earth and Heaven.
Alfred Domnctt.
Christmas comes but once a year;
but then it makes its presents felt
N. o. Picayune.
--Christmasl- Hear the JOY bells ring!
Gladly in the churches sing
OF His mercy of His power,
And the gifts the angels shower.
Miriam Lester.
Il have always thought of Christmas
time as good time; a kind, forgiving,
charitable, pleasant time. Dickens.
AS fits the holy Christmas-birth.
Be this, good friends, our carol still
Be peace on earth, be peace on earth,
TO men of gentle will. -Thackeran.
Devise liberal things for the poor,
that they may, by your gifts, be re-
minded OF the coming of the Christ
child.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
LOUISIANA.
ON THE CHURCH-,STEPS

came out of church; the grand music was
over,
The bells had been rung,
But my heart was still singing the jOyfullcst
carol
My heart ever sung.
went through the verbs: 10 be loved, to be
For there in the glad, Christmas sunshine he
waited,
On the church-steps.
You see, had promised to make him pres
emit
That beautiful day,
And though it was costly, I'm sure / was
willing
TO give it away;
And though on that moment my life was de-
Too proud Of my power stood there pre-
tending,
On the church-steps
And what was this present the dear boy ex-
pected?
You goose, can't you guess?
Well, listen-he asked me SO hard with his
eyebrows,
/ had to say-yes.
He knew he had conquered. / made no re-
sistance,
But gave him my love for his love and exist
ence,
There, on the church-steps.
". 7. GTdI1Itc.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
A Cflrist,llaS.HOX.


It wasn't pretty box all trimmed
with paper-lace and embossed pictures
and filled with bon-bons.
1t was made of wood, and once upon
a time it came to Mr.. Daley's store full
of soap. 1t was under Mr.. Daley's
counter. that very afternoon before
Christmas, when Dakie Lane came to
buy ten cents worth of raisins and a
pound of sugar and apound of crackers
and very little spice.
Going to have a pudding?'' asked
MIR. Daley's boy, weighing out the
sugar
aYes," sad Datie. ..And I want a
stick of candy, too, if you please, to put
in the baby's stocking. There's a
cent"
1t was q very large cent, and it shone
as if Dakie had polished it.
That's worth two sticks" said the
grocer-boy 1--WE don't often see such
shiny one. .What're you going to
have in your stocking?'' -
Nothing, | guess, said 3sllsie; 'I'm
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
Christmas Superstitions.

It is a curious fact that the forms and
traditions of our ancestors. connected
with our festivals, have been retained
and handed down from one generation
to another with very few changes;
none, however, except where civiliza-
ton has softened and beautified them,
for the mistletoe and holly, the Yule-
log and Christmas candles, are as full
of meaning in the New York homes of
to-day as they were in merry old En-
gland when Herrick wrote:
"Kinde the Christmas brand, and then
Till sunset let it burn
One of The earliest customs is the
decorating Of our homes and churches
with evergreens at Christmas time, for
our forefathers believed that the dec
Grafton of private dwellings in recogni-
ton of the Incarnation OF the Divinity
would, by marking the homes of the
believers, preserve them from the in
trusion and evil auspices of tiends.
1t is regarded as a very unlucky cir
cumstance if any leaves or sprigs are
dropped or remain behind on the re-
moval of the church or home dccora-
tons, and all must be cleared away be-
fore Candlemas-day February p: and
on no account should the sacred m site.
toe bough-the standing symbol OF
rough and-ready Irritation, without con-
seriousness OF necessity of harm-be
cast into the street or carefessly thrown
aside; for love luck it must be burne;.
by the oldest unmarried member Of th..
family. male or female.
Ii one wishes to revive an old Romau
custom, let him send q holly branch 80
his friends as typical OF good wishes,
and it may have a double meaning Ky
adding sprig of mistletoc, the glean-
ing berries conveying message OF hose,
for if the holly carries good wishes asld
foresight Or .1orethought, the mistletoe
culties,'' and many wife has been Won
by this little token Of assurance.
From the remotest times of the burn
ing of the Yule or Christmas log, it has
had all kinds Of superstitions connected
with it. In some parts of Europe the
log must be of a certain kind Of wood,
as in Devonshire it consists of fagoty of
ash bound together, and an extra glass
from the CIDER barrel is expected by the
guest for every crack made by the blaz-
ing fagots. One log is the general Gus
tom, but we have known a hod of coal
selected for that purpose when wood
was inaccessible. A bit of the Christ
mas log must always be saved
to light next years Christmas
fire with, and be sure that
the fire does not 60 out during the
night, nor until Christmas Day at sun
down. In many homes music is played
during the ceremony Of lighting the
lire, but on no &C count must it b., Light
ed before the proper tine, which is at
sunset, Christmas Eve. The Yule or
Christmas candles should b, lit soon
after, but for good luck the light must
tLa m aS GraNeSTt Is
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
BusTED>


Christ mas is the only holiday of the
year that brings the whole human fam
ily into common communion. - Charles
Dickens.
Some say, that ever 'gainst the season comes
wherein our SAVIOR S birth is celebrated.
The bird OF dawning singeth all night long,
So hallowed and gracious is the time.
Shakespeare.
1t is good to be children sometimes,
and never better than ut Christmas,
when its mighty Founder was child
Himself -Dicke5,S.
Rise happy morn! rise holy morn!
Draw forth the cheerful day from night
o. Father, touch the East, and light
The light that shone when Hope was born.
-IeinysOn
IT'S the season for kindling the fire
of hospitality in the hall, the
genial fame of charity in the heart
WASHINGTON Ir1inq.
TIE belfries Of all Christendom
Now roll along
The unbfoken song
OF peace on earth, good will TO men.
-LongfeloU.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
Christmas comes. He comess He comess

Christmas comes! He comesf He comest
Ushered with rain of p ums;
Hol les in the windows grt ct him,
Schools come driving past to meet him,
GIFTS precede him, hills proclaim him,
Every mouth delights to name aim;
Wet, and cold. and wind. and d;'rk,
Make him but the warmer mara:
And yet he comes no one embosiied,
Universars the hlithe godhead;
And in every festal house
Presence hath ubiquitous.
Curtains whose snug ro0m-enfDldeI0,
Hang upon his million shouiders;
And lie mas a million eyes /
Or fire, and eats million pies,
And is very merry and wise
Very wise and very merry
And leaves q kiss beneath the berry. u
-EciGh Hum.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

Obviously, the first thing to be done
was to try and soothe the little savage
to sleep, or the neighbors would be
reused. Bachelor Puckerpurse's ''Hush-
a-bye baby, thy daddy is green" sound
ed very much like the wall of a doomed
man, as he wildly swung the basket to
and fro.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

--'If somebody will kindly whistle
'There'll Be No Sorrow There we
shall be very glad to join in the
chorus. "--Nany Turkeys.
With gentle deeds and kindly thoughts,
And loving words withal,
Welcome the merrS Christmas in,
And hear a brothers call.
F. Laurence
The only time in the long calendar
of the year when men and women
seem, with one consent, to open their
shut-up hearts freely.-Dickens.
The church bells of innumerable
sects are all chime bells to-day, ringing
in sweet accordance throughout many
lands, and awaking q great Joy in the
heart of our common humanity
Chaplin.
.-Fogg says his son William is always
particularly well-bchaved about this
time. With him Christmas is indeed
the season of good Will. boston Tran
script.
This happy day, whose risen sun
Shall set not through eternity.
This holy day when Christ, the Lord,
| Took on him our humanity.
-PhGle Carr
Who taught mankind ON that first Christ
mas day,
What twas to be man; to give not take;
TO serve, not rule; to nourish not devour;
10 help, not crush, if need, TO die, not live?
- hdr'es Knagsey.
A Williamsport (Pa.) young lady
was asked by her s.feller' what she de-
sired fer Christmas. She said: 'Call
around for me Christmas morning and
bring a minister with you Two
souls, two hearts.
Sound over all waters reach out from all
lands,
The chorus Of voices the clasping of hands,;
Sing hymns that were sung by the stars of the
morn,
Sing songs of the angels when Jesus was born!
-Hhittier.
in making Christmas presents al
ways choose q useful gift. If you have
a friend who is hard drinker give lis
family an order on an undertaken, or
else present him with cemetery lot
Philadelphia Chronicle.
There's song in the air. theresa star in the
sky.
There'sa mothers deep prayer and baby's
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful
And the the manager of Bethlehem cradles a
King. j. g. Holland.
Cupid ask how you shall
best prevent quarrel with your IMAM
orata? Be still, 0 loving heart, and
| draw comfort from the reflection taat
your best girl isn't going to break away
| from you until after Christmas anyway.
--L0WeW Courier.
The morning dawns with brighter ray,
! To herald a new natal day
| OF peace and love.
| For 10! In yonder manger lies
| The Holy Child--while songs arise
From choirs above.
He comes-He comes-let earth rejoicing tell
The story of its young Emmanuel.
| William b. Chisholm.
The Christmas cards this year are
beautiful, and it is a pleasant custom to
send them to friendss~ but the best
! Giia1ii Staaaa "a tlaat.Me know of. saws
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

cha! she sleeps at last, and now to
my revenge!'' sStay!'' said the mon
itor within, "perhaps you were an in
FAINT once yourself This view of the
case never occurred to him before, and
he hesitated. Another ring at his door
bell. "Ha! twins this time, I'll war
rant"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
How the Sunshine Came.

A boy of twelve stood leaning against
fence on Dutfield street yesterday,
hat pulled down, feet crossed, and his
right hand going up occasionally to
wipe his nose when along came
another anatomy about his size and
asked:
"Sichp''
mo-
Amy the family dead'''
..Going to run awayp''
81 dunno. I've just been licked. y
..Who dun it?''
dad
Did your ma ask him top
"Yes. She told him l had been
aching for it more than a month";
Say" said the new arrival, lyon
are in luck. I'm trying my best to git
dad to whale me. d give fifty cents
if he had tanned me this noon and it
was all through hurting
Why?'
why! Haven't l got three dollars
saved up to buy pap and marin Christ
mas presents, and if | can git EN- to
whale me before Christmas won't |
spend every cent of that money on my
self? How much you got?''
1.-Two dollars
:. Bully! You are all right! You've
bin licked, and they won't expect even
stick OF gum from their pounded son.
I'll go home and slam the baby around
and steal sugar and kick the cat and
sass mother, and if | can git walloped
tonight Ill meet you here tomorrow
and we II pool in and buy more pistols
and scalping-knifes and rock-candy and
nuts and raisins than you ever saw be-
fore! Zip! Peel me down, dear father
hang my hide on the fence, mother
darlingn '-Detroit Free Press.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

His friend suddenly disappeared, and
Pinkcrton Puckerpurse found himself
alone hugging his bottle instead of a
baby, for he had only been dreaming.
The very next day he signed the pledge
and his check for 81 900, which last he
gave to an orphan asylum. Hop
Eiaas, i'm Christmas Graphic.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

The Lancet offers these delightfully."-
cheering remarks to the ;middle-aged
dyspeptic: elderly people pre- often able
to compete with the younger members
of the family in the enjoyment of Christ
mas cheer in a manner which amazes
their middle-aged relations. The ex-
PLANTATION is that the digestive elements
are long preserved, so that ! man who, in
the prime Of manhood, was martyr to
dyspepsia, by reason of the sensitive
ness of his gastric merry les, eats and
drinks with the courage AMI success of a
boy in his later years, when his nerves
are blunted, and when, therefore, his
peptic cells are able to pursue their
chemical work undisturbed by nervous
Worries
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

and the new year in. 1t is considered q
very bad omen for any one to leave the
table during supper on Christmas Eve
until all are through, and Sc. that there
is an even number of guests, if you will
make friends during the year. Be sure
and have q cheese and cake untouched
in the house, and let no one tempt you
to cut them before the proper time.
Never refuse to take or give food and
shelter at Christmas time.
It is very lucky for a child to be born
on Christmas Day, especially if the day
falls on Sunday. And the girl who is q
bride on the 25th of December is said to
have nothing to fear.
At no other time is a black cat-a
strange black cat thought to be lucky
but at Christmas. If one comes into
the house. it is sure sign of money.
No person but the boys must presume
| to 90 out-of-doors Oh Christmas morn
| inc until the threshold has been con-
secrated by the incoming footsteps Of a
man.
s.Dem folks what hab.short talking
| (quarrels) oil Christmas Day or night
won't hab no luck in friendship, love
or pocket" said an old colored nanny;
and be sure you wish some one s'Mer-
ry Christmas I" before you put your
shoes and stockings on; and for real
good luck kiss the oldest person in the
house first on Christmas morning, and
the youngest on New Years morning
Harpc2''s Bdzar.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

-" Are you gong to make New
Years calls this year?' asked Burrell
Chase, on the day before New Years,
OF Bronson Alco;t, another Austin So
ciety young man. 'sNo, am not
going to make any New Years calls
this year, but am goinglto make calls
next year. which Will be tomorrow. It
is little late to make New Years Gala
this year.-Ieuas Ssft,n9s
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22
to him. How was to tell him from

emmy other thafe?''
Jones patched up a peace with
Bridget, who promised to say "Niver q
wurrd" to Mrs. j., but oh, with what a
weary heart does the unhappy man
wait for the coming Christmas!-De-
t7'ojt Post and Tribune.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

.Hello: what's that?'' said Slorgam,
.ssounds like an infant afflicted with
pins, orr "Cats, only cats, replied
Pinkerton Puckerpurse, in a sepulchral
voice, s.it's famous neighborhood for
eats
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-22

eff somebody will kindly whistle
'There'll Be No Sorrow There we
shall be very glad to join in the
chorus. n--Many Turkeys.
with gentle deeds and kindly thoughts,
And loving words withnl,
Welcome the merrS- Christmas in,
nd hear n hYotl1ar'S call