davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

we are following IN old British custom
of the Druids, who hung the green up
within doors when the frost came, in
order that the sylvan spr.tes might still
find home in the wintry weather I'M
der the forest Dough. and bring a bless
ing to the house that gave it to them.
Although in Latin countries the day
and its preceding night are celebrated
with countless bells and masses and
candles, and with midnight banquets
to sustain the iatgues of the celebra-
ton, vet the children there have no
such luck in school holidays proper to
the season as children do with lis, their
longest holiday ending the day but one
after the festival, while our little lads
and lassies look forward to Twelfth
Night as the winding up Of their joys.
Nor are our children confined to any
one form of the Christmas genius. AS
every nationality is represented with us,
so every form of Christmas sprite and
guardian is happily welcomed, from the
Santa Claus who came over with the
Knickerbockers, his pack full of toys
and swcetmeats, to the Petit Noel of
French settlements, who goes about
dropping silver pieces into the chill
dren two shoes at the foot of their lit
tie tcds; and al up and down the land
the flowers of summer are replaced by
the flowers that bloom in the tiny flames
upon the boughs of the Christmas tree,
which, if it was originally exotic. has
now established its growth, and if it
has not become almost a native of the
soil, has certainly taken out naturalza-
ton rapers, and become q citizen OF our
homes if not our forests.
We may console ourselves for the
neglect that the great festival has met
with in these regions of ours by rcmem-
bering that Christmas was not celebrated
at all till nearly halfway into the Sec
ond century of the Christian era, and
even then it was an exceedingly nova
bic feast, often COMPOUNDED with anoth-
er. that of the Epiphany, and sometimes
only honored so late as the month of
May. Nor did it become firmly fixed
till two or three hundred years after
that, when, by the best authorities of the
old Roman archives of that early time
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

family (she had been Won Breeks Won
Starch herself, and had married 4 cousin
of the same name)-a family of great
prowess and many aGs of gold in the.r
fatherland some century and half
ago She was tall, stout and solid, with
q round face, big black eyes, abundant
iron-gray hair, and carriagc that I'M
mediately suggested to the beholder the
last syllable OF her aristocratic name.
The fife grandmother, five years her
junior, was directly her opposite, being
short, slim and Timber. with sharp
cut face, extremely thin, fair hair and
faded blue eyes.
Great-gran Peeky, Notwithstanding
her eighty-three year., was by far the
best looking of the three Though she
did look, must confess, when MUNICH
ing her caraway biscuits, somewhat
like very nice meditative old rabbit)k
Her snowy white tresses waved prettilf
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

herself. "She will call the others
as soon as she is sure it is IT, she cx-
claimed, clasping her hands in an agony
of fear. But ereat-gran came straig ht
on, without a word, until she stool be-
side the frightened girl.
"Here's the key, my dear she sa d,
in q whisper and with quite a girlish
air. 'Tve got key that tits the Gen
eral 5 door, though she don't know it,
and took this from under her pillow.
Oh! if she d caught me. But she sleeps
like soldier of the Revolution. And
here's little gift for you''-putting a
small package in Gcrtrude's hand.
Law, child, how much you do look
like me the night | ran away with
Oliver Peeky! Your sweetheart's q
good boy l know all about him.
Goodnight, and a happy New Year to
you botn!" And eSerting all her
strcngth-Gcrtrude Standing motionless
in her great surprise old lady I'M
locked the door and gently pushed the
girl out into the arms of her lover.
Aud when the flight was discovered
next morning, the anger thereat was
nearly equaled by the wonder in regard
to the manner of it.
''She never went by the front door,
for the KEY was under my pillow
Numbered the bassoon.
"She couldn't have opened one of the
par or windows to have saved her life, -
squcakcd the fife. ''Only John and
myself know the secret of the fasten-
ings. And if she could have opened
it, she certainly could not have fastened
it behind her Some of the servants
must have helped her.
But the servants emphatically de-
clarcd their entire innocence.
There's no use asking MAJ" said
Mistress Huf1ey, looking rather spite
fully at the old lady as she rocked in
her favorite rocker and munched her
favorite refreshment "She never sees
nor hears anything. But however the
ungrateful mink got out, I'm glad she's
gone, and not Il penny of my money
does she ever see"
The grams "little giit'' proved
to be a bonbon box filled with flesh
caraway biscuits, III the midst OF witch
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

to the Conservatory Ito and from
the door Of which she was always
escorted by either Madame Won Brecks
Won Starch or Mistress Hutiey) she
found there a new pupil with mag
niticent bass voice, and that new pu-
pill was the fair-haired, blue-eved young
frescO-painter Not one word of this
meeting, nor of the meetings that fol-
flowed il two or three times a week for
six months thereafter, did the naughty
girl breathe to either Of the three grand
mothers, and the two younger of the
trio exulted greatly over the strict Wig
lance with which they guarded the
future lride (according to their long
laid plars) of Diedrich Won Brceks, the
rich Holland merchant, due in New
York with the new year. But their eX-
ultatiOn came to an end on NcW-Year's
Eve. On that evening the Conservatory
of Music gave pupil concert, and the
very fist duet was sung by Miss Ger
trude Won Brccks and Mr.. Everdell
Trcmlett. in van had the latter
begged to be left on, of the programme;
in vain had he Summoned to his aid u
mysterious throat disease. His pro-
fessor declared that sing he must, or
lose his place in the Conservatory, and,
what was still worse, prove himself an
"ingra-a-te.' And so the three grand
mothers, sitting in great state near the
stage, were horrilied-that is, two OF
them were (great-gran munched her
caraways rs piacidly as ever)-by See
ing and hearing their grand-daug hter
made operate love to, in a very real
love-mak ne way, before most fash
ionable audience, by the young man
who frescoed their parlors.
In a moment the whole truth flashed
upon their minds, and how they sat out
the rest of the concert, so great was
their Indignation, they never krew.
But at last, much to their relief, it came
to an end, and the omincus silence with
which they received the pretty lprit
prepared her for the storm (the after
claps of which l have recorded at the
beginning OF my story that burst upon
her head us soon as they reached home.
When it was over Gertrude was allowed
to seek her room. Here she threw off
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

above her still dark eyebrows, beneath
which beamed with a mild, dreamy
light her soft brown eyes, and a pleas
ant winter bloom fingered on her
wrinhled face.
1t was from ner Gertrude had re-
ceived all the picture-books and sugar.
plums, almost always bestowed in per
feet silence, that had frightened and
sweetened her childhood, Grandma
Won breeks Won Starch supplying the
lessons in department, and Grand
mother Hutfey Oct me whisper it, the
punishments, usually inflicted with a
slipper or the back of hair-brush.
But in spite of the lectures and lessons
and other disagreeable things. Gertrude
led tolerably happy life with her three
grandmothers until her eighteenth
birthday. From that day dated such
strict surveillance, SO much sarcasm. so
many seedlings, that even the hair
bruSh-and-slipper period seemed by
comparison a regrettable one. And I'LL
on account of the young man who
came to fresco the parlor ceilings. A
handsome young man he was, posses
SihS Iiic HiShiy tHplloi,!ouS naLie Oh
Everdell Tremlett. But neither his
good looks nor his romantic name
ayailed him aught with the two manag-
| ing grandmothers, who saw in him only
one of the working-day race, VITA
which the IIufi'eys and the Won Breeks
Won Starchcs had nothing in common.
And therefore, vita no more thought
about the matter than if John the man
servant had been there in his stead,
they allowed their granddaughter 10
practice her music lessons in the back
parlor-the sliding-door being partly
open-while he was at work in the
front.
And so it happened that Gertrude,
trying to play an air from memory, and
finding it continually cluded her. was
about giving it up in vexation, when
some one softly wh;stled it behind her;
and turning quickly on the revolving
stool, she saw the young painter, brush
in hand, standing in the doorway.
BE-. pardon, but that is what you
wanted, is it not?' he asked, as he
ceased whistling. in avoice as deep as
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

Twelfth-Night, came-such sway, in
deed, that they grew to deserve and
wear the name of the Captains of Mis-
chief; those revclries where the great
Yule-log was kindled. a log so huge
that its slow core of heat might burn
and shoulder for all of six weeks, or
till Candlemas-day cleared away the
last remnant of the Christmas merry
making, and where the boar head, and
capon, and roast swan, and wassail-
bowl, We're the least OF the daintics, and
''lashings OF good drink there was"
moreover. Our timid ancestors re-
garded these things, in spite of sacred
carols sung by clergy and people,
fathers, mothers and little children
carrying the blessed tapers burning in
their hands, as but signs of time when
reverence lived only in the crust of
things, and the heart was hollow rotten
ness, and SO discountenanced the keep
ing of the festival at all that their chl-
dren grew up to a strange mfamiliarity
with its ng-descendcd customs, and
where they heard of them in
any report, heard of them only
as things to be avoided. They
showed, it would seem, less reverence
for the day, however great might be
their reverence for the facts and tenets
of their stern religion, than have the
cattle WHO fall on their knees in stall
on the night of the Nativity, if popular
superstition is to be listened to, jnnerit-
ing the instructive motion from the old
OK and ass which, according to an
cient paintings, fell on their knees
in the stable where the ancient
manger was cradle. Thus in many
portions of our country the last two
generations were the first, with the
general decline of a too severe asceti-
cism. to bring about an almost univers.
al observance of holiday which GER
tainly deserves honor so long as we pre-
tend to call ourselves 3 Christian peo-
pie.
Yet it is odd to notice how, even in
our abbreviated observances, we have
not been able to escape some of the
former heather practices that have crept
upon us, SO that even in the hanging OF
the festoons and wrcaths OF evergreen
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
Home for the Holidays.

No dreary splendors wait our coming.
When rapt ghost SITS from ghost apart,
Homeward we 90 to Heavens Thanksgiving,
The Understanding of the heart.
Did we have happy Christmas? No.
we did not. l suppose it was all wrong
we, the children of King, journeying
here for day--but we spent every hour
of that pleasant festival time in bitter
sorrow and repin:ng; we, who had been
so happy. and expected that on our
heads, at least, would never he placed
SORROW crown of sorrow;;'' that the
dark angel Azrael would never darken
our happy home!
He had written to us-our darling
that he would lie home for the holidays,
written it in a little ill-spellcd letter
which his dear, boyish hand had hur-
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

on the plains of Palestine. In what
ever manner it is kept, Christmas is
q day peculiarly belonging to home
and all that pertains to the sacred
ness of the hearth. One can not but
feel that women should hold in es-
pecial regard the day that did more to
take them out of dishcnor and establish
them in honor than any other single
day that ever dawncd over the earth.
When one sees the difference between
the savage woman and her captor, be-
tween the Greek woman, even, and her
cultured lord, between any slave and
her master, and sees, on the other hand,
the pretty nearly perfect equality now
given by man to woman, if rot polite
ally, yet at any rate materially and in
personal consideration, one realizes
that the forces which came into play on
the first Christmas-day, of all were
forces which lifted her from low es-
tate to throne.
1t becomes her, then, to burn the fire
upon her Hearth in its honor, as if it
were an altar fame fed with spices and
famed by the breath Of pra, er, to hang
the ground pir.e upon her door, that all
who enter it may enter in the name of
the day, and the ho.ly-stcms and
laurel in her window, that all who
pass shall know the spirit that reigns
within, and to cast her wreaths upon
the mounds in the church-yards in the
name OF Him who has risen from the
dead, and that none Of all the house.
hold who may have gone into the shad-
ows beyond shall tail to have their
share in its remcmbrances. 1t becomes
them to spend thought and care and
money on their gifts and on their Ia
bles, and to see that their poor also are
not forgotten, and to teach their chill
dren to sing carols not altogether as
mere music, or as part of the merry
making, but as expressive of Their rec
ogn.tion of all that Christmas-Day
means, which, having raised one moth
er into the reverence of half the wor-
Shipping world. raises also all other
mothers. For only in Chrstendom and
among those people who have heard
and understood the message sung by
/ night on the plains of Bethlehem have
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19
THE THREE GRANDMOTHERS.

"And YOU would marry this fellow"
said Grandma Won Breeks Won Starch,
in her bassooniest Chat is the only word
can think of with which to describe
them) tones, ''if you could?"
Eyes, ma'am," replied Gertrude,
meekly but firmly.
THE idea is simply preposterousn
declared Grandmother Hu1ey's tife-like
voice.
"Preposterous indeed'' responded
the bassoon. More than prepoSterous
-disgraceful! Amechan'c! a common
working man! q house-painter.'
Hes iresco-painter, timidly cor
rected Gertrude.
(which amounts to the same thing"
groancd tic bassoon.
michael Angelo" began Gertrude.
Heaven preserve u.s. shrillcd the
fife; "she's bringing some lrishman
into the discussion now. BE silent,
miss. Well not hear another word
from you. And understand distinctly,
once and for all, that if that person
calls here tomorrow, which no doubt
he will have the impertinence and as
surance to do, you are to dismiss him
instantly, or IRE uiN."
And endeavor to begin the new
year'-the bassoon took up the strain
again-''in a manner BETTING a de-
scendant of the illustrious General Won
Breeks Won Starch, whose uneXampled
bravery made him and Bergen-op-Zoom
the city OF his birth-famous, not only
throughout Holland, but the entire
world, ut a time when you were not
dreamed Of.
As for Great-gran Peeky, she had sat
softly rocking to and fro in her cushion
ed rocker, munching her caraway bis
cuits-a store of which she always car
ried in little sachel suspended at her
side-sleepily regarding the group Of
But that was nothing strange fer her.
She scarcely ever spoke save in monosyl
tables, and never even in them wher
Madame Won Breeks Won Starch and
Mistress Huffey were laying down tho
law Ga favorite occupation of theirs, by
the-by). to servants, trades-people, OF
grand daughter Gertrude. And the las
thing that could have occurred to either
of the amiablc Lawmakers would hav,
been the idea of appealing to the ole
lady for an opinion on any subjee
whatever. 1t sutliced them that sht
paid without grumbling the greater par
of the expenses OF the household out 0
the income which was to cease at he
death. and yet allowed them to manage
all things pertaining to it in their owl
way.
Gertrude--so named by Madame Vol
Breeks Won Starch in honor of the pa
tron saint of Bergen-op-Zoom-had los
both her parents in her infancy, and he
father having been reduced to povert,
some time before he died by variou
gentlemanly vices, she had been LEI
wholly dependent upon her three grand
mothe.s.
OF these Great-gran Peeky was tn
mother of Grandmother Huffey, who i
turn was The mother of Gertrude
mother, while Grandma Won Breek
Won Starch held the same close relation
ship 10 her father.
The basSoon grandmother was at tn
head of the American branch of he
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

riedly traced. and even while we were
reading this mother and land
laughing over it, and I saw at the
same time something like tear glitter
on its soiled and crumpled page. there
was step at the door, and the we'll
known whistle-he was always whist
ling-and then he was in our arms
the same bonnie, blue-eyed boy with
that high, fearless look; the same mis-
chievous dimple in his chin; the same
loving smile that seemed the most
precious love-light in the world to us,
that will never die or be lost in this
weary life!
Home for the holidays, It was his
first year at school, and he had plead
ed so for this homecoming, that we
could not refuse, and all our plans had
included him-for what would a Christ
mas dinner have been without our
boy?-and we lad his sled, 1.-The May
flower" out. for there was a furry Of
snow, and we tried not to let him see
how fond and foolish we were about
him, or how we followed the sound of
that whistling voice through the house
and wondered if there ever was such
another dear boy, and planned ont just
what sort OF a man he would be!
That was one week before Christmas.
All in a moment hand cold as ice was
laid on our hearts-the snow that had
fallen in its white chilliness brought
death with it, for it fell into our sum
mer garden and covered the one tender
flower blooming there
~ think said the Gardener. clasping
The plant with gentle hand,
g" This flower is much too tender
For the winds of this lower land.
can tell you nothing about it except
the vague sense of nights that were as
days, and of days that were as nights;
of sad, solacing words from people who
meant well, but WHO were all uncon-
scioas of widening wound. Was it
Longfellow wine said: before q great
grief we are dumb?" There was a
blind cropping of the little arms--a
fond, teverish caress, and the last
whispered words:
Papa, m-a-m-ma, l am going
home for the holidays" and then:
" His Lord looked down on the flower
4, ana HIS heart went out to lis need.
Ills Just the plant for my garden,
ploht III ScltStitl ScCt.
And into the gates that were golden,
And DER the fadeeSs plain.
And Ose by the wonderful river of life
He planted the flower again.
know we were not alone incur sor-
row; that the first snow fell on ether
little graves that cover precious dust;
that at other tables there are vacant
chairs; that ever since the King of Is
rael cried in his bitter anguish: "Oh,
Absalom, my son! my son! Would
God / had died for thee"' hearts have
been broken and homes desolatcd, as
ours is in these sad holidays.
And yet, dear heart! remembering thee,
Am not richer than Of old?
Safe in thy Immortality,
What change can reach the wealth hold
What chance can mar the peace and gold
Thy love hath left in trust with me?
81 can not feel that thou art far,
Sine: near at needs the angels are,
And when the sunset gates unbar,
Shall not see thee waiting stand
And white against the evening star
The welcome Of thy bcckoning hand?"
Detroit Free Press.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

that of the bas-
soon gran d.
mother, though
much more mel
odious.
"Oh ycs,thank
you" said Ger
trude, wit h Il
blush; and turn
ing to the piano
again she played
the whole If
Skillfully a II d
| gracefully.
| ''It's Il beau
| tiful thine. said
the painter, still
standing in the
doorway; ''but |
think the song
beg ming this
way and he
! pre- pare d to
whistle again,
when heencoun-
tered the frozen
fr0wn of Mad
anne Won Breeks
Won Starch, as
she stepped into
the room from
the balcony, and
fled.
And the next
day the piano
was closed and
locked, and the
fair performer
q prisoner n her
own room: and
Grand m tn er
Hutl'cv. meeting
Mr.. Everdell
Tremlatt as he
came to work,
requested him in
one brief SEN
tence to 8 get
through hiswork
and 90 about
his business as
soon rs pos
sible.'
But love--bless
his merry little
heart! = laughs
at lock S a n d
locksmiths, and
the very next
tim G Gertrude
went for hel
singing lesson
~ ~
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

81 wish you happy New Ycarn'
SAID Pingrey. "Oh, that's easy enough
to say" replied Fenderson; but what
Will you do towards making my New
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

remaining, the
date was dccid-
ed, whether cor
rectly or not
making really
very little mat
ter, so long as
the fact for
which the date
is desired is thus
hallowed with
RENE m brance.
Nor do we now
actually keep
tn at identical
date, since the
change from
Old Style to
NewStylebrings
the time round
to quite another
day still.
With all the
celebration that
Christmas re-
ceives the world
over, we doubt
if it anywhere
has such vari-
GUS and general
celebration ason
our own shores.
In the n ort h,
amid S t SHOWS
a Il d hcmlock
bougglls, the day
has a delightful
domesticit,y. a
sense OF shut-in
com fort and
well-b ng; far
Their sout:l fire.
crack ers and
pistol : shooting
give it a strange
at M O 5 p h re;
and still further
south its songs
are given to
balmy breezcs
Ia n already
with the scents
Of roses, of Or
ange II O W ers,
and of clean
ders, that make
the day as &C.
NAL and as
pleasant rs it
must have been
nearly two thou
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

women been accorded any portion Of
that place and power which is their
due as the mothers and co-educators Of
the human race. -Harper's Bazar.
The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-12-19

Year a happy onen' Anything can,"
said P.ngrey. "Do you mean it?''
cried Henderson, dramatically. "Do
you mean it9'' "Well, we'll, goodbye,
FAREWELL "What's the matter with
you?" asked the mystihed Pingrey.
why, you are going away forever
aren't you? You said you would do any
thing you could to make me happy.
Farewell, old boy, FAREWELL And
Henderson walked briskly around the
corner, while the perplexed pingrey
stood as if rooted to the spot for the,
space Of five minutes --BoStcn IyG1ae,
script.
But the star that shines in Bethlehem,
Shines still and sha not cease.
And We listen still TO he tdings
Or Glory and of Peace.
-Ade,G dc Il. Pyucrin-
Christmas is time in which the
memory Of every rcmediablc sorrow,
wrong and trouble in the world should
be active with us.-Dichens.
Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-20
That Land Grant.
yi,,ara,- Head to be Cut on.

Chicago, Oct 10 9-Arrangements will
probably be made to continue Willard as
President Of the Northern Pacific for
another year. although strong objections
sre made to him by Drexel. Morgan L
Co., bankers, who made it at first con
dition that II the syndicate took up the
80. .000. 600 second mortgage bonds Vii
lard should resign and A. j. Cassatt.
Vice President Of the Pennsylvania
Road be appointed.