davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
ENGLISH MEMORIES.

Looking back to that earlyeperiod, and
reading old letters and other family memo
rails, it is impossible not to see that, to the
Viriginians, the season was one of immense
enjoyment. Whatever they had left behind
in the home land, they had brought Christ
mas with them to this country, and its i'm
portance in Their eyes is easily accounted
for The people were nearly without ex-
ception descendants of members of the
Church of England, and these churchmen
a little while before had been good Roman
Catholics. They had abjured the old COM
munion, but their old loves were still dear
to them, and among these none was strong
or than attachment to Christmas. For ages
it had been celebrated with pomp and re-
tjoicing in the grand cathedrals; year by
year the chimes Of the great old abbeys had
greeted it; rich and poor had come togeth-
er for the day in common brotherhood,
flowing wassailc c eered all hearts, gifts were
given to the pc r, sheep and oxen were
roasted whole the court-yards of the
''manorial hail. ,arols welcomed the day
of Joy, and all CO lected with the anniver-
sary of the birth the Prince of Peace serv-
ed to emphasize sentiment of common
humanity, which was the burden Of His
teaching.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

dred to Accomack;" and: whosoever was
''lamed" was to be cured at the public ex-
pense-a Christmas not so merry, no doubt,
to many.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

AN effort to make others happy lifts us
above our lves.' We tried to make a
friend happy, and were lifted on the toe of
his bctt.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

AA exchange has an elaborate article for
amateur vocalists, 'How to begin to sing. ,
How to get them to quit is still an unsolv-
ed problem.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

Truth--the open, bold, honest truths
always the w1sest, always the safest, 1or
evey spe in any and all circumstances
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

ssN1 man can be wise on an empty stom-
ach. ~ Otherwise is what we would prefer
to an Imply stomach.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
CHRISTMAS PAST AND PRESENT.
HOW THE DAY WAS OBSERVED IN
OLD TIMES.
BY JOHN EsTEN COOKE.

In the Ancient Dominion of Virginia, :"
as the old writer's called it, Christmas has
always been the great festival of the peo-
ple." All classes have looked forward TO
it with a vague sensation of expected hap
piness- and poor, master and servant,
gray. haired elders, and above all, the chill
drsp. aIE.aacA. and II seem to have greeted
it as time of mirth and good will to men,
and this influence of the season is perhaps
as strong in the nineteenth century as in the
olden time, when the home of the old plan
ters on the James and the York were the
scenes at Christmas of so much merriment
and rejoicing.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
MUSIC q THE BANJO.

1t is not surpr ng, therefore, that the
Virginians, the d, oendants of the old de-
votees of Christm }, should have attached a
paramount impol ance to the great occa-
sion. In every G leration from the settle
ment to the prese the day has been cele-
brated as time IF rejoicing. Love and
kindness, mirth ald enjoyment, the meet
ings of relatives, 5he interchange Of gifts,
and the indulgence Of innocent pleasures,
have marked the season. The scattered
members of the family have assembled
beneath the old family roof-tree, business
has been forgotten, every care banished,
and Christmas week has been spent in
mirth, kindness, end the enjoyment of good
cheer by all, from the gray haired master
and mistress of tho mansion to the children
owen the gged- youthful. Africans who
laugh and feast in honor of the time, and
dance before the blazing fires in their cabins
TO the music of the banjo.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

STAUNroN, VA, January Is, 1888
MY brother, d. G. GRAHAM, viii have an
lNk Interest in my Grocery and Produce bus.
mess. to date from Jan. lst, and the firm name
vii be j. K. GRAHAM & BROTHER.
Janis j. E. GRAHAM,
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
LIYElS sVABLEs.

MHnA week made at home by the indus
EuE ktfious. Best business now before the
Capital not needed. We will
Astart you. Men, women, boys and
4 HHgirls wanted everywhere to work for
~ us. Now is the time. You can work
In spare time. or give your whole time to the
business. No other busines will pay you near
ly as well. No one can fail to make enormous
pay, by engaging at once. Costly outfit and
terms free. Money made fast easily and hon
orably. Address TRUE d Co., Augusta Maine.
feb20-Iy
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

NY M. M. McALLiSTER,
w ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
WARM SPRINGS, VA.
Courts-Alleghany, Bath and Highland, Va,
nd PocahOntas, West Virginia.
ESSpecial attention given to collection OF
claims and proceeds promptly accounted for.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
wILD Fowl.

The points of difference iu detail between
the old English celebration of Christmas
and that of the Virginians are not marked.
One of the instincts of the race is to cling to
the habits of ancestors think that old
things are best; and the hardy Adventures
who founded the Commonwealth brought
the Christmas legends with them. They
had few "Merry Christnases, 2 however, in
those first days of danger and difficulty, and
worthy Captain Smith had the least merri-
ment ofall. In the very first year of the
settlement in the Virgins wilds luckless
fate found him a prisoner at sfthe time of
Christmas in the woods of the York,
where his life was only saved by the inter
position of Pocahontas. We afterward find
him selecting the same season for his last
and decisive raid against the Emperor Pow
hatan.l Choosing fifty Of lis hardest COM
papions, he set out through snow and ice
on his expedition, but we are told by the
old chroniclers that 'sthe extreme winde,
rayne. frost, and snow eau sed us to keepe
Christmas among the salvages, where we
weere never more merry, nor fed on moro
plenty Of good Oysters, Fish, Flesh, Wide
FoacI and good bread, nor aerer had better
fires in England" This earliest announce
ment of the keeping of Christmas which oc-
ours in Virginia history shows the instinc-
tive English proclivities of the old adyen-
turers. They were going to crush Pow
hatan, and duly performed that work, but
on the way kept the good season with that
feast of 'swild fowl" doubtless turkey,
roasted brown in the ''smoky houses Of
Kecoughtan'' before those blazing Christ
mas fires which brought back old England.
In the ancient records of Hening we find
a single additional hint of the manner of
Christmas-keeping not SO. merry; it was the
season for attacking the savages. Three
times yearly. but especially before the
frost of Christmas, . the adventurers were
to arm ,pd march with bloody intent on the
duskx kople; to raid the forests on the
bfn be rivers from Floneer de Hun
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
THE CHURCHES.

At two seasons these ancient churches
were beautiful with decorations Easter
with spring flowers, and at Christmas with
cedar and pine. The good fashion is still
observed, and in many of the old houses of
worship-St. Peters in New Kent, where
Washington was married, Christ church,
Alexandria, where he attended service, COM
ing in his coach from Mount Vernon, and
in numerous others the descendants of the
elder Virginians continue to welcome Christ
mas with evergreens if not in every case
the Easter season with the flowers which
would seem appropriate to US.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

Six years have passed. Let us take a
look at Mr.. and Mrs. Weltonia their home.
Three children, aged respectively three
years, two years, and six months have been
added to that family. In that care worn,
pale, feeble woman, broiling steak and
cooking dinner, you will fail to recognize
the healthy, happy bride of six years ago
Her hair is no longer suffered to fall in
ringlets about her face and neck, but is
combed smoothly back and confined with a
comb; her dress is faded and worn. and her
eyes that once so sparkling and black, are
now sunken and dim. Hark! listen to that
hollow, hacking cough Consumption is
preying upon that form-its fatal seeds are
sown.-her life is fast ebbing away beneath
the toll and care of life Of domestic druid
gerry. Still hope buoys her up, and the
pleading faces of her helpless children stim-
ulate her to exert every faculty in her pow
er to provide for their wants. She is now
getting less hopeful-she sees the grim
messenger OF death upon heS 2acks: 80
| she sWervee not from tho ~ ~
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08

y rY wArna.-Ea Farley xat6
4, cal<ea IL tl1
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-08
II. M MATTHEW'S. ALEX. f. MATHEWS.
M MATHEWS & MATHEWS,
EORGE M. HARRISON,

DBESTON A BAYLOR,
l. ATTORNEY-AT-LAW,
A7sd Solicitor in ChanceTy, STAUNToN, VA,
ractices in all the Courts of Augusta and ad-
dining counties.
OFFICE-The same formerly occupied by his
father, Col. Geo. Baylor, decd on Augusta ST.,
opposite the Courthouse no q
, 1884-11-03

The San has heretofore had q very
good opinion Of MF Bands legal abili-
ties, and i has honestly stated it time and
again. in the many cases ID which Mr..
Baird was successfully engaged, the SIN
always spoke of hinf in highly compli-
mentary terms. But in Sundays issue it
says of Mr. Baird. He can argue enter
tainingly. but his manner Of argument is
vapory. He believes in effect, IN dn-
matte situations. He has more faith in
playing upon che impulses of men than in
appealing to their Judgment
In speaking of Mr.. Baird's argument
for the prosecution in the Cornish case,
the Sun said in substance il was a
most powerful and convincing argument.
In closing a lengthy report Of Mr.. Baird's
argument for the prosecution in the
Brown contempt case, the Sun said.
Several other points were alluded to and
discussed by the attorney, and many au.
thorities were cited, and while space will
not admit Of . reference to Them all here,
vet il may be said that ". Bdirdx Or
ounueat ,eas an able anil Ingenious one,
AMI occupied in its delivery an hour and
ten minutes This compliment was al
the more honest because the SIN bitterly
opposed The prosecution Of Mr.. Brown,
and never lost an opportunity to reflect
upon the bringing Of the same.
Speaking Of the Prosecuting Attorney
ship, the SIM says in it's issue of Sunday
last.
ut is rare that the voters Of a county
have an opportunity to choose between
two such excellent gentlemen personally
for 50 important an Office as the voters Of
Laramie are given this year. While to
many Of the Democratic candidates very
serious objections arise, to the nomi-
nee Of the party for this office CMr.
Baird such objections cannot be honestly
entertained.
, 1884-11-03


CHAIRMAsT CARR of the Democratic
Central Committee, met Chairman Riner,
Of the Republican Central Committee
last evening, asd inquired regarding the
proposition submitted that both parties
appoint committees to zee that no public
sale of votes was made at the polls. Mr..
Riner said the matter was still under con-
sideration, but that an answer would be
prepared and sent to the Democratic
Committee this morning. 1t was also
minated that the Republicans would
select 4 cooperating committee.
AS stated yesterday, so far as the
Democratic Committee is concerned, ar
rangements have been contaminated so
that the polls will be rigidly watched to
prevent such high-handed outrage as the
open and public purchase Of votes If
the Republican Committee consents to
the arrangement, 50 much the better, but
if they do not, the Democrats will all the
same follow the line Of policy originally
mapped out, arrest the person who sells
as well as the n who buys and vigor
ously prosecute them aiterward. 1n
Make no mistake,
, 1884-11-03


THE Republicans are manufacturing II
cheap and very inferior quality Of cam
paign thunder. Anything at all that is
liable by a big stretch Of the imagination
TO catch a single vote is worked up with
glazing headlines and published in the
party organ Nothing seems too Himsy
and nothing is too transparent for them
TO use. h4l'
General Gibbon wrote a letter to Mayor
Carey asking by what right the city had
run water over the military reservation,
The letter was written to the municipal
head Of the city government, and as he
h~appened't to be Judge Carey, that gen
tlenan received the communication. Had
the Mayor been John Smith or Tom
IJones, he would have received the com,
munieaton Just the same as Judge Carey
did. 1t was not the man, but the off.
cial that General Gibson addressed.
The .Smi in mentioning this per
fectly formal correspondence, firti
around without rhyme or reason to a con.
sideation of the necessity of further APP.
preparations for Fort Russell.
The connection between the two idea,
IL about as great as that existing between
the hind leg Of one horse and the fore leg
of another. l
, 1884-11-03
A rIMnLY INSTRUMENTATION.


Saturday evening November I, 1882, a
Republican ratification meeting was held
in the Cheyenne Opera House, at which
meeting j. W. Meldrum, candidate on
the Republican ticket for Congress, Sec
rotary Z. 5. y. Morgan and Judge ]. NJ.
Carey, made speeches in advocacy Of the
election Of the "a q r. ned speaker. Judge
Carey, as will be r., mbepd by many
readers. was the heavy ight speaker OF
the evening, and poured all the shots Of
his outorical artillery against the Demo
cratic candidate, Mr., Post.
He related nearly all the stories about
VI. f. Post which had alpeady been
printed in the Cheyenne SIM all of
which had been refuted in TnE LEADER
He said that Post had accomplished moth
ing for Wyoming and gave credit to
Delegate Downey for half
dozen appropriations and mail
routes secured by them during
their terms. He stated that Mr.. Post
had secured but one mail route when the
fact was he had secured five. His speech
throughout was bitter and untruthful.
Commenting on this speech The
LEADER Of November &. said "When
Judge Carey talked so vindictively against
The LEADER on Saturday night. he was
not speaking as Mayor Of Cheyenne, but
ss' the bad tempered enemy Of THE
LEADER. squiim ming with u thorn in his
side, put there by u lie succeeded in
strengthening the general Imposition
that he Is part proprietor Of the Cheyenne
Sun, and he was CALLED BY our successful
opposition. The school-boy ex-Judge eau
make up his mind that VT will remain in
Cheyenne, and in good time will prove
bis sickener. The record Of his treachery
to his party, his pettifogging stump ora
tory, his bulldozing the press Of the Ter
ritory and his display of sham friendship
which he has made the past two years, is
enough to blast a better reputation
than he ever had with his
few friends. His gauzy motive
for activity in the campain just closed has
been seen through by all, and his sneak
ing course in it has brought upon him
the contempt of men Of stamina in both
parties. He do Aot dare 10 sianf up BE-
fore H. E. Post hin,sJJ as candidate,
but be backed up the poor stool-pigeon
Meldmm, in order that he might two
years hence plead his iealty to the Re
publican party and get the nomination
for Congress. He wanted to wipe
out the blot on his party record,
put there by his spite work in 1850, when
he revenged himself on A II. Swan, a
representative man 10 be clAssed with
Medium. j. NJ. Carey had the hardi-
hood to use the Mormon story against
Post in his speeches. This same Carey
ran for Gougress in 1874. There are peo-
pie in plenty who believe that his tip
West in that campaign carried him as far
A. Salt lake to bargain for the
Mormon vote. Yet be was beat
~ ls majority OF COZ in
s.404 votes, by a gentleman whom he
did uot deeui worthy of notice in his
speech, when. ON Saturday night, he read
the records OF the different Delegates.
Whenever Judge Carey struts about
bis ranches and fondly pictures himself
, 1884-11-03

There is a good deal of open hearted
generosity being displayed by the candi-
dates for public Offices these days. While
The LEADER is not a candidate for Office,
it Is o candidate for public favor and So,
approaching the eternal fitness Of things,
this morning presents each Of its readers
with an extra issue without money or
without price.
, 1884-11-03
WTTHIrsEL

The Laramie Boomerang is now the
oldest MOSAIC in the newspaper line to be
found in the West The management Of
the paper claim that it is rabidly Repub-
lican and several Of its columns are con-
Quoted upon that basis. There is another
portion of the paper, however, which
breaches Democracy Of the deepest dye.
This is edited by the Laramie County
Democratic Committee. Outside, and al
together beyond these two departments,
is another. edited by W. }. Mcintyre, in
which the gospel OF independence is
preached rather %yiciously. The conse-
quenee is a mighty peculiar hodse-podge
when the three departments are in full
working order. Each particular column
is drawn up in hattie array against the
other. The Judge Cnrey column, for in
stance, asserts that since the days Of De-
mosthenes there has never been confined
within the corporal limits of a single in
dividual such j seething Hood-tide
of oratory as now Gibbs and
flows within the manly breast Of
the Republican candidate for Delegate.
The Democratic column, without apparent
effort, demonstrates that this is!fudge and
proves that as a polished speaker old
Dan Webster could knock the speckled
socks of Judge Carey. The Republican
column then CONES out with a school
girls giddy eiggle and gushes over II. v.
:. Groesbeck, the Republican candidate
for Prosecuting Attorney. This wakes
up the slumbering lion in the Independ-
ent column which pours hot shot into
Mr.. Groesbeck, seemingly altogether re-
gardless OF consequences. The boomerang
has always been an unknown genus of fish
in the puddle, but now with three differ
ent departments working at acute right
angles in the same issue, the intellectual
effect on an inquiring mind is similar to
that off heavy dose of pigs feet on the
tender stomach of a midnight slumberer,
, 1884-11-03

IN its blind partizanship, ThE LEADER
maliciously libels the community which
grants it a subsistence. Every man who
owns a home in Cheyenne has 4. good
cause of action, in equity against the pa
per that maligns the reputation of the
city by such silly and bIindly rash false
hoods. The author of these terrorizing
statements should engage in the produe-
ton Of dime novel tales He is either the
tenderest Of tenderfeet, or an Imaginative
liar Of the most fertile versatile"
This red-handed screed IL from the col
umns Of our elegant and esteemed con.
temporary, the Stn.i 1t reads very much
as though somebody had been petsistently
sat upon .f sts .e-rrraW r lfi
, 1884-11-03
EnRTs \ FoRrs.

HI
rI Sn1 !. pI Possluu 90 ne VT IT, ~
Tbeyenne the bene6t If such a-pnrpuria.
tons for For Russell aud ofhel gor4n-
me.f posts There az a~bandoned
mn,.aIy pos. AZ LA,Snle olnei
~TI91ns SIM
Previous IN the opepinp of he present
campaipu there is not a man of sober and
reflective intelligence in This Territory who
copce;ved il nossible for n single paper TO
comnre.s within the limits Of two weeks
sucb boarv.headed hoowash and such
cboice and inimitable tomGoolcry as the
San has suceeeded in doing.
The choice Bit quoted at the head of
this article /. n vood samnle of the pecu-
liar commemorative sk;l which has been
| deyeloned at the SIM Office. What a
| haDnv tbouyht il j. tn mention that there
;s a d;sused Fort at Laramie CITY. and
| IN i-nsinuate that Mr.. HOLIDAYS efforts
will be snent in occurring an anpropriation
| for !,
WIN il Is n nerfect inspiration.
Has not the SIN vet discovered that
through the efforts Of Mr.. Post an appro-
n%r;ation of 500 600 has already been &C.
| cured for the building Of Fort Russell2
Does il not know that contracts aggregat-
ing 100000 have already been let for the
work. Docs il not know that the au-
thorities expect the present improvements
to be well-nigh completed by the first of
the year? Is it not aware that another
$1,000 0 will be forthcoming at the next
session of Congress to aid in the compile.
ton ofthe present ectedimproyements
Does it not know that the main difficulty
about securing appropriations for 4 work
is always experienced when the fnt APP
, 1884-11-03

If JUDGE CAREY is really such a pro
nounced home ruler" a. he is alleged to
be, and If his influence is so overwhwering
with the Washington authorities why has
he never raised his voice in behalf Of a
local candidate for Federal honors2 Why
didn't he speak a good word for Mr., Cor
lett, for ~instaneeg p'f
There is but one of two conclusions TO
b. reached in the premises
Either Judge Carey is not a man of ex-
~traordinary influence with the powers that
be or at heart he Is not in favor Of home
rule. asI
Which is il?
, 1884-11-03

The Laramie Booat7aag il suffering
from a perfect paroxysm of woe. Its
editor IS a fresh improvisation from Michi-i
gan who doeslt know the difference be-
tweeda maverick and q double-baueled
sword. He has been ia Laramie City
Just week and a half and from the very
6rt moment, BY some peculiar intuitiye
process. he discovered that Mr.. Holli lay
was a bold, bad man Then this editor
by courtesy began to sail into Mr.. Holli-
dAy--He had nothing truthful TO say and.
facts hampered his soaring intellect any
hop. . he began to gillianouay tradrce
the character Of the Democratic candidate.
Last Saturday, The tenth day of his labors,
he discovered that the people of Albany
were more disposed to believeth evidence
Of theirowH senses aud 10 rely upon their
own many years Of careful observation,
that to believe the n Farte u~tterances of a
man who hadn't been long enough in
tuwn Ia even enniraeta board bill
The result of this discovery was a ire
mendous shock to the journalistic genius.
He went through fory-two rapid and con-
s%ecutive cataleptic fits and his ultimate
necoyery seems now onlS among the hope
less possibilities. His last attempt at
WI ing was a h%eartrendine shrek of an
guish- He realized that Judge Carey's
political prospects were blighted like n
tender hot-house plant and that the
boomerang, more than any other agency,
contributed to the disastrous defeat.
Poor, vain, helpless mortal, we pity
you as you thus founder in the depths of
torturing despair. a