davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-30

FOR comfort, get one of those Best
Knit Jackets at G. HESS u SONS.
The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-30
For tho South.

Music tonight at the Alhambra Palace
Rink.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
The Christmas Trees.

The Christmas trees, with their treasures of
toys and other tempting tribute, will make the
hearts of the little ones glad; the Santa Claus
stocking will be examined with expectancy and
emptied with joy; ali day long the laughter of
children will make the household merry; and
in after years, mid the tolls and troubles of
existence, the memory of childhood's Christ
mas will crop up as the one green spot of I'M
clouded happiness But there is Il companion
picture. III squalid tencment-houscs there
will be children with as keen sense of child
ish enjoyment as any possessed by the more IA
yored ones of the earth little ones who,
though accustomed to misery, can still find a
corner III their young hearts for mirth; to
whom the Christmas days are days of well
coined coming, and yet knowing not why, eX-
cept by parental tradition; for there is no
Christmas tree for them and no Santa Claus
stocking to receive the kindly offerings of low
ing patrons and friends. While the tables of
the rich and prosperous will groan with the
good things of the world, the empty boards
If there be such thing in the squalid courts
and alleys-will be sad contrast and COM
mentary. Profuson, with the shadow of
perjury on it from the next street-unless the
profusion learn to spare little for the penu-
ry, and instead of accepting the shadow, give
a distributive share of the sunlight to the
dark places.
One day to Christmas. Use that day well
and wisely. Let contentment be enhanced by
charity. Make some sad home joyful IN your
joy-some little ones, the children of the poor
and the afflicted, re-echo the laughter that
wells up from the souls of your own beloved
olive branches. No one can plead ignorance
of the claim-no one need seek far for the OPP
portunity. Round the next corner from your
happy households, you will find worthy OBJ
iects of your scasonable beneficence, and
there will be no holiday remembrance more
cheering than the proud consciousness that
YOU did not forget Gods Door on the great Qay
signalized by Gods mercy, and that, in the
midst of Christmas delights, you gave practi-
cal thought of Christmas duties.
Just think of it, before going to market or
while there, that a small sacrifice will be pro-
ductive of great satisfaction.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
Origin of the Christmas Tree.

Christmas has come to be regarded too, as
especially children's festival. The custom
of stealthily hiding money and other presents
in the stockings of children after they have re-
tired to bed on Christmas Eve-which presents
are said to be sent by Santa Claus-is derived
from Continental practice. On st. Nicholas
Eve presents are surreptitiously put in chill
dren's shoes and slippers, and the little ones
are told that these presents were brought
through the windows, though they were shut
by st. Nicholas. The custom is founded upon
a tradition, according to Brand, that st. Mich
Glas, in his lifetime, was in the habit of throw
ing purses of money in at the windows of poor
maidens to be used by them as marriage por-
tons. But whatever the origin of the custom,
it is one that is Il source of ardent expectation,
of great pleasure and of happy "reminiscences
to most English children. Then there is the
Christmas tree, specially designed for the de-
location of children, loaded with its presents,
which has become a prevailing fashion in
England. What can be more enjoyable, even
to old people, than to watch the eager express
sion on the faces of the little ones as they
stand around it awaiting the distribution of
the prizes! There is a popular belief that this
custom originated in Germany. Such how
ever, is not the fact. The Christmas tree is
from Egypt, and its origin dates from period
long anterior to the Christian era. The palm
tree is known to put forth branch every
month, and spray of this tree with twelve
shoots on it was used in Egypt at the time of
the winter solstice as symbol of the year
completed
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
Good Will Towards Men.

Let us remember that the season has its
duties; its choicest pleasures indeed, are only
to be derived from their proper discharge
The keynote of Bethlehem's immortal anthem
must not be forgotten-"Good will towards
men," In deeds of love and Kindness and
charity to the poor, it is possible for us all to
take up the strain the shepherds heard as they
watched their tlocks by night" The claims
of childhood plead to us with special force at
this time. 1t is the childrens festival in Il
peculiar sense. All its sweet and sacred asso-
Citations are linked with cradle. The star
which the wise men of the East followed
rested at last over a little child. Happy, as
well as wise, are the men and women of this
land who, i'll these Christmas days, can make
childhood their shrine, and, by lighting up its
face with smiles and filling its heart with joy,
battle themselves i'll the overlooking happiness
of its innocent and guieless spirit. Charles
Dickens, whose greatest glory is that he made
Christmas the text from which he preached
broad and beautiful humanity, wrote one
sentence about childhood that would forever
cmbalm his memory, if he had never penned
anything else: 81 love these little people; and
it is not slight thing, when they, who are so
fresh from God, love u.s."
'For little children everywhere
joyous season still We make,
We bring our precious gifts to them,
Even for the dear child Jesus sake"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
An Unreliable Precedent.

"Well, now in the name of goodness, David
what are you going to do with that barrel z"
said newly married preachers wife to her
husband on the day before Christmas, as she
saw him rolling new cask into the yard.
cts to put the slippers in, my dear" said
the good man, as lie opened the barrel and
leaned upon it.
''To put the slippers in-what slippers,
hubby p
''Why, the ones I'll get from the congrega-
ton tomorrow, my dear. l don't want to
have them scattered all over the house. They
would be so much in the way"
''And did you expect to get barrel of slip
pers, David 2"
Certainly, my dear. I got more than that
last year, and being then but a new conner
among this people, they We're not of course SO
strongly attached to me as now"
''David, you're an old goose"
"What do you mean, my dear? 2"
"Don't you know, you poor ninny, that you
wasn't married then, and that girls don't fool
away their time working slippers for man
after he's out of the market %
"Out of the market, my dear?"
eyes, out of the market"
"But I've never been in the market, my
dear"
''Haven't You, though? Why, you poor old
dear every girl i'll the church was setting her
cap for You, and that's how you happened to
be showed under with slippers. You'll not get
a slipper this year; you can depend on that; so
You might as well roll that barrel into the
woodhouse. 1t will come handy to put your
sermons in"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

What to give the baby-A spanking if he
howls.
What to give little sister-Leave to go out
when you go to see the big one.
What to give little brother-A drum, if the
old man is nervous.
What to give big sis tcr-A promise to pay
her board bills.
What to give big brother-Your best cigars,
while you are sparkling his sister, and the cold
shoulder afterward
What to give mother-All the work and
worry, SO that the young people can have a
good time"
What to give father-All the bills to pay, the
first of the new year.
What to give grandmother-A blowing up
for ''spoiling the children"
What to give grandchildren hint to leave
you something in his will.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
Little Presents.

Make little presents if you cannot make
great ones. Many there are who stand on the
false pride of not giving at all unless they give
largely. A little knick-knack costing little
will often fill the heart of the receiver with as
much pleasure as though small fortune had
been spent upon it. 1t is the beauty of the
season of gifts that it gives value and vital
meaning to Il thousand things that i'll the dull
round of the year bear no significance. 1t
may be ribbon or n trinket, a bit of china or
a book; it will become a memory, Il link be-
tween man and man. If it prove link be-
tween a fair young girl and a brave young
man, why all the better. If from boy to boy,
why, it may cement a true friendship for life.
In any case it is an addition to the sum of hui
man happiness, and just now We want all the
joy and goodwill that the world can hold.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25

eyes" and the gentle face was. in truth,
TRANSPORTED now i'll it's sacrifice ''You
love Mamie, and you want her to be your
wife"
NO no; not Nannie You-yon!'
The words echoed through the little edifice
coldly pure and white with the Christmas
greens against it. and their resinous odor fill
ing the ediiicc like incense. The familiar walls
seemed to reccdc before Miss Selinas vision
and grow dim and strange, and dream.
And presently she would awake But he went
on:
Its being long time and hard battle.
and lifc's separation, Selma. Perhaps you
blamed me- and YOU had a right. But [ was
Eoaded by despair, and cutting humiliation
OF my poverty, into going. | swore to myself
that L would not come back till it might be not
empty handed And SO the years passed The
noon OF our day is over and gone, Selma. But
the evening of it may be ours still to spend to-
gether."
But 1 have grown so DID," faltered Miss
Selma.
"old? You2 No! You never will be!
1t IS |, Selma, who have grown old
old and hardencd--weary with the battle of
lifn.n
Ind so ii came about that little Miss Prime
issued forth into the icy, clear night, above
which the stars palpitated like living things,
this time not alone. And when the two reached
the house there was Mamie, scintillating and
radiant in the ruddy light of the open door to
receive them.
But then, indeed, it was as though Miss Sell
ma would sink into the ground.
ooh, Nannie," was all she could articulate.
The horror of her selfish JOY at the price of the
disappointment of this child of hers smote her
white-lipped and dumb.
But with bound and ringing laugh Nam
ME was upon her, with her arms about her
neck.
ooh, you dearest dear goose! Are you going
to faint because you think want to marry Mr..
Dilberoglue? Why, l knew how it was from
the first, and we've been in league all
along. Didn't l manage nicely, Uncle Del
beroglue!"
And thus it transpired that, after many
years, little Miss Primes faithful heart hum
BILE and tremulous, came into its Christmas
Joy.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
OUTSIDE.


81 wonder what it all may mean?"
The tiny feet were bare.
The Christmas winds blew sharp and keen
Across the chill church stair:
One little lamb, outside the fold,
Looked through the open door;
AT dollhouse buds and sheen of gold,
And richly marDlCd floor.
81 wonder what they do insidc?"
The music flOatcd round.
Some anthem, seeking far and wide,
With hushcd and ycarninG sound
Then rapturcd, like conquering soul
That nears the tender sky,
1t found psalm, and brought the whole
Before the Christ on high.
g
II wonder if it's wrong to peep?
wish | might go in:
The SHOWS are falling soft and deep,
My frock has worn so thinl
Oh, mother dear is this the home
Where you have gone to stay?
Oh, tell me! won't they let me come,
And kiss you once to-day?
~tl9.
Il heard the children in the street
Talk of the Christmas-tidc;
They spoke aloud of toy and treat
Oh, call your child inside!
My mother, at this Christmas hour
With you long to be!
In THIS fair house, with wealth and flower,
Will they make room for me!'
The organ pcaled, the people sang
None heard her pleading there;
Across the fields the music rang,
And blest the bitter air;
And quietly, as winds grew wild,
The wee limbs touched the sod
Oh, little lamb! oh, weary child
Come to the arms of God!
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
THE kRISS KRINGLE.
BY II. c. DODGE.

why am I like Kriss Kringle, Kate?'r
Smiled Harry, counting late in clover;
"Because," she yawned ''wc know so great
A pleasure when your visits over"
ooh, no! that isn't right Miss Green"
Gloaned Harry, at the clock glancing;
Nkrlss krlnSlcs presents, Kate, [ mean
Must be-like mine-to You entranclng."
'Indeed your presents why" laughed she,
II never knew you to make any"
Il mean my presence here" blushed he.
'Must-that is-might give pleasures
many"
Perhaps, if YOU were like St. Nick"
Smiled Kate. "Oh, tell me how" cried
Harry.
"Well, them" she said, and made him sick,
Come once year, and never larry"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Clear and cold was the winter nigh.
And all the stars i'll the sky
Were full of holy new delight,
As they sang His lullaby.
Out of the East the full moon came,
Whitc-robed with light, as bride
Whose face aglow with inward flame
Could not its glances hide.
Over the plains, over the hills,
And over the distant seas,
Was music that still shapes and fills
The nations destinies.
For out of love a Child was born:
Unto man son was given;
And every year His natal morn
Fills all the world with heaven.
WILLIAM HENRY THoRNE
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
COMING DOWN.

Mr.. and Mrs. Blimmer, loaded with good
things for the stockings of the two little
Blimbcrs, paused on the threshold of the bed
chamber to reconnoitre the ground. 1t was
quite still and their bosoms swelled with the
emotions peculiar to Santa Claus on such
happy occasions. 'Thc darlings are asleep"
said Mr.. Blimber, "and we can go in." But
they had not advanced three steps before
there was cracking of the bed, rustling of
clothes and the half-smothered accents of
small boys voice saying: wake up, Jimmy
it's almost time for dad to be coming down
the chimney"
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
CHRISTMAS MORNING.

Last Christmas morning golden
OF these one of the least
Was glad in the light of heaven
As ii came from over the East.
SLOW good every one is growing!"
Said she with Il loving kiss;
Glow happy, CHEEKY, joyous!
Will it always be like this -
We aided hope with blessing
And strove with New Year zest;
But frost fell down and the summer
Was covered with leaves like the rest.
But her wish is there for chorus
To extend the season of bliss.
Old world whirl on in thy currant
And be forever like this
Frank Daniel BliSh, in Chicago Currdnt.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
---.-----.--..--...

The poor will many care forget,
The debtor thinks not of his debt,
But as they each enjoy their cheer
Wish it were Christmas all the year.
Thomas Mailer.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25

If all our millionalrcs would make point
once year Of reading Dickens christmas
CaroF they might learn u lesson for this
merry season. If there axe any Scrooges
among us, let them try this Christmas to
make their faithful servants happy Let
them spare from their millions even few
cents to make these about them happy.
Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25

"Hello, Biggs; did you get Christmas
present Z" ''Oh, yes got two" "Wcll, you
are lucky dog. What did you get; Z" sob,
got slippers, as usual"
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
Esjoymsat Of Lif. in Venice.

II the day II warm We shall sse
plenty Of Venetian boys swimming
In the canals, wearing nothing but \
pair Of light trousers, and they care
- little for our approach that 'we
arc afraid our gondolas will run: ov'
or some Of them. The urchins are
very quick and active, however, aud
We might as we'll try to touch a fish
rs one Of them. l once saw q Vene.
tian girl about l6 years old WHO was
sitting upon the steps Of a house
teaching her young brother how to
swim. The little fellow was very
small, and she had tied q cord around
his waist, one end OF which she held
in her hand. Sho would let The
child get into the water and paddle
away as well as he could. When he
seemed tired, or when he had gone
far enough she pulled him in. She
looked as If she were fishing, with q
small boy for bait.-St. Nicholas.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
Why Mr.CIevcland VIII Not
Marry.

Old friends of Cleveland whis.
per emphatically that the Prcsi-
dent will never marry. They say
that the only woman that the
President ever really loved has
been in her grave for more than
twenty-five years. Ho met hor,
they say, when he was a school
teacher in q little town of New
York, when the down had just
begun to come upon his lip, and
she was sweet sixteen. They low
ed but were too poor to marry.
Cleveland had decided to 60 West
to make a fortune, when his sweet
heart became sick and, within u
few days, died james Buchan.
ans love Tilted him when he was
u young man, and he never court
ed another. Fillmore had much
the same experience of Cleveland
in that he was too poor to marry
when he first fell in love. He
went off and spent three years at
Buffalo without seeing his sweet
heart, because he was too poor to
pay the travelling expenses of $50
miles which lay between them
Cleveland Leader.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
How to Have Good Butter.

/ never, says an 'Old Mother
in the Maine Farmer, wash my
butter or work it over the second
time, unless in hot weather it does
not come hard enough to separate
all milk from butter. AS for
white spots in butter, you will
not I've troubled if you work your
salt in properly before stamping
into balls, and spat each separate
ball over before stamping. 1t is
II very nice plan to stir your cream
from the bottom all through
every day, adding teaspoonful,
or less, of salt each time; i; keep in
u cool place, but not to freeze
hard, until the day before churn-
ing, then bring into your sitting
or sewing room let it stand until
ready to churn next day stir it
once or twice in the time. A
moderate change of temperature
is now natural and best. Scald
your churn and put your cream
iu for churning, and don't believe
the witches will trouble it.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
Good Roads.

The foundation ofa great and
prosperous State is q great and
prosperous farming community.
Every other interest is depenent
upon this first, this rudimental
element. Whatever, therefore,
benefits the farming interest of a
State benefits every other interest.
Whatever Injuries the farmer in
jures more seriously u thousand
other mon dependent for their
success upon the successful farm
or. This brings us to our point,
namely, that good roads are es.
scntial TO the prosperity of the
farm interests; per contra, poor
roads laro harmful and, conse-
quontly ,njure extensively every
public and private interest in
the State. Every business, every
household is affected, one way
or another, by the condition of
our roads Southern Cultivator.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
A Protest Against Home
study.

Cramming is cruelty. A score
os things we'll learned are better
than u thousand thing half known.
A few hours study II day makes
boy mentally hclthy /; tho much
study makes him top heavy. a
brain that is made alert by know.
ledge is II guod thing, but n brain
that is watcr-losged with poring
over books il u very poor thing
Children should be made to study
hard ut school, hut not u lesson
should be learned ut home. En-
ersun once said very tersely: We
are students Of words, VIC IRE SHUT
up in school and colleges and re-
citation rooms for ten or fifteen
years, and come out at last with a
bag Of wind, a memory of words
and do not know a thing" Our
present methods arc defective, but
we shall apply better ones by and
by. The system of the future
will have this fact IN il and all
through it-that a boyis an out
of doors animal and ought not to
do a m.n's work until he cacquires
a mans strcngth.-New York
Herald.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
Ransom Cheese.

Uncle Billy Stokes, q colored
individual from one Of the back
counties in Mississippi, whore old
fashioned wagons With wooden
axles are still in use, and where
tho primative tar bucket is part
of their running gear WAS in
Canton. Miss, II few days ago
standing in front Of Mntt Hiller''
store watching the unloading from
drays of newly arrived goods
One dray contained, besides sew.
eral barrels Of groceries, ? mum.
Der of boxes of patent axle grease
Unclc Billy's eye rested upon the
latter, and he inquired:
'AIars Hitler, what yer axe fer
one oh dem little checses?'
Only so cents, Billy; do you
want onc?' was Mr.. Killers re-
ply.
wal, yes, boss hut Of l buy
do cheese will you frow IN del
crackers?'
OF course I will said Mr.. HID
Ter, he handed Uncle Billy
box of the axle grease and thel
passed behind bis counter ant
took u handful of crackers ant
gave them to the old man.
Uncle Billy then went to the
back of the store, and scating him.
self on an empty dry goods box,
proceedsd to enjoy his lunch. lie
had been there about Eve minutes
when Mr.. Hitler concluded he
would see what progress he was
making +; no, going to.the door, lie
saw the old man, with his barlow
knife in hand, spreading the
grease OH the cracker, while his
jaws wcro vigorously working and
his mouth aud chin covered with
crumbs and grease.
We'll, Uncle Billy said MIR.
Hitler how DO you like your
lunch?'
The old man rested his knife
OIL his right knee, and drawing
heavy sigh, rcplie'l:"
Boss, dem ar crackers are
pow'ful good ; but lor, boss, dis
am dc ransomest cheese, TO God,
/ ever tasted United States Dali
ryman.
Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-05-06
Household WRINKLES.

Never let the tea boil.
Keep tea in close closet, or
canister.
Before putting away heavy win
tor boots, soak and wash them
thoroughly, then oil them we'll.
Clean clromos by dusting well
with soft cloth. A drop of oil
on the cloth will brighten dull
places.
Soap-bark, stepped in warm wa
ter and strained, is excellent for
washing soiled spots from mems
clothing.
A little milk and water rubbed
over oilcloths after they have been
scrubbed and dried will freshcn
them.
Trim and gil the lamps in the
morning, or you may add to the
tale of accidents, us tho unwise
virgins whose lamps were not
ready when wanted.
When dishes become dlscelored
through careless washing, wash
them in strong soapsuds and scour
them with marble sand or siftcd
coal ashes.
Save all your broken and crook
cd carpet tacks, and keep them in
u box in the kitchen, for cleaning
bottles. They arc better than
shot, for the sharp edges scrapc
off all the stains.
When carpet is to be put down,
spread newspapers layer OH layer,
evenly on the bare floor. A dozen
layers are none too many. They
will keep out tho cold, and form
MS soft u footing as expensive car
pet lining.