davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
THE OWLS CHRISTMAS.
BY IURA LEE.


There was an old owl, and he lived in a
tree,
A Christmas tree, IL you please;
And seven small owlets his children were,
Nimblc and merry as bees;
But very complaining and gruff were they
The day that came just before Christmas
Day.
For not gift, il you please.
"Huh" and "Hap and Humphr they
"A nice state of things, IL you please:
Not present nor "a bit of fun,
While father snoozes at ease.
Papa, wake up! What of Christmas Dayi
Can't we go out and have play
Under the Christmas treesw
Father he blinked, but he chuckled out
right
Then cot out his pocket-knife keen,
And whitfield seven pairs of tiny skates,
The tiniest ever seen.
With holly leaves he tied them secure
And rolled up seven tippets of snow soft
and pure,
And put them on, If You please.
he gave each for cane an icicle long,
And took them all adown to the lake;
Where the ice was smooth, and CLASSY, and
No danger that it would break
And sad, You can skate, and run, and
dance,
And tumble, play tag, and stumble, and
prance,
All day and all night, if you please"
So that was their Christmas. Snug in bed,
And awfully tired that night.
The owets slept, and never woke up
Till Morning but woke in alright
What do you Think The tree was cut down
Without waking an owl and carted TO town,
And set up in house, if you please
There it was lighted and trimmed and be-
decked
And the nest at the top of the tree;
Presents below and IA merry crowd
Laughing ana romping with glee,
And there Mr.. Owl and his family were
kept,
And petted and fed till the children slept,
Then out to the home grove they all were
swept.
And that was their Christmas Day.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
from the bed; sand did yo-you get any thing

from the bed; sand did yc-you get anything
TO eatl'
ayes, wife; there, take it," and he start
ed across the room 10 give her loaf OF
bread he had concealed under his wretched
coat
But no paused midway. He heard
footsteps in the passage He tossed the
loaf to the bed. and returning quickly
to the door put his shoulders against it, re-
slst 'ng with his might the efforts OF some
one outside to open IT.
But in vain; gradually but surely the
door swung inward till, with "A cry OF rage,
the weary man ceased struggling, and
turned TO meet burly police officer who
entered.
"Ah, hap exclaimed the official, 80
have you come, now, where's that bread
you priggea from the baker'si | saw you"
And going forward he grasped the trem-
bling man By the arm.
From the bed tue poor woman looked with
startled eyes upon the struggle. One thin
hand clasped the miserable loaf, while she
held the other appealingly 10 her unhappy
husband.
The fury of hunted fugitive, desperate
with wrong and hunger, WAS in the captive
mans eyes. He struck at the officer again
and again. but the big policeman was too
strong for HIM, and finally held both arms
IN powerful grasp
'Nedh The poor woman criel, as she
half raised herself from the bed. "Ncd-"
there was an ominous rattle in her throat,
her eyes grew fixed. "Ne--ned," she gasp
ed once more, then fell back rigid.
See cried the struggling man, furious
~, "see, she is dead, +" and breaking away
from the grasp of the officer, he started for
ward toward the bed bat alas before he
reached 1t fell PROSTATE. The officer bent
forward and looked into his face. "Thun-
derationl" he exclaimed, he has tainted.
This is bad nights work. Then going 10
the bed, he gazed upon the woman's face, and
started back with a cry OF alarm-she was
dead
"Or sobbed Estelle, take me away, Kris
Kingle, please do"
wait" he whispered, pointing upward,
"lookr
AS before, a sudden glory filled the room !;
there was the same bewildering avenue OF
light, and on both sides of it endless rows
of celestial beings fitted TO and fro, and be-
tween them, moving toward a holy presence
in the dim distance was happy soul just
liberated from its earthly imprisonment.
"Op' exclaimed Estelle as she gazed from
the set face OF the dead woman 10 that Of
the happy spirit ait is the woman's soul ~
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20

eS, Salu hrlS sOlcpuly,
troubles are over; she will hunger no more I;
but comep' he added quickly, and softly by
the kneeling official, and the unconscious
man, they reached the door, and going
through the hall to the room they had first
entered, paused by the chimney, and Kris
Kingle took Estelle in his arms. 'Shut
your eyes, DEAR he said, and whiz when
she opened them again they were snugly
seated in the sleigh Kris kingle cracked
his whip and with merry "Hiol'' that al
most obliterated the memory of the sad oc-
currences below off they went through the
moonlight, over the roofs, and far away.
kris Kingler' said Estelle, "pleasc take
me home; don't want TO see any more sor-
row TO night"
"All right, my dear" aswered Kris Kin
gle, "but before we return / want you TO
come with me and see little boy whose
Christmas will soon come to him"
"N here is he!" asked Estelle.
In answer Kris Kingle directed his flying
reindccr toward large building. The win
dows were all alight, and there were shad-
ows of moving figures fitting across the
blinds.
"Whoa!" The sleigh came to a stand
still, and Kris Kingle, taking the little girl
in his arms, leaped TO the roof, clambered
to a tall chimney, and in moment the big
fur cap and the little golden head disappear
ed in its depths.
When the little girl again opened her eyes
they stood in a long low room on both sides
OF it little cots were arranged, and on each
lay "A childish form.
Here and there pale face looked toward
the ceiling; some were sleeping, some with
flushed cheeks tossing their little arms
about, and on one or two OF the beds lay lit
tie ones with arms and heals bacdaged.
kris Kingle" asked Estclle, what
place is ths!"
ut is the chidren's hospital" he an
swered
"But won't they see u.s."
"No," answered Kris Kringe; IL have
provided against that"
Ladies were moving from cot to cot,
their faces alight with the beauty OF ten
der sympathy. To some OF the little suffer
ers they gave flowers; TO others, toys,
dolles, trumpets, books; ana over each
bed sprig oil holly was tied.
"Ah" There came a startled exclama
ton from one oftae nurses bending over q
little cot and an the ladies' and several
kindly-faced gentlemen hurried in that
direction. Come" said Kris kringle;
then taking Estelle in his arms he carried
her TO the bedside.
There lay little newsboy. Estelle had
often seen the poor little fellow on the
streets, but his CHEEKY voice was hushed,
and his ayes were dim over his piuched
face the shadow OF death was creeping and
one manned hand was raised in the air,
held softly by the nurse
"How do you feel, my dearl" asked one
Of the ladies with fearful eyes. 90" gasp
ed the little boy, II am so-tired-but the
parson said that ef--ef rud hold nv
hand up-tha--that Good would see it.
an when lie cum hero to-night-He 'ud
hold IL an take me home"
"And does my little friend feel happyp
asked kindly faced gentleman, kneeliug
beside him
40. YES" whispered the little fellow,
"God has-ha-" the little head fell back
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
FANCY'S FLIGHT.
What Little Girl saw on Ride with
Kris ftingle.

"Goodyp'
II was showing; inumerable flakes went
whirling, floating, drifting. They festoon-
ell the branches of the shivering trees,
transformed the posts and ratings into
grotesque statuary, and over the streets
stretched the softest carpets.
Boreas was prowling. Early that night
had he sent his messenger, Jack frost, 10
fetch in bulletins of silyery rime the adj
vent of the snow; and sure enough here it
was conducted by Boreas himself, and
heralded on every side by shivering blares
Of his trumpet
1t was Christmas Eve.
"Goodyw-a little golden -hairded girl,
stood at the window gazing into the night.
her blue eyes alight with the happiness Of
gratifed wish, and her little fingers kept
drumming merry accompaniment on the
window as she hummed in a sweet, childish
trabie
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
A BLACK CHRISTMAS.

Missy tole me doan' be stuffin'
Yore inside wild pie an cake;
Kase you II shuly en- you Cris'mus
Wild monstrous stummick ache.
"Cose," she said al amt dernyin'
Dat de fixin's good an sweet;
But you axis like IL de tastes
Dat you ebber spec ter eat"
Lam or goodness es ter stufiin'
She doan' need ter be erfraid;
] am skeered er consequences,
OATS foh why dat 1 wus made.
Pie um, lawdy 'clar ter gracious
Pie dess fifteen ter my hep;
Dis dc las piece oh fob quahtahs,
So dey ain noah quahtahs lef'.
Cake an puddn', nuts an raisins,
Syllabub an sech-my eyel
Wen hits ali done gone an Gated,
Ian or goodness, lemme die.
Doan' you slSeer erbout me, missy,
Jess you lef' dis niggah be;
kase spec my C'ris'mus stufiin'
Hu'ts you wuss n hit do me.
Huh you hab de mostes worrit
Wild yo' own astoniSh' self;
kase you see de- hole Use maxim,
In erHomgs you pantry shelf
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
A IInpny Thought.

Tommy, l hear you got a thrash
ing in school to-day" Tommy: Yes,
ma, the teacher whipped me. bus he is
getting so old and weak that ii didn't
hurt much" Ibid you cry" "Ch,
yes, bswled so you could have heard
it on the next block" "Why did you
do that" II wanted 10 make the old
man feel happy once more"
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
It's Growing Better.

England's criminal record contra
diets the statement that the world is
continually growing worse Statistics
in England give notable decrease in
the convict population during the last
twenty years. Last year the total
number Of convicts under sentence
OF penal servitude in England was
6,4o5. Twenty years ago the num-
Der was 1900.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
No Rsspect for the Dead.

There is an amusing story told OF a
Delaware man, who received ''horn-
ing" because he married within a
month after his first wife's death. He
told the serenaders that he didn't think
it showed good taste 10 como banging
around mans house so soon alter a
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
Lemon. Girl. and Smeezer.

Lemon parties" are becoming popu.
lar in a number OF Hudson River
towns. 1t Is stated that every young
man Is expected 70 bring lemon, .
girl, and squeezer
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-12-20
A TIMELY TALE.
Told on Christmas Eve by the Old Clock
Most Feelingly.

Christmas + V G
the old CT oc k
stood in the cor
n e r. and sang
tick took. tick
tock'' until every
thing else in the
room had gone to
5 ee p every
thing except the
jumping jac *.
'Iick-tock. "said
the old clock. and
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

your FIVE acres to a depth of one inch,
and could be kept running until you had
the desired quantity of water. This
pump would cost you 1926. For $500
you can get pump that would supply
you with double the quantity of water or
two inches in twenty-four hours.
We very much doubt if rice culture
could be made profitable on SO small
scale and at SO great an outlay. If the
tract contained fifty acres, pump sup
plying 200 gallons per minute and cover
ing the entire tract to depth of one inch
in twenty-four hours, could be purchased
for 81 900 or less. We would advise that
where land is suitably located the far
mers of the community ''club together"
prepare their land and buy theirirrigating
machinery. Say, for instance, that ten
men should undertake to cultivate and
irrigate fifty acres of land This would
give each five acres, and the cost of pre-
pairing the machinery would be but little
if any over $3.50 each, and this expense
would occur but once. The cost of culti-
waiting the rice amounts to almost moth
ing, and the profit, we believe, would
justify the outlay.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
Irrigating Rice Land.

subscriber writes that he has about
five acres of land lying on large lake.
The land is quite low, but several feet
above the level of the lake and could cas-
lily be ditched and drained so as to make
good rice land. He wishes to know the
capacity and probable cost of a pump
necessary for the purpose.
The pump will be but a small item in
the matter OF establishing his farm. He
must first ditch his land transversely and
laterally, so that the waterway be added
and drawn off at will. In order to do
this it will be necessary to dixie the land,
i. e. throw up an embanknent twelve or
fifteen inches high around tho field, with
sufficient thickness to keep the water
from soaking through.
A vacuum pump of a capacity of 200
gallons per minute, or probably less
would be sufficient for your needs. This
pump would furnish sufficient quantity
OF water in twenty-four hours to cover
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

who may not have seen the former an
nouncement we will state in brief that the
AGRICULTURIsT has land tract which it
will use as an Experimental Station. In
these grounds will be planted the crops
and vegetables best suited to our soil and
climate. careful record will be kept of
the time and methods of planting, varie-
ties cultivated, brands and quantities
of fertilizers used, etc. These records
will be published in detail at the proper
season, and will be of inestimable benefit
both to the inexperienced man and the
practical gardener.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

THIS week the AGRICULTURIsT devotes
tant subject of picking packing and mar
keting oranges, subject of co-equal i'm
portance with that of the production of
the fruit We have no apology to offer
for making the subject thus prominent
on account of it's great Importance. !.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
Our Transportation Facilities.

On thequestion Transportation, Flor
ida has had much to complain of in the
past and even now, although there has
been vast improvement during the past
few years, our transportations facilities
are enot what they should be by any means
In the first place the service given us is
too slow, irregular and unreliable.
Second, the rates charged are entirely
too high for even a frst-cIass service,
much more so for the one given us.
Last, but by no means least, the cars
used for transporting our fruit are not
what they should be by any means, and
are totally unfit for the business.
Our fruit growers would not complain
OF the second item so loudly-the charges
If the first and third faults we're recti-
fed. They are willing to pay any reason
able rate for getting their fruit into mar
ket expenditiously and consequently in
good condition, but they naturally OBJ
ject to paying for what they do not get
Our State Railroad Commission has
been OF little if any benefit to our people,
and we doubt very much if legislative en-
actment can inaugurate the desired re-
form, so we must depend upon the trans
portation corporations to do as they see
fit in the matter, and it certainly seems
as if they would see it to their interest to
aid in the progress and development of
the country by giving to the fruit grow
ers the best, quickest and cheapest trans
portation in their power For without
it the work of the fruit raiser will amount
to but little; our resources will not be de-
veloped, and the country instead OF get
ting richer will get poorer, and the trans
portation companies will lose in greater
proportion than any one else. For these
reasons we hope and believe that in the
course of time 1--WE hope the course will be
a short one) they will see it to theirinterest
to furnish the fruit growers with cheaper
and better methods of getting their pro-
duce into market.
Fruit trains from Florida should run on
special schedule, the same as the pas
senger and mail trains. The time of
course could not and need not be as fast,
it certainly could be greatly increased
from what it is at present and made reg
ular and reliable.
The amount of fruit shipped daily from
Florida during the orange season, is GER
tainly of sufficient quantity to justify the
running OF specialfruit trains, thatshould
start solid, and remain so without break
or unnecessary stoppage until they had
arrived at their destination. If this was
done the unpleasant reports of fruit
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

Those of our subscribers who consti-
tute portion of the very large class of
citizens of our State known as "new
comers" will be greatly benefited by read
ing carefully the bulletins of our expert
ments that will be published during the
coming year. For the benefit of those
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
no CORRESPONDENTS.

Articles relating to any topic within the scope
of this paper are solicited.
We cannot promise to return rejected manu-
script unless stamps are enclosed.
All communications intended for publication
must be accompanied with real name as guar
antee of good faith Names will not be published
if objection is made. No anonymous contr1bu-
tions will be regarded.
HB- Money should be sent by Draft, Postofice
Money Order on DeLand or Registered Letter.
otherwise the publisher will not be responsible in
case of loss When personal checks are used ex-
change must be added. Only l. and 2-cent stamps
taken where change cannot be had.
R1rTo insure insertion, all advertisements for
this paper must be received by 10 O'Clock Monday
morning of each week.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

We would call the attention OF our
readers to the various advertisements in
this ISSUE Our advertisers we believe are
all reliable and trustworthy. At least
the AGRICULTURIsT never takes an adver-
tisement from those known to be other
wise.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

The Florida Fruit Exchange has decid-
ed to inaugarate the Orange Auction in
Jacksonville The first auction will be
held January 9th, 1890. For instruc-
tion and futher particulars address Gen
eral Manager Ives.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

sion men were thieves and robbers, on the
contrary we knew different; we knew that
there we're innumerable honest and up
right men in the commission business
who would conscientiously guard the in
terests of their patrons, but we also knew
that there were host of others who cared
only for the almighty dollar and nothing
for the orange grower. The difficulty of
the average orange grower to dis
tinguish the good from the bad,
the honest from the dishonest, at long
range was one of theconsiderationsw which
prompted our course in advising the or
ganization OF the Union.
This, however, was not the only reason.
Had all of the commission men been the
personifcation of honesty, the orange
growers Union would still have been a
necessity. Because in a disorganized
condition the orange growers were entire
ly at the mercy of the consumers, and
they still are to a very great extent, but
we predict that it will not be for long.
For with the assistance of the Fruit Ex-
change. which is now a part of the or
ganization of the Orange Growers Union,
we will soon be in a position to entirely
avoid gluts and depressions of prices, by
shipping fruit only to those markets
where they are wanted and consequently
where they will command good prices.
In former years there was no concert of
action on the part of the orange shippers,
and they shipped their fruit when and
where they pleased, and as consequence
a very large portion of it went to the
same markets which soon became glutted
while other places were entir~ly destitute
of fruit. Now the Union ships it's fruit
through the Exchange, which is daily ad-
vised of the condition of the markets in
different sections of the country, and
sends fruit only where needed.
To make the work of the Union effec-
tive it is ofcourse necess sary to have theco-
operation of all the fruit growers, other
WlSO Un0 IL ulU SllIPPCO Wy CHO LuCmOOlS vi
the Union and by the non-members will
come in competition, glut the markets
and have generally depressing effect.
The Union now has a membership of
nearly two thousand, but to accomplish
it's object the membership must be largely
increased until it includes if not all at
least very large majority of the orange
raisers of the State.
OF course there is not nor can there be
any compulsion about the matter. A
man has the perfect moral andlegalright
to ship his fruit when, where and to whom
he pleases, but we be ieve that when they
do, they act directly against their own
interests and the interests of their COLA
borers.
By all means join the Union and stand
by it.
Trri mo fiuo Pi0n Tond
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1889.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
ORANGE NUMBER.

ORANGE NUMBER
Who is to Blame; The Picking and Packing of
Oranges .6S9
The Situation 69O9192
An Auction for Jacksonville; He Stands Firm;
The Proper Way to Do
Shipping Oranges. .6S594
Prefers to Ship His Fruit...................69
Packing Oranges; Shipping Oranges in Bulk. 1896
EDITORIAL.
Retrospective and Otherwise Irrigatng Rice
Land Our Transportation Facilities ...........696
Answers to Correspo pondents
HOUSEHOLD
Word to Our Florida Girls; Roasting
Meat.................
RY-Story-"Dunraven Ranch 500
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
Retrospective and Otherwise.

For nearly seventeen years the AGRI-
CULTURIsT has labored with and for the
orange growers of Florida. During that
time it has seen the orangeindustry grow
from a tiny infant in it's swaddling clothes
to large and healthy child, and we do
not think we will be accused of egotism
when we say that like a fond mother we
have assisted in it's development and
helped to nourish the toddling offspring
of our peoples enterprise. Wehave done
this from a combined sense of duty and
of interest; because we believed, and still
believe, that the fruit industry of Florida
would gradually elevate our State and
our people to a position of Importance,
independence and wealth, and from the
present outlook it would seem as if our
hopes and expectations will soon be rea-
lized in the fullest measure. Speed the
day is our prayer and shall be our aim
and object, andfor it's accomplishment we
shall labor INCREASINGLY and dunremittingly
until the desideratum is attained and we
hear from our grateful and appreciative
constituency 1--WE hope) "well done good
and faithful servant, you have earned our
gratitude, now accept our moral, physical
and financial support"
The orange growers of Florida, like all
pioneers, have had difficult road to
travel. A few years ago orange culture
was an unsolved mystery, and after the
fruit was produced the greatest problem
remained to esolved-the proper method
of marketing it.
We attempted in our humble way to
solve the mysteries of cultivation. We
employed the most practical men both
at home and abroad to give their plans
and ideas; at great expense we have
translated and published books on or
! ange culture by the best writer's of Italy,
and we gave our columns fully and freely
to the discussion of all relative subjects
In this way we cannot help but believe
that we have done our part in smoothing
the pathway of the Florida orange grow
er.
AS to the other matter-that of mark
eting-by referring to our files we find
that years ago we urged the organization
of the orange growers, so that there might
be some concerted method for protection,
and that they might derive the innu-
merable benefits of cooperation. Week
after week, until the weeks grew to months
and the months into years we urged the
Importance of cooperation and union,
knowing full well that by it only could
our fruit raisers get Their just deserts and
achieve the success to which they were
entitled. Finally our efforts were in a
measure crowned with success, the orange
growers organized and the
FLORIDA ORANGE GROWERS UNION
was formed: This was the dawning of
the millennium, which we believe will soon
break into the broad light of prosperity
and, if the affairs of the Association are
judiciously managed, will never darken.
Unlike some others in the State we did
not advocate the formation of this Union
because we believed that all the commits
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

When subscribers write US to change their pa.
per to another postOfice it will save us consid-
cradle trouble if they will give the old address as
we'll as the new one. Please do not forget this.
The Florida agriculturist., 1889-12-18

We would call the attention of our
readers to the advertisement of Mr.. E.
Bean elsewhere in this issue. Those who
have used Mr.. Beams insecticide report
very satisfactory results.