davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-29
DIsTRIcT OF WATERBURY, ss, Probate \ y Court Sent o7 1892

Esta'e of Miles F. Connolly, of Waterbury, in said district, assigning debtor.
 The voluntary assignment of the said debtor, having been lodged in this office for record and prL bate thereof and Joh1 B. Doherty being in said assignment nominated as trustee for said estate, therefore
 |. ORDERED-that the 5th day of Oct, 1892, at o'clock forenoon, be, and the same is hereby assigned, for a hearing on the approval of said proposed trustee, and that all persons interested cause and be heard thereon, this Court directs that this order be published three times in a newspaper having a circulation in said probate dis rct, before said time assigned for said hear
 ELLIS .PHELAN,I ,IJudge.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-09-29

1. Dr 0. W. 8. Frost. 177 Bank street.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25

One word more, based upon the sup
posed period, or cycle, OF Tycho's star.
1t has been observed that the two alleged
appositions previous to 1872 were 80 years
apart, while between the later OF these
and 1872 only 3OS years interviewed. The
mean of these two periods would be 3131z
years. 1t is now about two months more
that $40 years since Tycho, looking up at
the sky, was astounded to see a magnifi-
cent new star blazing over his head. If
that star is to reappear in our Gay it is
now overdue about six years and eight
months, estimating by its assumed mean
period, and about fourteen months as
judged by the time elapsed between the
years 945 and 1854. Ii the supposed APP
pearances in the years last named rested
upon solid evidence we might with some
confidence still expect to see Tycho's star
again. But the evidence on which they
rest is very unsatisfactory, so that the
whole question is involved in obscurity
We can only watch and wait, confident
that if the strange star does reappear
modern science will not let it esca pc pntll
it has told us its story. And that story
would surely be one Of the most marvel
ous of all that the heavens have unfolded
to man. GARRETT P. SERvIsS.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
ICopyright.

The first indication of the annual re-
turn of this season OF hilarity, is hog
killing time. This comes early or late,
according to frost, but from that time on
be it late or early there Is no more
work in the darkies, no more study in
white children. no more picking up chips
and minding the baby in picaninnies.
They have christmas in de bones.''
The darkies begin TO save up eggs and
nuts, to make persimmon beer, and to
watch for the latest 'possum haunts in
the bottom; while the children, black and
white, begin to save up hog bladders, in
hated and dried, for cannonade before
the big-house door, at day break Christ
mas morning.
The cotton is nearly all picked, only
scrappy remnants of it whitens here and
there over the brown fields of stalks.
Great stacks OF it are heaped about the
barn doors. and the old gin sings and
groans, and creaks and fusses, from sun
rise to sunset, ike some huge, greedy
monster trying to eat up a year rations
in day.
The negroes sing, too, and laugh and
joke and play hockey. When 10 should
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25

lers, Folks, Taylors and Fillmo-es, each
| brought to the presidents home the ele-
gances and refnements of their day and
the customs OF their time. One secretary
writes TO London in December, t'Never
has the holiday season been more hand
somely observed than by Mrs. Polk, the
dignified and graceful wife of Pres deut
Polk. - The Jeffersons entertained friends
at dinner during the holidays, and the
Jacksons gave to the beloved little Rach-
els and Andrews delightful ''winter
sports" and merry makings. People
now live at the capital who remember the
! beautiful home life of these families at
the White House.
Before railways, coaches changed horses
at Alexandria and at the capital, and
loads of young bellies and beaux came up
to the Christmas and New Years parties
bringing to the president and his family
beautiful holly and trailing pine from
their southern homes. Charming stories
are ct told OF dolly Madison" in her
/ generous social reign-eighs years-as the
wife of the secretary of state and after
ward the sunshiny mistress OF the White
house. In Deem Der, 1869, ssher old FAM
lily servants iourneyed loaded with
Christmas comforts for Mistress Dolly
from the old home, " says a quaint record.
Mrs Madison brought to the Presidents
nome lle lJTau- VI V II y lllst dliu JIS CdrO-
Hnas, and often boasted of being the
daughter of the old commonwealth" and
she entertained with a wide hospitality
and gave sumptuous feasts when occasion
demanded. The CAROLS of Maryland tell
of the sweet music on the piano and harp
by Mrs. Abigail Fillmore and her daugh-
ter at dinner in December. 1850. Daniel
Webster wrote to friend of 1.-THE old yule
log, transplanted to the American White
House. and of holiday feast' given by
the president.
MIR. Buchanan, with Miss Lane, ''the
golden beauty of the White House, - gave
grand fetes to the young people of the
capital in 1889 on Christmas eve. The
pretty maidens wore Empire gowns and
high combs. To each guest Miss Lane
gave sprig of holly berries as a souvenir
brought from the beloved Wheatiand
home. The Lanes were an aristocratic
family insEa England The yule log
burned brightly on their Virginia
hearth, and the boar's head, with
an apple in its mouth, get off
with rosemary and plum pudding,
graced the Virginia dinner table. These
customs, added to the southern festivities
when all the servants in the country
round held high carnival found their way
to the White House and to the homes OF
the cabinet. In those days Christmas
morning was stri city "a festival OF devo-
tion.' Churches in Washington were
well filed by the official families at 10
la.m.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
Iv.-Jessie Benton Fremonts First Christ.
mas.

IV.-Jessie Benton Fremonts First Christ
I do remember, perfectly, my first I'M
preston of Christmas. 1 have several
earlier pictures in memory, but l was
four years old when Christmas first en-
tered my mind as special time of glad
ness and lovely presents. Oddly emo 1gh,
l was telling of this memory very lately
in its contrasts with our Christmas here
of serene sunny days and flowers
and fruits untouched by frosts.
For This is the picture, distinct before me,
undimmed by The three-scor and four
years intervening:
A very large, long room, lit up with a
Rembrandt glow from its deep, wide fire
of great logs-on one side the invalid
grandfather we were never to startle by
sudden laughs even-his gray head lying
back on the tall arm chair and his long
legs stretched on the hot w..ite hearth.
At his side, but screened by his large
high chair, sat my mother reading to him
By the light of two tall spermaceti
candles. On the other side OF the fire
was our grandmother, knitting with
shining gold knitting needles, her ''even-
ing needles, fine lambs wool stockings
for US. and near her on our little chairs
my eldest sister and myself, g and years
old. While an outer circle was made by
my grandfather 5 body servant, 'tUncle'7
Ralph, always at hand, and my grand
mothers maid, knitting also, who was
decorousiy seated behind her mistress.
No sound but my mother S voice and the
occasional fall of a log burned through
Uncle Ralph silently PIT that to rights,
and the clear, tender voice continued the
reading, with sometimes little comments
and talk with spapa''-but we We're to
make no sound. We were at my grand
fathers in Virginia, miles from any
neighbor, and nothing could come to
break the hush his wrecked nerves re-
quired. And it was also bowling winter
weather. Imagine, then, the strong i'm
preston made on me by the upset OF all
this ordered calm. Noises came from the
front door, noises of horsesand of people,
cheerful vigorous noises of snow stamped
off, laughing and the thump of baggage
And our mother was actually running
into the hall, while my grandfather, not
minding the noise, but looking all
pleased. was standing up and holding out
his hands to the big man in the showed
on clothes! For it was our father! Our
dear loving father, who had come to us
for Christmas and brought a big trunk
full of Christmas gifts for every body.
| can see it all so well.
The opening of that trunk, brought
into the warm rooms that my grand
father, too, might see. We, liberated
imps, laughed and noised all we wanted,
without rebuke, over our too big wax
-s'London dolls '-and there was
London cloak for my mother of black
silk lined with fur Ca nursery treasure IN
its older age, which makes itrememb ered),
but there were things for all. In my
fathers chiyalrous devotion to my
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25

mother he never failed in love and atten-
ton to her parents; we knew her gold
knitting needles, and the gold knitting
sheath mounted on black velvet, which
she wore in the evenings, had been given
by my father, for my grandfather was a
sweet, sincere soul, who loved to dwell
on little kindnesses.
But the feature of the presents to us
Cater our dolis) were the oranges my
father had brought, carefully wrapped
and packed warmly in the trunk for our
sick grandfather.
a smile that is very close to tears rises
as l remember our gathering, III admir-
ing silence, about those oranges. l can
see my mothers beautiful hands, as she
herself carefully peeled and divided-one
into slim little sections, when we all
solemnly took each one bit (the Leel care
fully saved to flavor things.)
That is what see yet. But new feelings
stirred III me even then. And grew, and
went on growing as | learned later. all
that sudden, brief visit through the
stormy winter weather meant.
But what else entered my heart then
was the impression that my father was
good. That his love for US, his care for
US were regardless OF obstacles.
Dimly / saw that Glove works mira
cles." 1t was for me the dawn OF perception
into the beauty and greatness of ''the
religion of the family, 2 religion which
has so blessed ali my life-all.
And again now when into my faraway
home by the Sunset sea there came to me
for their Xmas nay grandchildren with
glad young hearts and happy young faces
to brighten my quiet.
They leave their Atlantic coast in win
ter storms, but the warm Pullman car
brings them without change of seat
across the SHOWS and the mountains, Sc
differently Travelled by their grandfather.
But | question if the ''trees Of orange'
they Will find will leave them such endur-
ing memory of delight as did my one
orange of Christmas eve SO long, long ago.
JESSIE BENTON FREMONT.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25

This creed gave me years of unqualified
satisfaction; and when recently asked a
small person OF six whether he still be-
lieved in Santa Claus, and he answered
ne in whitening good English: 81 never
believed in Santa Claus; always thought
it was parents, ~ ] felt Quenched and de-
iected beyond reason.
At breakfast with the sun looking in
the eight long windows OF the dining
room and twinkling on the holly and box
bushes under them. outside one felt there
was gala in the air.
Then we went to church, and after it
we sat down at 2 O'Clock to dinner that
lasted late in the afternoon. The old sil-
yer shone anew and the jellies quivered
board.
In the evening we gathered about the
fire made upon the remnants of last year S
yule log and told stories and PLAYED
games. There were six windows cur
tanned with red damask in the drawing
room, and several doors, in and out of
which boys and dogs were perpetually
moving.
The indoor games [ remember best
Christmas times in old Virginia after the
ceremony of rolling in the Yale log.
which would never roll, and was always
forcibiy tugged by boy cousins with ext
coriated hands and doubtful tempers, was
performed IN nigh day and holiday
fashion, too decorous to be really to our
taste. They took place under the saper-
vision of maiden aunJs, amid the red
damask chairs and sofas, girandoles and
ostrich eggs of the drawing room, and
enjoined a sort OF fearful joy.
Better fun was to be had in the 'tLong
rocm''-its deep-mouthed fireplace filed
with a cracking wood fire, its furniture
SCARED with tokens of generations of
romping boys ana girls, its walls hung
with guns and fishing rods the school
desks pushed back and apples waiting to
be roasted upon strings above ne hearth.
There we gathered and talked and % lyed;
there read 'Evelina'' in a window seat
apart; thence passed mRidens to marriage,
stripplings to college, to the navy, to
business and-to war.
For lurking behind the merriment of
our easy-going life was a grim presence
whose hand outstretched was soon to 81
lence it forever. The last Christmas l re-
member at Vancluse-that of 1S60-was
like the first, a time of pleasure unalloyed
to young people; but in another year the
old home was blotted out of sight, and its
ruins lay in a desert over which the
Christmas blast swept drearily
Mrs. BURTON HARRISON.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25

The observance of Christmas belonged
to the English church, and disbelievlng
in such observances, and having suffered
SO much in separating from that church
they would naturally avoid all recogni-
ton of Christmas, so that with them and
with others like them who settled else
where, and with the descendants of all
these for several generations, the Christ
mas season passed unnoticed.
Thus it happened that we children had
no Christmas trees, and l do think it is
rather singular, but the first one ever
heard Of in our country was in that very
town Of Plymouth, where the first Pill
grims landed-my town-and not half a
mile from the rock they landed on 1t
happened in this way: Perhaps all do
not know what country NAV be called
the home of the Christmas Tree. Ger
many. Rejoicings were always held in
that part of the world to ce ebrate the re-
newal of life which the new year was
about to bring to earth. Now, a certain
relative Of mine, called by all our clan
'sGousin Lemuel, spent four years as a
student in Germany, and one winter after
his return should say this might have
been somewhere among the forties-as
the season drew near he talked much to
us of Christmas and Christmas trees and
Christmas carols and Christmas good
times, as he had known all these in Ger
many. And-well now it might have been
Cousin Lemuel. or it might nave been his
sister, Cousin Sarah, a school teacher OF
repute; but at any rate between them
both a Christmas tree was planned, and
after much explanation set up in her
school room, Reuben, the hired man,
bringing the tree on top of his load from
the family wood lot. Much wonderment
there was as to what such thing would
be like, how lighted, how made safe from
candle blaze, how the candles were to be
fastened. The whole Morton tribe and
others beside shared the trimming, and
the lighting, and the experimenting and
the mystery of the presents. And fine
affair it was with its knlck-knaclSs and
its tinsel, and much wondered at by all
beholders and by the curious outside.
There was no disapproval, for by that
time Christmas had become a somewhat
more familiar word in the good town
where the poor little pilgrim child
rem once sat on their blocks of
wood in their log dwellings with
no thought at all OF Christ
mas. For all that | know the other
Christmas trees of the period were grated
from this, though possibly other clans in
other towns might have had returning
Cousin Lemuels enthused with German
ways and traditions.
The next one I ever heard of in this
country was in Boston, where the Puri-
tans landed, and either saw 1t or heard
it wildly described, for | have it now
distinctly before my minds eye-a large.
tall tree, set resplendent in some public
place on some public occasion-as OF a
fair. 1t made a fine show and was re-
garded as a very great novelty.
But the more think of the matter the
more singular it seems to me that the
Christmas tree should have come straight
to old Plymouth town and have planted
itself there, just where the Pilgrims came
in order 10 escape all such things as
Christmas keepings.
ABBY MORTON DIAz.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
that led the Magi to the cradle of Christ

that led the Magi to the cradle of Christ
in Bethlehem.
Tycho, himself, combatted the suppo-
sition of their identity, but he could not
prevent the general public from believing
that the new star was a herald of the
second coming OF Christ and the end OF
the world, just as the star of the Magi
proclaimed the birth OF the Savior. This
belief was not confined to the ignorant;
it was shared by William ", of Hesse,
himself no mean astronomer for that dav,
and by the celebrated Theodore
Beza, the successor OF Calvin One
Cyprianus Deovitius, referring for his
authority to ian old manuscript de-
clared that similar stars have been seen in
the same quarter OF the heavens as that in
which Tycho's appeared, in the years 1864
and $40. Between 1884 TO 1872 there was a
lapse of sos years, and between 945 and
1854 another lapse of $40 years. Notwith-
standing the difference of eleven years be-
tween these periods it was concluded that
the star fuctuated in a cycle somewhat
previous appearance had conceded with
the birth OF Christ. If its temperance in
1872 denoted the approaching end of the
world, what messages had it brought to
man at its former apparitions, or had it
on those occasions proved itself a false
prophet? Nobody seems TO have troubled
himself about these questions.
But one only needs to read the accou Mt
of the star of the Magi in the second
chapter of Matthew to see that it could
only be identified with such phenome-
non as Tycho's star by a very liberal use
of the Oriental imagination. Yet we
know how capable that imagination is of
making the phenomenon of nature COR
respond with the fancies OF the mind.
According to the account. after the ''wlse
men of the east' had had their interview
with Herod, the star s'went before them
till it came and stood over where the
young child was That such descrip-
ton could be applied to an unknown star,
sharing only in their motions, is possible
but not probable.
Tycho ascertained the place of the
wonderful star in Cassiopeia as accurately
as the instruments in use in his day would
permit. We know almost the precise
spot in the sky where the star appeared.
At that place there is now minute star
of less than the teuth magnitude, visible,
of course, only with the aid of telescope,
and which was first observed upwards of
thirty years ago. There is no positive
proof, however, that it had not been visi-
bic for an unknown period before it was
specially noticed, and perhaps it has al
ways been there. Some comparatively
recent observations suggest that this little
star is slightly variable in its light.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
nI.-A Christmas Seventy Years Ago

DI.-A Christmas Seventy Years Ago
have been asked to give some account
of the very earliest Christmas day within
my memory, but find that in advanced
life it is not easy to remember certainly
which of those happy days come really
first in the chronology of NY memory. A
few features, however, OF very early
Christmases 1 can recall, and will en-
deavor to set them forth.
In the first place, the mysterious de-
light OF Christmas eve must be mentioned
Little hints OF intended gifts would some
times escape even the guarded lips of our
discreet elders, setting imagination on
fire with visions of quite impossible
splendors. The stockings were duly
hung, a chair being set beside them to re-
celve the overflow. We knew, rational
istically, that there was no real bodily
Santa Claus, but delighted in making
believe'' that there was, and Clement
Moore charming little poem seemed to
give us high authority for the pleasant
myth.
The visit of those who filled our stock
ings was made long after we had fallen
asleep, and if some careless movement on
their part aroused us, / for one made it a
point of honor neither to peep from I'M
der the bed clothes nor to explore prema-
turely the treasures left within my reach.
The nursery fire was sure to be kindled
long before daybreak, ssbecause the child
rem would be awake with their TOYS. -
rang throughout the house, while all
without lay still in darkness. This greet
ing was shouted out on cur first awaken
ing, and having duly given and received
it, we turned with rapture to the exam
ination OF the Christmas gifts.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-25
FIRST CHRISTMASES.
Distinguished Women's Earliest Reco'
Iecii0ns OF Santa Claus.
Holidays When Mrs. Burton Harrison
Yrs. Juha Ward Howe and Mrs. Jessie
Burton Fremont Were Little Girls.
Ian Old Virginia Christmas.

To recall the celebration of Christmas
in old Virginia, should have to dispense
a hodge odge Of souvenirs as much ma
terial as sentimental. For there is prom
inent the cooking part OF it, to which the
ladies of the household always lent nice
care, and in which the children took
vivid interest. There were loaves of
sugar to be watched in the breaking, al
monds to be blanched and crushed in rose
water, icing 80 be made to assume the
traceries of frost work on the pane
Outdoors. I recall visit to a quaint
little bright-eyed 'possum kept in bar
rel, of whom his negro captor told me,
smackiug his lips to my disgust, that
he'd make prime eatin' when he gifts on a
bed of baked sweet taters Christmas
night.
There were pig tails roasted and dis
tributed among the children oy their ne
gro admirers, but of these joys l tasted
not. There We're calico bags of chinqua-
pins fascinating little gold brown baby
chestnuts), also brought into the house
as trophies from the colored people, and
big apples, with ears of popcorn, small
DcUlieS OF aDcmln2Dle SWeet-Scent, ana
boxes made of shells bought on their
visits to the neighborina town.
In return we gave them whatever our
savings would allow us to contribute. It
was inevitable that the first consideration
of Christmas gifts, whether from child
or adult. should be for the servants of the
household. / know there was a mean
ing, a tenderness, in these interchanges
that one never sees today in the presents
counted upon and received with cool in
difference by the domestic staff OF modern
days.
1.-THE first Christmas / remember''-
all me? gray mist surrounds ii, and l
seem to be in the dawn of d crisp Virginia
morning, nestled in-now for a shock to
modern hygeine-the depths of Virginia
feather bed, with some ostensibly
slumbering elder 'thumped'' in warm
coverings at my side. Detaching itself
from the line OF the chimney piece hangs
my stocking, of which l hasten to take
thrilled possession.
Truly-yes, fervently-I believed that
the treasures presently spread upon the
knot-work quilt, came to me in an aerial
sleigh driven by a jolly red nosed man in
furs. Whether it was actually swallows
in the chimney top or flying squirrels
gambohng upon cur caves, l believed
sundry noises of the night to be the paw
ing OF tiny chargers on the roof.