davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

the batch of applications made to her by
the superint endents of various city mis-
sons, and they will probably be the
two NEST foriorn and needy youngsters
in town. Miss Gould is particular in only
one respect in selecting her guests, and
that is to get the dirtiest, the thinnest
and weakest and the most helpless pos
siDle.
HOW THEY TRAVEL.
The twenty youngsters are taken out
in one squad, when they are landed at
the Tarrytown station. There the chill
dren have their first meeting with ele-
gance. Three carriages, each drawn by
a team of fine, housekeeping hackneys
and driven by a lveried coachman, are
at the station. and the children are bun
died into them by Miss Gould. who is
always at hand to take personal care
of her charges. Fur robes are wrapped
about them and Miss Gould goes to
each carriage to see that all are well
cared for.
All this attention is too much for the
children, and even the most bolsterouS
among them are stilled by it. None of
woman with the dark hair is. but they
do know that she is unaccountably kind.
Not much is said on the way to Woody
Crest. a couple of miles from the sta
ton. The hackneys make it in short
time. and soon the children are timidiy
walking into the great hall. where big
wood fire is blazing merrily-
A BATH COMES FIRST.
A couple of trained women with long ex-
perience in handling mission children take
them in charge, and each is given warm
bath. If their clothes are terribly bad
new ones, heavy and warm, are supplied,
and few ever leave Woody Crest without
some substantial addition to his tattered
wardrobe.
After the bath dinner is in order, and
such a dinneri One big table, with beau
tiful flowers in the centre, gnsren1ng SILVER
and sparkling glass ard china. heavy
white linen and a napkin at each plate
and servants to wait on them. Some OF
these gamins may have heard of kings
and queens and princes and princesses
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

The chic gown of the season may be recog-
nized by its velvet trimmings. Indeed this
can be called with truth a velvet winter,
everything showing some where a touch Of this
becoming garniture; besides its use on frocks
most of the cloth jackets and capes are
running to velvet collars, whole bonnets and
hats arc being made of it, while to own
velvet Louis XVI. coat. to be worn on dressy
occasions with a plain silk or satin skirt ia
to announce oneself at once at the very highest
notch of fashion.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

A collar of muslin and lace with cuffs to
match, can be made very easily by cutting
muslin strips of the desired width and edging
them with cream lace on both sides Then
law the muslin in triple box plaits and fasten
them in place about three-quarters of the dis
lance with a little silk stitching allowing the
fullness to spring out between the plaits.
These make very pretty fnishings for any
house Dress but should always be kept per-
fectIy fresh If made of good material. the
plating can be unfastened. the goods washed
and plated up again good as new.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

bies and sufferings. they forget them
when Christmas comes around and are
as light hearted and merry as any people
on earth.
The Star of the East is the pre-eminent
symbol of Christmastide in the Ukraine
district. It can be seen moving across
the snow-covered hills and roads of the
Ukraine in numberleas professions. The
star is the guide of hundreds of child
ish professions in honor of the blessed
festival. AS soon as midnight is near
and the blue sky blending above the
panies of boys set forth. One marches
at the head with the sacred symbol in
the shape of a lantern cut into star form
and mounted on the end of a stick. The
transparent paper which conceals the
candle is painted with scene from Beth
lehem. young guard. armed with a
, halberd, marches beside the holy ikon,
and behind him trudges another boy car
rying small painted theatre on his
back.
AMUsE THE FARM FOLK.
At each farmhouse they halt and ask
is usually very simple. A few puppets,
representing the three Kings are shown:
| ana some couplets are sung about the
Nativity. After the spectacle and songs.
! the little artists take up a collection
| In some sections of the Ukraine the
procession of children is less sacred in
character. A few boys disguise them
selves as animals, and, held in leash by
their companions, they go from farm
mouse to farmhouse giving grotesque en-
| tertainments.
The stork and the bear are the crea-
lures principally portrayed. and they
sometimes sing comical couplets together.
me great wooden doors of each house
are thrown open, and the whole family
assemblies in gala costumes upon the
threshold.
CHOOSING THEIR BETROTHED.
Another and a curious Christmas night
| custom in Russia is the choosing of the
| tiancee. which might, one would thinr
now and then lead to some serious mis-
| adventures. On Christmas Eve the eift
| tree is set up in the house of the chief
| official of the neighborhood and all
worthy persons in the village are invited
! At a given time all the unmarried women
leave the festivities and go and take
] their seats on benches in a shed There
their faces, arms and shoulders are
swathed in linen, so as pretty effectu-
| ally to conceal their identity and after
time young peasants are admitted one
| by one in search for their girls. Each is
performed to the girl from whose brow
ne lifts the veil. and the engagement can
| not be broken without the payment nv
! both lovers of a heavy fine to the VILLAGE
| funds.
But so adroit are the maidens in Civ
ing some sign of identity to their swans
that the fines are rarely levied.
IN STRICKEN ARMENIA
| Armenia ordinarily Is an interesting
| place at Christmas time but II will he
! sad festival for tens of thousands of the
people of this trouble-torn country this
| year.
one of the unique Christmas customs
| of the country is that practised by the
young girls and women. They c1irot ~
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25
Two smart hodlees were seen al a fagh

Two smart bodices were seen at a fashion
able importers a day two ago. Both
in plaid wools one in brave Scotch greens
and blues for travelling wear. the other a
smooth-surface rep in brilliant reds and greens
for more gala movements. Over the bodice
portion of this last was a blouse of black vel
vet trimmed with gilt buttons; great slashed
collar ending in long strips that fastened into
the belt the plaid showing through gayer
or happier bit of toggery could not be i'm
agined.
These wool bodices are now being advanced
instead of the silk ones so long in favor for
winter use. They warm toast and
can be made easily at home. SO may all who
read learn.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

One of the undergraduates of Girton College
the English Vassar, having inadvertently
changed umbrellas with a fellow-student is
said TO have evolved this note: Miss -
presents her compliments to Miss -, and
begs to say she has umbrella which ism
mine; so If you have one which isn't hers. no
doubt they are the ones.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25
THE HOLY SEASON.

The season appointed by the church in
which to celebrate the birth of Christ
without exactly being arbitrary-for there
is little doubt that the rainy season in
Judea was never chosen by the shepherds
for open-air watching of their fiocks by
night-was selected. as many other feasts
long before Christianity was founded, on
account of the Winter solstice, when the
year had completed a revolution, or, as
was then supposed. the fiery wheels of
Phoebus's chariot had once more rolled
round the earth.
At this period. which the Romans first
instituted as the beginning of the year,
the Celts and Germans celebrated, as do
the Japanese at the present day, the re-
newing of life in the dead earth, the pow
er of nature being again on the move be-
meath the snow of Winter.
For the twelve nights beginning Dec 25
and ending on Jan. (the English
Twelfthnight and the French Fete des
Rois. or Feast of the Kings), the ances-
tors of the Siegfrieds and the I.ohengrins,
held their Yu.e festival in honor of the
fiery wheel of the sun-god. For the root
of our word wheel" and of the Scandi-
navian ''yule" are one and the same.
FIRST CHURCH SERVICES.
AS the Church in the early middle ages
instituted dramatic representations of di-
vine legends. al time when reading and
writing were monopolized by religious
orders and all Impressions on a peoples
fancy had to be made through the eye and
ears. one of the most popular mysteries
as these early stage plays were called, was
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

newed attraction and carols were sung
of Europe.
In some of the far-away countries of
England, where the changing fashions of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

delve into the blacklist quarters of the
city and rescue some little weaIling from
its wretchedness and give it a taste of
happiness and plenty. With rare intervals
she works all the year among the waits
of the city, but at Christmas time she
makes particular effort to give number
of neglected tots their first glimpse of
santa Claus.
WOODY CREST.
Three years ago Miss Gould purchased
fine old country place about a mile north
OF TarrytoWn called Woody Crest. The
rooms are large, the ceilings high, the
windows and porches big and comfortable
and the grounds inviting. This place IS
really the country home of the starved
and homeless child of the metropolis. and
few millionaires have finer one. 1t was
purchased and fitted up expressly Tor
these children. They are the owners of it
and do as they please
Previous to the purchase of Woody
Crest Miss Gould had been in the habit
of entertaining a few children each year
at Lyndhurst, the palatial structure which
Jay Gould built some fourteen years ago
But Lyndhurst was too grand for the
children. Its splendors overpowered
them; the liveried servants, the paintings,
stacuary and tapestries and soft rugs on
the polished floors made their own poverty
TOO glariug.
Miss Gould had the fine sense to appre-s
ciate this, and she knew that to give them
real enjoyment and unstinted pleasure
house other than Lyndhurst must be sup
piled. a smaller reason also demanded
change of domicile. Some of the more
reckless spirits among the gamins,
daunted by the grandeur. spent their time
euying the butler and the dignified house
servants.
Get on to his ioblots." one would say.
when one of the Hveried members of the
household would pass by.
Amt his WhiSkerS pretty2''
He's got his face washed, too"
Then they were inclined to make en-
barassing remarks about the statuary
and to criticize everything with the un-
bridled freedom of the slums.
A GREAT PLAYHOUSE.
At Woody Crest everything is costly
But plain. The big conservatory has
been changed into large playroom and
the sun streams into it all day long.
The upper floors have been turned into
large dormitories holding twenty-five little
brass beds. The beds are covered with
fine linen and the softest of coverlids
and blankets, which evoke wonder and
delight among the weary little bodies
which crawl under them at night time.
Miss Gould has already completed he-
arrangements for the Christmas day do
1ngs. Her guests also have been selected
There will be twenty of them, and it is
safe to say score of dirtier or more
needy urchins never rode on a railroad
train out of New York Twelve of her
guests come from the Five Points Mis-
Arms Society Two VIII be selected from
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

sleeves although it is not yet sufficiently pro-
nounced to make itself apparent to the general
eye.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25

from the houses or churches in which
they were burned.
Here. then, is the origin OF the candle
bearing Christmas greenery which be-
comes the elegant Christmas tree of to-
day.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25
THE FIRST XMAS TREE.

With the exception of the Christmas
tree. few of the old customs remain.
The toy-covered fir tree was first use1
by the heather Scandinavians of long
ago. Their religion was as fantastic as
the mythology of ancient Greece and
Rome and as crude in some respects as
that of the most depraved savages. But
the of the fir tree was one of its
few beautiful features, and the fact thai
it has survived and has given joy to
millions Of children for countless gen.
erations fully atones for their objection
able customs.
To decorate the festal halls everything
that lived above the snow was brought
in to make the surroundings gay and in
dictate the worship of nature as represent
ed by Orion Bel and Freya. The holly,
which grows largely in Sweden and the
North of Germany. and the mistletoe,
which obtained a sacl 81 character from
its apparently spontaneous and magical
growth. deffed snow and winter and were
the evergreens most easily obtained.
In Rome, palmetto leaves and the long,
tapering plumes of the palm that all
who know the Rivera have so often ad-
mired on the shores of the Mediterranean,
were used in the winter festivities, and
from these the Christmas tree, or Christ
tree, as it was originally called. is de-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-25
IN STRICKEN ARMENIA

ARMENIA ordinarily Is an interesting
place at Christmas time. but # viii he ,
sad festival for tens of thousands of the
people of this trouble-torn country this
year.
One of the unique Christmas customs
OF the country is that practised by the
young girls and women. They climn RI
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
WORSE THAN NIGHTMARE.
Woes of the Man Who Roomed With NJ
Undertaker's Drummer.

Woes of the Man Who Roomed With an
Undertsker's Drummer.
Partner, I'm the most miserab BILE hui
man being on topside of earth this mo-
ment," exclaimed a well dressed man
at one of the city hotels the other day.
''Oh. / have suffered the incompara BILE,
unspeakable agonies of the condemned
and still live to tell the story. If /
could have died amid il all, Just closed
my eyes in peaceful sleep eternal, how
sweet would death have seemed But
couldn't die; had to live and bear
it"
The man spoke with an earnestness
that could not be misunderstood, ana
with all the infinite fervor of human
heart.
why, what on earth is the trouble?"
his stranger-friend of the moment
dared ask.
Just listen TO me. Last night was
put in a room with a chump who trav-
eled for some uudertaker'ss establish
msrt He had models of collins in the
room and all sorts OF things suggestive
of death and the accursed waters of the
River Styx. But that wasn't all He
snored. Great Scott, how that man
did snorel ! didn't sleep a wink all
night long, not a single wink, and l
have just come down to write tel
egran 10 my firm to let me leave
town. When ] went in the writing
room who should come near but that
drummer who sells collins, and he has
nervous way of talking aloud every
word he writes. He sat down beside
me and began writing as follows to his
firm:
Dear Sir: Atlanta is no town for
collins. Nobody ever dies here. l
haven't sold a half dozen caslet screws
since hit the town. Embalming fluid
has no sale here. They drink good
whisky and never die
well, sir, it was too much. 1t drove
me mad. My mind is scattered over
the face of the earth. Ican't think.
And yet I've got to room with that
chap again tonight. He is living
ghost. l sincerely believe he is the
most nervous man i ever saw in my
life. the most weird. uncanny creature
alive. He talks in his sleep about
collins and stiffs, snores like a sawmill
and even talks as he writes. It's aw-
fuL"-Atlanta Constitution.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
A MOTORMAN'S LIFE.
Fun OF Hardships. Exposure and
Constan Mt Danger.
The Great Strain on a Mans Nerves suf-
ficient In Itself to Wreck Him In
short Time-The Experience of
WclI-Known Motorman.
From ne Cfnefnnatf. ono. Eno,.,rer


The life of a motoTman is not a bed of
roses. He Is subjected 10 many hardships
especially in the winter when he is exposed
10 the cold and snow Even in the summer
he must bear the intense heat which beats
down upon MIN. Considerable nerve and
self possession is necessary in a good motor
man, for the lives and limbs Of his pas
sengers are at stake One of the best
known electric mot0rmen In this city is
William Frazer, who Is at present running
a car on the Cumminsville electric line. lie
IL not only well known To his fellow en-
ployes but 70 the people who travel on his
ear. Mr.. Frazer is young man about
twenty-six years of age and resides with his
wife and child az IA Belts Street, Cincin-
natl, o. About n year ago Mr.. frazer was
taken with serious stomach troubles. lie
bought several kit Dis Of medicine which
were recommended 10 him, but none Of
them seemed 70 give him even temporary
benefit An enthusiastic admirer Of that
famous remedy known as DIR. Williams
Pink Pills for Pale People told him u try
them. Frazer was almost discouraged, but
took the advice. To a reporter Of the In
Quirer be said;
81 can most heartily recommend Dr. VIII
Hams Pink Pills. They are all that is
claimed for them, in fact they advertise
themselves better than any medicine ever
saw. L was seized some time ago with a
bad attack of indigestion. My stomach
hurt mo nearly ali the time and could not
digest my food. The pain was almost I'M
bearable and found nothing that would give
me relief I confess that when / Bought
the first box of Pink Pills hadn't much
confidence la their efficacy because had
tried 80 many things without success that
was ALMOST discouraged. Before / had
taken one Dox / was decided Y better. Two
boxes cured me entirely. While i have
been under the weather from other causes
my indigestion has never returned. II 1t
ever should know just what 10 do. have
so much confidence IN the efficacy Of Piuk
Pills. that IL ever get real sick again with
any disorder l shall use some OF them. IL
Is pleasure for me ] assure you 20 testify
% the excellent qualities of these Pink Pills.
They not only tone the stomach but regu-
late the bowels and act a mild cathartic."
Mr.. Frazers testimonial means some
thing. He speaks from personal experience
and any one who doubts that he received
the benefits stated can easily verify the as
sertiun by calling on MIR. Frazer or seeing
him some time while heis on his car.
DIR. Williams Pink Pills contain all the
e.olnents necessary to give new life aud
richness 10 the blood and restore suffered
nerves. They are soid in boxes never in
loose form by the dozen or hundred) at 80
cents box or six boxes for $3.50, and may
be had of all druggists or directly by mail
from DIR. Williams Medicine Company,
Schenectady, n. Y.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
Liberty B.n .s.ths As,Ans. rrpos,,,o,.

Liberty Ben st,ths Atlanta Exposition.
All tongueless now and broken 10 tia old
bell hanging there:
But. somehow. when see II. there 10 music
In the air.
And a rich and ringing chorus to tia blue
above me swells,
And a song of freedom echoes from the bell
of all the bellsi
I stand with Read uncovered where the
guards are pacing round.
And the very sod beneath me seems the
holiest of ground
see the sabere flashing on the fields where
heroes fell.
And the ghosts OF all ne patriots seem
thronging round the bell
II rings. II rings foreveri Adown the ages
grand
Its thrilling notes Of freedom are swept
from land TO land;
And nations heed the story-ths deathless
tale IL tells
The story and the glory Of the bell Of all the
bellsi
Frank l.. Stanton. IN Chicago Times
Herald.
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
WISCONSIN STATE NEWS.


The county board of supervisors in
session at Racine passed joint resolu-
ton cutting down the fees of Justices
of the peace rs per cent, which practi-
caliy ruins the Office. An appeal will
be taken to the circuit and supreme
courts in order to test the legality of
the law under which the resolution was
drawn and the right of the board 20 cut
fees. Every justice in the state VIII be
affected If the courts sustain the action
of the county hoard
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
WANTED TO GET SOLID.
How an Aspiring Journalist Lost His
oh

job.
The experiences of young men who
are anxious to enter the newspaper
business because they think they are
born journalists on the strength of the
fact that they used TO write good COM
positions" when they went to 81 hool
have been an inexhaustible theme for
the professional joke maker from time
immemorial, and they are not al fake
jokes that are written about them.
either. as the following real happening
will show:
A reporter on an afternoon paper was
detailed the other day to go out and
write up fight that had occurred in
the northwestern part of the city, and
in the course of his hunt for facts he
ran across busy young man who
proved a very mine of information.
"You ought to know me-" said this
young man to the reporter, after the
latter had pumped him dry. Il used
TO be reporter on your paper"
II don't remember you." req, ed the
chaser for news, figuring to himself
whether to brace for an application for
.. loan OF hint for "a drink
Whereupon the mine of information
allowed that he was green hand and
had worked only four days, though he
did not volunteer any information con-
corning the reason why he failed to
hold his job for a longer period.
When the reporter got back TO the
cfhce he asked his city editor about the
young man he had spoken TO, mention
ing the young mans name. Tho city
editor thought awhile and then he re-
inembercd.
''Oh, yes, / know him." he remarked.
Hes the stiff that used to come in
every morning and shake hands with
me. As soon as he would hit the Office
he would chase up to me. grab my lunch
hook and agitate 1t up and down, at
the same time making solicitious in
quiries about the health of myself and
my wife. l stood his work tor four
mornings and then / fired him.
All of which goes to show that II is
poor policy for hired man to get too
familiar with his boss.-St. Louis Re
public
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
THE MESSAGE.
Full Text of the Views Presented
by the President TO Congress.
CAUSE AND CURE OF BOND ISSUES.
Treasury Notes should he Retired-EvII.
Threatened by Free Coinage Neutrality
with Reference to Cuban Revolt
Armenian Outrages.

Washington. Dee. 3.-The following
Is President CIeveiand's annual message
10 congress-:
To THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
The present assembiage of the legislative
branch OF our government occurs at
time when the interests Of our people ard
the needs of the country give especial
prominence to the condition of our foreign
relations and the exigencfes OF our ma
tional finances. The reports of the needs
OF the several administrative departments
OF the government fully and plainly ex-
mint what has been accomplished within
the scope Of their respective duties. and
present such recommendations for the the
betterment of our cOuntry's cordition as
patriotic and intelligent labor and obser-
walton suggests.
therefore deem my executive duty ade-
Quately performed at this time by pre-
sentiug to congress the important phases
or our situation as related to our inter
course with foreign nations. and state
ment OF the financial problems which con-
front us. emitting. except as they are re-
lated to these topics. any reference to de-
detrimental OueFatfouS
River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-12-05
Plenty of Work.

Al the works OF the American Steel
Barge company In Superior 400 men are
now regularly employed. and within a
few days that number viii be increased
60 500. Capt McDougall says that the
company has 100000 worth of work
nailed down. including two vessels and
repair work, and tb@' y" is figuring on
several contracts. " % % ID prospects
of securing them also