davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
Over and above aIl her feelines OF lis

Over and above all her feelings of dis
appointment now rose the feeling of
love and sympathy for her husband.
How she did regret her sharp words at
the news of his failure to get his mcney
from Mr.. Potter. When she reached
home she found only the two older chill
dren still awake, and them she con-
soled cheerfully, telling them that
though they could not have much for
Christmas, yet they must be kind and
cheerful and not add to dear papa's
troubles by fretting. Her own spirit
was reflected in theirs; kind and af-
fectionate feelings were inspired by her
cheerful words and talk; and although
before they went to bed they hung up
their stockings by the fire, in case any
good luck should come, yet their little
hearts we're bravely preparing for dis
appointment.
It was nearly an hour before Mrs.
Browning heard her husbands foot
steps on the walk. She hurried to the
door, and, as he entered, she looked
lovingly and synpathizingly in his face.
Ills feelings also had evidently b0en
moved by reflections of a gentle and
tender kind, for as soon as he closed
the door and noticed the kind look on
his wife's face he held out his arms
toward her. She threw hers lovingly
around his neck and pressed her cheek
to his.
Never mind if we do have hard tim es
and bad luck, John,i' she said; 1--WE have
each other and the children, and we will
be happy in spite of all"
my dear. good wife" said John, hold
ing her close TO his heart, IF / could
only give you what you deserve you
should have every comfort and pleasure
in life"
And then in few moments they sat
down and compared notes. Mary tod
her ill-success with Col. Randall. John
had got no money except the one dollar
from Mrs. Jones, the little milliner, but
the new grocer wanted to pay for the
making of the seat for his wagon in
trade, and they could get two chickens
and few groceries there. The dollar
would get small Christmas gift apiece
for the children, and SO they would make
the best of it.
We'll. let us go out and buy the things
for Christmas" said Mrs. Browning.
and a few moments later, closely
bundled up from the cold. John Brown
ing and his wife walked cheerfully and
lovingly along the village street. They
got two plump chickens and enough
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
The CHRISTMAS TREH

Only a star! a shining start
More glorious than cur planets are,
But watched by wistful eyes and bright,
And longing hearts, that wondrous night.
Only q manger. shadow-thronged,
That to some public inn belonged,
Where sweet-breathed cattle quietly
For midnight slumber bent the knee.
Only the light of tapers small
That on two tender faces fall.
Two tender faces-One divine
That still through all the centuries shine
From palace walls, from thrones Of gold.
From churches, shrineS, cathedrals old,
Where the grand masters of their art
Wrought faithfully with hand and heart.
Only a babe! in whose small hand
Is seen no sceptre of command,
But at whose name, with freedoms sword,
Move the great armies Of the Lord.
Only a cross! but oh, what light
Shines from Gods throne on Calvary
height!
His birth. His life, the angels see,
Written on every Christmas tree.
M. A. Denison. in Youths Companion.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
COSTLY GIFTS.
Companion

Not So Much Appreciated as Presents
Cheaper and More Useful
Holiday presents have become each
year more and more expensive, while
the actual giving is getting less and less
hearty. We bewail the worry of plan
ming gifts, and get ourselves irritable
and sick in the necessary shopping and
purchasing. And hundreds, yes, thou
sands, of US give sigh of relief when
Christmas has passed, and are ready to
confess that we are $50 glad it is all
over for another year" And why i?
Simply because of one thing; we are
actuated by the wrong feeling. The
whole system of our living is becoming
one grand mass of foolish ostentation,
and our present mode of Christmas
giving is the outgrowth of it. We feel
that we cannot afford to give simple
present; we m.;st give something ex-
pensive, something that will make an
appearance and show. This is felt by
the recipient, and next year, to hold her
own, she feels that she must return
something equally costly. The follow
ing year this must again be outdone,
and SO it goes, each year adding to the
expense, anu FeSS TO the true spirit OF
the giving. We all try to Guido each
other, and we are proud when we are
told afterward that our present was
the most beautiful of all that were re-
ceived. Now, as a matter OF fact, the
most expensive things we can buy are
generally the most useless, particular
ly when we go into the realm, of orna-
mentation. Surely these are not the
times to lock up hundreds and thou
sands of dollars in ornaments as useless
as ofttimes they are ugly. Of the use
full we can scarce have too much; of
the useless little goeth a very long
way. Presents with purpose are
presents indeed, but how few we see
nowadays. With great host of people
it does not seem to matter so much
whether a present is appropriate, or
whether it will prove acceptable to the
recipient, so long as it is costly and
makes a show" We too often lay
others under obligations which it is
impossible for them to meet without
embarrassment.-La Home Jour
nal
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
THE GRACE OF ACCEPTANCE.
More Difficult to Gracefully Receive Than
to Make q Gift.

More Difficult to Gracefully Receive Than
to Make Gift.
This may be a surprising statement,
but it is nevertheless true: 1t is a
harder matter to receive a gift graceful
ly than to give one. just think about
it for a moment and see If it has not
proven true in your own experience.
Have you not given something upon
which you had spent a great deal of
time and work, and which you had in
tended should give pleasure, and then
had all your glad enthusiasm chilled by
lack of something, you could hardly
tell what it was, in your friends man
ner? Don't you suppose you have
sometimes disappointed some one else
in like manner yourself? 1t is worth
while to think about the gracious way
to receive a gift, and then it may be
that this Christmas time you will con
fer as much happiness upon the giver
as you receive yourself from the gift,
and so it will be a two-fold source of
happiness. In the first place, think
only OF the generous intention of the
giver to give you pleasure, instead of
the value or usefulness of the gift it
self. There is an old Arabian proverb
which fits in well just here: Never
look gift horse in the mouth" When
a man is going to buy horse he exam
ines his teeth to see his age and deter
mine other matters relating to his
value. IF the horse is to be purchase
this is all very right and proper, but it
would be very ungracious if the horse
was intended for gift to examine its
mouth and look into the value of your
present. Let us be very careful never
to look our gift horses. in the mouth.
Even if we may have reason to suspect
the sincerity CT the intention of the
gift, which sometimes May be the case,
crush out all thoughts Of that kind as
unworthy of yourself, if not the giver.
and receive it gratefully, taking it foI
granted that it was meant to give you
pleasure, and that you intend to express
that Observation-Disclosures Work.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21

she fell back to her mood of trying to
blame somebody. John was a kind
husband, but he was too easy with peo-
pie. 1t seemed to her that, if she were
man, in some way or other she would
manage money matters better. They
would never get ahead at this rate of
doing things.
The early moon was shining brightly
when she was ready to go to Col. Ran
dall's with the bill. Giving the elder
children directions to put the younger
ones to bed. she muffied up warmly, for
it was bitter cold, and passed along the
short distance that lay between her lit
tie home and Col. Randall's fine resi-
dence. Ringing the bell. she was ush-
cred into the hall. and there left wait
ing while the servant called the gentle
man out.
Good evening; what can do for
your said that severe-looking gentle
man, not recognizing her as a near
neighbor as he came into the hall.
"Mr. Browning. my husband wishes
tc know if it would be convenient for
you to pay the small balance on this bill
this evening"
Col. Randall took the bill hesitating-
ly, turned it over and hemmed and
cleared his throat and then said:
I've paid $50. on this bill, and
| should think Mr.. Browning need not
trouble me for the balance on Christmas
eve"
But he has been disappointed in get-
ting pay for work and needs the money"
so do l need money. People seem to
think I'm made of money. / really
can't spare this trifle this evening. Be-
sides. / told Mr.. Browning the last time
he asked me for this balance, and he has
bothered me about it a great deal, that
when 1 got ready and could spare the
money Iwould pay him. Good evening.
ma'am." And with this the colonel
turned on his Heel, and while Mrs.
Browning waited for the servant to let
her out she heard him say to his wife in
| the sitting-room: 1t is one of the an
| noyances of having work done By
starveling workingmen that they are
! always dunning one for the pay. / an
sure John Browning has bothered NE
more for that little balance than the
| whole bill is worth"
"And so this is what poor John has 20
| stand when he tries to collect his bills. ;
said Mrs. Browning to herself, as she
hurried home. "Starveling working
men. indeedl And then to think an
ready to blame him INTO the bargain
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
no was human. and had that human in

ing was human, and had that human in
stinct which leads US TO try to find some
one on whom to blame thisfortunes and
disappointments. Her husband, with
an equally natural instinct, was inclined
to resent this, for he only knew how
hard it was to collect money even after
ii was earned.
IF you think you can collect better
than ] cam was the reply, lust try it.
You can take that bill for the balance
Col. Randall owes me, and see if you can
get it. We have nothing to fall back on
except those little bills we counted
over last week. anyway"
The children had gathered around
and listened in silence and dismay to
the conversation. Cant we have any
Christmas now?" was their fearful
query; and when their mother sharply
told them mol" reechoing in her voice
and manner the anger of her spirit, it
was but few moments till they, too.
were inspired by the same discordant
feelings, and quarreling and angry
words were heard where but an hour
before all was good temper and pleas
urable excitement.
John Browning modify waited while
his wife placed the supper of oat meal
and milk on the table. She herself was
almost faint for a more substantial
meal, and Mr.. Browning in the earlier
part of the day had said to her: 1--WE
will have a good steak for supper this
evening; working in the cold makes a
fellow fearfully hungry" He was SO
full of chagrin now that he scarcely
noticed what he ate. and q gloomy ST.
lence fell upon all as they sat around
the table. When the meal was through,
he said, as he put on his hat:
81 wish, Mary, you would take that
bill over to Col. Randall's; tits but a step,
and have to go clear to the other side of
the village to see if l can get those other
small bills. Perhaps he will pay it to
you even quicker than he will to me.
Then 1 must call and see the grocer and
butcher. Dear me, Id rather be dashed
than to meet them now"
With this he handed her the account
against Col. Randall and went out. The
original account had been 1920, and
there was the balance Of $3.50 due.
Mrs. Browning washed up the tea
things, her mind filed with bitter and
complaining thoughts. She disliked to
go to Col. Randall with a call for so
small balance; she feared he would
think them mean to ask for it. Then
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
70 ne She.

In a. certain western instsbutioa OF
learning a professor, having explained
the make-9p of tho ancient jewish
IaEaps. asked an otherwise bright stu
deaf: Now, JohR, can you tell Na
how long the lamp burned from one fill-
lag?'
John ran his fagcrs through his hair,
shifted uneasily III his chair, and final
ly, with seeIafugly great effort. said:
IT'D it went out, professor. "-Ram's
Horn.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
DIacouraging.

Mr.. Fangle Ito Johnny Cumso1-
Well. Johnny, are yon praying for many
Christmas presents this year?
Johnny-No, I amt. I didn't get
half what 1 prayed for last year
Judge.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21


wife sat by the waning fire in the CRATE
after all their children had gone to bed.
They enjoyed it's warmth and their own
relaxation from toll, and were talking
over their affairs in general. Mr..
Browning was good mechanic, and in
reasonably good times always made
comfortable living for his wife and five
children; but the stagnation Of bust
ness and frequent cessation of work
during the past two years lad cramped
them greatly in money affairs. The
children grew SO fast, and wanted new
clothes SO often, and needed so many
books, and had such healthy appetites,
that the struggle to supply them had,
for long time, been hard one. Mrs.
Browning had done all her own work
and taken in some sewing besides. Mr..
Browning had worn his old clothes and
boots until they were scarcely respect
able; had left no stone unturned to get
work, and yet withal the butcher and
grocer were pressing him, and things
looked discouraging generally. AS a
result of general survey of the situa-
4ion, Mrs. Browning said:
well. it is evident we can't have much
Christmas, yet l do think we ought to
make the children as happy as we can.
1t does no good to have them feel the
weight of care, or realize the burdens
and difficulties of life as we do; and so,
If you can collect enough money on the
small bills due you, think we ought to
get them some small present, and that
we had better get turkey if we pos
gibly can
With this conclusion her husband
agreed. and they began to count up
what money they might probably de-
pend upon, Mr.. Browning took cut his
account book and pencil and commenced
to figure.
'Col. Randall owes me $3.50 balance
for fixing his porch. He is able TO pay,
and | think / can depend upon that.
Mr.. Smith owes so cents for a fine
board; Mrs. Jones, the mJliner, owes
me dollar for screen for her window;
that new grocer around the corner owes
me SIPS for making him seat for his
wagon, and perhaps some other piece
of work may be found between this and
Christmas. But even if 1 get no work
we can depend on five dollars with a
good deal of certainty"
All good is comparative. Having
thus concluded to have as happy a
Christmas as possible. and also that
they had five dollars to be happy on.
John Browning and his wife went to
sleep with a feeling of contantment and
happiness which many a rich family
planning for costly expenditures might
envy them.
The next morning the ground was
covered with a deep snow, and while
they sat at their frugal breakfast g
loud knock was heard at the door. Or
opening it, Mr.. Browning was met by
portly and handsome gentleman who
wore a great overcoat with costly fuI
collar and gloves, who asked if he wa:
John Browning, the carpenter.
Well | want to get you to make &
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21

1t is good plan to act at ChT stmas
tide as If you never expected to. zee an
other-Judge.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21

Santa Clans is gay deceiver and is
never as kind to girl after marriage
as he was during onrtship.-Judge
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21
a BIt of PhIIosoDIlv

1t is better to risk the fire than to stay
In the frying pan.-Life.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21

The years have many changes brought
since then,
Nations have had their rise and fall. and
men
Have come and gone and left their Impress
here
In thoughts and deeds We cannot but re-
we're.
But though the world has through them
better grown,
Stin greater. better Ear the influence
thrown
Upon the world by Him. who. Son or Man.
His reign or peace at bethlehem began.
The little town. the ever~glorioua day.
The msNger where the infant Jesus lay,
These have an Interest. to none denied,
And meaning sweet as comes the Christ
aasttae>
AS babe. He came. that He might fully be
All that WAS Faeant in our humanity;
Each stage OF life lie met with such a grace
AS spoke the great Redeeiner OF His race.
A man OF sorrows. yet with no complaint.
lie bore earth's trials and its rude con-
Stratnt
And gave nom earliest life until the end.
To all. the love or a devoted friend
his words OF wisdom. as He came of age,
Proclaimed Him both the teacher and the
sage
IN words that all could understand, He
taught
The Heavenly truths which unto man He
brought.
Lover OF souls. 20 rich as well as poor.
lie showed alike the evergreen door,
Through which all might an entrance safe
obtain
To mansions fair, which ever such remain.
Blessed His work, and on this Christmas
morn,
Which speaks of when. to US. the Christ
WAS born,
We feel His love and messages of truth
Have In them still freshness as of youth.
He was, and is. the gracious Friend and
King;
The One to whom glad offerings we bring;
uay He to US send down this Christmas
tide
Rich gifts that shall through coming years
abide.
j. NJ. Thompson. in Boston Budget.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-21

ONG years ago DER
Bethlehem's ( air
plains.
Were n @ a r. q I n o
wondrous and en-
chanting strains
Which u n I o man
foretold the gra-
cioua birth
or Redeen'er TO the
sons OF earth.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-01-19
KNOWLEDGE

Brings comfort and improvement and
tends to personal enjoyment when
rightly used. The many, who live bet
ter than others and enjoy life more, with
less expenditure, by more promptly
adapting the worlds best products to
the needs of physical being, will attest
the value to health of the pure liquid
laxative principles embraced in the
remedy, Syrup Of Figs.
Its excellence is due to its presenting
in the form most acceptable and pleas
ant to the taste, the refreshing and truly
beneficial properties of q perfect lax
alive efectually cleansing the system,
dispelling colds, headaches and fevers
and permanently curing constipation.
1t has given satisfaction to millions and
met with the approval of the medical
profession, because it acts ON the Kid
neys, Liver and Bowels without weak
ening them and it is perfectly free fror
every Objectionable substance.
Syrup of Figs is for sale by all drug
gists in SOC and 81 bottles, but it is man
ufactured by the California Fig Syrup
Co. only, whose name is printed on every
package, also the name, Syrup of Figs
and being well informed, you will no.
accept any substitute if offered.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-01-19
Taxes.

There is no reason why Mt least the
bulk of the revenues needed for the
national government under d system
should not be collected from a percent
age on land values, leaving the rest for
the local governments. just as state,
county and municipal taxes are col
lected on one assessment and by one
set of officials. On the contrary there
is, over and above the economy that
would thus be secured, a strong reason
for the collection of national revenues
from land values in the fact that the
ground values of great cities and min
eral deposits are due to the general
growth of population.
A land tax of four shillings in the
pound of rental value is still nominally
enforced in England, but being levied
on a valuation made in the reign of
William III. it amounts in reality to
not much oyer a penny in the pound
with the abolition of indirect taxation
this is the tax to which men would nat
urally turn.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-01-19
On Whom Do These Taxes Finally Fall.

Some lots in Ninetieth and Ninety.
first street, New York city, brought
Ss13, 600 apiece.
The last-named ones, although not
especially we'll situated and requiring
considerable money to put them in
shape for building operations, give an
object lesson as to the enhancement OF
values west of Central park. They
were bought, thirty-four years ago, for
s32, GAO. For the greater part of the
time since they have brought in some
income. They sold for $44a, 900. or
nearly fourteen times as much a they
originally cost. In other words, every
two and one-half years added the
amount of the cost to their value.
Similar accretions, even of greater per-
centage, may be shown in regard to the
prices of the other lots mentioned.
Those great bugbears, interest and
taxes, possess few terrors when in
stances of this kind are considered. As
illustrations for the followers of Nj.
Henry George, however, they have a
yalue.-N. Y. Times.
Ny friend, If you knew how much
taxes you payyou would be a better
citizen than you r
The Opelousas courier., 1895-01-19
EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE.

DENMARK has determined to thor
'oughly examine the Greenland and Ice.
! Land seas during the summers Of 1s9:
4 and 1896. Commander Wandell will
have charge of the expedition.
ARTIFICIAL whalebone is now beino
made from leather, which is soaked for
two or three days in sulphate Of DO.
cassium, then stretched, slowly dried,
subjected to q high temperature and
then to a heavy pressure, which makes
1t hard and elastic.
A SHORT time ago a physician recon-
mended that cologne water be in
hailed through the nose and mouth
Tor curing shortcolds in the head and
chest. Fifty drops on a handkerchief
inhaled four or five times a day is said
to ave a good effect.
Two GUINEA-PIGs were born at OK
tore recently, each of them with a
wel]tmarked droop Of the left upper
eyehd. They were the offspring of r
ents in whom the defect had been pro-
duc1d a~rtifcially to test the theory Of
the inheritance of acquired character
ist.cs,