davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

.As early as the 9th OF November, Vi
emma assume an air of festivity; her citi-
2cns have not forgotten that it is the
anniversary of their patron saint, st.
Nicholas. After a weeks intermission,
the public squares are once more cram
med with booths of all dimensions and
description, forming regular avenues,
crowded several weeks before Christmas
With representatives of every social
grade. If we take q stroll through the
Einsstrassc, Christmas Eve, we shall
find that ariStocratic t~horoughfare de-
serted, but all the flats or apartments
are Illuminated. Christmas trees. loaded
with presents, form the evenings chief
attraction.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
In Servia.

The Scrvians have many curious
Christmas customs. half pagan, half
Christian in their origin. There is the
Badnjak. a piece of wood, corresponding
somewhat to the yulc log, cut down and
brought into the house with great cere-
mony. ana then. after being basted with
honey and butter. in the hope that bees
and cattle may be prosperous in the
coming year, is burned: and there is q
SOFT Of Father Christmas or Santa Claus,
in the person of Il Polazenik, a specially
honored visitor. who is the first person
received into the house on Christmas
morning. Then there is the cooking of
the national Christmas dish. What
turkey is to the American, pork is
to the Scryian. Even the poorest fam
lily viii save up all the year round
50 as to he able to purchase n pig at
Christmas. On Christmas Eve the pig is
killed, and on the following day. after
dinner has been served and the roast
pig duly discussed, toaSts are drunk, and
heroic songs sung TO the accompaniment
of n onc-stringcd instrument. The room
is strewn with straw, III memory of the
stable in which our Lord was born.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
''That's funny" he commented, pull
New York Herald.

"That's funny he commented. pull
ing al his mustache.
The next five cars We're in a like con-
Orion and he was immensely relieved
AM more puzzled than ever. Who in
the Eorld could have fired his stoves for
him: He entered the last car, and was
surpr.>'d to see n tramp seated near
the stutt. toasting his toes t. his hearts
content.
Hello" aid McKeena,
Hello >ponded the tramp % Ne
keena's exc. nation.
For a moment they stood there, and
then Mckeena. waving his hand, said:
Don't mind .4e.'
"AN right ro.arked the tramp, a2d
with that he seated himself again before
the stove. Mckeraa also drew up a
chair. Then he took a cigar case from
his pocket.
smoke he asked.
"Thanks."
After a few whiffs the tramp remark
ed:
BE you the Teller that runs the pota-
toes:"
Il am
McKeena himself lighted a weed and
then said:
Il presume it was you who fred the
stoves?"
at were"
much obliged"
Don't mention it. You lemme ride
and I'll call il square, pard."
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
putfed at his cigar with evident enjoy

pulled at his cigar with evident enjoy
mcnt.
"How's potatoes" he said.
Good"
ANY family
Yes; wife and ,wo, and I miss them
especially on Christmas eve
The tramp took another Whit. and
something like moisture appeared in his
eyes.
y had 4 wife once" he remarked.
''Indeed..' said the other with 4 sL,w
of interest. "Where IS she now:"
"She was sent 10 j l mean, She
died. She had consumption
Mckeena attempted 10 give evidayc.
of sympathy and the ragged INTRUDER
tipped back mis- head and his ewes cleamaj
more thar ever.
Had q kid, too" he remarked.
whats become of him.
He's in the retorm-that is 10 say
stranger, he is now a prosperous mer-
chant in New York. He lives on Fifth
avenue. he does, and has an English
coachman."
You don't tell me-" commented Nc
keena, endcavoring 10 look as though
he believed the others narration.
"Pon honor"
ANY vittels?"
Eyes"
Mckeena produced his lunch-basker
and his visitor ate ~rayenously. as though
he had not touched food for twenty-four
hours
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

lC.NN al ~ VIZ billlit NAO
~ Christmas has ever been the most
Il \ popular of all church festivals,
In England it was. and is, the n great
national feast, and in the Anglican
church and among the Lutherans of Ger
many the exclusion of many minor fcsti-
walls from the calendar has only concen-
trated the popular affection upon Christ
mas.
The Puritans made Il vigorous battle
against what they thought "A supersti-
ton. and in 1862 it was ordered by Par
lament that no observation shall be had
of the tive-and-twenticth day of Deem
Der, commonly called Christmas Day. nor
any ~Solemnity used or exercised in
churches upon that day in respect there
Of" 4 little before. in 1641. the town
crier of Canterbury proclaimed that
''Christmas and all other superstitious
festivals should be put down. and a mar
ket held upon Christmas Day" But none
of these orders had much effect. In
Scotland John Knox did succeed in pretty
cffectually suppressing the observance of
Christmas, in the LoWlands. at least. but
he simply transferred the popular Gus
toms and superstitions to New Years
Day. There is an English rhyme of this
period that illustrates the popular feel
ing on the subject:
All plGms the prophets sons defy,
Aid spice-brothS are too bot;
Tre3son's in IA December pye,
And death within the pot.
Christmas, farewell, thy DAYS ! fear,
And merry days are done;
So they may keep feastS all the year,
Our Saviour Shall have none.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

Thrice welcome, day Of days, The skies
Ope wide their gates at thy command
And Heavens sublimest symphonies
Roll grandly over sea and land.
The dcws of charity distill
Their incense everywhere. and comes
A universal joy to ill
The highest and the humblest homes.
Thy son doth bless with holier kiss.
Thy breath n grander these doth hymn!
Thy wings do close the black abyss
evil. ana no longer dim
Are valleys of eternal peace,
or land where its own restores,
But skies uncurtaincd show increase
OF glory on thy crystal shores!
And thou dost light for me again
The Iule-log on the homestead hearth.
The graves where long the dead have lain
Do open, as 4 yernal garth,
And bloom for me once more the loves
That roseate made my youthful days;
Within thy freight lives and moves
My mother, haloed with the rays
OF Paradise. and as her twin
Lips with the olden fondlings part,
And /. anraptured. cuddlc in
The velvet haven of her heart,
] see the pail Of doubt unfold,
And on the pathway of the sun
God : finger writes in lines Of gold
The words, For Home and Heaven are
one."
Then, too. thy chimney glow reveals
My fathers face. the old armchair
Is his again, and Lulu knecls
Beside him with her christmas prayer;
The sweet-voiced ~plcadings uttered are,
And grandpa's lips do part to say,
"Ttank God the gates are all aiar
"TWiXt Home and Heaven on Christmas
Day"
Then, welcome. day of days. Thy dawn
Is vibrant with familiar tones.
The veil that dims our sight is drawn,
The farther shore thy sunlight zones.
No growth of skeptic fancy now
Our faith in glad reunion l~eaycns,
For It's engrayen on thy brow
That Heaven is Homes. and Home Is
Heavens.
Century.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

One of the pretticst of Christmas GUS
toms is the Norwegian practice of giving
on Christmas Day a dinner to the birds.
On Christmas morning every gable. gate
way. or barn-door is decorated with n
shcaf of corn, fixed on the top of a tail
pole. whorefrom it is intended that the
birds shah make their Christmas dinner.
Even the peasant will c~ontrive TO have
4 handful set for this purpose; and what
the birds DO not eat on G, ristmas Day
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

In Paris Christmas Day is kept as 4
religious festival, and many who would
not dream of going to church on Sun
days make a point of attending mass on
le Jour de Noel, and the blaze of the
tapers falls on crowded Congregations.
men, women and children. kneeling.
standing and sitting on the wide area
of the Madeleine and Notre Dame. OF
late years it has become chic to attend
midnight mass on Christmas Eve. and
so. pouring down along the boulevards.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
In GermanN

At home around the tree. is the cul-
minating point of Teutonic revelry in
Yuletide. The enthusiasm and the senti-
'ment of youth and age have then at
tanned their pitch. and they are permitted
to give full vent to it for the evening.
The tree is illuminated at the appointed
hour; Still night, holy night" is sung
in the domestic circle: a sweet vapor of
domestic unity is inhaled amid smiles and
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
In Mexico.

The devout of Mexico 90 to early mass
on Christmas morninS. The minority de-
vote themselves T. a toojhsome break
fast. in which tortillas. chile con carne
Oboiled beef and rel pcppcrs), tomalis
(corn husks stuffed with force meat. are
the leading features. After breakfast
come the f|eStiyiti 5. These are of all
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
FELLOW TRAVELLERS

11RISTMAS ev e
away from home
and the loved ones
is q dreary period of
the year. AT least
SO thought Charles
Mckeena. as he ira
versed the top of his
nine ears Ot pota-
toes en- route for
the Southern mar
ket. He was one of
the Il dealers,
md ~ MS oppr1-
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

your household" This custom continues
for nine days before Christmas to illus.
trate the journey Of Mary and Joseph t.
Bethlehem
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

all the world and his wife try to find a
place in ono or othor of the fashionable
churches. and, after the Service is over,
al go round to see and c%riticise the
Croche.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
In NOrwaY.

tears, and the feast Of the Nativity is
thus initiated.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

remains for them to finish Il, their leisure
through the winter.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24

% the next car, TO his surprise the fire
in the stove was burning brightly, and
the interior, if anything, was too warm.
He hurried to the next car. There 1t
was even warmer than in the first car.
He stared at the stove in amazemdnr.
The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-24
IN NGlAND.

A MONG all the Gcrmanic nations
u Christmas has ever been the most
4 \ popular of all church festivals.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

NaSh torrt SIondence y. L. Times.
With thousands of wheels in daily use, it
follows that there is much recklessness dis
played, with consequent danger to riders
ard pedestrians. The "scorcher," that lat
ter-day nuisance, is he"e in countless num-
bers. He pursdes his way through crowded
streets with an Indifference to his Own ard
other peoples safety which breeds hatred
of his kind. The authorities have not yet
awakened to the necessity of suppressing
him. They apparently think they have
done their duty by the public by promul-
eating and enforcing a law which requires
bicycle lamps to be lighted with the going
down of the sun. A wheelman who rides
at night without a lighted lamp is in dam
ger of being arrested and fined. few
days ago three riders were arragned in
court on the charge of riding after sun
down without lamps. All We're fined 1t is
high time that the District commissioners
got after the reckless riders. The attitude
of the New York authorities toward wheel
men might well be adopted here. Washing
ton policemen do not ride bicycles, but if
the Commissioners would equip few of
them with wheels and instruct them to ar
rest all who insist on riding at breakneck
speed either with or without hands
down. fast-growing nuisance would soon
be abated
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
still on That Roof.

After purely ex-parte inquiry as to the
character of me roof of the city post-office
building Tin the course of " hic h inquisition
there developed quantity of fantastic
misinformation), the House committee on
public buildings and grounds has made
adverse report on the Senate JOINT resolu-
ton which calls for the cor struction of
a roof fire-proof in more than name The
House committee was doubtless alarmed by
the remarkable arithmetic paraded before
1t by the Treasury Department.: under the
pressure exerted in the interest of the pine
roof any congressional economist would
have admitted that red was green The
opinion of the figure-frightened committee
will probably remain unchanged in spite
OF rational argument, but 1t may not be
improper to call attention to the fact that
such roof as that which rec elves both
condemnation and commentator from the
supervising architect of the treasury would
not be permitted were the building under
the control of the municipal authorities
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

Expressing contempt 1Or Anlerlca.
Mr.. Bayard. as an orator, continues to be
in request in England, and fer reasons now
that must appear startling everywhere.
His latest appearance was at the annual
dinner of the London Institute of Me-
cbanical Engineers, where he was greeted
with ringing applause and with song.
The secretary of the institute, to give en-
phasis to the selection of the speaker, very
frankly told an Associated Press repre-
sentative, for tranmission along with the
story of the evenings festivities, that Mr..
Gayard had been invited, first" on &C
count of his great popularity. and, second.
to show contempt for the recent reflections
cast upon him."
There Is progress shown here-progress,
i. is true. in a direction in which men of
Mr.. Bayard's cultivation and position are
seldom found travelling, but progress. new
ertheless.
When Mr.. Bayard was first invited to re-
spond to toasts at prominent functions in
England. the compliment was one in which
his country shared 1t was a continuation
of courtesies that had been extended with
felicitous results to Mr.. Lowell, Mr.. Phelps,
and to Mr.. Lincoln, while they were in
England in a representative capacity. The
proceeding had always been unusual, but
never productive of anything but happy
consequences. The responses had served
to increase good feeling both at home and
abroad Mr. Bayard, however, proved IN
equal to such occasions, and converted his
opportunity into one for the exploiting of
his partisan opinions. The English them
selves were surprised, and the London
newspapers courteously expressed the feel
ing. The people of this country were right
eously indignant. and so recorded them
selves in a resolution of Congress-
Such was the beginning. The progress
made is that Mr.. Bayard is now an hon
ored guest at English banquets because of
his unpopularity here at home AS he
lowers in the scale here. he rises there
The measure of his welcome now is ep-
portioned to the indignation he has aroused
in the bosoms of his own people. The Eng
Iish method of expressing contempt for
America is to invite Mr.. Bayard to dinner.
HE heartiness of the applause bestowed
upon him when he speaks is intended IS a
rePuke to the strong and ungovernable
mop across the sea, so singularly blind to
the merits of SO fine and pacific a gentle
man.
Mr.. B1yard seems to lend himself will
Ingly to this. But was there ever time
before when an American ambassador
would have done so? Is there another man
in the diplomatic service today who would
do so? Would Mr.. Eustis at Paris, Mr.
Taylor at Madrid, Mr.. Breckenridge at St.
Petersburg, or Mr.. DENLY at Pekin. accept
an invitation conveying such meaning as
that which the invitation of the London
Institute of Mechanical Engineers con-
yeyed to Mr.. Bayard?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
The nex regulations, as pointed out in yes
terday's Star, provide that


Buildings hereafter erected or increased
in height, except churches, II exceeding a
height of seventy-five feet to the square
Shall be constructed in a fire-proof man
ner, as herein named, to wit: All joists,
beams. rafters. purlines, jack rafters,
plates, studs, ties and arches shall be made
of cast or wrought iron or other incom-
bustible material, and covered with CORFU
gated iron sheet or cast iron, tin, copper,
zinc or other metal. or slate, stone, brick
cement mortar or other incombustible ma
terial"
The general government stands, there
lore, in the attitude of a lawbreaker; privi-
legged, of course, but not the less a law
breaker.
IL Is reasonable to presume that the in
hammabie rocf will remain where 1t is
until lire destroys it-official ignorance and
exaggeration have made that almost GER
tain-but 1t does not follow that remedial
possibilities should be neglected. If the in
terror of the thin pine sheathing is properly
covered with a sufficient thickness Of as
bestos the probabilities of roof-destructior
by fire will be minimized and the folly of
those who are really responsible for the
dangerous and uTscientific construc ton
may in part be offset. At the very least
the conbustible outer roof should be pro-
tected on the side of greatest danger by
non-combustible inner roof.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
Cultivation of Vacant City Lots.

FROM tue Baltimore Herald.
What Is known as the ''Pingree Potato
Patch Plan of relieving the poor in large
cities has passed beyond the experimental
stage. 1t has been worked with success in
Detroit for two summers: it showed good
results last year in Cleveland and In
Brooklyn, and it was put thoroughly to the
test in New York and Boston.
In the cities last named some difficulty
was experienced in finding vacant lots
near enough to the tenement districts to
DE made use OF by the unemployed. Where
they could be obtained the plots were Gag
erly taken up by Industrious people, and the
cultivation of the gardens" was ener-
etically pursued the summer through. The
Association for Improving the Condition of
the Poor in New York is making prepara-
tions to extend the work this summer by
securing land i'll the suburbs and by pro-
vidfng temporary shsiter for the workers,
thus obviating the necessity for them to
walk long distances each night and morn
ing during the period of labor. 1t is ex-
pected in this way to supply plots for sew
eral. thousand persons on lands hitherto
occupied only by the sign of the real estate
dealer
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
Poker and Sympathy.
nm tho ROSton Herald

One of the charges brought against Capt.
Fowie who has been nominated for an
internal revenue collectorshp in Virginia
to succeed Gen. FitZhugh Lee, who goes
to Cuba, is that he once lost $500 at a
single game of poker in Richmond. 1t is
not understood that the fact that he in
dulges in the game is against him. but
the loss of that amount of money at q SIN
gle sitting is taken to mean that he is a
pocr player. There are several members
of the United States Senate, however, be-
fore which body the nomination is pending,
who will be able to say that even the best
poker player is frequently a heavy loser
when the luck runs against him. If poker
playing is Capt. Fowles only offense, the
chances are that he will pull through, and
it is even suggested that the Senate may
be prevailed upon to pass a resolution ex-
pressing sympathy for him on account of
his heavy loss.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
Protect the Small Offenders.

Police Court conditions should be changed
so that there would no longer be an inds-
eliminate budding together of arrests of
all ages and of all degrees of alleged GRIM
inality. 1t is frequently the case that boys
who are guilty of no more serious offens,,
than the throwing of a ball from vacant
lot into an adjacent thoroughfare are taken
to patrol-box and thcrce driven to a sta-
tion-house. there to be locked I'D for the
night in company with the thievish vaga-
bond. the drunkard and the murderer In
the morning the youngsters are conveyed 20
police court in the BLACK Maria in closer
contact than before with the vicious. and
in the cells of the court was the opportunity
to still more of intimacy with the most I'm
desirable of our population.
The damage done by the youngsters in
such cases of alleged infraC ton of NUM-
cipal ordinances is in the great majority of
instances not to be compared with the in
jury done them by the system which ar
rests in:arccrates and Furnishes. Some
times the parents hear of the whereabouts
of their captured offspring in time to res
cue them from the faint of an all-nisht
stay in u cell and the horrors of the Police
CoTrt-SIIbterranean and elsewhere-but
there are many cases where no such relief
comes. Somewhere there ought to he pro-
vision for the detention of such arrests un-
III their misconduct or carelessness has
been eXpiated without exposing them to
neral contamination. If a boy were to
wilfully and openly associate with such
persons as these with whom he becomes
more or less intimate while the law has
him in charge he would be a suspicious
character and be liable to arrest whenever
the police drag-net was being operated, yet
the present system compels a daily, al
most hourly, admixture of the good, the
bad and the Indifferent with the obvious
injurious results
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
An AllegOry,

A man once had a pitchfork bright,
And with 1t jabbed about
In great delight both day and night,
And many put to rout.
He pranced around in awful glee
With ardor undismayed,
And watched his gentler neighbors flee.
Excusably afraid.
But, as the bird once gave his plume
To speed Alright the dart,
And found himself the thing whose doom
Engaged the marksman's art,
Upon polished tine stepped he,
Which made him smart full sore
And many smiled his plight to see,
And he got gay no more.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

Ihere is a most deplorahle scarcity OF ia
Forable con ment. 10 be made on the life of
the Shah of Persia even in writing his
obituaries. He represented a condition of
supreme personal authority which under
modern cci ditions of thought is rapidly
becoming obsolete and furnished striking
example of the unde:iraEility of such a
governmental system. 1t is fair to assume
that he was no worse a man than many
others w"u Id be We're they so unfortunate
as to be surrounded by the same circum-
stances
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

whether the news be Geographic or local
The Star las the pleasing faculty of getting
1t In advance of any competitor The most
recent instances of note were on exhibition
IN yesterdays issue when The Star made
exclusive publication as to the assassina-
ton OF the Shah of Persia, through the
superior facilities of the Associated Press,
and as to many local matters of impor-
tance-the latest and altogether surprising
developments in the Emergency Hospital
imbroglio being conspicuous If You want
all of today's news today you will find it
only in The Star.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
An Ideal Found,

The young man who writes verses was
standing out in the night gazing at the sky,
when friend ran across him.
What are you doing; studying astrono-
my?"
go away and don't disturb me, 1 am gaz-
ing into infinite distance"
Il don't see what satisfaction you find in
that"
That's because you have never had any
experience with editors. You don't know
what comfort it is to find some place
where nothing is crowded out for lack of
space"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02

Only one hundred and seventy-four men
were employed cn the new city post-oifice
building today, say those who have imme-
date char e of the job, or, rather the Sc
ries of jobs The roof is still in danger of
destruction by fire: the rest of the struc-
ture is freproof.