davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Shall We Give Christmas Gifts.

After the aroma of Thanksgiving
has waited away there comes in the
atmosphere the fragrance of the
Christmas spirit. But too often there
succeeds restless worriment which
takes away from the sweetness of this
spirit. "What shall we make for
Christmas ?" "What shall we buy for
Christmas?" are questions which now
begin to be repeated in almost every
family, for Thanksgiving has brought
sudden realization of the nearness of
the great winter holiday. Sometimes
this anxious thought becoT:ies actually
hurtful, producing such distress Of
mind and body that many would ex-
claim that Christmas is a burden to be
endured but not to be welcomed.
Many would agree with a writer In the
Century in wishing to do away with
gifts altogether, except for the children.
There has been much written and spok-
en- upon the subject OF bestowing gifts,
but there is always a need of more dis
cussion Of the subject, and especially
at this time, when everybody Is con-
cerned. In the first place calm atti-
tude of the mind and plenty of time
are necessary in the selection OF gifts.
The stores now display holiday goods,
and the windows are supplied with at
tractive articles. Some of these artic-
les are so fascinating that Il buyer Sc
cures one before she is sure that she
wants il, and afterward repents hearth
ly of useless purchase. At other
times, buyers in sheer desperation seize
upon the article which they happen to
see at the time, and are then surprised
at the unsatisfactory result. To avoid
these two evils, it might be suggested
that it would be better to make out a
list of really suitable and useful arli-
cles before approaching the tempting
windows and counters of stores. If
possible, find out what is really desired,
or, at least, what might be desired.
In all cases, this very American way
of leaving all purchases till the week
before Christmas and then rushing in
crowds to the stores is to be deprecated.
II Is the agony of deciding upon
Christmas gifts in a hurry which
makes the beautiful holiday a burden
to many. Gifts have always very ap-
DTODriately been a distinguished fe;t-
ture of Christmas, and because We
Americans have not learned the art Of
selecting, we should not condemn the
custom in a narrowness of understand
ing. BY all means let the children be
first remembered but do not refuse
elders the right of sharing in the chill
dren's gladness. As to the bestowing
and receiving of presents, each must
be guided by his own sense of delicacy
and fitness.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
For the Housewifs.


To make windows fairly shine rub
them with whiting wet with alcohol
and then polish with chamOis skin.
Clean japanned trays with a
sponge wrung out of tepid water, rub
dry with cloth and polish with flour.
If the trays are very dirty little
soap may be used, but on no account
apply boiling water, for il will certain
ly cause the varnish to crack and peel
of in m 'st ulsigltly way.
To improve the color CT boards in
tables or floors scrub them with slack
ed lime and white sand, in the propor-
ton of one part of lime and three of
sand. This will make the boards beau
tifully white.
Clean black marble with paste made
with the following ingredients Half
an ounce of finely-powdered and sifted
pumice stone, an equal quantity of
powdered and sitted lime, one ounce of
carbonate of soda; mix with water
and apply to the marble with an old
rag. Afterward wash it off with soap
and water, and polish with dry, soft
duster or leather.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Boiled Ball For the Poor.

In May, 1861, George Staverton left
a sum Of money to purchase a bull,
which bull he gave to the poor of Wo-
bingham town and parish. The ami
NAL was to be boiled, the hide and the
offal to be sold, and the proceeds ex-
pended in the purchase of shoes and
stockings, to be bestowed upon poor
children. Up to the year 1923 a bull
was regularly boiled on the 2Ist Of De
cember in the market place in Wo-
bingham. But in that year the cor
poration of the town determined upon
discontinuing such proceeding, which
has since accordingly been omitted.
At Christmas, 1885, mob broke open
during the night the place where one
of the animals was kept and boiled it,
in spite of the magistrates endeavors
TO prevent them, and similar attempts
have since been made on other OCT a.
siOns.-BOston Herald.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Fads Of Fashion.

One secret of success in dress is TO
find out Of the colors which are most
becoming, and never wander away
from these, no matter what the fashion
Is.
The fashionable silks this season have
moire effects, and moire with silver or
gold threads running through it is very
effective. Tinseled fabrics of all sorts
abound in the shops, but they require
very careful blending with other mate
rials to make them becoming.
Muff chains of gold, with diamonis
set at intervals, so that they are open
on both sides, are one Of the novelties
in jewelry. Rubies, sapplires, emer-
aids and amethysts are also distributed
in the same manner.
Mahogany-eolOred hair Is the LATEST
fad, and the transition period between
dark brown and this coveted shade Of
red is very interesting TO the keen OBJ
server.-New York sun.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
National Dishes of Germany.

There is picture, more or less well
known, from the brush of a humorous
and perhaps patriotic German painter
thar very accurately describes the pre-
vailing impression concerning the Ger
man palate. The picture in question
represents a charming young German
girl picking cabbages from a Christ
mas tree, and beneath the painting an
inscription which being freely trans
lated, means that Germany offers
wonderful kitchen to the contempla-
ton of civilization. This national
taste for cabbage is carried into their
Christmas dinner. That meal consists
of boiled pork and sauerkraut, sausa-
ges, black puddings, goose stuffed
with chestnuts, cheese cakes and baked
apples, beef with sour sauce, smoked
goose and potatoes, washed down with
hpar
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Phil osophy of Giving.

The man who starts out to buy pres
ents does not stop to count the cost or
inspect the quality Of the articles pro-
fusely exposed to his fancy. Every
thing goes, as the saying is, and he
Grams his pockets with miscellane-
Gus assortment OF things for which he
pays two or three times as much as
they are worth, when they are worth
anything, and which nothing could
induce hi i'm to purchase, or hardly to
carry home without expense at any
other time of the year.
This Is not the highest expression of
the meaning of Christmas, but it is
authentic and salutary as far as it goes.
1t is in harmony with the spirit of the
festival, and its efforts tend to keep
alive those feelings and inspirations
which are the mainstsy of society and
the basis of morality and religion. So
long as the germs remain there is sure
to be growth and product.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

The wife of Mr.. ID. Robinson, a prom
inent lumberman of Hartwick, y. Y,
was sick with rheumatism for five
months. In speaking of it, Mr.. Robin
son says: "Chamberlain's Pain Balm
is the only thing that gave her any
rest from pain. For the relief of pain
it can not be beat" Many very bad
cases of rheumatism have been cured
by it. For sale at 80 cents per bottle
by Benford's Pharmacy.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Tbs Keystone State.

Pennsylvania is called the Keystone
State. Two explanations have been
given Of this name. According to the
first, the Declaration Of Independence
was trembling in the balance, six col
onies having voted for and six against
it. The vote of Pennsylvania was cast
in favor Of the Declaration, and thus a
majority was secured. According to
the other explanation, the name was
purely an accident When the Rock
Creek bridge was constructed, near
Washington, the stones of the great
arch were inscribed with the names OF
the states, and when it was finished
the discovery was made that the name
Of Pennsylvania was on the Keystone
Of the arch, and thus was applied
afterward to the state.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Christmas Goose.

In England goose is more often the
Chistmas bird than turkey. To those
who think of substituting goose for a
turkey the caution is given that the
former, though it may present an am
pie anil tempting appearance As it is
brought to the Ia ble, crisp and aromat-
ic, will serve by no means generously,
as only the breast is available. Under
the modern treatment of removing
the tough leg tendons, thus gaining all
the drumstick meat, there is no edible
bird to compare in economy with the
turkey.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
A Long Trip.

From the far northwest Of this coun
try 10 Norway, Sweden and Denmark
seems great way TO go to spend the
Christmas holidays, and yet Thousands
of Seandinavians do it every year
They go TO New York city in trainloads
during the latter part Of November
and the first Of December, the jolliest
happiest, most contented emigrants
that leave the country.
The trip across the continent isshort
ened by good nature and a recountine
Of experiences, for they are a simple
folk and readily make friends and ex-
change confidence. They are home
loving people, and after being here foI
few years and accommodating a little
money they almost invariably return
to Scandinavia to visit and to tell OF
their success here.
Those who have gone home TO visit
this fall are generally men in the prime
of life who have established interests
here, and who will return in the spring,
after two or three months Of enjoy
ment and wonder telling among their
relatives and friends. All these emil
grants carry much ready money, with
which they are liberal to fault. That
which they have is entirely due to
their own energy. They are producers
of the most valuable kind. They come
here with the idea of becoming citi-
zens and landowners, and although
they retain their affection for the old
home and the old life they forget or be-
little the advantages that they have
received here or the allegiance that
they have promised to their adopted
country. A large percentage of those
who are now visiting at their birth
places will bring wives back with
them.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

When most needed it not unusual
for your family physician to be away
from home. Such was the experience
Of Mr.. J. Y. Schenk, editor of the Cad
do, Ind. Ter, Banner, when his little
girl, two years Of age, was threatened
with severe attack of Group. lie
says; my wife insisted that / 90 for
the doctor, but Us our family physi-
clan was oat of town / purchased a
bottle of Chamberlain's Cough RENE
dy, which relieved her Immediately.
| will not be without it in the future. "
D and 50 cent bottles for sale by Ben
lords Pharmacy.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
A Mean Mans Game.

"The meanest man ever saw" the
irrepressible Judge Murphy exclaimed
to crowd of admirers, "has never ap-
peared in my court rs defendant, and
it is lucky for him. As matter of
course he was a newspaper mana
blankety blank rascal OF reporter.
One day he was playing seven up with
young lady, and guess what he did?
He told her that whenever she had the
jack of trumps it was a sure sign her
lover was thinking of her. Then he
watched her, and whenever she blush
ell and looked pleased he would lead a
high card and catch her jack. y man
vino would do that would steal a hot
stove or write a libelous joke about
me.u
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
The indispensable Tree.

OF all things for Christmas Christ
mas tree is Indispensable in a house
where there are children. The explor-
ing of overhowing stockings will not
give half the pleasure that comes from
the discovery of ''real live" tree,
with gray bearded. snow specked San
Ia Claus peeping from its branches. 1t
matters not how small the tree if il be
prettily decorated. In this it is chiefly
the first cost which counts. The same
ornaments, with very few additions,
will do year after year. As for the tree
itself, there are five different kinds, all
beautiful in themselves-pine, hemlock,
spruce, cedar and balsam fir.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

Major G. 7. Picton is manager of the
State Hotel, at Denison, Texas, which
the travelling men say is one of the best
hotels in that section. In speaking of
Chamberlain's Collie, Cholera and
DiarrhOea Remedy Major Pieton says;
"I have used it myself and in my fam
lily for several years, and take pleasure
in saying that | consider it an infalli-
BILE cure for diarrhoea and dysentery.
/ always recommend it, and have
frequently administered it to my guests
in the hotel, and In every case it has
proven itself worthy of unqualified en-
dorsement. For sale by Benford's IS
Pharmacy.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Bucklen's Arnica Salve.

The Best Salve in the world for Cuts,
Bruises, Sores, Ulcers, Salt Rheum, Fe-
yer Sores, letter, Chapped Hands,
Chilblains, Corns, and all Skin Erup-
tions, and positively cures Piles, or nc
pay required. 1t is guaranteed to give
perfect satisfaction or money refunded.
Price p cents per box. For sale at j.
\. Snyder's drug store, Somerset, OF
at Bsallier's drug store, Berlin, Pa.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Grains Of Gold.

Turn thinker loose, and you shake
the world.
1t never hurts truth any to be slap
ped in the face.
Backsliding begins when praise
leaves the heart.
The pleasures of sin are only pleas
ures for season.
The hardest wound to heal, is the
one inflicted by a friend.
The man who prays right will see to
it that his example is right.
IL we know how to aim, the bigger
the giant the better the mark.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
CHRISTMAS CAROL.

Hari, hsTk. the sweet. sweet Ginning
OF merry Christmas bells,
Their low mclodioGs hymning
a wond7ols story tells.
Beneath the stars that siisten
Ger distant Syrian plains.
the watching shepherds listen
To clear angelic strains.
''To God the highest g'oryr'
While heavenly arches ring.
Responsive TO the story
That Gabriel doth sing:
''The peace on earth whose blessing
Shall bring good viii to men :"
And in his name progressing.
Shall md the world again
And whore the dawn Is streaking
The eastern sky, afar.
They see the glory breaking
From ona newborn star.
Il shines above the munger
Wherein "A Babe was bora,
And FOR that infant Stranger
Archange's hail the morui
No kingly crown awaits him,
No robe of Tyrian dye,
But heavenly c,ioirs his praises
Are sounding through the sky.
For Bethlehem's lowiy manger
The King OF kings contains
And glory, glory. glory,
The Lord OF ali he reigns
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

In cases of burns, sprains. scalds, or
any of the other accidental pains like
" to come to the human body, nr.
Thomas Electric Oil gives almost in
Stanf r,.Iief
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Saved.

Wilkins-Miss o ldfryte sat directly
beneath the mistletOe ON the ehande-
lier, but Providence saved me.
Bilkins-PrOvidences
Wilkins-les; Providenss dropped
the chandelier.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Telling the Bees.

In Devonshire, England, messen-
ger is sent from the house of the farm
er TO tell the bees that Christmas day
has come, and they are supposed to
greet the glad tidings with a joyful
hum.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Home Improvement.

"Tubbs says he's been making a
number of Improvements about his
home recently"
"Yes, noticed he's sold the piano"
London Tit Bits.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Knecht Rupert.

Santa Claus was introduced into
America by the Dutch, of Holland.
He is the American representative Of
the German Knecht Rupert.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

Don't daily with rheumatism. Purify
your blood and cure it at once by taking
course of Hoods Sarsaparilla.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
Cures

Prove the merit Of Hoods Sarsaparilla - posi-
tive. perfect, permanent Cures.
Cures of scrofula in severcst forms, Ike
goitre, swelled neck, running Sores hip
disease. sores in the eyes.
Cures of Salt Rheum. with its intense itching
and burning, scald head, tetter. etc
Cures of Bols. Pimples and all other erup'
tons due to Impure blood.
Cures Of Dyspepsia and other troubles where
good stomach tonic was needed
Cures OF Rheglnatsm.w where patients were un-
able 70 work or walk for weeks.
Cures Of Caiarrh by expelling the impurities
which cause and sustain the disease
Cures Of Nervousness by properly toniI,g and
feeding the nerves upon pure blood.
Cures of That Tired Feeling by restoring
strength. Send for book of cures by
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
lR B. 5. kIAIAIELL.

-, ---s Professional services 20 the clti-
Z Hi---. ana vicinity. Unless pro
-. Engaged Dr. elu aa found al his or
u A.--a s. l-i>- 0l Diamond.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
5e Somerset Herald.
nrABLIsHED iS27'
ms of Publication.

,ysrv wednesday morning al
~ +. paid IN advance, otherwise
a-a9,y be ehnTsed.
= .-ip.oa wil be discontinued until
Ne .-a Maid rp. Pcstmssters ne
sri' .,.ify US when subscribers do not
e''!ns - r,per VIII be held responsible
n. susscHPii'n' :.
ND give US the name Of the form
so'a'- .be present Office. Address
THE so2EEsEr HERALD
SOMERSET, Pa.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23
lk. J SNI.LrrrrrN

r. J S.NcNILLFN
0r1lats iu ueuustry.l
81. ~ /. -. -iisui9a 10 tae preservation
20. Teeth Artificial >-ts inserted.
u s14riuteaI satisfactory. Office
-. IS 4. Pc over L. Ii. Davis d COS store,
q a s-l tn-ss and Patriot streets.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-23

John Allison turned rs if he were
shot and plunged on his homeward
way. There il no other word for it.
He only half believed Mahaffy. He
asked himself why he should hurry to
meet the woman who had not trusted
him, who had not cared to write the
few words which would have held
them together? He kept muttering
that there was no hurry about it. If
she was there, she could wait. He
had waited. 1t was late in the day to
come to him now. And all the time
he was fleeing as if for his life up the
the rough mountain side.
He reached the camp at last, near
his old cabin, and dropped exhausted
on the snow for a few moments. He
was afraid now that she was not there,
and mixed with that fear was an in-
tolerable sense that if she were he
could not forgive her at sight for heI
fancied fault. Strange that he could
cherish bitterness at such a moment
when paradise was opening to him
but in spite of his effort to smother il
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-30
PRESS COM MENTS.
Mr.. SewaIls Demagoguery.
portland Press


The Hon. Arthur Se,,all has been so
long and so well known by the people
of Maine that they are not likely to be
deceived by any acting or posing on his
part. They have known him as a rich
and aristocratic citizen of Bath, who has
been prominently identified with many
large corporations whose principal bust
ness. according to Mr.. Bryan, has been
the robbing of the poor man. Until re-
Gently he was the president of a marine
association, organized largely for the
purpose of getting the government to
imposed discriminating duty on foreign
ships with a view to increasing the
profits of American ships of which Mr.
Sewall is supposed to be a large owner
He was president of the Maine Central
railroad when the wages of the employees
of that corporation We're cut down on
account of the depression in business,
and though somebody in a Washington
paper has tried to relieve him of all
connection with that reduction by
charging it upon Mr.. George NJ. Pull
man and Mr.. Richard Olney, all the
evidence goes to show that he never
thought of absolving himself until his
connection with presidential ticket.
the head of which was posing as the
special friend Of labor and the special
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-30
The Log Drive Disappearing.

rive years will sec a tremendous
revolution in the Mainerailroad world -
said a prominent lumberman at Rum
ford Falls The other day
Il was talking with Edward Plum
fner Of Lisbon Falls. agent for the
Androscoggin Water Power COMPANY
last week" he continued, "and our talk
brought out this idea with new en-
phasis. The Androscoggin company
own 'o,oco acres of land north of here.
including Byron. Newry. Riley and Au-
dover North Surplus and Andover East
surplus. Hitherto they have always
driven their logs from the headwaters
nut this coming season will do away
with driving altogether and car their
lumber. Last year they drove ten
million and had already contracted for
quite number of small lots this wear
but lately since they decided to aban
don driving completely they have sold
to Blanchard & Twitchen all they had
contracted for.
This is only an Indicator, but it
shows which way the wind is blowing
The days OF the drive in Maine are
numbered and as the railroads push
farther into the woods, fewer and fewer
logs will go into the stream The mod
ern rush demands that no time be lost
in getting the trees from the woods to
the mills and the only sure way to do
this is TO car the logs. In five years |
do not think there will be a drive of
any consequences on the rivers of
Maine"
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-30
Superstition

Superstition seems to be one of the
most prolific sources of misery known
to the world. Wealth and station have
little to do with banishing the almost
mortal terror of the superstitious per-
son, and even education cannot wholly
eradicate it. The question arises
whether those who cultivate Supersti-
lions be not more Objectionable members
of society than those who abuse dumb
animals. Surely they cause keener if
not more suffering A relative of the
late James Lewis, the great comedian
tells the world that he was a victim of
superstition and the night before he
died receiving a great shock because,
while enjoying game of cards, some
one cut a nine spot of spades. Very
recently highly imaginative space
writer in this State prepared weird
| tale of disaster to people living in
houses into which cartridges had
| flown. Instance after instance was
| cited of trouble following closely upon
the fight of dazed young partridge
through an open door or window, or
possibly against pane of glass dazzling
with reelected sunlight. OF course it is
all absolutely absurd But it is also
horrible forit is well known that super
stitious fear has in some cases caused
death, and very frequently acute suf-
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-30
This Robber Should Remain in Thomaston

The people of Thomaston are very ex :
cited over the sensational robbery
which occurred on Beechwoods street
Saturday night about 1130 o'clock
While Ernest Bunker the son of
Thomas Bunker, young man about
20 years of age, highly respected by his
many friends, was walking to his home,
which is about a mile from the village.
he was met by a strange looking
creature dressed in q long black ulster
and wearing soft cap, which was
fartly drawn over his face. The man
stepped by the side of Bunker and
said hands up at the same time
drawing revolver. demanding his
money or whatever he might have
about him. Before Bunker could re-
cover himself the stranger had taken
his gold watch and chain and went
through his several pockets, taking
everything he had about him. He
then told Bunker to proceed or he
would shoot him. Accordingly Bunker
went home and the robber quickly dis
appeared. Although no trace has yet
been found of the wretch il is hoped
that he may be discovered and given a
future home in Thomaston.