davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1897-12-26

calculated to make an impressionable
woman wish its wearer might never
| outgrow them.
10 return to our muttonS or our
| lambkins; day dresses for Christmas
| festivities are just as necessary as
/ those to be seen in tho light of Santa
| Claus's candies, and Empi., dresses
| in art shades of cashmere seer. to
! be among the most desirable styles. A
| two-headed midget of seven or there
abouts has been provided with one in
dark green, with high sash of green
silk. whose Ions ends hang from a big
rosette on the left side. This dress has
shocked yoke of pale yellow silk and
| the deep collar and little cuffs are en-
broidered in the same color.
A quaint drawing frock for n child of
three or perhaps five is among the fav-
| orte models of one OF the big stores.
| 1t would do famously for a family din
ner party on Christmas. 1t is made
of pink fancy silk and has a short
waist of pink velvet adorned with n
double ruche Zone side of gupure lace.
the other of silk) which is arranged like
q sash over the left shoulder and I'M
der the right arm. The long silk sleeves
have double epaulettes bordered with
velvet.
A little French shop in New York is
exploiting a pretty frock suitable for a
girl of, say, six. The material is espe-
cially attractive, being a check pattern
carried out in turquoise blue silk and
cafe-au-lait. At waist and neck come
hands and bows of white satin; the
collar is finished with tabs of the
checked material, while Whit silk lace
is introduced as jabot and shoulder
frills.
For the girl who has arrived at the
mature dignity of twelve years, there
is an almost endless variety Of Christ
mas fashions. One of this weeks i'm
nortations from Paris and Vienna in
cludes, among it's most attractive Co.'S
tunes, a dainty affair of soft white silk.
| whose skirt is edged with three mar
row frills. A folded band OF pink satin
connects skirt and bodice; it is tied in
a how at the side and rises high up be-
hind The bodice is trimmed with ivory
satin baby ribbon put on in trellis
vorl, pattern. The neck finish is SO
nrettv and becoming that it is a pity
something analogous to it cannot be
adopted oftener by older people, who
need to get rid of the trying stiff collar
much more than do the young fry. The
little hanging frill of white chiffon is
held in with rosette3 Of baby ribbon
The herald., 1897-12-26

"The queen is crying" said he, lifting
her in his arms. God save the Queen!
But she became quiet as Mr.. Minder
bore her to the Christmas tree in the
castle park-a tall pine all aglow with
lights that glittered through a marvel
GUS web of gold and silver strung from
bough to bough. And hanging in the
branches there was everything boy or
girl could wish for-sleds and skates
and rocking horses and shining toys
and mysterious packages tied in many
colored wrappings. A short, stout man
in a great fur coat. whom everyone
recognized as Santa Claus, stood beside
the tree.
where is Davy Minden?" said he In
a deep solemn voice; ~ should like to
hear him say his prayers"
Davy, VINO was a very small boy,
hesitated a moment, and then knelt at
the feet of Santa Claus, looking up at
him with pale and awe struck face.
There was a moment of silence. Davy
was thinking hard, knowing he must
say something quickly, or forever lose
his standing with the good saint.
30, dear Santa Claus" he began, Il
wish you'd give me pair O. skates, an
a big wagon with two horses an n pic
ture book. an a watch, an a fiddle, an
a gun. an a big, big lot o. candy, an
a" here Davy hesitated. trying to
think of the things he needed most.
Anything else?" said Santa Claus
rather gruffly.
"An' one O. those things what We turn
with a crank" the boy continued, look
ing up inquistively.
'"That'll do" said Santa Claus, as he
went to the tree and took down the
things the boy had asked for and laid
them in his arms.
And all the children went to the feet
of Santa Claus. one by one, and were
rewarded according to their wishes.
Finally he called for the Doll Queen.
held her in his arms and kissed her,
and said: "Poor little waif; I'm going
to gi,.-e you a home and a father and
mother"
Then he gave her a whole family of
beautiful dolls, and one of them-a boy
doll. dressed like a prince-walked be-
tween her and little Mildred Minden
to the ball room of the castle, where
an orchestra of toy musicians. seated
on music box, kept UP great show
of fiddling, as if their lives depended on
II. Santa Claus came in with the chill
dren and sat down to see the fun. The
Queen took her rigEtful seat upon the
throne and then the dance began.
Santa Claus sat smiling at the little
folks. but presently began nodding and
was soon fast asleep. Suddenly the
dance stopped and all the children
thronged about the sleeping figure of
The herald., 1897-12-26
JACK HORNER PIE.
The iums Are Gifts and You
Pull Them Out With
Ribbons.

The idea Of a Jack Horner pie for the
central feature of Christmas dinner
comes from our ingenious cousins over
the sea- This is how it was managed
at a pleasant family gathering in
"Merrie England" at which I was
privileged to be present.
The pie was places on a round table,
covered with snowy damask; the entire
room was gayly decorated with mistle-
toe, holly berries, and evergreens. The
pie, which contained all the small gifts
for the guests Of the day, was made in
dish pan, is, a tin vessel
shaped like milk-pan, only of greater
circumference and height. OF course
a new one-and a big one-was chosen
for the purpose.
The gifts were packed in the pan az
snugly as possible, and to each one
was attached a streamer of red satin
ribbon with guests name inscribed
on the outer end in gold paint. These
served as name cards, radiating from
the pie to each plate, so that no others
were necessary.
The pie was covered and banked with
mistletoe and holly,-which was. Of
course. first tackled to cardboard with
gum or a few stitches. To render 1t less
stiff paper might be used; this could
more easily be made to take the re-
quired slant for the mound.
HE put in his thumb,
And drew out plum,
And said, What great boy am t."
sang the hostess at the close Of the
dinner, as signal for the simultaneous
pulling of the ribbons. Then each
guest drew gently towards him the gift
intended for him. This was Of course
the critical moment, and great care had
to be exercised neither to detach the
ribbons nor destroy the gifts, as many
were frail creations. The table, mean
while. had been cleared for action like
the deck of a ship.
For a few moments the tumult was
exciting, everybody calling at the same
time on everybody else to look at his
prize. When the excitement was over
and order was restored, 1t was found
that the hostess. who had a gift for
The herald., 1897-12-26

Majesty" to see the Queen Doll rise
and say just as plainly as a real per-
son could have said it, welcome, good
people, I am very pleased to see you.
They all stood still and stared at her
She was certainly a doll with cheeks
as red as any dolls: but they had never
seen such a wonderful doll before. WI
lie Minden, with more curiosity than
politeness, made bold to put his hand
upon her face and pushed her liDs
aside to see if she had teeth; where
upon she slapped his hand smartl.-.
and Mr.. Minden, who was peering in at
one of the windows, shouted:
Hands off the Queen."
Suddenly they heard a great jingle
of bells in the castle park, and a noise
like that of the pattering feet of rein
deer. The children turned and made a
rush for the door, knocking over some
of the dolls and almost wrecking the
castle in their haste to leave it, and
the queen followed them.
Mr.. Minden stood at the castle bridge
to direct the children.
The herald., 1897-12-26

| castle, where great ball was to be
given that evening, for which the post
man had left a big bundle Of invita-
tions on his morning call. Immediately
after dinner, the whole family marched
to the spacious drawing room, the chill
dren arm in arm behind their father
and mother. .whe- the doors were
thrown open they came into a kind of
fairy garden. The great room was
darkened to a dusky twilight. Near
the farther end of it they could see tho
towers and battlements of a little cas-
tile. that stood almost as high as a
mans head. its many windows all aglow
with light. 1t had moat and bridge.
and there were flowers and tiny trees
and hedges in the castle park that was
lit with fairy lanterns. A toy knight
sounded a trumpet as they neared the
bridge. The nurse, a very small wo-
man, stood at the castle door to receive
the children. When they entered the
ball room they saw great assem-
blage of dolls, big and little, among
which there were many familiar faces.
The larger dolls sat primly along the
wall and the smaller ones sat staring
at each other in groups about the room.
A miniature chandelier of electric
lights hung from the center of the cell.
ing. There We're many beautiful dolls
in this brilliant company, but the love-
liest one of all sat on little throne at
the farther end Of the ball room. She
wore a jewelled crown and a wonder
full costume.
THAT is the queen" the nurse whis-
pered. You must bow very low when
I introduce you to her and say, God
bless your Majesty"
They filed along silently, their amaze
ment growing as they saw the queen
eyeing them with look of fellow feel
ing in her face. Judge of their surprise,
however, when little Mildred Minden
low and said, God bless your
The herald., 1897-12-26
fat man being the father of such a

fat man being the father of such a
fairy.
1t was the day before Christmas when
Mr.. Minden came again to see his little
friend at the charity room.
Hello. Murph," said he; "here's your
dressmaker."
A dolls dressmaker had come with
him, and boy loaded with bundles and
boxes so that he looked as if he might
be a son of st. Nicholas. Then began
the dressing of little Miss Murphy. She
did not know what new violence await
ed her and so retired behind the mat
ron, when they had her stripped, re-
garding the dressmaker with deep sus-
picion. Then she broke away and ran
about the room like little wild wo-
man. In jiffy she had flashed through
The herald., 1897-12-26


"Or any shoes or stockings or father
or mother or bread to eat," said Santa
Claus. rising and buttoning his great
coat. That's right, Davy. I must be
off. and I'll always remember the boy
that thought of the poor" Then he
rushed out through the trees and was
gone.
And when the children looked at the
Queen they saw her leaning over the
arm of her little chair sound asleep, her
bare, baby arms hanging down so that
her finger tips rested on the carpet.
"The Queens asleep-long live the
Queen" said Mrs. Minden, lifting up
her Majesty and calling the children to
follow her a she walked, STOPPING, out
of the castle door. Poor little thing!
She shall always have home with
u.s."
Copyright, 1897, by Bachelor Syndicate.
The herald., 1897-12-26

pie coiffures in the early pictures of
Victoria. Then they put on her dress
"a wonderful dress of white satin, cut
low so that it showed a bit of her dain-
ty breast and shoulders. 1t was
trimmed with lace and diamonds and
had long train that swept a yard be-
hind her with such a lovely rustic to
it that she kept looking back and fiirt-
ing it with her foot. Now she was no
longer a child, full of baby pranks, but
she walked with a kind of stately dig
nifty to the mirror and Strengthened
herself and turned slowly and critically
about. her hands on her hips, quite as
a woman would have done. Then Mr..
Minden opened one of the boxes and
took out little gilded crown Of paste
board with a circle Of Jewels fastened
The herald., 1897-12-26
THE DOLL QUEEN,
Christmas Adventures of "Little
Miss Murphy" Related by
Irving Bachcller.

Mrs. Murphy, "the human midget" "
was dead, and Little Miss Murphy was
all that remained of the family-a very
small remnant-"four years old and
lust two feet long," according to the
lecturer Of the museum. She was a
cute little creature, and as beautiful
% any doll in shop window, with yell
The herald., 1897-12-26
Copyright. 1897, by Bacheller Syndicate.

boys of two or three, because such
young men do not rebel against being
made pretty. Velvet suits are built at
present, for example, with white BEN
galine collar, supplemented with gui-
pure lace: the full knickers are finished
at the knees with bengaline bands.
Then there are picturesque Georgian
suits in face cloth with smart frock-
tail coats and knee-brecches fastening
with cut steel buttons. Such a suit
is worn with silk or pique blouse, em-
broidered and edged with hemstitched
frillinG.
Overcoats for very small boys aspire
to be grandfatherly and succeed in be-
ing quaint. with their full skirts with
tails and their white pearl buttons 1t
is in order for them to have tartan lin
ings. ELLEN OSBORN.
Copyright, 1897. by Bacheller Syndicate.
The herald., 1897-12-26
The Mistletoe.

The mistletoe. now favorite plant
for Christmas decoration, was a sacred
emblem to the Druids. 1t was gath
cred by them with very pompous cere-
monies, and when cut and taken to
their places of worship, was deemed to
possess many mystic qualities. :,
The herald., 1897-12-26

tha rnO1 saint

the good saint.
Isn't it too bad" said Mr.. Mnder,
peering in at one of the windows; ''isn' t
it too bad that he's forgetting all the
poor children"
Little Davy, who had a very tender
heart. came and knelt at the feet of
Santa Claus. He was now awake and
rubbing his eyes
80 dear Santa Claus" said little
Davy, 'please don't forget the poor
children. Some of them don't ever have
any sleds or skates or candy"
The herald., 1897-12-26

rhyming, had remembered the peculiar
likes and dislikes and idiosyncrasies Of
of each guest, and had cleverly taken
them off in rhyming stanza attached
to each parcel This was the sauce
pquant of the whole affair, and creat-
ed no end of amusement. OF course
such a liberty could only be taken with
a party of intimate friends. But alto
gether it was a most enjoyable affair,
and we'll worthy of imitation.
LAURA B. STARR.
Copyright, 1897, by Bachelor Syndicate.
The herald., 1897-12-26
Orip:n Of Xmas Customs.

Our Christmas customs are mixture
of Druidcal and other Pagan observ-
ances The use of the Christmas tree
has descended from the German Druids.
Dressing the houses and churches with
green is a relic of Pagan worship in
Rome, so also is the sending Of pres
entS to and fro.
The herald., 1897-12-26

dangerous it is to wander abroad by
night, especially at the Christmas sea-
son
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
Pounds
The Farmers. Cabbage.

While market gardeners are finding
late cabbage sold too cheaply to allow
them any profit, this does not appear to
be the fact with farmers who have
cheaper land, says American Cultivator.
Here is the explanation given by the
authority referred to;
The excess of fertility in the market
garden does not count for growing late
cabbage, as the heads have to be turned
down in order to prevent them from
splitting. Any good corn land with a
dressing Of manure will be rich enough
for the late cabbage crop. The secret is
in manuring and blowing the land early,
and then thoroughly working it until
the last of June or first of July, when
the cabbage is to be planted. This fills
the soil full of plant food, and the plants
will grow better at first than will those
of the market gardener following some
early crop. -Four thousand head of cab
bage per acre, at ? or cents head,
make return larger than most farmers
get from an acre by average farm crops.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
News and Notes.

1t appears to have been conclusively
proved that electricity hastens the dis
semination of seeds.
Thrifty growth, frequent transplant
ing and careful hardening are the Sc
crets of strong, tough, early vegetable
plants.
Professor Bailey has succeeded in
grating the tomato upon potato stems.
A contributor TO The Orange Judd
Farmer says that club root follows when
hog manure is put upon cabbage ground.
The Juno pea is main crop variety
for which special merits are claimed.
Eighteen Hundred and Ninety sew
en- is new early pea of promise.
A first early flat cabbage is catalogued
under the name Early Spring.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02

1t is reported from the Connecticut
state station that during the season of
1895 cottonseed meal was the cheapest
source of available nitrogen. Expert
ments indicate that it is as rapidly and
fully available as the best forms of ami
NAL matter. 1t has been extensively used
i'll home mixed fertilizers and has given
perfect satisfaction. Castor pomace is an
expensive form of organic nitrogen and
used chiefly by certain tobacco growers,
who still prefer it to cottonseed meal.
The POquonOck experiments indicate
that cottOnseed meal in equivalent
quantity yielded tobacco of the same
quality in all respects as castor pomace,
and at a much lower cost for fertilizers
In acid rock phosphate available phos-
phoric acid has cost on the average very
considerably less than in dissolved bone
black. Those who have tried the acid
phosphate III home mixed fertilizers re-
port very favorably, finding little or no
trouble from caking or setting" after
mixing. Potash in the sulphates, both
high and low grade, has cost about 1
cent more per pound than in the muri
ates. The experiment of the Connecti-
cut farmers as reported at the station was
favorable to the home mixtures as re-
CARDS both effectiveness and economy.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
Bordeaux Mixture and Fungiroid.

H. P. Gould of the Maine station re-
ports on experiments with bordeaux
mixture and fungiroid for the proven
tion of potato rot. The use of bordeaux
mixture as preventive gave the most
satisfactory results. Fungiroid is a
fungicide which, it is claimed, is a
powdered form of bordeaux mixture.
The total yield was less and a greater
percentage of rotten tubers We're present
where fungiroid was used than where
bordeaux mixture was employed, al
though fungiroid gave better results
than where no application Of fungicides
was made.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
WHEN AND WHERE TO UNnlrcH.


ready to leave for the land, F. to bI
plowed by going around it or turning II
the left. Before turning out. in COMING
down the last furrow, the team turnI
the corner a, travels across the back fur|
row land f, which is about 10 pacel
wide, turns the corner at b, travels uI
the furrow until the pillow is started and
is here stopped and unhitched. 1t is then
turned clear around, comes down around
the pillow, turns the corner at b, traveld
back across the same land and is then
ready to start for the stable, the direcl
ton indicated by the arrow. After dim
ner, when the team arrives at a, it travl
els across the same land and makes the
various turns a third time, all for the
purpose of being ready to go to work. y
The proper way would be, as shown
at G, to stop and unhitch at as soon as
the pillow is thrown out, follow the di.
rectiOn marked by the arrow, and, after
taking our incoming, come back to c.
hitch to the pillow and go to work. IL
comparing the two methods we notice
that all the travel marked by the dotted
lines at and is entirely useless. AL
that is necessary to accomplish the same
object is the travel indicated by the
full lines at and d. This may seen,
like a small matter, but when work i:
crowding time is money, and these daily
repeated wastes amount to something in
time and help
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
CONVENIENT BARN.

basement and hauled out upon the land
before the goodness drains out of it.
Ventilators back of the cows and over
the drops carry the foul air out of doors.
To measure out bran is considered a
waste of time, the bran scoop being
gagged to indicate the quantity fed
The handling and rehandling of manure
is a great expense long since proved
needless. Letus copy the economies of
our prosperous competitors in the throb-
bling city centers.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
The Moth Problem,

The city of Rochester has solved the
problem Of Kidding itself of the trouble
some moths that infest the trees and old
buildings by offering prizes Of money to
school children for large collections, in
effect placing a bounty ON the pests. In
two years, according to American Cul-
tivator, about 5000, 600 cocoons have
been gathered and destroyed,-with the
result that the city is said to be practi-
cally free from the pest
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02

On Oswego county's very stony up
lands Beder Wood is the best early and
Parker Earle the best strawberry ever
tested Mary, the finest berry grown in
some sections Of the country, is fail
ure here. The same may be said of Tim
brell, and Atlantic is a failure with the
ordinary grower, although fine with
some. Marshall is to be recommended,
but the early blossoms are frequently
destroyed by frost. William Belt is a
sort to keep the eye ON closely, as,
though not yet much tested, it seems
likely to prove a leader, writes con-
tributor to American Agriculturist
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
WHEN WORKING A TEAM
Where to Unhitch, whether on PIow, Hs
row or Drill.

" htNt W w IlOWs IN.
row or Drill.
1t is favorite habit with many farm
ers and farmhands when working
team, whether on pillow, harrow, driI
or any other implement to turn arour|
and staIt on a new track or furrow b,
bore unhitching at noon or at night.
have also noticed this same practid
when one horse tools are used, such
cultivators, shovel plows, markers an
the like. The reason for this is, as o1
plowman explains it, to be ready to
to work again. This may be very con
mendable in the individual, but it is a
expensive notion, and, when circun
stances are just right, it may becom
very expensive. A case Of this kind
brought to notice, with the aid of an i
lustration, in Farm and Fireside:
A, B, G, d represent a partly plowe
field. The land, Z, is back ,furrowed an
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02
Rows or COWS .tSlsAEH
100 Re LoWo sSON''"

INVOLVEMENT BARN the last degree.
The Farm Journal gives sketch of a
cross section Of a new barn and cow
house, which is here reproduced. AS
will be seen at cut 1, every pound of
hay and grain must be carried and
placed III the managers of 80 or 40 COWS
and all the manure wheeled out, making
a good place for three hired men, where
two, or a man and a boy, could do it
easily if things were fixed right
The gentleman who owns the place is
able to hire all the help lie needs, but
complains already of the cost of making
milk.
In the second cut, from the same
source, is shown another barn for so
cows The owner of this second barn
has nothing finished in brass and wal
nut, but everything is so practical he
makes milk at a profit. The arrange
ments are in three stories. A slight hill
ock permits hay and grain to be driven
upon the second floor over a short in
cline. Here traps permit its delivery in
to the feeding alley beneath, without
carrying it. No managers are used.
The alley floor is of cement, slightly
following under the cows noses, and
the bran and hay are merely worked one
way and the other with fork, rake and
broom. The manure is dropped through
the floor into wagons and carts in the
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02

In prairie sections, and more especial
ly where the summer rainfall is def
cient, the most suitable places for per-
manent pastures Of a mixed character
are the sloughs and valleys. Blue grass
and white clover make these ON the
higher lands where variety will not
grow so we'll Our permanent pastures
in the Mississippi valley and westward
toward the Rockies should embrace on
ly a few varieties, and they should be
made in the lower and moister lands.
They may oftentimes include alsike
and white clover, timothy, redtop and
blue grass. In some instances orchard
grass may proftably be added and in
others medium red clover, which, how
ever, is soon likely to disappear, since
it is short lived. The following proper
tions may be used per acre, but there
may be excellent reasons for varying
them:
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-04-02

other outbuild-
ings just COM
pleted which are
-inconvenient to