davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

Some person with 4 love for large
figures has said that in Christmas week
$40, 900 is handed over counters
of this city as tribute to Santa Claus,
says New York correspondent. That
sum may sound suspiciously great,
and the statistician might be charged
with the evil Of exaggeration, butThen
it is remembered that gifts for 5000,
900 of people are purchased here S20,-
000, 200 do not seem too large for the
total. An average of triHe over Sc
per person is large, or small, accord
ing to the financial rank OF the reader,
and in New York it is particularly diff
icult to strike fair average, because
of the extremes OF poverty and wealth.
The Fifth avenue millionaire gives
his wife o $4,000 diamond necklace,
while the father of the east side brings
Joy to the heart OF the child OF the
tenements with a gaudily painted ten
cent toy. One Christmas, half q
dozen years ago, William X. Wander
bilt gave his wife, now Mrs. Belmont,
q pearl necklace that cost him 81 $780,
600 to gather the fifteen feet of stringed
pearls together. That same Christmas
more than one child found delight in
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

"And you can't tell US where 70 find
him?" said the gentleman. "My lit
tie girls Christmas won't be very
merry one unless she gets some tidings
OF her pet"
"Well, sir, you might make o try for
it. Go along the north side of Ganse-
WORT street till you come to the river;
Small Pertaters has q sleeping place
somewhere in that neighborhood, and
maybe you'll meet him coming over to
the avenue q looking for his breakfast. ="
SO, leaving many thanks and sill
yer dollar for the officers baby son be-
hind them, the chill and her father
started off again, and. reaching Ganse-
voort street, turned into it, walking
slowly along and watching both sides
of the way, when, just as they arrived
at the last corner, they met another
policeman.
"Small Pertaters?" said he, in an
swer to a question of Mr.. Mitchell's
THAT was the name of the little girls
father. 81 guess you'll find him at
home"
"And is his home near:" asked
Dolly THAT was the name of the little
girl herself).
"Right over there" replied the po-
liceman. But, as there was no houso
where he pointed, the gentleman be-
gan to laugh. "Do you see that mo-
lasses cask?" said he. "Well, that's
Small Pertaters' home"
"What queer home" said Dolly;
and, running across the street, she
stopped and looked into the cask.
There lay the poor boy, piece OF car
pet wrapped around him, fast asleep.
On his breast sat the kitten washing
her face, aud from his side, with JOY
full bark, bounded little white dog to
greet his beloved mistress. The bark
awoke the sleeping boy. He rubbed
his eyes with his knuckles, opened
them, saw lovely face looking in at
him, heard o sweet voice call "Merry
Christmas, Small Pertaters," and
scrambled, winking and blinking, out
into the sunlight.
Jimmy Jinks! if I didn't think you
was one of them Christmas angels,
fust," he said, with curious mixture
of shyness and boldness. 'Then I
'membered twas You I seen last night
comm out of q mince pie-I mean q
baker shop. An I foun' your little
dorg, an I picked up a kitten an a
frozs choking. Jimmy jerks if she
amt melted" he exclaimed, as the
hen came slowly walking out Of the
cask. can I went halves with my
supper an had q regular Christmas
party"
"I'm ever so much obliged to you,"
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
"MERRY CHRISTMAS, SMALL PERTATERs."

said Dolly; ''and we'd like to have
you come to our house and have o
Christmas dinner. Wouldn't we,
papa?" she added, turning to her
father, who now stood beside her.
Indeed We would, replied the
father.
''I don't look good enough" stam-
mered Small Pertaters, glancing at
his ragged clothes.
''But you are good enough, all the
same," said Dolly. "Any boy that'll
take home lost dog and cat and
chicken, when his homes nothing but
o big barrel, and give them their sup
per, when he don't know where he'll
get his breakfast next morning, is
good enough to so anywhere. And
you can bring your company with
you"
And off they all started-the little
girl carrying the chicken in her arms,
the dog running gayly by her side,
Small Pertaters following with the
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
HOW NEW YORK SPENDS ITs MILLIONS FOB HOLIDAY GIFTS.

nickel toy. Christmases back John
D. Rockefeller sent q check for $780,
900 to the Fifty-seventh Street Baptist
church as a holiday Offering. and the
same day the organ grinder of Null
berry Bend dropped couple of cop
pers in the plate of tie italian church
in Roosevelt street.
So much for the extremes OF Christ
mas giving in New York.
Fully one-half of the. Christmas
shopping is done the day and the night
before Christmas; not one-half fnanci-
ally, but numerically. The moderate
ly poor, the poor and the very poor
must wait until the very last minute
to get their small funds together for
the great event. The money gift Of
the employer to the bread winner of
the family is made the day before
Christmas, and often times the extent
of that gift determines the scope of the
Christmas shopping for the family.
Again if Christmas comes near the
end of the week, as it does this year,
many will get their weeks pay on
Thursday night.
Another potent reason for delaying
the shopping to the last minute is that
things are cheaper on Christmas Eve
than earlier in the week, Toys and
games and clothing have suffered from
the rough handling, there are rips and
tears which, however, can be easily
sewed up; paint has been scrapsd of,
parts of games lost and numerous
other mishaps have occurred, all of
which induces the shop owner to make
a material reducation in his prices.
Again, he does not want to carry o
single piece of his Christmas stock
over for year, as he loses the use of
the monsy. So he is eager to mark
things down to the real cost, or triAe
below, if needs be, to get rid of them.
People who have to watch the pen
MES are quick to recognize these ad-
vautages. So Christmas Eve is the
great shopping time for the lower
part of town and the East side. Vesey
street is the Christmas Eve stamping
ground OF the old First and Fourth
Warders. The people for the most
part of this district esteem themselves
lucky if they can spend So, and as this
sum has to supply the Christmas din
ner, rs we'll as to bring Santa Claus
to al abnormally large family of
children, sharp bargaining must be
done.
Push carts line the streets from
Broadway to the North River, and al
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
Wished I had one. "

V1Sned naQ one.
But he might as we'll, poor little fell
low, have wished for the moon (he
would have stood as good chance Of
getting it), for not one cent was there,
either in the ragged pockets of his
ragged trousers, or the ragged pockets
Of his ragged coat. This coat had
once been the spring overcoat OF some
one twice as big as Small Pertaters,
and it was worn to o fringe all around
the bottom from trailing on the
ground.)
sTd ruther," said Small Pertaters,
shave one Of them nor any thin else.
They's meat an vegetables an candy
an cake all to wunst, they is. An
how brown their kivers is. I never
seen sich VERY brown kiyers on pie
afofA."
At this moment q gentleman and
lovely fair-hairsd little girl, followed
by small white dog, went into the
shop. stayed there a short time, and
coming ont again, FASTENED up the,
avenue. Small Pertaters gazed after
them.
"Her hair was iist like shiny gole,"
he said. ''S'pecs she has mince pie
every day of her life. But it's no use
ma standin, here. It makes me hun
grer an hpngrer lookin' at them pies.
IN 60 home an eat my supper; an
'tsin't every boy what's got soup
bone, with % Tot Of marrer in it an o
hunk Of gristle an meat a-hangin' to
= an fresh biscuit, an cole billed
pertater, in his coat tail pocket"
! And. turning quickly from the win
dow, he spied the small white dog
which had been following the gentle
ran and the golden haired child sniff
ing st the same coat-tail pocket.
"Jimmy Jinksi'' said Small Per-
4asers: 81 that hog of dog aint o.
4xyin' to hook my bone. An I sp'ect
ls has more soup bones nor what he
k1ovs what to do with where he lives,
1se he's nobby dog, he is. Git out,
you swell pnp."
I. And the '.swell pup" starting to
gst out, discovered that he had lost
His master and mistress, and ran to
aAd fro, with nose to the snow-covered
pavement, eagerly seeking trail OF
thsm, for Ave or ten minutes. Then,
giiying up in despair, he seated him
sslf before ths boy who stood watch
Ing him, and shaking his muddy little
paws, looked up into his face in the
most beseeching manner.
.sIt's too bad, said Small Pertaters,
Patting his head with a very dirty
hand. "Guess they must have got on
% . car, ole feller; an the best thing
you kin do is to come home with me,
an well look for 'em to-morer."
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

and was making of, when Small Perta-
ters sprung out and flourished the
bone before his nose. The temptation
was too much. Master Dog Joined
the party in the molasses cask; and,
when the supper was served, Small
Pertaters gave him the larger part OF
the meat and gristle, md, spreading
the marrow as we'll as he could-for it
was hard and cold-on the biscuit. he
fed half of it to the kitten, keeping the
other half and the cold potato for him
self. As for the hen, she lay on her
back as stiff as ever.
"Guess she must be froze all
through" said Small Pertaters; and
then, with a sigh, he murmured: 81
ain't so very full as I might be-.
Wished dit had-one-of of them
mince-" and fell fast asleep, the cat
and dog snuggled up, one each side
Of him.
Bright and early Christmas morning
gentleman and lovely little girl
called upon the owner Of the bakery
into the window OF which Small Per
taters had been looking the night be-
fore.
"Did you see anything of little
white dog, after we left your shop last
night?" they both asked, in the same
breath.
"No; I did not, am sorry to say, "
was the answer.
The tears started to the child's
eyes.
"Don't cry, DEAR" said her papa.
owe haven't half looked for him yet.
Well find the policeman who was no
this beat at the tiEe we lost him, and
very likely he can tell US something
about him. If he can't, I'll advertise
in all the papers tomorrow.
But, fortunately, the policeman,
whom they soon found, remembered
seeing o small white dog trotting after
a boy, between 9 and 10 o'clock the
night before.
''The boy was Small Pertaters," he
said, "and that's the reason I didn't
ask anything about the dog. He's an
honest, good-hes-ted little chap,
though he is reg'lar street-boy, with
no friends except such as he makes In
the street. They call him Small Per-
taters' cause he's no bigger than a
boy OF or Z, though he must be 9 or
10. But, small as he is, he can beat
and boy I ever saw at climbing and
jumping. And, as I was saying, when
| saw the dog with him I didn't give
it second thought"
where does he live?" asked the
child, eagerly.
"Most anywhere, I guess, Miss, |"
answered the policeman. He amt
got any reg'lar home
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

roll Of ribbon under their wraps, were
it not for the hordes of detectives
which fill the stores of Grand street,
buy to the limit Of their purses, but
buy sharply.
IT am going to buy q bennie for
Jimmie" says one to her friend.
"Say, mister" to the floor walker,
"whers do I buy der bennie?"
"Hey"
''Der bennie? What floor is youse
selling them on?"
"The bennie?"
''Yes, yer hungry-looking guy, der
-bennie. Don't yer spose Use got de
price? I want to buy bennie like
dis" Here she caught hold Of man
wearing blue overcoat and held the
coat for the others inspection.
"Oh, a coat-on the fifth floor,
front"
"What dye ti'nk Of dat? Dc guy
didn't know what O bennie was. He
must be new on Grand street." Then
they take the elevator and she tells
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

Struggling hen hugged close to his
breast. And after they reached the
gentlemau's house it wasn't long be-
fore the unexpected visitor had had a
warm bath and warm breakfast, and
only a little longer before he found
himself dressed in new clothes from
head to foot.
And the next day a bright-faced,
neat looking lad tackled a paper, on
which was printed the words "To Let. "
on the big molasses cask that lay on
the wharf, and then, stepping back
ward few steps, he made flying
leap over it, and ran away from his
old street life forever.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
SMALL PERTATERS'
CHRISTMAS PARTY.
By MARGARET EYTINGE.

wen. on again, carrying it with him,
the dog still following. But he had
only gone q block farther, when he
heard pitiful mewing come from an
ash-barrel that stood before a tene-
ment house, and, peeping in, he saw
black and white kitten sitting on the
ashes.
"'Pears to me I'm boun' to have a
party ter-night," said Small Pertaters.
"Here's another young friend await
in to come home with me. All right,
pussy; here goes" And he lifted her
out OF the barrel, and slowed her away
inside of his big coat. ''There's moth
in mean bout me, specially roun'
Christmas times"
And in another minute or two he
and his three guests had arrived at
the end of the street, and the end OF
their journey. They had reached
Small Pertaters' home-"sweet, sweet
home," indeed, in one sense of the
word; for what do you think it was?
An old molasses cask lying upon its
side on the wharf, near the river.
Getting down on his hands and knees,
Small Pertaters, by the aid OF street
lamp that stood near by, took q sur
vey Of the inside Of the cask, and
finding no intruder there, crawled in,
laid down the hen and kitten, and
then went back for the dog, who lin
gered at the entrance.
"Come in, ole feller," said he coax
ingly.
But the dog suddenly turned tail,
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

most anything trom heavy clothing,
household furniture, kitchen utensils,
to tiny gimcrack toys can be bought.
Ten cents is the prevailing price for
the average run OF things, and at a
squeeze this can be brought down to
nine, or even eight cents.
Grand street is the centre OF the
great East side. The Bowery boy
buys the Bowery girl ninety-nine-
cent diamond ring there, and she
reciprocates by purchasing seven
caret, seventy-nine-cent diamond stud.
Women with seven or eight children
toddling along in open-mouthed won
der manage to get through the alarm
ing crush with their trancelike charges
in some remarkable way. A man with
a hobby horse on one shoulder, ve-
locipede in his hand, Christmas tree
under his arm, big dolls sticking out
of every pocket, dozen packages held
in some miraculous manner in the
other hand, stops and buys a five
pound box Of candy Cor forty cents,
slows it away somehow, and goes on as
happy as the millionaire riding through
the Park in his victoria.
Tough girls not above snealing o
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
WERE BORN IN 1875
Ladies Who Claim to BE the Oldest Liv-
Ing Twins In the Country.

The claim Of the Newell brothers, of
Missouri, that they are the oldest pair
of twins in the country, will not hold,
according to correspondent of the
Chicago Times-Herald. Mrs. b. H.
johnson, recently Of Kankakee, ILL.,,
and now of Omaha, Neb., and Mrs.
David Noggle, Of GAINESVILLE, Wis, are
one month older. These ladies' are
the twin children-Polly NJ. and Anna
M.-of Benjamin and Eunics Mosher
Lewis, and were born at Bristol, N. T.,
May 90, 1916. They were the young
est Of fifteen children. The twins
went to Milan, Ohio, when about
seventeen, married there, and in 1887,
Mrs. Noggle came to Wisconsin to live
the life of o pioneer. Mrs. Noggle is
a woman of native ability and can tell
many interesting tales of early life in
Wisconsin. She is the mother Of
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
SWEET CHRISTMAS TIME.

oh Christmas chimesl o Christmas times
The sweetest and the brightest;
When hearts beat high and pulses fly,
And ehildhood's steps are liShtest!
When ruddy cheeks are ruddiest,
And red lips like q cherry.
OChristmas neari 0 Christmas hereI
So sparkling and so merry!
Old Santa Claus-with ample cause,
For children all adore him
While they're asleep. takes many peep
At truudle-beds before him;
And then be laughs-not in his sleeve,
For that is full, believe 1t,
Or Christmas toys, for girls and boys,
And could not we'll receive il.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
Leather Unlucky at Christmas.

Christmas being the period in which
gifts are numerous it seems rather
curious that it should be thought un-
lucky to bring shoes or leather arti-
cles into the house at this period but
such things are forbidden in On Eng
lish county. In another it is counted
unlucky to bring any holly into the
house before Christmas Eve, and in
London it must oil be burned on
Twelfth Day mornin
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
ood old man will pot and plan

The good old man will pot and plan
Like any great commander,
Or swim deep seas-the young to please
As did the brave Leander.
Not only packs Of tjumplng-iac!is
Adorn his ample shoulders,
But hats and boots and stylish suits
Astonish all beholders.
o Christmas bells. your music tells
A tale otjoy and gladness-
Ofhreside peace, OF sweet Increase
And not tale OF sadness;
For even Poverty lifts up
Her thousand, thousand voices,
And for this time, this one bright time
OiSoodly cheer, eioices!
Mrs. N. A. Kdder.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

Z was about nine
o'clock on Christ
mas Eve. Small
P er t a ters was
standing on one
leg, with the other
twisted arouEdit,
looking into one
of the windows of
Purcell's large
bakery. He could
smell the mince
pies, that, fresh
from the oven q
short time before,
had just b e 9 n
placed in it.
"They smells
bully good" he
said, giving a
great sniff. "I
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

And, rs though he understood his
now friend perfectly, the dog trotted
after him rs he went q few blocks
down the avenue, and turned, first
into Thirteenth street, and then into
Gansevoort street. Here the boy
strode quickly along, whistling cheer
lily, his hands in what was left Of his
trousers pockets, until he stumbled
over something that was lying on the
sidewalk. STOPPING to see what it was,
he found a brown hen, with her legs
sticking up straight aud stiff.
(. 'It's got shut out of its lo1gin's"
said he, can it's froze. Bat p'r'ps
Saint a hull goner. Til git it loose
an take it home with me, anyhow. !"
So he searched about until he found
o stone, with which he broke the ice
around the hen, and, setting it free,
with the loss of q few feathers. he
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23
Wedding Threads.

In certain parts of China the young
women wear their hair in long, single
plait, with which is intertwined q
strand of bright scarlet thread, which
denotes them to be manageable.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

A Kansas farmer, John Graham, OK
Abilene, has grown q sweet potato
which he says is the largest in the
world. 1t is twenty-five inches in cir
cumference and nine inches in length.
It weighs nine and three-quarters
pounds.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

seven children. The sisters are both
in full possession of their faculties
and are as active as women Of sixty
FIVE.
The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-23

the man to let her off "where dere
sellin' de bennies."
Fourteenth street and Sixth avenue
is where the biggest part of the city,
Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-24
NEW MEXICO PIONEERS.
Resolutions on the Death of James
Curry-sOciety Emblem Adopted.

At a special meeting of the New Mex
leo Pioneers, held on November %, 1897,
Hon. Amado Chaves in the chair, Hon L.
B. Prince announced the death of James
Curry, member of the society, on Octo-
Der rs, 1897, at Salida, Colo. Thereupop,
the following resolutions we're adopted
and ordered to be printed in the New
MEXICAN:
Whereas, Death has invaded the ranks
of our society for the first time and taken
from among us our esteemed brother
pioneer, James Curry;
Resolved, That we deplore the loss of
Mr.. Curry thus suddenly called away in
the midst of life of usefulness and
deeply sympathize with his widow and
son in their effliction;
Resolved, That during his long resi-
dence in New Mexico, Mr.. Curry sustained
a hi Oh character-for honor and faithtul-
ness and leaves behind him reputation,
unblemishedi lin every respect;
Resolved, That a committee of three
be appointed to draft suitable minute
containing a brief biographical sketch
of the deceased to be embodied in the
transactions of this society.
The chairman appointed on the CON-
mittee Messrs. Prince, Weltmer and 2. B.
Otero.
The committee of the New Mexico
Pioneers to which was referred the selec-
ton of suitable emblem or badge, ct
yesterday afternoon, four members being
present, and after discussing number
of designs, decided to report in favor of
GROSS and sword crossed, as emblem
ATTIC of the early conquerors who came
with the GROSS in one hand and the sword
in the other.
Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-11-24
PERSONAL MENTION.

Hon. I. B. Catron is in Las Vegas on
legal business.
Mr.. j. B. Urowdus, of St. Louis, regis
ters at the Claire.
Mr.. G. @. Brown of Liberal, Kas., regis
ters at the Palace hotel.
Mr.. W. A. McJord is healthseeker
from Peoria, ILL.,, registered at the Claire.
Francisco Lopez, county clerk of Rio
Arriba county, is in the city, visiting rela-
tives.
W. 7. Curren, a healthseeker, left last
night for Santa Fe.-Lss Vegas Exam
liner.
Messrs. j. B. Miller and A. @. Logan,
mining men from Denver, register at the
Palace hotel.
Jose N. Cisneros, assessor of Rio Ar
riba county, is in the city from Chamita
on official business.
Hon. Trinidad Alarid, ex-territorial
auditor, now q prosperous fruit grower
and merchant at Cienega in this county,
is in the city on business.
Superintendent j. E. Hurley and M. r.
Williams, superintendent of construction
and bridges, of the Santa Fe system, were
in the city today on official business.
Mrs. Geo. R. Baucus and little son Will
lie, who have been here on short visit
to Mrs. Amado Ohaves, left last night for
their home at Hermosa, Sierra county.
Ex-Governor Prince left for Denver
this morning to remain until his health Is
improved, He has been ill for some
time, and it is thought change will bene-
fit him.
Hon. Matt G. Reynolds, United States
attorney with the court of private land
claims, leaves Santa Fe for Nogales to-
night and thence will journey on to the
City of Mexico
Sheriff Perfecto Esquibel, a good and
fearless officer, who brought half dozen
convicts to the territorial prison from
Rio Arriba county, left this morning over
the narrow gauge for his home.
Mr.. F. T. Wilson, of Alamoss, travelin
engineer of the D. & R. g., was in the
city last night, registering at the Claire
He is initiating Fireman Lewis in hit
duties as full-hedged engineer on the
road.
Mr.. N. Ortiz of Ortiz, Colo., who has
large number of sheep grazing near the
headwaters of the Pecos, is in the city
looking after business matters and regis
ters at the Exchange.