davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-04
SMALL FARMS.
The Ideal Farms for Free popula-
ton.

\ little farm well titled is generally
accepted, says an exchange, as the
ideal farm tor making money. In
Belgium it is said that there are farms
no larger than two acres. upon which
the farmers prosper. 1t is not plain
that. with modern machinery, large
farms cannot in the ordinary grain
crops he handled with more economy
than small ones. There can hardly ne
a question, though, that small farns
promote more general prosperity IN
the community, county or state. The
more farmers there are the more men
are absolutely their own masters. and
masters of the acres they till, and the
less the number of tenants and en-
ployes. There are more men who
have a personal interest in the fertil-
ity Of the soil, and under the direct
care OF. its owners it is the more GER
tain to be made and kept fruitful. And
again, the more farmers there are, the
more farm homes there are in the
possession of individual owners. Each
farmers home represents a dairy, a
hennery, an orchard, and truck
patch, and the returns from some of
them on single farm not infrequent-
ly represent almost the amount re-
ceived from the sale of surplus
wheat. On the small farm the farmer
and his family do the labor within and
without the mouse. They represent Il
population able to make the best out
OF uouh good and bad conditions for
farming, and the aggregate results Of
their LABOR make IA land smile and Il
country fruitful and prosperous.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-04

You will always be satisfied with
your printing if you get it done at
The Star office.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-04

A good advertisement is like good
book. Everybody reads it.
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

"Oh! but tell me. fairy dear. will my
father be successful with the thought
you have given hirn?" cried Dorothy,
throwing out a OBTAINING hand; but the
little sprite pirouetted on one tiny foot,
and, winding a length of floating gos-
samer round her hair, tipped her head
roSuishly sideways and laughed.
You shall know on Christmas morn
ing" she said, and danced away to join
her elfiG companions.
Dorothy looked after her regretfully-
I shall so long for Christmas morn
| ing" she sighed.
Set store by the time that is pass
ing!" cried Phasma. and she suddenly
whirled the little girl in among the
dancers, where she was instantly car
ried round and round by the throng.
Curiously. too, she found herself per-
forming with them. and going through
such forms and ceremonies of dancing
as she had never in her widest
thoughts hoped to do. Up she whisked,
twirled in mid-air. and alighted like
| a butterfly on ledge of rock quite
seven feet from the ground Then down
again she leaped to make circuit of
the cave in one continuous fantastic
evolution. What had come over her?
Had she become a fairy herself? Had
wings sprouted from her shoulders?
No matter-no matter what it was; it
was glorious. Oh, how light she was!
Not a fairy there who could fit more
gracefully than she. How often had
she gazed in admiration at the children
in the street as they danced in their
ragged boots to the music of the street
organl Why, only the day before she
had tried to initiate the same steps in
the bedroom of their lodgings. alas! to
dismany fail, and not alone that. but
the landlady had sent up to say that
the people underneath objected to the
humping. And now here she was dane
ing with the ease and grace of the
fairies themselves.
THE sun is set"
What was that? Who called? All!
a sudden darkness, 4 hasty nuttering of
wings, and Dorothy left high upon a
ledge with the sudden and positive
knowledge that she was of the earth
earthly once more.
"Oh, Phasna! lPhasma!" she cried in
terror
Il m here the voice of Phasrna re-
piled. 7 have been with you all the
time. Take my hand and do not fear"
And Dorothy felt herself clinging to
the form of Phasnla as together they
floated through the cave and out into
the waning light of day. Phasna set
her down at the foot of the cliff, where
instantly great weariness overcame
her and she fell backwards into the
yielding grass.
''F'areweuI'' Tnurrnured PhaSma, when
almost instantly there came a noise like
thunder. a crushing and rumbIing. fol-
lowed by shrieks OF fear, while a hand
pulled Dorothy roughly to her feet and
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17
WITH THE LOWLY OF RUSSIA
IN HOLIDAY TIMES.
The Quaint Customs and ObserVances of
Merry Christmas.

st. Observation-Disclosures is enthu-
siasticelly celebrated throughout the
length and breadth Of the Cars realm.
1T is essentially the holiday of the chill
dran. who are given a vacation Of three
weeks which they enjoy to the utmost
in sleighing, coasting, skating. building
snow forts and indulging in numerous
other Winter sports and pastimes-
Occasionally we have dry weather
and no sleighing during the Christmas
season, but this year there is every in
dication that Santa Claus will have
plenty of snow for his sledge; conse-
quently the children are hapRy and
hopeful.
The principal feature of the ce1ebra-
tton here is the Christmas tree, which,
contrary to the prevailing custom in
the United States, is lighted on the eve
of the holiday. This is due to the fact
that all Russian holidays commence at
sunset the previous evening. AS rule
the tree is gorgeously decorated in the
homes of the rich, and in the humble
cots of the poor as lavishly as their lin
tied means will allow.
Every room. store. restaurant, etc,
contains an image of Christ or the Vir-
gin Mary, surrounded by little lamps
which are always lighted at sunset on
Christmas Eve. Orthodox people in
Varfably attend The Christmas Eve ser
VICE winch IS celeDrateQ Dy process
sion Of priests who march three times
around the aisles of the church. bear
ing banners and images.
Like other nations which celebrate
the natal day of Christ, the Russians
indulge in feasting and drinking, for
they would not consider the holiday OBJ
served in a fitting manner unless an
abundance of good cheer accompanied
its celebration.
In one Of the immense open squares
here are piled huge heaps of frozen
hares. rabbits. poultry. game. young
pigs and pigs heads. Even the enor-
nous quantity of provisions is scarcely
sufficient to supply the demand of the
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

like a thin white thread hundreds of
feet high, they would disappear above
the summit. There were caves, too,
in the face of the cliff, caves high up
and difficult to reach, and folk could
still be found in the old town of Folk
hurst who told strange tales of the war
ren at midnight, and who would de-
scribe weird and wonderful sights that
had been seen by those who fingered
looking at the caVernS after sunset, a
thing which the natives of FOlkhurst
very rarely did, knowing that daylight
was preferable to darkness for tracing
a backward path, for except in the sum-
mer season, when one occasionally
came across a party picnicking, it was
a wild and desOlate spot, rapidly Civ
ing way to the encrOachments of the
sea.
Dorothy had heard some Of these
whisperings, and ever eager after the
mysterious, she could scarcely rest un-
til she had investigated the matter for
herself; so after sitting on the sand and
gazing up at the caves so long that she
seemed to have taken root there for
ever, she ate her remaining sandwich,
threw the little bag to the ground, and
deliberately began climbing up toward
them.
How she got up is perhaps better
imagined than described. but suffice it
to say that at the end of a good hour
she found herself, scratched bruised
but triumphant, at the entrance to a
large cave But how dark it looked
What! had she climbed I'D ONLY to he
frightened at last by the darkness ?
No! She boldly attacked the entrance.
when suddenly a soft hand stole into
hers, and while a silvery voice whfs-
pered to her not to be afraid, drew her
round an angle into a large chamber of
/ rock, ulumined by a tender mysterious
light. Here Dorothy turned to look at
her companion, and saw that she was
/ very lovely, tall, and rObed in shadowy
gray. She wore a silver band round
her brow. in front of which cleaned a
large opal Who are you?'' questioned
/ Dorothy, recovering herself, and the
other smiled brightly.
I am only Phasma." she replied,
/ and waited for you
+ 1T was very kind of you, dear Phas-
ma" said Dorothy; lis there anybody
else up here?"
Look"
Dorothy turned and saw across the
cave three more figures. fantastic and
beautiful.
These are spirits who control some
Of the wonders of the earth" said
Phasma. See, on the right stands
Fairy Cycle. All the world is excited
about her. She is continually putting
new ideas into peoples brains, and If
she does not stop SOON do not know
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17
CHRISTMAS HINTS.

at Tenby. South Wales, during the
Christmas season.
Christmas mince pies were made with
the crust formed like a cofHn-shaped
lnanger in the seventeenth and eigh-
tee lth centuries.
In many parts of the Christianized
world there prevails the superstition
that cocks crow every hour during the
night of the Nativity
The peasants in Spain believe that
ants hold religious services on Christ
mas Day.
Holly, bay, nnist1etoe. laurel and rose
mary are the only proper leaves to use
Tor Christmas Day decorations.
In many parts of Germany the un-
educated classes believe that on the
anniversary of Christ's birth the oxen
fall on their knees in the stalls
The Puritans were violently opposed
to mince pies and plum puddinSs on
Christmas Day. Their descendants do
not appear to agree with their ances-
tors, even though Indulgence in the
erstwhile tabooed daintfes may disa-
gree with them
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

common people. Frozen meat or game
is never purchased by the wealthy,
but only by the working classes, who
never touch meat during the weeks
preceding Christmas. simply because
they cannot afford it. They will save
up every cent possible for weeks and
then when the holiday season arrives
they VIII part with their last penny for
the sake of what is to them a great
luxury.
The result of this long abstinence
from nourishing food and subsequent
overindulgence in meat frequently
proves fatal A court physician. speak
ing on this subject, said to me:
Christmas, as celebrated by our
working people. causes more deaths
than many an epidemic"
I'm what way?" 1 inquired.
BY overeating,' he replied "a per-
sons stomach that mas been almost
starved for several weeks is unable to
stand the immense quantity of animal
food and all kinds of indigestible
things with which it is gorged during
the holiday season Statistics show
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

do not care to be afflicted with a pas
toral call on that day take the precau-
ton to send the priest some money on
Christmas. In such cases, doubtless.
the amount is much smaller than the
good man might receive If he made a
formal call on New Year Day.
The Russian swel1s always make calls
on society DANES New Year afternoon
and evening. I am told that the ladies
who are compelled to receive and en-
tertain hundreds of masculine callers
in one day are disposed to consider the
custom one more honored in the
breach than the Observance
Last New Year day I was forcibly
reminded of the dear (expensive) old
custom which obtained when I lived in
New York in "the good old days" for
all the morning my front door bell was
rung at short intervals by chimney
sweeps. letter carriers. telegraph boys.
newsmen and others. each of whom
most cordially wished me "a Happy
New YearI"
LOZIER BERG ENCO.
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

Early one morning. Nellie. little
girl shabbily attfred. stood gazing at a
confectioner's window in one of the
principal West-end streets of London.
She was a pretty child. but wan and
sad-eyed beyond her years. which
were not more than ten. Early as it
was, traffic was rapidly increasing;
buses, wagons, and cabs rafting past
In quick succession. One of the latter,
its top laden with baggage, stopped at
the confectiOner's. and a lady alighting
caught sight Of the child, started as
though surprised. and inquired her
name. but apparently unable to wait
for an answer. hastily entered the shop.
In the cab sat a gentleman reading, and
2 little girl of ten. who no sooner caught
sight of Nellie than she sprang out to-
ward her and pressed a bright new
shilling into her hand, entreating her
also to go in and buy cakes. They
were mutually attracted toward each
other. and Dorothy, for such was the
other child's name. thought she had
never seen such beautiful gray eyes as
those she saw before her then.
What is your name. dear?" she
asked; you are like picture we have
at home"
My name is Nellie" breathed the
other. gazing admiringly at the pretty
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

that numbers of deaths have been
caused by overeatfng at Christmas
Notwithstanding this. the ignorant
toilers VIII continue to indulge their
appetites so long as their money lasts.
and particularly at Christmastide they
will eat. drink and make merry, though
! tomorrow they die
The Greek Catholic Church considers
Christmas inferior to the holiday which
celebrates the resurrection of Christ:
consequently the Russians regard Fas-
Ter as the greatest holiday of the year
They then celebrate not only the resur-
rection of Jesus, but the awakening OF
nature from six months sleep.
Weeks before Easter the cities are
filed with the common people. who
crowd the market places and shops to
make their purchases before beginning
their devotions. Even the poorest of
them buy trihing presents for their
friends, as Eastertide is the great sea-
son for bestowing gifts.
The Greek Church uses the willow to
celebrate the Festival of Palms, conse+
quently a whole forest of WILLOW
branches is piled up along the line Of
stores which compose the colossal col
onnaded bazar of st. Petersburg. and
everybody takes home branch to dec
crate a room. The streets are filed
with booths and stalls where cheap
candy is sold, for an Easter table is not
considered complete without confec-
tionery of some kind
On Easter feasting among the lower
classes begins at break of day and
lasts until many of them are overcome
by -runkenness or made i'll from over
eating.
New Years Eve is the time when
young Russian peasants try to peer in
to the future by means of peculiar
charms in which they have great faith.
New Years day is not celebrated by
the church, but the priest and his dea-
cons, as well as all serving classes.
make u round of visits on that day,
for revenue only" Parishioners who
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

The day after Christmas in England
biistered fingers are as plentiful as
burned hands in America on July D.
This is due to Snap Dragon a Christ
mas game in high favor with our Brit
ish cousins. A bowl or plate of brandy
is lighted, then raisins are thrown in
and plucked out with the bare fingers.
1t is great sport for everybody except
the ones whose dfgits are blistered-
One of the Christmas superstitions
among the common people in Sweden is
that during Christmas week the men
of the extreme northern regions are
transformed into wolves.
Christmas has been celebrated, at one
time or another, in every month of the
year from November to April. The pre-
else date of the Saviour's birth has
never been definitely determined.
The celebration of Christmas is sup
posed to have been formally instituted
in A D, 13S. by Pope TelesphOrous.
There is a superstition in Silesia that
boy born on Christmas Day must be
brought up a lawyer. or he will be-
come a thief.
A drama known as "Old Father
Christmas has for ages been enacted
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17
III.

Skating on the Ice on Christmas Eve.
/ Is there anything quite 70 equal it,
/ Round the skaters glide with glowing
faces and renewed youth, the young.
the middle-aged and the old; joy
laughter and the seasons happiness
upon every face. And amidst the throng
mono so gay and bright as our little
/ Dorothy, as, wrapped in warm furs ana
with a scarlet quill in her hat, she skill
fully manoeuvred her way at last to
the side of the lake. But there she
stood still suddenly, staring away from
lher companions. her crimson lips part
ed, and her breath coming in short
gasps with surprise and emotion Then
STOPPING, she hastily removed her
skates and ran over the crisp snow to
| where stood a little girl holding IN her
arms a baby muffied in a long cloak
| Nellie, Nellie, don't you remember
me?" she cried.
Nellie looked at her and her pale lips
quivered.
Yes, she said, you are Dorothy"
"And the little baby, Nellie. whose is
it?"
''It is mine, my mother gave her to me.
and this morning there came wonder
full thing-a fairy-into my room. and
she told me to get up quickly and go
into a bus up the street. a green one
and to get out when I felt I must SO
did, paid with that bright new shill-
ing you gave me- and I found my baby.
A woman had her to mind, but she left
her alone all day. and gave her some
thing to keep her asleep. Another
woman told me. See. she won't wake
up" She won't wake up!"
Don't cry, dear" said Dorothy: 'let
US take her to mother. Our home is
not far. Mother always knows what
! to do" And Dorothy urged Nellie
/ across the park. chatting eXcitedly as
they went, and ten minutes afterward
was dragging her into the house past
the astonished servant, and into the
dfning-roOm, where the mother sat.
She sprang up as the two entered. and
with a startled exclamation caught
Nellie and the baby in her arms, as the
former, with closed eyes, swayed gid
Oily forward.
ring the bell. Dorothy" she said.
hastily; ''the poor child has tainted.
Tell me nothing at present. Here. take
the baby and put it on the hearth-rug.
Morris" as the servant entered. ''get
some cold water and the brandy, and
tell EmmaIene to fetch the baby, put it
in a hot bath. and wrap it in blan-
ket." While issuing these orders she
placed Nellie upon the couch and was
cha6nE her hands. gazing the while
with growing recognition into the little
pale face.
''See, Morris" she said. as the maid
re-entered. ''she is recovering a little
already. Help me to loosen her clothes.
There is n cord round her neclS-take it
off. A locket Is it? A portrait.-oh,
heavens! it IS that of my sister-my
own sister NelIiei''
Christmas morning broke white and
fair. and the glad sun shone on no hap
pier household than Dorothy's, hence
forth to be the home also of Nellie ana
her baby sister.
You have brought us luck, my little
new daughters" said the father, shak-
ing an open letter over the breakfast
table toward Nellie mo sooner do
you arrive than somebody sends a COM
nunication which I have been long ex-
pacting, full of good news. You are our
little Mascotte!
Oh, father" cried Dorothy. Eleefully.
Il know what it is. The fairy-your
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

little lady in her trim summer raimeDt-
Dorothy smiled. and pressed her new
friends hand.
Mine is Dorothy" she said, and re-
entered the cab, just as her mother,
laden with bulging paper bags, ap-
peared, and in another moment Nellie
stood alone. She walked on thought
fully, posted a letter, and made her
way back to a small foreign cafe in
side street, in the kitchen of which she
slaved from morn till eve under the
tyrannicaI eye of it's mistress. For she
had lost her mother. poor child, and
her father had placed her here for a
paltry sum in wages which he collected
weekly for his own pocket. The little
baby sister, whom the mother in dying
had placed in Nellie's arms. imploring
her never to part with, he had handed
over to the doubtful care of woman
who made living out of baby farming
alone, and no words o. tears of Nellie
had been sufficient to alter his deter
mination- Poor Nellie! her nights We're
troubled by dreams, in some of which
her mother would appear, reproaching
her for parting with the child.
Meanwhile the cab had deposited
Dorothy and her father and mother
safely at Charing Cross Station, and a
few minutes afterward they were set
tied with bags and baggage in a train
which would rapidly bear them sea-
wards
It was a third-cIass carriage in which
they sat, and Dorothy was thinking
that this was one of the many things
which were not wont to be- Why We're
they not travelling drst-class, and why
were not rooms ordered beforehand at
the hotel by telegram, instead of hav-
ing to search for private apartments
on their arrival at FOlkhurst? And. as
# in answer to these thoughts, the very
subject of them was brought up by her
father, who suddenly took her mothers
hand and stroked it tenderly.
If only my patent is successful
Glare, he said. we shall be safe again,
with no need to give up our present
home and the comforts it has always
been my happiness to surround you
WIN Fifteen thousand is a great sum
Of money to lose all at once, as we have,
but I have great hopes, very great
hopes of the inventionl"
Did you see child outside the con-
fectiOner's?" presently asked the lady.
Her face haunts me. 1t was the very
counterpart Of that water-color draw
ing Of my sister Nellie as child. I
wonder what has become of Nellie all
these eleven years?''
still in California, no doubt I am
afraid, poor girl, that she has already
regretted her marriage with that reck-
less man"
Yes, indeed, poor Nauiei 7 shall
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

dragged her hurriedly frcm the spot
where she had lain. She was surround
ed by people.
Good gracious, child cried woman.
the one who had so roughly awakened
her. what are you doing here at this
time of day? It is fortunate for you
we were passing back so late, or no
body knows what might have happened
to you See how the cliff has fallen
where the caves used to be- You might
have been killed. Come along with US.
and we will see you home to your
mother- How the Cliff has falenI"
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

fafry-told me we should know on
Christmas morning. so that shows it
wasn't a dream. and that I did climb
upi"
But her father My laughed, nor did
he contradict her, as he had so often
done before. Perhaps it had struck
him as not altogether impossible that.
though fairies do not appear to fathers
and mothers. it is no proof they do not
sometimes appear to their children
Christmas is celebrated on January
16 by the Armenian Church
The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-17

never forget the shock it was when she
left with him for America. I trust she
is happier than my fears suggest; but
something tells me that we shall never
see her again
Dorothy sat on the golden sands, by
the sunlit sea at Foll1hurst. She was
out by herself for a good days ramble
in the warren amongst the wilderness
of broken rocks. shrubs. pools and
cleaning chalk paths winding mysteri-
ously round ragged cliff sides, some
times so narrow. that only the steps of
elves and goblins would seem to find
foothold there: then again appearing
The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-04
DECORATED Dogs.

In France there exists an order Of merit,
founded by the Society For the Prevention
Of Cruelty to Animals, Of which the mem
bers are dogs who have distinguished
themselves by deeds Of bravery. A taste.
fully designed collar of honor" is award
cd to the nominees of the order.
Among the animals already decorated in
this way one of the most celebrated is
Bacchus, a large bulldog, whose speciality
1t is to stop runaway horses by jumping
up and Selling them by the bride. BAG
chus' master resides In the Rue Biscornet.
1t Is calculated that the intelligent ami
NAL has already saved the lives of eight
persons, If not more, in this way. Paut.
land, another bulldog, received a collar in
1887 for saving his mistress from the at
tack Of a footpad, and Turk, splendid
Newfoundland, has had a similar honor
for saving three young children from
drowning on different occasions.-Paris
Letter.