davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-12-23

ouite joyfuIIy when he saw the terrace
and the steps. His father had told him
about " - many q time. He mounted
them slowly and carefully; then. standing
on the terrace, he looked about him lit
tie while and decided that 1t was time for
him to begin to play. He felt rather cold,
now that he was not moving, and snow
fake or two melted upon his nose and
made him uncomfortable. Nevertheless it
was with great resolution that he drew his
bow across the strings of the fiddle and
began his fnvorite tune:
"While shepherds watched their focks by
night,
All seated on the ground"
whats that caterwauling in the
grounds, Norris?" said the master Of the
house to tho butlcr in his crustiest tones.
He was at dinner, and tho notes of a vio-
lin foil strangely upon his ear. "Did
not tell you that would have no parties
of carol singers this yearS They only
trample down the plants and destroy tho
young trees in the plantation Go out
and put stop to that noise directly"
Norris went out with rather a grave
face. 1t was O troubled one when he re-
turned.
"It's not the carol singers at all, sir.
It's-it's only little boy"
"Send him away at once then."
'If you please, sir, he says he wishes to
speak to you. IL think he's gentle
mans son, sir"
''What if he is? He can have no busi-
ness here. Send him off. Some begging
trick, dare say"
But as the general-for that was the
rank of tho master of Carston-spoke the
music waxed louder and louder, and a
sweet ohild's voice rang out like birds
To the vast surprise of master and servant
alike, the door of tho dining room was
pushei open, and there in the hall stood a
child, with shining hair and big brown
eyes, playing and singing, as he had done
at first:
while shepherds watched their foclks by
night,
All seated on the ground
The generals white mustache bristled
flercely, and his voice was harsh and rasp-
ing when he spoke:
"Boy-you there-stop that noisei"
Tony desisted, but turned look of an
gelic reproach upon the speaker. Don't
| you ike lOI Nc bhlu IL my BrCdbeSt
favorite, and you must know 1t quite
well, because daddy says he used to sing
it to you when he was little boy"
"When he-your father-what do you
mean, childS"
II amt child" said Tony, with dig
nifty "I'm boy. It's quite a long time
since was a child"
whats your manner" said the general
softening and smiling in spite of himself,
but the answer banished all smile from
his face.
Anthony discard Fairfax" said Tony
triumphantly. Isn't it a beautiful namei
It's my grandfather's name, daddy says
but l haven't never seen him in all my
life" And his innocent, trustful eye:
looked straight into the face of the very
man who was his grandfather.
Norris gasped. He expected an explosion
of anger; ho almost feared violence, but
for a minute or two the general stood per
fectly silent. Then he said to the man
You can 60"
"Shan go too?" said Tony.
mo. Stand where you are. Now, tel
me who told you to come here tonight?"
Nobody told me. / thinked it for my
self"
do you see these grapes and sweets?'
; persisted the general. You shall have a
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-12-23

wish could go to daddy's old house and
see Santa Claus for my very own self!
What pity that daddy does not live there
.owi'
He put away his empty bowl In little
wooden cupboard and camo slowly back
to the fire. Then he yawned and thought
the room looked very lonely and wondered
what he could do to amuse himself. He
was self reliant little lad, not often in
want of occupation, but just now it seem-
cd to him as though something had gone
wrong with the world. He was vaguely
dissatisfied and knew not why.
Then a sudden idea occurred to him
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-12-23

makes him awfui hrod 70 play such SHY
tunes every night in the orkistra, but he
has to do 1t, or else there wouldn't be no
bread and milk for me nor no baccy for
daddy"
.where is your mother'" said the gen.
eral.
The ohild's face grew grave. "God took
her away" he answered. And the gen.
eral suddenly felt that his old hatred Of
that singing woman who had heguiled his
SON into making her his wife was small
minded and despicable. But another no.
ton mado him frown.
$50 you came here to see what you could
get? You wanted Santa Claus presentss"
"Oh, no, didn't 1 only thinked I'd
like to come, cause daddy says Santa
Claus always came here at Christmas
time, and 1t would be awful nice TO see
him, but don't want anythink myself.
Just want to tell him that there are heaps
of little boys much poorer than me and
that If he would go to the poor children 1t
would be much better than going to the
rich ones, don't you think sos''
"Well-sometimes," " said the general
81 thought, If you'd let me, would
stop here till quite. quite late" said Tony
confidentially. "I'd wait about till he
came, and then I'd speak to him about the
poor little boys. Then I'd go home to
daddy. But may stop here, please. till
Santa Claus has beenS"
To his surprise, the old gentleman with
the white mustache stopped down and
took him into his arms. My dear little
boy" he said, you may stop till Sarta
Claus comes, certainly. and you may stop
forever if you like"
When Guy Fairfax, half distracted by
the note which he found on his table, ar
rived, painting with haste, ut Carston that
night, he was shown at once into the din
ing room, where tho general sat in his
armchair with child's figure gently era
died on his knee. Tony was fast asleep
and the general would not move or dis
turb him. He only looked at his son for
q moment and then at the sleeping child.
Forgive mo, Guyl" he said at last
"You-and this boy-aro all that remain
to me. Let him stay-and stay yourself,
too, and cheer the few last years Of my
life. l was wrong-I knew / was wrong
but you must come back to me-
And when Tony woke next morning In
soft white bed and a coy room, such as
he had never seen before, he was q little
bit grieved to find that Santa Claus had
filled stocking for him while he had been
fast asleep, but he was quite consoled when
Guy told him that the old gentleman with
the white hair and mustache, who must
henceforth be called grandad, was the best
Santa Claus that he had ever seen and
that Tony might go to him after break
fast and sit on his knee whilo he sang how
shepherds watched their flocks by night
as the Christ Child came with gifts of peace
and JOY and good will to men.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

When the Oregon was so gallantly
making Its way up the South American
coast to join the fleet in Cuban waters
many apprehensions were felt for its
safety 1t was feared that Cervera S
fleet, then skulking about in the Carib-
bean Sea, would evade our fleet, get
outside, and attack and destroy the
Oregon. Captain Clark, however, kept
on his course, and the first message
which came from him was: Don't tan
gle me up with instructions and / will
take care of myself" From the way
in which the Oregon took care Of itself
in the Santiago fight and took care of
some Of the Spanish vessels also there
can be little doubt that IL Cervera's s
fleet had ever run across him on his
way to Florida he would have whipped
the entire outfit.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

John Albion Andrew, the great war
Governor Of Massachusetts, had the
good fortune to spend his boyhood on a
farm In the State of Maine. His father
and mother. though. of genial humor,
were rigid disciplinarians; and he had
occasion in after life to thank them for
training him to orderly habits in small,
everyday matters. One of his sisters
related not long before her death, which
occurred In 1897, that Albion was sum-
moned home from school one day by his
mother, who merely pointed to the
boys cap, which he had -carelessly left
on the floor. The hint was enough.
Without a word, he picked: up the cap.
hung it on the proper peg, and promptly
went back to school. The father also
strictly enforced the rule, "A place for
everything, and everything In its
ptace.~ A pibchfork. In common use for
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The Iron Age, the organ Of the iron
and steel trade, one Of the leading trade
journals in the land, says editorially,
Manufacturers are taking great inter
est in the progress Of mechanical edu.
cation. Evidence to this effect is con.
tinually coming to light in the proceed,
ings of the various manufacturers as.
sociations. The students of the manual
training schools are making their i'm
press in numerous lines, and employers
cannot help expressing their gratifica.
ton at the manner in which the stand
ard Of every craft is being raised by the
superior intelligence which has been
thus infused into the mass. While the
benefits of the training schools are shar-
ed both by the students and by those
who become their employers, it Is be-
lieyed that the latter should display in
a more practical way than hitherto the
deep interest felt by them In the sue
cess of this system Of improving our
mechanical trades" 1t is manual train
ing. practical, technical and CONNER
.cial training, that has enabled Germany
to push her products into all quarters
of the globe, in spite of the greater nat
ural endowment of the American and
Britisher for manufacturing and trade.
West of us lies the Pacific ocean, to the
development Of. whose commerce all
eyes are turning. To whom will fall
the lions share of this vast trade is
largely a question, not of armies or ma
vfes, but OF commercial initiative and
business capacity. Whether the por-
tion Of the United States shall be large
or small is solely a question of brains,
since the advantage In location is ours
already.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The tax dodger violates every prinei-
pie OF the social compact and. defies ev-
cry principle of justice. He seeks the
protection of Government the ex-
penses Of maintaining which he re-
fuses to assist In paying. The fact that
the tax rate is always too high can only
justify everyone In seeking to reduce it,
not to dodge 1t. and the man who
lodges 1t because his opportunities to
do so are better than those of his neigh
Dor, whose burdens he increases by his
dishonor, is an anarchist and defies the
laws As much as the loud-mouthed de-
claimer who advocates oyerthrowing
the Government.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The Cleveland Leader has been inter
viewing the census reports and presents
some facts in regard to the proportions
of native and foreign born citizens that
ought to clear away great deal of mis-
apprehension. It shows that In 1890
Al ,946,2 204 Inhabitants Of this country
were native born and wholly Of native
parentage. Only 3,664,265 were born
Of one foreign and one native parent,
and only 17011, ,781 were Of foreign par-
ents. OF these 100000, about half
were born on American soil. By ma
tionalities 4, 142, 199 were Irish, 5,776,-
1856 German, 1880, ,123 English, 300, 15S
Scotch, 169,832 Welsh, 5O3,266 English
Canadians, making the British element
about 100000, or more than all the
Italians, Hungarians, Poles, Bohemi-
ans, French and Russian and Austrian
Slavs together. OF Swedes there were
69O, O,4O1, Of Norwegians 5O,227, Of
Danes 194 40 or total Scandinavian
population of about 100000. OF other
nationalities, it appears that the Rus
sian element leads with 248, 165. The
Bohemians numbered 2O5, 1866, the Ital-
ians 236,OO8, the French 177,OO7, and
the Hungarians 69,761. Other minor
foreign elements numbered 061, 600.
The only unpleasant feature about this
presentation is that the Germanic or
Saxon Celtic and Scandinavian ele-
ments, which are easily assimilated, no
longer form so large proportion Of the
immigration as formerly. Slavs, Hun
garians and Italians have been sweep
ing in in numbers SO large that the cen
sus of 1900 will show much larger
proportion Of these elements than the
1890 figures.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

There are q few misguided Ameri.
cans who are impressed with the belief
that the American volunteers would not
be able to hold their own with the train
ed regulars of Europe. This belief has
been shattered, and most happily, too.
The plains and hills around Santiago
tell the story. Outnumbered, the volun-
teers fought an offensive battle, and
that's terrible handicap Of itself,
against trained European soldiers be-
hind breastworks; against men who
were acclimated; against even the ele-
ments, for a tropical sun and tropical
rains are more terrible than cold lead;
and in the face Of all they drove these
trained European soldiers back, and
back, and back, until they were almost
within the gates of Santiago and un-
der the protection Of feet the pride Of
Spain. Small wonder, then, that the
Americans rested and withdrew for a
time, without single soldier of this
trained lot to follow them, even single
step. But there Is another case In his
tory where the Americans met the
trained soldiers Of Europe. That was
more than hundred years ago, when
some hired Hessians were brought over
here. They were supposed to be the
best fighters in Europe, real fiends for
fighting. And what was their fate? An
army to fight must be actuated by patri-
otic sentiment sufficiently deep to stir
the blood, to quicken the pulse. 1t must
be actuated by something else than
mere mechanical love of fighting. And
these the American volunteer army has
in the highest degree, and against 1t the
trained soldiers Of Europe can not pre-
vail
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

An American In Hamburg recently
made the acquaintance of a retired
army officer, with his wife and little
son. The boy had just entered a mill
tary school and wore a uniform. On
one occasion, writes the American, the
mother punished the boy for some mis-
behavior, when he suddenly took off
his coat saying, You may strike me,
but you must not strike my emperor's
coat" Does the American flag receive
as loyal respect at the hands of Ameri-
can schoolboys?
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

foddering the cattle, was always to be
kept standing IN certain corner OF t!se
barn, where he could lay his hand on tt
In the night without lantern. On one
occasion he felt for 1t in vain, and called
the boys to account. With q mixture
OF chagrin and amusement, they report
ed that Father was mighty particular;
for the fork wasn't moren two inches
out of placer,
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The Spaniards asserted at the time
the Maine was destroyed that disci-
pline was so lax on American vessels
that such accidents" were apt at any
time to occur. American sailors have
given pretty fair refutation to that
slander.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

Lieut.. Hobson of Merrimac fame is
said to have given an order several
months ago to news-clipping bureau
for all newspaper mention of him.. AS
these are now being collected at the
rate of about 400 day 1t is to be feared
the gallant lieutenant will find himself
q bankrupt when he comes to pay the
bill.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The old phrase, current in Europe a
hundred years ago, africa begins at
the Pyrenees," Is respectfully COM
mended to Spain as an explanation of
certain recent events in history.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

One Of the Eastern universities has
made President Mckinley doctor of
laws. The doctor, we believe, expects
to practice for while on the Spanish
laws In Cuba.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The rescue of every passenger and
the entire crew of the burning ship
Delaware OF Barnegat light strikingly
recalls the Bourgogne disaster; 1t was
so different.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

BY the way, what does Rudyard Kip
ling now think Of 'the big, fat republic
whose entire seacoast is bound to be
ravished In the event of war;?
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

They have just decided in England
that II man marries his deceased
wife's sister In a colony, where such
marriage is legal. the union will be re-
garded as legal in the British Isles. Our
ERglish cousins have a good many
claims to our favorable opinion, but we
stiIl have lingering notion that In
aome respects they are just trifie slow.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

From their kindly manifestations we
gather that our British friends know a
band wagon when they see one, and
know also what to do when 1t draws
near
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

Dewey did them on Sunday and so
did Sampson and Schley-S Sunday is
the great day in the American calen-
dar
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The military authorities have done
well in this war for setting the stand
ard of physical qualifications Of the re-
cruit SO high, for physical endurance is
the foundation Of good army. The
surprisingly small amount of sickness
among our forces in Cuba small con-
sidering the trying climatic conditions
to which they have been exposed is,
no doubt, due in large measure to the
sound constitutions of the men COM
posing them.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

.Fighting Bob Evans is not col
lege graduate. but he frequently con-
fers the title "d-d" upon himself.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

The immense and growing business
Of the great lakes is one of the extra
ordinary Incidents of our national pro-
gress. Nearly 20, O00, 900 tons Of freight
passed into and out of Lake Superior
last year, its value being shade under
$22O,O00. 1000 This was an increase on
the preceding year of % per cent. The
proportion carried In Canadian ships
was only one-thirty eighth of the whole,
the fraction diminishing year by year.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09
We should not condemn Spain too Sc
sereiy. Her onions are good.

Among the spoils of war there will be
also a considerable quantity of spoiled
barbed wire fencing.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

lay draped with the American flag, and
at a signal was committed to the deep.
All was over, the band playing solemn
airs during the progress of the cere-
mony Every possible mark of respect
was shown the dead soldier under the
circumstances, being at sea and it be-
ing impracticable and unsafe to keep
the body until we made port at Homo
lulu, four days off,
The finding of the skeleton of man
in the chaparral south of Etiwanda, San
BernafdinO county, several days ago,
recalls an exciting shooting affair at
Joseph Gecman's winery at Etiwanda.
in which Revenue Collector Bell had
his hand shot off ten months ago. At
the time a German tramp, who had
been drinking at the winery, entered
Gecman's house, situated close by, and
proceeded to smash things up at live
ly rate. He had secured three loaded
guns which were in the house, and
when Gecman tried to climb through
a window the tramp fired at him. Gee
man got another gun and returned the
fire, but it so happened that the reve-
nue. collector had entered the house
and grabbed the drunken tramp about
the waist just in time to receive the
full charge from Gecman's gun square
ly in the hand. During the confusion
which followed, the tramp succeeded in
making his escape, but as the finding
of the skeleton proves, only to die of
the wound made by the same dis
charge. BY the skeleton was found a
roll of blankets and jug of wine. In
one of the pockets was tin tobacco
box with hole shot through it, let
ter written in German and razor. The
identification seems to be complete.
Mesa free press., 1898-09-09

Ostrich raising in this state is now
in promising condition, several farms
being in operation. Quantities of raw
feathers are being shipped to New
York, and the market for plumes prom
ises to be more extensive this winter
than ever before. The South Pasa-
Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-11-18
TRAIN HELD UP BY ROBBERI
Bold Piece OF Business on III. q
Northern,

Fergus Falls. Mimi, New. L. 4
Great Northern estbOund q
leaving here at 7:30 last night
held up by robbers at Pelican ah
bridge, four miles west Of The
The contents of the local safe I
stolen. The robbers shattered
jacket of the through safe buc
not get at the contents. No vla
was offered 10 the passergeE. Il
a heavy train with many passed
and nobody saw any suspicious
acters get aboard here. 1t IS suIq
that the two men who stopM
train. climbed on the "blind basa
front platform Of the baggage 9
t;,is point. A mile from the
two men with handkerchiefs oM
faces crawled over the tenoE
threatened the engineer and
with revolvers. They told the
crew they would shoot II the NY
not stopped when they ons
-Four miles from Fergus Fans
lean bridge. they made the ea
stop the train. They had the =
and fireman get down. Here y
more appeared, whether froI y
ditch or from the passenger eals
body can tell. They also were
masked by handkerchlels. lug
into the express car and oVtlp
the messenger. Part of them ~
sentries at the doors OF lne
ger cars warning the occupaIs
they would shoot II anyp.
any disturbance. but assu,ius
that they would not be to'cne''
kept quiet. a,
They blew open the icca' S INA,
out much trouble and got w.
there was in it. The coaN sa.s s.,.
was supposed to be a fisi 1aan r a.
worked over for more tnan .,oss y
After getting through the lam Iar
gave it up, fearing the .,aa mo, M
overtake them. All this 'ln s,as
ton agent at Carlisle, ,Mv .s. Mi
ther. could see the heaai'st, ,,sin
lust about to start for the ,s ,%s .n1s
it got up steam again. IA y NM ! Nh
Carlisle about an hour anu . troma =
and the alarm was sent ou' a-ssns r
Sheriff Billings at once 9TH 9TH
Dursuit and twenty teams ,bs % ~
crews are now securing shss ,h
There is no clue to the l1D us aui
called each other by hul.p .,"ns I'D
no nan es. The descrlp,'Ubo Uuobody
them are very vague anu iC,,o n railr1
glimpse Of their faces. - a' sry iaid
ficlals here refuse to give
ton.
Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-11-18
Gypsy Moth In Dakota.

Mr.. M. e. Hinkley of Marcus, Iowa,
the able editor of the Fruitman, says:
while in the Black Hills recently
the editor was informed that the Clip
sy Moth has appeared there. A. Nc
Kirahan of Rockford was out in the
forests last summer in company with
an entomologist connected with the
Lincoln University. The Lincoln gem
tlemar discovered and identified the
Gypsy Moth. Patches of dead timber
are now pointed out as proof of its
ravages. If this conclusion Is correct
there is reason for the apprehension
that the Dakota forests are doomed.
The matter is so important that it
seems to demand thorough expert in
vestigation at once"
Commenting on this the Iowa State
Register says: This is very impor-
tant If it proves true. We regard the
Gypsy Moth as an enemy far more to
be feared than the San Jose scale.
In the vicinity of Boston it has caused
great damage in recent years, and
thousands OF dollars of private and
state money have been spent in erad-
icating the pest. Any voracious leaf
feeder that attacks tall trees is not
easy to reach by spraying. In tho
great Northwest the destruction Of our
forest trees in native groves, planted
groves and windbreaks would be a sad
calamity. In Europe this insect has
wrought the most damage in the drier
interior sections, where the conditions
we're more favorable for its rapid pro-
oagation."
Don't permit bad odors about the
poultry house.