davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22

What very pretty girl she was,
and how the 20 years of her fair young
life had combined to crown her with
all the graces OF sweet womanhood. |
saw her one evening at a reception.
and though | was long past my beau-
hood days, | could not resist the ra-
dance of this sweet girl, and, follow
ing her with my eyes as she fitted
about among the guests, asked who
she was.
Why" laughed the gray-haired
woman of whom l asked the question,
don't you know her? l thought every
body knew Santa Claus Conway"
Why do you call her Santa Claus?
Because she brings JOY and goodness
and all good things to all whom she
Faeets?" | inquired, bowling calamity.
Il shall tell her that" smiled the
lady, though that is not exactly why
she was so christened. Still she
went on, musingly, that was the rea-
son, TOO, though I hadn't quite thought
OF it So
Please go on with the story | sug-
gested, for | knew there was a story
that must go with the pretty girl who
seemed to 0e rather a being out of
book than one of the everyday crea-
lures her associates were.
There is a story" said my COM
panion, land l shall be more than
glad to tell it to you. Twenty years
age, living not a dozen blocks from
where we now are, was couple who
had been married ten years before the
light of a baby's eyes shone into their
home and their hearts. When at last
that wonderful light came which never
was on sea or land except it came from
a baby's eyes, and of which no one
knows the radiance except those upon
whom it has fallen, that father and
that mother almost forgot there was
yet a light greater than that which
blessed them from their baby's eyes.
] do not say that | am quite Of the
belief that God is such jealous God
that He will Break the hearts Of His
creatures to crafty His pride, but
am quite content 20 believe that we
should not worship any gift we may
receive TO the exclusion of our duty
and debt to the giver and particularly
the Great Giver. Whatever my opin-
ion may be, 1t has naught to do with
the case. and for four years this ia
Iner and mother layished all their love
and their generosity upon this one eve
lamb Of theirs l can remember what
a scene of fairyland their house was
ar Christmas for the little girl and
for her troops of friends, for all that
love could suggest and wealth could
secure was brought and laid at the
feet of their darling.
And what a dreadful change wher
the fifth Christmas came. In ,ne Sep,
tember before, the little girl, bright
and beautiful child, suddenly sickened
and within a week she slept on the
sunshiny slope of a gentle knoll look
ing out over the beautiful blue rivel
sweeping by with a murmur as o
angels wings. For weeks the father
and mother refused to be comforted
nor would they go away TO othe
scenes. There the little one hat
filed their hearts and lives and there
they insisted, should the empty shell
remain. Elsewhere in the world Their
was nothing: in that spot were. a
least, the memories of their idolize,
one I was with them great deal
and as often as | could | sent my owl
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
A LAST REQUEST.

Her father had said it could never
be.
They both sat in the parlor-also in
tears.
After long searching and desperate
effort she found her voice. Then, in
despairing tones, she ed:-"Oh,
Charley! If we must part let us wait
till after Christmasl"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
EMPEROR WILLIAMS RING.

The German kaiser wears a queer
old ring set with stone of lfttle value
1t is Hohenzollern talisman, and no
Hohenzollern to the present day has
dared to question its power The leg
end is that a toad bl --~snt it into the
room of the wife OF Elector John of
Brandenburg, and deposited it on her
bed, after which the toad hoped away
and never was seen again. The ia
Their of Frederick the Great had it
mounted in a ring and it has been pre-
served religiously ever since.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
CHIME ON, SWEET BELLS!

Oh. sweet across the glistening fields
The Christmas carols play,
And joyously each loving heart
Doth greet this holiday.
Now Peace on earth, good will to
menu
Is pealing through the air
While hearts with kindness overflow
And rest replaces care.
Behold the Christ child, newly born!"
Resounds the glad refrain,
And every soul that hears the song,
Christlike, is born again.
Chime on, sweet bells, till round the
world
The message shall be borne
And men of every cline shall know
The peace of Christmas morn!
-Keyes Becker
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
A DESIGNING MOTHER.

Il am really delighted at the interest
my boy Tommy is taking in his writ
ing" said Mrs. Hickleby. HE spends
two hours a day at it,"
Really? How strange! How did
you get him to do it?"
ooh, as for that, told him to write
me out list of everything he wanted
for Christmas, and he's still at it
Harper's Bazaar.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
To be continued.
AN EDITORS DAUGHTERS DOLLS.

The editor of Harper's Magazine, Mr.
Henry M. Alden, has a daughter who
has made collection of over 100 dolls
each doll representing different ma
ton and being made in that country
The collection is considered to be the
most unique and finest Of its kind in
existence. Miss Alden is now to show
the world her dolls, and explain them,
and in the next issue of The Ladies
Home Journal she will show pictures
of the first twenty. In following is
sues she will show the others
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
BRAINS SAVE THEIR LEGS.

Farmers Charles c. Brown and Oh
liver Newton of Bridgeyille, Del, are
not compelled to leave their beds early
these cold mornings to feed their stock.
They have a wire extending from the
stable to the house, which is attached
to the key of an alarm clock. The
clock is set to the hour the farmer de-
sires the stock fed, and when the alarm
goes off the revolving key tightens the
wire opening the trapdoors. and the
food falls into the managers.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
MADE HIM HER CONFIDENT.

A little girl aged nine called her
father 10 her bedside the other even
ing. Papa" said the little diplomat.
Il want to ask your advice
We'll, my dear, what is it about?"
What do you think it will be best
to give me for a Christmas-present?"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
JUST A HINT.

She-Do you really think, Horace,
that the blind will ever be made to
see?
He-I hope so.
She-So do I! land then she gazed
al the sprig of mistletoe above her
head and sighed. IN. Y. Truth.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
CHRISTMAS IN THE SOUTH.

Christmas comin'-don't you fret
Carve dat possum fine!
Gwine ter get ter glory yet
Carve dat possum fine!
Oh, believers,
See de bright light shinei
De fife en- drum
Say Christmas come
So carve dat possum fine,
Christmas comm crost de hill
Carve dat possum fine!
De cider foam, en- de 'lasses spill
Carve dat possum fine!
Oh, believers,
See de bright light shine!
De fife en- drum
Say Christmas come
So carve dat possum fine!
Atlanta Constitution
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22
CHRISTMAS DAY.

Everybody knows that Christmas
day falls on the 25th day of December
Of course! So it does-now. But
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

increasing hosts every day. The peo-
pie know now, as never before. the
dangers which threaten their liberties.
and they understand that Mr.. Bryan
represents the principles and possesses
the qualities which are needed to re-
store the government to it's old position
as the guarantor Of equal rights to all
and special privileges to none.
Witness the fact that wherever he
goes, whether in Iowa, Colorado, Ohio
or New York, Mr.. Bryan is greeted
by crowds as numerous and as epthusi-
astic as those which he faced during
the memorable campaign Of 1896
Witness his reception by congressman
and judges in Washington. Witness
the cordial feeling manifested toward
him in Canada, and in Canadas finan-
cial antiti1esis, Mexico. His interna-
tional popularity is due to his political
principles, to his patriotism, his cour-
age, his sincerity, his high resolve and
his unconquerable will
1t is about time that the newspaper
fraternity recognized the fact that I'M
less they wish to betray their fear of his
greatness to their readers, they would
better treat the distinguished young
leader and statesman with the same
,candor that is melted out to him by the
peOn1p
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
Municipal Gwnerahin.

Perhaps the most successful expe,
rlment in city ownership and operation
OF a lighting plant, says the Chicago
News, is furnished by Wheeling W.
va, which supplies itself with cleo
Tire light at about $50 per lamp, while
its gas plant has been paid for OUT
OF the profits of it's operation without
levying dollar upon the people. It's
gas plant yields an annual income ia,
the city of about $4,000, gives the cit,
liens gas at rs cents, and last wear
the city used $4,000 worth of gas in it's
public buildings, for which it paid
nothing.
Where public franchises are oDerated
honestly and economically. as At
Wheeling, they have been marked enc
cesses, and even where not operatod
SO carefully and we'll they have IN
most cases given satisfaction 70 tho
people. The mere fact that = ven,1
council has disposed, or tried to d.
pose, of the city's gas plant in Philada1
phia is but an incident, though "a
grettable one
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
The Question We'll Put.

The New York Sun, not at all friend
~ to Bryan or the cause he represents.
puts it in this shape:
If the government is to guarantee
the notes issued by the banks, take
charge of the gold fund for their re-
demption, and make it's sub-treasuries
their rcdeeming agencies, why should
it not issue the notes itself in the first
instance and avoid paying the banks
millions of dollars every year for serv-
ices which they do not render? The
government has better and safer stor-
age vaults for gold than the banks
have, and the people put, with good
reason, more faith in it than they put
in the banks. In times of panic there
would never be a run upon the treas
ury as there would be upon the banks,
because the government, since the re-
sumption Of specie payments, has never
once suspended them, while the banks
have several times suspended payment
in paper as well as in specie.
Let us suppress all bank notes and
fill their place with government notes,
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

Sometimes we think it is an act of ex-
IRENE cruelty on the part of we bimet-
;lllists in calling attention to the big
promises made by the g.Qp. and then
present more than an abundance of
evidence to convict it of having OBJ
tanned the goods by false pretenses.
1t is not strange that the ordinary re-
publican flies into senseless rage when
confronted with his party's shortcom-
lngs. 1t is not strange that when
asked what their definition of bimetal-
lism is, they have a conniption fit in
stead OF returning a decent answer.
1t is not strange that they take refuge
in flight when they are made familiar
with the numerous wage reductions.
assignments, and failures. the half of
which are never known because of their
suppression.
we Woufd- be averse>4 to. calling at
tention to these matters were It net
for the fact that we are fighting.
for the people, and SO, at the risk of
being termed calamity bowler" we
devote a little space to some of thu
Christmas gifts Santa Claus Gold Stapd-
ard has given to the noble patriotsMho
fought under his standard in thef first
battle
To begin with
The Union Pacific employees have
come to the conclusion that the gener-
al SO much talked OF must have changed
his name from Prosperity to Depres-
sion. Santa Claus Gold Standard has
caused notices to be posted in the shops
of that system at Omaha, Cheyenne.
and Laramie an order reducing the
. work days from five to four a week
and the work hours from eight to sew
en- This is equivalent to a reduction
IN wages Of 80 per cent. This is the
most radical reduction ever made by
the company. We supposed that bust
ness was on the boom in the domain Of
the advance agent, but when we read
what one of the Union Pacific officials,
who ought to know, has to say about
It, we incline to believe that we were
wrong. After stating that the cut was
necessary on account Of the fact that
business had fallen off nearly so per
cent. he said the company would put
back the schedule when business re-
vived. In passing we wish to remark
that this reduction was made as soon
IS the plutocratic reorganization COM
r q "a.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
CHRISTMAS GREETING
IN THE SHAPE OF WAGE RE-
DUCTIONS
Comes to the Employees of Corporations
Who Urged Their Men to Vote for Nc
Kinley Sound Money, Protection, and
Prosperity-Failurcs.

'Of all sad words of tongue or pen.
The saddest are: 1t might have been. .
AS certain and sundry individuals
sit by their tiresides. contemplating
TIE future, it is possible the above
familiar couplet may come to them
We refer to those misguided individ-
uals who listened to the siren voice of
their gold bug employer and voted for
Mckinley, sound money. protection.
and the promised gobs Of prosperity.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

mittee secured control of the system.
Dividends, you know, must be paid no
matter whether the workman starves
or not.
The Lehigh Valley railroad officials
year ago and little over, told their
employees that the election of Hanna's
little man would ultimately result in
good times. A few weeks ago the men
in the grain department had their
wages reduced. Recently, the men in
the shops who earn II and 10 cents an
hour have been cut to four DAYS a
week and only eight hours a day,
which gives them about $25 a month to
live on, and some Of them have large
families 900" @r,'' = "'''>'''"'''''~ = 50.
The cotton operatives at Fall River,
who were eager for Bill Mckinley and
protection, must stand a reduction Of
20 per cent.
Employees Of the Fiskdale cotton mills
at South Ridge, Mass, have received
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
Can't catch even suckers.

notice that on January wages will be
cut 10 per cent.
So with the 1900 employees of the
China, Pembroke, and Webster mills
at Suncock, N. Ii.
The weavers at the VIM. Strassc
company mills at Patterson, N. j., are
on Il strike against IA reduction in
wages
All Of this in the face of republican
promises of prosperity.
Indeed might it have been otherwise
had not the deluded laborer pinned his
faith to the gold standard party.
II. WIN. SMITH.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
Be traying Their Nervousness.

Buffalo Times.
1t is do ubtful if any man since Jack
sons time has, in his temporary retire
ment to unofficial life. continued to be
SO conspid uously a shining mark for
the invectjve and pretended wit of an
opposition press as William j. Bryan.
Whatever he does, wherever he goes,
plutocratie newspapers follow him with
their ill-natured snecrs and cheap ridi
Guile. The reason is not far to seek.
These newspapers, directly or Indirect
ly, are under the dominating influence
of the gigantic combinations Of selfish
greed. called trusts, which recognize in
Mr.. Bryan the personifcation Of prin-
ciplcs which would effectually curb
their power to get wealth without
earning it. They see also that the
great common people of this country
arc equally keen in their perceptions
and that they are turning to him in
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

prices. Another cause is the monopoW
OF railroads. Fundamental finance
land and transportation reform is Ell
sential, and the farmfs and workings
men have the power to bring it about,
PERCY PEPOON.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
CURRENT NOTES.

Evidently it will require some
adroit-not to say crooked financier-
ing on the part of Secretary Gage to
avoid another bond issue before next
falls Congressional elections; but it
must be done, as a bond sale would
certainly sacrifice the salaries Of two-
thirds of the Republican, Congressman
and state officials. I -.
The New York Worlds >4onoIuiu
correspondent reports that there is a
secret but perfect understanding be-
tween some of the largest land own
ers and commercial monopolists here
and certain United States senators to
get Hawaii into the union as quickly
as possible. Some of them hope to see
it done before Christmas President
Dole admits that the Hawaiian repub
lie can not survive unless it is annexed
to this country. Hawaiian annexation
is plainly a scheme of the thieves kwho
have stolen all of the land and wealth
of the islands to be insured in the safe
possession of their plumber.
Puck thinks it can arrest the door
of the monopolistic class by printing
jokes like this:
Farmer Ito the mule he is riding)-
"Git up, Populist!'
City Traveler-"That is a funny
name to give a mule; why do you call
him Populist?"
Farmer Because he is a chronic
kicker
Joseph G. Sibley, who was elected to
Congress from strongly Republican
district of Pennsylvania, and who
made a national reputation by MS
terrific arraignment Of President Cleve-
land, has been nominated for vice pres
ident by Champ Clark, of Missouri
MI. Sibley intimates that he will make
the race if Populists and Democrats
can cooperate on Bryan and Sibley as
the ticket.
There will be no legislation this VIM
ter except such as is approved by Wall
street. Speaker Reed has already We
toed the postal savings bank PROPOSE
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
Both Feet in the rron.h

The list of employees in the trea 9, -
department. at Washington dtscloaas
the fact that Ohio has 149 annas
ments, or three moro than allowed Nv
the apportionment Of states. =
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
Senator Allen.
Papillion Times

Papilion Times
We of Nebraska are proud of him.
even if he did once fall down and for
get for a day to be {; good popocrat
the day when he went wrong on the
sugar bounty question His attitude
on the Cuban question endears him to
every lover Of liberty. The interest of
no bondholder stands between Senator
Allen and the granting of justice to
the patriot insurgents, who have SO
long been given the cold shoulder by
the cowardly administration of Grover
Cleveland and William Mckinley. Oh.
for q few more Aliens in the senate!
Had he the power he would tomorrow
not only grant belligerent rights to
the Cubans, but would place the stars
and stripes very close to the colors of
the Cubans, nor permit them to be
lowered until the last of the Spanish
butchers should be driven from that
island over which they have too long
held bloody sway. Allen, has his
blemishes, but he also has heart of
sympathy for the poor and oppressed
in every land and in every cline.
Long life to him-political as well as
physical.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

An injury done to one is a threat
held out to undreds.-Publius Syrus,
A fool in revolt is infinitely wiser
than a philosopher forging learned
apology for his chains-Kossuth.
For moralists to talk of altering
morals without altering environment
is no wiser than for a doctor to apply
a poultice to a wooden leg.-Ben Til
lett.
1t is never too late to give up our
prejudices. No way of thinking or DO
ing, however ancient, can be trusted
without proof. What everybody echoes
or in silence passes by as true today
may turn out to be falsehood tomor-
row, mere smoke of opinion which
some had trusted for a cloud that
would sprinkle fertilizing rains on
their fields. What old people say you
can not do, you try and find out that
you can. Old deeds for old people.
and new deeds for the new.-Henry y.
Thoreau.
We boast of having liberated 1000,
oVO of slaves. True, we have stricken
the shackles from the former bonds
men and brought all laborers to COM
mon level, but not so much by ele-
waiting the former slaves as by practi-
cally reducing the whole working pop
ulatlon to state Of serfdom. While
poastlng of our noble deeds we are
careful to conceal the ugly fact that
by our iniquitous monetary system we
have nationalized a system of oppres-
sion more refined. but none the less
cruel, than the old system of chattel
slavery.-Horace Greeley.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

With the advent of the new year
comes the knowledge that it is the
year when a new congress is to be
elected. The present trend of events
leads to the inevitable conclusion that
the people will record their verdict
against up-to-date republicanism.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

The reception accorded Mr.. Bryan by
our sister republic is causing no JOY to
the republicans.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

There will be no legislation this VIM
ter except such as is approved by Wall
street. Speaker Reed has already We
toed the postal savings bank PROPOSE
tiOn
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07
WORDS OF WISDOM.

An injury done to one is threat
held out to hundreds.-Publus Syrus.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-01-07

A fool in revolt is infinitely wiser
than a philosopher forging a learned
apology for his chains-Kossuth,
The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-30
REMENYPS FUNERAL,
Glowing Tributss Paid to The Dead MAJ
ter Of the Violin.

Glowing Tributes Paid to the Dead Ma.
ter of the Violin,
New York. May 29.-The public funeral
OF Eduoard Kemenyf took place to-day at
the Lenox Lyceum. The Lyceum was
packed to overlooking by friends of the
dead vfolinist. His son Tfber and daugh-
ter Adrienne occupied seats on each side
OF the coffin. Mrs. Remenyi, who has
been an invalid for two years, was I'M
able to attend.
The Hungarian consul. Norris Cuko,
and Recorder John w. Gonf paid glowing
tributes to the dead violinist. The latter
said In the course of his address:
"Remenyi died as he wished to die.
When this country. from ocean to ocean.
Is aglow with patriotism. he drew his bow
across his violin and the notes of 'The
Star Spangled Banner died away amid
laundering applause.
He died with his dear old instrument
Rugged tight to his side. Goodbye, Re-
menyi. the world is better because you
lived in it,"
After the ceremonies were over the
body was taken to Evergreen cemetery.
where the Actors Funeral Society of
had prepared a grave for IL. The
floral pieces included several from Hun
societies., Col. Robert G. Ingersoll.
the Austrian consul and Raphael Jossefy.
30 pallbearers included Colonel Inger-
soil. Emerson Mcmillan. John Philip Sou
sa, Consul General Steckinger. Raphael
John Crimins. Thomas Edison
and Morris Cuko.