davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

Merry Christmas, mamma, and
many of them! Thank you for your
books; we read some already, and
mean to read more after breakfast"
cried 10, Amy and Meg as they came
trooping into the room where their
mamma was that Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas, little daughters!
I'm glad you began at once. and hope
you will keep on. But want to say a
word before we sit down. Not far away
from here lies a poor woman, with a
little newborn babe. Six children are
huddled into one bed to keep from
freezing, for they have no fire. There
is nothing to eat over there. The eld-
est boy came to tell me they were suf-
fering hunger and cold. My girls, will
you give them your breakfast as a
Christmas PRESENT." ....
They were all unusually hungry,
having waited nearly an hour, and for
minute no one spoke; only minute,
for 10 exclaimed impetuously:
I'm so glad you came before we
began!"
MAY 1 go and help carry the things
to the poor little children?' asked
Beth, eagerly.
II shall take the cream and the muf-
fins,' said Amy, heroically giving up
the articles she liked.
Meg was already covering the buck
wheats and piling the bread into one
big plate.
II thought you would do it, said
Mrs. March, smiling as If satisfied.
"You shall all go and help me, and
when we come back we will have
bread and milk for breakfast, and
make it at dinner time"
They were soon ready and the pro-
cession set out. Fortunately it was
early, and they went through back
streets, so few people saw them, and
no one laughed at the queer party.
A poor, bare, miserable room it was.
with broken windows, no fire, ragged
bed-clothes, a sick mother, wailing
baby and group of pale. hungry chill
dren cuddled under one old quilt, try
ing to keep warm.
How the big eyes stared and the blue
lips smiled as the girls went In.
Zach. mein Gott! It is good angels
come to us!" said the poor woman,
crying for Joy. !.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

The next morning we all arose at s
o'clock and after the jolliest kind of a
breakfast, we hauled in great punches
Of evergreen, reels of crow-foot moss
ana pile after pile of holly and mistle-
toe We spent most of the day on step
ladders or tables, hammering and tack
ing the Christmas decorations in place.
And in the evening my uncle had a big
pine tree brought in and set up in the
parlor. We had each brought scores
of little packages from town to present
on Christmas morning, and these
were suspended from the branches of
the tree. Mistletoe was everywhere,
and so were the gi-ls. The conse-
quence will be readily understandable
men were not of the variety known as
shy
ut was long past midnight when we
trooped OFF to orr rooms and o'clock
struck before the last good night rang
down the darkened hallway. AS soon
as all was quiet, stole from my room,
and tip-toed down the corridor to my
cousin Stella's door. 1t was locked,
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

tai physicians, and insisted that she
would soon be strong and we'll and
would leave the hospital. There were
no marks of violence on her-there
was absolutely nothing to point to her
identiiy-only the sinister fact that
she had fallen in a faint on her way
to the river gave the officials hint
of what might be concealed. The we'd
ding ring shone on her hand, yet she
steadfastly refused to let her husband
be notified The hospital physicians
shook their wise heads and turned her
over to the tender mercies of the nurse.
saying that she would be all right
when she recovered her full senses.
Shortly after noon the nurse ap-
preached her. She bore large box.
Here is something for you,' she
said.
1t was large white box; around it
were wide, pale blue ribbons. A spray
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

years. Her eyes dilated. She was
silent for one moment, then she cried
out in voice that thrilled the nurse
and caused every head in the ward to
be lifted from its pillow.
cit is her! she cried. cit is he. ]
must so at once"
They demonstrated with her, but the
sick woman was we'll. She arose from
that pale couch with sudden vigor-
her eyes were bright-every trace of
illness left her. 81 must go to him."
she repeated, time and again. The doc
tors came and looked at her and then
conferred in low tone with the nurse.
"She may CO." they said.
So she took her roses and walked
down the street.
She walked some distance and then
she neared church. On it's steps,just
stepping out to go down the avenue,
was a man. His restless agony had
driven him forth to try to exercise
the demon that would not let him rest.
He had passed the church and, drawn
by an impulse he could neither define
nor resist, he had entered. With the
strains of GLORIA in Excelsis" ring
ing in his ears he went out. AS he
stood on the steps of the cathedral and
looked casually down the street he
saw what made his heart stand still.
He caught at the air with lips that
were pale with emotion. Great Cod
could it be she? A mist swan before
his eyes--his knees shook under him.
He fastened toward her.
'Mirabel!" he gasped.
She looked up at him with a smile.
81 was going to see you," she said
simply.
The morning sunshine made a halo
about her head. Her eyes were filled
with a dewy sweetness The purple
shadows of the aftermath of pain
were slipping away on the horizon
before the glory of dawning joy. He
felt dazzled. His heart leaped, then
burned within him. He drew her arm
within his own, and they turned down
a quiet side street.
81 knew you would find me some
IilbC, S1C ollu, Will Oil Infinitely SSA~
tie air. when they brought me your
roses in the hospital this morning and
1 saw your dear name once more I
knew that my trouble and separation
were over forever I could not wait
for you to come to me, and so start
ed to come to you. Sweetheart how
good it is to see you once more"
Listen he said, his throat CULVER
ing. Listen to the bells. They are
ringing Peace on earth, good will to
men Come, come with me, darling.
No birthday of any pagan god ever
brought such happiness as this"
The lesson taught by their long sep
aration and the meeting that Christ
mas morn was one which the pair
never forget.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

signal for a grand rush to the parlor
And lo the big Christmas tree had
flown. My uncle was enraged, the
guests much excited, and the young
lawyer from New York looked very
much amused. A search was prompt
" instituted, and of course the tree
was found in the library, standing in
stately solitude.
Who on earth could have put it
there? No one knew-and no one
could guess-Stella and 1 were particu.
larly obtuse. And after awhile the
presents were distributed. The young
married woman's card was inclosed in
bundle Of embroidered flannel petit
coats to my darling husband and
darling husband presented his little
love- with volume of Mother Goose
tales, and a red bathing suit; my old
maid cousin received q Dutch pipe and
a pair of hunting trousers; my uncle
got half dozen tulle veiis and pair
of gold garter clasps"
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21
Use Plenty of Paper and Cards.

No child of today would consider a
present half a presents-except. of
course, those that Santa Claus with
his own hands hangs upon a tree OF
thrusts into stocking-unless it were
hidden in manifold paper wrappings at
the bottom of a box with bright col
ored Christmas card lying on top of it.
Anyone accustomed to being with chill
dren will appreciate the pleasure that
the accessories of their Christmas gifts
give them. Every scrap OF ribbon, the
tiniest card, the very scraps Of bright
wrapping paper, are all boarded, and
used somewhere for decoration. The
little girl makes sashes Of the ribbons
and dresses for her paper dolls Of the
tissue wrappings. while the cards serve
as priceless works OF art on the walls
OF her playhouse.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

A western lady who formerly lived at
Cambridge, Mass, writes entertaining
ly of what she declares was the hap
piest Christmas of her life. The climax
of this merry occasion was a house
party given at the home of her uncle
not many miles from Cambridge The
lady writes:
My uncle owned a big place about
twenty miles from town. and every
year he invited all his relatives to
spend the Christmas holidays with
him. He was widower with two chi;-
dren--a son rs years old and daugh-
ter of II. This girl my cousin, Stella,
was one of the brightest and most
fun-loving girls l have ever known. I
was just two years her senior, and be-
tween US we managed to stir ND that
house party to degree nothing short
of startling! Twenty people beside
our family were invited, there being
altogether about thirty guests in the
house. Among them were young law
yer from New York (for whom | i'm
mediately conceived violent admira-
tion), naval officer, three Yale men
from New Haven, my two brothers, an
antique female cousin of ours Gage un-
known, some girls from New York
and young mai. lied couple from st.
Louis. Before the end of week Stel-
la and 1 had almost originated a di-
vorce case, where the young st. Louis
couple were concerned. OF course,
there were some other people, but they
were sort of chaperones, OLD fogies who
didn't count much. Well, that year
the 25th Of December fell on Wednes-
day, and the guests were invited from
Dec. % to Jan. g. and 1 can tell you
we made Rome howl. NV brothers
and I, with our parents, arrived at our
uncle's late Monday morning. The
snow had hcen falling steadily for
thirty-six hours, and was many inches
deep.
1--WE drove from the little rickety
station three miles cross country to
the farm. We were the first arrivals,
and we made good use of the advan-
tage over the other invited guests. The
next train, at o'clock, brought them
all, and at they came shouting and
singing up to the house, an sleighs,
wagons and carriages, borrowed from
the farmers all over that part of the
country. Well, the first evening was
passed in the big dining room, all of
us crowded about the roaring log fire.
That is, all OF us. excepting the young
lawyer from New York and-myself.
We We're seated on a chintz-covered
soap-box, off in dim corner OF the
room, discussing possibilities
Of effect OF mistletoe on--ah-mankind.
Before the candles were brought in to
announce the time for disappearing
We two had begun to understand each
other. It was our first meeting but In
the country, and at Christmastide, peo-
pie become acquainted very quickly.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21
THOSE CHRISTMAS CHILDREN.

The little folks at our house-they talk
like anything
Bout Santa Claus comm, an what he's
goin' to bring;
An mother never has to scold, or ted
'em bout the noise
They're just the sweetest little girls
the best of little boys!
Cause why? They know that Santa
Claus knows thing they do,
An while he's loadin' up his sleigh
he's watchin of 'em, too!
An them that minds their mother,
they gets the most O. toys
They're just the sweetest little girls
the best O. little boys!
They've just been writin' letters to
Santa Claus each day,
An tellin' him just what they want
an shown him the way
To where our house is, SOS he'll know
just where to leave the toys
Fer just the sweetest little girls-the
best O. little boys!
They're longin', longin', longin' fer the
days and night to go,
An all O. them are happy, an they
make their mother so!
She never has to scold 'em, or tell 'em
bout the noise
Cause they're the sweetest little girls
the best O. little boys!
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

Funny angels in hoods and nit
tens" said 10, and set them laughing.
In few minutes it really did seem
as if kind spirits had been at work
there. Hannah, who had carried wood,
made fire, and stopped up the brok-
en- panes with old hats and her own
cloak. Mrs. March gave the mother
tea and cruel, and comforted her with
promises of help, while she dressed the
little baby as tenderly as if it had been
her own. The girls meantime spread
the table, set the children round the
fire, and fed them like so many hun
cry birds-laughing, talking and try
ing to understand the funny, broken
English.
"Das list gut! Die Engel-kinder!"
cried the poor things as they ate, and
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21


of holly lay on the top. She looked at
it listlessly.
"shall 1 open it for you?" said the
nurse pleasantly. "It was sent espe-
cially for you by friend"
The pale patient almost smiled. The
nurses kindness was almost pathetic.
There is no one to send me 1low-
ers," she said; "but you may open it
for me-"
The nurse did so. A rush of frag-
rance filled the air. The roses burst
upon the vision of the pale woman
with the glory of midsummer, dazzling
in their brightness. They lay in their
satinpadded home like fragrant jew
els.
ooh, how beautifully" she cried. "Let
me have them
AS she took them a card fell out.
She looked at it as one might look at
a dear face that had been hidden for
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21
ARE YOU CHOOSING MY GIFT?

ARE YOU CHOOSING MY GIFT?
tlewoman; she had all the marks of
refinement, albeit with certain signs of
toll, but every mark that could iden-
tify her had been carefully clipped
from her garments. All night silva
the Destroyer mad lowered near her.
Yet he passed her by. and in the early
hours Of the morning she revived and
murmured words they could but indis-
tinctly understand. Toward noon she
revived 90 that her conversation be-
came ineligible. But with the return
Of consciousness she seemed to guard
her secret more closely. She refused
to answer the questions OF the hospi-
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21


but l tapped gently, and was soon adj
mitted We two girls slipped down
stairs, where l had told the butler ian
old servant of my uncle's} to wait for
us. And the we put our three heads
together and concocted grand
scheme, for the undoing of everybody
in the house. We tugged and hauled
that big overloaded Christmas tree
from the parlor, through the hall into
the library, and then We exchanged
the names on all the presents. 1t was
almost daylight before we finished, but
we were amply repaid for our trouble.
"By 8 o'clock everybody was dressed
and down stairs. exchanging greetings
and gifts. Stella ami were the last
10 arrive, and our entrance was the
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

THE PROCESSION SET OUT.
warmed their purple hands at the
comfortable blaze.
The girls had never been called angel
children before, and thought it very
agreeable, especially 10. who had been
considered a "Sancho" ever since she
was born. That was a very happy
breakfast, though they did not get any
Of it. and when they went away, leav-
ing comfort behind, think there was
not in all the city four msrrter people
than the hungry little girls who gava
away their breakfast and contented
themselves on bread and milk On
Christmas morning,
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21
Couldn't Help.

II have called" announced the
mendicant tearfully, Ito ask you to
help me in my extremity" 'Impossi-
ble,' returned the business man,
promptly; I'm not chiropodist.
PHILADELPHIA Record,
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-12-21

The lucky man is the man who see.
and grasps his opportunity.
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
NEWS NOTES.

The health of Mrs. Mckinley Is inn
proving.
Ex-Governor Atkinson Of Georgia is
dead.
Captain Charles Goodall of San
Francisco is dead.
4. 5. Marvin. president of the Marvin
Safe Company is dead.
Louisiana whitecaps killed one negro
and nogged two others.
4 Canton, Ohio, woman killed hus-
band, daughter and herself.
The city Of Anaconda. Montana, has
been swept by a cloudburst
One new case of yellow fever is re-
ported at Hampton. but no deaths.
VIM. \. Piper, a prominent San
Franciscan and Mexican war veteran.
is dead.
Pugilist Jeifries was warmly greeted
on his first appearance at the Royal
Aquarium, LONDON.
Van Wyck and Pattison are both
being doomed for the Democratic no.
mination against Bryan.
DIR. Mcintyre. a retired physician OF
Santa Rosa, Cal, committed suicide by
hanging himself in his barn.
Admiral npway was hanuuataI AT
Naples by the secretary OF the United
States Embassy. who came from Rome
for the purpose.
PARIS. Aug. 6.-During severe
thunderstorm last night the lightning
conductor on the Eiffel tower was
struck ten times.
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18

tain for him the actual custody pend.
inc IN opportunity 10 send the petiilon.
ers bach 10 china, and even ~ permit
them to be subjected to process IN the
courts ~ Hawaii for violating iis pc
mai laws IN attempting 10 cutter these
Islands unlawfuily
In Nishimura Ekin w. United states.
.if2 4. =. G5i the Commissioner Of
immigration put q Chinese girl IN q
mission house IN San Francisco 10 De
kept pending the Collectors final deci-
sion as TO her right TO land and al
lowed her 10 remain there afterwards
pending q final decision on a writ of
haboas corpus. The court held ~. G6lJ
that this was proper and that u left
her in the same position. 80 far as re-
garded her right to land In the United
States. as II she had never been re-
moved from the steamship
The petitioners had no right to land
under the laws and the Inspector, hay
ing jurisdiction, had so decided He
held them thencoforth under his judg-
ment or decision that they had no
right to land and should be sent back
to China. II they had escaped from
his custody. he could have recaptured
them. II he put them, as he did, In the
Immediate charge of others to hold for
him, they would stll be in his legal
custody. And II those in whose imme-
date charge he put them subjected
them. as they did in this case, To pros
ecution for violating the penal laws of
the country, and, without relinquish-
q, OH usb Lob Ia, hAl for Ia
Inspector, subjected them to new
custody, retaining their first authority
during the continuance of the second
and after IL terminated, though dur
ing its continuance in subordination
to- it, do not see how the Inspector
can be considered as having lost his
control completely.
Counsel for the petitioners rested in
the introduction Of their evidence In
order to argue the questions of law
raised by the evidence already intro
duced and on the understanding that
il the decision should be against them
on those questions, they should be
permitted TO present further evidence,
If they could, to show that the In
spector did not In fact render a deci-
sion. such as 1t was. prima facie shown
that he did render. and such, as II was
conceded, for the purposes Of argu-
ment at this stage of the case, that he
rendered.
The petitioners therefore will not
be remanded to the custody of the re-
spondents forthwith, but a further
hearing will be had at 10 o'clock this
morning for final liSpoSition Of the
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
EVOLUTION OF AN EDITOR.

Here's another essay on the eyolu-
ton of AN editor, taken from an I'M
known exchange:
We look into a cradle and behold q
male child. Al the age Of 10 he is q
noisy kid, with half the buttons OF his
pants, and an eye for meanness. Al the
age Of Is he Is "A devil In a printshop;
at %, the publisher OF a country news
paper, az the head OF every enterprise
calculated 10 improve the town or en-,
rich the business thereof; al 80 he Ia
an emaoiated and WORKOUT man, with
holes in his pocket and bald head; al
the age Of 30 he Is a corpse In a CHEAP
coffin, and his only resources left be-
hind are Two cases OF long primer type
a Washington handpress and a sub
scription book with 500 delinquent sub
scribers, who line up and march past
the coffin, saying; lie was public
spirited fellow, but he couldn't says
anything
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
SEIZE REBELS ARMS.

PuERTA PLATA, August 9.-The
iiaytien Government has seized at Fort
Liberte arms and ammunition destined
for Dominican insurgents, Several Do
minicans in Hayli have been arrested
for violating the neutrality laws
Among them is Francisco Deiljen, IN
whose keeping arms were found,
President sam of iiayti has wired
the Dominican Government than insur'
gents Will not De permitted 10 use Hay
ten territory as base for operations
The forces for the Government IN
der the command of Minister cordor,
have encountered insurgents led by
General Pablo Reyes
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
ON THE WEATHER
Interesting Statistics BY
Curtis j. Lyons.
Rainfall for Jutv 'hs Lowest IN Sis
teen Yeas Temperature At
t.cted Nv the Volcano.

.,, ,,,.
w io''o"'hs interesting summary
OF weather conditions. rainfall tenn
peratufes and the cause of the drop
In the lavol of ar,esi,n u,ter a. hind.
:. ,..,-,., a.. ,,...,,-
~ '"' Wy '"' ''S ~ h9"nS' Wv
expert OF the local weather Bureau:
M, -. .-. 80 =.
~, ssn WIS NV 80
49," .,. ga
- saii,' =,
~ -. IN . 80, n,an ,
-, ,,a,,,'I , NJ "s''ho'
T,,nnn ,,t,,,, co. -,
o. - 20 may,
., .. iae' wi '"e ino'i,n'
,h ''' '"'
p.',n, 10 a.
~, nu' ,ol '"e nion'n' 10
W. -, " NUM- oo.', apsolu'e nu-
n ,s' 20 S p'' '"''' i'o' u"
ns,, "a a. , 90
,ai ~ rs ,o i '
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
yAQUls TaAPPtO
Mexican General Closing
In on indians.
c-o.r val rotrss pr.ps,ins TO Born
os,o V 90, strons noio-r,ve
Thoussno Troops N tn. t,.id.

CHICAGO, August s.--A special Ia
the Record from Guaymas. Mex. says
General Torres has almost complete
ly surrounded Bicam. a Yaqui strong
hold. where nearly 1000 savages are
massed. on the arrival of the astil-
lery and the machine guns the Mexi-
can general will close in on the In
dams and precipitate the biggest bat
ale ever fought between the Govern
ment and the Yaquis.
The reports from General Torres re-
garding the killing of Remley and
Miller say their bodies were found
hanging from a tree with the hands
and feet cut of. The uprising reaches
down the Yaqui river TO the sea, and
1t is not expected 10 extend further
north than the Sahuaripa district.
The Government now has nearly
5000 men in the field. Two hundred
volunteers will leave Guaymas for Me-
dano tonight on the steamer Jalisco.
A fight is expected, on entering the
iaQui river, with a large band of saw
ages that last week attacked and
burned three sloops. A. Fires, we'll
known Mexican at Hermosillo, losing
his life in the encounter.
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
POSTAL OFFICIALS FOR MANILA

II. l.. Stocking. formerly Assistant
Postmaster of Tacoma, vii. leave Sar
Francisco for Manila on the Morgan
City with five assisstants-Edwir
4. Splllman of Sacramento, w. A
Shannon of Los Angeles. Charles b
Franklin Of Portland and Tobias Epp
stein aud Oscar Schutt of San Francis
CO. They go to assist Postmaster Val
in the Philippines.
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
lola Is PLEASED.
NEW YORK, Aug. S.-The Journal

NEW YORK, Aug. S.-rhe Journal
has the following from Paris:
Nothing can now prevent the ac-
quittal of Captain Dreyfus. The con
science OF the country Is aroused, and
the more light that is let in on the
subject the clearer will his innocence
appear. My previous representations
have turned out to be correct. ven
ture another prediction-it is tina
Dreyfus will be unanimously acquitted
EMILE lola"
The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-18
THE RICE TRADE.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9.-The new
crop of Louisiana rice is in the mar,
ket, but It will be thirty days befor,
1t Is received in sufficient quantity tC
affect values, Meanwhile Hawaiian Ia
slow of sale on account of the high
cost. while Japan, which is in good
supply and of good appearance as vel
as being cheap, is moving freely into
consuming channels.