davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
BURIED SNAKE ALIVE,
How Colony OF Prairie Dogs Got Rid
of n Rattler Which Had
Bothered Them.

1t would not seem very easy thina
to bury snake alive, but that is what
traveller through western Indian Ter.
ritory saw some prairie dogs doing
The story is told from Forest and
Stream.
The traveller was resting under a tree
when he noticed a commotion among
some dogs near him. They would run
up to a certain spot, peep at something
and then scamper back Looking more
closely he saw IS OF 20 dogs about rat.
tesnake, which presently went into onez
Of the dogs holes. ~ zs s..s= .
No sooner had it disappeared than
the little fellows began to push in dirt,
evidently to fill up the hole. BY the
time they had pretty well covered the
entrance the snake stuck his head up
through the dirt and every dog scam
pered off to safe distance, all the time
barking. ID. 81 ...5 .s;sz.. zs .= .s
The snake slowly crawled to another
hole about rod distant and went in.
This time they succeeded, and COM
pletely covered the entrance. This
done, they proceeded to beat the earth
down, using their noses to pound Il.
with. When it was quite hard they
went away. The traveller examined
their work and was surprised to find
that they had packed the earth in solid
with their noses az I had sealed the
snake inside.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
EXPERT AT WEIGHT.
Ability to Guess by Ounces Is One Of
the Accomplishments Of
Most Butchers.

It is his business, of course, and he
becomes expert at it, as a man might
in any work, but the customer who pays
any attention to-it at all is sure to be
interested, nevertheless, in the ac-
curacy with which the butcher cuts off
just the required amount of meat.
Whether it is two pounds of steak, or
four pounds of chops, or six pounds of
corned beef, it's all the same to him.
He cuts without long dwelling upon
where to set the knives. He slices away
sort of casual like and plies the saw,
and lays the meat on the scales, and it
does not vary more than quarter or a
half pound from the weight required,
on even the heaviest piece, and on the
lighter pieces he comes within an ounce
or two, or hits it right on the nail. ,>
A man, for instance, goes into a
butcher shop and asks for three and a
half or four pounds of, say, corn beef.
The butcher gets big piece out of the
pickle, lays it on block, and picks up
a knife, and, without the slightest
hesitation, with one strong, smooth
sweep, cuts off piece, which he lays on
the scales. It weighs three pounds and
three-quarters; it is in weight exactly
midway between the limits set.
The expert butcher gets his ability to
do this naturally enough, from good
Judgment to start with, backed up by
long experience, but when he cuts
things as close as this, even the Gus
toner familiar with his skill looks upon
his as wizard. - Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
Some Coveted Scrawls.

The most priced autographs in the
world are those of Shakespeare. Only
seven are claimed to exist, three sig.
natures to his will leach with differ.
ent spelling), two to conveyances OF
property, one in the folio edition of his
plays (doubtfuD and one in Tudor
translation of Montaigne. This last
is in the British museum, and cost over
1000 guineas. One thousand guineas
was the price given by the late Mr.. Al.
fred Morrison, Of Carlton House ter.
race, for an autograph letter written by
Marie Stuart to the archbishop OF
Guise. This and two other letters Zone
to the pope and the other to the king
of France) were written by the unfor.
tunate Queen of Scots on the morning
of her execution. The letter to the
French king was destroyed during the
days of the terror, while that to the
pope is still preserved at the Vatican.
The well-known bookseller, Bernard
Quaritch, gave s. 1000 for an autograph,
of Columbus, which was exhibited at
the worlds fair at Chicago. A Chica &c
autograph dealer is said to have offered
to give 100000, or over 100000, for a
genuine autograph Of Shakespeare if
brought to him within a year of making
his offer. It was safe bluff, for since
the tragic fate of Chatterton no forge1
has cared to tackle the quaint scrawl
of the Bard of Avon.-Collier's Week.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

Both dwarfs were born in 1879, and
in neighboring villages. At birth
Smaun weighed about % ounces
Fatma almost the same. Fatma was
barely seven inches in height when
born, Smaun probably an inch or so
taller. After exhibiting through the
fall and winter in German and Aus.
trian cities these little wonders from
the far east are to visit Paris, where
they will be star attractions while the
exposition lasts; a year hence they ex-
pect to be in America.
Tiny as Fatma is, she is not the
smallest person of whom we have
knowledge, although she is believed to
be the most diminutive one now living,
Toward the end of the last century
child was born to peasant couple in
northern Germany which weighed less
than 10 ounces at birth, and was a.:
that time under seven inches in height.
An ordinary wooden shoe was it's era,
die; it lived beyond its teens, and grew
to the tremendous height of 17H inches.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.'
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
ALONE AT CHRISTMAS.
The Need of an Organization Which
Would Bring the Lonely
Together.

If in this age of organizations innu.
merable there is room for one more, it
is for an organization which would
bring together, especially on Chris
mas, those who are alone in the world,
particularly women who are alone. I
do not think that many of us.who have
our kin closest to us on Christmas day
stop to realize what our feelings would
be if they were not with us. It is so
hard to imagine ourselves in position
other than the one we are in. And yet
that position might easily be other than
it is. With many that position is other
than God has made our own, a fact that
we are all apt to forget. We remem-
Der some poor family at Christmas, but
at least it is family. It is together.
The one is company for the other, even
in poverty. We remember the sick,
and God blesses those who do. But I
wish some of us might cast a look
around and give thought to those who
are not sick, who are not perhaps poor,
as the world judges, yet who are alone.
Some girl, perhaps, alone; some WON.
an alone; some young man, some old
man, alone! Alone at Christmas!-
Edward Box, in Ladies' Home Journal.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
CHR lsT1lls 5 81 s. ATE


Margie came down to dinner with her
eyes looking misty and her nose a trifle
red. AS she was the daught ter-in-law,
the whole family had to be up: in arms
when there was any danger bf Bob
abusing her. SO the truth was drawn
out by a little persistent coaxing.
NO." she said, looking as If ready to
cry again, I'VE. haven't had any quar-
rel or anything like that, and of
course Bob is the dearest fellow on
earth but he is so mean"
"Dearest, and yet mean," somebody
repeated; show can that be?'' 49,
"Well," continued Margie, shifting
again, you all know I've just beenwor-
ried to death to know what to get him
for Christmas men are so hard to get
things for-but knew he wanted !, a
pair of military hair-brushes, and so
got lovely pair and brought them
home. Last night 7 told him to guess
what had bought for him, and he went
and guessed, the mean old thing
guessed brushes the first thing. =, -
''Of course, was awfully vexed at
him, and told him he shouldn't have
them. It takes all the pleasure out of
Christmas when people know what
they are going to get, He begged me to
keep them-but I wouldn't do it. took
them right straight back just to pay
him up for guessing-the mean thing.
"And to-day I went and bought him
lounging chair, one of those awful
nice leather ones, that let down, with a
rod across the back. Just as soon as he
came I told him he couldn't guess what
I had for him now--it was something he
had wanted long, long time-and
don't you think--the horrid thing
spoke right out AID guessed CHAIR
Then I cried-of course I cried; it is
just too mean to have your Christmas
all broken up that way. I shan't send
the chair back, though; he has to keep
it to punish himself for being so
smart"
Here the little wife looked as if she
would cry again-and somebody said:
"Never mind, Margie, you don't know
what Bob has for you; your Christmas
is all right
''No, it isn't, either" sobbed Margie
"After he knew what his present was
told him he had to tell me mine-and
-boo-hoo - spO0ns-boo-hoo silver
spoons - our Christmas--boo-hoo-is
all spoiled d-boo-hoo - boo-hoo."-De-
troit Free Press.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
MTNNTQNT1I1
ALICE AND BOBBY.

in and out of the cage, run over the
balustrades of the long porch and even
come to the cooks kitchen door, where
he was fed dainties that were rich
enough to kill Sir Bobby-bright-eyes.
Instead of getting sick he grew fat and
saucy. If strange children tried to
catch him he would keep still until they
could almost touch his pretty striped
back; then away he would dash up to
the top of the very highest tree; then
he; would begin to chatter and scold, as
much as to say: "You didn't catch
me, did you'll" s ..s-s4 +. Z
Bobby y-bright-eyes liked the sunny
corners of the hotel porch, and once
the captain of the, steamer Welcome,
who often brought Bobby nuts from
town, found the squirrel in his pocket
when he was steering the boat, across
the lake. He seemed to be frightened
at the noise Of the engine and kept very
still. II i IA z.s..z-i s. 3.
Every one laughed when the captain
found him and perched him up on his
shoulder. Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune. 8
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
A CHRISTMAS JOKE.
How Grimmer's Anger Was Turned
to JOY While Demolishing
Christmas Present.

funniest Christmas scene I ever
witnessed was only a year ago."
laughed the broker whose laugh is all
the more CHEEKY because he made a
recent hit in wheat.
"Grimmer lives next door to me, you
know. Peculiar old gentleman, but he
has a heart as big as Yankee cheese.
# you only know=the way to reach it..
Last Christmas I was sitting at the
window when I saw Grimmer come
storming out of the house with lit
tie hair trunk on. his shoulders, He
slammed it downso hard that the lid
flew about on one hinge and then went
on a dog trot to the barn, returning
with an ak. AS the air began to fill with
fur and splinters,'I I went out to ascer-
tain the trouble = sss. $.5ss 5. ;s.s
81 "''I'll tell you the old man yelled, in
a defiant tone. 'I'll tell every body and
anybody. Put it in the papers if you
want to-. The old skinflint. of an uncle
Of mine sent the trunk last month. At
the same time received a letter from
him insisting that the trunk was not
to be opened till Christmas. opened
her all right enough, as soon as ] had
breakfast. What do you think there
was in It? A lot Of old literary frum-
perry that no secondhand book store
would handle and more cockroaches
than you could put in q peck measure.
ISguess q wasn't mad, and the old gem
Stleman LET 60 with the Ak as though
he were trying to fell 4 bullock. Out
rageous insult, and this time the
!wreckage was complete
800 "a the false bot tom exposed there
were government bonds, greenbacks
and quarts Of gold. trimmer stared
and then sat down IN collapse. It was
an hour before he was himself again
and then there were tears chasing, each
other down the wrink kles of his face as
.he wrote The .old I'M lint uncle. Q Yon
never say. such s sWhin as we had at
5lGriinmer's that - r. troll Free
Press.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
PRINCES HOLIDAY SHOPPING.
The Children Of the German EN-
perOr Are Taught the value
of Money.

Writing of "Christmas with an EN-
peror," Nagel Won Brave gives this in
teresting description in the Ladies'
Home Journal of the ceremonies at
tendant upon the great feast day in
the German palace: "The royal chill
dren have exchanged gifts chosen with
much solicitous deliberation at we'll
known toy shop. Anyone happening to
be in the shop at the time might have
seen the empress enter with her chill
dren, each provided with his own purse,
and completing his purchases aside so
that the others might be surprised.
The younger three princes demanded
the advice of their. mother in their Sc
lections. The princes investigated
everything, but upon inquiring the
price generally found it too dear.
Three marks for this book-rack?' and
with glance into his purse. No, that
is too expensive. Haven't over IS pfen-
nigs. What can you give me for that
price?' And the shopgirl proceeds to
show the princes something quite nice
for the required amount.
"But now the brothers and sister have
exchanged thanks for their gifts; the
first impetuosity of the Christmas re-
joicings has given place to a more tran
quill examination and inspection, and
ladies and gentlemen of the court have
made the rounds in general state of
admiration. Lackeys prepare a COLA
ton in the midst of the gifts. for which.
however, the young people find nd time.
It fares with them as with all healthy
children in the excitement attendant on
Christmas Eve, for: they are healthy and
genuine German children. The Christ
mas celebration in the Shell salon, the
excitement and the rejoicings have pro-
duced their natural reaction on them,
and at nine o'clock even the elder
princes are abed."
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

they Ishoute wlhen UInscle ben peered1
through his glasses at the parcels he
found on the tree for himself And
how they all exc claimed when Joyce un-5
did Aunt bells bundle and laid q
beautiful, soft. f1eecy, white shawl
about her shoulders! And then when
Uncle Ben, who had privately invited .
minister from the village, asked for 4
few Christmas remarks, they all lis
tened reverently while that sweet old
story. of the Babe Of Bethlehem was told
once more. s.. 43s 'S=z== S=
And after the candles had burned
down, sputtered and gone out, the front
room was deserted in favor Of the big
kitchen, where all sorts of gay, romp-
ing games were played. Joyce, flushed
and merry, wondered once or twice if
the girls at Jeans Christmas party were
having as much fun as She s..s
Presently Belinda, important and
smiling above her snow-white apron,
passed plates and napkins, and Joyce
helped her serve the delicious cake and
sandwiches and pour the tea and coffee.
What royal good time it was, and how
jovial the old men were, and how viva
cious the old ladies! Aunt Isabel and
Uncle Ben were plainly happy, and so
was Belinda, and if the guests were
one-half as happy as Joyce they were
happy indeed.
When it was all over and all the
guests had departed for their respec-
tive homes in the Promised Land, Uncle
Ben drew Joyce down upon his knee.
"Little girl" he said, "you done we'll
you done nobly! The true Christmas
spirit is in your heart, peace and good
will"
And Aunt Isabel smiled across at
her. you've brought the Christmas
feeling into my heart, child," she said
softly. II can't bear to have you go
home day after tomorrow.
Joyce laughed gleefully. '1'm not
going, auntie,'' she said. 'I've three
weeks vacation, and I'm going to spend
it all with YOU"
Uncle Ben chuckled to himself.
''That's the way to talk" said he. II
wondered when see that trunk of
yours if you mebbe wasn't going to
stay with us spell, and SO you be. Wen
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

travelling in the orient in search OF
novelties for the vaudeville stage.
Smaun has developed, under the
guidance of his manager, into gym
mast of no ordinary caiber, and is par.
ticnlarly clever in performances on the
trapeze and with the so-called Roman
rings. Fatma is very light upon her
feet, and has made hit in native In
dian dances. What diminutive couple
they are is we'll shown by comparing
their height with that of a champagne
bottle of the quart size. When the lat.
ter is placed upright by the side of
Smaun the top of the cork is on level
with the middle of his cheek bone, while
at the same time it is almost even with
the crown of Fatma's head.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20


a Discrepancy Nv sleigh saya he
never ne, makes mistakes. III mn!
That's one Of 'en. 4 ydney Town and
Country Journal.
We're in pickle now,' said man
u 9 crowd. "a regular jam" said an
other. Heaven preserve u.s. exclaimed
an old lady.-C olumbus State journal.
You referred to your friend as a dead
game sportsman % "Yes; he always
buys: his birds in the market. Dead.
game is his speciality Washington
Star. = =e. 5 &
After the Green Apple.-"Are you in
pain, my little man?'' asked the kind
old gentleman. ''No," answered the
boy. "The pains in me" ."-Sydney Town
and Country journal.
"What are you going to be when you
are man, Tommy?" I'm going to
work till I get money enough to buy a
candy store, an then I won't: do q
thing. Louis Republic.
Doting Mamma" Rodney, dear, to-
morrow is your birthday. What would
you like best?" Rodney, dear latter a
brief season of cogitation) )-''1 think
I'd like to see the schoolhouse burn
down. n."-Melbourne Weekly Times.
"Here, here!" cried the editor; "what
do you mean by saying the prisoner
laughed aloud for mercy?" 'That's
exactly what he did, replied the re-
porter. THE judge had just made 3
silly joke at his expense london An
swers.
'And who was the gentleman we had
at dinner to-day?" inquired the can
nibal king. ''He was a minister, sire. -
Indeed and indeed" CALCULATED the
potentate, smacking his lips; she was
most assuredly a prime minister
Town Topics.
Wife-''That prestidigitator did some
wonderful tricks.' Husband-"Ah and
what was one of them?" Wife-"He
asked if anyone had $40, and I had, and
he said he would change them to $40.
And he did, and here are the $40 to prove
it.'-Boston Courier.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
TIMOTHY BROWN.

Oh. Timothy Brown was terrible scamp,
And lessons he voted a bore!
ffench. grammar, geography, history,
sums, ~"
He vowed he'd not learn any more.
al the end OF year he knew nothing at
all
About anything under the sun
'rencn, grammar, geography, history,
sums,
He'd forgotten them every one.
one day rich uncle said: Timothy
Brown,
III ask you question or two;
II I'm As, and you're younger thanI.
HOW much am I older than you?'
Well, Timothy Brown he thought for
awhile,
And at last he discovered this fact,
inat ne hadn't a notion how long he'd been
born,
And he didn't know how to subtract.
Come, when is your birthday? I'll give
you tip
said his uncle, and patted his pate,
but Timothy Brown he burst into tears,
ne couldn't remember the date!
That's the end Of the story of Timothy
Brown
A story that's perfectly true.
And perhaps there's a moral for NO one
at all,
And perhaps there's moral for you!
-Erlc Parker. In st. Nicholas.
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20
Historic Tree for Valley Forre

, Some time ago the Centennial and
Memorial association of Valley Forge
addressed letters to the governors OF
the 12 original states asking each OF
them to furnish a tree from some his
toric spot to beautify the grounds. In
response to the letter sent to him Gov,
Wolcott of Massachusetts has directed
the transplanting to Valley Forgeo of a
tree from nursery within short dis.
tance of Plymouth rock, grown on land
surveyed a few years ago by Ralph
Waldo Emerson and Harry D. Thoreau.
M Y. World. sfEE 55ss.zs # .Ss: ,::st ,-
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

come acquainte Cd Wit during the pre-
Fceding summer " ZEN She had spent a.
week at the farm, and a now she gayly
waved her hand to hem as she caught
sight Of them al the window Or door
And SO swiftly does news travel, evenin
the Promised Land, that: before night
fall everyone knew that Joyce Baxter,
Aunt Isabel's niece, had come up to
spend the holidays. Somehow thevery
knowledge Of this helped to content
some dissatisfied girl hearts with the
prospect Of the usual dull Christmas in
the valley. .s.# s.i.s
But when next day Uncle Ben's we'll
known horse and cutter stopped at
every gate in the Promised Land and
pretty, stylish Joyce came up the path
to the front door, followed moment
later by Uncle Ben, who never missed
the chance of a neighborly visit, there
seemed to come all at once into those
quiet lives a new something of delight
and interest which had not been there
before. And when Joyce in her own
pleasant way had given her invitation
" SOAAAS uP " 1AuAc .
evening at seven o'clock they all
thought it was lovely and promised to
60, but not one of them even suspected
Christmas tree. And it was not only
the young people who were asked to
come. Not one was sighted. Every
family was invited, from grandma down
to the long-dressed baby. Aunt Isa-
bel had said: ASK 'em all, my dear,
the house is big enough to hold 'em, I
guess, and anyhow it'll do us good to
crowd up and be neighborly."' For the
truth was that the widely-scattered
families were not at all noted for their
''neighborliness.' All had grown into
stay-at-home habit, OF when they
went at all it was generally to the vii
lage.
A buster household than Uncle Ben's
could not be imagined than was his
on the day before Christmas. Very
early in the morning he and Joyce had
driven off up into the hemlock woods
and brought home in triumph a beau
tiful tree, tall, shapely and stout of
branch. And it was Uncle Ben who
set it firmly in a block of wood and
bore it into the big front room. And it
Willmar tribune., 1899-12-20

was DeAAhud, tAc ue1p, VIII pOPpeu
great panfuls of snowy corn, and Aunt
Isabel who sat in her red-covered rock
ing-chair and strung it into long fes-
toOns for the tree. And it was Joyce
who filled the generous bags of lace
net she had made at home with candy.
raisins and cracked nuts. And it was
Joyce who twined long, spicy-smelling
ropes of hemlock to swing from the
ceiling and around the walls.
Belinda and Aunt Isabel retired to
the kitchen, while Joyce was busy with
Uncle Ben in the front room, and pres
emily Belinda's cake-making skill was
| announced by delicious smells from
the big oven, and Aunt Isabel sliced the
pink ham and sandwichedit it in between
the .daintily-thin buttered bread.
"We'll have tea and coffee both, Be-
linda," said Aunt Isabel, land pass the
things around" And Belinda, smiling
broadly in pleased anticipation of the
unusual thing which was about to hap
pen, deftly spread the snow-white frost
ing over the big fruit cake she had al
lowed to cool.
1T will be nice, that's a fact" she
said, energetically. ''!t's wonderful,
amt it, what jest one girl can set ago
ing when she takes notion!"
At seven O'clock the Promised Land
people presented themselves at Uncle
Ben's front door. The old man, shining
with hospitality, beamed upon his
guests and welcomed each one with a
hearty ihandshake., And next came
Joyce with a bright word for every. one
and a smile and happy welcome for
each and every child. The young girls
looked at Joyce in bashful admiration.
How pretty she looked in her soft
blue dress, with one of Aunt Isabel's
geranium blossoms in her hair!
They came and came and Uncle Ben
overfiowed with genial warmth, while
Aunt Isabel, whose rheumatism kept
her closely to her chair, smiled peace
fully upon them all and never once
thought of her bright rag carpet un-
der all those snow:dampened feet. Uncle
Ben had made a fire in the big sitting
room fireplace, and around this the
older folks gathered for friendly
visit. 5. s :*.=<
At half-past seven Joyce opened the
front room door. and ushered the chill
Edren and young people into the blaze
and glory Of the first Christmas tree
some Of them had ever seen. Right
proudly did Joyce view the pretty scene,
the hemlo ock-garlanded room, the
wreaths above the pictures, but over all
and crowning all the lovely tree, tower
ing to the ceiling, ag1ow with hesoft
light Of dozens Of candles, agleam with
snowy festoons of popcorn, golden or
anges and bags Of candles. Joyce had
worked hard al day and was tired 1t
least she had been tired before the peo-.
pie came but now as she looked into
the happy faces and wonde dering eyes she
felt that it had paid.
Who conld tell of all the joys Of that
wonde derful Christma Eve! How aston-
ished each boy was Wh hen Uncle Ben.
loudly read his name and handed down
to. his eager. hands some mysterious
parcell How rad INIT happy was each
small girl who received some pretty
thing from that Wonde rful treel And
mo child no forge Fen. Md then how