davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1900-12-30
Christmas Reciprocity.

TITS a good deal of money to put into
a Christmas present." said Mr.. Spudds
"but it will give her a pleasant surprise,
and l guess l can stand it,
So he drew his check for $500 for dia-
mond brooch for Mrs. Spudds.
TT looks like paying a great deal OF
money for a single garment" remarked
Mr.. Spudds but l can't think of any
thing she would like better for a Christ
mas gift, and this has been pretty good
year. I'll go it."
Whereupon he wrote check for S3l5
for sealskin sack for Miss Spudds.
Her mother win consider it piece OF
extravaganza" muttered Mr.. Spudds.
''but she shall have as fine one as there
is in the market Christmas comes only
once year, anyhow"
And he wrote his cheek for S165 for a
lady's gold watch for Miss Calista Spudds.
"The girls and are delighted with our
presents, William" said Mrs. Spudds on
Christmas morning, and now l viii show
you what we have done for you. Here it
is"
What is it, Amelia?" asked Mr..
Spudds.
Its the silk necktie we gave you last
Christmas, turned and made over, and
just as good as new"
But what else can man expect who
transacts all his business by check and
never leaves any money at home when he
goes down town in the morning?
The times., 1900-12-30

the inside of the hem with a deep pleated
dust ruffie of white liberty silk. This
underskirt is veiled with a dropskirt con-
sisting of rich grey Venetian guipure,
made in one piece without seams, and
with the design outlined with finest sill
yer thread, and spangled with small fine
ly cut crystals, At intervals along the
flare are appliqued floral designs of white
velvet, outlined and embroidered with
silver thread, Over this falls a graceful
tunic of white velvet cut into deep points
below, and opening in front 10 show the
lace skirt, in tabler form. White satin
lines the tunic throughout.
The bodice is most novel in its construc-
tion. the crowning feature being the be-
coming decolletage which purposes to
flatter the neck and complexion, while
hiding all possible defects. and can be cut
quite low with impunity. The corsage is
of white velvet closely adjusted TO the fig
ure. but covered in front by Dlastron of
grey guipure over a lining of silver cloth,
forming a slightly bloused effect above the
belt of silver braid with buckle of soli-
taires set in silver. A white velvet de-
sign, like those on the skirt-flare, is ap-
pliqued with silver thread. and numer-
GUS finely cut crystals, add much to the
beauty and glitter. This plastron extends
into straps over the shoulder, which COM
bine it with the fitted ofnamentation OF
guipure which finishes the decolletage at
the back. while another strap in the CEN
tire connects it with the high faring col
lar OF the same guipure over cloth Of sill
yer, delicately outlined with fine silver
thread and studded with crystals.
The shoulder is fatteringly exposed by a
curious rounded piece of guipure, finely
wired to keep It in place and to which is
fastened the sleeve, graceful conceit
consisting of black tulle over white NOUS
seline de sol. and caught with band OF
The times., 1900-12-30

guipure. The effectiveness of this touch
of black is further evineed by the long
scarfs of black tulle over white moussel-
Inc de sol which flow in long folds at the
front and back of each arm, and also by
the chic little eravat of the same diapha-
nous materials at the throat. Long white
suede gloves are Worn with this rich gown
and huge rose Of white velvet with foli-
age Of delicate sage green is posed on the
left shoulder.
Crepe de chine, lovely material at
all times and for all purposes, is more
than ever in evidence at present, parti-
cularly for debGtantes' gowrs, and one
charming girlish model is worthy OF de-
scriptlon. 1t is made a la Marie Louise
and is composed of white crepe de chine
The skirt has a tablier of white crepe
de chine, embroidered by hand with ar
tistic pink roses and foliage done in deli
cate shades.
At the sides and back is the skirt of
white crepe de chine caught at both
sides of the tablier with huge choux of
pale pink mousseline de sole embroidered
like the tablier. The bodice is tight ct
the back and blouses in front with a
deeply pointed waistline defined by a
belt of golden galloon with jeweled
buckle. The decolletage IS draped with
white mousseline de sole, the folds of
which simulate a fischu and, crossing over
the bust, form little zouaye jacket
which extends arounds the back. Where
the mousseline drapery crosses in front, it
is caught by a rich pink rose, matching
the embroidered ones. The elbow sleeves
consist of three large full puffs of white
mousseline de sole caught with narrow
bands of gold galloons. The hair is done
high on the head with a large comb to
preserve the grace OF the costume
FELIX FOURNERY.
The times., 1900-12-30
The Woman without n Trade.

For the girl whose parents have recog-
nized the changed conditions, and allowed
her to fit herself for profession or trade.
the question OF sustenance has no terrors;
but it is the woman with no particular
qualification, with meager education,
who, when suddenly brought to the brink
of necessity, cries, in bitterness and alarm,
What can | do?' When her hour OF need
comes she finds herself a competitor with
a few millions OF women. each one of whom
is by schooling made mistress of some one
art or craft, and Is thus safely launched on
q career, says the "Woman's Home Com
panion.''
For such a one, provided she has suffi-
cient money, probably the true solution of
the difficulty Is TO qualify herself TO enter
the lists-go at once to one OF the training
schools, such as Cooper Institute. in New
York; Pratt Institute. in Brooklyn; Drexel
Institute. in Philadelphia; Armour Insti-
tute, in Chicago, where thanks 10 the per-
fected methods of1instruction and a thor
ough understanding of the needs of the
applicants. afworiSing knowledge of the
useful or the fine arts may be had in an
amazingly brief space.
The times., 1900-12-30
HOW ZULU WOMEN ST,
Use Sinews for Thread and Needles
With No Eyes

The skill of the Zulu of South Africa in
sewing fur is a household word In South
Africa, and some of the other tribes COM
pete with them. The needle employed is
widely different from that used by the
ordinary needlewomar. In the first place
it has no eye; in the second. it is like a
skewer, pointed at one end and thick at
the other
The thread is not Of cotton, but is made
of the sinews Of various animals. the best
being made from the sinews in the neck OF
giraffe. II is stiff, inelastic with great
tendency to king and tangle itself up
with anything near it. Before being used
Ii Is STEPPED in hot water until it is quite
soft, and is then beaten between two
smooth stones, which causes it to separate
into iilaments, which can thus be obtained
Of any strength and thickness. Thus the
seamstress has a considerable amount of
labor before she commences with the real
work in hand.
Finally she squats on the ground tfor no
native stands to work or do anything else
who can possibly help it,, and, taking her
needle, bores two holes in the edges Of the
rug or garment on which she is working.
The thread is then pushed through with
the butt of the needle, drawn tight and
two more holes are made with like re-
suit, the skewer progressing very slowly
compared with an English needewoman,
but fast enough for a country where time
is Of no value whatever.
The skin upon which the seamstress is
working, says Stray Stories,'' is dampened
with water before she commences, and as
the damp thread and hide dry out it brings
the work very closely together. This is
carefully attended to, and the work is not
allowed to get dry until finished, when the
seamstress lays it fat upon the ground,
pulling it this way and that and mixing
and arranging the hair for several hours,
until the skin, being generally dry. it is
impossible to find the joint or hem with
the naked eye.
The times., 1900-12-30
4 Remarkable Club.

A clubwoman tells the New York Trib-
une" comic story of how her small neph-
ew and his friends caught the organiza-
ticn fever and got up club of their own.
They were anxious to compare notes with
her on the subject of their respective
clubs, but, although her nephew asked
her great many questions, it was evi-
dent that the methods of the Junior Ath-
letie Club were entirely original. It's
business seemed 10 consist principally of
electing and expeling members, the same
member being taken in and put out again
several times week. Irregular attend
ants were brought in by the use OF physi-
cal force, or expelled bodily by the same
means, and like penalty was brought to
bear upon cases of unconstitutional con-
duct, usually followed, however, by a
wholesale exercise Of the pardoning pow
er. This made Il as difficult TO record
the membership as to count flock OF
sheep.
What did you do at your meeting?"
the aunt enquired one day.
I'VE 'lected some officers"
why, you elected officers last week"
Yes, but they didn't act good, SO we
thought we'd 'lect some new ones"
tom can't come much" went on the
clubman, so We made him premonitory
member"
"A what? Do you mean honorary"
Yes. | guess that's 1t. He has to
pay dues, but he doesn't have TO come un-
less he can" This implied merely that
Tom was exempt from being an officer
The times., 1900-12-30
HER RAILROAD SCHEME.
Mrs. Beard Wants a Line Construct
ed Across Mexico.

Many enterprises have been undertaken
by women and prosecuted to success. but
probably the record for the most daring
business venture ever made by woman
is held by Mrs. L. J. Veiasquez Beard, of
Arizona. Her scheme is nothing less than
the construction of a railroad system
across Mexico and the operation of a
steamship line from Mexico to Savannah.
Whether she proves equal 10 the task
of rendering this immense undertaking a
success remains to be seen.
In a recent interview Mrs. Beard stated
that her husband was the possessor Of
vast mining interests in Arizona, and that
he first projected the railroad enterprise.
He was murdered she said while on an
exploring expedition in n'AIaska, and that
she then assumed his work. She took
charge of the mines, with1a partner, she
said, and she also decided TO prosecute
the railroad project.
Mrs. Boards parents were Spanish. and
she was born in Havana Cuba. While a
young woman she moved to Louisiana, and
later married. When the civil war began
her husband enlisted in the Confederate
army, and she said she, too, followed suit.
Il carried a gun just as my husband,
said she, "and l was right in the front
ranks
Her husband afterward died, and the
married a second time. Her second Eus-
band was William Beard, and he was a
native of England, being born in Ken
singtOn. sa EasLr- b-
Mr. Beard was an expert miner, and
he was engaged in this business in Africa,
Australia and other places. Mrs. Beard
has also travelled extensively, and speaks
several different languages.
The times., 1900-12-30
CHILDREN IN GERMANY.
Seemingly the Fatherland Is No
Paradise for Girls.

Decidedly Germany Is no country for
girls. 1t almost seems to be lese majestic
to be woman, and women are dealt with
accordingly The following questions
were given to several hundred German
boys and girls recently: Il. Which would
you rather be, a man or a woman, and
vhy? q Which man or woman OF whom
you have ever heard or read would you
most wish to be, and why?"
The girls mostly replied in the most
correct set terms. This was typical an
swer: Il wish to be a woman because 1t
is noble duty to love a husband and
children" Another said: Il wish to be
a woman because desire to lead a useful
home life. l do not wish to face the dan
gers OF the world" This cautious and
secluded young person was only eleven.
The views of the boys were more COM
prehensible. One of these wrote; 81 wish
to be man because l mean to marry, and
a married woman has no free will. / wish
to have a free will. II were a woman
/ would not marry" And another: Il
wish to be a man, for / shall enjoy being
student; women are not students" :"
While the girls mostly set for themselves
Queen Louise as a model, on account Of
her amiability and compassionateness.
the boys fancied such models as Bis
Frederick the Great, Luther, and certain
professors and learned men. One said
II should like to be Kruger. because he
has won three battles over the English
and taken a lot of prisoners. II is a
glorious thing to beat the English" Here
is a thoughtful and extremely German an
swer:
II should not like to be celebrated
man. Bismarck and Moitke, and great
men like them, met with great difficulties,
and they had to endure much ingratitude.
! should like to lead the life of q forester,
and to know all about nature. The life of
forester gives an opportunity for living
with nature and observing her beauties,
and such life may be very useful to the
State"
An amazing feature of this effort to OBJ
tain an insight into the minds Of German
school children was the school authori-
ties objection to the girls being asked
the first question. Little German girls, it
seems, are not encouraged to look beyond
their sex's humble state, and the school
board at first thought 1t better not to- let
them think that it might have been pleas
anter IL they had been born boys.
The times., 1900-12-30
Two Daring Japanese Women.

A superstition forbids the women of
Japan to scale high and sacred mountains.
It being believed that, should they dare to
do so. they would be torn to pieces by
avenging spirits which inhabit the high
regions Fuii was one of these forbidden
mountains, until Mrs. Grant, wife of the
late ex-President OF the United States,
set the superstition at defiance by ac-
companying her gallant heusband to its
summit. Even after that, however. very
few of our women, says the Japan Week
ly Times" dared to follow in the foot
steps of the American lady. But the sa-
cred Full has now been scaled by two very
young ladies. Miss Asa Tashiro. twelve
years and two months of age, and Miss
Kiyo Tsuschiya, nine years and nine
months old. undertook this serious noun
taineering feat and succeeded not only
in reaching the crater, but in coming
home without even a scratch.
The times., 1900-12-30
Her Military Rank.

Queen Wilhelmina's Joy knew no bounds
not long since when the Kaiser Wilhelm
appointed her colonel of the Fifteenth
Prussian Hussars. though It is not her
first command. To be the honorary colo
mel Of a regiment of soldiers is one of the
great hobbies of a royal princess. The
women colonels only number about six
teen, Znd these appointments are con-
fined 70 Germany and Russia. There are
only two women in the world who enjoy
the rank OF admiral. The Empress Dow
ager OF Russia is chief OF the first estab-
iishment of the Russian navy. besides be-
ing colonel OF four regiments. and the
Queen OF Greece gets much satisfaction
and a fair amount of glory from being
chief of the second establishment of the
navy. Gear Alexander III was always ex-
tremely fori of his young relative, and
knowing her passion for the sea gave her
ships instead of troops.
The times., 1900-12-30

brilliant golf hose, another a plain stout
yarn affair, a fourth was an old style
white stocking with pink top. fifth
was a babys sock, sixth showed won
derful clocks, a seventh was a clowns
stocking, an eighth was an open work bas
de Sole the ninth was blue stocking,
and the tenth was an old stocking,
patched and worn.
Every man at the ball, says the New
York Tribune was allowed freely to
comment on the appearance and possible
usefulness of the ten Brobdingnagian
hose, while the auctioneer swung his
hammer and highly recommended the
contents of these strange Christmas
stockings. Cheerful giggles and pleased
comments or indignant protests issued
from the tops of the stockings as the
crowd criticised. laughed. peered. or
guessed at the identity of the persons in
side, and finally, when the bidding was
over, the many colored bags were opened.
Tremendous surprise ensued, and the men
who had bid highest waltzed off with their
purchases, who were pleased or re-
proachful. in accordance with the good
prices they had brought.
The times., 1900-12-30
New Road to Learning.

In these enterprising days. when short
reads to learning are being evolved on
every hand, new music method by Miss
Evelyn Ashton Fletcher, a young Cana
dian woman. is attracting some attention.
Miss Fletcher was a teacher of the piano
and made it her aim TO reduce the offi-
culties attending the rudimentary musical
education of children. To this eud she
has invented a series of games. illustrate
ing all the symbols and signs used in
music.
She has patented seven such games. and
has many more, which teachers studyin:
under her use with the material she sup
plies. For example. knowing the inherent
tendency OF the child 10 tear TO pieces and
rebuild Miss Fletcher provides key
board SO constructed that the child has
the happy privilege of taking it apart ard
reconstructing it. With this keyboard
the child builds the intervals, learns their
names, the scales. both major and minor.
also the principal chords in the different
positions. thus acquiring the foundation of
the study of harmony. In this way the
method aims to give a fundamental sys-
tematic musical education, In way which
pleases children by appealing to their
love OF the picturesque and of symbolism.
The times., 1900-12-30
THE CHATTY WOMAN.
She Must Talk EntertainingIy to suc-
coed in Society.

To be a woman OF the world nowadays
one must be tty"-industriously, in
defatigably chatty. The society woman OF
today talks much and always. Her ideas
are not necessarily numerous but she has
acquired the art of expanding and elon-
eating and ''ballasting" those she has, IN
til she could deliver two hours dis
course on pink chiffon at a moments no
tice. The conversation of the society
woman has become strongly characteris-
tic. Whenever she is in want of word
she very handily puts in you know" or
don't you know" and with that short
respite is prepared to rush on again.
II would thus seem that conversation,
consisting of alternate remarks and ejac-
ulations between two women, would be
impossible. But here the art comes in.
says the Detroit Free Press" A woman
who is not a woman of the world would
probably sit stupefed by this flow of lam
guage and seek valnly for an opening in
which to project few of her IDEAS But
the worldly woman recognizes her OPEN
ing, unemphasized by silence though it is.
and deftly comes in like a second violin,
and SO the symphony of the chat is sus-
tanned
One educated in society talk may easily
ascertain a persons social status, without
even seeing her, by hearing her talk The
fashionable woman ends all her sentences
with the English rising infection. She
talks quickly. and with a certain effusion
of tone that is like bubbles. She has her
regular stock-in-trade words and phrases.
AS these grow questionable or obsolete
they are thrown out or supplemented by
others
1t is society's highest form of COM
mendation now to say a person is at
tractive" Society always thanks one for
favors by saying lit is so sweet of you"
with saccharine accent on the adjective.
Charming" which two years ago was so
popular, is now somewhat on the wane as
a society term. Nothing is good, or fao,
or pleasant. II is so good" and $50
fine" and $50 pleasant" All US are
carefully enunciated and words are clean
cut and not slurred together. 1t is a
pleasant form of speech II you have to
listen to It. But If you have anything you
really wish to say you will be clever in
deed to get 1t said.
The times., 1900-12-30
A CHRISTMAS coTILLIoN.
Here Is One Merry Way of Doing
Charity.


Lady Curzon, in her Christmas festivi-
ties of last year, invented some new fig
ures in q cotillon that may serve as hints
to American hostesses. The cotillon was
a combination of business and pleasure,
as Lady Curzon wished to add to her fund
for the relief OF the famine sufferers, but
the money part of 1t could be dropped,
unless American hostesses wish to serve
a pet charity.
In the centre of the ballroom hung
huge bunch OF mstletoe, and solid
money forfeit had to be paid by any cou-
ple who were so unlucky as to be forced
by other couples under the fatal bough.
one couple was appointed by the leader
TO dance alone, then he called up ten
couples to waltz about and try to force
the first couple to pass under the cnhn-
deIier. After this he called up ten more
couples to defend the first couple from the
strategy of the aggressive ten. pretty
game Of waltz football ensued, under the
rules that everybody must keep dancing
ALI the time, and that when the first ten,
after eight minutes, failed to force the
nursued coupie under the mistletoe, 1t
was their duty to collect the sum OF the
whole forfeit among themselves and put
tbe amount. in actual money or promises
TO pay. in the poorboX at the door.
For the second figure favors were for
sale--that is to say, the couples, when
nassing up to the favor table, were al
lowed to choose from among the trifles
displayed, but on the back of every gim-
crack a number was pasted froE. penny
to the amount of pound, and that such
the person selecting was obliged to put
in the poorbox.' A tremendous amount OF
guessing and lutter went on at the favor
table. and the most elegant favors some
times demanded only a penny, while the
unlucky big number would be found at
tached to a silly bow OF ribbon.
The third and most brilliant figure was
an auction sale OF charming girls hidden
wholly inside of the huge Christmas
stockings. Ten young women would be
called up and carried into an adjoining
room. They were persuaded TO step into
enormous stockings made of different
goods-one a silk stocking, another a
The times., 1900-12-30
The Truth in Jest.

II wanted to 60 out shopping today"
sighed young Mrs. Maddox. but couldn't
on account of the rain"
Wanted to try to get something for
nothing, as usual. suppose" said her
husband, attempting TO be facetious.
We'll did think of getting you some
neckwear," replied Mrs. Maddox, inno-
cently-Smart Set
The times., 1900-12-30

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