davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
PROF. WENSEL
4 Lectures
| Tuesday, Dec, Il, and Thursday, Dec. 16,
on
PSYCHIC MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

"Well!" they all exclaimed, what does
he mean by that?"
1T seems to me easy enough 2 said Pencil
ope. ut is having the spirit or soul of the
season within. / used to think Of these
things once, but Christmas seems dead
season now. Funny, too" she laughed,
when | have here under my arm Is proof
sheets of Atoms new Christmas story,
which am to correct this very night"
"AndI, l." said Estella, never celebrate the
day now; though am teaching six new
Christmas carols to my pupils, and have an
anthem in my music roll to practice for
Christmas service in our little church,
'TAnd l. puffed Urania, "have ten pounds
of dried fruits for the Christmas Ihince
pies It all goes to- those greedy boarders
of mine, and i am too tired to know what
Christmas means in these days. 1t is a dead
anniversary and practical people have out
grown it,
A fare from the electric lamp sent a
light over the three keen, intelligent old
faces, and revealed three hands clasped
closely and sympathetically. They were all
we'll over 60, and their faces bore marks of
sorrow, courage and well thought battles.
Penelope and Urania were what the world
calls ttoId maids Qoying friends would
have another namel. In youth Penelope had
had family, home, wealth and ease; now
all these had passed from her. She was
merely book canvasser when 'the firm
required her services, or stenographer or
proof-reader when that sort of work
pressed Her home" was a back room in
shabby house, on duh street in the
sleepy old city; her only relative, a brother,
remained, He, alas, was hopelessly insane;
yet the brave woman supported him, al
ways spoke of him as my weak-minded
brother" visited nim on every holiday, and
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
A R ESU r RE ED
CHRISTMAS
BY Elvira Floyd Eroemcke


[NN7N ONE of those misty, gray evenings
Nv street corner was suddenly eniiv.
enea by a gsy whistle, boy, bundle OF
hard bills and bucket OF paste. With
the cnid gaze OF the electric eye upon him,
the boy p'astered bill upon the tall wooden
poe, and then stepped back to gaze admir-
ingiy on his work, and to give an extra
dab or two at the loose edges which there
upon clung to their support in approved
artistic style.
Three women were approaching from diff
ferent directions, and, thinking to do .
good stroke Of bus for his employer by
attracting attention to his advertisement,
he whistled very shrilly and quite off the
key, as he slowly picked up his pail to leave.
One old lady stopped and exclaimed, inn
patiently:
eff you must whistle, why don't you
whistle in tune 7" s
The boy only laughed good-naturedly,
and took himself off in haste, but the two
women approached uttering little express
sions of surprise and pleasure; for they
were old friends, and at the very moment
of meeting each had been thinking over by
gone days, when their lives were closely in
terwoven.
We'll, here We are" gayly exclaimed Es-
tella; three graees in ungraceful attire!
Did you ever hear such fearful whistle as
that boy had? First he took me off my feet
and then frightened him into finding his.
Do see him rum" she added, as the youth
disappeared round corner.
"Are you going home?" she inquired
They simply answered: Eyes, and all
turned to read the poster that had seemed
to draw them together:
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
SOME CHRISTMAS GIFTS
By Elisa Armstrong
etIV~A7IT1l HEN. YOU give a Christmas pres
kNAkI ent there is every thing in having

et fV~A7 HEN you give Christmas pres
kNNkI ent there is every thing in having
LMNI it suitable" remarked Mrs. Will
der. gu agree with me in that, don t you,
Tom?'
'sM'hm,o replied Mr.. Wilder, who had
been married 20 years. He did not for one
instant detach his mind from his paper, as
he gave this positive assurance.
eyes, indeed; when I go selecting Christ
mas presents put my whole mind upon
it. No haphazard, indiscriminate present
buying for mel / select something which
is sure to please the recipient, because it is
something which she really wants. Now,
there is Laura; she is near-sighted, you
know, and / bought her lovely pair of
opera glasses She will be SO pleased with
them that she will send me something even
more expensive in return"
IN him." replied Mr. Wilder, without
looking up from his paper.
II thought you would agree with me-
Then there is Suzanne. / have sent her a
lovely set of kitchen aprons, with pockets
enough to delight the heart Of any house
keeper. As for Ede, have, after much
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

q 2 55E
hood, and she brought spirit that stirred
to life many tender memories. She had had
her sorrows. Widowed and made ehidless
in the second year Of marriage, she had to
face the world and turn the art that she
adored into a packhorse to sustain her life
and carry her over hard bridges.
Now the three had met, and--well, they
felt young again, and acted so.
"Three old pieces of driftwood toughened
by the tide" said Estella. 'fToo old to Gel
ebrate anything, even day antique as
Christmas" @ 45E
II have heard that driftwood makes a
beautiful fire for warmth and color" said
Penelope, softly.
@Yes, added Urania, 'and an open fire is
SO comforting. Three logs and pair of well
polished andirons-" M
An unexpected laugh rang out; Estella
was certainly forgetting nerves, and cold,
age and infrmity.
DO You remember, said she, that aw-
full Christmas we were forced to spend at
Miss Verplanck's boarding school? Bless
me, girls, it will be so years this Christmas!
Surely you remember itp
"Well, | guess we do, chimed in Pencil
ope. Il was exiled because Of scarlet fever
at home; you because your mother and
father were called to London, and dear
Urania, here, stayed lest We should be un-
happy; bless her!"
.Yes," added Urania, with slight flush,
"and do you remember the feast in Estella'
rooms How you knitted something soft
and white, and Estella played minor things
on the piano, till a tear dropped on one Of
the apples | was roasting for supper, and
how you stuck your knitting needle in that
apple, SO that should swallow my own
tear. Then how we danced the Highland
schottische, tilllittle Miss Verplanek put her
head in the door, and said, with that little
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

]
thought, selected her beautiful umbrella
with handle which will exactly suit her
taste. I shall expect something very nice
from both of them, if only in return for my
thoug ughtfulness."
"M'hm," replied Mr.. Wilder, as he turned
page.
Eyes, and then there is Helen. ] thought
great deal over her present. AS she is a
settled old maid and lives alone. it was hard
to find something sure to please her. Final
ly / thought of cat and got her a lovely
Angora; wasn't it thoughtful of me? OF
course, she will never marry and a cat is al
most as good as a man about the house
both Of them are difficult to please about
their eating and so hard to keep in the house
at night
"M'hm,. replied Mr.. Wilder, as he ran
his eye up a column.
eyes, and I sent them all ont by mes
senger boy an hour ago. Here he comes back
with lot of notes, full Of gratitude, know,
because each gift was SO suitable. 0, Tom,
listen
Dear Maria: Thank you so much for
the lovely opera glasses you so thought
fully sent me. They will no doubt be e'l-
ceedingly useful when we no longer live
in a suburb which is inaccessible after
: - LAURA
well, that is merely an accident, and the
rest of my presents are SO suitable that
oh, Toni
- Dear Aunt It was lovely of you to
send me those beautiful kitchen aprons.
They, are the adniration of every woman
in the boarding house where 1--we:
oh, dear, / quite forgot that she is
boarding. .hut the rest--Tomf
Dear Maria: It was very kind of you
to send me such a1ovely umbrella. shall
no doubt find 1t extremely useful as rainy
day companion when have sufficiently re-
covered from the rheumatism to venture
out when there is a cloud in the sky.
'sEFFIE'
"oh, my goodness, but there is Helen
left. Surely her present-listen:
/" My Dear Maria: I appreciate your
kindness In sending me such a lovely cat,
but as I am about to marry widoWer
with seven children fear that shall not
very we'll know what to do with It. Yours,
los..eis' HELEN
ooh, Tom, isn't it aw-look here, Tom
Wilder, don't believe you have heard a
single word of what I have been saying!''
MIN" - replied Mr.. Wilder, without
looking up from his paper.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

woman beside a
manger clasps her babe to her bosom and
looks up in Joseph's face and with quiver.
ing lips whispered: "Does Herod know?"
And SO there is a reason for this great
Christmas anniversary. We know why is
land calls to island, and nation responds to
nation, and continent halls continent, and
hemisphere salutes hemisphere. We know
why the world heaves its hosanna like an
Atlantic surge over the battlements of glory.
Watch the old sexton of the ancient cathe-
dral He rises about four o'clock and trims
his lantern. We follow him down the
street and up the hill, and suddenly before
US, out of the gloom of the early morning,
rises the great Gothic temple. The door
closing with bang starts long roll of
echoes up and down the church aisles like
drum call. He climbs the belfry steps and
sets his lantern in the recess of window
and long thin ray shoots from it across
the church and the sculptured faces of
many saints are lighted up 1t is FIVE
o'elock. The sexton grasps rope, bends
his body and bows his knees till they touch
the floor, suddenly drops the rope and it
swiftly runs upward, and the tower trem-
bles and the great bell, like huge gun,
booms: "Awake!" He grasps another rope
and rings a second bell in the chime which
repeats the message of the first: "Awake!"
The bell ringer grasps another rope, and
rings a third bell, and it responds:
"Awake!n Then all is still. But as the
music dies upon the air, far away comes
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
Consideration.

christmas is when people show how
much they think Of one another, isn't it p
said Mrs. Blykins.
.eIt is, answered her husband, with his
characteristic glance of gloom. It's when
all the husbands begin to wear rag-time
neckties and smoke rag-weed cigars be-
cause they love the giver." Washington
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
the Night before Ghristmas.

# The Nfght beI0Fe GhFlsSmaS.
Twas the night before Christmas and all
through the house
Everybody was sleeping as still as mouse.
No stockings were hung and no presents
prepared,
No Christmas-tree ordered, but nobody
cared;
Or at least no one seemed to be troubling
himself,
No turkeys were killed, no mince pies on
the shelf
No bright-berried holly was wreathed on
the wall.
No mistletoe-bough had been hung in the
hall
Twas surely the night before Christmas,
and yet
Everyone in the house seemed this fact to
forget
But this happened in Norway, SO nothing
was wrong,
For their night before Christmas is just
six months long.
Carolyn Wells, in Judge.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
FndfspensabIe.

Mr.. Biilus- What. are you going to give
Bessie for a Christmas present?
Mrs. Billus-I think 1sshall give hersa full
length mirror for her room
Mr.. BillusThat settles the question
easily enough for me. shall give her a
tough and durable floor rug to go to the
front Of it, Chicago Tribune.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
rr, : Wnr,n Turned.

Mrs. Cobwigger While it's true that
women wear mems neckties, you surely
couldn't expect me to appear in public IN
such monstrosity as this. Where IN the
world did you ever get such a tie?
Cobwigger-My dear, that's the one you
houeht for me last Christmas.-Judge.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

the church triumphant was listening to
the salutation: Awake, put on thy
strength, O, Zion, put on thy beautiful gar
ments, Jerusalem the holy city, break
forth into JOY, for the Lord hath comforted
His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem"
Look at that old bell ringer as he listens
to the music of the bells on Christmas
morning, and see the tears upon his cheeks
and ask him what it all means, and he will
answer: Jesus" Watch the organist as
he sits at his instrument and bows his head
for a moment. Is it any wonder that the
thought rushes over his soul, as an inspira-
tion from on high: Here beneath my fin
gers are thousand voices and never so
willing to speak as on Christmas morning
when the theme Of their praise is Jesus"
And If ever ministers of the gospel feel that
their pulpits, however humble, are a
throne, and that their talents are enlisted
as ambassador Of king, it is to-day when
they can talk of Jesus. And behold the
multitude that is keeping holy day. Roman
pontiff and Greek patriarch, Protestant
bishop and dissenting preacher, all join
hands as did the wise men and offer
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
Just the Thing.

Mrs. BingoI want to send my cousin
Christmas present as remembrance.
Something that has no value.
Bingo-Why don't you send her that pro-
gressive euchre prize that you won the other
night ?-Brooklyn Life
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

oYEF Bethlehem Is
covered with gold
as when the full
moon shines upon
the sea, and angels
are singing their
"Glory to God in
the highest, . and a
reason why q pale
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
rr,,,e Everv-Day Girl,

she goes TO church, but not a sacred thing
Comes to her mind-indeed, her thoughts
are shocking.
For while the choristers their carols sing
She thinks of what was in her Christmas
stocking.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
There Is a Difference.

christmas shopping isn't like other shop
ping confded Mr.. Gazzam to Mr.. Ten
spot.
"What is different about its''
when the women go Christmas shop
ping they actually buy things. Town Top
ics
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
pater FamfIfas,

Some call old Santa Claus myth
And think his power has waned here;
But. as for me, can assert,
Each year find his reign dear.
.-pr1etx
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

@AROLERS chanting of pure eIadness. +.
~ Worshipers. sounding joyful refrain.
What are these ddngs that conquer earth's sadness
Echoing softly DER city and plain
Hark to the winds and the replying.
Jubiiant. giadsorne. their song say
Over the winter world floating and flying: s4ss af6
Ole iffIe Lord Jesus is born King to-day! s.4 tsf
- %S%
TAR. where the Bethlehem valleys lay sleeping
~ Silent and calm i'm the peaceful moonlight. iss
Came there burst of high melody sweeping
Rhythmic and tender. wonderful night;
Clearer 1t sounded the silver stars frightened.
Softer. their briIiiance fslered away.
Louder. the plain with fair angel forms whened-@
gbe ittie Lord Jesus is born King to-day!
>.
C.HEPHERDS. guard where the flocks
~ resting,
Ess.r Started sound of the wonderful song,
Wise reciced, their long held faith testing
Sweetly triumphant twas carried along:
Sages and toiIers alike knew the glory <fE
OF music and angels and heavenly ray:
Listen! We still hear their worshiping story: s-s
cbe fffie Lord Jesus is born King to-day!
GsTYLL the thinkers an toilers who
~ Comes the dear Chrst-child when is drear,
STILL through His little ones all feed Him.. IN
Clothe Him. and shelter, and cherish Him. dear.
So In the silence which follows earths sadness.
Waiting. faith. till the night pass away. - -
Angels shall come, with their of gladness:
5be Hffle Lord Jesus is born King to-day!
g.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
A Frfentl In Disguise.

~ Crawford don't see how you can have
good word for the Christmas crowds.
Crabshaw-Why, old boy, undertook to
accompany my wife on her shopping tour,
and if it hadn't been for the crowd I could
never have lost her in the first store we en-
tered.-N. Y. World,
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
Merely a suggestion.

He told her that for friendships sake
q A Christmas gift he'd like to make
She murmured-eyes upon her shoe.
"A nice engagement ring would do
Chicago Record.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
A REASON FOR CHRISTMAS
ByFrederick e. hopkins. D. D.

5fTTYlHERE is a reason for everything
MI good and for everything bad. For
~ everything that succeeds and every
thing that falls There is reason for every
peal of laughter, and for every moan of .sor-
row. A reason why there are holly wreaths
in the windows on this side the street and
Grape hangs on the door across the way
A reason why the midnight cloud that hung
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
A Precaution.
- = - 2 2 . y. =
e you laying in such a big stock

Of neckties@ $ ) 80
IsI don't want my wife to have any ex-
euse for buying me one for Christmas
giift.1-N. Y Truth.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

Bobby Ma says Santa Claus will visit US
tonight.
Edith don't b'leeve it! Ma Wouldn't
be going round in that old dress if she 'spect-
ed any visitors!- -Puck @ !.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
In the Cathedral.

tiphonaI chant by priests standing in their
stalls. Truly this day belongs to no sect,
and to no creed, and to no party. But the
reason we celebrate the day is that Jesus
came to all. He belongs to alt He unites
all. He loves all. And we love Him.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

Their quits to Jesus.
Avenues of o IL r
great cities thronged
wit b worshipers
going to hear the
story as told by elo.
quent lips, as sung
by the great boy
choir of old Trinity
~
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

the answer from an
other watch tower
of. Zion: Awake,
Awake! Awake!'
And then from an.
other tower, and an
other, till you would
think the gates Of
Heaven were open
50 7sszasgs !
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

KISS ne pTeSStu
And maid and babe with his arms caressed.
Twas lad and lass of the bygone day,
Who long had loved in bashful way,
And there was renewed their childhood $
troth
With looks that spoke from the hearts Of
hot =
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
A Definition.
Little Elmer-Papa. what is a Chris tmas

| Little EImsr-Papa, what IS asChrlstmas
| green?
Prof. Broadhead-A Christmas green. my
son, is young man who, having fallen
out with his best girl early in December,
makes up with her in time to be COM
PEELED to buy her Christmas present.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22
JOK ES FROM LA s T
YEA r s STOCKING 8
Cunning.

Cunning.
Jimmie But your stockin's have holes in
them.
Johnnie sh! Tn goin ter put basket
beneath 'em.-N. Y. Journal
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

Where Ignorance Is Bliss.
There are some children know too much;
To tell the truth, pity such.
I pity them indeed, because
They don't believe in Santa Claus.
BROOKLYN Life.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

thought, selected her a beautiful umbrella
with handle which will exactly suit her
taste I shall expect something very nice
from both Of them, if only in return for my
thoughtfulness."
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-12-22

Then to her side
with a b o u n d
there came
A laughing youth,
with h is t a c 9
afiame,
On her lips an eager
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-10-11
1t Happened In Drug Store.

Zone day last wintera lady came to
my drug store, and asked for brand
of cough medicine that I did not have
in stock" says Mr.. G. R. Grandin. the
popular druggist of Ontario, New
York. ''She was disappointed and
wanted to know what cough ,prepara-
ton could recommend. said to her
that could freely recommend Cham
berlain's Cough Remedy and that she
could take bottle of the remedy and
after giving it fair trial, if she did
not find it worth the money To. bring
back the bottle and would refund
the price paid. In the course of day
or two, the lady came back in COM
pany with friend in need of cough
medicine and advised her to buy a
bottle of Chamberiain's Cough Rene
dy. / consider that very good re-
commentator tor the remedy" 1t is
for sale ~ Nick Doffing 4 Co, Extra,
and A. II. Roberts, Audubon, drug.
gists
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-10-11
WILL NOT RETURN.
IMPERIAL FAMILY TAKES ANOTHER
STEP FURTHER FROM fEKlNG.

Dispatch TO Minister Wu Cnufesses That
From Returning to the Capital by the
Fear of the Allied Forces.
Washington, Oct. 9.-The effort to
induce the Chinese imperial court to
return to Picking has failed, after a
weeks persistent effort on the part of
the powers News to that effect was
brought to the state department yes
terday by the Chinese minister, who
received it via st. Petersburg from
Viceroys Liu Kun Yih and Chang
Chih Tung, under date of Oct. 4 Min
lister WI received the message late the
night before. 1t was as follows:
The departure of their imperial majesties
for Shen 81 (province) was due to dis
tressng conditions at Tai Yuen Flu. There
is a scarcity of food supplies in the province
of Shen 81 on account of the long continued
drought, and the provincial capital (Tai
Yuen) is almost deserted, the trades people
having left Oh. account of the disturbances
caused and continued for months by the
Boxer rebels, who had invaded that
province with the encouragement of Gov
ernor Yu. Their majesties, therefore, We're
obliged to proceed to Snen ST, where tele-
graphic communication with Shanghai and
other parts. of the empire is opened, and
rapid communication with their majesties
may, therefore, be carried on, thus court
and official business may be transacted
more eXpeditiousE by their presence in
Shen 81 rather than in Shan ST. The reasons
for the temporary postponementl of their
majesties return to Picking are the presence
of the allied forces there. on account of
which solicitous fear is doubtless enter
tanned, besides a dread of the outbreak of
epidemic diseases, which usually follow
after great disturbances. destruction of
property and military operations 1t is
hoped that the powers will be considerate
in their Judgment in this matter.
The important feature of the mes
sage is the confession that the court
is restrained by fear of the allied
forces from returning to Peking.
Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-10-11
PAINTS GLOOMY PICTURE.
Boxer Uprising Has Wrought Irreparabl
Ininrx tn Missionarx Work


Chicago, Oct 9.-In Il letter to Miss
e. Ward of the women's Presbyterian
board of missions. Mrs. L. g. Neal. a
missionary, says the Boxer uprising
in China has wrought irreparable in.
jury to missionary work in China
The writer says:
Can You imagine Picking now? and Tung
Chow and Pae Ting Fung Flu? All those
missions premises are gone utterly de.
stroyed. The work Of years wiped out as
1t were, and the Christians terrified, scat
tered, robbed Of their ALL and many Of them
massacred, and all Manchuria. Chi Ii and
Shan Tung swept clean of all missionaries,
and the first two Of all large stations,
while all the interior Of China is being
cleared of foreigners. The sufferings Of
those travelling from the inland stations
have been simply terrible, the China in
land missiins being the worst sufferers. One
party of 10 from Shan 81. where Yu Hsien,
under whom, all this uprising started. in
Shan Tung, ex-governor, had so days of hor
ror getting from Ping Yang, in Shan 81. to
Yam Ho.