davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25

tense silence, then came rushing
sound as of tempest approaching,
and rasping voice spoke to her:
why troublest thou me, mortal?
Dost thou not know that l can blast
thee with a breath? Speak, what wilt
thou?"
In the name of the Christ Child,
demand gift of thee" was all that
Olga could utter in her terror. 1t was
terrible old bag who stood before
her and her aspect was threatening.
Some paltry thing, l wis. a rib
bon, a jewel Speak, mortal, what
ever it may be, it's thine" .,
Growing holder, Olga spoke more
firmly: Thou hast promised, ard in
the name of the Christ Child thou
must keep thy promise. IT'S not a
ribbon, or a jewel, but my JohAn. my
betrothed. l demand of thee as thy
gift"
"Johan. thy betrothed!" shrieked
the bag. "Girl. thou art mad. Get
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25

Then so shall 1t be, my sweet child.
but come, wouldst like to taste Frau
Thekla's seed cakes. Ell? I thought
as much. Well, thou shalt as soon as
can carry thee thither. Come sweet
heart; come. Olga"
Though wrapped in the warmest of
furs, Olga shivered as she stood alone
amid the silent, gloomy, wintry waste
of the forest Not long had she waited
ere distinctly through the awful still
ness came the changing strokes OF
midnight which Karl rung upon the
barrel of his gun with a hammer to
warn her of the time. With a clear
but quavering voice the girl called
out three times: "Skogfrau, in the
name of the Christ Child, l demand
gift of thee. Skogfrau, in the name
of the Christ Child, l demand gift
of thee. Skogfrau, in the name of
the Christ Child. demand a gift of
thee" For a moment there was. in
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25

Simple souls, they were not ov,,
that the lost Johan was to be ~,
great surprise. OF course, eyervhoa,
had given him up for lost, and th.,
were amazed that Olga should be II.
merriest maiden in the village M,
that her home was to be. the VA.
center Of the merrymaking on tho M
Alton. The pastor had been I'm.
warned by Karl, and the good sm
came prepared, to fight the wicked
troll for the salvation of .Johan o.s
Olga.
The board groaned beneath II.
weight Of good cheer, and the hu,.
bowl was kept constantly brimmo,
with steaming punch. There was "a
formal ,banqueting, everybody eatus
when the humOr seized him, ans
drinking whether thirsty or not h
cause good drink was there to be had
without the asking. The whole Vii
lage was there waiting for the su,
prise and nerving themselves up d
Withstand it by distending their stoml
achs. None but Olga, Karl and III,
pastor knew what it was to be, and
even they did not know in what shan,
it would come.
At last the first stroke of midnight
Olga turned pale, Karl stood at attep.
ton and the good pastor grasped hi,
holy book firmly in his hand. Til,
last stroke was still ringing in ther
ears when q violent gust of wind
shook the house and the dragging Of
heavy chains over the roof brought
terror to the inmates. The door wal
burst open by some invisible fore,
and a heavy bundle was hurled il
among the amazed roysterers. An old
wizened bag appeared in the doorway
and screamed out above the confu1
sion: Girl, take the gift of the Christ
Child, but beware of my vengeance.
Shouldst thou accept any other gitt
before thou hast fully accepted this,
then shalt it return to me and be mine
forever"
Johan was quickly restored by co
pious libations of hot punch, and when
able to stand on his feet, Karl put bis
hand in that of Olga and gave tho
pastor a signal. Forthwith, Olga took
Johan for her husband, and when tbs
final words were. spoken, tempest
again shook the house, heavy chains
were again dragged across the roof
and after shrieKs Of demoniac laugh
ter, all was still without.
With tears and laughter, Olga
grasped her brothers. hand, and then
threw herself into the arms of he4
husband, the gift of the Christ Child !
forever free from the thralls Of tn =
Skogfrau. '' ''
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25
Quaint Superstitions Of
the Christmas Decoration

AK and knife have been doing thela
vandal work in the fair woods to pro-
vide us with the pins and fir, holly
laurel, bay and mistletoe. Why? Be-
cause Of the Christmas season; oe1
cause of the festival of rejoicing.
But why these green things? why
the gifts on the branches of plnei
Why the holly about the windo"s]
that it may be seen from without, anq
the laurel over the hearthstoae? why
above all and the center Of all, thes1
green and living growths. The misasI
toe bough?
! Christmas seized upoa these thlns1
for the celebration OF the festival noI
because they were green, but becaus1
! OF the power that held them green
THAT Kept them alive, that preserved y
them the beauty of life, notwithstanu]
ing the snow and sleet, the wind and
chilling rain and the whitening blas1
Those who celebrated the Chrls'|
mastide wanted the benefit OF m1
power for their own protection an9
preservation, so they took to them1
selves the emblems Of it-surrounae9j
themselves with them,. brighten'11
their homes with them and re)oles1
amid their branches.
1t is the spirit OF these llH'as
growths that appeals to us when y
the rest of inanimate nature appear
to be sleeping under the mamie y
winter. Before Christmas was 'n
spirits behind the green were believe
in by an Imaginative people. and ln1
great festival adopted them. Il
The ancient Druids believed IN enll
spirits of the holly. of the laurel
the bay, and of the great green tree
that formed the walls and living aFcp|
es of their temples. To them tnes1
things were penpled with sylvan SUI
it's that loved the growths and ksp]
them green by protecting them ffon
winter frosts. The took the branchs1
w:NSlin their dwelling, believing 'n.l
the spirits would follow and there Il
ercise their protecting care.
Among these spirits they hene,l
mono to be more powerful or capa"j
Of bringing greater blessing 'a no
those of the mistletoe. Blessed MI
man and maid who met bcnea'h W
mistlet0e Dough. I'D
These beliefs have gore from :"
world. but we cling to the emhl'"'' \
HON. and rejoice amid taem ~ '"
Christmas celebration.
Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-12-25

H A! K A R A
barn, the smell
of thy coffee is
like the taste
of wine to the
thirsty after
my long tramp
in the crusty
S n o W." an d
Karl the iron
founder threw
of his huge
skin coat and
omntiod at a
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
ALMOST IMPREGNABLE.
French Diplomat Says that Venez-
ueIa's Capital Would be Hard TO Cap

Paris, Dec. 1s.-M. Thiesse, former
~ minister of France to Venezuela,
and who lived many years in Vene-
Zuela, has been interviewed concern
ing the situation there. He said:
"Nenezuela can put 100000 men in
the field, and even foreigners there
are liable for military service. A
number of the younger officers re-
ceived their education I'm the military
schools of France and Germany. The
NeneZuelans are armed with Martini
and Remington rifles and have a few
Maxim and Krupp guns. They have
no cavalry.
Caracas is almost impregnable,
owing to the fact that it is situated
on the other side of a mountain range
about 5000 feet high. These noun
tains are impossible except by steep
mule paths where 90 men could stop
whole regiment. There is a rail
road from La Guaira to Caracas. but
the destruction of a single bridge
would render the line useless. If. by
a miracle, Caracas shall be taken, the
NeneZuelans would wage a guerilla
warfare, as they did against Spain"
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
TO PREVENT FRAUD.
RertiIIon System WIFI Bs Used TO
Identity New YORK Employees.

Fraudulent representations made
by laborers in the STRENGTHENING de-
partment led the municipal civil
service commission of New York to
adopt a rule requiring such employees
ito submit to the Bertillon system of
measurement in order to permit the
Identification at any time of men in
the city's employ. The system is in
use in this country almost exclusive
Jy for the identification of criminals.
1t is the intention of the civil serv-
ice commission to extend the system
to other departments where laborcrs
are hired in large numbers and pos
sibly to the police and fire depart
ments, where, it is said, gross frauds
have been perpetrated by substitu-
tion of one man for another while
examinations are in progress.
AT the meeting of the committee
it is said that In tAe last three
months 20 cases have been discovered
where men have been working under
assumed names and using cards that
had been given to them by the orig
inal employees. In many cases, 1T was
said, the men caught had only been
in the country a short time. lndica-
tlon cards are to be used. On these
will be noticed the color of the mans
hair and eyes, his stature, the length
of his feet, forearms and thumbs,
the size of his head and ears and any
Distinguishing marks or blemishes
tnat may be discovered.
The decision of the commission
was reached after the street cleaning
department officials had conducted
rigid inquiry into several cases
where substitution was suspected. In
one of these a man working under an
assumed name was discharged in
court, the magistrate holding that no
law had been violated. Hereafter
where misrepresentation is discov-
cred the owner of the identification
card and the holder of it will be dis
missed from the service. The intiic-
tion of this penalty debars both men
from entering the city's employ for
year,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
"GREAT HEAVENSI" is BAD.
The Coz Eds Mt the orthvvestern UNI
versity Now Say Fudge" Instead.


Northwestern university co-eds at
Evanston, ILL.,, use 'swear words"
even though they don't mean to be
profane in the least. So says Prof. j.
Scott Clark, head of the English de-
partment of the university, and he
took the young women sorely to task
for their failing in his sophomore
composition class.
Great heavens" is the favorite
"swear word" of the co-eds, accord
ing to Prof. Clark, and 1T is just as
sinful in a feminine mouth as damn"
in the mouth of a young man.
Don't shock me by calculating
great heavens" said Prof. Clark to
his class. ut is a profane expression.
l want to warn the young woven in
this class, especially, because L know
they are in the habit of using the eX
preston more than the young men.
When you say 'gr< heavens you
are taking a sacred name in vain. l
hear girls using the words every day,
and would feel almost like blLshing
if | were not aware that they didn't
mean it for anything bad
The expression which prompted
the remark on feminine profanity
was found by Prof. Clark in a coed
theme, which he read before his
class. The 30 young women were in
dignant at the accusation aimed at
them, but have decided to throw
over great heavens" and henceforth
say nothing stronger than "Oh,
fudge!"
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25

The service one renders another in
commenting to him good book, which
cood nook Il. he comes to value,
is like that he per-
forms in introduce
ing him to person who subsequently
becomes a close friend. For, as the BoB-
ton Watchman has observed, it is in the
power of books to enter into the very
substance of our lives and to become
fountains of strength and JOY. Moth
ing, of course, can ever take the place
of the force that radiates to one in
association with a noble and strong
personality; but next to that probably
stands the power of books. In them
we also come into relation with the
personal forces transmitted through
the medium of the printed page. And
some writer's have the faculty of trans
mitting themselves through that me-
dunn with singularly little din.inution
of power. 1t is not within the re-
sources of many of US to have large
circles of acquaintance with the choic-
est people. But for a dollar or two
and the price of a light one may have
spread before him the thoughts, the
fancies, the discoveries and the specu-
lations of the wisest and brightest hu-
man souls. For one who has tasted
of the pleasure of communing with 4
congenial author there are few human
satisfactions comparable with that of
reading book that appeals to you
with a message for which you are
ready.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
ANGLO-GERMAk ALLIANCE.
Englfshmen Are Sick of II - Opinions
Of the British Press Concerning the
Venezuelan EmbrogiIo.


London, Dec. 1s.-The developments
in the Venezuelan imbroglio, as re-
vealed by Premier Balfour's state
ments i'll parliament yesterday, have
resulted in bringing out in the press
tEAS morning stronger expressions
than ever of the desire to reach
some pacific settlement of the diff
Guilty.
1t is said on behalf of the govern
ment that even in last July, when
German cooperation was first moot
ed, the British government fully rec
ognized the possibility of war with
Venezuela and only postponed action
until the winter at the suggestion of
the admiralty, and in order to avoid
the unhealthy season.
On the other hand, those who de-
clare that the government of the
, United States forced the govern
ment of Great Britain into a virtual
declaration of war are not lacking.
Certainly a considerable portion of
the British public was rather disa-
grceably surprised to find that Great
Britain actually was at war, and that
this war might for many months to
come require the presence of a large
naval force in Venezuelan waters and
put a stop to all British trade with
Venezuela.
Henry Norman, NJ. p, in n newspa-
per article published this morning in
which he emphasizes the dangers of
the position into which Germany is
dragging Great Britain. contends
bo q
course for Great Britain is to seek
satisfaction through cooperation
with the United States.
Mr.. Norman's opinion reflects a
very widespread feeling with regard
to the Anglo-German agreement and
concerning the question of how the
United States would view the exist
ence of a state of warfare between
the powers and Venezuela. The news
papers this morning ask:
"What would happen should Ger
many choose TO seize Margarita isl
and as a base for the blockade?"
The Daily News, in an editorial de-
clares that the new European con-
cert lis not to coerce bankrupt re-
public, but is a revolt against the
Monroe doctrine"
The Times gives great prominence
to letter from Sir Robert Giffen de-
claring that the foreign Office gravely
blundered in associating itself with
Germany against Venezuela. Sir Rob-
ert contends that a blockade will be
useless against bankrupt state,
while the seizure of customs will be
tantamount to annexation and full Of
danger. Further" continues the
writer, "however much we may bring
Venezuela to its knees, no solvent
government will remain with witch
to deal"
Sir Robert strikes his most alarm
ing note when he refers to the dan
ger of Germany embroiling Great Bri-
tain with the United States. He be-
ieves that Germany would not hesi-
tate to occupy Venezuelan territory,
and he thinks the less said about
British claims the better. lie says he
doubts if Great Britain has any NOR
al claims against Venezuela and con-
cludes with these words:
THE best course is to cry off at all
hazards and. at the utmost, exact
punishment for the injured seamen
by getting hold, If possible, Of the
guilty Venezuelan officials"
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
A PARTY FOR AMERICAN MEN.
That Is what the RepubIictsh Pntrty
Has BeeE Made by It's Leaders
i'm Every Section.

The birmingham Age-Herald asserts
that the president has designated three
well-known and highly respectable
gentlemen of Alabama as referees or
consulterS with reference to federal
appointments in that STATE, and that
these gentlemen are opposed to the So
called lilly white" movement.
Assuming that the Age -Herald's
statement is true, as it well may be, he
action and attitude it records are en-
tirely characteristic of Theodore
Roosevelt. The law bestows upon the
president an enormous responsibility
for appointments to Office, but provides
him with practically no official means
of obtaining the knowledge necessary
to meet that responsibility, says the
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Hence the practice long ago grew up
of the president looking to, in districts
and states whose representatives in
congress are not in sympathy with the
administration, certain men in whose
judgment he had confidence for infor-
nation about the character of appli-
cants for office. This system has pre-
vailed under all administrations but
because of its unofficial status public
attention has not been often directed
to its existence.
1t is entirely characteristic of Presi-
dent Rooseyelt's frank and open tenn
per that he should openly use method
which all presidents have found neces-
sary, but which former democratic
president thought fit to use with more
or less concealment. as if he were
rather ashamed of it. That the presi-
dent should choose for his confidential
advisers in Alabama men opposed to
such unrepublican politics as the lilly
white" movement represents is also
characteristic of his devotion to re-
publican principles.
The failure of the republican party
in the southern states in the '70s was
due chiefly to the fact that many of its
local leaders tried to make it black
mans party-or at least gave it the
Semblance of an organization of more
or less ignorant black men against the
intelligence and property of the ecom-
munity. The lilly white movement
is an equal blunder in the opposite
direction. In Alabama it has at
tempted to exclude even intelligent
and property-owning black men from
politics. AS such it is an unrepublcan
movement, and can have no sympathy
from the president or any other think
ing republican.
For the republican party is neither
a white mans nor black mans nor
the rich mans nor the poor mans
party. 1t is what it's real leaders have
ever made it all over the country, and
what the president is trying to make
it in the south-iust an American
mans party, thoroughly American in
every sense of the word, because it is,
without discrimination of race, color,
religion, or material condition, for the
upright American man,
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25

Postmaster General Payne is opposed
to female rural mail carriers. and is
likely to dismiss some that have been
appointed. lie is of the opinion that
women carriers cannot endure the
hardships necessary in such work dur
ing the winter months; but before he
makes any changes he should certainly
give the ladies a fair chance 10 demon
strate how efficient they are. In many
lines of work women have proved them
selves as capable as men, and when
it comes TO braying the storms of win
ter in the face of duty they have not
been found wanting.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25

The Baltimore school board, having
decided to establish cooking school,
advertised for a teacher, offering a
salary of $40, No cooking school
graduates responded, the only appli-
cants being cooks, one of them col
Ured woman, and the superintendent
would not employ any of them. Then
il was discovered that the law required
a competitive examination, and not a
teacher in the schools was competent
to hold the examination. When one
of the teachers was asked what she
would do if she married, she replied:
why, hire some one, of course"
Those who were previously opposed to
the teaching of cooking in the schools
before these facts were discovered are
reconsidering the matter.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
HOME COMMERCE PRoDIGIoUS.
Enormous business of the United
states HuiIt Up by the Repub-
lican Protective Policy.

Americans are accustomed to seeing
big figures for this is big country
and the figures which tell of its de-
velopment are necessarily in keeping
with it. But familiar as most of us
may be with the magnitude of the eX-
hibts made from time to time, there
is little doubt that many will be sur
prised and impressed by the state
ments made by O. =. Austin, chief of
the bureau of statistics of the United
States treasury department-and who.
by the way, was formerly the Wash
ington correspondent of the Troy
Times. Mr.. Austin has been deliver
ing series of lectures at the Column
bias university in Washington on the
subject of The Growth of the Inter
nal Commerce of the United States" ,"
and has presented in compact form a
great deal Of very valuable informa-
ton on this point, says the Troy Times.
Mr.. Austin has shown that the com
merce between the nations of the
world has grown from S1,50O.OO0.0 600
in $500 to $4,000. .OOO.O in 1890, or
from about 81 for each individual in
the world in 1900 to $13 for each indi-
yidual in 1890, and that the foreign
commerce of the United States has
made even more rapid gains. our eX-
ports of domestic merchandise having
grown from $32. 100000 in 1850 to ST.
10000, 900 in 1900. or 46 times IA much
at the close of the century rs at its
beginning.
Dealing especially with internal
commerce, Mr.. Austin said it aggre-
gates as much as the total foreign
commerce of all the nations of the
world, and has grown from a compar-
atively insignificant sum at the begin
ming of the last century to fully $50
600 600 at the present time. This
growth has been mainly due to the
transportation facilities which opened
up the interior of this highly produc-
tive country, whose variety of produc-
tion and great area make the inter
change between its various sections
very large and also easy.
The result of this great activity in
our internal as well as foreign com
merce is that the United States has
become the most prosperous and the
wealthiest nation Of the world. It's eX-
ports of domestic merchandise are
greater than those Of any other ma
tion, the money in circulation and
stock of gold exceed those of any
other country, and its national wealth
is also the largest in the world and
is rapidly growing. The wealth in
the United States has increased from
81 600 100000 in 1850 to $4,000. 600 900
in 1870. 500, 900 600 600 in 1890 and $780,
00O,O00.0 600 in 1902. and the per capita
wealth from $3O7 in 1850 to $1,265 in
1902.
All this has been brought about
practically within a century-hardly
a span in the life of old nations, some
of which were enjoying wealth and
prosperity for hundreds of years be
fore the United States came into ex-
istence. And most of it has been
gained, Notwithstanding the enormous
drainage caused by the bloody and
costly civil war, within the last 40
years, under progressive republican
control and the wise and beneficent
republican policy of protection.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
Earthquake Destroys n city.

Ashl<abad, Russian Turkestan. Dee.
1S.-Thc town of Andiian was totally
destroyed by an earthquake Tuesday
The number of fatalities is not vet
ascertained. The population is
threatened with starvation. Shocks
were felt in surrounding villages and
a railway at Andiian was destroyed
for a considerable distance. Andiian
is town of Russian Asia. II had a
population of about 10000 souls.
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25

The Chinese Of New York are plan
ming 10 erect a hospital in the China
town Of that city, where their sick
may bc treated by physicians of their
own race. This hospital, If il is cs-
tubIi-hed, is 10 be conducted on The
oriental plan, and will De distinct
oddity in this country.