davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
A Boon to Housewives.

China in open stock sets is one OF the
conveniences Of the present day. The
increasing prevalence of the course
dinner and the practice of using sew
eral varieties of china for it's service is
largely responsible for the change, says
the Washington Star. A woman who
some years ago purchased handsome
dinner set now feels that if she used it
alone she would make poor showing
before her guests.
Different plates are used<for every
course The service plates. ARE Of par
tciularly fine china. The plates for the
meat course are Of simpler and more
substantial design than those for the
dessert, and the after dinner coffee is
served in cups as delicate as can be
found. In the larger establishments
dinner is served from the buffers
pantry. Many of the dishes used in
simpler menage where the roast and
it's accompaniments are placed on the
table are not required in the former
case. The needs Of the different house
keepers are as varied as the houses u
which they live.
1t is no more expensive to have sew
eral kinds of china than to have all
the pieces alike. Open sets have made
this possible. Within the last FIVE
years these have increased in size and
number. Now there is practically no
STYLE of china that cannot be bought in
open stock.
A set of china which the merchant
keeps on hand, and from which his
customer makes her selections, is muca
more complete than the one he would
formerly have sold her entire. He is
prepared to suit all tastes and meet all
needs. He has tea pots in all sizes.
chocolate pots equally varied and sugar
bowls and creamecs to match. A
woman with large, small or medium
family finds exactly the set size she
requires. If her family increases, she
Is able to increase her number of
pieces, and to obtain the larger sizes.
It is also possible to replace any piece
of china. The housekeeper is not, as
in the old days, heart broken over the
loss Of a dish. 1t can easily be dupli-
Gated.
There are open sets not only in the
fine china. but in the pottery. In this
less expensive ware are delightful re-
productions of old-time dark blue with
quaint little low tea pots, sugar bowls
and creamers. The pottery in lighter
colors. in pinks and in pinks and greens
combined, has something Of the art
nouveau designs. They are pleasing.
even if they have not quite the charm
Of the reproductions.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23

maker, who has not only. her Christ
mas dinner to- plan and supervise, but
she must decorate the house. with sea-
sonable green's and scarlet berries. LII
fact, there is 10 season thai demands
80 urgently embellishments that be-
speak the most beautiful of religious
festivals, the birth Of Christ.
Red is pre-eminently the Christmas
color, but it is more effective when
combined with green. Holly. winter
berries, cranberrieS and the beautif al
poinsettia, which in many parts of the
world is known as the Christmas flow
er. are the favorite bits Of scarlet that
lend bright and CHEEKY notes Of color
to rooms and churches.
And then a-bunch Of mistletoe must
hang somewhere-thiS strange little
wax berry that has so many sentimen-
tai superstitions connected with it.
Plenty of green, should be used in all
decorations, lis it hightens the brill
lance Of the scarlet, and it should be in
this instance as in all others natures
background, the setting for all her
blooms.
Wreaths Of holly tied with red rib
bon or suspended by wire from the
middle window sash lend cheer to all
apartment, or wreaths Of evergreen
tied with scarlet ribbon can be used.
The evergreen lasts longer, and it is
deliciously aromatic.
If the purse strings are long enough
to admit of it measure the living room
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23

wreaths by deft fingers and little
wire.
The market Is flooded with imitation
evergreen that looks like stage grass,
but 1t is devoid Of either significance
or beauty, consequently it has no deco
rative value. One sprig Of the genuine
Christmas green is worth an armful
of this poor replica Of nature'si crea-
ton.
Nothing is more beautiful or decora-
tive than the graceful poinsettia and
a plant or spray Of it in a room bright
ems it more than a bunch of either red
roses or red carnations. simply because
it is distinctly a Christmas flower.
1t also lends itself admirably to the
decoration of a dinner table.
Next to the Christmas tree in all its
splendor and beauty, which is natur-
ally the most important even Of the
day for the little ones, comes the
Christmas dinner and the setting and
enriching of the table for the feast.
The illustration furnished presents a
timely yet simple decoration for, either
a luncheon or a dinner table. The
cloth is white, the serving plates Of
red, gold and white.
In the centre is q miniature Christ
mas tree. which was cut from the top
Of large one. 1t is decorated with
Slistening balls, berries and the usual
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23

| favors, q bunch Of mistletoe tied at
the top. About the base Of the tree
is a wreath Of holly and punches OF
| winter or lick berries, which furnish
| a wealth of scarlet. which contrasts
well with the snowy white napery.
From the centrepiece run vines OF
holly to each corner of the table. The
candles on the tree and on the four
corners Of the table furnish ample
light and cast radiant glow over
everything.
a charming centrepiece for dinner
table which Is most seasonable con-
sists Of three or four poinsettia plants
potted in a silver bowl. About the
table is a wreath Of the same flowers
and their foliage arranged. The sill
yer candlesticks, placed at equal dis
tance, should be furnished with scar
let shades. If fruit is to be served
use red apples and white grapes. and
arrange them in low silver dishes.
A simple and inexpensive table deco
ration can be made of medium sized
pot of fine ferns, the pot wound with
red satin ribbons tied in large
rosette-like bow on each side. A pleas
ing Christmas note can be given by
the use Of red shades on the candles
and ball of holly suspended from the
centre gas fixture.
Spicy. red carnations are also much
used for tables. They require tall,
slender-necked vases Of either silver
or glass. A large one should be placed
in the centre on either red and white
or an all white embroidered centre
piece, and smaller vases at the corners
of the table.
Gorgeous, indeed, will be table en-
bellishment that has been arranged FOR
Christmas dinner. Covers are laid
for ten. A lace centered cloth. which
also has a border OF lace inset in the
top, the cloth designed to be:used on
round-topped table, is to be mount
ed on an undercloth of scarlet liberty
satin. The centrepiece is to be large
| urn-shaped silver bowl, filled with
maiden hair fern. Four triple silver
candelabra with red satin lining the
silver shades and a few small silver
dishes will be the only other settings.
inexpensive and pretty is a large
bowl of holly. used as a centre en-
bellishment, and over it hung on the
gas fixtures four wreaths, tied to-
gether with a large bow Of scarlet
ribbon.
In selecting q menu for the Christ
mas dinner, select as many viands as
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
ANNUAL COTTON REPORT
Low Crop Estimate Issued b. tho
Government.
EXCITEMENT ON THE EXCHANGE

Department of Agriculture Estimates
- Growth Of 1896, ,o3o Bales-sales Ex-
-. coed 100000 Bales on Government
Report-Advance of so to So Points
from Lowest Quotation.
New York City.-The Agricultural
Bureaus estimate on the cotton crop of
the present season, which has been
anxiously awaited by the trade, has
turned out most sensational affair.
The estimate was for 9,962, ,039 bales.
which is below the lowest forecast put
forth even by extreme believers in
short crop. Private estimates have
generally ranged from 100000 to H.
100000 bales, with a few English esti-
mates at still higher figures. The av-
erage made up from estimates by the
Cotton Exchange membership was 10.-
353. 900. Some days ago, however, D.
J.. Sully & Co., the leaders of the spring
corner in cotton and of the present
"bull pool" gave out broadcast an esti-
mate of 9,9S6.OOO bales. This was
within $4,000 bales Of the Govern
ment'S estimate.
The Governments estimate is looked
upon in the trade as a calamity. as in
order to overcome last years cotton
famine, which left spinners the world
over bare of stocks, q crop Of fully
100000 bales was needed this year
% prevent any disturbance from nor
NAL consumption and give spinners
moderate amount of surplus stocks to
carry over into the next year. The es-
timated requirements Of the worlds
spinners was estimated by Ellison, the
English authority on consumption. q
month ago, at 10,S00,000 bales. and
was cut down to 10,500,000 bales only
two weeks ago, as one Of the results
that this will have to be still further
reduced. Last year the Government
estimated the actual growth of cotton
at 12,417, 900 bales. and the commercial
crop at 10,667 900 bales, whereas the
total commercial crop turned out 10,-
72S.O0O bales.
The immediate effect Of the report
was to cause panic among the shorts.
and the widest buying movement fol-
lowed that has ever been witnessed
ON the Cotton Exchange. Although the;
trade here, and at Liverpool. as we'll as
throughout the., South, had been ex-
pecting a low crop estimate, nothing
quite as bad as the above figures indi-
cate had been anticipated. Prices
which had been fluctuating erratically
10 nf fnn fn
points from recent closing quota
tions Immediately jumped twenty
points on the first trades, which were
made after the figures were known.
and this was followed by further ad-
vance Of thirty to forty points before
the end of the next hours business.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
R F. CIP F. S .

:, Creamed Beans-Soak cup Of dried
lima beans over night, drain and cook
in boiling salted water until soft, but
still whole. Drain; add three-fourths
Of cup of cream, season with butter,
salt and pepper, re-heat AID serve.
Stewed Kidney-Boil the kidneys the
day before, leave them in the gravy
over night; in the morning chop part
of an onion very fine, tablespoonful
of butter. salt and pepper; let all come
to boil; tllicken gravy with -four;
serve on buttered toast.
Lamb Balls-Chop meat quite fine,
season with salt and pepper, add one
egg, form into balls; have saucepan,
with water ut the boiling point-water
must not be boiling-drop the balls into
the water and cook at the boiling point
only twenty minutes; serve with to-
mato sauce.
Eggs q la Finoise-Make one pint OF
tomato sauce; heat one tablespoon Of
butter; add to it two minced sweet
peppers, peeled, and one teaspoon Of
chopped chives; add this to the tomato
sauce and let boil to reduce; poach six
or eight eggs; arrange each egg on i
piece of toast on hot platter; pour
the sauce over all and serve at once.
Sandees-Chop some beef or mutton
very fine; chop one green pepper, add it
to the meat: season with salt and pep.
per, mix a little gravy with it; butter
escallop dishes or shells. fill them two
thirds full with the mixture; spread
over mashed potato that has had a
little cream added to it; brush over
with melted butter and brown in th''
oven.
Salad Dressing-Beat three eggs un.
til very thick, add one cup Of cream
and beat well rub two level table
spoonfuls of mustard in little colo
milk or some of the cold cream, add
one-half cup Of vinegar and one Level
teaspoon Of salt; put one-fourth cup of
butter in the double boiler. add the
creamy mixture and cook until creamy;
if it cooks too long, it will separate;
stir constantly while cooking; this is
4 delicious dressing and will keep
weekA
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
: HOUSEHOLD - =:
!. > 8 3 3 MATTERS :
Hinta to HouRekeeDers.

A nice way to prepare Frankforts OF
other sausages of commercial brand il
to parboil them. split them in halves
and then broil them. This is 4 New
York idea
1t is we'll understood that water fol
drinking purposes should be boiled
The "hat" taste Of boiled water can be
removed. it is said, by beating rapidly
with q Dover egg-beater just before
using. This beats air into it, which is
expelled in boiling.
Very few people are as careful as
they ought to be about what they let
run through waste pipes and the
kitchen sinks. Plumbers grow rich OH
housekeepers' carelessness. Greasy
water. coffee grounds. tea leaves.
crumbs. etc, are allowed to run down
the Kitchen wastepipe, which eventual
ly becomes stopped and entails endless
annoyance and inconvenience to clear.
Water in which ham cOrned beef. ETC.,
has been boiled. should not be turned
into the sink It. cools in it's passage
and deposits coat Of grease on the
trap and on the pipe. Let it cool and
remove the fat before pouring into
the sink. If you do not use the fat for
soap-making. burn it; it is cheaper
and less trouble in the long run than
to run it through the sink. Burn tea
leaves and coffee grounds; it is surpris-
ing how much one can dispose of by
FIRE with little trouble.
Never throw combings. bits of string.
threads, burnt matches or any such
refuse into the pail or closet basin.
Hair is particularly dangerous. 1t
catches in any little irregularity of the
inside of the pipe and serves to arrest
the progress of other waste until BY
accretion it clogs the whole space.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
ROOT RRAlsES4HE. ARMY
Secretary of War Makes His AM
nual Report. q
Strong Recommendation of Coast De-
fenses and the Reorganization OF
.'... .... the National Gunrd.

Washington, D. Gin describingnthe
progress Of the army, Secretary' Root,
in his annual report. lays stress on the
reorganization of the militia or Ma
tional Guard of the States on a basis
intended to lt the men and officers for
prompt service in conjunction with the
regular army in case Of war, insurrec-
ton or disorder.
"a thorough canvass Of the National
Guard was made" he says, from
which it appears that Of the 1943 sep
arate bodies in the organized militia
the men Of 1855 had q thorough under
standing Of their obligations under the
statute, 250 organizations had no such
idea, and 81 had partial idea. Of the
1852 officers and men now in the
service Of the organized militia, 1OO.3i5
declared themselves ready correspond
to a sudden call Of the PRESIDENT,
A board to improve rifle practjce'has
begun its work, ana the Secretary con-
trasts the greater need Of training the
young fnen Of the present day with
that of earlier times, when game was
abundant throughout the country and
nearly everybody learned to shoot. The
Secretary recommends an apprOpria-
tion for the promotion of rifle practice
by the formation Of rifle clubs and con-
tests to which citizens generally shall
be admitted. to be expended upon the
recommendation of the board with the
approval of the Secretary Of War. Off,
GERS Of the regular army henceforth
will spend much time in drilling and
preparing the militia Of the States III
camps Of instruction for service with
the regular army. -. ...
Secretary Root refers to the reorgan-
ization Of the system Of military con-
troll under the General Staffias the i'm
Dortant military event of the year. :.
The army as given in the latest re-
ports consists Of 1856 officers and 66, ,O03
enlisted men, total of 69,589. In ad-
dition, there were in the service 1898
men Of the Hospital Corps excluded by
the act of March j. 1887, from classif-
cation as part Of the enlisted force Of
the army. There were also in the ser
vice 1872 volunteer medical officers, 100
officers and 1918 enlisted men Of the
Philippine scouts, and 20 officers and
$40 enlisted men Of the Porto Rico reg
ment.
Since the Spanish War the estimates
for the army have progressively. de
creased. The estimate for 1901 was:5in
round numbers. $12SO00, ,000;' for 1902,
5000, 900; for 1908. 500, 900, 900; for
1904, S77,9OO,000; for 1905. S77,700 600.
Upon the estimate for SIPS, 100000 for
1901. the appropriations were $114,-
900, 900, and the expenditures S105, ,000,-
900; upon the estimate for $4,000. 900
for 1902, the appropriations were $11G,'
100000 and the expenditures $4,000.
900; upon the estimate for $99, 100000
for 1903, the appropriations were S92.'
100000 and the expenditures $70,0oO,'
000 ...
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
Personal Mention.

Professor Koch, Of Heidelberg. is the
only instructor Of any university in
Germany who lectures OH journalism.
He has for several years lectured there
0, this subject.
Brigadier- General C. Alfonso Zelaya.
O Nicaragua. son of President Zelaya,
of that country. has arrived in New.
York. and is TO register as student in
q business college in Newark.
The Queen of Siam owns the costliest
thimble in the world. It is made of
pure gold in the shape Of half-opeped
Iotos flower, and Is thickly studded
with the rarest Of diamonds and pre-.
dous stones. -
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
TIE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
!. THE VICE or INTEMPERANcs.

Poem: ReveiIIe, by Guy Fitch Pheaps-A
= Whisky Confession Good For the stom-
ach-Do You Lie Poison F1avored
As the watcher on the tower.
Who beheld the Polish king;
While o wronged andf fannishedS people
prayed below, ,."9,
We have set our temperance warder,
We have heard his clarion ring, 49,.
That the sons of honor march upon the
They are coming! They are coming!
Like the gathering of the clans, .
They are coming ike the pillows of the
For the. bug;e sounds reveille, >. -.
win In the he midst nd Of all The as lands, -, ,
With the Pa, battle cry Saloons shall cease
,.p - -. -, ,.,.., 10, ..,." '.,.J., "s,...,.
Where the spring robe is weaving,
-, For the shoulders of the hill,
On the far.off;; rugged slopes of glorious
- Maine, - -.
To the dreamy land of Sunset, -. =.
Does the gathering: shout ,insti] ~ ,e'l,s.
The awakening hearts ofXalley. shore and
For the Teuton, like glacier, -: 'Gs.,..
Melting in summer flood, a.,} :.
Speaks in Anglorsaxon courage hot and
And-Semetic teachers rally,
To the honor of one God. -.--n:,.
Who has trailed the proclamation on the
sky.
God has Photographed the meanings,
He has photographed the want; 49,.
He has bottled up the streams of woman's
-, tears; '"'
In the breast Of retribution,
He will open up a fount,
That will wash away the drunkenness Of
years;
For His inspiration quickens, e'-sllf
And the struggle, long or brief, .!l'
Yet sufficient to give fully wrong for
And the Sstn1d gold at Bacchus' altar, -.
Blistered DER with drops of grief, ~
Shall. be wasted as the autumn leaves
o.. along. -. +. :,
Full upon the hills of promise, -, -..s;,f;.t'.s
Streams a. bright and betteriday:
Soon the night of Greed and License shaD
be gone; -
For Corr1ption's shades are stealing,
Like detested things, away; !, -
And the nations now the sword. Of truth
have drawn,
Thev are comiag! They are coming!
Like the gathering Of the clans, II
They are coming like the pillows Of the
For the bugle sounds reveille, ~.
In the midst Of all the lands,
With the battle cry, Saloons shall 'ceaae
4
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
BY PIGLHElN.

The little NORFOLK Christmas trees
add much to the Christmas decora-'
tions. They are, however. unfortu-
nately quite expensive, but they last
a long time; in fact, longer than the
majority Of house plants, as they do
not require such constant moisten-
ing.
There are Christmas bells fashioned
Of immortelles. also ones of holly and
evergreen that can be used with good
results if suspended in doorways or
from the top Of window easements.
If there are open fireplaces they
should be filled with spicy evergreen
boughs. and the chimney breast prop
.er can be made charming with festoons
of evergreen. For example, take sew
eral yards Of the green and divide
it, tucking the middle to the picture
molding and at the same time suspend
from it a large holly wreath. Then
let the rope drop about three feet and
carry it up again to the molding, fas-
tening it there, and allowing the ends
to fall to the mantel shelf. II more
color is desired the wreath can be tied
with red ribbon. allowing the ends to
hang we'll down on the chimney breast.
Large doorways or arches can be en-
bellishad in the same manner.
Even the simplest homes should have
some emblem distinctive of the season,
and if wreaths and evergreens ready
to be put to immediate use are too
costly, the loose holly in large branches
can be obtained and used as 1t is,
tied in punches. or can be made into
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
Naws of the Toilers.

The membership of the Associated
Ironmolders of Scotland is now 1913.
Blast furnace workers of the United
States will demand an eight-hour day
Oh May l, 1904.
The next convention Of the 1nterna'
tional Plate Printers Union will be
held at Ottawa, Can.
The number of men employed on tha
railways of the United Kingdom. in
Guiding boys. is 523,9S2.
An order has been received at Fort
Wayne, Ind, to lay of Immediately
ten per cent. Of the men employed IN
the Wabash shops in that city.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
Evan Germany Alarmed.

A bill has been prepared, to be offered
in the next session Of the Reichstag, re-
stricting the sale OF intoxicants in the
German Empire. All saloonkepeers will
be obliged to keep on sale Notwithstanding
beverages, such as lemonade, milk, tea
and coffee, as we'll as cold foods. The num-
ber of barmaids is limited, and there. is
perial Health Office in Berlin has come
round to the. belief that the use of AGO
holic drinks is strongly prejudi,:ial to the
welfare of the country and the people,
and issues pamphlets for popular distri-
button recommending total abstinence.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23

suggest the seasons color as possible
Even the bonbons can be colored red
For instance, Hungarian peppers car
be chopped fine and sprlnkled ovel
the anchovy canapes; lobster fare;
served in the shells as fish course
this naturally following the soup
course; a stuffed tomato salad. served
after the turkey and cranberry jelly,
the plum pudding thickly studded with
candied cherries.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
BLIND ON SUPREME BENCH.
Justice Brown May Lose, Eyesisht With
in a Week.

Washington, D. :C.-Total blindness
is the calamity which is about to- fall
upon Henry Billings Brown, Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States, according to the expert
oculists who have been treating him.
Some time since he lost the use of one
eye and recently. as he was reading, he
realized that the vision Of the other
was failing. He is now told that with
in a week it may be gone entirely.
Apart from his eyes Justice Brown is
in full mental and physical Vigor. 1t
is believed that he will continue on the
bench, for he can listen to the argu.
ments, briefs and other documents and
the drafts Of the opinions Of his Iasso-:
ciates can be read to him and he can
dictate his own opinions.
He will not be eligible for retirement
with salary until three years from next
March. He has, however, an ample
fortune.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-12-23
nr;nks Enough to Float a Navy.

Somebody who has been computing the
American people within a tweivemonth,
has found that we drank last year enough
tea, coffee, wine, beer, liquor and other
beverages to cover an area of land two
miles square to depth of ten feet-a lake
large enough, it was suggested, To float
several navles of the size of our own. The
amount Of alcoholic beverages alone which
were necessary to satisfy the national
thirst during this period would fill a
canal 100 miles long, 100 feet wide and ten
feet deep.