davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Western news., 1904-12-21

Wemper, one of the most careful. but
had 10 misgivings as he sped along the
snow covered way. Suddenly ahead there
was blush light which seemed to dance
in the air. "Aly God. what's this?' he
exclaimed as he sprHng from his seat
white as the driven snow which sur
rounded the car. He shut off the cur
rent and put on the air with such force
as to bring the car almost to a stand
STILL and throw the passengers from
their seats. Quickly the controller ung
around and the car slowly started to
move backward. To the nan IN the
vestibule it seemed an age before the
car was on n long but abrupt curve
Wemper knew what the BLUSH ligh,
meant 1t was an inbound coming to-
ward him at full speed.
What caused the mixup Wemper did
not know but he did know that to be
caught on that curve meant certain death
to himself and the sixty odd passengers
OH the car The headlight Of the ap
preaching car now loomed into view I,
was coming at breakneck speed, but
Wemper's ear with it's load Of human be
ings was now also speeding backward
There had been no orders at the last
was supposed to have q clear track
Whatever the error. it was a 'palpable
fact that the coming car was upon him
There seemed to be no effort on the
part of the man in the other vestibule I'd
The Western news., 1904-12-21

anger for il was a dead nand that held
the controller, and the stare was one Of
combined madness and death. Not
living soul was on the Unbound car.
Turning off the current. Wemper took
the controller from the suffering fingers
and ran back to the suh-station. about
quarter of a mile, and the power was
once more turned on. During his absence
.he truth was discovered aud when he
can,e back to the well-lghted and com
paratively uninjured car. a cheer went
up. The men passengers grabbed him
by the hand, while the women shed tears
OF gratitude. His own eyes moiStened
and lump came in his throat as he
thought of the cottage and its occupants.
Coupling the two cars the journey was
resumed and the passengers began to
get off AS they did so every one drop
ped something in the hat at the door.
When the end of the run was reached. Il
man came forward. In his hand he held
a hat which was stuffed full Of bills and
| silver. Taking a slip of paper from his
pocket the passenger folded it and turned
| it with the other contents of the hat. into
| the cap of the astonished Wemper.
Take this with Merry Christina $
| and God bless you from the passengers
you saved from DEATH" he said, and then
left the car I.
His eyes glistening. Wemper counted
the treasure. There was over a hundred
dollars in money. The slip Of paper was
the check Of prominent banker of the
town at the end of the line for 500.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
MEXICAN CUSTOMS,
Visiting and Giving Presents the Feat
nres of Yuletide.

Visiting and Giving Presents the Feat
nres of Yuletide.
A series of festivities beginning nine
days before Christmas and ending on
Christmas eve marks the Yuletide cele-
bration in Mexico. In circle of friends
it IL arranged that nine visits shall ba
paid to nine different houses. Eack
evenings gayety begins with prayer and
the lighting of candles. These are fol-
lowed by the presentation Of a gift from
each guest to the host or hostess of the
evening. The first evenings gift is Of
small worth, but the value of the Offering
increases with every succeeding evening.
That there may be nothing unfair in the
distribution, the recipient Of the frse
evenings Offering one year becomes the
last. the following year. After the pre-
scntation there are dancing and supper,
At midnight the candles are extinguish-
ed.
No two evenings entertainments are
exactly alike save in the offering of pray
ers, the lighting Of candles and the pre-
senting of gifts. On Christmas eve, q
few minutes before midnight. all proceed
to church to hear the midnight mass, and
this ends the Christmas celebration for
the year.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
%n6<k~%r3A6%
.THE V|O[!N|ST'S CHRISTMAS 4

lie was old and feeble and poor-jus,
] ] one of those examples of man who
has lived too long. Slowly he wend-
ed his way down the crowded street un-
til he reached that sign which marks the
border line of hope and despair for so
many human hearts-the three balls.
Poverty shone from his threadbare coat
and worn shoes, it trembled in his old
hand, it quivered in his thin lips and
looked from his great, thoughtful, hungry
eyes.
Proud blood flushed the pallid features
of the old man as he approached the
broker. More years than man has yet
lived seemed weighing upon the bowed
head, and not only the deep set, hungry
eyes, but every feature of that patrician
old face expressed the humility Of de-
spair. He was facing the hardest trial
that comes to the children of men-the
self-confession of failure.
There, on the pawnbroker's ledger,
which. like the roll of the recording an
gel, marks the downfall of many soul
and suffering enough to redeem it, was
writ the name of this old man, and over
on the shelf in rough case lay his
Amati-the child Of his old heart, the
mistress of his soul. Yes, he had failed,
and in the ever active, exacting drama
Of the world there was no part for him
to play.
II haven't any money" admitted the
old man. But it's Christmas eve and
if you will allow me to sit here and lend
me my old violin will play you Christ
mas Garcia rhapsody"
There was a pleading in the old voice
that would have opened harder heart
than the keeper of the shop beneath the
three golden balls.
The night had grown old, and it lacked
less than an hour Of the day which was
to bring peace to the world. The old
musician shivered; 1t was the cold of the
world without and the chill Of heart
within that quivered from his very soul
The touch Of loved one brings to life
| again all the glory of our dead selves
Youth to old age-strength to weakness
light to dull aching eyes-courage, am
bition, love, laughter-all it awakens.
Gently the sacred prize was lifted-rev-
erently Its keys and strings We're touch
ed as the old violinist drew the bow
| that was so perfectly welded to his mas
ter hand. The look in the deep set eyes
| was less hungry now and the hand was
steady again. The hoary old head was
no longer bowed In grief and shame, but
| dropped to touch the bosom of his love-
Out on the night air foated the joyous
| notes of the ''Hosanna, Hosanna to the
| Highest" Loudly they rang-and then
the echo, soft and silvery, quivered a mo-
| ment 1t was the pulse of the soul ,nrob-
bing in one magnificent blending Of har-
m0ny. All the hunger and want and
| mortifying failure were forgotten, and
the soul, young and strong in its glory,
scared out in the tones Of the Christmas
! anthem.
Then for moment came the shadow
| of the present. The face became white
again and the old hungry light shone
/ from the eyes anew. All, how could he
ever have parted with this companion Of
his soul tried hours2 Food purchased
at this price would choke him now, but
The Western news., 1904-12-21
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Last night they had Christmas tree down
at the new church; and
lot Of things they did, somehow, I
couldn't understand
lot Of things newfangled that we never
used to know
Way back among those Christmas times of
nifty years ago.
The preacher rode to meetin in a new
steam wagon which
Mace such racket that 1t nigh scared
Dohbin in the ditch;
The sermon fairly reeked with words no
body eer heard flow
From good old Brother Dan'l Virgins, fifty
years ago.
The organ was most wonderful; but then 1t
1t didn't sound ms rev'rent as it somehow
ought to be:
But when they sang "Joy to the World,"-
ah, then felt the glow
That thrilled my soul those Christmas times
OF fifty years ago.
And through that good old anthem seemed
taken back once more
TO where my soul could see across, clear to
the golden shore.
Joined and sang. THE Lord Is Come. Let
Earth Receive Her King.
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room, and
Heaven and Nature Sing.
All. twas song to swell the heart! The
organ Numbered loud
And carried grandly heavenward the voices
OF the crowd:
My soul looked out beyond the earth and
saw the CLEAN and glow
Across the walls OF Jasper where the living
waters flow.
And over all l heard voice rise high. and
ever higher
girls sweet voice angelic floating down
ward from the choir;
Its melody swift tangled In my tender
heart strings
There came to me vision from that Christ
mas long ago.
All, they were blue as summer skies
those tender eyes l knew;
And ever from their depths | saw loves
bright sun shining through
Loves sun that shone for Inc alone straight
out OF paradise
The paradise that lay within my lttlt
sweetheart's eyes.
And as the sweet voiced singer sang, agair
there came to me
| A vision OF the old log church. the little
Ablaze with tiny lights; l heard voice
used to know
And love in those old Christmas times OF
nifty years ago.
felt her hand upon my arm; heard ths
sleigh bells ring;
And through my mind the echoes ran, "Let
Heaven and Nature Sing!''
| I saw again the cedars bend beneath the
chast ming snow:
| Again felt my sweetheart's kiss Of fifty
years ago.
Sing on for aye, q triumph song! My spirit
scars above
| And Joins an anthem all-divine, a song OF
purest love.
I've cast away the thralls Of age, flung of
the yoke of time;
The mistletoe and holly boughs above us
wreathe and climb.
| The song was done. The lights were out
The echoes All were still
| The blue eyes once more sleeping on the
long forgotten hill;
And ! am old-ah, very old! and yet my
dimming eyes
Have caught a CLEAN prophetic from the
gates Of paradise.
Joy to the World!' ! quaver DER the
haunting old refrain
And smile on through the lonely tears that
fall like summer rain;
For every year that bows my head but
nearer brings I know,
My love Of those old Christmas times OF
fifty years ago.
Lowell Otus Reese, in Leslie's Weekly.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
A Good RiddanCe.

When the New Year In at the front door
peeps,
And out at the back door the Old Yea,
creeps
l hope he Will carry away on his back
A load as big az a peddler's pack;
And we'll stow away In his baggage then
Some things that we never shall want
again.
We will put In the puckery little pout
That drives all the merry dimples out
And the Greasy scowls that up and down
Fold nice little foreheads right into a
frown;
And the little Quarrels that spoil the plays
And the little grumbles on rainy days,
And the bent-up pins, and the teasing Jokes
That never seem funny to other folks;
And the stones that are tossed-be sure OF
that
At robin redbreast and pussy cat
And we'll throw in the bag some cross lit
tie "donts,'
And most of the "can'ts' and all OF the
won't
And the grumpy words that should not be
said
When mamma calls, "It is time for bed"
II we get all these in the Old Years pack
And shut 1t SO tight that they can't come
back,
Tomorrow morning we'll surely see
A Happy New Year for you and me-
Youths Companion.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
Two Christmas 0ames.

A Yuletide version of the donkey par
ty is played thus: On a sheet sketch or
paste a design Of Christmas tree. Have
each branch of the tree terminate in a
circle containing a number, using the
numbers from one to ten or one to TWEEN
ty-6ve, according to the size of the tree.
Each person playing is blindfolded in
turn and Is given rosette with which
he must decorate the tree" Each per-
son aims to pin his or her rosette on or
near to the highest number Of the tree.
Each competitor has three trials, the
three numbers to which he pins nearest
being written down to his credit by the
hostess, who keeps tally. The one whose
The Western news., 1904-12-21
%a6c~E<4a6%
8 ON THE MAIN LINE. 4

THE city's streets were thronged.
] Crowds of Christmas shoppers hur-
rded to and fro. Electric lights from
the big stores shone ON their rosy and
happy faces, and the younger ones
laughingly shook the snow from their
hair and capes. Charlie Wemper noted
all this as with his hand on the con-
troller he held the Mg suburban car in
check. 1t was crowded to the doors as
1t started on it's trip into the country
with it's human freight. The passengers
were In a merry mood. They had re-
mained until the last car, the opera run,
and were going to their homes on the
line, with their arms full Of bundles and
their hearts filled with good cheer
All this swept through the brain OF
the tired motorman, and there was no
answering smile as gay laughter reached
him through the closed doors Of the ves-
tibule. Here it was Christmas eve. He
had had fairly steady runs up to the time
the summer business began to slack off,
when the time table changed and he went
OH the board as first extra. A wife and
two little ones at home had to be fed
and clothed, and his 20 cents an hour.
with an average Of six hours a day, had
eAOe PA"SSN 1AAAA AA a RNOSUOu VI 0luu0uCSs
nor enabled him to look forward to the
glad Christmas time with any degree of
joy. He thought Of the scant supply of
coal In the shed, the almost depleted
larder and empty purse with pay day
still more than a week of, and sighed to
himself.
Eight dollars and a half coming to
me," he said, as he almost savagely
swung around to six points. The car felt
the current and sprang forward along
the shining ribbons of steel which show.
ed up In the glow Of the headlight In the
endless stretch of white ahead.
The city had been left behind and the
farm houses quickly slid back into the
shadows az the car sped by. The shin
Ing rails no longer showed up ahead. 1t
was all dead level of white. The swift
ly-falling snow had covered with its
mantle the rails of the line, but the
wheels still sunk through 1t and clutch
ing the rail drank In the electric fluid.
Thoroughly acquainted with the road,
and with the car under perfect control.
The Western news., 1904-12-21

three numbers added together gives the
largest sum total wins the first prize
christmas candles is good old
time game. A lighted candle is pla ced
upon a table. The player is blindfo:ded
and stationed with his back to the candle,
about foot from it. He's then told to
take three steps forward, turn around
three times, then to walk four steps
toward the candle and blow it out. His
attempt to do so will probably be as
amusing to the audience as disconcerting
to himself.
The Western news., 1904-12-21

attempt to check the speed aud the lhbst
Kemper could hope to do was to lessen
the force Of the collision. On came the
opposite car until less than 100 feet 1t
was one Of the newest and most power
ful on the road and Kemper's heart
dropped as he realized that fact. The
passengers by this time had ascertained
they We're speeding back, and the con-
ductor had his hands full striving to
check the panic.
Looking now right into the veshbule
of the opposing car. Wemper saw a livid
face with glaring eyes. One strong, bony
hand clutched the controller, trying to
force it still further around to get more
speed. There was terrible smile on
the white face. The man was mad. A
cold sweat broke out on the forehead of
Wemper. A cottage within which sat a
woman smoothing the hair Of little boy
while her body swayed gently to and
fro as she lulled the baby to sleep, came
before his vision. Who would fill the
empty larder now? Who replenish the
dwindling coal pile? A groan burst from
him as they. pursuer and pursued, sped
by the power station and back over the
| switch. There was no danger from be.
| hind and they dashed on back into dark
ness. leaving the sub-station keeper root
ed to the spot with astonishment The
fatal race was drawing to close Not
ten feet now intervened between the
headlights Of the two cars when sud.
denly there was pitch darkness. The
speed Of the cars slackened and the
Wild inbound gently came upon the spe
cial. There was a crashing of glass as
the two headlights, now dull and dark
came together; a slight jar and the dan
ger was passed. The sub-station tender
with a heaven-born CLEAN Of common
sense had stopped the machinery ant
turned of the power.
Springing from the vestibule as soor
az he realized what had happened, Wem
per climbed into the vestbule Of tn,
other car. ivid with rage at the danger
into which the other motorman hat
placed him. There was NO need for hi.
The Western news., 1904-12-21


catch the last train and spend Christmas
at home. 1t will be different from other
Christmases for hospitality means much
in the country. It's genuine. It's un-
mixed with business considerations. Your
father or the hired man will meet you
at the depot and on the way to the old
home on the farm he will tell you Of the
things you did when you were boy.
He'll point out the old schoolhouse
where You learned your alb abs and had
some Of the cussedness licked out of
you, ana the little old church where
preacher preached birthstone and are in
A way that made your flesh cringe and
You didn't dare sleep alone.
1t will all come back to you. You had
almost forgotten that you were a boy.
hadn't youi
You'll fill your lungs with pure air,
feel the singing breeze against your face
, and your heart will begin to throb with
GOOD impulses. Here everything seems
to be honest and real and good.
And the welcOme! Don't be ashamed
Of the tears that wet your cheeks. An
old man with snowy locks, trembling
with affection, a grand old woman, your
mother who weeps softly. rs women
do, because her heart is filled with hap
piness.
You couldn't make that woman believe
that You ever had a petty meanness: that
YOU had even thought wrong: that you
took narrow view OF life. or that you
had enmites that embittered your ex-
istence.
You couldn't convince that old man
that in the world could be found a
smarter "boy.''
Love forgcts faults and exalts virtues
To them your little successes seem like
triumphs.
Don't forget the little room. You oc-
cupied it as boy. You slept we'll in
those days You hadn't care. You
were free. and you were sound in mind
morals and body. 1t is good to think of
those things. 1t is good to think Of
Christmas Day. of the gifts and the
pleasure and good will that went with
them. Of the dinner and the long table
surrounded by relatives and neighbors
too poor to have their own Christmas
dinners.
And when the gray old man bows his
head, and with the faith Of child says:
I'VE thank thee, O Lord, for the mer
cies thou hast shown u.s. the simple
prayer that follows will appeal to all
that is good in your and give you new
hope, new life. new courage.-Cincinnati
Post.
The Western news., 1904-12-21

of wood. the pig is turned over a blazing
fire until cooked, the guests watching
the process with increasing interest. AT
ter dinner stories are told and songs
sung. Santa Claus, who, in the person
of an honored guest, is present to receive
instead Of to give presents, departs, af-
ter the feast, decorated with long ring
of cakes around his neck and laden with
such gifts as his friends can bestow.
The Western news., 1904-12-21

"A Christmas for the wee ones, after
ALL exclaimed Wemper, his face light
ing up. Here. Bill" he shouted to the
conductor. I'VE go whacks on the
cash."
Bill was 10th to accept, but finally con-
sented and there were two merry Christ
masses on the Main Line. = Detroit Free
Prpaa
The Western news., 1904-12-21
CHRISTMAS IN SERvlA.
Santa Claus Receives Presents Instead
of Giving Them.

of Giving Them.
In Servia they keep Christmas eve in
a someW hat peculiar way. The father Of
the family goes into the wood and cuts
down a straight young oak. choosing the
most perfect he can find. He brings it
in. saying. Good evening and happy
Christmas" to which those present say.
"May God grant both to thee. and
mayest thou have riches and honor.''
Then they throw over him grains of
corn. Presently the young tree is placed
upon the Goals, where it remains until
Christmas morning. which they salute by
repeated firings Of n pistol.
The national dish in Servia is pork
The poorest family in Servia will pinch
themselves all through the year so as to
have money enough to buy a pig at
Christmas. Skewered to a long piece
The Western news., 1904-12-21
Good Thing, Too.

The Christmas Tree-It is strange
that children are so green as to believe
ia the existence Of Santa Claus.
The Christmas Candle (sputteringly)-
But they are not eyergreen.-Woman'U
Home Companion.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
Touch Luck.

after ALL" said the busy merchant,
christmas comes but once a year."
"Yes," rejoined the old man who had
seven children and nineteen grandchil-
dren, "and I'm heartily glad of it."
The Western news., 1904-12-21

The smiling face Of william
]. JeffOrds was seen on our
streets yesterday. He lives In
Cincinnati, and has done well.
1t Is his first visit to his old
home In twenty years. He is
stopping with his aged pa
rents, Captain and Mrs. W. J.
Jeffords.
That is just a homely
news item clipped from Il
country paper. 1t has some
thoughts in it for you, Mr..
Busy Man.
Nearly all of us live in
the future. We are on the
right side Of so, and have.
we hope, many long years
before us. If we are rich
we hope to become richer.
If we are poor we hope to
become wealthy, and few
people who consider old age
and a completed career as
something distant stop to
think of the duty we owe to
the old folks down in the
country" That is where
the majority of the success
full business men came from.
In thousands Of cases father
and mother are still on the
old farm, content TO die
where they have lived. far
from the strife Of city life.
close to the soil and nature.
This year you should slip
l.
The Western news., 1904-12-21
Inherited Mistrust,

Bessie, have you written your letter
to Santa Claus"
Eyes, ma; but don't you 20 an give
il to pa to mail"
The Western news., 1904-12-21
Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New

Pat-Whoy is tn ovid year loike
whet towel. Nora, darlint?
Nora-Whoy!
Pat-Becase they always ring it out.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-06-04
HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT.
Champion j. J. Ieffries and Miner Jack
MunrOe Clash.

Although the JeffrIes- Munroe cham
pionship fight Is little more than two
weeks of, little Is heard from the
training camps
1t is this absence Of talk before the
battle which makes the coming contest
unique among heavy weight champions
ship contests and fight fans are natur-
ally asking the question what will the
90 amount to anyhow
j cannot remember heavyweight
battle where the championship belt was
at stake where there was so little doing
before the rhen met, says Malchy fIo-
gan So far the proposed show has had
all the earmarks OF third-rate affair
Not even any odds have been mention
ed IN connection with the fight
Some critics have pointed out that Il
is in these quiet" affairs where the
surprises come, | do not look for any
great SHOCK the night Of the fight. and
expect Jeffries 10 win hurry II he
wants TO-. Tho boilermaker may pro-
long the fight IN order to give the spec
tators a run for their money, but
hardly think so. Munroe will undoubt-
eddy try to keep out OF the champions
way, but he is bound TO be cornered,
and when this happens can't see any
thing else than for the referee to begin
the count