davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

& & sl ~ o9sN ~ lEs ~ u Il
slId 1nderslt spell lSWas fatally hurt upon
ayoad near Paris. Fair was the pleas-
re-lovlnY son of the great California
mill ionaire. the brother OF Mrs. Hermann
Oelrich and Mrs. w. erbilt, il.
The question OF the settlement Of his
estate depended somewhat upon 4 de-
cision Of the nice legal point whether
Fair or his wife died first, upon which
queer French testimony was offered.
Other things being equal, the man is
supposed to be stronger and to ltyel0uger.
At any rate, the case was compromised
by the payment Of considerable sum
to Bill Smiths mother. q simple old soul,
who hadn't the least use for it. Smith
hadn't any lack Of uses; most Of all he
was entranced by automobiles. His
first important purchase, after New Mar
ket's thirst was assuaged as never be-
fore, was a big red automobile In which
he tried hard to initiate his sisters fate.
But apparently he who is fated to be
.bankrupted by automobiles is not to be
killed by them. Trading as the Plain
field Auto Carriage company, Smith has
failed for tidy sum: The odds and
ends and leavings of the Fair money
are still sufficient to keep all the
Smiths in comfort, il they will consent
in comfort to remain. But
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

and determinedly into surging mass Of
other Christmas shoppers and seeks as
long as the pocketbook holds out and.
the strength and patience last to buy
Tom, Dick and Harry Of the household. J.
and the relatives and friends whose
name is legion, some gift. Frail Wom-.
en- who would not think they could've
through washing in the roomy, sweet,
quiet laundry at home, will tramp 20.
miles, more or less. through the shop
ping district and over. the blocks Of
floor space of the different stores, will
stand by the hour to be waited on,SWill
carry bundles that would make the de-:
livery boy groan, will be pushed and
mauled and crowded until there is
scarcely enough breath left to gasp
with, and yet who will live through it
and rather enjoy the excitement. The
shoppers in the downtown district are
numbered by the hundreds of thou
sands, those in one store on a busy day
recently numbering 100000, and the
days sales amounting to over 100000
separate transactions Think of It.! !.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

command? Here is our sympathy,
for the great army of clerks dur
ing the Christmas shopping sea-
son. Every store in the city that caters
for Christmas trade puts on ex-
ira clerks during the holiday season.
The increase perhaps would average ten
per cent. of the regular force, and the
total of special clerks and cash boys and
girls employed in all of the large stores
in the downtown district would num-
ber something over 10000. One of the
largest stores In the city has force Of
nearly 10000 men and women and boys.
attending to the wants Of the multitude
Of shoppers that throng the store, and :
number Of the other stores have almost
an equal number. It is probable that.
100000 people find employment In the
retail stores in the central business dis
trict of Chicago. They are the real
Santa Clauses, after all, for not only do
they make the sales, but they In many
cases help the shopper by their sugges-
tions and advice as to appropriate pres
ents The ideal clerk is monument Of
patience, IN information bureau, q con-.
fdential adviser and has q bound-to-.
please manner that wins the most un-
ruly and obstinate customer.
- ...1.z@ -.s.-@. WILLIS g. EDsON.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

thousands of dollars are expended in
preparing these window decorations, and
the value Of the displayed merchandise
reaches up into the hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars. One Of the largest and
finest retail stores IN the city sxpends
something like $4,000 for its In
terror Window decorations, and its
nearly three blocks Of windows.
numbering score or & more, Will
average about $1,000 each ii the
value OF the merchandise displayed.
This = but one store, and while no
other store In the city. probably, can
measure up to It In exquistte and artis-
ic effects produced In It's deeoratious,
and in the value Of goods displayed, still
when one has travelled from the head of
State street down to the last big store
In the line at Congress street. and seen
"
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

Eciable diE Esrence il thsir height San
satorS Alleo, ot Delaware. Is glad q ses
some small men come into the senate, IS
he has felt q little lonesome with his
short stature and light weight.
Knox, Alice and Martin, II ]. is
said, will all be able to look down
upon the man who lis Il expected
to be elected from Nevada. This is
George s. Nixon, who will probably be
the shortest in stature Of all the mem
bers of the senate. He is described as
being nearly head shorter than Sen
ator Knox, but, like many small men, Is
possessed of much ability. The ablest
parliamentary gladiator in the senate
is regular st. Paul in stature, and that
is the doughty Senator Spooner, of Wis
consin. He can drive the biggest man
in the senate to cover in 15-minute de-
bate.
There are in the public service num-
Der of little giants, and diminutive stat
ure in no way detracts from q mans
fame. In the cabinet Secretary OF State
John Hay and Attorney General Moody
are both a little below the average
height of men. In the house John Dali
zell, of Pennsylvania, recognized as one
of the most brilliant lawyers In that
body and one of the keenest debaters. is
small man and even President Roose-
velt himself, although broad and carrying
good weight. does not tower in height
among men.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

America and the Salvation Army. All
day long these faithful soldiers of the
Cross stand guard over their collection
boxes in order that Christmas bounties
may be showered upon the needy poor
of the city. The Volunteers have 30
men garbed in Santa Claus costumes
stationed throughout the downtown
district. The merry jingle of the slei gh
bells calls attention to the red brick
ch1mneys by their side, in the top of
which Is hidden the tin collection box.
A big placard appeals to the public to
Help the Volunteers of America to
send Santa Claus down 10000 chimneys
Of Chfeago's poor" 1t is expected that
between $4,000 and $4,000 will be raised
by the Volunteers through their street
collectors aid by other means. and that
from 5000 70 1000 dinners will be
served on New Years day, besides the
distribution of from soc to 1000 basket
dinners to needy families
The same spirit of loving charity has
moved the Salvation Army to station fts
workers. throughout the business dis
trtct. A turkey instead of a chimney
- the unique collection box displayed
Ind In place of a picturesque Santa
Claus, demure and modest army lassie
patiently waits for the public's offer
ings. The Salvation Army announces
that they, too, wish to feed 10000 OF
Chicagos poor. The activities of these
two organizations are but part Of the
benevolences which find expression
throughout the city at Christmas time.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

estlng reaoing, were the history Of
= single December written. The
wintry weather which has hung icicles
from the caves. wrought its dainty
lacework upon the window panes, and
laid its mantle of white over the dirty
streets, has come as welcome relief to
the merchants of the city, for In their
Judgment the fine, moderate weather
which has prevailed this fall is not good
for business. The State street merchant
does not enjoy pleasant, warm weather
in the fall and early winter, any more
than does the resort keeper in the sum-
mer-time enjoy the cold, stormy, un-
seasOnable weather. But it is very
Christmas-like now all over the city and
everybody seems to be happy, or ex-
poets to be happy when the good cheer"
with which the day is supposed to come
laden has been passed around.
The life in the streets is a study, and
IN interesting one, at this season of the
year. The crowds of men, women, chill
dren and babies, too, form one continu-
GUS procession up and down State street,
the great retail mart of the city The
casual observer might not be conscious
that any feature was lacking from pre-
vious years, but this year he will look
in vain for the street fakir with his
hideous jumping jacks, his cheap gilt
watches, his whistles, his moving toys
and his fog-horn voice that can. be
heard above the roar of the street. Last
year his life was made miserable by the
vigilant police who kept him or the side
walks as much as possible, and this year
he is not at ALL much to the relief of the
hurrying multitudes whose passage
along the streets is difficult enough with
out his obtrusive presence.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

ington for a number of years as cor
respondent for his paper, but Iatterly
he has been doing editorial work and
travelling throughout the length and
breadth of the land giving his readers
his unique views on public men and ar-
fairs. Col. Sterrett always has on tap
an abundance of philosophical advice to
his fellow newspaper workers.
Now look here, son." he will say to a
young man in the profession, III you
want to write interestin' stuff, don't
confine yourself too strictly to news and
facts. What the people of this country
want to read are theories. l know, foz
have tried both. When l wrote news
aobody paid attention to my column.
but when l begun to write theories the
people talked about them. Write the.
ories, write theories, my son.
Col. Sterrett was very much afraid
that he had lost caste in Texas by his
performance while in Washington last
winter. He was invited to a dinner at q
French restaurant at which the piecs
d resistance was dish of broiled
snails. The colonel was never known
to refuse dare; so he tackled the
snails, but with much misgiving as to
tho effect his participation in such q
feast would have among his simple
minded constituents in the Lone Star
state. If they learn that have been
a eatin' of snails, wont dare go back
to Texas" was his mournful comment.
He has survived the test, however, and
to make himself solid is now extoIling
the delights OF = 'possum roast = ID
Texas. -. " - =
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

Uniteu o.4ltS from the nFst GOWN u
Vice Presioent-elect Fairbanks. lie
can name them in rotation and is ia
miliar with their features either In life
or in portrait. Many years ago con-
gress authorized the execution In marble
OF busts OF all the vice presidents who,
by virtue of their Office, were also pre-
siding officers OF the senate. Old rec
ords and picture galleries were ran
sacked until the list was completed and
the counterfeit presentments OF the vice
presidential lineaments were trans
ferred to marble by more or less distin-
guished sculptors.
These busts were placed wherever
convenient niche offered. In the walls
surrounding the galleries OF the senate
are indentatiOns in each of which was
placed a bust of a vice president. In
out-of-the-way corners in the corridors
OF the senate wing of the capitol others
were perched. 1t was puzzle for even
the capitol guides, who are resourcerul
men and can fix name to picture or
statue whether it is a right one or not,
to supply names for all OF these busts.
During the past summer MIR. Ransdell.
who is somewhat of an antiquarian, be-
gan the labor Of identifying the vice
presidents, and as a result each bust
now bears the name of the man whom it
represents.
Another improvement that the SER
geant-at-arms has placed in the senate
chamber is large gilt clock placed
above the chair of the presiding officer
where all the senators can see it. 1t Ia
a duplication of the clock which has
hung for nearly century on the op-
posite wall above the main entrance
into the chamber The latter clock has
told more lies than any other time
piece in the country. BY pushing back
it's hand the doorkeeper of the senate
has time and time again made the sun
to stand still and delayed the arrival OF
the hour of adjournment in order that
the senate might finish some important
business. AS it was the official time
piece of the senate it's record was ac-
cepted as correct and adjournment not
taken until the hands pointed to tho
proper hour.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

like the wealth that Rockefeller and q
few associates command and control. In
deed, in these days the Rothschild wealth
does no more than keep pace with the
necessary subdivision to meet the in
crease Of the prolific family. The es-
tate, which Is most conservatively man.
aged, does well If it nets four per cent.
year upon it's vast capital; in the Span
ish war the Rothschilds lost heavily
upon Spanish bonds. the head of the
house, Baron Alphonse. having taken
from association the common Partisan
view that Spain must bs victorious.
The social gentilizauon Of a Roths-
child Is no new idea in this country.
Old New Workers remember well that
August Belmont, who came over to rep
resent the Rothschilds in what was then
unimportant America, came of family
whose original name was "Schon-
berg" which had been gallicized into
Belmont" The family he founded is
one of the highest placed in New York
society. Similar rank may be claimed
by the head of the great international
banking house Of the Speyers, who mar
ried one of New York's fashionable ma
irons. and whose munificent benefac-
tions for New York are a pattern for
others.
Meanwhile, the latest international
romance to agitate society is the re-
cent marriage of Miss Edith Devereux
Clapp to Count Rene du Temple de
Rougemont. Of Memellon, France. De
Rougemont 10 good-lookine young fel-
low. who has considerable family, es-
tates. His bride was not in the inner
circle of New York's wealthy society. hut
had lived very quietly before the mar.
riage, which came after . brief wooinr.
and is called . love match :
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

because people of the buying age have
long been accustomed to buying dolls,
and are slow to notice that little girls
care less for them than they did. OF
course, too. almost any girl is fond of
her doll while it is novelty to her; but
she plays with it less than her grand
mother did with one not one-tenth part
so fine.
Philosophers like H. B. Marriott Wat
son, who says that american women
have slain love-" and who has got into
mess by saying it. may explain this
tendency along race suicidal lines, and
preach about the decay of the maternal
instincts-a line Of argument which
would be nonsense.
The real reason why little girls tire
sooner of dolls is that so many of them
at least lead more active lives than their
mothers did. They skate and swim and
ride. ponies, If they are so fortunate as
to have them, or bicycles, if they are
not, and they are altogether too active to
sit for hours grooming over doll.
That again is why the most popular
doll Of the season is really mechanical!
toy masQueradlng as a doll. The little
figure that can talk by concealed pho
nograph or bow by concealed spring,
has taken the place of the doll that can
only open and shut its eyes, just as that
improvement spoiled the plain old-line
doll for half the little girls that used to
love them. The shrewdest toy makers
in the country are allowing for this
change of sentiment, and have provided
a tremendous stock of mechanical toys
upon the sound theory that girls are
just as much interested in them as boys.
Both sexes alike in early youth demand
more strenuous occupation when they
play. And perhaps the little women
gain as much in health as they lose in
sentiment: But, after all, a doll is doll,
and she who has never played with one
has missed much.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Arc the Austrian Noblemen Seeking
American WivesP = Bill Smith
Gone Broke on Automob biles-
u Other Gotham Gossip. 81
EW' YoR K.The
presence of two
grandsons of the
e re a t e st Roths-
child, and their an
nouncement that
t h ey propose to
stay all winter, has
somewhat fustered
society. circles.
Right or wrong, the
imnresSiOn will nnf

down that they have come to seek Amer
ican wives.
Barons Alphonse and Louis are sons
Of the head of the Austrian branch of
their great house, and grandsons of the
Partisan Rothschild. They are quite sin
cere in their protestations to report
ers that they know nothing of 'fee-
narnce." 1t is quite true. They do not
There is no such thing as hereditary
leadership in the world of money, and
these young men are merely Austrian
noblemen and gentlemen, members of a
crack military corps, and by the favor of
the emperor ennobled to 16 quarterings,
which would carry them far past that
not so remote Nathan of the Red Shield
sign, who buried princes treasures in
time of war, and restored them enhanced
when peace came.
Sixteen Quarterings would carry the
Rothschild nobility back to the six
teenth century; as matter of fact, the
Rothschild fortunes in the old world are
Of newer growth than the Astor fortunes
In the new world. The original Roths-
child was poor banker, meaning prac-
tically pawnbroker and goldsmith in
crowded ghetto, when the original
John Jacob Astor was already a PROS
porous man in New York. The great
Rothschild fortune, as we of to-day
know it, was founded during the Ma
poleonic wars from 1907 to 1916, less than
century ago, when all the nations of
Europe were floating bonds at rates that
would be to-day ruir Gus and impossible.
and when advance information of Wa
terloo in the absence of telegraphs
meant great fortune.
The Rothschilds arc one Of the three
families of Jewish blood who rank with
the bluest- -blooded aristocrats at all the
courts of Europe. Everyone knows the
pretty story about Lord Rosebery plan
ming when still schoolboy to wed the
richest heiress in England, to be prime
minister, and to win the Derby. He did
all three; the heiress was the daughter
Of the London Rothschild
So society does not look unfavorably
upon the two young Austrian noblemen
who have sought New York's hospital
ity.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
The Christmas Shopper.

BOUT the most In
teresttng subject.
for character study
these days is the
Christmas shopper.
With q thousand
and one conflicting
emotions tearing.
the heart and play
ing upon the coun-:
tenance, he or she:
plunges herOlcaIly.
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Decadence Of the Doll.

DON'T suppose that
old people in gen
eral know that the
doll is no longer so
popular as it was
with young people
in general. B u t
that's the fact. OF
course, more and
finer dolls are sold
than ever before,
but that is in part
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

nance. The big brain that operates in
that boylike head, however, is bound to
make him one Of the most brilliant
members of the senate. There are other
men In that body who are not Much tall
Ser than the new Pennsylvania senator.
When he and Senator Martin of Vir-
sginia stand together there is no appre-
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Talk Of Gambling Syndicates.

ALk Is revived of All
American M ont e
Carlo, in which Mr..
Garfield is said to
be interested. This
time gossip places
it in Havana; l
have known Yucca
"a n, Nicaragua,
Panama, and other
out-of- t h way
points SuRpested
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

s2lS q 1t
most one. 5 bre ths saWayf SaaIs
sup the probable totals md
agniflcent e1hibIt ION Is abso olutely free
to the public. All one has to do 10 to-
use his feet and eyes. and he who d too
lazy and. .unappreciat1ye to do so 1afsses3
q rich and instructIyesa and entertaining.
treat
Ss But the windo low displays are not alone
noteworthy for their bri1liancy and
richness Some d. the stores provide q
.a feature Of their d decorations unique
features that appeal especially to the
children, and thousands upon thousands
of the little ones are taken BY their
parents to see them. One window
specially attractive this year has three
great smiling Santa Clauses that bob
up and down serenely. while the diner-
ent colored electric lights fash out at
intervals, Illuminating the great corner
window filed with every conceivable:
thing which would delight the heart Of.
any American boy or girl. Another
window in the same store displays q
dolls chariot sled drawn by six or eight
sleek bunnies. The chariot is filed
with dolls big and little, dressed ex-
quisitely, and resting lightly upon yari-s
GUS parts of the chariot are huge but
terflies whose flashing bodies support
the dolls, who like fairies, are, riding
their gay steeds. The effect Is made
more realistic by the rhythmic move
ment of the great wings. Santa Claus
is feature in a number of the stores,
and parents stand in line with their
children for hours in order to greet the.
bogus saint and receive from his hands.
the cheap book or toy. .=z,
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Busts of Vice Presidents.

E RGEANT = AL
ARMSRANSDELL,
Of the senate, has
performed a good
work in nlabeling the
marble busts OF past
icepreslGents that
occupy inches IN
the senate walls.
Mr.. RanSdell Is able
to name all the vice
presidents OF the
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Money and Society.

INCE the rise of the
rs t a n d ard Oil
crowd" in this couu.
try, the old talk
about ROthschilds
has subsidized. No
single member of
the Jewish family
has anything like
the wealth of Rock
efeller; the entire
family has nothing
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Christmas in the Shop Windows

ANY thousands of
people make the
trip downtown just
to see the window.
decorations Of the
big State street
stores. This Christ
:; mas ma display has:
come to be q :regu-
lar feature Of the
b holida ay trade.
ThOal6andA s, non
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Christmas for the Poor.

MAS penevolences,
however. have the
right Of way every
where, and if the
fakirs are not given
street or sidewalk
room in which to
hawk their toys, it
is different with
the patient, tireless
representatives of
the Volunteers OF
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
The Overworked Clerks,

} mucn TOT the slOp
per. who endures.
the perils and fa-.
tigues because she
so chooses to do.
How about the.
poor, goverworked.
clerk who has to:
face that feverish,
impatient, exacting
multitude because.
of necessity's stern
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
Oddities in Statesmen
ANDSLIDE

ANDOLlDE years
always bring some
new and curious
material into the
house. In some
districts nomina-
tions are handed
to m g n m e r e.
ly as com p l.
ments without any
idea of their being
elected. Such has
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30
In the Senate.

N the senate there
will be an &C.
cess OF little big
men. Sc natOr
Knox, Of Pennsyl-
vania, who has
just taken his seat
as successor to the
late Matthew Stan
ley Quay, is of boy
ish stature and
cherubc cOunte-
The Virginia enterprise., 1904-12-30

been the case this year and from several
districts there will appear men who
heretofore have had but dim idea OF
what seat in congress means. The po-
litical revolution in Missouri has this
year, as former one did in 1894,
brought into the house men who had lit
tie idea of being elected when they were
nominated. One of these is Frank D.
Klepper. of the Third Missouri district
where normal democratic plurality of
$500 was overcome
Mr.. Klepper will contest with the
giant Sulloway, of New Hampshire, the
honor OF being the biggest man in the
house. He Is six feet four inches in
height and weighs 28O pounds. He is a
great friend of President Roosevelt,
whose acquaintance he made a few
years ago while hunting mountain lions
in the wilds Of Colorado, where the
president was also seeking big game
Mr.. Klepper relates the incident of their
meeting as follows:
"You are from Colorado?" INQUIRED
the president.
NO." was the answer. Il am from
Missouri"
'|Then Of course you are democrat" !"
1aughingly replied the president
mot in a thousand years. l am one
Of those fellows who are going to re-
deem Missouri and throw her vote into
the republican column"
Another Missouri member, w. P. Tin
dali, from the Fourteenth district, is
schoolteacher and has enjoyed the mu-
nif1cent salary of some $40 a month.
After the 4th of March he will draw as
much in one month as he heretofore re-
ceived in whole year by his teaching,
FrankL. Dickson, of the Twenty-third H.
linois district, will probably be the light
est weight, physically, in the house, as
he only weighs 40 pounds.