davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

De fiddler in de corner. des a-pattin' of his
De fddle-bow a-gwin. en- a7makin' music
sweet;
En- Christmas times, good people, Is de
times what hard ter beat,
En- well have a merry Christmas In de
mawnin'!
We left de weary burrows whar de cotton
blossomed white
En- de summer-w winds wuZ singin, en- de
sun wuz blaZin' bright,
En- we reached de Lam of Promise: Swing
yer partners left and right!
En- we'll have q merry Christmas In de
mawnin'!
De white folks in de big house hear de
happy fddles SCUM,
En- dey come ter see de dancin', en- dey
standin' all eroun;
Let de music come a-ringin'! amt we xiv
erin de groun'!
En- oh! de merry Christmas In de mawn
in'I
Don't keer erbout de patter of de sleet 'on
top de she'd
We gwine, roun, lax shadders whar de fire
blazin' red;
En- glory hatleluia shakes de shingles over
head
Glory haleluia, 'twell de mawnin'l
Hans roun' de creakin' cabin 'twell de
very roof you lif'!
En- you skeer de ha'nts ter kiver whar de
weather freeze 'em stiff!
But-keep one halleluia 'twell we holler
christmas Gif!'
In de merry merry; merry Christmas in de
-Lesies Monthly.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

would think that he loved her and was
glad to have her there. She would be-
lieve that he shared her own love for hui
mainly and her reverent trust in God.
She went with him to the mill and
through the village. There her mistaken
idea OF his character showed in strong
light. Many Of his workmen were living
in poverty. She knew he was doing all
he could for them, but was there not
some way she could help? What was he
going to do for the men and for the
churches of the town for Christmas
Then they must remember the little chill
dren.
Christmas Eve came. Mr.. Bentley
had shamefacedly ordered Simpson to
provide a regular Christmas dinner"
He had never made Christmas gift in
his life, but now-well, Florence would
persist in talking as If Christmas meant
as much to him as it did to her.
He was thinking Of this as he walked
home that evening. 1t was showing, and
the wind buffeted him as he mounted the
slope. The next day the mill must stand
idle, but on the following morning the
men should be notified of the reduction
in their wages. How angry they would
be! Gilbert Bentley's lips closed in
firm. cruel line. He had looked out for
himself; others must do the same.
He reached the house. AS he passed
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

full to have no one Of your very own to
be glad with, and I've come to spend
Christmas with you"
The girl was SO sure that her grand
father was glad to see her that he could
not tell her she was unwelcome. An hour
later they sat at dinner. The old man
looked across to where the girls golden
head cleaned in the lamp.
She chatted gayly. When they rose
from the table she went with him to the
study Sitting on a stool, she told him of
her school life.
81 am happy there, grandpa, but l will
be glad when school is finished. Then /
can keep house for you. 1t has been SO
kind in you to do without NE 80 could
be educated"
He made no response. They parted
without the words being said that would
send Florence back to school. Mr.. Bent
ley resolved to say them at breakfast the
next morning There he found himself
confronted by that smiling face, and was
obliged to hold his peace.
Florence stayed. Simpson, the maid,
and the man all delighted to serve her.
A few simple changes were made in the
dreary old house. Mr.. Bentley chose
some new furniture. He ordered that
good fires should be kept up and babe
Simpson see that the table was well
spread.
Gilbert Bentley was powerless. Flor
ence would think the best Of him. She
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

through the hall the dining room door
stood open. He noted the vase Of scar
let carnations, ordered from the city, III
the center of the table. Upon quaint
old sideboard was a basket of oranges
and pale green grapes and plate of the
nuts over which Florence loved to linger
while he drank his coffee.
The old mans face softened. He sat
down before the fire. He was so en-
crossed in thought that he did not hear
Florence enter.
"You precious grandpa" Again her
arms were round his neck. Il found
your gift, and I thank you thousand
times. But grandpa, l want to ask you
for something more. 1t is part in your
work l want you to give me. And l
want to give you my help-myself. 1t
is a wonderful position you hold-so
much wealth and so many people whom
you can help. On this best Of all nights
the birth night Of our dear Savior, let
us give ourselves anew to the work you
have been doing alone
Little girl, you don't understand. l
have not been what you think l have,
and"
Her dimpled hand closed his lips. "You
are not to malign my dear grandfather.
We will work together, will we not?''
eyes, dear"
In those two words the old man re-
nounced his greed and selfshness. On
the morrow his workmen should receive,
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

time would lose much of it's beauty and
delight. The child's imagination, which
transforms commonplace things, the
childs receptivity, which does not stop
to question, but enjoys-these reflect
themselves upon our minds and bring US
for the moment into the childlike mood of
happiness. Nor is the child's thought of
happiness simply one of getting. Neither
the gift nor the surprise of the gift, dear
as these are to the child's heart, brings
as much pleasure as the planning and
the giving. The best of Christmas is en-
jcyed before ever Christmas comes. We
older ones need to be reminded every year
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

Across the shadows Of the night
There come to my expeotant ear
The twelve deep notes that tell the flight
OF yet another passing year.
It's limits reached, Its work Is DONE
It's record sealed and sent on high,
Unknown to all and seen by none
Except Gods own all-seeing eye
All, me! those years, those vanished years.
In memory, but beyond recall,
How filled with foolish doubts and fears,
How stained with sin and blotted ALI
What can we ask Of thee but grace
To make these failures Of the past
The beacon lights by which to trace
Our way to thee, 0 Christ, at lastl
Farewell, Old Year! There have been days
or grief and ill--so, too, Of good;
And for them both we give God praise,
Though at the time misunderstood.
His wisdom measures all our needs;
He knows the weakness of our Trainer
His love our highest thought exceeds;
He calls us by his own dear name.
So pass the years In solemn state
Beyond our ken; we count the sun;
They come and go, we watch and wait
Until our own set time shall come
God of the years, from out whose hand,
With all our precious gifts they come,
Give US the grace to understand,
And make them helps to lead us homel
Christian Work
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
PLACE FOR SANTA CLAUS.
Story of the Old Saint Should Be Told
in Merry Mood.

Story of the Old Saint Should Be Told
in Merry Mood.
With the approach of Christmas arises
the problem discussed by modern moth
ers and chiId-students in regard to the fc-
ton of Santa Claus. Is it wrong to de-
ceive a child, and will he not lose faith
in the parent when he finds out that
Santa Claus does not exist? The best
advice we have ever seen on the subject
was an editorial printed in that excellent
magazine for mothers as we'll as teach
crs, the kindergarten Review. The edi-
tor defends Santa Claus. The trouble,
where there is any, arises, she says, from
efforts to give the old story a realistic
setting and to reply to questions with too
ingenious fibs. I'VE put too little fun
and fantasy into our telling of the Christ
mas tale" she writes; and again: Told
as such tales ought to be told-in a merry
mood, with laughing mien and wonder
tone, with funny winks and shrugs as
parryings of difficult questionable tale
is harmless enough" When the child
discovers that Santa Clause is not real,
he need not feel a shock any more than
when he suspects that. there are no
fairies or COLLINS. But the parents who
raise this difficulty are usually those who
disapprove of fairy stories. We are glad
that we have such authority for retaining
the Santa Claus myth" for old and
young enjoy the merry "make-believe."
And when the child outgrows it we can
afford to let it go. One Christmas story
more wonderful and supernatural he can
never outgrow----that of the Babe and
the Star and the Angels
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

that love is more than elaboration at the
Christmas time, and that the value of the
gift is measured by the affection of the
giver; but unspoiled children know it and
act upon 1t, as if there could be no doubt
of it at all, and we would all be happier
at Christmas If we were to learn of them.
Then would the Christmas burden, of
which so many are complaining, turn to
pure delight.-Congregati
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

not a reduction of their wages. but an
assurance of his good will and interest
in them. For this child's sake he would
learn to know and do his duty.
at will be our first Christmas to-
gether," Florence said dreamily. her
cheek pressed against his.
Eyes, little girl. It will really be my
first, my very first, Christmas"
Monthly.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

AN OLD MANS FIRST CHRISTMAS ;
BY HOPE DARING.
NNN~u~~N-~~%~

~ ES, I will do it. It's the only way
J can be sure of making a fair profit
next year. My workmen must under
stand that l run the mill to put money in
my own pocket"
There was an ugly frown on Gilbert
Bentley's brow as he sat in his shabby
little study, communing with himself. He
was a small, STOPPING man of 65, with
ding expression.
'I'll do it at once. One week from
tomorrow I'll announce cut of ten per
cent on all wages. One week-that will
be the twenty fifth. Why, that will be
Christmas, and the men must have a
holiday, Christmas! AS if that old super
stition made any difference with the
world to-day!'
The frown on his brow deepened. He
leaned back, staring from a window. He
could see the long, low buildings Of the
Bentley Lumber Company. In the back
ground was the leatiess forest. The sun
was setting and the sky, above the tree
tops, was tinged with a rosy glow.
Gilbert Bentley had spent ten years
in that numbering village. In that time
he had doubled his capital Now, owing
to a general depression, his profits were
small. To continue his business through
the winter would mean very little profit,
but doubtless the spring would bring a
change. Well, he would not wait for
spring.
Money had always been Gilbert Bent
ley's god. He had begun life a poor boy
and had worked his way upward, I'M
aided. His life had been too busy for
sentiment To be sure be had married.
His wife lived only a few years. There
was child. Harold had grown up, high
spirited and proud. In early manhood
he married against his fathers wishes.
Estrangement had followed. Harold and
his wife died within a few months of
each other, leaving a little daughter.
Pride prompted Mr.. Bentley to pay the
girls bills at good school, but he never
saw her.
The door bell rang and there was the
sound of footsteps and voices in the hall.
The door of the study was thrown open,
and a sweet voice cried:
Grandpa, are you hereT
Before Mr. Bentley could speak, Simp-
son, his old English housekeeper, enter
ed. In one hand she held aloft lighted
lamp. thus showing Gilbert Bentley his
unexpected visitor. She was a slender
girl of sixteen, a dimpled, blonde face
lighted by sunny blue eyes.
why, don't you know me? am
Florence, and am glad-so giad-to see
your
She was at his side, both arms round
his neck, and her lips uplifted for his
kiss. AS in dream he listened as she
told how she had grown tired of spend
ing her vacations at the school.
"You know, grandpa, that it is dread
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
The Porto Rio, ! Christmas.

Christmas in Por % Rico is a church
festival Of much Importance and the cele-
bration Of it is made up chiefly of re-
ligious ceremonies intended to commem-
crate the principal events in the life of
the Savior. Beginning with the cele-
bration of His birth at Christmas time,
the feast days follow one another in
rapid succession. Indeed, it may justly
be said that they do not really come to
an end until Easter.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

HRISTMAS is the
true Children's day.
The Lord of the
feast was a child in
Bethlehem, and He
still loves little chill
ddren as He did
w b e n, in t h e
strength of His
manhood, He took
them in His arms
and blessed them.
If there were no
c b ii d r e n in oui
world to receive and
enioy. the advent
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
Self Approval.

"Have you kept your New Years res
olutions"'
Eyes, I have faithfully kept New
Years resolution that l made three OF
four years ago"
What was it?"
"Never to make any more resolutions
Washington Star.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
Foolish Resolutions.

The New Years vows that Perkins made
To keep will prove a strain.
he vowed to shave himself this year
And use not words profane
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

Johnnie, what do you want me t,
buy you for Christmas?"
How much money have you got Pr
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
Sudden and Surprising.

What do you most desire for Christ
mas, Miss Mabel?"
ooh, George, this is so sudden!
"Wh-what do you mean"
"Why, of course, want you.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

Papa-Well, Bobby, did you have
good time seeing Christmas down town!
Bobby-Yes, sir; 1 busted three drums
an broke some tin horns an music boxes
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01
THE cHlLD's FESTIVAL.

There Is a Special Significance IN
Christmas for the Little Ones.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-23
CHAPTER XV.-Continued.
The Difficulty of Pleasing Everybod


IA. the first glance jerks did not
recognize Taung SAIL owing to his
charge Of costume. Thru the thinner
smoke he could see several sailors run
ming UP.
#.T4ook out, there!" he cried. There
is lady here. If any Dyak moves,
knock him on the head!"
d But, with the passing of the chief,
their last peril had gone. The next
Instant they were standing on the
firm ground, and British naval lieu
tenant was saying eagerly
"We seem to have turned up in the
nick Of time. Do you, by any chance,
belong to the Sirdar?''
We are the sole survivors, an
sWered the sailor.
s''You two only2"
eyes. She struck on the northwest
reef Of this island during typhoon.
This lady, Miss Iris Deane, and I were
flung ashore"
Miss Deane! Can it be possible :?
let me congratulate you most heartily.
Sir Arthur Deane is on board the
Orient at this moment
1.-The Orientw
Iris was dazed. The uniforms, the
pleasant faces of the English sailors,
the strange sensation of hearing ia
nniliar words in tones other than those
OF the man she loved, bewildered her.
sympathetic smile. That's our ship,
you know, in the offlng there"
n It was all too wonderful to be quite
understood yet. She turned to
Robert
''Do you hear? They say my father
~ not far away. Take me to him.
mo need for that, miss" interrupt
led a warrant officer. Here he is COM
ing ashore He wanted to come with
us. but the captain would not permit
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-23
Two Ohio Women Converse in Queer
Speech That no One Else Can
Understand - Linguists and
Scientists Puzzled.

Special Cor of the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Z Toledo, O.-Mrs. Nellie Bell and
Mrs. Lille Wright Of 1927 Glenwood
avenue, two prominent society women,
are attracting the attention Of en-
inent linguists and scientists.
They speak. a language known only
to themselves, the supposed result of
a thought transference which began
in childhood. At least, 1t is a subject
that is food for much thought and
speculation. ..... g. r .e
Mrs Bell and Mrs. Wright are twin
daughters of the late DR.. Bush Of Ere
mont, and they haye lived most" of
their married lives in Toledo.
Socially popular and possessed Of
wide acquaintance, their strange gift
has long been accepted by their friends
as matter of course. They have al
ways been averse to any undue pub
licity in regard to the subject, yet
without any mawkish sentiment over
this strange gift. H..
"Our friends here and in Fremont
often ask us to converse for them,
said Mrs. Bell simply because the
speech is queer and utterly unlike
theirs in sound. We have never
thought much about it, as we have
always used it when alone, but lately
linguists have urged us to tell our
rules of pronunciation and to write
our language for them. ....
'"The truth is we have no rules. We
have never paid attention to constitute
ton or to any, analysis of the speech.
One day when a child 7 was playing
with petsd and spoke to him in this
strange tongue. MY, sister Heard me,
listened a. minute or two and replied
in the same jargon, which was per-
fectly, ,intelligible to me.
'Since then we have carried on all
l haye in
talk. ;@
Neither our parents nor our sister
| were ever able to understand us, and
! used to laugh good-naturedy when
| we talked our secrets before them in
| this way.
| "Our sister, now Mrs. Brand OF
Antwerp, Belgium, a student and q
linguist. now urges us to formulate
a grammar and set down the rules OF
our talk, which she believes Is a re-
vival of some dead language"
."The first time we went to Europe, .
said Mrs. Wright, "a Hungarian pro-
lessor of languages, who overheard
us talking, asked us to write some
words for him; he was master Of
trace, analogies in ours. We put him
off from day to day, but he was Sc
urgent that at last we did set down
some words for him. He said the
jargon resembled a mixture Of Welsh
and Indian" T.
1T is not euphonic,"" said Mrs. Bell
because Of the predominance of con.
sonant sounds. It seems strange tc
us that we have talked it all these
years without attracting any particu.
| lar attention, and lately it has become
! known, and we receive letters and
visits from scientists and linguists re.
garding it.
"a professor from Ann Arbor came
down to see us week or so ago, but
we could tell him very little.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-23

gone by chance with his men and suf-
fered great loss. But Taung Sail was
bewitched by the. female spirit, and
had returned there, with a great force
swearing to capture her or perish. The
spirit, the Malay said, had dwelt upon
the island for many years. His father
and grandfather knew the place and
feared it. Taung Sail would never
be seen again.
This queer yarn was the first in
dication they received of the where
|. abouts of any persons who might pos
sibly be shipwrecked Europeans, tho
not survivors from the Sirdar. Any
how, the tiny dot lay in the vesse4 S
northWard track, so a course was set
to arrive off the island soon after
dawn.
Events on shore, as seen by the Of
fcers on watch, told their own tale.
Wherever Dyaks are fighting there is
mischief on foot, so the Orient took
hand in the proceedings.
But Sir Arthur Deane, after an
agonized. scrutiny Of the weird-lock-
ing persons escorted by the sailors to
the waters edge, sadly acknowledged
that neither of these could be the
daughter whom he;sought. He bowed
his head in humble resignation, and
he thought he was the victim of a
cruel hallucination when Iris's trem-
ulous accents reached his ears
Father, father! Don't:,you know
me?'' '.sii s;..
+ He stood up. amazed and trembling.
Yes, father dear. It is I, your own
little girl given back to YOU Oh dear!
lsOh dear! cannot see you for my
| tears R#sf5
They had some difficulty to. keep
him in the boat, and the man pulling
stroke smashed stout oar4with the
next wrench.
/ And so they met at last, and the
sailors left them alone, to 3; crowd
round Anstruther and ply him with a
hundred questions. Although he fell
in with their humor, and gradually
pieced together the stirring story
which was supplemented each instant
by the arrival Of disconsolate Dyaks
and the comments of the men who re-
turned from cave and beach, his soul
was filled with the sight Of Iris and
her father, and the happy, incense
quent demands with which each
1 sought to ascertain and relieve the e2x-
tent Of the others anxiety.
Then Iris called to him
l Robert, / want YOU.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-23

equal composure, though he felt in
cl!ned to laugh at Playdon's mystifica-'
ton. II only wished to secure a suf-
ficient number of witnesses for a YER
bal declaration. When have few
minutes to spare will affix a legal
notice On the wall in front of our
cave"
Playdon bowed silently. There was
something in the speakers manner
that puzzled him. He detailed a small
GUARD to accompany Robert and Iris,
who now walked towards the beach,
and asked Mir Jan to pilot him as sug-
gested by Anstruther.
The boat was yet many yards from
shore when Iris ran forward and
stretched her arms to the man who
was staring at her with wistful de-
spair. sjst.s:
Father! Father!' she cried. Don't
you know me?"
Sir Arthur .Deane was looking at
the two strange figures on the sands,
and each moment his heart sank low
|;er.. This island held his, final hope.
During many weary, weeks, since the
lIday when a kindly admiral placed the
Fcruiser Orient at his disposal, he. had
Iiseoured the China Sea, the coast of
EBornec and JaVa,,$for some tfdings of
the ill-iated Sirdar.
TIe met naught save blank nothing
/ l1Ss5o,s liz k9AIClCS VI IllS 6ACoS OSCctl
1nausoleu,n. Not a boat, a spar, a
life-bouy. was cast up by the waves
to yield faintest trace Of the lost
Esteamer.. Every naval man knew what
had happened. The vessel had met
with some mishap to her machinery,
struck Il direlict, or turned turtle, dur
ing that memorable typhoon Of March
4 II and Is She. had gone down with
Fall haEds. Her fate was a foregone
conclusion. No ships boat could live
i'll that sea. even If the crew were able
to launch one. 1t was another of the
oceans tragedies,esw the fifth act
llleft 70 the imagination.
4 To examine every sand patch and
/ tree-covered shoaI in the China Sea
was M impossible task. All the Orient
could do was to visit the principal is.
lands and Institute inquiries among the
fishermen and small traders At last
/ thu. previous night, a Malay, tempted
by hope ofSreward. boarded the vesse
when lying at anchor off the large is
1 land away to the south, and told the
captain a wondrous tale of a devil
haunted place inhabited by two white
spirits a male and a sfemale, whittier
a local pirate named Taung Sail had