davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
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STAR IN THE EAST
Wondrous Story of the Centuries
That 1t Told to the Boy
Who Gazed at 1t.

set, she is a hopeless wreck on the
rocks of the beautiful island.
The Star is to see many cruel things
in the New World after that Its
serene beam shines on Montezuma in
1919, a prisoner in the bloody hands
of CorteZ. 1t shines on Cortez again
with his men in the next Christmas
eve, lying before Tezcuco, which he
is to enter and plunder before the end
of the week.
On the Christmas eve Of 1929 and
for ten Christmas ewes thereafter the
Star looks on an American Odyssey.
1t is the Odyssey of Alvar Nunez and
his three companions, sole survivors
of the expedition of Pamfilo de Mar
vaeZ, wandering along the northern
coast of Mexico, through Texas, to
the Rocky Mountains, and thence to
Mexico, trying to find way to take
them back to Spain. They spend one
Christmas eve in being worshiped as
demigods by a tribe of Indians. They
spend many others in working as
slaves.
Twelve years later the Star shines
on fernando de Soto, lying in camp
in the Chickasaw country. 1t is the
second Christmas eve away from his
wife, the beautiful Dona Isabella, and
he is never to see her again. The
Star looks down upon him in 1541,
near the Mississippi, with his great
expedition scattered and all but de-
stroysd, but the dauntless heart of
him brave and unfearing. Christmas
eve, 1912, finds no such person as Her
nando de Soto, Captain General of Gu
ba, Adelantado Of Florida, on earth.
In 1867 the Star sees a gathering in
Antwerp. It is a terrible gathering
that conceives a thought Of inhuman
wickedness and ferocity. Yet out of
this Christmas meeting shall a great
freedom be born. For it is that of the
Spanish rulers in the Netherlands.
and at it is adopted the decree of the
Inquisition that condemns all the in
habitants of the Netherlands, with but
few exceptions, to death. And the
War of Liberation follows. It is the
first to break the cruel and deadening
power of Spain.
In the New World the Star looks
on the colonists of jamestown stealing
out on Christmas eve, in 1907, to get
corn from the Indians by strategy.
Two years later, Christmas eve sees
them suffering grievously for food
again.
Ammo Domini 1920, and the Pilgrim
Fathers rest from their labor of build
ing the settlement which they have
begun that morning.
Christmas eve, 1915 and 1916, sees
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
A Christmas Message.

A touching story of two friends is
told by William Beatty-Kingston in his
Journalists Jottings. They were two
officers in the English army who quar-
relied, about some trife, and, although
they had been the closest of comrades,
became in consequence entirely es.
tranged. The fact Of their separation
and one Christmas day one of them
received from the other a card bear
ing a dove with an olive branch. The
recipient kept the message by him for
twelvemonth, and on the following
Christmas sent it back to his fellow
year and then dispatched it on the
next anniversary. Through three sue
cessive decades at each Christmastide
the mute messenger was regularly
sent in token of continued friendship
until year came when it was forgot.
ten because the present possessor was
too harassed by financial losses to re-
member it. In the course of the
Christmas week, however, his wife
came upon the card and sent it off to
her husbands friend with a newspaper
cutting referreing to her husbands
bankruptcy. The returning post
brought her a letter enclosing a thou
sand pounds and explaining that the
sender had just come into a fortune
and that in return Tor this triaing
sum, intended for his friends rescue,
he should keep the Christina! card as
lis most precious possession.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
Ss~5,a~4rNgs gss~-ss-ej ja,as-s@NyltaI:
Christmas in s
Various Lands !
2s@sN-ss-~~s3fs-ss-s's1N 1N-ss-s>a9 s-ss::3

Christmas comes but once a year.
and it is observed as an occasion OF
general rejoicing in every civilized
country.
In Germany the chief celebration Is
held on Christmas eve. This is the
time the Christmas tree is lighted and
the presents distributed. Many of the
superstitions of the North German
peasantry at this season of the year
are of a curious character
Old wives tell young maiders that II
they are desir0us of ascertaining the
trades of their husbands they must,
on Christmas night, listen near the
large kettle walled in the stove. If
the water in it makes a roaring noise.
he viii in all probability be a black
smith. And there are various other
tones of the boiling water by means
of which other trades may be deter
mined. Again, to find out what sort
Ct weather it will be during the next
Year one must on Christmas eve take
an onion, cut it through into twelve
equal parts. put salt on each one and
then place them in a row. The months
corresponding to the cups in which
the salt is, the following morning, if
found wet, will be rainy.
In France Christmas day itself is
very little observed. From the mid
die of December the streets of Paris
are lined with booths where every sort
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

war in the New World. In the first
year the New Englanders, instead of
gathering around sociable fireplaces,
are abroad, driving before them the
remnants of the Wampanoag Indians,
whom they have defeated in a great
battle near Narragansett bay; and in
1916 the French are taking CAYENNE
in Giana, after a stubborn siege.
In 1886 the Star shines on grim and
moody faces in the town of New York.
Sir Edmond Andross, the first royal
governor and yice-regent of New Eng
land, has just arrived and is making
a roaring Christmas eve of it.
Two years afterward the Star
CLEANS on his royal master, James H.,
spending his Christmas eve in the
French court, a fugitive driven from
his throne in England.
Sitting with a few companions by
a camp fire in the primeyal wilderness
of Pennsylvania, a young surveyor
looks up at it in 1853. He is George
Washington, nine days journey on his
way home from Lake Erie, where he
has been to carry a message to the
commander Of the French that will
end finally in the French and Indian
war. Indians are prowling on his path
that night, but he looks as serenely
at the Star of Bethlehem as if he
were gazing at it from his home in
Virginia.
Fourteen years later, two other
young surveyors pass similar Christ
mas eve in the wilderness. They are
not to become so famous personally
as that other surveyor, but their
names are destined to be linked for
ever with great cause. They are
Mason and Dixon, sitting under the
Star at the end of their trail. They
have reached a warpath and the In
dians have forced them to stop thirty
six miles from their objective point.
But they have practically run their
line and they finish it on Dec. &c.
Christmas eve, 1913, and there are
bands and flying banners in Boston.
Young and old, mechanics and royster-
ers and citizens of substance, are
marching together. Singing God
Save the King" they head straight for
the wharves, where two teaships are
lying. Some of the chests go over
board, still to the accompaniment Of
the loyal tune. The others are left
on the ships, but the vessels are forced
to return home without unloading.
Lieut.. John Paul Jones, in his new
uniform and clothed in his three-day-
old dignity as member Of the Corps
Of Naval Officers appointed by Con-
gress, swaggers around proudly on
Christmas eve in Philadelphia in ITS.
Ammo Domini 1916 sees $4,000 men
crossing the recovered Delaware.
And in 1777 the Star shines on Val
ley Forge, where men sit around pitt
able fires in rags-penniless, hungry,
freezing, but unfaltering.
Christmas eve, 1888, George Wash
ington has surrendered his commits
sion the day before. For the first
time in seven years, he looks UP to
the Star without heavy care.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

costly rings on her fingers. The pre-
sepe was on this occasion the great
object of attention to all the Worship
ers. 1t had been expanded from the
stall-like manger surrounded by fig
ures-the Virgin, st. Joseph and the
hepherdS-cOmmon to all Italian
churches at Christmas, TO a miniature
Bethlehem, into which was crowded
nearly every known animal. Trees
and flowers bloOmed all about. and
even the star was not forgotten. This.
painted in gorgeous cOlors, was at
tached at the end of a pole that pro-
truded from what might have been the
marlet-place of the city. The manger
itself was empty, as the placing of
the figure of the bambino (hOly child
within it is a solemn ceremony re.
served for the early hours of Christ.
mas morning.
The dress Of the country people
also awakens in the mind touching re.
Elections; it is, am assured, exactly
the same as that of the Shepherds at
the time of our Savior's birth, and
dates back upward of two thousands
years. 1t is a sort of smockfrock or
tunic, drawn tight around the waist
by leathern thong, and a cloak over
that. No shoes; people in general 90
barefoot"
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

dar sue ar, s".sea her head from his shouI-
0s. .. anu smiled up into his eyes
lou said Id be sick going a,,o,,
rom nom hey West, didn't YOU" shs
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

CO toy and decoration are sod, but
these are intended for the New
Years occasion, when the French eX-
change gifts and good wishes. On
Christmas eve, there is midnight mass
At the Madeleine, to which immense
numbers flock. The high altar is pro-
fusely adorned with flowers, and the
building decorated all over. The peo-
pie enjoy the music. which is very
fine, but the day possesses no deep
significance for them. IN some OF the
country districts. especially in Nor
mandy and Brittany, more attention
is paid 10 the celebration of Christ
mas. The Parish churches hold espe-
ciat services III honor OF the birth o.
Christ.
Ii Italy the churches are illumtna-
ted with thousands of wax tapers. To
bring the scene yividly before the
mind Of the reader the following de-
scription by a traveller and an eye
witness of one OF the churches near
Naples may not he out Of place:
The high altar was blazing with
Light. On the right lay tie presepe
(manger) and on the left stood erect
a wax figure OF the Madonna; while
around that impersoration clustered
the young country girls. \ magnif-
cent flaxen wig covered the head of
Our Lady, and her china blue eyes
stared straight ahead of her into va
cancy. She was clothed in q splendid
white satin dress, wore a jeweled
necklace around her throat and had
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

And 10, the star which they saw
In the east went before them" whis-
pered the boy, gazing upward at its
pure white light in the hush of the
Holy Night.
But mankind" said the old man,
sadly, ''has not followed. In all the
Christmas ewes since it looked on the
shepherds in that field of Bethlehem,
1t has looked on men doing evil some
where to their fellows. It's light has
oeen dimmed by the lights from camp
fires of armies and from flames of
burning cities. l am old, and it is
weary waiting for the fulfillment of
the promise"
THE star is beautiful and splendid"
said the boy with shining eyes.
"Undimmed l shine" said the Star.
"And He in whose sight thousand
years are but a day sees mankind look
toward me every year with new in
telligence and love. Ages have passed
and other ages still must be before
the Word shall be fulfilled. But every
Christmas eve I shine upon world
that has moved forward step by STEP"
Greater grew the radiance of the
Star, until the world sank away, and
still and pure it shone over Jerusalem.
/ Whose calm and faithful eyes are
these that look toward it from a cell?
Stephen lies there, soon to be taken
to the city wall and stoned to death.
Again it shines upon the Holy City,
surrounded now by Roman army
under Titus. Before another Christ
mas eve, Jerusalem shall be no more.
The temple of the Most High shall
lie raZed and Titus leave nothing on
Mount Moriah save a little heap OF
ruins.
And again there is a Christmas eve.
Six hundred years have passed. The
Christian world has fallen far away
from the Sermon on the Mount.
Hatred and intolerance have dis
.orted the cause of Christ into cause
or shedding of blood from Bethlehem
o the far isles of Great Britain.
Christmas eve, 800 A. D., and Rome
celebrating the Holy Night with
Eonderful splendor. Princes and war
iors and priests throng its streets.
sreatest prince of them all, before
khom even the mighty Charlemagne
loWs. is the Bishop of Rome, Leo III.
his is a Christmas eve destined to
o more than any other Christmas eve
many centuries that have been or
iat are to come. to change the his
sry of the world. For tonight Char
smagne and his magnificent court
ave agreed with the bishop that on
hristmas day Charlemagne is to be
rowned Augustus, Emperor Of the
vest and Protector of Rome. The
loly Roman Empire has begun.
Shining for the first time on Christ
las in the New World, in 1892, the
tar sees Columbus and his crew turn
kward it from their small craft as
lev roll in the great blue serges Of
Se tropical ocean off the coast of
kayti. L may be that there is too
uch Christmas eve cheer aboard the
,uta Maria. For before the Star has
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
Country Named for Christmas

South Africa was discovered by the
Portuguese, who We're searching for
an ocean road to India Bartholomew
Diaz was the commander of the two
little ships that formed the expedition
in 1916. Eleven years later De CANA
took another Portuguese fleet south.
He discovered Natal on Christmas
day and thus named it in consequence.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

And all her thoughts dTelt in the coming
years,
When Christ His mission should begin,
And trembling from her lips, her fears
Leapt forth to One who cleanses sin.
Swift, as the mother prayed. the pale
Drowned Dawn
Crept soft and kissed Nights purple
cheek.
So woke from frosted sleep TIA ecllpsed
morn,
But dull with shadows gray and bleak
That cast full on the cloud -encumbered
sky
An outline like a mauve- touched floss
And Mary gaZed, and with an anguiShed
cry,
Beheld, in woe, ah God, a cross!
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
EAMM

A cross gloomed on the Orient's high ex-
panSe,
That Dawn, upon whose bosom lay
The Ermine stole of royal eminence,
Erst flung in joining night and day.
To conquer dark with light, the signal
read,
But lost to Mary was the pledge;
Her eyes grew blind and burned with
tears unShed;
She felt the piercing thorn crowns
edge.
AS if upon her tender brow it prest.
Her lips paled as death-fower wreath.
and in each hand there pearled a Tated
crest,
That hid the crimson mark beneath.
But now Dawn held her breath her reign
= at flight.
And rose The sun to keep his &ryst
II blazonry of fire and ambcrcd light
Ensheathed in Snow-laced amethyst.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

Alone, SAFE for her babe upon her breast,
Lay Mary. while the morning star
Late lingering led the sages to the West,
Presaging fates that loomed afar.
A mothers love Is ne'er in accents told,
When nesting close her first-bOrn lies.
Else words We're gems that strung on
gold
Straight from her soul to God would
No cold to Mary or her son came nigh.
AlthO' jagged cleft appeared
Torn thro' the wall that faced the eastern
sky,
For wind and snow the babe revered.
The Virgin drew the slumb'ring child so
near,
Her breathing stirred him as n sigh.
Her heart His cradle, and it pulSug clear.
A psalm, hushed to a lullaby.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23
Christmas Greeting.

Tb. Christmas chimes. that once again
Peal forth in merry giee; ~
Ring out a song. SO joyous Still
\ half sad melody.
The wear so fraught with memories
roes slowly ebb away
Into q deep and dark ABYSS
Nor comes another day.
The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1904-12-23

And all the canopy grew radiant.
A flaming easel, where unfurled
The cross in glory 'gainst the armament.
A rainbow promise 10 the world.
And Mary'S fears took wing as now apace
She saw the cross. resplendent grow
Behold The Christ-chfld wakes and
smiles into His mothers face.
And in His eyes the Virgin sees the
suns reflected glow
Emily Ruth Calvin.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-21
CITY WORK ENDS
Paving and Sewer Construction Season
COMPLETED as Planned.

! After meeting with all manner of
bad weather during the summer, the
city engineers department has been
able, on account Of the prolonged fine
weather, to complete the immense
amount Of work planned for, this sea-
son. The last paving was laid last
Saturday in complete darkness except
was finished a few days before. The
extent Of the work done by the de-
by the money it expended. The rec
ords show that bills to the amount Of
81, 401, 900 have passed thru. the de-
partment since April 1. For this amount
the city has obtained $4,000 square
yards Of paved street, seventeen miles i
Of sewer, several miles Of curb and
stone sidewalks, several miles {. Of good
across the river at Thirty second ave-
nue. N, bridges across Minnehaha creek
sat Lyndale and enty-eighth avenues
and one across Bassett Is creek at Al
dirch avenue, as well as extensive paw
ing, sewer and sidewalk repairs.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-21
HE COULD STANDPAST0R,>
JUDGE WAS.T00 MUCH

1t was only few moments before the
time for beginning the service at Yves
lev Methodist church yesterday morn
ing, DR.. J. s. Montgomery Was 81.
ready seated upon the pulpit platform,
and The auditorium was rapidly hAlng:
The ushers were busy and at an instant
when they had left one OF the doors
unattended, man with a hold-over-
Saturday -night:ja wandered in. ne
was half way down the center aisle be,
fore his condition was generally noted
and when he dropped into, an aisle seat
there was general sigh of relief and It
was decided that the easiest way out OF
the dilemma was to leave him alone. :
Shortly after the bibulous one was
comfortably settled, Judge H. D. Dick,
inson came in and was shown to seat
across the aisle from him. This arrival
seemed to disturb the jag visibly. He
had come to church to hear the moral
law, and here was an exponent. OF an
other kind Of law, whose penalties were
more Immediate and less vague. In the
| quiet little instant which marks the be-
ginning Of the service, he reached de-
cision. Gathering up his hat. he strug
gled toh is feet and remarked audibly
'Blank it, I might stand DR.. Mont
geometry, but can't stand Judge Dick
Then he made his tortuous way w
| the aisle and left the church.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-21
MAN OF AFFAIRS AT %.
J. J. JANNEY STILL INTERESTED:
IN EVERYTHING GOING oN-HIs
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.

ing an active interest in the affairs so Of
tOday-that is the case Of John j. Jan
ney of Columbus, Ohio, who is now
living with his son, T. j. Janney, at
POI Ninth street s.
Altho so old, Mr.. Janney is a re-
markably we'll preserved and very
bright man. From his personal appear
70. A sill ht deafness is his only trou-
BILE, as he has exceedingly good health
and is greatly interested in everything
going on. ,>-.1E ~,
eyes, he said to Journal reporter
this morning, ~ have voted for every
whig and republican candidate for pres
ident until this. year. The first man
| voted for was John Quincy Adams.
I heard him make a speech at Cincin-
natl in 1882.
~ was born April rs, 1912, in the
first brick house: ever built in Lowden
that the bricks for the house were
brought over from England. So you
see 1 have lived thru all the great wars
except the Revolutionary. It has been
| my Fortune to see nearly all the presi-
| dents and to know three of them per-
sonally-Mr:, Hayes, Mr.. Lincoln and
| Mr. hayes, cOnClnued Mr. Janney
"was the typical American. He was
9 true man in every sense of the WORD
and his wife was handsome, fasci
mating woman. They, were both idea
types Of Americans. I was once in
vited to a reception. at President
| Hayes and went at the hour appointed
1880, merely to see if other peopl,
! would do the same. President Hayes
met me at the door and Mrs. Hayes
and we sat together alone for an hou1
while they criticized the lack Of cour
| tesy in their guests in arriving SO late
! Several times I called on Presiden
i Lincoln in Washington. Once I waitet
4 for him while he was hearing cases. H
seemed to reach the center of ever,
case. To one rebel woman, who wishet
pass from Baltimore to- Richmond TO
some purpose, he said: you Ca
have it if you III go to- Richmond an,
4 promise you IL never come back Stan
ton was a dogmatic, bull-headed man
a great contrast to Lincoln, who wa
courteous to. every one.'
The Russian-Japanese war is anothe
subject Of great interest to Mr.. Jan
q ney. His sympathies are with Japa.
and he believes that Japan will win.
The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-21
*-." VAN OSTEN IS "IT
- e.. 90,
Comedian. Makes Things Go at the
Dewey This Week.

te RsR ye & e s i tas s sh6
by the - Craeker jadkH.f rat ~the Dewey
theater- this week. Van ,Qsten is bet
ter known IS the patrons Of this house
as the man with; the duck nose, and
altho he is practically the whole show,
his work never becomes tiresome. He is
assisted by Carl Anderson, another sold
favorite, who has an excellent barytone
voice. e.,
The play is replete with good music
and specialties. FLOWERS Roost,'' the
song that made such hit last season,
is retained and seems to have lost none
Of it's popularity. The chorus is pretty
and we'll costumed and contains several
good voices for burlesque work.
Belle Hathaway leads the olio with
her troupe of educated balloons and
| monkeys and the act is q pleasing di7
erosion from the ordinary. Sam
| Adams gives novel character act and
the GreNa Sisters sing popular songs in
pleasing manner. The Whangdoodle
-Four, colored quartet, present a short
musical farce that takes well and Carl
Anderson in little of everything closes
the speciality bill. 7f
The show closes with one-act farce,
"Our Georgia Rose, - an old piece, with
Bob Van Osten in the leading role.