davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21

on the mantel. ats just as well; the
world isn't all like this household
"It's just as WELL" echoed the girl
image. "Your beauty will not have to
fade"
81 don't want to CO." cried the doll
mournfully ''T want to stay with my
blue eyed boy. The world may be full
Of sadness, but there must be pleasure
as well, for it is here"
There was something so plaintive in
her voice that even the images refrain
ed from any further remarks. The fire
blazed hotter, and the wax, which had
as yet only softened, began to melt.
Something spattered on the floor. 1t
was a drop Of melted wax.
Oh, that her little boy would get up
and move her back from the fire! But
he slept on peacefully, and as she had
no voice for real children she couldn't
call to him.
away. Drop by drop she fell on the
floor. The room, with its rich hang
ings, the children sleeping, the freight
Pickering, the shadows and, above all,
the memory of her brief existence-for,
after ALL doll can only exist-seemed
to be gradually fading away. She sigh
ed to think that she couldn't have been
born with a soul, to be loved and go
on loving forever; that she could not
grow up like real child to see the I'M
folding Of all the wonderful things In
the world, passing from one existence
to another instead of going out alto
gether. Then she thought that she
might never have been born at all,
never have had the one glimpse of the
happy household, the one Christmas.
the blue eyed boy and her single day
Of love. So she said: Il can't under
stand it. l will try not to murmur, but
trust that it is all for the best"
And then-and then she awoke! The
horror of melting had only been
dream. She had fallen asleep before
the hot fire, but some kind hand had
drawn the chair back, and in a few
moments she was again clasped in the
fond arms of her blue eyed boy.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21
WRITING TO DEAR OLD SANTA CLAUS.

think again when she was born, but
couldn't remember, so she said instead.
isn't 1t beautiful world"
do you think soT' said the boy.
''My sister and l have had hard time
getting into 1t. We were baked in
furnace, and 1t was so hot
"Well, don't tell me about It," inter-
rupted the doll. I'D rather hear about
pleasant places"
The figures told her great many
things, but the girl was very vain Of
her beauty, and the boy was taken up
with what he knew about the world,
OF which the doll knew nothing at all,
so she didn't listen long, but fell asleep
while they were talking.
Suddenly she awoke with start
What was that noise in the chimney?
She had scarcely time to think about
1t when out on the hearth popped lit
tie figure in fur. He unstrapped pack
he carried and filled all the stockings
with toys. Then he jumped back into
the chimney and was gone in a twin
king. This set the doll to wondering
more than ever.
Everything was again silent except
the clock, which licked very loud.
There were the children asleep in bed,
the little pale faced boy with his head
resting on his arm, the girl image on
the mantel with her head on one side
thinking how pretty she was and the
boy thinking how much he knew about
the world. The doll soon went to sleep
again.
In the morning she was awakened
by a shouting. The children were run
ming about In their night clothes, TAX
ing their toys from their stockings and
chattering like monkeys. The fair hair
ed boy sat up in bed and looked on, for
he was too delicate to get up like the
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21

other children. The doll noticed that
he had great blue eyes, which seemed
ever so large as he looked wonderingly
at all that was going on. Then there
came knocking on the wall, and the
children knew that it was a signal for
them to get back to bed and not take
cold, and back they scrambled, laugh
ing and tumbling over one another,
and covered themselves up.
Presently the father and mother
came in and distributed the toys. The
doll was for one of the girls, but the
boy insisted on having it himself. Then
when all were loaded with presents
they carried them down to the break
fast room.
What day it was! The children
were racing about, playing with their
toys, and people were coming in con-
tinually to see the presents, and the
sun shone brightly on the snow out
side, and the fire shone brightly with
in on the brass andirons and fender,
and after dinner stories were told the
children till they We're all astonished
by the number of wonderful things
that happen. The boy with the light
hair and blue eyes lay in his mothers
arms, bugging the doll with her breast
pressed against his, so that she could
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21

~ NE Christmas eve a wax doll sat
on chair in pretty room in
~ which a number of children
were In bed. A fire was burn
ing on the hearth. Stockings were
hanging to the mantel to be filed with
toys for the children who were Sleep
ing soundly, doubtless dreaming Of
what they were to receive in the morn
ing. The face of one of them, a deli
cate, fair haired boy, was turned to-
ward the doll, and she did not tire look
ing at it, for the face, though pale and
thin, was very delicately nodded.
On the mantel were two figures in
porcelain. One was a boy in an old
fashioned coat and knee breeches, with
a sash around his waist and a cooked
hat and feather. His right hand was
thrust into his coat in front, and he
looked like figure of Napoleon. The
other was a girl, with a short dress
and sailor hat. Her head was poised
one side, and she looked very well
satisfied with herself. Indeed, she was
very pretty.
'How do you do?' said the girl i'm
age to the doll. Don't you think this
a pleasant room"
Indeed it is, but I've not see many.
I was only BORN She paused to
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21

hear his heart beat, and she wondered
why there was no such beating In her
own heart This was the happiest mo-
ment she had ever known. She was
only day old, but something told her
that nothing in the world could ever
make her happier.
When the children went upstairs the
boy insisted on keeping the doll by
him till he got into bed, when his
mother persuaded him to part with it
till morning. She placed it on a chair
before the fire where he could see 1t
till he should go to sleep and the first
thing on awakening In the morning.
When the children were all asleep
the doll looked up from the chair at
the images on the mantel. She was
too happy to go to sleep.
"What lovely day have had" she
said.
Just wait" replied the boy image
''till you have been knocked about the
world awhile and you'll see." He look
ed as wise as an owl.
81 think 1t very nice" said the girl
image, 80 long as you are young and
pretty, but don't like the idea of get
ting old and cracked, perhaps having
my arms or legs broken Off"
The wind was rising without, and
suddenly the fire blazed with cheer
full warmth. 1t was very pleasant for
awhile, but presently 1t seemed to be
too hot. The doll thought she began to
feel softening in her feet. She didn't
know what 1t meant but It frightened
her. 1t extended to her legs; then she
felt it In her arms and at last In her
face and neck. A log of wood fell
down on the Goals, and the fire biazed
higher. hotter than ever The doll felt
herself melting away.
"You're going" said the boy figure
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21
dMkNyWy tKAii7 Gy y ~:
AAAI5 8ADRMS SLchiCAEE,
Notice of Expiration.

To heirs of Erick Olson Est. or Unknown
Owners:
You are hereby notified, that the folio wing
described Real Estate, situated in Winneshe (
County, Iowa, to-wit:
Undivided 81 n19 nw4 sw14 of Sec. No. 8,
undivided 81 of se14 ne14 of Sec NO. 4, and I'M
DIVIDED 81 of Lot No. 3, of ne14 se14 Of Sec No.
1, all in Twp. No. SO, Range No. 8, wa sold for
taxes OF 1900, on the second day of December,
1901, TO z. o. Blekeberg, that the certificates
OF sale thereof have been assigned to and are
nowowned by CARL o. HAGEN, and that the
right OF redemption will expire, and a Treas
redemption from such sale be made within
ninety days from the date of completed
service of this notice. You will govern your
self accordingly.
Dated this 5th day of December A. d. 1901.
1873 CARL HAGEN
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-21
here are Many Others!

We might tire by naming thousand other things but simply
wish that line holiday goods this
iona We invite at time times
look the stock carefully buy just choose,
during the holiday hope will make
your headquarters. You will always be welcome.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

what 1t should have been would have
been IL the money had been counted and
the property appraised.
The popula ton of New York city was
then 800 600. and, of course, it was big
place. 1t was not SO big, however, that
every other man. 1t may be depended upon
that they did know-they knew of their in
comings and their outgoingS-1uSt as now
they know in small towns and country VII
lagos. But any one who has had expert
ence of country life knows that the esti-
mates placed popularity upon the wealth OF
any man who Is making money, and has
more than he needs to spend or seems to
require for his own wants, is vastly exag-
gerated Any man who has more than he
needs seems to be rich to one who has less
than he requires. And so a man whose
wealth is really say $50 900 is put down at
four times that sum, and man who really
has 5000, 600 is reckoned a millionaire. But
Mr. Beach did not belong to the needy
fession. So 1t is quite likely that his spec
tacles were not powerful magnifying
glasses, but like those of the gentle Tit
bottom, who, when he put them on, saw
things exactly as they were. So let US
concede that these were rich men In their
time even though their wealth was set
down in good round figures.
Many Have Grown.
Some of these fortunes have been dissi-
pated some have been divided among heirs
especially large, while others, notably the
Astors and Vanderbilts, have grown into
colossal proportions. And among the lesser
fortunes mentioned by Mr.. Beach many
have also become princely in magnitude.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

what great sums these comparatively lesser
ones grew under the management OF the
owners OF 1S46 or that of their successors.
Inc gRhinelander fortune, for instance, is
now Immense, and mainly by the Increase
In value of real estate. Mr.. Beach says:
The Rhinelanders for fifty years past
among the richest of the rich in this city,
were but humble tailors and Shoemakers in
the revolution, and with the tories who
stayed in the city feathered their nests
under the protection of the British flag
Another chrouicler tells this story of he
Rhineiander fortune:
The Rhinelander Fortune.
I'm the colonial times an Bnglishman
named Rogers had farm in the neighbor-
hood of what is 14th street and the
Hudson river. Rogers needed farmland
and so he employed newly arrived Ger
man immigrant. What this German immi-
grants name was l do not know. and the
neighbors between Greenwich and Chelsea
villages did not seem to care. But he came
from the Rhine country, and so they called
him the Rhinelander In tine the hired
man married the daughter of Farmer Rog
ers, and also inherited the farm and begat
q family. The farm Increased in value.
and is now worth a great many millions OF
dollars, most of it, by the way. having been
kept in the family
These stories seem on the surface to be
inconsistent But they are not. Farm
lands where broad 18th street. New York.
now runs to the river were not valuable
in the revolutionary period. and 1t Is not
at all unlikely that the owners of such
lands at that time should have piled The
honest trades of tailoring and shoemak'ng.
Nearly all of the earlier fortunes. how
ever, were made In merchandising and in
reased by the rise In real estate holdings.
Some were founded on the piracy that
fiourished in the colonial era and the slave
trade, which had not persisted when Mr..
Beach compiled his list. The most sub
stantial and the most lasting were those in
vested in land, which then mainly un-
improved. but which is now in the very
heart of the metropolis.
Civil War Period.
During the civil war period many men
made fortunes quickly. but comparatively
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
proved of this tabulation OF the wealth Of
the millionaires OF New York:
Totals ........2.3i6

Totals .2.sid $3.50 ooo 600
This makes the average wealth OF q
metropolitan millionaire in round numbers
81. 93i,OO0. That surely seemed to me pret-
ty steep, but the authority / am quoting
said that il surprised him only by its low.
ness. He would not. however, agree that
the average wealth of the other 3.6s4 mill
lionaires outside of New York could be 80
high. Put them down." said he. lat one
million and a quarter each and you will
not be far out of the way"
No sooner said than done. for, TO tell
the truth IL was Just as easy for me to
figures representing wealth which there
was no human means to estimate accus
rately. So | at once made the compute.
ton and found that the aggregate wealth
of the millionaires outside of the metropo.
lis was $4,6o5, 600 CO., and that the aggrts
gate wealth of all the millionares in the
country was $9l25, 100000.
This Is an enormous proportion of the
total value of the property I'm the whole
country to he In a few hands. 1t means
that one fifteen-thousandth OF the populae
ton own one-twelfth OF the wealth That
statement. however, may not be exactly
fair. for 1t may safely be presumed thai
each OF these millionaires is at the head
of family of five. and that this aGgres
gate wealth really belongs to 10000 pers
sons. Even then the proportion Ia ex-
ceedfngly great, for here find that ono
three-thousandth of the population own
one-twelfth of the wealth
Most of this wealth is undoubtedly cseAu
money, and has been made honestly and
decently. the principals sharing their prose
perity with the men who helped. and benz.
fitting the public at the same time But
most of this huge aggregate 10 the sun,
OF comparatively small fortunes of a mill
Hon or little in excess thereof OF the
enormous fortunes not made by the rise
in real estate values. volumes would have
to be written to give anywhere near any
Idea OF the ways that have been employed
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

Harmed looking very pretty In a cool brown
and gold dress. Strange he had never
thought her pretty before She was smil-
ing at him In timid way. He pulled of
his hat and sat down in the seat facing
her.
Miss Harmed" he gasped. this is In
deed unexpected"
Il m sorry II you regret meeting me
again" Her long lashes swept her cheek
ps she looked down. Then she glanced up
at the man glaring discounted at her.
But I'm glad have chance to tell you
how unutterably mean you were to leave
me in that-situation-last night"
"Why Miss Harmed" Wickham was
growing more uncomfortable every mo-
ment. II couldn't do anything else. II
had stayed on they would have be-
leyed-'
ut was true. Exactly she finished for
him. And they did ! spent half the
night explaining that you had dropped off
TO save yourself from false accusation"
But. Miss Harmed. l tried to save you'll"
wickham was flushing In his effort to JUS
tify himself,
:. well you didn't" she announced, look
Ing him steadily In the eyes. They de-
cided you had been kidnapped and they are
all on tiptoe to see you make this train"
"Here-now7" Wic..ham looked around
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

Come on out here. 1 want to talk with
you"
She threw him a glance that was half
scorn, half entreaty-and hesitated
Then they all got the measles and
Johnny took the whooping cough" Miss
Harmed shot to her feet and was crowding
into the aisle before the amazed little wo-
man could finish her sentence. but Wick
ham bent over and looked into the hurt.
brown eyes.
Thank YOU" he said. gently, letting his
fingers sweep over her worn hand Wen
be back presently" and he strobe after
Miss Harmed, overtaking her on the plat
form.
II am sorry, Miss Harmed" he said. tax
ing hold Of her arm and closing the door
at the same time. She confronted him with
angry eyes trimming with tears
"Oh. forgive mel" he said, with a world
Of compassion in his voice. ut is ali a mis-
cradle mistake. and I'll go back and XIII
those university people If you say So" He
looked SO vicious that she laughed through
her tears.
mo. no: let them live. The poor ounces!
They've nothing else to do
But their asinine fooushuess has made
you uncomfortable"
Really. I'm beginning to enjoy Tits
all $3.50 unusual A rounding Of Q
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

For instance, Mr.. Beach put down August
Belmont's fortune at. 100000; that Of Will
liam Colgate described as "a very worthy
man in the business of tallow chandler')
at $YOO, 600; that of Peter Cooper at 100000
Mrs. John Delmonico's at 500, 600; ]. w. De
Peyster's at 100000; Amos r. Eno's at
100000; Preserved Fishs at $3.50 GOO; the
estate OF F. Gerhard at $500, 600: Peter Goe-
let's at $4OO,OO0; five families Of Hendricks
at 81, 100000; Arson G. Phelps at $500 600;
the Rhinelander family at 81, csc, 600; C. ".
s. Roosevelts at 100000: Alexander T.
Stewards at 100000; Lispenard Stewards
at $4,000, and Moses Taylor's at 500. 900.
Any reader may guess as well as Into
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

he said that the list should be increased by
90 per cent. He said there were at least
1900 persons in the United States worth
81. DOC, coo and 1900 more worth more than
81, 600. 900. while there were some ten or
twelve SO enormously rich that there was
- way for any outsider to get at their
wealth, even in an approximate way. A
man In active business whose own capital
is not sufficient to finance his ventures
needs to tell those who are called upon to
lend him money what his resources are; but
these enormously rich men are lenders al
ways and borrowers never.
This fiduciary authority ] have quoted ap-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

mates were / cannot know. 1t may have
been that they were very accurate or not
at all so. Mr.. Beach was probably good
deal of gossip, and as he contributed his
own name to the list. saying frankly tnat
he was worth $3O000O, he probably was
In pursuing his inquiries. for it is evident
that he saw no harm in publishing to the
world statement as to what he was worth
and how he had acquired 1T. l have an
Idea, however, that the amount set down
in many cases was rather larger than less
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
E.. D.
WAY TO MEADowBRooK POLO FIELD

few of them have endured The old adage.
come easily, go easily" may be applied
to most of them. But in the period that
Immediately followed very great fortunes
were made in the extension of railroads. II
was then that the great Vanderbilt wealth
increased by leaps and bounds. The as
SCISSORS books in New York at that time
did not show that there was such a multi
tude OF tremendously rich men as Mr.
Beach's chronicle of two decades before in
dfcated. In 1857 the tax list placed these
ten as having property in excess of 4 mil
lion:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20
Goodly Figures.

Goodly F1gures.
Here we have seventeen individuals and
six estates set down as being above the
million mark. How accurate these esti-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

It Is not likely That the tax books IN 1857
were more than an index as to the compar-
alive wealth of the really rich, for the art
Of hiding other wealth than that in real
estate is not by any means a rev enc.
One chronicler, who was apparently a pa
tient If not an accurate investigator esti-
mated five or six years ago that in New
York city there were l. 400 millionaires and
1900 in the rest of the country, making in
all a total of 1900. with an aggregate
wealth of $4,000 OO0. 900. This man was
surely too conservative.
At the Present Day.
l took his estimate in January of this
wear to the chief of one of the very largest
-fiduciary institutions in the country, and
The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1904-03-05
ruI JAPANESE NnE WARY.
Their FIRST Enjcn,or IL 10 Gain the
iino-runp Peninsula,

New York, March lit would ap.
pear assured that the Japanese viii
not commit themselves 10 q general
plan OF campaign ontailing marching
through Corca without NJ first endeay.
orlng, says u Times dispatch from
Chomulpo, TO gain possession Of tho
Biao.rmg peninsula
The approach Of warmer weather in
dicOtos the gradual breaking mp Of the
roads There IN II report that the
troops south of Seoul md marching
lahoruus This circumstance, together
with The fact that Chlnnmpho viii be
open in n days doubtless explains the
lull IN decentralization
Between ping Yang and SunsChon
there ii n tract Of comparatively level
country The hills starting at the
southern border constitute q stratcgical
position Of some value now partially
occupied by Japanese, whose numbers
are daily augmented Presumably the
troops ~ they are landed, viii close Ny
20 this point and intrcneh It as a pro.
lection for the projected base, Chin
ampo
Decentralization believed to be- on u
small scale, N taking place on the
coast llEe, Immediately south OF Hat
in. whence the troops will advance
parallel with the peldn read, Joining
those IN the neiehborhood ot iiwane.
ju, thus efrectng a gain OF ave days In
the march,
The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1904-03-05
4 DOUBLE TRAGEDY IN W. VA.
Whiskey and Jealousy Were the
Causes of Two Deaths at Elkins.
Louis ToureyiIle Blew Ont HIS
Brains After killing an Infant ana
seriousI, Injuring Its Mother.

Elkins. W. Va, March Jealousy
and whisky were the causes Of a double
tragedy here Tuesday. Louis Toure-
Vile. who resides within the city lin
its. is dead. as is also the infant child
Of John Meyer, and Mrs. Toureville and
Mrs. Meyer are seriously injured
About five o'clock Tuesday afternoon
Toureville went to his home and be-
gan berating his wife and threatening
to shoot her She took refuge on the
roof of the house but being discoy-
cred by Toureville the woman jumped
to the ground and started for the
woods, Tourevile shooting at her as
she ran. When opposite the home OF
John Meyer, Toureville encountered
Mrs. Meyer with her infant child in
her arms In his anger he then
turned to her, and accusing her OF
causing his trouble he aimed his PTS
toll and fired. The bullet struck the
child in the neck ploughed clear
through it and wounded its mother in
the cheek. officers Simmons and
Kochenderfer Immediately started to
place Toureyille under arrest, but ne
held them at bay until his ammunition
was exhausted, when he fed into his
own home and blew his brains out with
a shotgun. At this time Mrs TOureville
is still in the woods and the extent Of
her injuries can not be learned