davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-19
Northern District.

 Blount, Remlap-Wheat and oats have made good stands; corn all planted very little cotton planted, and none up.-P. w. Cowden Calhoun. Weaver-Wheat and oats do- ing well; corn up to good stands; cotton planting fairly well advanced.-D. k. Weaver.
 Cherokee. Weeda-Wheat and oats are growing nicely but little corn and no cotton planted yet; gardens doing fairly well-J. N. Estes.
 Cullman. Holly Pond-Wheat and oats have made good stands; corn all planted but no cotton as yet; gardens doing we'll A w. Daniell.
 DeKalb. Stela-Corn planting is nearly completed; cotton planted yet; gar dens and pastures doing well-A- F. Brock.
 Franklin, Burleson-Wheat, oats and some corn up to good stands; fruit trees. gardens and berries in good condition; no cotton planted.-A. l.. Osborn.
 Jackson. Pisgah-Too much rain. blow ing retarded: planting fairly well ad- vanced. d.-Claud T. Bobo. Lauderdale, Cloverdale-Good stands of wheat and oats; no cotton planted, acre age will be reduced considerably.&H. L.. Reeder.
 Madison. Gurley-Corn and oats are up to good stands cotton planting fairly well advanced: gardens and pastures very good.-E. F Walker. Morgan, Stringer-Wheat and oats have made good stands; gardens doing we'll; some corn and but little cotton planted. -J. c. Tanner.
 Walker. aragossa-Cotton planting not vet commenced; gardens doing well; bugs have appeared on Irish potatoes.-J. w. Ferguson
 winston Delmar-Corn and oats are up to gnnd siands. no cotton planted yet.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27
TING zzE CARL1zZ1A7 REE-zvvzg

chief officers. accepts an Invitation which
has been extended by the crew TO visit
their mess. The "od man" and his sub
0rdinates in command view the decora-
tons. extend the greetings of the season
and sample the good things spread out be-
fore them. often. in doing this latter,
they are treated to a genuine surprise,
for It not lnfrequently happens that the
jackies who have plenty of money 10
spend and begin their preparations early
are able to decidedly put it over the
caterer Of the ward room mess In secur-
Ing Christmas deHcacies In limited mar
ket- For instance. in uongkons, China.
q few Christmases since the energetic
tars bought all the turkeys to be had and
the tardy officers of the ship would have
had none had not the enlisted men shared
their supply
On Christmas afternoon general liberty
is given TO the crew. If the craft be
anchored In an American harbor mum
Der Of the men may so ashore to spend
the time with relatives or acquaintance,
but If the warship is in foreign waters
the hours from dinner until dusk are
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

Christmas dinner cooked by the famous
French cooks brought to this country
by the Ambassador of our sister republic.
The children of the British diplomats at
Washington usually have a very merry
Christmas, for all the families gather as
though in family reunion at the British
Embassy and there is a rousing old-fash-
Toned English Christmas, with the tree.
plum pudding and all Yule log IS
placed with due ceremony in the great
open fireplace in the dining-room and ell
those present-young people and grown
ups-gather before the roaring fire and
sing their Christmas carols. just as they
would in their homes on the other side of
the Atlantic. The British Embassy is al
ways deliberately decorated with holly and
ivy and evergreen. The illumination Of
the Christmas tree and the distribution of
the presents occurs Christmas Eve. and
Christmas night is given over to a great
dinner.
In Austria the children know Of Santa
Claus as st. Nicholas. and they look sor
his coming on the night of December q,
when he IS expected to visit every house,
bringing presents for the good children
and switches for the bad. The little
daughter of the Ambassador from Austria
Hungary does not receive her presents on
the day on which gifts are distributed in
her own country, but neither Is she com
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

children out of bed until all hours. ID
consequence the little folks from the
lower half Of the continent sleep late on
Christmas mornlng-the one occasion
when the young American can be de-
pended upon to be up betimes. The re-
mainder OF the day Is chiefly devoted by
the junior Latin-Americans to visiting in
turn the houses OF their various friends
in order TO compare presents and inspect
the miniature Bethlehems. for. Of course.
the portrayals differ widely IN different
homes.
OF all the young foreigners the ones
who have most completely and most en-
thusiasticly adopted the American Christ
mas in all that 1t implies are those that
you might least expect-the Chinese. Per
haps this is due to the fact that fhe
present Chinese Minister was educated
in the United States. and the further cir
cumstance that four OF the dozen chill
dren at the Chinese Legation are half
American. These latter are the little
sons and daughters OF Mr.. Yung Kwni.
the interpreter OF the legation-a full
blooded Chinnman - and bis American
wife, who is a native of Massachusetts.
However. no youngsters could be more
excited over the Yankee Christmas than
are the children Of SIR Chentung. the
MINISTER VINO can BcdFcely SPEAK the
lsh language. The smoking room in the
basement Of the 100000 legation home
recently built By the Chinese imperial
government Is given over to IN American
Christmas tree laden with toys and other
presents for the young Celestials, and
there Is a Christmas feast that ls a CO
mixture of oriental and Yankee delica-
cies.
Other foreign children who have been
permitted to adopt the American idea OF
Christmas are the little son and daughter
of the Cuban Minister and Sonora
Quesada; the lad in the home Of. the
first envoy from the new republic Of
Panama, and Osman Sureya and Az
Haidas. the black-eyed little sons Of
Chekib Beg, the Turkish minister. At the
Russian Embassy there are two Christ
masses. but the celebration on December
Is is not nearly so impressive as that on
January g. when there is a Christmas
tree and n banquet whereat are served an
the favorite Russian dishes
WALDON FAWCETT.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

PEELED to wait quite MS late In the mouth
as are most American children. for her big
Christmas tree is Illuminated on Christ
mas Eve and her father or someone Mt
the Embassy, personating st. Nicholas. be-
slows the gifts at an hour when the ma
jority Of young Americans are fast asleep
dreaming of the morrow.
II has long been customary for all the
Swiss children in Washington to joIn In
grand Christmas celebration at the Swiss
Legation The Minister from the noun
tain republic invites them all. together
with their fathers and mothers. to be his
guests on Christmas night. and although
there are several hundred people in the
party, rs Il rule. It is invariably found
when the distribution of gifts takes place
that none have been forgotten.
At the Mexican Embassy the young
people receive their presents In a most
novel manner. Suspended from the cell
ing Of the big ballroom is a huge, open
moutheI jar, in which have been aced
all the presents. each neatly tied and ad-
dressed to the Intended recipient. All the
children who participate in the Christmas
party are armed with long. slender canes.
and with these one after another ma kes
n dash for the swinging Jar. striking It or
at It in passing. OF course. It is only
matter Of time until he fraiI treasure
house IS demolished. and then ensues
grand srra mble for the gifts
The children in the homes OF the dlplo-
mats from South and Central America
are given each Christmas a very inter
esting object-lesson in Bible history. From
the largest room in the house the children
are rlgidly excluded until Christmas Eve.
and then they enter to ind spread out
before their eyes a representation in
miniature of the city OF Bethlehem, with
its streets, houses and people. Over the
whole Is a canopy of stars with. most
prominent Of all. the star OF Bethlehem
shining over n grotto in which are tiny
figures OF the infant Jesus. his parents
and the three wise men.
The magic vision in the closed room
IS not revealed to the juvenile members
of the household until after the midnight
church service on Christmas Eve. The
unwilling Of the representation Of the
nativity Is followed by the distribution
OF Christmas presents, and still later by
n feast. which keeps the Spanish-spcaking
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

At the capital OF the United States are
a number Of boys and girls who celebrate
Christmas in a manner very different from
that followed by American young people,
The participants In these holiday celebFR-
lions, which appear so strange in the
eyes OF Uncle Sans subjects. are the
sons and daughters Of the diplomats who
are stationed at Washington as the agents
or accredited representatives. Of the lead
ing governments OF the world. There are
at Miss Columbia's seat OF government
more than 100 of these allen homes. oecu-
pied by people from three dozen different
countries, and in a large proportion Of the
babitations there are young folks to
make Christmas a tangible reality.
In some OF the households OF this inter
esting foreign colony American Yuletide
customs have been adopted TO a greater
or less extent but for the most part
these young people from far-on climes
cling to the ways Of their native lands.
and In this their fathers and mothers en-
courage them, since all these children
are like their parents. but temporary resi-
dents Of the republic and viii ultimately
return to their homes over seas Instead
of making the United States Il permanent
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

TO be much of an exchange of tokens be-
tween individuals. either officers OF men.
in the ships company. but the mail from
home" Is heavy With remembrances from
dear ones far away.
There are. Ike as not. letters and pack
ages enough to I'LL a dozen mail sacks
If the ship Is on the Asiatic station or in
other distant waters. the Xmas memen-
tos have. Of course been started upon
their journeys weeks before, and II the
little community ahoat has at best only
n weekly mail from home. the holiday
delivery may be made some days before
Christmas. However. almost all Of the
envelopes and parcels will be found to
bear the inscription Not TO be oPe7ed
until Christmas" so that It Is customary
to hold all incoming matter in mysterious
seclusion until the general distribution
on Christmas Day.
The Christmas dinner for the officers
of a warshlp is served IL the evening
Everything from turkey to plum pudding
Is on the menu. II at all procurable. and
the meal Is made as jolly as may be for
feast that Is denied the accompani-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27
Pen Study of William
of Germany

Emperor William II. OF Germany may
truly be described as one OF the most
remarkable monarchs who ever sat upon
a throne Bis restless and untiring en-
ergy IS such that often causes all Europe
to wonder what move the Kaiser Is going
to make next His power chiefly lies Ia
his extraordinary power of mastering de-
tails, whether IN the mechanism Of state
affairs or organizing his army or navy Il
matters not He Is always master Of the
situation His has never allowed any
situation to master him. That may be
said 10 be the whole keynote OF his domi-
mating influence which has moved the
world on more than one occasion.
He is a man Of many and varied IN
terests, being poet. writer, playwright.
musician, sculptor and painter. As al
ecueationalist he has done much for Ger
many. The Kaiser's interests In bis
army and navy Is Of the keenesf The
following story tells how be tested 4
soldier on duty. While on duty no soldier
is allowed to receive any presents. The
Emperor knew this well enough buf On
passing one Of the seutries at the park
gates he held out a dve-mark piece 10
him, but the sentry was not to be caught
Il am not allowed to take It. You
Majesty, be said.
Come" said the Emperor prefendfnQ
to be angry; IF ] command you 20 fake
1t who is there to forbid your The
soldier. almost in tears, begged to be er-
cused- IF put Il IN your sentry boz.
will you fetch It when your witch Is.
oveF7" asked the Emperor. The soldier
said be womb. On looking round his ljna
later on the honest sentinel found fh3
HTe-mark piece, accompanied by another
gold coin Of greater value.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

given over to n carnival of sports The
program includes boat racing. boxing,
fencing, wrestling and q variety of other
tests of skill along lines IN which the
sailors are proficient. The prizes may be
small sums of money made up by sub
scription with a lift from the officers,
bat more likely they are such trophies as
potatoes, onions and plugs OF tobacco
Meanwhile a photograph is grinding out
comic songs on the quarter deck in lieu
of an orchestra accompaniment and JUST
here It may be noted that no human
beings get more real enjoyment out Of the
talking machines than the lads on a war
ship who may not see the inside of
vaudeville theater once In six months
AT some time during the day a deIega-
ton of seamen. bearing bucket OF
Stacked lime and q huge brush. call upon
the captain and request him to. In honor
Of the OCCASION ssSgbitewash the conduct
book thereby wiping out all dement's
for past oRenses, and. be It said &c bis
credit, be usually complies. All hands
assemble on deck for the distribution OF
Christmas presents. There IS not likely
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

abiding place.
The children of German diplomats who
have at one time or another been sta
toned at Washington have all celebrated
Christmas very much after the fashion
Of their American playmates. The little
Teutons all believe In Santa Claus. and
one and all have firm confidence that the
Christ Child viii, on Christmas Eve. go
into every German home and leave a
tree loaded with presents In token Of his
love- The present German Ambassador
has no children. but Baron Bussche. the
blond giant who acts as first secretary of
the embassy, and his dark-complexioned
South American wife have a winsome
daughter, Matilda, who Is the pet OF the
entire embassy stad, and so at the Kai-
ser's branch Office in America there IS pro
vided for little Miss Bussehe and her ju-
venile friends gorgeous Christmas tree.
crowned with a Bethlehem star. and shad-
ing with its branches a wax figure repre-
sentlng the Saviour In the manger.
In France Christmas is primarily a re-
ligious festival, and the happiest event
in the children's calendar falls on January
g, or what is known as Kings Day
the day that contemporaries that on which
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

Your average bluejaeket is IN fine spir-
itg at Christmas-that is, II be be an
American bluejacket. The tars Of no other
navy make so much of the joyous holiday
as do the seamen serving under the Stars
and Stripes. and certainly the enlisted
men OF no other nationality understand SO
well how to provide a betting celebra-
ton, no matter In what part OF the world
the Yuletide may overtake them. Jack is a
big-hearteds whole-souled, generous fellow.
and he enters into the plans and prepara-
lions for Christmas with an enthusiasm
that It warns ones heart just to witness.
Very often. too. the jackies have to
work out their Christmas schemes In an
environment that Is in sad contrast to the
old-fashioned conditions back In Gods
country" for many a holiday season hnds
numbers OF our floating fortresses exiled
10 out-of-the-way corners Of the globe.
Sometimes the sailor lads are at their
wits ends to even find a substitute for a
Christmas tree. II a northern pine is not
to be had. however. they will put up with
a tropical bamboo. and there have even
been occasions when Uncle Sans naval
seamen have been obliged to content them
selves with cactus-the only living thing
within reach OF some isolated ship.
Strictly speaking. Christmas In Uncle
Sans Navy begins ct noon on December
"a, when most routine work ceases This
year. when the oath falls on sunday. the
commanders OF most OF our war vessels
will probably permit the crews to knock
on work soon after noon Saturday. and
th l5 the fun-loving men-of-w2rs men can
enjoy nearly go hours Of liberty and
merrymaking-
As soon as the regular round OF duties
on shipboard Is interrupted the prepare
lions for the holiday frolie begin. This
&c 30 reality pretty hard work but. OF
course, the sailor lads don't regard 1t as
such. Especially does the burden OF the
preparations fall heavily on the cooks 10
the galley" as the ships kitchen is
called. and. indeed, 10 order 10 bake the
hundreds OF cakes and pies required for
lacks Christmas treat the pastry men
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27
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ZEE1Azz OF PES CAk-E7 C<azzZ2FrAzZLCzArvcz

must keep their fires going all night
something that Is permitted on no other
occasion in the year
With the first streaks Of dawn on
Christmas morning a number of blue
jackets are up aloft dressing the ship"
with a festive array OF holiday greens
that are perched on each masthead and
other vantage point. Between decks
there are festooned garlands that pro-
claim the occasion, and mayhap a devoted
gun crew will bedeck their big barker"
with huge Christmas wreaths. OF course.
FIR or pine Is preferred for this decorative
work, but If the jackies are compelled By
force OF circumstances to substitute
branches OF bamboo or banana 1t does not
seriously disconcerr them.
On Christmas morning something Of
the peace and quiet OF Sunday prevails on
shipboard. Indeed. so far as the events
Of the opening hours are concerned a
visitor could hardly distinguish between
the two days were 1t not for the decora-
tons and the general air OF expectancy
which Is manifest on Christmas. IL the
warship has a chaplain a brief religious
service may be held. but woe betide the
parson who Oversteps the bounds In the
length of his discourse, for his hearers
have, IN many instances, one thought for
the sermon and two for the meal that is
to foilow-the long-awaited Christmas din
ner.
No more inspiring and animated picture
can be imagined than that presented by
the long tables laden with all the good
things to eat that money can buy and
surrounded by perhaps half q thousand
noisy, healthy. good-natured blueiackets,
or maybe by twice that number Of rollick-
ing sailors, If. as frequently happens, the
Americans are entertaining the seamen
Of some foreign war vessel that is larry
ing over Christmas in the same port. On
such occasions the Yankees, who are the
best-paid bluejackets In the world and
prOverbiai liberal sDenders. fairly open
the eyes OF their guests with the lavish.
ness Of the spread"
Just before the plates are helped the
captain OF the ship accompanied BY his
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27
CARUZzzA5 RRZzLEz.

ment of women's voices and children's
laughter, for. be It explained. there are
seldom any feminine guests ut Christmas
dinner on an American warship lying In
a foreign port II the wife of any Of
fcer has, however, followed her husband
to bis place of temporary exile-the
naval regulations prevent her from tray
cling on the wnrship-she can count upon
her husbands brother officers extending
n hospitality that is simply without par
aIlel. Even II there be one or two rep
resentatives of the fair sex aboard.
though, It Is Inevitable that the thoughts
of many OF the men around the board
should be elsewhere. and so the banquet
closes with the toast TO Our Loved
Ones at Home and that famous navy
health TO Our Sweethearts and Wives
May the Former Soon BE the Latter and
the Latter Ever the Former"
II traditions are lhered to- Christmas
on a warshiD closes with an entertain
ment by the crew-preferably an old
fashioned, uproarous minstrel performance
at which a selected company Of the blue
jackets appear In burnt cork and attired
in costumes that would cause to look Sc
date IN comparison the gaudiest garb ever
worn IN any professional show The pro
gram viii be literally sprinkled with
hits and Jokes at the expense Of the Of
fcers. None Of the jlbes are malicious,
but many Of the satirical shafts are well
aimed. Then there are rousi : chOruses
TO the accompaniment OF he ships band.
and, perhaps, some tableaux treating,
seriously or otherwise. historic events.
In consequence Of all this revelry. Jack
may uuroli his hammock a little later
than usual: but It being Christmas. the
officers are Ienient-
wALDoN BAwcErr.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

an American -lvife. Is strongly in sym
pathy with Christmas traditions. and so
on Christmas might all the French chill
dren In the official colony at Washington
assemble with their parents at the French
Embassy Last year there awaited them
three Christmas trees, set In row, and
each laden with gifts. After the gifts
have been distributed there is served a
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-27

the three wise men went to Bethlehem
OF late years, however. many French
children, both in and out of France. have
been permitted TO adopt the American
Christmas, with its Christmas trees and
gift giving. There are no children in the
immediate household of the French Am
bassador at Washington, but this envoy,
who, Ike the German Ambassador, has
Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1905-02-03

ers, and poor spoilers make
poor readers. r,This being the
case, when we speak of teaching
primary reading, we. mean read
ing and spelling.
Sometimes pupils kept in
a grade too long, but this is
rare. | have known pupils to
get into the third reader in four
months, and the same pupils be
in the fourth reader two or three
years, and then be poor readers.
What we need is not promo
ton to higher readers, but more
supplementary work. More
reading, more spelling, more
thorough preparation for the
higher grade. Then the pupil
will be able to master the grade
in which he is placed.
A. Ernsberger, Supt.
Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1905-02-03
Water Works.

Thos. r. Reagan is putting in
a water works system this week
for the protection OF the bust
ness portion of Hereford. A
large tank and windmill will be
erected at the Hereford Sheet
Metal Works and a three-inch
water way will be put in along
main street with Il two-inch hose
for each place'of business.
This will be a source of great
convenience in furnishing water
for domestic purposes as well as
a great protection against the
loss of property by fire and the
business men are readily taking
up the proposition. Hereford
Brand.
Something of this kind ought
to be done here. The east por
ton Of town is, to some extent,
provided for from the Rogerson
well, but around the square we
are frequently without as much
as a drink. There is hardly
business house but what would
gladly pay reasonable price
tor tapping the main.
Regular water works are OF
course best, and will no doubt
come in time, but private enter
prises OF this character give
some relief and are generally
good paying propositions for
the owners.
1t has been said that call
things come to them who wait,
but The News doesn't stand by
that doctrine-it believes in
reaching out for some of them.