davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily tribune., 1906-06-02

The Cosmopolitan Osfe is now open
vice or business. Your patronage so.
licited for something good to eat.
Yours Resp'y
Dan and Lou,
No. iI5. r. r. Ave. Cor Union ST.,
opposite d. s. r. G. depot. S0.S2
The daily tribune., 1906-06-02

Best ioe cream sodA'-Yelton.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Christmas a Children's Feast

like the ad montem boys, 20 levy contri-
buttons all around.
we shall have to become children again
with our children-to enjoy Christmas as
our childlike ancestors enjoyed 1t. What
a charming picture you have In Coleridge's
Friend" Of a German Christmas, which
might we'll serve as a model for cele-
bration OF the feast, equally enjoyable by
parents and children: There is a Christ
mas custom here" says Coleridge, writing
from Ratzeburg, which pleased and in
terested me. The children make little
presents to their parents and to each other,
and the parents to their children. For
three or four months before Christmas the
girls are all busy, and the boys save up
their pocket money to buy these presents.
What the present Is to be is cautiously
kept secret and the girls have a world
Of contrivances to conceal it-such as
working when they are out on visits and
the others are not with them, and getting
up in the morning before daylight. Then,
on the evening before Christmas, one OF
the parlors is lighted up by the children
into which the parents must not go until
all is ready for them. They are then in
troduced, and each child presents, with
kisses, his little gifts. When I witnessed
this scene there were eight or nine chill
dren, and the eldest daughter and the
mother wept aloud for Joy and tenderness
and the tears ran down the face of the
father. and he clasped all his children &C
tight TO his breast 1t seemed as II he die
It to stife a sob that was rising within
It, I was much affected. On the next day
christmas day. in the great parlor the
parents lay out on the table the presents
for the children, and, after an old custom
the mother says privately to each Of hel
daughters and the father to his sons, thai
which he has observed most praiseworthy
and that which was most faulty in theil
conduct"
Having again and again noticed the dis
satisfaction Of children at the toys allotted
to them on a Christmas tree, and theii
envy Of the gifts assigned to other chill
dren, who seemed equally Ill pleased will
their special allotments, once devised
scheme by which every child went homt
happy with the toys Of his choice / sup
piled each child with a certain numbe
Of gilt counters representing money, will
which to buy of the Christmas tree what
ever took his fancy from two Of the eide
children, who immensely enjoyed thei
position as shopkeepers. This, no doubt
involved the provision OF a larger numbe
and greater variety OF toys but the success
OF the experiment was worth its Sigh
additional cost.-Thomas p. O'Connor
NJ. p.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Some Legends of the True Santa Claus

a shipwrecSed mariner hastened 10 return
thanks to him and make a votive Offering
for his deliverance as soon as ever he came
to shore And hence It comes TO pass that
churches dedicated TO St. Nicholas are 80
commonly TO be found In seaport towns
At Bari In southern Italy, whittier his
relics we're transported In 1857, the fiesta
OF ST. Nicholas IL the most popular holiday
IN the year. and Its celebration n chiehy
In the hands OF the mariners, who carry
his image out to sea, where his power was
so conspicuosly manifested and afterward
bear It round the town In solemn procession
by torchlight. In many places, owing, no
doubt. to his connection with seamen and
the resemblance OF the names, st. Nicholas
seems to have been COMPOUNDED With thA
Nicker, or Nix, the water sprits Of north
ern Europe. Millers In Germany used some
times to throw offerings into the millEtrsam
on st. Nicholas Day, in order 70 propitiste
the Nicker In Servian songs the dominion
Of the waters il assigned to this saint tn
particular; and village In Brittany bears
the name Of st. Nicholas DIES Faux Indeed,
a modern Greek writer, Prof. Constan-
tinides, says that the Holy Nikolaos occu-
pies among the Greeks of the present day
tho same place as Poseldon held among
their forefathers; he is lord of the sea-
and in the hour Of danger sailors address
more prayers to him than to GOD this
creator of the universe Mr.. Tozer further
tells us that an ancient temple OF Pcseidon
in the isle Of Eleussa has actually been
converted into church of ST. Nicholas
Enough has been told to show that all
sorts and conditions Of men have been
drawn to this large-hearted worthy FOR his
mex lyuyng and greet compasyon." SO that
as the old legendary concludes by remark
ing "al thai loued saynt Nicholas, The
Guardian.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Gifts That Men Appreciate

ally aren't there more Christmas
I~ gifts that are appropriate for
men?" or, Are there any novel
sf4sW presents 50 the stereotyped collar
~1s4@8 box, hat brush or stickp.n will not
have 70 be given this Christmas?" are ques-
lions often heard at this season OF the year,
particularly by women who do fancy work
And for once the answer may be that there
is at least one attractive gift, that an In
genious woman who has had little expert
ence in needlewOrk can make.
This present Is a waistcoat and naturally
appropriate, and is considered Just now par
tcularly smart for business, so that il
should be more than acceptable to The av-
erage man. The material for this garment
iS perforated felt, in hunters green, wine,
red, black, ecru or white. and is embroid-
cred simply or in an elaborate design, with
chenille or a combination OF chenille and
heavy silk thread.
Most Of the embroidery work is done IN
two-tone effects and in snowflake patterns
that are exceedingly pretty. The felt is
lined with a thin silk, and when the en-
broidery is finished the pieces. with sl.b
for the back, must be sent to a tailor to
he put together. OF course the material
Is first cut In shape as close 70 the meas
urements Of the man who Is to wear It as
can be done without his suspecting so that
when the design is worked I'm all the tailor
has TO do is TO put the pieces together and
the garment is ready to wear II takes
about seven-sighths of a yard OF felt that
costs at least IS, while the rRgtall chen
nile, which is expensive amounts 20 SIS
or So making the garment quite a costly
gift.
Tobacco pouches are always acceptable
gifts for men and stunning ones may be-
made from suede. A pretty pouch ia rich
brown or dark green, lined with a maroon
silk, would be attractive when the edges
are pinksd and a drew string Of heavy silk
with long tasssls run IN near the top. It's
not the kid, the lining or the cord that
makes these bags so unusual, for without
tile monogram on crest done In gilt thread
or In bright colored silks, the pouches,
aside from being handmade. would be quite
the same as those bought in the shops. But
with an attractive emblem or two or three
initials prettily embroidered IN one corner,
the pouches are presents any man no mat
ter how surfeited with gifts, would be glad
TO receive
Knitted or erOoheted ties, though not a
novelty, will be desirable gifts, for they are
serviceable and, being made by hand, are a
valuable accessory to any wardrobe. In
I plain green, dark cardinal OF made OF a
combination OF tWo-tone effects. or OF two
strongly contrasting eolors. such AZ black
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

Here, then, we have the origin Of that
peculiar custom-so popular in medieval
times, but to our modern ideas Of such
doubtful propriety--thc Boy Bishop, or
Boys Bishop, Episcopus Puerorum in the
north called Barns Bishop" On st. Mich
olas' day the children Of the choir in ca
thedrals and many parish churches were
allowed to choose one of their number who
had the best voice and comeliest appear
ance, TO be invested with the mock powers
of a little bishop over his fellows He en-
tered on his Office on Childermas, or limo
cents day, when he was permitted to take
possession OF the sacred building and, ROBBED
In pontifcals to mimic the services of the
church.
A curious survival or "Reminiscences OF the
old belief is still kept up among schoolboys
IN Warwickshire and, perhaps, in other
unties. In the playground, IL a boy
'ishes for a temporary truce or suspension
~ the game, when a northerner would cry
=. "5larlcyw he exclaims "Niclas!" or "T cry
..dklas!" and by thus invoking the pro-
lection of the schoolboys' saint he is en-
titled to immunity and for the time is safe
from molestation.
Not only was st. Nicholas himself stu
tent in his youth, but he showed himself
the Jealous protector OF scholars. The
legend tells how gentleman of Asia once
sent his three sons to pursue their duties
1t Athens. On their journey, arriving al
Myra, they put up at an inn, intending
20 pay their respects to Archbishop
Nicholas the next morning. But the inn
keeper, having his avarice excited by the
mpediments of mis- guests, rose by nigh
md murdered the luclless students in thei
sleep; and then, TO get rid OF the bodies
he proceeded 20 cut them in pieces L
stow them away In a picking tub whicl
stood convenient and to salt them dow
= pork. This atrocious business beinl
sdPernaturally revealed to st. Nicholas
no fastened TO the inn and demanded tn
three scholars of the host, who, unable I,
conceal his crime confessed all. The goo,
archbishop, by his prayers, soon brough
bach the souls into the mutilated bodies
and he youths, having received HIS bene
diction, pursued their way, nothing tn
worse for their painful experience. Thi
Incident furnished medieval art with IL
favorite representation of the saint, who /
depleted standing, in his episcopal robe
and with his pastoral STAFF, beside a hug
tub in which three naked boys are see
plunged up to the waist and holding u
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Musings of the Gentle oynio

Don't wear out your welcome. It's hard
to get another.
No man can make mistake without
learning something.
No man can serve two masters such as
dyspepsia and optimism.
Some people believe everything they
hear, and take the rest for granted.
The easiest way to hatter a girl Is to
talk about the hearts she has broken.
Some men never succeed because they
are afraid Of doing more than thssr share.
Some men seem to get q heap OF mel
ancholy satisfaction from being misunder-
stood
II doesn't do much 5000 to grasp an op-
portunity unless you know what to dc
with Il.
Necessity Is the mother OF invention. but
the children don't always turn out WELL
New York Times
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

and red or orange and blue, they are
striking contrasts as neckwear.
Similar to these ties though a fad that
has just been introduced, are the hand
made silk scarfs to be worn when autpdno-
billing, or, IL necessary with evening
clothes, to protect the throat during cold
weather They are about twenty-four inches
long, ten inches wide and are finished a.
either end with knotted silk fringe In
black white or black and white dark green,
plum or navy blue, they are pretty, and are
practical, for they are long enough to be
wound arOund the neck at least twice,
without being bulky and uncomfortable.
Desk accessories always make useful
gifts, and as a rule need replenishing at
least one a year, and this usually about
Christmas time. 50 that the new year can
be begun with novel and attractive articles
to work with
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

SSA ical life England has long ceased
TO be Merrie England" groRns one, and
another responds with the antiphony
Christmas is feast today only for chill
dren" If you look into It you will see that
each croakcr is saying the same thing in
a different form. England was "Merrie
England only when and so long as Eng
land was childish England. Read, for ex-
ample, the learned Dugdales account in
his "Origines Juridicales" OF grand
Christmas kept at the inns of court. What
tomfoolery, winding up with brutality!
After absurd burlesques OF the law and its
procedure Of the courts and of the judges,
a huntsman enters the hall accompanied by
ten couple Of hounds and carrying a net
containing fox and cat. These are let
loose, hunted by the hounds and torn to
pieces before the fire.
with your belly full of grain,
Bray, most honored ass, "Amen!"
Bray out loudly bray again;
Never mind the old Amen;
Without ceasing, bray again,
Hee-haw He-haw! He-haw
On the north side of the nave of Sails
bury cathedral there is the effigy in marble
OF child clad in episcopal robes, with his
foot on a lion-headed and dragon-tailed
monster, emblematic of the verse in the
Psalms Thou shalt tread on the lion and
the adder" 1t is the monument of a boy
bishop who died during the brief tenure OF
his oflce--from ST. Nicholas day to limo
cents dRy-and was accorded as his right
all the funeral honors of a bishop. Up tc
the year 1S47. in the Eton montem, there
fingered an English survival Of the me
dieval boy bishop. The march to Salt hill
ad rnontem-was not, indeed (nor had II
been since the reformation), an ecclesiasti
cal procession, since, instead of the mitel
and vestments OF a bishop and his clergy
the boys wore the uniforms of soldiers
and their captain. On the other hand, un
til Queen Charlotte, whom It shocked, pu
a stop to It, the following relic at leas
OF the medieval boy bishop buffOoneriei
survived. When the procession reache,
Salt hill one boy, dressed as n parson, reat
prayers, while another said the response
as his clerk, and at the close OF the serv
ice was kicked down the hill by the DO!
priest. In earlier days the boy bishop whit
was enthroned on st. Nicholas days-th
children's patron saint-attended by hi
schoolmates, as his canons, prebendaries
etc, went in state to the cathedral, wher
he preached a sermon and then proceeded
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Mrs. Testers Christmas
IcOntlnusd from Page Five.J

Two shipWrecFs and a desert Island VIII
tell the story. mate. And l didn't write
for fear another man might have stepped
hin which case l meant to cit out un-
oeknownst, And want 10 forEit Il ALL"
said Harry Lester. i've got back 70 spend
the balance Of my days ashore With ms
wife. and I want 70 fergit I've ever ben
ter sea- The best verse in the Bible for
me IS the one that ses there Is no more
sea g"
Captain Burnside looked at him round
eyed and amazed. Then he shook his head
sadly as over Degenerate. "I'd ben hope
Ing" he said wistfully. And then the VS.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

ions OF long evenings, with long pipes and
long stories, when ne and Harry Lester
should ngat over again their battles with
the vino and wave, visions that had just
taken shape, went vanishing into thin air
as his dream OF marrying the widow Lester
had gone "You want to fergit the sea2''
he said We'll. you can't do I'll"
Long after the captain had lifted Mary
In his stout arms and carried her through
the storm and drift TO her own door, leav-
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

ing her with tho information that lac had
something TO say 70 her and should call
on the next day and say e., Emmy and her
husband sat together IN the big chair by
the fire. Every once in a while they clagped
each other again as II 10 make sure they
were not dreaming. "Oh!" sighed Emmy.
u can't help feelin' Is II IL was a sort OF
vision. Seems as II / must wake up I'm the
morning and md &c all "a dream. I'm 80
glad Il came at Christmas. Il makes me
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

feel as II God remembered all my waitin'
60 wanted to give me the best thin he
had"
God pity all the poor fellers QUA upon
the water this night" said Harry, stand
ing up. when I remember them black
shuddering seas STOPPING and lifting her
and holding her closer still, 1T seems g
good thing, now / tell you, 70 have z wife
ChriHtmsa"
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

!
about st. Nicholas. whose COM
memoratlon falls on December g.
Klt would go into q nutshell there
49, rs no other saint in the calendar
who has enjoyed so wide and long-sustained
p popularity. The moss Of legendary ac-
retions that have grown around his mem
~ and have given rise 60 vast amount
4 popular customs, folk tales and observ-
noes might I'll respectable volume. The
Cottonian Ms Legendary says: HE vs.
mych preysed in holy Chyrch for tire
thy rs specyaly, for his mex lyuying
10 lis hevenly chesyng for his greet COM
i-syon hauuyns" How extensive was his
popularity may be estimated from the fact
that no fewer than $40 churches in England
alone are said to have been dedicated 70
his honor, And how deeply his genial, II
somewhat mythical, personality impressed
the imagination Of Catholic Europe may DO
judged from the varied and heterogeneous
clientele Of persons and occupants that
have desired to shelter themselves under his
sanity protection. He is the chosen patron
OF children and school boys Of virgins and
marrageable maidens, of scholars and
parish clerks OF pawnbrokers and travellers,
Of sailors and thieves OF persons in danger
either from fire or water.
AANpiA ia lha lEHdeIehl INFANCY SAINT
Nicholas the nobu clerk" became an ex-
emplar Of strict eecleslastical observance.
With an accurate knowledge OF the rules
laid down in that behalf, hardly to have
bcen expected IN newborn babe, he al
ways abstained from taking his natural
nourishment on the appointed fast days in
each week until eventidc:
Tor, willis he souked his moder milk
Noght-withstanding that he was wing
(young))
lie chastyd his 1esch with fasting,
The ferth fiery 0eria) and the seXt Away
Souked bot ones on al the day
So striking a pattern OF infantile piety
was naturally assumed TO take a special
interest In children who were taught to
hold him IN reverence az their peculiar
saint; and on tho day OF his festival, as his
protegcs they we're conceded more than
ordinary privileges and iadulgences. IN
Brittany long cavalcade of school chill
dren may be met, to whom their master Il
giving a rde--"commc II est d'usage lie
jour de la Saint Nicolas"
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

The secrecy with which he bestows his
gifts is still his prominent feature. II Is
not always remembered, perhaps, that
Claus, or Klas, is only an abbreviated
form OF Nichoaus, or Niclas, the name
having been dichotomized into Nick and
Clas 40, just as the Scots have manu-
featured Alick and Saunders out Of Alex
ander. The most protestant countries under
the softening influence of shildhood and
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

the Christ-Chld festival have not beer
behind Ia yielding uils homage TO the
medieval saint.
In Christian art this saint is usually
painted with three golden balls to SYM
boilze the gifts Of gold which he provided
for the three poor maidens. Sometimes
these balls of gold are above his head; In
Raphaers famous Madonna degli Ansidei'
they are seen lying at his feet The Medici
az Florence, no doubt taking st. Nicholas
az their patron. adopted this emblem as
their device, and rose to great power and
wealth by trading and money lending In
alluslon TO this badge OF theirs the
FIorentine cry in popular connections used
to be "Palle Palle" or, "Abbasso lie
Pale" down with the BallsD Many
Lombard merchants employed the same
ernlem, and introduced it into London as
their business sign, as bankers and money
lenders in Lombard street and elsewhere.
From them II passed down to their
lowlier klnsmen, tho pawnbrokers. And
thus the three golden balls. which once
proclaimed the charitable munifcence of
the Lsycisn Saint, now only announce the
habitat Of the poor mans convenient, but
less disiuterested, friend
.
Saved the ship,
Once when on pilgrimage 10 Jerusalem
the vessel in which 81. Nicholas embarked
was nearly wrecked through the malice OF
the devil, who had secreted himself on
board. Seeing the approach Of the fear
full storm which he was brewing, the saint
forewarned the sailors, who made every
preparation to meet its fury. In the midst
Of the hurricane they threw themselves al
his feet in duplication, ard at the saints
intervention the winds subsidized and the
sea grew calm It was only natural, there
fore. that st. Nicholas came to be regarded
as the protector Of sailors, and that many
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16
Saved the ship.

ACH year at Christmas I hear
that the soul OF the feast has
quilted its body, which now Is
merely galvanized into mechan-
ical life. England has long ceased
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

their hands in Anglo-Saxon attitudes. Re-
mains Of such freezes, are found In
churches at Cotton and Tanworth IN stat
Yorkshire and at st. Cross Winchester
Because he did such honor 70 clerks"
says Master WAGE, Henry 1I's chaplain
who tells the story clerks hold has
festival to this day"
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

VI
(sk
:,
~
I.
{ &
y y.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-16

IoUGH the actual facts known
about 81. Nicholas whose COM
memoration falls on December 6,
would 80 into q nutshell. there
rs no other saint in the calendar
Amador ledger., 1906-04-20
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
THE WINNER or SECOND PRIZE AND HIS TEAM

the other new feature was a plowing
contest in which only boys partici-
pated. Flowing is not altogether a
bad sport either, no matter in what
light you look upon it. This was il
Illustrated by the participants who
proved to the spectators that in order
to be good plowman, one must be
somewhat of a civil engineer, as well
as an excellent horseman.
Flowing as commonly done is often
considered as drudgery, and so it is
for the thoughtless, careless plowman,
who has no other object in view than
that of making the field look black.
But there is no other farm operation
which requires more knowledge to un-
derstand or more skill to do well, than
does the simple art of blowing. The
contestants had in mind making a
straight furrow of even depth and
width, turning it squarely over so as
to cover all stubble and weeds. Each
one took pains to start in squarely and
evenly and to drive straight out at
the ends so as not to leave the least
curve. There was no time to dream
or gaze about to see what some one else
was doing. All the plowman's skill
and ability were taxed to the utmost.
Amador ledger., 1906-04-20

pounds OF f1ne-ground bone, together
with 300 to 500 pounds of a high-grade
fertilizer upon each acre. The fertil-
izer may contain 3 per cent nitrogen,
6 to 8 per cent phosphoric acid, and
about per cent potash.
After the lawn has been established
and it has gone into winter quarters"
1t is well to give the young grass a
mulch of well-decomposed stable man.
ure, which shall not be heavy enough
to disfgure or mar the lawn, but
should be so fine and we'll decomposed
that it will be carried beneath the
surface of the grass by the rains and
SHOWS of the winter, leaving very lit
tie rough or unsightly matter to be
raked off in the spring. If this is not
desirable, after the greensward has
passed through the first winter it
should be treated to top-dressing of
fine-ground bone at the rate of 1000
pounds to the acre.
The Kind of Grass.
Kentucky blue grass is undoubtedly
the great lawn maker for all that Sec
ton of the Atlantic coast region north
of Washington, D. c., and for the AL
legheny region as far south as north
ern Georgia. Blue grass thrives best
IN comparatively retentive, strong
soil where there is an abundance but
not an excessive amount of moisture.
Upon soils of a lighter character in
this region, in localities where preci-
pitation is greater, such grasses as red
top, Rhode Island bent grass, creeping
bent grass, and white clover are more
to be relied upon for lawn making
than blue grass. Redtop, Rhode Is
land bent grass, and creeping bent
grass all have the same ability to
make compact and deep sward, as
in the case of blue grass. In fact,
under certain conditions redtop and
the bent grasses are able to make a
softer, although not more permanent,
turf than does the blue grass. Upon
the light soils found in the States
south of the latitude of Washington,
D. c., white clover forms an important
feature in lawn mixtures.
In general, because of the varied
conditions of shade and moisture ex-
listing upon a lawn as the result of
trees, shrubs, and architectural OBJ
jects, mixtures are more desirable
than pure grasses. The different de-
grees of shade and moisture maintain
ed in the soil which result from the
presence of trees, shrubs, and build
ings afford a variety of conditions un-
der which a single species would not
produce a uniform lawn.