davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
What GrandIpn
Knows

q ONE folks say at Red Riding Hood
~ She didn't live at all nor go
Down where tn wolf was in 'at wood
But grampa says at it is so!
An some folks say at GoIdiIocks
Don't meet tn bears an run away,
A-bumpin' into trees an rocks,
But erampa's seen her many day.
My grampa takes me on his knee
An tells me all bout Puss in Boots
An bout tn fairies you can't see
For their in-vis-their funny suits.
An he knows where the beanstalk is
At Jack tn Giant Killer climb
To get at gold an things o his,
Cause grampa's seen it many time
An Cinderella, too, my pa
lst laugh an say at he don't know,
But grampa-w'y, my grampa saw
Her sIip at slipper on her toe!
An Simple Simon-wouId you think
He never was like some folks say?
But grampa only laugh an wink,
Cause he has seen him many day.
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
1.-THE Queens Christmas Card"

Queen Alexandra has not given up
her interest in behalf of the unelnployy-
ed. Last Christmas she sanctioned a
unique plan to raise more funds for
them. This was in the shape of the
issue of a Christmas book. consisting
of poems. stories. sketches, drawings
and music. which was entitled "The
Queens Christmas Card" Algernon
Charles Swinburne. Alfred Austin. the
poet laureate; Thomas Hardy. Marie
Corelli. Hall Caine. George Meredith,
Arthur Wing Pinero, Sir Laurence
Alma-Tadema. Edwin A. Abbey. Will
liam Holman Hunt, Sir Edward John
Poynter and Sir Edward Elgar are
among the host Of those who contrib
uted. The production Of the book was
practically gratuitous. 1t sold for
half q crown. and the proceeds were
devoted to the queens unemployed
fund. . (, .5 g j, RI @ @Sss
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
Miss
AG[6@r16m@}l6Qn'@
Christmas
BY Mrs. MOSES P. HANDY.

| 0 7ISS ACKERMANN opened her
IAMI eyes to the sunshine with a
JW)\ startled feeling of having
oversight herself, then closed
them again at the sound of the chimes
from the church around the corner,
Tor it was Christmas day. the one day,
barring Sundays, in the year which
she could really and truly call her own.
She was that overworked individual, a
popular dressmaker, going out by the
day, and she sometimes wished, with
e. P. Roe's old doctor, that people
would send for somebody else some.
times and let her rest. On the last
Fourth of July she had been in the
country sewing for dear life in order
to finish a belated bridal trousseau,
and on Thanksgiving she had worked
until dark to accommodate a customer
who wished to outshine her sisters-in-
law at a family gathering at the house
of her husbands father. but on Christ
mas day not even the most eXacting
customer could ask her services.
And yet-was she glad it was Christ
mas? The associations which cluster
around the season make 1t a sOrroWful
one to those who have nothing left Of
home excepting it's memories, and, say
ing for one brother, Miss Ackermapn pn
was alone in the world
Really, Miss Ackarmann told herself.
she had no business to be low spirited:
she was very fortunate person; think
how many people were starving for
lack Of work. and all that, she concud-
ed vaguely as she finished her break
fast. The tea. which she made in her
room. heating the water on a small gas
stove. was excellent She was finicky
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
WHEN SANTA WENT ASTRAY.
Miracle of the Loaves Repeated For
Washinqton's Poor.

Washington's Poor.
The day of miracles has not passed.
according to the firm belief Of hun
dred or more poor people in Washing
ton. Last Christmas day Almas tenn
pie of the Shriners gave its annual din
ner to the poor. 1t was we'll planned
affair, generously contributed to, and
turned out big success. But the most
notable thing about it was not on the
programme and made the hit of the
occasion.
While the Shriners were feeding
their guests there came to their hall
$50 loaves Of bread. The huge six
foot Santa Claus was busy cracking
jokes as he waddled about and took
down the gifts from the Christmas
tree. In the middle Of one of his sto-
ries there entered another big fat San
ia Claus. carrying colossal basket
full Of bread. and behind him were
three or four negroes, also carrying
baskets of bread. One of the Shriner
committeeman at once inferred that
some one had sent gift Of bread to
be distributed and signed a receipt for
the $50 loaves. In few minutes they
were handed around to the heads of
families, and an additional smile of
Christmas joy went around with them.
When the festivities were nearly
over and the crowd had begun to dis
perse a man came running in and ask
ed:
"Did you get $50 loaves Of bread?"
1--WE did," was the reply.
"What did you do with it?'
"Gave it away"
"Well, that was an order from the
Carroll institute. 1t came here by
mistake. But it is all right. We are
glad you gave it away, and If you need
more let us know" and the man went
away, evidently fully satisfied with
the tncident.-New York Times.
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
THE ACTORS CHRISTMAS.
Life on the Boards Is Not All Happy
Holiday.

AJ1o on INS oOaTOS - 'NOt ~ V1dpPJ
Holiday.
81 like Christmas" said an actor.
''NO two are ever alike in my bust
ness. Last year. for instance. the COM
pany was with was four weeks be-
hind in salaries, and we were simply
hanging on with the hope Of the big
houses Christmas day pulling US out a
little. We were playing one night
stands and left some little town in
New York state for Wheeling. W. Va.
right after the performance. 1t was
trip that called for three changes or
IF them
Every car on every train was loaded
with holiday excursionists. and every
male excursionist was loaded with rye
and birthstone. There were fights
fresh every half hour, and consta bles
every station. No eating stations were
honored by US. and we arrived at
Wheeling too late to give a matinee
performance. our manager had two
black eyes and broken wrist. and
our star had lost new set of teeth.
without which he refused to play at
night
'The repor: had It that we were all
In Jail. and there would have been no
house anyway. We had to get up
three benefit performances before we
could get money enough to buy tickets
to New York, but we got there. How
over, as said before. Christmas days
are not all alike. g Bu ffalo News,
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
CHRISTMAS ON SHIP OF ICE,
Strange Story Of Skipper Shipwrec!<ed
on the Pacific.

Strange Story Of Skipper Shi ipwrecked
on the Pacific.
Captain s. A. Hoyt, secretary of the
Masters and Pilots association of Seat
tie, Wash, and possibly one Of the
most widely known seafaring men on
the Pacific coast has fund of expe-
riences to draw from when he wishes
to while away an hour. Up in the big,
pleasant rooms of the association the
captain recently told the following
tale:
"The approach Of Christmas always
reminds me of the December that I
spent on an ice ship. Never heard of
one? Well, they are unusual. l was
master of the little brig Holly, and
along about the 1st of November we
were wrecked away down south of the
Horn. The ship went on an ice foe
and was battered all to pieces. We
did manage to save some tools and
food and part of the cargo.
Il put the crew to work to cut off
large pinnacle of the berg. Then l set
them all to work with axes, and we
shaped it into a graceful ships hull.
After that we followed it out inside,
making cabins and everything like a
regular ship, and with some Of the
timber saved from our vessel we rig
ged her as bark. side lights and ev-
erything, even going so far as to paint
her and name her the Holly. She was
fine craft and fOated like a duck
when finally launched. We spent
Christmas on board of her and had a
great time. I loaded part of the wreck
ed Holly's cargo in her, and we then
started for Callao. which was our des-
tination.
"The ice ship sailed fine and was as
good sea boat as any in which sail
ed. This was only, however, when we
were down south in cold water. The
nearer we got to the equator the light
er became our vessel, and finally dis
covered that our ship was melting be-
meath us. Another two days and we
would have been in the water when a
steamer picked us up and also saved
the cargo. This paid for the loss Of
the vessel, which was also insured, so
the owners came out ahead in the
end"
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
OUTDID UNCLE SAM.
How an Old Lady Found a Person the
National Postoffice Couldn't.

NSIIOUdl EOStOI1CS SOuIOH
"The fates call and mortals obey"
The speaker was small, precise and
elegant old lady whose diminutive stat
ure was quite forgotten by her hearers
in the realization Of her force and dig
nifty. She had gone to the dead letter
sale under protest and was narrating
an experience which grew out of the
purchase she had made. Il went to
that sale not because l wanted to or
was interested or expected to buy any
thing, but because I've an impertinent
grandniece who limited I was too old
to be in such a crowd.
"After awhile the auctioneer offered
a package as big as sack of flour,
and l bought it for So cents. Then
when I brought it home I found it
contained nothing but lot Of worn,
threadbare clothing mended almost to
DEATH I was Just about to force it
on that grandniece of mine and make
her distribute it to some poor families
when found letter in the pocket of
the coat. I've kept that letter. The
writer was a young girl from down
east in Massachusetts. She was send
ing that clothing as the only Christ
mas gift she could make for her broth
er Ben, who lived in a city in Wis
consin.
"Well, when l read that letter just
sat down and cried to think that poor
girls sewing had all gone astray.
made up my mind that if the postal
authorities could not find that girls
brother l could So did up the bun
die again. put letter outside asking
the postman to return the package to
me if he couldn't deliver it and then
addressed the whole thing to Mary
Burgess Brother Ben. -. Wis
Would you believe that that postman
in that Wisconsin town really found
that poor boy and gave him the bun
die? And now I've a letter from the
girl in which she tells me both she and
her brother are in much improved cir
cumstances. that Ben has a fine posi-
ton in a furniture factory and that
they are soon to be together for good"
Washington Star
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
THE PRESIDENTS CHRISTMAS
How the Big and Little Roosevets
Celebrated Last Year.

President and Mrs. Roosevelt had
only the immediate members Of their
family to celebrate Christmas. Just
before going to bed on Christmas eve
the children hung their stockings in
the presidents room, and bright and
early the next morning they were up
to claim their prizes. Everything that
was ever designed for a Christmas
stocking found place in the line thai
hung from the mantel, and when the
boys awakened there was merry
scramble to see just what was inside.
After breakfast the president, Mrs.
Roosevelt and the children went to the
library to exchange presents too big
for the stocking.
Each member of the family had a
special corner for his or her gifts. and
there were any number of mysterious
little parcels to be opened. This very
pleasant little ceremony took the en-
tire morning.
After this the president walked to
his church, Grace Reformed. and the
rest Of the family went to St. Johns
Episcopal church.
In the afternoon the president, Mrs.
Roosevelt and the children went over
to the home of Captain and Mrs. VIII
liam Sheffield Cowles. where they al
ways spend Christmas afternoon and
where there is always tree for the
Roosevelt and Cowles children. They
were joined there by Representative
and Mrs. Nicholas Longworth. and a
little family reunion was held
After the visit to the Cowles' the
president played tennis with his sons.
At night was given the Christmas
dinner in the private dining room.
Among the few invited guests were
Eenator Lodge, DR.. Rixey and family
and Mr.. and Mrs. Longworth. The
string section of the Marine band fur
nished the music for the evening.
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25

about tea, and she felt better after
drinking it. Altogether she was il
quite a cheerful mood when the little
daughter Of her landlord came to wish
her merry Christmas and bring all
invitation from her mother to eat her
Christmas dinner with them. Dinner
would be at half past 2. Miss Acker-
mann thanked them very much and
would dine with them with pleasure.
Then she gave the little girl the pes
ent she had ready for her. a st::'!ici
young lady doll dressed in the latest
fashion, with coat and hat complete. Il
gift which made its recipient radiant.
and sent her off to exhibit it at once
The sermon Goods Christmas Gifts"
from the text wait upon the Lord.
and he shall give thee the desire Of
thy heart" made her homesick again.
the desire of her heart seemed so eX-
ceedingly far off. Miss Ackermann
was not one of those who forget. hard
as she had tried not to remember. She
found her thought straying back ten
years to the seaside, to her old home
and Jack. Their parents were neigh
bors. Her father and mother lived in
the little fishing town and took board
ers in the season. His father was the
farmer who supplied them with vege-
tables and fruit Jack drove the wagon
which brought the daily supply to the
each other in any case, but the morn
ing interviews over lettuce and straw
berries, melons and tomatoes brought
them closer together.
Every one approved of their engage
ment. and the day was set. when Il
great misfortune happened-her moth.
er and oldest sister were killed in
buggy which they were driving by
train at railroad crossing This was
bad enough surely. but 'trcubles hunt
in couples" and the blow seemed to at.
feet her fathers mind. He became al
most childish. took tn his bed and
would have no one but her wait upon
him. To complete the roll Of disaster
her brother suddenly brought home as
his wife a girl whom hone of his
friends would have chosen. and the
old man would not let his daughter-in-
law come: near him. To tell the truth.
she had no desire to help Miss Acker-
mann in her duties. She had married
for step up and said plainly that she
did not mean to slave to please any
body. ls.t@% s~, .~t,
You see how it is. jack Miss Ack-
ermann said, with streaming eyes. Il
cannot leave father, even for you
Bring him to our house with YOU
replied Jack There is plenty Of room.
and father and mother won't mind = 80
No. Jack: thanks ever so much. but.
that wouldn't do any. good. Father
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
II SAW WHAT HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE
GROWING CHRISTMAS TREE"

berry tree. The ladies of the house
came out about 2 o'clock and deco
rated the tree, with the assistance of
some of the men. Even the men re-
Quired stepladders to reach the top
most bOughs. First. the ladies gave
them some artificial icicles, which they
hung Oh the branches in great profu-
sion. AS the sun was shining brightly
by this time. it gave the icicles very
glittering appearance. and the wind.
commencing to blow, shook them gen
tly. making the illusion more perfect.
Then long bright ribbons of many COL
Ors were suspended from the topnost
limbs and fruit and candies tied on
with ribbons Of the same color-or-
anges with orange ribbon. apples with
red ribbon. lines with green ribbon
etc. Small toys were suspended from
the tree; large ones We're at the base
1t presented very gorgeous spectacle.
and the sight of the happy children
that surrounded it made one wish to
be Il child again to enjoy 1t to the ut
termost. But the best was yet to come
In the front yard were the presents
intended for the grown people. and
each man received one. One was n fine
surrey. Five were each given fifty and
seventy-five dollar saddles. Several
married men got handsome metal bed
steads, with springs and mattresses
Twenty or thirty fine hats. costing
81 apiece, were distributed and many
other articles, all the best of their
kind saw a young man who re-
ceiyed an all leather suit case This
last item may seem strange on ranch
but there are many polished gentle
men among the employees who would
consider suit cases very necessary
should they have occasion to visit the
city.
"All this while music was to be
heard from Il band stationed on the
front porch, where many Of the visit
Ors were seated. After the Santa Claus
of the Christmas tree had retired and
the presents to the grownups had been
distributed all repaired to the porch
and front yard to see again the glee
full children and the tree, and surely it
was a thing Of beauty and. with its
fruits and flowers looked as though il
had been transplanted from fairyland
"The people that came from dis
lance departed Uefore nightfali, but
those that lived near by remained for
an evening Of music and good cheer:
and thus ended a happy Christmas
day"
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
CAUSE aRAMPA's SEEN IT MANY A TIME

AT AIferd Brown, at lives mex door
To US, don't like him, 'uhcause
He say at he don't think no more
AT there can be Santa Claus,
But grampa whisper in my ear
At Santa will find me all right,
Cause he has seen his sleigh an deer
An pack O pIaythines many night.
My erampa knew Boy Blue an all
Tn children at live in tn shoe.
When Humpty Dunpty had at fall
He's standin' close as me an you!
An he say ist to don't buhIieve
Th' folks at say there amt no chime
O. reindeer bells on Christmas eve,
Cause he has heard 'em many time.
Chicago Tribune.
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25

- 7ISS ACKERMANN opened her
MMI eyes to the sunshine with
VN)\ startled feeling of having
OVersIeDt herself. then closed
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
GG0lr6@G16nd]@ ON
7 r@Gt'@ @@Q1lc[Ao

q ECRETARY OF WAR TAFT is
~ part owner of one of the largest
NJ ranches in Texas, the Coleman
Fulton ranch, so called, 175.O0O
acre farm" eleven miles from Corpus
Christi on the San Antonio and Aran-
sas Pass railroad. One hundred men
are always and $50 men sometimes
employed on 1t.
II was so fortunate as to have the
pleasure of seeing unique Christmas
tree on this ranch" writes Mary Elise
Muncey in the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat. "Christmas morning, though
warm. was foggy, and slow rain fell,
but by II o'clock the sun came out.
and the people at the ranch house be-
gan to make their preparations. Ever
since early morning the employees
from the different farms had been COM
ing in. All kinds of vehicles were
pressed into service. Some came on
horseback and some on foot There
were many children.
II saw what l had never seen be-
fore, a growing Christmas tree. Just
in front of the house was a large null
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
From tho Yuietide cynie.

Thank heaven, it isn't only the aris-
tocrat who can have q family tree at
Christmas. -. g. .,- .... ,.~,.a
Be Christmas white or Christmas green
It's all the same to you 49,
II Christmas finds you all serene
And doesn't make you blue.
It doesn't take magician to trans
form small boy into turkey COB
bier.
When Santa Claus comes down the
chimney he chases many aSnan up the
spout. 81.
It's the vanity Of the sex that
prompts the female turkey to wonder
how she is going to be dressed for the
Christmas dinner. ss s t5
Mower County transcript., 1907-12-25
An English Superstition.

The most popular superstition in
many parts of England is that every
remnant Of Christmas decoration must
be removed before Candlemas day.
Should 9 sprig Of holly or other ever
green be left in any house one Of its
.occnpants will die within the year. Il.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-05-24
PROMINENT PEOPLE.
orr OLNRYvILLK SouARa.

Senator Pettus. of Alabama. is
eighty-six years old.
A monument to Levassor, OF au-
tomobile fame, Is being erected at the
Porte Maillot entrance OF the Bois
de Boulogne, Paris.
John p. Poe. of the famous football
family, OF Baltimore, formerly half
back at Princeton, was n captain in
the Honduran army in the war with
Nicaragua.
Bjornstjerne Bjornsen the Scandi-
navian author, Is said to write SO
badly that every line OF his manu-
scripts has to be copied before 1t Is
sent to the printers. go.
The announcement OF the resigna-
tion OF DR.. William Jewett Tucker as
president OF the college was made to
the student body Of Dartmouth Coll
lege at Hanover, N. II. q
William J. Bryan has grown stout
In the last few years. His present
weight Is 234 pounds, while at the
time he entered the campaign in 1896
he tipped the beam at exactly 165.
w. s. Gilbert is not concerned In
the English prohibition Of THE Mi
Kado In de1erence TO the Japanese
visitors. He says that Mrs. D'Oyly
Carte has the sole right of production
for three years more. n
Right Rev. Arthur Foley Ingram,
Lord Bishop OF London. will be one
OF the distinguished visitors to WASH
ington. ID. c., and the Episcopalians
OF that diocese are preparing to give
him royal welcome.
General Alexander Mackenzie.
chief OF engineers OF the army, who
has charge OF all the Federal Gov
ernments engineering projects, at
tends TO the details OF spending about
$50,000,0 900 annually.
President Pena OF Brazil will re-
tprn the visit OF King Carlos OF Por-
tugal at the end OF 1908 or the be-
ginning OF 1909, and will be accom-
panied by a squadron comprising the
battleships now being built.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-05-24
Cold Stora &c.

A veteran cold storage man made
some interesting comments to me
during the week on one prominent
shortcoming of cold storage as APP
piled to food. lie referred to the
fact that the flavor of practically all
foods and vegetables is considerably
impaired by storing for any length OF
time In low temperatures. Take
beans, particularly sensitive veget-
able. They lose some OF their flavor
within a few hours after picking, but
after being put in cold storage they
lose IL nearly all. Caulihower is the
same way, and all fruit. Peaches
put in cold storage EN- erge from II
just as beautiful as when they went
in, but there is something missing to
the palate. The flavor is less keen
and the substance more insipid.
Practically nothing Is immune from
the same blighting results Of cold
storage, unless possibly 1t is celery.
Celery needs cold weather, any way.
to bring out its flavor, and 1t seems
TO lose comparatively little by a So
journ in cold storage. Eggs show
especial deterioration, and so does
poultry. / am unable TO say just
what happens to the goods, and have
never seen 1t explained, but the cold
destroys something which has helped
TO make the favor. The same with
meat-one reason why Western beef
is often so tasteless and insipid Is
that 1t is kept in refrigerator for
days One of these days some one
may discover something which will
neutralize the present effect which
cold storage has on food favors, but
my friend, the cold storage man, tells
me that none OF a great many ex-
periments has disclosed IL as yet
The Jobber, in Grocery World.