davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
Some Holiday Don'ts

Don't give presents that are a pleas
ure for ten minutes and a burden and
a worry for ten years.
Don't young women, buy neckties
for your men folk; don't encourage
them in being bigger guys than neces-
sary.
Don't give drum to the children Of
your enemy who works nights. A
watchman's rattle is just as good, and
it is cheaper.
Don't give your wife something she
doesn't care for just because you want
it yourself. This don't works the
other way just as well.
Don't forget that basket Of fruit or
box of flowers is just as nice pres
ent in many cases as something that
will last good deal longer.
Don't try to find the price marks on
the gifts you receive. If the gifts are
worth having they mean something
above dollars and cents.
Don't forget the Bob Cratchits and
the Tiny Tims-that is. unless you are
unregenerate Old Scrooge. in which
case forgetfUlress can be explained
Don't put IF everything to the last,
because You had better for the JOY Of
your friends give nothing than wear
yourself out and he as cross as two
sticks when the blessed day comes.
,,f+r tt~
long haired youths who lie at the bot
tom of the heap in football scrim-
magps. You will need all your pity for
yourself in the rush at the holiday
counter
Don't check off each gift you receive
against each present that you gave
and calculate whether you made or
lost. Christmas is not the time to be
any smaller or meaner than you can
help.
Don't oppress children who are sa-
tiated to sadness with toys already by
giving them more There are other
ways Of making them happy. or if
there are not it is because they are
spoiled with many pleasures and are
the most pitiful beings alive. In that
case let them try doing something
for poor children, who are blessed in
powers Of enjoyment and see if the
capacity won't prove catching.
Don't neglect if you are a woman,
to lay in a stock Of some simple things
like handkerchiefs and sachet bags for
unexpected emergencies if you like to
meet various people with a reasonable
token.
Don't set your own happiness up as
the chief thing to be looked out for at
Christmas time. Try to make other
people happy and forget yourself, then
you will be surprised to see how really
happy you are.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
That Christmas Pie.

1t had been our family custom to put
brandy III all the mince pies and to
put i'm at Christmas time a sufficient
amount to enable the partakers thereof
to detect that there was really some
thing lib it. 1t often went 50 far as to
deserve the remark of my grandfather
that we put mince pie in our brandy.
With this as the family precedent,
ina gine the CONSERVATION when it was
learned that Rev. jeremiah ScrOgginS,
our new minister and an avOWeQ tee
tOtaler, had accepted mothers invita-
ton to Christmas dinner. A vote was
taken at the family table 1--WE were
democratic household. and it was de-
cided that out of respect TO our guest
the brandy would be omitted from the
big mince pie
Now. each of US in his heart of hearts
felt that the pie would be improved if
Just wee bit of brandy were added.
So |, for one, resolved to do the deed.
Accordingly | sought out the big stone
crock in which reposed the mince-
meat and poured in what / thought
was moderate quantity Of brandy.
It's wonderful how true Is the adage
about great minds running in similar
channels. for every other member of
the family, including my father, sur
reptiriouslv did the same thing. Later
we figured that the mincemeat must
have been treated to nigh unto 4 quart.
Mother reserved her brandy until
Christmas day. when, before the pie
was baked. She added a generous
amount of the strong stuff.
With hearts as high as the faky pie
crust itself we all watched mother
carve that pie and serve it.
The Rev. jeremiah Scroggins, be-
cause of an expressed fondness for pie.
was given a big portion.
No sooner had we tasted of the fine
dish than we discovered that that pie
was nothing short of a small sized dis
tillery. 1t was branded as no other
pie had been since the birth Of time.
You can imagine the cold chills which
went round tn festal board as we
watched the Rev Jeremiah begin to
eat. | believe l actually shivered as
the first forkful went mOuthward.
The first mouthful was followed by
a second and the second by a third.
Finally he had finished the whole por-
/ ton. and he settled back in his chair.
| We saw he was a bit embarrassed and
expected a real old fashioned temper
ance lecture right then and there
| The Rev. Jeremiah Scroggins cleared
/ his throat. and, turning to mother,
1 said: "Ah-er-my good sister. permit
me to compliment you ~pon the eX-
cellence Of this pie. 1t has most
| delicious favor. l confess l never
tasted anything like it. Would you
think me overbold if l asked for an
other New York Mail and EX-
| press.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

ran ! was curSing the cook. When
they got to the meat pole they found
me on a box facing them with a gun.
What do you want?" they roared.
Get quiet" said |.
Those in front called out, "Shut up.''
When they were still said: Boys, I'm
sorry this thing has happened. It's
my fault for not watching this fool
closer. But we can wash those tur-
keys and have a good dinner yet if
some of you'll turn in and help me.
They aren't hurt any. AS for this
scum Of cook, don't care any more
about him than you do. But I'm in
charge here and | can't let him be
hanged. You can go ahead and hang
him if you want TO, but you'll have ID
kill me first. Now go ahead"
| waited. but no one stirred There
were plenty Of guns in the crowd, but
no one was ready to undertake the
Job Of killing me. | gave them only a
minute to think. Then | said to the
man that held the rope. Unite him"
He did it, Get out cf here" | said
to the cook The fellow got up, white
as death with fear.
Then | turned to the men and asked
if there were any who had ever done
any cooking. who would help me. Half
a dozen volunteered. We washed the
turkeys and put them on to boil
never worked over anything in my
life as l did that Christmas dinner.
The men were still silent and sullen.
and l didn't know but they'd hang me
if the dinner didn't suit them. | tried
desperately to remember all the cook
ing Id ever seen my mother do, and
thanked God when I found that one
Of the men could make pies and an
other soda biscuit. About o'clock we
had the best dinner the camp could
turn out, boiled turkey, boiled potatoes,
canned squash, canned corn, canned
peaches. dried apple pie, hot biscuit
and coffee.-New York Press.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

the postman, the delivery man and a
whole lot of other folks into his serv-
ice
For example. he appoints as depu-
ties at least half a million extra eX-
pressmen in the United States alone.
Ordinarily the express companies have
about that number of employees, but
during the two weeks before Christ
mas. when Santa calls on them to car
ry so many of his packages, they have
to double their forces. To gain an idea
of the immenSity of the burdens the
old gentleman imposes on them few
figures are necessary. The Christmas
packages delivered by the express
companies in the city Of New York
alone amount to over two millions, in
Chicago and Philadelphia about mil
lion and a half each, in Boston over a
million and in other cities a proper
tionate number. When it is reflected
that this is an average of nearly one
package for every man, woman and
child and that there are something
over eighty millions of men. women
and children in Uncle Sans domain,
the stupendous proportions of this
Christmas business can be realized.
On account Of the expense of sending
packages by express it is estimated
that few if any Of these Christmas
bundles are worth less than So. while
some of them are valued at hundreds
Of dollars II is thus seen that the
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
OUR CHRISTMAS
ON The PLAINS

" NEVER shall forget our Christmas
dinner in a construction camp in
n the year 1900, said former Colo
radoan. We were building a res
ervoir out Oh the plains about ten
miles east of Pueblo. We had 100 men
on the job, an white men.
We had n poor cook on the job and
couldn't seem to find any other AS n
result there had been men leaving
every day and constant grumbIing all
the fall. and it came to head Christ
mas day.
1t was a beautiful bright Colorado
Christmas. The men were to work
in the morning, have a turkey dinner
at noon and lay off in the afternoon.
The old man had bought three pounds
of turkey per man-450 pounds. The
birds had come out the day before.
About ten minutes after noon heard
a kind Of an angry roar outside. |
never heard anything like it before,
and it made me jump. 1t meant trou-
BILE of some kind | hurried out and
saw a surging mob at the door of the
cook tent. The men were ali shaking
their fists in the air and yelling with
one steady. hoarse, prolonged yell. |
went around behind the tent and slip
ped in. There stood the cook raging,
fighting drunk, brandishing n meat AK
and emitting 4 steady stream Of pro-
family. In front of him surged the
mob. just out of reach of the meat ak,
crazy mad | didn't blame them.
They had come off work with their
mouths all made up for turkey, and
not a table was set, not n spark Of fire
in the stove and 400 pounds Of turkey
scattered over the section of alkali
plain which formed the floor.
The battle was short. The men ran
in behind the cook, tripped him and
the minute he was down had rope
around him.
Hang him, hang him. they rOared
and started off with him to the meat
pole.
In all my life never was so scared
as | was that day. | didn't care in
the least whether the man was hang
ed, drowned or died in his bed. Yet
civilization rose up in me, and knew
| had to save him. | ran like q deer
to get around the crowd and reach the
meat pole first, and all the while L
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
AN Up TC DATE
SANTA CLAUS
BY SUSAN BROWN ROBBINS.

NAUL FLETCHER was in the
~ drawing room waiting FOR Ida
IL to come Ida lived with her
brother, and every time Fletch-
Pr called to see her either the brothers
wife or his children were in the room,
SO there was never a chance to say
anything to her alone.
At last. however, his opportunity had
come 1t was the day before Christ
mas, and Mrs Stafford and the children
had gone to her mothers for several
days.
Now. with Ida left at home with
coming till evening Fletcher could say
to her those things he had been long
ing to say, but which he could not
bring himself to write in letter nor
to declare before the assembled family.
At length. after what seemed a very
long waiting, some one was coming.
He stood up and looked eagerly to-
ward the doorway. The portiere was
Ill uSJ dSIbty anu Ill MdIhtd
Teddy. who, in Fletcher's opinion, was
the worst pill in the whole box as far
as staying power and keen Observa-
ton were concerned.
Hello, Teddy" he said. not very
cordially. II thought you had gone to
spend Christmas with your grandma"
Il didn't go" said Teddy.
do you expect a visit from Santa
Claus tOnight|'
"Oh, l s'pose So" wearily. I'D just
like to see him, thought His manner
grew more animated.
why. what would you do?"
I'D tell him what | think Of him"
"And what is that|'
"Oh. that | think he's a fraud! Pre-
tending he comes in sleigh when the
ground has been bare for a month.
And reinGeers too! Who does he think
is going to believe that? Why doesn't
he come on bicycle?"
His fur OvercOat would be rather in
the way" said Fletcher gravely. And
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

er bent over so that he could see the
child's face; then he looked at Ida
and smiled.
They went on for little in silence.
Fletcher was trying to compose his
speech.
II don't know how to say it, he
burst out desperately at length. Il
keep forgetting how | look, and if
say it the way | want to it will be per-
fectly ridiculous. And vet | must
say it, for | may never have another
chance
She was looking at him. her startled
eyes dark and luminous in the star
light
Perhaps you do not need to say it."
she said gently.
DO you mean that you understand
without my telling you?" he asked
eagerly.
Yes she answered very low.
When they reached the house Fletch-
er took Teddy in his arms and carried
him in. He laid him gently on the
couch in the hall and turned away,
thinking the child still slept.
Il can stop only a moment" Fletch-
er said. is it late?"
At that instant Teddy sat bolt up
right, staring about him wildly. He
caught sight of his father in an ad-
joining room.
"Oh, papa he cried, his voice ring
Ing out clear and shrill. "Oh, papa,
Santa Claus is kissing Aunt Lida"'-
Boston Herald.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
Charles Dickens on Christmas.

ut is a wonderful thing" wrote
Charles Dickens "the period Of Christ
mas, l wonder how many hundreds
Of thousands Of parents have discov-
cred at Christmas time, under the
magic of the season-through some lit
tie, little thing done by son or daugh-
ter-that those they thought estranged
from them. by those things which
come between. still loved them with
memory more tender than they had
dreamed of.
Il wonder how many sons and
daughters, under the magic influence
Of Christmas, have had their hearts
softened so as to be moved by some
little manifestation of love by father
or mother, which they would have
thought little Of perhaps despised, at
any other season."
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

he's pretty old. too, and maybe does
not know how to ride, and, besides,
how would lie bring the presents"
whats the use of presents, any
way? / never have anything that's
any good
II think you have the blues today"
said Fletcher, and thin he did not
speak again, though Teddy tried to
draw him out.
He seemed to be in brown study,
and nothing reused him till Ida came
in. and even then he did not say much
and STAYED only short time.
1t was in the evening that a card
was brought 70 Teddy. On it was
written Santa Claus" Teddy's eyes
sparkled Tell him to come in" he
said grandly.
A moment later Santa Claus stood
before him. 4 tall fnr clad figure with
flowing hair and beard. Teddy shook
hands ana introduced the guest to his
aunt.
Did YOU find it good slei@hing"'
Teddy asked. And how are the rein
deers:"
II did not come on runners. young
man" said Santa Claus. perhaps You
did hot know that there is no snow on
the ground
"Ricyclef" asked Teddy.
NO: came in motor carriage
IA motor carriager' cried Teddy in
credulously Then he ran to the win
dow and looked out. 1T is, Aunt
Ida" he said excitedly, coming back.
You can see it just as plain out IN
der the electric light"
Il did not bring you any presents
said Santa Claus ''as / heard you did
not care for them. but | would like to
take YOU for a little ride, if your aunt
will go too | came early" glancing
at the clock. so that | can get back
and attend to the boys and girls who
like 10 have presents"
"Of course we will 60" said Teddy
promptly. I have never been in q
motor carriage
In a few moments the three were or
their way, wen protected from the
cold, bracing air by an abundance of
furs and wraps, There was no moon,
but after the lighted streets of the
town were past the stars shone down
on them brightly.
Teddy was Wild with delight. and his
tongue ran on rapidly. At length there
were occasional pauses. then longer
ones interrupted by disjointed remarks
Finally there was total silence. Fletch-
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

body up by telling funny stories that
were better. coming offhand from his
lips, than most literary men coulL
write if they worked over them for
weeks. He knew too, that it was only
a question Of a short time before he
could never again go home for more
than z brief visit. 1t was simply Won
derfuI what a difference that one man
made among the passengers, and
CUES almost all Of us would gladly
spend the time to nake port under
sail, with machinery disabled, if we
could have 4 Stevenson aboard"
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
Christmas With Stevenson.

Passengers aboard the steamship
Lubbock unexpectedly spent Christmas
at sea in the year 1890. but the fact
that Robert Louis Stevenson, the ia
nous story writer, was among them
made that a most memorable holiday
The Lubbock was en- route from Austria
liza to Samoa She broke shaft and
limped along several days under sail.
'Mr. Stevenson" says the captain in
relating the incident, "cheered every
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

1IIL- '7l1I7 : 7R-'I7 ''1' =
ties let Us not forget the p0stman.
Who has not seen the faithful servant
staggering under his great loads on
Christmas morning? The business
done by Uncle Sans postoftice for tie
two weeks before Christmas is just
about double what it is at ordinary
times. All this is because of Santa
Claus. so the extra clerks and postmen
needed must be credited up to him.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

Don't take the tone that you are
'cut up" if some one for whom you
have nothing gives you present. The
thing is not supposed to be a matter
Of bargaining Preserve decent SEM
blance Of a Christmas spirit and repay
the obligation, not by tardy respond
ing gift. but in some other way at
some other time. if YOU want 70.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
Sentence Commuted.

But" said the merchant to the ap-
plicant, you don't furnish any refer
ence from your last place"
You needn't worry about that" re-
piled the man with the close cropped
head and strange pallor i wouldn't
be here now if it hadn't been for my
good behavior in my last place.
Catholic Standard and Times.
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24


benevolent old gentleman who
visits all the houses in Christendom
the night of Dec "A and leaves pres
ents for all good children and even re-
members some who are not so good
But this idea fails to do the busy old
saint full justice. AS matter of fact,
he has to be quite up to date to attend
his numerous customers. He is so
much man of affairs that it is neces-
sary for him to adopt modern meth
DDS. Nowadays it is essential for
every large business to be carried out
through an army of assistants and
deputies. and who, pray, has a larger
business than Santa Claus? When he
first started in the Christmas line it
might have been possible for him to
make personal visit to all the homes
where his gifts were expected, but
now all that is changed. So he drafts
the expressman, the messenger boy
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24
Servants Of Santa Claus

By JAMES A. EDGERTON. (CopyrigI
TN HE usual conception of Santa
Claus is that Of rather inno-
cent, unsophisticated, though
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

HAUL FLETCHER was in the
~ drawing room waiting FOR Ida
II to come. Ida lived with her
The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1909-12-24

m NEVER shall forget our Christmas
\ dinner in a construction camp in
n the year 1900, said former Colo
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-06-02
HEAVY PENALTIES IMPOSED
ON MINE PROMOTERS

By Associated Press.
Kansas City, Mo, June Prank II.
Horn, S. H. Snider and Raymond p.
May, were sentenced to serve a year
and one day in the federal prison at
Leavenworth and to pay fine of five
hundred dollars each, and John e.
Horn was fined five hundred dollars
in the federal court here today for us
ing the mail to defraud in connection
with the promotion of the Two
Queens Mining company of Arizona.
e. s. Horn, the other defendant,
was still too ila to appear for sentence.
He will be sentenced later, On ac-
count of the youth of John E. Horn, he
being but twenty-five years old. the
district attorney made a plea for
leniency, which Judge Anderson grant
ed, continuance till October II.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-06-02
WAGNER COUNTY ATTORNEY
OISBARREO BY COURT

Guthrie, Okla. June >. - The SUI
preme court yesterday. in per curtain
opinion ordered the disbarment of l..
L. Mosher, former attorney of Wag-
oner county, and sustained the report
of the committee selected from the bar
of the court to investigate charges
against him.
Two charges We're made against Mo
sher one that he had been disbarred
in Iowa and had concealed that fact
when he made application for admis-
sion to the bar in Indian Territory,
and the other that he had bribed or
tried to bribe delegates in a county
convention at Wagner to nominate
him for Office.
The court disregarded the second
charge and bases the disbarment on
the first charge.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-06-02
JEFFRIES WILL MEET
JOHNSON NEXT MARCH

Chicago. H.. June 2.-The burning
question of the hour has been answer
ed.
James J. Jeffries will meet Jack
Johnson for the heavyweight cham'
pionship of the world at Colma, Cal,
next March
The authority for the above state
ment is none other than James J.
Jenries himself The boilermaker con-
fided this fact to a friend when he was
in the city last week.
Jefries was asked point blank to
name something definite in reference
to his return to the ring, and declared
it would be about March II around
Frisco. Jeff also confded that all
would be off if Johnson was beaten in
the meantime, but he did not enter
tain any grave fears along this line.
Now that the big fellow has found out
that he can train into condition, he
hopes he will be the one to get the
first good punch at the conqueror of
Tommy Burns.
Judging from Jeff's line of talk, the
big fellow will not defend his dtie
from American shores.
The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-06-02
FIRST REPORT OF
GUARANTY FUND
Inspectors Report Covers Period From
November 10, 1907 to April 30,
1909, Inclusive.

Guthrie, Okla, June 2.-For the first
time since the enactment of the Okla
homa bank guaranty law, report of
the condition OF the guaranty fund was
made public yesterday by Charles
Taylor, state examiner and Inspector
of the public accounts. The report
covers a period from November 16,
1907, to April 80, 1909, inclusive. The
fund at the latter date was 1902, ,4S9 20.
The receipts include $32O,O77 .46
from guaranteed banks, $24,975 in
fees and $24,9O5.SS from the liquida-
ton of the International Bank at Coal
gate
The disbursements show $29, ,42320
returned to national banks, compelled
by the comptroller of the treasury to
withdraw from the fund, paid to the
depositors of the Coalgate bank, $24,-
S4373, expenses of the state banking
board and the bank commissioners
office, $19,97792.
Until April, 1909, George w. Bel
lamy, president of the board and
Lieutenant Governor of the state, and
the secretary of the board were each
paid a salary of $125 per month and
in April their salaries were raised to
$175 per month.
The question of whether or not
Lieutenant Governor Bellamy was
drawing a salary from the board of
not was an issue in the last campaign
The report shows he has drawn a
total of s1,S125O and Secretary Oakes
has received $1,S8S.42.