davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-08-05
CHAPTER XIII
! guess b. all this Quaint array
the burglars hold their spoFsa to-days

guess ~ AL this QuAint array
me burglars hold their spoFia today
I'HK day appointed for the prize.
play was mild and clear; and a. che
AntIcIpatiop ot tho gport had GREAT.
"a b STIFF tkollghoht ne province,
there was reason 70 expect 9 large
attendance. eI.
Staek White had. withfn / year
past, eEnigrated ID the dominlons tf
the Proprietary. from jamaica. Afit
BY dlnt 81 sfunposIn9 his own re-
n0wn'~ IN aet Tor which th0 Drnfas.
soFs of hts craft W6rB AUtn6w has dl9-
MnRuishptA bad obtalnDH the rapMte
Of 4 skElful master 81 fence. Ser
gbant Traters bud been several
years IN the province, and had
already established BIZ fame. III more
than one trial, with such wandering
'pf0fdssofs III tho E0hlB scienes Y.
at thai era, were 70 be found Is
every quarter OF Christendotsi.
Great ext,ectatI0us Wbta therefore
entertained Of an encounter 0f rare
interest NJ thB men nE the kwDrd il
Glass which might DO said 10 have
ronpfehehdAd pot only kbE'nIlilary
men OF the times, and such gentle
fhap III civil llfe as werB educated
In the aso 81 the weapon, but also
that extensive cifoleOffdINFB. hoaets
agG tavern.frequentarss aud sport.
loving gentry which have ii ways
passed mnder Abe denomination 81
choice spirits e asii
m Under the direction or Colonel
Talbot the patron III An sports and
pastinea Ia the pr0vinco--sa plat
form, OF stage of deal boards. abodt
twenty feet square and three feet
above the GEoppd, had been con
stfnOted. near The centre 0f the colns
mon ID Che rear Of the Town House.
IA few PAGES from The platform
stood 4 Dag stat, from which hoated
10 lnrkad pennQns bearing tha device
Of the provincial arEns anabiAi0ualB
executed III The oiIhlbF MaNt6r Bic
tor. the artist 0fH She eiegg Cd ii
skirt Of the common. SONS six or
eight tents marked she position Of
the Colifk 81 Guard, formed BY the
gRfrlson Of the tort. under she COM
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-08-05

1omk PKNhkkfoH Il 1znnb u. III. D. autl.
1s. We born ~ helt timers H4flh igs6: died
lof MAty land o. 8i1 Was admitted 10 the har
Ia 1915 served IN the Legislature In 1870 ~
member o. Congress fses-t2f presidential
naa chaixfpnn ~ fhe House Committ6a on
Opu4p.Rrat3n trnakess, 1914 He was AGAR
eiett0d ~ lilo Maryland LeRin ntura and VIVA
speaker ri the House - fssA Was Appointed
Secretary % The Navy iH82. and aided Ia az
ting out Commodore PeEryAa Japan ex Dedl-
ton and Dr. kAna'A second Arctic VOYAGE.
An hl4 deaf HAH proTos4 Of the UnivafailV on
~ fysanls. vie6. prenIdnnt Of the Maryisnd
Historical honieky, ehnirman Of the HoaFd *
kkuslees Qf ne fpehQ9x Academys hnlti-
III FtllA. Nak fRl a. lie 81 several r,sse ~
and ofa LIE " William Writ II
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
A Cure for All Evils.

In certain parts of Worcestershire
and Staffordshire, in England, the idea
prevails that a silver coin from the
Christmas morning o%ffertory is a o "
ereign remedy for any Ill that human
flesh is heir to. Accordingly, any
householder who happens to have an
ailing child or other person in the
house HES him to the clergyman Of
the parish on Christmas morning, and
asks as a favor a sacrament shilling.
The coin given in exchange has to be
obtained by collecting a dozen pennies
from as many different maidens, and
then changing the coppers for a silver
shilling. For this coin the applicant
receives the coveted sacrament shil-
ling, which, on being taken home, is
hung round the ailing ones neck, and
is popularity supposed to effect a rapid
and complete cure of the complaint,
no matter what 1t may be.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
The Christmas Tree,

Every time l see a Christmas tree
studded with electric lights, garlands
of tinsel gold festooning every branch,
and hung with the hundred costly
knicknacks the storekeepers invent
year by year Ito make trade" until
the tree itself disappears entirely IN
der it's burden, | have a feeling that
fraud has been practiced on the kind
ly spirit of Yale. Wax candles are
the only real thing for a Christmas
tree, candles of wax that mingle their
perfume with that of the burning fir,
not the by-product of ONE coal-oil or
other abomination. What II the
boughs do catch fire? They can be
watched, and too many candles are
tawdry, anyhow. Also, red apples.
oranges and old-fashioned c~ornucopias
made Of colored paper, and made ut
home. look a hundred times better and
filter in the green; and so do drums
and toy trumpets and wald-horns, and
a rocking horse refined up in front that
need not have cost $40; or anything
like it.-Jacob Riis in Century.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
Where the Toys Are Made.

In Germany whole villages are de-
voted to the production of Christmas
toys, and their busiest time is just
about midsummer. BY the end of Au-
gust the receiving depots are crammed
with Christmas clowns and Christmas
mechanical puppets, Christmas drums
and wooden horses-children's Christ
mas presents, In fact, Of all sorts and
kinds. And the travellers start out
east, west, north and south with their
Christmas samples about the time the
corn is ready for the sickles of the
In Holland, too, where more
than one town is devoted. more or
less. to the making Of Christmas dolls,
the same rule holds good. During
May. June. July and August every
,uaan-svnan and Child IA these places
seem In some way Is De occupied with
the manufacture of miniature babies.
Even at school during these particular
months the sewing lessons are taken
with dolls clothes for models.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
Santa Claus Abroad.

1t 10 strange to contemplate the
great variety of forms the Santa Claus
custom in different countries.
In Belgium the little ones fiji their
shoes with carrots and oats and hay
for the white horse st. Nicholas is
supposed to drive. Very early in the
morning they run to the room in
which their shoes have been left and
find that the %provender has gone and
in it's place candies and presents are
found.
Among the Carpathian mountains IL
Is st. Peter, who. dressed as a bishop,
and accompanied by the dreadful Ru-
precht. is expected by the children on
Christmas eve. The visitor first de-
livers a short sermos, lays on the
table a rod whitened with chalk, and
takes his departure with his tinkling
bells, while Ruprecht follows close be-
hind. The children now hasten to pull
off their shoes. polish them and tie
then together; and. as soon as the
last notes 5fCfSio's bells have become
lost in the distance they run into the
be-
meath a bush. They spend the time
until 10 o'clock In relating stories,
then go to their shoes. to find them
filed with apples. nuts and goodies.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
THE ROAD TO CHRISTMAS
In Retrospect Grandfather Pictures
YuIetide Journeys Of Many
Fears Ago.

All the year long we have been
travelling toward Christmas and my
old wife, our children n our grand
children-not all by the same road.
not all with the same expectations.
but all looking out alike for the first
glimpse of its smoke rising above the
wintry landscape of the year. Now
we can almost fancy that we hear
the Ginning OF the famous bells-all
Christmas towns are famous for their
bells-and we know that we shall soon
be at our inn.
Ii life be a journey, and each
year a stage upon the road, / do not
know where else a sensible man would
stop for the recruiting of his health
than the fine old Christmas towns.
There, If anywhere, men are to be
found living together merrily; the inns
are warm, the cheer is good, the
amusements are of the heartiest, and
the society Is of the best. | have been
through many a Christmas town-for
| have travelled far-and have rested
thoroughly in each. | never found two
of them alike. or late they have been
much grayer and quieter than they
used formerly to be; but | do not
think that have been less happy OF
the quiet towns at which | have of
late years resided. Let me confess so
much. AS for these about me who
declare them to be not quiet by any
means, but perfectly uproarious with
jollity, / do not interfere with their
opinion. Children SC easily deceive
themselves; it is enough FOR me that
! am old enough to see things as they
are.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
Christmas Carol
Nv Phillips Broolu

che earth has grown old With its
burden OF care,
But at Christmas II ALWAYS Is young,
Che heart u tbe Jewel burns lustrcus
and fair,
lind Its soul full u music bursts forth
On the air,
Wbsn the song u the angels Is sung.
II Is coming, Old earth. II Is coming
tonight!
On the snew. flakes which cover thy
SOD
che feet Of the Gbrist,ebiId fall gentle
and white,
lind the veiee " The Ebri$t-ebiId tells
our with deligbt
Chat mankind are the Children Of God.
On the sad and the lonely. the wreteher
and poor,
che uoieeof the Ebrist.ebiId sbaIfaT;
lind u every blind wandsrer opet, the
door
Or hope that be dared not 10 dream Of
before,
Witb a sunshine Of welcome for all.
che feet Of the bMmbIest may walk In
the field
Wbere TIE feet " the EoIiest trod,
CHS, then, Is the marvel 10 laortaIs
revealed
Wben the silvery trunpets " Christmas
have pealed,
Chat mankind are the children OF 6od.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

Bethlehem of the wonder which was
happening in their town that night.
Suppose some gentle woman had
met Joseph and Mary on that Won.
derful Day, as they entered the town,
and had said to them: Our streets
are full of homeless strangers. Come
you and bide with mel" BY that sim.
pie act of hospitality, her name
would have been written high, high
among he names of earth's happiest
folk. Blessed is She" we should
have cried, ito whose home the
Christmas joy first camel" But the
women of the Judean town did not
know to throw wide their doors and
bring in the worlds gratitude and
love, says the Youths Companion. So
the Child was laid in a manger and
oblivion holds the names of all the
women in Bethlehem who slept that
night beneath the wings of wondering
angels. Had they but known!
Year by year., for 10 centuries the
story of the night at Bethlehem has
been told and retold. To-day no house.
A"'" - III tO"u vi VII
lage or on distant prairie can plead
the ignorance in which Bethlehem
then lay. II the door Is shut on
the Christ-child today, it is not from
lack OF knowledge, but from churlish.
ness or Indifference.
The Christmas spirit speaks in
many voices. The sprig of holly or
the plum pudding, the tree laden with
gifts or the cheer for the lonely
these are all the worlds way of say.
ing to the Mother and the Holy Child,
abide with u.s."
Barred out alike from cottage and
palace and inn in Palestine, the Hope
of the World renews his appeal each
Christmas-tide to our modern Chris
tian world. By the very pathos of the
first Christmas, the heart is softened
and prepared to give him welcome.
To-day there is no heralding angel or
guiding star.
No ear may hear His coming.
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
The First Christmas Tree.

Its the Germans who brought the
Christmas tree to America" the Ger
man said. Didn't you know that?
The ~dt%eo Hesse sold regiment.
called The Hessians, after him. to
fight the A1seff5dds. They got so
drunk over their first Christmas tree
here away from home that Washing
ton captured them. and that started
the fashion Of Christmas trees in
America. It's history"
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

this was a Christ
mas day, too.
This was n
reason why so
much, so very
much pains was
taken to make
every Christmas
a delightful one
for her.
n g yer before
had so much been
done for her. To
be sure, she was
older than she
was a year &
and could appre-
ciate better what
was done for her.
Yet somehow she
was not nearly so
happy as she
I h o u & h t S h e
should be.
Such a glorious
Christmas ire e
stood out in the
wide hall of the
great mansion in
which she lived.
1t contained such
a load of presents
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

at the throne Oh
S~ardanapolis and
~favorite at Fash
ions shrine, awoke
one morning in
the hustle and the
whirl of Chicago
with a headache
Through the aeri-
al window of his
club the clash and
clamor of city din
smote his throb-
bling m p ! S .
Smoke and SCOT
drifted Familiarity
in, and upon the
indolent draughts
a faint. fetid smell
rode t~ruculently.
"B a h t h o S e
s~tockyards!" sniff
ed Harrison Hon
eywell Hickson,
gripping his TEN:
pies and striving
to reach oblivion
by burying his
nose and ears in
the downy pillow.
Always the smell
and the noise and
the clatter. Day
and night il is the
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

O. ANITA CLAUS remains. by virtue Of
~ a common understanding that childhood
~ shall not be d~espoled Of one Of it.
most cherished beliefs. either by the mythologis,.
with his sun myth theory. or the scientist. with
his hearless diatnbe against supersitions. He
who doe. not see in the legend Of Santa Claus a
beautiful faith on the one side, and the native
embodiment Of a divine fac, on the other. is not
fit to have a place at the Christmas board
Hamilton Wright Mabie.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

Of the Lord ,hone around about them. and they
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them:
Fear not. for behold hiring you good tidinss Of
great JOY which shall be to all people. For unto
you is born this day in the city OF David. .
Savior. which is Christ the Lord."-From the
Gospel Of St. Luke.
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

Nita vas just seven years old. She
was born on a Christmas day. and
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

The Church'S
Christmas Present
Copyright
BY BYRON WILLIAMS

Harrison Honeywell Hickson, de-
voice of Michigan avenue, w%orshiper
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

~, ND there were in the same country shep-
A\ herd, abiding in the field. keeping watch
q IL over their Aock by night. And 10. the
angel Of tbs Lord came upon them. sndths glory
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23
NO STAR TO GUIDE
THE POSSIBILITY THAT ESCAPED
THE WOMEN OF BETHLEHEM.
Some Name Might Have Rang
Through All Ages Had She But
Known the Spirit of Christ
mas Hospitality.

HE child born in the
stable of Bethlehem,
because there was no
room for them in the
inn,' was heralded by
angels to the shepherds
and by a star to the
wise men; but no voice
told the mothers of
The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-12-23

TT IS a good thing to observe Christmas Day.
The mere marking Of times and seasons.
IL Hhen men agree to stop work and make
merry together. is a wise and wholesome custom.
Il helps one to feel the supremacy Of the common
life over the individual life. 1t reminds a man
TO set his own little watch. now and then, by the
grea, clock Of humanity. which runs on sun
6me.-Henry Van Dyke.
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20
ga ga
go 90
The Children g. Their Letters

Route |, Bailey, Miss, May 5, 1909.
Editor, Jeffersonians:
/ noticed in recent issue of the
paper, in the Children s Department,
some stories of Munchausen char
acter. Now, Mr.. Watson, while
think the reform you advocate is all
right, | am much surprised that you
would publish such stuff, as it is
very corrupting Of the morals of the
youth, and debasing to older people,
and no doubt will hurt the Jeffer-
sonian. Encourage the young by
all means, and aid the development
of their minds in way to make a
noble manhood and womanhood, for
the future of our country. Of course,
amusing incidents and ludicrous hap
penings furnish harmless merriment,
and are usually enjoyed by all.
Trusting you will give this matter
your attention, and do the thing
your Judgment decides is right, [ am,
with we'll wishes, your friend.
M. D. Ethridge, Sr.
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20
M. D. Ethridge, Sr.
Daddy Jim S Reply.

Since the opening Of a children s
department in the Jeffersonian we
have received many hundreds Of let
ters from children in different parts
Of the United States, and we have
tried to select and publish the best
of them. Some of the letters, written
in all innocence, were not for the
public eye, and to these youngsters
we have written, warning and counsel
ing them according to our best judg-
ment. Other faults We have pointed
out, with kindly criticism, in the
paper. In all cases we have laid
stress upon naturalness in writing,
telling the children to write just as
they talk to the folks and
neighbors at home. We want to know
the children as they are, not as they
ought to be.
The stories to which Mr.. Ethridge
refers were probably those told by
little boy named E. S. Murphy, who
lives at Surrency, Ca, and by
another boy named Airing Tootle at
Glenville, Ca, just across the river,
in Tatnall county. It was duel be-
tween the two, and the weapons were
"whoppers." Tootle told about
gigantic fish that was caught in
Arkansas, and when they cut him open
they found among other things, an
acre Of burnt woods and a ton of
salt. No doubt Tootle thought that
as some stories must be taken with
a grain of salt, his would require a
ton. Murphy came back with tale
of fishing in Texas, where they used
whale for bait
The point that Mr.. Ethridge makes
is that just such stories are corrupting
and debasing, both to youth and old
age. Let us see.
Exaggeration is characteristic of
youthfulness. It's natural. Old age is
positive, middle age comparative, and
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20
15be Jefferson,am

pockets full of all kinds of tools, toy
drums, horses, soldiers, and a large
collection of mails and knives. They
like to climb trees, ride horses, go
hunting and fishing, wade in ponds,
and, most of all, play baseball. All
boys should recite poetry, and read
well, and most of them can. Emma
Blalock, Undertake, N. c., II years
Old
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20

but do not think enough Of them to
keep them from punishment when
they need it. O,.e thing / do not
like about them, and that is those
rats that the cat is jumping at all
the time. Leroy Fortson Quinn, Craw-
fordville, Ga, aged 10.
A Boys Pockets.
Most boys have dirty faces, and
tear their clothes, and have their
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20
Books by Thos. e. Watson

Story Of France, volumes :. :. :.
Napoleon -. :.
Life and Times of Jefferson :. :. >.
Bethany, Story of the South :. :.
Life and Speeches of Thos. e. Watson
Handbook of Politics and Economics
Sketches from Roman History :. :.
Waterloo, just published ;. :. :. :.
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20

"Oi0ii lioNCAAoCo, uuuSACLdlISS dTCISbS,
even men of affairs-have kept unto
the end, content and undishonored.
their childish loving hearts and great
imaginative brains. Imagination was
to them the breath Of life. and for
us their works have made life brighter
and fuller and better worth the living.
Let me recall my own childhood,
which was probably not unlike that
Of many others. Some of the bright
est spots IN my memory are the hours
that | passed with Baron Hieronymus
Munchausen himself at his home on a
high shelf in the library. He lived
in a little dingy volume, companioned
by fearful and wonderful woodcuts.
Near him, on the same shelf, were
three or four heavy black books, the
residence of Marco Polo. I didn't
hike the Venetian SO we'll as the
German; and [ think the real reason
was that Munchausen s stories were
SO obviously untrue that even a child
could laugh at them, but with Marco
Polo one always ran the risk Of TAX
ing false for true. Purchas his Pill
g1ims lived on lower shelf, in a huge
black-letter volume, hard to handle
and harder still to read. Not far
away was Dean Swift, whose grand
father, says D Israeli, lost his living
after he had chosen for his text on
the Kings birthday, "Suficient unto
the day is the evil thereof How
| loved the wild humor and magma
ton run riot in Lilliput and Brobdig-
nag. 1t was little I could understand
Of the bitter inner meaning; they
were tales to me, and nothing more.
But | knew they were not true, just
as [ knew that the Arabian Nights
were stories told for my particular de-
light. Gross exaggerations, all Of
them, but the light that never was
on the land or sea- fell across the
pages as I read; and I hope it will
always lie there for the millions of
happy children who shall read these
books in after years, unbelieving but
not misunderstanding them.
A little later there came to me
long John Silver and his parrot,
"pieces of eight" and the dead men
sitting on the dead mans chest;
Misunderstanding and his gentlemanly
Indian friends; Peter Simple and
his incredible misfortunes; Ivanhoe;
the Three Musketeers, and many
another magnificent hero of boyhood.
Then there was Mark Twain and
Max Adeler and Artemus Ward; and
they were the very Qualification of
exaggeration. It was Lowell, I think,
who spoke of "a negro so dark that
charcoal made white mark on him,
and Ward who told the story about
the fellow who had to keep the head
Of his cane shaved, after he had
accidently touched it with the stopper
out of a bottle of hair restorer. This
is Munchausen all over again; but the
The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-05-20
KNIFE FREE
PHOTO OF THOS. E. WATSON

To each person who sends dollar for
yearly subscription renewal to Watson's Weekly
effersonian Watsons Jeffersonian Magazine will
mail handsome, wo-bladed knife, with transparent
handle containing the latest photograph of the Hon.
Thos. E. Watson. The blades hand-forged out of
the very finest English STEEL the holsters of
German silver, the Innings of plate BRASS all beauti-
fully finished The photograph of Mr.. Watson is life
like it is the best that made of editor
and leader To get the knife you ask for when
you send the money-not afterwards.
This Offer is Good for Thirty Days
THE JEFFERSONIANS, Thomson, Ga.
The Cairo bulletin., 1909-12-12
MOUND CITY.
December II.

Mrs. Ed. Westerman, who has beer
on the sick list for some time, is slow
ly improving.
Mrs. T. A. Cannon and little daugh
ter. of Olive Branch, who have beer
the guests of her mother Mrs. Flor
ence Malone. and family, on Main
street, left Friday for their home.
Mrs. John Belts is slightly indis
posed this week.
The ladies' of the Congregational
church realized $l75 from their annua
chicken pie supper and bazaar which
they held Thursday evening in the
Brown building. They wish to thank
the public for its liberal patronage
Mrs. Charles Armstrong of Cairo
was the guest of her parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Harrison, on Poplar street
Thursday afternoon.
Edward Schuler made business
trip to Milwaukee and Port Washing
ton, Wis, this week, in the interest
of the Wisconsin Chair Co., returning
home Friday morning. He reports that
there was snow knee deep in Mil
waukee Thursday
Miss Clara Hartwick, one of the
public school teachers, is spending a
few days with her sister, at Mounds.
T. M. Ford of this city, and H. Cal
vim of Levings, left Thursday, and
Thomas Boyd left Friday morning for