davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

zK T is Christmas again. How rapidly
 time passes. In our childhood slowly X the months dragged along from one Christmas to another, and with what sffnpatience did we exclaim, twill Christ mas never come?" How different with many of us now. The mile-stones along kthe highway of life seem so much closer Ethan they were. The years are so fillei 4up with duties, cares and pleasures, that we make no note of the f1eeting months, till, with something of a gasp and jolt,
 we are reminded that the year is near
 ly gone, for here is Christmas again.
 But be Christmas slow or swift in it's
 coming. it always comes. It comes with
 out waiting for proclamation of emperor,
 king or president. No rulers have to tell
 us to observe Christmas. It is far above
 el edicts from men or courts. It comes,
 and the bells of thousands of towers
 throughout Christendom proclaim It's
 presence; it comes, and the world tunes
 it's heart and lips to sing joyous carols
 of it's coming; it comes, and the activities
 of the marts of men cease; senates, par
 liaments, reichstags and councils of state r adjourn; opposing armies, for the time
 stack arms, and, as at no other time in . the year, the world feels the charitable conviction of universal brotherhood. More i. tenderly are the poor commiserated and ! more literally are material benefactions bestowed. Even the poor unfortunate f cnes clothed in strips, whose hungry i eyes peer through iron bars for a glance of sympathy, are not forgotten on Chris mas day; while many institutions among men. benevolently moved on this day, h hsumptuous repasts, and ragged little ones ' are bidden to Christmas trees laden with gifts of good things for their refreshment
 and toys for their amusement. The ma terlal good that the churches in the land I, afford to the unfortunate cannot be es- Minated.
 I am always glad at Christmas by sev-
 eral things that I shall cite. The first thought that brings me pleasure is, that
 the day celebrates a fact in history
 That fact is the birth of Jesus Christ
 This would still be a fact to me even
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

I would rather be
 In the shade of tree a With a song and a handful of daisies
 That be the darling of victory 7 Mid the bray of the rabbles praises. YHAvE read these words from an in- terview with the grand opera singer, M Mime. Cavalieri: # q have everything that life has to of- fer. By every rule and standard of the world should have been happy. But the only happiness I have known has been 1 1n anticipation-in anticipation of the lthngs expected to bring happiness-and did not" [k As I read the interview I thought of Nm expression by the wife of my milkman. 3who happened to be on her husbands s Ewagon the other morning. E In the course of g. brief conversation she said: 45..syss s....s "Oh, John and I and the children have been very happy. We have all been quite we'll and we enjoy life." And she looked it.
 Here is Cavalieri, young, in the flush of health, called by some the most beau- T and unhappy.
 i, And here Is my milkman's wife, also young. healthy, good to look at. working hard every day and having few luxuries-- but happy.
 Cavalieri well says that according to the rules and standards of her world she ought to be happy.
 Has it ever occurred to her that possi- f.Ixr r, etc orda nf h6.r Uyn m wrong?
 In other words, can externals give hap piness?
 There may be something vitally wrong within Cavalieri's self that has kept her from happiness.
 What is it? I do not know. I might guess at 1t. But here is the lesson:
 Sometimes we who are neither talented nor rich nor beautiful nor famous find ourselves wishing we might be possessed of all these things-and be supremely happy.
 It seems we are mistaken. Old Omar discarded all these things to say: "A book of verses underneath the bough, A jug of wine, loaf of bread and thou Beside me singing in the wilderness A wilderness were paradise now.
 Maybe Cavalieri lacks what the milk mans wife certainly has-love-love for John and the children.
 Anyway. it is certain that the old book is right when 1t says that "a mans life consistent not in the abundance of things that he possesseth.' fT
 When you wake up tomorrow morning say to yourself:
 '~rhis will be a good day."
 Say 1t to yourself as you put on your clothes. as you sit down to breakfast. as you go to the store or shop or held or stay in the house. s
 At first you may scarcely believe it, but keep saying 1t just the same. < Because 1t is true
 Today is really the best day you have Bver lived. Yesterday cannot be 90 good "a day, because it is gone. nor tomorrow, because you are not sure of 1t.
 And # you will keep saying co t wvl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

| be good day, because your enjoyment
 of it will depend upon your attitude to- 1 ward it.
 | Call it autosuggestion or what you may, you can shape your day largely by the
 way you treat it. If you begin by finding fault you will
 spoil your day. If you persist in deplor- ing what you did or failed to do yester- l day or If you continually fear what may
 happen tomorrow you will spoil it.
 But. you say, there are real troubles
 in the world that may mar one's enjoy
 ment of his day. | Surely. But much depends upon how you meet your troubles. You can meet them with a smile or scowl at them. You may lie down in front of them and
 whine, or in most cases you may jump plumb over them. Much depends on your spirit. It is certain you cannot solve your troubles by grumbling about them or shrinking from them, but 1t is also cer~
 tain you may spoil your day by shrinking
 and grumbling. Besides. If you will take a fresh mem
 tai grip on things when you begin your day many of your troubles will vanish.
 They are mostly creatures Of your fancy. They do not really exist except in your mind.
 And when the day is gonc be sure you do not spoil 1t by thinking of what you failed to do, but upon what you did do,
 and you will find much to be thankful for.
 Ana foroorrowS Why, when you close your eyes think ing how good the day has been, say to yourself:
 Tomorrow will be better day. And tomorrow will be better. Doubtless you have heard Conway's lec- ture on Acres of Diamond" This Is the story briefly: A fortune hunter wont far and wide in search of 8 diamond mine. He returned home after many years, having failed. One day he dug In his back yard and found his mine.
 The moral is, of course, that fortune waits for you not in some far distant place, but in your own back yard Here is another Illustration, Robert s. Seeds, driven out of business by i'll health, moved to an abandoned farm in Pennsylvania, which the owner gave up because ne could not raise any thing but rocks" When Seeds moved to the place tho neighbors snickered. And Bob Seeds wife sat down on the doorstep of the farmhouse and cried. She read the big advertisements about
 Roseville down south or Boomtown out
 west, where you could get rich quick on
 an acre or so, and she wanted Bob to emigrate. Meantime Seeds scratched away in the
 rocky place '.Just for his health." but he
 did a lot of reading about soils and . lot
 of thinking for himself. And he got so
 husy making things grow that he forgot
 about his health-which is good way to
 get 1t.
 To the surprise of the neighbors Bob
 Seeds made that farm one of the most
 fertile spots in Pennsylvania.
 People rubbed their eyes when they
 went past his farm. And then everybody
 wanted to know how 1t was done.
 Letters came requesting information.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

seen my mother for two weeks, and then she was just going out. When I start to school in the morning she is asleep, and they won't let me wake her. When I go home in the evening she goes out to din- asleep, so don't often see her" In the school this boy is known as 'the bad boy.' | But who is really bad-ths boy or his mother? It may seem cruel to say it, but The woman is a criminal! In the sight of God she is guilty of breaking down the sacred traditions of the home. of exposing her own flesh and blood, of allowing the soul of her boy to be twisted by failing to put around him the moral atmosphere of mothers in- fluence.
 Driven by some mad passion for pleas ure or by some unsuitable spirit of rest lessness, she is forever on the wing, leav- ing her boy to his own devices. Is 1t not tragic-and pathetic? The boy is at an age when the body Is the most restless. Every muscle calls for an impulse of activity. Is it strange that he should blunder into evil ways? The boy cannot be blamed f
 Put under proper surroundings he might be different. Send this boy to the coun- try, give him a chance to work of his surplus vitality, give him wholesome in- terests and kindly care and he would grow into a good man.
 But now he bids fair to grow Into rich hoodlum, creature without moral, mental or physical stamina; a ruined boy the wages of whose sins is likely to be early disgrace or early death.
 Some day dart shall pierce the soul of this boys mother for having thus brought a man-ohild into the world and abandoned him.
 It is easy to sin by long distance tel ephone.
 To commit crime by telegraph is not only easier, but safer. than to be on the ground where the crime is committed
 What do I mean?
 Well, say a switchman is killed in the yards at Indianapolis because of lack of equipment or a brakeman is crippled for life at Cheyenne because there is no safe- ty coupler provided according to law.
 Who commits the crime?
 Is 1t the division superintendent? He has perhaps often called the attention of the general manager to the need of the appliances the law requires, and the general manager has urged the directory board.
 Who Is guilty?
 Manifestly the directors who sit abon the mahogany table in the Wall street office or the capitalist who manipulates the directory. And the crime is commit ed for the basest motive-money.
 It has been done by long distance meth ods. The men on the ground must make dividends or resign. The stockholders must have their money even if 1t be wrung from quivering human flesh.
 Or
 Here are mere infants sorting coal over a chute and being slowly choked to death, or for lack of timbers a mass of slate falls from the mine roof and kills the head of family, or for lack of ventila- tion men die of fredamp. or . fire breaks out in a room for lack of proper inspec- ton, and there are no cutoff doors, and half a hundred miners die in the tunnels.
 Who commits the crime7
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

The Christmas family reunions should be made the most of while we have the possibility of them For the time will come when the dear old circle of loving ties will be broken up. The vacant chairs will multiply. and the venerable father and mother will soon be gone The old home may pass into other hands than yours, and the happy scenes of the years that are gone will become only memo ries. Blessings brighten as they take their flight; but this should not be the case. Now. while the opportunity is given should We show our best appreca- ton of the blessings that we have. De- votion to those that love us most, ex- pressed now, is worth more than all the flowers that we can heap upon their graves.
 I am glad of another feature of Christi mas It makes us all children again. for the time being. Older people once en- joyed Christmas for themselves, but as the years come they enjoy it most in sec ing the happy enchantment of childhood; and we all know the merriment of chil- dren is contagious. We laugh with them we condescend to the floor with them we play with their toys. and make fools Of ourselves in general, and it's all right that we should. This is our opportunity. We sentimentally sing,
 Backward, turn backward,
 o, Time in thy flight.
 Make me a child again
 Just for tonight"
 Now, here's our chance to throw away our dignity, our cares, and all sense of importance, and be children. It will not hurt us. but do us good We'll hear the sweetest music in the world, the laughter Of children; we'll feel the tenderest touch of love that is possible, the arms of little children about our necks; and we'll live Tor the while in an atmosphere equal to that which swept through the flowers of the Garden of Eden, for the purest thing on this earth is the heart of a child. Let us be more and more like children. I.at us associate more and more with them.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24

gated lights and heavily laden with
good things for good children.
When EXPLANATIONS and wonder had
somewhat subsidized dear Old Santa In
a few well chosen words said he felt
annoyed at being kept waiting so long
ere the children he loved so dearly
responded to his much desired visit.
He told them of his coming from the
frozen regions; that DR.. Cook had not
discovered the North pole. he only
reached within five hundred miles of
it. and that he (Santa CLAUSE felt the
heat of the Southern climes, especially
in Bryan, where he procured so many
beautiful things. Santa laid especial
stress on the difficulty he had in find
ing forty or fifty Merry Widow"
bows which he knew the young ladies
fancied. Santa had many things to
say to them, but had to go to other
children who were expecting him.
Thereupon he called the children to
select what they pleased from his
bountiful display. With three cheers
for happy, holy Christmas, Old Santa
departed for other climes, leaving a
happy band of children at villa Maria,
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
DON'T FoGET MONDAY.

The scenic investiture of "The Girl
from U. s. A." is said to be unusually
rich in effects, Partisan salon, Turk
ish seraglio and Oriental palace are
each realistically shown. The Ameri.
can girl and her equally strenuous
American lover certainly do" things
while abroad, and following them Oh
the stage is to be absorbed in maze
Of splendid Kaleidoscope situations
And don't forget, the musical numbers
are said to be simply great, and the
large and fine singing chorus looks
fairly stunning in a variety of expen-
sive and beautiful costume creations.
Some of the song hits are The New
port Glide" 81 Never Missed a Miss
Like l Miss YOU" Mother" Maybe
You're Not the Only One Who Loves
Me" and "My Pekin Moon"
AS the stores will be closed Monday,
the box office at the theater will be
open from 10 to 1880 a. m.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
CHRISTMAS WITH
BRYAN CHURCHES
ENTERTAINMENT FOR The
CHILDREN.
Weather Ideal and Conditions Favor
able for an Enjoyable
Holiday.

1t may be truly said that Christmas
is the most important day OF the
wear. 1t is used for standard date
and occurrences fall within their al
lotted time of before or after Christ
mas" Christmastide brings with 1t a
feeling of good fellowship that breaks
down the barriers of custom and rank,
and sheds its softening and mellow
light into the souls of men in order
that they may live in reality and be
in unison on the sentiment OF Peace
on earth, good will toward men,"
Among the features of this Christ
mas. the various churches have
planned entertainments OF various
kinds for the children. Each OF the
following will have such exercises:
First Baptist, First Methodist, Chris
tian, Presbyterian, Episcopal and
Freewill Baptist.
The weather conditions are ideal
and the people of Bryan Will enjoy
the beautiful sacred day under most
favorable circumstances.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
First BAPTIST Church.

Services at the First Baptist church
Sunday will be as follows
Sunday school at 9:45 a. M, Brother
Charlie Bullock, superintendent.
At II o'clock there will be special
music by the choir and the following
topics will be discussed:
/. "A Review of the Years Work"
by the pastor.
2 Some of the Good Results of the
Work of the Closing Year" by Rev.
j. j. Pipkin.
At 1880 p. m. there will be praise
service at which the pastor will pre-
side, the following being the program
1. Talks by brethren-Isaiah Wat
son, j. ]. Pipkin, D. B. Waite, Sam
Buchanan, r. L. Nash.
2. Expressions of thanksgiving from
the audience, led by Rev. Cheatham, a
Methodist pastor from Greenville, Ala
Baptist Young Peoples Union al
$50 p. m, Miss Emmie Pipkin, presi
dent.
Everybody is invited to attend these
services and worship with us.
NJ. E. WEAVER, Pastor,
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
SANTA CLAUS At
VILLA MARIA
DELIGHTFUL lMPROMPTU MUSl-
CAL RECITAL.
Everybody Startled and Delighted
When Santa Appears, Heralded
by Sound of Trumpet.

In the afternoon of Wednesday, De-
cember q, the students of Villa Maria
were assembled to present their
Christmas greetings 10 Rev. Father
Gleissner and their teachers. Owing
to the recent concert given by the
pupils at the opera house, they had
been told that no Christmas recital
would be required; but the reverend
mother announced that an impromptu
recital would be very pleasing. Ac-
cordingly the following young ladies'
and little girls were called upon to
give evidence of their ability:
Misses Mary Wolf, Willie Curry,
Monte Branch, Helen Holick, Cecilia
Smith, Ella Jones, Johnnie Stewart,
Thelma Jones, Aubry Wilkerson and
Sallie Spell Misses Aubry Wilkerson
and Johnnie Stewart gave the audi
ence most agreeable surprise by
volunteering to give on two pianos
the same selection which they played
from memory and with as much ac-
curacy and expression as if they had
been practicing for weeks previous.
Master Edgar Derden also greatly as
tonished all in sthe manner he per-
formed on the piano.
Just as an eight-year-old little tot,
Miss Ida Hockhaus, of Baltimore, Nd,
was presenting her notes for inspec-
ton, Old Santa's horns and bells
sounded loud enough, one would sup
pose, to awaken the departed musi-
clans of centuries to come forth and
demand the cause of so much dis
turbance. For moment all hearts,
big and little, went "pit-a-pat,' then
EXPLANATIONS of joy filled the house.
Although Santa burst his best horn
and cracked nearly all of his bells,
not child responded until the lovers
of music were satisfied. Then there
was a rush for Santa's illuminated
palace, in the midst of which stood a
gorgeous tree all ablaZe with vari-
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24

II a m. Sunday school at the usual
hour, 9:45 a. m. There will be no serv-
ice at night. The church expects ev-
cry communicate to meet the Babe OF
Bethlehem in the altar service on
Christmas Day. God has promised His
children that He will be present in
the altar service and at this season
dare any of His loved ones fail to
greet Him? Jesus will be present in
the sacrament under the swaddling
clothes of bread and wine, so let ev-
cry communicate take an interest In
the birthday of Christ beyond that Of
feasting on an elegantly prepared din
ner and the giving of presents to each
other, at least, let each strive to imi-
tate the shepherds of old when they
said one to another: Let US now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing that has come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste and found
Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying
in a manger."
The sermon at the II o'clock serv-
ice will have as its text st. Luke xi,
70: and this shall be sign unto
you: Ye shall find the Babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger."
All are welcome to come and wor-
ship at these services.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
CHRISTMAS TREE.

Following is the program for the
Christmas tree at the First Presbyte
rian church this evening at s o'clock
Doxology.
Prayer-Neil Zuber.
Opening Chorus-"A Merry, Merry
Christmas"
Selection-Mary Michel and Mar
garet Cooper.
Primary Chorus Shine Out
Blessed Star"
Standardization Brogdon.
Hymn-Congregation.
Christmas recitation.
Duet-Clare and Ernest Anthony.
Recitation-Reed Mitchell.
Recitation-Ethel Anthony.
Standardization McCulloch.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
CHRISTMAS TRADE
WITH LOCAL MERCHANTS.
Senior Warden.

The Christmas trade this week has
been good. While not up to the
amount of last years business, the
merchants say that, considering the
extremely bad weather of the past
week and half, the trade has been
good. Under good weather conditions
there would have been a larger trade
than last season. The merchants have
not much Of their holiday goods left
on hand, but more trade could have
been accommodated.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
First Methodist Church.

Sunday school at 9:45 a. M, c. M.
Bethany superintendent. Preaching at
II a. m. by the pastor. Subject: The
Pre-eminence of Christ" At 1880 p.
m. the pastor will deliver lecture on
The Passion Play" as he saw 1t in
Oberammergau during the past sum-
mer. All members are especially
urged to attend these services. Stran-
gers are cordially welcome.
GLENN FLINN, Pastor.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
DEATH OF MRS. HORAk.

Mrs. F. Horak, an aged Bohemian
lady, died at her home at Fountains
switch yesterday morning. She was
"a years of age and had lived in this
county for many years. She was laid
to rest at the Catholic cemetery in
this city this morning at 10 o'clock
Rev. Father j. b. Gliessner conduct
ing the funeral. Mrs. Horak was the
mother of Mrs. Frank Cubic, of Bryan.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
ATTENTION, MASONS!

Brazos Union Lodge No. 129, A. F..
e. A. NJ, will meet in regular session
on Monday night at 7:30 o'clock and
every member is urged to be present.
The meeting will be called to order
in the old lodge room ana will adjourn
from there to the new temple. It is
especially desired that every member
possible be present.
j. D. MARTIN,
Senior Warden.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
]. T. CAUGHLEY, Pastor.
Christian Church.

Merry Christmas Why not make
tomorrow a day for the renewal of our
covenants? We hope to welcome a
good number at the services. There is
a double reason for being present to-
morrow 1t is a case of two holy days
comign together. Sunday school and
the morning service will be at the
usual hour. The pastor will preach
on THE Best Christmas Gift" The
children will give a Christmas exer-
else at night, THE Christmas Star"
An offering for the orphans home will
be taken. The children cheerfully
bring these gifts for this sacred pur-
pose. The pastor will preach at Union
Hill in the afternoon.
JAMES N. THOMAS, Pastor.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
NOTICE TO PUBLIC.

| wish to announce 10 my friends |
have opened an up-to-date restaurant
in rear of Bryan Pool Hall, and re-
spectfully solicit your patronage. Oys-
tiers on half shell every Saturday.
Fresh oysters always on hand.
FRITZ KOHLER.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
PoSToFFlCE NOTICE.

The Bryan postoffice will be closed
Monday, December 26. VIII open as
on Sunday, to . p. m. Registry win
dow will open from to for delivery
of packages.
J. A. MYERS, Postmaster
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
METHODIST CHRISTMAS TREE.

Preparations have been completed
and the annual Christmas tree exer-
cises of the First Methodist church
and Sunday school will be held in the
church tonight at 1880 p. m.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
ST, Andrews Church.

The festival of the nativity, COM
monty called Christmas Day, will be
observed in the following services:
There will be three celebrations of
the holy eucharist, at 1880, $3.50 and
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
First Presbyterian Church.

Sunday school at 9:45 a. m. Morn
ing service at II o'clock. Evening
service at 1880 o'clock There will be
no meeting of the Westminster
League.
Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-12-24
The First National Bank
of Bryan, Texas

express appreciation friends for the business
given during the 1910 which has been very prosperous
and extended and all for Merry Christmas
and and happy The facilities
institution are your command =. -