davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
GIVING NEW YEARS GIFTS.

All France Buys Itself Poor In Be.
slowing Presents.
The custom of making New Years
gifts has gone completely out of vogue,
among the people Of the United States,
with the exception perhaps of the very
wealthy, who can afford to give on all
occasions.
In France New Years day, or LIE
Jour differences literally, day of gifts,
is the greatest day of the whole year.
All France buys Itself poor. The men
are supposed to give bonbons and How-
ers to every lady upon whom they
call, and Jan. finds women sick from
eating sweetmeats and men sick from
spending more than they could well
afford, but the average Frenchman be-
lieves in the old observation that 1t is
''all In a lifetime" or, according to
our vernacular, that christmas New
Year in France) comes but once a
year"
The practice OF making presents on
I New Years day was originated by the
Romans and from them taken up by
the Britons.
When gloves were novelties and
Injuries that every woman wanted,
but not every one could afford, they
were the customary gifts, often very
handsome ones made of silk and deco
rated with gold traceries and precious
stones. Occasionally sum of money
was given instead of the gloves, the
donor designating the gift as glove
money" Queen Elizabeth was espe-
cially fond of stockings as New
Years gift.
Sir Thomas More when lord chancel-
lor once decided case In favor of
lady, who, to show her gratitude, sent
Sir Thomas pair of gloves containing
forty gold coins. Sir Thomas returned
the gold with this note: Mistress
Since II were against good manners to
refuse your New Years gift am con-
tent to take your gloves. but as for the
lining-I utterly refuse It,"
When pins were first invented and
brought into use about the beginning
of the sixteenth century they. were
highly priced as New Years gifts.
They. too. were made of very valuable
materiaI-of gold and silver, as well as
Of the common metals. The money
which had been expended in gloves
was then made use Of for pins. and
money given for the purchase Of the
new style gift was called pin money"
The term has gradually enlarged its
meaning. and now the modern girl
speaks OF her pin money" but she
buys all sorts of things with II and
instead Of receiving 1t from friends
once a year. obtains 1t from papa"
once a month or once a week.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
WAsHINGToNlAN NEW YEAr.

Recipe For Reception q Ia George and
Martha.
To hold New Years reception la
George and Martha Washington the
drawing room should be arranged to
look like that of century ago. Let
holly and mistletoe festoon doors and
arches and be massed with pine and
with cherry coiored ribbons.
The gowns and headdresses of the
ladies invited to attend may be copied
from old fashioned prints or reproduc-
lions of portraits of historic bellies.
The old brocades. the powdered hair
and complexion patches will transform
the appearance of modern beaus and
bellies in q manner truly wonderful.
few lines penciled on the face will
aid in suggesting the appearance of
the individual whose personality is to
be at liberty to select the character
most pleasing to himself or herself,
OF course this choice should preclude
the characters of Washington and hts
wife, which belong to the host and
the hostess If they have son and
daughter. Jack and Nelly Custis should
be represented by their son and daugh-
ter.
The minuet will, of course. be the
first dance. and II should be led by the
host and hostess In the costumes OF
Washington and his wife. If other
than buffet refreshments are served
the host takes to the dining room the
most distinguished lady present--that
Is. the one whose position In the So
ciety of the time represented was most
important. The hostess takes the most
distinguished gentleman to the dining
room. The selection. of course, will
be largely influenced by personal feel
ing.
In the center of the dining room ia
BILE handsome decoration represent
ing a chime of bells bearing aloft a
silver star and the figures denoting the
date of the new year should be placed
on a bank OF green or of flowers. Rib
bon streamers. red, white and blue.
should extend to the edge of the sup,
per table. where waxen cherubs. such
as are made for decorations on the top
of Christmas tree, perch among the
little cluster Of flowers intended as
souvenirs for guests. A knot of red.
white and blue ribbon should tie the
flowers intended for the ladies' If in
dividual menus are prepared each may
be given personal significance by
being Inscribed with verse relative
to the flight of time. Any dictionary
of quotations will supply the lines.
The dining room ought to be lighted
entirely with wax candles In handsome
candelabra.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
An unsxp eeted Invitation.

A clergyman once heard an address.
Or what promised to be. turn unex-
pectedly into a challenge to pie eat
ing contest
A young man, 1t seems. believed he
could air his views upon certnin sub
jects in convincing manner If allow
ed to 60 before the multitude. He was
given the chance and took the door.
Brethren" he began. his face flush
ing aIn his knees beginning to quake,
''br-li' III brethren pausel. br.bl-breth-
bretln en- lin despair. will you? IL
any of you want to eat humble pie
bust srsp uVs'--NtswpriO StGr
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
there is but one.
One little resoluAsn leaves a
month before
Never mind; next New Years
day you can make some
more.
CHICAGO Record Herald.
A literary Coincidence.

my father. w. Clark RUSSELL" said
Herbert Russell in telling of literary
coincidence, had finished maturing
the plot of his novel The Death Ship
which is a version of the legend of
Vanderdecken. l was his amanuensis
at the time. He said to me, @romor-
following morning when entered his
study to take his dictntiun of the open
ing lines he showed me letter he had
just received 1t was from w. s. Gill
bert, the well known dramatist, asking
him why he did not write novel
about thS Flying pntchmaa"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
Taken Down a Peu.

While one thing essential to cul-
tured lawyer is a thorough knowledge
of Latin, 1t Is not necessary, said a
judge, that he should parade his classi-
cal knowledge, for be might be "taken
down a peg" as wins the young lawyer
who displayed. his learning before an
Arkansas Jury. His opponent replied:
Gentlemen OF the jury, the young law
yer who Just addressed you has roam
ed with Romulus, canted with Cam
thailties, ripped with Euripides, socked
with Socrates, but what does he know
about the laws Of Arkansas ?"-Case
and Conments
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

HE WOULD BRAa AND HE WOULD LECTURE.
south when he began his early morn
ing aquatic performances, but later he
came north to live. and he kept right
on plunging head first into cold tub
every morning, winter or summer.
He kept this up for years, and his
yigor and bloom were splendid adver-
tisements for the benefits of the cold
plunge habit and incidentally to his
strength of will in acquiring and stick
ing to such :. habit
But he had the weakness of his
strength. He would brag, and he
would lecture people who did not like
cold plunges or else took them only six
months OF the year. AS the years
went by he got more and more vigor-
GUS and more and more impatient with
complaining, late rising, cold catching
persons who would not be converted
to his ways.
81 rise every morning at g." he
used to tell every one who could be
prevailed upon to listen to him. Then
I draw the tub full of cold water-the
colder the better. Then l plunge In
and In ten minutes / am ready to
dress after a violent rundown with
the toughest crash In the market
And do ever have coldf Am ever
Ill? l haven't had pain or an ache
in thirty years, and am never In bed
after 9 o'clock a. M"
Perhaps it is cruel to tell, but 1t was
positive relief to his friends when
one morning he was found dead in
bed at $50. The coroner said he had
been dead Eve hours. So his friends
blamed 1t all on his not having had the
cold plunge at 8. Had he lived until
then and taken his usual dip, they
said. he never would have died at all.
New York Evening Post.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

background OF green's. holly and mis-
tletoe berries and red ribbons. Carna
lions are also favorites. Many of the
reserved tables will have special dec
orations of flowers and souvenirs ,sent
by the entertainers. One hostess has
ordered an elaborate centerpiece of
orchids. with orchids for the women
and gardenias for the men -
Some Of the hotels win not make
rules In regard TO the kind OF liquid
refreshment served If one wishes
cup of tea at a. m. at these places
he can get II. But at many of the
hotels and restaurants nothing but
champagne viii be served after a stat
ed hour.
Though the occasion seems to spell
license. this Is not really the case. The
proprieties to certain point are to be
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
the SAD FATE OF
A RESOLUTIONIST

WN HE New Years resolutionist IL
thinking hard these days,
~ smoking against time to get
rid of his Christmas cigars
and get himself as full of nicotine AZ
possible before Joining the anti-tobac-
co league. making memoranda of the
errors of his ways during the past
year and buying nice. fat. inviting
Journals. with 800 white pages and a
cover OF red leather, lcttered in gold.
The New Years resolution habit il
one of those things that won't be
snubbed out of fashion. as Valentines
duy New Years calls and other an
Client institutions have been. 1t is an
instru' tive proceeding, this making OF
promises, signing of pledges and TAX
ing the vows. 1t shows up ones weak
nesses and ones strength to all and
sundry. but especially to the slgner Of
pledges and maker of promises him
self. II proves that two-thirds of the
worlds resolutions, like pie crust, are
made 10 be broken. and occasionally 1t
wakens up dormant pride and prin-
ciples in some weak willed individual
and sets him strenuously on his legs
But The success attained by the man
who i;eeps his resolution unbroken
through the year Is sometimes Of
doubtful value. 1t puffs him up with
pride. ,onceit and intolerance. Having
ACCOMPLISHED his feat of strength. he
has no patience with the weaker ves-
sells VINO fell by the wayside-to put 1t
Hiberf iauly
youth to take a cold plunge every
morning.
He considered cold plunges good for
health ana good discipline for a lazy
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

rigidly adhered TO- A woman. for ex-
ample. may drink all the champagne
and cocktails she wants. but IL she
attempts to light cigarette she win
be asked to desist.
Taking care of big restaurant or
hotel crowd, II Is learned. is not so
dihicult as II sounds. When one of
party becomes boisterous the head
waiter asks the assistance of his own
party In keeping him In order, which
Is usually given with decision. One
OF the Broadway restaurants which
will display the sign champagne
Only After 10 O'Clock" also offers the
explanation that the reason for this is
that a crowd champagne fed is merely
hilnrious and good natured. but when
hiRhbails 1nd mixed drinks are served
there Is always trouble afoot for the
management.
The price for the table dhote sup
pers will be about the same in all the
first class places. The hotels that do
not place an embargo on wine usually
go further and serve their patrons n
la carte. as much or as little as may
OC tCQuhCQ hC ACk0Aut ouhh ShaA tNo
Is So for the menu prepared without
wine. In the grill rooms, wine vaults.
extra supper rooms, less desirable In
location. some of the hotels will serve
a 81 supper and few offer very
attractive menu for So.
Besides the hotel and restaurant Gel.
ebrations most of the clubs will keep
open house. The National Arts club
will have a special reception for the
members, and the members of the
Players club, next door ON Gramercy
park, always foregather, no matter
what other attractions there may be,
to celebrate founders night. The low
ing cup is passed around. custom In
augurated by Edwin Booth. and after
that the dolngs are wrapped in i'm
penetrable mystery.
The New Years eve celebration will
by no means be limited to the res
taurants, hotels and clubs. although
they perhaps furnish the most pictur-
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

Join the throng which is bent on turn
ing night not into day. for no day was
ever like New Years eve In Manhat-
tan now, but into cross between
Mardi Gras. bullfight and football
game, with dashes of Coney Island
festival and a queens birthday.
There is one time honored custom Of
New Years eve which will not be cut
out. that of going to old Trinity. where
the chimes will be rung. but there will
be change even In this. Albert Meis-
lain. the bell ringer, who had off1ciated
for thirty years, is dead. and Il Column
bia undergraduate is in his place.
At the big hotels and restaurants it
is estimated that between 1000 and
1000 people will be accommodated by
each. Tables have been engaged for
weeks, and the demand ia SO great that
all the rooms usually reserved for
dra wing rooms are to be furnished
with supper tables.
In regard to specific arrangements IL
In the mode at present to have every
thing at the hotel table as delicately
fine as II one. WERE entertaining at
ones own home If dish is served
that can be carved on the table the
hostess wishes to supervise It, and
any chatting dish article must have the
finishing touches put In by her. Often
she will make the salad dressing. all
with the notion to give the appear
ance of the private entertaining with
the public environment.
'The old time, favorites, canvasback
and terrapin. are no longer named by
those ordering in advance or by the
chef who prepares the regular menu
for such occasions" said hotel man
ager. eThese articles OF food are diff
ficult to procure. expensive. and, be-
sides, tastes have changed.
1.-THE favorite supper dish now Is
some kind Of shellfish daintiiy prepar-
ed so. that one can hardly recognize
its flavor. The approved menu liz ca.
Ware or oysters on the shell. 'consom
me or clam broth en- tasse. an entree
of sweetbreads. frogs legs. lobster a
la Newburg. game and salad and ices
with delicious cakes"
Chrysanthemums and American
Beauties lead in the matter of floral
decorations. with the usual holiday
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

There is project atoot to ds9|
the wa reis of the Grand Canyon 9
the Colorado, erecting a dam 7@|
feet high and developing I,5cao%|
horsepower. The site for t,e gay
is in Arizona near the Colorado lin
and the project will require Sac"
600.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
DOING GOOD.

He is good that does good to
others. II he suffers for the good
he does he 10 better still. and Il he
suffers hom them 10 whom he did
good he % arrived to that height
Of goodness that nothing bur an M
crease Of his ufcrings can add to
Il. II il proves his death his virtue
is at its summit--it is hcroism COM
ete.--Bruyere.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

Two of the largest electrical gen,
orators ever built are now oeE
erected at Nexaca, Mexico, BY %
General Electric Company. Easa
generator will carry load OF nlo,'
th~n twenty Thousand hvrss-p0ws''
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

esque and interesting elements of the
celebration. Broadway will add its
decorative features, and hundreds Of
thousands of people will rush back and
forth. If the night be fine, enjoying
themselves by watching the, fun Of
other people doing the same thing
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

Good Places For II.
wlllie-Hsre's a sign I got from the
postoftice.
Mrs Sllmson-Why, Willie, what do
you ulean7 It's the sign "For Tran
sients." You just take 1t right back.
81 thought you might like to hang
IT up IN your kstutsns s--zsif&
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
ZEAL.

Experience shows that success is
due less to ability than to zeal.
The winner is he who gives him
self to his work. body and soul.-
Charles Buxton.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
Now Yaar,a in Euron..

In London New Years Cay Is OBJ
served with little formality. but in the
capitals of the continent 1t is dav for
official receptions.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31

NC cut, Wild belle, to the wild ely,
Che f,Yfrg cloud, the frosty light.
Che yearsis dying In the night
Rina out, wild belle, and let bin die.
Ring out the old, ring IN the new;
Ring, happy belle, acroee the enow.
Tbe year ie going; let BIN 60
Ring out The falee, ring IN the true.
Ring out the grief that cape the mind
FOR tbose that here we see no more |;
Ring out The feudsof rich and poor:
Ring In redress to all mankind.
Rtna out elowly DYING cause
lind ancient forme Of party etrtfe
Ring In the nobler modee Of ltfE,
Mitb eweeter p,annere, purer lave.
Ring out The want, the care, The sin,
Che faitblese coldneee Of the times (;
Ring out, ring out, my nournful
rbymee,
But ring the fuller Intnetrel in.
Ring out false pride In place and blood,
Che civic elander and the spite
Ring I'm the love Of truth and right ;
Ring In the common love OF good.
Rtna out cid sbapee Of foul dtseaee
Rtns out tbe narrowing luet OF gold
Ring out the tboueand ware or old ;
Ring IN the thousand yeare OF peace.
Rtna in the valiant man and free,
Che larger beart, the htndtter band
RtnG out the darkneee Of the land
Ring In the Cbrtet that te to be.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-31
new YEARS EVE
IN new YORK CITY
on eouIdn't drag a sew York

X " on couldn't drag New York
w man out OF town on New
Years eve, and the only trips
he viii plan are auto rides In
some sequestered locality late on the
afternoon Of the lst so that he can
get fresh air and perfect quiet. As for
the New York hostesses, when they
are arranging for dinners II Is with
the understanding that the party shall
90 later to the theater and still later
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
CARRYING IN COAL.
Most Laborious of Occupations, But
Not Remunerative.
From the New York Sun.

ron the new 1Ork sun.
If a man should see only the modern
end discharging and side discharging
coal wagons from which coal is run
down chutes directly into coal vaults
through sidewalk coal holes without
any handling whatsoever he might think
that the calling of carrying in coal had
fallen wholly into disuse, but he would
be far from the truth. AS a matter of
fact. lots of coal is still carried in.
Once the bulk of all goal sold was
delivered in one horse two wheeled
one ton dump goal carts, from which the
coal for family use was dumped on the
sidewalk in front of the house. thence
to be carried in by the coal man. He used
bushel chip basket with a short length
of stout rope made fast to one OF its
handles. whereby he carried il over his
shoulder tolerably heavy load. Such
baskets are still used by some coal neny
but the prevailing coal conveyer of the
present day is made wholly Of stout
canvas and having an iron rod run around
it's mouth to keep it open, with q strap
attached by which to carry it.
Then came the four-wheeled coal wagon
with its telescope chute. In many places
where the chute wagon could be used
there was no carrying in to be done,
no shoveling even In cities. In the
course of years. many thousands Of people
who have now come to live In steam
heated buildings and to use gas ranges
for cooking have ceased to buy coal: they
have no coal to carry in.
So from one cause and another the
coal men have decreased in number, or
rather they have not increased in pro-
portion with the general increase OF
population. and SO they seem less numer-
Gus than they once were. But there are
yet many places where coal is still car
ried in, just as it always was, and there
are a good many men who make a living
at carrying in coal. theirs being, as it
ever has been. one of the most laborious
of occupations, but not one of the most
remunerative.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10

Cor sth and Florida avenue, rooms, cellar
and bath; hot-water heat: lot 23 feet wide;
$500. Easy terms.
Cor. Tth and Florida avenue, rooms, cellar
and bath; lot 30 feet wide; S4,I50. Easy terms
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
A Book Buyers Reward.
From the Book Monthly.

A wandering book buyer decided 20
give a couple Of francs for an old vol
ume which he happened upon In one OF
the collections along the banks Of the
Seine. He turned over its pages in the
evening at home and found two which
were purposeiy stuck together. He open
ed them carefully with knife, and what
do you think was inside? Three bank
notes of a thousand francs each. also
this message: Friend. whoever thou art,
thou hast read this book to the end; be
legatee, without remorse, of this little
me in fifty years. May the muses. be-
more favorable to thee, for thou art sure
ly man OF letters" Then came the In
itials ''H e." the date, January 10. IS4&
and the number of a street in Paris.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
Old Cannons Found Near Venice.
rom the London Glob.

From the London Globe.
A Rome correspondent informs us that
some very interesting discoveries have
been made in the course of excavation
work around the Island of Lido at Ven
ice, where number OF ancient pieces of
artillery have been found beneath six
feet of mud. The cannon are all in a
state of excellent preservation, though it
is clear from their construction that they
must date back to period almost i'm
mediateIy after the discovery of gun
powder. and Ii is believed that they will
prove of very great artistic and historic
value.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10

Oidfeld confidently predicts that the end
Is not yet and that there is much more
power in his car than he has yet sue
ceeded IN getting out Of 1t. The fastest
time ever recorded before Oldf1eld's
achievement was made by a 1O0-horse-
power car driven by Demogest In 1900, at
Ormond Beach, Florida. Demogest made
two miles in fifty-eight seconds
Oldfeld has received cable dispatch
from Emperor William Of Germany con-
graduating hmm on his feat. The car
driven by Oldfield Is the same as that
vorite chauffeur, Hemery.
The one desire OF the civilized world
seems, in this generation, to be to get
there first" New inventions, be they
ever SO hazardous, APP snapped up with
rapidity by excitement-loving men who
are ever willing to brave death in max
ing the idea practicable.
Recently some imaginative person tried
unsuccessfully in New York to start a
company for the promotion of q new kind
tionize travel. The idea was to have
constructed a huge tube into which could
be placed cylindrical projectile large
enough to seat comfortably a dozen per-
sons. This was to be driven through the
tube by compressed air with speed ap-
preaching the qujckness of the lightning S
flash all the way to Philadelphia. The
proJectile was to be built OF aluminium
strengthened by heavy bands of steel.
The inventor claimed that the trip be-
tween the two cities could be accom-
plished in about two minutes.
The imaginative mans visionary scheme
did not find favor, and no capitalists
would listen to him. 1t is safe to say,
however, that had any such apparatus
been built there would be scores of ad-
venturesome devotees of speed mania who
would fight for a chance to be inside the
''projectile'' on it's maiden voyage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10
Never Touched Her.

From the Catholic Standard and Times.
Bridget" began Mrs. Youngbride,
timidly, "I don't suppose you would
eiocH to my getting an alarm
Not at all, ma'am." replied the lazy
me at all"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-10

Student of Politics-And what be
RELY this yere coalition they do be
tarking about?
Oldest Living Local Authority-weI,
it's like this: Some parties says this, an
some saws that an t'other. But what
I says, there's no knowins nor no
tellin, an'-mark my wordS.-I baint
fur WrOng.-Punch.