davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

eventually. Nothing on earth so de-
lights boy as big-bladed real pearl
knife that has come from the Capitol. L
had one sent me when l was boy. and I
must have made life miserable to the
rest OF the juvenile population for months
afterward.'
And he smiled reminscently, for there
is a tone to a present coming from such
a source which even a more costly gift
from elsewhere could not surpass in ap-
preciative value.
A very large percentage of the members
are lawyers. and for their use as we'll as
those who have just sufficient knowledge
of legal lore to get through on there
are the finest kind of brief cases OF pig
skin and calfskin fitted with locks and
durably lined.
These have been purchased in sufficient
quantity this Christmas season to de-
serve comment. A young lawyer, while
loathing the newness of his green bag"
so called no matter what color of the
rainbow it may happen to be-could not
help being pleased with such one. and
there are numerous young budding at
torneys among the congressional house
holds.
PrSkin coin purses have been extern
sively bought by the members who know
bow convenient and welcome ere such
trif1es There are leather travelling cases,
too for razor. soap case. brush and
comb And, ac a tip, there still remain
three card cases far too pretty to be used
by a mere man. which have evidently
been passed over by masculine taste as
too shcwy, but which would cheer the
soul of any wOmans vanity.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
GorrMo To OUR NORWEGIAN CHI1pRENc-

voted to going to their Greek churches,
which are now built in many of our
Russian colonies" After attending serv-
ices in the morning and receiving visits
from their Greek priests through the DAY
they go back to church Christmas night
to enjoy the distribution of gifts from the
tree, also songs. Rotations and frequent
ly Russian folklore play acted by Sun
reality most OF these miniature Russo
Americans now enjoy two Christmases.
for they share that of their American
playmates a fortnight before their own
comes.
And three Christmases a year, you
might similarly reason it, are enjoyed by
your half-brothers and half-sisters from
Holland.
They had the first visit from their
native "Sinterklaas" (St Nicholas) three
weeks ago tonight for he always comes
to them on the eve Of his birthday, which
is December &. So on the night of the
5th. mounted on his fiery white horse,
he rode over. the roofs Of their houses
not stopping to crawl through their chin
neys, but throwing great handfuls down
each as he hurried past. While he is
riding past the children are downstairs
singing his praises, but when their
every one scampers up the steps to find
the goodies lying out upon the hearth,
just where they have dropped.
And the same night, when it is always
a rule that whatever is handed in by a
neighbours servant must he taken. all
kinds and conditions of 'surprises' are
brought to the door and opened while
every one laughs hilariously at father as
he spends a half hour unwinding miles
of thread. to find a very comical thing
hidden inside the ball. or at mother as
she opens a very funny effigy and after
sitting its sawdust filing discovers some
thing equally ridiculous.
Again ST. Nick comes to these little
Dutch-Americans. the next night-the
night of his birthday-this time with his
grinning black servant, jan" who comes
into the house with a big bag, from
children recite poetry to him and he goes
out grinning more than ever. Three weeks
then elapse until those boys and girls
from the land of dykes gather around
the Christmas trees Of their little play
mates in their adopted motherland. You
these three Christmases when l tell you
that it was due to them. that Santa Claus
first discovered America, back in the
days when their people settled New York.
He has been the patron saint OF all little
children for centuries. and he is no other
than that good st. Nicholas. who. 1.6OO
years ago, when Bishop of Myra, is said
to have brought back to life three little
boys whom a cruel thief had chopped up
into small pieces and thrown into a pick
ling vat. His name is also spelled
SAINT Nicklaas.'' whence some thick
tongues easily twisted it into Santa
Claus"
No less than five strange visitors
knocked last night at the homes of many
Of our little Norwegians. They were all
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

nowhere more faVlSnIE Demon
strated than in the stationery
room of the House of Representatives.
Thanks to the generous and broad-mind-
ed Interpretation of what constitutes
necessities for a members office furnish
ings many OF them are enabled to play
Santa Claus al a very modest expense
and without leaving the Capitol building.
Down the basement floor, amid COM
mingling breeZes from restaurant and bar
Der shop. nestles little store which is
run without any idea of profit There is a
regulation storekeeper. who displays goods
and checks off articles selected and never
refuses credit to any who comes to buv
lie has to keep in touch with the taste
OF the ma jority. and see that nobody goes
away disgruntled, but also that no mem
her of Congress gets more than his one
hundred and twenty-five dollars worth OF
merchandise
This Is the sum the government allows.
Clined he can take the cash and let the
credit CO. but that procedure Is rather
crowned down upon by the MANY
Now that they lave that new Office
building most of them find the allowance
too small anyhow. said the storekeeper,
for they all want brass things for their
desks, fancy waste baskets files and writ
ing pads and blotter cases and fountain
pens and stationery well. They want
everything that goes to make an office at
tractive we'll practical But the
greatest number buy Office fixings outside
and let the allowance go for Christmas
presents. The stock has been pretty gem
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

AMk 1t as something Indigenous
Wv to the Christmas season
something to amuse child
for week and be thrown away. That the
making of these toys is serious all-the-
year-round occupation and one upon
which thousands are dependent for their
living, perhaps never occurs to him. 1t
would. perhaps. further surprise him to
know that the occupation of toymaking
is in the old world as distinctly trade
as is bricklaying or carpentry. and that
the work is still done largely by hand.
II the question were put to him fatty he
would probably say that such work might
little villages of the fatherland. but would
scott at the idea as impractical in this
speed and money mad atmosphere
Nevertheless there are two families
right here in Washington who from
Christmas to Christmas earn their living
and little something for old age by fol-
lowing this location. They might almost
be called one family. as the heads are
brothers and they have lived side by side
in two old-fashioned little cottages in East
Washington for many years The houses
stand in the same little garden, dotted
here and there with rose bushes and
traversed by clean white-pebbled paths,
bordered with oyster shells.
And the whole of both houses consti-
tutes the workshop. 1t is true that within
the last four years the brothers have in
stalled a lathe and bench in the shed
at the rear of the yard where the larger
work. such as the building of sleds and
but i'm the living rooms of each dwelling
are made the woolly white sheep which
really look like sheep, and the glossy pigs
and dogs. Here, too, are the flaXen-haired
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

boys in white nantes. the tallest carry
Ing large colored lantern. shaped like
the star OF Bethlehem, and another bear
ing a glass box containing two very pref
ty wax dolls, representing the Virgin
Mary seated in chair and the Infant
Jesus lying in cradle.
The room is darkened and a waxen
candle placed at the head of the little
cradle, which is very skillfully moved by
hidden wire, SO that for all the world
the miniature mother seems to be rock
ing her son to sleep. At the same time
the star In the lantern is moved from
side to side over the little scene and the
five boys sing Christmas carols. while
the children in the house look on with
wonder and admiration. And after the
carol singers have departed for the next
house the children receive their presents
left by st. Nicholas and the Christ Child
and make merry around the Christmas
tree
The jul gram is what the boys and
girls among our great Swedish colonies
of the middle west call their Christmas
tree 1t is wondrous sight with its
imitation snow. its dozens of bright rib
bons and lighted tapers, but no presents
are hung upon it. After the children
have been admitted to the room. where
its gorSeousness shines forth. have
danced hand in hand about it and have
eaten the candies and nuts that have
been passed around. another door opens
and the present room is revealed.
Here father sits at a long table filled
with baskets piled up with packages. and
while he is busy reading the labels and
handing the gifts around the bell rings.
Then who comes trOoping in but some
very wondrous personage-a king very
probably and perhaps a queen with him,
or a soldier. a sailor, or maybe a harle-
quin-bearing big baskets from friends.
whose messengers these ''mummers' are,
disguised In gorgeous trappings. some
times a girl being dressed as a sailor boy
or. as clown. Their baskets also contain
surprise packages. like those which
Dutch-Americans receive, and sometimes
1t takes hours to unwra.p one bundle, so
complicated are its layers. Thus big sis
ter after receiving great box is disap-
pointed to find that It contains a ham.
be only a sham. hiding pretty pair of
satin slippers, her regrets quickly change
to rapturous delight.
Passing the we'll kept farms of these
Swedish colonies of ours i'm Minnesota
today great pole erected here and there
and supporting a full sheaf of wheat
the farmers Christmas present to the
snowbirds, which at this season, so boun-
teous to us, have hard scratching to fill
their little craws.
And other ''mummers' who, during the
holidays. appear among us in their gor-
geous costumes. were first brought to us
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

early in the past century by English set
tiers in Philadelphia. where today thou
sands of dollars are being spent on costly
ralment FOR their annual revels. About a
hundred years ago they commenced t.
swarm the streets Christmas eve reciting
rhymes that explained their fantastic dis
guises, and threatening annoyance to
householders who did not pay them
dole. But they did rot find favor with
the Quakers. who never have celebrated
Christmas. and their capers were post
poned to the days of the holiday week
and finally until New Year day. when
now they march in one wondrolK pro-
cession of kings and queens followed BY
their respectful subjects.
Down at the bottom of our continent
IN the new states of Arizona and New
Mexico. and all along our southern
boundary line, as well as In California
our Mexican residents have now com
menced their nine-day Christmas festi-
val. the posada," which means INN"
these Mexican homes you would hay,,
seen a group of children form in line and
march upstairs and down again, over and
over. singing Christmas carols. All the
doors upon the Railways are shut and
they knock at each in turn, for they rep-
resent the journey of Joseph and Mary to
Bethlehem. and each room is supposed to
De an inn. Repeatedly some one within a
room shouts out:
No you cannot enter No room at this
inn
But the little pilgrims persist and they
are nearly tired out when some unsu.-
pected door is finally opened and they
pehold upon A table a beautiful dol
representing the infant Jesus, around
which are arranged all sorts of Christ
mas green and pretty toys And in an
other part Of the room hangs an earthen
vessel, usually I'm the shape OF a swan,
which every child strikes with cane
until it breaks and lets the presents
shower upon the floor, where they are
scrambled for by the little ones, each
searching for a package marked with his
name. At another house these children
Will meet today and repeat the same
pilgrimage TO the inn, and then again to-
morrow and the day after. and so o.
for nine days altogether, presents bsire
found each time in the suspended earthen
bowl.
SO You have seen how the little chill
dren whom We have adopted from other
lands are enjoying this great holiday
now beginning. And should you not bid
now that you know how many funny
elves and SpriteS they are attracting TO
our land to make Christmas an even
gayer picture and to lift some of the bur
den of old Santa Claus shoulders? For.
with SO many hundreds of thousands OF
these strangers coming to live among
us every YEAR, how could he get around
to every one without the assistance Of Old
Befana. of knecht Rupert Pelsnichol
Back Jan and the others-or of his
divine helper. Christ Kindlein?
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
The Proper Answer.

DICHARD HARDING DAVIS received
N some time ago from a magazine a
gushing request that he furnish it, gra-
tuitously with a New Year greeting and
few appropriate notices
Mr.. Harding Davis replied promptly:
II can't greet people l don't know, but
you are welcome to my motto, which is
Nothing for nothing, and very little for
SiXpence'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

ing and tearing of clothes or spelling Of
tempers. But the first shopper does get
the choice selection and there is much
good-natured rivalry and joking over the
possible destination of some of the pres
ents. When the very Staid unpretentious-
looking member picks out all especially
giddy appearing white kidskin matinee
bag, for instance. and has big mono
gram placed the side one cannot help
suSpectng that he is not making himself
d Christmas present. just as when he
orders several mucilage bottles with
patent shoppers or many rearns of fools
cap. 1t seems evident he, is about to
attempt speech
Some of the silver bordered blotting
pads would bring joy to the heart of any
fastidious maiden, and the waste baskets
IN brilliant cOl0rings and many of per-
TUNED grasses are far too lovely to re-
main unadmired within business office.
1T would not seem that the sum allowed
ADMITS or any extensive purchases, but it
goes about four times as far as elsewhere.
But Uncle Sam while still generous is
narrowing the lists in this store Once
congressman could obtain articles not
in any way associated with his own needs
or those of his immediate family There
were playing cards, as much desired for
their beauty and cost as for the purpo:',
of the game, but now the poor choice of
the people has to go out and nay for
his pack.
And no more can he select his Christ
mas presents and with lCrdly air atfix a
frank onto the package. He pays post
age just the same as any other individual
He doesn't like It very much, but he isn't
saving anything. for these are economi .
cal times. And those of him with a far
seeing eye are cornering handbags. They
Will always be in demand and there is
just chance they may be struck off,
the lis: some time
A member was talking anent this store
as he hesitated between q plain and a
pearl-handled knife for boy relative.
III take the pearl one" he announced
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

His .crucifxion. Then she became very
unhappy, just as we, all do. when we put
on doing good deed until 1t is too late.
but to make up for her shortcoming she
mas spent her Christmas ewes ever since
in bearing gifts to other good little chill
dren, who-when they believe in her
find her always on time.
She does not fill their stockings, as
presents in an urn. which Italian mothers
put upon the giftroom table every
Christmas eve. and they were allowed to
go in and find them last night instead
into the giftroom they also found upon
another table. against the wall, q per
sepio,' toy model representing the
scene OF Jesus birth, and this Is often
made picture Of great beauty, the wall
being terraced up with rocks and ferns
and miniature ruins all built about a
central group of little doll figures rep
resenting the infant Jesus in the manSer
with the holy family. the shepherds and
the wise men OF the East, gathered round
beautiful figures of angels are suspended
from the ceiling by invisible threads.
Among the poorer families this group is
formed of much cruder figures, costing
Kept from year to year. along with the
little representation Of the stable, which
always accompanies set.
These things having been viewed and
the gifts all examined. this Christmas
eve fiesta del ceppo' is ended by the
serving of refreshments, and at midnight
the family attends church, as they do
again Christmas day. before the usual
feasting begins. Finally. on the night
after Christmas, the young folks all
attend a "santeni'' or Christmas ball.
The winter that Miss Alice Roosevelt
made her debut she led the dance at the
santenl given by the Italian ambassa-
dor.
If you had gone last night through the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

formed into mountain cascade Of rum
ming water, which flowed into tin river
winding through toy villages set in the
great hall below.
Again. it is not Santa Claus who fills
the stockings-those of these little Penn
sylvania Germans-but a divine little boy
just over whose head the star Of Bethle-
hem shines so radiantly that it lights the
bed chamber until it is as bright as day,
although never awakening the little Sleep
ers with it's glare
These Americanized Germans call this
heavenly child "Krish Kingle," which
back in the fatherland their ancestors
spelled Christ -kindlein,' or Christ Child
and. do you know. that it is from this
misspelling that we get our word "kriss
kringle." which we apply to old Santa
Claus. relative of whom--old "Pels-
nichor' Nicholas of the furs)-accom-
panies the Christ Child and sometimes
It's said. leaves a birch switch for little
Pennsylvania Germans who have been
bad.
And perhaps it is a son of this "Pels-
nichof' who alone does the work of both
him and krish kingle among our little
children whose parents have moved from
north Germany to other parts of our
country. This is knecht Rupert-mean-
ing the Servant Rupert''-an elf Who
with his white robe. his high buskins, his
long flaxen hair and mask, which always
hides is face.
There will come a knock at the door to-
night-alWays Christmas night instead of
Christmas eve-and parents will receive
him with great reverence when he an
nounces himself as Rupert, the servant of
the Christ Child. Then while the little
ones stand before him in a row inquiries
the past years behavior of each. And,
according to what the fathers and moth
ers tell him, he hands out the years re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
"FHE CRIB CENTRAL Gkouf Most FOREIGN GHnDREnS
CHRISTMAS Trees e

A N Old Woman Brings the
"A Gifts to Little Italy
The Three Wise Men Fill
the Shoes of Our Spanish
Quarters-A Black Man Does
the Same Good Wook for
Our Little Dutch Cherubs,
While "Knecht Rupert"
"Pelsnichol" and Some Won
drous "Mummers" Bear the
Presents of Our Pennsylvania
Dutch, German and Swedish
Youngsters.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

ONE " o n d L o u .
strange and funny
Christmas civ 8
and Sprites we knew
naught Of in for
mer times are be-
ing attracted to
Our land by the
hundreds of thou
sands of little boys
and girls whom
we are so fast
a d in g from
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

other countries across the big blue sea-
Thus to little Italy last night-the
Italian colony of New York or of your
own city. either. if it have One-it was an
aged DAME "Befana," that brought the
gifts of each bambino' who had been
good, and had minded his mamma and
papa throughout the waning year. And at
the same time il was the famed three wise
men-the magi IF the east-who left the
presents for the good boys and girls OF
the Spanish quarter, and the very Christ
child himself who came gift-laden to our
sleeping babes of French mothers. Then
there is Jan" too. coal black Jan.
who brings the gifts for our chubby
cherubs from Holland. just as do
"Knecht Rupert" "Pelsnichol' and the
''Mummers'' for our youngsters adopted
from Britain. Germany and Sweden
50
Last evening In our various little
Italics" while groups of small and merry
cousins were reciting poems and singing
carols in the parlor: a woman Santa
Claus was leaving toys and candies back
in the giftroom, and this good Dame Be
fana always manages to leave each house
before any boys or girls can see her. Like
own Santa Claus. she is very old.
Indeed. she has passed her nineteen hun
dredth birthday. Her history has been
very interesting. She was living in the
east when the star of Bethlehem blaZed
forth in the sky. and at her house the
three wise men stopped while journeying
westward to find the infant Jesus. But it
seems that when they asked her to ac-
company them and bring presents of her
own to the Christ Child she hesitated
and that they went without her while
she was making I'D her mind. At last.
however she decided to go with them
but before she stepped out into the night
bearing her gifts. the star of Bethlehem
had gone out. and she CROPPED aimlessly
about locking for the Messiah until after
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

ward in toys. candy or birch switches, as
the case may be.
Shoes instead of stockings were set out
last night to receive the gifts also Of our
little ones of French parentage, and
it was the Christ Child, aided by
ago these boys and girls scrawled their
letters beginning Dear Little Jesus
and telling just what they wanted in
those very ShOes-sOme of them quite
shabby shoes, but never overlooked on
that account. Noel these petite Franco
night hundreds of French mothers anc,
fathers scattered through our states were
busy until late building upon the corner
table a little Bethlehem manger, piled
round with earth, rocks and stones to
represent rugged hillside covered with
grass and little trees or broken by paths
and winding roads. And over the manager
Is always erected little cattle shed.
within which lies upon a shelf of wheat
the Christ Child, warmed by the breath
of overberding cattle, and gazed upon by
the little figures described before.
Christmas is always two weeks late,
compared with ours. among our adopted
brothers and sisters Of Russian blood.
On January I it always falls, according
to their calendar. and the night before
it is customary for them to arrange queer
devices for telling their fortunes. Thus
in glass of water placed before the
image of his patron saint a child will
drop the yolk of an egg. Then on looking
at it Christmas morning he finds 1t to
have formed picture in which he thinks
he reads his future. But Christmas day
among these youthful Slavs is mostly de-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

yHAT partially which Uncle Sam
ever displays toward those who
serve him in high places is
nowhere more lavishly demon
Strated than in the stationery
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

HEN the average person thinks
of a toy at all he thinks of
it as something indigenous
to the Christmas season