davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
DR.. Crooks
Christmas
Confession
HERE 1T IS IN FULL
f,c,s Are Given in Hope
of Rcgainine Alienated
Public Sympathy.

-, his private sitting room at tho
=. and most luxurious hotel In New
-, 0- Crook, the famous traveller
nm startled the world last year by tho
|-,,scat,on Of his interview with Santa
was pacing up and down fever
,-.,r Meanwhile I was sitting in an
,,hair. trying TO muffle the wild beat
A.. of my heart with my derby. DR..
r-o,ix had promised TO confess to me the
en-. circumstances surrounding his much
ss--,ed meeting with Santa Claus at the
18th Pole. / was madly impatient for
him 10 begin
The doctor. however, seemed too dis
a.-ec-ed for words. He recklessly tore
or. bandfuls OF his perfectly authentic
,.t- and scattered them over the fur
-j.r-e and the crimson velours carpet,
-4s cold eyes stared at me with a
tainted expression I almost felt sorry
<o- him. He looked like a melting icfcle.
Suddenly he stopped abruptly before me
en6 heating his heaving bosom with
both hands. exclaimed in sepulchral
tones:
Sir. ! am like the Ancient Mariner,
e-c,1nd whose guilty neck they hung the
murdered albatross. They have hung
upon my neck the North Pole, Santa
Clans and the King of Denmark. but I
hone that they too will drop off when
have confessed. Not that there is any
thing left worth confessng,'' he added
hastily. but I have promised you a con-
.ession, and confession you shall
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
PERHAPS A BLUNDER.

but now I see my mistake. Now
realize that the queer being I met may
have been an impostor. He may have
thought it a good joke to pretend to me
that he was Santa Claus. / know now
that I ought to have asked for proofs
OF his identity before I told the world
that I had met him. I was too easily
satisfied: almost as much so as the
Danes. I ought to have been more ex-
acting. I ought not to have raised ex-
pectations among scientific men which
I was not able to crafty with positive
proof. This is my crime and this IS
my confession. Everything else 1 said
about my North Pole expedition is abb
soluteIy correct. satisfactorily corrob-
grated, but the cruel fact remains that
cannot swear that the being who told
me he was Santa Claus was the simon
pure saint or only an impostor.
much as the confidence of my fellow
men in my absolute reliability means to
me, feel that the time has come when
I must exchange that for their SYM
pathy. And after this full, free and un-
reserved statement Of the facts I feel
sure that you will accord me what I ask.
GA CROOK"
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

Esquimau driving. The sight puzzled
me considerably. 1 closed my eyes to
collect my reeling thoughts, and not till
then did it occur to me that it might be
the long sought for Santa Claus. Sure
enough, when 1 looked again [ unmis-
takably saw a gilded sleigh drawn by
twelve reindeer and guided by ruddy
checked, white bearded man in red, fur
trimmed robes.
while he is coming toward me I will
just have time to tell you that after he
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
Santa Doesn't
Think Christmas
Is What 1t Was
HIS JOB A HARD ONE
He'd Like to Chuck Me-
chanical Toys and Go Back
to Rag Dolls and Cookies.

Twas the night before Christmas. thas
Is, IT was considerably on the way tow
ard morning, when the father and mo-
ther of the family. having been out TO-
the theatre and late supper. had re-
turned and had Just climbed into bed
Little brother and sister We're asleep-
In the next room. stockings were nailed
to the mahogany mantel and ali WA
still. At least. all was as still n thu
Elevated and troIleys outside and thoa
horns Of late jewellers and tho awe-1o~'
spring cries OF the newest novelty N
automobile whistles permitted
Father had Just kissed mother 5000
night and with last Merry Chr4stnAAl
little girl" was about to nod OF into q
sweet. contented sleep when q heavy
thud seemingly on the roof. Jared thal
house Scraping. shufflins noises vef~1
next heard, followed by g-oans and
sounds of physical effort coming mJo-
teriously nearer.
Both parents sat Up IN oed udot0'
awake and gazing toward the amUen
| hearth whence the disturbance seemed -
| come.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
HEARD A TINKLE-TINKLE.

.~This is how my delusion, if it WAS
deIusion. come about Hungry, almost
blind. chilled to the marrow, greatly
discouraged by finding after all that the
North Pole was not capable OF holding
ND the flag had carried so many weary
miles to nail upon it, there suddenly 1el
unon nv astonished ears the merry
sound Of sleigh bells tinkling sWeeuy
over those dreary wastes. surrey
thought ], my reason has been dethroheo
lv the cruel privations l have enoureo'
borrowing an icepick from one OF my
E-eo,in1au boys. l jabbed out some Oh
.ba frozen snow that I had allowed 10
accumulate in my ears, since 1t kept tiie
| -, colder wind out. and listened more
,rtent1v. Again L heard the bells. TINS
time much nearer.
..I was lying in my igloo at the tilne'
-nuff1ed in a sleeping bag and pehslNeiy
munching a tallow candle. The aurora
| borealis was family moaning on the
horizon. A polar bear. sitting on the
chilly side OF an ice foe, was growing
| tn marrow freezing manner as ne orlIteo
| so,,tb a pair Of walruses when hdo
tanned in my idle hours were chortllhg
--2yfuly outside the mario" uooi
.en / realized that some one must De
approaching 1 leaped to my feet grappeo
I'D a bottle Of rye and emptled IT IN TWO
swallows and a nip. Then 1 hastlly
cra vvled out Of the igloo, stumbling over
. ,rotesting walrls, and saw rounding
,,,o sipht from behind an immense Ice
berg what at first appeared ike an Ola
Fsouirnau driving a dozen dogs 10
sleigh.
..Rut as 1 looked closer the whole out
CT started to revolve in slow circles
Presently I seemed to see several slelghs
a multitude Of dogs and doubie-headeo
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
CONFESSION AS A BRACER.

When I finished reading this heart
rending document promised the writer
L would publish it In the Sunday Trf-
bune. The doctor. at that drew himself
up proudly. There was little of the re-
cent despair to be detected in his flash
ing eyes. Verify, confession must be
good for the soul.
Now you must see.'' he cried, that
while 1 cannot prove by scientific data
and photogra phs that 1 saw and spoke
with Santa Claus, no one can deny that
there is strong probability of the pos
sibility of my not being mistaken in the
hypothetical assertion of the impec-
cability of my statements. And that,
my dear fellow" he said, slapping me
affably on the back as I edged toward
the door. 'is what I wished to impress
upon you to-day And what is more,
the North Pole was there just as sure
as / saw old Santa and his dozen rein
deer.
Surely this confession, so directly and
simply worded. must vindicate me in the
eyes Of the cruel. skeptical people. But
even if 1 cannot now convince them, you
may believe me that the memory of their
erstwhile perfect confidence shall ever
be wondrOusly sweet one to me-
1 followed his fond glance and saw
that it rested on a neat little stack of
bank books reposing on his desk As
1 gently shut the door behind me he was
still gazing at them reverently, and L in
stantly understood completely the calm.
brave dignity with which he bore the
censure of the world.
And as to Santa Claus-well. no one
can doubt that he may still be found ex-
actly where the intrepid DR.. Crook has
left him.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

"'Gid ap!' he cried to his reindeers;
and to me: 4 have no use for igloos
without chimneys. L will just inform
you. however. that by some queer chance
you have built yours on the very apex
Of the North Pole
"At this glad news wave OF ful-
filled hopes swept over me with such
force as to render me unconscious
When I awoke-perhaps a day. perhaps
two days. after this remarkable incident
there was no trace of Santa Claus; but
the 1gloo-and no doubt the probable
pole below it-were still there, and near
the fire hung an old stocking of mine
with an empty whiskey bottle inside it.
Was that not proof enough that Sanity
had been there? 1t was enough for me
at that time. anyway, and SO I felt
justified in making my claim
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
AND HERE'S THE LETTER.

I did read II and only the CLEAN of
the doctors revolver restrained me from
telling him what thought about il II
was as follows:
To the Children of America (both Younc
and Old.
NY Dears: I have a confession to
make. have been called the greatest
lar IN the world because Of the claim
put forth last year that 1 had really
uncovered Santa Claus on my recent
zip to the North Pole; that I had
spoken tc him and been answered by
mat fine old party. whom found hale.
nearly and active in spite Of his many
years. I have been called the most
toonunental imposter in history be-
cause I declared that I also found the
Great cache Of St Nicholas hard by the
.'o!th Pole. very hard, / may say. where
0e Keeps his store OF Christmas presents
Sho which he also uses as a stable for
SAs reindeer and a garage for his sleighs
~ publishing these statements I made
great deal Of easy money, 1t is true
'nt unfortunately 1 brought down upon
Cyself such an avalanche Of abuse, sus-
tacon and vltuperation that the only
%sy I can continue without work 10
esrn decent living off my native land
eno rehabilitate myself in the estinla-
oon OF its children Cboth young and old
's 10 make q clean breast Of IT and throw
myself upon your mercy
am told that many OF you who
coubted my original story still believe
ID my integrity 1 scarcely need tell YOU
Aow pleasing-not to say surprising
tals is to me. And to such Of you es-
becially I say: Would it be fair to cal
ne deliberate faker. swindler. imposter
Senhahdler and gold brick seller II
could convince you that when I said
mad met Santa / really and truly
tnought that had done so? There now
have let out the nub OF my confession
y little sooner than intended.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
ENTER CHRIS KR1NGIA

In the dim light OF the little tw0A
ling night lamp that burned on tho ouy2
flower stand in the corner they saw thSt
traditional figure Of Santa Claus ernergo
from the fireplace, ripping of, as he did
So string Of unsainted exclaInation0
and apparently tugging at sorethin1
that was stuck up the chimney
What IS it, dear old fellowf sai0
father balmily. as his sympathetic avo
observed St Nick's red. perspirinr f2oo
and his exasperated expression
With a final mighty tug such Al
seemed superhuman in a man OF his aga,
Santa Claus staggered backward ana
his familiar bag dropped down from tho
darkness of the chimney on to tho hearth
with a jarring, jingling noise
"At last" growled he whom we are ac-
customed TO think Of as bearning with
genial spirits. Didn't know but I'd
| have to spend the rest of the night here
! trying to yanI1 that b1itherfng lunch OF
unnatural toys down after me. Next
| year I'll come down the airshaft and let
| sentiment go to the
| "Sh.' warned mother, reaching for her
dressing gown to throw about her
gauzily clad shoulders and setting her.
| self with a look of expectant interest.
What makes you call them unnatural
| toys? she asked
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

he began at once to look for the CHM
ney. Not seeing any, a shade Of i'm
patience passed over his frosty face.
Then 1 knew it was st. Nicholas himself.
Instantly I fell upon his neck and wept
icicles of JOY. My dreams had practl-
cally come true,
"'Are you Santa CLAUSE I asked, so as
to be sure not to make a mistake.
Suuirming in my embrace, the figure
snapped out, Cub oochee blom, which
quite evidently meant, OF course I am.
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
Il CHRISTNAS HOLD-UP.

on the far side huge door. Kicking 1t
open, 1 discovered that the iceberg was
hollow and the huge chamber within was
piled high with Christmas presents of all
kinds On the floor were several slelghs
and the empty stalls Of the reindeers.
over the door was a rustic sign made
with icicles. 'Santa's Headquarters
But let us return to the actual meet
ing with Santa. When he drew up his
team in front of my hastily made igloo
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
FACTS TO BE CONSIDERED.

but DO not. i pray you. pass tudg-
Hent upon it until you have weighed
eae extenuating circumstances which led
0e TO feel certain that really had found
sno spoken to the Old saint We all love
sno believe in. First Of ALL consider the
tsct that our meeting occurred at the
enc OF my most exhausting. though high
~ successful, trip TO the North Pole.
Hnnger had reduced me almost to a
skeleton. cold had benumbed my brain.
Ahe long, glaring Arctic day had dinmed
~ syesight: the long spectral Arctic
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

night had crazed my imagination. Not
until you weigh these facts judicially
can you understand my mental condi-
ton at the time OF that brief but his
toric encounter. Not until l had time
TO look back and contemplate how
ffercely my hopes, my discouragements,
my dreams of fame and wealth, my very
real poverty, my fondness for luxury.
my keen dislike for steady work and
my fear that a certain indefatigable rival
would rob me of glory all ragged and
battled among themselves within me
did L realize how surely the inevitable
laws of psychology led me to claim the
unique distinction of being the first man
in the world to see Santa in the flesh.
But now, my dear children, con-
science. a mentor to whom 1 always
listen if there is any money in doing so,
compels me to admit that | MAY have
been mistaken in my claim and that un-
consciously L made positive and unquali-
fed statements, which even l myseIr
now question (for a consideration and
TO which I should have attached some
slight reservations and limitations at the
time of their original publication. If do
ing so would not have hurt their sale.
THE American public, as we are well
aware, likes it's news to be positive and
unqualified. Its distaste for any offer
ing with a string to it. is we'll known to
some of our most liberal billionaires-
Look at the lukewarm way in which the
public received the report Of my hated
rival, Mr.. Query, that he had traVersed
and retraversed an area of ice four
square miles in extent, in which he was
sure Santa Claus's principal cache stood,
Though he could not. on account Of snow
Crift and ice glare, locate its exact site;
and compare that with the unbounded
demonstration Of delight which welcomed
nv assertion that I had not only act
ually seen the long sought cache. but
had spoken with its owner! Consider
that, beg; and then decide if should be
Judged harshly?
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
HE USED THE PERSUADER,.

He sat on the edge Of a chair so close
70 ne that his knees touched mine,
crasped my arm with a clawlike hand
and fixed his piercing gaze upon me. I
could feel my hair stand erect upon my
head and my kneecaps chartered against
his Dr.. Crook passed one hand under
the tails Of his Snug frock coat and
when he drew it forth again it held a
large .45-calihre revolver. I instantly
began TO chatter even moro ardently
than before He pressed the gun
against my stomach
Swear" he said that you Will believe
ne ! ask this not not as a scientist,
but Cwith a poke Of the weapon) as man
20 man. Do you swear?"
= d-do,'' suffered.
Ee put down the gun. took both my
hands in his and with tears of emotion
making their way from his eyes down
his martial Kaiser Wilhelm mustaches
he cried fervently:
"Ah, my friend. knew you would have
faith. a thousand. thousand thanks So
lstent''
shings. The first was money, the second
was also money. I wanted cash-cold.
hard cash. SO I started North, where
J logically concluded that cash would be
coolest and hardest. Also [ coveted
fame-the brand that pays-therefore, 1
resolved 10 establish positively the ex-
4stence OF Santa Claus. and. incidentally,
to locate the North Pole. I swear to
sou that found them both in the same
place. I swear it not as q scientist but
as man. Don't go yet ne added,
quickly holding me down in my chair as
tried 10 rise.
! sank back IN limp resignation. The
doctor continued: Il have decided not
TO conf1de my confession to you alone,
but transmit Il through you to all the
world in the shape OF q letter. Here it
A. Read it,
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

Look for YOURSELF Santa aInos.
shouted as he snatched up and showed
her curious thing whose long wings
mad stuck out in two directions from
his bag and had been the cause Of ths
tie-up in the chimney
IAN aeroplane, y real Latham An
toinette'i' cried mother, cIappino ba-
hands impulsively. "Just the kind the
kiddy asked for. I hope he'll uka il
I'm sure I would"
Yes, hope and pray he will" me ths
voice OF the old saint with a thin ting,
OF sarcasm in it. It's not enough that
You Americans have showed your nopu-
lation up to 101 600 600. thereby doubline
my load every decade, but YOU have q,
lot Of kids that have inventive. fuu1irfna q
minds that must be supplied, I under-
stand, with all the weird machines and
contrivanCes known to science"
You don't want to be out OF date, do
you. old boy?" suggested father.
That's something I've never been ys&
have II" sneered the saint through his
whiskers. as he sat down in stuffed
chair and crossed his legs weariIy. You
don't realize the situation, none Of YOU
1t would do you good to hear It de-
scribed just once. When I started oua
years ago on this Christmas assignment;
it meant a flying trip with a sletghrul
that could be drawn easily by two REIN
deer. although | used six just for the fun
of the thing and because it really COM
posed much better both I'm poetry and
pictures. In those days low roofs ana
ample chirneys made the thing a pleas
IRE. But this is the main point: AN
any one asked or expected Of me was =
few cookies and candies. and as a specials
thing may be doll or a woolly lamb or
a Noah's ark or jumping jack. Those
were the days when the stocking was
hung up as q receptacle. not as a symbol.
MORE THAN HE CAN CARRY. !
But now what do I have to do? This
Christmas I have no less than triple
size sleigh as big as a storage ware-
house VAN. and besides that four trailers,
packed and bulging. 1t takes such a
parade of deer to pull the string of them
that 1 look a lot more like a twenty
mule team outfit numbering along than
light hearted St Nicholas flying as T
used to past the rising NOON II would
lie n total Sclipse now if 1 came be-
tween you and the yellow orb. instead OF
q celicate tracCry of reindeer horns and
legs and the graceful sleigh I once used.
But all that aside That is not the
phase of the thing that bothers me. II
is the toys.
'II let you know that a load oc
cookies is peaceful cargo. but load
of aeroplanes. moving picture machines,
phonoGrtphs electric monsters filled
with charged batteries wireless telegraph
outfits. leaping. writhinS and screechins
animals that jump ten feet in the air ie
by chance some one turns a crank I'm
them, make q bunch of travelling COM
Panions that turn Christmas eve into Q
night of terror for me.
Il never know. when / am crossing a
particularly quiet place or creeping past
a house where | don't want TO stop. but
that one of my Internal machines will
explode. or the rapid fire guns go off. or
one of the phOnographS let out a yowl
and burst into Alma. Where Do You
Live waking up the children and re-
vealinS my Identity"
You poor Old saint" murmured father,
you must Oe relieved when YOU get into
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

Continued on 1fttI page
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25

Continued on third paEA
New-York tribune., 1910-12-25
SANTA CLAUS DISGUSTED

toys p she asked.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-16
SIS Life Worth saving?"

Mrs. Mollie McRaney, Prentiss
Miss, writes that she had a severe
case of kidney and bladder trouble
and that four bottles Of Foley's Kid
ney Remedy cured her sound and
well. She had tried several other
kidney medicines and had been
treated for three months by physici-
ans, but got no benefit until she took
Foley's Kidney Remedy, and she
closes her letter by saying: II heart
lily recommend Foley's Kidney Rem
edy to any sufferer of kidney dis
ease. 1t saved my life" Foleys
Kidney Remedy will cure any case OF
kidney and bladder trouble not be-
yond the reach of medicine. Nc
medicine can do more. j. G. Perry
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-16

NoTs-rha vsrsns Tor Bo.ao o
ostaad Il will Ia
RsaTosa Nsseadou Co.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-16
A PRIMA DONNA
OF OTHER DAYS

When Emma Abbott came to the
old Coates opera house in Kansas
City years ago, says the Star, opera
goers did not ask each other Are
you going to hear Faust tonight?'
but "Are you going to hear Emma
Abbott tonight?"
Miss Abbott was not great sing
er, as singers are estimated by rules
f art. Her name is not discussed
olong with those of Patti and Nils
son and others, but she did more
than they. She popularized opera
among those to whom the great mu-
sic masters we're a tradition, she
sang the old melodies of the Italian
school and the light music of Sulli-
van to the people of the cities and
towns of then then not so great
West, and she greatly assisted in de-
veloping the taste of the masses of
the people. Is it not, therefore, easy
to understand that she is still loved
and remembered?
Emma Abbott's father was mu-
sic teacher of Chicago, with limited
means and an unlimited acquain-
tance, and when still young he put
his daughter in concert company,
where she sang light ballads. Later
she sang in a church choir in New
* city. John Lake, parishioner
of that church and a rich Wall street
broker, interested by her voice and
personality, gave her $4,000 with
which to acquire a musical educa-
ton.
She studied in Europe under the
celebrated Nine. Marchesi and 9th
ers, ran short of funds, asked the
Baroness de Rothschild for assist
ance, received $1,000, continued her
musical education, and made her de-
but in London in 1870. when she
was 21 years old.
Following her first appearance, IN
which she did not make a great i'm
preston, she obtained a three-year
contract with an opera company
which was to tour England and Ire
land. The manager required her to
sing in ia Traviata." Miss Abbott
refused on the ground that it was
immoral and became concert sing
er. In 1877 she returned to Ameri-
ca in concert, and a year later her
husband Eugene Wetherell, formed
the Emma Abbott Opera company,
which existed prosperously until
1891. She learned 70 operas and
was unquestionably the best versed
woman In America on opera music
at the time. Her repertoire included
operas ranging in character from
Planuuettes cheerful "Chimes OF
Normandy" to Gounod's Faust" In
the latter work she excelled, and had
the temerity to interpolate 1.-The
Last Rose of Summer" and senti-
mentalities of the day when singing
the role of Marguerite, 1t is said
that she left a fortune of several
millions.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-16
A Great Forest.
Centuries before Americas dlscoy-
cry, the Sihlwald was protected >

Centuries before Americas discoy-
cry. the Sihlwald was protected.)
The city of Zurich has the most
famous forest in the world one
which demonstrates the possibilities
of forestry carried on consistently
for hundreds of years, says M. p.
Abbott in the Twentieth Century.
Almost two hundred years before
the discovery of America, the city Of
Zurich began to make rules for the
protection of the Sihlwald, its city
forest The first scientific working
plan of any Swiss forest was made
here in 1880. Through the centur-
les it has remained unmolested, for
It has an imperishable guardian.
What the Swiss, or even the men Of
our own nation, if allowed, could do
with our mighty forests, we can on
ly conjecture. The Sihlwald is an
object lesson to the civilized and to
the uncivilized of the earth. The
Swiss point to it as to a national
monument, as indeed it is, a monu-
ment to their national thrift and in
telligence.
That intensive forestry pays, the
Sihlwald demonstrates. 1t nets the
city of Zurich an annual return Of
SS per acre.
AS vet conservation of other re-
sources is only in its infancy. The
contribution of Germany and France
to the preservation of the forest,
that of Switzerland to the conserva-
ton of water power-these are con-
tributions to the economy of all ma
tions.