davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21


slow in pace blowing her way through storm in
the Raw of Piscay We ought to have been home
before Christmas, but the weather had buneted US
and we. were nearly week behind our time CHRIST
mas morning came drearily as the otF vessel
bumped her way over the angry waters we had
no Christmas cheer no turkey, plum pudding.
no wine but we had timed rabbit and some bottles
Of stout on board. While the snip pltched ana
rolled the captain and his men and myself gulpeo
our poor Christmas cheer and toasted each other
in stout. Then the men went out to their work IN
the gale | stood on the bridge together with the
officer in charge while the wind howled and the
sleet slashed and we pressed on slowly into the
gloom. Not a very merry Christmas! But still
the kind of Christmas that will be spent by many
thousands of good British sailors in far seas.
For contrast where better could you go to spend
Christmas day than in Jerusalem and attend serV-
ice at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusa-
lem is not quite the same as it was in Biblical
times though a good deal of it has not altered
through many generations It seems out of place
to go to Jerusalem by railway and, outside the
station to be met by horde of shriekng cab drlv-
seeking the job of conveying you to one of the
big hotels.
Christmas day this year is on a Saturday, the
Jewish Sabbath when thousands of Jews con-
scious of what the day means to Christians will
lament that the Messiah they expect has not come.
Christians Jews. Mohammedans, all jostle in the
narrow streets of Jerusalem On Christmas Eve
the Mohammedans who, curiously enough have
charge of the Church of the Holy Sepuchre, to
prevent quarresome Christians doing injury to one
another will be keeping the Mohammedan Sab
bath and from the mnarets Of the mosques will
sound the muezzin of the Mullahs crying: There
is only one Cod and Allah is his prophet come all
We faithful and pray" Then, as the sun begins
to drop on Christmas Eve, you may go to all that
remains of the old walls of Jerusalem, and come
across crowds of Jews, hooded women and men
ringleted many of them from distant shores, kiss
ing the stones which surrounded the city of
their fOrefathers.
On Christmas morning, with the slouchng Turk
ish soldiers at the door Of the church many Chris
tans will enter to attend service, crouch through
The low and narrow doorway, and have the privi-
Iege of kissing the stone on which tradition says
the body of Christ was laid after the Crucifxion.
See that group of tourists mounted on shaggy and
fIl-fed ponies! They are full of Eghtheartedness
as they scamper along the rugged paths beyond
the gates of Jerusalem. They are off to Bethlehem
to visit the Church of the Nativity-dark and sol
emn and rather eerie with many subdued lights
Christmas day brings many and varied recollec-
tons to the man who has wandered much about
this old world.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Old Monuments Show That Poker
Chips Were Given to Spirits in
Ancient Times.

From inscriptions on stones and
monuments and ancient writings, Dr.
Franz Cumont offered an argument In
favor of the Immortality of the Soul'
at the home Of Mr. Theodore Marburg,
Il West Mount Vernon place. the meet
ing being held under the auspices of
the Baltimore Society of the Archaeo-
logical Institute of America.
The early Romans, he said, poured
milk and wine over the seplIlchers of
the dead that the shades might eat and
drink in plenty. Even in Holland was
a legend that the early settlers
placed black and white poker chips
in the collins of the departed. that they
might play backgammon in Elys-
ium
Plutarch called such customs, he
said, 1T only for the amusement OF
children, while other philosophers hold
THAT Immortality might come to those
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21


blazing sunshine with not a cloud in the sky, and
the atmosphere not only warm but sultry. 1t is
not the occasion for tOpCoats or mufters or FUR
Capes. The in hannels and the women
in white fnery. Possibly some attend the
English church. with the hope of being reminded
what day it is; but the majority go off upon eX-
cursoug wandering through the quaint, bediz-
ened and scented bazars where the Mohammedan
statesmen with little concern about the Christian
festival ply their trade of selling antiques,
radiant robes and handmade Oriental carpets
The majority. on pleasure bent, go off to the
Pyramids. and under the swetering sun, climb
To the summit of the great burial pile of the
Cheops, and then, likely enough, mounted on don
keys, scamper across the hot sands to the
Sphinx. in the shadow of which they proceed to
picnic.
Il is late afternoon, and the big is setting
over the Libyan desert, and the bells in the
mosques are tinkling for the faithful Mohamme-
dams to come and pray, when most of our fellow
country people return to their hotels. There is
no old-style Christmas dinner. The fare is
French; the music is probably. Austrian. Some
how. the occasion delicious and happy though it
be does not fit the picture. The moon rises and
the evening is fragrant whilst parties sit out
upon the balconies before the dancing begins.
And then thoughts inevitably wander to what the
folks at home are doing.
Even with ourselves, particularly in London,
a great change is coming over the celebration Of
Christmas. People with families, especially those
with young children do keep up something OIL
the tradition But amongst those who are grown
UP the tendency is to spend Christmas night at
one of the great caravansaries of pleasure
fashionable West End restaurant a hotel,
where I'm the entrance hall there is generally
magnificent Christmas tree, and the dinner is
lavish the music ravishing. and everything is
bright and noisy, and the air is rippled with the
laughter of pretty women,
The 0Idtime Christmas is voted dull: besides,
taking ones Christmas dinner at a hotel is reck-
oned much cheaper than having it at home.
Within short memory a great change has come
over our manner of spending Christmas. Thou
sands of people go to the big hotels the south
coast The hydropathic establishments in the
provinces are invariably crowded. Thousands
upon thousands of men and women-chefy those
who are still in blithe manhood and womanhood
take themselves to Switzerland. For week
before Christmas the London stations which are
junping-on places for the continent are as busy
in summer holiday time dispatchng Britons
30 the Alps.
Christmas in Switzerland! Why, dozen years
ago the majority OF British people would have
shuddered at the idea. Switzerland in dead of
winter with beaped-up snow and storms and bit
ter cold, not to be thought Of Great has
been the alteration. Though there is plenty of
snow the atmosphere is dry and the sun shines
brightly. The air is invigoratng. There is suffl-
eient of skating to be obtained, exciting races
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Great Editor Said the Future Presi.
dent Seemed to Hin Then Most
lnconspicuous, Serous-Minded
and Serious-Mannered.

The late Colonel George Bliss, who
was prominent in Republican politics
in New York state for upwards of 80
years, and at one time was United
States district attorney for the eouth-
ern district of New York, was for
many years an intimate personal
friend of Horace Greeley. His init
macy with Greeley was so close that
the great editor was accustomed to
call Colonel Bliss by his first name,
and often by the diminutive of
George" Bliss being much the
younger man of the two.
TT was at the time when Lincoln's
body was lying in state in the rotunda
Of the city hall in New York" said
Of his most vivid recollection of Abra-
ham Lincoln as a member Of con-
gress. Little known as the fact may
be today, Lincoln and Greeley were
members of the same congress; Lin
coin was elected for a full term in
1916, and to fill vacancy in the same
congress Greeley took his seat in the
A1COSS III 4ISCSL4DCIt 1910 anu
NAMED there until March 4 Of the
following year. Greeley accepted the
nomination and election for two rea-
sons, he told me; first, because he
wanted to get a view of what was 60
ing on from the inside in the way of
national legislation and politics, and,
next, because he thought it would be
a good chance for him to write special
political letters to the Tribune from
Washington
1t was the last session of the
congress in which Lincoln sat- con-
tinued Mr. Greeley, and I had heard
very little of Abraham Lincoln, ex-
cept that had been told that a Wing
of that name had been elected to con-
gress Unexpectedly from the San
canon district in Illinois. That was
about the only thing that gave Lin
coin any prominence in those days;
and l was, in fact, so little interested
In the man that l served almost a
month in congress before l had him
pointed out to me.
GA few days after that I made Lin
coins acquaintance It was not long
before discovered that he and I both
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
That the Dead Might Play

in high authority. Nevertheless there
were some agnostics who wrote upon
tombs such inscriptions as this: 81
was-I was mott am mott don't
care. Others practiced the saying,
Eat drink and be merry" Those who
loved the pagan god Bacchus, believed
that heaven meant a perennial intoxi-
cation. The Egyptians took more care
with the dead than other peoples and
embalmed them.
The method, he said. of entering
the other world, according to the an
Gent beliefs, were varied, but car
riages. carts, chariots and winged
horses prevailed. The winged horse
he termed the earliest theory OF
aviation.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Made Targets for Enemy

parasoi, and a fan which he tucked
up his sleeve. During the battle OF
Ping Yang, when the rain came on.
the parasols were opened and the
enemy found the men easy targets. es-
pecially as each one wore large
white disk bearing the number Of his
regiment on his breast and back.
At the ar email at Nankin it was
once decided to shorten a Krupp can
non which had arrived there because
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

ii was too long. and to make solid
shells which would not burst Green
sprouts were also seen on the logs
from which gun stocks were to be
made. But the limit" as one may
say. was reached at Hankow when an
Austrian warship entered the port and
saluted The fort. The Chinese at
tempted to return the courtesy, but
stopped short after i've or six dis
charges As the Chinese commander
afterward explained. When the third
artilleryman had been killed we de
cided to stop firing"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
What They Both Said.

Horace Greeley once wrote a note
70 q brother editor in New York.
whose writing was as illegible as his
own The recipient of the note, not
being able TO read ii, sent it back BY
the same messenger to Mr.. Greeley
for calculation. Supposing it to be the
answer to his own note, Mr. Greeley
LOGGED over it. but likewise was IN
able 10 read it. and said 10 the boy.
&c take it back What does the
damned fool mean" Yes, sir. said
the boy; that is just what he says"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Moslem's Literary Center

Cairo, with a population of 654,4S6,
IS not only the capital of Egypt and
she metropolis of all Africa, but the
literary center Of the MosIem world,
as Mecca is its religious and Con
stantinople its political center, The
Eayl Of Cromer not without reason
described the Ulema of Cairo as the
guardians Of the citadel of Islam =
No other city in the Noslem world has
Sc many students of Moslem theology
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

and law or pours out such a food of
Moslem literature as does Cairo Mil
lions of pages of the Koran, common
taries by the handred thousand, and
scores of books attacking the Chris
tian faith, defending Islam or propa-
eating its teaching. come ceaselessly
year after year from the Moslem
presses of this great center Of Moslem
learning.
Books printed in Cairo are read by
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Willie and the New Gardener

Little Willie enjoyed life pretty well
until the new gardener came. 1t was
very hard not to be allowed to dig for
worms any more or to cut across the
flower beds or play the garden hose on
the dog. Willie would just as soon go
to school as go into the garden now
One day Willie told his mother that
when he grew up to be a big man like
papa he was going to buy very large
bottle of castor oil and make the new
gardener drink it all-very slowly.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Money Question from wonan's View

Money Question from Wonan's View.
Most men trust their wives with
their hearts. but draw the line at their
pocketbooks. Some day am going to
write a book on the righteousness of a
husband giving his wife regular al
lowance and never asking her to &C.
count for it. Better still. a common
purse and let her nelp herself. As
long as any woman works for her
clothes and board and lives on bounty
gle is 2 Eerf-Exchauge
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

land who are in far corners of the
world? I do not only mean those
who are in the great cities Of Can
ada or Australia or South Africa
or even in the semi-Rritish towns
in India Rather I have in mind
lands where are few British men
and women, some traders. some
missionaries, but all cut off by
enormous distances from what is
called the civilized world, whom it
takes six weeks or two months for
a letter to reach, and whose Christ
mas day is inclined to bring sad
thoughts, not only because Of the
lonely lives they are leading, but
by reason of the recollection Of the
other and more happy Christmas
days they spent before they left
the homeland.
Dotted about the world, in AT
RIGA. in lonely Indian stations, in
the far northwest of Canada, out
on the deserts of Australia. these
people will be eating eheir Christ
mas dinners on the same day as
ourselves. So, in the flush of hap,
piness which comes to most of US,
it is not bad thing to let the
thoughts wander to fellow Britons
so far off that sometimes they are
inclined to be forgotten.
Also there are others. 1 remem-
her a Christmas day 7 spent on a
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
y.omanly Caution.

"Oh. Harold" said Mrs. Newlywed.
"a strange man was here today and
he said he wished to read our gas
meter"
well. did you let him I'M"
Mercy, MOI He used very poor
grammar and l felt sure that he would
not read It properly.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Waiting.

Have you named your baby yeti"
NO"
He's getting pretty old to be with
out name, isn't he?"
Yes; but my wife wishes to call
him Perciyal, and we're waiting to
find out whether he's going to have
lisp"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Shifted Positions.

You are not making speeches now, -
said the admiring constituent.
NO" replied Senator Sorghum !;
there are so many people out my
way who want to talk that the man
who is likely to become popular is the
one who is willing to be the audience"
Washington Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

sent down an expert botanist with the
hundreds of tons of seed in order to
plant the sloping sides of the great
ditch in various grasses The strong
turf viii serve to hold the banks ia
place and prevent their tendency to
slide, but the government had an eve
to beauty as well.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Coid-Storaqe Chicks.

Rene Bache, the well-known author,
vas talking in Washington about ma
ture takers.
Their fakes are so evident" he
said. That's one good thing. They
deceive nobody.
81 know a nature faker," said Mr.
Bache, who claims that hen of his
last month Matched, from a setting Of
II eggs, IT chicks that had, in lieu of
feathers, fur.
HE claimed that these fur-coated
chicks were a proof of natures adap-
sation of all animals to their environ
ment. the II eggs having been OF the
cold-storage variety"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

the camp fires of the Saraha, in the
market place Of Tfmbuctoo, under the
very shadow of the Kaaba. and are
treasured in the mosques of Java and
western China. There is no speech
or language" in the Moslem world,
where the voice of the Cairo press sis
not heard. Their line has gone out
through all the earth ana their words
to the end of the world"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Consistent.

Was that entertainment what you'd
call a consistent piece Of work."
1T was" replied the theater man
ager. The scene was located on a
mythical island and we played to
mythical audiences and drew mythical
saIaries."
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Quite True.

Somehow, we never expect much
enthusiasm from a man with a malar
ial cast of countenance."
We'll, we never get much enthusi-
asm from man with that kind Of
ccunteDance.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Stunq.

You call this cake angel food" said
the harsh husband.
Yes. DEAR" said the timid wife, ''but
If the diet doesn't seem exactly what
you want, here are some devilled
crabs Washington Star.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Sounds Plausible.

Why do people speak Of a 'coor
million?"
Il don't know, unless it's because a
man with a million dollars can keep
cool, no matter how high the cost OF
living scars"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
lHE7z5Z 5ZH5 YIZZt
GZRTGH. CHM
HAfZZYT

above the chair.
When the din
ner is over
h ere follows
the usual and
a pro pr late
speech making.
Then comes the
dance. That the
company is in a
distant foreign
Aduu is IOI gu
ten. Something
Of the flavor of
Christmas ide
at home is with
the assembly.
Laughter and
N e rim e n t
reign unbound
ed.
And is it not
well at Christ
mastide to think
of those of our
own rapo and
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
MArL Much So

as your son following any occupa-
ten just now?"
Sure he's following one. It's al.
following He's an ambulance chaser"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
a PEAL Aero

Mr. Henpeck-Are you the man
who gave my wife lot of tmpUdence2
Mr.. Scraper-I am.
Mr.. Henpeck-Shake! You're a
hero.-London TttBits.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Careless Mother.

Lady-Why do you cry, little boy?
Little Boy-That mother O. mine
as gone-an' lost me againi-The By.
stander.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Chinese Soldiers in Battle of Pins
Yang All Opened Parasois When
Ii Raine6.

no one who has studied the military
methods of China will be surprised
60 learn that shells" of painted wood
have been picked up in the German
concession at Hankow. This is truly
Chinese. NJ so very long ago each
tsJdie- ~<,s applied with an oilcloth
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

is instead green and sunshlny, CHRIST
mas at home has an appropriateness
and fits the scene in a way it cannot DO
In other lands.
It is rather hard 10 imagine appro-
priateness about Christmas under a
blazing sky, and the eating Of plum
pudding when the thermometer is 80
degrees in the shade. How out OF
place the picturesque characters from
Dickens novels-mufHed and CHEEKY
and full Of boisterOus mirth-would
have been if they could have been con
yeyed on the magic carpet to gorgeous
Cairo! Wealthy people, and, in these
days Of cheap travel, those who are not
wealthy, now seek sunshine in the
months which are considered dreary;
50 each Christmastide crowds Of Brit
ish people betake themselves to the
City of the CaIiphs. proceed up the
Nile, and, even on Christmas night
toast the old folks at home in the mag
nifcent hotel at Khartoum.
Our grandfathers and grandmOthers
who regarded Christmas as a time Of
waits and holly berries and taking bas-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

To Beauty Canal Banks.
The Panama canal is to be ornament
al as well as useful The government
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
Too True.

Too True.
'eWhy is the race not always to the swift, my
boy?"
Because their gasoline gives out, sir"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
NJ HERW IN

kets provisions poor folks then attending the es-
TONED and decorated church for morning service after
wards lights up curtains drawn proceeded to con-
slabs of turkey beef chunks OF plum pud
ding pies with the object of bring
happy would twirl in their they could
manner thousands of their descendants
celebrate the day Cairo.
have in Cairo, but the occasions are as
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21
By John Foster Frazer

FTER all, there is no
place like home in which
to celebrate Christmas
Even when the day does
not come up to the old
fashioned pictorial repre-
sentation Of snow on the
ground and red-breasted
robins on the boughs, but
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-12-21

w in Cairo, but the OCCASIONS are as
As a rrle. the morning comes with