davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

II candy makers had to depend on
men consumers instead of upon Cupid
and the kids, there would be great
failures in saccharine circles-out
there is one time of the year that my
masculine sweet-tooth asserts itself
and then. instead Of yearning for the
chocolate-cream confections or the
fruit dips. 1t clamors for big bag
of mixed candy. right out of the bar
rell
admit it is plebeian taste, that
the candy is mostly glue and Hour
iumbled to suit the taste of the
adolescent-but somehow cannot
feel that / have rightly celebrated
Christmas without this bag of candy.
when was boy this is the sort OF
candy we got and the taste was early
acquired. And what a lot OF antici-
patton there was in eating the stun
anticipation because when you stuck
YOUR hand in the sack for sweet
hit. you never knew whether 1t Woulo
come out clutching a lemon-drop. a
caramel or peppermint!
And, too, the candy was cheap fou
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

nj 0f evil ana particularly %
of nestilence and war. To poetic eastern peo-
nia who revered the stars as symbols especially
act In the heavens for the guidance OF men
comets were undoubtedly aWesome Vsitors. Inc
Chaldeans. Persans and Jews were astronomic.
aIly no more enlightened than the mediaeval
Chr.st,ars and n at the fall of Constantinople
In 14b3 ali Christendom was alarmed at the ap'
pearance of comet Ia comet whicn we now
know to have been Halleys), 1t 10 highly prop
able that the Orient was no less impressed Dy
these sudden visitations Comprising. as 1t does,
a nucleus a coma" or envelope surrounding the
nucleus and measuring from twenty Thousand
to one million miles in diameter and q long tall
which streams behind the nucleus for sixty to
q hundred million miles or more. comet Is one
of the most mysteriously beautiful celestial ap
partitions that ever meets the eye. But whether
OF not the Star of Bethlehem really was such an
apparition no one can affirm with certainty. An
astronomer can merely state that the idea is not
untenable and that 1t is less Objectionable than
the conjunction hypothesis.
Lastly, the theory has been proposed that the
Star of Bethlehem was what is called new
star or nova star which suddenly flares VI
in the heavens and fades away again to its
former magnitude after the lapse of weeks
months. Such new stars not altogether rare
Ten appeared between b. c. 1874 and the end O.
the fifteenth century. Since the fifteenth cen
tury less than sixteen have been recorded
In time they are discovered with fall
frequency
Even before the invention of the telescop,
such new stars were studied by astronomers.
Apart from the astronomical evidence In favol
of the theory that the Star Of Bethlehem
nova. POLITICALLY. at least. it seems singularly At
ting that a matchless orb blazing forth In sud
den magnfcence should have marked not only
the birth OF a Messiah whose destiny 1t t.
save mankind by his suffering and to make
this world by purging 1t of evil, but also
the birth of a with embryonic planeti
wheeling about 1t in shining clouds of gas ant
stellar dust
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

docks and naval station at Pearl
harbor. now the greatest OF its kind
in all the Pacific. but the city of
Honolulu. From all sea directions
these important points are covered
from attack
But 1t is found that other guns and
mortars must be implanted to secure
these places against successful at
tack from the land side in the doubt
full event Of an enemy in any consider
able numbers being able to effect a
landing upon the coast outside the
range OF the big seven, eight and ten
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

When they were questioned where the king was
to be born they answered: I'm Bethlehem OF
Judea; for thus 1t is written by the prophet, AND
thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not tne
least among the princes Of Juda; for out OF tnee
shall come a governor that shall rule my people
Israel" According to the authorized version II
is then stated in the New Testament tnat
"Herod. when he had privily called the wise men,
inquired Of them diligently what time the star
appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem. and
said. Go and search diligently for the young
child; and when have found him, bring me
word again, that l may and worship MIN
also. When they had heard the king they de-
parted; and lot the star. which they saw IN the
east, went before them, till 1t came and stood
over where the young child When they saw
the star they rejoiced with exceeding great Joy.
That is the whole story of the Star of Bethle
hem it is simply and directly told in the sec
ond chapter of the gospel according to st. Mat
thew
1t cloister fancy of the dark ages. hand
ed down through centuries that led the Chris
tion world to regard the Star of the East as
miraculous luminary. akin to the pillar of fire
that guided the children Of Israel in the wilder
ness-a luminary especially created for the sole
purpose of leading the Magi to the birthplace
of Christ. The modern Christian is more apt
to regard the star natural phenomenon and
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

day, Chaldea, Persia and that Arabian aaa-
ert where the sons of Ishmael roamed In that
east of which they spoke, star-gazing was to
some nations religious observation, to others
mystical traditional rite. The pseudo-science of
astrology out Of which modern science of
astronomy slowly evolved was thus engen-
dered. Exegetes Of the New Testament nara
tive hold these Magi to have been astrologers
members of that strange non.national prtyi-
legged priesthood whose office It was to watch
the sky each day and each night to note the
position and apparent motion of the sun from
dawn to dark, and to predict those changes in
planetary positions which, in that day of as
trological superstition, were supposed to shape
and reveal the destinies of kings and nations.
In them science came early worshipper at
the feet of Christ.
To ancient as well as medieval astrologers,
certain groupings of the stars and planets had
fixed prophetic significance. The planets
were named in accordance with their supposed
influence Mercury. always lurking the
sun. furtively cleaning In the morning
ning was the patron Of tricksters. knaves. and
thieves. Mars, flaming in red was the symbol
OF war, the guardian OF heroes and warriors.
II the Magi were astrologers who believed in
stellar influences, the apparition of the Star
of Bethlehem must have been astronomical
phenomenon. But ordinary astronomical
phenomenon could have enticed these practiced
star-gazers from their temples. We must there
fore, find celestial event sufficiently extra
ordinary to warrant journey from Chaldea or
Persia to Bethlehem
When the Magi arrived in jerusalem Herod
was within few weeks of his death The mas
sacre of the babes of Bethlehem was one of his
last cruel deeds When he inquired diligently
what time the star appeared, the reply evil
IDENTIFY such that he felt 1t necessary to kill all
male infants from two years old and under"
It is probable. therefore, that the Magi first saw
the star two years before their arrival In Jeru-
salem. Herod died In B. G. 4. Hence the Star
Of Bethlehem must have appeared about two
years before that date. We must discover II we
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

jewels of light. A squirrel is foun-
dering about in the snow trying to
locate some buried nuts and blue
jay is scolding saucily from maple
tree hard by. And then, into the
quiet comes a man. He is a sturdy
man with wooden cap drawn closely
over his ears and nose. There are
slits for his eyes. On his feet are
great woolen packs with rubber shoes
and his trousers are tucked inside
the packs. His coat 10 very odd. to
you, consisting of a great, bright
sweater sort of garment, buckled
closely around him. On his shoulder
he carries an ak. He begins to cut
Christmas trees and the one you
have In your home Is a very pretty
one that pleases him as he hauls II
away to where his team awaits. With
many other trees your tree Is put on
the sled and after a time. Is hauled
to the depot where 1t is shipped to
your grocer.
The man who cut 1t was no doubt
lumberjack and II he is like his kind,
he lives in log cabin with his wife
and children. In the olden days he
worked in the timber exclusively, but
now he farms during the summer on
wee farm that he Is clearing OF
stumps, and In the winter time he
cuts wood for the lumber companies.
And his little ones always have a
Christmas tree. for Christmas trees
are free where he lives, but probably
1t is not as plentifully loaded with
gifts as yours, for which you should
be very thankful.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
LIKE HAWAII AS STRONGHOLD

the Gibraltar of the Pacific The
tests were conducted by the most i'm
portant board of experts ever as
sembled to consider the military de-
fenses Of the islands. a letter to the
New York Sun says.
It has been ascertained that the big
guns so far in place are not only SUI
perbly situated for purposes Of defense
against all naval attacks. and particu-
larly with reference to the great dry
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
Experts Satisfied That Outpost May
BE Relied Upon to Hold lite Own
In Conflict.

After i've weeks spent in testing the
big guns of the various forts and posts
on the island of Honolulu, the ord
nance experts are pleased. and are
declaring among themselves that as
an outpost of the nation Hawaii 10
really beginning to merit the title Of
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
II @az&Sze eg2AzD2p Wzze cNSC

slaughter of the infants was issued
some time before Herod's death. Pro
fessor Stockweli advances the suppo-
sition that this conjunction was the
Star of Bethlehem. Since con1unc'
tions occurred SO frequently, 1t IS
difficult to understand why more OF
them did not call forth Chaldean or
Persian deputations.
Because of these fatal objections
to any theory which regarded the
star of Bethlehem merely as con-
junction of two planets, the late
Prof. r. A. Proctor cast about for
other celestial phenomena and finai.
ly decided that the wise men might
have been guided by comet. There
ia much to be said in favor OF the
supposition. Comets are discovered
nowadays at the rate of two or three
a year. Not all of them are particu'
Iarly brilliant; but 1t Ia not incon'
ceiyable that in Biblical times com.
eta occasionally appeared that we're
brilliant enough to strike terror into
sunerstitious hearts. Indeed. before
Edmund HALEY proved that the law
of eravitation applied to the comet
which bears his name and which
has revisited the earth at Intervals
of seyenty-one and one-half to sew
enty.nine years. comets were regard
ed as divine messengers, as omens
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
rhoae clrIa Of Ours

Miss Oldun-It is not for lack of or
portunities that have remained sin.
gle.
Miss Pert-No, dear; you have given
the men plenty of chances TO propose,
I'm sure.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

inch guns. and recommendation foi
and increase In the number of bat
teries will be made.
The board of experts was composed
of the following officers: Brig. Gen
M. M. Macomb, Lieut.. Col John F.
Morrison, Mai George Blakeson and
Maj. w. P. Wooten.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

HE reign of Herod had nearly ended
when the Magi arrived in Jerusar
lem and asked: Where is he that
is born king of the Jews? For we
have seen his star In the east, and
are come to worship him."
The news that a true king OF the
Jews" a possible rival, was born.
and that his birth had been herald
ed by celestial phenomena, caused
Herod much concern. He summoned
tn him the scrfbes and learned men.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
a.nk.rlno for oflee.

The teacher had just finished read
inc several pages from book tor
the purpose of instilling IN the minus minus
of her pupils the meaning OF hsures
bf speech. a.
"Now. boys, who can give me an
illustration of what q figure OF speech
! isf" nov
"I can, teacher" answered poy
.. ,he corner TITS the feile. hat
geta up In a political convention ana
80 7 don,t banker after the ONCE
but IL the people insist that fah iof
AZ shall be pleased to DO 30.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20
sIdetrscked.

"How's your con getting on N col.
lege7"
mot at all. Every time there ara
two men on bases and It's his turn to
bat they bench him and give q sub.
stituta hitter n chance"
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

"eenuIne Antiques" Scarce.
Buyers OF antique furniture are ad
vised by House and Garden that 1t II
now almost impossible to pick up
genuine antiques In this country.
Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-20

to seek a scientific explanation of
its sudden appearance. not for the
purpose of casting doubt upon the
narrative of Matthew. but Of CIV
ing it astronomical support.
Who were these wise men, these
Magi, of whom St. Matthew speaks?
They came from the east, they said,
and the east, according to the geo.
graphical knowledge of Matthew,a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
St. Louis and II. Public Schools

Dr. J. H. Phillips, superintendent Of Err mngham's public schools, who attended the meeting of school superintendents held in St Louis last week. speaks en- thusiasticaliy of the educational work be- ing done in the Missouri metropolis
 T enjoyed my trip to St. Louis, said Dr. Phillips. 'The meeting of school su- perintendents was well attended. There were about goo present. I spent the greater part O. my time in inspecting the public schools. St. Louis is great city' Ii is rich and cultured, and is especially progressive in it's public school work IL has several large high schools, but the one in which I was particularly interested was the Soldan. IL was recently com peted as a memorial to the late superin- tendent, Mir. soidan. II is spacious and architecturally imposing and aceommo- dates 17o9 pupils.
 Two features of St. Louis educational system directly appealed to me-the Ina- scum and the special schools. The mu- scum embraces objects of geographical, historical, geological ethnologica and an thropolosical value in their relation to education and available for class room purposes. The various specimens are scientifically classified and arranged in small cabinets for easy conveyance from the big museum 10 the class in this or that school needing illustration.
 .The special school is an institution Tor the benefit of those children who are ab- normal, or whose condition calls for close specialized attention. I visited ono ol these schools with great profit to myself. Children who had been regarded as ai- most imbecie have been brought out and normally developed in the special school. Boys and girls who were thought to have been half crazy are turning cut 10 be use full young men and women as the result of the St. Louis system, which gives to each abnormal child close special atten- tion.
 "St. Louis is more than four times as large as Birmingham, but it spends F times as much on it's public schools as our city spends. In Birmingham we have organization that is favorably commented upon by visiting educators. And before many years we will have adequate funds for school purposes. In the meantime we must make the best of our resources. All the large cities have good school sys- tems, but not many of them are in The St. Louis class"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
Measure Defeated In Virginia

"A bill which passed the lower house of the Virginia legislature for submit ting the question of statewide prohibi- tion to the people was defeated in the senate last Saturday by a vote of A to 16," said a member of Birmingham Virginia colony. "A similar measure was defeated in the Virginia legislature two or three years ago. The Old Dominion is mostly dry except in Richmond, Nor folk and a few of the other cities, but the Anti Saloon league has been work ing hard to bring about statewide pro- hibition Opposition to the bill which has just been defeated was on the legal ground that 1t took from the legisla- ture the law making power and vest ed it in the people.
 "The Virginia prohibitionists have tried to make it appear that the senti- ment of the state was strongly against the liquor traffic in any shape or form Members of the legislature were swamped with petitions, letters and telegrams threatening by implication political death to any member who voted against the prohibition measure. Notwithstanding the active organized movement which the Anti-Saloon league has been making for number of years. only seven out of the IS states are in the prohibition column, and of these seven Maine, Georgia and Tennessee are only nominally dry North Carolina Mississippi, Kansas and North Dekota make serious efforts at enforcement of their prohibition laws, while prohibi- tion in Maine, Georgia and Tennessee is the veriest farce.
 Virginia is one of the most prosper ous of all the southern states and it Is noted for the sobriety of its people. It will probably never have any drastic prohibition law. A few years ago pro- hibition seemed to be sweeping over the south, but the wave spent itself just before Alabama reached the pro- hibition amendment proposition.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
LOOKS LIKE UNDERWOOD

From the Charlotte Observer.
 He simply has been saving wood as a member of Congress and the nation aas irresistibly put it's eye upon him. and the more it looks at him the more it is con sireed that he is the one man who can claim and command absolute respect. He | can do more He can rally every demo- cratic voter in America-because his rec ord as a conservative statesman is such that if appeals with equal force to all people,"
 That's Underwood, as Al Farbrother describes~him in the last snumber of his very clever journal. Everything, and we think he is right in his estimate of the distinsuished Alahamian. More newspa- pers and more people will be thinking the same way before the delegates are elect ed to the democratic national convention at Baltmore-the papers and the people are beginning 10 find themselves and think about man who can really lead them to victory. Everything continues
 Tn North Carolina there is a widespread sentiment for the Alabama man. True it is not as universal as it will be by the time the nominating conventions meet and delegates are chosen. because Underwood has recently loomed upon the political horizon He has simply materiaized as a possibility because of his work
 leader of the democratic House. The fact
 is, he has'not entered the race. He has rather stood aloof to all the allurlng of fers suggested by politicians, and it is because of this unsought strength devel- oping every day that astute politicians say he is the logical candidate-the one man who could roll up wonderful ma iority at the polls.
 This is said, of course, without preju- dice to any of the other candidates who have been advertising themselves. Un- derwood has been so busy attending to the business of the people democratic leader at Washington that he has not had the time to run about the country in his own interest; but now that his campaign has been organized the country will hear more of him and what he has done and what manner of man he is. Everything says: "The Underwood sentiment is growing, and before convention: time we expect to see the south solid for Under wood, and it will vote him itp favorte son." Whether the south wiz be solid for Underwood on the first ballot re- mains to be seen; but 1t will be solid for him before the voting in the convention is over and solid for him when the cleo ton is held
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
LOndOns Broken Windows

On Friday last and again on Mon day the costly plate glass windows of the finest skops in London became the targets of the brick throwing sui fragettes. So great is the alarm over the action of the militant women that even the exhibition of old masters at the Royal academy was hastily closed fortnight earlier than had been p,arined. The women who are endeav- bring to coerce the Asquith govern ment do not pick their victims. They assail any window in sight. They are window breakers, not murderers. Some of them are titled women, and none of them perhaps come from the slums. They simply want the privi lege of voting, and Premier Asquith Is not ready to advance their scheme in parliament. Personally he is op- posed to it.
 They want the ballot and they see no way to gain it except by violence. They borrow their methods from the French Revolution rather than from those of their own sex who raised the standard of gentleness and refine ment and social order.
 r. {. d;fficu1t fo see how window smashing or subsequent martyrdom in prison can advance their cause. There is no hysteria in it. The entire movement is organized and financed and planned. The outcome of the ex- cesses of the movement remains to be disclosed. In this country there are plenty of suffragettes. In Wisconsin
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
The aniity that wisdom iSnits moi folly may easily untic.
 --Troiius and ressida.
Effects of the English Strike

England has few water powers. It's streams are short and small, and it's almost numberless factories are driven by steam. These are being closed down and in short time the deadlock will extend to all industries in Great Britain. The strike is a blow aimed at the very heart and exis- tence of the country and it's leaders no doubt think they can compel the government to accept their terms by establishing a new maximum wage. This is really the curX of the entire matter.
 Nor are the effects of the strike confined to Great Britain. All sup plies of soft coal on the Atlantic sea board as for south as Baltimore and Norfolk have been purchased, and steamships are taking a double quan- tity of coal in this country, thus en- abling them to make round trip voy- ages from this side through the use of American coal This cuts down the ships space for merchandise to some extent, but even that is better than no trip and no coal.
 If this strike proves to be stubborn all available American coal will be in sharp demand at higher prices, and Alabama coal will soon be taken from Mobile or Pensacola and carried to :. the ports in which the Atlantic liners are berthed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06

By Henry w. Longfellow. From his place rose Hiawatha, Bade farewell to old Nokomis. Spake in whispers, spake in this wise. Did not wake the guests that slumbered 1T am going. No-ko-mis. On long and distant journey To the portals of the sunset, To the regions of the home wind. But these guests I leave behind me. In your watch and ward I leave them; See that never harm comes near them, See that never fear molests them Never danger nor suspicion. Never want of food and shelter. In the lodge of Hiawatha!
 Forth into the village went he. Rade farewell to all the warriors, Rade farewell to all the young men. Spake persuading, spake in this wise: II am going, o my people, On a long and distant journey; Many moons and many winters Will have come and will have vanished, Ere I come again to see you.
 But my guests I leave behind me: Listen to the truth they tell you, For the Master of Life has sent them From the land of light and morning," On the shore stood Hiawatha,
 Turned and waved his hand at parting; On the clear and luminous water Launched his birch canoe for sailing, From the pebbles of the margin
 Showed it forth into the water;
 Whispered to it: Westward. westward!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06

the restrictions regarding insurance coh- tracts in the policy. As the Virginia law made an action non maintainable to re- cover on the life of a person convicted Of crime and executed, the attorneys TOT the children raised the point that the laws of Wisconsin, the home of the North western Life Insurance company which company carried s15oo1 insurance on Me- Cues life. at the time of his execution, should be applied, and that under that states law the benefciaries were entitled to recover. The supreme court held that the law of the state where the policy tthe eontracD was entered into should gov ern. So it is evident that the McCue chil- dren lost under tine laws of their own state, rather than in the home state o1 the company Wisconsin. If the policy had been taken cut in Wisconsin, it ap- pears, that all other things being equal, the beneficiaries could have recovered.