davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

copied the wad, all right, all right, and I'm lcked!'
Past him hurried the never-ending string of Christ
mas shoppers parcel laden sad at having been con-
strained to spend money, sad because they had 50
little to spend. Now and then those young in
years and heart, filled with holiday JOY and laughing
merrily shopgirs and clerks mostly, accustomed to
giving literally and receiving niggardy, who gladly
impaired to Others where the best bargains might be
had. "At Smiths you get perfectly grand doll for
seven cents, or ooh, did want to buy that swell
chain at Whggs, but | didn't have thrty-nne cents
left! Amt it too bad?" and on, their voices utter
ing out the crisp, winter air.
Skaggs got up with desperate grimness and hurried
away through Broadway to Fifthave then straight up
that lane of delight without pausng to look at the mag
nificent shop windows, to cast than angry
glance at the policemen who patiently directed traffic
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

general laxty of the of good cheer favored him.
He glanced with professional keenness out at the only
point of the street from which he might be observed
discovered nothing alarming and deity slid the window
higher and threw his body inside. This to be a
quick job. He must get anything handy and be away
within short time In the dim light of the hall he
the clock priceless antique, registering the hour
of ten. Good! He would have at least safe hour
and half, and that world of time.
But if any of his professional brethren had watched
Skaggs they would have been Mortified to have followed
him; for he went directly and unfaltering, swiftly,
silently and true, to the nursery the third floor.
The door open and light burned, even as the
nurse had left it. He peered inside at the canopied
bed and his face relaxed little he looked down at
a bright HAIRED child of not than five years. Silk
Continued PAGE is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

A burly man in shirt sleeves was seated at the desk
with his back turned but wheeled round his visitors
entrance and stared at him. Skaggs had slight
palpitation of the heart at sight of hereditary
enemy, Police Captain Meggs.
"Wh-wha-what you doin' here, Cap?' he demanded,
weakly fighting against desire to run.
"Bless my soul! If it isn't my old friend Slick Bill"
said the And then, in a reassurng tone, and with
a most friendly ngratiatng smile, @Bu you don't need
to look fused up, Bill. I'm o'n the force. Bought
this place Glad to have you drop around and
Bought t?" queried Skaggs with sudden depres-
sion. where's Blink"
why, amt you heard?" asked the proprietor.
"He croaked more'n month ago. | bought this dump
from the public executor. He didn't have no heirs,
Blink didn't.
Skaggs abruptly leaned toward Meggs, and his voice
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

posing in the big safe, in the luxuri-
Gus office, back of the magnificent
saloon owned by his friend, Skaggs
knew there should be package con-
tanning more than three thousand
dollars in beautiful green currency.
1t had been Skaggs' invariable rule
never to call upon his friend or to APP
pear to know him in the street, lest
he compromise his distinguished fel-
low townsman. His only visits were
those when he came to deposit little
more with the hoard of which his
friend took kindly charge. A distress
ing feature of safety deposit boxes
is that one must preserve key. With
such a friend as Blink Hawkins one
required neither key nor receipt.
"Blink's all right! He ISL was
phrase of the Decalogue in the world
where Skaggs had his being let
it be noted, this was the gospel for
those who lived between darkness
and dawn.
The big electric light sign, auto
matte, that displayed in red, white,
and blue globes the legend, @Blink's
Place flashed in Skaggs' face as he
whisked round a corner. 1t disap-
peared, and a snake of fire squirmed
upward along the corner of the build
ing, an inadvertent warning to the
thoughtful, and terror to those long
bibulous ones who had been striving
to find what Omar Khayyam meant;
but Skaggs, full of Christmas spirit,
needed them not, and collided with
some who were more than filled with
Christmas spirits as he opened the
swinging doors. He glanced inside,
and decided that it would be better
to retreat and seek a side door, where
again he collided with others, frowsy
children, bareheaded old danes, and
mere working men, carrying away
their happy Christmas cans.
RLINK wasnot in sight, and Skaggs,
with his cap pulled low over his
heavy black eyebrows, made his way
to the Office in the rear, looked care
fully to see if anyone was observing
him, and stepped through the por-
there's.
A burly man in shirt sleeves was 81
with his back turned, but wheeled 70,
entrance and stared at him. Skae
palpitation of the heart at sight
enemy, Police Captain Meggs.
"Wh-wha-what you doin' here, Ca
weakly, fighting against a desire to r
"Bless my soul! If it isn't my old
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

B1gg1nS the coal h1ng. DOT one k1Q,
four hired girls that flirts, two chatter
boys that's out in the garage, one
butler guy who lives in the house, and
a doorman that smells of booze.
That's it. Guess I'll take look
1t was house that he had selected
some months before, at the time when
he resolved that all he required was
one more big haul, after which he
would turn honest, and become a
leading citizen, like poor old Blink
Hawkins, dead and gone. He made
his way cautiously round to the side
of the building, and peeped through
a grating in the basement upon
scene Of 3revelry by night that filled
him with envy. He could even hear
the words of the merry company
through the window ventilator which
he stopped whirling by the def APP
plication of thumb.
"Have no fear" said the butler,
unbent and seated at the head of a
table on which were literally spread
choice wines purloined from care
less cellar. "Mawster and Missus is
at the grand opery, and won't be
home before midnight to tinker with
the blawsted tree"
"And | offered to hang the things
for EN-" declared a woman in
nurses cap; "but they would only let
me do the dirty work, such as string
ing popcorn, and hooking tapers, and
all that rubbish. Let's hang the
little darling's things ourselves when
we come home, says the missus. As
if they couldn't trust mel
The other servants roared at her
imitation of their mistress voice, and
the portly butler requested the foot
man to open another bottle of wine.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
Peace on the Panama.

Everyone breathes easy, now that
We know from Colonel Goethals,
himself. all Is we'll between him and
Governor Metcalfe. We may again
lie down 10 our dreams secure in the
bosom OF this consolation. that the
heads OF our military and civil gov
ernments are one and united out on
the sun-kissed frontier OF our other
wise unfortified domain. 1t was
enough TO make any American feel
a bit squeamish 10 think Of gaping
breach between these two strong
arms of tho government In the canal
zone.
But those OF US who knew the in
nate disposition OF the peace-lovlng
author Of Little Bishop sunbeams"
tno charge for the ad, Metz, and
that. though a democrat OF the dem
ocrats. much OF his training had
been In the school OF that peerless
prince OF peace" knew there must
be something wrong with the reports
that told OF a war between the gov
ernor and colonel. Positive con-
firmation OF the placid state OF af-
fairs win be more than welcome news
to many NebraskanS who are pack
ing. their grips for a jaunt along the
Panama with the expectation OF put.
ting up at the Metcalfs house. where
they understand the latchstrlne
hangs out day, and night. within easy
reach and without standing on tip,
toes. -
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
Advice to Guilsles. Girls.

Unsophisticated maidens migrat-
ing from the country or small towns
TO the city will do we'll 10 heed the
advice OF the assistant state labor
commissioner OF Missouri as con-
tanned in this little tabulation:
If'you must come. don't ask any
stranger for information.
Find a policeman. go TO a police sta
ton for information or so TO the Young
Women's Christian association or some
place that is known TO you.
Have money enough for at least a
month.
Keep your money IN your stocking; Il
is safer than a purse,
Beware OF the stranger who offers 10
guide you or carry your Strip Maybe
he has horns under his hat.
Have some relative meet you IL posi-
BILE.
Go back to the country as soon as you
can.
IN a word. girls. exercise common
sense. DO not make targets OF
yourself simply because you are
amid new surroundings and possible
peril. The city Is generally a safe
place for the girl with grit and
sumption. but unsafe Tor the one
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
MUSINGS OF A CYN1C.

An ounce Of get-up-snd-get is worth
pound Of rabbits feet
The beauty about happiness is that no
man can keep It all 20 himself.
No man is such a kicker that he would
care to kick the bucket.
No girl really loves a man without
feeling an irresistible impulse to boss
him around.
It's all right to have taking ways, but
it is also just as well to have a few
bringing back ones.
One thing the bald-headed man can
never understand is why the world should
respect gray hairs.
Poets are born. not made. Conse-
quently Adam. with all his other faults,
couldn't have been a poet.
Some men are born fighters They
fight for their rights, and when they
get them they fight for more.
IT'S all right TO let your light shine be-
fore men. but 1t isn't necessary TO make
pyrotechnic display of It.
Truth is stranger than fiction. II you
don't believe it, have an amateur pho
tographer take a picture Of you.
To be absolutely happy a woman must
have almost as much confidence in her
husband as she has in her dressmaker.-
New York Times
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21

nestle science. millinery and typewriting.
and for all OF the enjoyments OF club life
conducted under Christian auspices. We
aim to minister TO the life OF the city
without reference to the denomlnationai
affiliations Of those who need US.
A pretty good program, which
ought to arrest the attention of those
churches racing for the comfortable
isolation of residential districts, far
from the madding strife of the
crowd, Of the "man In the street" !"
II would not do them much good to
build for institutional work, for they
have gone away from those who most
need that sort OF ministration. There
is need for churches in the beautiful
sections of cities, but a tremendous
need and opportunity for them else
where, down in the highways and
hedges. where men are waiting to
be helped.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
Companionship Of Books.

oh for a booke and a shade nooke,
Eyther in-a-doore or out;
withe the creme leaves whispering over
hede.
Or the streete cryes all about
Where male reade all at my ease.
Both OF the news and olde;
For a joilie goode booke whereon TO
locke.
Ia better to me than Colds.
--old English Song.
Next to the possession Of genuine,
living, personal friends, what is
more valuable and precious than the
companionship Of good books? And
there is that In the book which even
the personal friend cannot give, the
Joy OF knowing about other men and
other times, without which any life
is impoverished A debt, then, those
who read good books owe them, a
debt such as pupil owes his master,
as described by an old English
writer some centuries ago. r
These are the masters who Instruct us
without rods or ferrulcs, without hard
words and anger without clothes or
money. II you approach them, they are
not asleep, n investigating you interro-
gate them, they conceal nothing; II you
mistake them they never Erunbie; IL you
are ignorant. they cannot laugh at you.
But this companionship of books.
covetous as II Is. involves its perils.
Next to the companionship stands the
choice. EVIL communications cor
rupt good manners" through inani-
mate pages as we'll az through the
wrong kind OF personal friends.
None too much care and discrimi-
nation may be exercised in the Sc
lection OF ones reading. A thing
so powerful, SO potentially valuable
to ones upbuilding and well-being.
must. OF course. possess the possibil-
ity OF harm. And in this day with
literary grist-mills grinding out tons
OF books selling wholesale by the
box or hundred. the task OF selection
becomes imperative. II surely
cannot be truthfully said that we
are not as much OF a reading people
today as We used TO be. for the mills
of commerce would not continue to
turn out their wares II they did not
sell. and selling they must be read.
Just whether that Is to be taken
as source OF qualification or not
is open 10 question, In view OF the
character OF some of the books.
Another confusing thing is that, as
books were dear when they were
rare. 80 now in their multiplicity
they are cheap and within the reach
OF all. This. OF course. is a fine
thing for a good book. but also
widens the harmful influence of the
bad or trashy book.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
People and Events

III you would get what you want. buy
II and hang it on the Christmas tree
Better be sure in the evening than sore
next morning.
A discarded husband in New York
enjoys an alimony allowance Of $50 a
week The papers refuse to print his
name, fearing publicity might project
him into the hall OF fame.
Omaha and its neighbors do not mono-
police the mild winter smiles Of the
weather clerk. Boston rises to remark
that oranges and bananas we're picked
right on Washington street last wednes-
day.
An extended diagnosis of the Wiscon-
sin eugenic law shows that the allopathie
nerve requires s. a treatment to insure
health certificate. The law designates
a SO treatment, but the doctors found
that the dose would stretch little more
than one leg.
The Omaha spirit is about to tone up
family relations in Cleveland. The Young
Mems Christian association Of the ONO
metropolis, taking its cue from the
Omaha Commercial club, has decided to
pull off feast for fathers and sons, to
get them better acquainted, and give old
man and kid new angle view Of each
other in a crowd.
II one must a-burgling CO. 60 to Il
In the Connecticut style. A pair or
aristocratic house crackers called with an
automobile at a residence in Greenwich
entered the front door carrying dress
suit cases, Illuminated the interior so
that nelghbors thought a reception was
on. gathered up $1,000 worth OF goods,
noisily said good night" at the door ana
drove away.
The esteemed King Menelik, the lion
Of Abyssinia, is reported dead for the
'steenth time. No other descendant Of
Solomon has enjoyed such copious
stream OF obituary publicity. II looks as
though the Abyssinian clipping bureau
works the death report for the purpose
of coddling the old mans ego. But
newspaper morgues have been fooled too
often, and the game is off.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
A Working Church.

DR.. Iohn Timothy Stone. pastor of
one OF the largest churches in Chi
eago and the country and at present
official head OF one OF the foremost
Protestant denominations, reproying
the people OF his city for being too
slow to respond to the call OF worthy
charity, says:
Someone has said that all we need 10
give an impulse TO the work OF charity
Is terrible snowstorm or some calamity.
IL Is criticism OF our spiritual intelh-
gence that We must wait for such a re-
mlnder' IL is an evidence that posses
sions are one OF the sources of our temp
tations. Temptation comes not alone 70
the poor and the sad OF heart. but 10 tho
prosperous and successful There Is dan
ser lest your possessions should possess
you.
The church. above all public
agencies for good. must be on its
guard against such temptations. To
ward them off, DR.. Stone and his
parishiOners, who seem 70 be doing
a good deal for worthy charity, while
also holding out helpful hand to
others needing II. though not OBJ
;eets OF charity, are Just completing
new church home costing $3.50, 900.
so situated as TO be accessible 10
those they expect TO serve. 1t is TO
be modern institutional. working
church. Says the pastor;
We are making special preparation 10
meet the needs OF the young men ana
women who are earning Their way In
Chicago. many OF whom have no facilities
for comfortable baths. for reading. writ
Ing or for social enjoyment under safe
SURROUNDINGS. We are providing In the
1 enureh-for athieticss me teaching OF DO.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
JES' FORE CHRISTMAS.
Eugene Field.

Eugene Field.
Father calls me William. sister calls me
Mother calls me wllne-but the boys call
me Bill.
Mighty glad 1 amt girl-rather be a
boy,
without them sashes. curls and things
that's worn by Fauntleroy.
Love to chaw green apples an. go swim
min In the lake
Hate, to take the castor-ile they give fr
Most all the time the hull year roun'
there amt no files on me.
But les' fore Christmas I'm as good as
Gran'ma says she hopes when I git to be
III be missioner like her oldest brother
AS wuz ct up by the cannibIs that live
In Ceylon's isle.
Where every prospeek pleases an only
But gran'ma she has never been to see
a Wild West show. '
Or read the life of Daniel Boone. or else
1 guess she'd know
That Buffalo Bill an cowboys is good
enough fer me
Except jes' fore Christmas I'm as good
as l kin bel
For Christmas, with It's lots an lots NV
candies. cakes and toys,
Wuz made, they say, fr proper kids, an
not fr naughty boys.
So wash your face, an brush yer hair
an mind your D's and as.
An don't bust out yer pantaloons, an
don't wear out yer shoes
Say yessum to the ladies. and yesslr to
An when they's company don't pass yer
plate fr pie again.
But thinkIn' ny the things you'd like to
see upon that tree,
Jes' fore Christmas be as good as you
kin be!
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
SECULAR SHOTS AT PULPIT.

Philadelphia Ledger: The most impress
sive fact in the world today is the
annual distribution of 2sOOO,OOo copies OF
the Bible.
st. Louis Globe-D Democrat. Rev Mr..
Kelley. Of Cincinnati is an original and
daring expertmenter. He is providing
free lunch in his church from 730 to
$50 every night, his purpose being 20
attract men who can not be induced TO
come to church in any other way. The
boldness of his plan is not in providing
OF feed with talk. 1t is in having the
feed precede the talk, In the order OF
exercises.
Sioux City journal: Fortunately for the
welfare of society the Catholic church is
charged with good many things that
are not so. A statement made recently
by Cardinal Gibbons in a sermon at
Baltimore may serve TO ease the minds
of some tlmid people 81 do not wish TO
see the day." the cardinal said, when
the church will invoke and seek govern
ment aid TO build our churches or
subsidize our clergy. For then the civil
rulers might dictate the doctrines we
are to preach" The cardinal referred
to the happy condition now existing
among us" and hoped It might always
continue"
Springfield Republican; A mild biblical
controversy has been started in England
by the declaration OF the archeologist.
DIR. Handbook. lecturing at the British
museum. that the walls of Jericho we're
not 80 completely destroyed as is sug-
gested in the book of Joshua, which
states that they fell down fiat.' He
has Of course been accused Of impugn-
ing the veracity OF the Bible and Is crit
icized with special severity by those
who had decided from the narrative that
the wall must have sunk bodily till the
top was level with the ground, for other
wise Rahab and her house on the wall
would have Jared badly. Much laborious
thought has been expended on this pas
sage, rationalists having held. for ex-
ample. that the trumpets sounded the
keynote OF the walls 80 that they were
destroyed by sympathetic" vibrations.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
LoOlSipSBaclmardH
Day in Omaha ..
eoNpuFS Yro,s an. y,trs --4k@D
DECEMBER IF,
'nEB Tno,s arr uLEs

Thirty Years Ago
The Omaha German club gave a dance
in the spacious dining room at the NIL
lard, with twenty-eight couples attend
ing. as follows: Messrs. Morris. Pater-
son, N. Bsrkalow. J. T. Clarke, Dundy.
Dickey. Saunders. N. Crary. w. Crary,
A. $. Patrick, E. p. Peck. Beach, Rem
ington, Davis, Kirkeudall. wood, Wells,
Berlin, Ross. Deuel.. Brock. Gariichs, Nc
MILAN. Thayer, and Misses Berlin,
Bishop. Dora Lehmer. N. Lehmer, Bar
ton, Tompkins, Mccormick. Lake. Heth
Richardson, Doane, Balcombe, Chambers.
Reed, Saunders, Smith Of st. Joseph,
Boyd, and Mesdames f. P. Reed. Davis.
Kirkendall. Ben Wood, f. V. Barkaiow
and Dundy
Articles Of Incorporation are also filed
for the Cunning Street Railway company
by A. ]. Poppleton, 5. d. Mercer, J. ID.
Furey, John l. McCague and George p.
Bemis.
Faculty and students OF the Omaha
Medical college enjoyed an oyster supper
at Wirths last night Those present
we're Drs. Denise Gibbs. Moore, Carter
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
A Strictly Party Measure.

AS confidently predicted. despite
assurances that It would be consid-
cred and acted upon as a nonpartisan
measure, the currency bill has been
propelled through the, senate by the
sole force OF the democratic caucus
machinery. On the final roll call
every one Of the democrats In the sem
ate recorded his vote to protect his
claim to party regularity, and the
half dozen republicans and lone pro-
gressive Joining them presumably did
so to indicate that they believe the
new currency bill an Improvement
Notwithstanding its shortcomings.
The currency bill, therefore, has run
the gauntlet Of the senate as much as
a party measure as It did that Of the
house. II goes now to the confer
ence committee, which may be relied
on not only to expedite its proceed.
ings, but also TO put on the finishing
touches precisely as the man in the
White House wants them. The act
will be known as the Glass-Owen law,
but It will have the party trademark
all over II, and owe its being to the
guaranty OF President Wilson on the
label.
Omaha daily bee., 1913-12-21
The Nobel Prize

The awarding OF the Nobel peace
prize for 1913 to Senator Root for
actual achievement during the
period 19O5-19OS leads to the usual
confused discussion of the Nobel
prize system as contemplating
merely world peace enterprise, when
as n matter of fact the original in
tent was to endow the leaders in five
domains. This provision was made
by the late Bernard Nobel, the
Scandinavian manufacturer Of dyna-
mite, in his last will and testament,
setting aside the interest accruing
from certain investments into five
equal amounts for the awarding OF
prizes for the most important dis
covery OF invention in physics, dis
covery or improvement in chemistry,
discovery in physiology or medicine,
the production in the field Of liter
ature the most distinguished work
OF an idealist tendency" and finally
for the best promotion OF "the fra
ternity Of nations and the abolition
or diminution OF standing armies
and the formation and increase OF
peace congresses"
Most has been made OF the peace
prize and least OF the literary pro-
duction of an ideal tendency" Yet
not many prizes for world peace ac-
tivities have been awarded, none for
the last year, which has been rather
unfruitful in such achievements.
For a time following the cessation
of hostilities between Russia and
Japan--for assisting in which Theo-
dore Roosevelt gained a Nobel prize
the world peace propaganda flour
ished as never before nor since. and
The Hague was magnified every
where among civilized powers as the
reservoir of this stream OF amity
touching the shores Of many nations.
Now. hardly has the splendid Palace
OF Peace been completed than this
tide seems TO have receded and rul-
ers gravely stop TO cavil over the
tangible Influence OF The Hague.
Men now speak OF the evanescent
character of world peace much more
than they extol the virtues of the
Carnegie peace foundation and the
Rockefeller plan of exterminating
war. while talk of disarmament is
completely drowned out in the clash
and confusion abroad.
IL mag not be altogether pleasant
TO contemplate these things. but II
Il leads TO a new awakening of the
zeal. based upon more tangible
ideas, 80 much the better. We have
yet to await the results OF the Bryan
probationary peace treaty plan. Per-
haps they shall evolve occasion for
the next award.