davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21
MEWCO'S STRANGE CHRISTMAS

gathered UP by the household servants
as their first Christmas tokens. me
little children of the poorer classes,
however. seize their broken pieces as
their only Christmas gifts.
After the nightly breakings OF the
"pinatas'' the weather. Mexicans ENJOY
a sumptuous feast. generally spread on
a long table Three and sometimes four
generations make q family supper gath,
ering Of fifty or more. The 'posadas,
are repeated throughout Mexico nightly
until the oath day of December. and they
transform the people into a hilarious ana
demonstratively affectionate lot. Thou
sands of dollars are expended by the
weather. Glasses on their series OF
festivities The fina' fiesta is fol owed
by the Christmas eve supper, the 'noche
buena.''
The supper menu of the poor is neces-
sarily simple; the rich. however, make It
the piece de resistance of the Christ
mas celebrations. Thew have the large
appetizing "pavo.' turkey, as a central
feature of the richly laden table. The
famous "noche buena" salad is made OF
many delicacies. among which are
peanuts. grapes. and favored with wines
of rare vintage. The gamut OF drink
ables Is run from the pu que of the poor
through the various Mexican wines TO
pagnes After the supper they have the
graceful ceremonial Mexican dances re-
sembling our old Fishers hornpipe"
and quadrillee. The musical accompani-
ments are rendered by the peculiar me-
lodious Mexican bands. The midnight
mass follows. called ia misa del gallo.
the mass of the rooster.
This ''pascuas de Navidad,' the joy of
the Nativity. celebration in Mexico, Will
be observed by Huertalistas and Carran-
zalistas, alike, for a very brief season.
during which battle and murder will
give way to seemingly brotherly love.
Mexico's Thanksgiving day. .'dia de
Gracias," is the last day of the year.
The Mexicans' nearest approach to our
Santa Claus and Christina gifts is the
Eel dia de los reyes the day of the
kings, as seen in Latin countries
generally.
They then make gifts to their dear
ones similar to our Christmas giving.
The Mexicans who have travelled abroad,
and in our land especially. sometimes
have Christmas trees. They call the tree
'arbol de Navidad." the tree OF the
Nativity
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21
DAY ON UNCLE SANS SHIPS

even King Neptune, when he comes on
beard on crossing the line to douse
every hayseed and landlubber, has a for
midable and certainly most popular rival
in the spirit of Christmas
1t matters little whether the ship be
anchored at Havana or blowing through
in the Neva or bouncing about in ''the
roaring forties'' of Australian waters. the
distance from home and friends renders
it incumbent On all to do their levei best
to make at least brave try for Merry
Christmas" though in truth they may feel
like the little boy who ''whistied that he
might not weep"
* x
And so. albeit one and another may
now and then stifie a sigh for loved ones
far away-he hopes alive and wei. In the
land OF liberty. but .or all he knows even
now passed on to the regions of the
blessed-the celebration is always carried
out with the greatest poss BILE zest
Routine drills are suspended, and, ex-
cept for cleaning ship, cleanliness being
In the navy deemed not only akin to, but
actually along side of and running a neck
and-neck race with goodness itse +, not a
lick of avoidable work is allowed to be
done by anybody.
"All hands" are called, to be sure, on
schedule time. but more men than usual
are allowed to sleep in" and, after the
tin est minimum of tidying up, prepara-
tons for the days festivities are gotten
under way
There is an elaborate athletic program
which bes ms in the forenoon, and, afte..
an hour or so off for dinner at midday,
continues well along toward sunset. Sail
ors are taught to be thorough. So they
go at their potato races and pie-eating
contests and tugs of war and jumping
contests with the same fervor that they
show when trying for thirteen-inch
turret-gun record or stamping out Cen
trail American revolution. There is no
lack of interest that can be depended on.
And when mess call is sounded they are
tired enough to stop skylarking for
while and hungry enough to do full JUS
tice to the traditional dinner, which, in
these latter days of supply ships and
cold storage. is just as ample and as
tempting in the Bay Of Biscay or In mid
Pacific as it would be if the ship were
tied up alongside the cookbook in Brooklyn
navy yard or lying off the custom house
wharf in Charleston.
1t need scarcely be said that. for a
while at least. there is lull in the
active proceedings after. dinner. Even
men who go down to the sea in ships
need q little undisturbed rest after doing
justice to soup and vegetables, turkey
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21
HENoDERN AoBHY NoRSE CovERED W1TH
REAL NORSE-HIpE, SELLS For TWENTY DOLLARS

both Riddles and grown-ups what modern
invention has done for toyland. Take the
hobby horse. Today the tots ride aw Y
to Happyland upon steeds whose COZ, -
are of real horse hair. and whose coa-
struction is such as to give practically
the same motion as a real horse In action.
Yet look at the first hobby horse! Pat
ented in 1852 it was nothing more pre-
tentious than a child s rocking chair with
a horses head attached. Since then near
ly 300 different designs for hoDDy horses
have been patented.
And right in line with the hobby horse
has come one Of the greatest strides IN
the making of toys. Time was when all
ed Today they can be seen SO real. as
far as looks are concerned. that at
short distance they seem alive. There is
the lion that crouches and springs, great
grandson Of the stin lion which tommy
used to carry beneath his chubby arm.
and whose coat was OF cloth. his name.
most likely. of rope.
But this other lion stands as nigh as
Johnny himself, and if his coat is not
of real skin it is at least as natural as
tie art of today can make it. And by
winding up the mechanical device inside
this wicked-'ooking monster stoops low,
and observation-disclosures the air ne
springs! And along with such as this
comes the baby elephant that walks, as
stately as any In far-off India.
But even such toys as these are not
the ones in which tie true genius of the
present day is manifested to it's highest
extent 1t is in the more intricate me
chanical devices. upon which all the
art Of modern science has been brought
to bear.
The real craze of today is the set OF
building blocks Yes, they can be called
that. With the more expensive sets
there comes a motor, to be sure. and
instead OF being of wood these blocks
are of structural steel. But to all IN
tents and purposes they are the build
ing blocks of days now passed: In
struct while you amuse your child mas
come to be the cry of the day, and all
science and art has fiocked to the rescue
These steel construction sets are com
posed of small Orders. such as are seen
in the great buildings erected in any
city. Rivets. screws, wheels, pulleys
and all the other devices known to the
art OF construction are included in these
sets More than a hundred toys can
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

They Come From the
United States Patent
Omce-World's Prog
ress MirTored in the
Lake of Toyland[
Santa's Pack This Year
Will Contain Many
Wonderful and Ingen-
ious Toys and Dolls
Those of a By-Gone
Day-Advance lnfor-
nation Straight From
Santa Claus Land.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

that small toy so dear TO the heart OF
the child. And today what child has
not stood-open-eyed and filled with awe
in front of some huge shop window
wherein was displayed an exact repro
duction of an aerOplane which would fly.
At the patent office they will tell you
that the trend of patents in toys follows
very closely upon modern Invention itself.
And in this connection there Is an in
teresting point. Time was when every
thing was classified under general divi-
sion of toys and games But as the
inventions came in faster, more subdi-
visions had TO be made.
And so il YOU go to the big Office today
to find a patent on miniature aero
plane you will not find it in the division
handling toys and games. Instead you
must go to the same division as that
brothers are to be found. Hobnobbins
Familiarity with all the inventions for
these great birds of the air are to be
found the little birdlets, the inventions
which have been made solely for the
purpose of amusing children.
1t is the same Win engines, wagons,
magic lanterns, the more modern motion
picture machines. etc. Only when toy
falls naturally under the general CLASH
fication of toys and games is 1t sent
to that division: otherwise it goes to the
division handling specific patents on the
subject it represents.
X x
Because all children love the merry-go-
round. modern invention has brought
smaller, indoor merry-go-rounds. These
can be put up in child's playroom and
run by the children themselves And
right in line with this, one of the first,
if not the very first, invention ever pat
ented to amuse children was round
about
Perhaps few children today will recog-
nize their friend the ry-go-round when
disguised under the name roundabout.
And yet in 1897. the patent office issued
it's first patent for just such an amuse-
ment device as this. Nearly eighty years
old, this roundabout looks little like the
modern merry-e~ rounds, with their roar
ing lions, rearing horses and fleet deer.
And vet. how happy the children OF
three-quarters of a century ago must have
been, Today there are more than 800
patents in the class of ''roundabOuts.
A visit to any of the toy shops at this
season of the year will serve to show
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

But there are so many games and so
many books that il would take Santa
Claus himself to tell you of them all
AS You are going down an aisle you spy
a dolls house. oh, such dolls house.
1t has an old-fas h.oned porch, two sto-
ries high and at all the windows are
flower boxes. And here. rig II next 10 IL.
lis Just what you have Always wanted
a store and doll house combined. -Four
rooms, furnishel complete, while the gro
Gerry store is the sto:e you have all
dreamed about. And as you fy around
to the next aisle you almost trip over
something It's a pair of stills. And IL
father were along he might truly tell you
that they weren't a BIT better than the
ones he got when he was just your size.
Stills are plentiful among the patents.
and one of the first designs patented
seems as practical as anything ever IN
vented since. But right next comes
skipping rope hanging Imply on hook.
How different it looks from one kind OK
skipping rope that was invented shortly
after the civil war. That one wasn't
limp at all. but could be used as hoop
Just as well. In fact, il was called a
skipping hoop" When it was opened
and q bar inserted il was the skipping
rope. and was all right as long as u
didn't hit You on the shins.
Just about this time you spy small
white dolls dresser. But brother.
around the corner, yells excitedly for
mother. He has found a great big auto
mobile that runs. Ii is a wagon, and ne
wants to Chamber in. And-just about
this time mother discovers IL is time to 90
home. Why, goodness me, it's almost din
ner time. And then-down shoots the
elevator you are soon out Of the store
and the visit to toyiand is over
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

classified under the heading wheel toys
are toys built upon wheels which when
pulled along by the child perform some
action. The object may be butterfly
which when moved flaps its wings, or it
may be a college boat crew, with eight
oarsmen all of whom row vigorously
when the toy is pu led. Such toys as
these come by the hundreds from the
simple little devices sold on the street by
fakirs for 10 cents apiece up to the ones
which cost several dollars and constitute
the highest point yet reached in their
particular field.
Sounding wheel toys is yet another
classification which the patent office has
made and which refers to those toys.
similar in construction to the other. that
make noises when pulled. Taking all
such toys as these a general C ass.
about 600 patents have been issued. One
interesting patent in this connection was
issued in 1891 to D. w. Murphy, at that
time a boy of six.
This toy was simple enough. being
merely sounding toy, in contradistinc-
ton to those on wheels, and was design
ed as a cheap method of making noise.
1t might serve, said it's inventors lawyer.
either for an enterprising young boy or
for the baby. 1t consisted of nothing
more pretentious than several small
the hand was moved in certain way
the pieces of wood were caused to move
and make the noise.
* x
A new toy this year shows an inclined
railway up and down. which runs a sand
car. When it is at the top it releases n
stop and sand pours into the car from :.
funnel. When fun it becomes heavier
than weight attached at the back and
SO races down hill to dump its load.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

nee upon a time.
long ago, up at
the north pole
sat two old white
haired gentlemen.
One was short and
fat. the other tall
and thin. One
was dressed in
red. edged with
white fur. the
other in red, white
and blue One
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

cnIoren VINO Woluu wan. tue oie ni'i""
Of toys.
But this year so many letters have
come to him asking for the modern toys
and so few asking for the old-time IA
vorites-the kind that the children used
TO love even a few years ago-that Santa
had to put nearly all his men to making
the mechanical toys.
He sometimes wonders where in the
world all the ideas for new toys come
from. and how can people THINK up so
many new things. Once upon time Il
single volume held all the designs he
needed Today he has whole room
devoted to nothing but books filled with
designs. And every year Uncle Sam
sends him more and more. Pretty soon,
thinks Santa Claus, he will have TO
build a special house just for them.
ANY one who does not believe this
story Of how Uncle Sam is helping Santa
Claus find new toys for the children has
only to 60 to the patent Office in Wash
inRton There he will find an entire
Division given over to taking care Of
the new toys and games that are con-
tinually being invented.
everybody knows that Santa wants new
ideas for toys for his children, and SO
Uncle Sam is kept busy finding out
which are new and which are old.
T 'ousands OF the patents which the
patent office has issued in the last fifty
years have been granted for new in
ventions in playthings for children. To-
day the invention OF toys is well
recognized profession.
.
More than that. The world can be
said to be a huge city built around
deep lake, still and clear. This lake is
toyland. And everything that is done in
the great city all around this lake is
mirrored in that clear water. When
engines began to run from one part of
the world to another, the lake had It's
reflection, crude, but still miniature
engine. Then, as the engine became a
wonderful thing in the world of inven-
ton and science. so it became Won
derful thing in toyland, running upon
tracks, going through tunnels, stopping
at stations and crossing bridges. Just
as the trains in the city around the lake
did. so did the tiny trains mirrored in
the water.
All the progress of the world has been
mirrored in the lake of toyland. With
the coming of the automobile there came
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

4 Ii over the world Uncle Sans sail
~ ormen viii, celebrate Christmas day
= next Thursday as only seafarlng
men can. On all the. big ships OF the
navy the day will be fittingly observed IN
true navy fashion.
Observance of this chief of all ma
tional holidays varies. of course, in form
with the location of the feet at the time.
Into each Of the continental nome
Observation-Disclosures of certain individual
vessels-the big gray monsters nave
been dropping in by twos and threes, UNI
til in New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk
and San Francisco it looks almost like
naval review. They have to give the
boys in blue a run on the beach-"liber-
ty," as they call it in the service-and
every manjack who is not actually under
punishment is allowed and encouraged
to take h s look at the bright lights. go
home on leave or uptown for FUN or any
thing else he likes as long as his money
lasts but away from the ship in any
event This custom applies not alone to
the enlisted men, but to the officers AS
we'll. and when Christmas morning dawns
in a home port there are not Liable to
war than the regulations call for as the
minimum.
The few "shipkeepers" cannot under
such circums ances make very success
full effort toward merriment, but what
they lack in numbers they invariably
make I'D in other ways. one of these be-
ing the complete satisfaction of the inner
man. There are turkeys and fruit cakes
galore for the men as we'll as the officers.
and in a quiet way all hands make the
best of it. even though they are not lucky
enough to go home
In accordance with immemorial Gus
tom, the mastheads are decorated with
green. with a touch of color also about
the decks, whereas the individual deco
rations of tables forward are often elab-
crate, if not, indeed, pretentious.
At that, however. Christmas is usually
a quiet day in home ports. because Of the
number of authorized absentees. Abroad
and at sea, though. it is altogether diff
ferent Every soul aboard, from the usu-
ally sedate flag officer and the more or
less unapproachable first lieutenant down
to "Jimmy-legs," the ships COOK and the
messenger boy. voluntarily constitutes
himself a committee of one to see the
thing through in ''oid navy iashioi, ana
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07
MANY USES OF THE MAGUEY
Species Of Cactus That Supplies the
Mexicans With Medicine, Drink
and Fiber.

in Mexico there is a plant that
feeds a greater number OF persons In
more different ways than is known
perhaps in any other country OF the
world.
The maguey is species OF cactus
which thrives In profusion on the
great mesa Of the republic OF Mexico,
II Is perhaps the most remarkable
plant. as regards Its utilization. OF all
the more common tropical plants on
earth
In this country plant OF the same
family Is known as the century plant.
but OF course the variety In Mexico Is
different, and here apparently the
plant is used for ornamental purposes
This plant throws out tiny sprouts
with from five to eight branches edged
with small espinas, or needles. which
identify Ii as of the cactus family
II does not attain to it's full growth
until its fifth year. but II may be made
useful two years earlier. In Its third
year one or all OF It's branches are
tapped. making cavities in the sides OF
the branch In which the sap or juice
Of the plant collects.
This latter liquid Is what is known
In Mexico as aqua miel, avn etticacious
medicine In many disorders OF the hu.
nap system. but 1t must be used aa
such the first day after 1t Is picked
II allowed to stand fermentation takes
place and the aqua miel changes into
what is known as the most common
of the intoxicating drinks Of Mexico
pulque
When distilled, pulque is the great
natjonal drink of Mexico and Ia known
as mescal The mescal distilled 10
he state OF San Luis Potosi Is re-
garced as the best quality and Ia
called tequila
II Is not only in It's medicinal and
drinking qualities that the maguey
plant is useful. It is one OF the most
important fiber plants in Mexico. aud
is utilized in the weaving OF baskets
and clothing II is a tough fiber, but
Rs flexible as linen thread.--Wash-
lngton Post
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07
Well Supplied.

A young woman of Baltimore, who
recently entered upon the happy state,
knows so little about housekeeping
that she shudders lest the butcher and
the baker and the rest OF the trades
men discover her ignorance. She or
iers only articles with which she has
some acquaintance, and ends her bust
ness interviews as quickly as possible
On one occasion this young wife was
feeling rather puffed up by reason OF
some newly acquired knowledge OF
things domestic, when the ashman
came through the street, uttering his
usual cry:
"Ash-eesl Ash-eesl"
AS the man neared her window she
grew more and more perplexed What
on earth is he saying?" she asked her
self At last he appeared at the back
door, and there she confronted him
"Ash-ees?" came in a husky gut
teral.
For moment she looked at him
hesitatingly Then. drawing herself up
with great dignity. she replied
mo. do not care for any today
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07
Want No More FunIcuIara.

In memorial presented recently
TO the Swiss government the ligue for
the preservation OF scenery In that
country asks that no more concessions
should be granted for the construction
Of Alpine railways
1t is probable that concessions in
the future may not be obtained so
easily as In the past. as there is q Ger.
tain amount OF feeling in. the country
that these railways. though they GER
tainly appeal to large number OF Wis
itors do not improve the beauty of
the Alps.
Many OF the mountaineering visit
ors dislike these railways. but they
very seldom care to climb on foot a
height which can be scaled In a COM
Portable carriage Such a mountain
loses al' cNe-m. = errecrs, scr &C
pedestrian and he generally goes of
to districts where the mountain rail-
way nas not been introduced The
Queen.
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07
Extra Legislative Session
RuslQreds


A rumor was ssn1oul from Snata Re
last Monday to the effect that it is pos-
.ole that Governor Mcdonald will call
special session Of the state legislat-
ure next January fer the purpose of. it
said, relieving the financial crlslsv
that confronts New Mexico.
The dispatch sent out from. Santa Fe
says:
"A special session Of the New Mex
lco legislature to be held in January,
i now strongly rumored in the cAptoi.
and some definite expression regarding
It Is sAps ctec 70 be made BY Governor
w c, Mcdonald, when the executive
returns to this city tomorrow from
we ks yisit 70 his ranch at Carrizozo
and to the Pecos valley.
That the state is now confror ted
with financial crisis, in known, since
the raises by the state board of equali-
zation, of the assessments made by the
county assessors throughout the state,
has caused a storm of protest from
taxpayers generally, including corpor-
ations, and infseyeral instances the
Courts have been appealed to by pro-
perty owners who are determined to
resist the raises made
Attorneys argue that in all proba-
bility the courts will decline to take
jurisdiction. thus leaving matters in
a state Of choas. Such a condition
naturally would force the calling of a
special session Of the legislature.
"Those who claim to be on the ire
side, I" say that while the governor has
always opposed special session Of the
Legislature to settle the troublesome
county salaries problem, that he might
look with favor on an extraordinary
session, providing for both the taxation
question and the county salaries prob
lem would be solved.''
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07

Will the world ever have sanity
enough to end the waste entailed by
constant preparation for war. Secre-
tary of the Navy Daniels, following
the thought of the British first lord
of the admiralty, Winston Churchill,
talks hopefully Of limiting the building
of battleships by international agree
ment. The proposition by Churchill
was curtly rejected by Germany, and
the kaiser's government will continue
to build floating fortresses. But for
every keel laid by Germany there will
be two laid by Great Britain.
With all the rest of the world in
creasing its fighting strength, the
United States cannot take the risk of
being lagg I'd in preparation for an
eventually which might involve the
very istence Of the nation.
But when thoughtful people contem-
plate the following list of expenditures
of few of the nations on Their arma-
ments, they must stand appalled, at the
monstrous waste involved and the
49,, -. y.,,n 4, l<,,n ;.,ax,noad.
Sierra County advocate., 1913-11-07
ElFEGO BACA,

Attorney and Councellorat Law,
ALRUQUERQUE. NEW MEA
VIII be present at all temrs of Court of
Bernal llo, Valencia, Socorro and Sier-
ra Countess.
Deal good Gold, Silver and Coppe-
Mining Properties n New Mexico.