davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
A GIFT.

Christmas. dear:
M hat can a penniless rimester
w sard
Il the wish that when skies
are filed WITH gloom
For you ht.tIe April buds rsay bloom
And that very throb of the heart of YOU
May VII PEI Of DAYS when The SKIES were
blue
WHAT shall / send yoa Tor Christmas
sweet"
What can friendless minstrei send
But the prayer that when DAYS drag drcar
and long
Your heart win sing snatches Of sweetest
song
And that every nake OF the Ymetide-
snow
May speak Of the dreams Of the long ago.
What shah send you for Christmas. my
own
What can a lonely bardiins send
But the wish that when life grows dark
and Chil
The roses of summer may bloom for YOU
sim
And in moods when the fond old dreams
stiu cling to you
Tha; The birds may return. my sweet and
sing . Nau2
Irving Dillon 10 Life
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
The Christmas Spirit.

christmas is 4 good institution, he 1t
examined from any angle. The Christ
mas spirit is ono to foster and encour-
age IL means nnseltiShnesS, charity,
peace. iiberaliry. good cheer. all deSir
able traits in themselves and all teud
ing 10 make the world a better place
While the Christmas holiday is
Christian institution IN name no one
religion holds a monopoly Of the Christ
mas spirit. 1t is common 10 all reli-
gions. 1t means a striving 10 make
others happier, IN effort 10 better con
ditions for mankind 1t means sharing
your good fortune no matter how
small the portions may be. 1t is the
essence of the Golden Rule
While one can do much good 10 OF
ers by the radiation of the Christmas
spirit. the greatest good IS done to one
self No man can bcstow a gift. either
material or spiritual. on another with
out beneftin@ himself He must ele-
yate himself by the exercise Of the
emotions that Christmas calls forth.
and this elevation must he more or less
permanent No man can he much diff
terent one day in the year from what
he is the other 364 DAYS.
50 blessed be the spirit Of Christ
mas, Exercise Ii during the closing
days of December aud YOU can't hell
but be the better for it, aud you cant
help bur continue is benevolent iufu
euces during the months that follow
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
Member OF the Associated Press.
MONDAY. DECEMBER -. 1913.
DANGEROUS ADVICE.

! i'''a'ur9h physician has mace
''' ''' i'''"'''', PN declaring that al
'''''s 'o""i jag Is 'I benefit 40 some
persons Paftl'ul"Fi\ professional men,
"s :" f'I'e''9 the mental STRAIN under
"''.' ''e\ We're Iaeorln2 and helps
'"em To meet the demands 81 business
more s"'' ''Sl'ii>' me doctor say
'A"t the advice IS not suited i" all
classes Oh persons and that it must ho
take" carefully. bat II - doubtful in
'hat part - his statement win he
slNfn a~ much attention as the Iir-f
section.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22

Tho Senate has passed the currency
bin and it is pretty sure to 90 through
the House with = rush. The need Of
some sort Of currency reform has been
recognized Cor years, and the RepubH-
cans attempted to make changes in the
Law, but owing to the opposition Of
western men TO anything with which
the name Of Aldrich was connected they
were unable to make amy important
changes. Banking Interests of the
country are almost unanimous in disap,
proval OF the new law
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22

Brattlehoro s building record for the
year 1913, which is published in TO.
days Reformer, shows that the town
has been maintaining its steady
growth. While the total expenditure
for now construction is not so large as
it was in 1911 or 1912 the falling off
IS due to the fact that few large struc-
lures have been erected. The bulk Of
the building during the past year has
been Of residential nature. and tho
demand for homes is the best evidence
in the world that Bratt1eboro : growth
is OF the substantial kind.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
TO SUISSE RIsERS

1t Is the aim OF the management to
secure efficient service in the delivery Of
the paper each night and it solicits the
cooperation or subscribers to that end.
Prompt report shouiG be given OF each
failure to receive the paper on the morn
ing following the omission, In person, by
telephone or postal card, thus enabIins
the cause of the error to b3 promptly and
accurately discovered ana the proper
remaQy Immediately applied. 1t Is only
oy this method that the publisher can Sc
cure the desired service.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
TT NEEDS CANDY

To top of with Christmas la. There
IS Doy store il southern Vermont
that has such al assortment OF fresh
candies as We have. We put thoul ~
III any sort Of 6 fancy box o. basket
You wish aud the luali' compares with
aav on the market anywhere. Phone
Your order II von 10 rot wish 70 spend
The time to come in.-A. T.. Miller 20
Main street
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22

People who make il 4 point to keep
abreast OF the times will be glad to
know that the Vermont Insurance Re
port for 1912 is now being distributed.
II memory serves us Alright this record
is slightly better than that established
in the days Of Fleetwood and Dcavitt.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22
TO ADVERTls ERS.

Transient advertsins-Run Of paper,
90 cents on inch for FIRST Insertion; 20
cents an inch for each subsequent in
sertion. Limited SPACE on first page ut
double rates.
Space rates on application.
Classified advertisements Five cents
q line first insertion with 30 FER cent dis
count for each subsequent insertion
without change OF copy.
ReGuing Notices-'Fen cents q Enc first
insertion with 90 per cent discount for
each subsequent insertion without change
Of copy.
Position, 10 per cent extra.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22

vice &c much rs the city Of Spring
field nets annually from this sale. Il :
81 IN the system.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-22

You can still shop early-in the
morning. That viii help the ever work
"a clerks little
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1913-04-01
Marty o'TooIe.

Barney Dreyfuss Stung"
Marty O'Toole Loses Another
Camel
How often in 1912 did these words
decorate sporting pages in big, black
The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, 1913-04-01

head-letter type?
How often did the fans say, Gust
as thought"
These million dollar stars never
make good"
"O'Toole's bloomer and Barney's
stung, stinged, stang"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
The Country Dreamed About.

had TO walk the rest Of the distance from:
Lacy up to what was called ." the flats" :
great sea of land 1t was where the absence
Of gumbo and rock formation made 1t much
sought after. Nate Crawford went with me
to help locate my tract. 1t was the way
he earned money to keep him going O..
that was a great Afternoon when we walked
over the stretching acres and picked out
my own quarter section.
1 came back down to Pierre, paid my $i4
filing fee had the papers made out, and
felt like a new being. was to be allowed
six months yet before going on my clai.
and I decided to get some sort Of work in
Pierre That winter L helped draymar in
the capital city, and not week vert by bn.
what had some word from Inga.
The next spring Inga and 1 were married
in Pierre and when the prairies wee green
ard the meadow larks were singing she ana
Edrove out together with TEX" 1t was not
much Of a shack that | had. Suit the Vice..
hefore-jGst enc room bis enough % NEE,
the government requiem erts-but it was
home. The acres mat stretched about ii
were TO belong to lnga and to me AS soon as
We should live upon IT the allotted fourte. IL
months period OF time
1t was sfar cry from Joe's place-tha.
homestead wayTo there on the Dakota
prairies. One night after supper. when
had been working late in our garden. stood
musing for long time. Itis wonderful what
the afterslow of a prairie sunset can DE
at times! lpga came UP from behind me to
know what could be the matter.
This, :" I said reverently. :this is the
America about which dreamed"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
They Were All Machines.

Several customers were ahead Of me, 80
I waited my turn, glancing about at fruit
and labels. When my turn came / asked
for a certain priced coffee, ground. With a
deft movement the clerk reached behind
him and 10, the coffee, neatly tied, was not
exactly hurled at me, with an abrupt What
nextT. Well. some sugar. half a dollars
worth, granulated; presto. another turn and
the sugar was dumped before me with a
quick precision. / inquired the price OF
apples: il was given with a curt impatience
and How many do you WANT Now did
not want any at that price and asid SO. I
then asked for certain brand OF peaches
and was briefly Informed that they never
carried that grade.
- saw that the clerk was plainly hdgeting
at my foolish questions, 50 / paid for the
sugar and coffee and left the automatic one
to resume with Next
II then went to the store in the next
block. but conditions were the same as at
the first Proceedings moved with the same
machine-like regularity. For several days
was an indefatigable purchaser of
groceries, and found few stores that were
run by live human beings instead of mechan
ism men. At one Place where the pendulum
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
Keeping Away from Competitive
Statesmen Helped Sell the Goods
By C.. r. COOPER.

IN the smoking compartment the old
timer was telling the new recruit some
of the fine points of the business.
Don't go around proclaiming that you
represent such and such house" he be-
gan. " Advertising is all right in its way.
but when you can get out of letting any one
excep. the man you want to sell to know
that you are q salesman all the better In
my younger days that helped a lot
For fifteen years ! worked as a type
writer salesman, but I'll bet if you go back
to where / did that work You can't find any
salesman who will remember me. The rea-
son is that they never had a chance to know
me. / kept away from them. 1 did not go
to their regular place for luncheon didn't
associate with them. and didn't let any of
them know what business | was in.
The reason was plain when 1 got ahead
of them. They did not know i was in the
business, and / could often work right along
with them without their knowledge Twas
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04

AZ ANY a fairly prosperous groceryman
/" lives to see the business that he has
wv built up with time and money gradu-
ally drift away from him to a less
promising appearing tradesman.
whose shabby store seems to lack system and
neatness and whose methods seem slow in
comparison with the progressive air which
characterizes the more up to date place.
A man who is making a success Of the bust
ness in spite Of many odds to contend with
ut the beginning had this to say:
When / first Decided 10 engage In the
grocery business 1 studied the question from
all sides, but mainly from that of the Gus
toner. Location, furnishings, appearance.
all have certain value, but they are sec
ondary to the customer. The latter 10 the es-
sential quality; and l say to any one con-
templating starting in business, first catch
your customer then study him well.
So l put myself in the customers place
for the time being In order to learn what
could to my advantage, and became patron
of the modern grocery. The first place that
1 entered was typical of the majority, and
could plainly see that II was up to the
latest notch in everything pertaining to the
grocery line. The clerks all seemed busy.
] had not made list OF the articles that l
wanted to buy, depending upon my memory
and looking about to see what was at hand;
! also wished to get some information as to
prices and brands.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04

selling goods while they were waiting to see
their man. BY the time they got in to him
l had done my work and was gone. Many a
time I've walked right past two or three
statesmen and into an Office, made my deal
and departed, and the walters did not find
out that the man had bought until hours
afterward.
And it gave them no chance to work
against me- Often. when one salesman
would include. all the other makes of type
writer in his lipe of talk-showing how much
better his machine was than any others man
ufactured he would. Of course. also dis
parage the salesman of that machine and
his methods of selling. Nothing compE-
mentary ever was said. But when wasn't
known couldn't be knocked. and sometimes
too the name of my machine was left out
Therefore went to my customer practice
ally with the recommendation of silence from.
the other statesmen. And it helped to sell
my goods"
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
She Calls Him on the Phone.

Mrs. Sanford has the telephone habit 1t
is common habit with women MIRA San-
ford's habit consists of ringing up Sanford
about four times each day. There is pri-
vate exchange in the office. but even then
sometimes all Of the lines are busy and t
!nterferes with the business routine OF the
office.
The effect on Sanford is even more serious
Just as he has settled down to work out a
bit Of business, Mrs Sanford rings up to nnd
out whether he prefers steak or chops for
supper or whether he thinks the weather
is too bad for her to walk over to Mrs How
ards. Sanford is annoyed, but he doesn't
want TO hurt her feelings, so he talks po-
litely, ringing off as soon as he can. Per-
haps the call lasted only minute two.
but IL destroyed Sanford's train of thought
for a good ten minutes
Sometimes Mrs. Sanford is offended by his
brusque tone and rings up Immediately after
ward to see II he is angry about anything.
OF course Mrs. Sanford likes to go out
in the evening. She isn't as frivolous is some
women, but she is young and gay and pleas
ure loving and doesn't want to give up
all Of her good times" to use her own ex-
preston, just because she is married
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04

~ ANFORQ didn't get the raise he ex
pected. Another man, younger, less
experienced and lesI able, got it in
~ stead. sanford is angry about it and
is talking about injustice" He
wonders why.
i am the man who occupies the desk next
10 Sanford. / know why Sanford didn't get
the raise. It's a case of " too much wife.
The funny papers are always full Of stuff
abou: too much mother-in-law.' Too
much wife - isn't as common complaint,
but Sanford has it. Sanford is mighty nice
chap He likes his work and be works hard.
Every one wants him to get ahead-and he
would if he were a bachelor or II he were
married to a different sort of a woman.
Sanfords wife starts in destroying his
ability to work early in the morning. About
half of the time he reaches the Office with a
worried look on his face. Those who don't
know ask, Whats the matter, SanfordT,.
sympatheticslly.
Its the wife" answers Sanford. Moth
ing serious you know, only she doesn't feel
well. Complained a little when We came
home last night and didn't get out Of bed
for breakfast this morning. l feel sort of
worried about her. She isn't strong wom-
an, you know"
I've seen Mrs Sanford. She doesn't look
especially husky" but she has plump
face and a good color. She doesn't look,l like
a weakling. Sanford knows that after he
leaves the house in the morning his wife
sleeps for a couple of hours. has breakfast in
bed. and gets up about 10 O'Clock. Sanford
knows that, but Mrs. Sanford has told him
that she doesn't feel well. He isn't the kind
Of a man who can put sickness out Of his
thoughts. So for a couple Of hours. the
best hours IN the day, too, he thinks about
Mrs. Sanford and wonders how she is feel
ing.
You can't think Of two things at once. so
his work suffers. He can't forget Mrs. San
ford's illness until he rings her up about 8
or 10 and finds that she has recovered enough
10 be dressing to go out or thinking about
attending a matinee
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
Foreman Of the Metal Lathers
Shows Where Artist Comes In.
By IRWIN ELLIS.

Well. it consists in laying the founda-
tons for reinforced concrete The work may
be that Of putting in floors where all is
smooth and easy and the quality of the work
car. be judged only by the quickness Of the
workman. But suppose the job is a ceiling to
be finished. where upon the framework de-
ponds the looks Of the Job.
That's where the artistic temperament
comes in. 1.-THE man hasn't certain amount
of the artist in him, n he doesn't understand
symmetry and beauty, the whole thing is
going to be wrong See? Ms the basis Of the
thing that counts Never thought about that.
did you2'' 9
And the visitor admitted his mistake
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
Grocer "Sized Up" His Store
from the Customers Viewpoint.
By PAUL KELLER.
By PAUL KELLER.

swung to the other extreme. though Their,
were no patrons but myself at the time, the
clerk showed plainly that he did not care
fig whether 1 bought or. not, but chatted
gayly with the cashier, and i came away
Evidently the proprietor was out.
Now, customers being only human wan,
little time to ask questions, to consult as
to qualities and prices, and this takes time
When grocer gets so busy that he has nc
time to bother with customers he will Quite
likely soon find more time on his hands than
he is anxious for. But as long as there are
people they have to eat, and often changing
from one grocer to another is like the pro-
fire.
Customer Deserves Consideration.
q, With my experience as customer for a
foundation formulated system for oper-
ating grocery store Irented a small room
in thickly settled district, though there
were already two large grocery stores in the
neighborhood. apparently doing q good bust
ness. ! furnished the room simply, it was
plain and clean. | opened with only supply
of first class dairy products and honey well
advertised. The few customers that first
drifted in were made to feel welcome and
time and respect were given to their queries,
no matter how aimless. / carefully avoided
that semi-detached air so often seen.
The result was that every customer went
away pleased, and their, recommends lions
were the only further advertising necessary.
In few months IS butter and honey
store was pretty well known. Then added
good grade Of canned goods and bread to
my stock. which found ready sale.
:. L always appeared moderately busy be-
fore my customers, but avoided the danger
mark of seeming overbusy. Little by little
aS1 saw q demand for them ! added full
line of groceries to my trade, and some extra
help who were willing to learn my methods
of meeting customers upon their own ground.
within reason; to retain n mes and addre sses
Of customers. respect their little foibles, and
treat them accordingly.
Each patron of the store is regarded as a
unit, deserving of consideration. It, is dead
wrong to treat all alike. There are few per-
sons but Hike to be considered different from
the majority and no oneswants to be thought
a nonentity. l always invite inspection of
my goods, and never forget the viewpoint
of the fellow on the other side of the counter;
1t pays, as ne is the most necessary adjunct
Of the business. I want him to feel that
am in business for him alone, and the battle
is two-thirds Won Our men are never so
busy that machine could do the work as
we'll g.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
3
Hears of Harvest Fields.

10 go broke " within a week after +" hit
ting town had never seemed out of the
expected order OF things, but to have my
me within "a few hours after my first round
OF drinks with the boys aroused a peculiar
anger within me. / remember coming to -
with Joe kicking me out of the place when
l had had but q few drinks. I suspected
Joe. and told my pal Larson, of my hatred
next day when I had risen nauseated. in
body and soul
4" 1t isn't my idea Of America as had
dreamed about it,; I explained to him.
Why should We always come back to Joe $
place and spend our money for booze go
90 he's a good scout" laughed Larson.
you up"
And Larson was right was getting to
that stage of my drinking career where
needed :" bracer." My fingers were shaking
when tried to hold the glass that Joe served
me. As Joe stopped the drinks on the bar
ne remarked that harvest hands were being
needed UP in Dakota.
The Star agency wants fifty men To shin
out tonight" he said. Don't forget Joe's
place when you come back after the work $
over. boys
He knew we were broke and he was f3Rur.
ing ahead.
The harvest nelds-why not? It would he
a change from the cold woods and the bla zing
sunshine on the tracks
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
Can Be Put to Many Uses.

Concrete walks from the back door to out
living buildings help do away with tracked
UP kitchen floors. Cellar floors. cellar steps,
and hatchways, tool houses. coal houses.
poultry houses, ice houses. smoke houses.
plant houses, milk houses-all are Of simple
design and easily can be built Of concrete.
When once constructed of this material dura-
bility and freedom from flre are assured.
There is also the advantage Of cleanliness.
Modern dairying demands absolute cleanlt-
ness and concrete meets this demand
The fact that every shower washes clean the
surface Of a concrete barnyard naturally and
persistently presents to the farmer sug-
gestion of the practicability Of a barn floor
of concrete "A few OF the advantages Of con-
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04
Like Flock of Human Birds.

As Larson and / strolled up towards the
Madison street bridge that evening the glow
in the western sky seemed to have a new
significance. I realized that in the direction
Of the sunset lay the great yellow fields and
that the time Of the year had come when
strong shoulders were needed there
Standing about in dumb groups were hun
dreds Of human birds like ourselves-husky
farm lads from the rich middle west farms
seeking an outing and stake -; lumber
jacks, like I had been, from the northern
woods. newly arrived immigrants looking
for work that could be done with strong
hands; hobos; and here and there a man
for whom some penitentiary yawned. The
whole flock was waiting to lift itself like so
many winged creatures to alight in scattered
fashion over the ripening fields in the north
west.
The harvest fields are no good" broke in
Larson. You work all day and clear into
the night and half the time the grub isn't
fit to eat. No harvest fields for mine. I'm
going to work on that railroad in Ohio
And so it was that Larson and parted
company. 1 shipped that night with fifty
others. Determined that would give the
harvest fields trial Perhaps Larson was
4
the food nothing to brag Of in the'woods and
with the railroad construction work. too.
y X
Arrives in South Dakota.
We were travelling through southern Min
nesota when first caught glimpse Of the
country the next morning. 1t had rained
during the night and the fields had been re-
freshed. was seeing the prairie for the first
time-expanses where fields were of hundreds
of acres, the windmills tab. and the barns
big and red,
Among the gang OF men on the train I
found that several could give actual proof of
their former standing as lawyers. physi>
clans. and ministers. And there were also.
knew. number of suspicious characters
along for no other purpose than to rob and
cheat the real workers when they should be
paid off. Many a foreign tongue was spoken
Though the signs had asked for Austriafs.
Greeks. and Italians for the railroad work
Few of them, found. were sent to the har-,
vest fields -
Though the fresh Minnesota fields gave my
drink dazed brain Sort of thrill, looked
upon the adventure thus far as more or less
Of repetition OF my other dull experiences
Perhaps there would be nothing to do after
all but migrate back to Joe's place
l went. to work for farmer near Miller,
S. d. The farmer spoke the same tongue