davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1913-12-28
@limpses of Mobern qife
in Dirturesque OH China
IS "Qntbinkablp
Missionarp, But

ali buraened III my memory. and these
memories along with an old queue /
pFizS as some OF my most precious pos
sessions, for | can never again see the
fall of u Manchu dynasty
While in America [ heard much about
the dirt iTi China and little Of it's beauty.
or course China Is unthinkabIy dirty,
but is also indescribably beautiful. From
our city walls with the whole countryside
uprolling before them We see hills and
hills, with their soft undulating sides
and their sharp jagged peaks; then the
water as the canals run through the
green fields widening in some places to
the size of young river and then mar
rowing into ribbons just wide enough TO
get under the small stone bridge.
Then the sunsets with their wonder
iul colorlnss. the pale greens, heliotrope.
yellow. and the dark purple which falls
ike rich mantle over those hills. and
the blazed trail of the canals as the
water catches the fiickering sunlight ana
holds it captive.
ITO the right, watching all. is the old
pagoda, which has stood silent sentinel
Tor no one knows how many years Until
now its very age and decay breathe ro-
nance and mystery. I would like you to
moonlight when our compounds are
pathed In the silent light. and the black
trees stand guard around us
Yes. indeed, the Master Artist tainted
well when He made the picturesque land
OF China, but inside the city walls the
work is marred and ruined by the hand
of man. Man out here does seem such an
insignificant atom among million other
insignificant atoms whose lives are
ceaseless struggle and whose end leaves
not even a ripple behind.
But the hopeful side is that this man
whose soul seems warped and dead
can be quickened and made to live with
such goodness and intelligence that his
very face shows his godlinesS and thought
fulness. The greatest hope IN my mind
Is TO take the children into our schools
and educate them to look upon life In a
healthy, intelligent way. to teach them
how to live. not merely 10 crawl through
life with one eye open. Now IS the time
to make our schools superior to the
schools which the government Is open
ing and to keep them up TO that stand
ard at whatever cost.
Evening star., 1913-12-28
n Drifswo0d ait Central Union Mission

bling house which employed me was
raided and was locked up. After serving
my term / got into smaller games !
kept working the crooked stuff until l
better known the boys shied clear OF me.
My presence queered every game. This
sort Of thing kept on until finally 1 had
travelled over almost the entire globe
wasn't known. The bulls knew me.
though, and would tip every one on to
my tactics The result is that can only
get into a small game occasionally. and
j just barely eke out An existence. There
are days when one lone 'sinker' would
be a meal to me.
But I'm going TO give up this sort OF
life The clink OF chips is no longer
going to make my heart beat faster. ana
the rattle OF dice won't make me bat an
eyelash. But say pal, just before swear
off. now about a little farewell gameE
That mans resolution might just as
well never have been made. ttls Htte
ones will look for him in vain
As the gambler settled back with a
disappointed air. into his chair, tail;
well dressed middle-aged man entered
the room.
Hello. boysl' he called out, cheerily.
How are the New Year resolutions
coming Got 'en mapped out YETI
Better get busy. Times almost up. ae-
member they will mean as much TO you
as mine meant to me" Surely this
rather prosperous-looking man could
never have been in the same class with
these unfortunate ones.
Yes, | was just as down and out as
nv brothers here" he said in reply to
| the unspoken question.
Il was a booze fighter and conf
| dence man a year ago, and was
no respecter OF persons. l worked
| nv games on young and old. rich and
| poor, men and women / passed out
| gold bricks to any one who was easy
| enough to fall for my line of talk.
| Sometimes l would rope in a young
| shopgirl whose eyes would be dazzled
| by a piece of white paste set in brass
| ring which / flashed before her.
! would put up a fine spiel about II being
, my wifes engagement ring; how she
/ was dying and needed medicine, and.
while it was well worth 5000 1 would
! part with it for So. 1t wasn't worth
| more than a quarter. But, of course, ]
! played bigger stakes than that.
"On a crowded street / would bend
| down suddenly, pick up a paper bill of
| big denomination. look tickled TO
| death. and then, in burst of gener-
| osity. apparently brought about by my
| joy at my find. L would offer the man
Evening star., 1913-12-28

at whose feet I found the bill half
OF It II he fell" which he most al
ways did, he would hurriedly pull out A
wallet pocket the bin and hand over
would always be in too much of x
hurry to accept my kind propositio
before changed my mind TO pay mucn
attention TO the 'find. but when theN
got nome and examined IL. or tried -
cash il, they found out IL was bad
Il had hundreds OF other smooth
stunts, and most always worked with
a friend or two. You must excuse m
see. it's only been a year since | gay.
II all up. As time passes I'll be a5le
to get rid Of those tell-tale words
finally got 10 be so crooked diGu-t
Know the definition OF honesty. Last
year, just about New Year time, / p.ts
walking down Pennsylvania avenue wlru
j saw my wife coming out OF a sho,s
i hadn't seen her for many months and
i hardly recognized her. Her face was
careworn and thin. Her clothes were
shabby and threadbare. and she walked
along with stopped shoulders as though
her load was more than she could bear
She had been a rosy-cheeked, wholesome
woman when left home
Il didn't approach her item. bur fol-
lowed her until she entered a little tum-
hle-down shack. remembered the num-
Der. Then i went 10 Central Union Mis-
sion, knelt down in the front pew and
made an earnest VOW that the New year
would find me an honest man, earninr
an honest living and supporting my wife
kept that resolution. thank God. and
my wife and i are going to celebrstc
our first year of real happiness this
New Year day"
He said he visited the mission at ieasi
once q week In order to talk 20 The
boys and try TO persuade them to
change their mode of life as he had done
He felt that these human derclicts would
heed his advice because he had been
through the mill himself. and so never
lost an opportunity to stop in and urge
them to make New Year resolution,
too.
A number of other down and cutters
told OF their New Year resolutions. Some
of them. undoubtedly, will have the moral
courage and tenacity Of purpose TO keep
them, while others, the weaker willed
ones, will break them after brief. un-
successful trial.
But the families OF those who will
succeed in bracing UP, blotting out the
past and turning over a clean. white
sheet for the new year. Will bless the
originator Of New Year resolutions.
Evening star., 1913-12-28
solutions Made by the Pieces of EGuraan Dri

lie wears no collar. A scrubby. bristly
growth of beard covers his face. His
hair is scraggly. unkempt and has dank
stringy appearance. Pieces OF leather
are cut from his shoes This man is
typical of all the rest of the men of the
hobo world
The majority of these men have fam
lies back home. Can you imagine what
their New Year resolutions mean to
their relatives? OF course. the mere form
ing Of these good plans counts for little
and many persons are skeptical as to
whether these men really carry out their
resolutions Many of them do not, but
Superintendent Lukens of the Mission can
prove that some of them do. The wives
and daughters of the reformed ones can
also testify to this, as many of them come
to the mission Sunday nights to wOr
ship. thus showing their appreciation for
the rejuvenation of their husbands and
fathers
Some of the men whose New Year
resolutions are still in embryo were
questioned about them, and their re-
plies We're original and unique. One
seedy-looking individual. whose brown
felt fedora might have been used for
-four sieve. so full OF holes was it, ad-
vised his questioner TO enlist the serv-
ices OF an Interpreter before going any
further
i've been a ffoater go long that I've
sort of connected up with lingo all
my own" he explained. us members
of the army of the willing unemployed
kind OF form a society. a fraternity |
guess the educated ones call IL, and
when we hit the trail we let it loose
on one another. Some folks are awful
fools and don't get our line o talk
at all. Just YOU keep your ears open
because I amt goin' to hand this out
twicet,
Now YOU can just take il from me
that I'm going to make the hest little
resolute that was ever resoluted. I'm
going TO cut out the booze Yes-sir-ee,
me for the water wagon Say, you
needn't look like that at me. l know
I've climbed the water wagon a hum
dred times il I've climbed 1t once, and
fell off with a thud each time. First
would let one foot trail a little. then
I'd pull it back on the wagon with
jerk, then Id let the other foot slip.
haul that one back to dry land. and
then when my throat would begin to
burn like as though I'd swallowed
lighted match I'd jump off and rush
into the nearest thirst joint to put out
the fire.
II started dealing in the wet goods
stuff eleven years ago. And what has
it got me? Take a peep at me, and yuh
got yer answer. I'm a bum, that's what
am And I'm wise enough to know
Evening star., 1913-12-28

Is il well with the world?
Surely. 1T is we'll" God reigns. He
guides the destinies of all time and all
eternity His providence is over all 1t
is Gods decree, that ''oid things shall
pass away and all things become new"
II is not well with all things in the
world II is only well with the world in
general. and in the long run. under the
molding and guiding hand of the Su-
preme Ruler. But in all the changes in
cident 10 the worlds progress human
nature does not change There remains
still the important question:
rs IL well with thee?
How shall you answer? So many things
are TO be taken into account.
IL may be well with you in financial
prosTserity or il may not be. and yet in
either case IT may be well with you or
4 NAV not be well with you in more i'm
portant things.
The real greatness OF man is in his
having a spiritual nature-the material
phvsical part OF man has nothing 10
give for the hunger OF the mind. nothing
10 bring that will meet the inward long
ings and fears and satisfy the instinct OF
Immortality. Our spiritual nature ex-
pands far beyond what the material
things afford.
All that the world offers OF satisfaction
20 mans highest nature Is inadequate
and II you are relying on the gratlnca-
lion Of the senses as the sources OF Well
being and ignoring the aspirations or the
soul there must be negative answer 10
the question.
lis il well with thee
Reliance upon self and its resources for
well being is common mistake Of Ineu
When a man thinks he can In his own
strength overcome the power of sin ana
evil in his life, his self confidence Is
merely self-deception.
Sin is too strong for any man
strength. II this had not been true there
would not have been Christmas day.
God does not DO for men what they can
do for themselves. He sent His son TO
save, because men could not save them
selves. Self-conhdence is sad delusion.
IL your dependence is entirely on self
help" the answer To the question lis il
well with thee?" must be 1T Is not well +"
Are you trusting in the mere formalities
Evening star., 1913-12-28

ships and into International relationships.
Whenever any far-visaged statesman
views the whole horizon of our time he
gives honor 70 the influence Of Christian
missions.
one OF the advantages Of membership
III Christian church is that every men,
Of the whole body. ii is so small boon
to be a factor in the transformation OF
China, the uplift of India, the revivifying
of Japan, the making over of Turkey,
the emancipation of Persia and the civ
ilzing of tropical Africa. The swiftest,
shortest, cheapest and easiest way of be-
coming a factor in the big worlds prog
missions.
Relatively. the greatest triumphs OF the
church are being achieved on the foreign
mission field. Like a great commercial
house which is doing its best business
in it newest branches, the church has
found that she gets results more quickly.
and accomplshes her historic work more
distinctly, amid the nou-Christiau peo-
pies to whom she has of late carried the
gospel than is the case in the so-called
Christian lands.
Jadedness and ennui have come 10 many
lives from lack of an adequate life in
terest. Foreign missions supply that in
terest to all who are alert enough to pur-
sue the subject. 4 throb with life with
human nature, with conquest thrills, and
with the attraction Of strange lands, peo-
pies and customs, the cause OF missions
world politics. of social problems of
racial relationships, of civilization ad-
vance and of all the sciences that have
a human side.
Evening star., 1913-12-28

of religion? Going to church because 9TH
ers do and because ii is respectable? OBJ
serving the outward form, rendering lip
service while the heart is cold and unfe-
Sponsive TO divine influences. and un-
heedful that Divine renewal from dead
works to a living faith and loving serv-
ice is essential to Christian life? Or are
you consoiing yourself by comparison
with others and thanking God that you
are not as other men are "extortioners.
unjust. adulterers.' and that you fast
twice week and give tithes of all You
possess?
In your pride of heart denying that you
sinner
If SC. how can you be justified?
1t is written Every one that exalteth
himself shall be abased."
rs ii We'll with thee. o Pharisee?
Beware OF too sublime a sense
Of your worth and consequence
The man who deems himself SO great
And his importance OF such weight
That all around in all that's done
VIII learn in school Of tribulation
The folly OF his expectation.
Men deude themselves in many ways.
They say to themselves. 'All is well"
when they are leaning on a broken reed.
1t is not always we'll with men when they
think il is. They make excuses for their
follies and fiatter themselves with the be-
lief that these excuses will he accepted
and that they will not suffer from the
consequences of their sins.
Is IL we'll 10 rely on the excuse that
the temptation was so great and the
flesh weak? No temptation has be-
fallen mankind but what some men have
overcome. Why not you? You. too, We're
able had you prayed.
Is it well to surrender because OF the
environment Of evil influences anu bad
examples?
Have not many risen superior 10 such
conditions?
Why not you?
Let not delusiye hopes vain self-ex-
cuses stand in the way OF your WELL
being.
Being We'll means more than bodily
health and temporal prosperity.
Mans greatest misery and source Of
ill-health is that sin poisons his being
Have you sought the remedy for sin?
Is it we'll with thy soul? II to this
question the heart can answer 1T Is
WE'LL then every wish expressed to you
that you may have a happy and pros
porous new year will be fulfilled.
My New Year greeting to my readers
is embodied in the suggestions of the
Interrogation:
is ii well with thee:
And my prayer is that Divine assur-
ance may make possible the answer:
1t is well.
Evening star., 1913-12-28

that booze done 1t. I'll tell you how l
started on the downward path.
Eleven years ago ] was livin' at home
with my mother. the best old lady what
ever lived. She had it in for saloons and
saloonkeepers. She and 4 woman friend
of hers used to go around the little vi :
lage where I lived lecturing to young
men hanging around saloons. once |
remember she went into a corner saloon
and grabbed a glass of liquor out of
mans hand and dashed il to the floor.
well, after she'd been doin' these
well meanin but annoyin stunts for a
few months / started to he the laughing
stock of the town. Every one jeered at
me when I walked down the street. One
Evening star., 1913-12-28

handouts. satisfied with a lump and
some dregs' tbread and coffee, but grad
ually got hep to the fact that the smart
thing to do was to ask for the mazuna
and then cash it in for drinks. / stunned
work. as most bosses wouldn't stand for
q drinhin~ man.
But I'm sick of it all, and me for the
water cart again After l get rid Of the
habit. get work and some new duds, IN
going back home and surprise the old
folks. They're still living. for I've kept
posted about them. Yes, sir, me for the
straight and narrow.
Here was man who meant well but
who. doubtless would find If 4 pretty
hard thing to pass the green baize doors.
Evening star., 1913-12-28

TLAS of old bore the earth on his
vi back, so every Christian bears on
~ his heart the world bequeathed to
US by the Lord Jesus
X X !; \
They really serve the world who pray
for the coming of that Kingdom whose
dawning brings the light of justice, lib
erty and brotherhood.
\ x x
This is the day of big things. Our
times eXult in magnitude, Mere size is
counted a virtue. To such the dialen-
sions of the missionary propaganda
should commend this world work s-of the
Christian church. With $50. 600 900 "A year
being spent for foreign missions by the
Protestant churches of the world, and
with an army OF about 5000 mission
aries on the field, this enterprise deserves
Evening star., 1913-12-28

10 rank as really the greatest under
taking OF our time. apart altogether from
its spiritual significance.
X x
The largeness of the church's work
abroad helps deliver from the smallness
of some of our ideas at home.
X K
Judged by its fruits-and is there really
any other way TO judge anything?-the
work of missions has been huge and
staggering success. 1t has made over
into new myriads of me and women.
Transforming the deepest springs of their
character Social and political and edu-
cational usages, hoary with age, have
been superseded by Christian standards.
The very form of great nations has been
changed. An era of world unity has been
brought into existence. The Christians
have been written into the statutes of the
states, into business, into social relation
Evening star., 1913-12-28
SS2d -


day one of the boys asked me how /
liked the milk shake that mother made
for me. They said they bet that if my
mother ever caught me drinking any
thing stronger than pop she would take
me across her knees and spank me.
Well ! was seventeen, and hated to have
the fellers to think me Il ninny, so
took dare. guiped down glass of
booze, liked 1t, tried another and another
and another. until finally | had TO be
carried home by the boys.
My folks disowned me, and from that
day I've been travelling the downward
path. Ny good kind mother never
thought she was the least bit to blame
for il all. First, l started begging
Evening star., 1913-12-28
Tbe Cosmopolitanism
of tbe 1aem Dap

TN his Mobile speech President Wilson put into the Ian
u guage of statecraft the old missionary principle with
which he became ndocrnated boy in Presbyterian
anse that nations business with other nations like
one mans business with other primarily be help
ul to them
The law oi Lille for countries. as ior individuals :,
service And by the logical extension OF that truth
bound to seek relationship with all the world in order
promote the usefulness of ministry and bring the
reign OF universal brotherhood This missionary spirit the
very genius OF the days cosmopotanism The dplo
macy is nothing less than the oldfashoned mis-
sonary idea which mothers praccng before
the statesman became aware OF it.
Evening star., 1913-12-28

little man with n weaZened face and
shifty eyes drew forth some little white,
black-spotted cubes, when asked about
his New Year resolution.
..TheSe here innocent-app little
blocks are the only things that stand
between me and a score of splendid plans
for the future" he said, smile playing
about his mouth.
say. I've idolized these dice as some
folks do their most precious possessions.
I've prayed to them. actually prayed that
they would bring me luck. ! have four
of the prettiest. brightest little young
sters one could ever find. but they were
crowded ont OF my heart three years
ago by these villainous little bits of
ivory
He shook them up in his hand as he
spoke. and unconsciously tossed them on
to the table. AS they rolled along the
surface, scattered and settled. his face
lighted up.
'Eleven right off The bat. ne an
nounced joyously. and then smiled whin1-
sically. You see what a strong hold
from EN- even when I'm talking New
Year resolutions" and he placed them
carefully back in his coat pocket
I've got the poker habit, too. Say, a
flush can carry me TO the heights, while
dead hand will drive me to the depths.
[ haven't always played straight games.
either | used to he the dealer III a
gambling house, and il would take me
days to tell you about all the crooked
devices | mastered to filch the players.
One has got to be a sort OF sIeight-of-
hand performer to get away with it. but
its d dead cinch after YOU have il master
ed. Marked cards, loaded dice and those
simple little tricks didn't enter into the
plans. We had far more clever, finished
and less easily detected stunts.
MY face was my fortune when I got
in game myself Doesn't look as though
it would get me anything now. does it.
Well, believe me, l could qualify as 9
movie actor. for I've got facial express
sions down pat. l used to practice how
TO look overioyed when / had a rotter
hand. then the others wouldn't overbid
me nor call my hand, and / used to rake
in the pot with 4 hand that would have
made those fellows look sick could they
have seen it. it was so rotten.
when ] had a good hand I'd looF
d0wncast, and that would take the fel-
lows off their guard. Oh, I had it al
down to A science. 1 never betrayed my
self by the twitching of muscle. Many
y crack gambler loses out because he
can't control his features and disguise
or conceal his feelings.
We'll, to continue Once a big gam
Evening star., 1913-12-28
Keligious Ghents in 1913.

0rOMMUNIONS of Europe appoint commissions
" church unity cooperate with American committees
The Episcopal general convention divides
provinces and gives official recognition religious
munties within its fold
New York raises 100000 for the Y w {. A. the
Y. NJ. c. A.
Baptists observe centennial OF the landing Adonam
Judson in Burma.
of the world the centennial OF David
Livingstone.
The Congregational Church ormulates new creed
The Federal Council of Churches establishes lobby
Washington
Eighteen womens foreign mission boards federae
Foreign Mission Council, including 100000 women
give annually S3Oooooo to missions.
Steps taken unite the Southern Presbyterans and
United Presbyterian churches.
Abbot Dom Gasquet this country in propa-
ganda for revising the Vulgate Bible.
Evening star., 1913-12-28

ponder experiences the Closing
the prospects opening The and prudent
der all that relate well being the merchant takes
.uunt o his stock
When we think OF the wonderful and marvellous things
rne world during the few look into the
with the feeling that m1gher and more
,~tou revelations at hand.
Among governments the ehonored institutions
and customs passing Through marvellous discoveries
stupendous application of invention all things
becoming by the stand
expectancy coming may unfold of and startling
Evening star., 1913-12-28

lEW Y ear reso-
lutions, as a rule.
are about as last
ing as soap bub-
bIe~formed one
minute, exploded
the next. But
there is one set
Of men who have
made certain New
Year resolutions
that mean a great
flnaI NOT nulv TO
Evening star., 1913-12-28

1t IS a New Year friendly greeting, and I'M
plies the hope and wish that is expressed by the
common salutation OF one to another: "A happy
and prosperous New Year to you.
The question is not asked through curiosity
that We may be informed how well or how i'll
things may be. The really important answer is
the one that is made to ones self.
The year is fitting time ior reflection
Only the most tfoughtless and careless can fail
Evening star., 1913-12-28

~ He original of the interesting
W presve, will dwell the interrogation "Is we'll
with thee: