davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

home. I'm delighted to go. I'll tell
Nirgie to have dinner a little early,
and We'll catch the seven o'clock car.
Fine! I've been just crazy to see that
show-everybody's talking about it,"
Though. in the dressing. Mr.. Town
bred did not pursue an elusive collar
button, he might just as we'll have
done SO. judging from the tempera-
ture of his disposition as they left
the house for the station. For the
time was short. and when evening
clothes and accessories that have not
been worn for quito u while have to
be markedly assembled, mere man is
very apt TO say things under his
breath. And tho very fact that Mrs.
Townbred was able to dress SO So.
reneiy and promptly somehow added
fuel to the flame.
Truth to tell, Mr.. Townbred was in
a lovely humor when they left the
house. enhanced by the fact that the
road to the station was muddy, the
night dark and cold and tho minutes
few indeed before he scheduled ar
rival Of the car. Fortunately. 1t was
on time.
The ride IN was not unpleasant,
though Mr.. Townbred bemoaned the
fact that he had not had time to read
his evening paper.
And when the city was reached and
they were walking theatreward along
paved and lighted streets 1t seemed
well--it seemed like old times.
But with the rise OF the curtain,
muddy roads. suburban trollies and
Five Oaks were forgotten. Here and
there. around them, people seemed to
be but mildly interested. or even in
different: but to the Townbreds-who
hadn't been to the theatre for ages
the show vas enthralling. Which. no
doubt, Is another point scored In IA
vor of q residence In the country In
winter.
At n little before a quarter to eleven
the curtain fell for the last time and
Mr.. Townbred consulted his watch.
"Why. We'll have plenty of time for
a bite to eat. Frieda," said no in q
pleasantly surprised tone. 1--WE can
make tho eleven-thirty without hurry
ing much. This isn't SO bad, after
all. Is it?" And ho smiled at his
wife.
But, alas, when half-past eleven
came the Townbreds were right In the
midst Of their salad. Moreover, the
music was good and the warmth and
lights Of the cafe invited lingering.
Lets walt for the twelve o'clock
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

found a twelve o'clock car rather SUI
perfiuous. since people who came into
town for an evening either hurried
home on the eleven-thirty or waited
over for the twelve-thirty. making a
regular evening Of 1t. Yes, the rail-
road had a perfect right to change
Its schedule at any time--and. in fact,
said SO on every ticket sold.
At last the car arrived. waited and
departed, carrying with it two very
tired, sleepy members of the Town
bred household. They tried to perk
up and discuss the show, but pres
emily lapsed into silence AND stared
DULY ahead.
On and or the car sped through
the night.
1t grew colder. Mrs. Townbred
turned up tho fur collar of her coat
tighter about her neck, and Mr.. Town
bred scrunched down into his coat.
shrinking as far away as possible
from the air that seeped In through
the window.
Station after station was passed.
recognizable only by the fact that the
conductor called their names. and the
car gradually emptied.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
Picking a Winner
.HERE was once a certain YOUNG
Man who was Strong for his
Christmas Spirit stuff until he

>HERE was once a certain Young
Man who was Strong for this
Christmas Spirit stuff until he
attempted to Pick a Winner
and, instead, Pulled a Flivver. TO be-
gin with, his Case was a SAD One'
but truly. before he was Through. MS
Last State was worse than his First.
And, as might BIO Expected. 1t was all
because of q Damsel.
You see, 1t Came About In this
fashion. He had Met and Been
Wooed and Won by q Sweet Young
Thing, and he was Tied Up for Keeps,
with Wedding Bells booked to Peal
out not so very far in the Future.
Everything was going as Nice IL
Uappy as you please, with all the
Other Fellows Winding his No Tres
mass sign and even Pa and Ma not
really Butting In anything to speak
Of.
Then. along came this Christmas
business.
It was Up to him to Come Across
with o nifty Present. And that was
where his Troubles began.
Not that he was Shy on Coin. for
ha wasn't, lie had a good Job-one
that paid him a Salary. not wages.
And he had always been rather a Fru-
gal Hombre: so his Bank Account
was Bullying and he wasn't travelling
Under Wraps.
But he wanted to do 1t Right: when
il came to the Picking he wanted to
ho neither in the Piker Class nor IN
ibe lash. And right there was the
Rub.
What should he send?
Being an eminently Proper young
Teller, the only Christmas presents he
had aver before sent to Maidens Fair
were either Candy or FlOwers-since
he hadn't been Engaged to them. But
now-since this Damsel had some
| thing of his on her Finger@it made
a Difference. IT could be just So.
you see. but not So-so; which is moth
ing more than the old difference be-
tween T~weedledee and Tweedledum.
But a Difference!
Straightway Our Hero consulted the
Christmas Dope as set forth in the
Women's Publications. For days he
read columns headed: what to
Give to a Maiden Aunt "Xmas Gifts
for the Baby" christmas Sugges-
tions for a Bachelor Maid;'' "Yuletide
Hints for the Married Woman"
~"Seasonable Gifts for the Wholedam
Family" and even Recherche Re-
membranes for the Engaged Grip
but none Of them seemed to Stack Up
Right.
Then he began asking Friends.
Some of them thought he was Kid
ding. and others Grinned at him sort
of Cheerful-Like. A few w Poked
him in the Ribs and Chuckled. But.
one and all. they said. "a silver-back
Comb and Brush and Mirror!" The
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
Would they ever reach Five Oaks!

the next stop was Five Oaks.
But the conductor recognized him
and, with the freedom and geniality Of
suburban conductors. came up the
aisle to INFORM him of his mistake
and to talk 1t over" with him.
At ast-at last they arrived.
1t was as dark as pitch, and cold
their teeth beat an audible tattoo as
they tried to call out a Goodnight"
to the conductor.
Undoubtedly the path from the sta
ton to their house was still there. 1t
could scarcely have been removed in
the few hours since they had last set
foot upon 1t. But MIR. Townbred
couldn't find it--and he was on the
point Of defying anyone else to do
so when his toe caught against the
board upright that ran along It's edge,
and he went sprawling, full length.
What Mr.. Townbred said as he
scrambled to his feet Is neither here
nor there. But what he did say. after
they had slowly and painfully felt
their way, step by step, to their front
door and lighted a lamp. is much to
the point.
"Frieda." he said. II hope now
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

NAfh 'i1
pretty things and with numberless ar
t.cies which can be fashioned by skill
full fingers almost in the twinkling of
an eye.
4 clever woman who Is not very
rich In this worlds goods is sending
to her wealthy friend this year a hat
box de luxe. She has taken an old
round p~asteboard hat box of her own
and covered it with cretonne which is
gay with q pattern of red roses. Broad
bands Of scarlet ribbon cross tho top
and form a great charming bow.
Within this charming and decorative
box, swathed Fl tissue per, It's re-
cipient will find on Christmas morn
ing q boudolr cap Of Dutch shape,
mado of flmy lace and finished off
with tiny rosebuds.
Another girl who uses he's fingers
because Dor pocket-bool is limited as
to contents Is making a housekeeping
friend a channg-dlsh apron, 1t is
made of white linen and is OF the en-
Yeloping but becoming sort. 1t is low
at the neck, has no sleeves at all and
Is drawn around the figure by q belt.
Rabbits and Holsters, indicative OF the
Welsh sorts and the Newbergs to be
made with the assistance OF this gar
mcnt. are embroidered around the
neck and on the belt.
a sewing basket is an acceptable
gift to the college girl, no matter how
askance she may look at it when she
finds 1t among her gifts where she
had hoped to discover nothing less ele-
CANT han Jewels. To be of use This
humble present must be complete. The
basket must contain sewing silk, cot
ton and thread; darning silk in many
shades. a darner, a pair Of sharp scis-
sors. O needle book filled with needles
Of assorted sizes and for various pur-
poses, a thimble, a glove-darncr. And
there should be pockets on the sides
Of the basket in order h a these ar.
ticles may be kept apart.
For the gardening woman a basket
may be made at home for a much
smaller sum than the extravagant
price asked in the shops. The basket
itself should be at least fifteen inches
long and a little less wide. 1t should
be lined either with rubber or with
some good waterproof cloth. Pock-
cts OF this material should afford a
place for tho trowel. shears. and
wedding fork, all Of good steel, with
which 1t should DO furnished.
The average housewife appreciates
gifts Of linen of all sorts. Just now
covers for card tables are in demand
n these may be bought in the shops
or made at home at no great cost.
a colored liner Is the material most
esteemed for them and the decora-
lions may be elaborate or simple as
the giver has time and %inatio
h three initials of the recipient-to-
be are usually worked in one corner.
Every woman likes to receive jew
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

~ My that afternoon MIR. Town
bred had been stoutly defending
country life-even in winter.
" He had been talking to Jones,
VINO never overlooked IN opportunity
to set the entire office by the ears.
Mr.. Townbred had spoken of the snug
evenings by the fire. under the lamp
light, with the snow outside n the
round moon sailing high in heaven.
And Jones had held that that was
precisely the trouble with the
try In wiptcr-too much Of this
around-the-fire business, with nothing
else to do. W%hereupon Mr.. Townbrcd
had waxed eloquent upon the effete
urban view which considers an hours
trolley ride to a place of amusement.
or tn evenings diversion, q thing OF
horror.
why, Jones'" he had said. Il can
ride in from Five Oaks any night In
exactly ono hour-having a seat, too
whereas you hang on to a strap and
stand on your Il for at least thirty
minutes when you como downtown
from your house. Isn't that 10 2" And
80 IT had continued.
Hence. when Mr.. Townbred re-
~ otho tila dkkcEIlOOI,
he still had 1t on his mind. Usually
he went for a ride on Lady Tlirt, or
Il walk and an inspection OF the live
stock; then Inner and then a long,
comfortable evening before the fire
with his paper and a magazine-un-
less some neighbors came in for music
or cards.
But on this particular afternoon lie
electrified Mrs. Townbred by stating
that he had tickets for n corking good
musical comedy in town that evening
1T Is such a long ride, Ruthvin,'
she said, though she was really eager
TO 20. and We'll DO so late in getting
home. And O are up SO early in
the morning, you know"
"Nonsenso!" Mr.. Townbred FASTENED
to object. ITO hear O talk, Frieda
one would think we were contem-
plating q trip to Mars. And l can
see why, Just because we live In the
country, we should act as though wee
been snowed-in n snow-bound fol
he winter. Other people around here
ion't think a thing OF spending ar
.yening in the city and"
Dear me, Ruthvin, aren't vol
wound up! But I'd like to remind
rou that I've been saying those very
things right along-and you're thu
one who has preferred staying a
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

sugar, one-fourth pound of almonds.
b.anched and chopped. one-fourth Id.
OF citron cut into shreds, 2 Of
cinnamon. . ounces cloves, 4 eggs,
yolks and whites beaten separately.
Mix the sugar and tho yolks OF eggs
and add the spices, nuts and citron,
then the whites Of the eggs beaten
s,if, then enough -four to make q
stiff dough. Roll one-fourth inch
thick and cut out and bake.
Sand terts-1 II butter. 2 cups
graduated sugar, . eggs. yolks and
whites beaten separately, one-half
teaspoonful Of nutmeg. 8 cups flour
sifted twice with ! teaspoonful baking
powder.
Cream the butter and sugar add
tho egg beaten light. then the spice.
Now add the flour and work 1t with
h mixture until you can roll out the
dough. Cut round with a tin cutter,
wash the tops lightly with white Of
egg. press half of split blanched al
mono into the center of each and
sprinkle well with graduated sugar
ard cinnamon mixed. This Is the
sand. Bake quickly.
For IIermits. cream together a
cupful of butter and two of sugar.
Beat in the whipped yolks of three
eggs, d a half cupful OF milk and
then the beaten whites. Work IN two
cupfuls of flour. sifted twice with a
t~easpoonful Of baking-powder. and If
this does not make a dough that could
be rolled out. add more flour cautious
~. not to have the cakes too stiff.
Roll into q very thin sheet, strew
thickly with the kernels Of hickory
nuts, pecans or English walnuts, chop
ped Inc and sprinkled with sugar.
Fold the dough once over tho nuts.
passing the rolling pin lightly over the
upper sheet. and cut Into rounds with
q cake cutter. Bake in a quick oven
covered for fifteen minutes, uncover
and brown.
For cocoanut cream cookies. beat
two eggs until light. add gradually
one cup sugar, one-half cup grated or
shredded cocoanut, one cup thick
cream, and three cups of -four mixed
and sifted with three teaspoons o
baking powder and one teapoon o.
salt. Chill thoroughly. and roll one
half inch thick. Sprinkle with cocoa
nut and cut out Bake in a moderate
oven.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
LITTLE FABLES OF THE
BUSINESS WORLD

Problem seemed to be Settled.
But, somehow, the Poor Boob
wasn't quite Satisfied. He began
Poking Around, just to see II he
couldn't Pick out a Better Goer.
He took to Looking in Windows and
Wandering through the Stores. He
saw Lots that he liked and then
S%traightway got Cold Feet. Somehow.
that Brush-C omb-Mirror stuff seemed
to be Pulling him On: but he Tough
Against 1t manfully. He wouldn't
even give them the Once Over for fear
he'd Buy.
He had a Vague Notion OF consult-
ing Her Herself. But that, he argued.
! would Kill the Surprise STUFF. And.
somehow, she didn't drop any Hints.
Time did its usual Fugit Stunt and
the newspapers kept on announcing
that there were only SO many Shop
ping Days left until Christmas. one
less each day--which seemed to him
to be Rubbing 1T In.
Finally came the Eleventh Hour.
Our Hero was Desperate. He Flip
ped a Coin. counted out Eeny-meeny-
minee-moo and My-mother-told-me-
to-choose-this-one - but they all
"came out" as he Feared. Buy the
Mirror outfit was the
Verdict!
So he did. =
And sent It.
She was delighted-for h Said SO.
But, In her own Boudoir, h Gased
Sadly at the three other Silver-Back-
Sets other Chaps had wished on her
on other Christmasses. n She Sighed
Deeply.
Moral: Either break into the housS
when the Family Is at church,. and
Get O Peek at the Boudoir. or take
Ma into your Confidence.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
OEASO NAB|IIEd QITllIlNGS''

y OW like a country fair the streets
look H;vo Won soon ~. Tow ,,mn
posts intended to light the streets
In doll land and against which inebri-
atcd dollies lean on their way home
o. nights.
Or the dancing Dear for a quarter
of-a-dollar--twenty-lve cents.
Pearl berried mistletoe and scarlet
berried holly are luckily within the
reach of all this Christmas. These
are two things the prices of which
were not affected by the war in
Europe.
But oh, its awful effects on turkey.
Observe the men who peer into
shop windows but are afraid to go
inside. They are Il very same who
wish that this country would BIO In
vaded in order that they may show
how brave they are.
Buy "him" a clock for his automo-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

he suggested. It'll put US home at
one-which isn't so bad"
So, staying to the last minute, they
rushed to the station with but a min
ute and a half to spare. To their
amazement. there was no car. Could
it be that Mr.. Townbred's watch was
slow n they had missed it?
He rushed in to the ticket agent.
No, he hadn't missed the twelve
o'clock, for the simple reason that
there wasn't any. Yes, the agent was
perfectly aware that the cars for Five
Oaks left on the hour inc tho half
hour. But, it seemed. the railroad had
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

bile II you "a think of nothing bet
ter. or a pair OF fleece-lined gloves.
Write your Christmas letter early
while there is yet time. remember that
a letter in the desk is worth two IN
the mind on Christmas Eve.
Night caps exactly like those old
Scrooge wore may be had for fifty
cents in the shops n would be APP
preciated though he would never.
never admit it--by the bald-headed
nan
And such are the eccentricities Of
the members of the sterner sex that
they had rather have a glass bottle
Of Ink and a penny pen as a desk
equipment than the most elaborate
brass or bronze set that can be de-
vised, with q littlo pan" for each
separate thing.
Step lively please for at" Is less
than ten days away.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

1t became colder. Something was
evidently the matter with the electric
heating apparatus. The few passen-
gers still left were draped over their
seats in all sorts OF pastures, vainly
seeking comforting sleep despite the
sea-sick swaying OF the car.
Mrs. T%ownbred sleepily asked her
husband something. and he merely
grunted in reply.
Would they ever reach Five Oaks?
Once Mr.. Townbred started up
from a ftful snooze-by this time he
was making no effort to conceal his
desire for rest-and wildly jabbed at
the bell under the impression that
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

you've got enough Of this business
OF going into the city at night. We
came out in the country in order to
lead a healthy, restful life. And /
thought you were willing to pass up
the fool things people in town do at
night. l hoped you would be on
tent to spend our evenings as oun
try people should! l tell you / have
to be up early every morning-and l
can't stand this gadding around at
all hours. 1t will"
"Ruthvin ~Townbred!" she gasped,
instantly up in arms. But then, the
spirit willing but the flesh weak. she
added sleepily. For heavens sake
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

III 7 IIH TVNv bonn umOny fhn nm yrit.
a ZEN laws that ro woman sb,l,
y rnnn.c ,ockv,o,r ,or c;u,r. g.. :,
man. yhc ~recxt;.s ,cco,,linr 70
TN, hos. eufhorities and sbo n~,r,hasos
tbcn vii, ha so ro,dv ,h,. ~ -
i,nt ,.,l, H., un,hIn ,n uunau IT,. ..
retain his reputation for sobrietv
Nh!lo the cigar, will M en- chea, tI,nt
,nly the earbase mnn vii, consep, to
1noke them. and even no will nrob.
BIZ not enjoy them,
However, there is a wife
no last Chris,mas decided tha. while
10 would no dare choose cigars for
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
"WHAT SHALL GIVE?' SSsgs,i9 %S I HsS May 9 9s, the }

elry as u present and luckily enough
the now jewelry is both lovely and in
expensive. For instance a gold chain
with a wedgewood cameo pendant
may BIO had for IS. while the much
sought after Friendship bracelet may
be bought for as small q sum as s1.75,
A circle brooch Of 10-karat gold may
be bought for s1.40. and there are any
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
Being An Explanation or Why Chill
drcn Arc Kept From The Toy
Shop Windows Now.

"CROWD of persons surrounded
the window of tho toy shop.
The noses 6attened against its
pane were of many shapes and
sizes. There were Roman noses md
Grecian noses and noses with beaks
and noses with humps. but they were
all the noses of adults. They be-
longed, If you will believe 1t, TO grown
men who were peeping owe each 9TH
er's shoulders and laughing At to kill
themselves.
The noses Of childhood were con
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

Delicious Small Cakes for Christmas

egg-nog or wine, or the III OF tea
nothing is nicer than one of the sew
eral sorts of cookies.
Perhaps the two small cakes which
stand out as most delicious to the
majority OF epicures is the German
lebkuchen and the American sand
tart. Both are easily made inc the
recipes given herewith for them can
be heartily recommended:
Lebkuchen-1 ID. Of pu1verized
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
She Bought Him a Pipe

ono with a curved stem. the straight
stems are easier to clean. And see the
silver band about this one? Well 1t
gets hot and burns my fingers. Never
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

number OF pieces at these reasonable
prices.
a tour through the aislcs OF n china
shop will show the woman with q see-
ing eye, n dozen or more charming
but inexpensive pieces - cream Jugs.
mustard Jars, "ascs--any of which n
housekeeping person would adore"
&c have.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

@NCLUDING the fruit cake and
the mince pie. perhaps the most
important things to nave in the
~ pantry during the holiday sea-
son are numbers Of delicious small
cakes. For after all hospitality Is not
quite dead and the southern custom
Of Offering refreshments to visitors In
the week between Christmas and New
Years Day obtains in many places.
As an accompaniment to the glass of
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

blow out hat lamp and let's 60 to
bed!"
Copyright. 1915, by Edward Riddle
Padgett).
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

buy a pipe with any metal on it, and
why what in thunder Is the matter
now?"
For his wife was in peals Of laugh
ter. and now at the head OF her list
of articles 1t Is forbidden women to
buy for men stands prominently tho
word PIPES.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
And What He Thought or II IL Told
In This Extremely Vcrucious story.

~ hGs l0ug been among tho unwrit-
IA .cn laws that 70 woman shalt
= choose neckwcar nor cigars for u
II man. Tho neckties. according to
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16

HAT shall l give?" Is the
question of tho hour. and yet
there should be no perplex-
y ity with the shops 80 full OF
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
Its a along Way--"

My that afternoon MIR. Town
bred had been stoutly defending
country life-even in winter.
. He had been talking to Jones,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-17
WHIPPING POST
AND RAWEiIDE NEEDED

Nav Fork. July 1.-THE Rev Franz
els Rolt -wheeier. an Episcopal clergy-
man ana author. who Ii now attached
to thu Cathedral OF st. John the DR.
Wins. was accused In papers submitted
IL supreme Court Justice Philbin to-
day ~ trying to drive his wife In
sane. then Of abandoning her when sha
refused to act on his suggestion II
commit suicide.
Mrs. Catherine Rolf Wheeler, wAD
u sculptress. and who had collab-
GRATED with her husband In Literary
work. II suing the Clergyman for Il
separation on the ground Of cruelty;
and because he abandoned her and har
two children. Roger. thirteen. anM
Mona nearly two years. old on 1fAreA
8. last, and compelled her to 70 ~ Il
furnished room to live. The couple
were married In Canada In 1901. l9re
Rolt-wheeler Ii now living At Rush~es
ford, N. J., where she says she Il pf10
tically an object or charity. She ~
leges that her husband has two afiln-
tiles.