davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

the time As for the giving OF gifts that has nothing
do itself with the Christian Christmas, the purely
religious festival OF sect Festivals of giving of
sacrifice of merry making Of dedication of the
youths and maidens, may be found among every race
and people and religion, from the dawn of time
Christmas ITSELF in many of its aspects, is survival of
pagansm and rituals ancient than Christianity.
But there is something about the manifestation
call the Christmas spirit that seems elevate, for
little time the very standards of the human race and
to give al and women, and boys and girls, and
the little children, mOmentary ghmpses of some
thing almost ike real human brotherhood It must be
very hard for the officers directing the fighting Of the
great war keep their soldiers hot blood Christ
mas. 1t must seem to millions of men in Europe
this solemn festival" day, that the shedding of
blood is of at least doubtful wisdom, when much
remains to be done in the world make it fit place
of residence for children of the living God"
People today asking themselves and one another
How anyone be merry? There is an awful de-
preston that when really thinks about the
great To think, is to court insanity. With the
instinct Of self preservation people put their hands be-
fore their eyes and refuse to look upon the dreadful
with the comprehending eye Man has gOdlke
sweep of vision and cannot the ultimate meanings
1t is all red, blood literally in rivers, but there
man alive who really understand what 1t
to count up, in few short months, 100000 dead,
100000 dead, 100000 dead, 100000 dead 100000
dead, 100000 dead
Whole nations starving and dying under torture.
Hundreds Of thousands Of babies being born fall
swiftly to their doom. Women treated than
the lowest beasts deserve be treated Great states
men" give the word that sends half million more
strong to be mangled and turned under with the
sods; and lightning strikes from heaven consume
the dictators
Every of the 10 nations war is holding prayer
meetings at the front and back at home. Even the
Japanese the Turks the South Sea Islanders the black
Africans, the beSmen Of India who have been touched
If at all, by Christianity only by the scratch Of
brste lift high their banners to be blessed by priests
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

taken Sarcastcally. On this day choose take It
almost literally Not the dreams Of child in reality.
but the uniformed and unexpressed yearnings and
groupings of the mind uncuttered by gross selfshness
and simple in its thought processes
Civilization is on trial The evidence Is so far all
against it. 1t is hard TO find single pregnant fact
IN its favor. Life has been fearfully deaced by mans
coarse handiwork. In the remotest childhood Of the
world there must have been happiness. There is
happiness under the rawest and least cultivated
conditions Of existence II is in the cities, not in the
mountains the praTies, the sea, OF the forest
that the most terrible injustice and distress found
Under the shadows of great capitols, cathedTas
libraries mansions marvellous industrial plants, are
to be found the worst human misery and the savages
human cruelty
Is it possible that we must strive to get back
to simpler forms in thinking, PHILOSOPHERS and
religions, economics and governments and arts? if
we are to find the way Of truth and light? Maybe
there IS lesson of this sort in Christmas. On this day.
Of all days, grown and yield to the Child
They think with the Child mind, pray with the Chds
faith, love with the Childs loyalty and On this
day, OF all days great schemes of business and empire
yield to the demands Of the Child in the house It is
all service, all love- all honest striving to comprehend
and to smooth the way.
We like to believe that all over Europe and in Asia
and Africa and the islands the sea- today little trees
are being set up and lighted the sken hair Of babes
IS beng touched with reverence and softened
and mellOwed, made foolish, in the way of love for
helpessness. We like to believe that are seeing
visions today, in the trenches; that great com
manders set to doubling their Wills that great
statesmen are touched to remOrse that angels are
appearing in the Skies with quiet comforting and not
with flaming swords
Already they are blowing up mems bones and skulls
over there, to SOW wheat French peasant rude and
simple Of speech, said Twenty thousand Germans are
buried here crop is three weeks ahead of the usual
season and such fertility was never known in this
region There may be for this unusual fer
tlzatlon child would hesitate to grow radshes upon
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
(BY H. D. s.

the grave of his favorite canary Yet for every man
alive upon this EARTH 1000 slumber in its bosom It
natures way. We too shall return to the soil, and
make fine crops of wheat.
civilization has yet devised. Maybe sometime
learn how lift the average of the future TO the level
Of todays highest. There joys In human service
that one knows well as the Child On Christmas
day. the fact of all the beauty of the Chds
generosity, when he lays aside his beautiful toys
savings for flowers for his mother, and goes with
out something that might crafty his grosSer sense
when he holds ont his tiny hands to the poor little wa
and says, May give him of mine2 have too
much
Except ye become as little chIdren"-the kingdom
Crepe will through the mazes of theoIoges and
philosophers, there in all Of them that worth
while, that oft recurring strain: Simplify your lives
cast on the husk Perceive and lay by the false seize
and hold the true. We have found a way to breed
flowers and vegetables up higher types and certain
animals that are worth ready money. May it not be
possible that the day viii when nations viii
realize the value of Man, Woman, and Child and
Try to live IN the spirit of the visions of Christmas day2
Men may prophesy and women may pray" but
less and live for the sake Of others, and
make that their selfish CODE there charm in rituals
creeds constitutions laws lift the standards
Of mankind Before assume TO interpret God, It
would be well if would strive little harder TO
interpret and TO humanity. That would be praise
indeed and worship and the real freedom Of the Child
Of the is Of infinitely greater concern to the world
than the fortunes of any manmade church. the safety
Of any idol, or the unfolding Of any government.
If the Spirit of Christmas universal and per
petua there would be need Of churches govern
mens, wars. to express the aspirations and repress
the evil impulses Of mankind.
There IS universal prayer today In the hearts of
all thoughtful people, thiss Father deal with
not in justice, but in mercy; for we know we are
evil, but our souls are sick and utterly weary.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

of this that cult, and call upon their prophets
and their gods. Holding at the front, holy
communion, drinking the blood and eating the body Of
Christ" in preparation for sanity life and in token of
repentance for sin-is it not a screaming maniaca
farce? preceding, it does the turning loose Of the
machine guns the hand grenades, the poison gas the
airplane bomb, the lyddite shell.
Men and women and little children in the Christian
churches today saying that light to the earth
some 10 centuries ago. But science shows that
began the earth 10000 100000 years ago, and
that $1,000 ago he emerged from the besal
stage and began to live tribal lire and to form
villages Great philosophers and students of the science
of eaIth-ife have expressed the view that, in most
ways man has not progressed in thousands of years.
a degree that be measured comparatively with
past untold ages of laborious development. Only in
acknowledgements capacity to invent, to observe to
compare natural forces, to control adversely has
certainly expanded But for moment think to what
heish his inventiveness has too often been put
The human knows and methods of crime
and deliberate injury and destruction of living and
artificial organisms than all the rest of the animals put
together; mans destructive skill is marvellous. Few
other organisms out OF the hundreds OF thousands Of
species contesting for control, withstand man
But what has constructed? OF what use IS the
ethics he has formulated? Is his morality anything
fear of consequences? Does he consistently to save
all the best elements in reproduction and creation and
destroy only the worst? What is mans aim? When
he masters the EARTH will he reach for the stars?
What hold have a future life? What do know
about resurrection from the dead? Put together all
the philosophers all the sciences all the religions what
have they accomplished for the permanent ameloratOn
of the lot Of the average man? Does the world really
know what happiness is?
The quotation at the beginning of this will bear
several readings. 1t is pregnant with stimuli for
thought 1t is not comforting. 1t sounds like tong
bell and falling clOds. It IS TOO true It hurts But
1t has no rational counter array of facts.
But there IS in it little ray of hope "the dreams
Of childhood Governor Black meant the phrase 10 be
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
Christmas Is Season Of Great Joy and Expense
Was Made In Germany But Celebrated Neutrally

THEIST8LAS is a season of great
joy and phenomenal expense. which
begins about the middle of Deem
Der, passes the crisis on the 25th and
gradually tapers off TO the first Of the
year. though some OF the scars do not
disappear until much later
Christmas is one of the few good
things not of American invention
though even Christmas has been vastly
enlarged and improved in this country.
i was made in Germany where most
Of the Christmas toys are produced,
and is celebrated wherever pine trees
and mixed candy can be found. Origin
ally, Christmas gifts were deposited in
the stockings OF the recipients but the
feet Of the people have not grown as
fast as their expectations, 50 trucks
and plano boxes are now used instead.
Christmas means good viii TO men
and We therefore celebrate it by send
ing dolls TO our nieces, drums to our
nephews. good books to our aunts. roses
TO our sweethearts and cigars 10 our
neighbors- It is such a happy season
that we can buy all OF these things in
crowded stores. pay for them, wrap
them up and stand in line long hours
at express offices with them without
biting anyone. moreover. owing TO the
good feeling which prevails in this sea
son, a bald-headed man can get up at
s an, go down to the front door in
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
PARIS IS GAY AS EVER;
CHRISTMAS IS BRILLIANT

Paris. France, Dec. 25.-Christmas in
France seems as gay as ever Millions
of gifts have been sent to the trenches
for the soldiers and many thousands Of
the troops have been furlOughed 10 their
homes for the holidays.
The second Christmas eve Of the war
was even less solemn than the first
Parisians are becoming accustomed to
the unusual conditions imposed by the
war, and although no restaurants were
permitted to remain open all night, the
bOulevards were thronged until a late
hour and the traditional booths enjoyed
an unusually good trade in toys and
candy
Hundreds OF soldiers in French grey
Belgians in blue and British in khaki.
relieved the somber cOlors worn by.
civilians
Theaters and moving picture plays
were CROWDED TO capacity Services in
all churches were attended as rarely
before, the congregations being impress
sively devotional
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
1AYEARS Ago Today
4 \ From The Herald OF This
Date. 1901.

DIT Morton and DR.. Bass have had the
old Mexican Methodist church on South
Stanton street donated TO them, and at
noon on Tuesdays and Saturdays they
viii meet there and administer free
medicines and free treatment to those
who are unable TO pay.
Mrs. II. W. Ridgeway left for Chihua-
hua city on a short visit
Arthur Keetch. secretary OF the In
ternational Miners association. has just
returned from an extended trip through
New Mexico and Arizona
J. : EIdridse. owner of the Dos Ca
bezas mines in northeastern sonora.
proposes to branch out into the railroad
business. he announces here
c. NJ Hewett. who has been clearkinE
in the G. H. freight offices for several
months, has been married in east Texas.
He is due back in FL PasO in about a
fortnight TO make FL PasO his home
The majority of the churches having
observed Christmas last Sunday with
appropriate rites. only three Of the re-
ligiOus denominations today held serv-
ices in recognition of the Nativity.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
Bedtime Story For the Little Ones
Uncle Wiggily and the Tin Soldier"
By HOWARD B. GARIS.

THE day after Christmas,> Uncle
Wiggily Longears. the nice old
gentleman, started out from his
hollow stump bungalow
Where are you going, If I may
ask politely inquired Nurse Jane
Fuzzy Wuzzy-
You may ask, and ] will tell you.
answered Uncle Wiggily. making a
low bow 7 am going 70 call on sam
ME and Susie LittletaiI, the rabbit
children. on Johnnie and Billie Bushy-
tail, the squirrels, on Jackie and Peetie
Bow Wow. the puppy dog boys. on
Mamie and Billie WagtaiL. the goat
children, and on all my other little ami
NAL friends TO see what they got for
Christmas"
'That viii be fine-' said Nurse Jane.
And when you come back tell me all
about it."
y Will" promised Uncle WiggiIy.
and off he went. over the fields and
through the woods.
First Uncle Wiggily came to the bur
row. or underground house, where Sam
mic and Susie lived The rabbit chill
Look at ny new doll" said Susie
Only one Of her eyes has fallen out
and she is funny" Susie felt badly
about her broken doll.
Wen. 1 guess I can fix it." said
the rabbit gentleman. So he put the
eye back in Susie's doll He made a
mistake though, and put ii in upside
down, so that the doll was looking
with one eye at the ceiling and at the
floor with the other But that did not
matter, very much, Susie said
And one of the wheels has come off
my train Of cars" said Sammie. Can
you fix it2''
-'Oh. can fix that. too" cried Uncle
Wiggily. and he did. only he put the
wheel on hindsidebefore, so that the
train OF cars would run partly back
ward and partly forward
'But it's funnier that way" said
Sammie. y like it,"
Then Uncle Wiggily went on to where
Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, the SPUR
rels lived Johnnie had pounded a hole
in his drum, but Uncle Wiggily pasted
some paper over II and mended that
The only trouble was that by mistake
he left one Of the drum sticks inside
the drum Johnnie said that only made
u the more merry, as he could shake
the drum and make a fine noise with
the stick bobbing up and down inside
And my jumping Jack won't jump, -
said Billie BushytaiI-
oh, / can fix that" cried Uncle Wig
gily- And he did fix it But he made
the jack jump so hard that he jumped
away up and over and off the stick
and Rillie couldn't find him But the
squirrel boy said he didn't care, as he
had more toys with which to play.
i had better be careful what other
toys I fix thought Uncle Wiggily. as
ne went on 10 where Lulu, Alice and
Jimmie WibblewObble, the duck chill
dren, lived.
There he mended some of the broken
Christmas playthings, and, after calling
on some more Of the animal children,
at last he found himself at the home
Of Mamie and Billie Wagtal, the goats.
Mamie was crying
'.Why. what's the matter" asked
Uncle Wiggily, kindly
-Oh, 7 have lost the red and blue
cOlors out Of my Christmas box of
paints" said the little goat girl
E1-'-~-- mind" said Uncle Wiggily,
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

I 'IlI scrape some red and blue color
off my rheumatism crutch. and you can
l paint with that" And Mamie did. very
1 nicely, indeed
DO you think you could fix my tin
soldier, Uncle Wiggily? He won't shoot
any more
shoot what?'' asked the rabbit gem
tleman.
Beans" answered Billie You see.
my tin soldier has a gun, and you put
, a dried bean in il and pull on this
string. Only the soldier is broken, and
when / try 10 make il shoot. il won't -
4 guess I can fix it" Uncle Wiggily
said as he took up Billie Wagtairs
broken Christmas toy. The rabbit gen
ueman saw what was the matter. A
spring was broken. but borrowing a
hairpin from Mrs. Wagtail, the rabbit
gentleman made new spring.
Now ] think il will work. he said.
Where are the beans. Billie?'
The little goat boy brought Uncle
Wiggily some beans, and the rabbit
gentleman put handful of them in the
hollow end Of the gun, which the tin
soldier aimed and held out as real as
anything.
'Oh. you mustn't put in so many
beans at once, Uncle Wigsily,' said
Billie Only one at time"
well. let US see what happens when
I put in a lot Of them" spoke the rab-
bit gentleman. Now I Will pull the
strins-and the soldier viii shoot,
think
Uncle Wiggily pulled the string, and
the soldier did shoot
Bang" went the toy gun-and d
bean hit Mamie on her ear,
ouch she cried.
Bang" went the gun again-and a
bean hit Billie on his headi
Bang. bangi" went the bean gun
and whole lot of beans hit Uncle
Wiggily on his twinkling nose. for the
tin soldier was spinning around. shoot
ing all over
What's the natter asked Mrs.
Wagtail, the goat lady, running into
the play room.
Bang" went the tin soldiers gun
on her eye, And then the tin soldier
shot more beans on Uncle Wiggily's
nose until all the beans were shot out
of the gun and the rabbit gentleman's
nose was pinker than ever
Well" said Uncle Wiggily, rubbing
the places where he had been hit Il
fixed the gun all right but next time
I'll do as you say. Billie, and not put
in so many beans" And then the rab-
bit gentleman went to his hollow stump
bungalow. having fixed as many brok-
On Christmas toys as he could. Wasn't
he kind2
And. If the cuckoo clock doesn't try
TO talk like a polparrot and make the
photograph loot its horn, III tell you
next about Uncle Wiggily and the plum
pudding.
Copyright, 1915. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

pleasure by cabmen, eleya ryObsotbm
pleasure by cabmen. elevator boys,
delivery boys. telegraph messengers,
walters, pin boys and shoe sinners, all
Of whom become beggars for one week
only with great success. But Christmas
is very hard on fathers and clerks and
eNpressmen and letter carriers-especi
ally the latter-Who look like movable
mountains as they stagger along the
street delivering dolls, shoes. Turkish
slippers. candy, flowers. Noah's arks.
and books There used 10 be a current
belief that Santa Claus. q rosy old gent
with a vast wilderness of white whis-
kers. had charge of the delivery Of
Christmas presents. But the letter
carrier is the modern Santa Claus. and
not being allowed RENDERS by the
pOst-Office department he usually
makes good from two days to two
weeks late.
The Christmas tree comes into bloom
on Christmas morning and Yields vast
crops OF woOlly dogs, tin horns and
candy. Everybody is very glad when
Christmas comes. especially fathers,
who are so glad that they usually go
downtown and make up with their
worst enemies There are no Quarrels.
divorces, lawsuits or gentlemen's
agreements on the peaceful Christmas
Day. which makes it cheap at the price.
Protected by the Adams Newspaper
Service.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
Arizona Has the Best Christmas In It's History
Prohibition Has Hell ped, Not Hurt the State

ness trip I have become so impressed
with the prosperous condition of e.
PasO that ! intend to move my home
and locate here" said c. T. TyrOn of
Douglas. AriZ The condition in the
business way OF Ell Paso is all that has
been said Of it and more and / firmly
believe that whenever peace is estab-
most important city southwest Of St
Louis"
Il look forward with the greatest
optimism TO the future Of E. Paso." said
C. II. Leaven Were it not for the
growing tendency OF the people OF the
city to build their own homes wen light
see in the present prosperity an after
math Of depression But every year
sees the city become more and more
city OF home owners. and that is the
best indication Of the permanency Of
our prosperity It has been almost i'm
possible during the past fall for people
10 rent houses and / predict the same
condition in the spring. L is the scar
city Of houses for rent that has led
many TO build homes Of their own. and
it is a condition that is making the
city city OF homes The past year
has been the best in real estate that
have seen in my Is years OF residence
in the city, but 1916 viii be better"
Business prospects throughout the
country is excellent" said +. " Ban
nell who has recently returned from a
business trip TO Toledo. O There is
heavy passenger traffic in the east for
the Christmas season. everybody is
showing general feeling OF prosperity
IN all branches OF business and the
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
SAN JUARS ENTIRE FORCE
LETTER CARRIERS ARRESTED

san Juan. Porto Rico. Dec. 25.-San
Juan's two. and only two, letter car
riers are under arrest following an in
vestigation which pOstoffoe inspector
Hathaway says shows that the letter
carriers had been engaged in a whole
sale and systematic theft Of letters and
valuables from the san Juan postoffice-
The two letter carriers are F ancisco
Calveriu and Panic GOnz%les. both OF
them Federal civil service employees
In a trunk belonging to Calverin the
officers say they found bundle o. cur
rency containing approximately $1,000
and composed Of bills from $40 TO $50
each Watches. revOlvers. jewelry and
other articles which are believed to
have passed through III san Juan post
office were found in the possession OF
the two carriers. Much of the supposed
stolen goods the postoffice authorities
claim came through the mail from the
United States
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
Women and Men
By AL. q. YsIUs.

There are suffragists. anti suffra-
gists, and just women, and the women
say these names clearly define the
political lines dividing them. This is
mere speech TO buncombe, for these
names do but clearly divide the wom-
en- into groups holding different atti-
tudes of heart toward man.
The women weigh men by men they
see. and tie balance is in their heart
Our suffragists hold contempt for
man. because. as they see him, he is
an ease-lOving liar, CRATER and polit-
zeal sharp who places his own selfish
interests above those OF the common
welfare.
Our anti suffragists hold pity for
man. because he is. as they see him,
a victim. dragged by environments
from his pedestal upon which he Will
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

ity OF James c. Bulger, soldier OF for
tune. who is convicted OF murder, has
been continued until Monday
Alfred r. SlOnaker testified Saturday
that he believed the defendant insane
because Bulger once endeavOred to get
him 10 finance a revolution in South
America SlOnaker said the defendant
proposed 10 pick out South American
country i'm which TO start a revolution
and clean up considerable money"
The witness said Bulger talked so
irrationally, 1 made Up my mind he
was unbalanced"
Deputy warden Murphy, Of the Den
Yer county Jail. and Abraham Virgins,
guard at the state penit@nt'~r~ tr--i-
fied their association with Bulger led
them 10 believe the defendant insane
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25
APPRECIATION.

If / had a garden where roses would
grow.
I'd surely plant roses and have bou-
quets to throw.
I'd mass their bright colors along the
dull street,
And take miles in return from the
people I'd meet
If there were one corner in my garden
plots
That would grow hearts ease and
sweet fOrget-me-nots.
d strew these rare seeds with 4 prod
igal hand,
And send jitney car OF blossoms to
each tired business man
Barbara"