davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

over Cnelr Hook by night.
And 10, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shown around about them :
and they were sore afraid.
And the angels said unto them,
Gear not, for, behold, I bring YOU
good tidings of great Joy, which
shall be to all people.
"For unto you is born this day
in the city Of David, the Savior,
which is Christ, the Lord.
"And this shall be a sign unto
you; ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in q
manger."
And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward
men. st. Luke 2 :9-14.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

II believe in Christmas Day home
celebrations; their friendliness, their
mystery, their joyous excitement; and
in the feeling Of security and peace
child has in the midst of them,
writes a well-known authority. And
I believe that the memory of child has
Of them fifty years later should still be
strong and sweet"
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14
A Cruet Stand.

Several villagers were discussing a
departed sister, who had been given to
good deeds, but was rather too fond of
dispensing sharp spoken advice.
'She was an excellent woman" said
the deceased lady's pastor. "She was
constantly in the homes of the poor
and afflicted. In fact, she was the salt
of the earth"
"She was more than that" remarked
a villager. ''She was the vinegar, the
pepper and the mustard as well. She
was perfect cruet stand of virtues g
London Tit-Bits.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

When you have a house for rent,
want to rent one, want furnished or
unfinished rooms, lost something
valuable or found an article belonging
to some one else, put small CLASH
fed ad in the Enterprise and
watch the result The cost is small
but the results sure.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14
Christmas Carols.

Then arose joyous clamor, from
the wild fowl on the mere, and voice
within cried, "Listen! Christmas ca
rolls even here !-Charles Kingsley.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14
Big shipment 81 Big Ben Clocks
just received at Russell Bros. If

WANTED-Positios as stenog-
rapher. Cab Phone .5o4. st.
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14
His Fun.

1T don't believe in giving expensive
Christmas gifts"
Neither do I, but it's a lot of fun
expecting them"
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

Visiting cards. for ladies OF
gentlemen, $l.O0 per 100. De
livered the same day ordered a.
the Leader-F Enterprise. TT
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

7de Birth gf Christ

IND there were in The same
country shepherds abiding
1 in the field, keeping watch
. over thnir fool H. l.L
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14

IT!NNHTH!E HIINHITNTHINNtHIHHIHNHNIlHEHNlHNNMHNHH
The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-12-14
NJ y the deepest hoppi.
WL ness of this Christmas
- tide come to each and
eOery reader, and may it last
all through the coming year.
Home Celebrations.

TNTiTIIIIIIIITIITIIIiIITIITITTiTIITiIiIIIiTIIII
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

that they believe he can come down the chimney of a steam heated apart ment just as he did when open fire places were in vogue. Time only adds more glory to the legend of Santa
 Claus, for of all personages whose marvellous doings have filled pages to the delight of others he stands out pre- eminent among the children. He has outlived all the great gods, and all the impressive and poetic concep- tions which once fitted between heaven and earth; these have gone but Santa Claus remains by virtue of a common understanding that child hood shall not be despoiled of it's most cherished beliefs. Who does not re- call with delight pr. Clement c. Moore's immortal lines of "The Night Before Christmas" which is probably the most popular poem for children
 ever penned in America? As the wis it's of Santa Claus in the night could
 only be through the chimney we hung our stockings where they would be in
 full view. Then we lay awake far into the night and listened for the jingle of the sleigh bells and the c1at- ter of the reindeer hoofs on the icy roof Finally you fell asleep, and in the morning rushed to the living room
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

class is Santa Claus, the wonder and delight of children, whose association with the Christmas time adds to the joyousness of the Christmas season, and whose mission typifies Gods gift to man.
 St. Nicholas Becomes Santa Claus. | The name Santa Claus is a sort of nickname for the good Saint Nicholas, who was the patron saint of the chill dren. This saints day occurs on De- cember 9th, but somehow the real celebration of : the day has been changed to Christmas-t1le feast of December the 9th being religious service alone and held in the Church as a sort of pre-Christmas service.
 The good Saint Nicholas was the Archbishop of Myra, in Lycia, in the fourth century-a holy person of vari- ous attributes. He always took the part of the poor against the rich, and in seaport towns he was beloved by the sailors because he stilled storm when. theyN were journeying to the Holy Land. The thieves feared him because he always made them give back their plunder. He became the patron saint of boys and girls, through a tradition that he once resuscitated three school boys whom wicked inn
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
Claus boldly presents himself at the

Claus boldly presents himself at the door with his pack of toys and goodies and gives each child gift. In South ern Austria Santa Claus is always &C., companied by an angel, who questions each child as to it's behavior during the past year and gives out the gifts according to the degrees of obedience. The smaller children are put to bed after dishes are set out to hold the goodies intended for them. It was the Holland Dutch who were responsible for the blending of Saint Nicholas into Santa Claus centuries ago, when they began to tell their children of the jolly old elf who came over. the house. tops with his reindeer and sleigh full of toys each Christmas Eve, how he climbed down the chimneys and trimmed Christmas trees and left toys while children were asleep.
 In Holland And Germany.
 It was a beautiful idea, this bring ing gifts, and as Saint Nicholas was the patron saint of youth he soon be- came the Santa Claus of both Hol- land and Germany. The Dutch set tiers brought the tradition to America, where it lives today to the never-end- ing joy of the American children whose faith in Santa Claus Is so great
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

harmony with this is the midnight the Roman Catholic Church, re- ligious service lending a peculiar sanctity to the hour of it's celebration. Yet with all the religious ceremony of the night there is touch of pagan ism in some of the beliefs. Take for instance the legend of the Breton blacksmith who was found at work after the ringing of the bell for mid night mass. While he was bending over his forge tall, stopping man with scythe came in and begged him to put in a nail. He did so and the visitor then told him to send for a priest for this work would be his last. When the strange man had him and at dawn he died. He had m ended the scythe of the Ankon- Death, the Reaper.
 In Scandinavian countries up to a few years ago the people had a vivid sense of the supernatural on Christ mas Eve. They believed that the dead came to revisit their homes on that night. The living prepared for these visits with {, mingled dread and anxiety to make the departed welcome. Candles were left lighted, beds were made and warm baths prepared for the uncanny visitors. This being done the family retired. Early the next morning the chairs were examined and it was always found that someone had used them during the night.
 Tn the Tyrolean Alps milk used to be set outside the houses while the midnight mass was being sung. This was intended as food for the Christ
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
Kingles" are product of the English

Ktngles' are a product of the English Christmas Eve of centuries ago men and woraen garbed in fantastic costumes and masked who went from house to house perpetrating coarse jokes and singing songs. Finally the Fathers of the Church feared that the disgraceful scenes of the old Roman feasts might be revived and they in- troduced miracle plays in which the Mummers took part. These dramas continued for centuries and gradually evolved themselves into our modern Christmas charades and pantomimes. Mumming has existed for centuries in the Far East, and even today the men of Manchuria array themselves in ami mai skins and mask and run about the streets on feast days. This is in honor of their pagan gods.
 The Lord of Misrule is another Eng lish Christmas Eve custom for on that day the Mayor of London appointed Christmas Eve and be known as the Lord of Misrule." In many places this master of the reve1s was king of the festival until Twelfth Night when he abdicated his sovereignty with great ceremony. While he held sway all sorts of license was permitted by his satellites, and gradually the cus- tom fell into disuse.
 Touch Of The Supernatural.
 Christmas Eve has it's supernatural side in many lands due perhaps to the fact that the Church has hallowed the night above all others of the year. It was to the shepherds Keeping watch over their nocks at night that the message canlC of His birth. and in
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

goodies and toys have been sent to Santa Claus European department. Queen Mary does not want him to forget the little crippled children at the London hosptAels, and last year he personally visited the children and gave them the gifts himself. Queen Helena has asked that the children of 1taly's fighting men be remembered and will see to it that Santa Claus has her assistance in giving gift to all soldiers children. Both the Empress and the Crown Princess of Germany are asking Santa Claus to cover the Christmas trees in the German homes with beautiful things for Christmas. In German home without a Christ mas tree would be like the play of Hamlet with Hamlet left out, so these two royal ladies have called in the other ladies of the Court and all of them are lending a hand toward as- sisting Santa Claus in his work. The old fellow has a heavy burden this year for he has so many war orphans to remember.
 How happy the children of America should be this year with peace and plenty all about them. Their fathers are not on the battle lines and their mothers are not doing mems work as are the parents of the poor children of Europe. Santa Claus has his pack ready, and when Christmas Eve comes he will bring out his sled and with call to his reindeer: ''Now Dasher, now Dancer, now
 Prancer and Vixen! f
 On Comet, on Cupid. on Donder and Blitzen!'
 he will gallop over the housetops and leave gifts for the little boys and girls of our land.
 May this beautiful legend of Santa Claus ever live to brighten our homes! He who does not see in the tradition of Santa Claus beautiful faith on one side and naive embodiment of a divine fact on the other is not fit to have a place at the Christmas board Such a man. says a noted writer should have neither carol, nor holly. nor mistletoe; they only shall keep the feast to whom all these things are but the outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace"
 Here's to Santa Claus, the children's friend, and in his own language:
 f"A Merry Christmas to all. and to all good night!"
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

Child and His Mother. This custom had it's origin in the Feast of Juul, III Norway, when. pots of porridge aho milk were placed outside the door to win favor with ''Tomte Gubbe"-the god of the household, for the coming year.
 Gift Of Speech In Animals. The belief that animals have the gift of speech on Christmas Eve has not entirely died out in Europe. This l originated with the legend of the cat tie lowing in adoration before the Child ill the manager at Bethlehem Curious stories are related to prove the remarkable phenomenon. One comes from the German Alps and runs as follows: e"Once upon a time there was a farmers servant who did not be- lieye that beasts could speak, but hid himself in the stable on Christmas Eve and listened. At midnight he heard surprising things.
 "eWe shall have hard work this week. said one horse.
 "'Yes, the. farmers servant IS heavy,' answered the other.
 "sAnd the way to the churchyard is long and steep said the first. The servant was buried that day week."
 Another comes from Brittany. "Once upon time there was wom- an who starved her cat and dog. At midnight on Christmas Eve she heard the dog say to the cat:
 "'It is quite time we lost our mis- tress; she is a regular miser. Tonight burglars are coming to steal her money and if she cries they will break her head
 "''Twill be good deed,' the cat replied.
 "The woman in terror got up to go to q neighbours house. As she went out the burglars opened the door and when she cried out they broke her head"
 These stories go to show that one cannot listen to the beasts conversa- ton with mpunity. That this belief was at one time general is shown by a number of old prints in which the artists have put words as coming from the mouths of animals after the style used by cartoonists of the present day
 Even the insects give praise on Christmas Eve. for. according to the
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
Special Blessings.

l @kSO~se~A A|~~H~~~~o0'
 There is certain tradition in Spain
 which accounts for the fact that in nearly every room of the Spanish home one finds a picture of the Saviour. This is because there is beautiful belief rooted in the minds of the people that when the hour of midnight strikes on Christmas Eve the Virgin bringing blessings in her train visits every house where she can find an image or portrait of her son. It is the custom ill Southern Spain for young girls to kneel before the picture of the Child and pray at that hour. There is a rustic behind her as the Virgin passes. Then the girls mother enters the room as the Virgin goes out and the blessing is the mothers kiss
 Italy has it's famous Bambino of Ara Coeli in a Francescan Church on the citadel of Rome-a large f1esh-colored doll, made to represent the Christ Child. This figure is supposed to possess miraculous power in healing the sick on Christmas Eve. It is said to be made of wood from the Mount of Olives and is tightly swathed in gold and silver tissue. crowned and sparkling with jewels. On Christmas Eve it is taken down from its pedestal and driven to visit the sick in a gilded carriage used for no other purpose. Early on Christmas Eve the bejeweled doll is carried to the top of the Church and priest raises it on high and reverently blesses the Eternal City. At one time thousands of peo-s pie bowed down before it, but today although many people still believe in it's healing virtues the number of wor. shippers has greatly decreased. Christi mas Eve has always been a great festival in Italy especially in Venice and Rome, where street parades, music and singing are enjoyed up to the ringing of the bell for midnight mass when every body goes to church to welcome the Feast of the Nativity with songs of praise.
 The idea of hanging up ones stock ings on Christmas Eve dates back many centuries, having its origin in Italy, where the children hung up their stockings on that night praying to the Holy Kings, who were oa shasr way with gifts to the new-ocrn n.-s not to forget them. In Spain the chill dren always left a little hay or straw outside the door for the horses of the Wise Men, who were travelling to Beth lehem.
 So, it will be seen that the celebra- tion of Christmas Eve began many centuries ago, and like number of our festivals it has touches of legend ary and of the weird. \
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13

legend, the bees sing carols in theil l hives, while the beasts of the hele and the fowls of the air hover abou to listen. Bread made from the whea' which grows near these hives anc baked on Christmas Eve, it is said will never become mouldy even il kept year. All Nature is thus sup 1 posed to unite in celebrating the conn ing birth of Christ and partake in the general joy of the Feast of the | Nativity.
 Fortune Telling.
 Christmas Eve up to the eighteenth century was a time Cor auguries. For instance, among the Slavs if girl wanted to know what sort of hus- band she was to marry she put loaf of bread, a plate, knife, spoon and fork on the table before retiring. At 1 midnight the spirit of her future hus- band is said to have come to her bed side and thrown the knife at her. If the knife fell without injuring her she was sure of good husband. but if hurt she would die young. When young men wished to try their luck they hadAto wait until everybody was
 
 and sift ashes. While the man was at work his future bride appeared and pulled his nose three times and then ran away.
 In the early days there was a belief in France that while the midnight mass was being chanted hidden treas ures were revealed. In Russia the people believed that the waters of springs were turned to wine. The refusal to accept the miracle caused a woman's death. so runs the legend. 1t seems that she determined to test the belief by drawing a bucket Of wa ter from the we'll on Christmas Eve, declaring as 1t came up that she did not believe it was wine, but before the bucket reached the top she fell dead and the water in the we'll turned to blood.
 In Germany a representation of the Christ Child was introduced on Christ mas Eve-usually a girl with golden hair who went about leaving gifts for the children. In Alsace the girl who represented the Christ Child had her face made up with flour and wore a gilt paper crown with a candle at the top. In one hand she carried bell and in the other a basket of sweets. She was followed about by a boy dressed in bear skin with blackened face. He threatened all bad children with switches, but they were saved from reinstatement by the intercession of the Christ Child. This established usage still prevails in the rural dis tricts-
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
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Curious Customs of the Celebration of the Eye ofthe eNativity-ABlend- ing of the Supernatural and the Real.
Copyright, 1916, by The International
 Syndicate.

Syndicate.
 N the old days the Christmas holi .
 days began on Christmas Eve and
 ended on Twelfth night-January
 9th. During all this period there was feasting and merryraakiag car ried out on much more elaborate scale than it is today for our .ances- tors in feudal times celebrated with a riot of wining and dining which not infrequently developed into an orgie According to the Church calendar the eyes of great ecclesiastical festivals are times of fasting and penance, but in the case of Christmas Eve it seems that rulers in high authority decided that the night before the birth of the Child should be one of merriment and early in the Christian era Christ mas Eve became almost as important as Christmas Day itself. This custom still prevails to certain extent in Germany, where the children sit up half the night waiting for Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) to come in and trim the tree, which their par ents have set up. Meanwhile, the parents have flood and drink in honor Of the Christ Child to be born on the morrow"
 AS far back as the thirteenth cen tury the people of Devonshire ce1e- brated Christmas Eve in regal style. Those who went after the Yule log, to be lighted on Christmas morning, were treated toscider mixed with eggs and spices. Master and servant met on equal footing on this particular night and side by side they played such games as jumping for the sugar covered cakes, which were suspended by strings from the ceiling. Some times the entire party proceeded to the orchard, carrying a hot cake and cidertas an ofrering to the apple trees for their fruit fullness. After the cake was placed in the fork of the largest tree the cider was thrown over 1t, while the men fired shots and the girls shouted verses beseeching .the trees to continue to bear fruit. Spiced
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
for your gifts which had been left by the jolly old elf.

| the jolly old elf.
 Workshop Hidden.
 Where does Santa Claus have his workshop, is one of the questions the children ask, and the Dutch have an answer, for they declare that it is away up in big room where his wife never goes. There Santa Claus makes his wonderful toys. dolls, jumping jacks, horns. drums, and even now he is at work on, the gorgeous soldiers which he will bring to the boys this year. On Christmas Eve he gets his old sled down from the stable away up by the North Pole, and as soon as his wife goes to sleep he puts on his furs and gets his pipe and then loads the toys on his sled. The reindeer stand perfectly still while he loads the sled, fearing to, move lest they wake the old lady. Load after load is car ried over the housetops and down the chimneys where he trims Christmas trees, fills stockings and leaves toys. Santa Claus enjoys his work and chuckles over the fact that his wife does not know that he is out of the house.
 Rich People His Assistants.
 Few, if any, children are neglected by Santa Claus, for should he be un- able to make enough toys for all the children, kind rich people frequently purchase toys and send them to him to help him out. In New York there are a number of men and women banded together for this purpose. They even have letter box in which poor children whose parents cannot reach Santa Claus may post letters to him. Boy Scouts collect these letters and carry them to the headquarters of the society who forward them to Santa Claus with money and toys so that he may be sure to be we'll supplied and that no child is overlooked. They can even reach old Santa by telephone now as he sits in his old Dutch kitchen.
 Will Have Busy Time In Europe.
 Over in Europe Queen Mary, Queen Helena and the Empress of Germany are all active assistants of Santa Claus, and even the people of the United States are helping him out in prepar- ing gifts for the war orphans whose parents are unable to communicate with "jolly old Santa Claus" and hun dreds of dollars worth of Christmas
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-13
ale was used in some parts of England 1
 and sprinkled on the meadows as we'll |
Game Of Snapdragon.

and sprinkled on the meadows as well as the trees
 Game Of Snapdragon.
 The game known as "Snapdragor." was in high favor during the reign of Henry VIII, and it is said that this much married monarch's chief delight on Christmas Eve was watching his coUrtiers try their luck in this game and enjoying their discontinue when they burned themselves in the flame. The game, if it may be so called, was played by the host depositing a quan- tity of ralsins in a large shallow bowl and pouring brandy over the fruit. The brandy was lighted and the by- stander endeavored to grab a raisin by plunging his hands through the flames. AS this is a feat which re- quires more or less courage and rapid ity of action it evoked shouts of laugh ter from the crowd when a courier was unsuccessful. While this was go- ing on the lights i'll the room were put out. so that the flaming bowl might have the weird effects of the Druid fire worship practiced centuries before. /
 Another fire game was putting a Hshted canule III a can oEN ale or cldcr and then drinking the contents of the vessel. This was made all the more difficult from the fact that long mustaches and flowing boards were in fashion at that time. It is said that King Henry Laughed imm moderately when the mustache of one Of his courtiers caught ffre.'
 Tie AiilInmers.
 The Munners. now known as Kris