davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

ming back and forth across the soft
that you might buy me a cape, from a
remark or two that heard you make,
but | might have known that you'd I'M
derstand That's the very incest thing
about YOU, John, you always seem to
understand without being told over
and over as so many other men have
to be-"
But, JEAN he answered, catching
at last straw, didn't you say that
night outside Bottoms store that the
cape in the window was so beautiful
that it would make any woman happy
and that you"
Yes, / know, dear, but l was going
to add that it would be the last thing
that | would desire for myself. You
know the one Aunt Jane sent me
some time ago is just about the same
shade, and then, too, my heart was so
set on fur like this that could not
think of wanting anything else just
now. So please quit. worrying, Mr..
John Trenton, for you have brought
me just the thing that l wished most
for. In fact, to tell you the truth, if
you had brought me that cape / would
have been fearfully disappointed al
though, of course, would not have
told you So But / am just happier
than | can say over the gift you
brought me, and also over your won
derful news
John did not answer. He felt sick
with misery and disappointment Every
word that Jean uttered made the
telling of the thing all the harder.
For he knew now how the awful blum
der had happened. In the hurry of
getting off the car the packages that
he and Walter Moore had carried had
been exchanged. He remembered now
how similar the packages had looked
that they had both come from Boz
toms. AT any moment now Walter
would be coming over after the fur
and then he would have to tell Jean
the truth-have to present her with a
Christmas gift that he now knew she
cared nothing for. Her Christmas
would be spoiled and he had meant it
to be such happy day for both Of
them. What a laundering fool he had
been not to have found out what she
had really wanted!
He fidgeted from one foot to anoth-
er, but Jean was taking no notice Of
him now. Instead she was still fin
gering the fur, rapt look Of happi-
ness upon her face How could he
ever tell her that it really belonged
to Mrs Moore that her gift was the
cape that she did not want?
"Jean, Jean, II" he STAN
mered
AT that moment there was gentle
tapping at the side door. Johns
heart stopped beating a moment, for
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

tree and shrub-the whole scene was
like the work Of some master artist.
Dressing hastily, John ran down
stairs making his way to the little den
at the rear of the dining room his
own sacred sanctum. For there, the
evening before, after he had got away
from within reach Of jeans eyes, he
had hidden the precious package
which. was to give so much joy to her.
He handled it lovingly as he went up
the stairs again, all the while de
licious feeling Of happiness surging
over him as he thought how glad Jean
would be when she saw it,
Tiptoeing softly across the room he.
stopped down slowly and kissed her
cheek. Merry Christmas, sweetest of
women Y he whispered softly as he
placed the decorated package in her
hands.
Jean held it a while, her fingers
1t seemed as if she was almost 10th to
open it, preferring rather to linger in
the delightful land of anticipation
a while Then she undid the box very
slowly. A cry of delight came from
her lips as the beautiful gift was I'M
earthed from the many folds of tissue
paper that surrounded it.
"Oh, John! John it was really too
good of you to do this" she muir
INJURED. "How could you have known
that this beautiful fur was the thing
I wanted most. You dear, dear man,
it was just too good Of you But how
could you have known it was just the
very thing was wishing for?'
Then John told her the secret that
he kept from her for a whole week
that beginning with the New Year
their income woukl be increased by a
good margin, but there was no en-
thusiasm or happiness in his voice
now. His throat felt dry and husky,
and his voice sounded strangely un-
| familiar even to himself He was
gazing with wide-open eyes at the con-
/ rents of the package that he had gwen
Jean, and in his face was bewildcr-
ment and CONSERVATION. For, instead
of the cape that he had purchased
there lay a soft, beautiful fur, which
Jean was caressing with loving touch.
And between breaths she was telling
him of the wonderful things they could
do with the addition to his salary. And
in her eyes there was a pride ans
| love for him that ordinarily would
he was all apology, then he gave lit
have sent him into the seventh heaven
OF delight, but which now only brought
him a sense of misery.
| "But JEAN" he whispered tensely,
didn't you really want cape instead
of this fur. Wouldn't you have liked
| it far better?''
why, no, John" she answered
sweetly, all the while her fingers run
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

f7uFryy tOOs
happy one and his heart sang within
him as he pushed his way through the
surging crowd.
He smiled in ready sympathy as he
looked at the holiday shoppers
young, middle-aged and old-all intent
upon the same purpose; to give hap
piness to some one else. What
grand old world this would be-" he
thought, "if we could only keep this
spirit in our hearts all through the
year,
SO deeply did this thought take hold
of him that he almost collided with
man who was coming out of a build
ing on his way to the car. Instantly
tie laugh as he recognized the one he
had nearly bowled over: ''Why,
Moore" he said, "you in hurry, too?"
Walter Moore laughed good ma
taredly: 'Tying up Christmas gifts
with clumsy fingers takes time" he
said. Looks to me as if you had
been doing something of the kind your
self, too? On your way home, are
your"
"Just making it for the car when /
was so unfortunate rather fortu-
hate enough to bump into you"
They pushed their way to the subur-
ban station two blocks distant. Since
John and Jean had moved out to
Meadowville six months before they
had been next-door neighbors to the
Moores and had found in them a genu-
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

afternoon and it was the day before
Christmas He stood a moment or
two on the steps and looked up at the
lowering gray sky. Like heavy cur
tain it hung over the endless sea of
city roofs, holding within it the prom
Use Of a big snowfall by morning.
Ever since John remembered he had
always loved a white Christmas and
ne smiled now in anticipation of the
thrill it always brought.
Everywhere within view surging
mass of humanity moved this way and
that, all with eager, intent faces-the
hurryings nervous, yet gladstone crowd
of last-nlinute Christmas shoppers
Johns progress was slow as he tried
to elbow his way along, and because
of the fact that number of packages
nestled in the folds of his arms, all
of them bearing the hallmark Of
Christmas time. One in particular,
however, seemed to be singled out in
q special manner from the rest, in that
1t reposed on that part of Johns over
coat where his heart was supposed to
two he felt of it with the little Of his
finger tips that were available. A
smile played about the corners of his
mouth as he thought of the moment
that the package would be opened and
the little cry of delight that Jean
would surely give when she gazed on
It's contents. For was there not re-
posing there the very gift that he
knew she wanted most-had he not
heard her express the wish for it just
a week before. as they stood window
shopping outside Bottoms store:
"What beautiful cape.' she had ex-
claimed; some woman will surely be
happy Christmas morning when she
receives it. But T."
The rest of the sentence, however,
had never been finished because of
some interruption from the street, but
John had heard enough to know that
the thing Jean desired most WIS the
beautiful cape that had been displayed
so prominently among the most desir-
able Christmas gifts in Bottoms win
dow-the cape that she said would
make any woman happy. And John,
to whom the thought of her happiness
meant more than all else in the world,
had forthwith set out to secure the
gift.
His smile grew deeper as he thought
of the piece of good news he had to
tell Jean, too, that beginning the New
Year a substantial increase per month
was to be added to his salary. He
knew that Jean would rejoice-there
were so many things that they needed
yet for the pretty little home which
was theirs and of which they were
both so proud. John thought as they
went along that the. first Christmas of
their married life would be a truly
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

inc friendship and comradeship that
of many things on the >homeward
journey and John confided in Walter
about the present he was bringing
Jean, and Walter in turn told John
that he, too, had just the gift his wife
desired most, no matter now the why
or wherefore of how he had come to
know. And all the while the pile Of
Christmas packages lay on the seat
between them. SO interesting was
their conversation, as it so often is.
between men who have a great deal in
common, that they almost forgot their
stop until they heard the conductors
voice calling out Meadowville. Then
hastily gathering up their packages
they made a hurried exit from the car,
anxious to get home
The snow, which had been threat
ening all day, was now coming down
in big, feathery flakes. Lights
cleaned from the windows of the lit
tie homes they passed and showed up
in relief the wreaths of holly and
Christmas bells that hung in the win
dows. From somewhere afar came
the shouts of a group Of merry young
sters, and the sound was good to hear.
Everywhere the spirit of Christmas
was in evidence--in the quiet suburb
as well as on the busy street-arld
John thought to himself that life was
indeed good and worth while as he
walked UP the little path that led to
his home, where welcoming lights
cleaned from every window.
Christmas morning dawned bright
and clear-a perfect Christmas day.
John thought, as he lifted UP the
shades and looked without. The land
scape which only yesterday morning
looked bare and ugly in all the naked
ness of winter, glistened with won
drous beauty now as if some magic
hand had passed over it through the
night A carpet of snowy whiteness
covered the earth--a delicate tracery
of snow and ice glistened on every
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

well he knew who it was. Walter
Moore was outside, coming to get the
fur that Jean was now gazing enrap
tured upon. The thing would have to
be explained now-Jean would have
to know
He went down the stairs for the Sec
ond time that morning, but now there
was no lightness in his step, and
dull feeling Of misery was gnawing at
his heart. Going to the side door he
opened it slowly and Walter Moore
stepped in. In the weight of the dis
appointment and depression that held
John he never noticed that Moore
was looking strangely white and that
his voice was tense and breathless as
he spoke:
Trenton, I'm in deuce of fix"
he was saying. won't you tell rue
what in thunder to do. l just gave
Madge her Christmas gift, and what
do you think the package contained
nothing more or less than your gift
to Jean. And the worst thing about it
is that before / could get chance TO
explain the mistake Madge was raving
about the cape and telling me that it
was the very thing she wanted most.
| hadn't the heart to tell her the truth
as yet, and came over here to YOU"
But Walter Moore got no further
with his explanation, for John Tren-
ton had taken hold Of him and was
acting in way that no sane man of
thirty had ever acted before. And
his joy was so great that it was mo-
ment or two before he could explain
his strange actions to his neighbor.
When he could do so it was an even
guess which was the happier of the
two
A little later John was bending over
Jean and whispering softly in her ear:
isn't Christmas just the loveliest time.
and aren't we two the happiest Of all
the happy crowd today?"
Jeans nuffled Eyes" came from the
depths Of the fur which she was
now trying. on--HER WONDERFUL
CHRISTMAS GIFT.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

or religious Slgnlncance, IL mas come III
America to be holiday of manifold activities. 1t
is the chldren's day. 1t is the family day. It Is
the day Of giving. 1t is the day of peace EARTH
good will toward men," 1t is the day of good will,
of jollity, of feasting. AS the old has it:
At Christmas play and make good cheer.
For Christmas comes but once year.
The one new thing about celebration OF
Christmas these days is revival of the singing
of Christmas carols-or rather the beginning of 1t
In this country. 1t mas been feature of the Eng
lish celebration of the day from time immemorial
Now we Americans are taking it up In earnest
The carol, "What Child Is This? outlines in it's
simple verses the whole story of the Christ begin
ming with the humble birth and concluding with
the tragedy of the crucifxion. The harmony has
musical intricaces and is especially well suited
to singing in the home.
who has not loved little child, he knows not
The wondered, GREATNESS waking through dr.
sweet morning gray,
white tropic forests the pant against the
dawn-streaked skies.
The spluttered, spicy, teasing JOY Of Kitchen
The sting of frost upon his face the snow-creak
meath his feet;
The swish of runners, song Of bells, the laughing
echoed call
From drifted hflltops, sparkling white; the blue
sky folding all;
The holly-Derrled taple Top, the IeaSlAnS anu tho
fun,
with christmas ribbons strewing all until the day
Is done;
The hush of candle-nghting Time the hearth flame
hickered red,
The warm soft clasp of clinging hands up shad-
owed stairs to bed;
The crib-side talk that Stacks and stills
stumbled drowsy note.
The love that stings behind your eyes, and catches
In your throat;
The hope the fears, the tenderness the Mary
prayer you pray
Who has not loved a little child, he knows not
Christmas day.
So sings Martha Haskell Clark in Scribner's
Magazine. And she is right, of course since
Christmas is In many respects pre-eminenty
children's festival and is certainly their Day of
Days That's why Clement Clarke Moore's poem
written for the entertainment of his own chill
dren and made public by accidents sure of i'm
mortality. 1t has probably done more than any
thing to keep the Christmas tradition OF Santa
Claus safe for American children :" Twas the Night
Before Christmas will be repeated until this earth
grows cold and the end Of things is come.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

giving is done. The friendly, personal
letter, the trifie which we have our
selves made, even the card which we
pick up at the book store, often brings.
more joy than the costliest present
chosen without love or thought.
Christmas is time Of kindly thoughts,
of forgiveness, of charity, and of good
will to all men. Christmas day is a
spirit Of love.-Thomas A. Clark, Dean
of Men, University Of Illinois.
60. 1924. Western Newspaper Union.)
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

"Any particular pattern?" the clerk
inquired.
"No, just so they cost no more than
fifty cents each. What an awful bore
Christmas is, and what burden it
throws on us. 1 wonder sometimes
what it's all for"
"It's a very sweet, happy time to
me-" the girl answered.
There is too much that is conven-
tional aud artificial, perhaps, in our
Christmas giving. We burden our
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

selves with obligations which we
should never assume. We give too
often because we feel that we should
do so, because we wonder what people
will say If we do not, because we hope
to receive something in return. We
keep up the practice because we have
not the courage or the diplomacy to
break it, and we put little thought or
personality into 1t.
It is not what we give that really
counts, but the spirit in which the
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

have become entangled in the
meshes of a system of barter by
which both parties are common
ly losers, they say, and these an
nual riots of competitive extrav-
agance result in tremendous eco
nomic waste. 1t is no uncom-
mon thing for the authors of
the overdone Christmas to spend
so freely upon every Tom, Dick
and Harriet of their acquain-
lance that it is the middle OF
March before the last of their
holiday bills is paid.
Those who have tried the Pay
as-You-Go Christmas declare
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18
COOKS AS GIFTS

-A or only do books give so
NJ much pleasure, but they
can be passed on to 9TH
ers and enjoyed by more than
the one person.
Each person has to get a the
alter ticket to see show. but
more than one person can al
ways read book. Books make
inexpensive and yet valuable
gifts. They go so far and they
are always worth taking a
chance on.
When there are plenty Of
books below the Christmas tree
not only viii Christmas be
merry day, but the winter eve
nings to come will be active
and CHEEKY and weIl-hiied.-
Mary Graham Bonner.
90, 1924. Western Newspaper Union.)
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

SHARP. chill wind
W a S blowing as
J Q h n Ire n t . n
stepped out of the
big office building
that housed the
firm of Under
wood & Under
w 0 0 d, architects
and engineers. 1t
was a little past
four o'clock in the
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18
CHRISTMAS GIVING
AND IT'S MEANING

TX ~ I'VE me SIX" the woman said
% as she crowded her way rude
ly up to the handkerchief
counter. "One has to buy something,
I suppose, and guess handkerchief
take the least thought and considera-
hSn"
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18
this Is Christ the king.
BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN

HUS the announcement on the first
Christmas day an announcement that
changed the calendar of the world and
started anew the making of history. To
day all the world knows the message
and many Of it's peoples celebrate the
day, with its "good tidings of great
joy" While the day is primarily one
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18
One Way

There's a heap of fun in this world,
l VOW,
And a lot to make every old heart
glad;
If you don't believe it, start in right
To play Santa Claus to some or
phan lad.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-12-18

And angel said unto them, Fear not for be-
hold bring good tidings Of great Joy. which
shall be to all people
For unto you is born this day in the city OF
David, Savior which Is Christ the Lord"
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste bring him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-10
My yNeighborS Says

When making boiled custard if teaspoonful of flour to each cupful of milk is added in the following manner it will not curdle and the custard will be smooth and creamy: Mix the right amount of flour with the sugar. stir smoothly, with the beaten eggs and add to it little at a time one-haf cup of hot milk. Stir slowly into the remainder of the beaten milk.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-10
Little Stories For Bedtime
sy raoRnron ". sURe Ess
Ultl tilanlly .,oeAs l.eve.lre ;.

D EyENGE lis word which the n world would be far, far happier
 without. It means getting even by doing to. others, not as you would have them do to you, but as they have done to you in unpleasant ways. Re yenge was what Reddy Fox was brood ing over up there in the Old Pasture as he planned to get even with Peter Rabbit for getting him into trouble with Jimmy Skunk. Revenge was what Old Granny Fox was planning as she nursed the smarting places left by the stings of the angry bumble-bees ,whose nest Digger the Badger had destroyed near the spot where Granny had been sitting making funt of Digger. It wasn't revenge on the bumble-bees that Granny wanted. She kne wthat that was quite hopeless. Besides, she didn't blame them. How were they to know that she had had nothing to do with the destruction of their nest? She had been sitting right there when it hap pened and they were too angry to stop to ask questions. No, it was Digger the Badger who filled the thoughts of Old Granny wanted. She knew that that turbed those bees, knowing that they would sting her. She quite overlooked the fact that at the time she had been making fun of him and saying very unkind things about him.
 '"Ill get even with him; yes, sir, I'll get even with him." she said over and over again to herself. I'll drive him from the Green Meadows. I'll make him wish he never had met Old Granny Fox. I'll show him that no one can get me into trouble and not fare worse than do."
 So she talked to herself and her eyes snapped and her lips were drawn back in an ugly snarl and she was not at all pleasant to see. It seemed very much as if those hot-tempered bees had put their hot temper into Granny when they stung her. My, how those stings did smart! Granny knew what to do. It wasn't the first time she had been stung. She headed straight for the Smiling Pool and as soon as she reach ed it she rolled in the cool mud at a certain place where the bank was very low. The mud took away the heat and pain from the stings and almost right away Granny felt better.
 But her temper didn't improve. It grew worse if anything. That mud was very soothing and comforting, but Oh, how it did make her look Just think how you would feel if, when you were wearing your very best clothes you got them covered with sticky mud. So it didn't improve Granny's temper bit to have her handsome red cloak all covered with mud. She takes a great deal of pride in that red cloak, does Granny, and now it certainly was a sight. She didn't want to be seen by any one, but she couldn't help being seen by some. Grandfather Frog, sit ting on his big green lily pad, saw her
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-10

when she rolled in the mud. So did Jerry Muskrat, who was on the big rock. Both guessed what had hap pened. That is they guessed Granny had been stung, though, of course, they didn't have any idea how it came about.
 "Chug-a-rum!" exclaimed Grsndfa- ther Frog. Its very warm today, isn't iti" And then he laughed at his own joke, and Jerry Muskrat laughed with him. It tickled them to think that one so smart should have got in such fix. Granny paid no attention to them. Just as soon as she was sure that there was cool, wet mud on every single place where she had been stung she sneaked home, keeping out of sight of her neighbors. Once there she began to plan how she might get even with Digger the Badger.
 For a long time she couldn't think of a single plan that might not get her into worse trouble than she was in already. You see if the truth be told, she was afraid of Digger. That is, she was afraid to fight him. His teeth looked too sharp and his claws too long for her to risk fight with him. She would have to sget some one else to fight her battle for her. But who! She hadn't a single friend to whom she could go. She would have to get some one who was not her friend and man. age somehow to get him into quarrel with Digger the Badger. As she lay on her doorstep thinking as hard as ever she could the voice of Bowser the Hound floated across to her from Farm CT Browns dooryard. A look of cum ming crept into her yellow eyes as she heard it and she actually smiled.
 "He is the very one," said she "Why didn't I think of him, before ?'
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