davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

so. And custom, among superstitious
peoples, Is sacred. They were afraid
that evil would befall them If they
did not make gifts to the singers who
caroled Christ's praise.
From actual records we know that
gift making to children goes far back
into prehistory. At various museums
here and abroad there are on view
dolls, animals, and other toys which
have been taken out of the long buried
tombs of children.
We can easily picture savage IA
ther of long ago bringing a curious
shell for his child to play with. We
can see a savage mother carefully
| fashioning a flint or bone toy that her
child might have something with which
| to busy himself. Among these prtmt-
tive peoples, marriage was not con-
sidered binding until a child was born.
| The birth Of the child therefore must
have been an occasion Of great cele-
I bration, and perhaps all the clansmen
presented gifts to the newcomer. 1t
would have been a ceremony-to show
the child he was welcome and among
friends.
| Painted clay dolls, some in the form
of humans and some in the form Of
animals, were given to early Egyptian
children as playthings. Among the
early Romans, the man who adopted a
child gave 1t rich gifts to prove that
he was able to take care of 1t.
Gifts have always accompanied
christenings. In the Middle Ages the
godparents usually presented the child
with gold or silver spoons. 1t is bare
ly possibly that the phrase, "born with
silver spoon in his mouth" may have
come from this custom.
The custom of presenting children
with gifts at Christmas time was most
pronounced among the Germans In
early life. Kris Kringle is their name
for Santa Claus. 1t is derived from
Krist Kindli, which means Christ child
We can understand why the holiday
would have been recognized as being
particularly child's festival.
Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, Is
regarded as the patron saint OF
Christmas. The old nursery myth is
that he comes down the chimney with
pack on his back to leave gifts fol
good children.
! 1t is possible that this myth orig
mated with the custom of cleaning the
chimney at the beginning Of the new
year to enable good luck to enter the
household. A housewife, busy clean
ing the chimney at or about Christ
mas time, might have whispered to hel
children, to keep them out of mis-
chief, that If they were good Sants
Claus would come down the chimney
and bring gifts to them. Impressed
the children hurried to spread thu
news among their playmates, and 81
we have the myth today.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
KEN DIS
gIs!IsE
Grave Oversight
Made by Jonesey

Snibs, on a flying trip back to his
old home town, met his erstwhile pal,
Snobbs, on Main street. Snibs in
quired about all his school day friends.
"And how's old Jonesey?" he asked
at length.
"We'ell," replied Snobs, "Jonesey
didn't turn out very well, though he
sure made name for himself around
here"
'Why, what was the matter with
Jonesey?"
"We-ell, poor Jonesey took life
lightly"
TOO lightly?"
yeah. Didn't think up a good eX-
cuse. Didn't even think up an alibi.
"Alibi What do you mean"
"Just what l say. Took life too
lightly. Beat his mother-in-law be-
cause he got tired of seeing her
around Now, if he'd only taken life
seriously and thought up good eX-
cuse the jury'd probably have let him
off."-Philadelphia Ledger.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Rene Lacoste Will Make
Home in This Country

Rene Lacoste, who won the United
States national tennis championship in
September, virtually has decided to
take up residence for year in the
United States after the 1927 Wimble-
don championships.
Lacoste's father is head of large
firm of automobile manufacturers, and
Rene will assume an active part in the
business when his military service
ends next May. He will act as agent
In the United States, he informed
friends at the closing of the Paris
Automobile show.
The French champion thinks that a
sOjourn in the United States would be
of great benefit to his game, for he
would meet hard-driving players con-
tinually.'
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Football at Williams

Football was the only varsity sport
at Williams college which proved a
financial success a year ago. The
gridiron management reports a sizable
balance on hand, but practically all
the other teams which represented the
Purple last year have deficit.
Baseball is usually money maker
for the Williams athletic treasury, but
hard luck was met year ago by the
necessity of calling off the annual
Memorial day game with Amherst be
cause Of rain.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

strong man In the desire to gain his
friendship and protection.
The Bible gives expression 70 this
thought. Says Deuteronomy 1919:
"a gift doth blind the eyes of the
wise" Meaning, of course, that 1t is
easy to obtain what one wants If one
distributes gifts judiciously.
Among many peoples, the making Of
a gift became a sort of ceremony. A
gift meant much more to primitive
man than it does to US. When he
brought himself to part with a choice
bearskin or a sharp flint spear, he felt
that he was parting with something
akin to himself. Thus the exchange
of gifts came to be common way Of
formally binding two persons to-
gether. When the Dasuns of North
Borneo exchanged weapons they were
sworn friends. In central Celebes,
even today, the exchange of gifts is
recognized as a ceremony for estab-
fishing friendship. In Patagonia, no
chief is allowed to enter into the ter
ritory of another until gifts have been
exchanged.
The exchange of gifts at Christmas
time possibly grew out Of the desire
| to emulate the amazing unselfshhess
| of Christ. The custom was nurtured
In Germany. Here 1t became the habit
to make periodic exchange Of gifts
among friends, relatives, acquaint-
ances 1t became an obligation, and
to escape 1t the man with many friends
sometimes took an extended trip at
this period.
| From Germany, the custom of Christ
mas gift giving spread over Europe.
| 1t crossed the sea and was brought to
the struggling colonists who had cut
loose from all Old World influences. 1t
has become more and more an insti-
tuition, as the generations have slipped
by, and today we exchange gifts as a
matter of course.
1t was custom among the Romans
for the priest to put a box on all out
going ships. The people were required
to put something into 1t. When the
ship was ready to sail, the box was
sealed and went to sea with 1t. On
the return the box was turned over
to the priest who placed it aside until
Christmas, at which time mass was
said and the box opened. Sometimes
the contents were kept by the church
sometimes distributed to the poor. II
Is related that frequently at the open
ing of this box those who had not
placed anything in it came forward
and offered gifts In the form Of money
or jewelry.'
During the early period Of Chris
tianity it was customary for poor mer
and women to sing carols In the
streets at Christmas time. They woult
be given food, clothing and money
not because Of the songs they sang
but because 1t was the custom to d.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

an electric bulb between two stars six
or eight inches across, cut from white
tissue paper, and sewing them to-
gether with an edging of tinsel rope.
Either place the tree under light
fixture and use a short drop cord or
run an extension cord over a ceiling
hook placed above the tree.
Let such a star shine welcome from
the big wreath in door or window. On
the door extension cord should run
to the hinged side and through screw
hooks to the point from which 1t drops
to the wreath.-Frances Grinstead.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

the edges. Wreaths cut from green
cardboard, a few red berries painted
among the leaves, make unique covers
for bare dreplights. Use two wreaths,
placing one on each side Of the light
and fasten edges together with paper
clips or paste together after inserting
light bulb. Paste rose or yellow It's
sue paper over the cut-out wreath GEN.
tiers or crush tissue paper over the
light bulb and snap a rubber band
around the neck.
A beautiful star to hang above the
Christmas tree is made by enclosing
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
German Women Sports

Sports for women in German uni
versities, which until few years ago
were frowned upon as unladylike, are
now the general rule. More than so
per cent of all university women par
ticipate regularly in one or more
sports, the most popular being track
and field events, gym work, swimming
and tennis. So active have women be-
come thet the convention of student
athletic ceulcil leaders has admitted
representatives.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Pitching Builds Morale

Good pitching is the greatest morale
builder in baseball, comments III. G.
Salsinger in the Detroit News. Any
time a team has confidence in its
pitcher, 1t will "come up" for him.
When the pitching is weak, the club
fades. 1t loses confidence. This is
apparent In its batting as well as In
fielding.
The Athletics looked hopeless last
spring until Connie Mack's pitchers
began to deliver The team immedi-
ately came out of its slump.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Golf on the Plains

The oil field and cattle country of
northwest Texas and the Panhandle
is perhaps the last section where one
would expect to find golf courses. Yet
every city of consequence sports at
least a nine-hole links. The green's
often are Of cottonseed. The little
town of Post, On the west Texas
p lins, produced the new golf cham
pion of the eighth corps area, Lieut..
C. A. Quail Of the Texas National
Guard
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

things that we scarcely rec
ognize It as a thing in itself
Gift-making has history as old as
time, and there are many occasions
on which we deem 1t fit and proper,
nay, even obligatory, to give and ex-
change gifts. Nearly every one ex-
changes gifts at Christmas time, and
this year we expect to see the custom
observed to its fullest possibilities.
CHANGING over the ages, we find that
gift-making has always existed in some
form or other. Our savage ancestors
were great hands at the game. But
gift-giving In primitive man did not
spring from any thought or idea con-
nected with generosity. His was NOT
the simple desire to please. Being
selfish and unutterably superstitious,
he feared and distrusted strangers, just
as some Of us do today. He scorned
the weak and cringed before the
strong. The conditions Of life forced
him to these reactions.
Whatever impulses primitive man
may have had to share his possessions
or to make a gift of something which
he really preferred to keep for him.
self, grew out Of fear. From what we
know about the nature of our earliest
ancestors we cannot believe that he
would have parted with anything he
wanted unless he was afraid. When
the lightning flashed and the thunder
roared, an overwhelming fear pos
sessed him. Unable to reason that
these were natural elements over
which he could not possibly exercise
control, he shot at the storm with ar
rows and shouted at the thunder
When these efforts failed, his fear in.
creased. What had he done to anger
the gods? Perhaps a gift would ap-
pease this anger. To him the giving
of a treasured possession meant real
sacrifice. For instance, IL he made 9
bonfire and burned some Of his hard
earned food, he expected the gods tc
appreciate his sacrifice and turn Of
the thunder.
The Egyptians made great gifts to
their kings. The Israelites gave 6
tenth Of all their grain, their wine
their cattle to the king, This custom
spread everywhere, and even Christi
anity failed to wipe it out. Ambas
sailors, visiting foreign countries
brought gifts. We are told that Queer
Elizabeth received thousands. of gift,
from her subjects at New Years.
There remains little doubt that
what other purposes may have in
duced the making Of gift, Their,
lurked behind it an unconscious de
sire to win the friendship Of the per
son of power to gain ones own ends
even as the weak man of the primi
tive tribe made a gift. to the triba
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
American Ne,ps in Irdio

Under the heading, American News
and Notes." two newspapers in Cal
cutta have just started to print from
two to three columns of happenings
in this country each day. The idea is
becoming popular among American
readers there and the newspapers will
seek advertisements from American
firms.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

Ray Schalk, shown in the photo
graph, has just been named to sue
coed Eddie Collins as manager of the
Chicago White Sox. Schalk is rated
as one of the star backstops of the
American league and his pep is ex-
pected to add aggressiveness to the
team
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

Joe Beckett, former champion
heavyweight fighter of Great Britain,
has become a race track beokmaker.
With bookie's satchel swinging from
his neck and roaring voice bawling
odds, Joe is a familiar figure at race
meetings In England. There seems
little doubt that Beckett is through
with boxing for good.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
The cutIcura Toilet Trio.

Having cleared your skin, keep it clear
by making Cuticura your everyday
toilet preparations. The Soap to cleanse
and purify, the Ointment to soothe and
heal, the Talcum to powder and per-
fume. No toilet table is complete
without em.-Advertisement.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Gay Christmas Lights
and HoU to Make Then,

rnUCH of Christmas cheer comes
XIII from glowing lights that throw
- mystery over familiar things.
Replace your usual electric light
shades with Christmas ones of heavy
rose-colored paper brushed with lin
seed, Oil to make 1t transparent. No
frame is necessary II they flare widely
and At close at the top of the light
bulbs. Finish them with poinsettia
seals or sew green paper rope along
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Purposcful Vacation

HE gave his wife $1,000" THAT
will get her a long vacation" Long
er than he anticipates, fear. I'M
derstand she took the money and went
to Reno."-Louisville Courier-J Journal.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
BIRTH OF CHRIST

~HRISTMAS commentaries
" but one event, the birth Of
Christ, but originally four
events were concentrated
the birthday, the appearance Of
the star which guided the Wise
Men, the baptism of Christ, and
the first miracle.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Would BE Popular Ruling

The New England judge who decid
ed that at least one egg Is necessary
in a custard might have gone even
further and ruled that there must be
a clam, or section thereof, in the
chowder.-Detroit News.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Be Careful of Rust

Rust stains washtubs, sinks and
bathtubs. Rusty water ruins clothes
in the laundry. Walls are stained and
ceilings fall when pipes leak and rugs
and furniture are frequently damaged
by dripping water.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Had One Virtue

Golfer (wishing to be kind to his
friends partner)-Well, no, he is not
great golfer yet, but l hear he is
very good to his mother.-London
Opinion.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10
Future Hopes

$50 Dolly married the doctor?"
"Yes, she claims a professional man
can afford bigger alimony."
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-10

ITH the world absorbed just
now in the process Of max
ing and buying gifts for
Christmas, how many of US
stop to think what 1t Is all
about? So simply and nat
urally has gi TIM a k | n g
slipped into our scheme OF
things that we scarcely rec
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

had ideas which disturbed his family
so much that they had to go TO
friends for an Interpretation, says
Countess Tatiana Tolstoy, his daugh-
ter.
At first Count Leos ideas scared
without convincing them, but later
they grew to understand him better,
the countess told the Tolstoy society,
hut his wife could not understand
and thought her husband either was
i'll or insane.
Tolstoy was virtually without any
moral support for his views, when
in the eighties he completely changed
his mode of living and decided that
it would be mean to rid himself of
life before he had found out the
true meaning of existence. Finally
he became SO reserved about his ideas
of Life and things in general that
he never spoke of them within the
family circle.
His three daughters used to work
in the fields with the peasant wom-
en-, Countess Tatiana said. 1--WE were
happy them" she added.
The family was ruined financially
by the Russian revolution, and Toll
stoy's granddaughter even lost her
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

Tolstoy, the great Russian writer.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

finger nails through lack OF proper
nour.shment.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

Coal bootleggers are causing the
government much annoyance since
the pinch of winter began.
Owing to the miners dispute with
the mine owners, government restric-
tions permit householders to nave
only a hunderdweight of coal every
fortnight, and bootleggers, who buy
coal through secret channels, have
been selling four to six sacks at q
time to housewives in all parts OF
the city. The government has or
ganized flying squads of inspectors
to break up the practice.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

nouF.Shment.
The wives of the dominion pre-
niers here for the imperial conference
are very much in the public eye, but
like good diplomats they never talk
about their husbands politics. The
wives move around London in long
dark cars bearing the royal arms and
marked imperial conference"
Mrs. Coates, wife of the New ZEAL
and premier is the busiest. She is
Londoner by birth and in addition
TO official receptions has many per-
sonal visits to make after 16 years
absence. She is said to be a rest.
ful' woman, loves dancing and docs
not do a lot of talking
Mrs. Bruce of Australia is, not fond
of publicity but helps her husband
with his official duties ,at home She
spends most week-en with her hus-
band at a seaside resort near Mel.
rourne where they both play golf.
| Mrs. Monroe, wife of Newfoundlands
premier is most fond of reading.
She has been collecting here a series
of books on the history of English
counties.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

Dickens decency makes him stand
out when compared to some of the
modern writer's IS the opinion ex-
pressed by Sir Ernest Wild, in his
presidential address to the Dickens
Fellowship here.
I'm my Judgment literature was
never richer than today and the
best of our novelists are superior to
the pioneers" averred Sir Ernest
while holding this considered opin-
ion / cannot--nobody can--predict for
any of our contemporary writer's, with
the possible exception Of Kipling, that
immortality which must be conceded
to Dickens. There is one salutary
point in which Dickens differs from
some OF the present writer's, namely,
in his strict adherence to decency.'
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

When Wilbert, who played probably
the rottenest game of any member
of the club, began to turn in 95s
and 97s we naturally put him under
observation. Miracles happen some
times, but rarely on golf courses.
If Wilbert had system, we wanted
to find out what it was. Nobody
had seen him taking any lessons.
He played alone mostly, but there
were several witnesses to his sudden
development into a golfer whom it
had cost ten of fifteen dollars apiece.
They simply had to be telling the
truth. They were too wise to take
a mans word that he had made
the fourteenth in five unless they
had counted every stroke and watche d
every shot.
SO, as I said, we put Wil6ert under
observation. We paid his favorite
caddy a dollar to tell us what he
did when he was out alone on the
course. But after three days all
the caddy could tell us was that
Wilbert had a little book, into which
he looked for moment, and then
began to sing.
Began to sing!" said Bill. You're
little liar!'
mo, I'm not" the caddy protested.
That's wot he does. He peeks into
the little book, then he takes his
stance, and while he's shootin he's
singing. Honest he is.''
The next Tuesday morning Bill
and I went out and concealed our
selves in that rough off the third
fairway. 1t was no trick. You
could hide a hippopotamus in it.
There were SO many lost balls in
thero that they hurt us when we
lay low as Wilbert came by.
And to our amazement we found
the caddy was right He got a
pretty bum shot off the tee and was
about even with us when the caddy
handed him his brassie for the second.
Then sure enough, out comes a little
book, WilDert glances into it, studies
a. minute and then huns:
Swing your arm in circle true
And let the club head follow through"
He huns that twice, then he winds
up, for his stance, and huns it again,
keeping time to it as he comes
down with his club. And he waIlops
the pill for 213 yards-Wilbert, who
never drove over 100 before, to our
knowledge, in his life.
We couldn't follow him along, of
course, but when he comes in, Bill
corners him and talks to him long
and seriously
Bill had bid match to play with
Dugan three days later Dugan was
too good for him, but a couple of
shots of Scotch inside Bill had in
duced him to make a, bet of five
dollars a hole on the match, and
Dugan took it quick
Wilbert was naturally loath to
reveal his secret, but Bill wheedled
and pleaded and promised half his
winnings from Dugan, and finally
won. Wilbert's story was this:
Somewhere he had got hold of a
book which had lot of rhymes
IN it which We're to go with golf
shots, You learned the rhymes and
the tune that accompanied .ti1arn--it
was always the same tune-and then
you sang the tune when you shot.
You were supposed to sing it to
yourself. but Wilbert said it was
easier at first to- sing it out loud.
ITS all to help the timing" he
said, "and that's all there is to
golf"
Bill got the book from him and
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

in the steamship Titantic disaster in
1912 and the other one since. Miss
Stead related how her brothers haa
stood before her. She said she hac
felt their hands and that they mad
kissed her. Miss Stead's father a,so
was a spiritualist.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14
sMUGGLED AMMUN1T1oN FOUND

LAREDO. Tex. Nov. 1S l9-Twenty,
three thousand rounds OF rifle, am
nutrition, believed to have been smus-
gled from the United States was
seized at Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, sas.
night. The contraband was. found in
an automobile in. a public garage.
military authorities announced. The
driver of the car. had not claimed MS
machine late today.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

Great Britains newest seaplane has
been nicknamed The Flying Bunga-
low" This IS because of it's cook
ing and sleeping accbinmodations The
plane, carrying a crew of five anc
driven by three high powered en-
gines, has been designed to carry OUT
experiments in connections with open
ing up a flying service to Australia
and New Zealand. Bed hammoeKs
are slung in a part of the cabin
which in the day time is the living,
room. The galley is. aft, which In
the day time is the living room, and
1S to 20 passengers may be carried
Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-11-14

Estelle Stead, daughter of the late
William t. Stead, the English Jour
nalist, at a meeting of splritualists
here said that within the last few
weeks she had seen her two dead
brothers. one of the brothers died
before her father, VINO Iost his life