davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1928-12-30
The Holiday Tree.

The honors for introducing the
Christmas tree are about equally di-
vided. Martin Luther is said to have
brought the first one into his home--a
little fir tree, on which he hung candles.
But it was a woman, the Duchess
Helena of Orleans, who imported the
custom into France. Prince Albert OF
SAKE -Coburg introduced 1t into England,
but his home-loving consort, Queen
Victoria, was its chief sponsor. The
Christmas tree and Santa Claus (St.
Nicholas) arrived simultaneously IN
New York with the Dutch colonists.
And it is safe to say that If some jolly
Dutch burgher cut down the first FAM
lily fir tree it was his good frau who
trimmed it.
Most of our Christmas customs orig
mated in Germany. The Germans in
augurated the mysterious closed room
into which for days nobody but mother
was admitteds Except that their early
Christmas trees we're decorated with
paper roses, apples, sweetmeats and
waters instead of elaborately colored
electric light bulbs, and the presents
laid out on a nearby table were SIM
pier. a German Christmas in the six
teenth century was much the same as
it is with us today. A story is told Of
lady in Wittenberg in 1877 who oper-
ated on large scale.
On Christmas Eve she placed as many
small trees in her rooms as there were
persons to whom she wanted to make
presents. BY the height, ornament and
arrangement, every one could see which
tree was intended for him. AS soop
Evening star., 1928-12-30

waters, so soundleSs and sheltered, while
the little Patsy puts out to get bara-
cuda by the score around the lighthouse
or out in the open Atlantic.
Then, too, the Amitie will make a
number of longer cruises, all the way to
the west shore of Florida, in all prob
ability. And in between times there
will be those inevitable days ashore in
the house lent to the next President by
James Cash Penney.
Then Mr.. Hoover will live in place
conveniently arranged to satisfy his re-
quirementS and the requirements of the
corps of executive assistants, stenog-
raphers, newspaper men, photographers,
telegraphefs, Secret Service men, cas-
ual visitors, important visitors and mere
lookers-on, who inevitably follow in the
wake of Importance.
The home Is located on Belle Island,
which is tied to Miami by the beautiful
Venetian causeWay To the left of the
road which bisects the island Is an
unoccupied estate. To the right are the
two places belonging to Mr.. Adams and
Mr. Penney.
THERE is no wall or hedge to mark
= the boundary between their estates,
but low wall rises between them and
the public highway. On three sides
they are surrounded by the waters of
| Biscayne Bay Secret Service men,
posted at two points, can look straight
across the grounds of the Penney estate
and take in at a glance the small ex-
| tent of lawn, the tiny swimming pool,
Evening star., 1928-12-30
How Virginia Tobacco Is Grown, Sold and Processed

and fertilizer bills to settle, if not to
take up a mortgage now and then.
Once the tobacco bought at the auc-
ton sale has reached the prizery it Is
further proceSsed. Tobacco notorious
ly absorbs moisture in the air and it is
plant when placed on the warehouse
floor, for the curing process does not
destroy the oil content in every leaf.
To leave it in this state would mean it
would, within few days, become in
fected with mould and would be de-
stroyed either by spontaneous combus-
ton or through rotting.
X y X 4
THE first duty, therefore, Is to pre-
serve the tobacco. and to this end
it is placed in steam dryers, which gen.
crate, under steam pressure, high
temperatures. The steam dryer is realy
a long corridor, housed in, with the to-
bacco passing through different tenn
perature grades on an endless chain,
and when it emerges at the end of an
hour it is dry and brittle Expert
workmen back it into tierces and these
are carried to the storage warehouses;
where they may be kept for years with
the leaf losing little of its virtue.
Whether the prevailing method of
selling tobacco is sound, economically
Is an open question. The tobacco
planter has always felt that he has no
voice IN the price his leaf shall bring
and that he is at the mercy of the
whims of buyers or the fluctuations of
the tobacco market. Twice during the
present generation have tobacco CO.
operatives been started, and each time
they have failed for various reasons.
The Tri-State Tobacco Growers Co
operative Marketing Association failed
three years ago, largely it is believed,
because the overhead was excessive and
the farmers found that they had to
wait too long between payments.
Not the least interesting feature of
any Southern tobacco market is the
process of stemming. The veins of the
tobacco leaf have to be torn out before
the leaf can be used for any purpose.
Negroes are employed by the hundreds
to do this, and to enter stemmery is
to hear rich rendering of negro spiri-
tuals in their native surroundings and
in way which fingers long in memory.
GERARD TETLEY, Danville, Va.
Evening star., 1928-12-30

the little Japanese rock garden, the
boathouse and the garage, not to men,
ton the lowering hibiscus, the danger
Gus oleanders and the daring poinset-
tias. Shadows of royal palm, like
feather busters in jade cases, Silhou
cite themselves against the white stucco
walls of the Penney house, and Bugin-
villaea vines make purple or crimson
blots against them.
You enter low oak door into an
oak-paneled small reception room, be-
yond which Immediately there is large
square living room. A dining room
opens to the left of the living room, and
q music roo.-l, containing grand piano
and a pipe organ, opens to the right
of it.
All are paneled In the same dark,
WaX-finished oak.
There is hint of late French Gothic
in these rooms-in the grooved panel
ing, in the flatstone fireplaceS, in the
ceiling of the music room, two stories
high, where behind the oaken rafters
there are designs in water color against
pale turquoise blue. All look out over the
water through glass doors which open
onto tiled porches
Oak-paneled stairs ascend to the four
bedrooms, with their sleeping porches
and glimpses of the speeding motors on
the long causeway, of the tiled roofs of
Miami Beach, of the shining waters of
the bay.
Another turn of the stairs leads up
ward to two more bedrooms, a sewing
room with its own little porch and a
Evening star., 1928-12-30

the staff of scientific experts. Next he
applies mass purchasing and finally
mass selling.
Having found that cooperation paid
in business, having started the system
with his Florida holdings, he sought to
apply it to the whole citrus-fruit indus
try of Florida.
He began He is now president of the
group of co-operatives known as the
Florida Fruit Growers, which is said to
include 95 per cent of the citrus grow
ers in the State.
TT was when he began this end of the
work that he became acquainted
with Mr.. Hoover, through Secretary
Jardine. Mr. Hoover saw in Mr.. Pen
ney a man who, like himself, cared
little for material things and had a
genuine sense of service.
Some one said of Mr.. Penney: IF he
needed new pair of shoes he would
have the old ones half-soled so he could
give $40 to the Salvation Army to buy
shoes for somebody else"
The settlement he has established in
Florida for retired Christian workers is
as unique in its ideas as Penney busi-
ness or the Penney experiments in farm
cooperation.
Married couples who have $500 capi-
tai are admitted to live In one of the
attractive little apartments. There is
a clubhouse, of-course, and hospital,
and so on, and, more significantly, there
is one church in which these men and
women Of more than score of separate
denominations worship together with
out respect to creed.
Whether 1t means it to be so or not,
this village Is living shame to Chris
tian churches, which too often east
Evening star., 1928-12-30

Richey advance messenger for Mr.
Hoover's rest trip" filled 1t with nc
shadowy shades of brilliant guests. He
at once saw it fitted with a good, big
desk or two, an extra telephone and a
long, thick carpet which Mr.. Hoover's
feet can tread when he walks up and
down in meditation.
A ND when the thoughts he Is de-
yeloping there have crystallized he
will find himself in immediate touch
with his executive assistants and his
stenographers These will be only a
few minutes walk away, over in the
pretty little yellow stucco guest house"
belonging to Mr.. Adams. Mr.. Hoover
can call them to him in moment or
he can walk across the f1agStoneS bridg-
ing the lawn, by a tiny formal garden,
under the palms, to the house itself
and there, Is he likes, he can stay in
doors or he again can step out onto a
porch at the edge of the water.
When he goes thither he will not be
able to avoid the minions of the press.
whose headquarters will be established
in another of the Adams buildings
suite of pleasants rooms, again with
IAASA outuOoA POASh, ofCA IAe AuoAAS
garage.
In all these houses and Offices, in
living rooms and In business rooms, the
emphasis is always on the Joy of the
Florida outdoors. 1t Is, as every one
knows who is familiar with the Hoover
home in California (that house in which
every room leads out Of doors). just the
sort OF emphasis that appeals to both
Mr.. and Mrs. Hoover.
But there is In the choice of this
home. of these Offices and Of this house.
boat . dsep-INng appropriateness Of
Evening star., 1928-12-30

riod was for the buyers to buy field
of tobacco at harvest time or to visit the
farmers barns and to make offers on
samples pulled from the curings, for
tobacco is not brought to market in
its green state. On being cut it is
strung on sticks which are lodged in
tiers in the multitude of tobacco barns
which dot the countryside. A fire is
built of wood underneath and for two
or three days heat gradually drives
from the leaf it's moisture, and when
withdrawn tobacco has taken on the
golden or mahogany color and Is ready
for the factory.
ON being brought to market today
usually in motor truck or even
in small lots in the rear seat of the
family car, the tobacco is graded
placed in large wicker trays, weighed
and set out on the warehouse floor. On
each pile is a tag giving the weight and
the name of the farmer. No sooner has
the auctioneer disposed of the pile and
moved on to the next when sales fol-
lower marks on the ticket the price
paid for the tobacco and the name OF
the buyer.
The tickets are left at the Office of the
warehouse, where a corps of skilled
clerks run up the totals and make
out the checks. The leaf is carried to
the buyers factories and the farmer
calls for his check and receives his
money on the same day that the sale
has been made.
With half of the crop of this season
already sold in the Bright Belt, millions
of dollars have been placed in circula-
ton, stimulating retail activities, for the
tobacco planter is 'one-crop" man
and he usually has purchases to make
Evening star., 1928-12-30

as the presents had been arranged and
the candles lighted on the trees all
the people entered, looked at the things
and took possession Of the presents and
their respective trees.
In his autobiography the painter Al
brecht Adam says:
I'm Nordlungen we don't have the
dark fir tree for Christmas. Instead
of that a small cherry or apricot tree
is planted months before in pot and
placed in a corner of the room. Gen.
orally these trees are covered with bios
SONS at Christmas time, and fill up the
whole corner of the room, This IS
looked upon as great ornament, which
certainly adds much to the beauty of
the Christi as festival. One family
vies with another, and the one who
has the finest blossoms on its tree is
very proud OF it,"
This kind of Christmas tree was by
no means an isolated custom. In Aus
trian Silesia the peasant women still
go out at IL o'clock at night on st.
Andrews day to pluck a branch Of the
apricot tree, which is put in water so
that it will flower at Christmas time.
Armed with their Towering branches,
they go to Christmas mass, and the
branch Is supposed to give them the
power OF discerning witches.
Evening star., 1928-12-30
Florida Is Waiting to Welcome President Elect Hoove


many counts. They were luckily the
first to be offered. They were also in
many ways the best fitted to the
Hoovers' tasks. And in the person.
alitieS of their donors there are certain
fine resemblances.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hoover might have
accepted several estates far more mag
nif1cent. Both the Penney house and
the Adams houseboat are compara-
lively small. They are thoroughly un-
oStentatiouS. They are thoroughly COM
Portable. And there are no strings tied
to them.
scientist, engineer, inventor. He dis
Mr.. Adams, host of the Amitie, is
covered certain way of cracking oil'
which added many millions of gallons
to the amount Of gasoline which the
crude oil of the country can produce.
He is one of those intellectualS whose
brain children bring them fortune.
X X x X
Tn addition to his abilities as a chemi-
l. cal engineer and scientist Mr.. Adams
is an artist. Member of the Student
Art League in New York, he still de-
votes much of his leisure time to his
passion for the beautiful. He makes his
own sketches for the beautiful iron grill
work, wood carving and stained glass
windows in his lovely home on Belle
Island. The fountains in his grounds
and even the low yellow stucco houses
are of his own design. He is an expert
and collector of Chinese rugs and art
objects, and the house in Florida is
filled with the loveliest examples of
Oriental work Although he is not
himself a musician, he is fond of music
and patron of various musical enter
prises.
Mr.. Penney made his money out of a
system of chain stores unique in their
business conception, and he spends his
fortune upon especially two big practi-
cal philanthropieS-one an experiment
in Florida forestry and agriculture and
the other a settlement of village homes
for retired Christian workers.
Both in the amassing and expendi-
ture of his fortune he shows himself a
man of extraordinary vision.
In his, system of chain stores the
manager of each of the thousand or so
stores is, partner in the business, not
merely an employe Mr. Penney holds
| the largest block of shares and is chair
man of the board of what is actually a
| limited cooperative corporation, with
the managers as shareholders.
He has 100000 acres of land in Flor
ida. Part of it is scientifically foreSted
in long-leaf and Cuban pine Part of
| it is in satSuma oranges and beacon
grapes. Part of it is given over to small
holdings of about 20 acres each of the
cow-hog-hen kind.
In the last named he is trying out the
application of chain-store methods to
agriculture. That is, he has at the top
Evening star., 1928-12-30
Stock-Farm Aid.

I ULTRAVIOLET light is now prov
ing boon to the stock farmer.
Besides maintaining domestic animals
lin good health during the sunless
months of Winter, it improves their
condition so that they bring a higher
price in the market A test was made
with IL pigs in which they were treated
with the light for three minutes daily
when 10 to IL weeks old, the length of
application being gradually increased
with their age, until they were 20 weeks
old. A like number of pigs were kept
simultaneously under ordinary condi-
tions All we're sold on the same day
end in every case the irradiated pigs
brought higher price than the un-
treated animals. The operation was
handsomely repaid in that each pig sold
for IA times as much as Its treatment
cost.
Evening star., 1928-12-30

their worn-out workers derelict upon
the waters of old age. 1t is a daily
illustration of what can be done for
them and of what should be done foI
them by their younger and wealthieI
brethren. Mr.. Penney had the vision
to see it, the practical sense to build it.
Man of science and man Of practical
vision, these two, Mr.. Adams and Mr..
Penney, are doing their best in the
sowing of the rest crop for Mr.. Hoover
In Florida.
The air-filled porches Of the Penney
house, the lovely lawn with palms and
flowers are there. There is the music
room where Mr.. and Mrs. Hoover may
listen to music with a few friends Of a
Sunday afternoon.
There, moored close by, is the friend
Iy little Amitie and somewhere in the
fishing grounds the Patsy and her rods
await the anglers passion.
But when you up North in the midst
of sleet and cold are feeling little
Jealous of Mr.. Hoover's rest, when you
see him in the movies" walking under
the palms or stepping aboard house.
boat, just remember how much OF q
''reSt" this is.
Evening star., 1928-12-30
pANvILLE, Va, December Is.

~ ESPITE the increasing use of
tobacco, relatively few persons
who smoke have but the
- vaguest understanding of the
processes through which it
passes before it is available in its ira
ditional forms. There is, of course, a
general comprehension that the tobacco
leaf Is grown in the Southern fields, is
harvested, is purchased by the large
manufacturing companies and is stored
In prizeries to be used at rate de-
pendent on the current demand for the
finished product.
The development of tobacco growing
and its sale offers a romantic chapter
in the early history of the South, and
one of the peculiarities is that the to-
bacco planter of today is following the
trail set by his forefathers a hundred
years ago, with little change.
Danville Is one of the oldest tobacco
marketing centers and one of the larg-
est markets in the South, clearing, all
told, approximately 100,000,000 pounds
Of raw leaf during the course of a SELL
ing season which begins in october and
usually lasts for five months. Certain
virtues of the soil in the Piedmont pla-
teau make possible the production of
that type of tobacco indispensable for
use in the cigarette, and for that reason
Evening star., 1928-12-30

and the target of the citizens who want
to talk to him about it.
When he goes aboard the houseboat
these and so other problems will fo!f
low him aboard. If he could leave them
all behind what a pleasant rest he might
have. For it is trim and cozy craft,
IS feet long with engines of 125 horse
power, which develop some 10 knots an
hour, and its captain, Rayburn Otwell,
handles it with a precision to make
passenger sleep of nights no matter what
the weather,
Evening star., 1928-12-30

large room extending over more than
half of the house.
This room, with its crystal chandelier,
its shining floor and Jacobean benches,
has heretofore been called the ballroom.
Now there is already in sight new
use and a new appellation for that
room.
The speculative eye Of Lawrence
Evening star., 1928-12-30
Old Mahogany.
FREIGHT Steamship

A FREIGHT steamship recently
reached New York from the Philip
pines with 100000 feet of mahogany for
the manufacture of motorboats. The
timber was cut from trees estimated to
have bees frcza 800 to 1000 years ots
Evening star., 1928-12-30

X X
THE superficial observer, looking at
4 the houseboat in which he will un-
doubtedly spend large part of his time,
might reach a wrong conclusion. He
might decide that Mr. Hoover will have
plenty of rest on that boat. But here, as
in his house ashore, he will have moth
ing to do but decide about an extra ses-
sion of Congress, write his inaugural ad-
dress, form his cabinet, work at the
tariff, listen to several thousand sam
pies of advice, discuss the opinions of
Evening star., 1928-12-30
BY ANNE HARD.

illustrations drawn specially for this article by Suydam)
~
"A until glued
sunshine thousands
having time
aquapane
brilliant bathing
back the
the
OF a
color displayed
pleasures of the rich.
wealthy.
he
hundred miles
crafty both of them Florida.
Half dozen of the most magnificent estates opened their to him
one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-29

was a. villain In the play--which was
nearly always--there was struggle be-
tween him and the hero. During one
of these struggles a small boy in the
audience, with his eyes fairly popping
from excitement, brought out q toy
pistol. and. rushing TO the front, tried
to hand Ii to AL.
Here you are. AL, kill him." cried
| the boy hreathieSSly.
This might have been considered as
a compliment to AIS acting. but Al did
not like to play williams parts too often.
as will appear later.
The casts Of those plays and the
audiences which once enjoyed them
have scattered to various parts of the
big city. the country and even the
world Many of the men and women
are married now and have children
and grandchildren. But like Al
Smith. they never have forgotten those
good old days The precious memories
remain and most of the men and wom-
en- who once attended performances
at st. James Hall are members OF an
Old Neighhors' Club which meets every
year before election to cheer their Al
who Is still playing a part, but on a
much bigger stage.
Most persons who know Of those
plays believe that Smiths experience
as an actor has influenced his public
speaking ever since. He used TO stocp
down To emphasize point on the stage
at st. James lie still has that trick.
Frequently the governor stops and
takes a drink Of water in the midst Of
a speech. lie formed that habit when
he was In training as an actor 1t
made a dramatic pause, which was
usually quite effective. besides moiSten-
his throat and enabling him to con-
tinue more smoothly,
Perhaps it would be interesting 70
mention some Of the plays In which I've
had parts. They not only recall the
sort of drama that was popular in
those days. but tell something Of the
taste, and tendencies of the future gov
ernor.
Liked Comedy.
In a newspaper of the time is found
notice which mentions these PLAYS IN
which AL Smith eSsayed the leading
roles: May blossoms" THE Confed~
crate spy" 1.-THE Long Strike" and
The Mighty Dollar" Referring In
more detail 10 The Mighty Dollar.
this newspaper says; ALFRED Il, Smith,
as Hon. Bardwell Slote. was very
amusing and rendered the numerous
Al}SNtANN VA ZIG NNAA1G AVA ~ AANktA
the kohoSh district with good effect"
In the newspapers of the time he "a
also spoken OF AS the leading man OF
the Sc. James Iyceum Company"
AL played the leading parts In many
other dramas. always with marked SUE
cess. He never took literary interest
in the drama, II was the acting pcs
sihilitieS OF play always that az
tracted him He sought comedy. moral
lty, sentiment, never irony OF tragedy.
Often AL was cast in the part Of the
villain. The small boys who used 81
gather IN the gallery would yell at him
when he played those parts and 1t got
on AIS nerves, Perhaps he did not
have the true artists temperament and
did not realize that they were paying
tribute TO his good acting by their
howls OF deriSlon. One time he had a
part IN which he proposed 10 = gtrl,
who Indignantly refused him.
You will vet be mine" declared AL
Then and there The Fawglp bows In
the gallery broke loose They lndulghi
IN prolonged yelk and whistles, That