davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

gifts and recording them truly. He
wouldn't judge by the means we use.
For" the old, old lady smiled sweet
ly, "love makes a gift great at
Christmas time"
In a small bungalow at the edge
of western town, a woman named
Martha, and her daughter, Ruth,
sewed. They and their house were
bit shabby. But that does not
matter at Christmas time.
Dear mel" Martha sighed as she
took the last stitches, II dread
Christmas every year. 1t means
work and sacrifice. could have had
a good pair of stockings for what
l paid for Aunt Caroline's present.
But I'd be ashamed to send her
less"
"Yes!" Ruth snapped. "She and
Anna probably think we're trash
anyway. And look at what they give
us Last year Anna sent bunch of
fancy boxes. Imagine what on earth
we'd do with them!"
"Anna's selfish, that's what"
Martha nodded with sudden convic-
ton. "She wouldn't work the way
you've had to. She'd think 1t was
beneath her." I'd
The idea enraged Ruth. She
glared. "Ill show her some day, the
insane snooty thing! I'm going to
be somebody. And she with her
pampered life"
Martha nodded. "She's just like
her mother. Caroline always had to
hare her way. Always naughty and
proud. l never could understand
why your uncle married her."
'Huh!" Ruth wrote their names
on the tags. "Me, eitherl What q
life he must lead with those two"
with them it's always me and
mine"
"And Anna is as crude as she
can be- Remember the time"
But the recording saint went on.
He had found the value Of their
gifts. And he was anxious to see
Aunt Caroline and Anna.
They were in a large living room
before merry fire. There were
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20
\ THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE, SUNDAY, DEC. 20, 1881.
outer with which the Charities wer,

outer with which the Charities were
wont. to deal.
He talked Interestingly and enter.
tainingly and before she realized it,
dinner was at an end and there re-
mained as part of the festivities
only the ceremony Of choosing gifts
from the tree.
She had rather decided to pass
that part of the entertainment up
when she remembered that she had
hidden in a red cheesecloth stock
ing filed. with candy a tiny purse
with f1ve-dollar, gold-piece in it.
Nor was she to be blamed for sup
posing that gift Of money so tact
fully presented would not be amiss
to anyone willing to accept dinner
from an utter stranger,
So, in her winning manner, Eliza
beth suggested that they each
choose a gift from the tree. and
laughed when he carefully united
\ little furry monkey.
Then she took down the stocking
full Of old-fashioned candy.
"At proper tree there is always
something to, take home" she said.
He smiled and accepted it. Then,
to her. horror, drew out his knife
and cut the red string at the top.
"Haye some?" he invited.
"No-that is - yes, thank you"
she said in confusion, and watched
him eat. several, pieces.
Then he pulled out the tiny purse
and, with a frown, opened it.
Strangely enough, she saw no sud-
den blush or sign Of self-conscious-
ness. Rather he seemed relieved.
"This means that l must tell you"
he said gravely. s"And I'm very much
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

ashamed of myself. You see, I've
accepted your hospitality under
false pretense. I'm-well, I'm only
Miss Lowry's nephew home from
globe trotting for my paper. She
asked me to stop and tell you that
the old lady she was going to send
to your annual Christmas dinner had
not shown up. You made the mis-
take Of thinking I was the one and
oh, I've no proper apology but
you know a fool reporter never
turns down an experiesce of any
kind" He paused and regarded her
so wistfully that Elizabeth's anger
melted After all, 1t was Christmas
time when one shonId be fsegiving.
"rll promise ne: er, never to do it
again !" he said with svch an air Of
little boyishnsss that Elizabeth
laughed In spite Of herself.
Neither one of them realized then
that all their Christmases were to
be spent toSsther;
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

great holly wreathg In the. beautis
full windows. And from the kitchen
came the song of the cook.
Anna smiled across at her moth
er. almost through with Aunt
Martha's PRESENT."
Amt Caroline nodded. Eyes. And
if you've finished Ruth's handker,
chiefs. wen get the package off. ]
hope Martha likes this"
"She will. Aunt Martha's dear.
Wouldn't it be great If they could
spend Christmas with US some
timer" Annals eyes glowed.
wouldn't I'll Too bad you and
Ruth can't know each other better.
You're so near the same age. Mar.
tina writes that Ruth is working
hard, She's going to amount =
something"
Anna arose to write the names
on the tags. iIll bet she does. Re-
member when she was little girl
she used to be so ambitious? Tn
going to use this pretty tag on hei
package. Isn't it fun getting thinsl
off to them I wish we could send
them something nicer"
Caroline smiled. Martha is sen
sitive and I wouldn't hurt her BY
sending things SO much better thar
she could afford for us. Little
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

midnight services and at last he
had made it possible-forced the
issue as it were. Bob looked about
him.
There was Mary, the Mother Of
Jesus, bending over the babe. Not
far away was Joseph, the father.
Mary's expression made him think
of his own mother, when she and
dad started off in the car for the
| hundred-mile drive to his unmarried
aunt's home at Wakefield. Dad had
said:
"Too bad your holiday job keeps
you from driving with us, Bob. But
I'll meet you at the station in the
morning"
And mother, understanding her
son little better than father, had
said:
"You won't miss the midnight
train, will you, Bob? 1t would spoil
Christmas not to have you with us,
you know"
And he, Bob, had said: "All right"
not knowing himself just what he
meant by it. And he felt sure moth
er Gidnt either.
But after they had gone he be-
came more anu more positive he
was not going to Wakefield. Christ
mas was meant to be happy time
and he had been away from home
all the year and besides he wanted
to go to the tea dance Christmas
afternoon with Margaret OF course
he knew mother would have had
the Christmas at home if she had
been able, but she hadn't gotten over
that operation yet.
The manager Of the store had
told Bob to go but Bob seized upon
the excuse to work until the store
closed at eleven. lie was going to
do as he pleased. Christmas was
the time to be happy.
But when he called Margaret she
was going away with her parents
for Christmas. That In itself was
disappointing but he would see
what the midnight service was like
anyway. But he wasn't bit COM
Portable. Mary looking at that
Christ child the way she did began
| to annoy him. 1t was too much
like mothers look-and mother
wasn't well.
"Oh, hang it all w Bob muttered.
"Why can't a fellow do what he
wants and be happy?" He seized
his coat and dashed out.
There was just time to catch the
twelve-fifteen. No use taking a
sleeper. Bob entered the coach with
it's nodding occupants. But who
were those wide-awake people few
seats down?
"Margaretl For Pete's sake
Where're you going?" Bob's exclam-
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20


Once It had been q down-and-out
ex-missionary well along In years.
once a lonely girl from the West,
and several times thin little waits
from the tenements. On those lat
ter occasions Elizabeth had been
glad Of the fragrant tree which al
ways stood in one corner of the
apartment, alight with colored bulbs
and hung with varied gifts
There was no one In sight now
wait, wasn't that some one just
turned the corner? IL r..
A moment later the bell rang and
II, when she ran down the stairs
and answered 1t, Elizabeth was de-
cidedly taken back at the young
man who stood before her, 1t is
probable that he, too, had his mo-
ment of surprise as he gazed at the
slender vision In a white dress.
"Miss Lowry, of the Charities sent
me-" he began.
ooh, yes," nodded Elizabeth quick
ly. She mustn't let him think for
an instant she had hesitated. She
had absolute confidence In anyone
Miss Lowry. head Of the board,
might send. Hang your coat and
hat on the costumer at the head of
the stairs. And, let me see, your
name"
Still the young man seemed a bit
uncertain. Then, "Drake Gibson" he
said, resolutely and abruptly. -a
Elizabeth breathed an unconscious
sigh of relief, as she preceded him
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

s. AZ
things can express our love Just al
well. I'd be happy with only a card
from them. It's the thoughts, you
know. :"
Anna smiled and placed eacl
package tenderly into box.
d And the packages passed each
other In the mails. BY chance they
had the same kind Of tags:
merry Christmas and love from
Ruth and Aunt Martha"
MERRY Christmas and love from
Anna and Aunt Caroline"
But the grown-up' Santa made
very different notations. For Christi
mas is a memorial to a Primes
whose greatest commandment waa
Love one another" and who said
Judge not" and "Revile not"
What will our Christmas gift rec
ord be? For who can prove that the
old. old lady was not right
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

serve.
alton reused several Of the sleepers.
''Why, we're going to Wakefield.
Dads people live there and we go
there occasionally for Christmas.
This happens to be one of the oc.
casions."
eTell, I'm more lucky than I de-
serve" Bob laughed a little awk-
wardly. @That's where Pm going.
Do you suppose therell be any kind
Of a dancer"
II know there Is. was wonder
ing who I'd go with, but now I
know"
Eyes, you can know that for
sure" Bob grinned.
Bob was philosophizing to him
self as he dressed for breakfast:
II sure would have been a cad to
have stayed at home. Dad at the
train to meet me and mother up
waiting, SO relieved and happy
VIXEN I arrived. And q date with
Margaret for good measure. Gee!
Wouldn't I have been sore at my
self at home? Christmas happiness
means thinking of others besides
ourselves, I'm convinced" --->
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

Hat will do, thank you,
Elise" and Elizabeth dis
missed her maid with a
smile. It was her custom
each Christmas to enter
tain whatever guest the
Charities sent to her
without Elise's help.
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

up the carpeted stairs. After the
first embarrassing moments, she mad
always found that things went more
easily.
! Yet 1t was hard to believe. during
she meal which followed, that her
guest was the sort of down-and-
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

Y OLD, old lady told me
something strange one
time, Santa Claus" she
said, us the saint Of little
children. But there Is a
grownups' saint at Christ
mas time, too, who stands
beside us measuring our
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

They keep their coaches a long
time in the Rocky Mountain con-
ference. Myron E. Whitman is in
his 18th year at the University Of
Colorado, and Ike Armstrong is
coaching his sixth at the Univer-
sity OF Utah.
The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1931-12-20

JB PARSELL, home from
college for the holidays,
entered one of the rear
pews Of the great cathe-
dral and settled himself
with a satisfied air Of ex-
pectancy.
Bob had always wanted
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
- MARK HELL|NGER
When Feature Is
Shown on Screen

RIALTO Adolph Menjou in
"The Great Lover" At 1850
a. M, 1850, $50, $50, 7:50 and
$50 p. m.
RK-O.KEITH'S-Jack Holt in
Fifty Fathoms Deep" At 11:50
a. m, las, $40, 5:45, 1850 and
10 p. m.
PALACE-Laurel and Hardy in
Pardon U.s." At 11:40 a. M, 2,
ABS, 1920 and GAS p. m. Stage
shows at 1:20, 4, $40 and 9:05
p. m.
COLUMBIA-Joan Crawford in
This Modern Age" AT 1855,
1:55, 1855, $50, 7:50. and $50
p. m.
METROPOLITAN-Sylvia Sid
ney and Phillips Holmes in "An
American Tragedy" At 11:14
a. M, 1:16, 3:18, 5:18, 1920 and
1922 p. m.
EARLE-Lewis Stone in "The
Bargain" At 1870 a. M, 1855,
4:31. 7:35 and 1000 p. m. Stage
shows at 1855, 3:31, 6:34 and
9:10 p. m.
FOX Janet Gaynor and
Charles Farrell in Merely Mary
Ann" At 11:59 a. M. 2:15, 4:31,
1886 and 1852 p. m. Stage shows
at 1888, 1854, $3.50 and 9:15 p. m.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Irene Bordoni Is
Coming In
New Play

The Professional Players will
open their second subscription
season at the Shubert-Belasco
Theater the week of october 5
with j. B. Fagan's delightful COM
edy THE Improper Duchess" )"
The presentation Of this play
should prove a memorable occa'
sion if for no other reason than
it brings Irene Bordoni again to
Washington after the absence of
some two years. Miss Bordoni'S
lovely voice and charming person
ality have graced many musical
plays in days gone by. but her
forthcoming appearance las the
Duchess of Tam marks her first
venture into the realms of straight
comedy-Sans music and song.
First in London
'The Improper Duchess" was
first produced at the Globe Thea.
ter in London last February and
has been running ever since.
English critics have been most
laudatory in their reviews and it
seems to have caught the public
fancy to the extent that Maurice
Browne, its producer, expects the
present run to extend well into
1892.
Briefly, the story tells of the
mission of Augustus K, ruler of
Poldavia, to the United States.
Accompanied by his dear friend,
the Duchess of Tam, he S. Ks
to float a large loan in Wall
Street on behalf of his native
country-and on behalf most s.
Suredly of Augustus K. Senator
Cochran, however, a member of a
rival syndicate, takes advantage
Of the fact that the king is ac-
companied by a lady who is not
his wife and endeavors to pre-
vent the fulfillment of the trans
action. How the duchess outwits
her foes and emerges triumphant
in the end is unfolded in the
course of three delightful acts.
HOnOrs for Pagan
The Improper Duchess" is one
of Mr.. Fagan's happiest achieve
ments as a dramatist: it is in
geniously contrived, abounds in
witty lines and subtle character-
izationS. A most amusing-oft-
times hilarious-satire, dealing
with big business and politics IN
America,
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Late Stage News
Direct From
Broadway

NEW YORK, Sept. 16.-Al-
though the new season. is tech
nically six weeks old, it has yet to
produce a dramatic hit. Of the
10 new offerings brought to Town
before last evening, only Mr.. Car.
rolls "Vanities" is doing capacity
business. Cloudy With Snow.
ers,' the Thomas Mitchell-Floyd
Dell comedy at the Morosco, is
the most promising of the plays
that have arrived on Broadway
since August /.
Directly he has launched his
repertory season at the Ambas-
sador with Sholem Aleichem'S IF
I Were YOU" September %, Maui
rice Schwartz will start reheacsals
on The Seven Who We're
Hanged" The Andreyev play has
been newly adapted and will have
Fernando Eliscu, George Nash,
Natalie Browning and Edward
Letter in the company supporting
Mr.. Schwartz. Among later Of
ferings on the producer-actor's
schedule is hitherto unproduced
play by Roman ROLAND.
Vernon Downing. the Alfred
Moulton-Barrett of THE Barretts
of Wimple Street." will hereafter
play Octavius in the Katherine
Cornell offering at the Empire
Frederick Voight will replace MI.
Downing in the Alfred role.
Although there is still no defin-
ite word as to Jed Harris imme-
diate production plans, he seems
now to be particularly interested
in Wonder Boy" the play about
HollyWood's exploitation of a mo-
ton picture star written by a
couple Of West Coast publicity
men. Gregory Ratoff, it is re-
ported. may have the leading
role. In any case, Mr.. Harris has
not given up his plans to do q
musical show. the piece called
Little Baby Blew" by John Nc
Gowan and Philip Dunning with
score and lyrics by Rodgers
and Hart. Harry Rosenthal, Patsy
Kelly and Eddie Foy, jr., will be
in this offering.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Mary Ellis Sings in
"Cherries Are Ripe"

In Cherries Are Ripe" the
new comedy by Anita Loos and
John Emerson, Arch Selwyn is
to produce at the National Thea
ter on September 81, Mary Ellis,
co-starring with Basil Sydney,
will sing a song.
When it is recalled that Miss
Ellis made her debut on the
stage as a member of the Metro
politan Opera Company in New
York, remaining there three
years before going on the dra-
matte stage, this item is of more
than passing Importance.
It is a new song Miss Ellis will
sing and it is written and COM
posed by Clare Hummer, who
composed that famous old song
hit of years ago, "Dearie," and
then gave us Egypt" Since
those songs Miss Hummer turned
dramatist notably in her author
ship of Good Gracious Anabelle'
and "A Successful Calamity"
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

With c a D / e
charges of 81
a word, Tay
Garnett says he
has heard very
little of the trip
Saw " II
Lebedeff carry
ing a ca n z .
Come to think
of it, he is one
of the few act
ors who do.
Among the di.
rectors. Josef
Won Sternberg
and Eric Won
Gtnrrohorn ham
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
E. M. Newman Ready
For New Talk Series

E. M. Newman, ace Travel
talker, has just completed a four
months tour of Europe and will
be seen here this season in an
other interesting Seeing Europe"
series of Travertalks.
The subjects chosen by the
master traveller are France and
the Colonial Exposition" Spain,
the Republic" Berlin 1884,"
London Life" England and
Wales"
BY a happy coincidence New
man was an eye witness of many
exciting scenes from the abdica-
ton Of King Alphonso to the
ensuing riots.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

the habit. Kent Douglas is
Douglas Montgomery again. He
left here yesterday to return to
Broadway. John Monk Saunders
wants him for lead in 'Nikki"
Frances Marion rises at S a.
m. when she is working on a
scenario. She writes in long
hand. Douglas Fairbanks has
two autographed teeth of Kid Nc
Coy. He and the Kid used to
box for charity and the teeth
are souvenirs of a time when
Doug forgot to pull his punch. =.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
IaiI for Extras

Film extras in Hollywood will
even go to prison for a days
work. At least about three hun
dred and fifty of them did for
scenes in Pardon U.s." Laurel
and Hardy's first full-length COM
edy that is now current at Loew's
Palace Theater,
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
SO Paramount Will. Turn Over Broad
way Theater to the Stage 49,
All In a Day
BY
: MARK HELLINGER

NEW YORK, Sept 16.
It was about Is years ago, as James Burbridge
outlines the story that Mr. Baum arrived in the city
of New York His capital and his English both
bounds In due time, then, he opened his own little
bakery shop and was soon able to send back enough
money to bring Mrs Baum to America. So much for
beginning
When Mrs. Baum added the first feminine touches
to that little flat above the bakery everything was
Damon Runyon says, strictly Jake. Mr.. and Mrs.
ness looked very bright-and they both working
toward one goal. They were going to work hard;
raise few children and then retire to home in the
country Yes, sir: that old home in the country.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

Norma Shearer and Robert
Montgomery are at the moment
busy enacting Private Lives" for
Metro -Goldwyn release. This Noel
Coward polished comedy is the
same one which Madge Kennedy
and Otto Kruger will offer as
the third attraction of the season
at the National Theater Septem
Der %.
William Haines is the latest
star who is seeking to prove his
popularity by a round Of personal
appearances in the larger shrines
of the cinema. Haines does not
agree with the finding that his
following was alienated by a
series of fresh guy roles. Vaude-
vile offers have also been sub
mitted and he will begin a tour
next month.
Eugene O'Neill personally in
vited Ann Harding to play an
important part in his trilogy,
mourning Becomes Electra" But
Pathe, which pays her $500 a
week, refused to consider a re-
lease. Hence Alice Brady gets
this important assignment in the
Theater Guilds most important
production of the new season.
George Atkinson drops in to
remind any and all that Pro
ducer Sam Harris does not be-
1ieve in second companies. Which
means that the "Once in a Life
time" troupe which plays the
Belasco beginning September %
will be the original Broadway
cast which played this comedy
for a full season in New York.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
East of Borneo"
Is Jungle Drama

The tempo Of the tropics and
the mysteries of Sumatra are the
background for the highly illumi-
mating production, East of Bor-
neo," coming to the Rialto Thea
ter Saturday.
This Universal melodrama of
the Far East, directed by George
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

pathetic leads.
Their niche in
the movies has
been to provide
comedy relief
in pictures star
ring more con-
ventional hero
and Groin e
types. And il
it hadn't been
for Marie Dress
Ter, w all a C e
Beery, and Ed
ma May Oliver,
things W ould
never have been
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

MeuorQ, W 1t n
r ose Hobart
and Ch arl e S
Bickford in the
featured roles,
was made in
the jupgles of
equatorial Asia
and its action
arise from
such ex 1t c
drama as only
t n is lit t | E.
known section
of the world
can produce.
In addition to
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

it's inception, through the years
up to the present and into the
future.
The opening represents the
close of the Revolutionary War,
next the birth of the idea of
a Federal city in the mind of
George Washington, and the COM
mission of Major Pierre L'Enfant
to design the city.
The city of the future is
visualized in the song, Washing
ton the Beautiful"
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

Film producers suddenly have
discovered that the public will
support any human story-that
they're even a little fed up on
pretty empty faces.
"Pudge" is a domestic comedy
that once saw production under
the title of That's My Daddy"
It featured Reginald Denny then.
but rewriting shifted the en-
phasis.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Zazu Pitts
Wins Big
Role
By HARRISON CARROLL

..(copyrisht. 1881 Premier Syndicate.
HOLLYWOOD, Calf, Sept. 16.
Sign of a changing public taste
is the Universal film, Fudge"
which will feature Slim Summer
vile and Zazu Pitts.
Neither one of these performers
are accustomed to playing SYM
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Rebuffed Again

For some Il me, Mrs. Baum
had known that her husband
was going around with other
women. She had found a few
notes that he carelessly left
around the house. and she
trailed him one night in an
other taxi. But, as usual, she
said nothing. Why let the
neighbors gloat? And why
make her children a laughing
stock when she had labored so
hard to keep them clean and
decent? So she did the best
possible thing and kept her
knowledge to herself. An un-
usual woman, Mrs. Baum.
She did, however, make one
attempt to have her husband
see the light.
How much longer must we
keep working?" she asked him.
Surely, by this time, you have
sufficient money for our little
place in the country. It would
be so much better for you.
It would be very much better
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

ton bicen-
tennial be-
g i n min g
Friday.
It will
t a ke the
form of a
sym phonic
tone poem
d e d icated
to M a jor
P i e r re
LIE n + ant,
.planner Of
the Federal
city.
The over
I u r e pOr-
trays mu-
SicaHy the
Cit y of
w a S h i ng-
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

offering It's 81 run picture theater, the
Criterion on Broadway, to such stage at
fractions as can pay the heavy rental.
Peter Flies High" the Glenn Hunter
play is considering this prominent location
on the Main Stem for the New York run.
Paramount is abandoning the spot tempo
rarily because of the scarcity of product
which can command reserved seat prices.
1t impressed this critic also that Para
mount might find "Peter Flies High use
full later for it's wise-cracking star, Jack
Oakie. The Glenn Hunter role could be
easily fitted to the Glib Oakie talents.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16

ROSE HOBART the pivot a !
players, the cast includes George
Renavent, Lupita Tovar and
Noble johnson. East of Bor-
neo' is a happy combination in
story elements, providing the fea-
tured thespians with rich, human
roles.
The Washington times., 1931-09-16
Musical Tribute
To L'Enfant Is
Fox Plan

Al Mitchell, musical director
of the Fox Theater Orchestra,
will pay a melodious tribute to
the forthcoming George Washing