Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965, December 07, 1916, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERAT. D: DAKOTA CITY. NEBRASKA.
,
Cbrietittas'Pver$b
J A&&
ere &h
t9 rear
WMH MtMJLT OK CEOfflGSSBMPE TO
WM15 A(S PTO BBuWTT
HMDS CSEtLDEWE
(SILTO&W-IPOO'GMtl
Wat-) mi (IAHFRIp9H (
Kr9 J&E' lrW - 'fcrxLJXMJjL T 7 fl
A2 X fflHRJBUrFN-(B)TJ UailLUlWl
nCmmil Jr lUB(BMPMllMKft53M6P -A "v.
4
0 FO
HS!
ICTOUY inny como and victory
inny go, l)Ut no futuro triumphs
or defeats can ever soften f or
Europe the memory of this dark
Christmas of 1910, the saddest
she has over known. Pride In
tho present and faith in the fu
ture sustain everyono of the
warring peoples In their exaltation of sacrifice,
But at ChristinasChristmas, tho feast of the
home and of the .family exnltntlon dies, and only
sorrow, tho sorrow of the bereft Individual, re
mains, says the Now York Sun.
It Is n very different Christmas Europe Is ap
proaching this year from that of two years ago.
Then the shod: and excitement of tho beginning
of the war were still tingling. In England the
question of munitions Is today of no less im
portance to tho popular mind than, two years ago,
was Jhoj absorbing question of getting a plum
'pudding to every man In the trenches. Tltero was
stilUtalk of the kaiser's dining. In Paris, and dis
cussions as to which ruler should, lend the tri
umphant allies In procession through Unter den
Linden,
Victory seemed a much simpler matter then
than ft does today. Everyono admitted then that
victory would bo bought only with sorrow and
sacrifice. Now everyone knows, with tho hard
knowledge of experience, that victory will bo
bought only with sorrow heaped on sorrow and
icrlflco heaped on sacrifice. It is this knowledge
onto In on every home, howover exulted or how
over humble, that makes the Christmas celebra
tion of 1010 In Europe n solemn sacrament of
sorrow.
Of nil tho warring peoples Christinas menus
tho, most to the Germans nnd on nono will tho
sacrlflco of tho traditional customs of the day
fall so henvlly. There Is no blood and Iron In
the German Chrlstmns. Thcro Is Instend n ten
der und appealing sentiment tlint Is typical of
nil that lp beat In tho Germnn character. Tho
wholo world is Indebted to Germany for tho
Christmas tree and for many of tho most delight
ful of tho Christmas stories and customs that ,
Americans have ndoptcd as their own. Tho Ger
innn Christinas Is n day for tho home, the family
nnd tho children, with Its every custom endeared
by generations of tradition.
' Tho real Germnn Christmas celebration occurs
on Chrlstmns ovc. About four o'clock tho dinner
1s served, an clnborato and hearty feast, consist
ing of a long sorlos of traditional dishes, all eaten
in n state of wild excitement. During this meal
the Krlstklnd makes Its appearance. This figure
Is n cuilous product of sentiment and Imagina
tion, 'n queer combination of tho Holy Child, the
- good fnlry and our own Santa Clans. It Is rep
resented in tho country district by it half-grown
child mndo up us nil nngel, who goes from door
to door calling for tho good children, giving sweet
meats at one house nnd begging them nt tho next.
Aftor dinner comes tho great moment when the
doors are opened Into tho Christmas room where
tho lighted tree hnH tho place of honor. Tho treo
Is nlwnyB placed near n window so thnt every
pnsscr-by can see nnd share It. A walk through
tho deserted residence streets of any German
town nt this hour on Christmas ove leaves n mem
ory of Chrlstmns cheer and spirit thnt can never
be forgotten.
By nine o'clock tho family Is ready to eat again,
ti light supper .including still moro of tho tradi
tional Christmas dishes. Every one, rich or popr,
lias Nuremberg ginger cake, Its nhlny brown sur
face decorated with almonds and raisins, and
with tho word "Wellinnchton" and tho' yenr
worked out in pink find white frosting. Stollen,
n sort of plum enko, nnd many sweet biscuits
of various shapes nnd sizes, nro nil Indispensable
parts of this feast.
But this yenr, with n shortage of fats In her
food supply so severe as to demand serious at
tention on tho part of tho government, there is in
Germany no butter or milk for tho Chrlstmns
cakes, no tnllow or wax for tho Christmas cun
dies. To many peoplo this little homely depriva
tion will bring a realization of tho severities of
war moro vivid nnd moro compelling than oven
tho sight of tho fast-growing graveyards. With
two million now graves In tho land, with dlro ne
cessity robbing her denrcst holiday of Its dearest
symbols, no triumphs of arms can mako this ChrlBt
mas of 1010 anything but it snd and sorrowful
feast in tho homos of tho Gormun empire.
In' Austria tho Christmas celebrations aro ns
vurled- ns tho races and religions that mako up
that gnat loosely knit empire. Where tho Greek
church prevails tho celebration occurs a fortnight
Inter than ours; that Is, on January 7. It Is ac
companied by feasting nnd by various local cus
toms. The Slovacs of Bohemia and Moravia have
curious Christmas usages in which superstition
has entirely triumphed over religious significance.
This Is the great day of tho year when tho pens
nnt appeases all tho Invisible world of spirits.
On the afternoon of Christmas eve tho whole
household marches In solemn procession to the
stables nnd cow houses carrying bread, salt and
beans. These nro offered to the animals with cer
tain hallowed words, and great Is tho dismay If
any cow or chicken Is Indifferent to the offering.
Iteturnlng to tho house, tho pnrents sprlnko
nil their unmarried daughters with water sweet
ened with honey, thus Insuring them honest, good
tempered husbands. The entire fnmtly then sip
ot sllvovltzn, n strong native liquor distilled from
plums. A sinnll qunntlty pf this Is then poured
on the lloor to concllinto such other spirits as
may have been overlooked. Everyone then falls
on tho Chrlstmns feast without ceremony.
But this yenr war has reached out to tho rc
moto districts nnd blighted even such simple
Christmas celebrations as this. Tho men of the
families are all gone. Only tho very young nnd
the very old remain. There will bo no blessing
of tho kino thlsycar, for there are no kino to
bless. -All hnve long since gone to supply the
army. There will be no Christmas feasting, for
food was long ago reduced to the" smallest quanti
ty that will sustain life. And every day, in every
village, the list of the widowed and orphaned
grows longer nnd longer.
Vlennn Is known ns a gay, light-hearted city.
Its Christmas obscrvnnco Is ordinarily n happy
combination of religious ceremony nnd Teutonic
good cheer. But this year tho brilliant midnight
masses will bo attended by black-robed mourners
and there will bo no good cheer In Vlennn.
Tho ChrlRlmno celebration In nil the countries
where the Greek orthodox church prevails arc
much tho same. As tho holiday itself Is preceded
by a severe fast the Chrlstmns feast takes on n
highly Important character. In many parts of
Itussln, especially In tho cities, tho gift-hung
Christmas tree has been borrowed from tho Ger
mans, whllo it pudding of rice and rnlslns Is the
fenturo of the Christmas ove feast. From this
feast has now been taken Its crowning glory, the
vodka bottle.
In only ono other part of Europe has the heel
of war pressed so hard as In Russian Poland ; In
only ono other plnce bus the land been so utterly
devastated by fierce nnd continued lighting; In
only ono other place will tho'senson of pence
and good will bo such it bitter mockery ns to
tho hunted nnd starving Poles.
And this is In Serbia, poor, brave, beaten Ser
bia, with its whole population, nn entire people,
fugitive before hntod nnd terribly fonrod Invad
ers. During three years Serbia has been swept
by three wars, tho present one so relentless nnd
so overwhelming us literally to wipe out the ordi
nary relationship of the people to life. They have
ceased to have homes; they havo ceased to pos
sess property ; they must burrow In the "earth for
shelter and forage for their uncertain food llko
wild animals. With her army making a. heroic
nnd despernto struggle, with her people dying with
their spirit yet unbroken, tho birthday of the
Prlnco of Peace will not bo celebrated this year
In Serbia.
Tho sorrows of Belgium this yenr ns compared
with last aro moro of tho spirit than of the flesh.
The voice of Christmas, of peaco nnd good will
does not spenk er.v loud to a captive peoplo.
With Its army terribly decimated. Its beloved king
all but driven out of his own country, xlth Its
dally life subject to the scrutiny nnd Mie con
trol of a stern captor, there Is no room li Belgium
for nny of the old light-hoarted Christinas spirit
that used to show Itself In crowded churches for
midnight masses nnd gay all-night supper parties.
Belgium waits ns all Europe waits for the end
of tho war -waits wiq faith and hope and n de
termination us grim as It must be silent.
Hnpplly tho physical condition of the stricken
peoplo Is better than last year. There is not tho
frightful confusion, tho separation ot fnmllles,
tho pitiful terror and want that went with the
lllght boforo tho Invaders. All relief measures
nro organized. Belgium Is no happier this year
than last, but sho Is less cold and hungry.
, If tho Bolglun peoplo over again have a united
Christmas they will find thcraselvos with many new
SJUJW LOT
3rick and Shingle House That
Meets Conditions Frequently
Existing in All Towns.
VTTRACTIVE N EVERY WAY
holiday Ideas. A treo twinkled In every place that
housed n German last year, and though tho Bel
gians will not allow their Chrlstmns to be German
ized, yet the trees appealed to them mightily. Cer
tainly tho Christmas tree will be much more com
mon henceforth In Belgium whether tho Germans
stay there or not.
Thousands of refugees wnltlng In Englnnd until
their country is redeemed will bring back with
them many Ideas of tho English holiday.
Until the mnrrlage of Queen Victoria to the
prince consort, Chrlstmns In England was chiefly a
day of churchgolng, of merryiuuking and of mighty
feasting. The prince brought with him from his
German home the customs of the Chrlstmns tree
and of gift giving. Tho lntter lias never becomo
ns "firmly intrenched In England ns It Is here, but n
lighted tree loaded with decorations and presents
Is established ns a part of every English celebra
Hon. Chrlstmns decorations of holly and mistletoe,
the ceremony of tho Yule log nnd ninny of the tra
ditional Chrlstmns dishes, notably the plum pud
ding, aro all owed to English custom.
But It Is a sadder and wiser England that ap
proaches Chrlstmns this yenr. Hundreds of thou
sands of young Englishmen hnve died to mnke
her so. Today every Londoner has had a graphic
lesson In what a powerful and resourceful enemy
can do even In n "right little, tight little Island." A3
n further object lesson, England will pay for the
rnlslns for her plum puddings something llko 200
per cent more thnn sho did last year. The war
with Turkey has done thnt to her.1
Englnnd has had other black Chrlstmases, but
they were farther away from home. The Christ
mas of 1S00 In South Africa was ono thnt she does
not like to recall, while tho terrible Christmas of
1831, tho Christmas of tho Crimean war, when, aa
n writer of the day put it, "Thunks to General
Muddle, things ure nbout ns bnd as they can bo,"
was always a bitter memory to that generation.
Tho year 1010 has not been n good year for Eng
land, nnd she knows It. The knowledge bns shat
tered her complnccncy nnd bus strengthened her
determination. But sho Is not happy about It and
her Christmas celebration will be a chastened feast.
Christmas in the Latin countries has always been
moro of ft religious festival than n home celebra
tion. In Itnly It Is moro customnry to exchange
presents nt New Year's thnn nt Chrlstmns. Lighted
trees nro frequently seen, but they nro the luxury
of the prosperous and not the hnblt of tho people.
The day before Chrlstmns Is more of nn occasion
than the day Itself.
In the cities of southern Itnly booths are erected
In certain streets, as before Easter, for tho sale of
odds and ends nnd sweetmeats; wheeled trafllc is
barred and the people promenade slowly up and
down, exchanging greetings. Mldiflght muss is
said in all the churches. In the churches, too, nro
exposed tliq fnmous cribs, or presepl, representing
scenes of tho birth and lnfnncyof Jesus. The be
ginning of this Custom Is nscrlbed to St. Francis
of Assist.
Christmas eve is the great feast of the season in
France. In the provinces It is celebrated with pro
cessions in tho streets, which were originally re
ligious In character, but which havo becoino pro
faned by tho gnyety of the maskers. In Normandy
and In Provence there aro elaborate puppet bIiows
of scenes In the lifo of the Infant Christ. All the
street gayoty terminates after'nmss In feasts' In all
the homes.
In Purls thero nro Christmas booths set up In
many of the boulevards. This year thoy will bo
devolcd to tho sale of comforts for tho soldiers.
Pnrls knows better than nnyone just how black
a wartime Christmas can be. She has never for
gotten the Chrlstmns of 1870. For ninety-eight
days the Germuns hnd battered at the city. Every
Sortie had failed miserably. Tho final bombard
ment was Inevitable. On Christmas eve 000 men
froze to death In tho trenches Just outsldo tho city.
Better, It seems, than nuy of tho other nations
did France renllzo from the beginning what this
present war would mean nnd, realizing, she conse
crated herself utterly. Sho has uinde every sac
rifice, great and small, even t g(vlng up the crusty
rolls and light whlto bread that nro ns tho brenth
In her nostrils. When a Frenchman, every French
man, eats without complaint n grayish bread mndo
of u mixture of whent and rlco uud entirely lack
ing in golden crust, he bus Indeed nn exalted spirit.
It Is a small thing, perhaps, but It Is enormously
slgnlllcnut.
Last Christians wns a solemn festival In France.
A million gifts, gifts of wool, wero sent to the men
In the trenches. Every soldier had a glass of
champagne. But there was no merrymaking.
Musses were said at open-nlr altars erected back
of tho battlo lines. In the old church at Thann In
Alsace it French Christinas was celebrated for tho
first time n forty-four years. But It wns n cele
bration of prayer, not of rejoicing.
This yenr, nt least, midnight masses will bo. said
In the churches of Paris, but afterward thcro will
bo no gnyety hi tho streets as In formeV years, no
dancing plcrrots nnd harlequins leading tho mask
ers, no brllllnnt round of restaurant suppers, tho
beloved rovelllon of the Parisian.
So Paris on Christinas ove will go homo through
darkened streets wltjt a prnyor In her honrt for all
thoso who have tiled for Franco tuMi for nil tho
who must yet die.
Placlntj tho Bulldinn With Its Wide
SIdo to the Street loan Advantage,
Both In tho Matter of Looks
and Conservation of Space
Porch Made Feature. '
By WILLIAM A. RADFORD.
Mr. William A. nadford will answer
Questions and gtvo advlco FREE OF
COST on nil subjects pertatntns to tho
subject of building-, for tho readers of this
paper. On account of his wldo oxpcrlcnco
08 Editor, Author and Manufacturer, ho
Is, without doubt, tho highest Authority
on all these subjects. Address alt Inquiries
to "William A. Radford, No. 1827 Pratrlo
avenue, Chicago, 111., and only cncloso
two-cent stamp for reply.
Thero Is often found a condition, in
laying out the streets of a town or
city, which necessitates tho formation
of several lots which are not of stand
ard depth. Such n condition might ex
ist where two streets Intersect at an
angle other than 90 degrees. In such
a case lots are laid out on two sides
of the triangle as nenr to the apex ns
they may be carried without cutting
down tho depth to a value which will
hamper the sale of the lots. If the
angle of Intersection of the streets is
small, there will bo n rather large piece
of land which Is usually not suitable
Tor residences. That the size of this
strip can be cut down by making tho
lots wider near the apes may be real
ized by properly designing the houses
built on the shnllow lots is n certainty.
Tho shallow lots would be preferred
property if assurance could be given
that the houses would look well in
their peculiar positions.
There nre a few conditions which
may bo observed in order to produce
Becnuso most city lots nre deep nnd
narrow, it Is unusual to sec u houso
designed ns n city homo which hns its
longer dimension across the front.
Astdo front tho few cases already men
tloned In which It is necessary to cut
lots of peculiar shape on account of
streets Intersecting at shnrp angles, tho
only plnco where n houso with wide
front is likely to be used Is on n corner
lot which offers frontage on two
streets. Een If plenty of room Is
available, the usual custom Is to build
n houso with Its narrow side to tho
front, even though such n practice robs
tho owner of space which might bo
used us n largo front or back lawn and
presents the nnrrow side of the houso
ns tho only part that is ever noticed
by passers-by.
Tho design shown hero presents an
unusually nttractlve appearance from
the street. Since Uio gnblc roof is
placed with its rldgo parallel to tho
street, tho tllc-covered surface, broken
by the dormer with its six squnro win
dows, is a prominent fenturo. The up
per floor Is finished with shingles,
tcu r
iwlaMWlAfp,S3y l"'L 'Miy ""
UBtcbn EiiH3?tol twloon
ii-9110-j liSufiiE- una J
"'" ! Ef V1" ' tj
ISidtoon 1 ' 'T" fciotoon I
Second-Floor Plan.
while the first floor walls nro of brick,
trimmed with white stone or stock ter
rn cottn. Detnlls are carefully worked
out to produce a nicely balanced ap
pearance. A special feature of tho
front porch construction is tho manner
in which tho brick columns are carried
up through tho roof and enpped with
a white stone or terra cotta slab. Or
nnmental'vases may be placed on these
columns nnd flowers plnntcd in the.'
in tho summer time. Tho canopy over
the windows on either side of the chim
ney is covered with tile similar to that
used on the roof.
The front door opens into n recep
tion, hall from which cased openings
lend to the living room, dining room
the best possible effect in the appear
ance of the houses built on the narrow
lots. Of course, it will be necessary
to design these houses with the larger
dimension across the front. This often
helps the room arrangement rather
than causing difficulty in grouping of
rooms. As far ns the exterior appear
ance is concerned, there is an ad
vantage in the wider side of the houses
being placed near the street, in that
many pleasing effects nre possible in
the window nnd porch design, and the
wall finish Is more effective than In the
case of n smaller wall surface. An
ntlier ndvantngo of this typo of house
Is found in tho possibility of nrtlstlc
ind distinctive roof treatment.
The building lino should, of course,
do inalntntned in accordance with thnt
which is established by the majority of
S foiu
wl,,tB iiHl -
kj'gl "ftB M M ImMtanri
usa sgjq u J
J Emms toon (3 notlOi LJw
f tumfcun Tj
and back through u hall to the toilet
The hall has space provided for coats.
The living room oocuples the enti"
end of the house on one side of th
reception hall. The fireplace Is buiil
into tho center of the wnll opposite
the hall. This room has two casement
windows at each end and two windows
on tho side. The dining room is on
tho other side of tho hall. A buffet la
built under the window In the front
wnll of the house. Arrangements for
serving meals are especially well han
dled, since tho dining room may be en
tered from both the kitchen and the
pnntry. The latter room is a model of
convenience. A wldo shelf is built un
der the window with a case on either
side. Tho refrigerator, which Is iced
from the rear porch, is handy to" this
shelf.
Four bedrooms, n sewing room nnd
a bath open from the hall on the sec
ond floor.
Flrst-Floor Plan.
houses In the b'locl;. If the division of
tho property into lots Is carried to tho
itpex of tho trlanglo with a lot on each
street as the final division, each of the
houses on these lots should be"deslgned
In the manner of a house which Is to
face on two streets. This division of
lots is often preferred to the dlvlslou
which places a single lot nt the apex,
mi account of tho fact that tho last
bouse, la the latter case, Is exposed on
threo st.les to public view, and inci
dentally the owner of this lot hns the
Improvement of two streets and two
street stdewalks to contend with In
case these developments are brought
Into effect.
Tho remalulng small trlanglo which
cannot bo used for residence purposes
Is nn excellent spot for tho city or awn
to tnke up nnd Improve with shrubbery',
flower gnrdens and ornamental con
crete or stono work. The brightening
effect which theso little beauty spots
havo In towns and cities Is nttested to
by any number of examples of tills
treatment throughout the country.
Improvement in Illumination.
Nearly every year has brought out
a better, nnd at tho same time a cheap
er form of light. Nobody knows when
experiments in electricnl illumination
will bo terminated, or when some un
known form of light may be brought
into use. The Museum Ethnological
exhibit at Washington goes as far
as the simple carbon filament
light, but In the division of mechanical
technology in the older building thero
nre many Interesting examples of early
electric lamps and lighting apparatus
together with later Improvements
showing the many phases of develop,
ment in-the art of illumination.
No Peace for Him.
Willie was out walking with hla
mother, when she thought sho saw a
boy on the other side of the street mak
ing faces at her darling.
"Willie," asked mother, "is Umt hor
rid boy making fuces at you?"
"Ho is," replied Willie, giving his
coat a tug. "Now, mother, don't start
any peaco talk you just hold my coat
for about five minutes."
A Stipulation.
"There's only ono thing I ask," said
tho loser of it freak election bet."
"What's that," inquired the winner,
"If you're going to stand by and see
that I eat all this molasses with a
toothpick, I want you to admit thnt
you won the bet nnd are inslsUng on
its payment. Don't you pretend that
you are my keeper."
-
1
I
1
f
V
S
,J