davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-08-25
uemse or stock Excnange So-
perstitious About Lead sticks.

&8806@ A88A
Talking about hoodoos and mas
cots, - said a member Of the Stock FIX
rhange, "the boys ON the floor OF the
exchange are az superstitious as a lot Of
sailors. II you don't believe It, you look
nc the lead pencils they are using the
next time you are in the building.
"You won't find a man using q long
lead penoil. Why! Because a long PEN
ul IL q 'hoodoo' Of the worst kind.
They always put q new pencil in half
before thug sharpen 1t. Some Of these
pencils -vquire the reputation of being
lucky.
"Less than a week ago / came down
without my pencil, which, by the way,
is q lucky one-every memorandum
made with that pencil results in . profit
for me-and ! borrowed one from .
friend ON The floor. He handed me a
stump about an inch long and said.
sYou can use that, les q lucky pencil
"Sure enough, I made two deals In
the morning, and each netted me a
handsome profit.
II was about to make q memoran-
dunn OF some stock | had bought when
my friend approached and said:
Here, take this pencil and let mo
hGye mine again. I've lost ON every
deal since / loaned it to YOU
"Sure enough, i lost on that deal, and
the luck went back to the owner Of the
pencil.
"When you get hold Of a lucky PEN
Gil, you want to hang ON to it.
"Some of the boys have little lucky
peneilsnot more than an inch long, and
they guard them as they would their
lives.
IF you, through carelessness or aoci-
dent, cause them to break the lead point
they lose whatever regard they have
for You and forever afterward regard
you as inimical. Some Of them wouldn't
tnke % for q little piece Of pencil worth
considerably less than q cent. New
York Press.
Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-08-25
Notice For Publication.

Sears Il Mccoy,
Attorneys for Plaintiff.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
The Three War Problems.

Commodore Dewey's victory has really brought. the problems of the war down to these three-the capture of Cuba, the capture of Porto Rico, the practical de- structon of the Spanish f1.et in Atlantic waters. The occupation of the Philippines Is not included, because it has become more a matter of administration than of war.
 If the Spanish ships remain upon the de- fensive, keeping their own side of the sea, this country will proceed to settle the way and at it's own convenience. If. how ever, they attempt to take a hand in the two American problems, quick settlement of the Spanish fleet problem may be fourd. It is much more probable that the Spanish fleets, none too strong, will remain where they can defend Spain and the Canaries, and that the American fleets, after the oc- cupation of Cuba and Porto Rico has been home. Everything that Spain has done, and the condition of her internal affairs as we'll point to defensive policy, so far as her warships are concerned.
 But the United States has no present in- tention of fighting Spain in Spanish waters. The occupation of Cuba and Porto Rico really the problems at hand, and unless all signs fail steps in that direction will be taken very soon, and very vigorously, too. In Porto Rico where there are nearly a mil lion people, there are no armed insurgents however numerous the sympathetic native population may be. A landing there of force, covered, of course, by plenty of guns off shore. Whether the seizure of Porto Rico will precede or follow the occupation of Cuba, is a problem soon to be solved.
 The seizure of Cuba is indeed war. Blan- co is there with 100000 Spanish troops. He may have more, but pc probably has a less number of effeetives. At any rate, he has all +aal he will receive. Re!nforcements knew, and the board of strategy probably know, just what Blanco's fighting weight is; and it is certain that when Cuba is in- vaded it will be by a force that can handle the Spanish general even without aid from the insurgents. The insurgents may be counted as the overplus of fighting force. The Cuban advance movement should be, and undoubtedly will be, one of vigor-one that will be war in the fullest sense of the word-one that will give the Spanish the whipping they have long needed, thus prac- to close
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

that the Cape Verde fleet would prefer the task to a trip to Porto Rico, where 1t would have to meet Admiral Sampson, or to the North Atlantic coast. where 1t would soon have to face Captain schley's fleet. The coal supply trouble would be encountered in any one of these three possibilities: and unless .he fleet can fight the Oregon un- attended by the Iowa. it would be over matched.
 If all the available Spanish warships in the Atlantic were concentrated off Cuba, Admiral Sampsons battleships and moni- tors and cruisers would outclass them in armament and in armor, as well as in per- sonnel. Especially would this be the case if the Oregon be added to his fleet, or If the Texas or Massachusetts were sent to his relief from Hampton Roads. Between coa1-defcency and ship-defcencies, Spain is not very formidable. Her roaming crui- sers will have all the business they can attend to, either in attacking the Oregon, or at Porto Rico, or in an assault upon any town of the North Atlantic coast.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
THE DRUM.

 James Whitcomb Riley. in the Rochester Chronicle. Oh the drum! There is some
 Intonation in thy grum Monotony of utterance that strikes the
 spirit dumb, As we hear
 Through the clear
 And unclouded atmosphere Thy crumbling palpitation roll in upon the
 ear. There's a part Of the art,
 Of thy muslc-throbbing heart That thrills a something in us that awakens
 with start, And, in rhyme With the chime
 And exactitude of time, Goes marching on to glory to thy melody
 sublime. And the guest Of the breast
 That thy rolling robs of rest Is patriotic spirit as Continetal dressed, And he looms
 From the glooms
 Of a century of tombs, And the blood he spilled at Lexington in
 living beauty blooms. And his eyes
 Wear the guise
 Of nature pure and wise. And love of them is lifted to something
 in the skies That Is bright
 Red and white,
 With blur of starry light As 1t laughs in silken ripples to the breezes
 day and night. There are deep Hushes creep
 Ger the pulses as they leap, And the murmur, fainter growing. on tho
 silence. falls asleep. While the prayer Rising there
 Wills the sea and earth and air As a heritage to Freedoms sons and daugh-
 ters everywhere. Then with sound As profound,
 As the thunderings resound, Come thy wild reverberations in a throe
 that shakes the ground. And cry
 Flung on high
 Like the flag 1t futters by, Wings rapturously upward till 1t nestles in
 the sky. Oh. the druml
 IntonatIon in thy grum Monotony of utterance that strikes the
 spirit dumb, As we hear Through the clear
 And unclouded atmosphere Thy rumbling palpitations roll in upon the -.-. SeAs ----.---.-----4,-------.-s.-- l.s--1i.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
"For now sits expectation in the air."
 HENRY V.
The Beer Tax.
Editor

The proposed increase of taxation on beer to $2 a barrel of thirty-two gallons-the present rate being $1-renews public interest in beer consumption, and incidentally it's use as a basis of government revenue.
 It appears from the accurate statistics of the internal revenue service that the con sumption was at maximum in the year of panic and nervous tension and distress, the year 1S9S The consumption then stood at 1908 gallons for every man, woman and did not drink in that year sixteen gallons. it follows that a very great number must each have drank in that year at least a barrel of beer. Afetr 1893 the per capita year at 1469 gallons. The total consump- tion was 34 ,462 S22 barrels. The average retail price of barrel is $1S-making the country's beer bill last year something over sOOOOo.OoO.
 An additional tax of $1 barrel would undoubtedly add to the government rev enue just about ss5, ,OOO, 900, as an increase of consumption always occurs in war years, and in periods of other high excitement or nervous strain. It does not seem to occur to any one that the additional tax would lessen the consumption, probably because the additional tax will not change the retail price per glass, whatever difference it may make in the foam line or in the quality of beer.
 The brewers do not relish the proposition at all They say the present tax is a war tax of thirty-five years standing, which was left unchanged although all the other taxes of that time were either repealed or reduced. rebate of per cent. is. r~- 2 ever proposed, to cover beer returned as damaged. The proposed tax amounting to $70,O00, ,00O year will be paid by 22O9 brew cries, but fully one half of the great an- nual sum will be paid by the 100 large brew cries of the country. The fear among the 2,1OO smaller breweries Is that the 100 big concerns will shoulder the tax, thus revolu- tionizing the business, and driving the 210O out altogether
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE FLAG.

From the New Orleans Times-Democrat.
 ''Whatever the result of the present war between the United Stats and Spain may be-, said prominent Confederate veteran yesterday, 'it has already been proved. even in this early stage of the game, that the young men of the country are willing, nay, anxious, to defend the nation honor. Here all around us we see volunteer com panies being organized, young men leaving their mothers and sisters, and wives, too, to expose themselves, not only to shot and shell, but to the dreaded levers prevalent in Cuba. Then, again, these sameS young men are giving up fine positions and oom- fortable homes. There are no people in the world as loyal to their flag as the Ameri- cans, and tell you it is hard to defeat men with such zeal and fidelity. Just let the band strike up Old Glory and if there is any patriotism lying dormant it is im- mediately aroused, spurring the people on to the accomplishment of deeds of valor in behalf of their country's honor, with never thought of halting until victory Is gained or their blood has been shed in the attempt to attain 1t"
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

names of Lord sacIzville's daughters, who presided at the hospitality dispensed at the British embassy during his time. do not figure on the page of the British peerage devoted to his family.
 The late Austrian envoy. Baron schaef- fer, was transferred to Washington for the particular purpose of compelling him to break off an unfortunate intimacy formed during his twenty-five years service as Austrian consul general in London, and which threatened to wreck the close of his official career. Innumerable other cases could be cited. not only among the chiefs of missions at Washington, but also among their subordinates, to show that from the point of view of foreign diplomacy, Wash ington is little else than a species of shunt- ing ground and Botany Bay
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
The PopuIist Platform.

The populist party has not received the attention that an opposition party is en- titled to, even if that party be one from which the hope of victory has departed. Correspondents agree in saying that the recent convention of the populst party in Montgomery was chiefly characterized by a lack of numbers and enthusiasm. The fire and heat of the party have abated until there is not much left. The forms and motions of a real live convention were gone through with, but underneath there was none of the zeal and confidence of other days
 In their platform the populists went out of their way to denounce "the efforts of the democratic party to call state con- stitutional convention for the purpose of disfranchising the poor and illiterate." As the poor are not necessarily illiterate, nor the illiterate poor, this Is as pure piece of demogogism as could well be devised As amatter of fact the democratic party did not in their Montgomery convention men, tion the subject at all. Many democrats and doubtless many populists, and not a few republicans desire a constitutional con- vention, because the present organic law flinders the states development in educa- tional and other directions; very many, too, desire a reform in the electorate on some just and liberal lines, but no demo- crat advocates change that would dis franchise man who can read a ballot or who pays tax.
 The populists did a creditable thing when they pledged their zealous efforts to the support of the federal government in the present war crisis; and they also met pub lie sentiment when they demanded larger school appropriations, better schools, and longer school terms. On the, swo propo- sitions Alabama may now be said to be unit. The democrats, the populsts and the republicans are each and all in favor of a vigirous prosecution of the war, and of better common schools throughout the state All parties and all races agree over these two questions.
 There was no scramble for places on the ticket. No one desired empty honors. Af- ter two withdrawals had taken place. MT. G. B. Deans was nominated for governor. MT. Deans is the wheel horse of the rather shadowy party. and he can be depended upon to stay in the field to the day of elec-
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
The Cape Verde Fleet.

The missing fleet consists of four cruisers The Almirante Oquendo has armor twelve inches thick, and two 11-inch guns. The yizcaya is also protected by twelve-inch armor; she carries ten five-inch guns. The Cristobal Colon, recently purchased from Italy. has six-inch armor; her armament consists of two nine-inch, ten six-inch and six four-inch guns. The Infanta Maria Teresa has two eleven-inch, ten four-inch and eight two-inch guns. The whereabouts and she may have joined the Cape Verde fleet. She is protected by nine-inch armor, and carries two eeven-inch, eight ive-inch and four four-inch guns. She is much the strongest of the five cruisers In estimating the power of guns 1t should be remembered that five-inch gun throws shell of about two hundred pounds in weight.
 These are good cruisers. and If they were well handled and their guns well-sighted, they would be. with their superior speed, a very pretty match tor the Oregon and
 
 the gunboat Marietta and the Nictheroy, purchased from Brazil. The Iowa will, 1t is thought, be detached from Captain Samp- sons fleet, and sent off Barbadoes to escort the Oregon home. The Cape Verde fleet could, it is true, meet the Oregon farther south, either off Pernambuco or off Para, but 1t would encounter in any of these op- erations the difficulties connected with al- most empty bunkers. The Oregon would fight the entire Cape Verde fleet. She has eighteen-inch armor, and four thirteen-nch, h, She could whip two, or even three of them, but not four or five of them, unless the Nichtheroy, with her dynamite guns, could give her material help. The gunboat Mari- etta would count for something. "The bat tleship Oregon" says the Springfield Re- publican, throws thrteen-inch projectiles weighing over half ton each and the total weight of voley from her four big guns is 4,4Oo pounds, while 4,OOo pounds Is the to- tai weight of volley from the eight guns comprising the main batteries of the four Spanish cruisers that may be looking for her. If the attempt is made to capture the big ship It is possible that some one will get hurt"
 The improbability of sighting the Oregon Is considerable; no one on the Cape Verde fleet knows her course from Rio north- wards; but 1t is thought more probable
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

ton. He has of late served as the chair man of the state executive committee He is a lawyer of Calera. The candidate for secretary of state. MT. T. N. Maxwell, Is a wealthy merchant of Tuscaloosa. MT. J. M. Whitehead, the candidate for attorney general, is the editor of Living Truth" a paper published at Greenville. MT. A. J. Hearn. the nominee for superintendent of education. is school teacher of Butler, Choctaw county. Mir. l.. Reese, the nom- inee for commissioner of agriculture, is an extensive planter of Lowndes county. and MT. ". B. Killebrew. the nominee for treas urer, Is prominent well-to-do citizen of Dale county, who has represented his coun- ty in the legislature. He is well known in his section of the state. MT. Alex. G. Dake, county treasurer of Chiffon county, was nominated for state auditor Nomin- ations were not made for chief justice, and associate justices of the supreme court.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
AIabama's Volunteers

From the Livingston Sun.
 Our brave soldier boys to the number of over 1,SO0 are now encamped at Mobile in Camp Louis V. Clark" named in honor of one of Alabama's distinguished citizen soldiers, and who Is a leading candidate for brigadiergeneral. The boys are being mustered into the regular service, and will probably be ordered to Cuba in a few days. They are fair representatives of the chiv- airy and gallantry of this great state, sons of veterans who "wore the gray" and when face to face with the treacherous Spaniards in battle array will carry to a glorious victory the silken banner now be- ing woven by the fair hands of Alabama 8 loveliest women. Every citizen of this grand commonwealth should be proud of our soldier boys now encamped at Mobile The honor and good name of the state is safe In their hands; and when they feel the shock of battle and of bursting shells, of whistling bullets and gleaming bayonets, they will deport themselves as should the descendants of the illustrious Semmes and the gallant Pelham.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
PATRIOTIC ALABAMA.
Old Glory Ahoat
n the Florence Herald.

From the Florence Herald.
 Old Glory floats over the Herald building. It can be seen from afar, above housetop and steeple. catching the breezes as they blow. casting its shadow over the busy street, ref1ecting the rays of the evening sun, inspiring the small boy with patriot ism and causing the older boys to let loose their stores of enthusiasm. The Herald s emblem of America caught the wind and the crowd. The flag that was f1oated over Herald building Saturday evening is a beauty, but a prettler and larger one will supplant it this week. The flag put up Saturday is the same that f1oated over the grand stand at the Fair grounds last fall. It was borrowed for the occasion, but the Herald Is having a flag made for perma- net use. It will be completed this week and will take the place of the one now in use. The new flag will be the largest ever fioated over a building in Florence.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
An United Country

From the Tuscumbia Dispatch.
 No north, no south, no east, no west, but a united country is presented by America today. Possibly it Is the hand of power greater than human who uses the present means to unify and solidify this great na- ton, and with one sweep of his finger oblit- DiXon'S line,
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
Alabama Responds

From the Columbiana Chronicle.
 Alabama was the first to respond to the presidents call for volunteers. Many of her bright and brave boys are now in service and subject to every call to duty. There comes a time in the history of every na- ton when its defense is the common inter est of all it's people, That time has now come to us, and when the roll was called alphabetically the first state on the list answered ready. We are henceforth an 'indissoluble union of sovereign states"
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
MEN WANTED.
the Atlanta Journal.

From the Atlanta Journal
 Those unhappy creatures who have been afraid they were going to be drafted" into the army need not be alarmed. Their services are not going to be asked for. Ten times more than enough men are going to enlist, #
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

It is suspected that the Cape Verde big four have gone into the guerilla business That kind of warfare is adapted to Spains present condition.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The ships of the Flying Squadron are get ting down to business. Their target prac- tice calls for the hitting of a target eight feet square, three miles away.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

There is a chance for those who cannot get on General Joe Wheeler's staff-at Mo bile. A few can still be accommodated at Camp Louis V. Clark.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Next to America, Mother England is en- toying most the victory in Manila harbor. It recalls the days of Drake, and also of Nelson.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
From Every House

From the Gadsden Times-Union
 Gadsden is very patriotic and the stars and stripes can be seen floating from nearly every house on Broad street. This Is as it should be-
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
CLOSE TOGETHER.
e Pittsburg Post

From the Pittsburg Post.
 More than one hundred years separate Paul Jones from George Dewey. but they are close together as heroes of our glori- ous American navy.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07
The Black Belt

From the Mobile Item.
 It seems that Selma and the black belt are coming to the front after all. Six of them are route to save-the country.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The east is a pig sure enough. It has monopolized the modern sea fights-the fight in Manila harbor the Yalu battle, and the bombardment of Alexandria.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The paragraph in yesterdays Age-Herald and lhe tender of his services to the gov ernment should have been credited 10 the Washington correspondent of the Chicago Record. The lines "To the Boys in Front" published on the previous cay. were from the pen of MT. S. A. Ellis, of Warrior, Ala
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Commodore Dewey fortunately is beyond the range of the puns upon his name. They are more deadly than the current war poetry.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The country does not know which it loves the more, Vice-Admiral George Dewey or Major-General Fitzhugh Lee. It's toss up.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The war does not release any citizen from his duty to his neighbor, namely to keep his backyard microbeproof.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Buy your bunting before the rush begins. falls, and the boys come marching home.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Surely the parents and brothers and sweethearts of the boys will fling out the flag that they are fighting for.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

After all, the chances are that the Cape Verde fleet is preparing to take the Canar- ies. The Dutch took Holland.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The losses of life on the American fleet alas! they have not been considered in the common rejoicing.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

When the Cape Verde fleet is once found the fur that Governor Bob Taylor men, toned will begin to fly.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The Texas cowboys that Lieutenant Colo nel Roosevelt is enlisting are said to be fever-proof, fire-proof and bullet-proof. They are immunes from Immuneville.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Russia will have two American-built warships. They quite the fashion at present.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Commodore Dewey's coal pile at Manila is said to contain 6O,0OO tons. It will fill many bunkers.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The bulletin boards score more scoops than the newspapers.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The Spaniards begin to think the Ameri- can pigs are not altogether harmless.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The country is antonished at the persist B. Hill.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The explosions at Manila were chiefly from the inside.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

President Norton, of Harvard university. spoke too quickly.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Manila has been silenced, but Weyler' S typewriters are as vociferous as ever.
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The finding of Spanish fleet is the diff culty of the war. The rest is "easy."
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

Commodore Dewey refused to anchor at buoy No. 4. ss=l'
The age-herald., 1898-05-07

The entire. country is one great geography class.