davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06
Curious Marriage customs

The first form of marriage was
extremely informal, and consisted
of the bridegroom going out to
pick out any maiden be might
fancy who had wandered from her
fathers hut,
The best man is a survivor of
the band of friends who accompa-
med the suitor in his wife winning,
and kept watch for him over the
BRIDES tribe while the lover sought
the opportunity to carry off his
prize.
The presents given the brides
maids are simply relic Of the
rough bribery used by the ancient
bridegroom among bis personal
friends SO that they would assist
in the capture of his chosen bride
when the day arrived on which he
had determined to carry her off.
Our slipper and rice throwing
symbolize the missiles hurled indig-
nantly after the bridegroom by
the baffled pursuers, while the
honeymoon itself is a survival Of
the time during which the happy
captor was obliged to hide his
prize from his newly made and
not oyer-afectionate relations.
II was not until the ninth or
tenth century that the girls were
allowed the slightest choice in
picking out their husbands.
The origin of the bride cake
was loaf Of bread, made of wheat
and barley, which at a marriage in
ancient Rome was tasted by the
bride and groom before the priest
of love and ten Roman citizens US
witnesses. M. M. Withrow, in
American Stock Farm.
Parties desiring Photos for
Christmas should not put off hav-
ing them taken now.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06
A FRENroN EpTToR
Visits the Metropolis Of West Ten
nessee and is Well Pleased with
the Looks of the Town.


the Looks of the Town.
A Journal man took u run up to
Union City last Saturday. This
little city is a hustler. 1t is not
much larger than Trenton, but
truth to say its business men as a
class are very far ahead Of oIr
home merchants in point Of grit
and hustle. They are splendid
advertisers, not of the kind that
take half page or page one or
two weeks in the year and remain
iagloriously mute the balance Of
the time, bet sturdy, persistant
advertisers who put thought and
method into that branch Of their
business aad keep everlastingly at
it the year round.
Union City has two splendid,
all home print papers, the Demo
crat and Commercial. They have
large circulations. 1t is a mooted
question as to whether a town
makes the paper or the paper
makes the town. We take it it is
sort of partnership or cooperative
affair. Working together the
business men and the local paper
can pull any town to the front.
We have never seen good town
that didn't have a good paper and
we have never seen a good paper
but that any one reading it could
tell that it had a good town back
Of it.
We visited a number Of business
houses, among them being the de-
partment stores of the Coble e
Clagett Co., the /. B. Greer q Co.
furniture establishment, the G.
Dietzel undertaking establishment,
H. DietzePs hardware house, and
others. The merchants carry
large stocks and through liberal,
persistent advertising are hustling
their wares rapidly into the hands
Of the people. One merchant said
to us:
"You have a beautiful little city.
The residence part Of Trenton
beats Union City in point Of ele-
giant and attractive residences, but
your business community is too
conservative. They don't reach
the public through advertising like
we do, There is no doubt but that
advertising pays. | have never
yet seen u man who advertised
steadily apd intelligently but that
was satisfied with his results.
While in Union City we met j.
H. Hannah, ~who is with the Coble
& Clagett Go. He will become d
knight Of the grip next Monday,
having taken a contract with the
Ely Walker Dry Goods Co., Of ST.
Louis. We also met and were
pleasantly received by the news
paper boys. Both Of the papers
are fat and saucy, do good busi-
ness and give splendid service to
their patrons. Trenton journal.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06
Foul Play is Suspected.

Humboldt, December2 2. Gibson,
a small town six miles west Of
here, is in a state of great excite
ment over the mysterious disap-
pearance of a citizen Of that town
by the name Of James Boleyjack.
On November ~, lie went to Mem
phis on All excursion with some Of
his friends, who state he got lost
from them shortly after they reach
ed Memphis and they we're unable
to find him any more.
The matter is in the hands
of the Memphis police. but
nothing has been ascertained linus
far. Foul play is suspected He
was about % years Of age and was
recently married to a Miss Fonst of
that place.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06

/
to the achievements of Gov. Shep-
ardg He gave up his home in the
capital that he had beautifed,
soiled in reputation and broken in
fortune, and since then he has
been away in the mountains OF
Mexico. When recently in the
land Of the successors of the
Aztecs / made especial inquiry
about Gov. Shepard, aud would
gladly have visited him had il
beer possible, but | found that be
was away in the mountains hum
dreds of miles distant ,and could be
reached only by travelling nearly
100 miles of mountains, without
even a wagon road. He has ac-
quired fortune, and seems to have
no desire to return to the city that
he SO grandly embellished as to
make the pride Of the nation and
command of the world. | never
drive over the elegant streets of
Washington add witness the sue
cession of beautiful views cons
tantly presented without thinking
kindly of Gov. Shepard, and feel
ing more than willing to forgive
him for all the faults Of which he
was accused, even if the charges
had been somewhat warranted. |
think it only just to say that he
was more sinned against than sin
ming, and that his name should lin
ger in the grateful memories Of
our national capitol.
recently met in the White
House and had pleasant chat
with the President Of the United
States, sitting in the same window
in which / had first met Gen.
Scott, just forty years ago, when
the thunders of civil war appalled,
the country. The present Presi-
dent was then not 3 years old, and
in emerging from the White
Mansion / met the Secretary Of
Stale, silvered with age and d halt
ing step that told the story Of bro
ken health. / first saw him in
the White House as a handsome
and unusually br ght boy hardly
out of his teens, whose chief con-
Germ seemed to be the cultivation
Of a then stubbornly hesitating
mustache. He has since then Ia
ken high rank in American Iitera-
ture, honored the country as minis
ter to the first court of Europe,
and now commands the confidence
of the country as the Premier un-
der two presidents. Most of the
members of the Cabinet were too
young to make any record for
themselves during the severe trial
in the flame of battle for the pres
ervation Of the Union, and only a
few of the old veterans Of field and
forum now linger around the de-
partments or tell the thrilling
story of war times at the clubs
and in social circles. The Wash
ington of today is au entirely new
city transformed from the bleak
desolation and confusion OF 1861,
and a new generation wields the
power Of the Government in every
department of authority over the
most intelligent, progressive and
prosperous mutton the world bus
ever known,
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06
Registration Notice.

The registrars OF the 18th Civil
District Of Obion County are di-
rected to open the registration
books on Friday. Saturday aud
Monday, DECEMBER 3, Z. aud 8. 1901.
for the purpose Of registering all
voters who are entitled to vote IN
the municipal election mentioned
above. that are under the law
entitled ID such registration. This
December 2. 1901.
J. II MCDOWELL.
w Fl, Cook,
G. #. TAYLOR
Election Commissioners Of Qbion
County
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06
Municipal Election Notice

We, the election commissioners
of 0bion County. hereby call an
election at the courthouse IN Union
City, Tenn, on Saturday, January
4, 1902, within legal hours for
the purpose of electing a mayor and
six aldermen. Officer to hold elec-
tion. Il. L. Adams; Judges. G. ].
Rogers, d. A George, J. H. Allen;
clerks, Henry Moffett, ]. p. p.
Boaz. This December z, 1901.
J. H. MCDOWELL,
w II. Cook.
G. r. TAYLOR.
Election Commissioners Of Obion
County.
The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-06

Election Commissioners Of Obion
Souf1fv
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
Free Public Library.

If the butchers anu vegetable dealers w.ehdraw from the city hall to build- ing of their own the vacated space could be better filled by the public library than by the firemen or any one else. The library in the high school building is 9 good nucleus. and if the city would house it and care for it it could readily be brought to proportions that would reasonably well answer the needs of the people.
 The one great lack of this town is public library. 1t has nearly all else that the situation calls for at present. A; free public library is the one thing needful. The Carnegie terms are much too onerous. Dut the placing of the High School Library in the city hall would leave the city free to build it up as the finances of the city might permit
 The room occupied by the library in the high school building is greatly needed; the city needs free public library. and the assignment of the space planned for market purposes to public library purposes well deserves the consideration of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
 The Age-Heraid believes no better opportunity for securing slowly but steadily free public library will pre- sent itself, and it therefore asks 8 careful consideration of the subject by the city and school authorities.
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
EDWARD LIVES LIFE OF
 A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN

went for picnic with large party of friends.
 When luncheon arrived everything was beautifully cooked and cool, but what ap- pealed most to every one were bottles of champagne standing in silver pails of ice with white wet napkins round their necks. A small cupidon of ''T1ger Tim was told off to fly about and spill the frappe nectar into the glasses that every one presented with the unanimity of q comic opera chorus. s
 There was little ceremony observed and the lad was distracted from the us- ual routine of service by cries of Here, boy sI say, boy!' This way. boyip which gradually got abbreviated into stacato calls "Boy!" "Boyv' "Boy!"
 Seeing one little lady more bashful than the rest sitting silently with her plate untouched before her, the King said: Are you waiting for anything?" ".-z,....s-s
 "Yes, sir" said the modern Miss Muf- fet, II am waiting for the boy"
 'Oh," said the King, pray take this, handing her his glass and taking her empty one from her. Now I'll have some boy, too" sss, ss. s9s
 The magic sound of the Kings golee brough the boy to his side, and for the rest of the afternoon when anyones glass was empty the King kept up the joke by saying, Have some boy." is
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
A Critical Week at Pittsburu,

President Snaffer's general strike order went into effect last night, and on. the morrow it win be known how widely it will be obeyed in the steel trust 8 s mills. Opinions differ as to the number of men who will obey the or der. The Carnegie plants proper are not union mills. but all know that every workman is in sympathy with his fel- low-worKmen in the great struggle be- tween organized labor and organized capital. If the strike order is generally obeyed the trust is whipped at the out set, for it cannot find in the country enough skilled men to take the places of the strikers.
 Thus far the trust has been engaged in transferring few non-uinon men from one point to another, thus en- abling it to "open" in a sense this or that mill It seems to be particularly desirous to open its hoop mills in which cotton ties are made. The Clark and the Painter mills in Pittsburg, which the trust attempted to open last week. make cotton ties The Clark mill can. when in full operation, turn out; ,5JJo tons of ties, hoops and bands
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
SUFFRAGE WOMEN TAXPAYERS.

From the Memphis Scimeter.
 The Alabama constitutional convention has done something for justice by adopt ing a resolution allowing women taxpay- CTS to vote in elections held to determine the questions involving taxation by cl- les, counties and other political ,subdi- visions of the state, The resolution as originally introduced extended the right of suffrage to women taxpayers without restriction. It was finally amended so as to provide that they must own BOO worth of real estate be residents of the subdivision to be affected and be over 21 years of age.
 In this Alabama follows the example set by a number of other states of the Union but does not quite go so far as some. In more than one state women who pay taxes are also given the right to vote for members of school boards and the suffrage is not restricted to those possessing real estate of any par ticular value But the action of the con- vention is, nevertheless, long step in the right direction
 The rank injustice of excluding women from voting on propositions that involve taxation of their property. while any male loafer can vote to add to their tax burdens. Is so apparent that 1t is strange to find any opposition to the fighting of the wrong on the part of reputable men
 Every state should extend the suffrage to women in such cases.
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
Representative Printers Coming.

On the morrow the city will hold large number of delegates who come from every State and from Canada to make up the annual session of the International Typographical Union. One local union alone-known as Big Skis a power in New York City poli- tics, and the entire body is one of un- usual strength and influence. Fully five hundred delegates will be present.
 Birmingham welcomes such a fine body of men, and even the weather clerk is preparing a special article of weather for their benefit. Every dele gate should be taken "around the Horn," for we desire every one of them to see what this district Is doing-what ureater Birmingham really is. Let them see what a county containing 140, APO people IS capable of. Let them be shown our mines and mills, and above, all let us give these men who belong to the preservatiye art the warmest welcome. They should be made to feel that they are in their own country, among their own kindred.
 A larger international body has never been convened in this town, and no effort should be spared to make their session pleasant and memorable. There is much in this district that will interest the deiegates of this great union, and they should be made ac- quainted with 1t, and with the people 1 who make It.
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
HowisoN A SAMPSON MAN.
Frequently Expressed Opinion Adverse
 To schley After Battle of Santiago.

There is considerable surprise in Bos- ton that Rear Admiral Howison should have been selected as the third member of the Schley court of inquiry, In view Of the fact that he Is known soon after the battle of Santiago to have expressed opinions adverse to Schley and extreme ly favorable to Sampson.
 Commodore Howison was commandant at the Charlestown navy yard in 1898, and after the destruction of Cervera's fleet he often talked freely with news paper men and others on the merits of the controversy between the friends or Sampson and the friends of Schley.
 He declared that the credit for the vic- tory belong to Sampson. who had plan ned the movement of the American fleet, and who would have been blamed had Cervera escaped. It did not matter that Sampson was not actually present at the battle.
 Concerning schley he did not hesitate to declare that he did not rank high in the estimation of naval officers as compar- ed with Sampson, and he characterized his conduct at Santiago as reprehensible.
 In brief, 1t was no secret while Com modore Howison was at the Charlestown navy yard that he was . pronounced Sampson partisan
 Hence the statement that he had been chosen to serve on the court of inquiry because he had expressed no opinion as to the merits of the controversy sur prises those who know the reverse to be trua @
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
Grau's Galaxy of Artists.

Elsewhere will be found this morn ing some clever opinions from clever musical people in tnls town relative to the coming of the Grau Company on October 29 The weight of opinon seems to favor the production of 'Lohengrin" rather than Faust" be- cause German grand opera Is better than the French article, because Wag- ner is greater than any French com poser.
 so The peerless singer is not "Lohen- grim cast, and the people of this town desire to hear her sing. Let com mittee be appointed to see what can be done. If she will sing, as elsewhere suggested, the Mad Scene from Lucia C. Lammermoor, immediately after the opera is completed, let the price be named, and special fund can be ob- tained to meet it. This seems to be tle best way out of the dilemma.
 The truth is our opera season Is very short and cannot be enlarged. It Is a night longer, however. than any other town in the State will enjoy. but 1t is night too short to give all of MT. Graus great artists opportunity to sing. The best way out of the trouble seems to consist in having the better opera of the two, with Sembrich in a choice selection as the last and best of the feast If this is to be brought about active steps must be taken at once.
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
THE ONLY DAIIs NIWspApEB IN ALABAMA
Envy in Other Towns.

"The Jefferson County delegation succeeded in defeating the Houston County scheme, and the thriving city of Bessemer must remain an insignifi- cant tail to the Birmingham kite" This characteristic sentence from the Huntsville Mercury fairly represents whole lot of envy in the cities of the State This envy does not extend to the rural districts, but is strictly con fined to the towns. The sTievous of fense of Jefferson County is its popu- lation of 140, APO, with as much more a-coming in the next ten years. Such prosperity is perpetual offense to various papers in various towns. The chief seat of this offense Is Montgom- cry, but several papers in other cities have 1t in deep and heartfelt form,
 We see no help for them-no sar- saparilla for their tired feeling-noth- ing that reaches the depth of their woe.  tireater Birmingham is innocent, and Greater Birmingham is Jefferson Coun- ty. It cannot help growing. It would grow faster if houses could be built in all parts of the county faster, but two thousand houses year is about all the mechanics of Jefferson County can ac- complish.
 The basic. remedy exists in offering people greater Inducements, so that instead of 'hastening by the thousands and tens of thousands to Jefferson County they w. go to Montgomery County or some other old county Ma turs has. it is true, made this an ex- ceedingly difficult task, but difficult as II is it is all thS remeoy that Is open to the Mercury and esteemed Mont gomery papers.
The age-herald., 1901-08-11

tenderness the voice of the echo calling out of the darkness to the beautiful, the faithful, the lovingl
 The dance might have been fftful fig ure in some noble dream of love and light and laughter, wherein the loveiiest of all the earth's fair women did make merry and were gracious.
 The wall of black darkness that hedged in this surpassing scene of sweetness was supported by lofty forest growth which made the home of the katydid, startled for once to silence. dumb before the swelling notes of maidens' pure and melo- dious giee, rising and falling to the beat ing of true hearts, and swaying men as minds may sway reeds upon a sedgy rivers brim.
 It all was wondrous sweet, that dance in the wood; and rich was he who could say:
 "slr, she's mortal;
 But, by immortal Providence, she's
 mine!'
 He is a poor sort of boy and worse sort of man who has not felt the dear afflic- ton of loves wild lunacy. The joy of a young lover bids him to thunder passion ately at the very gates of heaven; his deep dispair leads him to seek the com panionship of all the devils which imagi- nation can call forth from the deeps of the sea of shadows. He trails the clouds of glory that emblazon the Junetime sky, or limps across the dead sward of the De- cember mournfully dejected. He reveals many things and inspires many emotions. He is the dawn, the hope of the fulfill ment of the prophecies. He is the living poem-au the rest are dead. Stands he at the opening of the daffodil way, and some maid of the songful years beckons him to loiter or to speed She Is the light of un- dimmed radiance for ever worshipful. He is the incarnation of things she compre- hends not, nor seeks to know. He is fla ther to the man about to be. He filings his hands above his sunny head and claims the world to be his own. She won ders and loves, and loves and wonders, whilst her knight of the sparrow s-plume commands all the earth to heed and obey. An, youth, ah, maiden of the daffodil wayl Oh, beautiful madness
 There comes a time in the life of every daughter of the gods when she closes a door behind her a girl and then opens 1t woman. She changes in the hour and faces a new world; the world she has known and loved rolling away from her into the black space of things forgot. Her mad young lovers no longer concern her. Men
The age-herald., 1901-08-11
CAREFUL OF HIS HONOR. Five Hundred Dollars Earned Unex
 pecte4,y by Firemen.
Youths Companion.

From the Youths Companion.
 The proprietor of a large dry goods store had decided to tear down the old building and erect new one in It's stead In furtherance of this plan he was re- moving his goods to temporary quar- ters in another building.
 The goods were nearly all out of the old structure when fro msome unknown cause, 1t caught fire. The department was promptly on hand and soon had a stream playing on the flames, but the merchant was wild with excitement. Running up to the chief he urged him to greater haste.
 "Never mind the goodsr' he shouted. Save the building! I'll give the boys a check for $500 for their pension fund if they don't let the fire spread beyond that floor''
 Why, you're going to tear the old building down anyway, aren't you?'' asked the chief.
 "Yes' he said, but do you suppose I want the insurance companies or any body on earth to think that's the reason why it caught fire!"
 By great exertion the fire was extin- guished with little loss. so far as the building was concerned, and the mer- chant was as good as .his word.