davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

1 notion of the printing business when he
 met Captain Bixby on the Ohio river in
 1857. Having left his Hannibal home in
 search Of both career and adventure. | he had landed in Cincinnati. and in Gin l cinpat had conceived the idea of voy- | age to Central America, or South Amer | ica, either one, with 1, vision Of an eX- | petition up he AmaScn prospecting for
 Eldorado or some mere tangible gold
 mine.
 He set out upon his voyage with s30 | capital He was to go from Cincinnati l to New Orleans upon the steamer Paul l Jones, which many yeprs after he dubbed
 an ancient tub" Fer the sum of Sl6 l" | said he. Il had the scared and tainished l sple ndors of her naiI saloon principally
 to myself. for sine was not creature to attract the eye Of wiser travellers" Nevertheless. dawding down to New Orleans on the Paul Jones must have
 awakened fascination for the great vel
 low torrent of mud which IS facetiously
 named the Father of Waters" In Life l on the Mississippi" Mark Twain explains l that South American fortune seemed fur | ther away at New Orleans than at Gin cinnati; that his s30 capital was almost | exhausted. and that he was forced to | look about for a ready money job Prob ably for the several reasons indicated. when he found that his friend, the Paul Jones' was about to start for St. Louis. he "beseged a pilot" with whom he had scraped up an acquaintance on the down trip. and after three hard days" the
 pilot surrendered. This pilot was Cap
 tam Bixly. The Captain has his own
 way of telling of this seige.
 "A pretty good looking young fellow"
 said he. was always hanging around the pilot house. Said he was going down in Central America or somewhere. But
 when we got down to New Orleans he came round to me and said that he thought he'd like to learn plotting; didn't
 think ned go to Central America after
 all asked if I wanted to teach him the river. I said that young fellows like him round were more trouble than use; couldn't think of it.
 He kept after me anyhow, and finally l agreed. He was to pay me $500 for teaching him the river between St. Louis and New Orleans. We drew up a con
 tract, which was put away in the safe of the beat, and neither he nor I have seen 1t to this day. Well, I was with him pretty much all the time for the next three years. or until he got his certif- cate as pilot know some say he didn't make much of pilot, but think he was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

So the company sailed, leaving behind the distinct impression that Miss Loftus was really to relieve Miss Terry of roles which require younger player.
 The arrangement sounded all around like the most amicable In the world.
 Not till the return to England, not till after the revival of Faust did the ru- mors begin to take an uglier shape.
 Contrary to expectations Faust proved a failure.
 Meanwhile Miss Terry was helping to celebrate Shakespeares birthday at Stratford- on-Avon as Queen Katherine to MT. F. R. Bensons Wolsey.
 Never, said the critics, had she acted better. r
 It began to look as though she had given up all idea of retiring to quiet Winchelsea and the odorous beauty of honeysuckle vines. The decision was ap- plauded with enthusiasm. It was un- derst ood that on her return to London she would rejoin 'rhe Master" at the Lyceum and crown his season with tri- umph. '
 Ellen Terry returned Irving announced a. revival of "The Merchant of Venice"
 Ellen Terry consented to appear for two nights only. Every one looks for the name of the Portia who Is to succeed her.
 Miss Loftus Is out of the question. Af- ter failing as Marguerite she cannot at tempt Portia.
 And Beerbohm Trees posters hold the magnet name of Ellen Terry.
 Since 1878 Ellen Terry has been asso- ciated with Mir. Irving at the Lyceum Theater. Since then he has never made a speech without referring to her as his valued friend and associate. They were looked upon as ideal confreres in the the atrical world
 Ellen Terry's sanctum behind the scenes were hers as much as her home at Winchesea among the honeysuckles It was large, comfortable, luxurious, ar tistic. It was hers absolutely, never oc- cupied by anyone else unless she loaned 1t. It did not seem possible that she
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15
MODERN FABL LES BY GEORGE AIDE

a Thousand a Month by fooling around the Store when he might he out at the Merry-Go-Round showing the keys how to take Joke.
 And now Saturday Afternoon oome and Percy M. Piker was hanging on the rear end of the Choo-Choo with ST sewed up in the inside Pocket of his Vest while in his Hand there fluttered a batch of Clippins, written by the Smoke Brothers, showing which ones were sure to win unless something happened.
 MT. Piker, the amateur Gam, closed his Eyes and saw himself buying real Panama and dozen or so George H. Primrose Shirts. He had Vision of riding in Ma chine called the Pink Demon with Claire at his side and an imported Cniffonier working the digger and moving down the Common People.
 Percy had two or three Good Things that were guaranteed to go through. They had been slipped to him by a Cigar Salesman who knew an Owner. They looked to be the real Candy.
 When Ae arrived at the Track he gave up for a Badge and a Dope-Sheet and couple of Per fectos and this left him with $5 and little something on the side for Red Hots. He fought his way to the Blackboard and demanded $2 worth of Bright Eyes at to 1. While he was struggling to get to the Fence he heard some one say that Appendicitis was right and wou.4 win by a City Block. A
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

fered through active rivalry, a fckle public and the inevitable encroachment of time.
 Beerbohm Tree and Henry Alexander, Londons favorite actor managers are Irving's acknowledged rivals
 Now when London Is at it's gayest' when the theatrical season Is to be more than usually brilliant when box office receipts should mount to suit the festiv- tiles. when every manager Is putting forth his best attraction Beerbohm Tree announces "The Merry Wives of Wind- sor," with a phenominal combination Mrs. Kendall and Ellen Terry
 After twenty-three years Irvings mas- cot has joined the opposition forces, try ing sharp-toothed, unkindness here," like a vulture gnawing at his heart
 The great English tragedian, whom the late Queen capped as the greatest by conferring upon him the rank of knight, has aged ten years in one.
 "'The dear friend and associate of a life time of art" as the actor manager always called his leading lady in his speeches before the curtain, has deserted him in the hour of his need.
 During the last American tour of IT, wing and Terry which ended late in March, there were many rumors of a breach that even the gallant and polite Bram Stoker could not mend.
 It was attributeu sometimes to one thing, sometimes to another, as friends or enemies held fo.'th. se
 Terry's supporters said that without her Irving's profits would fall to the ground utterly.
 It was recalled that at one time an astute manager had offered Terry $50, 900 for a thirty weeks season
 At that time Terry was loyal and had declined the offer. At that time Irving was still, as she expressed 1t, her god.
 During last winter 1t was frequently insinuated that she had shifted her shrine.
 But the news was still as 1t were in the air.
 Bram Stoker remarked that 1t was a "dead horse.' referring to the fact that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

Society. There the river men had gath cred In force and royalty they welcomed back long lost brother. A short address was made and a handshake exchanged all around.
 Captain Bixby escorted him t meet the pilots, among whom were Capt. Ed. L. Fulkerson, Captain Beckjolly, Joe Car roll, Commodore Rollingpin'' Carter, Capt Jesse Jameson, Capt. Bill Kelly, Capt. Ed. Callahan, Capt, Tcny Burback, Capt. Fred Walsh. and Captain Ed Vt st--neurly all of whom were associ- ated with Sam Clemens on the river forty years ago.
 At noon George J. Tensey president of the Merchants Exchange, escorted Mark Twain tc the exchange, where he was introduced to many. and where he made a short address. He said that the sud- der call upon him had found him with out a text Ipon which to base his re- marks. Of MT. Tansey's introductory words Mark Twain said:
 Tt Is very cmbarrs ssing to listen to personal compliments. but doubly em- bairassing when the recipient of them feels that they are deserved. MT. Tan sey said very many nice things about me. but there are many other things which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

Low Moan escaped him. He climbed over large mass of Col ored People so as to get $3 down on Appendicitis. The Odds were 2 to 5. He got balled up in his Arithmetic and while he was waiting for the Figures to shift so that he could butt in with his 3, Bell rang and the Mob tore for the Fresh Air. He climbed a Pole and saw Bright Eyes doing a Solo. He let go anu fell in Faint. Bright Eyes had beat the Gate and spread-eagled his Field. It was a Case of winning on the Chin Strap. MT. Piker was first in the Line, shaking like a Corn Starch Pudding. He wanted to cash before the Book failed.
 A few Moments later he went out behind the Grand Stand and counted up and found that he had S23. He had the Panama and one Shirt. The still, small Voice said, "Ducki' but he thought of Claire and his coming Vacation. There grew within him a high resolve to clean up the Betting Ring and quit the Mercantile Life.
 In the Second Race there was Brown Mare by High Low-Dreamy Eyes at 97 with Forgarty up, what ever that meant. He heard a Hickey in a Striped Sweater tell a red-headed Man that Josie links would roll in. Accordingly he gnawed his way up to the Work man with the Pencil and laid Twenty at 31a to 1. Then he wished that he hadn't for he met a Friend who whispered "Sassa- fras" to him. Also he heard some
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

put in on the Train. His pulse was up to 180 and he couldn't hear the Band play.
 He saw them come past the first time. Sassafras had piece of daylight between himself and the Bunch. The Boy was going along under Double Wraps with lot up his Sleeve. Away back in the Pocket there was something with a on 1t. Percy chung to the Fence and he felt the Chill come up his Legs. Sassasfras. had them smothered. He heard the roar be- hind him and knew that an Awful Thing was being pulled off but he did not have the heart to look. As they pounded up the Stretch he lifted a dying Gaze ana saw a figure 3 move out of the horrible Mix-Up and it was all over but the Cashing.
 A bug-eyed Maniac with his Col lar to the bad was found wander ing hither and thither with .S90 in his Left Hand. The Tout had to- shake him a couple of times before he came to. The Tout had some Goods of a very superior Quality. In the next Race there was a Collie that had enough Hop in him to convert Selling Platter into Reina. It was like making Change with Blind Man. Rink aboo was the Name. Breathe it softly, as very few were Next.
 The Tout said to play 1t across the Board, forward and back, up and down. He said that Rinka- boo would breeze in, that he would
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

It has been whispered that jealousy, that hideous monster that age cannot kill. is at the bottom of the separation jealousy though Irving is a grandfather and Terry grandmother.
 Whatever the cause the separation Is declared to be final And theatrical peo- pie are wondering how long Irving for thirty years Englands idol, can last without his mascot.
 After The Merry Wives of Windsor 1t Is said that Ellen Terry will be starred alone.
 Meanwhile her separation from Irving has brought about a curious meeting Many years ago when Ellen Terry and Madge Kendall were both younger, and if possible, more charming. they were in the same company at the Bristol The ater They were friends then. They re- mained friends until 'Madge." with her customary frankness spoke her mind in public about an actress who. she said. was so indifferent to her art that she 1 would actually fetgn sickness and disap- 1 point an audience when she wanted to have good time feasting and drinking with friends.
 People said the shoe fitted the fair Ef- len Trouble brewed and bubbled over a little later when Madge delivered her famous speech on the morality of the StaBe Ellen lerry LOOK e8ceptiOns 10 Mrs. Kendals assertion that she herself was the only pure woman on 1t, and since that day. though they have met oc- casionally, they have never spoken Now as Mistress Ford and Mistress Page in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor they will meet for the first time, and as they have several important scenes to- gether they must speak.
 Beerbohm Trees production is the talk of London, and about 1t there is no end of gossip
 The only sad picture In all the merry comedy Is a side show after all. It is the greatest of modern tragedians deserted in his old age, struggling against fate and time
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15
S Copyright 1902 by Robert Howard Russell.

win on the Bit, doing Buck and Wing Steps, that all the others would seem to be Hitched.
 So MT Piker allowed the Tout to take him by the Hand, for he was too weak to resist, and to- gether they wandered off into Dreamland Piece by Piece, the 93 happy Saoleans went up. Rink aboo was played in all the Books, straight, place and to peep. Mir Piker found himself up In the Grand Stand holding his Head with one Hand while in the other Hand was a Pinochle Deck, suit able for framing. If Rinkaboo finished at all MT. Piker was a Wealthy Person. If he happened in toward the head of the Process sion, MT. Piker would have to send for a Furniture Van. If he came First, it would be case of Hoboken for every Book inside of the Fence.
 After it was all over and MT Percy M. Plker was riding home ward with his Head out of Trol- ley window, he recalled dimly that large number of long-legged Ponies came out on the Track. One Of them was the color of an Old Glove and was doing Two Step. There was about twenty minutes of Fussing around at the Bend in the Track and then they all kited away like a flight of Swallows and there was one horse in front and MT Piker had Con- vulsion and frothed at the mouth. Presently the tonic seemed to die
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

Irving's are stretched out pitifully empty.
 Leading ladies meanwhile besiege the door of the Lyceum. Mrs. Brown Pot ter has been suggested as a possible Portia, The name of Mrs. Langtry has been hinted Olga Nethersole has been spoken of. But these are all rumors. In the circumstances the theatrical air is full of them.
 Some years ago Ellen Terry first threatened to desert the actor manager, who by the most elaborate and artistic stage settings, by the most skillful craft, by the most tremendous study has helped her to fame.
 The world that Is interested in actors buzzed some four years ago with the gos- sip that Henry Irving, old, broken in health and saddened by business re- verses, was about to lose his greatest drawing card.
 Public sympathy was tremendously aroused.
 After a storm of universal condemna- tion 1t was announced that the trouble had been patched up and that Ellen Terry would accompany the great actor to America.
 A triumphant tour was the result. Gold poured into the coffers of the IT, wing combination. The great actor re- covered health and spirits. His art had never suffered
 An incident of that tour Is worth re- cordng. Ellen Terry was i'll in Toronto and the company had come on to New York Irving played "Robespierre" with out her to hundreds of empty seats. She rejoined him and the house was crowd- ed
 No one has ever disputed the fact that in the Irving company she Is tremen- dous drawing card.
 No one has ever disputed either that to the great actor she owes the full de- velopment of her art.
 As Henry Irving advances in years Ellen Terry's presence has become even more necessary to his success. She has been called his mascot.
 His tremendous popularity has suf-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

meantime other parties will be working on toward the second fifty mile stati n. and so on. There will be a second auto mobile in reserve or for use. where two can be usefully employed, as wall as dog sleighs with a team of tn hrty dogs.
 The sleighs on which che mo-ors arc to be placed will be so constructed as to be capable of being used for navigating open stretches of water wh .ie such can not be avoided. In case rough ice is met with that presents an lnsurmountable obstacle to the automobiles the machine will be disconnected. taken to pieces, and portrayed. a work with which Canadians who will form a large proportion of the exploring company, have been familiar since infancy.
 Power for the electric dynamos will be furnished when conditions ,llow by wind- mills, and there will be electric lighting and heating. Wireless communications will be established with the outside world through Dawson City.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

Washington.-A western woman who made a recent trip to Washington and New York has written to Secretary Shaw to inquire why she cannot have clean currency at home, just as well as in New York. and Washington. There is no req son on earth why she should not have fresh bills instead of old and dirty ones. Secretary Shaw says:
 .'rhe way to proceed is simply and ef- fective Ask for clean money at the bank or store. If In exchange or in payment dirty bills are handed out she should re- fuse them. Sometimes the storekeeper may be compelled to give silver, but the banker always has clean bills. The wo- man need not be too particular. as to the kind of bills, she refuses. If the curren- cy is soied so that it is offensive to the ave or touch let her ask the man for clean money.
 "She will find that she will be uniform lv successful in getting crisp money, brt she will usually have to ask for 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

he might have said, but which, no doubt. slipped his mind.''
 Ate: lunching at the Planters Mark Twain took cab for Union Station, where he departed for Hannibal. bis boy hood home. He looked forward with much interet tc his two or three days stay in Hannibal. and hoped tkere to meet many other old friends, and per- haps seek out the localities which arc the settirg for much of ''Huckleberry Finn"
 Asked before leaving what he thought of St. Louis, he replied 1t was like com ing to strange American city
 Everything is changed" said he. The high massive buildings have made quite a different place OF It. When I was here .ast in 'S4, there ware still some vestiges of the city which l knew before the war. Ttese are now gone.
 As hic tram sped along the elevated tracks and the broad river came within view. he gazad upon it pensively Asked what he thought of 1t now, he replied:
 Its very natural; it's the same river"
 He seemed impressed with the dignity of becoming a Doctor of Laws, which de- gree IS to be conferred upon June by Missouri State Univei sity. and he was especially fiatteied since he did not have to work for 1t. That is the colossal thing lbcut it." said he,
 Have you ever doctored laws2" he was asked.
 Yes. cab laws" he said. "I doctored the cab laws in London and New York The cabbies overcharged and [ simply made them come down by calling official attention to the fact. The truth is how ever, that the laws do not need to be doctored go much as the enforcement of them needs to be ioctored."
 Mark Twain emphatjcaly denies that he was bad pilot Asked concerning this report he said
 Who is 1t that claims I was bad pi- lot? The fellow that said that never was a pilot himself. He don't know anything about me or pilotlng He don't know wlerc the Missouri empties into the Mis- sissippi. He don't krow lumber raft from . packet"
 The story of Mark Twain's years upon the river, when he sought to rise high in the ranks of pilotism, is the story of man with a sense of humor who tack led tough proposition"
 There are mere kinks In a pilots bus mess than kinks in the Mississippi itself. yet in addition the pilot must know all these twists in the river-which Mark found out to his sorrow. He had some
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
 1 ARK Twain has been revis-
 AJAl ting the scenes of his early INVUI life. He arrived at St. SoS Louis few days ago. and was met at the train by Captain Horace Bixby who is described in Life on the Mississippi" and is prominent among the river men" of St. Louis, and who, away back in the ffties. enoeavored to teach the pilot bushes to Mark Twain.
 Why, Horace, you are as young as eyer,- said Mark Twain as he grasped the hand of his friend "It's curious thing to leave a man thirtyfive years old, and come back at the end of twenty one years and find him still thirty-five."
 The two friends went to the Planters Hotel and had long chat The news got around St. Louis that Mark Twain was in town. and later in the day. when he descended to the lobby of the hotel, he held a reception which. said the St. Louis Republic, looked as if some official dignity were visiting St. Louis" !" Then he went across Fourth street from the Planters to the rooms of the Pilots
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15
DON'T TAKE UNCLEAN MONEY

If this grows tiresome she can start an endless chain of clean money getters, and the result will be that In very few weeks, all the local banks will have noth- ing but fresh m money. She might ask two friends to pledge themselves to ask for and receive nothing but clean currency in banks and stores"
 with the slightest impetus the mania for clean money will quickly become epidemic. The stores will be unable to satisfy the natural demand. The banks will be called upon and their supply of clean bills will be exhausted. But they can get plenty more by asking. Their on- ly expense is that of transportation. They are expected to pay this. It is one the penalties of taking care of other peoples money. The banker may not like 1t, but after a short time he will, look upon the furnishing of clean money as one of the rA,airements of his business, just as it Is now in New York and Philadelphia. The cost to the western banker to sup ply new money Is no greater than it is to the New York banker.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-15

give up the task of acquiring so much dry incolr ation. But he was encour- aged by MI BiXby. who, according to Mark. said; When I say learn a man the river I mean 1t. And you can depend on 1t I'll learn him or kill him.
 J. E. K. Stotts of St. Louis, close friend of Mark Twain in war times. now past seventy years old, ana wno had not seen him since 1862, was late in getting down town and missed his friend at the Planters. Though elderly, MT. 5totts set out in pursuit, and was just able to board tho Burlington train which was bearing Mark Twain away from the city He rode with him around to Washington Avenue Station. talking of the time when they were boys together.
 Sam Clemens was mighty queer boy. we all thought" said Mir Stotts. He was q quiet fellow. who always drawlcd in his talk so long that it took twice the time in which another man would say T thing. He was always a good friend, though"