davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
Silver From China

Silver, which was worth IS pence
an ounce in 1897, is now worth but
22% pence in London, where the price
of the metal is made. The value of
silver has been falling ever since 1897,
and it has now reached a point lower
than the previous history of it dis.
closes.
The fall of silver has led to an in.
teresting question in connection with
the Chinese treaty of 1901. BY that
treaty China agreed to pay the pow
ers, including the United States, 45o,-
100000 of Haikwan taels in full salts.
faction of the compensation adjudged
to be due to states, companies, soci-
cites, individual foreigners and Chin
ese Christians-the vast sum to be
paid in thirty-nine annual INSTALL
ments. BY the terms of the protocol
of treaty the value of the Haikwan
tael was fixed at "a L scents on
gold basis.
A question now arises over this val
uation of the Haikwan tael. Was it
intended to be permanent or merely
temporary valuation? China claims
that no valuation would have been
mentioned If 1t had not been intend
ed to name a permanent equivalent.
and the United States has taken sides
with China. 1t is now reported that
Germany has accepted the Chinese
position to the extent that she Is
wiling to submit the question to the
Hague tribunal. This is all China
asks, and certainly she should not be
denied the benefit of fair arbitration
China has little or no gold, and if
she must pay the immense indemnity
extorted from her by the powers, the
empire containing vast population
would be bankrupted, and great dis
tress and confusion would follow. It
is plain that the powers would have
insisted upon the valuation named in
the protocol had silver appreciated.
and now when it has deprecated they
should be willing to stand by the
valuation they dictated to China.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

indignity and cruelty; on one occasion
ordering her to pull off his boots; in
turn Madamoiselle flung the boots at his
head If / am not in error, this eminent
rapsoalhon desired to force herswho had
refused the hands Of kings aHd princess
to perform acts of indgnity-thes Gasconl
adventurer tried to break the proud
spirit of q woman who was one of the
most remarkable female figures lin his-'
torio France and after her DEATH when
she had procured this liberty by her mil
lions, the proud king naturally enough
spurned his insolence in long cloak from
his presence, probably in memory of his
own severe treatment of his noble kins-
womans Whether or not they were ever
married is a question that will never be
satisfactorily settled, although the testi-
monies rather favor a secret marriage.
The ,Marchioness De SeViene.
Madame Seyigne, or the Marchioness
de Sevigne, whose letters to- her daugh-
ter the Countess de Grignan, must DO
for all ages regarded, by women. and men
alike as masterpieces In epistolary liter
allure, was, an intimate Of La Grande
Madamoiselle and Of the king and his
brilliant court, and what she says about
this famous woman must be read with
profound interest not only on account
Of the literary value attached 2 to her
life, but because few living lovers Of
books ever read the matcnIess, letters at
all. Her happy genius, lively wit. and
fertile mind gave to the world some
thing positively Incompatible m her six
hundred letters. Everything touched re-
ceived a new beauty from the pen of this
gracious woman; and grew more sanimat-
ed and picturesque, and even where the
thoughts are most gay and sparkling,
nothing ever escaped her that does not
seem the pure result of some nice and
delicate sentiment--her wit ever appear
ing an attendant of her heart. 1t is from
the perusal of the letters oury that we
can form Just idea of the real beau
ties of style which can never be per
fectly described, and what is justly ipok-
ed upon as the model of epistolary writ
ing. Madame Sevigne deserved place
among the most illustrious women OF
her time. In my opinion they are mas
terpieces among that species OF wriNng'
not to be paralleled by anciepts or lhoo-
ems. The polite reader will mere meet
with a noble, delicate and sprightly turn
in conversation, lively narratlons' ex-
pressions of genius, strokes OF eioquence
that arise without affectation. or false
fire, wit is diffused, so intimately BLEND
ed with delicate sentiment that we dis
cover but the elegant ana cnasre nature
throughout. to be handed to posterity
as the most finished epistolary style ex-
tant They must charm those of the
strictest piety--virtue being put into ac-
ton. appears adorned with everything
that can make her lovable and estimable. l
fconfsn,.~d IN paue -SeventeeuM a
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
conaressman Cannon.

Joe Cannon is an easy winner for the
speakership of the next House of Repre-
sentatives and am glad that it is so.'
said Congressman ]. H. Bankhead at
the Metropolitan yesterday.
Cannon is the ablest republican In
public life. He is indeed man of ex-
ceptionable ability He not only has years
of congressional experience in his favor
but he has been a close student of gov
eminent for a quarter of century. He
is an accomplished parlamentarian and
will make one Of the greatest speakers
the house has ever had
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
LA GRANDE MADAMOISELLE. THE DUKE OF saa1s
ST SIMON, LETTERS OF MADAME SEV1GNE

At the time of the birth Of this most
distinguished princess or Europe, 1927,
crime and virtue alike were regarded
with Indifference; the great taking adj
vantage OF the horrors of the one and
the appearances OF the other. She was
commonly called La Grande Madamois-.
ellie. Her father was dasron-that in
constant Duke OF Orleans-son Of Hem
ry w, and younger brother of Louis
xII.-who quarreled with Richeleu, and
was prosecuted by that adroit trafficKer
In states and empires. Sustained by
Montmorency, CASTOR raised an army
against the king, his brother; in 1862 he
engaged with the celebrated Cinq Mars
in a conspiracy against the all-powerful
Richelieu Chen premier), and. later in
the devastating civil war Of the Fronde;
always displaying his natural incon-
stancy-playing on both sides. The moth
er of this intrepid princess was the
Duchess de Montpensier; and thus the
last name was engrafted on the more
noted one of Orleans. The present Duke
de Montpensier is a grandson of Louis
Phillip, and ranks among the wealthiest
of the noblemen of southern Europe.
La Grande Madamoiselle was. even
under the disadvantages of the Salic
law, regarded as the best match In the
world, In point of family an enormous
wealth. Yet she was so hampered by the
cold an insenate interests OF state that
nothing short Of crown itself was con-
sidered an eligible match. And she was
by no means inclined to marriage In her
early womanhood--prince after prince
who proposed being promptly sent about
his business. Probably from such scraps
of gossip as Saint Simon regales us with
If she had a preference IN early life. It
was her cousin-Germaine Louis XIV.
the grande monarche. But as Louis was
full dozen years her Junior, ne must
have fiinched from such an unequal and
ill-assorted match, while the beauteous
De Montespan assI La Valliere were al
ready cutting such capers before high
heaven with him as to make the angels
weep. Literary people (so-called) as a
rule know mething or this Duchess De
Montpensier. but so singular was her
carer that the pride. false though 1t
was, of the Bourbon Orleans dynasty re-
volted against publicity. and her MEM
oirs were scrupulously kept from the
public;-the dictionaries of today passing
her by with bit of gossip. possess
the three original authorizes that bear
upon the life and fate Of this. princess,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
BY A. e. cAFFEE.

The famous Duke Of Saint Simon, who
was aptly called the court-lynx by the
historian, La MARITIME, was an habitue
OF the courts Of Louis XII. and Louis
XIV. and true to his Nomen ct Omen,
smelled out all the private scandals and
tainted odors OF Fontainebleaus the
Luxembourg and the various other pail
aces of the Bourbons In his exceeding
ly rare memoirs, find the following as
to her death: "Madamoiseue-La Grande
Madamoiselle-as she was called. or to
call her by. her right name. Madamois-
ellie de MISUNDERSTANDING on sunday. the
9th of April, at her palace of the Lux
embourg, sixty-three years of age. tthe
Century and other biographical diction-
aries enormously state her age to have
been sixty-six) and the richest private
princess in Europe. It rs well known
from all the memoirs OF the time, that
she was greatly in love with M. de Lau-
zun, and that she suffered much when
the king Withheld his permission to their
marriage. M. de Lauzun was so enraged
that he could not constrain himself and
at last went so far beyond bounds that
he was sent prisoner to the castle of
Pignerol, where he remained, extreme
ly ill-treated ten years. The affection of
Madamoiselle did not grow cold by sep
aration.- Finally Louis XIV. profited by
it by making her buy his liberty by
transferring q large part of her noble
estate to the Duke du Main--the bas-
tard son of Louis XIV. and the famous
court beauty Madame de Montespan. De
Lauzun always gave out that he had
married Madamoiselle, and appeared be-
fore the king after her death In a long
cloak. which gave great dispfeasure. AS
for Madamoiselle. the king never quite
forgave her the day of Saint Antoine;
and I heard him once at supper re-
proach her. in jest, for having fired the
cannons of the bastile upon his troops.
Her heart was buried at Val de Grace
and her body at the Cathedral Of Saint
Dennis.
Scant as are the HISTORICAL notices Of
this unfortunate lady, they all place her
above her sex of that day in womanly
attributes. She was OF bold and en-
ergetic character; she became a Jealous
adherent of the party of the Prince de
Condo In the civil wars of The Fronde
She was of signal service to that fac
ton. capturing the town OF Orleans by
mounting scaling ladder. and SAY
ing the routed troops of Condo after the
battle OF the Faubourg Saint Antoine,
by opening the gates Of Paris and turn
ing the cannon Of the bastile on the
enemy to cover the fight of her friends"
1t Is whispered in the secret annals of
that day that in spite of the affection
ate manifestations of the Duke de Lau-
zun, this old rapscalIion treated this
lnoblest, princess Of France with extreme
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
IN HOTEL LoBBIES.
The Pay Rolls.

1.-THE payroils for the Birmingham dis
trict are large this month. but they
will be even larger next MONTH" re-
marked Second avenue merchant last
night.
Retail trade has been unusually brisk
this year, but If the railroad companies
could have supplied the Industrial cor
porations with all the cars they needed
the payrolls would have been rs per
cent larger than they are, and conse-
quentiy the merchants would have Jared
even better. than they have. But no one
has any right to complain This year Of
1902 will be a. record breaker
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
About Persons.

P. H. Corbett of Kentucky is registered
at the Metropolitan.
]. II. Donaldson of Nashville is at the
Morris.
J.. T. Thrasher of Dothan is at the
Morris.
]. L. McConaughy Of Montevallo is
stopping at the Morris 80
w. L. Beasley of Montgomery is at the
Morris. ~
Werner NJ Jones of Nashville is at the
Morris.
w. L. Sibley of Warrior is at the
Morris.
L. slff of New York is at the Morris.
.,s1e - 49, 4h
George e. Eagle of Admission is at the
Morris. 1a FfG
C. Pearce of Mobile is at the Morris.
j. H. Parker OF New York is at the
Morris. % ~. af. ~ y,
c. e. Greenleaf of Charlotte is at the
Morris.
Mrs. w. II, Perry of Greenville. s. c..
is registered at the Metropolitan.
H. H. claybrooke of Cincinnati is at the
Metropolitan.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
Too many children eat up the broth.
A widow is a bottle of champagne re-
corked.
When a bachelor makes a little slip he
doesn't have to get married to cover 1t up.
Generally the actress who sets out to
elevate the stage succeeds in blowing the
bank account of her hackers sky high.
Women are too romantic even to figure
out after they. are married how many
pairs of shoes for the baby all the theatre
tickets and suppers during her engage
ment would have paid for,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

cured no less than s16,OO0,000, Of
which great amount $5.OOO.0OO was
actually secured by subscriptions
from ST. Louis citizens; s5.00o.O00
was voted by the city of ST. Louis;
100000 was appropriated by con-
gress, and 100000 by the state of
Missouri. Nor is this. all, for congress
appropriated $1.2SO.OO0 for national
building and exhibits, and $3.50, 200 for
exhibits from the Philippines, and
nineteen states have made appropria-
tons for state buildings, these appro-
priations ranging from $4,000 by Illi-
nois, to $4,000 by the state of Wash
ington. Texas appropriated $25O,0OO;
Louisiana, 100000; Arkansas, $780,
600, and Mississippi, $4,000. The
money actually appropriated exceeds
the entire cost of the Louisiana pur-
chase at least rs per cent.
All of this money will be expended
on zoo acres, upon which twenty-five
fine buildings will be placed by the
exposition company itself, the most of
which will be about 500 feet wide and
a thousand or more feet long. The
grounds are not by any means fiat,
and it is believed the varied nature
of the site will serve to increase the
landscape effects and add to the i'm
pressiveness of the buildings. No spe-
cial form of architecture has been
adopted, the various architects hav-
ing been left free to display their
skill, but still the work win be made
to harmonic sufficiently to meet any
reasonable taste.
The work is well advanced, and
there is no reasonable doubt as to the
opening of the fair in the spring of
1904. The event will fully meet pub
lie expectations, and st. Louis will,
no doubt, be greatly benefited by its
celebration of the centennial anniver
sary of Jefferson's great purchase.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23
ST. Louis Bio Fair.

The st. Louis exposition, which is
to be opened in May, 1904, is to be
perhaps the most ambitious effort in
that direction that the country has
ever known. Its managers have Sc
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The speakership fight is a year and
better away, but it is being fought out
at long range with much zest and not
a little bitterness. Colonel Hepburn
supplies the bitters.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The Princess Stephanie was SO for
giving that she congratulated her
graceless father on his escape from
anarchist bullets.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The Colombians are trying to get
together in order to fleece Uncle Sam
in a Panama canal deal. Even the
revolutionists are in 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Marconi is talking across the sea
with ease and dispatch.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

| The northern mountains in Green
land have been named Roosevelt
Range. although the only bears there
are of the polar variety.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The general increase in the wages
of railroad employees is to be paid, of
course, by the passengers and the
freighters the general public, in
short.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

President Roosevelt is an indefatig-
able traveller. His versatility ranges
all the way from canbrake bears to
Philadelphia high school boys.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Minister WI can put the Chinese
in line with the rest of the world, but
he may not get full swing at the
stupendous task.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The lawyers of the hard coal com
bine did not find President Mitchell
an easy proposition, and they are now
ready to settle on the best terms they
can get.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Deacon Baer has come down from
his Presidential perch.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Columbus has been re-interred five
times, and his ashes rest now in a
Seville mausoleum, but no guarantee
goes with them.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The Kaiser at any rate stands pat
on King Oscars decision.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The ten per. Gent raise on the rail
roads doesl not include Pullman por-
tiers, for obvious reasons. =
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

] Governor La toilette was reelected
on red-hot antitrust platform, and
he will have to hustle to make good.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The wage-raising fad is becoming
epidemic among the railroads.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The attacks upon parlor matches do
not relate to the Cupidian sort.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Deacon Baer is as full of concessions
since he met President Mitchell on
the witness stand as the next man.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

General Molineaux now accepts the
theory that you never can tell what
a woman win do next.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The manslaughter season In the
Adirondack and Maine woods will
soon be ended.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

King Oscar will do no more arbi-
trating for Uncle Sam and Mr.. Bull.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

The Kansan Minerva, Carrie Ma
ton, was distinct shock to the
smart set.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

OF all national pastimes that of
France is the Notwithstanding.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-11-23

Signor Marconi is making good ev
cry day upon the Nova Scotian coast
The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-09
'1oo YOU MIND TAKING ANOTHER CHAIR. BRYANT?'

"Where:" said Pa Moberly, hesitat.
ingly, in his surprise
Into the sitting ROOM
"Oh, can't go in there Polly; they
| don't want me-
Yes, you can. / want you. You
wouldn't refuse me anything on this,
my first night home:'
Pa Moberly got up. The old wooden
chair was uncomfortable. and he rose
stiftiy, even with the aid of Polly S
arm.
mo, l couldn't Polly he said.
"You-you're too like your mother"
As they left the dark kitchen to-
gether Pa Moberly grasped Polly's
hand tightly. Pm afraid, Polly" he
whispered. Wed better not
But Polly only squeezed his hand in
reassuring clasp, and somehow Pa
! Moberly felt stronger.
Polly opened the sitting room door,
and !, stream of light flashed out into
the little dark entry. The girls We're
having Il good time indeed.
| a young lady in a blue dress occu.
| pied the piano stool. A young man,
with his hair plastered down over his
+, forehead. occupied Pa Moberly's arm.
| chair. He had Il mandolin in his hand
F. and was strumming it to the young
| lady's accompaniment. Alice and Belle
! and Harriet We're sitting about with
the liveliest ar of enjoyment.
AS Polly and Pa Moberly entered
their complacency suddenly faded into
astonishment and dismay. What did
Polly mean, and what did pa mean,
by intruding on their company in this
fashion?
Polly advanced steadily into the cen
ire of the room, still holding her faith
er's hand.
| How little and shy and bent pa
looked, the girls thought. and how de.
termined was the air Polly wore-llke
a young captain going into battle. 1t
was as if Ma Moberly had come to life
Alice rose. The young lady at the
piano turned the young man stopped
! his mandolin. In all the months he
had come to the Moberly house, this
was the first time he had ever seen the
The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-09
Killing People by Brutal Truths.

Many people are killed by brutal
truths. Some physicians are so con-
scientious-and so tactless-that they
think they must tell patients the
whole truth when they believe they
cannot recover instead Of giving them
the benefit of the doubt, for every
physician knows that. nearly always.
there is Il doubt which way the case
will turn. Cheerful encouragement
has saved many a life by helping it
to pass a crisis favorably. when the
actual truth might have killed The
patient or reduced his rallying powers
to the danger-point. In all the affairs
of life, cruel bluntnesS in stating brutal
facts has caused untold misery and
broken many friendships. Truth it.
self changes from Il jewel to a dan.
gerous weapon in the hands of a tact.
less person. Because a thing is true
is no reason it should be told. or told
in way to offend. He who would
have many and strong friends must
exercise tact in order not to offend
even by the truth. because it is very
difficult for many people to forget
even fancied injury entirely. This
is especially true of offenses against
taste, or speeches which reflect upon
ones pride. ability. or capacity
Orison SWEET Aarden, in Success.
The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-09
Money in Letter Euxes.

Here are twu pcnnies just tala:nea
i'll TO the Superintendent oI D,!. cry
by one Of tile carriers remarked an
official of the city pos ctfce a ten Gays
ago. THE lmount oil casE Sa;beted
up by the collectors of maii rs really
surprising. Hardly a day passes
without Il certain percentage ui iha
coin Of The realm tntliIg lis way 10 my
desk through the medium OF the street
letter boxes.
1T is hard to believe, but hundreds
of persons every day in the year drop
unslampcd. letters in the hon with
pennies 10 accompany thenr 10 cover
.he pusta ge.. They think the money
will do Just as we'll as stamps But
they are mistaken, All such un-
stamped letters, if there is no identi-
lying marx on the envelope ultimately
land in The dead lettera office. .
ut often happeus," added The postal
official, Thai coins placed IN envelopes
fot TRANSMISSION Mnrk then way
through lie paper In 'nhe cas.S' "nt
often. even when he money. 80. lost
is no more tDan a duaa: thi~. office
is notified OF 'tbr "ccnrrsnc, hN ihe
NSer, who requests that hs he rem.
Surscd Washington Star,
The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-09
Fish Proverbs.

II have other fish to fry" one says
in declining Il task: "A pretty kittle of
fish, says another. in designating Il
pretty bad mess. The ''kittle'' is the
tackle of the tish-boom, which may
easily get into a sad snarl. There
are other fish in the sea-" says the
rejected suitor. Mute as Il fish,"
Dead as herring" LAS uneasy us a
fish out of water" Ito fish tor COM
plimentS,' are among the beSt-known
tigurative expressions referring to the
tinny tribe. Very like a whale we
may refer at least to Shakespeare's
time c'HamIet." I'LL. y. white as
whalebone' was coined when walruS
ivory was taken for whales bone.
Tho shark flies the feather" is a
sailors saying. indicating the fact
that this voracious fish will not touch
a bird. The use of fhe term ''land-
shark" is not confined to seamen by
any means. Shakespeare makes use
of another nautical expression in
Twelfth Night" e., S).-The United
Service.