davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
To Lsrn a Garment.

Alice Chittenden, in the Household for
 March.
 There are several ways of alarming rent in a garment, as there are several different kinds of rents The rent known as the barn door," a three-eornered cut or tear, is perhaps the most difficult. Lay under 1t piece of the same material, taking a square an inch larger each way than the tear and haste this down on the wrong side smoothly and firmly; take thread of, as nearly as possible, the same color and fneness as the wool of the cloth and work back and forth across the rent with the smallest of running stitches. Never try to darn, even in heavy cloth, with a coarse needle but always use as fine a one as will carry the thread you have elected to use.
 When all Is darkened turn on the wrong side, trim off the superfiuous patch, leav- ing only fourth of an inch each side of rent and press neatly with a warm iron on the right side laying a piece of damp muslin between the goods and the Iron. To mend table linen, cut away the frayed part so as to form a circle; baste under a piece, matching pattern and laying the threads in the piece so as to run the same way as those in the article to be mended, and darn both sides delicately, so that the work when finished looks somewhat like applique work To mend flannel, haste on the patch. remembering the biblical injunction against putting new cloth into an old garment, feather-stitch it neatly down on the wrong side, and with a smaller stitch of the same kind work around the frayed part of the hole on the right side first trimming it neatly with sharp scissors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
HUM BUGS.

From the Brooklyn Eagle
 In attempting to follow the logic of an illogical mind we are often severe, where we should be merciful. The illogical will argue themselves through false premises to false conclusions. to excuse thelr faiths and clinch their beliefs all She more firm ly because they have gone through the form of accounting for them. It is espe- cially futile to argue with some Kinds of spritualists, for they have strange ways of excuslng fraud when the fraud, if 1t were not fraudulent, would seem to establish their beliefs. For example. if in the course of dark seance-and the darker the seance the better the faithful seem to Nike it-some mistrustful Gentle turns on the light and discovers the "mejum' cavorting about in white robe with a paper mask on her face, the whole business is settled to his mind; 1t is a case of cheap deception But your wild-eyed, long bearded, long-haired man, and your wilder-eyed, mustached and short haired woman are not faxed In the least. They say that the discovery proves nothing The "mejum'' has been directed by the spirit that controls her to assume a disguise, that she may more perfectly type before weak human eyes the form of the dead. She Is just as much medium when she is pranked out by order of the spirits that she is when she Is babbling nonsense and ascribing it to Napoleon, Washington and Plato
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
What can be avoided whose end Is rurposed by the mighty gods7
 Julius Caesar.
Crowner's Quest Law.

By virtue of a special act of the legislature the county in which Buffalo is located has abolished the ancient, clumsy and inefficient crowners Quest law, and substituted in it's stead a system that is considered much more scientific and sensible. A judge of one of the county's courts holds the inquest and he summons before him medical men and whatever other witnesses he may consider needful to clear under standing of the case.
 The judge Is the sole "crowner" but the recent decision rendered by this "crowner" does not highly commend the new plan. Tn the first place he ascertaned nothing whatever that the public did not already know, and in the next place he went out of his way to comment upon nearly every person connected with the case. His attacks upOu JuS ldullly uOSbOl OA IhS family may have been to some extent justified, for that doctor suggested the theory of suicide in order to save the family from a scandal. But certainly his attacks upon Burdicks mother-in- law were not justified by any evidence disclosed to the Dublic
 A crowner's quest could not well have done worse.
 Much better results were expected from an investigation conducted by skilled men only, leaving out of the case the stupid f'crowner" and his GUS tomarily stupid jury, but the people of Buffalo seem to think that Judge Murphy has not done mnh better work than the preceding croyner's quests had brought in. Instead of 'as' itat:ng the old example Judge Murphy should have steered clear of the stupid ity bred by the old law, and given the public a verdict free from uncalled for and wanton faults.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
Tariff Evasion Talk in Boston.

When" said Secretary of War Root,
 at Boston, you have revised the tariff, you will have substituted the foreign trusts for the domestic trusts" This is either evasive, or else 1t is mere rub bish, or both. He evades the subject of taxation imposed by the tariff upon consumers, evading also the fact that our industries are not infant indus tries by at least decade or two, and that no foreign trust can drive them out of the market. Our industries are well established-too well estab- lished to please the consumers who have to pay whatever prices they de- mand The taxation of the many for the benefit of such trusts and their watered securities is appalling, and the democrats advocate a revision of the tariff that will take away at least a part of their control over prices. MT. Root wholly eyaded at Boston the price issue, which is the issue that he
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
Robblnq the Kitty.

From the New York Press.
 One of the suspects in the gambling house business, man who has represent ed his district in the state legislature. told me this story yesterday: q had a. fellow working for me at $14 week when l opened my first place in the back par Tor of private residence in - street. One of his duties was to clean up the den after the play of the night was end ed. After while I noticed that there was falling off in the size of the kitty, and 1t occurred to me that the players were not dealing honestly with it. So I set watch. Nothing developed. however. Kit ty was fed regularly. One table in par ticular, the open game, seemed to lose. and I kept tab on that myself, making note of every chip that was dropped in. When the play was ever for the night I counted up, and the kitty produced only half the number of chips that went into the slot. To be brief, the $14-a-week man had rigged up a tube from the cellar and connected it with the slot in an ingenious way so that half the chips fell into bag he placed at the bottom The scoun- drel had been robbing the house for months"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
Real Estate.

"A real estate man told me today that he had sold a certain piece of property on Second avenue, near the Eagle hotel, and asked me to guess what he got for it." remarked an investor last night. T replied that real estate was In active demand now, $45OO was probably the price.
 Well, you missed 1t by $500, I closed the trade for $6OOO the real estate man said
 This, taken with the other high prices recorded recently, indicate that Birmlng- ham Is having a real estate boom And yet if it is a boom, it Is entirely differ ent from the boom of other days. The boom of the past was unnatural. Values were inflated and Birmingham's future was not assured. Today everything here Is on a solid basis, and Birmingham Is well through the experimental stage. Prices are not too high. There is cer- tainly every prospect that they will go higher"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
STATE NEWS ITEMS.

The ice factory at Florence has been enlarged.
 The Eutaw oil mill has shut down for the season.
 A United States recruiting office has been opened at Uniontown.
 
 About 5000 doves have been killed by the sportsmen of Eufaula during the season.
 The Eastern Railroad of Alabama has been graded to Pyriton. Clay county, and traek-laying has begun.
 
 Attalla Mirror It is said that it is only a question of time until Attalla will have two of a kind of every business in town.
 The mining of coal at stouts mountain has been much delayed by water in the mines. About 1s.OO0 tons will be the out put this month.
 Montgomery Journal: Lucy Afford was arrested and brought to police head quarters yesterday afternoon charged with carrying a concealed pistol.
 
 Anniston Hot Blast: A surveying party for the Seaboard Air Line railroad has reached this city from the direction of Coal City and are encamped in the vi- cinity of Mccoy street. There are several in the party.
 It is stated that Mrs. T. H. Morris of Oakman recently finished quilt that she commenced on the first of January. The quilt contains 1852 pieces. Mrs. Morris Is 64 years old. The quilt was pieced from very small odds and ends of cloth.
 
 The Catholic denomination of Cullman has purchased the Roberts farm, just outside of the city limits, east and win at once commence the erection thereon of a college for girls at an expense ex- ceeding even the cost of St. Bernard col lege
 The situation at the oil and gas well one mile north of town remains un- changed, says the Hartselle Enquirer, with the exception that the pressure SeeIlS SlTOnB6I anu lHc piOSpcSNS BAcW brighter for a great development of the oil fields of that section.
 Greenville Truth: Some of the smaller towns of the state are showing consider able progress. Geneva will shortly hold an election on the question of issuing bonds for water works and sewerage system for the town, and 1t is believed that the election will carry.
 Opelika Post: The Post announced last week that a deal was on foot to purchase the Opelika ice plant by Messrs. John J. Banks and c. M. Jernigan. The deal was consummated few days ago and on Wednesday the new management took charge. Messrs. M. T. Trawick and Fl. c. Jernigan are also interested in the business, but MT. John J. Banks and Mr. C. M Jernigan will manage and de- vote their entire time to the business.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
strawberrIea and veaetabIea.

''rhis will be a fine season for straw berries and vegetables" said L. A. Town ley. the Morris avenue commission mer- chant
 Most of the berries now on this mar ket come from Florida. In about two weeks we will be handling the Cullman crop. Ruling wholesale prices this week have ranged between 12h and 1872 cents a quart, but cullman strawberries will start at about 2Oc. The Cullman variety always commands higher prices because the berries are larger, frmer and better favored than those produced in the far south.
 "The Cu1lman growers formed an asso- citation to maintain uniform prices. It looked as if the scheme would work we'll but I understand that some of the mem bers have found 1t to their interest to cut loose and sell their berries regardless of association rules.
 q look for an unusually large crop of early vegetables. Owing to the drouth last summer many truck crops failed. That being so, the soil had a good rest, and therefore it should bring forth all the more bountifully this yeaE
 Birmingham has been a wonderfully big consumer of fruits, vegetables and all manner of produce in the past, but it will be even a greater consumer this year. The district is filling up fast and prosperity is more in evidence now than ever before"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
MISS ROOSEVELT MAKES
 ACHARMING IMPRESSION

fained at breakfast by Secretary and Mrs. Hartzeli. In the afternoon. bv in- vitation of Colonel Buchanan. she wit messed review of the Porto Ricau troops at the barracks at Morro castle parade grounds, and at night was dined at the home of MT. and Mrs. F. ". Luce.
 On Saturday the governor and Mrs. Hunt gave a tea" from to D. m at the summer palace at Rio Piedras, to which 750 invitations were issued and at which the local society folk had a. chance to meet Miss Roosevelt She expressed herself as much pleased with the beauti- full government gardens. Two bands fur nished music, and the government house was prettily decorated with bunting
 On Sunday Miss Roosevelt was taken with the gubernatorial party and others by a special train, decorated with palms and flags, to Carolina, returning in the afternoon. Before dinner she enjoyed a horseback ride over the military road, cantering home in a sudden and decidely wet Porto Rican shower. Dinner that evening was served at the executive man. sion.
 Monday again started the pace, with coaching party over the military road in the morning, followed by breakfast at Mrs. Dunlap's. At dinner Miss Roosevelt was the guest of Colonel Buchanan in Casa Blanca. the home of Ponce de Leon.
 This morning the trip across the island was begun. the start being made in army wagons, Cayey being the first stopping point. The party includes Governor and Mrs. Hunt. Miss Roosevelt. Miss Hunt. MT. and Mrs. Thomas Hunt, the govern or's brother and sister-in-law, respective ly; Miss Juliette Buck of New Haven, Conn.,, the governors ward, and Mir. Robert w. Bliss, the governors secre- tary.
 Miss Roosevelt's visit has certainly been a red-letter event for the island, the Porto Ricans wing with the Americans to show her courtesy and honor. She has received all these attentions with becoming mod esty and will be known here as Sweet Alice" as long as she lives.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
Trusts and the Tariff.

The Presidents second and longer speech, delivered at Milwaukee, is de- voted to the trusts, and his plea Is more vigorous than frank-more in- genious than ingenious. He has to steer between the corporations that make up campaign funds, and the peo- pie who cast the votes, and he at- tempted throughout his speech to ride both horses, inclining, however, not a little to the trusts. At the outset of his speech he finds in the trusts "much good and some evil" The word "some" evidently is little" in the presidential mind.
 He proceeds to reproduce his ex- pressed views on the trusts, and he winds up this part of his address with an eulogy of the remedy called "pub- licity." He insists that the new con- missioner of orporations-young MT. Garfield-has powers to expose illegal  or hurtful practices on the part of the trusts and to obtain all information needful, and that "the publicity justi- fable and proper for public purposes is satisfactorily guaranteed" The words, 1t will be observed, are very guarded, diplomatic and evasive. The act In question restraints publicity so far as the people are concerned to the discretion and will of the President, and it is reasonably certain that the people will not be permitted to know more than they now do about the Standard Oil or any other trust that contributes to the national funds of the republican party, and yet the Pres ident in his Cincinnati speech of last fall said publicity should supply "to the people at large" all essential facts. It is now plain from the Presidents own guarded Language that it will do nothing of the kind. It will supply facts that will be duly pigeon-holed.
 After discussing publicity he takes up the rebate bill, which, it Is said, was drawn up by three railroad presi- dents for their own protection; and then he eulogizes Attorney General Knox and his suits, none of which have been brought to a triumphant conclusion. What MT Knox will be able to accomplish in the courts re- mains to be seen.
 But the President shows his real hand when he denounces tariff reduc- tions as trust remedy, although he knows the chief objection to the trusts lies in their control over prices which becomes possible in them only through the operation of the tariff. Tmkering with the trusts-merely scratching their enormous sides while maintaining Dingleyism which makes them rich and powerful, is a huge farce, and this farce the Presi- dent desires to maintain. This gives away the Presidents whole case, and his platitudes about equality before the law do not help him in the least.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
BRIGHT STORIES TOLD
 AT THE FESTIVE BOARD

and a monsignor?" a friend asked of Archbishop Ryan.
 Well" answered the Philadelphia pre- late, after moments reflection "a prelate is a sort of counterfeit bishop. The genuine bishop you may know by the ring"
 Heathe Gregory gave a recital at Mrs. Osborn's playhouse one afternoon re- gently, and there were, of course, many professional people present. In one row sat May Irwin, sandol Milliken and May Robson and in a row directly behind was a shining member of the smart set Dur ing an interval between songs, the latter surveyed the audience through her lorg- nette, and then remarked to her es- cort:
 Dear me. I'm so disappointed. thought we would see ever so many &C., tors and actresses here today-really that i was why l came, and I don't recognize a single one''
 And the three actresses mentioned, when they tell the story to their friends, meet with the suggestion that they should have made up" for the occasion. After banquet recently, ex-Governor Frank S. Black was asked what he con- sidered the most difficult feat in oratory. He replied it was to make a good ten minutes speech. The statement is inter- esting, and coming from so high source Is certainly conclusive.
 In explaining the difficulty of making ten minutes speech, the ex-governor said the power of condensation is rare. Many men can make speeches, he de- clared, but the efforts are hardly more than spoken essays. In ten minutes you are to say all that is to be said and nothing more. The speech has to be A combination of brevity and brilliancy. You have to create instantly an effect, keep 1t at high tension and leave the crowd applauding and wishing for more Ten-minute oratory has been the undoing Of many poor speakers and the making or the regulations of men who could con- form to the rules of the game. Epigram- matic brevity and leaving the ramifca- tions of a suggested thought to the intel ligence of the audience is the secret of en-minute address, declared MT. Black.
 Words of everyday speech which come trippingly from the tongue are not al- ways understood by those persons who use them. A familiar instance of this Is the matter of fact way in which per- sons speak of somebody's eyes as being
 black as soes.' The simile Is not un- happy, but probably majority of those who use 1t have not the least idea what a sloe is. The popular impression seems to be that 1t is some sort of an animal
 Similarly, a visitor from the suburbs said to young girl living in Manhat- tan: You must come and see my scarlet tanagers.
 '1'll go to see you, of course" was the diffdent answer But as for the tanagers, I'm afraid I wouldn't appre- ciate them at their full value-I know so little about flowers"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
IN HOTEL LoBBIES.
seaboard,s General Counsel.

Judge L. R. Watts of Portsmouth, Va, general counsel of the seaboard Air Line' spent yesterday in Birmingham. He came to confer with John P. Tillman or the Seaboard counsel in regard to his company's legal business here, and just before leaving last night said that he was glad to announce that everything was in a perfectly satisfactory shape.
 Judge Watts has taken lively part ln democratic politics for many years past and few of the public men In the Old Dominion are so highly esteemed as ne. The judge was prominently mentioned for the governorship early in the nine ties.
 T have long been an ardent admirer of Grover Cleveland and 1 regard him today as the grandest democrat in the United States" remarked Judge Watts. T do not look upon him as a candidate for 1904. The notion that no one shoud fill the Presidential office more than twice is very strong and this would be enough to prevent his nomination. It is needless for me to say, however, that l would gladly vote for him if by any chance he should make the race. If MT. Cleveland had not been President twice, feel that nothing could prevent his elec- ton in 1904 The nomination would be forced on him and he would sweep the country. Thousands of democrats who got out with Cleveland during his last ad- ministration now admit that he Is, after all great and good man.
 "By the way. 1t does not seem to be generally known to the present genera ton that Grover Cleveland's father was once the pastor of Presbyterian church in my town-the old Middle street church at Portsmouth The Rev. MT. Cleveland was called from that pastorate to be the assistant to the Rtv. stephen Grover. pastor of a church in New Jersey. And q few months after he left Portsmouth, Grover Cleveland was born. So the big statesman just escaped being NIr- ginian."
 Judge Watts is travelling in the private car of Vice President and General Mana ger Barr of the Seaboard.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
Special Cor. of the Washington Star.

Special Cor. of the Washington Star.
 ONE of the strenuosity of her dis 0O tinguished father Is marking " Miss Alire Roosevelts twelve days stay in Porto Rico as the guest of Miss Elizabeth Hunt, daughter of Gov ernor Hunt. Indeed, the governor has found 1t difficult to impress upon the people the fact that Miss Roosevelt is in no sense here in an official capacity. If the natives had their way Miss Roose- velt's sojourn would be made memorable by an ovation every hour. so anxious are they to show her honor. As 1t is, the trip across the island which she began today will partake of the nature of a royal reception after a weeks attentions in San Juan.
 Miss Roosevelt arrived on the steamer Coamo at 7:30 o'clock on St. Patrick day The Coamo dressed ship for the with flags from stem to stern. while Ger man and French steamers in the harbor paid the same compliment Governor Hunts secretary, MT. Robert w. Bliss, went out in launch to the Coamo, while the governor. Mrs. Hunt and Miss Hunt waited on the pier When Miss Roosevelt was within walving distance there was fiutter of handkerchlefs from the crowd ashore. and the Insular Police band struck up Home. Sweet Home," fol- lowed by 'Borinquen." The governors family were the first to board the Coamo and when few moments later they re- turned with Miss Roosevelt the little party passed between deferentlal lines of Americans and natives and ubiquitous snapshot flends to their carriage and were driven to the executive mansion. Apart from the reception of a committee from the San Juan fraternity and of personal friends of the governors family. followed by drive to Rio Piedras in the afternoon, the first day was spent quiet ly, with a dinner at the palace in the evening, where Colonel Buchanan repre- sented the army and Captain Kane of the Prairie. the navy.
 On Friday Miss Roosevelt was enter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-04
BILLINGS HoRsEFEED oUTDoNE

From America.
 The recent Billings equestrian dinner at Sherrys promises to be eclipsed by progressive automobile dinner party which Joseph J. Buckley, Otis Skinner's impresario will tender his fiance next Saturday afternoon after the matinee of ''The Wizard of Oz," in which the future Mrs. Buckley, professionally known as Miss Anna Laughlin, is now appearing in the leading role. The Majestic theatre will be the scene of the event on Satur- day afternoon. Twelve big automobiles will be lined up at the stage door after the matinee, and each will bear the in- slgnia of some particular American state or some foreign nation. All of Miss Laughlins guests will be members of
 "rhe Wizard of Oz' company, and no rank outsiders will be allowed to mix in. The start from the theatre will be made about p. man appetizer will first be served there. The party will then jump in and dash off through Central park then to q famous Columbus avenue resort for oysters and soup. From there they will go to other distant restaurants for the remaining courses. The run be- tween restaurants will be distinctly ''go as you please" Honor tables will be re- served in each restaurant for the various parties, and the passengers of the auto arriving first may ensconce themselves wherever they prefer All hands hope to get back to the theatre by o'clock.