davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
IN HOTEL LoBBEs
RootbIaek,s soIlIonnx.


 With one eye closed and a general air of desuetude peryading his frame a negro bootblack lounged about his stand wait ing for the next customer. T deelar ter goodness" he said, lever time l gifts drunk somebody hits me on de haid. l don't fool wid nobody. but jes as shore as l gifts drunk I gifts hurt. De yuther nite l went down to de dance hall wio CT jag on an as soon as l got inside de door lot uv niggers went fer me y had CT pistol and dey tux dat away fuhi me and hit me wit It. l had one uv dese spring-blade knives dat I paid Teller thirty-five cents fur-lt must CT cost about CT dollar-and dey tuk dat away fum me. I believe dey tux nah money too, but I disremembers about dat.
 Den, las night l went down on Eish- teenth street and was a standing taiA- in ter sev'ral boys when one nv dem hauled back an hit me over de haid and l didn't know nuthin And dat's de way it goes ever time l tries ter hab CT httle fun Jes' as soon os | starts out trouble begins. De cops pull me and ever nigger I see wants ter start some'n. l aint bad nigger, boss. but some uv desc nights deys goin' ter be CT dead nigger in town an it won't be me"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Scared to Spit.

"A rural visitor was coming down First avenue the other day" said a young man about town, and we decided to have some fun with him. One of the boys stepped up to him with a polite. Excuse me, sir, but you must not spit on the sidewalks in Birmingham. It is pen itentiary offense. Although the stranger eyes opened wide he said he had heard about the ordinance and would like to know where it was safe to void some ambeer that had accumulated in his mouth as a result of his efforts to mas ticate large chew of tobacco. The joker paused for a moment, as if in doubt, and then his face frightened up. Pointing to the corner where one of the large mall boxes for packages stood, he said, Just spit in the public cuspidor there on the corner The box looked very much like a trash box. anyway. so the victim walk ed up to il. raised the lid with some difficulty and squirted a liberal quantity of tobacco juice into it's depths. Screams of laughter from the crowd on the corner told him his mistake, but when he looked around for the joker that young man had mysterionsly disappeared
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
SCHOOL AND STRENGTH.

From the New York World.
 The London problem of teaching boys and girls in city schools without neglect ing their bodily strength is just the same as the New York problem. And in Lon don this is what one enthusiast has done:
 The Birmingham Street school is in West Lambeth, very poor district. When the present head master of this school took charge If .. twenty years ago he was painfully iripressed with the physical in- ferioii.y of the pupils to those that he had known in Scotland.
 There was a pretty good-sized play ground. and the master set to work. In 1sSa. when the school football club was organized the Birmingham street team was .he smallest in the city. Now, as the re- suit of Master Corsie's persistence, the team is the heaviest in the South London schools Since 1899 1t has been the champion, and in running also has taken the lead among South London schools.
 Since S95 the Iltringham team has in crca scd in averaa height from feet Il Ill inches to feet 2la inches. Even lat ter would he very low in New York. But it is remarkable that with no change ir the district or in the food or homes of the pupils such aa increase, with a cor resl,o n1rS cNe Tn chest measurement. should te rcssible
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
TWO KENTUCKY VIEWS OF
 DRINKING A MINT JULEP

1 temper of the inhabitants, however, he raised the glass to his lips and found to his horror that the contents were fiery to such a degree that what he had had in Virginia seemed like milk.
 Involuntarily he finched, and the chair man of the reception committee frowned and reached out his hand for the glass. He tasted it and dashed the contents to the ground, saying: What a sad mis- take. The waiter has put twice too mucn water in this and not half enough whisky No wonder it was not pleasant" He then called for a glass more carefully mixed The Englishman took the glass in his nerveiess hand looked for a moment at the ring of faces about him, made a movement to swallow and then dropped the glass, excaiming: Kill me if you must, but l cannot drink a drop of it."
 The visitor was not killed, but it is said to be on record that at the next session of congress the representative from Louisville made strong speech in favor of war with the mother country. The ad- vantases accruing to country represent ed by statesmen like Sir Mortimer Durand are now obvious.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Financial Situation.

Henry clews' Wall street circular of Saturday says:
 "'I horsh deaiInas on the stock exchange are limited. the market displays strength of andertone that promises well for the future, provided no untoward events intervene during the next two months. l he chief source of strength at present is a salisiactory monetary situ- ation, funds being plentiful enough to avoid any anxiety concerning crop de- mands when thoy begin. The next reason for hopefulness Is the crop outlook, which Is satisfactory as a whole in spite of back wardness. Reports of business reaction are frequent and are unfortunately con- iirmed by current reports of railroad earnings and other evidences of contrac- tion; but Wall street turns a compara- lively deaf ear to such arguments, ana replies that all such conditions were dis counted lorg ago by the shrinkage in security values and that the time is now ripe for anticipating better things.
 "One significant demonstration of cok- !lience is the quick absorption of recent hcni issues. These have been numerous and large, but the promptness with winch they have leen taken and their absolute failure ta depress the stock market re veal an underlying strength that Is both surprising and gratifying"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
TRAVELLED ROBIN BROOD.

From the Christian Register.P
 W. s. Reed M. D.. tells the story of a robin that took possession of a passen- ger coach which had been left for several weeks unused at East Thompson, on the Southbridge branch of the New York. New Haven and Hartford railway. The robin built her nest on the frame work of the trucks under the body of the car The bird had been seen around the car by different employees of the road, without their suspecting the presence of the nest until the car was coupled on and haul ed to Southbridge. The mother followed the train, and on it's arrival brooded and fed her young, which were just matched. She followed the train back on its return trip to East Thompson, where she again fed and housed the young birds. On the second trip of the train in the afternoon the bird again followed her young to Southbridge and back to East Thomp- son. where the car was sidetracked and given into possession of the robin, rent free. until her family were grown. The distance travelled by the bird in the two round trips was S6 miles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
cLANNlsH RED HEADS.
How Colony of Furnished Lot>s Was
 Captured in Missouri.
srom the New Yorlk sun.

From the New York Sun.
 "The fact that Judge Alton Brooks Parker is red-headed-if 1t is fact may rebound to his advantage if he Is nominated, said an old-time politician, who, like a gambler turns everything for ar against his luck There is an affin- ity between redheads, laugh at the idea as you may.
 T have tested it. They are drawn to- gether irresistlbly. I recall an incident which B. Gratz Brown turned his bur nished locks to a good account.
 When he was the liberal republican candidate for governor Of Missouri his locks were not only golden, but they hung down over his collar in curly dis order. He had a meeting in Pleasant Hill. one of the seeesh strongholds of the state
 "The returned Johnny Rebs were not altogether pleased with the liberal re- publican idea. But it was that or the straight thing. so they submitted.
 "A newspaper in Pleasant Hill had re- ferred in an ungraciouss way to Red Headed Brown. When the candidate ap- peared in the hall, which was filled for the most part with ex-Confederates and bushwhackers, he said in his drawing manner which was more marked than Mark Twains drawl that he had been told that some objection had been made to him because his hair was red.
 "Twirling some of his locks about his fingers he went away back and called up the galaxy of redheads who had been famous In history Brown was scholarly and winning in his manner when he chose to be. l shall never forget his tribute to Titan. It was a picture When he had completed it he said
 ." I have found red-haired people wherever I have been. except one place. I was In Jefferson City recently and went over to the state pententiary. I found every shade of hair in that prison save red. l felt somewhat fiattered over this discovery and mentioned what l had mo- ticed to the warden He replied that he couldn't account for it except on the ground that the red-headed man was too cunning to get caught.
 Tt was this turn of Browns speech and the adriot way in which it was done that resurrected the old rebel yell in the hall.
 'One of the Johnnies had a shock of hair that W ld have thrown a boiled lobster into the shade. He was quite popular in the county and after he had heard Brown on red hair he organized the Red Headed Rangers of Cass County, and when the returns came in on elec- tion night Cass county was almost unan- imous for Brown.
 But when Brown was nominated for viee-president on the ticket headed by Greeley the Red Headed Rangers bucked, The leader of the organization told Governor Brown that if the con Vention had put him on as the head of the ticket every red-headed man in the United States would have voted for him. The Johnny Reb of Missouri never en- unused over Greeley'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
From the Louisville Post.


 1E das,r MonTMnn aaans.,as pvshNn. s,r n,.Sa" wn9 - Herbert as British ambassador at Washington, has just given a signal proof of diplomatic skill and velvet tact.
 Called to the state of Virginia a few days ago to participate in some public exercises, Sir Mortimer was visited, short ly after his arrival, by a deputation of citizens who signiied their desire to in troduce him to the qualities of a Virginia mint julep.
 The preliminary ceremonies were con ducted with all the dignity which the British ambassador was accustomed to on the occasion of the investiture of fa- vored candidates with the Order of the Garter. The sugar was dissolved in the water, the whisky was carefully meas ured and poured in and the mint placed at the top. Then the assembled throng gathered about to await the verdict.
 Sir Mortimer raised the glass to his lips. drained it to the bottom, and then in tones of rapture remarked: Capital drink, this: I will take another" A sigh of relief went up, the ambassadors pop ularity was assured and the inhabitants of this portion of Virginia favor closer relations between the two great branches of the English-speaking race.
 This notable achievement of the British ambassardor serves as a striking contrast to that representative of the English government, who visited Louisville in the early 5Os, and whose memory is still green, or rather, to speak more correctly, yellow, in the recollections of the still surviving members of the old Louisville club.
 When this latter official was ap- pointed he announced his intention of making a round of the provinces and get ting acquainted with the manners ana customs of the people. Before leaving Washing he was warned by an attache of the department to be careful about going to Virginia, but as he valued ms life to stay away from Kentucky. ln Virginia" said the attache, they Will treat you politely but you will be forced to drink hundreds of mint juleps. Across the mountains in Kentucky you will come to a strange land inhabited by tall wo- men and ferocious men. You will be treat ed we'll there as long as you can compiy with the local traditions. but If you ever refuse drink your life will not be worth shilling
 Disregarding this friendly advice, the ambassador departed on his tour, and in time came to Virginia. There he was lav- ishly entertained, and was persuaded to partake of so many different kinds of beverages that when he left for Kentucky his brain was in a whirl, and he felt like another drop would permanently unsettle it.
 At Louisville he was met by deIega- ton of the first citizens of the town and escorted to the Louisville club, and inn mediately mint julep was produced in an enormous glass, which. to the reeling brain of the statesman, looked larger than even the fagons of the Vikings. Mindful of what be had heard of the Avoitah'-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Drummers Help Veterans.

"A very interesting little ceremony took place at Beauvoir, Miss, last Tuesday," said travelling man. when Capt. C. c. Wyatt of Meridian the well known sales man. presented to o. L. Mckay. chair man of the board of trustees of the Sol diers' home in Mississippi a handsome parlor organ and library of books as a gift from the travelling men of Mississip- pi to the veterans in the home. It an pears from the captains remarks that the idea of the drummers doing some thing for the veterans had it's birth at an informal meeting of a few members of both the U. C. T. and T. P. A. of Mis- sissippi, and as Captain Wyatt is a mem Der of both organizations it was decided he should take in hand the raising of funds This was done by asking the boys to give dollar each and this was so successful that in ten days he was able to send $40 to Superintendent Me Knight at Beauvoir to buy COW, the trustees having stated that was their most pressing need Since then they have purchased an organ and about POO volumes of light literature, which they hope will help to make the long evenings of the winter pass more cheerfully for the old soldiers, guests of the state. In thls connection it is understood the ladies or the U. D. c. chapter at both Gulfport and Biloxi have arranged to have song services at the home twice a week. so the instrument will be source of pleasure to them also."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20

to the use of oil for marine and naval
 purposes, but it will condemn the use
 of oil as an auxiliary to coal.
 But while the board has been inyes-
 tigating the price of oil has been ad- vanced in Texas at least and the small wells of California cannot work a revolution in fuel supply. Petrolium is too feeting any way to justify large changes or large expenditures. The storage of coal at distant stations is a difficult matter, and the storage of oil would be as difficult, and both will not be attempted, especially when the wells of any oilAupply are of un- certain duration.
 The report of the naval board will not work a revolution on the ships that go down to the sea, simply be. cause coal is stored in all parts of the world, and petrolium is not. Coal  will not explode, and oil produces gases that are very powerful. The of oil for coal may be desirable in some respects but the obstacles in the way will prevent a substitution of the one for the other while oil is the cheaper of the two Good Pratt seam coal or other good steam coal will answer and bunkers will not be supplanted by tanks in the immediate future. The oil tank has lost it's margin of cheapness in Texas to a great extent, and so it will in California. and theory will alone remain As a practical means of making steam coal will continue to hold it's own.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Go to the Polls Today.

The danger of a light vote is all the danger the public schools of lief. ferson county will encounter today, for everybody almost is desrous of bet tering the schools that the children of the county attend The proposed coun- ty tax will lengthen the school terms and build up the rural schools. It should abolish fees in this city's Hign school, and probably will in a short time. It will at any rate give the children a lift and keep down Hitter acy which is the worst evil that Ala bama has to content with. Do not forget that nearly one-half of all Ala; bamians cannot read and write, while only three in hundred of Iowans are In that deplorable condition.
 Go to the polls today, and cast a ballot against illiteracy and in favor of the children of the county. The children or the county are US pest possession, and they need your help today. Go to the polls taking your neighbor along. You will have no diff fculty in finding where the polls are. Read the list in this mornings Age Herald, and govern your action ac- cordingly.
 Remember, too, that nothing at tracts people so much as good schools. | The county that has the best public schools will gain because of that fact alone scores of families. Boom the county, help the children and the state, and satisfy your conscience by going to the polls today
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Where It Gets Cold.

From the Chicago News.
 Klondike river is fed by numerous soda springs, and even the winters cold fails to close them entirely. Walking on the edge of the ice near the shore a miner one day slipped into six inches of water. In a moment he was out and hastening to the brush hard by to light fire be- fore his feet froZe. Rapidly he cut a few fragments of wood with his heavy pocket knife But the unlighted match dropped from his already chilled fingers, for he had rashly removed his mittens in order to use the knife with more freedom. Then he lighted a second and a third and final ly several at one time, but either his haste or perhaps sigh of the air caused them to fall on the snow. All this time the frost was seizing his limbs, his body. his heart. his mind. He turned to the fatal mittens, which he never should have taken off, but his already frozen fingers could only lift them from the ice where they had fallen. and after a vain attempt he hurled them from him and strove once again to light a last match But 1t was too late.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Hal what, so rank7 An, hal There's mischief in this man.
 king Henry VIII.
Last Weeks Conventions.

The list of last week comprises Hi nois, Mississippi, Arkansas and In dian Territory. illinois instructed for Hearst, Mississippi and Arkansas for Parker, the Indian Territory sent an uninstructed delegation. All in all, it was a good Hearst week, Illinois send ing to the convention fifty-four dele gates. Where the Illinois delegates will go after Hearst is withdrawn, no one seems to know. The past week has not clarified the situation.
 In the last ten days of the month conventions will be held, as follows:
 June 21-Texas, at San Antonio
 June 21-North Dakota, at Fargo.
 June 22-Vermont, at Burlington.
 June 22-Minnesota, at Duluth.
 June 2S-North Carolina, at Greensboro.
 June 29--Missouri, at Joplin.
 Then will follow quickly the general convention at St. Louis, and the peo- pie will do the rest. The times are becoming harder Railroad earnings and bank clearings are decreasing. More and more men are laid off each week. Discomfort is increasing. The alleged party of prosperity stands de- fenceless and exposed. It is in fact the party of hard times, and of favors for the few at the expense of the many. It has never believed in the many
 2 Under such circumstances the dem ocratic party has something betteI than a fighting chance if it will nomi nate man who can poll every demo cratic vote. for to every democratic vote will be added the votes of those who see how empty and partial the republican party is-the party of Ding leyism-the party that has brought hard times upon the country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
The Sunday Newspaper.

There was a time when the Sunday newspaper was a fruitful theme among the preachers said a layman, but now adays they seem to be intent on correct ing other evils, or perhaps they have con- euded to bow to the inevitable. I remem- Der a number of stirring sermons l have heard directed against the man who sat up all Sunday morning reading the sport ing news instead of attending chruch, and in days gone by this was a fruitful theme for the funny papers, but other evils are occupying the attention of the pulpits these days. Of course, clergymen do not condone the fault of reading pa pers to the neglect of religious duties any more now than they over did My remark merely shows how public opinion drifts from one subject to another"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20

R. N. Ashley of Richmond, Va, is at the Colonial George E. stovall of Montgomery is reg istered at the Hillman. C. ". Newell of Stanford Conn, is at the St Nicholas.
  William B. Crais of Selma is stopping at the Morris Fl. P. Walker of Mexico City is at tAe Colonial. John Savage. of Warrior is at the Mor- ris. T. L Starr of Bloeton is registered at the Hillman.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
DISAPPOINTMENT.

From the Chicago Tribune
 The young nsr with the swell suit slender cane and jaunty air was con sclous of being observed.
 Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the people on the other side of the street were looking at him as he sumter cd along.
 signs.on letter box Fresh Paint. ; attracted his attention.
 He stopped ard looked at it.
 But he did not touch it.
 lie turned. instead. and looked al the people on the other side of the street through his moneole.
 Then he resumed his sauntering.
 Sqne men are tco contrary to live.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Oil for Fuel,

A naval board has been conducting a series of experiments in fuel oil- crude petrolium, in other words. The experiments have been made in Wash sumed in the various tests. All sorts of devices for the burning of the oil on shipboard, and for it's storage. and for it's supply at worldwide points have been investigated. The oil inter- ests were alert, and they have aided the naval board to the utmost possi ble extent.
 In general way it may be said the forthcoming report will be favorable
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
rom the New York Press.

From the New York Press
 Often you can sell a worthless thing easier than you can give it away.
 It's a mighty comfortable thing to be very fat when you sit down too suddenly. A woman is very sure she has a head for mathematics when she can go down town shopping with s65 and have to bor- row only her Ncarfare home
 It makes a woman feel very despond- ent, when her husband stops drinking to save money. to think how much more he could save if he had been twice as hard driuker.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
TARIFF ON AUTOS IN PARIS.

From the Paris Messenger.
 Since 1896 automobile carriages have been allowed to stand in the streets of Paris under the same conditions as cabs and other ehicles plying for hire, but no official tariff has up to the present been fixed. The prefect of the Seine has now appointed 2 cor, mission which will under take the work of arranging a special tariff to be applied to these vehicles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
Satisfactory Reason.

From the Chicago Tribune.
 I've just been making my will. l have bequeathed everything l possess to my wife"
 Then you did it in about ten words
 Not at all. The lawyer who drew II up for me used four sheets Of paper. What did he charge you?
 Five dollars"
 Then he's an honest lawyer. He want ed to make the service worth the fee.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
IDLEN ESs.

By s. Mier Mitchell There is no dearer lover of lost hour
 Tran 1. can be idler than the idlest flowers;
 More idly be. Than monday lilies languidly aiioat' And water ri.loved in a windless moet
 can ie Stiller than some gray stone That hath no motion known
 It seems to me That my still idleness doth make my ows An s,.snie aiffs of jnv's sirnSAliaAfs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-20
A SILLY RuMoR NAILED.

From the Philadelphia North American.
 Kuroratkin goes to bed at midnight and gets up at o'clock in the morning. This efeetually CIsposes of the canard to the effect that he sleeps all the time.