davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bisbee daily review., 1904-02-27
Judged by Condition of street.

In his annual message to the council Of Leavenworth. Kan. the mayor of that city said that a town is largely Judged by the condition of it's streets. and he further stated that nothing i'm presses a stranger so much as well paved and well kept streets. and noth- ng contributes more to the comfort f the residents of the streets than such thoroughfares. Provided the streets are paved and curbed, Leavenworth can be made, in his opinion, the most attractive city in Kansas. He there fore recommended that street improve ments De vigorously prosecuted whsrs leeded.
Bisbee daily review., 1904-02-27
MILLIONAIRE INVENTOR,
Peter Cooper Hewitt. Who Has Dis
 covered n New Light

Peter Cooper Hewitt. inventor Of the new electric vapor light by which a light of extraordinary power is deves- oped, is a son of the late Abram s. Hewitt. former mayor of New York and millionaire.
 The new light is obtained by the passage of an electric current througt,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
MANY LIGHTS BURNING.

From the New York Tribune
 There are nine thousand burning lights and signals stretched along the American coasts, forming a perfect link, so that the navigator need never be out of sight of one of the beacons. One thousand of these are located on the Atlantic coast, 1,500 are scattered along the inland rivers and waterways, 800 on the Great Lakes and 200 on the Pacific coast Of the grand total including light houses of dif- ferent classes, buoys. beacons and dan ger signals, 5000 are lighted. giving forth their warnings at night time Of these score or more throw beam of 100. 900 candle power. To maintain the light house service corps of over four thous- and men is constantly employed and a. fleet of more than fifty vessels. No ser- vice in the world exceeds our own in completeness and efficiency A modern American lighthouse of the first class costs between s100,O00 and $2O0. 900. and of this about one-third is spent for the cleo tric light and apparatus alone Beside one of them Egyptian Canopus or Rhodes
 perfect idol, with profulgent brows ' whose rays streamed down the purple seas to Mizraim. would shine as tapers In the Mediterranean night, with no place among the seven wonders of the world ana hardly worth noticeing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
Yazoo City's Heavy Loss.

The destruction of two hundred buildings, including the railroad sta- ton, the chief hotel, and nearly every place of business, is greater disaster to Yazoo City and to the district it serves than were the famous fires in larger cities-far greater, compara- lively speaking. The total loss may go to three million dollars, and such a loss falling upon town of but six thousand people is heavy blow. The buildings upon thirty-six blocks were burned down, or fully half of the town. The court house and the public libra ny and the vaults of the banks escaped intact, but good many families are homeless in the stricken city, and it might be well to inquire from the au. sthorities of the fire-swept town whether aid would be acceptable.
 a The extent of the fire was plainly due to cheap and inadequate water supply--a supply conducted to the city in wooden pipes, and it was un dergoing reconstruction when the fire broke out. The lack of an adequate supply of water permitted the flames to spread from 8 o'clock in the morn ing until 5 o'clock in the evening when they failed for want of fuel tc feed upon. The loss is heavy and i sfhe little city holds people it cannot .suocor help from other cities should be tendered, and Birmingham should ans t4
 and assuredly will do its part.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
SOAP AND CHEESE.

From the Kansas City Independent
 A lady walked into grocer's shop one day with her sleeves turned lip to her el- bows and a fighting light in her eyes. "This here" she observed with sniff. as she banged a piece of yellowy substance on the counter. lis the soap what does the washin of itself; the soap what makes ~ev'ry washin day kind of a glorified bean feast; the soap what gifts all the linen as white as snow and as sweet as a hazel nut by dinner time and lets the happy housewife spend the rest of the day playin' with the children, and here am I been scrubbin' three mortal hours with that lump, and ain't got so much lather out of 1t as I could git from brickbat." 'I beg your pardon re- marked the grocer, courteously, "but it isn't the soap. Your little boy came in here yesterday for half a pound of both soap and cheese; that's the cheese"
 "The cheesel" gasped the lady That accounts for the other thing, then"
 '"rhe other thing?" queried the grocer.
 "Yes," the other thing" came the reply. 'I ~as lyin' awake half the night won derin' what it was made the Welsh rabbit we had for supper taste so funny"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
GULF STREAM FASTER.
Time of Ships Greatly Affected By the
 Fact.

Special to the New Orleans Times-Demo-
 crat.
 New York.-rhat the Gulf stream is running faster than ever before Is the novel explanation advanced by marine men of this city to account for the fact that steamers arriving from southern ports are uniformly ahead of time. No ex- planation of such acceleration of the Gulf stream. however. has been advanced.
 The master of the schooner John B. Bremiller, which came here from Bruns- wick, Ga, said that the Gulf stream was running like mill race. The Bremiller came from Brunswick in seven days.
 The Charles K Buckley took six days only to come from Charleston, while the schooner Edina, which had started nine days ahead, reached here an hour ahead.
 Thebaud Bros, the agents of the steam CT Tjoma, which came from Progreso ahead of time said today that the exces- sive speed of the Cuff stream was alone responsible for the high speed of the ship.
 Another indication of the unusual speed Of the Gulf stream is the fact that the agents of the regular lines running south ward report that in all instances during the last week or so their southward bound ships have arrived at the other end late The same is true of some of the ships coming this way from Europe
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27

county will in 1910 be entitled to about 80 delegates in convention consist ing of nearly seven hundred.
 But in 1910 the day of conventions will have been ended, for the trend in all parts of the country Is towards direct action by the people, each man having a voice equal to that of the boss himself. This is popular gov ernment indeed. and this Is what this country is coming to
 No convention had been held in this state in three years up to last Wednesday. and it is indeed a ques. ton whether it will have a successor of it's own sort The late convention approved the primary law, naming and claiming it as the chief and best achievement of the democratic party in this state. And so it is.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
l thought her
 As chsste as unsunn'd snow. -a -cymbellne.
Nominating Conventions

Our popular institutions are tho product of evolution--a growth, as in deed is nearly everything of value 1T this world. Washington had no oppo sition, and after he declined third term, the congressional caucus bobbed up serenely. and proceeded to select party candidates for president. But the congressional caucus soon became unpopular, and nominations by state assemblies or legislature supplantei it. In this way John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson were brought be- fore the people.
 Action by states whetted the de- sire of the people for popular rule, and at length a convention was held. This was in 1882, and the movement was begun in Pennsylvania In 1886 na. tional convention put Mir. Van Buren in nomination, and ever since that time presidential candidates have been selected by conventions.
 As intelligence becomes widespread and the desire for direct popular ac- tion-the actual participation of each unit of party in the selection of his own standard beafers-become dom inant, the convention will disappear in turn, and the primary will be ush- cred in. It is but another step away from the congressional caucus to- wards government of the people, by the people, for the people. The movement is well started, and the convention of 1904, or at any rate of 1908, may be the last of line begun two generations ago. The change from representative bodies to direct action will come naturally and grad ually. as the final change in the evo- lution of political action in this coun- try-the full bloom of the tree of lib- erty and equal rights. One state ofter another is leading up to it, and when 1t is once established people will won der why the convention plan was so long endured.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN HAIR.

From the Woman's Home Companion. The sun rolled up from an east of red. The world was fresh and fair, when summoned loud from his truckls bed,
 They garbed him stout in his doublet
 worn,
 They laced his scarlet shoon, And forth he strode in the dimpling And called for his trusty spoon. His trencher he scraped in minutes ten cTwas bowl of mush, I wis But faith and forsooth, the best of men Have f1ourished on fare like this). Then away. away, for he could not stay; Goodbye to the breakfast board, A thousand ventures abroad by day
 Were waiting his knightly sword. He vanquished many a willy foe,
 And hacked him limb from limb An. tiger and Ion he laid full low
 In the depths of the woodshed grim. In all the waste of the yard was naugnt He did not biavely dare; Dragons and g;ants and trolls he sought, This Knight of the Golden Hair. At last when the west with pink was soft,
 And the sun rode high no more, He captive fell to a spell he oft
 Had hattled in vain before. Assailed by a host of drowsy charms He yielded to magic deep, And locked secure in his mothers arms, Was seized by the wizard Sleep.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
PHILOSOPHY CONTAINED
 IN FLASHING THE ROLL

i, city, had artlessly taken a ten from the outside of a modest roll of s1200 in bills. and had invested the ten in bet was shocked and scandalized because some one in the place snatched all his money out of his hand and made off with it. He was inconsistent and ridiculous. A man who carries s19oo around in a wad and gets 1t out carelessly in poolroom should be above bothering over it if some body takes 1t away from him.
 The carrying of money in this manner is believed to be something new. It is not to be recommended except to those who want to lose their cash. It is un- doubtedly finely careless and thoroughly American. It puts money into the easy category of pocket handkerchiefs, cork screws. horse chestnuts carried for rheu- matism. match boxes and other such tri- f1es. But the discreet man doeth 1t not. He promptly banks all of his funds ex- cept a sum which is a little less than what he thinks he Is really likely to need, and this he folds carefully into a flat leather receptacle. which he puts away in his inside waistcoat pocket When 1t is absolutely necessary to get his paper money out he does it with pru- dent reserve and entirely without osten- tation. If he runs short of funds there is always somebody to borrow from. Verify such citizen is in no danger of having to race around police stations af- ter his roll"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

hero. He can be resuscitated and continue his good works indefinitely. Therefore it is reasonable 10 suppose that the "Alkali Ike" of literature will continue his ad- ventures on western plains. although The real "Alkaii Ike is dead. The man who bore this picturesque soubriquet was Daniel Burrows. a familiar character in the west an Indian fighter and a friend of "Blr' Nye. He lived in Wyoming at the time of his death.
 The cultured housewives of Boston will henceforth be protected from what is known in that town as domestic graft!'' It seems that all the biddies in town of any standing at all. the buffers, stewards and others who go to market on occasion, have been in the habit of accepting com missions from merchants on purchases made, influence brought to bear on em- ployers and appointments to position. A bill has been passed by the Massachu- setts legislature that will stop this petty boodling to great extent. 1t is palm full to consider that even the purchase of small steak contains possibilities for graft in this country of ours.
 At Indianapolis an automobile in which Prince Pu Lun was about to embark for a trip to Lafayette caught fire Milk from passing wagon was poured on the flames and the confagration was quench- ed without ceremony. This incident would naturally lead one to suppose that the milk of Indianapolis is largely water and also shows the superiority of the l COW over the automobile in some cases. l A New York magistrate has exhibited his Solomonesque qualities as a judge by discharging a man arrested for kicking another man who stared at the arrested mans wife and telling the recipient of the kick that he was "served just right If every married man were privileged to kick individuals who make themselves offensive by staring at his wife, there would be less staring and more fights.
 
 Nature may well hang her head in shame. Mere man has ef7aoed her beau-' ties and transgressed her laws many times in the past, but he has never done anything more barbarous than his lat est achievement, which has resulted in blue roses, now choice adornment of society. Furthermore they are quite popular. These monstrosities are "millf- nery fancies" and are part and parcel of the evident determination among women of fashion this season to dress them selves In all colors of the rainbow.
 A Philadelphia clergyman has devised scheme by which members of his con- gregation who are sick and unable to at tend church may hear his sermon over the telephone. This is done by means of megaphone back of the pulpit, from which telephone wires run to the wor- shipers who are to be served with the gospel. This arrangement opens a vista of delightful possibilities. The weather could no longer serve as an excuse for not hearing the pastor preach and then 1t would be so easy to take a little nap during the sermon without being caught P. C.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
MARKS ON MEXICAN COINS.

From the New York Commercial
 |~culate in large quantities in the far east especially In China and the Philippines
 where bankers send large quantities of Mexican silver dollars every year.
 A year ago a reporter in Mexico City saw one of the Mexican pesos that had been in circulation in China for some time and was surprised to find 1t covered with small Chinese characters. pke so many seals This dollar was shown to Liang Hsun, the Chinese minister, who explained the presence of the marks as foliows
 ''The bankers, of whom there are hun dreds in China. who receive Mexican doi- lars, affix to them their seals to guaran- tee their legitimacy, and as pesos circu- late and go from one bank to another they are being marked by all the panhs who receive them. In case the peso proves to be illegal. the banker who sealed It last has to change it for good money and withdraw it from circulation.
 .When the pesos are completely covered with seals they are sent backNto Mexico to be recoined, the expense being paid by all the bankers whose seal are seen on the coin. It is in accordance with recent agreement. But 1t often happehs that dol lars, although marked all oyer their two faces continue in circulation ana are highly esteemed: as the seals are so many guarantees that they are genuine. The de- cision to seal pesos was taken because Illegal coins began to circulate Tn China"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
IN HOTEL LOBBIEs
New Steamer LsosI.v.

"The Rev. L. c. vass has arrived in Mobile to superintend the construction of missionary steamer to take the place of the Lapsley, which was lost last year, '' said citizen of Mobile yesterday. "The new vessel will be used on the Congo river above Stanley Pool, where there is about 600 miles of navigable water. It will probably be eighteen months before the boat is finished. When completed the vessel will be taken apart and shipped to Africa, where 1t will be put together again.
 It wifi be remembered that the Laps ley was named in honor of young Ala bama missionary whose home was in An niston''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
All Back in the Party.

The harmony and good will that wer' the keynote of the Alabama democrats in the convention of Wednesday ar gues well for success this year in the general election, and for peace and prosperity at home during the next four years. All democrats, both gold bugs and populists, are back in their fathers house, and Harmony, with a big H, reigns.
 The delegation to st. Louis is left in position to be judge Of it's own duty. It can vote for Tom, Dick or Harry under the unit rule, and demo- cratic conventions have in the past recognized obligations under that rule. The brief platform of the con- vention expressly states that the del egation is to go to St. Louis untrairi- meled by instructions, free to act upon any or all information 1t can gather up to the hour of ballotting. It goes to St. Louis to select a winner-that is all. It goes charged with the duty of supporting an aspirant who can unite the party and win victory. These are the words of the platform itself, and the best thing about the Alabama platform is the absence of all issues that would create friction. When it calls for, national platform based on the time-honored principles of the party Bryan men and Cleveland men and even Hearst men can throw up their caps side by side
 It should be matter of congratula- tion all round the democratic camp that the convention avoided trouble and sought harmony, and it got what it wanted. It left no room for com plaint on the part of anybody.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
THE MODERN LAWYER.

I know, says a writer in the Worlds Work, a prominent New York corpora tion lawyer who is out of bed at 5 o'clock in the morning. and after talk ing exercise is ready for breakfast at 6:30. He is at his office in Wall street at o'clock. His secretary and his steno- grapher await him. Dictation begins at once of the rough outline of a brief to be prepared. He follows this with dic- tating memoranda for his clerks specify ing certain questions of law and of fact which he desires looked into during the day.
 At o'clock he reads and answers in- portant letters which his secretary has sorted out for his attention. At 9:3o ents. From that time until or o'clock in the afternoon he is in continuous at tendance, either before courts (generally or appellate jurisdiction), at meetings of boards of directors, or in consultation.
 At perhaps 4:3O o'clock the lawyer is ready to receive reports from hls clerks. They are required to report solely upon lHo polHl enlI to I0cu. 1lIllc or nothing is left to their judgment or discretion. It is merely desired to know what the law and the cases are upon some particular point. They are ex- pected to report accurately concisely and quickly. This miscellsfeous work continues until perhaps 6:So o'clock, when the days labor downtown Is at an end.
 Some lawyers even make use of the time consumed in going home. During the summer months William Nelson Cromwell spends his nights on the New Jersey coast. He goes down by boat each afternoon, but a large stateroom on that vessel Is equipped with desk and type writer and stenographer, that full use may be made of the precious hour devot- ed to the trip. During the winter he will probably be ready for dinner at 7:3O o'clock. An office boy has gone ahead of him, carrying green bag full of books and papers which are to be considered during the evening.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
Basis of Representation.

The state convention refused to adopt pure representation as shown in the democratic vote cast at the pre-. sHA<e
 ,s-yious state election, but it did adopt atthe last-census basis which is vast .., gain. over an oldcensus basis, or Ss-oyer representation based on legis- lative seats. for one house of the legislature has small relation to pop. allar government, and the other house is no measure of democratic ballots.
 The new rule will give Jefferson county 47 delegates instead of 30, and
 it will to some extent render repre- sentation in convention representa- tive. Under the present rule this
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
PUNiSHlNG CRIME IN KOREA

From the Liverpool Post
 Corea must be nice place to live in. Here IS list of penalties for various crimes, according to Corean law:
 Treason, man-Decapitated. together with male relatives to the fifth degree Mother, wife and daughter poisoned or reduced to slavery.
 Treason. woman-Poisoned
 Murder. man-Decapitated Wife pojs- oned
 Murder woman-Strangled or poisoned. Arson. man-Strangled or poisoned. Wife poisoned
 Arson, womaE-Poisoned
 Theft, man-s'trangled, decapitated. ar hanished. Wife reduced to slavery: con fiscatior of all property.
 Dissertation of graves--Decapitated to- gether with male relatives to the fifth degree. Mother, wife and daughter pois- oned.
 counterfeiting- -strangulation or decap- itation. Wife Toisoned
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
TaIlyho PonnIar.

T notice that tallyho rides in the even ing are becoming quite popular in Bir- mingham." said a citizen last night, and l am reminded more than ever that summer is here to stay Tonight I saw two very handsome vehicles of this description pass along the street. filled with a merry crowd of young people who were trying to see how much fuss they could make
 There is no more delightful way to spend summer evening than by taking a tallyho ride to some resort near town. East Lake will be popular as an objective point and the magnificent public roads of Jefferson county make such a trip most delightful"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
AttendInn Commencement

Tt is probable that large crowd of Birmingham people will attend the com mencement exercises at the University of Alabama this week and next week." said an alumnns of that institution last night. Already number of society bellies from this city have gone down to take part in the festivities and the indications are that commencement week this year will be notable. In addition to the fraternity dances, the commencement hop and club dances there will be baseball games and other arnusements galore. The Birming- ham alumni are quite numerous and a large delegation will go down to the his- toric City of Oaks prepared to have a royal time"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-27
From the New York Mail.

From the New York Mail.
 VN HEN that great poet of the
 WY proletariat, Robert Burns,
 w wanted to express his utter adherence of filthy lucre. he wrote of "a bursting purse, baited with many 8 dead ly curse" Burns was not in his private life, above taking great deal of pains and sacrificing his self-respect to get hold of the filthy luere that went with an excisemans situation, but no one could pour out more poetic contempt for the guinea's stamp than he did. What he said has great force today; but his imag- cry, the mere terminology of his scorn, is obsolete. Ostentatious wealth does not now Haunt bursting purse, nor jingle odious guineas. It simply exhibits It's roll
 This practice of flashing rolls has its philosophy The man who, carries his money in a roll or wad in his pocket shows. in the first place, a fine contempt for sordid precautions. In the next place. he invests himself with the delightful appearance of having so much money that no purse or pocketbook will hold it. And again, he invites the whole finny tribe of sharks to share It's wealth with him As a matter of fact, they frequent ly do share it. And when they do. the roll-fasher is generally mean enough to complain.
 The other day gentleman who had innocently gone into a poolroom in this