davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Beautiful Mentone.

A. B. Freeman, the well-known pas senger agent of the Alabama Great Southern railroad, has returned from a Sunday trip to Mentone, In DeKalb county. Mentone is situated In the noun tains and, according to MT. Freeman, is surrounded with scenery as splendid as that contiguous to Chattanooga.
 'I believe said MT. Freeman, that Mentone will be as popular resort In course of time as Is to be found in the south It has every advantage-beautiful scenery, fine water, and a most pleasant coolness There are two waterfalls near the little town which are a delight to the eye. Next year Mentone will be well advertised. and I believe that 1t will become one of the popular resorts for the summer vacation travellers of Ala hama. There are at present two Bir- mingham families at Mentone, and, as Is generally known. Maj Frank Y. Ander- son has summer home there"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Prosperity and Waste.

On June 1 the per capita circulation of money in the United States stood at s3245 In Cleveland's last term it WAS down to $23S5, and later still 1t fell to S21.10. This Is low water mark The present per capita Is high water mark. The stock of gold is increasing rapidly. It rose In the month of May to the amount of $23,00O,000.
 The people have so much money they are living extravagantly, in many instances, riotously. Customs receipts promise in the current fiscal year to exceed those of the previous year over $34000,000. This is why the treasury is bulging with money. Secretary Shaw predicted deficit by July 1 of $8,000,000. Instead, there will be a surplus of over $20,000,OO0, and the fiscal year is near at hand
 This situation induces the republi. cans to be extravagant. The sundry civil bill is stuffed with items of ex- travagant expenditure, and public buildings bill is to be piled on top of that. The total appropriations for the year will produce towering aggre- gate.
 Instead of reducing taxes the admin istration prefers lavish expenditures, and Secretary Shaw Is getting ready to issue lot of canal bonds. A. canal bond under such circumstances Is al most a crime against the people from whose pockets come the money that Congress has scattered recklessly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Greater Birminuham.

Nothing Is more annoying to a patri- otic resident of Birmingham than to be confronted with figures showing the town to be last in a list of leading American cities. The census of 1900 credits us with a population of only 3S,000, and to the average outsider that represents Birmingham, when, as matter of fact, nothing could be fur ther from the truth. No southern city has such large and flourishing suburbs are suburban and have separate mu- nicipal governments, they are, with perhaps one exception, distinctly a part of Birmingham. There are fully 200, ,000 people in Greater Birmingham, and yet we are put at the tail-end of the list, trailing after towns far less important and with practically smaller population.
 The outlying towns of Birmingham, closely connected by one of the finest traction systems in the country, con- stitute a most important part of the city's wealth and influence. It is true that these towns are not part of Bir mingham proper, but their inhabitants throng Birmingham sidewalks, they trade in Birmingham's stores, transact business in hundreds of ways with Bir- mingham men and get all their amuse- ment from Birmingham, in so far as theatres are concerned Even Besse- mer, some twelve miles distant, is in timately associated with Birmingham and her citizens enjoy outings at East Lake park, fully eighteen miles further up Jones valley. It Is no unusual sight to see a special trolley train bearing a picnic crowd leave East Lake at 10 or Il o'clock at night destined for trip of eighteen miles back to Bessemer.
 Birmingham people when away from home strive hard to counteract the false impression which prevails regard ing this towns population, but when visitors come here they are speedily convinced Invariably after the first exclamation of surprise, the stranger remarks that he had no idea Birming- ham was so large and progressive. Un- fortunately, everybody in the United States has not had the pleasure of visiting Birmingham, so that the cen sus figures impress them little with 1 the importance of the south's great industrial center.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
An Enulish View.

'In spite of the fact said Thomas Bate of England, who Is visiting his brother, John A. Bate, In Birmingham, that 1t is generally conceded the aver age Engllshman is of smaller stature than the average American. I notice that the Birmingham policemen are decidedly smaller than those men having similar positions in Great Britain In fact, I have found this is the case in every Amer ican city that have visited, with the possible exception of New York.
 There is another contrast, too. The Birmingham policeman Is not as oblging as the English officer. When I first ar rived in this city I inquired of one of the blue coats concerning an address. He answered me In sruff and uncouth manner. This is never the complaint in England. In my country too, the police man Is never seen with pistol. I un- derstand that the officer here Is always heavily armed, and that when he chooses a gun he generally prefers the biggest that he can find.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
PRESIDENT A GOOD SHOW.

from the Chattanooga Times.
 The eminent Senator Morgan of Alabama was facetious Friday in picturing what the Presidents special train might be- In opposing the committee amendment to the sundry civil bill appropriatins s26,0OO an- nually for the payment of travelling ex- pense of the President, Mir Morgan sug- gested that something political or sort of hdppodrome was being provided for. Granting that this appropriation is pure donation for excursion purposes" as the senator from Alabama characterizes 1t. 1t must be conceded that the President of the United States is an unusual attrac- tion to the country at large. Particularly that portion of 1t that is favored by his visits is the beneficiary hereunder, not only in a sentimental way but commer- ciauy. His visits attract unusual crowds and proves an excellent investment in the way of trade for the towns he visits. The government at large can well afford the s25,OO0 for the gayety and the enjoyment afforded the smaller communities by the visit of a real live President.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Crops and Prosperity.

The prosperity or adversity of an entire year in this country turns on the growing crops. All crops grown by the farmer contribute to the grand result, but the three great controlling crops are those from the fields de- voted to corn, wheat or cotton. The cotton fields clothe naked world; the wheat fields feed hungry human be- ingc. while corn is good for both man and beast. Great outturns in the three would maintain prosperity, while a poor crop in any one of the three would be depressing. A failure in all three would create widespread ruin.
 All three of the crops in question are well advanced and the harvesting of the winter wheat crop will soon be completed. There are blooms in the cotton fields. and there will soon come to us reports of tasselled corn. Spring wheat, too, is coming on apace. It Is not considered wise to count chickens before they are matched, but there is no harm In saying that all crop indica- tions to the present time point to a continuance of prosperity In all sec tions of the country.
 In all lines of trade and manufac- lures there is waiting in these mid summer weeks to see what the out turn of the crops is to be. The mer- chant waits while before he starts out to buy goods for consumption next fall and winter; the manufacturer waits to see what the buying capacity of the country will be, and the rail roads wait before placing new orders for cars and motive power to see what they. will have to move. So it is all along the line. The country is waiting while the crops of a great country are growing.
 Every week of favorable weather means millions, yes, tens of millions, of dollars to this country, and it is not strange that news from the crops out ranks in interest all other news. Thus far very little unwelcome news has come from the crops, and each week lessens the danger of disasters and even of diminishing troubles in the great acreage of mighty country-a country that almost clothes and feeds the world
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Home Cominu Week,

we are to have a homecoming week in October, and the chief celebration is to be In Birmingham" said J. A. Roun- tree. Now, I would suggest that a Homecoming week committee.' composed of one member from each county in Ala bama, now living in Birmingham, be cre- ated, and that a director general who will have charge of all the details be selected I would also suggest for that position such a man as Maj. Frank Y. Anderson. formerly of Mobile county.
 'If Major Anderson, assisted by real Alabamians on a general committee, would go to work. advertise and push this move ment, it will no doubt be the greatest event of state interest that has occurred in Alabama in many day. At least 5O,oO0 sons and daughters in distant states will return home In October
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
THE MEANEST TELEPHONER
Leaves His Victim on Pins By Re.
 fuslng His Name.

From the New York World.
 'I think that the meanest man in the world is the fellow who calls you up by won't leave his name."
 Whats mean about it?''
 Well" said Westside, many things. For instance, I'm downtown during the day at my office. Some man finds my home telephone address in the book and calls me up on 1t. My wife answers. Who's thls?' she asks, and the voice comes: Is MT. Westside at home? No, but I'm Mrs. Westside, and any message you may have for him. N-no, never mind. I'll call him up later Well, won't you give me your name so that T.. No l guess not. No, I'll just call him up later. Goodbye
 Well, I get home in the evening and my wife tells me that some mysterious man called me up wouldn't give his name, number or business and than I start guessing. Naturally I imagine that it's some one who doesn't want my wife to know that he called me up. So I imagine all sorts of things.
 My dinner Is an uncomfortable meal for thinking of the wretch who called me up. I go through the entire list of the people I know who wouldn't be apt to know my office address. l think of every one I ever had any trouble with. think heaven only knows what I don't think.
 And then the phone bell rings and the maid says it's for Mir. Westside. I go, with fear and trembling And who is it Oh, just some idiot who wants to know if my wife and I can't come over tomorrow evening or something just as inconse- Quential."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Had any huckleberry pie yet?
DID YOU GET AN INVITE?

From the Boston Post.
 The management of the Chicago stock yards is issuing invitations to the public to come and inspect their canned meat plants
 They want us to know just how the meat-canning industry Is conducted.
 But why trouble to visit the stock yards to find this out, when you can just az well do tho work in your own home by reading "Uppy" snclair's Jungle" book?
 The stock-yard mans cement did not take the public Into It's confidence until after ''Uppy' got after 'em.
 Since then rumor says they have used up several carloads of scourine and sa- polio in and about the stock yards until now the yards are almost presentable and one can safely leave ones smelling salts at home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Greater Pittsburq.

Pittsburg and Alleghany have voted to become one city. The Greater Pitts burg has yet to fight it's way through tie courts, but no doubt a way will be found by which to carry out the peo- ples will.
 Greater Pittsburg will be Baltimore's rival for sixth place in the list of our cities. Giving to both the percentage of gain they showed in the previous decade, Baltimore will have in the next census year 596,356 population, and Pittsburg 592,272. Cleveland will not be far behind, for it will have 557, ,662. Tie three cities will be closely punched. and until 1910 it will not be possible to say which will be the sixth in rank.
 Pittsburg has more suburbs that can be taken in, and Cleveland may have some that can be utilized, but Balti- more is rather lean in that respect. Besides, Baltimore is staid and old. fashioned, and 1t will doubtless stand on it's growth regardless of anneXa- tions by it's rivals.
 The activity of the iron and steel trade in this decade will give Pitts burg a percentage of growth that will almost surely make it our sixth city. The order then will be New York Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Bos- ton, and Pittsburg.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
CIGAR BAND FAD.
Penalties Paid By the Fathers of
 Young Collectors.
New York World.

From the New York World.
 Would you mind taking the band off that cigar carefully and give 1t to me?" asked Westside of Rivers, as they both 'lit up"
 Sorry" said Rivers. but I'm saving them too. I was just about to ask you for yours.''
 "So your little girl has the collecting habt?" said Westslde "I thought my young lady was the only one in our set who had been seized with the epidemic"
 '1 should say not. My little girl began collecting cigar bands three months ago, and since then my days have been filled with responsibility. I buy cigars accord ing to the bands now, having given up my old favorites because she had plenty of the bands of that kind. As soon as get a dozen or so bands of one kind she begins to wish for different sort, having swapped all her duplicates with her friends. Then I look for an unknown brand. and the strange band tickels her immensely"
 Same with me-" said Westside eff I don't arrive home with harf a dozen bands every night she thinks I'm neglect ing her, and if I don't smoke that number of cigars day have to beg bands And he produced handful of cigar bands gaudy gold and red things. As soon as Rivers eyes saw them he was all eagerness.
 Let's see those." he said. By jove, there's several there that my little girl hasn't got. Have you got any more like those?"
 "A couple" said Westside. "Ill swap you one for anything you've got that my | little girl hasn't got.'' Whereupon there was an exchange. My little girl has nearly seven thous- and bands,' said Westside. How many has yours?"
 1 q haven't counted them" said Rivers, 1 ''but she has four or five albums filled and lot she hasn't put in the books Say. your little girl ought to know my little girl They might swap some of 1 their duplicates" r.. 1 That's so. I'll bring her around Sun ! day. Say, will you have a fresh cigarT' Don't care if I do."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
CIGARETTES.

From the New York Sun.
 Nine per cent more cigarettes were manufactured in 1905 than In 19o4-3, 300, 000,- GOO in all-but not all of them were smoked here. Cigarettes are the only tobacco manufacture whose exportation from this country Is Important and during the last three years this foreign trade has been growing. In 1904 there were 1.56S, eos 600 cigarettes exported, and last year, 1,so0, 0o00O0. an indicated increase for the twelve months of 1905 of 232. 000. 900.
 About four-1fths of the total exports of cigarettes go to Asia. China, including Hongkong. imported 722,Ooo,OOo. and the British East Indies JOS, ,324,OOO. The next largest importing country is Australia, which last year took 125,0OOO00 cigar cites,
 The manufacture of cigarettes is limit ed to four cities-New York, Richmond, York, first among the cigarmaking cities, manufactures nearly two-thirds of the cigarettes. or about 2,0O0,OOO.00o
 There are 225 cigarette factories here in total of 4s5 for the whole country. In recent years the number of small fac tories has been growing rapidly on the East Side, where newcomers make by hand the variety of cigarettes called Turkish.
 The total number of foreign-nade cig- arettes imported Into the United States last year amounted to 100000 only-an insignificant quantity when compared with the large number of American made cigarettes exported into other countries
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
WHY THE BREAD CAME BACK
Dundee Advertiser.

From the Dundee Advertiser.
 A boy who had been working in bak- CTS shop for some time was just about to finish his trade. One night when the boss was gone he broke the marble slab he molded his loaves on, so he went to the marble yard to secure another, but could not find one.
 On the way back he passed graveyard, and as it was very dark, he jumped over and pulled up a small headstone about the right size, and took 1t back and finished his job. The next day, after the bread had been delivered, nearly all of 1t was sent back The baker looked at it and broke several loaves open but found noth- ing wrong. Then he happened to turn one of the loaves over. and found on the un- der side of every loaf the inscription: Here lies the body of Mrs. Blank. Born A. D. 1882. Died A. D. 1740.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
Labor Situation,

While there Is a scarcity of labor in the Birmingham district and throughout the country, as for that matter, the con- prominent official of a large industrial company.
 ''In view of the great development work in progress in the district, an army of workmen will be needed. Men are com ing in from the north gradually, and some immigration labor is being secured here, but within the next twelve or eighteen months many thousand additional wage workers will be in demand. Birmingham is a pleasant place of residence and high wages are paid here It should be easy therefore to induce the wage working element to come this way"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
THE MARSELLAiSE.

By Rouget De Iisle.
 Ye sons of freedom, wake to glory!
 Hark! hark! what myiiads bid you
 rise
 Your children, wives and grandsires
 hoary,
 Behold their tears and hear their cries! Shall hateful tyrants, nIschiefs breeding,
 With hirling hosts a ruffian band
 Alright and desolate the land,
 While peace and liberty lie bleeding? To arms. to arms! ye brave.
 Tn averaging sword unsleathe;
 March on. march on. all hearts resolved
 On victory or death.
 Now. now the dangerous storm is rolling, Which treacherous kings confederate raise; The dogs of war; let loose. are bowling, And lo our fields and cities blaze; And shall we basely view the ruin, While lawless force, with guilty stride, Spreads desolation far and wide, With crimes and bloom his hand enl. bruing? To arms! to arms. etc. With luxury and pride surrounded, The vile. insatate despots dare, Their thirst of power and gold unbounded, To mete and vend the light and air; Like beasts of burden would they load us, Like gods would bid their slaves adore; But man Is man, and who Is more? Then, shall they longer lash and goad us? To arms. to arms etc. O Liberty. can man resign thee, Once having felt thy generous flame? Can dungeons, bolts and bars confne theei 1 Or whips thy noble spirit tame? 1 Too long the world has wept, bewailng 1 That falsehoods dagger tyrants wield, l But Freedom is our sword and shield, | And all their arts are unavailing l To arms. to arms ye brave Tn averaging sword unsheathe! March on march on! all hearts reoolvon On victory or death!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 You never hear any religious discussions on fishing party.
 When the children's vacation begins everybody elses in the house ends.
 It's funny the way & woman's figure moves up and down her according @ the fashion.
 queer thing about a girl is the surer she Is you are in love with her tho surer she isn't about herself.
 If a man has a half-dollar he isn't sure whether 1t is good or not, 1t is a sign 1t Is going into the church collection plate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
IN HOTEL LORBIES
The Iron Market.

''The iron market continues active" said a man connected with the trade. T esti- mate that Birmingham sales within the last two weeks will total 100000 tons. The prices have ranged from SIS to sl3.50 on No. foundry basis.
 'The furnace companies made a mis- take in not holding out for $l4. Consum- CTS were in pressing need of Iron. They had held off as long as possible. The present brisk buying proves 1t. Usually when iron drops in price consumers wait, hoping to see it go still lower But being bare of stocks, they could not keep out of the market any longer. In the light of the facts, therefore, iron makers could have got $14 as easily as they are now get- ting $13.5O."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
SSSS THE LIMIT.
Stopping Point for Drinkers In tho
 German Army.

Special Cable Dispatch to the New York
 Sun
 Berlin, June 23.-The German war office has a secret character scale for officers which Is probably unique. It is known as a system of five S's, which are writ ten on the margin of service notes. There has long been a great mystery about this, but at last the meaning Is believed to have been penetrated. One s means a tippler; SS, heavy drinker; 5SS, a sot- tish drinker SSSS, a sottish thinker of brandy.
 Up to this point the Kaiser is patient and merciful. but when five Ss, signifying a sottish thinker of bad brandy, is reach- ed the culpnt is promptly cashiered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26

Members of Connecticut club ban quoted fellow-member who was de- parting for Dakota to get a divorce. The operation has become society function.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26

A FAKE REPENTANCE. A millionaire stood weeping in The shadow of the pines. With many sobs he did bewail The hardness of his lines. Alas" he cried. I'm full of woe, My days are dark and sad. Nobody thinks that I am good They all avow I'm bad. "They say my gold is filthy and Declare that I'm a thief, The charges daily registered Are quite beyond belief. q can not give my wealth away When offered, people sheer And say with emphasis, We'll have No tainted money here 'NThe papers roast me right and left, Cartoonists do their worst; I haven't got a single friend My hearts about to burst. "No matter what I do I find That I am eyed askance; To prove myself a pleasant chap I never have the chance "I'd like to love my fellow man And lead a noble life; I long to quit this money grind This sordd city strife. What's that? A messenger you say Ye gods U. P. is down! I must unload at any price! Hi, chauffeur, Back to town!' "If I were a tiny bird,'' warbles poet. You would be more popular, methinks.  A fair warning-the average woman
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-26
ORIGIN OF A CELEBRATED
 NAME FOR INDIANIANS

perhaps gave birth fastened itself to the state with bonds more lasting than brass. It survived famous name when the word from which it derives it's origin was res cued, as 1t were "by the skin of it's teeth" from the unbreakable silence of the grave. few years more and the word "Husher' would have been hushed fnrnNer