davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
MT. Hearst Before inc People.

The democratic state convention in New York is to be held at Buffalo on September 20. It will be made up of three delegates from each assembly district or 450 delegates all told. Of this number POI will be elected i'll Greater New York and in Westchester county, the county next north of the big city. To secure nomination % more votes will be needed than will be cast by the metropolitan district.
 Thus far Mir. Hearst has carried seven upstate counties, and the county in which Buffalo is located will sup port them. This gives him 4S votes The selection of Buffalo as the place in which to hold the state convention is regarded as Hearst victory.
 The long and short of the matter is w. R. Hearst is to become the nomi- nee of the democratic party as well as of the Independence League which he has organized. All see that the only way in which the democratic vote can be consolidated and recruits obtained lies in the nomination of the news paper aspirant. It may be set down as reasonably certain that Tammany will find a way to accept nomination that promises to restore the democracy to power after long absence from 1t.
 MT. Hearst will appeal to all inde- pendent and dissatisfied voters through his nomination by the Independent League. and he will poll the demo- cratic vote through his nomination Ut Buffalo In other words. he is. to be New York's next governor,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
WILDCAT ON THE WIRE.
he Anaconda Standard.

From the Anaconda Standard The Buttes office of the Butte Electric
 and Power company received a telephone
 message yesterday morning from some
 ranchmen up on the Big Hole River stat ing that pole supporting line was
 burning and endangered the line. George K. Aitken, foreman of construc- ton, and an assistant were sent out to investigate and put out the fire. About fifteen miles from Butte on the Big Hole up from Divide they saw the pole which had been nearly consumed. The fire was smothered, and then upon looking for tho cause of the fire the linemen discovered at the bottom of the pole the badly torn fragments of wild cat or mountain lion. and at the tope of the pole, where it had become mixed with the wire, were the tail, the feet, and few other shreds of the cat.
 Either through curiosity or by being chased and frightened the wild cat had climbed up the electric power pole during the night and attempted to take refuge on the crossbar. The moment 1t touched the wires it created a short circuit and got through its body the full 2ooo volts
 of electricity That made mess or the wild cat and set fire to the pole. The linemen brought few claws to Butte as souvenir of the cats adven- ture
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
New Rate Law.

"As the date approaches when the new railroad rate law will go into effect" said traffic official. 'the traffic managers of the railroads are having strenuous times The interstate commerce commission has just issued circular letter which is cal culated to bring more worry to the rail- road folks. It refers to the recently enacted railroad rate law, and calls par ticular attention to this paragraph:
 Such reports shall also contain such information in relation to rates or regula- tions concerning fare or freights. or agree ments, arrangements or contracts affect- ing the same as the commission may re- uuire, and the commission may in it's discretion. for the purpose of enabling it the better to carry out the purposes of this act prescribe period of time within which all common carriers subject to the provisions of this act shall have as near as may be. a uniform system of accounts, and the manner in which such accounts shall be kept
 "Then. after quoting the remainder of section 20, the commission, in it's state ment, says:
 "Aso to that portion of section 20 of the act which confers authority upon the commission to prescribe the forms of all accounts records and memoranda, and which forbids carriers from keeping any other accounts, records or memoranda than those prescribed or approved by the commission, the carriers are advised that until the commission shall, by order or otherwise. prescribe the accounts, records or memoranda to be kept by any or all
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
WOMAN IN THE MAGAZINES.
Her Striking Triumph over Mere Man
 Again Illustrated.
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
 There are nine short stories in the August number of Harper's magazine. Five of them were written by women. Four of the other contributions also were by women. Mere man fares a little better in the fiction of the August scribner's. for out of the seven stories and instau- ments of stories be scored four a clear majority of one. The eternal feminine and the internal masculine divide the fiction of the August McClure's, in which there are eight stories, four by men and four by women. But in the August Gen. tury the gentler sex leads by an oyer- whelming majority. having five out of six stories
 Out of the thirty stories in the August editions of these four magazines women have seventeen, or more than 50 per cent, Men fare a little better with verse than with fiction. While a woman was the author of the only poem in McClure's s. the four poems in Scribner's were all written by men. The CenturyS verse Is equally divided as to the sex of the writ CTS, two men and two men. This equal balance Is also maintained by Harper's Out of thirteen contributions of verse to these four magazines women were re- sponslble for five and men for eight. Man would still appear to have some slight advantage in the matter of wooing the Muse. This to be expected, at least until the Muse insists on being enamel pated and becomes a suffragette.
 No magazine is likely to achieve great financial success unless it can make a convincing appeal to female readers. Every publisher of books knows that the six best sellers depends for their popu- larity almost solely upon feminine favor. In the case of the magazines the need Of appealing to women is even stronger. But how long will it be before the maga- zines which are now edited chiiy for women will be written chiefly by women?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
The Iron Market.

"The Birmingham iron market is growing firmer every day" said a prominent man in the trade Prices are now above S14 on No basis, and before a great while we will have $l5 iron.
 Foundry stocks are at the lowest The sloss- Sheffield company, which Is rarely without 10000 tons on the yards here in Birmingham, has now only $500 tons, all told In Birmingham and North Birming- ham. At Sheffield, the company's stocks are also exceptionally low. Eight thou- sand tons will cover probably all the yard iron that the Sloss has on the ground.
 The Tennessee Republic companies have for sale for this years delivery only the lower grades. Other companies are like wise short of yard stocks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
Public Schools in EnaIand.

The church has so long conducted eoucation in EnglanS that the effort of the Campbcii-Bannefnan govern ment to secularize the schools stirs the ancient land profoundly. To-day more children are taught in church. schools than in board" schools, and the bill that has just been pushed through the House of Commons pro poses to put all the public schools in the hands of the state. There would then be in them no denominational re- ligious instruction except after hours by persons not connected with the schools. The bill, in short, aims to put the English schools on the American basis.
 When the liberals swept England the chief issue related to the schools. The nonconformists are bitterly opposed to schools iconducted by the established church, and the first great measure brought in by the new ministry was an education bill, and after long strug- gle it goes to the House of Lords en- dorsed by the liberal majority in the Commons.
 The upper house will arouse deep feeling if it turns down the bill that Mir. Birrell has patiently rounded into shape. The only concession he made vas one providing for undenomina- tional or simple Bible teaching" at certain hours, and attendance at those
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
Tradlna In Futures,

"In the crusade against bucket shops distinction should be made" said a cotton man last night. Tn the popular l mind all wire houses are bucket shops Nothing could be greater mistake.
 "The brokerage firms with exchange connections do not in any senseN come under this head Their orders are sent directly to New York or New Orleans exchange and there executed. A trade of this sort is legitimate, because 1t has the same influence on the market as would an actual trade in that much cotton. Often times it represents an actual trade and is hedge in lieu of that trade. on which actual cotton when the future month arrives may be taken. Much of the mill business of the world Is conducted on these lines. In many cases, strange as it may seem, trading in futures is the only protection against speculation.
 For instance, if a mill needs 5000 bales for October shipment to fill orders ahead the only thing they can do unless they want to take chances on the course of the market and their ability to buy cotton later to meet their engagements is to buy futures. By doing this they take no chances. They have what cotton they will need bought and it will be delivered to them just the same as if they al- ready had it stored in their warehouse Of course they have to keep up margins, but no matter what course values take they are protected by the sale of their product to supply which they purchased the futures
 Bucket shops are members of no recog- nlzed exchange. consequently their trans actions do not affect the cotton market in any way and they do not deliver spot cotton. Their traders simply bet with the head office at the other end of the wire, like pool rooms on races. It goes without saying that trading In futures in the case of the bucket shops or the ex- change houses is not confined to legti- mate business ends. Most of 1t is rank speculation. But there is great diff ference between the two methods, the bucket shop and the houses that are members of exchanges"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
ONLY MILLION IN REALTY.
Russell saee's Vast Fortune Nearly
 All In Railroad Securities.

From the New York Herald.
 Of the estate which makes Mrs. Rus sell Sage the wealthiest woman in the world. full s27O0O,0O0 is represented in loans in Wall street, all secured by the best collateral. A million dollars or less would comprise the realty. Of the remainder the bulk is in railroad bonds.
 Many of these bonds were purchased in the early days of railroad consolidation at the most advantageous prices. By ex- changing his interests which he held in the subsidiary companies MT. Sage found ed his fortune on the solid rock. He had large numbers of the underlying securi- ties of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, the Missouri Pacific, the Wabash, Texas and Pacific, St. Louis and South western, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and similar enterprises It is also known that he had large interests in the Manhat- tan Elevated and that his holdings in the Western Union Telegraph company, rep resented in stock of several of the sub- sidiary companies were extensive.
 MT. Sage was a large owner of the stock of the Importers and Traders bank and of the Mercantile Trust company. The search of the vaults at these institutions as well as the rummaging in the compart- ments of the shabby old safes in flis office at 31 Nassau street will show how much of his wealth was invested. The Central Trust company also carried large ac- count with Mir. Sage.
 Many of the bonds were purchased years ago, when they were paying per cent; others are 31A and or per cent bonds. One of the leading bankers of Wall street said that, taking into consideration the high class of securities which comprise so much of the estate the income cannot De less than AZ per cent year. It was MT Sage's policy never to let go of any bonds which he considered good property and he constantly cleared his account of any lighter stocks in order to invest more con servatively. Many of the holdings at the present day reveal how close he had once stood to the late Jay Gould in his financial operations.
 It was one of MT. Sage's favorite diver sions to cut coupons at the Importers and Traders bank. It Is believed that sur prisngly large amount of the bonds of the Western Union Telegraph company and the elevated roads will be found in the strong boxes of the veteran of Wall street. He did not believe in real estate investments and his property, mostly in Manhattan received little attention from him. His house in Fifth avenue, which he bought after paying rent for forty-two years, was his most valuable realty pos session.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
TRAINED TO SEE A JOKE.

From Good Housekeeping.
 Can the sense of humor be cultivated? I think of boy with the literal direct ness of Q small Briton, the despair of his humorous father. A systematic course was begun, In the hope that the child S life might be broadened and frightened. Each week one or two evenings, were devoted to a careful explanation of the jokes as they appeared in three of the humorous weeklies of the better class Puns were avoided as they were more easily detected and often enjoyed. while the father had no desire for a punster son. At first the evenings were strenu- ous, dislilSed by both; to the humorous side, so potent to the onlooker. father and son, alike were oblivious. But at 25, while he is not an original joker, none can excel this young man in the ease and quckness with which he detects a hidden meaning. The initiative seems not to be granted him, but a fund of enjoy ment is his which undoubtedly would have been lost but for his consistent training
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
Prosperity in the Iron Trade

The promise of great crops is re- fected in the iron market. There is prosperity all along the line-pros- perity among the producers of basic iron as well as of foundry iron, activ- ity in the big steel trust as we'll as in the plants of the lesser sort. The steel corporation has orders on its books for nearly seven million tons of finished products and specifications are stiil pouring in. The marking up of fig ures is a feature of the closing half of the year. Midsummer buying is not usually strong enough to create higher prices, but that is the situation this year.
 A gratifying feature of the market is the demand for foundry iron, which is a specially among producers in this district. In accepting orders covering the remainder of the year, prices have been advanced. and 1t seems certain that they will remain firm to the end of the year, and there are not want ing indications that the first half of 1907 will be of a similar nature. The prospects for the coming year are now legitimately before all dealers, and no one seems inclined at present to cast cold water on the trade of the new year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
OLD ITALIAN WELLS ARE
 BEAUTIFUL AND ARTISTIC

curiosity twisted beading around the edge is characteristic of the architecture of the period.
 The most striking point of difference between the wells of Vencto and Tuscany consists in the upright colmuns and cross beam. from which wheel is suspended in the latter The Venetian drew his water by force of bent back and straining muscles. while the lazier Tuscan resorted to mechanical aids, at the same time beautifying his well architecturally.
 contrast to the simple utilitarian curb is the fantastic fountain in the Bevilacqua palace in Bologna. High up on a slender marble shaft sits a quaint, sedate lion gazing steadfastly into the pool below him. A stream of water forced through his jaws falls accurately back into the depths from which it came A special significance is attached to this fountain on account of the family name, which is equivalent to the English "Drinkwater"
 Griffns, Hons, dragons and curious mythological creatures were often called upon to do menial duties in heraldic archi- lecture like the patient, hopeless dragon in the castle of vincigliata near Florence which grips the great iron wheel in its. claws, considerably aided. be 1t said in parenthesls, in this task by a stout iron bar.
 In the gardens of the monastic orders. also. we find some of the loveliest ex- amples of wells; some austerely simple and elegant in form; others surcharged with rocoeo ornamentation softened by clingng green moss and smoothed by the hand of time into gentle charm of line and form which perhaps 1t did not possess when fresh from the chisel of it's maker. Did not the great Michael Angelo willingly condescend to design the well of the Flor entine CaFtosa, with its formal apnaoach of closely clipped box hedges, where the white robed friars gather around 1t to this day?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

carriers subject to the statute. no change In methods of accounting Is required of any such carrier. On and after August 2S 19o6 the authority of the commission to inspect the books and accounts of the carriers will. of course. apply.
 .'The commission fully realizes the ne- eessity of establishing as soon as possi- ble a satisfactory sytem of accounting for carrier engaged in the transportation of commerce under the provisions of the regulating statute. and has determined to proceed Immediately fin the work of ar ranging and preparing for the discharge Of its duty in the matter of prescribing such accounts records and memoranda, and requiring all practicable uniformity in the accounting systems of the car riers"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

hours is to be voluntary. The noncon- formists have really won in the bill their contention. The lords may mod fly the bill, but they will scarcely re ject it because they know the will of the country is behind 1t, and that it must soon or later be accepted. It will become law. thus determining and quieting a burning issue in the mother country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
From Good Housekeenlne.

From Good Housekeeping.
 NC HE Italian of the Middle Ages was V not content with an elementary
 hole in the ground fenced about with rough stone. On the contrary. the same sense of artistic fitness which caused the aristoeat to employ great sculptors of the epoch to design the wrought Iron and bronze standard bearers and lanterns on his palace prevailed even in civic taste and the fifteenth and sixteenth century wells existing in out of the way corners of Italy are marvels of grace and good workmanship. In the ducal palace court yard in Venice there are two bronze well curbs quite worthy of the great edfice which surrounds them. Ponderous, mas sive yet delicately chiselled and modelled their dark gleaming sides form a striking contrast 10 the sunlit Giants Staircase and the marble arches near by Nor do they exist to delight the eye only. Great dents in the copper lining show where countless kettles have been lowered into the cool green depths, and ropes have scored half a hundred smooth channels in the solid metal.
 The square of San Giovanni @ Paolo con- tains a scared marble well head carved with tiny boys struggling under the weight of huge garlands of fruit and flowers Nearly 400 years the iron grating has re- sisted alike lncautious baby fingers and prowling cats, and the key has been hand ed down for generations in a nearby fam fly. Not twenty yards away flows a canal of sluggish sea water, yet the well water although braclSish and flat, is still used for cooking and washing.
 One of the best examples of private wells in Venice is that standing step be- yond the archway leading from the Grand Canal in the Ca d'Oro-the Golden House. The sloplng sides and the sculp- ture in heavy relief give it the appearance of capital of some immense column. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
ORIGIN OF THE WORD "eoss.'

From the London Sjeetator.
 Is the origin of the word ''boss," used in the sense of a master definitely settled? In South Africa the term "baas" is com monly supposed to be the same, and the Hottentots call the head of the family lou baas," or old boss, and the eldest son is the yong baas." "Ou baas" however, Is term of respect. and may be used in addressing beardless youngster who Is in position of authority, and there are grounds for suspicion that the words have been taken over by the Duth from an original native source
 If is significant that Cicero C'De Natura Deorum') states that the god Vulcan was called by the Egyptians "Obas,' who was the son of Cellum "Skelm," in Cape lan- guage, is the same as Burns "sqellum (''Tam O Shanter'). and indicates an un- rully person-Bacchus and his various synonyms, who, in a sense was the father of all. It seems extravagantly far fetched to trace back the Hottentot's "ou baas' to the Egyptian "Obas," but have so fre- ouently come across classical customs among the natives of South Africa that the connection does not seem improbable
 I have seen the wailing for the dead Adonis among the Basutos performed as ceremoniously as among the ancient Greeks. while some of the folklore tales of this nation, given by Cassalis, can be paralleled, incident for incident, with some of the Greek tales, which in many instances were borrowed from the Egyp- tians. I should explain that am think ing of the god Obas (Vulcan), not as the blacksmith of later mythology. but as the very essence of supreme being. We learn that this was the sense in which he was once though of from the inscription on the portal of the temple of Heliopols
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
- = IN THE CONVENT GARDEN.
.r Thnnnas JanYier.

By Thomas Janvier. A little space the Padre walks apart For rest; yet ceases not to serve his
 God With love for all His creatures. In hls
 heart
 Love for the sunight-for the very sod. His not the love that stirs the doves to
 mate,
 That girdles nature with a wedding ring; Not love like this-but such as at the gate Of paradise the white-robed angels sing. A purer passion his love serene That leads him o'er his holy book to
 muse From Gods great goodness visible to that
 unseen
 Here in the convent garden. Santa Crus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
PECULIAR ARCHITECTURE
 OF THE KAFFIR QUARTER

clap pipe, while he discusses his short, but seditious cuts to freedom
 In the frail habitations of "Tin Town the flames of revolt have been steadily famed since the Anglo-Boer peace, and 1t would be a suicidal policy to underes- innate the present monaco or to ignore what is behind it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 It's like finding money not to speculate. It's awful easy to be good when there is nothing else to do.
 Women call 1t sewing party because that Is what they don't do.
 One nice thing about marrying an old wife is generally there Is no mother-in- law problem.
 Anybody who wants could write the na- tion's poetry if tho bachelor could write the rich mems wills.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

John D. RocKefeller is no longer con nected with the Standard Oil, and he does not consider himself under obli- gation to send s1 to any party's cam paign fun.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

Secretary Richard Cheatham of the Southern Cotton association is also be- fore committee of investigation, and thus far he seems to have become in fected with the bucket-shop fever. It Is very infectious
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

Emotional insanity of "a temporary nature is to be Harry Thaw's letter. What he really bases his hopes on is weakness in the jury box and public sentiment that is mawkish and per. yerted
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

Nicholas II is still in the ring. He may be a little dishgured. but he IS still at Peterhof by the Polestar, which keeps steam up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

The Barons may be crippled phys ically, but they are still alert and hope full and full of ginger. The battle for the pennant will be renewed on the old lines.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-08-03

The harvesting of the weed crop is progressing finely, and tons of mos quito food and shelter will soon be put out of sight.