davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

tectlon. which the threats of danger menace, nothing can Justify the taking of the life of the least of Gods creatures. T would not say" says Cowper, "enter on my list of friends, though graceI with polished manners and fine sense. yet wanting sensibility, the man who need lessly sets foot upon a worm" How much the more is he unworthy of com Danionship who ruthlessly inVades the domain of nature and, with brutal in- stincts, desecrates the very altar of the deity? The plea of hunger finds no place with him, for the price he paid for his gun and license would supply his wants in that respect far beyond the value of his victims; no self-protection Is needed from birds or animals that flee at his approach no reason can be give for his acts except the qualification of a propen- sty to kill-a propensity which often finds expression in the slaughter of a fellow being.
 Cruelty has ever been indicative of sayagery and cowardice. while kindness Is indicative of civilization and courage. The man who would face a lion or a tiger in the jungle is not the man who would kill a robin or a rabbit in the forest, the courage which inspires him to meet danger also inspires him to protect
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
BY J. c. HIDDEN, D. D.

sion of the Indian hunter, who thinks that in the happy hunting grounds his faithful dog shall bear him company. why should I recoil when I know and can know, nothing about the future of the brute creation, except what IS intl- mated in the Bible?
 g. Immortality Is inconceivable."
 I've cannot conceive" says the skep- tic that we are to live forever, because we cannot conceive of forever" l re- ply that nothing can be more inconceiva- hle than our absolute anuihilation. A few years ago, people did not conceive If the solar system; they did not conceive of the laws of chemistry, but chemistry was still doing its work. and the planets were following Kepler's laws for ages before Kepler was born. I cannot con eeive of the creation of the physical unl- verse out of nothing; nor can 1 conceive that 1t was made out of pro-existing ma terials Therefore, our ability or inabil- ity to conceive Is no test whatever of the truth of any proposition. He who made us, and placed us here, evidently meant to train us here, and He has set before us a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He has revealed to us, through His Son, Jesus Christ. who brought life and Immortality to light through the gospel. that He has homo prepared for us and all the skeptical ob- iections, and all the speculations of the Goddess, shodd be allowed to pass us by as the Idle wind which we regard not. while we look at the things which are unseen and eternal.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

ment prophets any such grand statement and clear recognition of the life to come as we find in Paurs Epistles for life and immortality are brought to light in the gospel alone.
 Nor need We be surprised at the obscu- rity which obtains throughout the Old Tes- lament in the treatment of this matter. The world was in it's infancy. Human thought was comparatively young and the great questions which take hold upon the inner life of the soul were necessarily vague to the uninstructed, untrained peo- pie. As the ages went by and the world became larger in thought. in numbers, in resources, in capacity to- deal with questions of this character, the light be- came stronger; men learned more about their own inner lfe-about what they were made for, and how they were made, intellectually and spiritually. And so, even Before Christ came, the doctrine of the resurrection had emerged, and men in considerable numbers had taken hold of 1t. The Pharisees were the orthodox sect among the Jews of the time of Christ, and they were distinguished by the tenacity with which they held to the doctrine of a future life in that form of it represented by the resurrection of the dead.
 When we come to ask ourselves the question which Job asked, and when we confine ourselves to what Is called the light of nature" we find ourselves en- compassed with difficulties. But to all questions of this character, there is a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

raise his mind 10 contemplation of the wonders and beauty of their movements he would be less likely to put a period 10 their happy existence merely for the sake Of seeing the dead creature lie on the roadside If the boy whose heart Is sup posed to be gentle and tender and more disposed to make a pet and a playfellow of birds and little animals is allowed or encouraged to slaughter them instead. 1t is not to be wondered at If his name ap- pears some day among those who wear the brand of Cain Let there be no fear that the kind and tender hearted hoy will become weak or eowardly; 1t Is eats. not lions that kill mice.
 City-reared children are not taught to love nature. Wagner says in The Simple Life that nowadays children have book placed before their eyes which shuts out all view of nature, and not alone does the book shut out the view but 1t shuts out the sympathy as well. There can be sympathy with things of which nothing is known beyond the cold descrip- ton to he read in a book.
 An excursion train went from Birming- ham to Mobile. Presumably every pas- senger had at least read of the ocean even if they had never seen 1t. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
THE VOICE OF, NATURE w THE FOREST

The man whose daily life Is passed in the paths and grooves of narrow ron- tine seeks relaxation by spreading and stretching in all directions His confne- ment has so condensed him into himself that his liberation Is attended with the danger which threatens the aeronaut Who neglects to allow for the expansion Of his balloon when it reaches high alti- tudes Shooting being strictly prohibited on sthe Streets of a city the townsman rushes to the country to enjoy a fusilade and thinks it waste of ammunition un- less he shoots at some living object. # is simply an expression of the pent up feelings which prompt slaughter of some thing in lieu of someone.
 Homicide, one of the greatest. and un- fortunately a very common crime might be traced back to the toy pistol with which the child plays. Scarcely has the child outgrown the toy until he finds himself the happy possessor of pistol or a rifle. These are deadly weapons and are used for the purposes for which they were intended Why do so many boys spend their Afternoons shooting bullbats! Is 1t because the bird is good to eat or because il is eradication to take life If a boy could be taught 10 watch these birds as they fly and could be made 10
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

they all work, and which they call the law of parcmony. This means that there is no wasted power in the uni- verse-that no force is annihilated. Now, If the soul dies with the body, it Is clear that great power has been wasted. So far as human life here is concerned, there ent endowments. Vast powers, intellect ual. moral, spiritual. have been thrown away. mole has no use for an eagles eye Such an eye shows that the creature that possesses 1t was meant to soar, not to burrow. Man Is mole with an eagle's eye, if this earthly life is his be- all, and his end-all. He has capacities and faculties which show that he was meant for the empyrean-not for the cave.
 B. From the change which we undergo here without destruction.
 Very great changes certainly do take place in us here without destroying us for instance, mutilations of the bodily frame. A man may lose large propor- tion of his body and still have as much sense and as much character as ever. A young Englishman was engaged to be married to a charming girl to whom he was devotedly attached He went into the Crimean war and had a leg and an arm shattered and amputated. His sense of honor required him to write to his be- trothed and offer to release her from the engagement He did so, telling her that his love for her was undminished. The splendid reply of the noble girl deserves to be remembered to the last syllable of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

recorded time: If there is enough of your body left to contain your great soul l will keep mt engagement
 Ewell, when he charged at Gettysburg' and Hood, when he stormed the works at Franklin, had each lost leg, and | never heard either of them suspected Of any loss of vitality. When the surgeons were amputating Hoods leg, some one said in his presence: "rhere goes for good, soft place in some bureau of the Confederacy,' and the hero replied: "No' sir! No bomb-proof for me. mean to see this fight out in the field" When Ewell and John B. Gordon were riding together under fire al Gettysburg, Gordon heard close to him the dull "thud,' which a soldier instantly recognizes as the sound which a bullet makes in hitting solid substance, and, turning to Ewell' he asked: General, are you hit?' Well, yes" said the cool old soldier; and see how much better off I am than you are. If you had been hit so, we should have had to carry you off the field; but 1t doesn't hurt a bit to be hit in your wood en leg.
 Further. we suspend the exercise of many of our faculties every time we so to sleep yet nobody believes that the soul is extinct when we are asleep. NOW al Ithat we know about death is that It Is A suspension of the exercise of certain powers that were in action during lue. That any of these powers are destroyed there is not the least proof.
 f. From the unity and simplicity 'ot consciousness, and of the conscious self.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

which had lost all It's officers early in the battle, a battle that lasted for three hours with hottest fighting, and which ended by driving the enemy into the Po- tomac river, where so many of them hor- ribly perished by drowning, minnie balls and the sinking of boats Before the battle she met the gallant Colonel Feath- erstone of the Seventeenth Mississippi, who had known her when she was a little girl but he did not recognize her, of course.
 Much has been asked about the sensa- lions of a soldier in battle. It may not be uninteresting to hear what this female soldier saidNof that: "The sensations of a soldier in the thick of fight baffle de- scription; and as his hopes ebb or sink with the flow of the battle, and as he sees comrades fall dead or wounded about him, hears the sharp hiss of the bullets, the shrieking of the shells, the yell of the soldiers on each side as they smite each other, they is positive enjoyment in the deadly perils of the occasion that nothing can equal" Yet the horror of the route at Balls Bluff sickened her, and though she fought valiently at Sh- loh, and on other occasions, finally con cluded that she was not Joan of Arc, that the battlefield was not where she could use her sex to the best account In the war, and engaged afterwards as mill  tary conductor on the railroad between Columbia Tenn, and Bowling Green, Ky. obtaining her commission from Gen. Lu- cius M. Polk, and as a Confederate se- cret service agent.
 Her most romantic service was on the field at Shiloh. After her husbands death she had corresponded with the cap- tain of her Arkansas Grays, first on bus iness afterward on the questions Of tho heart, and so 1t transpired at the time of Shiloh, Capt. DeCaulp's breast pocket contained the photograph and letters from @ handsome young widow he had last seen at Pensacola, and that similar mementoes were in her own coat pocket. Captain Harry T. Buford" was at Mem- phls on the eve of Shiloh, and on learn ing that something was to happen of im- portance at the front, went to Corinth, and there he found great preparations making for the averaging of Fort Donel-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
BY F. L. MONKS

scenery did not evoke 8 passing remark until Mobile bay came In view, and then the enthusiasm was unbounded. A boy about 10 years old nearly went wild vita delight. Look" said he, look at all the water, look at all the water" Flo bad had a book between him and nature up to that moment but. the instant he saw na- ture all his heart went out to 1t. Had that same boy gone forth with gun "a would probably hava killed birds and squirrels and rabbits. not knowing any t1ing about them except that they wei @ good to eat but had he been reared among them, had he heard tho song of the bird or seen the antics of the squirrel he would have grown to love them and have a sympathy with them which would nave far outwelghed his desire to eat them.
 Instead of sending boys out in the woods armed with a shotgun send them out to observe and learn the ways of na- ture. to understand her language whether 1t be expressed In thunder tones or zephers in the roaring of the lion or the humming of the bee. When men learn to live and sympathize with the poorest and weakest of Gods creatures they will learn to love and worship God himself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

the weak; but 1t is the valiant slayer of robins and rabbits who throws up his hands when the footpad calls upon him to stand and deliver.
 The right to hunt and kill game. if it belongs to anyone, belongs to the man who lives in the country, not to the man who takes advantage of holiday or a time of idleness to leave the city and seek change in the country. Life in city has it's attractions for those who live there. In return for those attractions they accept the close apartmnets, labori- ous occupations and continual struggle for existence which constitute the elements of city life. The countryman finds ,his at fractions in the pure air. green fields and extent of his range. While his life is no less toilsome than the resident in the city it has the advantage of the feeling of independence which the man enjoys who knows that he need not fear his employers frown A visit to the city is a gladsome event in the life of a country man and equally so Is a visit to the eoun try by the citizen. but it is worthy of note that while the city benefits by the visit of the countryman the country suf- fers from the visit of the citizen.
 This is merely another illustration of the effects of restraint suddenly removed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

son. With a pass from the provost mar shal, she put her tent in an army wagon and with Bob, her 1S-year- old body ser want. mounted her horse aud rode impa- tiently over the roads, made wretched by the spring rains, to Monterey, a little vil- lage then of half dozen scattered homes, half way between Corinth and Shiloh church. d little Methodist meet ing house, just outside the Federal picket lines. Here she must stop for the night; ; so forage was obtained from a Mississippi regiment, the animals fed and then she raked up some leaves, spread her sad dle blanket on them and resting her head upon her saddle. fell asleep. But soon. as the veterans well remember. the rain began to fall in torrents. She awoke and with something of a cavalry mans care for his horse, covered him with the blanket, and then hurriedy sought one of the deserted houses in the village, where she remained until the rain ceased at o'clock. As she wished to take9 n prominent part in the battle she hurried forward. A soldier generously offered her cup of coffee, the best, it seemed to her, she had ever tasted. though lack ing the qualities of much she had drank under better circumstances, and in re- turn she gave him a most welcome swal- low of brandy from flask she always carried for others, thugh she herself never drank anything stronger than cider or lemonade. She found General Hardee near Shiloh church, and reading her pass and hearing her request to be given a part in the battle, he said, "All right, fall in, and we'll see what can be done for you"
 At this~Karly hour the fighting had al- ready commenced, and the troops were hurryIng forward to attack the federals before they could prepare for effective re- sistance. She fell in with the men and joined in the surprise attack. Many of the enemy were only half dressed and could hardly snatch up any weapon at hand as the Confederates rushed out of the woods upon them. The Confederates captured the camp almost without re- sistance, and the hungry woman had the satisfaction of eating a good breakfast which had been cooked for a federal off cer. She was fortunate that day. Glano-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

N the 14th verse of the 14th chapter
 of the book of Job, we find the fol- A lowing question asked by Job him self; "If man die, shall he live again" As an honest expositer l can not con scientiousy explain this question away as a rhetorical figure of speech, for the connection distinctly shows that it was a genuine. searching question, which was struggling up out of the depths of Jobs heart.
 It is to be feared that not few readers of the book of Job utterly fail to appre- ciate the situation and environment of the hero, for as Wordsworth says: Pow srs there are that touch each other to the quick in modes, that the gross world no sense hath to perceive; no soul to dream of"
 Job had been sadly, sorely tried. He had lost his all in this world, and the future life was evidently dark to him. We do not know the period at which he fore Christ brought life and Immortality to light through the gospel It is by no means certain that Job knew of the ex- istence of any one of the books of the Old Testament. The obscurity which comes out in Jobs question applies to the whole subject so far as it is touched upon in the Old Testament We need not expect to find in any of the Old Testa-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

hour. but the dilatory order of the suc- cessor of Johnston prevented a total route of the federaa, such as this woman had witnessed at Balls Bluff. She says she was made acquainted that afternoon
 with the fact that Buel would reinforce the enemy that night by a federal prls- oner whom she persuaded that she m tended to desert On this information she determined to slip Inside the enemy camp that night and ascertain for herself if any endorsements arrived. This hazardous undertaking she not only ac- complished but she claims also to have come within pistol shot of General Grant, as he and another general passed up the river in a sliiff to one of the gunboats, and spared his life because she shrank from what seemed assassina tion. She crept a noiselessly as possible through the underbrush, passing the piclIets of Gen. Lew Wallace, to a point near the river, from which she could sec pretty clearly what was transpirlng at the land- ing The federals were crowded about the landing in the worst disorder and had no means of crossing the river. One moro brilliant, grand charge, such as AL bert Sidney Johnston had led that day, would have captured or annihilated the federal army. While she was watching and chafing under the blunder of Beaude- gards order to cease firing. a steamboat Of endorsements arrlNeu at tho lahu- ing. Fresh troops were Immediately formed and dispatched to the front. About dark the two gunboats, Tyler and Lexington, had moved up tho mouth Of Lick creek, and commenced throwing shells Into the Confederate lines, greatly to the annoyance of the men, There was something peculiar about those missels hurled by the gunboats, and they excited more disagreeable sensations than either musket or rifle balls, or projectiles from the field artilleries They could be seen in the air for some seconds, and each soldier felt they were aiming directly at him. The soldiers who would fight with out ninching in the face of musketry or field artillery instinctvely lodged from these monsters and that came with shriek just before bursting among the men or ploughing Into tho earth. mak- ing a hole cart and horse might pc
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08

made a great speech on the subject that the proofreaders of the government printing office read. The gist of 1t was that the American republic mas gone to the dogs, and that the American people are undone. 1 have heard that speech some 10000 times. and have written i miles and miles of that sort of stuff for the newspapers myself.
 The President of tho United States was the leader of the octopus chase, with the Hon. Ben Tillman chief hunts man in the senate. and the Hon. Bill Chandler whooping things up on tn 0 outside The republicans were much disconnected when they found their President in the democratic camp. but Uncle Allison came along and fixed things that the President got back home, not, however, until there was held a stormy chapter of the Ananias club, where knights of mendacity were hurled against one another like so many Hollands and Olivers. When Sen ator Aldrch saw the President safely rescued from the camp of Tillman, Bai- ley and the other democratic octopus chasers he went to Europe. Congress adjourned, and the country fell to It's old trade of Presldentmaking.
 Tn the democratic camp there is an ab- solute autocrat to whom everything must be referred. Nothing is democratic of which he disapproYes. Certainly he will make the pla tform; doubtless he will head the ticket. There was some brave talk of southern man; but MT. Bryan met 1t with a sheer that put that talk to si- lence. However. some things might hap pen between dog days, 1907. and the con- yention of 1908.
 On the republican side of the hedge the situation is more interesting. Never be- fore were there so many candidates, ac- tive and receptive-Taft. Fairbanks, Can- non. Knox. Hughes Cortelyou, Cummins Crane. Shaw, Spooner, Foraker, Scott and LaFollette Then there is the third term talk, and everybody knows that Roosevelt can have 1t for a wink or d grin. Taft would be the strongest man of the whole layout on the day of elcc- ton. but it is doubtful if he can get the nomination. The opposition to the ad- minlsuatlon will concentrate on Fair banks or Cannon or Knox. possibly on Hughes. never on Cummns or LaFolettc At this writing the Cortelyon boom has the floor. much to that gentleman's dls- gust. who would gladly have postponed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
THE SEA AND THE HILLS.

By Rudyard Kipling.
 Who hath desired the Sea? The sight of
 salt water unbounded- The heave and the halt and the hurl and
 the crash of the comber wind
 bounded?
 The leek-barreled swell before storm.
 gray foamless enormous, growing Stark calm on the lap of the Line, or the crazy-eyed hurricane blowing His Sea is no showing the same-his Sea
 and the same meath each showing His Sea as she slaken or thrills? So and no otherwise-so and no otherwise hillmen desire their Hills Who hath desired the sea?-the immense contemptuous surges? The shudder, the stumble, the swerve as the star-stabbing bowsprit emerges The orderly clouds of the trades, and the rigged roaring sapphire hereunder Unheralded cliff-haunting flaws and the headsails low-volleying thunder His Sea. in no wonder the same-his Sea and the same through each wonder; His sea as she rages or stills? So and no otherwse-so and no otherwise
 hllmen desire their Hillsj