davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Fall of the Dispensary

After fourteen years full of trouble and graft, Senator Tillmans pet scheme has been voted out. The South Carolina state dispensary did yield not a little net income, but it also yielded a big crop of scandals until the state legislature decided 10 end it's course, and to adopt instead either county dis pensaries or prohibition
 It was Senator Tillmans force and magnetism-his strong personality that kept it alive even after all felt that it could not endure. All knew that liquors could not be bought in great quantities for the state without the intervention of graft, but many hes itated because MT. Tillman stood bravely by his pet measure. He final ly yielded to some extent to public sen timent and then the state dispensary fell, never to reappear in a state in this country South Carolina could not keep graft out of it, and no other state could do any better.
 County dspensaries are perhaps feasible because they purchase liquors In smaller quantities, and yet in them rottenness is by no means unknown. However, local option by counties seems to be an acceptable plan for set ting a veXed problem. It enables when granted in all it's fullness the people of a county to say whether they will have prohibition, licensed saloons ol B county dispensary, and vote can undo what has once been established A vote is an ascertainment of the will of sovereigns, and as such it outranks all other forms of neighborhood settle ments.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
FUN AND PATHOS

The job was done to order for as nice a woman as ever trod the earth, the flower of a family of high degree. No end to their wealth. so everybody thought. Father died. left an immense fortune in trust. Trustee, a seoundrel, beggared the estate and skipped. When the exposure took place. girl was about to marry a nob He had a frozen heart on account O. the changed financial conditions, and the wedding. already announced, was postponed. The Lord didn't postpone the measley chap. The races and the bucket shop got him, and if he lives long enough he will be peddling shoestrings Saturday nights and panhandling the rest Of the week. The brave little woman is now giving piano lessons to support herself and mother Everything they had went and they are the poorest of the poor. !.
 Another sign reads: Receivers Sale. Entire Stock. to Be Closed Out There is a story goes with that. A man in trade crawled all the way up the ladder by patient degrees, winning every inch and every dollar by hard work, square deal ing, and clean methods. Then at the
 
 head and thought that he knew 1t all, made some blunders that jared him. but taught him no lesson. Then he got gay, became extravagant, then reckless; instead of hauling in sail. he spread more canvas, threw discretion to the winds. and his craft turned turtle. Mir Man is in a sanitarlum. his affairs in the hands of the receiver, and his wife was in yes- terday and ordered a window card, Board by the Day or Week."
 l sell Girl Wanted" signs to the res ta2rant folks. The last one that dis posed of produced unexpected results. A wicked wag stole It out of the window and fastened it 10 the coat tail of a bachelor friend and he paraded the whole length of the street with the announce ment in view, and as he passed down the street a pretty young woman ran after and halted him and removed the sign with many apologies and bushes. That strange meeting led to an acquaint- ance and a wedding.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Prom the New York Commercial.

From the New York Commercial
 N ID you ever note anything in the W advertising columns of a news
 A< paper that told tale in brief as plainly as if it filled a column of the reading matter in another section of the newspaper? Some people read between the lines romances and tragedies of the signs as readily.
 A city sign painter has recently ehatted entertainingly about the suggestiveness of his work. Ever since l first learned my trade. he said, I have been a reader of signs as well as a maker of them. Be- tween the lines of many a sign l read a story--a tale of triumph or a tragedy of defeat. Again, I have acquired the habit of industry. and by industry I thrive, pay rent, meet bills, keep square with my fellowman and am in the shop when wanted.
 l painted a window card for a promi nent merchant years ago. It read, Boy Wnated." It was remarkable boy who got the job. As I lettered 1t, 1 imagined who the boy would be and how he would turn out I kept my eye on the boy who took the job the merchants daughter for a wife. and place in tho firm. That was romance, and a fact.
 In my time have l painted many Boy Wanted" Well, some of them did not turn out so well as my first hero, more than one was not wanted long and went to the bad.
 It was only the other day that a man along in years dropped in on me. He pur- chased q Furnished Room card and 1 could not hide the expression of surprise in my face He explained that he had lost a fortune since retiring from busi- ness. He told me that the only thing that was saved from the wreck was the fam fly home which. as good luck would have it, was in the name of the wife. As he paIu for the placard he said sarcastical- ly: My wife has furnished rooms to rent in the house and I have vacancy in the upper story
 have in my shop now "Plano Les sons" sign that is a dirge of buried hopes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Beavers Minstrels.

There are many attractions in Birming- ham the coming week, but none that will create more notice than the Beavers big minstrel show that will be presented at the Jefferson theatre Thursday and Fri day, February 21 and 22. A special feature will be new and original comedy aero battle act by Messrs. Kissinger and De- Witt, assisted by Americas most wonder full trick tumbler, MT. Lamont. formerly of the great Lamont family, who for many years were leading feature with the great P. T. Barnum show. xissinger and Dewitt are heart and soul in the work. They have freely volunteered their services. /.
 The ticket sale will open at the Jef- ferson Tuesday morning, February l9, and continue until the night of the show. It is to be hoped that rousing houses will greet the performances inasmuch as the proceeds are to be devoted to the poor children's fund of the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

ened and ampiified, though there is nothing illiberal in any of the amend ments proposed. Fines are imposed on steamship companies for bringing lm- migrants of certain of the excluded classes. provided their condition might have been ascertained by competent medical examination at the ports of embarkation. Finally, there is a pro vision extending the time within which those liable lo become public chalses may be deported from two to three Vpars
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Teel1nolouical School.

''I was amused at the mistake which the Chattanooga Star made the other day when it intimated that Birmingham had got it's cue for technologieal school from suggestion which appeared in that paper few days ago. said citizen. ".z<1 fact is. The Age-Herald for several years past has been urging the people of Bir- mlngham to establish a technologieal school Several months ago the Com mercial club took up the matter and ! on plans.
 nplans.
 Every large industrial center needs a school Of technology, and Birmingham above all cities in the south should have one. It is hoped the committee having the matter i'll hand will be able to report u plan that can be worked out success fully Many persons interested in this sub ject thought it would be a good thing to remove the Auburn school to Brming- ham, but the faculty of the institution op- posed that suggestion, and the idea Was dropped"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Educational Center.

Richmond is well known as an educa- tional centere said Charles May, a Yir- ginian now visiting Birmingham. and to focus the collegiate idea, plan is on foot to form the existing institutions of learning in and near the city into a uni- versty combination, to be known as the University of Richmond.
 "These are some of the institutions that il is proposed 10 bring together under one university head: Richmond college. which is under Baptist influence; Ran dolph-M Macon college, Methodist instltu- ton; Union Theological seminary, a Pres byterian institution; the Virginia Medical college and the Mechanics institute. Each college or institution is 10 retain it's au- tonomy, but q large central building is to be erected and furnished with a library, laboratory and athletic equipment for the use of all. Ample funds have been prom ised by the citizens to promote and endow the University of Richmond"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
MARK TWAIN AS A sPECULAToR.

From the North American Review.
 1 had taken up my residence in San Francisco One day l got tip from MT. Camp. bold man who was always making big fortunes in ingenious specu- lations and losing them again in the course of six months by other speculative ingenuities. Camp told me to buy some shares in the Hale and Norcross. hought fifty shares at three hundred dol lars a share. I bought on a margin, ana mt up 20 per cent It exhausted my funds I wrote Orion and offered him half, and asked him to send his snare of the money l waited and waited lie wrote and said he was going to attend to it. The stock went along up pretty brisl1ly It went higher and higher. It reached d thousand dollars a share. It climbed to two thousand. then 10 three thousand: then to twice that figure. ihe money did not come but l was not uls- turbed. By and by that stock LOOK turn and began to gollop down Ihen wrote urgently. Orion answered that he had sent the mony long ago-sald ne had sent it to the Occidental hotel. l in- auired for it. They said it was not there. To cut a long story short, that stock went on down until it fell below the price I had paid for it. Then it began to eat up the margin, and when at last I got out I was very badly crippled.
 When it was too late, l found out what had become of Orions money. Any other human being would have sent a check, but he sent gold. The hotel clerk put 1t in the safe and went on vacation, and there it had reposed all this time en- toying it's fatal work, no doubt. Another man might have thought to tell me that the money was not in a letter, but was in an express package, but it never oc- cured to Orion to do that.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
cENTREvILLE ENDORSES souTt
For Federal PIum-Deputy Sheriff Re-
 turns with Glascock.

Centreville, February 17.-(Speeial.)-
 Deputy Sheriff John ReddiclS returned from Selma yesterday. bringing with him a young white man by the name of Glass cock, wanted here for violation of the criminal laws. Some months ago Glass cock fled on the approach of the sheriff,
 and nothing more was heard from him until a message was received stating that he was in jail in Selma.
 On Thursday night the ladies of the Baptist church at this place gave Val
 entine party and oyster supper at the
 home of Mir and Mrs. J. r. Thompson. It was an enjoyable affair, and quite nice sum was realized.
 Judge w l.. Pratt and. Circuit Solici- tor J. F. Thompson returned from Mont gomery yesterday, where, they had been
 to look after the interest of Blob county in the matter of locating the boundary
 line between Bibb and Shelby counties. The disputed points were settled and the bill fixing the boundary between these counties will pass the legislature
 The people who travel the Marion and Centreville dirt road on the west side l of the Cahaba river are considerably stirred up over the fact that a traction
 engine is being used on said road by one of the saw mill companies located at Brent. They complain that 1t is almost | impossible to get a horse or mule to pass the engine, and they further say | that the engine is so wide that it covers the entire part of the road that is used for travel.
 A petition was circulated here yester- day in the interest of Edward D. Smith of Birmingham asking that the President appoint him to the federal judgeship re- gently created for the Northern division Sf Alabama. It was signed by every
 member of the Centreville bar. Mir. Smith is well known here and Is very popular. The 0. G. Huff Lumber company has
 about completed It's railroad and will soon begin saving.
 The spring term of the circuit court of
 Bibb county will convene here on Feb ruary 9 for session of three weeks. II. C. Cleveland of the well known firm
 of H. C. & H. L. Cleveland of this place
 has been in St Louis for the last week purchasie~ "oods for the spring and summer trade i .9yyENI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
From Lipplncotts Magazine.

From Lippncotts Magazine.
 @- HE English are not dull, as we (CD sometimes contend; they are
 merely different For the rest, the English, or rather the British Wlt and humor arc the most comprehensive and the best in the world, next to the American Indeed. In the colonies we are apt to find the spirit which we clam as essentially American in the nun or every day. A Canadian story is told ol raw Irish girl who went to clergyman and asked to know what fee he charged for marrying. She was told dollar and a half. After an interval of a few weeks she appeared again, presented the specl- fled sum and bade the minister go ahead
 Where is the bridegroom?' the clergy man nqnirod.
 .'Whatr' cried Bridget in amazed in dignatlon. Don't you furnish the man for dollar and a half?'
 As a rule humor rather than wit is the British characteristic. The fun is found in absurd situations that have no sus- gestion of malice toward any one. DICK ems tells of two men who were about to be hanged and who were together on scaffod erected in the public place. All about them below an immense coneourse waited. At this moment bull which was being taken to market ran amuck in the crowd and began goring persons right and left. Bill, on the scanold turned to his companion and said:
 'I say, Jim, it's good thing we're not in that crowd"
 Another English joke is of a vegeta- rian who proposed to woman, where upon she delivered herself Of the FOLLOW ing scathing words: "Go along Wlth you! What? Be flesh of your hesh ana you a-llving on cabbage? Go and marry a grass widow"
 I doubt if more of wit and humor were ever put into a single word than Tn Punch's famous advice to those about to get married: "Don'tn'
 In the same line of thought is the re- mark of a London woman of the East End who went to hospital for treat ment.
 "Who did this" asked the surgeon. Some of these bruises and cuts are very serious. Was it your husband?"
 LOT bless ye. nol"' came the answer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
White Watchmen,

"I think it would be for the benefit of all concerned if the Terminal company would appoint white watchman to keep trespassers off the site of the new de- pot" said d business man yesterday
 "I was myself inside the fence. and will admit I should not have been there, but not observing the notice to keep out went on until 1 found myself confronted by a negro who very forcefully told me to get outside. The mere fact that the negro was only doing his duty did not serve to allay the irritation l naturally felt at being spoken to by negro on such a manner. My first impulse was to pick up a rock and knock him down. but a moments reflection showed me I had no right to be there.
 "We have hot-blooded young fellows here in this city who would not hesitate a second to shoot a negro who would address them as that negro spoke to me, while the same young man would willing ly retire at the direction of al white man. 1 am sure the contractors do not intend any offense to the public by putting a ne- gro in charge of the premises on Sum- days when so many people visit the place to sec the pIoSless WHICH IS pelilS hldue and the sort of work being done, and l am equally confident they need only be reminded of the matter to change the condition.
 Now, mind, I'm not finding any fault with the negro vetchman He had his patience severely tested every minute. Hardly had he warned off trespassers from one part of the grounds when his attention was called to another point He was the busiest man l have seen in many day. and l say all this to his credit in the faithful discharge of his duty; but I still say that it would be safer and better to put white man in the place and 1 hope it will be done.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Cost of the Philippines

There are two things that the re- publican party strives to keep secret, namely, the cost to the people of the Dingley tariff, and the cost to the peo- pie of the Philippines. Both are con ly the tariff spoliation scheme, and it is impossible to say what the extent of the taxation Is. All know, however. that 1t is enormous-that at least ten dollars go into private pockets to one that goes ino the treasury.
 resulted in whole or in part from the put by some at a billion of dollars, and that the annual charge at present is fifty million dollars. We get nothing of value in return The trade to and from the islands is insignificant and it Is not increasing to any appreciable extent. If all the facts were brought out-if the people were frankly told how little they are getting from the Philippines, and how much that little costs, sentiment would quickly spring up in favor of getting rid of the islands.
 Senator Clay of Georgia is trying 10 ascertain the cost of the Philippines to this country, but the administra tion is endeavoring to pigeonhole it, and no doubt they will succeed. The two subjects are sore ones to the republicans, and they are determla"i to keep from the people the cost of either to the people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
DEATH OF ANTONY.

By Gen. W. II. Lytle. l am dying, Egypt. dying;
 Ebbs the crimson life tide fast; And the dark Plutonian shadows
 Gather on the evening blast. Let thine arms, o Queen, enfold me;
 Hush thy sobs and bow thine ear Listen to the great heart secrets
 Thou. and thou alone, must hear. Though my scared and veteran legionA
 Bear their eagles high no more; And my wrecked and scattered galleys
 Strew dark Actiums fatal shore; Though my gllttering guard surround me
 Prompt to do their masters will; l must perish like a Roman.
 Die the great trumvir still Let not Caesars servile minions
 Mock the lion thus laid low; Twas no foeman's hand that did it.
 Twas his own that struck the blow. Bear thou pillowed on thy bosom,
 Fer his star shall lose it's ray, He who. drunk with thy caresses,
 Madly flung world away. Should the base plebeian rabble
 Dare assail my name at Rome. Where the noble spouse, Octavia,
 Weeps within he'd widowed home, Seek her; say the gods bear witness,
 Altars. augurs, circling wings, That her blood with mine commingled
 Yet shall mount the throne of kings. As for thee, star eyed Egyptian,
 Glorious sorceress of the Nile, Light the way to Styglan horrors
 With the splendor of thy smile Give the Caesar crowns and arches;
 Let his brow the laurel twine: can scorn the senate's triumphs,
 Triumphing in love like thine. I am dying. Egypt, dying
 Hark-the insulting foeman's cry. They are coming! Quick. my falchionf Let me front them ere die, An. no more amid the battle
 Will my heart exultng swell. Isis and Osiris guard thee:
 Cleopatra. Rome. farewell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Cotton Headuuarters

"rhe removal of the headquarters of the Southern Cotton association from At lanta to Birmingham will be q great thing for this city from the viewpoint of an advertisement. to say nothing of the real commercial advantages that will follow" said cotton buyer. q under stand that the matter of bringing Presi- dent IIarvie Jordan's office force to Br- mingham has been virtually decided on. This city is the greatest banking center in the south except New Orleans; it has the largest and only up-to-date warrant warehouse in the south, and is the hub, geographically speaking, of the cotton country. The facts make Birmingham the logical point for the headquarters of the Southern Cotton association"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
PRESS POINTS

Youngstown Telegram: President Roose- more messages to Congress until the Thaw trial is at an end Chattanooga Times: The Birmingham grand jury had light days work Mon for murder. Have to get a livelier move than that on to keep up with the former reputation of the Magic City, Macon Telegraph: It looks like convict labor is the only sort that promises to stick to the canal job.
 Denver Post: A morning paper says William Thaw. nephew of Harry, is in Denver for a time. When Harry Thaw last stopped in Denver he was here for a time"
 New York Commercial. The President writes interestingly on his favorite topic to the New York State Mothers assem- bly, and we again learn from him that, while mans work is from sun to sun, woman's work should be from daughter to son.
 Portland TelegraIri Evelyn Thaw's tes- timony throws clear light on the char acter of the two men. the victim and the slayer. and incidentally the Nesbit mother fills up an ugly background.
 Portland Telegram: A Connecticut man is accused of stealing sixty comic operas That is not crime; it is benevolenee
 Memphis Commercial-Appeal: MT. Je- rome is evidently a pretty shrewd fel- low; but he Is a pettifoger all the same A big lawyer for the prosecution never objects to having all the facts brought out that will throw light on a case MT. Delmas evidently has the best of the argument so far.
 Houston Post: An eastern paragrapher remarks that John w Gates would never give s92,0000OO for education No, but MT Gates is probably willing to bet that much on education.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

numerous. Nearly everybody has one
 The most valuable albums sare made up of the beautiful cards. An album con- taining a hundred of the most expensive cards is real work of art. Often the picture card enthusiast will have several albums. a comic and a serious. The lat est card on the market Is the sacred one. These cards depict the life of Christ from the hour of his birth to the cricifixion."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
NEGRO CONDUCTS CASE.

From the CIio Free Press.
 A few days ago we stood in crowded court room and listened to a poor un- lettered negro attempt to conduct the prosecution of his sisters murderet He was too poor to hire counsel and the court allowed him to conduct the case.
 Arrayed against him was a lawyer of brilliant attachments, who strove to clear his client with all his might. And we thought surely that. with such odds in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
The Post Card Fad.

"The picture postal card as a fed is the greatest of recent years" said an ob- servant citizen yesterday. Tn larger cities there are stores which deal alone in these cards. They are money makers.
 There are all kinds, the comic the rl- dculous, the beautiful and even the sa- cred. They sell for all prices, ranging from one cent to one dollar. In Br- mingham the highest priced cards sell for something like a quarter. These are pictures that are really valuable, on first class cardboard.
 "The albums made of these cards are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

The Larchmont horror minimizes the railroad disasters, terrible as the latter have been of late.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

The proof reader is the only known person who reads the Congressional Record exhaustively.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

The Mississippi has officially been declared a river with mo commercial prospects" The railroads have pre- empted those prospects.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

The Nashville Banner, missing the Fairbanks boom. concludes 1t has been placed in cold storage where it will feel at home and comfortable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

It is difficult to understand why the British desire to abolish the House of Lords while we cling to Platt and Depew and our esteemed millionaires.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18
Fine Pointer poa Found.

A fine pointer dog was found yesterday afternoon in the union depot by police man and will be kept at police headqusr- ters until called for.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-18

St. Louis should wake up to the fact that the Mississippi is not the only river in this country.