davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

Professor Burrows has told his story so that this
theme stands out at every turn
What misfortune that Crete has not thrown
n glare OF light upon the men and women OF
Homer! We should gladly have remained in
ignorance about the Neothic men and the
Minotaur II the excavations had spoken out
unambiguously about the Acheans and their
minstrels But. although scholars have
ventured TO make Crete the birthplace OF the
Odyssey. the ruins at Knossos neither confirm
this speculation nor tell US anything certain
about the age OF Odysseus and his poetic biog-
rapher. For this we must turn TO the Homeric
poems themselves. If these are read simply as
verses and stories. they give only n vague i'm
preston at best of the intimate life OF their
characters But what wonders the card cata-
logue can work with poem! Looking at Pro
fessor Seymour's painstakins Encouragement OF
the Incidents mentioned in the Iliad and the
Odyssey. We are forced TO confess that Homer
aided by the up-tO-date methods of filing can
tell US more about his countrynen and their
contemporaries than all the men who dig In
dead cities. In the apOtheosis OF Homer the
arch1ologists and anthropologists should take
their place among the literary and artistic
geniuses who render him homage We state
here fact, not a sentiment: Homer has un
Intentionally recorded thousands OF facts which
need only the deft hand of the compiler to make
us see with unimaginative eyes the prehistoric
Greeks and their surroundings more distinctly
than the average summer tourist sees the people
or the foreign lands he visits. 1t is without re-
Foach that we entitle Professor Seynour's
Lie In the Homeric Age" a transcription of a
caru catalogue of the Homeric poems III the
mere compilation OF facts told by the hard e
ntue more than hack work. certainly the in
telligent transcription OF these is not The
simplest Interpretation of hundreds of items de-
mands profound and extensive knowledge of
archaeology and literature. while no little lit
erary skill is needed to rescue ten thousand
citations from the unreadable monotony of a
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

mere catalogue. Although many OF the to,,.-
the author touches upon are too prosa,c ..
fragmentary TO don a pleasing dress ., FDg,i.s
style, all the more important ones have boar
handled cleverly and can be read with pleas,-1
as well with profit.
The heroic age. seen at close range. was ~.
regret to say. more rude than gIorious u,
gIories come chiefly from its poet A sani,ary,
commission appointed to inspect PeneIona,.
house and manners would find in its "comnIoi,.
files facts like the following:
Within the courtyard, before the door n, ~
house, PenelOpes sUitOrs hayed goats and sinsas
swine; not far away. also in front Of the boTS
was a heap Of manure (On which the dog A--HV,
lay) waiting TO be carried the fields. bOb ev,?
and dogs wandered at large in the cOurtvs-J
OdysseUS slept Ton one OCCASION on an untsrTej
OK hide; of the sUitors. ttesinpus t0OE .
hoOf of from 4 basket az his side ae -
sat feasting in the great hau. and hurled II at
the disguised (but, may conjecture not ds1
guSted) Odysseus; raw meat was kept on ban5
in the banquet hall; the hall Of the house had ~
floor: and blood and refuse were cleaned up vi;S
hoes,
Alas for lovely Penelope, How the card cata-
Iogue furnishes her beauty by showing too hon
estly the loyal lady's unlOvely Surroundings and
her crude conceptions OF housewifery. II a
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

torical ones AS in Troy and Nippur so at
Knossos, palace has been piled on palace from
millennium to millennium; but while the nrst
city of Nippur probably dates back TO ABOUT
1000 B. c.. the deepest palace ruins OF the
Minoan palace remnants of Neohthlc age
which the archeologists set at about l-Ooo
B. c.
This alone should make the reader curious 10
turn to Professor Burrowss descriptions; but IL
more were needed. there is the almost unbe-
lievabIe assertion that the Labyrinth in which
Theseus sought and fought the supposedly
tabled MnOtaur has been found, together Win
copious proofs that the Minotaur himself was a
real monstrous bull kept for only the greatest
Of the highly popular and frequent bulhghts-
But, after all. Crete is most interesting. not
for the reality its ruins lend to old and charming
myths, but for the vast mass of new informa-
ton II gives us about the early Greeks. their
ancestors, relatives friends. politics and busi-
ness relations with other peoples. In all this
nothing will impress the classical student more
than the overwhelming evidences of the partly
Oriental origin OF Hellenic religions and art
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

woman whose dOwry was a kingdom lived Ike
this. who cares 20 imagine how Tie common
women managed their households But short
range study Is not fatal 10 ali pleasant
fanCies about the heroic age II O chapter on
the position OF Homerc women Professor Sey-
mour confirms an old belief that the sex en-
joyed liberty OF action and opinion ar more
than in later. more civilized ages Women were
not secluded as in Oriental lands they went TO
circus performances. washed their clothes At
public troushs. associated freely with men and
frequently did guard duty on the city battle
ments in war time They held property. ruled
large estates and We're not sold into marriage
Their freedom surely had much 10 DO with
making them "the glorious mothers Of immortal
heroes" But this does not explain ali the heroic
virtues OF their children: the trained nurse Of
the fortieth century after Homer viii surely find
the true cause OF GreeCe's large crop of heroes
In the diet of her babes. Andromache tells Us
that the little Astyanax. while still an infant in
arms. ION the knees OF his father ate only mar
row and the rich fat OF sheep" AQhrOdite
brought up the daughters Of Paniareus on
cheese. honey and wine. mixed up a weird
punch. Young Achilles ate meat and drank
wine while still too tiny to feed himself Nat
urally in those pre-health food days, only heroic
infants reached maturity. Professor SeymOur's
book includes descriptions OF HomeVic COSmOg-
raphy and geography. the Honeric state dress
and decoration. house and furniture food. prop
erty trades and crafts. slavery. sea life. agri-
culture. fauna and numerous less important
matters. Absolutely free from speculation and
controversy. the volume will surely prove val
liable to every student of Greek life and htera-
ture. 1t has the further advantage Of being the
only work Of its kind on the English book mar
ket to-day.
What Professor Seymour has done for an
earlier epoch Professor Tucker has done Tor
Athens OF the classical period in unpreten-
tious but most pleasing way Where the for
mer writer is exhaustive and erudite, the latter
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

was little more than n majestic blur In the I'M
hghted distance of the past. few snatches OF
song a little unauthenticated philosophy
science and history-nothing else. To the
classicists OF century ago more facts but no
fewer fctions were known: Hellenic civilization
was still topic for gigantesque generalizations
Men talked pleasingly of tendencies in Greek
art, Greek morals. Greek philosophy and Greek
politics: but nobody could tell much about Greek
salads. fashions in clothing. business methods
Kitchen utensils and all the many ordinary as
poets of life which. after all. are life How diff
ferently though. the modern Hellenist sees his
loved world! By reading Greek writings. not as
literature alone. but also disguised anthropol-
ogy, and by unearthng dead cities with infinite
care. patience and acuteness OF vision. he has
succeeded in rubbing elbows with the men and
the things that gave local color to ancient
towns and made the land a human habitation as
we'll a tabled haunt OF rhapsodists and
metaphysicians
Professor Burrowss book Crete is an ad-
mirable summary Of the astounding wealth of
discoveries made at KnOssos and other points on
the island during the last six years. The stories
of Troy and Nlppur have not only been repeated
in Crete; they have been surpassed in many re-
spects In unearthng the palace of King
Minos he who long thought as mythical
Theseus and the Minoraur frescos vases
jars. implements, coins. images and weapons
were found in incredible profusion and unusually
well preserved. But mere quantity and intact
ness do not make archaeological remains very
valuable: their chief value lies in the story they
tell. This is why the excavations of Mr. Arthur
Evans and other Cretan explorers must be
classed with those made at Troy and Nippur;
they reveal Greek life as ii was lived centuries
and perhaps millennums before Homer sang:
they disclose an unsuspected intimacy between
the Hellenic islands and the Semtes OF Egypt.
and they carry us back Enthusiastically to an an
tiquity so remote that, in speaking of It, we
think of astronomical rather than his
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
GDe Netu'2lo1Sls Gribmaaas
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1907.

In an amusing discourse ON what he aptly
rails "CacGthcS Corrigendi," a writer in the
London saturday Review" seeks an eXpana-
ton of a mystery. That mystery is why man,
being imperfect, should expect perfection, why
he so seldom sees anything which is even as
good as they make en-" We Sympathize with
the feeling of evaporation that he suffers over
the carpers to whom nothing in this world is
quite what it ought to be. But there is one
passage in this little essay which is especially
suggestive Says the writer:
Criticism nowadays is quite gentle art No
Mr.. Budycr "smashes and tramples down
the poor spring flowers with no more mercy
than bull would have a parterre." No
AIaCaulay puVeriZeS MOntgOmerieS Per
our MaCaulays too polite. Even n lit
tie more honey and n little less gall might be
welcome, but after all. while captouSness is
amusing. unmiXed praise is fiat (and may safely
be left to publishers.
Now we have our MOntgomerieS, any number
Of them. but have few If any Macaulays,
and there can be no doubt at all about the dis
nstrOus prevalence of that so-caIed politenesS
which is really nothing more nor less than
mushinesS. 1t is believed by some readers and
we fear, by a good many authors, that the
critic who is severe is necessarily malicious,
and has, into the bargain, a personal grudge
against the writer Of the book he happens to
is in love with his work there is no joy like
the JOY of praisns n good book. But if it is
his duty to do this it is equally his duty to
condemn with all the energy at his command
the stuff that is bad
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
THE ANCIENT GREEKS.
Their Daily Life, Seen Through
Ruins and Stories.

THE DISCOVERIES IN CRETE AND THEIR
BEARING ON THE HISTORY or, ANClf-1HI ~
CIVILIZATION. BY Ronald NJ. Burrows. pro
fessor of Greek in the University College car
diff. With Illustrations. Svo, PIP xvi al T. T.
DuttOn * Co.
LIFE IN THE HOMERIC AGE. BY Thomas Day
Seymour. Hlhouse professor of the Greek Ian
guage and literature in Yale University. Illus
trated. Svo, PIP xvi. 704 The Macmillan COM
pany.
LIFE IN ANCIENT ATHENS The Social ana ana
Public Life of Classical Athenlan from Day
Day. BY T. l. Tucker. Illustrated Eino
pp Kill 223 The Macmillan Company.
Paradoxical as it may sound, the further we
get from the ancient world the richer our
knowledge of its life becomes. It is not because
distance lends details it does enchantment
but simply because students are continually
learning how to look backward Ancient Greece
as known to the enthusiasts of the Renaissance
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
DAFF.1DTLL.

DAFF1DfLL.
BY MICHAEL DRAYTON.
Through yonder vale as l did pass,
Descending from the hill
1 met a sinking bOnny lass;
They call her Daffadill.
Whose presence as along she went
Tfs pretty flowers did greet
As though their heads they downward bent
WAh homage TO her feet
And all the shepherds that were nigh
From top of every hill
Unto the valleys loud did cry,
''There goes sweet Danadil."
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

There is one foible of the pseudo-Critical re-
viewer that is peculiarly absurd. Like the In
experienced layman who has 4 vague reverence
for mere print this kind of critic is convinced
that anything in the shape Of book must pos
EeSS certain dignity. Here, for example we find
an English writer who ought to know better In
dulging in the following curious observations 'T
see" he says, the names of or two men
of considerable literary distinction, well known
noveliSts, and so on, among the adjudicators In
recent Limerick Competitions. | am sorry that
1t should be so. 1t is a positive degradation OF
letters for any man who has produced a book
between covers TO be mixed up with such inani-
ties as these" Degradation fiddeSticks, IT
depends altogether upon the character Of the
book. The degradation Of letters comes in when
the writer who can produce only inanitieS and
nothing more has the effrontery to put them
between covers There is no siier superstition
than the one which assumes the publication of
book to - an act somehow automatically con
ferrinS standing in letters upon the writer of
the precious volume. The thing is pitfully Obvi-
Gus, yet in many quarters you will see the mush-
mess to which we have alluded above poured
out upon some wretched composition for no other
apparent reason than that the work before the
reviewer happens to have the physical character
iSticS of book. AS a matter OF fact we have
known many man to publish, first and last a
long row of volumes, without ever having writ
ten book in the true sense of the term.
New-York tribune., 1907-10-06

1t would not seem as If mankind needed TO
be stimulated in the writing Of fiction, but eyi-
IDENTITY the publisher who wants to get what he
wants must cast special lure. Witness the case
Of Mr.. Fisher Unwin, the we'll known London
publisher. He had so much success with a
First Novel Competition" that he organized
some time ago that he now announces another
offering n prize of one hundred guineas ANY
author may compete who has never had a novel
published in volume form. His typewritten
manuscript must run to not less than 10000
words, and ii should not exceed 100000 words
in length. He need not fear that his handiwOrk
will be submitted to a jury composed of his
enemies or rivals Mr.. Unwin himself is to be
the sole judge Of the competition, which closes
By the way, on April 80. 1908. The payment of
the prize to the successful competitor makes the
unrestricted copyright Of his novel the property
of the publisher. incidentally, that gentleman
retains the right to publish any of the unsuc-
ccssful novels on such terms as may be mu-
tually agreed upon between himself and the
authors. We hear the scratching Of a million
pens, the clicking of million typewrlters But
then, we seem to have been hearing these
sounds all along, and, in spite of ourselves we
marvel at these competitions which are every
now and then instituted. OF one thing we are
certain, and that is that the publisher is a
man cast in heroic mould
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
Stint. Rrne Rnnre.

Alabama must have a State rife range. There Is now about Ss,00O of the money appropriated by the gov arnment available, and July there will be $10 900 more for the purpose immediate ste~s should be taken looking to securing a suitable s'te and committee of officers of the Na- tIonal Guard should he appointed by the Governor to select the site. If action is taken at once asking the Governor to act there is no doubt he will do so, and the matter ought not to be longer delayed as arrangements cry opportunity for the men to prac- tice firing all the arms in the ser vice.
 In the State of Mississippl A com mittee of officers was appointed to select site for a State rife range and proposals for bids were made and received from several cities A spec ial from Jackson announces that Vicksburg has heen selected as the rlace for the location of the range, and this practically means that ali future State encampments will be held there As this matter is of the greatest interest to the National Guard of this State. the special re- ferred to is reproduced in full and will he read with profit. It follows:
 The land selected Is what is known as the Stout property, between forty and fifty acres in extent, located about three miles south of Vicksburg. and Is regarded as in every way favorably To- cated for target pr1ctiro VicksburR citizsns. through the Business League, agree Ge make a free donation of the land and ths estimated cost is 22nn
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
Annual Inspection .

The annual Inspection of the Alabama National Guard will begin for 1907 at Montgomery. February 20 and 21. and will continue until April 1. ending with Company H, srd Regiment at Alexander City. The list has been made up and was published yesterday. although the official order. which Is in course Of preparation. has not yet been issued.
 Major H. q. Sickeis of tho 18th Unit ed States Cavalry, stationed Ut Fort Ogiethorpe. Ga, Is the United States officer detailed for the purpose this year. He is to make the entire "Trip. and not to be divided among several officers. as was the case last year and the year before. Major Sickels made a portion of the inspection last year, and made c good impression upon those officers and men he met in the State.
 Ills report to the Department was fair and impartial. and the Guard may expect justice and fairness from him. The Adjntant General will accompany Major Sickels. and will make the in- spection on the part of the State. He will also he Surveying officer and will pass upon all worn cut. unserviceable and lost or destroyed property, and company commanders should he ready to make clear and explicit statement. and make affidavit as to how the prop orty was disposed of, or worn out, and get much of 1t off the returns.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
The New Rifles.

The War Department has recommend ed to the House Committee on Military Affairs legislation providing for the equipment of the militia with the type of trihe used by the regular army whenever such type is changed. At the present time the refrulaf army Is equipped with what is hown as the new Springfield. while the militia is using the old Krag. The War Depart ment is issuing new Springfelds to the militia. but Is charging the cost against the appropriation for the mili- tia in the several States. Ii Is desired to sxchane e the new guns for the Krags as was done when the Krag replaced the old Springfield .and also to pro- vide that the War Department can do this in the future without additional legislation. It is pointed out by the Department that in time of war it is absolutely necessary that the volunteer army and the regular army should be equipped with the same rife and that Is very advisable in time of peace, as otherwise two kinds of cartridges must be manufactured It Is impossible to remodel the Krag Into a Springfield.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
For Gnilerr f,rncticn.

The Ordnance Department of the army has adopted for issue to the reg ular army gallery pr lctice rife which differs from the model of 1903 only tn the caliber of the barrel Rim fire .22 caliber cartridges, short or long. may be fired from this rife by means of an adoptor or cartridge holder These holders resemble In appearance the model of 1903 cartridge. but are short in the body, so that 1t is impossible to load into the rife the service .30 caliber cartridge. The accuracy of this rife Is quite as good as one which does not use the adaptor, and 1t has the addl- tional advantage of permitting It's use for rapid fire.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
Good ExereIne

In thoughtful article on rife prac- tice. The London Spectator points out that it supplies an excellent exercise for the chest and lungs. One of the first things the young rife shot has to learn is how to take 8 deep breath and then hold the breath while the rife is kept absolutely steady and the fin. ger Is gradually tightening on the trig- ger. Any form of recreation which trains the muscles of the arms and ex- ercises the chest and lungs would seem likely to be beneficial to health; but if that Is not enough there Is that un- equaled training which rife shooting gives to the eye and to the hand work ing on the eye. The writer remembers hearing @ muske ny instructor boast that he had heightened not only his own sight but the sight of scores of boys whom he had taught how to use their eyes in aiming at a target by 200 or 300 yards, simply by continued prac- tice at long distance shooting.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28

acre. which means that between ss.ooo and sf0.o00 must be raised before i- tie would be ested in the United States government. but AdJutant Sen- eral Fridge has investigated the sun feet and finds that the proper course Is to deed the proyerty to the state.
 'The contest narrowed down 70 choice between vicksburg. Jackson and Meridian, and their chances were in the order named. Adjutant oenere' Fridge, acting as the personal repre- sentative of Colonel R. V. Rachford, chairman of the board. who was pre- ented from participating in the selec" tion by illness, favored the Jackson offer, Captain W. E. German favored yicksburg and Lieutenant Colonel Vir- gil Jones cast the deciding ballot in favor of the HUI City.
 "Adjutant General Fridge announces that he will issue acquisitions within the next few days for the equipment necessary to the establishment of the range, including targets. etc. The apr propriaticn now available Is about Sg.000 and a similar sum will become available on the 1st of July, when the National Guard receives it's annual ale iowance. The State will defray the ex- pense. of clearing the tract. and 1t is probable that five hundred. one thou- sand and two thousand yaro ranges will be established.
 .ln the future target practice will be made the feature of the National Gusrd encampments Heretofore the events have benn confined chiefly to drill work in company. battalion and regimental formation, generally with a sham battle on the closing day, and as a result the State soldiery has been very deficient in craftsmanship. a fact strikingly demonstrated by the showing made by the Mississippi rife team at the annual tournament at Sea Girt. N. J., last September.
 ''Ths holding of annual encampment at vicksburg is a matter of consider able importance to the business in- terests of the Hill City. as the ex- p~nse budget of the ten-day event Is never less than $3o,000 not including the individual expenses of the sol- diers, which will total fully twice that sum-"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
Land for Ranges,

The War Department has ruled that the expense of procuring or preparing abstracts and title papers to lands to be purchased for target ranges and shooting galleries. the cost Of neces- sary services and any other legitimate exenses entailed in securing the con- sent of owners to sell are proper charges against the amount allowed the State for rife practice. provided the purchase of the land involved Is &C., compIished. Any buildings essential for storage purposes or for housing oaretakers on State rifle range would be a Legitimate charge against the rifle practice appropriation. but the erection of barracks for the accommodation of the State militia Is a matter for the State to take care of.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
SEWING MACHINE,


 WE RENT and sell Singer and Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machines at two iollars per Machines at a reasonable price Singer Sew ing Machine Co.,. J f. Zimmerman Mgr.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
The Artillery BiIl.

The bill for the increase of the Ar tiliery branch of the service in the United States Army has passed the Sem ate and will snon become a law. The bill provides for an increase of 5.o43 in the number of coast artilierymen,
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
BIjOu Tonight FaDtasIna. No Adyanc ce in Prices
Governor Hughes as a JoIx

Governor Hughes as . Joker. Washington Herald. Governor Hughes Is a great joker. isn't he?"
 What makes you think so?" "Whv. you remember his campaign promises"
 "Yes?"
 we'll he meant 'em."
The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
MULES AID HORSES.

LUST Received seven more loads Tennessee mules and two car loads horses. come to see us. Prices right 400 head stock on hand 123 Lee St. Abraham Bros. Horse and Mule Co.,