davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Music for MiIlionaires

Millionaire Prick of Pittsburg, pos silly with an eye to social distlnc' tion, has just paid $1O0,0OO for parterre box in the coming New York musical season at the Metropolitan Opera house. This is new record price, and 1t has electrified the entire fashionable world in the effete east. There is buzz of comment going on over it from Pittsburg to Montauk Point at the very least.
 It illustrates anew the eccentricities of the opulent period of the republic, and it points to even more daring plunges of our multi-millionaires In the future. For we can have social plunges as we'll as race track or stock exchange plunges, and the Pittsburg man is supposed to be a social plunger. His taste for music is unknown, even to himself, and 1t is safe to assume that he is not per SC a musical plunger.
 But his plunging is beneficial. It helps the man of small means to get dollar seat, or at any rate $1.50 seat and he gets at that price just as much music and operatic acting from high-priced artists as does MT. Prick whose bill is much larger. The plain patron in s1.50 seat has mo kick coming" He should, in fact, be glad that MT. Prick had put $100000 into music, and he can entertain the hope that other multi-millionaires will follow in his footsteps, for they might go further and the public would fare worse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
BIRMINGHAM DAY
 AT THE BIG FAIR

Friday will be Birmingham day at the fair and the effort is being made to have all of the stores and business houses here close their places of business on that cay. The school children will be given holi- day and the fair officials will endeavor to make it the banner day of the rafr. President Sterling A. Wood of the com mercial club yesterday issued the follow ing call to all the members of that or- ganization urging them to assist in the proper celebration of the day and request ing that the employees in all stores, shops, offices and other places of business pc given a chance to take in the fair on tnat day. The call reads as follows:
 "To All Members of Commercial Club:
 "Friday, October Il, is Birmingham day at the State fair. It is incumbent on all of our citizens to make this a notable oc- casion. By virtue of the authority vest ed in me by the board of directors of the Commercial club, I call on all mem bers of the club as far as possible to o,- serve next Friday afternoon as a half holiday, I especially recommend to tho merchants and other business men to close their stores and places of business at noon so as to give their employees an op- portunity of seeing the fair. Occasfens such as this stir state and civic prsce, and their proper celebration should not be neglected.
 "The regular meeting of the Commercial club, which would take place Friday, will be postponed one week. until FrIaay, October 1S at 4 p. m.
 STERLING A. WOOD, Presidents
 Attest: J. B. BABE, Secretary"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
RECKLESS MOTORING.
om the Mobile Register.

From the Mobile Register.
 Probably every state and every city in the United States has prescribed speed limits for automobiles and penalties for their infraction consist in either or both fine and imprisonment. Only in very rare instances has Imprisonment been in- posed, and then only for few days. That the punishment thus far inflicted has not materially deterred the reckless chauffeur is manifest in the appalling number of catast-ophes almost daily re- corded.
 Everywhere the owners of automobiles are required to obtain licenses for their operation. A member of the common council in Kansas City proposes to sup plement this requirement. by causing all chauffeurs to take out licenses which shall be subject to revocation on viola ton of the speed limit. The author of the suggestion thinks that the revoca- ton of licenses will be more effective punishment than the assessment of fines. No man should be allowed to operate a machine until he has demonstrated his capacity to handle it. His license should be taken away as soon as he manifests a perverse recklessness. Any reasonable measure enat may be adopted to lessen the danger from reckless driving should be employed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

From the Washington Herald.
 The fact that King Edward of England recently left a theatre because he ob- surprise, as in his younger days he was si.devotee of the drama and was more or less intimate and a good fellow with a number of the leading players. It may be from association with King Edward that the Emperor of Germany has ac- quired a taste for the theatre. At any rate, he is now an ardent admirer of the drama. and never hesitates to express his pleasure at clever work on the part of actors or actresses. Recently he went to the Court theatre in Cassel and wit messed a performance of War and Peace" At the end of the play he made his way to the green room where for over an hour he chatted with the managers and the members of the company in a most social way, recounting "reminiscences of his youth, when he often had visited the same theatre. Many of the plays he saw then, he declared, he could, even now repeat almost by heart. while he was able to recall accurately the names Of many old-time actors and actresses. Be- fore leaving the theatre he conferred the Order of the Red Eagle on the manager, and to each of the actresses he presented a brooch with the imperial initial In precious stones. while to every actor ne gave handsome scarf pin.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Failures in Nine Months

There were, it is true, 139 failures in Alabama in the first nine months of 1907, as against S3 in the corre- spending months of 1906. But the lia- bilities of the 133 were but s1,076,266, whereas the liabilities of the 83 were $1,701, ,762. In all the south there were 1483 failures in 1907 down to October 1, as against 1400 in the like period of 1906. In the entire country there were 6S91 failures in 1907 as against 6S66 in the first nine months of the previous year.
 The increase in the number of fail ures is too small to be material, and the increase in liabilities is chiefly due to the increase in New York city. There is nothing in the figures of failures in the last nine months to indicate a widespread depression in business. When the New York city reports are taken out of the list for the last nine months the showing be- comes d remarkably fine one, and all would agree that the activity of gen. eral business throughout the country moves on unchecked and unafraid
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

From the New York Post
 The poor actor worm, tired of being told how very inferior he is to the players of 30 years ago, shows signs of turning. On Sunday we had symposium Of dram- atist. and stage managers, who, by a de- cided majority, declared that the high level of ignorance among artists of the stage makes the ideal presentation of plays impossible. Yesterday, prominent actors joined issue sharply on the ques- tion Has the stage manager a monopoly of ideals and stagecraft in these modern days? Have even the authors? some ven- ture to ask. Whereas people seem to take 1t for granted that physicians, engi- neers, hotel managers, politicians, and shorts story writers are cleverer today than they ever were, the actor is con- sidered the proper person for everyone to take at shy at Cannot the actor. then. complain that all the other profess sions have made progress only in pace with an increase in the general knowl- edge of the principles of their art. and that before censuring the helpless mum mer, playwright, stage manager bus mess manager, and public should show that they do not live in glass houses ? On the part of the playwright especially 1t is rank ingratitude to throw the fault on the actors lack of lexibility, imag- nation. etc. It is the actors being not anybody else but himself which. though poor art, has carried many a f1lmsy play to popularity. Later when an author has prospered. and begins to think of art, it is hardly fair to turn upon the matinee idol and call him wooden.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Consolidating the League

The announcement that the fran. chise of the Shreveport baseball as- sociation has been transferred to Mo- bile will delight all lovers of the sport in this state Alabama thus becomes the heart and center of the Southern league, holding three teams out of eight
 Possibly the Little Rock franchise will yet be transferred to Chatta- nooga or Knoxville in the interest of the league, for such transfer would reduce travelling expenses, and the league would be compactly placed in the central south. This is certainly a favorable opportunity for one of the East Tennessee cities. Chattanooga was once member of the league, and 1t contains plenty of people who de- sire outdoor recreation in the hot months.
 There are difficulties in the way of a standardization of the league, but Little Rock can readily join another league, one, too, in which it could readily win pennants. Manager Finn and his team are popular, and the sole objection to Little Rock is geographi- cal. The Mississippi should become the western bound of the Southern league.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
ADJUSTMENTS.
"Dream Citv.V

With a two-act musical extrava- ganza that borders closely onto opera i, requiring nearly three hours in the playing, an excellent company headed by that popular comedian, Little Chip, and the faVorte little artiste, Mary Marble, the great Lillian Blouvelt, aug mented by a real beauty chorus pat rons of the Jefferson theatre will cer- tainly get their. moneys worth tomor- row night, Thursday matinee and Thursday night, when Joe Weber's pro duction, Dream City" comes to town. Dream City" Is the Joint work of Maurice Levi and Edgar Smith, wh O have built an entertainment of unusual attractiveness. Among the song hits are, Down A Shady Lane" sex tet; Farmers Life for Me-" Improve ments," "A Shy Suburban Maid" "Th e Voluteer Fireman" and q Don't Be- lieve I'll Ever Be Lady"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Races at the Hippodrome.

Some wildly exciting racing on skates was witnessed at the Hippodrome last night when three teams, each composed of one local skater and one foreign pro- fesslonal, raced S6 laps or two miles. It was the first night of relay racing this week, and there will be races every night, ending Saturday night, when the man. agement will give $12O to the winning team.
 The crowd at the Hippodrome last night was very large, and during the racing the spectators constantly yelled to one or sne other of the skaters when any unusual feat of fast skating was performed. It was probably the most exciting skatrng ever seen in Birmingham and the excrt- ing moments were frequent, especially on the sharp turns
 There are three professional skaters here for the races. Rodney Peters or ot. Louis, Terrell Williams of Chicago and Leo Jones of Cincinnati Peters ana Harry Lacey of Birmingham were part ners, Williams and w. W. Roberts, and Jones and Tom Eastman were mates.
 Terrell and Roberts won last night, Roberts securing a lead which Williams maintained when they relayed. Peters and Lacey were second making it hot TOT the leaders at all stages of the races. Jones and Eastman finished third, few feet behind the second team. Roberts and his partner lapped the other teams once remarkable feat in racing on ros;er skates. Roberts was greeted with rounds of applause when he passed the other skaters. He is again connected with the Hippodrome as floor manager.
 The teams will race every night this week. and judging from last night should pack the Hippodrome every night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Unstable Families.

Case and Comment reports a unique example of unstable families" says a lawyer.
 An Idaho attorney in divorce action has uncovered the following state of fact which he thinks without precedent. He says: Each party to the action now pending has heretofore had another spouse, and each been divorced; a daugh- ter of the plaintiff (the woman in the easel has been divorced; plaintiffs father and mother are divorced, the mother hav- ing been divorced three times; plaintiff has four brothers and sisters living, each of whom has been married and divorced, some of them as often as three times, with the exception of one. who has not been actually divorced, but has been es- tranged and separated from his wife on three different occasions. The defendant's 3 family history had not been investigated at the time this was written.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
FISH FROM THE GAR WINDOWS.

From the San Francisco Chronicle.
 Salton-Passengers on Southern Pacific overland trains are having rare sport trolling from the car windows for fish Tn the Salton sea. and good catches have been made. About midway on the sea an arroyo extends back into the mountains. The track crosses this on a trestle The water is 15 to 25 feet deep, and it has be- come custom of the dining car porter to throw overheard the scraps from the table there. Thousands of fish of all sizes lie in wait for the train and can be easily seen
 A few days ago an rrepressible fisher man prepared his hook and line, and as the train slowly thundered over the long trestle, swung 1t far out over the water. This the fish mistool< for their customary meal, and voracious carp, three feet long, seized the bait and was drawn aboard the Pullman With this beginning the sport has grown to such an extent that the passing trains are now supplied with fish for the dining cars
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Revision of the Tariff

Secretary Straus of the department of commerce and labor warned the cot ton manufacturers of the dangers of the Dingley tariff. In his address before them last week at Washington he said: 'Tf you build your tariff walls too high in this country, you will en- courage high walls on the other side which are known by the name of discriminating duties We are strill- ing that wall now. No one foresaw this more clearly than President Me Kinley, and no one has shown the way more clearly how to overcome the existing and increasing obstacles that lay in the path of our foreign con- merce. He recommended reciprocity and a revised tariff to meet the changing conditions in order to gain our proper share of the foreign mar kets."
 But the most astonishing state ments of late come from Wilbur F. Wakeman, secretary of the American Protective Tariff league. He says that the sentiment favorable to revision is general, and that business men in all parts of the country favor it.
 It is difficult to say what MT. Wake man has up his sleeve. He may be trying to fire the protected heart until 't is willing to shell out freely in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
BIRMINGHAM'S DOUMA

Huntsville Mercury: The account Of the Birmingham council meeting reads like scene in the French Chamber of Deputies.
 Eufaula Times: If the council of Bir- mingham got mixed up over charges or graft, it would be & good idea to have an investigation instead of a fight.
 Nashville Tennessean: A recent session of the Birmingham City Council, accord ing to accounts, resembled .a meeting Of directors of the Illinois Central railroad.
 Montgomery Advertiser: Birmingham should invite MT. Roosevelt down to her council meetings They are not only stren- uous but the word Liar is passed quite frequently.
 Columbus Enqulrer-Sun: The council manic war in Birmingham has been trans ferred to the courts and the echoes of the words thief and "liar" have died in the council chamber.
 Sheffield Standard: The Birmingham City Council is in a state of insurrection against Mayor George B. Ward. Up to last accounts the Mayor was on top. The Birmingham Mayor has proven himself a man of ability and strong character, and 1t is safe to predict that he will come out on top in the present imbroglio.
 Knoxville Sentinel. Birmingham, Ala, gave an exhibition of 'hot time in the old town" Wednesday night. The Mayor had the aldermanic president of the coun- cil forcibly ejected from the chamber by police. An alderman under charges of graft hurled liar at the city attorney. which created wild disorder and threaten ed bloodshed. The Birmingham News, commenting the following day on the scene and the Mayors action, said: Well nigh the whole community is ready to join in the suggestion, Three cheers and tiger for Mayor Ward |"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
THE NEW AGE.

By Frederick Lawrence Knowles. When navies are forgotten
 And fleets are useless things, When the dove shall warm her bosom Beneath e eagler's wings. When memory of battles,
 At last IS strange and old. When nations have one banner And creeds have found one fold. When the Hand that sprinkles midnight With it's powdered drift of suns Has hushed this tiny tumut
 Of Sects and swords and guns; Then Hates last note of discord
 In all Gods worlds shall cease, In the conquest which Is service,
 In the victory which Is peaeo1
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
At the Rliou.

Playing the Ponies," which was pre- sented at the Bijou theatre last night for the opening performance of weeks engagement, is a pretty show It's brightness and newness and col orful settings appeal to the average theatre goer almost as much as the comedy, which is, by the way, of an excellent variety. Yorke and Adams are the principals. These clever fun makers are popular here for their sue cesses in the past. This season they have the most elaborate show of their career and they are at their best. The mounting of the piece includes two sets, the first a reproduction of the Sheeps- head Bay race track and the oth CT Luna park, at Coney Island This sec ,ond stage picture is a marvel of color and light. It is perhaps the handsomest conception of it's kind ever shown at the Bijou variety of pretty cos tunes and general properties enhance the beauty of the show.
 The company includes Bobby liar rington, who was the capable star of "The Governors Son." B. Aldrich Lib bey, ballad singer Miss Maud Camp bell, Miss Rita Redmond and Miss Grace Chi1ders. Miss Campbell gave her song numbers in a winning way and the chorus worked hard. The entire company was very well balanced
 Yorke and Adams kept the house convulsed most of the time with tn cir comedy and their parodies. One of the neatest sketches they did came in the second act, with a soft musical ac- compartment that just fit. The scene was that of a table, champagne bot ties, two easy marks" and a girl who ordered freely from the bill of fare. The idea is not new. but 1t was ad- mirably worked tip and put on with embellishments and surprises that mad Q it seem different from other skits of the kind. At any rate, 1t was the fun niest part of the show The musical l numbers were as whole tuneful and plea singly rendered. The fun was abundant.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
At the GaYetY.

A bevy of shapely girls with the World Beaters made time pass away quick:y at the Gayety last night The girls not only sing but they also know how to dance The dragon scene in the last act is one of the most beautiful shown here this season. The stage is darkened and small They gradually draw nearer. and as they approach the footlights they are seen to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR
 r,.o,s, tI,o Nraxu Work Presc

There's a lot of money in farming ex- cept for the farmer
 Nine-tenths of the enjoyment of pipe is how everybody else hates it.
 A good way to live to be very old is to be rich relative of people who need your money.
 The more girl knows she isn't an angel the more you can make her like you by telling her she Is.
 You can help your wife to believe any story you bring home late at night with you by including . present with 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
WINE ON THE LUSITAN,A,

From the London Saturday Review.
 Wine drinking is going out. 1t is said, and yet the Lusitania shipped more than d thousand quarts of cham pagne to start on, with thousands of bottles of other wines and spirits. With her full complement" of over 5000 persons. every man might have his bottle a day and not exhaust the cellar. If this is not progress. what Is?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Miss Montqomery in "zirs.v

Perhaps what Is destined to become the most permanent and lasting of the recent New York successes, among tho dramas lately produced "Zira" will be the offering at the Jefferson theatre Friday and Saturday nights and Sat urday matinee. This piece was written by Henry Miller and J. Hartley Man ners, and is based on incidents devised by Will<ie Collins in his celebrated novel "'Th Q New Magdalen.n
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
The Spirit of Rebellion.

Ever since the peace conference met at The Hague there has been more war talk than had been heard even in times of war; said a lobby philosopher, "and ever since the game law went into effect there has been more feather trimmings on ladies hats than for years previously If you doubt this, open your eyes and see for yourself.
 I wonder why it is that such things oc. cur. If some of those people who call them selves psychologists wanted a subject to discuss or explain here's one for them. A peace conference in session, theorizing on the possibility of settling international troubles over the teacups, while the clang- ing of hammers on armor- plated Dread- naughts resound all over the world. while war balloons and submarines and prac- ucing the art of getting above or beneath each other to blow up or burst up fleets and armies. Tocsin shall not ring tonight, but look out for tomorrow night
 Just the same way with the birds It @shall be unlawful to kill or offer for sale, and then follows a list of birds that it would take Audubon to understand; but be it lawful or otherwise, there never was such bird-killing or bird-plucking as there has been within the last few months. It would seem that one of the best ways to promoe thing is to con- demn it or forbid it.
 To my mind the way to control people is to turn them loose and tell them they can go to Hades if they want to. and you'll find they won't go: but try to stop them and they'll break their necks to get there. It is just the spirit of rebellion. the same spirit that caused the down. fall of Lucifer and of which everyone of us has share, be it little or much"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

be issuing from the mouth and nostriis of a huge dragons head, while the song body writhes behind The lights are sud- denly turned on and the dragon flies to pieces, each piece being girl in de- mon costume. A neat dance is then ex- ecuted.
 The first act is entitled "A Trip to Newport" and covers the happenings ol two tramps, Frank Martin and Charles Buckley, in that summer resort. The tramps are mistaken for lord and prince, and their experiences kept the house in an uproar.
 The olio shows several good vaudeville acts, the dancing and singing of Pearl Reid and Jesse Maitland capturing the house. Redley and Hadley in "The Auto- matic Soldier and the Military Mafd, were also very good, while the other vau- deville features were equally as good The performance wound up with a trip to "The Isle of Rubbernecks," which was as breezy as the first act. The medley Of songs and dances of all nations at rAe finish of the first act was splendid, while the costumes were bright and new.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

Physicians fees have just been ad- vanced in France. Working people are hereafter to be charged 60 cents a visit; tradesmen and small land owners, so cents, and great merchants and bankers a dollar. The American scale would strike those people dead.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08
Mar Auainst Boxers.

Kanehow Flu, October For participa- ton in recent riots here the Chinese gov- ernment has arrested and punished 2 rioters. One hundred Boxers have been killed by government troops at Canan Flu
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

In speaking about Birmingham s -four theatres" the Jackson Clarion Ledger thought we were referring to moving picture shows. We have about 15 five and ten-cent theatres, in ad- dition to the four large houses, and more are coming
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-08

"A MT. Loser is running for office ocrat,' remarks the Washington Herald. In which case he is no doubt a cheerful Loser.