davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
ORIENTAL PAIN CURES.
Heroic Methods in Which Fire and
 Weeds Figure Very Largely.

From the New York Press.
 That" said an amateur botanist, point ing to a fungus, Ifs a common toad stool. Don't eat it, but take it home, dry 1t, and use 1t to kill pain. Greatest ever. Don't smile. The Laplanders use the toadstool just as the Chinese and Japan- csc use moxa. They collect the large funguses which they find on the beecnes and other trees and dry them.
 "Whenever they have acute pains in their limbs-rheumatism, for instance they pull the dried fungus to pieces with their fingers, lay small heap of 1t near the part affected and set it on fire. In burning away it draws a large blister, and the water discharged by this means carries off the pain. It is a coarse and rough method, but very successful, es- pecially if the patient has prudence enough to apply it in time and resolution enough to bear the burning to a neces- sary degree.
 "The Chinese and Japanese surgeons cure cancer with a common weed. A small cone made of dried leaves is placed on the diseased part. which has been pre- viously mostened, and is lighted at the top, when it burns down with a temper. ate. glowing heat and produces dark spot, the exuceration of which is pro- noted by the application of small quantity of garlic. The ulcer is kept open or healed, as the indications of tho case require.
 "Appropos of this Oriental cure. the American Indians undoubtedly came from China, crossing Boring sea, sweeping down through Alaska and the valley of the Columbia and scattering over this continent. They must have brought the Chinese heat cures along.
 "A medicine man was asked to cure a paleface of cancer. He said Indian no cure cancer; Indian cure burn.' He was told to go ahead and do his best, as the white man was failing fast So with a red-hot poker he burned out the sore wide and broad and deep then he applied his remedies of herbs, etc, and quickly healed the wound. The patient recov- cred"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Rail Equipment Now and Hereafter

The number of idle freight cars on June 10 was 949,994 as against Ss1, BOA on May 27; 404,534 on May 13, and 413,605 on April 29. These figures are as official" as the American Railway Association of the United States and Canada can make them. The decrease in idle equipment has been progressive since April 29, which was the culmina. tion period of inactivity on the rail. roads
 When the crops from 250,OOO, ,O0O acres are ready to be marketed there will not be surplus car in the coun. try. The cereal crops cover 175, ,O00.. 900 acres, cotton is growing on 3O,, 000,OO0 acres and hay on 45,OOO, ,O0O acres more. The surplus products from these 250,OOO,000 acres will be ready to move in the next five months, and every one. of the crops in question promises to be large and abundant commanding, too, good prices.
 The harvesting of winter wheat is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
HEARST PAPER FOR ATLANTA.
Graves and CarvaIho Pay Visit To
 Look Over the Field.

From the Atlanta Journal.
 The visit to Atlanta Saturday of s. S.. Carvalho, general manager of the Hearst newspaper interests, was for the purpose Of reporting to MT. Hearst as to the ad- visibility of starting new morning paper here, with Sunday and weekly editions.
 Mr Carvalho, accompanied by Colo nel John Temple Graves, who is asso- ciated with the editorial staff of The New York American, visited Saturday the of nces of a prominent real estate dealer, and subsequently, looked over several buildings which were suggested as avail able for the proposed newspaper plant. It is understood that the mechanical equipment is ready to be shipped in case MT. Carvalho reports favorably on the proposition.
 No public statement would be made by MT. Varcalho or Colonel Graves, but it | is known that if the decision is made to | establish the paper, it will be conducted along the news and political lines that | have characterized the other of MT. Hearst's enterprises.
 | It is likely that definite statement will | be made in the course of the next few | weeks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

From the Louisville Courier-Journal
 IF the working journalist who plods
 along as industriously as the ant and ! often as anonymously as the coral ln- rect. fears that he will eventually be supplanted by the celebrity whose name is A. thing with which to conjure, let him look over the files of the press coV- ering the period of the Chicago conven- tion. He will see that the news was written by the newspaper reporter and that the much-advertised celebrity-poli- tician, novelist or what not--who went to Chicago to write something every day to fit aroung his picture in the columns of the newspapers employing him, did not contribute greatly to the sum total or in- formation as the little events of the great convention followed one another into the pages of history.
 With the exception of the occasional newspaper man who has won distinction as a finder and distributor of facts the celebrity makes an indifferent reporter. The first requirements for news writing are nose for news and legs to follow 1t. Generally speaking, the celebrity lacks the one and IS entirely too great per- sonage to employ the other. He writes great deal of copy that is more or less interesting except when it is com pared to the news of the day, which Is written by the reporter who uses his nose and his legs and lets his pen tell in plain, unvarnished tale of what is going forward.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
KATE VAN E.

By Thomas Dunn English. l well remember when at morn
 We twain to school would go, In summer heat, In winter chill-
 Unheeding sun or snow. l think of when I used to gaze Within your bonnet on those days Perchance to steal kiss, Kate Vane- An. would that we were young again. think of when I "did the sums"
 That puzzled so your pate, And, when I went to say my task,
 Slipped in your hands the slate. Oft would I claim and get for this What now were worth a World-a kiss; You did not think 1t harm,Kate Vane- An, would that we were young again think of when the brindle COW
 Adown the cattle track Chased you, and with stick and stone
 In triumph beat her back. Your little cheek was on my breast, Your little lips to mine were prest
 Yous eyes were filled with love, Kate
 Vane-
 An, would that we were young againi think of when halved with you
 My cherished, childish store. And only wished, for your dear sake,
 It might be ten times more. Our schoolmates, in their pretty strife, With us. would call us man and wife, None call us that just now, Kate Vane- An, would that we were young again! see you now when years have passed.
 And find you full as fair: Time has not soiled your purity,
 Nor marked your face with care love you as I did before Veal deeper, stronger, better, more. What, are you in my arms, Kate van~Y Dear love. we both are young againl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
AGAINST THE SUMMER. From the Portland Telegram

Chicago's chief of police has issued an ed patrolmen to arrest stunning parties, without reference to their standing and responsibility, who are discovered mean dering about the tenderlon districts of that city at an odd, even and dull watch of the night" Moreover, as it is given out, there is insstence upon obedience to these orders. There Is nothing of the erandstand order about the edict. Und sr existing ordinances the summer, as 1t appears, may be arrested as an Idle night wanderer; and Chief Shippey has determined that through this agency he will break up what he considers to be a bad practice.
 There may be people who will regard
 his action as rather puritanical as inter fering with an acknowledged right of the person who chooses to slum. who seeks to indulge in a nights dissipation that is based on nothing better than morbid cu- rlosity. But 1t appears that in Chicago and in number of the larger cities evil
 results have developed from this prac-
 tice. The better society in these cities
 has long realized the evil and has sought to put an effectual ban upon this form of entertainment But society's efforts
 have been of no avail.
 Men and women of the fashionable cult. or perhaps less fashionable, but quite AS respectable, decide upon might out '' l They dine. and perhaps wine; and under the mellow and receptive influence of rich 1 viands and their liquid accompaniment | they start out to do the town. They seek | to hover about the moral filth of the city; ! to touch elbows and become familiar with
 the people of the under world; to en- 1 courage the latter by placing 1t on ex- -hibition, as it were, to measure their en- 1 joyment of the event by the depths of
 degradation which they encounter.
 The net result of this is demoralization | Such spectacles should never serve for
 the entertainment of respectable men and | women. The student of sociology may seek to get data at first hand; but the average summer Is not of that class | There Is no possible profit for refined young woman to put herself in contact | with her unfortunate and degraded sis l ters, under circumstances in which she | becomes, In sense, the patron of the | latter's shame And, furthermore, he | young woman of imperfect moral balance l runs decided risk.
 | The entire business is invested with q I sentiment of disgust. so far as people oi
 average morals are concerned. Summing ] of this character deserves to be abolished
 and if the dictum of the chief of police I at Chicago leads to that result. the au- 1 thorities in other cities might follow suit with pronounced benent to society.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
MILLIONS OF TELEGRAMs.
Wonderful Use of the Wires By the
 People of Europe and America.

From the New York Post.
 According to figures published by the German imperial postoffice, the record for sending the most telegrams in year belongs to the people of England, who dispatched almost 94.0OOOo0 during the year 1906. The United States came next, with 65, 100000, and then France with 5S,- 100000 Germany occupied fourth place, with 52.5oo,000 telegrams. The Japanese figures are 24,50O,OO0 and those for Russia only 2s,O00,00O, including all that country s them the large sum of S20.675,0O0, while Germanys outlay was only $S750,0o0. During the same period, the American companies took in roughly $29, 100000 Of the European countries Spain, for its size, has the smallest telegraphic traffic, the smallest number of miles of wire, and the smallest income approximately to her population. So far as mileage is concerned, the United States leads all the other nations, but no one who has re- sided abroad ever fails to note how much more frequently English and Germans use the telegraph for short distance com munications than Is the case here. Of course, the development of the telephone in this country, also far ahead of any thing similar in Europe, accounts in a large measure for this state of affairs. The long distance telephone call in this country has become greater competitor of the telegraph than 1t will be for years to come in Europe. The reason for the larger number of messages sent Tn Eng land is simply cheaper rates and general ly better servica.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Hope To Become Priests.

Ben Platto, who has just completed his philosophy course at Mount St. Mary's, Emittsburg Md, is spending the summer with his parents at Ensley and Joseph Tomerlin, who has completed his first year in the college, is spending his va cation with his mother in North Birming- ham. MT. Platto will enter the semi nary in September for four years course in theology. with a view of be- coming priest MT. Tomerlip also hopes to become a priest. Both of these young men were proteges of the late Father O Reilly. They will be remembered as accomplished acolytes at St. Pau's church and if they get through the seminary 1t Is understood they will be ordained for this diocese. Year before last Tomerlin attended St. Bernard's at Cullman, and it is said in his first year at Mount St. Marys he made fine record.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
PUSSY WOMAN ADMIRED.
m the Washington Herald.

fTOHl tHe w NdSHlnStOn Herald.
 Pussy women in hotel are not pleas ant, especially to the management Ac- cording to man connected with one of Washington's big establishments, he once had to do with a woman who was the limit for fussiness.
 This. particular source of trouble was wont to wake up every morning about 4 o'clock just about the hour things were doing in the culinary department. The incident didn't take place in this big ho- tel, where it was told, but in smaller place, where a noise in the culinary re- zion happened, unfortunately, to pene- trate upstairs.
 was just near enough and she just fussy enough to waken at the sound of the cooks morning duties well performed be- low. Every morning, however, she would send for the clerk then on duty and wish to know what that noise was which had begun about clock.
 Each morning the clerk tried to placate her by inventing strange stories of what was taking place. and the woman evil dently wanting only some excuse, let things go at that until the next day, when it was all repeated, with, however, a different explanation.
 After a time, the clerk became weary of continually racl<ing his brain for new excuses. so when called up the following morning and confronted with the usual curt demand for an explanation he re- marked, sadly:
 Look, madam, out of the window you see. the sun is just coming up. That noise you hear is the day breaking"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
An Able Journal.


 "The Wall Street Journal. which a few stock bulletin, now attracts attention be- cause of the exceptional force and hon esty of it's editorial articles said busi- ness man. "There is not more carefully edited paper in the country and the tal- -ent employed on it is of the highest or der Moreover, the subjects it discusses are always timely and full of interest.
 'The Wall Street Journal is the reverse of sensational and the saneness of it's policy is one of the reasons why its opin- ions are sought. While it views Tafts nomination with satisfaction it says it would be foolish to ignore the popularity of Bryan.
 Tn commenting upon the Chicago con- vention in relation to the stock market the Wall Street Journal says: There had been a distinct note of anxiety lest some extremely radical plank might be put into the platform or lest the convention should run away from control and be stampeded for Roosevelt. But this disappeared as the convention went into session. If the prolonged demonstration of cheering for Roosevelt had, however, taken place be- fore the closing of the market of Thurs day, there is no knowing what might have occurred, but fortunately 1t did not begin until after the close, and by the next day the full significance of the dem- onstration was understood
 "The Journal knew what it was talking about. Capital is always sensitive and even the matter of cheering is reckoned with"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Alabama Portland Cement

Slowly but steadily capital is being attracted by the limestone deposits of Alabama. Wherever limestone runs evenly there a plant will soon be erect ed to make Portland cement. Alabama has enough limestone to make the cement of the world, and the only drawback Is it's unevenness. This rem ders cement made on one day superior to that made on the next day or vice versa. But experts can locate beds of the valuable rock that are uniform in quality, and this, no doubt, has been done at St. Stephens, Ala, where the largest cement plant in the south is to be located
 The cement mills of Alabama will soon constitute great industry. As a rule they can be placed on tidewater, and in that way Alabama cement can be loaded on ships at prices that under cut those of interior mills. The pro posed plant at St. Stephens will have navigation at it's doors.
 There is scarcely anything more en- couraging than the building of cement plants, especially on our navigable rivers, for when the Panama canal is comleted Alabama cement will have a market as wide as the Pacific ocean itcolf
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
LOST BOTH LEGS.
However, Not a Drop of Blood Was
 Shed.

Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati En-
 quirer.
 Louisville, Ky.-Horrifed passengers on Southern train today saw Will Patton, towerman at Woodlawn avenue, hurled from his point of vantage and come crash ing down upon the track, his legs doubled up under him.
 There was a clack and splitting sound, as if a forest had been felled by some Titanic ax, and Patton lay motionless in front of the engine, grooming.
 The engine had plowed up a piece of track and struck the tower, knocking Patton out of it. Surgeons rushed to his assistance and when they lifted him up the lower halves of two legs remained on the ground. But there was no blood. There were more groans; only two columns of cork and many, many wooden splinters.
 'Ill have to get some new ones now" said Patton, as they carried him back up into the tower.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Stronu Iron Market.

"The pig iron market is ssrong and up- ward in tendency" said J. B. Darlington, vice president of the Woodstock Iron and Steel corporation, whose furnace plant is situated at Anniston.
 We have two stacks and the smaller one, which we had been operating for some tlme is out for repairs but ouf large furnace is being put in condition and will be ready for blast within a few weeks. We have sold practically all our iron, having now less than 1000 tons on the yard not contracted for. I expect to see prices considerably higher in Sep tember than the s125O quotation prevail ing today"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Oakley In City,

c. T. Oakley of Ashby, Bibb county, was in Birmingham last night. MT. Oakley is the delegate to the national democratic convention, elected with Sam Will John from the Ninth congressional district.
 "We are going to Denver with the whole thing cut and dried" said MT Oakley. q believe 1t will merely be a matter of casting our votes for Bryan. The republican convention will almost be repeated.
 While I believe democracy has a number of strong candidates which out shine any of the republicans mentioned, Bryan seems to be the choice of tn e country, and I feel confident that this will be a democratic year"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Birmingham Improvinq.

Business in the Birmingham district has shown marked improvement since the first of May said a we'll known commercial salesman, who makes his headquarters here. Every one can see that nearly all the industrial plants here abouts have resumed operations. Fresh pay roll money will soon be circulating freely. This means that the merchants will have an increased trade.
 ''The fact is that by the early fall business conditions in Birmingham will have become normal"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
Annexation In WOodlaWn

The beautiful and prosperous suburb ation wave. Some citizens favor it and some are opposed to immediate an- nexation. This is peculiarly a question that calls for maximum of patriotism and minimum of unselfishness. What ever is best for all of Jones valley ap- peals to ones patriotism, while what ever springs from a mans immediate gains is selfishness. In all localities where the annexation question comes up these two forces are arrayed against each other.
 It goes without the saying that the annexation of Woodlawn is considered desirable throughout Jones valley. It Is a large, self-contained community. and if it decides to become at once A part of Greater Birmingham the fight for early action all along the line will well-nigh be won. The people of Wood. lawn are discussing the subject, and the city council will perhaps give them an opportunity to decide for them. selves what they want in this matter The people of Birmingham want them 10 come in, and if the people of Wood lawn are like minded 1t assuredly will not be difficult to arrange the details especially if patriotism be given full swing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
ENJOYS READING ABOUT HIMSELF

From the hdHSdb Olty AaAAioS.
 The kaiser keeps a scrapbook into which are pasted clippings in which his name is mentioned from all the papers of the world. He reads these clippings every day as they appear in the book and Is often very much amused at the stories q should know very little about myself if did not have these clippings" he said to the military attache of a for eign power the other day, land, strange ly enough. most of the stories about me came from republics where one might think the people took no interest in royal persons" He laughed heartily at the story of his mustache as a sign of war or peace. and also about one which said that he kept a number of leeches in a milk bottle on his desk to be able to foretell the weather.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
ANDY JOHNSON.
Q Washington Post.

From the Washington POst.
 A lawyer of Memphis has written a crazy book about John Wilkes Booth, in which he makes the silly statement that the assassin of Lincoln was never cap- tured but lived till 1908, and then com mitted suicide in Mexico. This foolishness is not at all original, for in 1868 Brick" Pemeroy insisted on the nomination of Booth for Vice President by the demo- cratic national convention. asserting that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

Denver is still maintaining it's at traetiye summer temperature record. When all the country was sizzling Mon- day and Monday night Denvers ther- mometer went no higher than so de- grees during the day and it dropped to 4S at night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

Alabama Is clinging by the skin of the teeth to the first division. If Mo bile fails us first-division state will be temporarily consigned to the bot tom division.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

Whatever" says Speaker Cannon to MT. Taft, q can do for your success and that of the party will be done." This fairly commits the speaker to re- tirement at the end of his present term. He is misfit in a revision era.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

The Confederate reunion echoes are all in Birmingham praise, letters come from every part of the south lauding the executive committee and the people in general.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24
CHIVALRY.

CHIVALRY. In days of old When knights were bold And dressed in coats of mail, They drank their wine By candle shine
 And also by the pail. And this l know, The records show No mollycoddles then; For every maid Who needed aid
 Were twenty fighting men. The good old days l long to praise,
 When villains got the hook. Dreams fill my head I've lately read
 A slashing story book!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

The next Congress, if republican, is expected to turn that Chicago platform into law, and 1t will have the job of its life on its hands at the very outset.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

It is, alas, too true-the republican nominee for President parts his hail in the middle, and the nominee for vice president wears side.whiskers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

The republican nominees will be known in the campaign as Bill and Jim, for American politics is conducted on popular plane.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

President Roosevelt should begin to write his farewell address before Af- rica yawns too strenuously for him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

A much larger percentage of wage workers are now employed in the Bir- mingham district than are employed in and around Pittsburg.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

MT. Taft has yet to face the electors for the first time, for he has never held an elective office.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

The reactionary tail of the ticket Is in appearance the ideal butler as he comes in to announce that dinner is ready
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

It is believed that at least five mil lion voters asked last week, "Who tho deuce is Sherman?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

Minister Wu has received title
 from Iowa university that exceeds his own name several times in length.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-24

Breakfast foods ought to be dirt cheap next winter after our bumper harvests are in market.