davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

ed with candles. number of his little friends were present and they were pre- scented with baskets filled with bonbons.
 A new version of the "Deestrick Siule" will be given in Howard college chapel next Friday night February 2S. at 8 o clock for the benefit of the East Lake public school library.
 The Tuesday Afternoon Social club, which was to have met next Tuesday with Mrs. T. c. King, has been post poned indefinitely on account of the ill., ness of Mrs. King
 Friends in the city of Mrs. James Will son Boyle will be shocked to learn that she was summoned to her home In West Texas on last Thursday evening by a telegram announcing the sudden death of her husband, which occurred at an early hour that morning. Mrs. Boyle had only been here two days, and was by the bedside of her mother, Mrs. Hughey In West End, who Is in serious con- dition and not expected to recover.
 MT. Boyle was a cousin of James Will son, ex-Secretary of Agriculture; a na- tive of Scotland and was educated in law at the Edinburgh university He was man of rare intelligence, was suc- cessful in his profession and universally admired by all
 Miss Florence Hughey left Thursday for Emma, Tex. in company with her sister, Mrs. James Wilson Boyle.
 Mrs F. I. Tarrant and little daugh- ter Mary Ada, have returned home from Brewton, Ala. where Mrs. Tarrant has been for three weeks at the bedside and of ho,. anf1, Mar4 McMillan.
 The regular quarterly meeting of the District Baptist Young Peoples union will be held this afternoon at 3:3o D. m, with the First Baptist church in Birming- ham. No regular programme has been arranged, but many matters of import ance and interest will come up,t viz, the election of officers and the discussion of the coming state convention. The programme for the convention at Troy. as arranged by the executive commit tee, will be read. The officers request that a delegate from each local union be present and give some idea of how many delegates from the union they represent may go to Troy.
 Miss Lucille Lane will return this week from New York.
 The Jefferson Volunteers. Company C., Third regiment, A. N. G., the oldest mil itary organization in the state, having been first organized in 1845 and reorgan- ized on January l, 1908, today has about 50 men on its roster.
 Under the new Dick bill each company is required to have minimum of 61 men, and Company G is rapidly coming up to the required standard
 Notwithstanding the fact that the men today composing the Jefferson Volunteers are practically inexperienced men on the military field, recent drills show the com pany to be improving rapidly, and by the time inspection takes place, some time in April, they expect to be In first-class condition.
 The following are the commissioned of ficers of the company: Captain, Frank
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
Testing Seeds for the Farm.

The other day rascal was found to nave made small fortune by chopping up palmleaf fans and selling the stuff at sl a packet. containing a pinch or two of the precious dust-which was said to be the seed of a rare exotic flower. So writes W. G. F1tz-Gerald in the Technical World Magazine for March
 He advertised widely, and numbered professional florists among his victims. True, he disclaimed responsibility for the germinating power of his seed" but this Is a common warning even on the wares of reputable seedsmen, 50 that the buys CTS planted, watched and watered with pathetic zeal until at length an angry lady laid the swindler by the heels.
 Now, farm and flower seed of the high est quality is costly stuff. So minuteIy is that of the calce olaria, that the actual cost of producing the finest strain ex- ceeds 10 times the weight of the seed tn purest gold. Migonette seed, too. is by no means cheap yet that of the begonia is at least GO times dearer; and a liberal allowance for a g packet Is measured in a tiny spoon with an outside diameter of three-sixteenths of an inch. And yet in that small spoonful there will be enough seed to produce more than 100 stately be- gonia plants!
 The writer goes on to describe the care- ful testing seeds undergo at the hands of experts in the reliable seed houses, and of government inspectors. and an in teresting series of photographs illustrates the text
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
DIARIES MANY PERILS TO
 ESCAPE FROM SIBERIA

Lausanne February 15-Professor Gehf ri, who recently reached here after dar- ing escape from Siberia, has given us particulars of his adventures, which are extremely interesting as showing how complete and powerful is the Russian revolutionary organization, of which so much is heard and so little known.
 On Tuesday, September r, 1907. he and two companions escaped from the convoy, which was then about half way between Krasnoiarsk and Irbinsk and although they were running for life through hos tile country, with no visible means of support, the long arm of the escape or ganization was protecting him and he felt it's power
 T have been very guarded when speak ing of the organization" said the profess sor. Tt is only right to take every pre- caution to protect my friends, and the most casual word might do them harm But there Is one thing may say without fear-indeed l am glad to say 1t, for 1t will only deepen the mystery and 1t may help to perplex the Russian officials, who, doubtless. will read my narrative in the hope that I may have made slip. All the time I was travelling acfoss Siberia 1 never saw a soul connected with the or ganization. I was always helped and al- ways received news from reliable sources. v
 As an example of the methods of this strange and mighty force Gehri gives this incident:
 The three men were running for their lives when Gehri felt something hard in his boot, which hurt him. At first he was alarmed. for he thought his foot was in jured or that his boot was wearing out, and he told the others that he was afraid they would have to go one alone.
 My friend refused to go,' he contin- ued, and while I argued with them sat down on a rock to examine my boot. When drew 1t off, and put my hand into it to feel if there was any roughness, found a considerable lump under the lin- ing. Closer examination showed that a neat slit had been made in the lining and the lump consisted of several pieces of paper money and few small coins. You can imagine our feelings when showed tho others what I had found. There was quite enough to provide for our immediate needs and l forgot all about my sore foot
 Another instance I will tell you, ,' 1 laughed the Professor. Tt occurred one 1 evening when we were in an inn of Kras-
 noiarsk. I was telling my two compan-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
General Woodford and Huqhes.

From the Brooklyn Eagle.
 Stewart l.. Woodford has been elected to be the head of tn National league of republicans who seek the nomination of Governor Hughes for the presidency. General Woodland has had a great deal of political experience and is not averse to having some more. A general in the army. he was afterward a mili-
 tary magistrate in reconstruction
 times. Lieutenant governor of New
 York, he was elected governor, but was
 counted out in the opinion of many Of
 both parties. A member of Congress and minister to Spain, he kept in touch
 with large affairs. He led in the canvass which elected R. E. Hayes gov ernor of Ohio, and he came within nip ping reach of the vice presidency wh ell William A. Wheeler received the nom- ination. We do not know that MP. Hughes will be nominated for Pres ident but MT. Woodford will labor hard and speak often and eloquently to bring that about. He would not make a bad governor or poor United States senator. Should MT. Hughes become President. he may be able to choose either office. Those who mourn the, loss of Woodruff would be. consoled by the gain of Woodford
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

ions that I intended to proceed to the East, to reach Japan If could and from there to return to Switzerland. But, or course, the great obstacle was that l had no passport
 You will find it almost impossible to get out of Vladivostok without pass port said one of the other fugitives.
 '' I know that replied. 'Ah, you lit wretch'--
 "A small boy had uttered deafening yell close to my ear, so deafening that it almost dazed me for the moment. turned to expostulate with the boy, but before I could say word, the urchln thrust a dirty envelope into my hand and ran of. thrust the envelope into my pocket to, wait for a more favorable op- portunity of studying it's contents. Im- agine my astonishment when opened the letter later omit contained a passport and a fresh supply of money!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
GoM Lfon 7ea Room
BY ANNIE kENDRlck WALKER.

Some of the accessories were selected per sonally by these women on visits to Japan and the Orient. Others were picked up in curio shops.
 One Birmingham woman has a tea room in her house. The walls are hung with silk painted with cherry blossoms. The windows are curtained with bamboo reeds and the decoration of the room is done in the Japanese grill work. Wysteria forms B part of the decorative scheme. It is the most artistic and beautiful room in Bir- mingham
 Other women less fortunate in owning Oriental treasures, and enough of them to fit up tea room In their own houses, have contented themselves with a few family relics. blue china and odd brasses.
 The opening of a tea room will naturally be a constant reminder of what is now considered a social duty. And at the Gold Lion tea will be drunk in the most luxurious surroundings, in an interior of yellow and brown and rich flemish oak.
 Gold lions will be used as the insignia of the tea room. There will be everything in keeping with the decorative scheme. Tea will be served from flemish oak tables by waitresses in yellow linen. Spanish in us suggestion, the Gold Lion VIII be a place of subdued splendor It will be typical of its name Massive, solid, quiet in tones. 1t will still possess the atmos- phere of superb color, of distinctive char acter.
 And into it's elements of quiet, artistic beauty will enter the taste of woman well known as an authority on aesthetics. Mrs. E. G. Stevens is to open the Gold Lion tea room. She has just completed her arrangements. The Gold Lion will be opened in the Al Campbell place in the First National Bank building. All the fashionable world is interested in Mrs Stevens undertaking and every one pre- diets success. Her friends are enthusi- astlc over the tea room as personal ven ture for her, and she is equally as en- thusiastic.
 woman-lil1e, she is full of her plans,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Glimpses into tea rooms in New York are given in an article in the last issue or Harper's Weekly.
 Commenting upon the development of the tea room the writer says:
 Following successive failures along sim liar lines, with the recent development of the tea room in New York, the aues- tion arises as to whether this Is prophetic of & more lelsurely mode of American living or is merely an evidence Of an other little way which New York has of amusing Itself. At any rate, com ing as a relaxation, fad, or dissl- pation-between the luncheon and the dinner hour the tea hour Is now an accepted fact with many women.
 Unquestionably, much of the growth of the New York tea room is due to the clever management of the several gentle women who maintain the most success full of these. Here, with that charm of environment which good breeding in- stinctvely seeks, they have shut out that garlshness of strong lights, deafening mu- sic and the more or less commonplace, restless element. which characterize the average cafe or restaurant.
 With an abundance of interesting at mosphere, moreover. the New York tea room Of today contrasts strongly with those Lonesome affairs of yesterday which numbered among their most frequent patrons strong minded maidens with glasses on their noses and green bags on their arms. who drank tea thought fully, and left without tipping the wait ress. Today. at the tea hour-and as often at high noon-smart carriages are drawn up in front of the tea room with in the merry tap of high heels on pol ished floors mnsles with the fresh odor of voets and the rustic of many skirts. It is the fashion to drink tea in New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

down to the minutest detail. She dreams of the Gold Lion by night and when serv- ing tea the other afternoon in her apart ments to a party of friends, she laughing ly said, Don't get mo started With her that afternoon were some women friends who had travelled through Europe with her Afternoon tea as a social in- Istitution was discussed in all of Its phases.
 T am not surprised" said a very fash ionable woman that Americans are ae- quirlng the tea drinking habit It is due to travel. The oftener that l go to Europe and see what a hold it has upon all classes of people, l can appre- ciate what a relaxation is provided by giving a few moments a halfshour, to a social cup of tea. It refreshes the whole system, and English women have told me that they have often expressed surprise that the American woman has not followed her English sisters In this delightful custom. American women imi- tate many fashions that are not of any real benefit. but in adapting themselves to the o'clock tea habit they would find a physical benefit that comes from relaxation.
 In New York I have noticed in recent years the number of men who drop in to the tea rooms of the fashionable hotels. It Is just a prelude before the dining nOur put II Iurnlshes recIedtioH anu reduces the strain of modern life l con slder 1t a real blessing.
 'The opening of a tea room in Bir- mingham. while attracting the fashion able women and the mon of society to assemble there, will be of great con venience to a large class of people, and I-o she reached up her cup for more tea, 'I like the name of the Gold Lion inn mensely."
 Several names were suggested as suit able before the Gold Lion was definitely settled upon. club man of good taste thought that the Brown Study would be appropriate, which indeed it would have been. with the symphony of brown in its decorations.
 Other names were suggested. In fact, naming the tea room was the most im- portant subject for days Finally the inspiration came in the Gold Lion. It
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
IIbl MUVeIntnIJ MT. and Mrs. Vim. Gussen.

On Friday. February 2S, at D. m, the class of 1909 of the Brmin gh am High school will give its annual enter tainment The main feature will be a Shakespearean lecture by Dr. Lasey of the University of Ala bama after which reception will be held in the gymnasium. Various games will be played, refresh ments will be served and every effort will be made to make the evening pleasant socially as well as Intellectually. The class is giving the entertainment for the usual purpose of adding to the school equipment fund.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
Did tho Best He Could.

From the Chcago News.
 Please, sir" said the beggar would you give a poor old man few pennies?'
 See here. rejoined the person accost- ed. didn't I give you dime three days aRo?"
 T believe you did. sir" replied the bes,a.. out uo the best I can, l find 1t impossible to keep my expenses below s1-s cents a day-and your dime is all gone sir"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
m To Be Opeued Eayly Ln LeUen Seas0n;
 Adabhahou Of Foyelpn CustOm To AmeIcan Social Lge

suggested a kind of regal sumptuous- ness that appealed to many people, and gave the keynote to it's decoration. And now every one is looking forward to the formal opening. which will come early In Lent
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

" HE Gold Lion Tea room. to be
 opened in Birmingham early in
 4 Lent, will mean an adaptation of foreign custom in the amenities of Amer iean life.
 The o'clock tea habit. into which Americans fall after few visits abroad. Is to become a social institution in this city. or at least encouragement will be given it by the opening of a tea room in the very heart of the city, where a hun dred fashionable autos and carriages are seen every afternoon.
 The tea habit spread to this country some years ago. Its adaptation was due entirely to foreign travel. The frequency with which Americans as class now visit England and travel on the continent, has resulted in making, perhaps, not nation of tea-drinkers, but at least in es- tablishing the tea habit. an imitation that should be most hattering to those from whom it is copied.
 Birmingham has been preparing itself for some years for social institution like fashionable tea room. And society is already talking of the Gold Lion.
 Women, after they appreciate the charm of the o'clock tea, and have seen what an important part t plays in English so- oety. having been paying more attention to the collection of china and accessories to the tea table
 A number of Birmingham women have several old and rare articles to be used for the o'clock tea. One or two women have a Russian sanovaR There are some won derful old b1asses, in a private collection in this city. Some of the tea caddies are individual. in design, and the tea tray is Itself considered most valuable accord ing to it's design and it's foreign manu- facture. One woman here possesses a French tray dxnown as the kidney shape.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The favors of the ball were appro- priate to the occasion. Among the guests were
 George Cunningham, Bernhard Fox, Louis Fox, Louis Gelders Frank Ma bors, Jr. Paul Bowron, William Has singer, Langley Sibley, son of Mrs. B. D. Sibley; Morris Saks, Lawrence Saks, Gus Sharpe Jordan, Fred Rix, Seaman Newfeld, Sydney Moler, Godfrey Gold man, McArthur Jenkins. James Doster, Tekla Blach. Ira Sellers. Bemart Mey- CT, James Fox, Jack Ashton. Jeane Blach, Frank Nelson, Jr., Mary Yoznne Whitzen; Dorothy Meyer. Alice Bowie, Mary Weakley, Virginia Cameron. Fannie Barrett, Edwina Marx. Hattie Daisy. Blanche Kay, Dorothy Kettig Lillian Erhman Fox, Katherine Leeper, Era Lathrop, Everlyn Hassinger, Alex andria Loneon, Josephine Johnson, Margret Nelson Elizabeth Porter, Jane Allison, Adele Fies, Emily Fies, Emma Newfeld. Rosamond Goldman. Rosa Wilson, Elizabeth Smith, Dorothy West, Aileone Fies.
 Pelham chapter, Daughters of the Con- federacy, will give q musical programme at Gelders hall, corner Fourth avenue and Twentieth street, Friday night, Feb ruary 2S. A dance will follow and most delightful evening is anticipated. Tickets are on sale at Parker's drug stores Pat ton-Pope's, Norton's and Jacobs.
 The programme will be as follows: Col. Sumter Lee, introductory remarks. Mir. D. U. Williams, baritone.
 Miss Ida Nunnally, solo.
 Miss Regina Heinburg, violin solo.
 Mir. Owen Gillespie, tenor solo.
 Miss Alice Fallon solo.
 Prof. Frank F. Harmes, instrumental solo,
 Mrs. Harriot ONelll, solo.
 Professor Harness accompanist
 The patronesses are: Mrs. Charles G. Brown, Mrs John w Tomlinson, Mrs Frank s. White, Mrs R H. Pearson, Mrs. Herbert scruggs, MrsaJ T. Harwer, Mrs A. c. Smith, Mrs. J. V. Allen, Mrs H. c. Abbott Mrs. w. H. Nevins. Mrs J. D. Dabney, Mrs. N. w. Trimble, Mrs. F. NJ Tutwiler Mrs. A. o. Lane, Mrs. F. w. Dixon, Mrs. Charles Sibley, Mrs. C. M. Tardy, Mrs. William F. Gamer, Mrs Hal J. Copeland, Mrs. John s. White Mrs. H. N. McTyeire, Mrs Gardner, Miss Adele saw and Mrs. Augustus Benners.
 Under the auspices of the Birmingham conservatory the following programme will rendered at Cable hall this afternoon at S:45 o'clock:
 Piano-Impromptu, Opus 142 Schubert
 Theme and Variations.
 Mrs. Edna Gockel-Gussen.
 Question,
 Contralto-Lullaby
 The Dewdrop and the Star. ......................,..J Jessie Gaynor
 Mrs Morris Newfield Piano-Songs Without Words. Mendelssohn
 (a) Allegro Agitato-Opus S5.
 (b) Boat Song-Posthumous.
 Co Hunting Eong-Opus 19.
 Mrs. Edna Gockel-Gussen.
 MT. William Gussen. Contrau B.. ..SH SHR CMF CMF' c Contralto-Es blinkt der Thel. .Rubinstein Mrs. Morris Newfeld. Piano and Violin-Sonata, Opus 45. c Minor ............,.............. Grieg 1gf Ma1taraaant
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

DEVELOPMENT OF TEA ROOM
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

which was to have met next Tuesday with Mrs. T. c. King, has been post poned indefinitely on account of the ill., ness of Mrs. King
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

ed with candles. A number of his little friends were present and they were pre- scented with baskets filled with bonbons.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

A new version of the "Deestrick Skule" will be given in Howard college chapel next Friday night February 2S. at 8 o clock for the benefit of the East Lake public school library.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Earle Cummings celebrated his fifth birthday yesterday. The decorations were in pink and green and the table was light
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Mrs. Alex Craven has returned from Huntsville, where she has been the guest of MT. and Mrs. James Mur- phree.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

the series will probably be given in the city hall, but arrangements have not yet baen e.omDlatad
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-11-18

Winaes. ~T1.ne commitment Of the
prisoner to the penitentiary followed
in less than four hours after his ar
rest.
AS soon as he arose Van Vlissengen
inquired eagerly of the jailer whether
he would be taken to Joliet at once.
II want to go inlmediately-the
sooner this business is settled the bet
ter said the prisoner, who showed
visibly the nervous strain he had I'M
dergone.
Van Vlissengen Is said by his
friends in recent years to have. lived
cStravagantly. His Offices at 172
Washington street are said to have
cost him in maintenance about $4,000
annually. 5s. :s
HE has been spending money. Law
ishly,' declared George Birkhoff, Jr.,
consul for The Netherlands. "He
won the confidence of the Dutch resi-
dents of the city and am afraid they
will be among the heavy losers. Brew
ers were among his customers and it
is probable they will be found to pos
sess much of his paper"
Rudolph Brand, president Of the
United States Brewing company and
director of the Chicago and Milwau.
kee Brewers associations, who has
about $4,000 worth of the Van Wis.
sengen paper, said:
81 do not know how many other
brewers are affected. but I presume
my holdings are worthless. He did a
large business with brewers"
The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-11-18
DEATH SENTENCE
FOR FIFTH Time
Herman BiI|ek Condemned to
Die on Dec. Il.

Chicago, Nov. fisherman Billek,
convicted of the murder of five men,
bers of the Vzral family, was SEN
fenced by Judge Barnes to hang on
Dec. II. The fight of Billek and his
friends for liberty, which carried the
case. before the United States SUI
preme court, has attracted wide at
tention.
Billek, fortune teller, whose in
come was derived from the ignorant
and superstitious, used arsenic in
causing the death of the Vzrals, all of
whose lives were insured and which
money Billek is said to have planned
to secure. He was first sentenced to
hang on Oct. 8, 1907, and since that
time he has been reprieved four times.
On the last previous date set for the
hanging Billek's case was taken into
the federal court and his petition to
appeal to the supreme court allowed.
The state authorities therefore took
no action in carrying out the death
sentence. When the supreme court
denied jurisdiction the case came
back before Judge Barnes for resen-
tence. Billek's counsel set up the ar
gument that inasmuch as the previous
death sentence had been allowed to
pass Billek was already legally dead
and hence could not be sentenced
again. Judge Barnes refused to &C.
cept this view of the case and inflict-
ed the death penalty. Billek's last
hope-a slender one in view of the
previous attitude of Governor Deneen
is that the death sentence may be
committed to one of life Imprisonment.