davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
VAssAR GIRLS STOPPED LINE.
Theatre Seat Buyers Had to Wait
 While Pennies Were Counted.

From the New York Morning Telegraph.
 Leonard Burgman was ensconced in the box office at the Liberty theatre the other night dealing out tickets for the per formance of "via Wireless" when two young ladies in the line reached the win dow.
 May we have two s1 seats?y asked the foremost.
 Certainly" said Burgman. giving her the seats.
 DO you take pennies?" again inquired the spokesgrl
 "Yes," said the treasurer still cheer fully.
 At that the two young ladies promptly emptied a couple of pocketbooks full of pennies on the marble slab and MT. Burgman began to count. He counted for about a minute and when he reached the 1sOth penny which seemed to be the last he stopped, looked at the growing line outside the window, and then he said:
 T am afraid that there are not quite enough pennies here. make but 19o"
 "Oh. but they are all there. I am sure. We counted them in the train coming down; didn't we, Myrtle?"
 "I know we did, Louise; 1t was just after We left Poughkeepsie, and there were POO pennies there"
 Hereupon MT. Burgman counted again. He repeated on 19o. He explained it care fully to the young ladies, but they said they ought to know, as they had taken whole two months of mathematics since they had been up at Vassar. "Why, the very idea
 well, I do not like to trouble you" said Burgman, with an ireful look at the line that was beginning to look like leav- ing, but would you not verify the count yourselves?"
 At that the young ladies began to count. "One, two, three, four; no. that's five it isn't, it's four-one, two, three, four five. There, now, put those over there in little pile and we will go on"
 Although this seemed to take an inter- minable time, it has been stated on the authority of the man next in line that it only took seven and a quarter minutes. The lobby was growing crowded.
 You're right, there are only 1sO" said one of the college dears. well, here's a S1O-bill that I did not want to change. Now you take this and give me $9.sO."
 At that the treasurer passed out one five, one two, two ones, one half, one quarter, one dime and one nickel. After the girls, who knew the mathematics had succeeding in adding this up, they in- ouired where the door was and went on their way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Alabama Farmers

Secretary Wilson puts the value of the farm produce in 1908 at $7,778,- 0o00. As total this Is simply in- comprehensible, but by apportionment to the single farm it comes readily within the average grasp and pocket book
 That produce came from 6,SS7,55S farms. Those farms with their tools and buildings are worth in round num- bers $3O,OOO, ,O00, ,00O. Interest upon this capitalization at per cent would be $1,S0o, 900. Take this interest from the value of the years product, and we have left $5,97s,OOO, ,OOO. to be appor- toned among the 6,SS7,5SS farmers for their years work, or $S68 each.
 The average farmer paid out in the census year $64 for labor, and if he confined his payments for labor this year to s6S he would still have $500 left.
 ? The question here arises, does the average Alabama farmer earn $500 above per cent on the capital invested in his farm? He does not, and the reasons why he does not are plain to the wayfarer. He does not blow deep enough, and the tariff robs him at every turn. The Secretary of Agriculture is endeavoring to induce him to blow deeper and till his lands better, and if the Presidents uplift commission would lay siege to John Dalze1l and Serene B. Payne and Joe Cannon there might be some hope of justice to the American farmer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
CHARMLESS CLEOPATRA

to gratify his every whim, the subtle influence of the most highly developed civilization in the world, all seized upon his mind
 Cleopatra urged him to give up the conquest of Persia and to found with her and their children a new dynasty that should be the controlling power Of Orient and Occident. While his thoughts returned to his country, to oppose cleopatra and rellnquish a king dom were beyond him. And from this point MT. Ferrero traced the endless tangle of crooked policies which in the end wrought Antonys undoing.
 Antony succumbed in the famous war. not because he was mad with love, but because he was abandoned by his sol- diery when they understood his contem- plated treachery, and, according to the lecturer, 1t was this sentiment which made Augustus at Actium an easy con- queror.
 The present story that has so enter tained posterity, he said, was invented by the vicious party of Augustus and accepted as the popular explanation of the eastern peril. T do not believe" MT Ferrero said, in conclusion, that it is the office of history to give men who have guided human events a pos- thumous justice'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
BAcKWooDs OF VIRGINIA.
Wild and WooIly Is a Section of
 Amerlca's Oldest Country.

From Recreation for December.
 If it was any time but midsummer, I might take a camera and go down into Eastern Virginia. Now there's something interesting, even before you've started something to find out the why and the how of. In eastern Virginia are 10 con- tinuous counties without a railroad. That isn't some wild and woolly new countryi It's almost the oldest country we have. It was settled by almost the first English men who came to America. George Washington was born in one of those counties And yet-think of it!-this an- cient land, as large as Delaware, without a railroad in it. Note the names of the counties: King George, Westmoreland, Lancaster, Richmond, Essex, King and Queen, Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex- sonorous names, famous in old English annals, redolenr of a storied past. Through the midst of them runs the Rappahan- ncck-what memories of the civil war that name calls upi In the library you would learn that nobody has written up' that land; tourists generally never heard Of it; I doubt if even the camera fend has exploited it. Oh, no;AI I have never been there never knew anybody who had been there; but, if you go, l miss my guess if you don't step off the train plunk Into the middle of the eighteenth century. Yes, and the language and many of the customs will be older still; they will be EIizabethan English. Many of those sur yivals you wouldn't find even in Eng land itself today. If you're looking for something different from New York, there you will surely find it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Southern Cities,

"Al cities of the south are growing and prospering in every way" said R. E. Hotze of Richmond. My native city will make a good showing in the next census, and it not only gains in pop ulation but it has more accumulated wealth than any city of the hundred thousand class in the south.
 Norfolk is going ahead very fast. While the Jamestown exposition was financial failure it advertised Norfolk to the world at large and it will grow at more rapid rate within the next ten years perhaps than Richmond. It has exceptional transportation facilities and is destined to be one of the great com mercial cities of America. Atlanta Is a fine city and will continue to grow but from what I have seen of Birmingham think 1t safe to say that this city has the best future of all. Birmingham has made greater strides during this year of de- pression than any other southern city and before many years it will go far ahead of Atlanta"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Tobacco In Etowah countv.


 The merchants of. Gadsden are pre- paring to pay bonus for all commer- cial tobacco produced in Etowah county" said citizen of that thriving city yes- terday
 tIt is believed that the soils of Etowah are adapted to the culture of this weed and 1t is said that number of farmers are preparing to make experiments with this crop next year.
 Tn view of the fact that 1t has al- ready been demonstrated that tobacco can be produced in Perry and Sumter coun- ties at good profit it is contended that Etowah affords equal advantages in this respect
 1.-The products of the two counties men, toned have been pronounced by tobacco experts as of the finest quality and the producers have found a ready market at highest prices. Even the finest wrapper tobaccos are produced in this section and growers have been able to realize profits of several hundred dollars per acre. "Etowah has some of the finest agri- cultural lands in the state and they are adapted to a great variety of crops that might be made immensely profitable with the proper care"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Holland and VeneZlela

Cipriano Castro is one of the worlds indiyidualistic enigmas. He is de- scribed as a little, swarthy, insignifi- cant-looking half-breed," and yet he is able to play one nation against an other. and all Europe against the Mon roe doctrine to his own great advant- age. His knowledge of human nature in international politics seems to be profound, and no one doubts his cour- age. After flouting nearly all the na- tions he coolly departed to Spain, to France and finally to Germany. He may even go to Holland, for the mars audacity seems to be limitless.z
 At the present time the cables say his enemies have risen in Caracas, but it is safer to await fuller intelligence before reaching the conclusion that his own country has turned against him.
 The issue between Holland and  Venezuela seems to be hurrying to a settlement partly through the acts of Q Dutch warship in capturing Venezuelan vessels and partly through the admin istration of Acting President Gomez, with whom Holland has no quarrel. This country takes a great deal of in- terest in the preservation of America for the Americans, but very little for Castro himself, for after this country had saved him in 1903 from punish ment by England, Germany and Italy he turned about to insult this govern ment and to injure some of our asphaltic citizens.
 Hollands seizure of a vessel on the Venezuelan coast is technically an in- vasion of the country, and unless the insurgents rise against Castro this gov ernment will soon be compelled to in- terfere against both Holland and Vene- zuela in order to maintain intact the Monroe doctrine. A waiting policy will ! doubtless be first utilized. A revolu- tion in Venezuela may settle all diff l ferences without intervention on our part.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
"ereater Birningham's" Population.

The limits of Birmingham will be ex- tended on October 1, 1909, so as to 1n- clude 421s square miles, and large outlying population" remarked a mem Der of the Commercial club. "The population of the Greater Birmingham by the time the census takers come round will be over the 100000 mark but unless Ensley decides to come in 1t will hardly reach 125,000.
 'When the school census was taken last summer Avondale and East Bir- mingham were included in the count and by the usual calculation--multiply ing the number of children of school age by four-we had a population of about 72,O0O. Next October East Lake. Woodlawn, North Birmingham, Elyton, West End and Pratt City, to say noth- ing of few smaller communities, will be inside the Birmin gham limits and then our population will be just about 100, 900. old time prosperity will re- turn early in 1909 and Birmingham's growth will be rapid again and our population should reach 10000, even without Ensley.
 Atlanta is claiming about 16o.000. It has recently extended its limits and now takes in nearly all of Fulton The census will doubtless give Atlanta 13O, 900, possibly 35.000. Its popula- tion will certainly fall below 150,000. But an increase from S9.O00 in 1900 to 130.0 in 1910 will make fine show
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Iron Market Upward.


 'oThe pig iron market couldn't be stronger or healthier than it is today" said an official of one of the large fur mace companies last night.
 A conservative furnace interest made a sale yesterday of No 1 foundry iron at s14, which would suggest a $1S.5o market on a No. basis. But the same interest is still quoting nominally SIS for No, 2. It is generally said, however, that the price schedule will be marked up with in the next few days, probably this week.
 The iron market talk is certainly more bullish than 1t has been at any time this year and some of the best informed brokers and sales agents are predicting that January will usher in a s15 sched- ule.
 Rogers Brown & Co.'S Cincinnati report just to hand says:
 'The edge of the holiday time has not slackened the buying interests which was so much in evidence week ago. Steady and strong without any undue excitement, is the proper term. There has probably been more activity in the foundry and forge grades than hereto fore and these are strong with the sup ply scarce. Good buying has been ac- complished, mostly for December and first quarter shipment
 "The market In general at the present time is somewhat peculiar as published prices are being strictly adhered to and there is not much offering at the lowest published quotations. Reports indicate the continued increase of melt, which will probably bring the tonnage for the month to a high level. although it is anticipated the next week or ten days, on account of the holiday season, will have its effect.
 "One of the most encouraging fea- lures of recent reports that have come to us would indicate that the machine tool business, which has been at such low ebb for so long, is at last improving and promises held out are very encour- aging.
 "Production of pig iron in November was, as anticipated, heavier than any month for over a year, with several ad- ditional active furnaces. The total pro- duction was 1,5SO.0OO tons, an increase of about 10000 tons over the month be- fore.
 Coke is quiet but strong. There is some demand of generous nature for foundry contracts and the spot busi- ness is moving well, although all dis tricts are suffering from lack of labor. This is going to add to the usual win ter season troubles and it should be everybody's part to discount these null tple difficulties all possible. The output of coke continues to improve slowly un- der these conditions"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Southern Vote Stands Intact

The New York World joins the -re- publican papers in declaring that the solid south is melting and that the trend of public sentiment is toward re- publicanism. It reaches this conclu- sion by comparing the vote of 1908 with that of 1900.
 It says Bryan's vote in this state, for example, in 1900 was 97,131 and in 1908 it was 74,3f4-a loss of 22,757 votes. But it fails to add that McKin- ley boiled in 1900 no fewer than 55,512 votes, while Taft in 1908 got but 25,3OS "a loss of 30,204 votes!
 In Tennessee McKinley's vote in 1900 was 121,194; in 1908 Taft got 11S,2S7- a loss of 29O7 votes!
 In Virginia McKinley's vote in 1900 was 115,S65; Taft's vote in 1908 was 52.573-a loss of 63,292!!
 In North Carolina McKinley's vote
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
Getting Along With the WeeYilS

The supervisors of Jefferson county, Mississippi, near Natehez, sent com mittee of five sensible farmers into the Weeyil-infected districts of Louisiana and Texas, and they came back to say that the farmers whose fields are full of weevils do not pay much attention to them. An alert farmer in Texas raises just as much cotton as he did before he ever saw one of the pests that came across the Rio Grande, or rather whose ancestors did the cross- ing act.
 But the farmer who makes cotton in the presence of weeyils must plant early and cultivate his crop well, and he must do this on land from which the stalks had been burned the previ- ous winter.
 If the weevils compel the farmers to do better and quicker and more in- tensiYe farming no harm will be done, and if they go step farther by induc- ing our farmers to grow more corn and therefore more hogs the net result would be beneficial
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18

in 1900 was 1S9,OS1; Taft's vote in 1908 was 114,s87-a loss of 19,794l
 These four states are paraded by the World to show that the democratic vote and democratic pluralities are dis appearing They may be, but so are republican votes, and so far as plu- ralities are concerned the republicans haven't any and will not have any if their state aggregates continue to diminish as they have in the last eight years.
 But, putting all joc1eying aside, the World knows or should know that vote totals in one-party states are not sub ject to the rules that control in con tested states. There is no incentive to get out the full democratic vote in one party states, and race questions and race conditions must be taken into consideration.
 AS a plain matter of fact the recent November vote discloses no change of political sentiment in the south what ever. There is no trend whatever to- ward party that is doing it's level best in court and out of it to annihilate the reserved rights of the states in orusr to render the central government all powerful and imperialistic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
MANSFIELDS VERSES TO WIFE. From Paul wilstach's New Life of Mans
 Eald

TO BEATRICE.
 Bring me that coat! wore it when I wooed her first! Her mittened hand was on that sleeve And stayed me when I feigned to read Her silence a command to leave. Search well the pockets you will find A tiny, useless bit of lace; stole it from the hand that hid The smile that dawned upon her face. Seek! Is the glove no longer there That she unclasped to smooth my hair, As I had knelt and bowed my head Upon her knee in mute despair?
 Bring me that coat! Be there no vestige of these now, Of amber-scented lock no trace? There is a silent witness still More precious far than glove or lace. Iris here where you may scarcely see The little rent a blackthorne tore; That's where her loving fingers delved. That's where her loving glances bore! Look at the stitches close and neat, You'll barely find the rent tore She mended all my life like that! Bring me that coat, that coat once
 moTs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18

ing and ought to satisfy the most en- thusiastie Atlanta booster. Tn 1sg8- two years before the last census was taken-the official estimate of the mayor as published in the World Al manac was 10000; and in 1900 the actual count was naturally disappoint- ing. A reasonable exaggeration for enth usiastic communities like Atlanta is permissible, but 1t never pays to claim too much. When 1t comes to the percentage of population gain in 1910 over 1900 Birmingham will lead all southern cities. and will be pretty close to the top of the list for the country at large. New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles are among the cities that will show very large per centage gains"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
The Presidents Salary.

"The bill introduced in Congress to increase the Presidents salary to s10O, GOO it is now $50.OOO-will probably never reach the calendar, but within the next few years the Presidents pay will likely be raised to at least s75.0O0," said man who formerly lived in Washington.
 'I remember when the Presidents sal ary was increased from $25,000 to $50, GOO. It was during General Grants admins tration, just before the beginning of his second term. I think it was. It was generally thought that s25,0Oo was too small a salary for the President, and moreover General Grant had no private means with which to supplement his of ficial income. When the bill was passed the proprietor of the New York Herald was in Europe and he cabled an order advancing the salary of his business man. ager from s25.OOO to $50,OOo, saying that no man in the United States should re- ceive more pay than MT. Connery, who was then in charge of the Heralds busi- ness office.
 Since that time quite a number of salaried men in this country are paid $50,o00 and over-a few as much as $1e0,O0O a year.
 'In the early days $25,OOO for the Presi- dent of the United States was considered not only adequate. but almost princely. But as the cost of living has increased, and the demands on the President in the way of semi-official entertainment, s50,000 does not perhaps, more than meet the chief executives actual expenses. While the government provides the President with an official residence and servants, certain it is that only a close man with little or no family could leave the White House at the end of four years with money saved out of his pay.
 ''The President of the French republic draws a salary of something like s12o,0o0 a year in salary and the same amount to cover his expenses"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
IN HOTEL HOBBIES
Senator Bankhead Here.

Senator J. H. Bankhead passed through Birmingham last night, en route from Washington to his home in Jasper.
 T was greatly surprised when I read in the morning papers that Judge Hund- ley's nomination had been confirmed, '" said Senator Bankhead .'I did not see how 1t was possible because there was an agreement before l left Washington that the matter would go over until after the holidays. Senator Clarke of Arkansas, who has been Judge Hundley's most ac- tive friend, was satisfied with this agree ment and he accordingly left Washing ton forahome on Wednesday.
 "The mistaken announcement was un- doubtedly made by clerk who got con- fused in the combinations made during the day"
 Senator -Barkhead stated that he would return to Birmingham Monday Senator Johnston left Washington for Birmingham last night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-18
PERRAULT's MEMORIAL.
France Signalizes the Measure of the
 Worlds Debt to Him.

From the Syracuse Post-Standard.
 In the garden of the Tulleries in Paris there now stands the portrait bust of a portly gentleman in a long curly wig. A wreath of roses embellishes the severity of the pedestal which raises this likeness to view About the base of it three frolicsome children dance and laugh and a cat in plumed hat and high boots strikes an attitude before the world. Charles Perrau1t is the name on the pedestal. He lived 200 years ago and his sole dis tinotion is that he gave to children The Hood," Blue Beard" Fuss in Boots," Cinderella" Tom Thumb and other tales of the sort that are not only re- garded as worthless nonsense by some solemn persons, but are now being de- scribed by many shrinking moralists as utterly vicious.
 The French, you see, know better. They are not afraid to manifest their admira- tion for man whose stories for children have caused him to be beloved for two centuries by most of the people of what we call western civilization. In the mean time the ancient tyrannies of France have gone down in blood, the world has seen the birth of democracy, the United States has come into the ranks of na- tions, and invention, learning, machinery and organization have transformed so- ciety from top to bottom; but Cinderella is still as well known and almost as real to the children as if she were actually riding in her pumpkin coac hdown the street this morning.
 A monument to a man who has done this is well conceived, and France, which has the wit and the appreciation to build the monument deserves, for this and many kindred acts, applause from the world.