davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

losses from the ranks of well-known
writer's.
The other distinguished dead of the
year include Grover Cleveland, the
country's sole ex-president; Sir Henry
Campbell-Bannerman, ex-premier of
Great Britain; Gen. Stephen D. Lee,
commanderin-chiefo of the United Con-
federate Veterans; William B. Allison,
United States Senator; Ira D. sankey.
evangelist; the Emperor and Dowager
Empress of China, and Claus spreck-
els, Califonia's sugar king.
Montgomery lost during the year
Ariosto Appling Wiley, it's representa-
tive in Congress, and William F. Van
diver, a leading citizen. Other coun-
ties in this state mourn the death of
excellent citizent who preferred Il
good name at home to fame abroad.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Judge REYNOLDS in City.

L. H. Reynolds, probate judge of Chill
ton county, arrived yesterday to attend
the conference of probate judges and 9TH
er county officials today in regard to the
leasing of county convicts. Judge Rey-
nclds made the statement that he was
positive that the large corporations had
made an agreement not to bid against
each other. He also stated that he would
work the convicts of Chiffon county on
the public roads until this state of affairs
is changed. He expressed the hope that
all counties adopt this plan and thus
force the companies to break their COM
bination.
Judge Reynolds was elected to his pres
ent position on the republican ticket and
is one of the well known republicans of
the state.
Judge Reynolds has recently had some
correspondence with President-elect Taft
He had joined in inviting Mr.. Taft to
Alabama, but Mr. Taft in his reply ex-
pressed a fear that he would be unable
to visit the state at this time.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
THE TOYS.

By Coventry Patmore.'
My little son, who look'd from thoughtful
And moved and spoke in quiet grown-up
wise,
Having my law the seventh time dis
obey'd,
] struck him, and DISMISSED
With hard words and unkiss'd,
His mother, who was patient, being dead.
Then, fearing lest his grief should hinder
sleep,
1 visited his bed,
But found him slumbering deep.
With darkend eyelids, and their lashes
yet
From his late sobbng wet
And /, with moan,
kissing away his tears, left others of my
own;
For on a table drawn beside his head.
He had put, within his reach,
A box of counters and red-veind stone,
A piece of glass abraded by the beach
And six or seven shells,
A bottle with bluebells
And two French copper coins, ranged
there with careful art,
To comfort his sad heart
So when that night 1 pray'd
To God, / wept, and said:
All! when at last we lie with tranced
breath,
Not vexng Thee in death,
And Thou rememberest of what toys
We made our joys,
How weakly understood
Thy great commanded good
Then, fatherly not less
Than I whom Thou hast nodded from the
clay,
Thou'lt leave Thy wrath, and say,
II will be sorry for their childishness."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Red Cross Stamps and tuberculosis


In all cities of the country at least
| the little Red Cross stamps were sold
during the Christmas season and the
sale of them is to be extended to New
Years Day and, in fact the sale of the
stamps may be indefinitely extended.
1t is estimated that 100000 of the
stamps have already been sold in New
England, and Chicago alone reports a
sale of 100000. The sale of a million
stamps means $4,000 contributed to
the battle that is being waged against
the white plague.
All are coming to an acceptance OF
the belief that tuberculosis, at once in
sidious, treacherous and dangerous,
can be fought back, and can perhaps
be driven out altogether. Ten years
ago consumption, as it was then
called, was considered an incurable
disease; today prevention, at any rate,
is taught to old and young alike.
School children are taught that the
dread disease is a germ disease and
that sanitary conditions and habits
can keep off those germs and can even
combat them after they have gained a
foothold in the human system. Light,
air and good food are the chief weap-
ons OF the crusade against the disease.
The Red Cross stamp does two
things, says the Washington Star: sit
spreads broadcast the information that
fight is waging against tuberculosis
and thereby serving in the education
of the people, and it provides a fund
for the campaign which is being con-
Quoted in behalf of the poor who suf-
fer from the disease. The pennies
given in exchange for the stamps are
spent for medicines and food for those
who have been claimed by this disease
and who without such aid must sue
! cumb in misery, and who meanwhile
are endangering the health of others.
II one hundred times as many Red
| Cross stamps had been sold this sea-
son as have actually been disposed of,
this war fund would have reached a
total promising heavy gains in the
fight against the white plague. AS it
is, the pennies have mounted into dol
lars in such abundance that there will
be advances in the year to come to-
ward the goal"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
George F. Moore's Visit.

Zone of the most interesting visitors to
Birmingham recently" said a well known
Mason yesterday, was George f. Moore,
sovereign grand inspector general of the
Scottish Rite Masons of Alabama.
Mr.. Moores residence is in Washing
ton, and he has been everywhere, seen
everything, and knows everybody. He is
one of the most interesting speakers,
therefore, who ever visits this state.
AT the Masonic temple, Saturday even
ing. Mr.. Moore gave an interesting dis
course concerning the work of Scottish
Rite Masons in every part of the world,
and his account of the proceedings of
the recognized supreme council of the
world which was recently held at Brus-
sells, Belgium, and which he attended as
a delegate from the southern supreme
council was highly instructive"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Harvest Of The Grim ReaDsr

When we consider the list of the
dead of 1908 the name of Joel Chan
dler Harris first comes to the southern
mind. From the ranks of writer's
were taken also during the year Will
liam l.. Alden, author and editor; Ed
mund Clarence Stedman, banker-poet;
"Ouida," the novelist; Crosby S. Moves,
journalist; Ludovic Halevy, the French
author; Francois Coppee, dramatist
and poet; Murat Halstead, journalist;
Bronson Howard, dramatist; Louise
Chandler Moulton, poet; Daniel Colt
Gilman and Charles Eliot Norton, edu-
Gators and authors; Victorien Sardou,
dramatist, and Donald G. Mitchell, au-
thor. No recent year shows greater
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Came of a gentle, kind and noble stock
-Pericles.
Years Work on Roads

As the close of the year is a fitting
time for retrospection, it is well for the
citizens of Jefferson county to survey
what has been accomplished during
the past twelve months in improve
ment of the county highways. In the
first place, the board of revenue has
expended during the year on the roads
of the county the magnificent sum of
$267,728.63. From the reports received
from all parts of the county by those
who use the roads the money has been
we'll and wisely expended.
The county board of revenue de-
serves the highest commentator for
taking up this important question in 50
liberal a spirit. A year ago the Age
Herald was printing statements from
citizens in all parts of the county say
ing that the roads were in the most
deplorable condition in the countys
history. Statements were also printed
demanding that this condition be rem
edied. Columns of matter was printed
showing the importance of the work
TO the proper development of the coun-
ty, and the board of revenue was quick
to respond to the general demand for
some tangible results. That they
wrought wonders is now acknowledged
ON every hand.
But the work has really just begun.
Jefferson county must have the finest
system of roads in the southern states.
Every nook and corner of the county
must be easily accessible. The newly
elected board of revenue must keep
up the work so we'll begun. Now is
the time to make the experiment of
working our convicts on the roads.
Rather than lease the conyicts at the
figures that have been offered, the
county should put every able-bodied
convict to road building. There will
be little road money available during
the next two months, and unless the
convicts are used all this time will be
lost. Heavy damage will be done to
the roads now in good condition by
the winter rains if they are allowed
to go unprotected for two months.
Now is the time to make the convict
experiment.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
GREATEST MODERN ADvENTURER

From the New York World.
A squat figure of man not above five
feet in stature, thick-set and perhaps 40
years old, peasant-born, with marked In
clan traits (or is the other story true
that coffee planter was his father and
that a strain of noble Spanish blood
courses through his veins ?)-such is Cas-
tro. Venezuela's imam of destiny" whose
exile in Europe still finds him the center
of the worlds interest.
Genius in whatever guise deserves its
tribute, and a certain admiration is not
to be withheld from this barefoot cat
tle-driver who with an ''army" of % mule
drivers marched on Caracas, seized the
government and made himself the master
OF the South American republic, ruling
like an autocrat for nine years, filling
the prisons with his foes, developing a
genius for war though no soldier, outwit-
ting trained diplomats of Europe, nego-
tiating treaties with England and Ger
many, defying the fleets of France and
Holland and successfully bluffing the
great powers, while incidentally amassing
the millions which make his travels
through Europe with his retinue of re-
tainers and caravan of automobiles a
royal progress.
In Castro the demagogue and the die
tator are curiously mixed. He is known
in Venezuela both as the Napoleon of
South America" and the monkey of
the Andes" The tawdry magnifcence of
his entertainments, the palace bancuets
to which the beggars from the street
were invited and the balls at which In
dams danced in native garb are not with
out an Arabian Nights suggestion. He
appeased the populace with bull-fights and
free concerts as Roman Emperors did
with bread and the circus" He proved
his loyalty to his early companions by
making his barber secretary general and
a mule driver minister of the treasury.
Truly one of history's most romantic
characters, a unique and original person
ality, is this South American despot
easily the most extraordinary of his kind
1t is agreeable to think that the story
of his coffee planter ancestry is au-
thentic and that in him some Spanish
adventurer of bygone centuries is rein
Cafnate.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
PARIS PoLITENESS A MYTH.
From Golfers Weekly.


Tradition declares the French to be the
most polite people in the world. They're
not. Individually, the Frenchman may be
courteous. Collectively. he lacks the es-
sential element of courtesy, regard for
the feelings of others. Charming in pri-
vate, in public he is an individualist to
the verge of savagery In the theatre he
is a nuisance, on the street he is a boor,
travelling he is-there is no other word
adequate to the occasional hog. You dis
cover this on the occasion of your first
promenade in Paris. My first day on the
boulevards of Paris was spent mainly in
the gutter, my second in apologizing to
people who were urging me thither. My
third devoted to doing some butting my
self. My fourth. fifth and sixth nursed
lame shoulders. Now I have a hardened
spot in my soul and two more on the
front of my collarbones, and I can look
straight and unquavering into the eyes of
an elderly French lady with long gray
whiskers and convince her that she
doesn't want more than two-thirds of the
sidewalk, and that if she does want it,
she doesn't get til This sounds ungentle-
manly, but it's necessary. For If you
let yourself get shunted into the street
often enough it's only a question OF time
when a watchful taxi-auto will get you.
To study another phase of the downfall
of the politest- people -on-earth myth, go to
any theatre. There you will be walked
over nudged, punched, prodded and
pushed until you are ready to bite some
one! You will find that the Frenchmap
regards other peoples feet as stepping
stones of his own career. Between the
acts he jams his hat on his head, leans
up against the neck of the most con-
venient lady in the next row. and suns
himself in the admiring regard of the
house. And, going out, he is simply
1ueeerraut.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
FEUDIsTs OF THE SOUTH SEAS

From Harper's Weekly.
The natives of the Solomon Islands are
continually involved in feuds and many
murders are committed upon the theory
of "a life for a life" Whenever a man
belonging to one tribe is killed by a men,
Der of another community no peace is
declared until the death has been avenged
by the former tribe, and generally an in
offensive man is the victim because he
fails to guard himself from attack.
Some strange stories concerning these
islanders are told by Miss Young of the
South Sea Island Evangelical Mission.
who has recently returned to England
after a four months stay in the far east,
One morning a native left the mission
to visit his garden a short distance away,
and while working there some Bushmen
approached and entered into conversation
with him. After talking together and
eating some fruit which the gardener Of
fered them, they suddenly attacked and
murdered him on the spot Thus was
avenged murder committed some months
previously by the victims tribe
Another story concerns a younk Kanaka
who had been brought to the mission from
an adjacent island. The tribe to which
this youth belonged had recently killed
a member of the Bush tribe who were
located near the station, In some mys-
FERROUS manner this tribe learned of the
presence of the boy at the mission, and
one of these natives, who had not been
seen in the vicinity for a year, suddenly
began to haunt the place. Although the
Kanaka boy was carefully protected and
slept in the same room with a missionary,
he became so terrified and fearful of his
life that it was found necessary to trans
fer MIN to a distant mission.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Interesting Negro Here.

Zone of the most interesting negroes of
the state declared gentleman yester-
day, sis Peter Crenshaw, of Athens, who
Will be master of ceremonies at the Odd
Fellows meeting which begins here Tues
day.
I'm the first place, Peter is an ex-slave'
and retains the dignity characteristic OF
that regime which is fast passing But
be is best known as doorkeeper of the
United States Senate, in which capacity
he has served under both democratic and
republican administrations.
Peter. having been in close proximity
to the great debaters of the Senate, has
become really polished speaker. He Is
a learned old negro. and is with 1t ALL
humble and most polite"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
CAPTAIN Humos, Death.

1.-The death of Capt. Milton Humes in
Huntsville, removes one of the really
strong men of the state,' said a former
resident of the spring city. Captain
Humes was prominent in everything that
had to do with the upbuilding of his
state and section and few have done as
much to bring Alabama investments to
the attention of outside capitalists as has
Captain Humes. He was an indefatigable
worker and was exceptionally prosperous
in his undertakings.
Huntsville will miss him as will all
northern Alabama for that matter. Cap
tain Humes home in Huntsville is almost
haronial in its pretensions and is one OF
the finest suburban estates in Alabama. -
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
Difference In Celebrations.

81 found a decided difference in the
Christmas celebration in Chattanooga and
Birmingham" said a man who spent the
early holidays in the Tennessee city. 1.-THE
police records for Christmas eve and
Christmas day showed but three arrests
for drunkenness in Chattanooga. l note
from the papers an entirely different
story here in Birmingham. Arrests for
drunkenness were much more numerous
here, which seems strange in a prohibit
tion town.
81 was told in Chattanooga that there
has been shipped from that city during
Christmas week 81, 10000 worth of liquor.
I suppose Birmingham got Its share
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
A womans idea of a good figure de-
ponds on whether it's hers or somebody
elses S.
You can tell by the way a girl gets off
street car what she thinks of her
ankles.
The most attractive thing about a girl
who skates is when you are putting them
on for her
The dullest thing about grown-up sor
is how he can't realize how smart his
father is to be able to support him.
One reason a mother has her doubts
ebout her boy going to college is there
Is nobody there to sew on buttons for
him.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
PROUD OF THEM.
From the Boston Post,

Partner" said the tall tramp at the
water tank, Eyer don't seem much wor-
ried about dem openings in de under part
of yer Shoe"
guess not" chucked the short
tramp as he warmed his feet on the hot
cinders; "dey are de windows of me
SOLE"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
CROSSING The BAR.
3 Washington Herald.


Lippincotts Magazine for December
carries a pathetic and hopelessly unphilo-
sophical little poem. It was written by
Charles Hanson Towne, and the first two
stanzas go in this wise:
The flags are hung half-mast today,
But they'll all be high tomorrow
This is the big worlds cruel way,
All this is how we sorrow!
A moments grief, a brief delay
From pillow and field and furrow-
The flags are hung half-mast today,
But they'll all be high tomorrow!
Oh. we'll what If that be true2 Cheer
upl Let us see if we cannot mingle than
| atopsis with Christmas joys, and be none
the worse or less happy for it.
Why should there be weeping and wall
ing and gnashing of teeth when we let go
these earthly things and depart to an
other life-somewhere, mayhap, as SEN
ator Chandler says, among the stars? If
we have wrought well, even in a few
things and little things we should like,
We think. to be held in kindly recollection
by such friends and dear ones as we
leave behind. But day of half-mast for
the flag and sigh for the severing of
earthly ties-no more should we in recip-
rocal kindness ask How much sweeter
seems the thought that we are remem-
bered only in joy-that the mental picture
of us as we were should cause some one
to smile rather than lapse into sadness
and tears, idle tearsl
From the st. Louis Post-Dispatch we
clip this little story:
"A railroad brakeman was taken to the
City hospital, where surgeons removed his
mangled legs above the knees, leaving
him what many would have called a hope
less cripple. But this brakeman was not
helpless. Hardly had he recovered from
the effect of the anesthetic when he be-
gan planning his future
He made no complaints he had no
grievance against himself nor grim fate.
He carried little accident insurance. and
the loss of his legs meant that he would
receive about $1,000 not enough to support
him in idleness. He discussed the various
possibilities, and decided that he would
invest the money in a cigar store. He
could run that business without legs. and
the future looked bright. Then he lay
back on his bed and dropped into the sleep
from which there is no awakening"
Then died a gentleman unafraid, albeit
an humble brakeman Do you suppose
he wanted any of his loved ones to sor-
row and look up nevermore to the smiling
face of nature, and be glad! He was one
of those rare souls who gather sunshine,
and accept the incidental storms of life
with calmness and serenity. He was one
of the kind of whom Frank Stanton wrote
when he penned this:
This world that we're alvin in
Is mighty hard to beat
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
A TRUANT.

A TRUANT.
Just little fellow,
Romping in the rain,
With a smile that ought to bring
The sunshine back again.
Just q little fellow,
Almost wringing wet
When his mother yields the strap
He'll be dried, you betl
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

If, says the warden of a penitentiary,
a man steals ride on a railroad he is
called a hobo; if he steals the whole
railroad he becomes magnate and
great financier.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
"soN, YOU ARE A GREAT MANI

VIII Irwin, writing on 1.-THE New York
Sum- in the American Magazine for lam
uary' recites the following interesting an
ecdote as typifying the class of reporter
that gets on:
Inc Sun found one morning that IL
mad been beaten on an important piece of
news-an interview with a great politi-
clan. The Sun reporter, sent to talk IN
that very man, had written only few
bare pleasantries and bromidioms. an.
other paper had some startling facts. The
next afternoon, Chester s. Lord. the man
aging editor, crooked his little finger Z,
passing, at the reporter. That crool, of
the finger is the most violent gesture NJ
Mr. Lord. Mildly, he asked how It han
pened.
had the story said the reporter
but I gave my word-we both gave orr
words-that we would hold it ont for
three days, even from our Offices
son. you are great man. said Mr..
Lord-and dropped the matter for all time
Among conservative and conscientious
journalists there is now code of ethics
as straight and definite as those which
govern lawyers and physicians The code
is not peculiar to the Sun; all respectable
journalists observe 1t; there is at least
one other newspaper in New York which
requires this standard of all its men. Bur
do believe, from the tales of mine elders
that this code came into being with the
body of writers, chosen for character as
well as for brains, which Dana gathered
about him."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29
MERCENARY.


This is the age of grab
The day of the artful stealer.
When the flash of a bankroll makes
Greed's servile minions bow.
Monopoly's the thing
Trust-bound, we toll along
And pay two prices for
Necessities of life.
Still CLEANS the diamond stud
On swinish kings of loot
Whose consciences are dead
Whose hearts are hearts of stone.
The magic word is Cold"
Yellow gold, the sesame
OF all the ages, but lately grown
More powerful, more vast
In its dominion.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

Exact dates for the Panama canal
opening cannot be handed out because
of tse disappearing qualities of thar
toe of the Gatun dam
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

When the President-elect goes to
Texas no doubt the Texans will be able
to show him on a banner the big ma
jority they cast against him.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

If Pittsburg really desires to reform,
it should send for Hinky Dink and
Bathhouse John to come over for a day
or two to set the pace.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

Serene Payne and John Dalzell are
framing a tariff bill behind closed
doors. The doors are locked to keep
the special interests out for appear
ance sake.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

The Pittsburg politician is, after all,
Pennsylvania bred. He is a Penrose
man first, last and all the time.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

Castro is the true and only man
without country.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

When Castro gets well he, too,
should go to Africa.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-29

Panama junkets are still the fashion
in Congress.