davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Iron Market Moving

The pig iron market, after months of extreme dullness, is at last reviv- ing. A buying movement has set in, >and while sales since January 1 have not been on as large a scale as they promise to be within the next 10 days, they are still of sufficient volume to give assurance of a fairly substantial market between now and spring.
 Birmingham iron is quoted at $13.5O on a No. basis. It is said that some sales have been made at s13 and even a shade less; but as stocks of pig metal are very much reduced and as melt CTS are in pressing need of iron, any thing like brisk buying movement will make s13.50 iron look cheap to the consumer. There can be hardly doubt therefore but that the market will soon harden at $13.5O. with fair chance of an early advance to $14.
 W tile present prices are much lower than the quotations of last spring, yet when the recent readjustment of wages is considered iron can be sold for $13.50 at a reasonable profit Four teen-dollar iron would mean probably as much profit as $16 iron meant when the cost was at the top notch. With an active iron market the stocks on the yards in the Birmingham district will be cleaned up speedily and fur naces now idle will resume operations.
 The financial situation is improving steadily. The banks here and every where are in excellent condition and cash is as plentiful today as it was before last years panic. All signs point to healthy spring trade and Birmingham will enjoy full measure of general prosperity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
SENATOR CLAY.
From the Washington Herald.


 Senator Clay of Georgia is among the tallest men in the Senate, and his hair worn standing as straight up as the comb of a fighting rooster, makes him appear at least two inches taller than he Is. The Senator's most distinguishing mannerism is the habit of clutching that pompadour wildly with the fingers of his right hand and pulling it up as if he intended to lift his scalp from his head. Nervous ob- servers look to see the pompadour at least disarranged after one of these oper- ations, but it Is always as erect and unruffled as before.
 The Senator finds the average chair a somewhat ill-ftting receptacle for his large frame. and he solves the problem as a rule by sitting on the small of his back and extending his long legs out & mile or so in front of him, while his head rests upon the ragged edge of thu chair back He believes in being com fortable in spite of natural drawback and even at the expense of senatorial corum; but it should be added that in 6 Senate chamber he is the personifcat of dignity. It is only when off duty t he indulges his tendency to lounge.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Senator Aldrich's Plan

The dominant idea in the currency bill presented by Senator Aldrich is political. Instead of devising a bill that would render an October panic impossible he and his associates have formulated a bill that is expected to make no enemies and to take from the republican party no votes. But it's those who desire to see real reform bill become law. It will not lift from the shoulders of the republican party one ounce of the responsibility con- nected with the panic of 1907.
 The bill provides for maximum issue by national banks of 0,OOO, 900 of emergency currency based on state or municipal bonds up to 75 per cent of their value. The entire business is to take place in the discretion of the comptroller of the currency.
 If the Aldrlch bill had been law on October 23 when lot of wildcatters kicked up high jinks in some New York banks would it have operated to prevent the withdrawal of confidence and resultant panic? It is not easy to answer this question in the affirma- tive. It is not easy to see how it could have been applied quick enough to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Opposed To Early Primary.

For one, l am unqualifiedly against the holding of an early primary" said J. D. Shelby, one of the IS members of the city democratic committee last night. And I believe you will find majority of the members of the committee are against 1t also. Birmingham is tired of politics right now, and there just must be cessation for a while. The election is a long way off and the holding of a primary at this time is absolutely unnec- essary. If anybody wants to announce for office so early let him announce now if he just can't wait.
 The business men, the working men and everybody else have had their fill of the political question. Birmingham has been worked overtime day and night for a year or two, and this eternal ham, mering away is staling on the people. Before one little fight has been settled another one has started, and the patience of the populace has been strained almost to the breaking point. Let us wait for three or four months before calling this primary"
 Alderman John w. O'Neill is one of Birmingham's active politicians who is deslfous or peace for a few months. MT. oNeill thinks that a primary in July would be much more acceptable to the people than one held within the next month or two. In discussing the matter he said:
 Birmingham has had too much poli- tics for the present, and they should be allowed to drop for a while at least. 1 believe that a primary held the latter part of July would be the best for Bir- mingham. and the politicians as we'll This would give us the primary five or six weeks before the regular election, which would be ample time.
 From what I gather, the people are tired of the political game, and I be- lieve an early primary would be direct ly opposed to public sentiment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
SONG OF LOVE.

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning. First time he kissed me, he but only
 kissed The fingers of this hand wherewith
 write, \ And ever since it grew more clean and
 white Slow to d-greetings-quick with it's
 "Oh, list!"- When the angels speak. A ring amethyst I could not wear here plainer to my sight Than that first kiss. The second passed
 in height The first, and sought the forehead, and
 half missed Half falling on the hair. o beyond
 need! That was the chrism of love- with loves
 own crown, With sanctifying sweetness, did precede. The third upon my lips was folded down In perfect, purple state since when, in-
 deed have been proud and said, My Love-
 my own.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Bright New Year.

Business looks good to me-" said the manager of one of the largest con- cerns here, who is also a director in one of the large banks. Ut was said that the effects of last falls panic would be overcome much sooner than we got over previous financial dis turbances, and l can see that 1t turned out to be so. Things looked a little blue, perhaps, in December but now in the early part of January business is becoming normal and something tells me that 1908 is going to be one of Birmingham's best yearsF
 q voted against prohibition and would probably do so again, if we were to have another election on that issue. But I am free to confess that prohibi- tion is not hurting business. Every body is starting off the new year with bouyant spirits and everybody seems to have confidence in the absolute stabili- ty of business conditions. It is safe to say that there will not be an idle fur mace in the Birmingham district after ground hog day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
Will Be All One.

Before the Greater Birmingham eIec- ton I heard the notion advanced by one or two citizens that the outlying com munities would have all told majority in the board of aldermen and would there dominate" said an old taxpayer.
 There could be little or nothing in that idea. When Greater Birmingham becomes effective on October l. 1909, we will all be in the same boat, so to speak. To think that the new aldermen would combine against the aldermen representing the old and smaller city would be like im- agining something unworkable One might as well say that representatives of the outlying wards of Birmingham as it is could or would find 1t to their interest to combine against the downtown aldermen. It will behoove all the aldermen of the Greater Birmingham to work together tremendously. l predict that the new ter ritory will get all it is entitled to and that no more than even justice will be expected or asked.
 Jake Weiss of Mobile, one of the best known travelling men in the state, ar rived last night.
 Joseph Magnus of Cincinnati, the well known manufacturer of whisky, was reg istered yesterday at the Hillman.
 
 Sydney J. Bowie, formerly congress- man, returned to Birmingham last night after a business trip to Montgomery.
 E. Schryver, general freight agent Of the Alabama Great Southern, returned yesterday from New Orleans.
 c. A. Cowles and Ray Knight, two Nor folk and Western agents of Atlanta, were at the New Morris yesterday.
 s. P. Gates of Bridgewater, Mass, a prominent capitalist having business in- terests in Birmingham, was in the city yesterday.
 c. R. Winship and George Winship, ac- companied by their wives, of Atlanta, were
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
New Gold Piece Received.

The first $20 gold piece of the con- cave shape, and without the Tn God We Trust seen in Birmingham, was in the possession of M. Well yester- day.
 "It is concave in shape, and the coins of this make cannot be stacked. They are, therefore, inconvenient for the bankers. I understand that only $6O00 in $20 gold pieces of this shape have been issued, and that no more will be made by the government
 q am keeping mine as a curiosity. It is a curiosity in any crowd in which it is shown"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
COLDS" AND THEIR VICTIMS.

From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
 This is the time of year when pneu- monia. the grip and the plain old-fashion- ed "cold" do a large and thriving bus mess. Sometimes it seems as if half the people you know were either in bed or shilling around with a pained ex- pression on their faces and an annoy ing irritation of one sort or another in throat or nose And the out-of-date per- son who for weeks has been taking no exercise beyond that involved in chronic game of hide and seek with germs in close, vitiated atmosphere Is still on hand to remark naively, 'I cant imagine where I caught this cold; haven't been chilled through for a month";
 All of which goes to show that even in this goth century some people wake up slowly. The open, with its cold, fresh air, is not the place where colds and the grip and pneumonia come from It is the combination of crowded rooms, poor ventilation and human beings run down" in health by too much life indoors that gives these diseases their best chance for effective work. The man who goes out alone hunting in the winter woods far away rom clVillzatlohi the arctic eN- plorer who spends months in the frigid atmosphere of the polar regions-these = ,s'f bothered by "colds' fr. fts out in the solitudes. eha L old'' Is itself a mis- s9aril. #r tr. we take cold when as fao ole so far as warmth
 caA-s is a man-spread dis ass-ara 4te. liness, poor ventilation .ar4 e neeefe habits of life, whether 4..v +st.att. , takes the form of dis
 4Her k or too little exercise, sr, fs a5er les.
 rt , be as free from "colds" and sa 11art lore serious kindred afflic-
 sai ,nstitution will allow, don't
 n ledicines, but keep out of
 5 H- initiated places as much as
 sgas y can; don't burn the can
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Pittsburg Post: 1t Is not so important to settle whether Brownson was a baby as whether the ships are men of war.
 Charleston News and Courier: Sugar up points" sounds indeed like the good old times in Wall street, when everybody had little sugar.
 Washington Herald: Charles E. Blaney says there is hardly a good villain on the American stage" Would MT. Blaney have villain be a mollycoddle? e
 Memphis News-Scimitar: Money is made in private offices by diverting the wealth produced by mans achievements over the forces placed by God at his disposal.
 New Orleans Times-Democrat: "The optimist Club of America" has been launched at Salt Lake City. Voyagers to throw cold water upon the new or ganization.
 Atlanta Constitution: A western man framed his New Year resolution in gold, then went out to celebrate it and, return ing. beat his wife with the frame Grim, but original, western humor that
 Louisville Courier-Journal: western minister has eloped with his cook. There should be written law exonerating any one who is so favored of the gods as to be taken in tow by the departing cook.
 Florida Times-Union: If there be any thing in a name, Pillsburgs appointment to succeed Brownson in command of the navigation bureau ought to be satisfac- tory to the doctors who run the Roose- welt administration.
 Nashville Banner: The defense of Harry Thaw at his second trial will be the plea that he was insane when he killed Stanford White, but he will in- sist that he is perfectly sane now. A sort of adjustable insanity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

N RECENT writer in Law Notes \YV asserts that he has read, page
 by page' 2O00 volumes of law reports within a comparatively few years. "Of course I did not do all this reading as a mere pastime," he adds. Such a comment would hardly appear necessary, although Thaddeus Stevens used to find relaxation from public cares in digging through old law books. But the reading of the Law Notes contributor is inter- esting because of it's extent and because it is by no means an unusual amount for an inquirer into a special subject.
 Here is a much more, interesting list of the volumes read by Lord Macaulay in a period of thirteen months, during which time he was also busie6 with his official duties as one of the members of the su- preme council of India: TT have read Aes- ehylus twice." he writes a friend, "So- phocles twice. Euripides once, Pindar twice, Callimachus, Appollonius Rhodius, Quintus Calaber, Theocritus twice, Hero dotus, Thucyddes, almost all Xenophon's works, almost all Plato, Aristole's 'Poli- tics and a good deal of his 'Organon," besides dipping. elsewhere in him, the whole of Plutarch's Lives and about half of Lucian, two or three books of Athenaehs, Plautus twice. Terence twice, Lucretius twice, Ca- julius, Tlbullus. Propertius, Lucian, Status. Silius Staicius, Livy, Velleius Patercuus Sallust.( Caesar and lastly Cicero. I have indeed a little Cicero left. but I shall finish him in a few days. am now deep in Aristophanes and Lucian."
 Manifestly Macaulay had an almost su- perhuman gift for reading. Trevelyan said of him, "Macaulay's extraordinary faculty of assimilating printed matter at first sight remained the same through life To the end he read books faster
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
SURE PROOF.

From the Baltimore American.
 The actor rounded up in Russia with a bunch of others, retained his composure while his companions in misfortune were giving way to despair.
 'I can prove my innocence of complic- ity in any conspiracy to the complete sat- isfaction of the authorities he said.
 "How can you do that?' one of his companions asked. You will always be suspected of being connected with a plot"
 He smiled confidently.
 Not when I tell them that for years I have been playing in musical com edies.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
AS TO READING BOOKS

than other people skinned them, and skinned them as fast as any one else would turn the leaves. And this sped was not in his case obtained at the expense of accuracy"
 Balzac's ability to take in at glance half a dozen or more lines of page is a well known incident of literature. And the Frenchman got all the meanings and the shades of meaning from the page. Balzac was not systematic reader and boasted that he never read book through. But he, too, had the power or "assimilating printed matter" M. Bruen- tiere says that Balzac's capacity for ab- sorbing knowledge as well as learning is not to be judged at all by the stand ards of .ordinary men, The same prin- ciple incidentally, is the sufficient an- swer to those who doubt that Shakes peare wrote Shakespeare because there is proof that he was never a student.
 Doubtless these who have been mention ed were exceptional readers, or, rather, devourers of books. But their example is Interesting not because 1t Is excep- tional but for the reason that industry in reading is really not exceptional. The bibliographies attaching to meritorius works of history attest stupendous re- search-stupendous to the man who is content to merely 'do' the magazines. The learned person who occasionally ad- ,vises that a reading of Shakespeare and the Bible lis enough has doubtless him. self read widely. MT. Roosevelt is said to read an average of four of five "solid' books a week and is omnivorous in his range. This, too, with an amount of active labor and of recreation that would quite stagger the ordinary person.
 Even a cursory survey of the subject convinces that reading, and its amount. depends upon one's temperament and hab- it and has nothing whatever to do with time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
FLuFFY.

FLUFFY. Fluffy Ruffles went to town, She was shopping bent. Sweetly smiling, all in brown, This is what she spent: Five cents purchased stamps, no more, Ten cents on the car, Five cents in a dry goods store, Where the bargains are. Candy cost another ten Home in great suspense. Spoke to fifteen hundred men, Spent just thirty cents!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

registered at the Hillman yesterday. They are we'll known in Birmingham.
 MT. and Mrs. Daniel Pratt of Pratt vile, were at the Hillman yesterday. MT. Pratt Is well known in Birmingham busi- ness circles, and has many warm friends here.
 Jack House of Jasper is at the Morris.
 Albert E. Brame of Montgomery is at the Morris.
 John s. Pawood of Mobile is at the Morris.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 Being good is an awful complacent job.
 The more a man slaves himself the more he talks about his barber.
 The girl you kiss under the mistletoe acts as if 1t would be much better some- where else.
 When you see a man advertising his virtues it's to keep your attention off his real character.
 boyscan be lot prouder of his father for not dressing out of style than for being one of the big men of the world,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

dle at both ends; take moderate de- gree of exercise and sleep with plenty of air in your room. This programme may not keep you absolutely free from the prevalent winter ills of our climate, but 1t will do more for you in this di- rection than any other plan of life open to the average worker in the cities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

President Roosevelt says Reuterdahl is guilty of "hysterical exaggeration." His article is calm and methodical to a degree. He may, however, create hysteria in the other fellows.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Old Mexico is shipping us javelin
 hogs in carload lots They are a de-
 gree worse than the razorbacks from Arkansas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

On the water wagon there is always room for one more, to say nothing of vacancies that occur when men are jolted off.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

: The New York wigmakers struck and they won their strike. The New Workers did not want to be jerked baldheaded.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The government Is always about to proceed against the Hartman combine, but 1t never does. It is case of tariff revision in another line of work.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Andrew Carnegie says new era of prosperity is in store for us, and An drew has heap of business foresight.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Municipal government by commits sion is gaining ground daily in this city and throughout the rest of the country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

George Ade as a Fairbanks delegate should not expect to do more than to eonvulse the convention.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Groundhog day will determine the weather hereafter. There is time in which to have some winter weather yet.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Medicine Hat is endeavoring to as- sert itself, but opposition pressures are giving it the battle of it's life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

George Ade's appearance in politics has put new life in the Fairbanks boom by making it doubly ridiculous.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The next holiday will be ground hog day, and it is for groundhogs only.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Pasadena has a rose show, and Ala bama is giving a dandelion exhibit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The stock exchange in Rome had it's headquarters in the temple of Neptune, who believed in water.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The Governor Hughes boom is spon- taneous, without Hitchcock or a Vorys.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

est. At sundown he reached spring of pure beer which bubbled up from be- tween two boulders. "Here," he ex- claimed, i've will found Milwaukeer'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

War by the. insomnia route would at sea lead to the old practice of boarding ship.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Kentucky should sentence it's night riders to the water wagon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
REFORM.

REFORM. Just a little headache in the morning, Just a VOW you'll never drink again, All your former dissipation scorning. Looking on your weakness with disdain. Just a chap you used to know in college, Just friendly clasping of the hand, Then away to seek forbidden knowledge, Painting up the town to beat the bandi
 REPLIES.
 It appears that some captains of in- dustry are not captains at home. Did you ever see a girl who really wanted to marry a man and didn't? The Fairbanks buttermillS joke has nearly as many whiskers as MT. Fair banks.
 Don't take the office home." says Irene Gardner What she probably means is Don't take the office stenographer home."
 It's a good thing Emperor William can't hear the Chattanooga Star calling him "Bill Hohenzollern."
 "Does it pay to be a lawyer?' asks an exchange. Yes, if you are slick one.
 John w Gates, it is reported will be sn orchardist. In that case, he can bet on the crop. PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

As the days begin to lengthen business confidence continues to strengthen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The government engineers at Pan anna are making big place for them selves and for the worlds ships.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

Washington has 10000 cases of grip, but those cases are not confined to Congress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
GRATITUDE.

GRATITUDE.
 There are many good humorists in the country today, but Paul Cook of the Birmingham Age-Herald surpasses them all in brilllancy and wit. Paul recently reprinted a verse from this column.-Her- man Da Costa in the St. Louis Times. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is gratitudeI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
EXACTLY.

"Ive a dreadful cold" What are you taking for it?' Chances. I've just summoned doc- tor"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

The stork visits St. Petersburg despite it's bombs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
HARDLY

Paul Cook thinks that where there's so much talk of widows there must be large cemetery. Not necessarily. Ask Lil- Han Russell.-Houston Post.
 We don't want to have our eyes scratched out, George
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09
MERIT.

MERIT. The greatness of a man cannot be hid, No matter what the dizzy stars fore tell, Who knuckles down to duty when he's bid And doeth all things we'll The bravest of the brave beneath the sun, Although he wears no laurel on his brow, Who struggles while his red, life-cur- rents run And stoutly keeps the VOW He made in yesterwhile to win or die, Despite the lanees of a hostile world, And battles on with proud, undaunted eye, Until his flag is furled.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-09

BILL OF FARE AT A SODA
 FOUNTAIN. Soup. Bouillion Oyster stew. Eggs, any style. Sandwiches. Coffee. Chocolate. Milk. Cake. Pie. Ice cream. Sherbet Fruit mixtures. Taffy from the 'jerker.' Ninety-nine different deadly dopes.
 TO GO. ''Do you know? I won't accept any thing from my friends q have even heard it said that you won't take a hint!'