davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

fell out some neatly folded bills. He picked them up and counted them; there were three $1Oo bills.
 My gracious, that's riskyl' cried the sergeant with mingled thrill of fear and delight.
 He held them in his hand for mo- ment, simply for the pleasure of feeling so large a sum. Then he read the let ter, holding it close to his old eyes with a shaking hand. The penmanship was ir- regular but the meaning was clear.
 Dear Joshua-I send you this money to do anything you want to with. It's some I've saved up all these years by myself and I've had it changed into these bills. It's a good deal to send in a letter, but I guess the Lord will see that you get it. The children don't know anything about it and they don't need to. They ve got enough, anyhow. You don't know how glad I was to see you so pleasantly situated that day. it has made me happy ever since. I can't write long because it hurts me; ] am sick and shouldn't be surprised if when you get this letter I had passed beyond. I know how proud you are, but don't send this money back, because the children would scold me, and I don't want them to have it any way Good-by, Joshua, from your loving sister, MARY.
 The sergeant sat perfectly still on the edge of the bed, the letter in one hand, the bills in the other and the envelope between his feet. After a long silence he stopped down. picked up the en- yelope, put the letter and money in it, z and going 10 the bureau carefully locked 1t in his upper al aver.
 ''One thing leads to another" he said, smiling grimly at himself in the glass.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

n RESIDENT ROOSEVELT has made the declaration that he is a re- X publican before he is a tariff re- visionist; his letter to Edward H. Harri- man, just before the election of 1904, shows that he is a republican before he is a trust-buster, and his acceptance of the Allison amendment (that was forged in Wall street. to the Hepburn rate bill, of agonzing memory, discloses that he is a republican before he is an octopus chaser Indeed, there is nothing plainer than that President Roosevelt prefers any abuse that now exists rather than allow the democratic party any credit for any sort of reform. For instance, John Sharp Williams had the republican majority surrounded and short of yictuals the other day in his campaign for free wood pulp and free print paper, but when the President came on the scene with his characteristically sensational message and laundering in the index-as usual there was not one word of and concern ing tariff reform in the whole document. Rather than get an honest and constltu- tional tariff, according to his definition Of it in his writings, rather than get 1t with democratic aid. President Roosevelt will be as much offa standpatter as Aldrich or Dalzel or the American Economist itself. And yet the land is full of demo- crats who throw their ready hats high in the air and shout applause every time they hear his name, and the present leader of the democratic party has given the republican President certificate of good political character.
 In 1860 the republican party pretended to be descendant of Thomas Jefferson. In 1896 the then democratic papacy can
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

, home. He forgot the comforts that were making the soul of many an old soldier glad; he fused over the undoubtedly mo- , notonous bill of fare, and fumed over the somewhat irksome but necessary regula- tions, until he seemed changing from q popular inmate of the house to one of those terrors of all institutions, a chronic grumbler
 There's nothing left to look forward to but the graveyard with no monument, nor headstone nor nothng," he'd mutter in the solitude of his own room, for he had not yet been assigned a roommate. 'If I could only git to Sophrony's now -" Then he remembered what Josh 5 sister had said about her children. But Sophrony's real good hearted if she is poor, and if she couldn't keep me all the time she'd make me have real pleasant visit. It just seems as if couldn't stay here any longer. I'm tired of seein' old soldiers and nothin' but old soldiers. To think I should have come to this" And the sergeant groaned aloud in bitter ness of spirit.
 The days went on to warmth and bright ness, but the sergeant's world seemed cold and dull; he pitied not only himself but every more hopeful inmate of the home.
 At last one day in early May a letter was brought to his room, addressed to Mr. J. Brown The sergeant, sitting on the edge of Josh's bed, turned it over and over in pleasurable excitement and exam ined the postmark The name of the town he could not make out but the state the sergeant was sorry to note, was far distant from Sophrony's, and the hand writing, feeble and cramped, was un- known.
 The sergeant opened the letter and there
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

He stood a long time with the Key m his hand in front of the bureau.
 There was no address in the letter; all Josh's papers had been destroyed before his death, and the sergeant could not re- member tie place where Josh had said his sister lived. She's moved, anyway" he told h7mseIf in the glass.
 Clearly he could not send the money back and Mary did not want him to; she wanted hin-no. she wanted Josh-to keep it. But since Josh could not have it, surely she would be glad that his old chum should enjoy it. The money could not help 'llc Gead why should it not be used for tbe living? If Mary had known he was only Joshs roommate and not Josh's self, she would scarcely have sent the money. But here it was, and addressed to MT. J. Brown. Why did the money not belong to the sergeant? Had not Providence sent 1t to him?
 He passed a sleepless night with these bills staring at him through the wonder fully grained wood of the yellow bureau drawer. And they talked to him. Now you can go to Sophrony's, and perhaps stay here always, anyway for long time, and have a grand, good time
 He could feel in his stuffy little bedroom the air blowing free across the wide fields; he could see the wax flowers that his sis- ter had made and which he knew always stood on the parlor mantel; he could hear the melodeon that Sophronia wrote she had lately purchased In the morning he rose little refreshed. with a red spot burning on either cheek and an expectant gleam in his eyes. The first thing he did was to hide the money under the edge of the carpet beneath his bureau.
 That days mail brought him another
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

r ONDON, May 23.-I have alluded to the Womens Freedom league. A Though united family party, Mrs. Emeline Pankhurst and her three daughters Christabel, Adela and SyiVis' have not been able to retain their organ ization intact. A serious split occurred a few months back when, so my ln- formation runs, Mrs. Pankhurst arpi- trary and unconstitutional proceedings drove several of her best supporters into revolt. They split off and formed an other society known as the women Freedom league.
 It has offices in Buckingham street, and it's officers are not one whit less az gressive orSinexorable in their demanhs than its parent organization. The chier is Mrs. Despard, sister of General French, every bit as ready to make war on the government as was General French on the Boers. She Is 6 with dig nified presence and fine, clearly chiselled arstocratic features.
 The three chief officers of the league, Mrs. How Martyr, Mrs. Despard and Mrs. Billington-Greig, have all served sentences in prison and so have seven of the committee of 12 ladies.
 To this particular society, which has 40 branches, is due the brilliant idea of ladies rising in police courts and pro- testing against the trial of women who are in the dock on the ground that they have not framed the laws.
 They also few months ago went to in terview cabinet ministers at their private residences, ringing bells. knocking at the door and haranguing crowds from the doorstep.
 Some members of the society are refus- ing to pay taxes or to take out li- cense for the use of armorial bearings,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

onized Abraham Lincoln as a saint of the democratic calendar. In 1908 there are hundreds of thousands of honest men who delude themselves into the absurdity that they are democrats, and who ac- tually think Theodore Roosevelt is a good democrat As to the republican party being a child of Jefferson, the thing is too silly to discuss. So far from Abra- ham Lincoln being a democrat his en- tire political life was a constant war fare against that party. He was a Ham iltonian. He idolized Henry Clay. He positively hated Andrew Jackson, and yet Ben Tillman and w. J. Bryan will quote you Abraham Lincoln for good democratic doctrine. Roosevelt would have mugwumped in 1884 along with Henry Ward Beecher, Carl Schurz, Hor- ace White, George William Curtis, George Fred Williams, and that set, but for the fact that it is a moral impossibility for Theodore Roosevelt to voluntarily assume any position or do anything whatever that he thought would tend to the ad- vantage of the democratic party Let those who believe in Roosevelt's democ- racy read what he said of Jefferson and Jackson. And then I wish every South ern state would pass a law compelling every southern democrat to read his let ter to President Jefferson Davis.
 This very year the Lord hath delivered the republican party into the hands of the democracy, but the democracy, to all appearances, absolutely refuses to take charge of the captive:
 Who seeks and will not take, when once
 'tis offered,
 Shall never find it more.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

der the Dingley tariff. I am sure Bibles are taxed now-Bibles printed in English. The tariff on quinine was for the encouragement and promotion of disease, pain, sorrow, misery, death. It helped the doctor, the undertaken. the grave-digger, the tombstone mak er. It protected malaria, that saps physical strength and renders impotent physical energy.
 When quinine was taxed, 1t sold for S4 an ounce One of the most brilliant men, one of the most eloquent orators, l ever knew was Jim Mckenzie. He it was who secured free quinine for the American people. His speech was argu- ment, ridicule, inveetive. In very share and in very fear, Congress passed the bill that reduced the price of quinine as much as 80 per cent. He ought to have a monument, "cloud-capped the summit, and when his eloquent tongue was for ever silenced and his manly form was pillowed to its final rest, every man, woman and child of America was his debtor.
 Well, just as the tariff on quinine was a tax on health and a protection for disease, so Is the tariff on print paper a tax on culture and a protection for ignorance. The Dingley schedules have allowed the paper trust to extort from the American people untold millions. Nor is that all. Those schedules have de- forested immense areas of land and in- fi:cted stupendous losses on account of floods. Indeed. we have this spectacle: The duties on wood pulp and print paper
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24
WOMEN'S FREEDOM LEAGUE-By Lady Henry Somerset

, London, "Women's Franchise" by the older, conservative socities, and Votes for Women" organ Of the "Forwards." The last was monthly until April; for the future it will appear weekly. tone of the press, change for the most part unexpected
 The sums of money which the Plank hursts can and do collect have been unheard of till now in suffrage work. Their self-denial week alone produced f6SOO. When they go to a new place to break ground, expecting to spend money, the organizers return with ex- penses paid and a sum to add to the general fund.
 By the 1amented death of Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman, woman suffrage lost lukewarm friend; by the acces- sion of MT. Asquith to the premiership it must encounter an open enemy; but governments are the creatures of ma jorities; and nothing Is certain.
 Glancing over the mass of literature (never has suffrage literature been so various, so wide cast ana so widely read) that my interest in the question has brought me- my eye has been ar rested by the dctum of the chairman of one of Miss Adela Pankhurst's meet ings at Stockbridge, Mr. Joseph Ken worthy. He appealed for a fair hear ing for her.
 The great vested interests of this country do not desire women to have votes. "The brewers dread the day when women shall have votes." AS a woman interested in temperance re- form I agree. Whatever meth ods are used, whatever of approval we afford the "Forwards," woman suffrage is bound up with the cause of reform and must win.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

as did Dr. Octavia Levin; they allow their goods to be distrained rather than obey laws they did not help to make The league will join the .old gang" in the procession on June 13 rather than the Parkhurst faction.
 The Pankhursts, otherwise the Women s Social and Political union, has purpose Iy chosen the longest day of the year for their great demonstration.
 They appeal to women to be present in hundreds of thousands on that day in Hyde Park.
 It is morally certain that they will get a great deal of support, not only from women, but from men. On the day When Hyde Park railings were thrown down in 1866 10000 men were present
 But the Pankhursts want 250000 women There are to be 20 platforms, 80 speakers seven processions to enter the park by different gates and 30 special trains to bring women to London Women of Lon don" (thus runs a leaf1et in my hand) you must be in Hyde Park on that day, the story of which you will hand down to your children as the most memora- ble in your life"
 ''Women of England. Wherever you live you must come to take part in this great demonstration" They go on to say the government has bidden them demonstrate and they will, for the vote will be theirs if they come to claim 1t.
 It is never safe to prophecy, but per sonally should not be surprised 1T this proved to be the greatest demonstration women have ever made,
 There is no doubt the attitude of the press has greatly changed; from cold in- difference and neglect the sunrage IS now receiving more attention than ever before.
 At the moment of writing, two wom- en's suffrage papers are being run Tn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

put premium on the cutting of tim Der, and there are bills before Congress to buy lands for the cultivation of tim Der. Here is the paper trust turning for ests into bleak desert wastes and then 1t is urged that the government tax the people to buy the lands and replant them in trees. Canada has eight acres of forests to our one acre. All our wood pulp should come from Canada, and print paper from Canada. and the rest of the world should be free.
 The republicans in Congress are be- tween that devil of a John Sharp Will liars and that Dead sea of an enraged public press. If they put wood pulp and print paper on the free list it is an ad- mission that the tariff is a tax. and some in.pertlntnt and intelligent farmer of a close district in Indiana, or Illinois, or Iowa would be sure to ask: You gave the newspapers free raw material, why did you not give me free farm utensils?"
 And there Is the devil of this whole business. For once the G. o. P. is in this fix:
 You can and you can't;
 You will and you won't:
 Youll be damned if you do,
 And you'll be damned if you don't.
 For this we may thank John Sharp Williams-for Roosevelt has recanted, as usual-but 1t Is a barren victory John Sharp has gained for us if the Denver convention shall lack the sense to take advantage of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-24

And as the labor union has gone into politics and offers to swap so many votes for so much legislation, no one need be mount" or at least cardinal" in all the platforms of 1912
 Theodore Roosevelt, the head of the re- publican party, and William J. Bryan, the head of the democratic party, have cordl- ally approved and zealously advocated the Beveridge plan of abolition of states rights.
 The republican party declares that tariff abuses must be reformed by the friends of those abuses, which means that shepherds should be drafted from a pack of wolves. The republican party has no more intention to reform the abuses of the tariff than 1t has to legislate for the regulation of the tides of ocean in Hampton Roads. And If it really sought to reform the tariff it would be as impotent for that pur- pose as it is to command the showers of April or the drouths of August. But as to that last 1t has the blasphemous impudence to claim credit for good crops.
 Now here are twin paramounts- States rights and tariff reform-ripe fruit waiting to be plucked by the dem ocratic party. But the democratic party tn inks it is fixing to carry Kansas and will not only alienate New York, that is indispensable, but actually it is sought to make New York as surely republican as Maine or Iowa. Never
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
Citizen Severely Beaten,

A good deal of excitement was
created at Horn Lake last Saturday
afternoon upon the arrival of the ac-
commodation train by HI. Davis, who
assaulted @. ID. Williams and inflicted
p.%mber of painful, and what was
fo4 time thought serious, wounds.
1t is said that Mr.. Davis had armed
himself with rough stick about a
yard long and waited for the arrival
OF the train on which Mr.. Williams
was passenger, and without warn
ing struck him several blows upon
the head and shoulders. Ill feeling is
said to have arisen over belief en-
tertained by Mr.. Davis that Mr., Will
iiams had assisted in runaway mar
Tiage Of Mr.. Davis daughter. Mr..
Williams denis having any part in the
ceremony, and claims that he did not
know at the time why the assault
was made. Mr.. Williams is now re-
Mr.. Davis was arrested by Deputy
Sid Campbell and bound over to the
grand jury.
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Now in Progress al the Randle Uniyer.
sity School.

"A full house heard the members OF
the LaBauve Literary Society speak
in the college hall at the beginning
of the closing exercises at the Randle
University School wednesday night.
The program, as printed in these col
sumns last week, was followed and
each member did well their part.
This Thursday evening Prof. J. E..
Holmes, of the University, will de-
liver the graduating address and all
who have ever heard the gifted De-
Soto countian know that treat is in
store for those who attend.
These exercises are always antici-
pated with a great deal Of pleasure
and the public is never disappointed
in the high quality of the program.
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
Cotton Classifying School,

Never in the history of our South
land has any branch been introduced
in a business college that has had SO
universal commendation by the out
side world. Until this department
was established July s, 1908, our cot
ton factors were of the opinion that
cotton grading could not be taught in
a school, Their argument was, that
it had taken them from ten to twenty
years to become glood classers. This
was true, but rr;shere they handle enc
dozen samples day, our pupils handle
five hundred, and they being under
the watGhfHl care Of compssla...>t in-
struetors, could learn as much = ..,.
= ssasel y ti'oy could in six
months actual experl4ce, an. our
prophecy was fulfilled when we began
to complete young men in from six
to eight weeks. They went out and
accepted positions at fine salaries that
meet the demands of the best cotton
men.
This is sn age of advancement,
when wireless messages are sent
across the continent, the automobile
and electric cars are In use, ard why
not teach a yourg man to grade cot
ton?, the only sure business Of the
south that makes money. Men have
accumulated wealth growing this
staple, and aslong assWe have 4 Sum
ny Southland, cotton will be pro-
duced and good graders will be needed
at line salaries. The most important
feature is thatsyou work only half the
year and receive pay for whole
year.
We also teach the best courses Of
bookkeeping and stenography For
information address Memphis BUSH
aess College, Memphis Teaa., j. Il. #
Thomas, Principal. n
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
Petition for Pardon.

To the Governor of the State of Mississippi:
We, the undersigned citizens and
residents of DeSoto County, Missis-
sippi, petitioners for the pardon OF
Edmond West, would respectfully
show to Your Excellence that said
Edmond West, a colored man, was
indicted in the Circuit Court of said
county at the November Term there
Of, 1905, charging him with the MUIR
der of one Tom Phillips, colored; that
at the May term of said court 1906,
with the advice of his counsel and
after consulting with the district at
torney, he pleaded guilty of man
slaughter, Withdrawing his plea oi
not guilty to the charge Of ;anrder;
= : r @"Annoh said court sentenced
him to ten years imprisonmenU In tne
state penitentiary from the 21st day
of May, 1906, and the said West has
now served nearly two years of his
time out in said penitentiary.
Petitioners would show, further,
that the said Tom Phillips had in
vaded the sanctity of the home of
pthAh w CcbJ clld nd0 dilElldUGu UilS dI-
fections of his wife, and had been
guilty of criminal conduct with her
on several occasions, after having
been warned by West to keep away
from his home and family; that on
the occasion of the killing, said West,
just having learned that Phillips had
disregarded his warning and had
again been guilty of criminal conduct
with his wife, demonstrated with him,
when Phillips become angry, made
vile epithets and demonstrations to
assault said West, and it was there
upon that West, believing that he
had the right under the law and un-
der the circumstances, shot him and
killed him.
Petitioners would ftlrUiler slate and
show to Your Excellence, that said
West was of good reputation III his
for peace and quiet,
and was regarded by both white and
black a good citizen in every other
In view of the foregoing
acts, petitioners respectfully ask and
pray Your Excellence to grant the
'aid West pardon for said offense.
And will ever pray &c.
J. N. BROWN,
G. M. HAYNIE,
w. r. HARRIS,
j. A. MCCARGo,
-15-4t AZ Al /
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15

Present: Drs. A. L. Emerson, J. M.
Wright, w. F. Rhodes, G. L. Naples,
j. HI. McNeill, F. M. Pollard, s. M.
Watson, T. M. Jones, w. A. Powell,
w. s. Weissinger, E. FL. Randle, and
A. J. Weissinger of the local fraterni-
ty and Drs. G. G. Buford, E. M.
Holder, and w. ]. Wadlington, from
Memphis. A number of good papers
were read, and the discussions were
participated in by all present. 1t
was very profitable meeting Our
society is in fourishing condition.
A. J. WEIssINGER, M. D., Sec.
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
THE PRIME OF LEE.

WUST as thought was growing old,
Ready to sit in my easy chair,
To watch the world with a heart
grown cold
~ And smile at folly would not
share,
Rose came by with a smile for me,
And I am thinking that forty year
Isn't the age that it seems to- be
When two pretty brown eyes are near
Bless me, of life it is just the prime,
A fact that hope she will understand,
And ferty@years is a perfect rhyme j.
To dark brown eyes and a pretty hand.
These gray hairs are by chance, you see,
Boys are sometimes gray, am told.
Rose came by with a smile for me,
just as thought was getting old
Walter Learned.
Times-promoter. (Hernando, DeSoto County, Miss.) 1898-1970, 1908-05-15
Aged Planter Dies.

Ebert s. Alternately, formerly, q
prominent planter Of Olive Branch,
Miss, died at his home, 175s Lamar
boulevard, early Monday from Brights
disease. He was IA years old. Mr..
Alternately came to Memphis five
years ago. He is survived by one
daughter, Mrs. Ruth e. Quinn, 1918
Lamar boulevard. Interment will be
at Olive Branch, the funeral to be in
charge Of the Masonic order of that
place. Memphis Scimitar.