davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
Growth of Independent Voting

From Georgia and from nearly all
the other states comes evidence of in
dependent and discriminating voting
at the late election. The republicans
of Georgia carried q counties, while
Candidate Watson polled in that state
1858 votes. But the home of indie
pendents is in the north-in Mime
sofa, for example, where a democrat
was elected governor although the
state gave Taft about 100000 plu-
rality; in Ohio and Indiana where sim
liar determinations took place. The
recent election did in fact develop
independent voting in nearly every
state.
New York city was particularly full
of Independent voters. The total vote
of the city was 640,968. Taft's ph-
ality was 1883 and yet Chailer's
plurality in the city over Governor
Hughes was 5S,913. T-sgen's vote
was 27,279; Shearn 34,176, while
Debs polled 25,S61 votes. If We put
together Chanle and Shearn's votes
We fage neary 100000 votes more
than Hughes received and yet Taft
had a plurality Of 1883 votes. In
New York city, in other words, many
voted for Taft and Chanler and many
for Bryan and Hughes and many voted
eccentrically. Party machines" says
the Journal of Commerce in discuss
ing tnis subject, "are losing their hold
and the power Of the bosses is slipping
away. 1t is good sign. The peo-
pie will rule and their rule will i'm
prove as they show less subserviency
to party organization"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
ELBE LIKE BROAD CANAL.
bikes in Germany Built With Great
Care and Exactness.

From the Boston Transcript.
When a dixie is to be built-and they are
STILL in places, making them-it is first
mapped out by the neatly sharpened
stakes, a long straight causeway leading
out from shore and widening into a
rounded head which abuts on the red
line of the channel. Then a ground sill
or foundation mattress of willows is
woven and sunk at this head, and pinned
down and held in place by the sharpened
pegs. Then the wattles are woven and
sand filled in, and in places rock, and
then rounding up neatly out of the wa
ter and forming a tight covering to the
whole, the hand-squared blocks of stone
are laid, as closely as a pavement, all
over the head and back along the neck
to the old shore. 1t is as permanent and
stable as the Harvard stadium, the dixie
SO built, and the river abandoning the
space lack of the tip to slack water or
to be filled in with sand, flows on with
entire grace in the restricted channel
beyond the tip.
The care and exactness with which
these bikes are made would be laughable
IL IL NcIt not So SuCCeSSluls III d ldHu
where hand labor is very cheap, days are
devoted to doing what in America would
be roughly cast by machinery in a couple
of hours. But the result is 30 admirable
hat one remember regretfully the ugly
pile bikes. +le horrd fringes of the inn
proyef "off channel" banks of the Mis-
-lssippi.
Where the bikes have accomplished
their purpose, and generally on the banks
opposite to them, the river is reverted
above middle water. This, too, is done
with the hand-squared stones; and as a
result the Elbe where completely fin
ished, resembles a broad canal, between
stone-lined banks, the stone rising a few
feet above the water and above it the
green slope of the fields or a fringe of
willows. 1t is all peaceful, complete and
generally beautiful-with at least the
beauty of utility where it lacks that of
ruggedness and wildness.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
THE DISCREET BIRD.

From Harper's Weekly.
Young Simpkins (making a calD-You
have had that parrot long time, Miss
Ethel.
Miss Ethel-Yes, we have had him sew
eral years.
Young Simpkins-Quite intelligent, is he
not?
Miss Ethel-yery. He can initiate al
most anything.
Young Simplsins-They have a remark
ably clever parrot over at the Castletons,
Miss Ethel 1t can initiate the sound of
a kiss to perfection. Is that among the
accomplishments of your feathered friend
here In the corner?
Miss Ethel Qndignantly)-No, sir. He
does not attempt an imitation of a sound
he is not accustomed to hear, Mr.. Simp-
kins.
The Parrot (reminiscently) = Wait,
George, dear, till / take this bird out of
the room.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
BACON POINTED OUT,

From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
THE abysmal ignorance of most people
is surprising" said W. A. Brady the other
night in the course of talk on theatre
calls. You know I took out Robert Man
tell in a Shakespearean repertoire
year or SO ago. We were playing Mac
beth in a small town, and 1 was stand
ing by the door. 1 noticed a very well
dressed man go to the box office
with party, say a few words to the
box office man and get a box I did
not see any money change hands. OF
course l wanted to know right away.
Why, don't you know who that is?'
asked the ticket agent in pity. 1 said en-
phatically l did not.
Well said he, you've heard some
folk who claim that Bacon wrote them
plays of Shakespeare? l said l had.
Well said he, that was Bacon
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
The Iron Market.

1.-THE week starts off with very
strong pig iron market" said an iron
broker. Not ton of pig can be bought
here under SIS for No. 2. Inquiries are
pressing and consumers are ready to
cloAe large contracts at s13 but in some
instances sellers are declining to COM
init themselves to a S13 schedule ex-
cept for limited tonnage.
"There is no tendency or desire on
the part of furnace interests to rush
up the price but under the present IA
vorable outlook iron will advance grad
ually and naturally. Within the next
30 days consumers will probably be pay
ing $14 or MORE
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
DON oUIxoTE.

BY Austin Dobson.
Behind thy pasteboard, on thy battered
hack,
Thy lean cheek striped with plaster to
and fro
Thy long spear leveled at the unseen foe.
And doubtful Saneho trudging at thy
back,
Thou vert a figure strange enough, good
lackl
TO make wiseacredom, both high and
law,
Rub purblind eyes, and Qaving watched
thee go)
Dispatch its Dogberrys upon thy track;
Alas! poor Knight! Alas. poor soul
possest! N
Yet would today, when courtesy grows
chill.
And life's fine loyalties are turned to Jest.
Some fire OF thine might burn within
us still.
ALI! would but one might lay his lance
in rest,
And charge in earnest--were it but
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
From the Bohemian Magazine for Noven


Der.
IT HERE is a practical reason for
Wy shooting over the head of the in
tended corpse in stage fights but
all the same it must be ranked as one of
the absurdities of stage business. Were
the shot aimed direct at the victim there
might be serious consequences, for even
paper wadding and powder may be the
advance agent of tetanus. But the fact
remains that shooting over the victim S
mead, thrusting sword between his up
stage arm and his body and aiming a blow
which never reaches, the contact of which
is indicated by a. slap of the victim
hand, are all pieces of absurdity And
speaking of villains and violent complica-
tons, tho asides of the stage generally
man or comedian, are also absurdities. 1t
is a great deal to ask an auditnce to be-
lieve that the aside, whispered in a loud
tone of voice, cannot be heard by the
other actors on the stage. Practically,
and seriously, the aside can be entirely
avoided by preparing the audience in adj
vance to mentally carry its own connect
ing ideas of the story. We have not in
America, the pantomimic aside of the
English or the unspoken eloquence of the
French shrug, lifted eyebrows, incidental
gesture. So explanatory lines and bust
ness bespriplSle the situations with a lib
crafty which is terrific indictment of
the AUDIENCES intelIigepoa c. 70, ~ At.
elevation of the stage is concerned. how
ever, there Is more humor than tragedy
in the fact.
Dialogue and business leading up to the
Introduction of a song in musical comedy
Is always absurd-that is, nearly always.
Now and then, in the process of trim
ming, the absurdity is cut out. 1t gem
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
THAT AFRICAN HUNT,
4 the Washington Herald.

From the Washington Herald
Interest In Mr.. Roosevelts forthcom-
ing African hunt has been stimulated
somewhat by the visit of Sir Henry Ham
ilton Johnston, that eminent English big
game hunter, diplomat, explorer and so
on. to the White House yesterday. Sir
Henry and the President talked the mat
ter over, and we doubt not each gained
much information from the other concern
ing the art Of hunting, as well as other
Things too numerous to mention.
The President has exercised great in
fuenoe on the affairs of this nation dur
ing the past seven years. and we should
not be surprised If his proposed hunt
caused great awakening in the study
Of natural history throughout the land.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
Significant Majorities.

1.-THE large vote against the new
counties amendment which Walker, Tus-
calcosa and Shelby as we'll as Jeffer-
son cast proves conclusively that the
people living in the areas affected by
the Bessemer project are determined that
county lines shall remain as they are, -
said Frank Nelson, Jr. "And now that
the amendment has been killed by a
decisive vote it is hoped and believed
that the friends of the new county meas
ure will accept the situation in good
spirit.
Jefferson is entering upon a new
era of development and the city of
Bessemer will continue to share in the
countys progress"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

she said. and it just about broke her
heart to part with it, but there was no
other way.
II was deeply touched by her honesty.
After she had gone decided that I would
better send the nugget to some good jew
eler and learn It's actual value, as 1t
might be worth even more than the
amount of the bill, in which event I
should refund the difference.
1.-THE jeweler sent the nugget back to
me with a note saying that the piece was
absolutely worthless. 1t was brass"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
MILTON A. SMITH,

Milton A. Smith, who was for many
years editor and proprietor of the An
niston Hot Blast has bought the Weekly
True Democrat of Tallahassee, Fla, and
has taken charge of that paper. The
True Democrat has prosperous appear
ance, and Mr. Smiths long experience
with newspapers is an augnry of his sue
cess With this new venture Mr.. Smith is
we'll known in Alabama and has a per-
sonal acquaintance with most of the
states newspaper men who will wish him
good luck in Florida
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
Attending Cotton Conference.

W P. G. Harding, president of the
First National bank left last night for
Memphis to attend the cotton confer
ence which will be in session today,
tomorrow and Thursday. The object o.
the conference is to advance, il pos
sible, the price of cotton. Harvie Jor-
dan will preside and it is expected that
several thousand delegates, representing
various interests related directly or in
present.
Mr.. Harding is to be one of the speak
ers at today's session. He will remain
in Memphis only a day as he is due
back home tomorrow.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From The New York Press.
The more a woman has birthdays the
less they count in her age.
TO a lot of people the only thing that
is more satisfactory than life is death
The dissatisfaction a man gets out of
having an election go wrong is he can't
blame his wife for It,
A womans idea of responsibility is the
kind OF letter paper she uses mans the
kind of cigar he smokes
The reason girl likes TO have her
father bring her flowers is she can say
one of her suitors sent them
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
A PHYSICIANS STORY.
ne Cleveland Plain Dealer,

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Listen to what happened to me-" be-
gan a prominent Cleveland physician "A
woman who had been told was woman
of considerable means came to me to set
tie a bill for treating her daughter. AL
most on the verge of tears she told me
that she was hard pressed financially, but
that she had brought gold nugget in
payment OF her bill. The nugget had been
worn by her husband as watch charm.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The funeral O. Mrs Aston was ex-
ceedingly plain. No eulogy was spoken
in her memory, no floral tributes were
displayed and the remains were borne
to the tomb in the plainest of hearses
followed by six carriages supplied by
the undertaken.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
PUTIN NOBODY WISE.

Odt1IUIIC q.
I'm sure" said the interviewer. the
public would be interested to know the
secret of your success"
well, young man. replied the captain
of industry, the secret OF my success
has been my ability to keep it Sc
cret."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Ambrose channel in New York lower
gresham who got appropriations
through Congress for its widening and
deepening
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
A WELL-KNoWN JEST.

A WELL-KNOWN JEST.
II caught you the other day palmng off
an old joke as something new" said the
carpng critic.
Possibly So answered the press HUI
morist, humbly. 1T is frequently done
r or instance, only last week Judge said
that the way to make a maltese cross
was to pull its tail"
EASY.
Wouldst have the name
OF being wise?
Get in the game
And advertise.
OPTIMISTIC.
'There goes one of those keep-a-smil-
ing chaps"
Smiles all the time, eh?''
'All the time. except at funerals, and
If it happens to be the funeral of man
he didn't particularly like, he finds it
hard to KEEP a straight face even then"
MEANT FOR YOU.
Spite of heartaehe, spite of pain,
Fare we ever on.
Days worth living yet remain
Say not hope Is gonel
THE SENSITIVE DEAD.
1.-The LATEST man in town died the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The British barmaid is British in
stitution and the Asquith government
declines to invite defeat by an at
tempt to abolish her.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Emperor. William is another man
who talked too much. He talked too
much to please his chancellor, Prince
Won Buelow.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Mr. Hitchcock is now engaged in
boxing up the steam roller prepar-
atory to storing it in the woodshed.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The Presidents latest edition to lit
erature is the word FRAGILE" He says
the election returns define it and he
is just about right.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
ADRIFT With THE TIMES

other day"
"Silas Langhorni"
That's the man. His widow wanted
AT Rest carved on his tombstone, but
the friends of Silas objected"
what was the trouble?'
"They said 81 had rested IS years and it
seemed cruel to write the word on his
tombstone for posterity to read. The mat
ter was compromised by using Gone, But
Not Forgotten. "
SOME DAY.
Some day the smile of fortune
VIII all his cares dispell
And joy will crown the toiler
Who plays poor hand well.
NEEDED.
Now that we have horseless carriages,
smokeless powder and noiseless guns,
what improvement do you suppose is COM
Ing next?"
Let us hope it will be painless stom-
achs."
A VAIN PURSUIT.
Over the hills lies happiness.
In a land of golden dreams
'Tis luckJ thrall, ere the shadows fall,
Who catches her parting beamsl
LOST ON HIM.
Faith will move mountains"
1T doesn't seem to have much effect
on tightwad.'
NO TELLING.
"A Minnesota woman ran away from
her husband to play baseball. Now, what
do you think of that?'
well, all I have to say is that you
never can tell what a woman is going
to do
THE PROPER ROUTE.
81 understand that a great deal of wine
was spilled in London over Tafts cleo
tion."
Yes, but it wasn't wasted.
"IIow was that?'
ut was split down loyal American
throats."
SURE HE DOES.
The chap who humps and never stops
To register complaints
May lack the wisdom of the wise,
The perfectness of saints
And what is more maynt know what
tits
To bear a famous name,
But, spite o. what the neiehbors saw.
He gets there just the same!
PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

st. Louis gave to Missouri re-
publican antitrust governor.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The green hat may be investigated
how that the election is ended.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Nick Longworth was shelved as a
spellbinder but he went through as
a candidate for Congress without diff
fculty.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Uncle Joe" was elected but not by
an old-time majority.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

we note, for instance, that the license
ne VIII take out. without which he cam
not hunt in that part of Africa under
British control will permit him TO slaugh-
Ter not more than p kouds, two gemsbols
one bongo, two chevrotans two coohi.
and one egret. Now, of course the inf
GATE student OF nature knows all about
kouds, gemsboks, bongos and things. but
do you, gentle reader? We trow NOT,
Therefore, what? Get the proper books
and find out.
When those letters to Scribner,s or.
monthly visitors to the homes of the peo-
pie, you want to know what the Presi-
dent is talking about, don't Won? You
want to be able to follow him intelligent
~ we suppose. When he describes. thrill
ingly, as we feel sure he will. lust how.
when' why and wherefore he snuffed out
the lie OF a raging colb, or chevrotan,
you want to know all about the animal.
we take it, How can you tell whether
you approve Of his methods of annihilat-
ing egrets, for example, If you don't
know the difference between an eeret and
grizzly bear?
Moreover, he will be expressly prohibited
from shooting Glands, okapis and TRACE
taphuses. Do you know what sort of
varmints they are and why they should
be rigidly exempted from even his illus
trious rife? We imagine you do not
Get busy and learn the ways of these
animals, SO you can enjoy those letters
as you should
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
MADE MARY MAI

MADE MARY MAD.
Mary had a little nap
From two to four she took it,;
But when accused of laziness,
Gee whiz, she couldn't brook it'll
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Mr. Taft can do no more globe trot-
ting until after March 4, 1913.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
ABSURD STAGE FIGHTS

orally, however, runs much like this:
Clarice Qeaping from her automobile)-
Hello, Charles; have you seen Maude?
Charles docking at the orchestra lead
er)-Yes, saw her walking on the beach.
Song-"Walling on the Beach," Charles
and Clarice.
Clyde Fitch is a stclller for realism
and absurdity, but his absurdity is the
comedy sort that is paid for at the box
office at its stated value. There is hard
ly an absurd piece of stage business in
Girls although there might have been
one but for the fact that Mr. Fitch
personally rehearsed the piece Loot, a
law clerk bachelor, is supposed to be sew
ing button on his coat. With imaginary
thread and needle and an imaginary
button he performed the feat at dress
rehearsal with movements that more
nearly approached calisthenics than real
sewing. 1t was Fitch who detected the
fraud and corrected it by insisting that
Loot have real button to sew on, thus
compelling him to reproduce the sewing
business with fidelity, even if clumsily.
Frequently Loot has lost his property
button, and at a recent performance they
played button button who gothic -but-
ton until the stage manager solved the
problem by cutting off and donating one
of his own suspender anchors. In The
Wolf Andrew MacTavish is discovered,
in front of his log hut away up in the
Canadian woods, studiously sharpening a
brand new AK instead of the battered one
he might be expected to have. In "Tbe
Honor of the Family male characters en-
tered from a driving. binding, swirline.
snowstorm, yet not flake of snow was
visible on their garments except on the
shoulder of one, and the hat which is the
natural nest of the little white birds Of
cottony stuff, might well have Just come
from the bandbox.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The victorious Hitchcock will now
proceed to make public his highly in
teresting campaign subscription books.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Johndee has the satisfaction of
knowing that he publicly jumped into
the winning boat at the last moment.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Johndee's vote was lost sight of in
the shuttle.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Either the polling boxes should be
enlarged or the blanket ballots re-
duced in order to make things meet.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The people now have chance TO
read the Presidents Thanksgiving
proclamation
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Maryland, my Maryland, is almost
anybodys Maryland in politics.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The postal savings banks won when
Mr.. Taft was declared elected
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

David B. Hills influence in New
York was no greater than Mr..
Gompers
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
HEARTH EASE.

Beyond the hills of lost desire
Brave hearts shall cease to mourn,
And hope shall rekindle youths waning
fire
When once we've crossed the bourn
That sewers the world of reality
From the land of golden dreams,
Where the music of birds shall ever be
And the slumbrous voice of streams.
And heavenly peace shall wrap us round
In the folds of still embrace,
And joy few mortals have ever found
Shall all of life's pain erase,
While the days flow on into gladstone
years,
With never a ripple of care
And never a thought of forgotten tears,
Or the burdens we used to bear!
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

The impression still prevails that
Theodore Roosevelt is pretty good
politician
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
SERVANTS OF THE TRUSTS.

"Chimmie Fadden was beaten for Con-
gress"
well, he isn't needed there. Congress
is full of fiunl1ies now"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

Crisp weather, big crops and the
absence of politics are all pulling for
good times.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10

SOME DAY.
Some day the smile of fortune
VIII all his cares dispell
And joy will crown the toiler
Who plays a poor hand well.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-10
NEEDED.

Now that we have horseless carriages.
smokeless powder and noiseless guns,
what improvement do you suppose is COM
ing next?"
Let us hope it will be painless stom-
achs."