davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

I found it very oppressive on that sultry day. He cheerfully consented, and the coat was hung up accordingly. I never saw that coat again. The oc- eupant of the house soon afterward left for parts unknown, and l have never seen nor heard of him since. I trust that the coat was useful to him, and that he found 1t neat fit.
 When I was pastor of the First Bap- tist church in Lexington, Ky, one of the deacons came to my study, as an ambassador from the ladies of the church. We were arranging for a great Thanksgiving service in our church, which had the largest audience room In the city. Two Baptist, two Metho- dist. two Presbyterian and two Dis ciples churches were to unite in this service, and our sisters were anxious to put the best foot formost on the grand occasion. The good deacon took a seat, and the following colloquy en- sued: Deacon: Brother H1den' the ladies have sent me here to learn what you think of scheme they have on hand. They don't want to do any thing that will not accord with your views of taste and propriety; and so thev wished to consult you before hand. They propose to decorate the pulpit desk and platform with the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

IN the year 1920 Ferdinand Magellan,
 in little vessel of SO tons regis A ter, first sailed through the straits which now bear his name in the year 1908 Admiral Robley D. Evans, com manding fleet of 16 battleships, each nearly 16,000 tons, essays the passage of the same straits. The geography of the place and it's history during the intervening four centuries are subjects which should prove particularly inter- esting to the American citizen of the present day.
 Reference to a good map or, better still, globe, will show that the Straits of Magellan run between the extreme southern point of the South American mainland and the island of Tierra Del Fuego. From the point of entry on the eastern or Atlantic end to the point of exit on the western or Pacific end, the distance is over $50 miles. although a straight line between these two points would not be more than 100 miles. tortuous course through a waterway varying in width from 10 to 50 miles, among islands which are bare, bald masses of rock rising sheer up
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

from the ocean depths, around head lands and promontories that dart out from the coasts on both sides, with and against strong currents that rush through the narrows as the tides rise and fall in either ocean, and the ever prevailing western wind which rolls theN ocean in mountain waves around Cape Horn, a couple of hundred miles farther south, the passage of the Straits of Magellan is attended with no small danger to a fleet of ships that requires the ocean to maneuver. It will take the fleet nearly 4S hours to pass through the straits and as it will sail at least through some parts in single file, the will be a procession about six miles long winding and weaving it's way among rocks on the one side and swirl ing pools on the other. No wonder was it that Magellan, after fighting his way through that unexplored passage and narrowly escaping death several times; with a terrified and mutinous crew, and tine vast unknown ahead of him, should hail with delight the great expanse of water which he immediately called Pa ciflc," the Pacific ocean.
 Magellan was one of the great OK plorers in whose breast the voyages of Columbus awakened a spirit of enter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
SOME STORIES OF LONG AGO-By. J. C. Hiden, D. D.

church was densely crowded. His fam fly knew nothing of my interview with him a week before and I was expected to preach him straight to heaven. It was one of the most solemn junetures of a oheckered life, as l stood before that audience and announced the texts Re joice, o, young man in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment"
 About the time when Lees lines were broken near Petersburg, having been captured by Sheridans raiders. and find- ing my company rather too blue to suit my decidedly grey" taste, I went safely out of General Sheridan's lines, and made a 9O-mile tramp afoot in one day. For the first 20 miles I had a single com panion; for the last ten I was alone. At no hour of that April day, from sun rise till after dark, was my mind so disturbed as when I entered the pulpit to preach that funeral sermon.
 have slept peacefully all night. when out on picket. in easy gunshot of Rose, crans' army; but, if called upon now, on a Saturday night to preach on Sunday a funeral sermon under such cireum- stances as those, I fear that my rest for that night would be broken. God forbid that such a test should ever try me in Birmingham
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

very learned man. And you needn't look that way, because he's fine-simply fine.
 "A Hindoo," repeated MT. Thompson musingly. Gan he do the basket trick?'
 Certainly not; he's a teacher" said Mrs. Thompson.
 "Be a lot nicer if he did basket trick, V pursued MT. Thompson, apparently talk ing to himself 'I like to see 'em jab all around with a sword
 q won't tell you anything about it at all if you're going to talk like that, said Mrs. Thompson offended.
 "I'll be good" said her husband con tritely.
 well, he teaches Hindoo philosophy, !" said Mrs. Thompson, land he explains it beautifully. Mrs. Winfield got him. down in the city. He's going to give us instruc- tion all winter and then he's going back to India to join his brotherhood and live the rest of his life in meditation
 Wise man." commented MT. Thomp- son. What is he? A Buddhist?"
 "No-o, not exactly" said Mrs. Thomp- son. "At least I don't think he is. Of course, part of it's about Buddhism, but there's lots more about Brahminism and Babism and Mahommetanism and whole lot of mysticism. I can't remember 1t all, but I've got the names of it written down. And Pantheism. That's another one l nearly forgot.
 But what is he?" asked MT. Thompson. "A Baptist"
 q said Babism, not Baptism" said Mrs. Thompson Don't be horrid.'
 Perhaps he's a Presbyterian" sug- gested John.
 Certainly not," retorted Mrs. Thomp- son.
 "Then he's pagan, a regular plain pagan"
 eHe isn't either, and I wish you wouldn't tease me-" said Mrs. Thomp- son. Hes just a philosopher. It isn't religion at all; it takes in everything. Christianity and all. You can be Chris tan or a pagan or an atheist or any thing you want to be and it's all parG of his philosophy. That's the beauty Of it; everybody is on common ground.
 "I see," said John, but what's the point of it? What does it do to your
 "Why-er-it gives you a broader out look" said Mrs. Thompson. 'I think that's the way he put it. Yes, I'm sure he said that. It teaches people to be serene and to mediate. Esoteric! That s part of it. And it helps us to be intro spective, too. He's an awfully handsome man, John, and very much wrapped up In his work, and I just know our season is going to be grand success, for all the women are so earnest about ot. He wears a long gown, just like the brotherhood in India, and 1t sort of makes you feel mys- terious. And-oh, I forgot. Next week we're going to get his book and after
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

n1aoe amone fhe unappreciative city fa- liners and retired to his brownstone on Fifth avenue, but Athens would have lost it's great philosopher of cynicism and his tory shining mark.
 As it was. the family being disgraced and impoverished, young Diogenes, then & boy and rather sensitive, caught the rods on a night freight and went up to Athens to start life over.
 After many days and weeks spent Tn wandering about the streets of the GreeK metropolis, eking out bare llVlng 'n cheap hash houses and at free lunch counters, he one day encountered Anus themes preaching a strange philosophy on the First National bank corner near the brewery.
 Diogenes stopped to listen. He was hungry and had only bare last sea sons castaway cravenette to his back. He had just been figuring on how to pal aver the dago restaurant keeper on the corner out of dish of spaghetti ana tomatoes.
 This man Antisthenes preached doc Urine of simplicity. He argued that man should want nothing. Clothing were bur- densome and extravagant Food was an abomination and prosperity In worldly things a sin.
 This religion struck Diogenes as pecu- liarly fitted to his condition and circum- stances. It also suited his taste and de- gree of refinement and he was an in- stant convert.
 When he went up to the drum, howev- CT, to repent of his past errors Tn eco homie philosophy, Antisthenes is said to have Hailed him severely with the drum stick and though Diogenes made repeated attempts to follow the flag of the phi losopher, he was as often repulsed until the poor penitent finally crawled in an ash can in the gutter and drew up pre- amble of philosophy of his own which so far overshadowed that of Antisthenes that the latter came near losing all hls patronage in the theaters and was sorely neglected by the reporters who turned their attention to the new star
 Diogenes subsisted on the crusts and bones that were thrown from the spack doors of the hash horses in Athens and absolutely refps- tend ar Ie
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

TT is restful and sometimes amusing to
 harl< back to the time when philoso- X phy was fad like roller-skating or shooting the shutes.
 Just at this time there is no character more soothing to the retrospective mind than Diogenes, that great old man who lived almost a century in luxurious pow erty and delicious cynicism and died at last under neighbours front porch with a raw heats foot bone in his throat. So far as history goes this was the first meat he had ever tasted.
 Few men in modern life so successfully attain the art of poverty enjoyment as this cynical old gentleman whom neces- sity drove to poverty and picturesque acrimony.
 He is the only man in the history of the world who made @ success in the business of sour meanness and secured everlasting position at the top of the rcol- umn next to pure reading matter without the services of a press agent
 While Diogenes enjoyed no such luxury as a press agent he was by no means neglected by the reporters and is said to have received more free puffs in the newspapers of his day than any other man in Athens. And in spite or ms 1ilth and insulting manners his name stands out in history as prominently as those of JuIius Caesar or Theodore Roosevelt.
 Had he lived in the twentieth century he would have been hustled off to the bat coop on the first train and might have had paragraph in the police news column.
 Diogenes father was member Of the city council at Sinope in Asia Minor He trafficked in street railway franchises and water contracts and being finally found out. was disgraced. This was eomething like four hundred yers before the Christian era, when the skill of the grafter was not appreciated by the peo- pie. Poor Diogenes, senior, was not only disgraced, but his property was taken from him to divide among the other mem bers of the council who had not been admitted in the original deal.
 Had the old gentleman lived in the nresent age he could have resigned his
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

nothing unusual for a sailing ship out ward bound from New York or Liver pool to Callao to spend 30 or 40 days trying to weather Cape Horn, and this in the face of sleet and hailstorms, among ice bergs and antarctic dark ness.
 Admiral Evans is fortunate in this respect. By being able to take his ships through the Straits of Magellan he escapes the storms and heavy seas off Cape Horn but he must pick his way slowly and carefully among isl- ands and headlands, every one of which is bristling with danger. Another thing in Admiral Evans favor Is the fact that he will have very little dark ness. as the time of the year Is almost midsummer and the twilight comes on about 3 o'clock In the morning. If it were the winter he would have much colder weather and not more than six or seven hours light in the twenty four. Having once passed into the Pa cihc ocean the remainder of his voyage presents very little if any danger; but from the time he enters the straits until his eyes rest upon that mighty ocean that stretches for thousands of miles away to the shores of the Afri can continent he will pass many sleepless and anxious hour.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
PHI OSOPHY AT GARDENDALE-By E. J. Rath

the community-to the great public that isn't reached by the Study Club.
 The committee of three met again the following night and MT. Dexter verbally presented a report
 "The gentleman Is ours to command, ' said he, flor cash. He will be on the job next week. l got him for Thursdays. Say, perhaps he's an ascetic, but he must be a new kind. He's got the best suite of rooms in his hote with enough furnishings in it to fill an Oriental curio store. The first thing he wanted to know was how many were there in the club? Then he got out his date book and we de- cided on Thursdays. As matter of fact, that Is the only open night he had. lie doing @ great business for the Brother hood Then he gave me some of his It. erature, and we shook hands, and l told him I'd have him met with a carriage at tle 7:45 train"
 Good" said MT. Thompson. Great. But he won't happen to say anything about it at the Study Club on Wednes- day, will her"
 Not if I know the gentleman" said MT. Dexter. He may be philosopher, but he looks more to me like g. diplomat.
 Well, we've got our part done,' put in MT. Gates. "Everythings all arranged, except our alibis, and we'll need those ana don't you forget it.
 Brother Ramakanka met his new au- dience on Thursday night It was large, attentive, but not inquisitive. It accepted his word without question and was very silent and respectful when he said good night and went back to the city, carrying a generous contribution for the BrotnerS hood at tht other end of the world. Then 1t went home in what seemed 10 pc philosophical frame of mind.
 Mrs. Gates was in the kltchen, making iellies. and the cook was clearing up the morning dishes. Finally she dropped one and it became many little pieces.
 Mary Maryf' cried Mrs. Gates, with jump. What are you doing?
 q was thinking, num- said Mary.
 ''Thinking of what?' said Mrs. Gates, sadly cycling the ruin.
 q was thinking about cosmos, num- Whats a cosmos, Mrs. GatesY'
 "A cosmosi" exclaimed Mrs. Gates.
 Let me see-yes, mum, 1t was cos7 mos: I'm sure twas 8 cosmos, he said. T
 s'Where in the world did you ever hear anything about a eosmos?" demanded Mrs. Gates.
 ''At the club said Mary simply.
 "What club?"
 "At the Nerve club" answered Mary. "Ysee, num- she went on. "the coach men and the gardeners and some of the girls has organized a club and it's called the Nerve club, or something like that, anyhow"
 ''Yes: go on, said Mrs. Gates faintly.
 And we had the first meeting last night" continued Mary, land some out landish man with long dress-Mrs. Fan-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

prise which led him to seek new way to the Moluccas or Spice Islands. Co., Iumbus died in 1506 without knowing he had discovered a continent. but his successors had been up and down the coast of North and South America look ing for an opening into the ocean which they surmised lay on the other side. Magellan directed his course south along the eastern shores of South America until he came to what ap- peared the mouth of great river, but instead of the water flowing out he mo- ticed the water flowed in and he imme diately concluded he was passing into strait and not a river. This belief vas further confirmed when he ob- served the changes in the direction Of the current which correspGndtd with the tides.
 Although the land on both sides Of the strait presents a picture of barren ness and desolation, yet there were human beings livins in that cold and remote region. The natives on tie northern shore were a savage Indian tribe remarkable for their height, in consideration of which Magellan called the land Patagonia. During the eX- plcrer's pass5 Se through the straits the inhabitants of the island which forms
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

shawe's man Michael thinks he was a colored man, mum-made a speech about cosmos, but none of us could make out what it was. And then 1t was given out that he was coming to make more speech es, and I guess if that's so I'll not go again. for 'tis my opinion that he not entirely right in his mind, num-"
 Mrs Gates was gripping the table to steady herself. Mary" she said, what was his name?''
 q can't rightly say, mum" said Mary. "But he's brother to somebody and his name begins with a Ram--Ram-some- thing, I can't remember what"
 Mrs Gates washed her hands and took off her apron. You can finish up the jellies, Mary" she said. I'm not feel ing very well this morning. Then she went upstairs, put on her hat and ten minutes later she was in Mrs. Thomp- sons parlor, fidgetlng nervously.
 Mrs. Gates, who had recovered her tongue, talked rapidly and very much to the point, and Mrs. Thompson said "Oh" and "Oh, dear" a number of times. Then they called Annie, who showed symp- toms at first of being a recalcitrant wit ness, but who. when her apprehension had worn somewhat away, became ex- ceedngly voluble
 And what is the name of this club, Annie?" pursued Mrs. Thompson.
 'The Nervine club. ma am,' said Annie.
 Mrs. Gates and Mrs. Thompson looked at each other and wrinkled their fore heads.
 Mary called 1t the Nerve club" said Mrs. Gates.
 "oh. I have it." broke in Mrs. Thomp- son suddenly. You mean the Nirvana club, don't you, Annie?"
 'Yes, ma'am; that's it." said Annie brightly. 'I knew I had 1t mixed
 Then followed a detail concerning An nie's spat with MT. Dexter's coachman, William. concerning the geographical To- cation of the cosmos, Annie having main tained that it was in India, the home of the Brotherhood, and William being stub born enough to insist that it was In Con necticut, the next station to Greenwich. Also came the information that some of the girls were going to boycott the club If 1t didn't hold dances, but the presi dent of 1t, Mrs. Fanshawes man Michael, had declared that dances were not in the agreement With whom the agreement had been made Michael had declined to say; in fact, he was very mysterious about 1t.
 Now I guess we'll go over and see Mrs. Dexter" said Mrs. Thompson, when An nie had been dismissed.
 And Mrs Fanshawe," said Mrs. Gates, land some of the others"
 Not only at the Fanshawes and the Dexters' but at half dozen other resi- dences steadily growing delegation from the Study club obtained a sckening amount of corroboration. When Mrs. Harrow's home was reached there were
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

A s Mrs. Thompson fluttered in. "A wrapped up to her little pug A nose in fur, with cheeks rosy from crisp air and excitement, her hus- band looked up from the table apologet- ically.
 q didn't wait dinner, Sue" said he. Mary said you might be late and that you left word to go right ahead"
 That's perfectly right, John, dear" said Mrs. Thompson. "I was afraid you would wait and I almost ran all the way home. We had such an awfully busy afternoon at the club, you know. The new teacher came, and the first lesson took such long while, and then we had little reception afterward, and some tea, and the first thing I knew Mrs. Dexter said: oh, mercy; it's half past six,' and then we all ran. You know 1t takes nearly fifteen minutes to walk from Mrs. Eldrdge's, and I just flew"
 Mrs. Thompson was fiinging off her wraps as she prattled. Then she kissed MT. Thompson very prettily and pumped down into chair at the table
 I'm as hungry as bear" she said,
 You look more like a kitten,' said MT. Thompson thoughtfully
 John, you must stop treating me like baby" said Mrs. Thompson. pouting. 'I have just come from very serious meet ing. I'm not going to be frivolous again this winter.''
 "Then I'll get a divorce" said MT. Thompson mournfully.
 Don't be silly now, John. Really, mean it. Sometimes when l think of the way I've frittered away my time on trlv- ial things, why it seems Just perfectly awful"
 worse than awful; horribly dreadful" said MT. Thompson.
 50. now" said Mrs. Thompson, i've that's the Study Club, you know-have taken up a very serious work, and we're going to give all our time to it and give LID all these foolish theatre parties and dances-that Is, most of them-and devote our whole winter to study"
 "Greatr' said sMr. Thompson. What are you going to study? Arithmetic?"
 "John Thompson, that's mean remark. Even if I can't balance my accounts sometimes, it isn't because I can't add; it's because forget to put down some of the things. No, it isn't arithmetic We're studying philosophy"
 "Phewi' said John Who's the teacher?'
 Brother Ramakanda," said Mrs. Thompson.
 Mir Thompson raised his eyebrows. s.Whose brother is he?' he asked.
 'He isn't anybody's brother said Mrs. Thompson indignantly. '"rhat Is, of course, he may be- but that isn't why he's called brother. He's a Hindoo and a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12

banouets given in his honor by the may or at the city tavern. The Salvation Army once presented him with suit Of second hand clothes and beaver hat at Chrlst- mas time. but he refused them With cur ses. It is said that he continued to wear his original cravenette, which he brought from his fathers home in Sinope, for more than fifty years.
 It is also said that Xenlades, who pur- chased Diogenes and carried him to Cor inth as a slave tried to persuade him to wear some of his old socks, but this offer was declined with philosophic firm ness
 Diogenes disdained all the modern de- vices of man and severely criticised the acts of his neighbors His tub, in which he performed all the labors of housekeep- ing, was ornamented with none of the fine works of art so popular among the Athenians. His floor was without carpet and his walls were bare of ornamentation of any description except lantern which hung on a peg in the hallway. He used this instrument only in the daytime, which he spent mainly in search of "a man. and in cursing the "excrements' of earth on the street corners.
 It is said on good authority that he never rode on an electric ctreet car or steam railway train excepting only the trip he made on the rods from Sinope to Athens. The only occasion on which he was known to use the telephone was when he called up his father over long distance on the Fourth of July to wish him a happy New Year and merry St. Patricks day. He absolutely refused to sit for the photographer and only a few snap shots taken by alert newspaper men with kodaks have come down to us.
 He declined the editorship of the Kick CTS Kolumn in the Athens Morning Tri- bune and also many flattering offers to go on the lecture platform.
 Looking back on DIgenes and his phi losophy, we are taught this one good les som We should restrain our fathers from unbecoming acts of public disgrace lest we be forced into the straits of ad- versity and become cynical philosophers.
 We are also warned against the danger of dining on raw meats feet under the
 of our neighbours porch.