davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
HOW THE NATIONS SLEEP.
Great Diversity In Their Methods of
 Obtaining Needed Rest.

From the Boston Post
 There is great diversity in the methouS of sleeping among people of different nations. Indeed, the things necessary to nrocure sleep for one individual appear frequently to be just the things that would keep another awake all night
 The European or American, in order to sleep well, ordinarily requires a sott pll- low under his head; but the Japanese stretching himself on a rush mat on lhe floor. nuts a hard square block of wood undar his head. and does not sleep well If he does not have it.
 The Chinese makes great to-do In the matter of his bed, which is very looW, ln- deed scarcely rising from the floor, put is often carved exqusitely of wood; ana it never occurs to him to make It any softer than rush mats will render 1t.
 While the people of the northern coun- tries cannot sleep unless they have plenty of room in which to stretch their legs the inhabitants of the tropics often curl themselves up like monkeys, at the lower angle of a suspended hammock, and sleep soundly that way.
 The robust American will cover him. self with a pair of blankets and throw his window open to the air, even in the dead of winter, and he will not some times complain if there is little drift Of snow across the sill in the morning.
 The Russian, on the contrary, likes no sleeping place so well as the top of the big soapstone stove in his domcile. Crawling out of this blistering bed in the morning, he likes to take plunge in a cold stream. even if he has to break through ice to do so.
 While the American clings to his feather pillow. he has long since discarded his old-fashioned feather bed in favor Of the hair or straw or felt mattress The feather bed has been relegated to the country, and many people that slept on 1t in their childhood found it unendurable In their later years.
 The Germans not only sleep on feather bed. but underneath one as well. The feather covering used in Germany, how ever, is not so large or thick as the one used as mattress, and the foreigner that undertakes to sleep beneath it often finds his feet suffering from cold while his shoulders are suffering from heat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
VILLAINS IN OTHER LANDS.
Cunning Games Played to Separate
 People From Their Money.

From the Baltimore American.
 Don't get it into your mind that all the cunning bunko games played on credulous people to separate them from fieir bank rolls are engineered by sharpers of the Anglo-saxon race, said MT. George L. Maroney, New Or leans lawyer.
 Just to the south of us in the sister republic across the Rio Grande, as smooth specimens of the swindling tribe are to be found as anywhere ex- ist. have myself been done in a small way in the City of Mexico by having purchased birds of the most gorgeous coloring, only to discover later that the vender had neatly assisted nature by using a paint brush to enhance the splendor of his feathered stock. That is the reason you will see a Mexican bird peddler during a rain take off his coat and cover his cages, preferring to take a wetting himself to having the paint washed off the birds. They even apply paint to the flowers they sell 10 admiring strangers
 There are also big scamps down there who operate on scale of magnl- tude, as a certain New Orleans capi- talist can testify About a year ago this New Orleans man was approached by very serene, elegantly dressed ana fine-looking Mexican who bore good letters of introduction. In eloquent tones the visitor told of a large tract of land in the state of Coahuila that could be bought for one-fourth its real value. It would be worth some day not less than s1,00o,0O0 and could now be had for the beggarly amount or s2O0 900. All this and much more, and a an evidence of good faith, the New Orleans gentleman was asked to go III person to see the property
 "He listened and listening fell. ITO De brief. he went, saw the tract which was finer and bigger than many prin- cipality, and considered it dirt cheap at the price asked. The seller only asked $25,O00 cash and this the other partv put up in association with cou- ple of friends who were let in on the good thing. It was the grandest spec ulation of their lives.
 "Today three sorrowing and revenge full New Orleans men are hunting the world over for a willy greaser tawny of skin and fluent of speech who, Ill the absence of the real owner in Eu- rone sold them one of the richest es- tates in the land of the Montezumas. The titles which he delivered them, as they subsequently found, were forger- ies that called for some barren noun tainous sections that wouldn't prlns cents an acre..
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
THE SILVER TRADE DOLLAR.

From the Boston Transcript
 The silver trade dollar is seldom seen or heard from these days, unless as curiosity representing one of the freaks of our coinage system in the past. It was withdrawn from circulation many years ago but recently 1t has been mak- ing it's reappearance in Brooklyn in suffi- cient numbers to cause the arrest of some caught passing it among small trades- men, and Wall street banking firm, which Is charged with passing the coin at 70 cents on the dollar, may be haled into court to explain. These pieces were coined 35 years ago to facilitate trade with China and Japan. but soon outgrew their usefulness, if they ever had any, and have long been obsolete as money, notwithstanding the fact that they havc seven and a half more grains of silver than the standard dollar of that metal.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
Remarkable Record.

"Among the substantial things that will advertise Birmingham this year will be three steel frame office build ings in course of construction at the same time" said Robert Jemison' Jr.' who has been actively at work on tue Chamber of Commerce plans and llHe- wise the Empire oompany's plans.
 MT. Woodward's Brown Marx annex, the Chamber of Commerce building ana the Empire office building were three projects conceived and financed since the first of the year. Work on the Brown Marx addition is well advanced, and within the next few days con- tracts for the couatruction Of the oth- CT buildings referred to will be Ter. These sky-scrapers will represent a large investment of capital. The panic of last fall and the business depression that followed stopped all enterprise in other cities, out faith in Birmingham future was so great that the financing of three steel frame buildings was taken up and it went right along With out a hitch. What city, east or west, can boast of such a record? Not one, 1 venture to say.
 Tn some cities large building op- erations undertaken before the panic have been carried along this year; tllt in Birmingham the fact that three of flee buildings schemes had their in- itiative stages and development in panicky times is the point to stress
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
UNcERTIFIED IMPosToRs.

From the New York World.
 From London comes word that Zia Bey, who recently convulsed New York With the story of his horrible crimes as the Sultan's trusted police agent, Is a gross iunoster. According to his own con fession he had earned a high place in the affections of his bloodthirsty sov- ereien by his skill in Kidnapping min isters of state, strangling dignitaries ana cutting the throats of court faVorltes. Unfortunately, prominent Turks abroad reject his claims and deny his identity.
 A frst-class villain is likable char acter. But whoever Zia Bey is, he mas the small vices that breed contempt. AS the pretended official who committed the sultans private murders for him, he not only acted in bad faith but committed a gross breach of hospitality. If he had been merely a Turk selling Egyptian cig- arettes or Oriental rugs he would nave been entitled to no particular recogni- tion. It was his criminal record that made him an attractive personality.
 It is time steps were taken to sup press these international frauds. In the course of a year a good many foreigners bearing titles turn up in this country in the police courts, on the stage and In the newspapers In the same way no end or Americans are constantly reported abroad as millionaires who have run over French neasants with their automobiles, or se- cured the mining concessions of the Sa- hara Desert, or taken contracts to four track the Trans Siberian railroad
 So long as we compel foreigners to label their food products true to contents there is no reason why they should not certify their noblemen and murderers, and since we guarantee our pork for ex- port as a matter of business we might at least guarantee our millionaires as
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
EIFFEL DINNER TOWER.
Tin Structure on. German Train
 Amuses and Amazes Tourists.

Leipzig Correspondent of the New forh
 World.
 The tourist who takes his Germany through car window in long ten-hour journeys need no longer store up scenery on an empty stomach. The Teuton has solved the problem of dinner en route in his peculiar way.
 At a. midway station a waiter in dress suit appears, places before the passenger a fin Eiffel tower, in which through it's various stories the courses of "mittages- sen" are concealed, and vanishes again like a magician.
 The tower, which in contour somewhat resembles a fire grenade, stands aboue the height of an ordinary table. 1T you are a man you secure it firmly between your knees to withstand the see-saw of the express before proceeding to investi- gate If you are a woman you brace It at one side and take the consequenceS.
 A door just wide enough to admit plate, and opening down the rounded length of the armored commssarit. re- veals series of racks. From the lowest, just above the floor level, is extracted the soup, piping hot. From the second emerges the fish. Mounting higher, de- liciously roasted chicken, with all the extras is brought to view. and on the topmost round the pudding, the ice, or, in season, the enormous German straw berries serve for dessert
 On the turret of this remarkable Eiffei the ct ceteras are neatly filled into ap- propriate niches-salt, pepper, sugar, drinking glass; while rising from rack at the side like an invading warrior on d scaling ladder the neck of a bottle or Rhine wine stretches upward.
 Hunger appeased. the tower is dropped at the next wayside station.
 This epicurean feast costs the modest sum of marks (75 cents), and the Eff fels are in great demand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
From the American Magazine.


 HERMAN and Sheridan were more NN fortunate in their careers after 0 the war. because less conspicu- ous. But Sherman's fiery temper got him into trouble with the authorities of St. Louis, where he went to live. I forget the occasion of the row-it was some thing about the taxes on garden hose or a matter of equal import. But the general shook the dust of the city from his feet, with many imprecations from a picturesque store. He did not return until he was carried back to rest there forever. In New York he led an amused and amusing life. He enjoyed the fun of the big city, the lights of Broadway, social gaiety and the theatres, and, like all healthy minded men, he took pleas ure in the sight and companionship Of pretty women, and his age and credit permitted him to indulge taste for ex- pressing himself frankly about their charms. But to the end his chief sub ject of conversation was the war, and his greatest affection was for "his boys," as he used to call the bleak old men who came to see him from all parts of the country, Toward the close of his days this gave rise to some Imaginable incidents. Once, while the late Augustus Saint -Gaudens was modelling figure of Sherman, Robert Louis Stevenson came to New York. The mild poet had a pas sion for the study of war. He knew more about fighting than most lighting men. and he was especially interested in +La o;,,iI rror and in ShermaQ'S SpectaC- ular campaign in Georgia
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
LIVING ON ONES FRIENDS.
Social Crater Solves Problem of Exist
 ing on Nothing.

Lillian Bell in the Smart Set.
 It is generally considered that the &C., complished social grafter, who has suc- cessfully solved the problem of how to live well on nothing a year, is limited to large cities. But if you will stop to think moment, you will be able to re- call from your own experience that there is no town so small, no farming district even, which does not boast man who is always wanting pocketful of nails or a woman who wants a cup of sugar and a pinch of tea, which never by any chance are returned.
 This is, of course. it's crudest form. In towns it runs more to copying the clothes and hats of those fortunate enough to get their fashions from occa- sional trips to the city; to borrowing the new songs and stealing new ideas, until it must be more of burden than a joy to be prominent in a town where such liberties are taken, with or without permission.
 But for the highest complication of real social graft, commend me to the persons who, either from motives of thrift or stern necessity, must get the bulk of their living out of their friends. In the dear old fashioned hospitality, where the latchstring always hangs out to friends, where sometimes compelled to entertain unwelcome guests and make the best of it.
 There are few of us so poor spirited that we would grudge meal or two even to people we don't like. But the form of social graft most in vogue at present is the polite but firm pressure which compels us to pay for small luxuries for persons we care noth- ing about; a pressure which we can i'll afford and which robs the act of all the graciousness it might possess, if ours were voluntary generosity. For the friends of a social grafter are literally | held up.
 This is not an exchange of courtesies. It is petty larceny.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
cosTLIEST OF DRESSES.
From Answers.


 Who owns the costliest dress in the world? Not the Queen, or any other mem- Der of European royal family; not the wife of an American millionaire; but the little known Queen of Siam.
 Picture to yourself a gown of silk, en- tirely covered with an embroidery of dia- monds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires, all cunningiy fashioned into most intri- cate patterns. so that its wearer appears to be garbed in one great. shimmering, multicolored gem. It will give you some slight idea of the dress, which is valued, at the very lowest estimate. at e1,0o0,000.
 The sister of the Czar of Russia, the Grand Duchess Xenia, has a gown in the style of the Russian national costume. with this dfference-it is encrusted at all points with precious stones of many kinds.
 Of course, both these dresses have one great drawback. They are so heavy U wear that it is very seldom their owners. torture themselves by donning them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
All Democrats Should Vote

The independence party is to put it's best foot foremost in this city tomor- row night, and Dr. Masterson, repub- lican candidate for Mayor, is stumping the city. These be parlous, or at least peculiar, times in politics in this neigh borhood, and it behooves the old his toric party to assert itself if it desires to maintain it's supremacy in this city and county.
 Dr. Master5on is endeavoring to poll the largest possible vote with an eye to the future. He believes in repub- lican national success, and he proposes to get ready for it. If he can poll d surprisingly large vote he will be in position to demand recognition at the hands of his adopted party, for he would be able to say: See what l can accomplish if properly encouraged and upheld" He is endeavoring, in other words, to establish here white man s republican party, and he may accom- plish his programme if democrats neg lect to go to the polls on Monday week.
 The voter who desires to keep his city and his county in democratic hands will go to the polls on Monday week. He should go to the polls for both political and school reasons. He should vote for democracy and also for more school houses, and the need of both is urgent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Saturday Crowds.

The crowds on the streets in the bust- ness district last night were large enough to attract attention, for they suggested the pulsating life of Birmingham in high prosperity days before last falls panic. It is safe to say that no such throngs have been seen on the streets since the Confederate veterans reunion in June.
 T have visited a number of southern cities within the last two weeks," said R. P. Holdsworth of Washington, D. C., and have been pleased to see evidences of business revival in all of them, but Birmingham seems to lead the rest. I am told that Saturday usually brings great stir in the shopping district, but when l arrived here today and saw the streets thronged with prosperous look ing people I remarked that nowhere in the south had I seen so much animation"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
SHERMAN AND STEVENSON

He asked Saint-Gaudens to introduce him to the general. and the next day the sculptor told Sherman that Robert Louis Stevenson wanted to meet him.
 ''Who is he?' said Sherman. "One of my boys?'
 No" said saint-Gaudens, Ines the great writer-Stevenson'
 Never heard of him." said Sherman. What did he writer"
 ''Why, he wrote Treasure Island and' Kidnapped and David Balfour'-"
 Don't know them" said the general.
 And he wrote 'Dr. Jel1y1l and Mr., Hyde'" 1
 That's good play. saw Diclsi Mansfield play it. Well, fetch him along.'I
 Saint -Gaudens, the kindest and tenders est creature that ever lived, would never think of wounding Stevenson's sensitive soul by telling him what Sherman had said.
 "The general wants. you to come around, tomorrow" said he to the author.
 Does he really want to see mel" Stev-t enson asked.
 "of course he does" said Saint-Gaud-, ems. Want to see you? Why, you should have seen his face when I told him youI were comingl 4
 They went to the studio the next day. When Sherman arrived, Saint-Gaudensl came forward most impressively, and lay ing great stress on the authors names said: "General sherman, this is MT. Rob- ert Louis Stevenson
 "Ah, how do you do, MT. Stevenson?' said the general "Glad to meet yout One of my boys?' ]
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
THE COAT PRovocATIoN.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 ''rhe Kiss Me coat is the newest mode From fason note.
 It hasn't arrived in Louisville as yet but every train is bringing homeward- bound travellers from mountain and lake and seashore and foreign land, and mil slew of work and harvest of gold in- oidental to the autumnal outfitting of the Kentucky girl. If the "I<iss Me- coat is deer eed by the arbiters of fashion it must of course. be worn. But will not Fourth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
Open Air Concerts.

"I attended several open air concerts in Baltimore last month." said a mem Der of the Commercial club who Is also a music lover, and was agreeably sur prised to see the enthusiastic interest which the crowds manifested in the more artistic numbers rendered by the band.
 Baltimore, like all other large cities, provides high-class band concerts for the masses every summer, and I hope Bir- mingham's finances will enable the coun- cil to do something of that kind for the pleasure and education of our peo- pie.
 T read in the Baltimore Sun that the average attendance at the 105 concerts in the Monumental City this season had been 12,O0O. And the director of the band stated that he had more requests for Wagner and Iistz music than he had for rag-time stuff; that the more artis- tic his numbers the greater the applause. This was encouraging, for it had been thought that the general public desired chiefly trivial music.
 "The city of Baltimore appropriates nearly $lO,OOO a season for its open air concerts, and Birmingham should be able to start off next summer with an appro- priation sufficient to employ Memoli' s band of 20 or 25 pieces A city without a first-class band during the heated term is dull for the majority of can t-get- away folks and Birmingham should never be dull.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
Suggested chicaso's Early History.

George Kleine, well-known and pros porous business man of Chicago, and j.. A Yerhoeven, a prominent lawyer of that city, who spent last week here look ing after matters in this part of the country in which they were directly in terested, said they were most agreeably impressed with Birmingham.
 We are not only struck with Birming- ham as a business center and beautiful city from a residential point of view, but we have been more than pleased with the character of the people who go to make up Birmingham's commercial lfe'' said MT. Verhoeven. I've have heard great deal of southern hospitality, and from the day we set foot in this city we experi- enced it.
 When I learned that Birmingham was started only 37 years ago, I could hardly credit the statement. It is having the same sort of phenomenal growth that Chi- cago had in the early stages of Its prog ress.''
 MT. Verhoeven and MT. Kleine were en- tertained by Sterling A. Wood and others during their visit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
WHILE AWAY FROM HOME.

Birmingham people who are leaving home for a vacation trip should have The Age-Herald follow them and thus keep informed about what is taking place in the city and state during their absence. The Age-Herald will be sent to them at any address at the regular price, and the address will be changed as often as desired.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13

avenue upon crisp October afternoon resemble an old-fashioned husking bee which every swain for miles around has attended with a painted ear of corn hid den in his coat pocket?
 We've had the Merry Widow" hat and the Nell Brinkley" style, both wide-j brimmed and somewhat clTaperonic in ef- feet where there is a desire upon the part of the lady in the picture to keep the party of the second part safely in, the middle distance. But this kiss Me" . coat must be virtual challenge. When 1t becomes the fashion, will not condi- tions in the thoroughfares be analogouS to the situation in a cozy corner about Christmas time when the bashfu1 suitor'5 attention is artfully but tactfully called to the fact that there is sprig of mis- tletoe in Araminta's hair?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
About Persons.

Frank G. Raymond has returned to Birmingham from the east and viii be en- gagged in the capacity of advertising man ager of the Majestic theatre this season. MT. Raymond predicts q very successful year for this well known vaudeville play house as the attractions to be brought south this winter are of an unusually high character.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
Great Ihinas In Store.

"While the actual increase in the way of industrial operations in and around Birmingham recorded within the past few months impresses ob- servers, several large and important undertakings will be in evidence be- fore the end of the year." said prom inent citizen. "I refer especially to the promised resumption of work at the plants of the Southern Steel com pany being reorganized under the title of the South ern Iron and Steel com pany, and the building of that part of the Tidewater Development company's $ electric line between East Lake and Ensley The Southern Iron and Steel concern will start out with ample funds and will increase the payrolls of the district very materially.
 From all indications the Tidewater company, which is now at work on the Tuscaloosa end of it's vast project, will begin the construction in Jefferson county not later than-December 1. Its passenger line between East Lake and Ensley will run through Birmingham's Fifth avenue. It's freight line will take different course, passing through North Birmingham I believe. I am not financially interested in tine Tidewater company, but I have good reason for predicting that within the next two years the line will be in op- eration all the way from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa, and it doesn't require a particularly vivid imagination to pie ture electric cars stopping at the cor ner of Fifth avenue and Twentieth street to let Tuscaloosa passengers alight and make for 12-story hotel diagonally opposite the Southern club"