davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

eth; and, in English, 1t means a party badge, or slogan. as when we say: Your cry of sixteen to one is only the shb boleth of party Now the religious world is, and has for ages been, strong in >shb- boleths. Let Us notice some of them and see how they work.
 In my youth l was intimately acquainted with a Virginia statesman of great abil-
 ty, nigh character and fine culture. Az this time he was not a protesting Chris tian, though he afterward became a de- vout and sturdy Baptist. He had been reared and educated among the Presby- terians, and when questioned as to his religion, called himself a Presbyterian
 Are you of the old school or of the new?" asked a friend. "Old school was his prompt reply. What is the differ cnce between the old school and the new?" was the next question; and he candidly replied 'I don't know
 I once attended service at the Pres byterian church at Lexington, Va. An intimate friend-a devout Eplscopalian- accompanied me. When the Lords sup per was administered l noticed that he cid not partake, and so l took the liberty of asking him why. He replied: T don't want to commune with the Presbyte- rlans. they believe in predestlnatlon." And don't you?" l asked. No" said he, very decidedly. I then pointed out to him that his own 8 articles were as Calvinistic as almost any Presbyterian could desire; indeed, little, if at all, short of tie West minister confession. This was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

In 1894 William Johnson and his son lucky and located in Nelson county in the hills; but some time later they re- quired 5000 acres of very fertile land, between the Beech and Rolling forks, and engaged extensively in farming, rais- ing chiefly corn and hogs. The younger Johnson became a trader to New Orleans, freighting bacon to that market by flat boat and returning by steamboat. The calling was attended with many hard ships and great dangers, but it made hardy, adventurous and aggressive folk of the thousaRds of Kentuckians en- gagged in it.
 In direct successive line there were seven William Johnsons, every one of them endowed with a force of character that rendered him more than common man. The greatest of them was William Johnson, born in 1S17 the son or the fiat boatman of that name. When he was a lad of II his father bought half interest in the general store of a mer- chant named McManus then the leading establishment of that kind between Louis vile and Nashville, and put William and an elder brother in the store to learn the business. At 19 William displayed such a capacity for business. such exec utive ability, such a forceful personality, that he dominated both his partners, and the entire establishment was under his control. and wonderfully prosperous His father died some two or three years later and William was nominated as his exec utor and some time after McManus died and William was his executor also. The famous Ben Hardin was his legal coun- sel, and was swift to discover the ex-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

chaos, and by 1867 there was fraternity between the Confederates and Federals in nearly every community.
 Johnson was looked upon as the most learned and accomplished codifier of statute law in the state. He made 1t q speciality, and, living near Louisville, he was kept busy by the leading lawyers of that metropolis, who piled him with questions in line with his studies in that branch of the profession.
 Ben Johnson, member of the Sixtieth Congress from the Fourth Kentucky dis trict is a chip of the old block. He IS emphatically a man of affairs, a practical thinker, a will of iron, a good hater and a better friend. Born in 1858 to affluen1e he elected to be pillar of society, rather than a parasite upon it. His might have been a life of leisure and of luxury; he preferred to run the race of life as his father had before him, a leader of his people.
 When he was born. John c. Breckin- ridge was vice president, John J. Crit tenden and John B. Thompson were sen ators from Kentucky, and Charles 5. Morehead was governor. John Young Brown, w. c. P. Breclkinridge, J. c. 5. Blackburn, James B. McCreary and James A. Mckenzie were just out of school. John G. Carlisle and John M. Harlan were young and struggling law yers The know-nothing party was not vet dead, and there was as yet no re- publican party in the old commonwealth. James B. Beck was not known outside his Judicial circuit, and James Guthrie
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

fected when I told him why I had come After some words, which were meant to console him in his great sorrow, said My friend, I do not know In what light you would regard religious services con ducted by a Christian minister, but if can do anything that Wa be acceptable to you, 1t would be a mournful pleasure to me to serve you in this time of your and visible emotion: Well. sir, this is kind of you; and l would like to have il few words said at the grave of my boy, when we lay him away; and if you would conduct service which would not trench upon the views and feelings of my peo- pie, 1t would be a real comfort to me-" I answered: Certainly I can do it. We both believe the Old Testament; and thus have much in common" oh, yes." said Ee, "I know you can do it." "Very well, then. l will do it." and did
 The Hebrews have their funeral ser vices at the grave; so l went to the He brew cemetery. A large Hebrew audi ence was gathered there, and not a few of my own people came, wondering what a Baptist preacher would have to say at a Jewish funeral. And there, over the open grave of that little boy. I spoke of ham, 'the father O. the faithful" had purchased for the burial of his beloved Sarah, and said that I was glad some
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

HHE county of Nelson, state of Ken
 lucky, is eight years older than the A constitution of the United States. It was named for Thomas Nelson, a signer of the Declaration of 1ndepend- ence, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and governor of Virginia. Partly blue grass and partly bear grass, Nelson coun- ty is one of the best in the entire com monwealth. It Is washed by the waters of Pottinger creek and the Beech Fork and Rolling Fork of the famed Salt river It abounds in springs of clear, crystal, cold limestone water the virtues of which serve to make Nelson county whls- ky the best in the world.
 Bardstown, the county seat, was long the Athens of the West. It was there that was located the famous Jesuits College of St. Joseph, whence were grad uated so many eminent Americans; and when that institution was at its zenith Bardstown was the seat of more learning, more culture. more eloquence than any other community between the Allegheny mountains and the setting sun. It was here that a King of France spent some years of his exile. Rowan and Hardin headed the bar and Pope, Wickliff, Grigs- by, Chapese and Guthrie were their learned and brilliant associates. John Hays, prodigious genius. was another, who survives In tradition as the greatest orator the western hemisphere has pro- duced Joseph Holt was yet another ora tor, little. If any, inferior to Marshall or Menifee.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

did not firmly believe. and 1t was quite clear that my Hebrew audience believed with me.
 The theological debates, once so rife In this country. are now almost entirely abandoned Most civilized people now re- gard them as out of date. I am not here hitting at Alexander Campbell. He was a very able man, and I believe he was a good man, and I must be great deal wiser than I am before I can pronounce that he did more harm than good. When Charles James Fox attempted to write history, he wrote debates. Alexander Campbell was a born debater. and he preached debates. He lived too, in a de- lating age. But Isaac Brett, James Goss and President Loos of the Kentucky Uni versity cannot be ranked as contentious men. I have seen nothing but lovely Christian spirit in any of them.
 The theological shibboleths often do untold harm, and this is all the moro grievous because so unnecessary. My brother Protestant, what good can it do you, or any one else, to call your Roman Catholic neighbor a "Papist' when you know or ought to know. that it is of fensve to him? kindliness of speech Is not only right and Christian, but it con- tributes immensely to the peace of society Besides, you may be seriously misnam- ing your neighbor when you call him a Iapist. Macaulay once sprung the ques- tion: What is a Papist?" and he proved that it Is not easy to answer Was Pas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

traordinary capacity. for practical af- fairs possessed by his youthful client. When the two estates were finally set tied Hardin was instrumental in hay ing young Johnson appointed master in chancery of the circuit court, and while serving in that capacity he studied law was admitted to the bar, and immediate ly taken Into eo-opartnership in the prac- tice by Hardin then the first lawyer of Kentucky and the equal of any law yer in all America.
 Soon after he came to the bar young Johnson was elected county attorney, an office he held for Il years. In 1865 John son. reared a whig, was a democrat and a candidate for state senator on the dem ocratic ticket. The issue was the thiI- teenth amendment to the federal consti- tuition, and there were soldiers at the polls. Johnson was in no humor to be beaten by bayonets and rallied his friends, took possession of the polls in some of the precincts, expelled the sol diers and when the returns were all in he had an adequate majority, and served the term of four years.
 In 1869 he was reelected. It was a diff ficult task that confronted the statesmen of Kentucky in those days. The state was full of soldiers returned from both armies, and there were many and bitter animosites. Fortunately, a great man, Thomas F. Bramlette. was governor and William Johnson was one of his most trusted advisers. A policy of complete amnesty was adopted, and it is said that Bramlette granted 400O pardons in sin gle day, all to operate before trial of the indictments. This saved the state from
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

Y ONDON, March 21. = The punish
 ment meeted out to the young ar- A tist, the son of we'll known Mu- nich merchant who has been sound guilty of caricaturng the Czar, seems scarcely in proportion to the crime
 We in more civilized countries are so accustomed to the caricatures of the great that it appears inconceivable that if should be looked upon as even rep rebate action, but in Russia it is differ ent. and the Czar who specially lends himself to caricature, has eEacted the utmost punishment that could be inflicted on the young man, and his parents have received the news that for drawing pie lures in a Nihilist paper their son mas been condemned to 15 years penal ser yitude in a Siberian silver mine, and IS already on his way to that bourne from which so few return.
 The Emperor of Germany, With sin gular perception, has relaxed the law with regard to what has been called 'lese majeste," and instead of the heavy pen alties which were hitherto imposed, the matter is overlooked as unimportant.
 The gross abuse which had grown out of the law had largely brought about this gracious action on the part or the Emperor.
 The career of Mrs. Charemagne Tower in the city of Berlin has been one of brilliant success. and the retirement from
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

that city of the American ambassador and his clever wife Is mourned as an IT, retrievable social loss.
 The Kaiser himself described Mrs. Tow CT as the won Moltke of society" and added, "the greatest social leader of my reign"
 And truly it required all the Transat- lantic wit, sparkle and vivacity to intro duce into the somewhat heavy Berlin so- cety the brillancy, the imaginative run and power of enjoyment which charac- terized her social life
 The Emperor's friendship has been marked almost from the beginning Of MT. and Mrs. Towers career in Berlin During the first winter they spent in their beautiful house the Kaiser non ored the American ambassador With his company, and announced his intention of "resetting foot on American soil' each succeeding year. promise which he has invariably kept.
 The last ball given in Berlin by Mrs. Tower was the Flower Ball. at which every lady guest represented blossom
 Mr and Mrs. Tower have decided to retire to America where they will give up their diplomatic career to devote themselves to the education of their children
 The Bishop of London has been visit ing the English colony in St. Petersburg.
 lie has held confirmation there in the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

N the 12th <ehapeter of the book of
 Judges, verses 4-6 occurs the follow A ing curious passage: ''rhen Jeph- tha gathered together all the men of Gilead. and fought with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and emong the Manasstes. And the Gileadites took the passages (fordsj Of Jordan before the Ephraimites, and it was so that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said. Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto them: Art thou an Eph- raimite7 If he said nay, then said they unto him, say now Shibboleth! and he said sibboleth, for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan, and there fell at that time of the Eph- raimites forty and two thousand"
 Thesaebrew word "Shibboleth" has two meanings. CD an ear of corn; @ a stream or flood. It is probable that the Gilead- ites used the word in the latter significa- ton, and that it was suggested by the rapid flow of the river Jordan. The word is used twice in the 9th Psalm, where, in verse End it is translated Hoods and in verse 18th "waterhood.'
 From the story given above our lan- guage has borrowed the word "shibbol-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22
ON SOME THEOLOGICAL SHBBOLETHS-By J. C. Hiden D D.

of Abrahams children had found a home here in this favored land, where the per secutlon of Jews is unknown. Then ] made a brief prayer, and closed with tha doxology: Now unto the King eternal. immortal, invisible the only wise God. be honor and glory forever and ever"
 Some Christian people blamed me for conducting that service; but if I did wrong. l have not learned any better since that day; and. und-r similar circum- stances. I would do again.
 A brother preacher of another denomi- nation criticised me for not mentioning the name of Christ in my prayer. l re- piled that the Lords prayer was open to the same objection(O.
 1 had just preached in this critics pull pit; so l asked him if he would have thought 1t proper, if. in that sermon jusE now delivered. l had preached the dis tinctive tenets of Baptsts. He said, "No, ! would not" ''A cry we'll" I replied; T believe enough in common with any devout Jew to give ample verge for a re- ligious servi in which we can both heartily join" My Hebrew friend praised me by saying, "A Jewlsh Rabbi could not have done it better and I regarded his remark as a real compliment.
 Of those who adversely criticised my course at that funeral, 1 cannot remem- her that one was a Baptist. So far as can remember, my own people approved what l said.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22
REGRETS.

By M A. G. Hemstreet in Brooklyn Eagle. o love, dear love. had I loved but you, Life's burdens and cares would nave been so few; The scorn and hatred and angry blow Would not have been mine, for your love, like snow, Was pure and stainless, and oh, 50 An! daylight will look upon many a feet.
 love, my love. had I loved but you, Had I cherished the love that was
 warm and true, The morn might come in its radiant
 light
 And glimmer and glow on my gar
 ments white. That cover a heart that Is sad with tears,
 with griefs and sorrows. so many years.
 Dear love. sweet love, had I loved but thee.
 Tender and true you'd have been to me, No bitter sorrow, no keen regret 1 Would have made my life hapless wreck. For sheltered and guarded within thy breast, My days would have been so happy and blest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

English church and has WQp golden opin- ions in Russia as in America. His charm of manner, unaffected interest, and the extraordinary tact with which he mas the right word for all have captivated not only the BriNeh colony, but the high- est officials and the lowliest inhabitants of that wonderful city
 On the Feast of the Purifcation ne as sisted at the service in the Cathedral or St. Isaac, and was given place at the altar and received by Bishop Vladimir.
 The Bishop of London was vested Tn golden mitre and brocaded cope
 After the great service at St. isaac the Bishop travelled by special tram to the Imperial Palace at Tsarskoe-Seio TOT an audience with the Czar and Czarina.
 The Empress, who has been i'll, was specially delighted to be able, to converse on Enqlish questions with the Bishop.
 He afterward had long and lnnmate talk with the Czar. which largely dealt with the agraran question and tlae Czar' S anxiety that the peasants should optaln nossession of their owH lands.
 pr. Ingram has especially emphasized inc fact that he was impressed by the ex- traordinary religious devotion among the people.
 It is characteristic to find that the Bishop of London has already promised to accompany the tramp of t--e church army officials through the slums of Westminster and to preach in one of the poorest parts immediately on his return.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

Hendy pushed back her errant hair and decisively faced her visitor.
 Wont you never breathe it to 3 liyin' soul?" she asked earnestly. Fer f Gus sh'd hear 1t, my body. he'd mercy!"
 q never tell nothin'," said Mrs. Frizz insinuatingly. "Honest?"
 sure"
 "'Twas the veils that done it." pro- ceeded Mrs. Hendy. again relapsing into a dreamy state. "The veils an my good hair"
 Done what?" asked Mrs. Frizz, re- turning to her previous conviction of insanity.
 "They're a-wearin' veils a good deal" went on her friend contemplatively.
 "So they are a-wearin' hair a good deal" Mrs. Frizz contributed rather grossly, but what's that got to do with it7
 q had on a brown one an white one-'twas them that done it." her friend wandered on reminiscently.
 1.-TWO hairs?" acidly inquired her guest, shifting her weight heavily in her annoyance.
 Mrs Hendy reused herself to the duties of narrator. I'll make some tea an while we're drinkin' 1t I'll tell you all about it.'
 The strength of the drink percolat- ing through her system was such as to render Mrs Frizz somewhat more plia ble. Well" she remarked fngrat- iatingly wiping her lips chastely with fho h of a r1rn
 Mrs. Hendy tossed her head with a noticeable girlishness "As l said, twas the veils-"
 "Git to the story" admonished her friend impatiently.
 ''Well. Gus bein away fer the week on a job in Jersey, an me gttin' my vaca- ton unexpected, Jimmie says, Ma, you go 10 the O'Hara outin-an' I'll go 10 the New Works an Clevelands,' he says.
 My king I says Jimmie, yer mas too old fer such jants as
 "Ugh-huh." groaned Mrs. Frizz with appreciation.
 ""Too old-rats says Jimmie, just like that: I had to laugh. 'Ah, go-wan,' he says, git under the sink with the rest O the pipes!'
 well, I kinda needed change from the store-so I went. Last week there was a woman in to have her haid bronzed up a little an I noticed her particular. She had on two veils--
 ."Them vells again." interpolated Mrs. Frizz, with sigh of endurance.
 "a white one clost to her face an a brown one over. You couldn't tell nothin' about her looks or age an twas not tiii I see her face naked that I-well anyway
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22

Congress to make it Illegal for South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana to vote the denocratic ticket-Willlam o. Bradley will be United States senator from Kentucky March 1, 1909. Let us hope the first thing he shall turn his attention to will be a revision of that speech his brother-in-p politics, Deboe, made in that body on tine interoceanic canal.
 Kentucky is in sore need of new crop of democratic leaders. They must be young men, and, above ali. men who have not been involved in the faction quarrels of the past 10 years. Unless that is done. Kentucky will become as reliably republican as Ono within the next four years. Ollie James and Ben Johnson are young men. and both have kept out of the mess at Frankfort Owsley Stanley did burn his fingers a little in the devils broth of faction: but he is a young man of immense popularity and is certain to recover from it. The democracy would have been all right in the old common- wealth by this time if Ben Johnson or Ollie James had been elected senator last January, and doubtless the legislature is now eontrite because it failed to elect one of these at that time.
 I understand a movement is on foot to make Ben Johnson chairman of the dem- ocratic state committee. If that is done, it will mean that the past is dead. It will mean a militant democracy It will mean victory in November. It will mean a democratic Kentucky.
 The democrats are there. all right. All that is necessary is the appointment Of shepherd who can herd them Let the brethren join in singing the "Ninety-and- nine.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-22
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH-By

Pm a guilty woman. An I'm tndl ashamed. didn't encourage m none, be 1t far from mel But when that band begun to play an they was dancin,' give you my word, I couldn't a-kep' my feet still-no, not if they was a steam boat tied to eacn of 'em. l don't spose we danced more'n eight times, an then l begun to git kinda nervous thinkln what me- decent married woman, was doin' An then again, every few min utes it come over me how the lady would be throwin' as fit If she knew! Well. l had to laugh. I got so giggly an hys- tericy over it that the boy he thinks it's on account O me havin the grand time, an begins to get freshern't paint.
 What do you wear them veils-'
 'Huh! snorted Mrs. Frizz.
 -for?" he says, an says, TO kep me peaches an cream complexion from the frec<les'-just like that! l had to laugh. Ever since I fell down them steps out there-you'd- d-a-died to see me it give me the rheumatism an dancin' so much I begun to feel it in my feet.
 "I guess I'll set down an rest while,' I says to him. You go an git some other lady to spiel with you now Mercy to goodness, Miss Frizz, f he didn't up and say he didn't want no other lady but me-bolder'n brass.
 He talked real Swedey-I wisht could initiate how he done it, twas that fun ny. An I begun to git scared. He was fer seein' my face all the time, an l had to keep actin kinda kitteny sos to fool 'hm. Fer, Miss Frizz, l leave it to you If any woman wouldn't be tiekled some to be thought 20 years younger'n what she is-not but some tries hard enough to fool folks into believin' Il"
 Mrs. Frizz groaned dismally. "of all the bold pieces" she sighed under hey breath. .Twenty-thirty!"
 Finally sends hIm to git me drink O water an while he was gone 1 slipped away an hid in the crowd Well, when he come back he was just like wild h. dian runnin' round loose huntin' fer me. An if you'll believe it he track me right down in no time Thinks l, This IS fiercer An then he pulls out my card hls mother give 1t to him-an begins to jabber Sarah, Sarah, Sarah till l could a.k right through that deck with shame--I could indeed.