davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

danger that threatens and on the 2sth of November they will rise up almost as one man and put their feet upon the sugar coated iniQuity
 Then. 1t is to be hoped. the clergy | win devote themselves to teaching | morality, temperance. Christianity from the pulpit. That will be a good thing!
 
 When was in the Lords Coun- try" the other day, I heard news of sadness.
 I was carried back. in the spirit, to the days. of my youth.
 In 1861. in East Lowndes, we or ganized a company for the war. Capt. the captain. I think no better com pany went from Alabama. It was Company "B" of the 14th Alabama. In July we went into camp of instruction at Auburn. I was discharged there. owing to an old pistol wound In the knee. q have said time and again that Judge Gaston, the surgeon, saw ed my life by not killing me with an operation.y
 Besides the Captain. there were but one or two married men in the com pany. We were young men and boys.
 In the company was one man who more than all. calls my attention now. Pink Bain was the man, full of life and ever. .bubbling over with good hu- nor. He was the life of the camp, and with his inexhaustibie fund of jokes and anecdotes. he made us merry. He was the friend of all and every one was his friend. His graces won pop- uiarity and his bravery won promo ton.
 Wounded time and again, he lived through the war. He married in 1866. His marriage was romantic and was with him.
 Years ago his wife went away to be an angel. Affliction assailed him and the last years of his life were blight
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

with his followers again took to the mountains and the Indian President changed his capital from week to week.
 The war with France was a bitter one and the odds were at first greatly against Mexico, but the genius of Diaz kept the fires of patriotism burning in the breasts of his loyal countrymen. Almost he alone of the Mexican com manders won victories. The French apparently triumphed, although Diaz has since remarked that their real power never extended far beyond the points of their bayonets.
 So well had the young soldier fought that France sent over her greatest soldier to outgeneral him. This gave Diaz an European reputation and marked him as man of destiny. De- spite his valiant efforts Bazaine bot tied him up in his native town of oaxa- ca and after long seige Diaz and his little force was compelled to surrender. having exhausted their supply of ann munition and food.
 The French offered to parole Diaz if he would give his pledge not to take up arms against the Emperor Maximil- Han. but he refused and was carried of to the military prison in the city of Puebla. With the seeming eradica- ton of Diaz the war of the opposition languished. Jaurez still maintained his capital in out-of-the-way places. but Maximilian ruled and was acclaim ed in the real capital.
 Then two things happened that changed the whole course of events and made Diaz the chosen for the re- Awakening of Mexico. The United cause triuphed in the United Statei and Diaz escaped from his military prison. The triumph of the Union placed the United States in position to let France know that sho looked with disfavor on the garrisoning of SC many French soldiers in the Western hemisphere. The result of this wal that France ordered many troops home. The escape of Diaz meant new life to the war against intervention.
 The details of Diaz's escape arc worth reading, not only because they make a thrilling story, but to the fact that they furnish an index to the character of the man who has done so much for modern Mexico. He had been In prison for some months without see- ing any opportunity to escape. A number of his comrades tried tun- neling through walls and were sdete"t- ed and shot. Diaz did not mean 70 bungle his attempt.
 The prison was an old monastery Near this building was catneoraI Often the prisoners were allowed tc walk on the roof of the monastery The sentries were also situated there On the night of the escape Diaz pass ed to the roof without arousing the susnioions of the guards on duty. once
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

The truth of the matter is. how ever, that Diaz was baptized on Sep tember IS, 1880. He probably was born some days earlier. Like most all Mex jeans who have achieved any measure of greatness, Dlaz has much foreign blood in his veins. His father was Spaniard. a descendant of the early conouitadores, those indomitable ad- venturers who came over with Corte7 and captured the Aztec Emperor, Mon tezuma, and his realms for the Spanish crown. To this heriditary trait per haps is due in a measure Diaz's bril- fancy as a soldier. Soldiers know that in military annals he ranks high as a tactician and he thus attracted the attention of the military critics of the world. That was in the early sos when the French were trying to plant an empire on the Western Hemisphere. On his mothers side he has mix ture of Spanish and Indian blood. His mother was the daughter of Mix teca Indian woman and Spanish fath- er the best possible blend. as the Mix tecas are yet among the strongest of the natives. Thus Diaz started out with the best endowments, so far as blood and bone count. But he had lit- tie more His father died when he was 8 years old, and as soon as this young
  blood of the Spanish conauerers in his veins and the rest from that stock which the conquerors never conquer ed. to put it paradoxically, could walk and talk he was compelled to aid his mother in gaining livelihood.
 The little town of oaxaca was not much to look at, but there were sturdy patriots living there. among them ths great Juarez. a pure -bloodeds 1ndiar who later became President of the re- public and is often spoken of by Mex jeans as the 'Tdncoln of Mexico" Dia5 early came under the influence of the village priest and commenced studies to take the cloth. ".
 But later the war with the United States broke out and his martial spirit even then told him that he was mol fitted for the career to be followed by the man of God. He was too youns to fight against the troops of Uncle Sam, but he organized a militia com pany among the boys of his own age and they marked time in their native town. ready to give battle to the in- vaders should they put in an appear ance.
 About this time Diaz met Juarez and was persuaded to study law. He wal an apt pupil and covered his course paying his way by tutoring slower pu- pils. About the time he was ready to practice his profession the first real dictator ot Mexico, Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, was ruling, or rather misruling. Mexico. with all of the in- Justice and cruelty incident to the reign of a Latin-American tyrant.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

Advertiser or some other discredited paper, for whom to vote.
 If they sit still and let the Cover nor put his Amendment on us I will feel they are unworthy of advice
 So. they will govern themselves ac- cordingly.
 We now have three excellent gentle men in the. race and each feels that the Lord is calling him-"gently calling"- to be Governor. If the Lord has chosen either. without consulting the people. 1t may be '1ost call"
 An old fellow. a cobbler. had child born with deformed feet It was in the old days before linen doctors" were maleSairey Camps. Besides the regu- lar sairey there was quite an array of female help. They believed In "signs' and the Lord.
 The old fellow no sooner knew of the deformity of the feet than he went to his shop and went to work to make a pair of wooden shoes to correct the deformity When his pupose was communicated to the host of help. they besieged him with all sorts of warnings against flying in the face of Providence"; that 1t was the Lorda s will for the child to be deformed etc.
 Said he "Ef hits the Lords will to have them feet crooked. hits mine to have lem straight an I'm 'agwine to straighten em." which he did.
 If the Lord has chosen a 'Prohibi- tor" to be Governor-'there's many slip twixt the cup and the lip"
 Though, they are all honorable men,. There are others.
 "There are just as good fish" In our net.
 "A good Hardshell Baptist fell into politics and 1t was then easy for him to make many another fall. except. perhaps, to fall from grace" No good Baptist can do that-though when he enters politics he has "ren- dered himself liable"
 This good man got to dancing against the "peace and dignity" It
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

than to cuss as same as if he was a
 deacon, but he's just as good as any of you, Ca little increase of empha-
 sis). Like fool he wanted to know
 things that he oughtn't and went and fined the Masons, but he's just as good
 as any of you and some better, ani
 want you to let him alone!" They let him alone We'll, after the amendment Is laid
 to rest. in "dreamless sleep" wSll find
 discredited, disreputable man for Governor and can say to the Pro | hibitors:" He's not quite as good as the Lord would have him, but by the
 Holy smoke. he's just as good as any
 of your"
 I'm glad that we don't claim a mon- opoly of Godliness.
 I will not dare to say that the
 preachers are all bad men, for we have some of 'em.
 I have said, said 1t to the preach CTS, that they have no influence for good, and, if they (the political preachers) think that by their evil in- l fluence they are persuading men to
 voluntarily yield up their castles" to l search, they must not take too much honor to themselves: they should al- | low something for native and cultivat-
 ed depravity.
 | I understand that the Messenger 1 from the churches, to our association. are coming 'hell bent" on keeping poll itics out That's good sign. If anybody Is uneasy about the tre-
 mendous influence (politicaD of our Bishop" I want to calm his fears When he wrote to the Brethren rot to vote for Kolb. think there were as many as one, or possibly two of the
 brethren" in the State who took his
 advice.
 That was too many, but in every large communion we must charita-
 bly conclude that Nature was not law ish of mental graces to every one. The naonla are waking LID to the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

It looks like the Governor will be "put to It.. Tn appointing . successor to Judge Denson. though he has an abundance of material Think of the innumerabie host Of Justices of-rthe Peace.
 have been amazed in my time. that not one of these judicial gen tlemen is unfit to grace the SuprSme Court. am not astonished, that every 'penny-whistle" lawyer of the state thinks he Is it for the high judicial
 I once had an Idea that it takes a pretty good lawyer to honor the Su- preme Bench. wish my old idea were now prevalent. E
 Times change and men change with them" and reluctantly conclude that the Greet Court has fallen pret- ty low or, small lawyers have an ex- alted opinion of themselves,
 have never been a justice of the Peace, and am ineligible I will not apply for Judge Denson's place, That will. no doubt. relieve the Governor. 'some. if\ no more."
 I, am not a Prohibitionist and will not apply for place on the Jury Com- mission of my County. There's no use An anti-prohibitionist is an "undesir- able citizen"
 ,s not sup' on the scriptures-at least he was not before he secured Divine as his Counselor He may be improv- ed in that respect now.
 Like a good. public-spirited citizen I asked" of the Chief Magistrate twice but not the wrapping of my finger have received" from him, It seems to me the duty of good citizenship to ask the Governor for an appointment
 Some people argue that there should be good pay attached to every ofnce SO that good men will be induced to serve the people.
 have never yet seen an ofhce "go- ing begging" because of insufncentcy or salary, fees or perquisites. The incum-
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

was easy, from dancing to cursing. He had. for a long time. been getting drunk. but a fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind' and his brethren charftabiy overlooked a little indis- erection like that.
 Finally to climax the devilment in him, he joined the Masons and he had Ito walk the plank" At the Very next conference of his church, the brethren withdrew fellowship"
 Being with all his virtues hanging other communion. the different minis- ters in his town besought him to cast in his lot with one of them.
 At last. we missionaries" held a meeting of days and the excluded Hardshell got to ."going up for pray err" Immediately the ''beloved pas- ture" and all the visiting preachers fixed their eyes and hearts on him as the kid to make merry over"
 One day the whole body of preach CTS went with him to dinner. which necessitafed the killing of the last chicken. {The meeting was drawing to a close--at the end of two weeks. )
 After dinner they lighted their pipes and got round the poor fellow in dead earnest. (They were afraid the Methodists would get him)
 His wife. who was sound in the old Baptist faith" was cleaning up the things" in the dining room. "smelt A mice." However. she didn't wait to get through cleaning up" She step ped up near to the college of minis ters and without preliminary began Men and Brethren. I want you to Net my husband alone. He's as good as any of you. (With pronounced em- phasis on "you."). It's true he gets drunk. but all the same. he's as good as any of you, (emphasis again.. When the fiddle starts he can't keep his fool foot still, but he's as good as any of you. (no neglect of empha- aiaA Ha haint got no better sense
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

able adventures which shows that the man was marked from infancy to at- tain a high place in the scheme of things and to work out the destiny of a people. Of course, his life Is not spotless. There are stains which no doubt he would gladly wipe out, but In the last great test he easily wins his place in the ranks of the useful and the best--the good in the Diaz career so far out-weighs the bad that one Is justified in forgetting the latter on the plea of the end justify!ng the means.
 His Great work.
 Mexican history is not pleasant read ing for an Anglo Saxon, but some understanding of it Is necessary for a proper estimation of the charac- ter of Porfrio Diaz A hurried glance back over the many years of bloody strife and then to the period of peace and progress that has marked the last quarter of century of Diaz's adminis- tration immediately arrests the atten- tiop/ and focuses an admiring gaze on the personality of a man who could accomplish the seemingly impossible. It must be remembered that the Mexi-- cans were striving for their independ- ence almost contemporaneously with the Americans. The success of the lat ter only whetted the desires of the former, and in 1910 began the long war against Spain which finally cul, minated In the real independence of Mexico. But Mexico was pfttfully un- ready to practice what she had so val- iantly fought to obtain, as Is shown by the hundreds of revolutions and the thousands of treacheries of her leaders.
 Mexico literally ran s9 in 1blood and lived in a close atmosphere of in- trigi1e from the day of her escape from the thraIdom of Spain until Porffrio Diaz took hold of the helm of the ship of state. The long peace of the Diaz regime with the wonderful Internal progress and development are alone sufficient to mark Diaz for greatness and to justify those stern measures which he at first practiced in order to prepare the stony soil of treachery. tur- moil and ignorance for the bountif1il crops of peace and progress which the people are at last harvesting.
 Diaz was born in a Southern State of the Mexican Union in the little city of Oaxaca, the Capital of the State of the same name. Just when. he was born is not certain. but public ceie- brations of his natal day are held throughout the republic on each Sep- tember Is. This is the day that the warrior priest Hidalgo tolled the Mex ican independence bell that began the war. with, the mother country, and 1t pleases the Mexican sense of the fit- ness of things to have one Of the great est sons of the country born on that day. It is as If Washington or Lin coin should have been born on July A.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

upon. "On the subject of the Queen
 Cambon observed that Forgues said that they were in treaty with Brussels Vienna, and Prussia on this subject,
 and that perhaps by alarming them. but putting of the judgement, they might greatly further their object. Herbert rose in fury against this proposition; saying that to keep Louis XVII q. e.. the Dauphin) alive ser}ad the same purpose in every way; that the blood of the Queen was necessary to associ- ate the Revolutionary Tribunal with the Convention, an dto make the town of Paris co-partner of tls< destinies of the Convention. and to make the town was more especially the deed of the Convention, while that of the Queen wonld be the deed of Paris to the Tri- bunal, and of the army of the Revolu-
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

tton."
 Lastly. we are given verbatim re- port of a speech by Herbert--a speech made at seven o'clock in the morning of Santernber 3. .. It Is the whole of tne Terror in little. We see the Terrorists not only caught like rats In a trap. and biting, raging. scuttling. and sauealing, but stranger still. fully reaiizing and analyzing the awful situa- tion in which they were placed. with all its hopelessness and heiplesseness: Tha thought of the welter of blood and terror w6ich they had created. and of inc annsIIing mountain of human agony piled up by their own hands, lit- erally maddened them. It made them ,ineanable not only of pity and human feeling, but even of any intelligent eff fort toward self preservation. They
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26
History By a Lightning Flash

expiatory sacEhce and yet you heal tate! But I will tell you one thing that will decide you. I cannot see light where 1t Is dark; I cannot see roses when there are only daggers. I know not whether there remains to you any hope of the republic. of the Consti- tuition. or of the safety of your persons; but l know thIs that if you have any. you greatly deceive yourselves.
 You will all perish. It cannot be otherwise. do not know whether it has been well or i'll done to bring the thing to where 1t is. But there 1t Is!
 Your generals are all betraying you. and they will all betray you. should myself be. one of the first to do 1t if were a geru'ral of yours and a less conspicuous figure. if I saw the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

were petrifed by the horror of their deeds. They turned the GorgOn's head upon themselves. Hebert's cry, from a heart overwhelmed by the bitterness of death that they are all doomed, and that nothing can save them echoes like a dreadful chorus through his speech. They knew they must perish as miser- ably and as certainly as their victims had perished, and the thought went to their heads like wine. ... ... He said:
 'T have promised the head of Antoi- nette. I shall go and cut 1t of myself If you are slow in giving 1t to me. I have promised 1t on your part to the sans culottes, who are demanding it.. and without whom you cease to be. The instinct of the republic makes them wish to unite themselves to us by this
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

London Saturday Review.
 The student in his reading Of history or rather of the documents upon which history Is built, comes every now ana again upon a document so vivid, so poignant, so full of light, that he req fixes as he reads it that he has Deen placed for the moment io tonch WItn Ln the past in a way which is altogether special and apart .. 3. Such light nfngfiash on the history of the French Revolution Is afforded by one or tne secret reports made to Lord Grenville' our foreign minister during the Terror printed in the second volume of> Ihe Ie Dropnore Papers"-those marvellous five volumes of history, social and poli- tical, which, if they were not printed 5 in a blue-book, would be regarded as among the best memories in the langu-
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

age. Before we quote this particular piece of history by flash of lightning we must say a word or two about the document. It is nothing less than minute of the proceedings of the secret commIttee of nine. itself a committee of the committee of public safety, which was drawn up by the secretary of that committee. and sent in very roundabout way to Lord Grenville. In other words. the secretary Of this sec ret and all-powerful committee, the very handspring of the Terror. was to all intents and purposes spy of the British government, and reported to them the doings of his bloodthirsty masters .. ... Towards the end (of the minute) we are told that the death of the Queen and of the Brissotins and those arrested on, May sl, was agreed
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

chance of making a good bargain that would preserve my life. Be sure that Paoho and myself and all the judges of the King cannot save her. 'Twouid only be possible by charming the face of Europe, and that cannot be at pre- sent. The kings, if they seek to des- troy us, will work themselves an III that in twenty years time will destroy them.
 But we shall not perish the less. France will be conquered; she win be humbled here and win submit herself there: be sure of it.
 we shall all perish. and those who have done like us. If they promised us an amnesty they would not hold to 1t.
 eContinued on Page seven.l
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

City of Mexico Correspondence or The
 Louisville Courier-Journai.
 Ahout the middle of next month President Diaz of Mexico, will be per haps the most talked-of foreigner m ths nress of the United states. Al that .ir,a be will meet President Taft at Fl Paso and the gaze of not only Mexico and the United States. but of the entire world. will for the time being De cen tered on the border cities or Ill raSo and Ciudad Juarez. ...or
 Naturally much win be written about the personality of the lesser. known man--that Is, lesser kho"n
 .ha a1a,aee American newspaper read err While Taft's name and Tame are known, in many foreign climes' they are not more familiar than those or Diaz whose qualities as soioIei, statesman and nation builder have won for him decorations from many or tne courts of Europe and the Far East.
 Much has been written apout Dia1' Nearly every tourist that Soe Mexico with a notebook and a. Ionu l heuef that people would like to near from it, pounces upon the hle VI Diaz as the first and easiest way oL telling a waiting world all about lt. II Diaz has never shown his greatness In any other way, he certainly does so bv the humor with which he meets tnis rather trying situation. or course' sne literary tourist generally mas innuense enough to get a letter or lntroauv. S, ion to the American Ampassaoor. rest Is easy. The Mexican Presloent receives the distinguished visitor, an .wers few questions, charms the ip- farviewer by his courtesy ana the or deal is over. The deigntea rYa rushes into print and Diaz smlLes \, knows that he will suner, put on.s .s from gush. It would be sare 70 wager that during the last ten ysans more columns have been Wrltten ap1u1 ,2.. Diaz than about any other ruier ny ing.
 yuntns work Against Him.
 Th,s of course, gives distorted nictnre But of late the Diax likeness Sas haes, misrepresented in another aad Yrl,ch more disagreeable way. I,,ntas of dfsgruntled Mexicans or un- .,st,cinled foreigners who have been S.,.,sn from this country for causes Mat yvo,ild make them unwelcome In anv cline have been busy sowing ma ,toSosa1v false stories concerning the .arsonal,tv- career and purposes of the Wa<fcar ruler. Groups of them are al -.n.snt assiduously at work in New yyo.,s st Louis. Chicago, San Antonio snd Ios Angeles. Some of them are sror nted solely by a spirit oA revenge. pptSars are in the pay of theNrevolu- ticnarv element. All paint a most un- fair and untrue picture.
 n,eZs life reads like that of one o, Dnmas, heroea It is full of inci- aent and places of almost unDei'eV-
The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

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