davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Describes Unusual Scene.

T saw a strange fight in New Orleans about a month ago." said Lon Irby, who has just returned to Birmingham after a two years residence in the Crescent City.
 1.-TWO young fellows both of whom were of unusually large physique. got into a mix-up in a store. One was beaten up pretty badly Suddenly he dashed out of the store with the other one in pursuit. Seeing that he would soon be caught, the man pursued started to climb a telephone pole that had foot-spikes in it. The other one followed up the pole and caught the other by the foot. In the struggle that followed the second man lost his leg grip on the pole and swung out into open space, his grip upon the other fellow s foot being his only support. The first man saw his opportunity. and by swing ing on to the crossarm kept his leg out far enough to prevent the second man from getting back to the pole. After the second man had agreed to quit fighting, he let him swing back to the pole and descend to the ground"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Growth of Odd Fellowship.

"Today was the ninetieth anniver- sary of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows" said a member of the order last night.
 English Odd Fellowship. known as the Manchester Unity, Is much older, but the American institution has no connection with the parent order. All relations were severed in the early days of the Independent Orders his- tory.
 "The first lodge in this country was started in Baltimore April 26, 1919. It spread from the start and for years past 1t has had uninterrupted growth. Up to about ten years ago the Masons outnumbered the Odd Fellows, but now the latter is considerably ahead in numerical strength. Both have crossed the million mark in recent years.
 When I first joined the order the lodge and encampment was more elab crate and expensive than 1t is now. We did more parading in those days and marched behind a brass band at every funeral.
 We now have the uniformed Pat riarchs Militant for parade and escort duty and few organized bodies make so fine a show.
 Those of us who are in the land of the living ten years hence will see a grand demonstration in celebra- : tion of our centenary. The order will then have attained a numerical strength of about 1,250,000."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
CRIME AT BIRMINGHAM,
m the Chattanooga Times.

From the Chattanooga Times
 The astonishing statement was recently made through the Associated Press that during the first 20 days of April there were in Jefferson county. Alabama, In which Is located the city of Birmingham, a total of 34 homicides, an average of about three every two days. Comment ing up this the Atlanta Constitution says ''it is impossible to escape the conclusion that there is something radically wrong in any community where a person is violently done to death once every 15 hours" A large percentage of these homi- cides were directly due to the poisonous blind tiger" liquor, the disorderly ele- ments apparently find no difficulty in se- curing and to that extent is reflection upon lawful authorities. Violence and disorder feed upon contempt of law, and in a community like Birmingham, where there is so large vicious element usual- ly found in the neighborood of extensive mines and numbers of iron furnaces, this contempt for law manifests itself most actively toward prohibition laws.
 Many prominent Birmingham citizens declare that despite these criminal out breaks conditions are really better than they were formerly in that city, from which there would be good reason to be- lieve the solution of the drink question Is not very far off. No one claims that prohibition prohibits and it is generally admitted that 1t is impossible under ex- fsting conditions to enforce the law to the letter, a strong sentiment it therefore , forming that will demand the modification of the existing statutes, at least to the point where experience teaches they may be enforced.
 Birmingham, through its active Law and Order league, has made conscientious effort to stop the traffic; but in the meantime crime appears to flourish. It Is matter of importance to that commu- nifty that something be done speedily to change this record.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
WOMEN LAWYERS.
Those Who Win Reap Honors and
 Rich Rewards.

From the Delineator.
 Successful women lawyers are much more rare than successful doctors. Since the days of Mother Eve every one has told every one else that woman was not logical that she acted from instinct, rath- CT than intellect, etc. Yet by some mi- raculous chance the fact remains that there are at the present day women law yers of such capacity and renown that commissions by the President of the United States, who trusted them above their supposedly superior brothers in the profession.
 It Is true that sex Is a hindrance to the woman lawyer, but if she resolutely puts true woman1iness is as great an asset for her as for the woman doctor. The law course covers usually three years, and the fees are about a hundred dollars a year; this does not include the graduate course, which lasts a year at a cost of about a hundred and twenty-five dollars.
 It is a dscouraging profession for a woman, and unless she is absolutely sure that she is fitted for it, no college girl should undertake the long years of prepa- ration. It takes brains and hard work and perseverance, and to those who are lacking in any of these qualities we say emphatically, "Let it alone!'' But to those who are sure of themselves and who are bound to succeed. "Go in and winr'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Senator BaileY,S Great SDeeeh

The Texas Senator completed yes- terday his great speech on the tariff bill and the income tax proposition. He discussed yesterday more particu- larly the validity of an income tax law and the decisions of the supreme court thereon. There is no better lawyer in the Senate than MT. Bailey, and what he had to say on the subject will have great weight among all thoughtful, un- prejudiced men,
 The entire speech will be printed no doubt in pamphlet form, and 1t should be scattered broadcast over the country. The Receptions and illusions of a protective tariff of the Aldrich sort are uncovered in it, and all may be sure that not an inch of good ground is left to base such a tariff on.
 It Is not possible to gather from tele- graphic summaries the value and i'm. portance of Senator Baileys speech on the great questions of taxation before Congress, and every person Who de. Eires to know what Aldrichism really is and what the republican party under his leadership is trying to accomplish should secure a full report of the speech for the purpose of ascertaining MT. Bailey's entire line of attack upon the Aldrfch tariff and also his defense of an income tax.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Campaign for Agencies.


 The Chamber of Commerce is just beginning campaign to make Bir- mingham the distributing point and headquarters for southern agencies" I" said Secretary J. B. Babb yesterday. "The erection of every new office build ing has brought more of them here, but now we have everything to of fer.
 This is undoubtedly the center of the southeast. We have better railroad connections with the rest of the south than any other southern city with out exception.
 "The handsome office buildings now being completed will add to the att tractiveness of the location. The cham Der will call the attention of all parties to the eity's advantages. Attractive It. erature is being printed and every member is going after more agencies
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Worth Seeing.

Birmingham is spoken of throughout the country as a beautiful as well as a rapidly growing city" said Frederick T. Nagle ot Chicago, but not every one who comes on a hurried business trip takes tho time to sec ell that is worth seeing.
 This was a beautiful city five or six years ago. The IIighlands-North and South-wero peculiarly attractive resi- dence sections; but recently so much has been done to develop the landscape eff fects that one can Say with truth that few cities in the Urited States compare with Birmingham in beauty. This Is indeed an enchanting city and tourists will be well repaid in stopping over here for few days"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Concert Orchestras.

Notwithstanding the fact that con cert orch estras are heard frequently in all cities of any importance many music lovers who listen rapturously to orchestral works do not know the names or the tone color value of cer- tain of the wood wind instruments, said local musician. "Of course every one is familiar with the flute and the clarinet, but many have confused mo- tions about the oboe and the basson. The oboe is heard in many solo passa- ges and is peculiarly pastoral It looks something like the clarinet although it is not quite so large. It has a very small reed mouthpiece and Is more diff ficult of execution on than the clarinet. The bassoon Is the natural bass of the oboe. In every full orchestra there are two oboes and two bassoons as well as two flutes and two clarinets. The bassoon is a funny looking instru- ment and when being played is held in an upright position in front of the performer.
 The symphony orchest of Beeth- ovens day was made up thus: First violins, second violins. violas, vlolon- cellos, bass viols, called double bass, first and second flute first and second clarinet. first and second oboe, first and second bassoon. first and second trumpet, quartet of horns. commonly called French horns first, second and third trombones. and pair of ket- tie drums. Modern composers have en- larged upon the old orchestration and have added for some of their works bass clarinets, contra a-bassoons a third and even a fourth trumpet a tuba (bass horn) and all the percussion in- struments. The harp is also a mod ern addition that is used a great deal and very effectively by nowadays. The orchestra which Damrosch brings to Birmingham has eight first violins, six or seven seconds, four violas, four cellos, four passes and all the other instruments mentioned"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
ozYMANDIAs OF EGYPT,

By Shelley. I met traveller from an antique land, Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs
 of stone Stand in the desert. Near them on the
 sand, Half sunk. shattered visage lies, whose
 frown And wrinkled lip and sheer of cold com
 mand Tell that its sculptor well those passions
 read Which yet survive, stamped on those life-
 less things, The hand that mocked them and the
 heart that fed; And on the pedestal these words ap-
 pear: My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and
 despair' Nothing beside remains Round the de-
 cay Of that colossal wreck boundless and
 bare, The lone and level sands stretch fxz
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
From Pearson,s Weekly.

From Pearson's Weekly.
 YER since his accession two years nn0 ago Mohammed Ali Mirza, Shah 0 of Persia, king of kings, center of the universe shadow of Allah, the sublime sovereign whose standard Is the sun, has had a. rather exciting time of 1t, and the latest reports show no sign that he is likely to settle down peacefully on the throne of his fathers.
 Mohamned Ali is now about 36 years old. He is a stout little man with a heavy, rather cruel. face. Like his father. he Is sluggish and dropsical. but he has not inherited his affability though, accord ing to a Persian newspaper, he lis always drunk and participates in wild orgies night by night until daybreak."
 When he came to the throne he gave re- heated assurances that he would respect the new Persian constitution, but secretly he has been doing his best to under mine 1t.
 His parliament demanded that certain of his corrupt favorites should be dis missed.
 The Shah and his favorites replied to this by instigating crowd or rougns 10 attack the parliament buildings. Parlia- ment sent two envoys to demand the pun ishment of these roughs, but his majesty turned them out after infiicting on one of them corporal chastisement of par ticularly humiliating nature.
 Then the supporters of the parliament came up in large numbers, drove away the gangs of roughs and encamped them- selves around the parliament buildings.
 The court replied to this by throwing the prime minister and some others Into prison. Then the British minister took a hand in the game, and insisted on the prisoners being released.
 The parliament barricaded its doors and something like civil war ensued. Finally, after remaining obdurate for few days, the Shah climbed down.
 Things remained in more or less un-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
BRYAN,s REVERSIBLE CUFFS
rrom the New York Press.

William Jennings Bryan wears reversi- ble cuffs. He was in an elevator in a hotel in this city riding up to a ban ouet hall Wait a minute," said the Peerless One, and the operator stopped the car between floors. Then Bryan, un- abashed, proceeded to reverse his cuffs, jerking his coat sleeves up to the elbows in the operation There, now. that's bet ter" he said shaking his sleeves down over the fresh linen edges. The eleva- tor shot up again, and few moments later democracy's champion loser accept ed with great dignity the noisy greeting of the comnany .he had come to address
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
A WORTHLESS SORT

A WORIhDESS SORT. He sat around day after day And still bewailed his lot; Declared he was luckless wight Whom fortune had forgot. He whittled white pine with his knife And spit tobacco juice, His every move and attitude Expressing, What's the user" The years rolled by, his shoulders dropped More than they used to do His voice was weaker than 1t was, Gray hairs appeared-a few. And still he sat and sat and spat And whittled on the pine, Or else he sought the river bank. With rod and fishing line. His wife kept boarders all the while And did the best she could, Although he spoke of broken health. His appetite was good You never saw a chap, I guess, Of less account than he His sort but goes to prove what sl5unks Some human kind can be. But death came round one summer day And quickly laid him low. His wife-it is a woman's way Seemed overwhelmed with woe; His helpless little children cried Because they'd lost their dad, But no one else in all the world Seemed cen the least bit sad. So passes one who loafs through life, Infirm of purpose still Who has no wish to make his mark, No constancy of will; Who holds no dreams of bold empri5o Within his stupid brain, And never strives to win the light Upon life's battle plainl
 DEFINED.
 'Pa, what is a legislative jokerr' About the same thing as an extra card up mans sleeve in poker game"
 THEY DO IN A WAY. ''Do Englishmen appreciate joke?'' 'swell, the average Englishman seems to have fine opinion of himself"
 HEADQUARTERS. "An imbeciie professor was arrested tho other day in an eastern city" From the University of Chicago7"
 REPLIES.
 To them that hath advertising shall be freely given.
 A Washington state man wants di- vorce from his wife because she smokes a pipe in bed. Pipe-hitting wives are not to be desired, even when the pipe contains nothing more soporihc than to- bacco.
 An Ohio man has made a fortune from tips. The tips were put in his hand and not his ear. PAUL COOK
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
NOVELIST HoUGH's VAIN TALK.

From the Washington Post
 The echoes of stormy fourth of March
 are not yet past Taking 1t as text,
 Mr. Emerson Hough, well known to tran
 sient fame a writer of fiction, has
 contributed to a current magazine an
 attack on the weather bureau. In his opinion, the history of the United States
 weather bureau Is indeed sad one. Ex- trayagance inefficiency, a hopeless lack of scientific knowledge, and an organ ization corrupted with politics are only a few of the charges he brings against it. If such charges were backed up by a few facts they would be very serious; but MT, Hough, as becomes writer Of fasci- hating tales, does not cucumber his arti-
 cle with facts. He relies upon that old standby his imagination, which has never failed him.
 MT. Hough does not deign to produce anything to support his opinion that the | weather bureau is extravagant. Against his statement is the fact that Congress voluntarily increased the current appro-
 priations by s1sa,20O over the amount asked
 for by the chief of the bureau, and last
 year more than $50,000 of the amount ap- prOpriated was returned 10 lne treasury.
 The charge of irregularities has been long
 since disposed of by the congressional committee, with statement of approval for the experiments at Mount Weather MT Hough, alleging that this govern
 ment maintains the largest and most ex-
 pensive weather bureau in the world'
 charges also that it is the most ineni-
 cient. Yet the leading governments or
 the world have sent their foremost me- teorologists here for training. Germany, Japan, Australia and Mexico are among
 these; and Mir Gilbert Walker was sent
 bv the British government to study the
 weather bureau methods before taking
 charge of the British meteorological serv-
 ice in India. These facts, of course, are strangers to MT Hough.
 As to the more scientific methods which
 should be employed by the United States
 weather bureau, what are they? Nov elist Hough declares that they are lack ing, but he does not specify which ones | are lacking or which ones he would elim- | mate to improve the present service. No doubt, if MT. Hough can add anything to l the scientific knowledge now in posses
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
sHERIDAN'S SPELLING.
l the London Daily News.

From the London Daily News.
 The author of "The School for Scan- dal' had highly original views on the rules of spelling. In his Critic days, for instance, thing" to Sheridan was always ''think,' and never by any chance did he remember that which or a where" to be really respectable must needs possess an "aitch" apiece. This rule of omission he also followed sheep-like in "wether'' for whether" Moreover, he scorned the use of double ''m" or double "s.' For example, ''blessedness' was always "blesednes."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
REFLECTIONS OF A Bh

From the New York Press.
 There is no fool like the fool who 5 his daughter can sing.
 The annoying thing about spending money is 1t is always spent money
 Every woman adores being fiattered, specially when it's over her children.
 When girl tries to make up her mind which one in a group of men she wlli marry 1t will be some one out of 1t.
 A man finds fault with how much 1t costs to raise tho children because he's more responsible for them than anybody.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
PRESENT RULER OF PERSIA

settled state for the next two months. then the bombshell fell-literally.
 Mohammed Ali decided to pass a few
 days at Doshantepeh. He drove through
 Teheran escorted by a numerous suite and surrounded by vast body of troops. Ill spite of every precaution, however an
 attempt was made to assassinate him
 while the cortage was passing through narrow street.
 What precisely happened is even yet un- certain. One account declared that the
 Shah was shot at and that the would-be assassin was cut to pieces by the es-
 cort Another report said that two bombs
 were thrown from the roof of house.
 One exploded in the air, while the other struck the ground near the Shah's cov-
 cred motor car, killing three outriders and wounding the chauffeur.
 Luckily, his majesty had sent his car
 ahead, as it were, to represent him, and had contented himself with occupying a
 carriage in the rear Hearing the row,
 he scuttled into the nearest house, and later returned safely to the palace. A pathetic incident occurred as he ap- preached the palace. His son, Ahmed Mirza, of whom he Is very fond, was laid up in bed with measles, but when one of his attendants told him what had happened in the street the prince sprang out of bed and, only half dressed, rushed out of doors and fell exhausted at his fathers feet, while the tears rained down his cheeks.
 The Shah sent at once for the governor of Teheran, and prepared to receive him warmly with cane. After he had
 thrashed him thoroughly he threatened
 to have him blown from the nnuzzle of a
 gun for not having prevented the bomb-
 throwing, but ultimately he relented. few months later his majesty made a
 big effort to settle the difficulty by bom- barding the parliament and killing upward of 800 people Since that time the position of things in Persia Is summed up by the American consuPs laconic report; "Anarchyr'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
pevelopment of Musical Taste.

"A taste for good music has been developed in all the large cities of this country and it is only question of time when America will be as appre- ciative of the best in musical art as the countries of the Old World" said a musician. q am not yet 60 years of age but I can remember when very few people in New York outside of professional musicians could listen to a symphony intelligently. For long while the layman had an idea that only persons musically educated could get any pleasure out of artistic music.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
Killed In a Quarrel.

Alexandria, La, April 27.-J. H. Mills was shot and instantly killed near Bayou Lattinier today by o. N. Sas- ser. Bad blood Is said to have ex- isted between the two men for some time. Sasser declares that Mills was the aggressor. Sasser Is in jail here charged with murder. -
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

sion of the forecasters, the officials would be delighted to have him impart it. Why is he so generous with his imagination in all matters excepting those in which his imagination might be useful?
 The weather bureau has its faults, of course. It ought to foretell the weather accurately every time and 1t never should permit such weather to prevail on March as that which aroused the ire of Nov elist Hough and other worthy citizens. We don't propose to defend the weather bureau in this or any other crimes. The only point we insist upon is that Nov elist Hough's attack upon the weather bureau is fruitless. He does not tell how to forecast the weather, nor does he give any assurance that the weather will be any better than 1t has been.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Is in fact & collection of Persian poems covering 600 years. Fitzgerald made them known to English readers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

MT. Roosevelt was so anxious to get among the lions he rode on the cow catcher of the engine on the Uganda railroad.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

Mir Roosevelt left behind many troubles, and he is not afraid of the new ones he will find in Africa.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

Patten may have secured his profits after all. The result depends upon whether he knew the psychological mo-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
srHE PRACTICAL MIND.
.o,n thA washineton Star.

From the Washington Star.
 ''Think of the glories of ancient Rome.''
 ..Ive seen em." answered Senator Sor- ghum. Its terrible to me to consider the graft they must have contended with in putting up all those improvements!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28
About Persons.

H. qua McEllwee, southern represen- tative of the Diamond Match company, of Montgomery Is in Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

Collector Loeb Is endeavoring to stop the smuggling of Paris gowns. Uncle Sam loses in that way about $e00,COO a year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

California's s raisin day, April 30, Is to be day devoted to the practicai task of eating the surplus of last years crop.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

Africa is to be invaded by the Roose- welt party on the east, and by the Liberian commissioners on the west. They should meet in the center to shake hands.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

When ex-Senator Stewart passed away another picturesque link with the civil war was broken. V
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

When it costs s10,00O,000 to talk to the Martians we had better try first the Man in the Moon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-28

The Uganda railroad is one of mar row gauge, but it held our mighty hunter and his mighty hunting outfit.