davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
A MONSTER SNOW FLOW

From c. N. Claudy's How a Railway
 Shovels Snow" in December St. Nich-
 olas.
 The snow-plow is a huge machine, as big as a freight car, and built of steel. On the forward end is a monster wheel. with powerful blades of steel looking like an overgrown electric fan, so arranged that their angles can be changed. This wheel, which is perpendicular to the track and revolves at right angles to it, is in- closed in a casting or drum, also of steel and with sharp steel edges. The top of the drum is supplied with a pipe or chute. Inside the snow-plow is steam engine, which drives this huge fan-wheel at from 139 to 250 revolutions every minute. Be- low the body of the blow, near the track, is an ice-cutter, to clear the rails of ice before the wheels go over them, and a Hanger" as it is called, designed to scrape the bulk of the snow off the track itself, after the fan has whittled the snow bank away and thrown the most of it to one side. Behind the snow-plow are coupled from one to three or even more powerful engines, and behind these a car On the car are many men with shovels; for despite it's enormous power and its ability to toss tons of snow about as you might toss a shoverful, even the rotary gets stuck at times and has to be igno- miniously dug out!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
Fewer Arrests in Birmingham

October was a banner month in the citys police department. The arrests of small misdemeanants were largely de- creased. The total number of arrests in October stood at s4s. as compared with over 15oO in the previous month. This great reduction was solely due to the effort of Chief Bodeker, who persists in declaring that the police department of this city is not revenue departmentz that it was established and must be con- ducted for the preservation of law and order wholly, regardless of the question of self-supporting ability. The idea that police department should be self-sup- porting was inherited either from the fee brigade of the county or else it was thanded down from the robber barons of (he middle ages. Chief Bodeker is en- deavoring to abolish it in the greater city, and he cannot be too warmly com mended for his efforts to take the city out of the limbo of the past to put it on a modern humanity basis
 But the arrest of 94s in a month was altogether too many. Further reductions In the number of arrests are needed be- fore this city will become wholly modern and normal. The weak and humble should be given chance to remain free despite the commission of small offenses. Tn other words, greater misdemeanants should be hunted down while small mis- demeanants should be given a vacation nf freedom until after Christmas at any rate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
Travels and Observers

'I have seen good deal of dry terri tory,' said D. L. Cartwright of Chicago, "and as locker on, rather than as a drinking man, have made close study of prohibition.
 q am struck with this tendency: Many voters in small towns who use their in- fuence for the dry cause locally and cast their ballots accordingly vote against statewide prohibition. and especially against constitutional prohibition.
 T was in Alabama during the amend ment fight in 1909 and talked with scores Of men who called themselves prohibition ists but who voted against the proposi- ton to write prohibition in the organic law of the state.
 'rhe same thing happened in Missouri last week that happened In Alabama a year ago. constitutional prohibition was defeated--was showed under. And a statewide prohibition measure was in- volved. I was in Missouri a few weeks ago. visited a dozen or more towns most of which were dry and met very few who had voted dry under local option, but who were strongly against statewide prohibition. One man put it this way: Prohibition for my little town works all right. I do not object to seeing men dring in moderation, but I think the sa- loon should be kept out of villages and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
"SPORT,,

From the Washington Post
 The Kaiser, as host of the Czar, de- voted a day to sport The royal party sat upon platform, whether upon camp chairs or sofas the correspondents game was driven to the slaughter by an army of retainers. The Emperor of Ger many and the Czar of Russia shot the animals that came within range of their guns. The sport was miscaled hunt ing.
 Noah Webster's idea of hunting is to search for, follow after, chase, seek, pur- sue, or follow with hounds for sport or exercise, or for the sake of game. The late MT. Webster would have declined to call the actions of a couple of gentlemen sitting upon divans potting helpless ani- mals a hunt" No one else who has a drop of sporting blood in his veins will so regard it. AS an exhibition of coarse brutality it Is unsurpassed.
 It requires neither science nor sense to hunt" after the manner of the Kaiser and the Czar. All that is required is a nature sufficiently devoid of fine sensi- bilities to make it's possessor capable of enjoying cruelty to animals.
 The chase will always appeal to red blooded men when it is chase. Those who assert that all hunting Is cruelty and that no hunting is defensible will always be a minority. Hunting for sport or exercise, or for the sake of game with which to fill the larder, involves cruelty. of course. but 1t is by no means unmiti- gated brutality. AS much cannot be said of so degrading a performance as that in which the two European potentates parti. cir, a6
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
TOlStOy'S Teachings and EXamDle

Day before yesterday all over tho world, there were rejoicings that Coun Tolstoy was being comfortably cared fo at the little railway station called Asta 1ova, and that recovery to his accustome, strength was probable. Further than tha and best of all the aged author was to be surrounded by his good wife and his chi dren, and all family misunderstood fngs are to be satisfactorily adjusted
 No one should get the impression that the great writer is an atheis because he has been excommunicate bv the Holy Synod. The Holy Synod . branch of the Russian government and it's system did not fit man wh, did not need a synod to do his think fng. As matter of fact Tolstoy i. m humble and real follower of tht lowly Nazarene, and he had gone tt the New Testament all his active If, for the religion that he had acceptet and made his own. He had not onlS kept the faith, according to his under
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
IN HOTEL HOBBIES
The o'NenI Celebration

T wish every Alabamian who is in- terested in the incoming state admin istration had been present in Florence last Saturday night and witnessed the celebration rendered Governor O'Neal on his magnificent victory" said Frank V. Evans of Jasper, who was in the city last night Tt was an ovation worthy of any man by home people It dispelled the oft-repeated assertion that Colonel O'Neal Is without friends and admirers in his own home town.
 Florence is proud of the new gov ernor and gave demonstration Of that pride in an open handed way. The illuminations of private residences, the speeches by the mayor the presence or Florence men, women and children on the fete night, bespoke pride, admlra- tion Aand love unbounded and evidenced the fact that Florence is proud of her distinguished son."
 Asked as to the state appointments to office to be made by Governor O'Neal, MT. Evans said: T think the newspaper correspondents somewhat premature in their slate making, for No hol pSiieNS tio SofSiA- ~ promised a single office. He Is very reticent on the subject and states positively that he will make no prom ises. or announcements, until he is inaugurated in January. He does say, however. that he will consider well the qualifications of his friends who stood by him in all his aspirations; fact which indicates that Colonel O'Neal has the Jacksonian idea"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
WHEN BOOKS WERE RARE

From Hildegrade Hawthorne's Books
 and Readings" in December St. Nich-
 olas.
 As you know, books were rare in the old times, and stories were told rather tben read As for children's books, there were none at all. Even the fairy tales and the fables and the stories of adven- ture were for grownup people. But when they were being told, the children very likely managed to be within hearing.
 Not so Very long ago even, books were hard to come by Abraham Lincoln had, it is said only the Bible and the consti- tuition of the United States until he had grown to be a man. And many a lad de- sirous of reading was forced to do so a little at time in some quaint book shop, where, propped against the shelf or leaning over the counter, he would spend a happy hour turning over the pages of a beloved volume he could not afford to buy. To give book in those days was to give a precious thing, something to be kept as carefully as the family plate, and read as many times as there were pages between its covers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17

standing, but he had endeavored to make it a part of his practice. There were not in this world many such con-
 sistent or such sincere followers of
 Christianity as Count Lyoff Tolstoy.
 The doukhobors, some of whom are living in northwestern Canada, caught from him their ideas of a simple Chris tan life
 Nor is 1t at all strange that such man should attempt to apply the teaching of Jesus literally. Instead of consult ing Pabedonosten he consulted the New Testament and then he proceeded to live and to conduct himself as he thought it taught him to do. The Holy Synod could deprive him of burial in ground, but it could not dictate to him how he should act to- ward his fellow men. He bravely en- deayored to do the teachings of Chris tianity. Ills religion was vital rather than academic. This is why he lived the life of a peasant and refused 10 become a part of the Pohedonosteff machine either before or after the death of the unyielding minister of in struction and religion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
FORGETEULNEss OF GENIUs

From Lombrosos ''The Man of Genius."
 Expenditures is one of the character istics of genius. Rouelle generally ex- piained his ideas at great length, and when he had finished, he added But this is one of my arcana which I tell to no one." Sometimes one of his pu- pills rose and repeated in his ear what he had just said aloud; then Rouelle believed that the pupil had discovered the arcanum by his own sagacity and begged him not to divulge what he him self had just told to 200 persons One day, when performing an experiment during a lecture, he said to his hearers: You see, gentlemen, this caldron over the flame? We'll if I were to leave off stirring it, an explosion would at once occur which would make us all jump" While saying these words he did forget to stir and the prediction was accom- plished-the explosion took place with a fearful noise; the laboratory windows were all Smashed and the audience fled to the garden.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
SLAMS

By Shakespeare. The world is still deceived by ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and cor
 rupt, But, being seasoned with a gracious
 voice, Closures the show of error? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow will bless it and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There Is vice so simple, but assumes Some mark of virtue on it's outward
 parts. How many towards, whose hearts are
 all as false As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their
 chins The boards of Hercules and frowning
 Mars;
 as milk? H And these assume but valors excrement, To render them redoubted. Look on And you shall see 'tis purchased by the
 weight; Which therein works a miracle in na-
 ture, Making them lightest that wear most
 of it. So are those crisped, snaky, golden locks. Which make such wanton gambols with
 the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known To be the dowry of second head The skull that bred them in the sepulcher Thus ornament is but the gilded shore To the most dangerous sea; the beauteous
 scarf Yelling an Indian beauty; in word The seeming truth which cunning times
 put on To entrap the wisest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
GOOD OLD DAYS

From the Kansas City Star
 When you were a kid did you ever want to be a pirate and sail the Spanish main? You would have come pretty close to realizing you expectations if you had had a chance at book just published for the benefit of youngsters of the pres ent generation-"The Boys Drake" by Edwin M. Bacon. Of course you remem- her about Drake In your history? or course. Some kind of a British admiral, wasn't he? Time of Queen Elizabeth the Spanish Armada and all that?
 But you didn't read in your history how he tried one of his men. Thomas Doughty for treason, and after having the man condemned to death, invited nm to dinner and ended the meal by each drinking the others health just before Doughty lost his head. And you didn't know about his pursuit of the Spanish treasure ship in the Pacific ocean off the Central American coast. Drake fol- lowed day and night and finally sighted his prize about o'clock one afternoon.
 He wanted to come to close quarters after nightfall to make the surprise com- plete. So he threw out a drag of empty wine casks fastened together something like Walter Wellman's equilibrator. to slaellen speed. Then at dusk he let go the drag, set all sails and rushed for tEe Spariard. He was close alongside before the captain of the treasure ship saw him and gave him hail.
 English Strike sail" was the reply from Drake.
 Strike" retorted the bold Spaniard. Come aboard and do it yourselves"
 A volley of shots and arrows followed. The treasure ship tried to bear away. A big guns shot knocked its mizzen mast overheard, pinnace loaded with board CTS grazed the side and armed men came scrambling aboard Then the captain surrendered. Tt is a happy surprise to learn that Drake did not make him walk the plank but entertained him well, and served his meals to the sound of trum- pet calls In those days an Englishman had no scruple when he met a Spaniard.
 The pilot of the treasure ship had two Iair gilt silver drinking cups. The origi- ral narrative. quoted by Mir. Bacon, tells what happened.
 ''Senor Pilot" said Drake, "you have here two silver cups, but I must needs have one of them"
 The pilot handed it over because Thee could not otherwise chuse."
 good share of the 800 pages is filled with similar adventures of the spacious days of Queen Elizabeth, most of them good fun.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17

From the Louisville Courier-Journal. Elinor Glyn's novels, despite the evil dent effort to write of princes and princesses and grande danes as If from I level, always prove that the author s angle of vision is sharply upward. The I Glyn pen toadies vulgarly to the high and mighty, and as often to their worldly position and handsome housefurnishings as to their virtues. But 1t is as a maker of heroes that this rady novelist" is at 1 her worst as a writer and at her best as provoker of mirth among the judicious. Mrs. Glyn's latest book, which is weak but not wicked, is ornamented in the title page with a miniature of an anaemic- looking young man who is labeled a prince. The likeness is selected because the artist happily caught him in one of his soft moods" Evidently he did. The prince looks as soft as dough. But what devil he isl
 A chapter boils down to this:
 'Tamara, aged 20, oppressed with the thought that her life has been "a waste, goes out to inspect the Sphinx at ? eNSSSNS(A by the prince, who tells her that the secret of the Sphinx is that human beings have no souls, but have bodies and should cling to the pleasure of this world. They exchange silly remarks. Tamara starting to her hotel, asks the prince where he is going. Sometimes, he informs her, he goes to hell,' but to-
  is strangely fascinated"
 The description of the hero boils down to this:
 "A mad, wild fellow who once eloped with nun to settle a bet. The orgies at his magnificent country estate are the scandal of Russia. He wears a military uniform so constantly that he looks awkward in his ordinary clothes. He has dark rings under his eyes, and looks as if he had not slept He drinks hard and boasts of his dissipation. He dances the rnazurka divinely and whispers mad words into the ear of his partner. Wom- on adore him. Bohemians, great ladies, actresses, dancers and women of the un- derworld alike"
 Naturally, Tamara's admiration for the prince knows no bounds. As the story proceeds the author abases herself be- fore the fine window curtains, rugs, chairs and tapestries of the Russian nobility and kneels down and worships carpets. At the great moment In the story the heroine faints, and the hero, endeavoring to restore her to conscious ness, opens her blouse and wrenches apart her fine underwear"
 The hero proves in the end as harmless as the dough-faced miniature would in- dicate., but he is as grand and impress sive an example of the lady killer as ever appealed to the imagination of school girl or scullery maid in the pages OF a yellovback.
 Jerome KsJerome once called novelists of the Mrs. Glyn type the devils lady helps." Why not give them credit for the unconscious humor they contribute to current '1iterature?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
COST OF LIVING IN SIXTEENTH
 CENTURY

From 'The Story of France" by Thomas
 E. Watson.
 Good work and honest dealings were exacted by each guild of its members, and their laws against adulteration and the like were almost savage in their severity. In the year 1546 two grocers were burnt in Nuremberg for adulter- ating saffron and spices. A similar in stance occurred at Augsburg in 1492. In some towns makers who did not properly bake their bread were shut up in a bas- ket fixed to the end of pole, and soused to the bottom of a pool of dirty water as many tines as were thought neces- sary to reform and make better trades men of them.
 Wages, judged by what the money would buy. were good in the fifteenth century. In south Germany the average price of beef was about half a cent per pound, while the daily wages of carpen- ters and masons, in addition to their keep, amounted to about 8 cents a | lay. In Saxony the same workmen earned, besides their keep, cents per oay. In addition to this the workman was given a certain sum each week to 1 pay for the expense of washing himself. | This wholesome gratuity was known as washing money. In every town there were the needful arrangements for bath ing, both in winter and summer; and l. was a customary thing for the guilds to demand for their workmen a holiday. once in fortnight, and sometimes oftener, for the purpose of bathing.
 At the beginning of the sixteenth cen ] tury a day laborer could earn, besides his keep, 22 cents. A pair of shoes cost him cents; a sheep 10 cents; a fat hen about IF cents; 25 codfish, 10 cents: a wagon load of firewood. delivered, + cents; an ell of the best homespun cloth F cents; bushel of rye about 15 cents.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
Reffer Iron Market

For long months we have been seeing signs of improvement in the pig iron market, but little actual improvement has materialized," said a furnace conn pany official. There is, however. a much better tone this week than last, and I really believe We will see better prices within the next few days.
 There is a good, healthy demand for iron, and the only trouble is the weak ness of prices. There is little or no profit, with the present high scale of wages, in $11 market. or even $11.5O If iron goes up to $12.50 the Birmingham district will be in all the better shape to. enjoy the approaching holidays"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner

There Is a general opinion among the retail grocers and market men that Thanksgiving business will reach proportions about five times as great as ordinarily realized" said a wholesaler yesterday. Their places are stocked with everything for which there can possibly be a demanod and they say that extra help will have to be se- cured to handle the business for next Thursday.
 of the largest dealers along Fourth avenue the cost of Birmingham S Thanksgiving dinner, which was given in yesterdays Age-Herald at low es- tiimate of $5S,20O, wholesale. will be almost double this amount, taking ev- erything into consideration.
 There will be a large demand for items which were not included in the wholesalers estimate For instance, there will be thousands of people who not being able to have turkey, chick en or goose will substitute a fancy roast or fish, which is much cheaper. There is not a home in the country which will not in some way spread a more liberal table, and when all things are taken Into account it will be easi- ly seen how Birmingham will come nearer paying $100,0OO for her Thanks giving dinner than $58,000."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Real virtue scorns adulation; that's where it differs from brains.
 Mans reason gets him Into mischief that womans instinct keeps her out of.
 Any woman can understand a telegram because no woman understands punctua- tion.
 few men can undergo as severe an ordeal for themselves as all women can for other people.
 No matter how 1t disgusts a woman for her husband to chew tobacco she can't help admiring him for being able to do such hard thing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
CHRISTMAS COINS

From the Buffalo Commercial.
 Uncle Sam will probably relent and con- cede something to the Christmas spirit of young America. His declared purpose was not to coin any new gold pieces for the holidays this year, as there is about s22, O00 in gold coins now in the treas ury. But they are not new and shiny, as Christmas pieces ought to be. and there is already a very strong demand for absolutely new coins, both in gold and silver.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17

crossroads communities But St. Louis dry? Never! Prohibition in St. Louis would paralyze that great city and what ever would seriously hurt St. Louis would seriously hurt the state of Missouri
 That is about the argument that many men in the rural districts made to them- selves in deciding how they would vote.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
NO LAWS DELAY HERE.

NO LAWS DELAY HERE,
 The following anecdote goes to prove that the law can be expeditions some- times. Judge James R. Caton of Vir- ginia is credited with the story, which is said to have happened down on the Hast Shore.'
 'There was a new and inexperienced justice of the peace whose first case was 8, man to be prosecuted for stealing yearling calf. The case was set by the justice for o'clock one Monday morn Ing. He opened court with great dignity. The only persons involved that were pres- ent were the sheriff, the defendant and his attorney. The prosecuting attorney failed to put in an appearance. The justice called the case; thereupon the at- torney for the.-defendant moved to dis miss because the prosecution was not ready. This put the justice in a quan- dary. Finally he said: Do I hear a second to the notion? The lawyer punched his client, who, being thus tipped off, said, I second the motion.' Tt has been moved and seconded said the jus- tice with rare dignity, that the case be dismissed. All In favor of this motion say ave- The prisoner and counsel voted for the affirmative The sheriff cast the minority vote for the negative. This mos tion is carried and the culprit air dis mssed' "
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17
nrrIANcE-

Far away from rose-time, Now we're having prose-time. Mournful is the winds s refrain, Icy drops on window-pane, Over hill and over plain
 Lies the pail of winter. Naked trees and frowning skies, All around a world of signs. Days of song and days of bloom Blotted out by cold and gloom, still we'll say from cozy room,
 Do your worst, old Winterl"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17

Senator Lodge is about to withdraw rom his vexatious and uncertain sena- orial race to take Whitelaw Reids place in London.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-17

If the democrats who have taken the olace of standpatters prove to be reac- ionaries also, they, too, will be promptly bounced.