davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

 on deposits. Two per cent is not a high rate of interest. Many savings banks pay per cent, but the security of great reople. When a government stands be- hind a savings account many will not expect high rate Of interest on money deposited.
 The 46 offices to be established on Jan uary will be watched with interest and Bessemer will no doubt hold well up with he other towns in the list. It would not be surprising if it's deposits did not ex- ceed those of many other localities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
Forty-Six Experimental Savings Banks

On January 3, the first business day of the New Year, a postal savings bank will be opened in each state. The one in this state will be opened at Bessemer, an ex- cellent place for the beginning of one of the new institutions. The postmaster gen. eral announces that the initial offices in the various states will be opened promptly pn the day named.
 These offices are called experimental of aces, but there is nothing experimental tn a system that has been in use in Eng land. France and Germany from time out of mind The law in this country calls for the establishment of postal savings banks without limit and as fast as Con- Eress makes the necessary appropriations the system will be extended Every coun- ty needs at least one such bank and there are about 25G0 counties in the country.
 The postal savings banks win be popu- Inr despite the low rate of interest paid
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

, plain; but, after all, it is their brig IH ideas which hold the Christmas crowd4 Art is not yet machine made in France.
 For a mile the party keeps doggedlE on, looking in at numberless cafes a7d restaurants, where doors and windows make the whole boulevard one flood of light. Everywhere it is the same. "Ai our places were taken three days ago.p one maitre d'hotel informs them con,z placently Last table just filled" says q waiter whisking his napkin as he dis- appears for more food and drink in tn e rear depths.
 At last one of the women, who isl from the west and has quick eyes, de J tects Boston friend with two com - panions in the corner of "brasserie.,,s ,,s He is doing things generously and had secured two little tables run close to T gether for his party of three.
 The waiter finds chairs, and soon, where there were three in the crowd there are now eight. ready for the "re- veillon," which Is the Christmas break fast. Midnight's holy hour is past, it IS o'clock in the n orning.
 Don't order anything!' whispers the Boston man, excitedly. None of us un- derstands the other and each has al- ready ordered for all" In fact, the two tables are covered with oysters and champagne bottles in between. The waiter is made to understand that the seven will eat and drink up the nine or dcrs which the three had given for themselves in their Christmas excite ment. But he is soon back, when the oysters have vanished. with hot plates and dish of steaming purple black rolls. "Christmasi" he says, which Is the English word he knows for the oc- casion, just as the Boston man knew French for "Pleasurer' He points im- peratively to the dish: "Boudin for the| Reveillonw <
 Perhaps it is pudding" says one os the women. You are not so far out" says the man who has been there be- lore. that is blood pudding, and Frenchmen have been eating it ever since they were Christians after their Christmas Eve devotions." What Is 1t made of?" asks the woman with little oiiFci. Just DIE DlOOu and pOrk rat and all sorts of chopped seasoning" "Why, it's black sausage" says the other woman, who has travelled in Ger many. Just as sweet by any other, name," says the Boston man, who is recovering his equilibrium. Tt would be a shame to eat reveillon on Christ mas Eve in France and not do as the Frenchmen do. Wash it down with champagnel" Its sweet" says one. It's spicy," says another. Not so bad after all," they agree simultaneously. s It is 3 o'clock and newcomers are still coming in. 'Mercyl what time shall we get to bed?" cry the American women. They look curiously at the little tables as they pass out. and at those who sit at this early Christmas meat. There are smart cloaks and gowns; there are plain people like themselves. Not all drink champagne; some indulge in beer and Frankfort sausages garnished with sauer kraut: and lonely man of small stomach is nightcap. The Boston man quotes nightcap. The B oston man quotes Browning:
 After how many modes. this Christmas
 Eve,
 Does the self-sam weary thing take
 place?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
THIS SYBARITIC AGE

From the New York Globe.
 THE steady increase of luxurious liv-
 ing in this country is not receiving
 ! the attention it deserves. All classes are infected with new and virility sap ping fondness for sybaritical epicurlan- ism. Social symptoms characteristic or the decline and fall of great empires may be seen on every hand. Pampering is the rule. Estheticism has run mad.
 man who hasn't succumbed to the effemfnizing sock is a rarity. We make ;okes about so-called table manners, about one of natures real noblemen. perhaps, because his soup eating is noisy-advise Mrs. Rice's society to investigate him or ask the waiter to take away his soup so we can hear the music. We have apoi- ished the manly exhibitions known as nr,ze fighters, and are trying to change the college athlete from football to a croouet player. Our phianthropists are endowing peace movements with fabulous sims. Chewing tobacco is considered in- elegant in certain finical circles.
 From every direction, in fact. attacks are being made upon the old-fashioned' sturdy man of the soil and his simple. rersonal habits One, if not quite the most alarming, phenomenon in the country wide degeneracy is the growing ropularity of bathing. A proposition to install baths in the congressman's onice building has just been defeated with great difficulty It is hardly necessary to recall the fact that the Roman society, Just prior to it's decline and fall. was honey combed with this vice. All the Romans, high and low, bathed morning, noon and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
A WORD FOR FATHER

h
 From the Austin Statesman.
 | Paul West, in the New York World, has another word for father"
 And now who gets his need of praise? Father. Who is 1t labors all his days? Father. Who always has to pinch and strive to keep the family alive, and sheds his hair at thirty-fve? Father.
 Who always home his wages brings? Father. Who sees them fit for clothes and things? Father. Who sees them go for food and rent and never gets himself cent, except when he's already spent? Father.
 Whose hats two dollars cost, no more Father. Who sees his wife blow in q score? Father. Who has to wear a saw-tooth shirt and collar which his tho- rax hurt, so ma can have a hobble- skirt? Father.
 Who sees the cost of living soar? Father. Who says, "Well, soon we'll eat no more"? Father. Who, when the months first days comes round, half buried to his ears is found in pills that cause him woes profound? Father.
 But who is happy all the while Father. Who only asks pleasant smile? Father. Who only seeks the simple bliss of welcome hug and loving kiss and hates such patronage as this (about Christmas time)? Father.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
Views of Distinguished Rabbis and
 Others


 ITO dissipate any idea that may exist in the minds of many that the Zangwill play, The Melting Pot coming to the Shubert theatre, is unwelcome to the Jew ish people, one need only to turn to a number of utterances of eminent rabbis or the opinions of various Jewish jour nsls,' said H. L. Davidson, southern rep resentative of Lebler & Co.,, at the Flor ence hotel last night. 'Tt is true," he continued, "that great many rabbis have strongly opposed the idea of inter- marriage between Jew and Gentle, yet close scrutiny of MT. Zangwills pur- pose will show that this was not the question that moved him at all in writ ing his drama, the problem of inter-mar- riage being introduced solely as a step ping stone to something far larger and more essential. The great Rabbi Hirsch saw this and made 1t plain to those who heard him preach on the subject of this extraordinary play. MT. Leon Zolotkoff. the editor of the Jewish Courier, wrote to the management deploring the fact that so many of his race had endeavored to read into MT. Zanwills play ideas and theories that were not there.
 "The Melting Pot" said he, is noth- ing more than a highly poetical repre- sentation of the process within tho human crucible, beautiful in form and powerful in expression
 '"The American Hebrew, widely known and influential Jewish publication, said the play was lighted by the intellectual fires of a God-given genius The Chi cago Israelite declared: MT. ZangwiIl has enriched the stage with great and pow erful play The Rabbi Tobias Shanfar- Der of Chicago declared the plays im- pression 'salutary and uplifting and the Rabbi Joseph StoIz, also of Chicago, wrote to MT. zangwill. saying he had recom- mended the play to all his friends.
 During the long run of the play at tho Comedy theatre, New York, it was visited by Rabbi stephen s. Wise of the Free synagogue. who said, If we could have more of such plays as "The Melting Pot' the theatre would be uplifted to it's once high estate Rabbi S. Schuman of Beth-El was greatly impressed with it's lesson and purport. and said: From "The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
FAVORITE FICTION
m the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
 we've Had Perfectly Splendit Time, Mrs. Gumwell.'
 You're the New Assessor, Are You Glad to Meet You,'' No, Sir, We Haven't Any Good Seat Left for Tomorrow Night" What! You Wear a Wig? Nevd Would Have Suspected It!' "I Wasn't Going Faster Than Eigll Miles an Hour. Your Honor.''
 Pardon Me, Sir, But That's My Unl brella."
 Here's Something That Harmonize Exactly with Your Complexion, Madam i've Don't Care for Turkey, Anyway MT. Wilkins. Let Me Have a Couple 3 Chickens.~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
About Persons

Capt. W. Y. Peteet was called to York yesterday on account of the death of his brother at that place. The funeral will be held today and Captain Peteet Is ex- pected home tomorrow.
 w. H. Gregory, former president of the Citizens National Life Insurance com pany, who was under grilling fire of cross-examination in the hearing for a receiver for that company in Louisville Saturday, reached Birmingham yesterday and is at the Hillman. MT. Gregory has resigned as president of the company, having, 1t is reported, sold his holdings. He is, however, an important witness in the case. The affairs of the Citizens h. surance company, which is licensed in many southern states, has been in the public eye for several weeks. MT Greg ory declines steadfastly to comment upon the affairs of the company.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

horse editor used to get off jokes at their
 expense. too, until he learned that he was only advertising his ignorance. These gen.
 tlemen are the best posted and most suc-
 cessful farmers on earth. They study the
 science of the soils and evolve theories
 for making them produce to the best ad-
 vantage. These theories are put through
 all sorts of actual tests. and when their
 utility has been demonstrated beyond the
 shadow of doubt they are passed on to
 Us tillers of the soil who have no time
 for experiments. Therefore, MT. Oldrut,
 when one of these college gentlemen
 hands out bunch of suggestions about
 better seed corn. different methods of cultivation and schemes for feeding it to
 best advantage, you can follow them with
 full assurance that they will lead you
 into the ranks of intelligent. prosperous crop producers. A good way to demon-s strate the wisdom of their advice is tos try it on part of field and ignore it on1 the other part"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Melting Pot' will come the pure gold of a world-conquering Judaism.
 Jacob Sehiff, of whom it may be said there Is no nobler Jew in Arnerica, if in all the world. said: Conditions concerning the making of the Amereean cannot be more foreibly portrayed than in Israel zangwilfs great play, "The Melting Pot - Oscar s. Straus, former Secretary of Commerce and Labor, declared it a great play-the feat of a genius. He said: It incarnates the underlying spirit Of our American patriotism How can anyone reconcile these things to the statement that the play is not welcome to the JeWs2Y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
The Investment Situation

1 Henry Clews in his Saturday review says in part:
 "A somewhat better tone has been | maintained in the security markets dur l ing the past week. and this in spite of the inactivity which usually develops
 during the holiday sessan. The main cause for betterment has been the in- vestment situation. This is probably
 more satisfactory than at any time for several months. The decline in prices has brought many securities to level that now offers more reasonable re" turns. Money Is easy, and the low rates obtained for loanable funds naturally
 divert attention to interest-bearing se- curities. For this reason the bond out look Is much brighter and there is all ready a larger inquiry for desirable issues.
 "The January disbursements will be larger than usual, being estimated as high as s226,000, ,000; and fair propor- tion of this sum always seeks reinvest-
 ment in Wall street. Another encour- aging feature Is the better demand for American investments by European buyers. There have been failry liberal sales of bonds to Europe during the last few days, and international bank ing houses report conditions as favora-
 bic to the further placing of good is- sues, Many of our best railroad stocks
 ere now selling at prices which yield to per cent. compared with to per
 cent when they were at the top level.
 On bonds the returns are also # to per cent better than formerly. All con- dit:ons point to a continued ease In money for some time to come It IS possible that the year-end payments
 may cause a temporary furry. but no change of consequence in monetary conditions seems probable between the
 middle of January, when funds return, and the first of April. This means period of at least two and half | months of monetary quiot; indeed we
 may be facing a glut of idle money. whether rates will decline sufficiently | to permit gold exports remains to be l seen.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
ramo,. classic Composition


 The Kreutzer sonata for piano and vio- lin, which is said to be in much vogue in Berlin this winter, especially with violinists, is one of the most beautiful oi all of Beethoven's works, but like all of the great masters composition in which the violin has prominent individual part, 1t is far less frequently heard than the sonatas for the piano alone," said a man of the musical set. 'The reason is not far to seek Beethoven wrote for the plano works clearly pianistic; works whose technique is not particularly dini- cult for musician-players. But while the violin virtuoses of the highest rank revel | in Beethovens stupendous concerto, his two romances and the Kreutzer, all say that when considered from the viewpoint of modern violin technics, they are not violinistic, that is they do not lie we'll for the violin, as compared with other famous violin compositions-Mendels con- certo for example.
 | s"The Kreutzer sonata has been played in private in Birmingham many time, but only once that recall in public. The | last year that MT. Guckenberger lived III this city he and Leonora Jackson, then a young and popular violinist, who had studied Beethoven with Joachim in Ber- | lin, played the entire sonata in question at a concert at one of the theatres. They had long rehearsal on it and it went very well before the footlights. I re- member that nothing on the programme seemed to be more enjoyed by the au- dience.
 Birmingham naturally has much more musical talent today than 1t did five or six years ago, and I would think one of our violinists might be ambitious enough to undertake the Kreutzer sonata and play it in public with one of our local pianists.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
REFLECTIONs OF A BACHELo

From the New York Press.
 Christmas is another name for univer- sal bankruptcy.
 If the weather favors man in his business he thinks it's because he's so smart at it.
 Lots of men survive the financial strain of raising family, mighty few that of a lawsuit.
 It's just as good to a woman for you to tell her you love her as for you really to do it.
 wise woman quarrels with her hus- band only when she can get something out of him to make up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
aHoRsU EDITOR. ON FARMING

What the horse editor thinks of scien- fife farming advice: We would get bit more fun out of your jokes about these college fellers telling us farmers how to farm, MT. Oldrut, but for the fact that men who follow their suggestions make two bushels of corn grow where we have to work like thunder to produce one. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The whitewashers of the Lorimer in- vestigating committee are up against Senators Frazier and Beveridge, and an yea-and-nay vote. They are sadly distressed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The Mexican revolutionists were not consulted when the Mexican govern ment announced that the revolution is all over. They refuse therefore to stand by the official announcement.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Colonel Roosevelt's next volume should be entitled ''Game Trails in New York" and if it will tell the whole story it will be interesting.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

| night. Then the bathless barbarians swarmed down and swallowed them m.
 An illustration of the widespread grin this insidious gnawer at the vitals of our greatness has taken of the public mind is l reported from what the sybaritic Yam kees of the east used to consider a crude and barbarous frontier, viz: Indiana. A lady of that state, Mrs. Snotmeier by | name, a modern sybarite is suing her husband for divorce on the ground. among other things, that he bathes but six times a year-once every two months.
 Upon cross-examination the disgrace full fact came out that she herself en- ters the bath regularly every week. T rarely miss my bath on Saturday evening"" she said in open court. If that isn't de- | cadence and saturnalian-yea, Paphlan- fanatcism for cleanliness what is 1t? And the worst feature of the case is the ob- l vious assumption of the lady that public l opinion would take her charge seriously. l Not many years ago such plea, even
 in this state. would have been esteemed
 fantastic and grotesQue in its absurdity. The lady would have been asked why she
 hadn't married seal or merman, and ridicule would have driven her from court.
 Today the judge takes her plea seri-
 ously. and 1t is quite within the bounds of
 possibility that degraded public opinion
 will justify her position. Sensational
 statements have been published regarding
 a sect in the eastern United States the members of which tub themselves at least
 once day. One is almost tempted to be-
 lieve this fantastic tale and shudder,
 after noting the state of affairs in Indi ana.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Senator Bailey now wears a silk hat. but the new governor of Oklahoma re- fuses to put on a claw-hammer coat Principles are principles to the latter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
AGE OF sKYsCRAPERs

From the Andalusia Star
 Birmingham believes in building man sions in the skies"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Sleepy old Washington is the dark horse in the exposition race.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Men 30 years old are. estimated to be worth s16,OO0 to the country, and a good many would like to cash in on that basis.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The automobile is acceptable in fun cral processions but the aeroplane Is still barred out by the undertakers' trust.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
CHRISTMAS MUSINGS

CHRISTMAS MUSINGS By the Rev. James E. Coyle. O! wondrous the love, That brought from above The Lord of Creation to earth, A poor helpless child,
 Meek, lowly and mild. Of wonderful vlrginal birth. And angels sang loud o'er Bethlehem's
 hill, Tidings of gladness. Hark! list to it still. Glory 10 God, peace to men of good
 will.'
 o! gladstone the morn,
 That Infant was born On Bethlehem's manager of straw, Nor ever ween
 More wonderful scene, When Joseph bends lowly in awe, Mary is praying. her heart all afiame, Angels to shepherds the glad news pro-
 claim, Leaving their fiocks OCT the hillsides
 they came.
 O! grand was the star,
 That led from afar Three Magi from eastern cline, Wise men who now bring
 To the new born King Gold, myrrh and the fragrance of
 thyme. Hark! still re-echoes that manager around. "Glory to God" still re-echoes the sound. "Glory to God! Peace on earth shall abound. a
 That poor lowly babe
 In mercy Shall save A race that has forfeited all. A race tempest tost,
 By sin all but lost, By pride and by Adams first fall. That weak, helpless Babe is God, mighty.
 strong; Therefore shall echo the ages along Jubilant strains of the angels glad song, O! strange, strange tis then, That men, sinful men Can yet be indifferent, cold Nor hasten to greet,
 And place at the feet>s Of the Babe myrrh, incense and gold. The world is busy in various employ. It hears but needs not, the anthems of
 joy, That evermore ring. round the newborn
 Boy.
 But we, happy we,
 Today we shall sec The Babe in the manager laid low, o! let us atone,
 For faults of our own, For coldness, for sinfulness, so For us the message shall echo until Life's day Is over. Hark! Hark. hear aolory sss'; to God. Peace to men of good
 will'' Birmingham, 1910.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Ex-Senator Clark's new s7,ooo, 900 residence in New York contains 121 rooms. Montana folks need a good deal of room to turn in.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Billy Lorimer accepts whitewashed vindication because any other kind IS out of reach.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The suppressed in Mexico are not warrented to stay suppressed. They bob up, guns in hand at every oppor- tunity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

England got her Christmas present uben two German warships collided and one was materially injured.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

President Taft evidently would be glad if his cabinet ministers would not start A war scare when he is not look
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

War Scare Dickinson was outclasseo by Dove of Peace Carnegie In the news papers front pages.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

President Madero of Mexico doubtless thinks that President Dlaz now mas figh ting chance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

. The John R. Mclean boom for sena- tor in Ohio has lost its ginger ana is ready to be put on the retired list
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The first aviator to fly from ocean to ocean should do the feat at Pan- anna.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
A SIRE THING

From the Baltimore Evening Sun.
 Birmingham is getting so big i doesn't have to brag.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

The days are growing longer but this will not postpone the presentation Of Christmas bills.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Bostons skyscrapers are limited to 1S stories, and it is content at that height.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

When Graham White takes tumble to earth he simply orders another air ship.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26

Every suppression of the rebellion in Mexico means new victory for the rchas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
nEpopuLARIzING PROHIBITION

Newly welded couples take kindly to New Yorks tubes and subways.