davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

$751;. ...... 80. ....l.Nt
lSS3...... ...... see. 49,. .lz1f
.l.ilf
.s.s.. ....l.VVt
.......... .'.... ...l.Vf1
.s.s...- ...... .....l.Vof
lSSS.... .5ii
-. 49,. .... ........ ........ $40
-. .... ..... 49,. 80. -. opt
-. 80. 80. ....... ...... 49,. 1929
.... 80. -. 49,. -. .9H
1893. ...... ...... -. $500. -. 1893
sssss. 49,. ....... .oof
49,. ...... ......... ...... $3.50
49,. -. 49,. 49,. ...... -. .S21
49,. 49,. ..... ...... go. -. 1877
1898. :. 49,. 49,. 49,. ....... -. .75S
49,. &C.. -. zee. ...... ........ .726
80. ..... 500. 49,. .746
... ........ ........ 80. 1853
-. 49,. .... 49,. ........ .764
1903. $3.50. .... 49,. 80. 800. .781
-. zee. 49,. 80. -. .793
. ...... ...... 49,. .7S4
49,. .766
80. -. .... 1872
49,. 49,. -. .... -. $50. -. .765
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

Several times recently. when the name
of the American x-Presdent-sportsman
has been mentioned. have been asked:
you've heard the dog story, OF course!
like to hear ayy the variations on DOG
stories, so asked (Which dog story
THAT one, you know, that Buffalo BIZ
tells about Roosevelt hunting bears In
Colorado. 1t seems that he had hired
man and a dog. but neither seemed to be
very successful in getting him the de-
sired bear At last he lost patience, and
inquired: isn't there good dog to be
had in this country?''
"Oh. yes-Smith down below here has
the best bear dog In the mountains"
well, go and get him." urged the
presidential hunter. Lets see II we can
not have some sport with a bear"
Smith won't hire his dog
''Tell Smith to come along and join the
party for hire or on any terms he likes
The story runs that the guide departed
and returned with a report OF non-suc-
cess Mr. Roosevelt's Impotence took
on a tinge of vexation, and he went him
self to secure the admantine Smith and
his valuable dog.
.This is Mr.. Smith? I understand you
have a fine bear dog, Mr.. Smith,"
"--nre better In the Rockies, was the
assurance.
Cant ! hire him or buy him?'
"He amt for hire and I wouldn't sell
that dog for no price YOU could OFFER.
well, won't you come with the dog
allow me to hire both you and the dog?"
mo, amt hiring out now. got to go
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
JAPANESE "ADDING MACHINEr
Oriental Bank Clerk Beats American
on Long Column of Figures


From the Tacoma Ledger
At a meeting of the Tacoma chapter of
the American Institute Of Bank Clerks the
other night a Japanese clerk, using
"saroban,r put 1t all over" a Tacoma
bank clerk using a modern adding ma
chine in casting up a long column of fig
ures.
The Japanese, with his "saroban,'' did
the arithmetical stunt" in 30 seconds,
while the bank clerk, with his modern
adding machine, took "a seconds to OBJ
tain a total and afterward il was found
the clerk of the modern adding machine
had made an error, while the Japanese
with his little abacus or -saroban' OBJ
tanned the correct result the first time In
another test the Japanese might make
an error. as did the bank clerk How
ever. it is significant that the Japanese
did not err and that he obtained cor
rect result far more quickly, though he
used an ancient artthmetical device
The Japanese that won the contest in
adding WAS once a clerk In bank at
Okaka, Japan He disclaims being an ex-
pert in adding, and says many Japanese
are much faster on the "saroban' than
he The little od-fashioned adding ma
chine used by the Japanese Is what we
call an abacus. Years ago in our public
school rooms the abacus used to hang
on the wall and 1t was sometimes used
in the study of arithmetic. 1t Is not used
much nowadays, though it would appear
from the speed and accuracy of the Jap
anese that 1t might be employed with
good results
The abacus is very ancient 1t was
used by the Egyptians and Greeks in a
form similar to that now used In Japan,
China, Arabia and Russia The word is
traced through the Greek to a word mean
ing dust 1t is said that dust was
spread upon board and that numerals
were inscribed in the dust
The victory OF the Tacoma Japanese
with his 'saroban" over one of our bank
clerks with a modern adding machine is
not an exceptional instance A few
months ago, when the Japanese CONNER
cial commissioners visited the United
States a contest was held in which a
Japanese came out ahead In a calcuia-
ton contest in which he used an abacus.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

corded for every month without a break
I'D to March, 1910; wholesale prices for
that month were higher than at any time
in the preceding 20 years, being 10 per
cent higher than in March, 1909. l0.2 per
cent higher than in August, 1908, I'll per
cent higher than the average yearly price
of 1900, 49, per cent higher than the
average yearly price of 1897, and 1873 per
cent higher than the average price for
the ten years 1890 to 1899, and In all prob
ability the next bulletin from the bureau
will show that wholesale prices Tor last
April and May were higher than those
for March. So the enormously high re-
tail prices that have been ruling since the
opening of the present year cannot Ialriy
be charged up to the retailers greed for
they have had to pay enormously hlsh
prices to the wholesalers.
Whoever regards the south as great
wheat-growing country? Possibly she has
not been fully awakened herself to what
she is doing in that line. But here is the
prosy reading of the last crop report by
the bureau of statistics In the United
States agricultural department project
ing the information that 241a per cent of
the country's winter wheat area is in the
southern states and that. with Missouri
included, more than 30 per cent or the
winter wheat area is SO situated. Some
thing better than that, too: This report
also shows that on June ! the average
condition of this crop in the southern
states was 81 points. exclusive of Missouri,
while Kansas shows an average condition
Of only Ct points. The west must look to
her laurels in the matter of wheat grow
ing.
And. as II wonders would never cease
where the south is concerned, 1t now ap-
pears from the latest foreign commerce
report by the department Of commerce
and labor that exports from the gulf ports
for 1909 Increased 10 per cent from those
of 1899; meantime the increase In exports
from the Atlantic ports was only 121s per
cent. OF the II Atlantic ports showing
either large or small increases during the
10 years, seven are southern ports. The
greatest increase In exports made by any
one of the was $2s,s7o,5S4 at Savannah,
Ga, showing a growth of more than Ill
per cent over 1899. The greatest proper
tomato increase was made by the st.
Johns Florida district Jacksonville),
which showed an increase of over 700 per
cent
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
A Vexing Question

Il ioH the SulCdSO IOSl.
Is it, or is 1t not, proper, when smok-
ing cigar, to leave the band upon 1t?
At first blush this seems a simple
problem. But 1t is not We have con-
templated 1t from many angles, and,
after long and deep thought find our
selves unable to decide 1t satisfactorily.
The band Is not upon cigar for any
utilitarian purpose. 1t is there for deco
rative effect. If II be thrown away I'M
mediately the cigar Is lighted, the cigar
loses a certain element of its attrac-
tiveness. On the other hand. II 1t be
allowed to remain, and is smoked with
the cigar. much depends upon the quail.
ty of the paper of which 1t Is composed.
We mean the band, not the cigar.
Some say the band should be allowed
to remain If it is a 25-cent cigar. But
what is to prevent INSCRIPTIONS per-
sons from carrying costly bands and
slipping them upon cheap cigars?
Surely there Is right and q wrong
in this. Either the band should remain
or 1t should not. We should be glad
to hear from our readers on this Ques-
tion.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

The number of accidents on American
roads has been the subject OF great deal
of newspaper criticism in the past. For
the year 1905 the last figures at hand, the
number of passengers killed was ISL. That
is one passenger killed for every 1885, $50
carried. With respect to the number of
miles travelled the figures show that 49,
1872. 9O5 passengers were carried one mile
for each passenger killed.
These make interesting figures.
II am not interested in the question OF
physical valuation of railroads. says Ros-
we'll Miller, chairman of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway COM
pauy, because the amount of our capt.
talization is less than the value of our
physical assets. But in any case, I do
not consider physical valuation can be
made any true basis for rates. These are
determined by quite other conditions"
Splendid prospects for fruit In New
England and the Pacific coast states al
most counterbalance the poor showing OF
the central states, where early frost got
In some telling work.
The condition of the apple crop Is re-
ported to be SO, as compared with a nor
NAL condition. The ten-year average for
apples is 69S. In New England and on
the Pacific coasN the crop promises to be
immense, but Ohio and Missouri will give
only one-third of a crop.
The peach crop, due to the excellent
prospects in Georgia and Delaware. prom
ises to be larger than last year. The GEN.
trail states will produce a poor crop, 1t ap-
pears now.
The watermelon and the canteloupe
crops will be slightly off,
Is the retailer really to blame for the
higher prices of the necessities?
1t will cause more OF less surprise to
be informed officially that wholesale
prices for 1909, as measured by the 257
commodities included In the recent inves-
tigation by the bureau of labor in the
department of commerce and labor, ad-
vanced only per cent over the wholesale
prices of 1908, and that even with this
advance they were still 2.3 per cent be-
low the verage for 1907-the year record
ing the highest prices within the period
from 1890 to 1909. AS everybody knows
that retail prices last year were abnor-
mally high-although official figures on
them are not compiled. as in the case OF
the wholesale prices-this would appear to
Indicate that the great rise In retail prices
was out of all proportion to the wholesale
prices advanced and that the retailers
were chiefly responsible for the high
cost of living In 1909; but there are
other considerations. of course, that would
not sustain an opinion that the retailers
prices were extortionate or their profits
unwarranted.
The highest point for wholesale prices
was reached in October. 1907; then there
was a general decline for nearly year;
but beginning with September. 1908, the
rise set in again and an increase was re-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

after bacon and flour and some moro
things my folks wants for the house,
Report has 1t that President Roosevelt
felt a trifle mettled at the mans obsti-
macy.
Look here" he said, do you know
who I am
mo, I don't know-whats the odds?"
II am Theodore Roosevelt, President of
the United States" pause to await the
desired effect and yielding.
Smith dexterously deposited some to-
bacco juice on the ground just beyond
the Presidents nearest hunting boot.
WELL" he said slowly, It don't caro-
If you are Booker T. Washington you
can't hire my dog
And all the innocent little bears went
to bed happy that night, glad they had
escaped Smiths dog.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
speciality of hunting out mosquito lar


vac and eating them
Thus we have the two best fish stories
of the dawning summer season from bu-
reaucratic sources They may be accept
ed without affidayits- Possibly also with
out reservation In point Of the practi-
cal value of the findings involved, it Is
plain that our expert has much the adj
vantage of his Canadian colleague.
There is no evidence that the voice Of
the singer .Porichthys porissmus' can
be cultivated 1t is not even certain
that the fish could be trained to MARBLE
on schedule hours at a continuous roof
ga rden- Presumably this bit of creation
must remain among the freaks which ma
ture cherishes, but does not explain or
excuse.
For the mosquito-gobbl on the con-
trary, we perceive an immediate mission.
His to uplftt the marshlands of the re-
public and Danish malaria from its very
haunt He will be at once cheaper and
cleaner than crude oil or kerosene. Ac-
cording to Professor Seal he should be In
definitely more effective On his whole
sale transplanting wait bright blessings
to real estater, commuter and own-your-
own-homer of many a brand
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
PEOPLE TOO RICH
AND EXTRAvAGANT
Percapita Wealth in United
States Is $1,000
RAILROAD STATISTICS
The Claim Is Made That the Rntes Are
Cheaper Now Than Ever Before.
The South as Wheat
Growing Country
RAILROAD STATISTICS

New York, July Especial )-Experts
are coming to the conclusion that the
trouble with the United States is that
we are too rich and are consequently too
extravagant. 1t will be hard to con-
vince the man who is trying his hardest
to meet his bills that this is the case, but
statistics show gradual increase in the
percapita wealth of the country from $500
in 1850 to $1,000 in 1910. And yet those who
have lived during both periods tell us
the average man was pretty nearly as
well off so years ago as he is today If not
comparatively better of. 1t is UP to the
statesmen to find out what the trouble
is and to apply the remedy.
Are the railroads of the United States
over-capitalized? The man on the street
insists they are. The railroad men de-
clare they are not. From railroad sources
these figures are given to prove the latter
contention is correct.
The new capitalizations per mile in die
ferent parts of the World compare as
| follows:
| 1906-United States -. go. ....$ "a, Al
| 1905-United Kingdom .... 49,. ..... 273, ABS
1904-Belgium .... -. 49,. 49,. 49,. 162, 2Ss
19o4-France 80. 80. -. ...... 49,. 1851
19o3-Italy -. .... -. .... ........ no. 04
l19O4-Austria .... 49,. -. 80. ...... 10S, 443
19o5-Germany ....s -. 80. 1O2, 435
The policy of keeping from the stock
holders each year large part of the
earnings and devoting it to the improve
ment of the properties enables the roads
today to charge such low rates that in
1905 our total gross earnings per mile
were $614 less per mile than the capital
charges per mile of English railroads.
The trend Of rates has been:
Freight rates per ton
per mile (cents)
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
Official Fish stories

From the New York World
Professor Prince of the Canadian ser
vice reports the discovery of fish
which, tough and ugly in its outward
form. sings with what may be a real
mothers tenderness to its young. develop
ing from the spawn. From Professor
Seal of our own Bureau of Fisheries,
meanwhile, we. have the story of the
"Gambusia affinus,' a finny Lilliputian
of the South Atlantic coast, which makes
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

drinks, cigars, reading matter, cabs to
see the sights and anything else that will
help to kill the dragging time till your
train goes. The neatest trick the Toron-
to tourist crop gatherers have is to send
out train upon which you must con-
tinue your journey ten minutes before
your train in arrives. Caught on Satur-
day night. the tourist is prisoner US
ually till Monday morning. 1t would be
wicked for him to get out of the clutches
of the natives by travelling on the day Of
rest.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
Motor Was Working Well
From Everybody's Magazine.
Ca La L. Aalle. Ahirs

A Canadian lawyer tells this story:
A bailiff went out to levy on the con-
tents of house. The inventory began
in the attic and ended in the cellar. When
the dining room was reached the tally of
furniture ran thus:
zone dining room table. oak.
"One set chairs 49, oak
1.-TWO bottles whisky, full.
Then the word "full'' was stricken out
and replaced by empty and the inven-
tory went on in a hand that struggled
and lurched diagonally across the page
until 1t closed with:
zone revolving doormat"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10
Beginning and End

From Judge.
wford-I see that writing poetry
has recently got young man out OF
prison.
|" Crabsha YVES; and If he keeps at 1t
he will probably wind up In the poor
house.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-10

Restores Mems vitality.
Price u. At all druggists. Always ON
hand at Collier Drug Co. 100 North
ansh .freet Mail orders solicited
Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03
EMERGENCY CASES.

EMERGENCY cases are one of the
conveniences which should be kept in
every motoring or weekend bag. Any
cardboard box about six by six inches
square and half as high will answer, and
if it has hinged lid so much the better.
Otherwise the cover should be attached
to the lower section by means of strong
tape hinges, so that when hastily thrown
back there will be no danger of mislaying
it. The inside of the box should be lined
with oil silk and the outside covered with
grass linen, table oil cloth or rubberized
silk. The equipment of the box includes
a one-half ounce vial of peroxide of hydro
gen, one-half ounce of absorbent cotton
and one and one-half ounce of styptic cot
ton for ordinary abrasions. There should
be two mustard plasters, cylinder of one
inch wide adhesive plaster and an
envelope of ordinary court plaster. Also
put In the box one gauze bandage and one
unbleached bandage, each one and one
half by FIVE; one pad picric acid gauze,
three and one-half by thirty-six, and Z
half dozen safety pins of assorted sizzes.
Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03

little in comparison with the price of
having a waist or gown made. What a
saving then. if every girl had never to
pay a dressmaker for anything beyond
her gowns and suits The delight, too, in
having everything in the outfit made by
hand, excepting, of course, the costumes OF
heavy texture, which demand machine
sewing No more machine tucked chiffon
or net yokes, and no more machine plated
silk bodices for the girl who has learned
how to cut from one good fitting yoke or
waist good paper pattern. From TINS
pattern all her other yokes and waists
are made. cut out and sewed by herself
and her bank balance is no smaller than
if every garment she wears were machine
made.
If girl really has the ambition to see
how far on the road to dressmaking she
can go as an amateur she can derive con
siderable pleasure as we'll as endless profit
by learning how to fit a whole gown
Extremely clever dummy figures are
Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03

on Saturday morning to attend class in
this science, as it may well be called.
To learn in what materials certain pat
terms and designs can be carried out, to
know how to cut from paper pattern
to be taught how to cut out so that not
one inch of material is wasted-thls is
the commencement of practical sewing.
Not until the student has CLEANED all
there is to know about cutting out and
starting her work can she commence
joining the strangely shaped pieces to-
gether to make up a charming model
for a waist or learn to put together
the different cores and founces that go to
make up skirt. Once learned it is not
difficult to make the simpler parts of a
girls outfit, for once a good pattern has
been found the rest is plain sailing. 1t is
the fitting that makes gown or coat so
hard to make, and it takes the combination
of real talent and most clever instructor
to teach home dressmaker how to fit to
her own lines, even with the aid of most
ingenious dummy figure. A skirt, how
ever, unbound and unlined calls for little
fit, and can be readily evolved with the
aid of good paper pattern.
Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03
ORIGIN OF THE sERvIETTE

sN PHOEVER has thought that children
M Mwere the means of making the nap
W Sin an indispensable part of polite
usage at the table? Yet such is the case.
When table cloths were introduced, early
in the fifteenth century, they were very
long and the part which dropped from
the table was spread by the grown ups
in their laps and used as napkins now are.
But children could not manipulate the
table cloth dexterously, and so small
pieces of linen were provided for them.
Soon the elders took to the idea and
table napkins came into fashion. 1t was
still the thing, however, to spread the
edge of the table cloth IN the lap and the
napkins were placed on the shoulder to
keep them out of the way until needed.
From this they were hung on the left arm
and at last tied about the neck.
When finally their popularity was es-
tablished the table cloth in the lap was
abandoned and the napkin found its pres
ent place. The French introduced the
napkin and at fashionable dinners it was
the custom to have fresh one at every
course, the linen being delicately per-
fumed with rose water
Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-03
p SOCIAL AMENITIES FOR
Z THE SCHOOL GIRL

N I'D you ever think that the poorest OF
us may be rich in social graces and
that open to us all is treasury of
words which, if used properly, will count
as gold in social intercourse?
Two of the brightest, weightiest coins
in this treasury are thank you," and
how many young people half understand
their value? To properly say thank
you" seems most simple matter, yet
there are many sadly lacking in this par
ticular form of social grace. Not that
they are without gratitude, for few, one
likes to think, are really deficient in the
right sort of feeling, but they are not
schooled in the proper expression of it and
by unresponsiveness, or worse, by indif-
ference, produce an impression which does
not tend to make them popular. In con-
trast to those who cannot express their
feelings are those who cannot hide them.
One class are the misers and the other
the spendthrifts of their golden treasury
Of words.
The art of thanks is a charming one,
deserving the highest cultivation and offer
ing opportunities for constant practice,
for so much of life is made up of giving
and taking. There are degrees and shades
of thanks which should be studied until
they are thoroughly understood and then
used with intelligence. The voice plays
quite as important a part as the heart
and the mind, fo. the voice being the in
strument by which your feeling is ex-
pressed you must tune it to the right pitch
and make it indicate the tone you wish at
the moment to use in the scale of feeling.
Always strive to put what the vocalists
call color" in your voiceAby that mean
ing bright, warm tone which springs
spontaneously from the warm hearted.
And if you always make your "thank YOU
sincere it will never fail to be charm
ing, for sincerity gives the voice crystal
tones. If, on the other hand, you lazily