davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Increase of Railroad Rates In Court

The government is endeavoring to pre- that had been scheduled to go into effect June 1. An injunction prevents this. and the issue raised by Attorney General Wickersham will be fought out in the courts in the next two years.
 The amount st stake is immense, and it is by no means confined to 25 western railaoads. Rates, for example, from Chi cago to Alabama points are involved. The proposed increase in rates is popu- Iarly called a billion-dollar increase, and if it could be put through without delay or opposition it would no doubt boom rail- road securities in Wall street. Because 1t cannot be, mild depression in prices is recorded in that locality.
 The basis of the governments action seems to be that the railroads instead of acting independently are raising rates as members of combination in restraint of trade When one railroad puts up rates all put them up. This kind of combine is not consistent with the governments interpretation of the Sherman antitrust act.
 The temporary injunction is to be fol lowed by an application for permanent injunction. This application may be heard in the United States circuit court, sitting at St. Paul, before adjournment for the summer vacation. It may be heard on July 5. In the meanwhile the advance in rates will not be collected and present rates will doubtless remain until the en- tire issue is decided in the courts.
 On account of the secrecy and surprise in connection with the tempofary injunc- tion the more active railroad stocks dealt in in Wall street were forced down from 5 to points, but some rallies followed, and more will be recorded until reason able schedule of prices in the waiting period is established
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
ExTRAyAGANT MOURNING

From the London Chronicle
 Pepys' diary mentions an alternative or addition to the black tie of which we cannot avail ourselves now. On Septem- Der 22, 1860. when there was mourning for King Charles brother, the Duke of Glou- cester, he bought a pair of short black stockings, to wear over a pair of silk ones for mourning" Next day came one from my fathers with black cloth coat, made of my short cloak, to walk up and down in" The problem of mourning for men must have been greater than it is now in those days, when ordinary masculine costume was less sombre On this occasion Pepys records seeing the King in purple mourning for his brother There is one mourning extravaganza of the early eighteenth century which would still be possible, but would scarcely commend it. self-the soles of the shoes used to be blackened
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
THE CIRCUS cALLIOPE

From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
 Indiana seems to be divided on the ques- ton of just what position the Goddess Calliope should occupy in that literature for-revenue-only state. Less than month ago the merchants at Evansville 1 nantioipation of the circus season, got the city fathers to pass an ordinance ma terially reducing the license charged circus if a parade was made by salo CIT GUS through said town, on said cireus day. Of course. no circus parade IS com piete without the sweet voced' lnstru- mcnt that has been named in honor or the Greelr muse of eloquence and heroic noetry. and Evansville welcomed the in strument.
 On the other hand, Indianapolis frowns upon this gilded and ornate steam organ. Only q few days ago circus came 10 that city and no sooner had the glttering cavaloade formed and started on its line of march through the principal streets than the leader of the parade was handed a copy Of the smoke abatement ordinance by representative of law and order in Iudahapolis.s Attention was quietly called to inc fact that a calliope, once In ac- ton, is capable of producing nearly as much smoke as switch engine on an up- grade and therefore makes itself a men, ace to health. The manager of the cir GUS was warned that if his calliope poured out so much as a gallon of smoke it and the circus would be promptly suppressed
 As To steam organ of standing in the circus world was ever known to produce it's peculiar brand of music without steam, which preconceives smoke, and as calli- opes ul, until now have never been put under the ban by the smoke inspector the Indianapolis parade was like Hamlet with the mechanically Dane left out. The pa- rade paraded; but the calliope was si- lent.
 The incidents prove that Indianapolis IS bent upon stopping the smoke nuisance if it possibly can, and that calliopes, though popular in the large and small towns of the Hoosier state, must learn to sing without making smoke-or else rely upon their appearance rather than their per fornance for maintaining their popu- larity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Another Sale of City Bonds

Birmingham sold s4o0,O0 in city bonds at a premium little better than 1O3. These bonds bear per cent interest. Atlanta has just placed S625,e0O of four and half per cents at 101.41. In other words Birmingham pays 4.SO per cent for money, while Atlanta gets it at 4.4o per cent. The difference is not great, and perhaps Birmingham could have se- consolidation before the census of 1900 had been taken. The record of Birming- ham to date in point of population or All this, however is in fair way to be corrected.
 Both Birmingham and Atlanta have bonds. Philadelphia could not place per cents at all; Baltimore and Milwaukee were similarly met when they tried to ous city, was unable recently to place an issue of 41s per cent bonds Altogether the two cities in the south arc to be con- placed bonds in the open market.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
St. Bernard Commencement

The president and faculty of St. Ber- hard college have issued invitations to the eighteenth annual commencement. which will take place June 15 and IS. On the evening of June 15 a drama will be presented by the St. Bernard Dramatic club, and the exercises on June Is will in- clude a solemn high mass, a salutatory address, conferring of degrees, awarding of medals, distribution of premiums, a valedictory and address to the student body. The year just closing is said to be the most successful in the history of the college.
 Since the founding of St. Bernard, D said patron of the college, many i'm provements have been made. The build ngs have been multiplied and the best of -modern plumbing has been installed. The college and dormitories are lighted by electricity and no university in the south has finer campus or better ball grounds. The college is situated in Gull man county, about q mile and a half from the city of Cullman. That section of Alabama is famed for it's healthful climate. Fever is practically unknown there.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
TOMMY AND THE WORM

From the National Monthly.
 There are only two pieces of cake and three hungry boys upstairs throw ing their clothes on in the race to get down first. Tommy won out and rushed into the dining room breathlessly.
 That's good boy, Tommy. The early bird gets the worm. Take a piece of cake" said his mother.
 Tommy looked at the cake quizzical- ly, inspecting 1t from all sides.
 "What's the matter Tommy?' asked his mother, what are you trying tt do?"
 Say, ma, which piece has the worn in it?" he inquired soberly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
THACKERAY ROMANCE PESsIMIST

From Current Literature.
 MT. G. K Chesterton has lately sum med up Thackeray as a sort of romantic pessimist To call him a pessimist only would be. MT. Chesterton argues, both harsh and ludicrous. To describe him merely in romantic terms would be equal ly unsatisfactory. The closet definition of his spirit Mir Chesterton finds in this that he loved all fresh and beautiful things. like other romantics, but loved them with deliberate recollection of their eternal recurrence and decay. "Hu- man history had for him the high monotony of an everlasting song, in which every verse is beautiful. but the tune is always the same"
 It is In this sense and from this point of view that Mr. Chesterton considers the Thackeray masterpieces. He speaks of "The Book of Snobs," that satire on human weakness, as "a work much need ed and very admirably done" for "snob- bishness is indeed a disease in our socie- ty requiring a large and responsible an- alysis." The mere title of Vanity Fair" MT. Chesterton continues, was an inspiration Ut produces on the mind the same impression of mixed voices and almost maddening competition as a crowded square on market day Every one in this tale is filled with a futile en- ergy." Of "Esmond' Mr. >Chesterton speaks as indeed the most romantic of Thackeray's works, but as much the sad dest. The most dreadful and blood-chill ing thing in this world is a tired kindness And Colonel Esmond is the type of that weary and tasteless magnanimity; his large dark eyes darken the universe.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Maximum Span of Human Life

In a recent report the census bureau is now and then attained-rarely, it Is true. The census bureau, however, con cludes from all the facts it can gather that the age of 11o has probably never been reached in this country, or any other country for that matter.
 The bureau carefully investigated the case of Noah Raby who, when he died in 1904 in an almshouse in New Jer- sey, was reputed to be 131 years and Ii months old. The investigation disclosed the fact that he was only 92 years and Il months old when he died
 The bureau urges physicians and regis tration officials to ascertain the truth about long lives and to make it known. The public takes a deep interest in the lous country should furnish ample evil dence. As the testimony at present stands the extreme span of human life is somewhere between 100 and 110 years | If every state kept accurate birth and death records a future generation could easily decide from 90000,000 people what the extent of life is.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03

Washington or New York. In the south, where there is never an excess of cur rency, never too much ready money, this scheme will be severely felt. The David son amendment is, however, better than the original proposition. for the latter looked to the withdrawal of 471a per cent of each deposit rather than 30 per cent. The Vreeland amendment called for the retention of 721a per cent in a local bank, but it was voted down in the republican caucus. The vote was 57 yeas, 59 nays. The Vreeland amendment may yet be adopted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
THE BEER REGISTER
Man Who Scratches His Drinking pays
 on the Seidel's Top

From the New York Sun.
 He drew the seidel of beer toward hliii' but stonned to look at the pewter cover before topping it back.
 The metal was covered with scratehts' init.als. dates and devices. There were Greek letter fraternity initials on H. names of colleges and some other things.
 What most attracted the mans atteh- ton was this: "A. B. C., March lO, os and then below it, "March n-Here ag.in i. finder that came, June 12-Once more" There was still fourth date'
 q wonder where are the seidels ne used or the other days?' said the op- server to his friend
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Where Is the Dog Catchers

Tt will be news to most of the citizens that the city of Birmingham has no of ficial dog catcher,'' said an indignant citizen
 "A few days ago a dog was acting strangely on the streets, it's brain was wrong. and as I had noticed its peculiar actions far an hour or two, spoke to police officer about it. The officer sug- gested that l call up headquarters, and although I am sure it was his business to do so, l went to a phone and called police headquarters. It was then I was inform ed that there is no dog catcher for the city: that nothing could be done about 1t unless the dog was really mad. Suppose this dog had developed a case of rabies in the crowded streets what fearful re- suits might have followed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Tag Day for PaIos Sufferer.

The plan for tag day for the benefit of those who were deprived of their bread winners by the fearful Palos mine disaster strikes a popular chord" said a man whc takes much interest in all charities.
 'Theie are many persons who have wished to contribute a modest sum to this most worthy cause, but have hesi- tated about doing so in a public way Thousands will gladly give their mites, others their quarters and dollars to help the dependant families of the miners killed in the Palos explosion. | Tt is hoped that the tag, day plan" of aid wifi he extended all over Jefferson l county and that the contributions will count into the thousands of dollars for l this worthy cause"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
OLDEST "oFFICE BOY. DEAD

 Trerton (N. J.) Special to New York
 World.
 Samuel Bracket, known as ''the oldest office boy in the world,' died here today at the age of 91 years. He worked 75 years with one firm
 When Clark Fisher, founder of the Fish CT Anvil Works, was teaching Sunday school in Portland, Me, in 1889, he noticed that one of the pupils was bright, atten- tive boy-that was Samuel Bracket. Fisher put Bracket to work in his anvil works as office boy, and took the lad with him when the works were moved to Trenton. Though Bracket advanced rapidly, and held many positions of trust with tho firm, he was always known as 'the office boy.''
 When Bracket was retired several years ago on a pension he was asked to give his idea of how to succeed. He said Strict attention to business is the se- cret of success" and that was why he did not want any fuss made over his birthday anniversary, fearing it would take his mind from his office duties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Open Air Concerts

Park concerts during the summer con- stitute feature of nearly every city as large as Birmingham, and many of the smaller cities provide open-air music for the people," said public spirited citizen
 ''The ladies of the Music Study club are making an effort to raise fund to pro- vide concerts here this summer They have already received several large sub scriptions and as the total amount of money asked for is only about $3Oo0 there should be no difficulty in securing it. No attraction that could be offered the public would be quite so much appreciated as band concerts.
 The Musicians union will give a fine concert in Capitol park next Tuesday night-this by way of specimen of what the people may expect in the event that a sufficient amount is raised to employ a band for three concerts a week during the remainder of the summer.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
.uIsT ONE INSTANCE

Joe Kerr in the St. Louis Times. well" said the mild-looking man after q long silence, it won't be long now be- fore the waterpelon will be with us." "Humph" replied the aggressive man. q do love the watermelon. I remem- Der that on one occasion last summer" "Oh, yes. you bought a watermelon. So did L"
 q wss passing by grocery"
 50 was 1.'
 "I saw rhis melon''
 ''Yes, and I saw one"
 q stopped and tunked on it."
 T was the same kind of a fool. Yes I stopped and tunked."
 Ana the sound told me that I had found a juicy red core"
 Same here"
 And I bought it.'
 'so did I. Yes, l bought it and broke my back Juggling 1t home"
 "I put mine on ice for two days. said the mild hammered man.
 Same here. Bought 50 pounds of ice extra"
 At the end of two days invited 10 people In 10 neip me ueNour tliat pri1e. ''I invited IT.
 And the melon was cut"
 And so was mine, and it was greener than grass and harder than sandstone hal ha, ha. What fools we made of oursely es."'
 But mine was ripe, sir. It was red. It was juicy It was fit feast for ange.s. It was the largest, finest, incest, most beautiful, most xhiaratng-most-' But the aggressive man had closed his eyes and pretended sleep.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
NATURE TAKERS OF FAME

Ccrresrondence London Outlook.
 Fancy and imagination are already at discount and our young Gradgrinds want strict facts. It was different 5t years ago, when boys delighted in "The Island Home,' even though the author Of tha. best of desert island stories made the albatross come up from the depths Of the sea, beautiful glitterine creature with fins and scales, and de- scribed a battle royal between sperm whale and a threshing sharp and sword fish.
 Again, how popular was "The Swiss Family Robinson" in spite of the Tact that ri their wonderful island were found a lion. polar bear and kangaroo, ano the whole family. though armed witt guns. were blockaded for days by boa constrictor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03

line Mr Baker will be in the city all day, engaged In consultation with local officers of the Alabama Great Southern
 Dr. Clarence J. owens. commander Of the United Sons of Confederate veterans arrived from Montgomery last night anu is at the Hillman.
 J. G. Lorton of the Frisco, recently granted a three months leave Of apsehee' left yesterday for St Louis to hoid Il conference with W. T. Tyler general sa- perintendent. MT. Lorton will return 10 Birmingham before leaving for his recu- perative trip.
 Frank M Moody of Tuscaloosa was in Birmingham last nisht
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
GOOD FISHING

From the Denver Post.
 +. M Wharry was telling some friends about proposed fishing trip to lake in Colorado he had n<contemplation.
 Are there any trout out there?"' asked ono friend.
 "rhousands of em," replied MT. Wharry.
 "Hill they bite easily?" asked another friend.
 "win they2y said MT. wharry Why. they're absolutely vicious. A man has to hide behind a tree to bait hook.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
ODER DEUTCHER CoMpANIEv

By Eugene Ware. Der Deutscher companie sh der beshtest
 companie''- The music bears me backward to the year
 of '63 saw a German regiment rtep out from
 our brigade It marched across a meadow where a
 hundred cannon played It's bugles hurled defiance; 1t skirmished
 up a slope es Amid fire that gave no man a promise
 of hope. They fell like wheat; they came not back:
 at night no bugle played There was no German regiment attached
 to our brigade. The world has seen they valor, O land of
 song and wine Since Herman plucked the eagles from the
 ramparts of the Rhine. Down valor's lustrous colonnade is seen
 the marble throng Thy warriors and thy scholars, 0 land of
 vine und song.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
HOT SHOTS FOR THEODORE

visit the Pope. A few weeks before, however, Plus had quarreled with the former Vice President Fairbanks for preaching to the Methodsts before his audience at the vatican. Now, there fore, the holy father declares he will only receive MT. Roosevelt provided he promises not to speak to the hetrodox sect "Conditonsl Promisesl I will not visit the Pope!' Consequences: On Nile and Fiber worldwide scandal whose echoes bear the name of Theodore to the ends of the earth. America, know ing the man. marvels at Europes pa :. tience in allowing itself to be hoaxed by an exported Yankee.
 From Vienna and Budapest comes the
 audation-loving traveller to Berlin. He lives in the Emperor's house. Here smiles the opportunity for Germany to prove she breeds and fosters a matured racs of serious-minded men.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
THE TEST.

When you're sick and tired of waiting
 For good luck to come your way, What's the use of hesitating?
 Why give up in quick dismay? Why not pull yourself together,
 Make a move and show some fight? If you wait for sunny weather,
 Friend, you never will get right. lis when clouds of tempest lower
 And the way lies dark before lis wEen trouble comes in power
 And incroaches more and more: Tis when sorrows spies assail you
 And you've got to do or die, That success will hardly fail you,
 If ycr'll be a man and tryi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
RErLEcTIoNs OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Most any girl would rather be engaged than even happy
 One Of the commonest forms of being conceited Is thinking you aren't.
 A min can't help smoking an expensive cigar if he likes an old pipe better
 A strcng position in a family argument about the cook is to be on her side
 When a man brings his wife home q pair of silk stockings. it's sign she could be very disagreeable if she knew what gave him the guilty conscience to- make hifa do it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Good Roads in Tennessee

w. B. Stafford, manager of the Will cox garage at Nashville. spent yesterday in Birmingham. He was enthusiastic over automobiling and good roads. Up in Nashville we are getting things stirred up over good roads, he said. 'The fact that the Glidden tour is to pass through our city has awakened the people up in that section and good roads are being talked greatly. Maybe we can arrange to have a run down to Birmingham some time this summer. When I get back to Nashville I will endeavor to work one up
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
Business Conditions

From the middle of May until about June 10 is usually a period of dullness in the mercantile world" said an old mer- chant. This is especially so in the small towns in agricultural sections, because the farmers are too busy to think about trade; and in the large centefs every thing waits on crop reports.
 Here in Birmingham conditions are exceptionally brisk. More men are em- ployed in this district today than ever before in its history, and good wages are being paid 'sf
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
THOSE BELLS
From Skort Stories.

T Ioil OtOlltS.
 Jacob Gould Schurman, president of Cornell university, was walking across the campus the other day with the dean of one or the colleges, when the chimes in the library tower began to ring.
 'Iean," said he, 'the music of those chimes is so beautiful that it always sets me dreaming of the past. My boyhood days"
 What do you say?" interrupted the venerable dean.
 T say the chimes are very, very beau tiful. They make me think-''
 "WhSt?" yelled the dignified old dean again.
 sThe chimes-the chimes-how beauti- ful---"
 Speak louder! cried the dean once more. T can't hear you for the devilish bells"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS

From the Chicago Record Herald I'm going to beat Jim J,sffries without any rabbit foot or other kind of charm I'll beat him because I am a better man than he is, and that will be enough Jack Johnson. One self-approving hour whole years
 outweighs Of stupid starers and of loud huzzas
 --Alexander Pope. Boast not myself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what single day may bring forth.-Proyerbs xvii, 1.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
A SAD BLOW.

 The Labor Chronicle of Leavenworth, noting the march of progress as shown by civic improvement, says: "A flock of geese marched down Twelfth from Kckapoo street the other day and when they came to Ottawa stopped in engagement and stood for a moment watching the worlmen pave the street. Finally one old gander who seemed to be the leader Topped his wings, craned his neck and honked so loud that he shook the foliage for two miles up Three Mile Creek Then they wheeled about face and went back in the direction from whence they came. The onward march of civilza- tion, progress and paved streets has been a sad blow to the goose" HAVE YOU A "BJONES"?g
 As sure's I say
 ''I'll dodge Bjones,"
 Turn where I may
 And there's Bjonesl
 Ell WHAT? Have you ever read 'Troilus and Cres- sida. MT. Smpkins?" "oh yes; and enjoyed it very much. There is no doubt that Indiana produces some fine writer's
 A TIME TO SWEAR Iris sad when ones new straw lid And pesky breeze doth meet, To see his chapeau wheel and skid And wobble down the street.
 OUR PITCHER. There are Polish names that will never die"
 Sure. Kosciusko and Pulaski, for in stance''
 "Yes; and then there's Covaleski."
 WHAT A PUGi
 A word to Corbett,
 Of cheap renown
 You make us tired
 Now, DO sit down.
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-03
ONE GLANCE SUFFICED

Fron, the Circle Magazine.
 It was stated that Mr.. Taft visited and inspected a fine old southern mansion on one of his trips, and that the cook merely glanced at him he smlingly passed through the domain.
 What did you think of the President. Amanda ?' asked her mistress afterward.
 Huh. was that the President? Well, he shc do look laik he'd be reglar to his meals