davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
MYSTERIOUS STORY
 COMES FROM PERTH

Sydney, February 19.-(Special.)-A most mysterious story comes from Perth, West Australia. The mysterious disappearance of a girl named Ethel Harris led representative of a Perth newspaper to make investga tions which had sensational results. He com municated his discoveries to the police and the developments became still more remarkable. The story is briefly as follows:
 Some four or five years previously a man who called himself Wilson went through some kind of official cere- mony with Ethel Harris, hereby she thought she was married to him. A lit- tie time ago, however, she disappeared and some suspicion was aroused. Her father made inquiries of Wilson. who was now working at foundry under the name of Smart, and was told by the "husband' that his daughter had gore to Adelaide on a holiday and was well and happy. Then followed investi- gations. It was found that Wilson, alias Smart, had not really married Ethel Harris at all. It was also found that under the name of Smythe, he had shortly before married a girl named Mary Jane Pcmberthv. and that he had a wife living in Victoria, and an adult son in Perth. He was arrested on charge Of bigamy, and inquiries into the fate of Ethel Harris were pursued.
 The strangest circumstance in the whole strange story, however, is that Miss Pamherthy told of a vision she had of apparition in the bath room Of the house in which she was living with Wilson or Smart. She declared that she saw the form of a woman Strug gling in the bath and gave a minute description of the vision. which ap peared 10 Ter on two occasions But the police obtained several more tan gible clues to the fate of the vanish ed girl, with the help of the marvelously clever black trackers and eventually excavations were made under an old disused smithy in the neighborhood The result of the exploration was the discovery of a human body. which was strongly presumed to be that of the unfortunate girl.
 At the time the message was sent AlLert William Smart had been sen tenced to two years for bigamX, Fur ther developments in the case will be awaited with great interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
PRISON REFORM
Flat Top Inmate Calls Attention to
 Needs of COnvicts

To the Editor of The Ags-H Herald
 There have been several sporadic at- tempts to have an improved parole sys- tenn inaugurated in this state, but some how or other they have never material ized In any legislation. If there is an in dividual or association in Alabama today who has the moral welfare of the two thousand odd convicts really at heart and wishes to benefit them, now is the time for them to get busy during the present session of the legislature
 The crying need of some legislation on this subject is self-apparent This state, as represented by Its prison system. is not abreast with the spirit of the day. The old punitive method of dealing with crime as against the reformative system Is still in operation. No attention is paid to the old axiom of an "ounce of preven- ton being better than a pound of cure" as regards those unfortunates who by en- vironment hereditery tendencies or pure cussedness form the criminal class. It Is a large and constantly growing class and from a moral as well as an economic viewpoint it demands attention.
 The old idea of the state revenging itself on the malefactor still obtains and be- yond securing as much revenue as pos sble from the convict during his incar- ceration, no attention is paid to his moral betterment except for the weekly ser mon conducted by the prison chaplains. The man in stripes is regarded as com mercial asset solely. Several commuta- tions from the capital penalty to life inn prisonment have been secured in years past by being based on the argument that Q life convict would be worth so many more thousand dollars than a dead one. ''Ye shades of Shylock," has this rich state no other source of revenue than it's ccnvicts?
 An offender is tried and sentenced to l term of years. He is then placed at work oil a contract or sent to the coal mines, where he stays as long as he is physical ly able to perform his task. If he breaks down during his sentence he is sent to the state penitentiary at Wetumpka. that being the only time he will ever see that institution. notwithstanding the fact that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
WALSH SAILS TO TAKE
 CHARGE OF RAILROAD

New York, February 1s.-(Special)-F. n. Walsh, director of the mechanical de- parfment of the Atlanta and West Point Railroad company who has been enter tained here for the last week by railroad and steamship men, sailed today Tor Brazil by the Lamport and Holt liner yasari to take charge of the mechanical department of about 5000 miles of rail- road in Brazil with headquarters at Sac Paulo, the railroad company center of the public. About 20 of MT. Walshs friends, including Fred B. Dalzel, went down the bay on the tug Dalzeline and cheered MT. Walsh on his way. He has a years leave of absence from the At lanta and West Point. so if he does not like his new job he may take back his old one. His cabin was filled with flowers for himself and his wife and two children. One bunch of roses dec orated a duplicate of the hydraulic jack used by Deputy Police Commissioner Flynn in his raid on gambling places last Wednesday. The jack was the gift of the manufacturer, who is friend of MT. Walsh, and bore card with the inscription break into Brazil.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20

This is the youngest interview l have ever had with anybody.
 l mean the youngest person I have ever interviewed for Mir Paulo Gruppe, the finished young 'cellist whom the Music Study club will present in recital at the Cable hall this afternoon, is mere boy, and when I asked him If anybody had ever had an interview with him he looked very innocently out of his big, blue, 19- year-old eyes, and said with wonderful naivete:
 Why, lady up in Chicago asked me a lot of question one evening after one of my concerts-an awful lot of ques- tions-and the next morning they were all in the newspaper, and a lot more be- sides, and if you call that an interview, why, I have been there.'
 Which goes on Ito show that the young gentleman has a sense of humor as well as being an entirely new recruit to the dismal game of interview, and of course l was more than pleased with the pros pect.
 And speaking of the young gentleman's s
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
DE GORGOZA WILL
 MARRY EMMA EAMES

New Yorsl, February 19.-(Special.)- Mrs. De Gorgoza, sister-in-law of Emilo De Gorgoza, the operatic baritone, at her home in Brooklyn said today that her brother-in-law would marry Mnie. Emma Flames next July.
 It is understood that the wedding would have taken place earlier but for the many difficulties the famous singers have had to overcome.
 It has been reported that the former Mime. De Gorgoza demanded $10o,0O0, but this Mrs. Ernest De, Gorgoza denies.
 "The exact date of the wedding has not yet been set" said Mrs. Ernest De Gorgoza, but it will positively take place some time in July I know noth- ing of any s1O0.OO0 which Madame Flames is supposed to have agreed to pay to the first Mrs. De Gorgoza in order to se- cl,re her withdrawal of all opposition to the marriage. l am sure no such agree ment was made
 Mime. Elza Neumoegen De Gorgoza, the first wife. was separated from her husband, the singer, in 1909 and later De Gorgoza secured divorce through the French courts. At one time a suit for divorce was instituted by Mime. De Gorgoza in which she named Mime. Flames as "physic correspondent" This suit was later dropped, as was the alien ation suit for $100.0O0 against the diva.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
CURT|SS INVITED 10
 FLY IN ENGLAND

New York. February 19.-(Special.)- By invitation of the Royal Areo Club of Great Britain, a semi governmental or- ganization whose activities King George personally directs.SS ~henn R. Curtiss, the noted American aviators will take his hydro -aeroplane to Eng land shortly to demonstrate its ability to rise and alight upon the water in the English channel. In order to in- duce him to accept the invitation, the club offers a complimentary prize of S1O,000 if he flies on the famous neck of water between England and France.
 Curtiss' successful feat of devising a machine which combines the aero- plane and the hydroplane has created profound sensation throughout Eu- rope. It was the dream of foreign ex- perimenters to rise and alight on the water before they attempted to soar from land.
 In its letter, which was received to- day, the Royal Aero Club of Great Britain speaks very flatteringly of Cur- tiss' water flights at San Diego and says it has followed the experiments with interest. It Is understood that the invitation to the American aVlatof was sent at the personal request of the King of England He is deeply inter- ested in naval problems. having served in the British navy and is anxious that this branch of his armament shall be equipped with the most modern ap- pliances.
 The aeroplane that can arise and also alight on the water is considered the most important solution to the naval problem that yet has been evolved and for this reason the British ruler is probably anxious that his people and officers may have a demonstration of it's utility near at home.
 The secretary of the British Aero club suggests that Curtiss may find 1t convenient to fly across the cham nel. He points out if the American &C., complshed his desires an additional prize will be given
 It is promised that the English ad- miralty will order out flotilla of ships in order to aid Curtiss.
 Curtiss Is now in San Diego, Cal.s where he has his experimental station on North Island in the bay.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
TEX RICHARD SAILS
 FOR CATTLE COUNTRY

New York, February 19.-(Special)-G. L. Rickard of Ely. New, known every- where as "Tex" Rickard, promoter of the Nelson-Gans encounter, sailed on the Lamport and Holt liner Vasari to- day to look over Argentina, possibly with the purpose of engaging in the cattle business in that country. Tex" looked fat and prosperous. He isn't worrying over his prospects.
 "I am through with the business of prize fighting, as there is not anything in it, said the sportsman. T don't like prize fighting anyway. I'm a frontiers man. like new things. I am going to Argentina to look over the arrange ments there. It is not unlikely that shall go into the beef and sheep raising business in the republic.
 q shall also look into mining prop critics in Argentina. Me for an undevel- oped place. Y have taken trip over to South Africa to look around for the same purpose, but didn't see anything in Capetown. 1 think Argentina is the place."
 Tex, as he stood upon the deck of the Vasari, was just saying that he wished somebody from near his home town of Ely was going down there with him, when Frank Whitworth of Reno showed up on the steamer.
 Hello, Frank" said Rickard. "I was just looking for a friend like you Then Whitworth fell to talking beef and nut ton. He said it was the Argentine that could take fall out of the beef trust and not feel it. He said he was in San Francisco when a ship from South Amer ica landed 3l, ,000 refrigerated sheep and the price of mutton on the west coast took a drop from 9h cents to cents.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
12S PEOPLE KILLED
 IN ALPS IN A YEAR

Vienna, February 19.-(SpeciaL)- According to statistics furnished by tho German Austrian Alpine association, there were 12S fatal Alpine accidents last year. This total includes 2S lives lost through plucking Alpine flowers and in similar semi Alpine" pur- suits
 or the victims 19 were climbing alone and 62 had friends or guides with them. Sixty-six fell from rocks or grass slopes. 12 slipped on snow or ice three fell into crevasses and nine were swept away by avalanches.
 Among those killed were 42 Germans and four Englishmen. The total nuns Der of deaths is 16 fewer than the total for 1909 During the last 10 years SEQ persons have been killed in the Alps.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
Flat Top Mines, Maben, Ala,
GIRL WILL TRAVEL AT UNCLE SAM'S EXPENSE

Burlington, Ia., February 19.-(Spe cial.)-Miss Pauline Topping, a popular young woman of this city, was served with a subpoena by a United States marshal of Des Moines today requiring her presence in Los Angeles to identify a silver buttonhook which. it is alleged, had been stolen from the mail by messenger, now under arrest there.
 The trinket was sent by Miss Top ping to a school friend in Los Angeles and never arrived there Miss Top ping will receive 15 cents a mile both ways and her expenses from Uncle Sam for her journey and will spend several weeks visiting friends on the coast. She left tonight with her mother.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
WOMAN HYPN0T|zED
 INTO DOING WRONG

Chicago, February 19.-(Special That man had hypnotic influence over me and I had to do whatever he told me- Please make him keep his eyes away from me-"
 Miss Eleanor Rembrandt, trembling with fear as she stood before Judge Lan- dis in the United States district court to receive sentence on a charge of using the mails to defraud, made this plea today for protection against Louis F. Stein brook, who was convicted with the woman of conducting a matrimonial bureau.
 Steinbrook, with black piercing eyes. wearing a black frock coat with a red carnation in his lapel, looked like a man who possessed psychic powers, according to Deputy United States Marshal Mar selles, who stood between the two de- fendants.
 Judge Landis glanced at the eyes of the man prisoner. Court attaches compared SteinbroolS to Zvepgali as he declared that he was guilty of defrauding scores oi farmers in Illinois and Wisconsin through matrimonial advertisements.
 "Tn sentence you, MT. Steinbrook, to serve three years in the federal prison al Fort Leavenworth, but I will defer sentence in the case of Miss Rembrandt" said the court.
 Fifty letters were introduced in court by Chief Postoffice Inspector Stuart These showed that farmers had answered the advertisements inserted by Miss Rem brandt under the names of "Fraulein Louise Brookman," "Eleanor Hart Young" and "Fraulein Von Volkenstein.
 Miss Rembrandt who is 27 years old and educated, admitted in court that. she had taken prospective husbands to down
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
See Refuses Stage Career

Chicago, February 19.-(Special.) )-Eve< lyn Arthur See, founder of the ''abso- lute life" today received an offer of 5000 for a five weeks engagement in vaudeville, but refused to sign the cons tract "The offer was made by a .repre- sentative of New York theatrical agen- cy, who offered to deposit 5000 to bind the agreement, in the event that See Is acquitted said James E. Callahan, coun- sel for See. See plans to publish his new book. entitled Absolute Life on Trial" which he is writing in jail, should he be freed, and he expects to make a lecture tour later. Assistant States At torney Burns says the case will be called for trial within two weeks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20

"naivete," reminds me of an awfuily clever story that I heard recently about that little word.
 It seems that MT. Robert Chambers, the well-known novelist, was discussing at 0 dinner party certain beautiful young lady poet at the other end of the table with his dinner partner, and he remarked very casually:
 What I regard as the most conspicu- ous thing about the young woman is her naiyete."
 His partner, who turned out to be a modern Mrs Malaprop, promptly re- marked:
 Yes; that's what struck me most forci- bly,, and I've been wondering what made her get such tight one"
 But this is a Aggression, and l must get back to my story.
 ''rell me something about your early life,' I said to MT. Gruppe by way of prelude to our little talk.
 q suppose you'd say inherit my tall ent to some degree said the youth ful musician. My father, who is a Canad- ian by birth, was for years violinist.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
DESTINY CAPTAINS WHO BUILD EMPIRES Romance of Canada's Flu
 ture Greatness WHEAT PRODUCTION Paterson Estimates That Within Five Years Canada Will Be
 Producing Two Million A# Bushels
WHEAT PRODUCTION

Ottawa. Ontario, February 19.-(Spe- csal.)-Ihe romance of empire building is disclosed here at the capital of the Can- adian milton, where the dreamers of the future greatness of the Domlnion-Lau- rier, Fielding, Paterson-sit in council. One sees here romance in the making. The greatness, which is Canada's now not so many years ago existed only n the dreams of the captains of destiny, wherefore it is not difficult now to pie ture what is coming to pass in the future fragments pf the day dreaming of the present.
 Within five years MT. Patterson esti- mates that Canada alone will be produc- ing 2oO,0oo,OoO bushels of wheat Put the annual product at half that amount and the minister of customs computes that to transport 1t would require r trains daily for 300 days, each train having 20 cars with 1000 bushels of wheat in-each car.
 This reckoning does not take into ac- count all the wheat produced in the United States, which, of course, will be of similar gigantic proportions.
 What the figures mean in the way of cheaper bread to the ultimate consumers needs TO analysis. Only a glance at the stagg gering statistics, moreover, is neces- sary to show what they will mean to American industries in general in the way of steel rails and railroad equipment for export and to the vast impetus that will te given to railroad building in the United States as well; for it is included in the far-seeing predictions that the Canadian grain will be carried over American raii- roads and that great expansion will be reoessary to meet the transportation de- mands.
 My own figures he says, show that there was a total export last year of wheat through the United States of 25,- s7o,72S bushels.
 Have you figured out what that means? Have you considered what facili- ties will be required to transport that enormous quantity of grain from the wheat fields in the west. Put it at only 10O, ,000, ,000 bushels and to transport 1t would require + trains daily, for 300 days, each train having 20 cars with 1000 bush els of wheat in each car.'
 As regards the present situation here in Ottawa, where sentiment from all parts of the Dominion of Canada is reflected hy the members of parliament here as- sembled, the prevailing opinion is strong ly favorable to the proposed reciprocal treaty agreement. Theer have been re- fleoted in these dispatches the views ob- taind at first hand from Premier Sir Wilfred Laurier Finance Minister Field ing Minister of Customs Paterson, and the leaders from the eight big provinces fin the federation, including the members Of the opposition.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
GIRL MODELS PROTEST
 AGAINST HIGH PRICES

Philadelphia, February 19.-The latest class to cry out against the high cost of living is the aTists models of this city. men and women. who have united in a demand upon the Pennsyl- vania Academy of Fine Arts for uni form rate of pay for posing, or they will organize union to enforce tn cir demands. They want a uniform rate of 50 cents an hour with or without drapery.
 At present the academy pays 50 cents an hour for posing in the nude but 25 cents an hour for posing for the head only and 33 1-3 cents an hour for pos ing in costume or drapery. The liabil- ity of catching cold is givep as req son for the higher rate.
 "The idea of paying us less because we might not catch cold" indignantly exclaimed Miss Dorothy Mckay, one of the models. Why, we have to eat as much whether we pose with our clothes or without them. Some of us average ,only $5 a week during the season. We want to live with or without clothes. v
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20

town department stores and made them purchase wedding trousseaus." A few minutes afterward she exchanged the dresses in each instance for cash on the plea that they did not fit
 After getting all the money I could from my victims I would leave my bride Sl oom' waiting for me in a restaurant or an office building and would disappear never to return. But I could not help the frauds. MT. Steinbrook hypnotized me-"
 Richard Mitchell and Fritz Selfert, far 'ners in Kenosha, Wis, told how they had been duped by Miss Rembrandt
 Steinbrook Is 50 years old and was a hr cker on the open board of trade. Miss Rembrandt was formerly house detee- tive in a downtown department store.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-20
Geo. c. Oliver, G.. A.
 Natl Surety Co.
 Phones 334 Dining cars on Seaboard. Fast morning train to Atlanta. Service a la carte.
HUBBARD BROS. ( co
V

Hanover Square, New York.
 NEMBERS-New York Cotton Ex. ehange. New York Coffee Exchange. New~O ~Orleans Cotton Exchange. Chicago Board of Trade. Associate Aembers Aayeypool Cotton Asso9aAtion
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-02

When mans perversity inclines
him to Indifference and he becomes
sluggard the complexities of mod
ern life soon reduce him to a condi-
ton of need.
He gradually sinks down in the
vortex of human activities, buffeted
on his way, but all the time indiffer-
ent, until he gets down so low that
poverty can easily reach the pit of
his stomach with a Knockout blow
to his morality.
Poverty is, undoubtedly, the cause
of all evil. When man is in this
condition-the condition of desper-
ate need his finer sensibilities, the
cultivation reaped directly or indi-
rectly) from centuries of civilization,
are forgotten and swept away before
this great primitive desire.
When some men are reduced to
this condition they quickly wipe off
the veneer of civilization and take
by the quickest means at hand that
which they crave for-then it is in
difference. When indifference finds
an abode in a man it plants seeds,
which under the reign of poverty,
grow into vines of crime aud stran-
gle all the tender foliage of virtue.
So | say to you, oh fellow-sub-
merged, cast the beam of indiffer-
ence from your eyes and let the fire
of life course through your veins.
Make every day. give up its best, for
after all life is what you make it"
IN Re,0,nta1oyy Pillar.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-11-02

bring suspicion of perfunctoriness;
but the ideal of the human intellect
is an understanding to which all
knowledge and all activity are ger
name. There have been few, very
few minds which have approx
mated toward this ideal, and among
them FIanklin's is prominent. He
was one of the most distinguished
scientists who has ever lived. His
ingenius and useful devices and in
ventions were very numerous. He
possessed mastery shrewdness in
business and practical affairs.
He was profound thinker and
preacher in morals and on the con-
duct Of life, and it would be difficult
to name any persons who have more
intensively influenced the ideas, mo-
tives and habits of the lives of men.
1t is hard indeed to give full ex-
preston to man of such scope in
morals, in mind and in affairs. He
illustrates humanity in an astonish-
ing multiplicity Of ways at an in
finite number of points. He, more
than any other, seems to show
us how many-sided our human ma
ture is. No individual, of course,
fills the entire circle; but if we can
imagine circumference which shall
express humanity, we can place
within it no one man who will
reach out to approach it and to
touch it at so many points as will
Benjamin Franklin. A man of ac-
tive as well as universal good will,
of perfect trustfulness toward all
jewellers on the earth, of supreme
zclsdom expanding over all the in
terests of the race, none has earned
a more kindly loyalty. BY the
instruction which he gave, by his
discoveries, by his inventions. and
by his achievements in public life
he earns the distinction of having
rendered to men varied and useful
services, excelled by no other one
man; and thus he has established a
claim upon the gratitude of man
kind SO broad that history holds few
who can be his rivals.