davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

friends by earnestly and fluently stat ing that if he could not have liberty he craved death, and death in large gobs. And as also did our William Jennings, in his equally famous Chi cago eruption, when he got up on his hind legs and thundered to capital and greed: Thou shalt not cruelty labor upon cross of gold. Capital and greed then proceeded to cruelty Williams Jennings instead, and not being satisfied with the job did it over a. couple of times, and capital, of course, refrained from crucifying la boron cross of gold-other crosses being much cheaper.
 And so it goes, but the latest candi- date for oratorical honors of such profoundly Illuminating force is MT. Dies-Martin Dies-that is Martin doesn't die, you understand, he simp- ly makes a speech, but that is his name-Dies, Diamond Dies brother Martin. Well, Martin lives out in Texas, and is member of Congress from some district out there about
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

changed Out of the blue bolt has fallen and we see that what we thought was the blue was really sky laden with hurrl- cane darkness to which custom had made us indifferent It w6s merely because men could not discern the signs of the time the face of the social sky, that they were rendered victims of Him whose coming is as a thief in the night.
 Turning even to the story of our own land I am astounded to see the proofs that the promise of world-peace stirs so little response in the heart of the nation
 few zealots in New York the other day actually broke up a great meeting called to endorse the arbitration scheme now evolved by diplomatic conversations and for several months awaiting the concur renee of the Senate. How many churches have raised their voices for peace? How many citizens feel their personal author ity and responsibility concerned in this fine programme? For that matter, how many of our churches and citizens have shown zeal for industrial peace and pro- gressive righteousness in the life of the people? Alas, too fewl "Where is the promise of His coming?" men still ask with the old blindness, the old stupidity, the old stolid selfishness and narrowed interests. Peace will not be secure with out justice, nor international peace with out internal and domestic peace. But the treaties are designed to secure interna- tional justice, and with their adoption all allied causes will surely be advanced. They are certain to be adopted, just as the disregarded treaty with Russia was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31
HEART TO HEART TALKS-By Edwin A. Nye

Two women with jaded faces lolled in their limousine. As they passed they talked of yesterday afternoons game of bridge whist and of how Mrs. So-and-so cheated shamefully." They barely glanced at the stately trees and the lovely flowers.
 They did not possess the park.
 And I said to myself. These have a mania for possession. it is true-the millionaire for his acres, the women for their Circassian furnished cham bers--but they own nothing worth while"
 Said Robert Louis Stevenson
 'If we were charged so much a head for sunsets or if God would send round a drum before the hawthorn comes in flower, what word we should make about their beautyr
 Because we cannot buy the sunsets and the spring mornings and the au- tumn afternoons and the scent of the glorious outdoors we are apt to esteem them too lightly
 There are Cleons who care not for landscapes but for acres; not for beauty. but for possession.
 To him who can see and love the won. der and the beauty, to him
 Half the charm Is yieldeth
 Money cannot buy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

"HIS good year of 1911, now mere
 passing shadow, has given aston
 \ ishing proofs of the rapid devei- opment of crises in these later days of the epoch. A thousand voices tell of the pass ing of the old and the coming of the new. Who can remember the events or thls year and not be wei nigh stunned with the intellectual shock that results from that review? It is as though the word suddenly had itself been Illuminated set in letters of fire before mankind across the zenith and along every horizon.
 "Behold 1 come as a thief says the Spirit on behalf of the Divine Judge or men. Lest. coming suddenly, 1t find you sleeping, Watchr' is the warning of the Savior "Behold I come quickly IS unexpectedly, suddenly-is the last great promise of the Scripture. And it may be permitted to us on this thirty-first day or December to keep these warnings and promises in mind even as we read the newspaper. Indeed. because we read the newspaper there is for us a wealth of H. lustrations that belong to this series of utterances, and to this word suddenly Forces gather slowly, imperceptibly, mightilv. and then discharge themselves with terrific power. The lightning flash, the earthqLake, the cyclone, the poIleai and social revolution, all alike accumulate until in a moment the unattentive ears or mankind are deafened with the discharge, and men wander sobbing through the debris of world once thought perma-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

certain to he some time disowned and abrogated. Events travel swiftly. Father and faster fly the great shuttles that work for the Master" Never was the warning more keenly necessary, Watch, For ya in the Son of Man cometh."
 "The year is dying in the night" Yes, butthe legacy of the year is neither small nor dead. 'The year Is going, let. him go' But he Is leaving to the years unborn powers and duties and destinies unutterably splendid. Dear old decadent voices will sheer at progress or raucously lament the good old times when things were different. But the Judge is at tha door, and in His hand the whole past and the whole future. It is with Him that men and traditions must reckon. The day is at hand in whose sight no nation or man is justified, but onily the Ideal and the Faith working toward it. For in that Day secrets will be Judged, the cheap effrontery of social hypocrisy laid bare. and men who have called and professed themselves children of the Day will cry for the darkness to hide them from the face of the Judge of Humanity wearing eternal God And to paraphrase a we'll known prophecy in that Day, so near it's coming, instead of a class shall spring up the people, instead of rights shall spring up the new chivalry, Instead of repression there shall be compassion and instead of compassion justice. and 1t shall be to tha Lord for name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31
Prices Subject to Change

From the New York Sun.
 q have been buying Christmas presents at little antique shop in a side street,'' said a woman who lives at an uptown hotel. 'T had been in the habit of going to shop on foot and of course had been waited on by one of the clerks.
 Among the things I had purchased was spoon and I decided that I would call and get another to match it. This time I drove up with a coachman and foot man and the proprietor himself welcomed me. Before he could walt on me. how ever, he was called away and he surn- moned young woman. As he turned to go I overheard him whisper to her, e. w
 "The young woman took out the spoon was after. The price she said was s10
 But I protested, I got one here only the other day and paid only $7.50 for it.
 She looked bit confused. Then she took up the spoon and examined the label closely Oh. I made a mistake she said. The price is only S7.50.'
 Now, what I have been puzzling over is, what did the proprietor mean by the c. w he whispered?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

much feeling, and qouting Shylock with unconscious familiarity.
 Jacob Morias listened with the ut most attention. then having blown forth number of smoke rings, made this deliverance: israel, I am a Jew. have lived a Jew, and I expect to die in the faith of my fathers. What you say of the prosecutions of our people is true and while I have mourned over their sorrows, I have thanked God that the Jew has always shown ms Will lingness to die rather than deny hls faith. Furthermore, there has not oc- cured, in modern times, a Kishinen or a like horror. but that the whole world of Christianity has risen up to de- nounce the prosecutors. We know that Russia is but partially civilized, and but little while ago when the Jews were slaughtered in the streets of Rus sian cities, Christianity loudly uttered it's protest in terms almost of a de- mand that this practice of an age gone forever should cease. But they were Christians, the Ipurderers," eXcitediy exclaimed Israel. Yes" answered Nor ias, but uneducated Christians, almost brutes; from every land the lofty minded Christians demanded a cessa- ton of bloody horrors. Do you know, Israel, al heart. there is but little uiHerence between JuuaiSiH anu Chii'- tianity? I say, at heart I have given much time to the Targum of Onkelos, and the Talmud; and I have compared the teaching of the man of Galilee with both. I find that love is the very heart of Judaism, as it is of Christianity There are annotations in the Talmud that seem to cover up the ancient teachings of the Law and the Prophets, just as from the Tar gum much was lost after the Exile. Against mere formal services that the Talmud enjoins and our Rabbins of old set forth, the young man of Galilee
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

bright legal light, to pension, and if there be as many as half a dozen it is safe to say their political influ- ence is not very great or any more calculated to hurt Martin than hook worm is an elephant, for they are probably about as popular as poor relation Christmas.
 Martins brilliant and perfectly elo- quent oration did not receive the "Glad Hand" from his colleagues, on the contrary there appeared to be a cold reserve and an extremely chilly atmosphere pervading the historical hall of Congress. Some coarse per son even hollered to Get the Hook" '" and it would have taken a seismo- graph to have caught the slightest ripple of applause. The stern patriots, elected by the people to act as watch dogs over the interests of the republic, received Martins warm and effusive effort so coldly that a few moments after you could have seen big white frost on the dome of the capitol. Even Uncle Joe Cannon's whiskers took on
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31
BILL VINES ON MARTIN DIES

beligcrant air like unto the hostile quills of an irritated porcupine, for was not this Die person stepping on the sacred rights of the G. A. R.
 He was, and he said so. The c. A. R., says Martin, is an organization that has paid more and bigger dividends per capital invested than any other on earth. Counting the actual time served in the defense of the country at dollar a minute and issue stock certificates on that basis, it has paid dividends that would make John D.. and J. P. "nutty" with envy. Every member of Congress has that vote to deal with, if not directly, indirectly. The democratic members from the north say to their democratic brethren from the south Hist, turn on the soft pedal, please" for the party's sake, and thus we see at the expiration of 50 odd years after the war an in crease from 20 to 50 million good hard bones being paid on c. A. R. stock. And Martin kicks. Martin says he raises no objection to the pensioning
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

applies his denunciation. He has the greatest reverence for the Law and the Prophets. He, too, understands real Judaism He quotes our very language, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and no wonder, for he was Jew. I have studied our Book, and I have read carefully the and Brotherhood are taught in both. l do not say it boastingly, but so fully do I believe the truth of the brother hood of men, as first taught by our fathers and then by the great Jew, Jesus, that for many years l have an nually done this have, about Christ mas time, as it is called, called into my office five ministers of different churches, one of whom is our Rabbi. I have handed them $500 for the poor. The only stipulation that l have ex- acted has been that you shall not ask the beneficiaries of this money about their religion. I do not care to know that l know, however, that they are my brothers, and that's enough for me"
 Just here Morias was interrupted by his daughter, Sarah, who, suddenly opening the door, exclaimed, Father, come quick" Jacob and Israel sprang from the library, and in an instant were among the young people in the hall, into which the snow was blow ing All was excitement and confu- sion. What Is it?" asked Morias. But he did not wait long for an answer. Two young men, the first to reach the door. were lifting a strange looking object, half snow and half rags. It was a young woman and in her arms little babe.
 As they were laid on the parlor car pet Israel Fox said, You should send for the police ambulance at once" Jacob, with fine presence of mind, said. "No there has never been police man in my home. Quick, to the bath
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

TT was New Years night, and stormy
 night it was. The keen wind caught \ the stinging snow and dashed it angrl- ly against the faces of men, as if intent upon paying some old score. Masses of snow were piled up in doorways, in base ment entries, and on window sills, while around every house corner the wind pro longed it's weird moan. The newspapers next day reported a number of deaths or the streets during the storm.
 In the elegant home of Jacob Morias dinner was just over. The young people had gone to the handsome parlors to en- gage in dancing and other innocent amusements, such as the new year 5 night might suggest. Morias, and a vis- iting friend. Israel Fox, had gone to the library to smoke their after dinner cigars and to sip their black coffee. Everything in the Morias home indicated wealth, re- finement, and comfort.
 Tn two men had been seated only q short while, when a blast of wind dashed against the windows and passed on with a low sullen growl. Said MT Morias, This is a hard night for the poor; I'm afraid there will be much suffering
 Yes" said Israel Fox, but it will not he among the Jews, our own people," That may be-" Morias responded but l never stop to consider that point when l think of the poor and suffering. I am not as good a man as I should like to be, but l thank God that l have learned the lesson of the Iratherhood of the Eter- nal and the Brotherhood of Humanity But you are to remember that you are a Jew, and that your people have been the subjects of the bitterest persecution from the earliest days of Christianity until now; Christians call your tribe Mis- believers, cut-throat dogs, and spit upon your Jewish garberdine;' as for me, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear the Chrstian," said Israel Fox, with
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

to gum things up. You know that nothing is so prolific as the pension grabber, Martin. They get more nu- merous every day, and they are com- ing faster than the boil weevils, and they every one vote and-and besides that, my dear Martin, they need the money. And besides that some more, what would Uncle Sam do with it if he didn't give to them, why first thing you know he would be out of debt and lower taxes, Martin, and that would never do, as a man of in- telligence, you must admit that, Mar tin. Now, Martin, you have been been popping off' about those who served in the army, how foolish of you. Listen, Martin, everybody served in the army, everybody, and then some You are simply walking round in your sleep Martin and that's all there is to it; wake up, or ring off, or something. And this is the end of Martin, Martin Dies. Yours truly,
 BILL VINES.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

well know their obvious losings, win ings; the gossip of the financial world, through Messers. Bradstreet and Dun, will gabble, for the asking, of the fat or lean condition of Smiths or Jones' purse. But the Bradstreet and Dun agencies know the Smiths and Joneses of this country no better than the wri- ter knows the secret strength or weak ness of you. neighbor, whoever you are, Bradstreet and Dun may fairly approxi- mate Jones commercial liabilities, as- sets-his power to benefit you, hurt you but B. and D. know as much of Jones, stripped of his dollars and indebtedness, as know of the secret character of the folk who dwell on Mars i. Stripped of their purple and rags, each millionaire and beggarman keeps his own record of thoughts and deeds.
 Seeing that our neighbor could not peek into or probe this secret account of us. have we kept it slovenly this past year? Have we gone deep into debt with our selves? Are we beggared by insincere living? Has the brave spirit got itself somewhat further from God-from the brave resolves it set out with-from its paid-in spiritual capital stock it began with January 1, nineteen hundred eleven
 Re-reading today portions of Brand, '' that symbolic poem by Ibsen, I fell on this song of the Preacher:
 Mighty as the hands that smte
 Are the hands that hold the hoe;
 There's one end for all: to grow
 Tablets whereon God may wrise.'
 It struck me with certain reverence just at this season of well-wishng. Out of his grim tragedies--out of his poetry that for the most part lacks the spirit of striving and building, this fragment of Brands song consoles me.
 Tablets whereon God may write'- tablets whereon may be impressed those
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

"OMORROW we will make fresh
 start, neighbors. We have come to
 l another beginning-p place. another tallying-time What are your assets, liabilities, now that the Old Year has done it's worst and best for you? Are your accounts in order, ready for the trial balance? Has the dying year served you we'll or i'll?
 I cannot know of your secretest ac- counts, and do not wish to know, but am eager to know of this new You that will emerge tomorrow. Do you emerge crass and mean. or true and strong, aft CT the laboring weeks and months?
 Though we may have little or nothing to do with ledgers, journals, day-books, cash-books, we are still in a vital sense bool1keepers and accountants. Each mill lionaire, each beggarman, on his secret individual account makes debits and credits that may not be examined by any public accountant or auditor in the land. may say that this is the impor- tant account of all accounts, though it may not be Kept" at all in the sense that books are kept. In the long run, it is the account that most matters.
 In black and white, Jones may credit or debit Smith, on uniformly ruled pages with dollars or doughnuts, cheese or bacon It is Jones' plan of keeping tab on his standing with Smith. Either Jones or Smith may peek into or probe this account that concerns each other But there is one account of each that neither may peek into or probe. It is THE SECRET ACCOUNT OF THE STANDING OF EACH WITH HIM SELF. It is Jones' account with Jones' Smiths with Smith. SMITHS ACCOUNT WITH HIMSELF: How the losses and winnings have imperceptibly shaped him, moulded him. or broken him .
 For after all we can't know the final rating or value of any of the Joneses or Smlt.ls' in this world. We may ever so
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

ton was to be delivered. Hilliard ac- quilted himself with merit, and at once established his fame for scholarship and oratory in Alabama. The address was published by the legislature of the state and popularly read.
 Having been admitted to the bar at Athens, Ga, where he practised two years before removing to Alabama. he resigned his professorship after three years, re- moved to Montgomery, and resumed his law practice. Being a licensed minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, he would now and then preach He soon entered on a good practice In Montgomery and became favorite in the most Intel ligent social circles of the capital city where his graces were much admired.
 In 1888 MT. Hilliard entered on public life as a representative in the legis- lature from Montgomery county, was a delegate to the whig convention in 1S4O for he belonged to the states rights wing of that party, and assisted in the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

of worthy Federal soldier who real ly gave any time at all to the service of his country, and who, in his old age, needs help, but reasonable pen sion might be paid to every surviving member of the Union armies without exception as really has been for the past 20 years and gradually the sum would grow smaller, as these worthy old fellows join the great white throng and answer to the last call, but is this true? Not so as youScan tell it. Instead each Congress trys to see how much bigger returns they can hand the G. A. R. Trust, and the government coughs up the coin and the people are the goats.
 Martin says the pension trust needs investigation, if ever one did. How rede of you, Martin; you mustn't; you really must not talk so loud, somebody might hear you, and it's vulgar, sure enough it is. You simply don't un- derstand things, Martin; and that's all there is to it; and you are fixing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

the size of the state of Georgia, but not so densely populated, except with steers. And the other day Martin broke out of the corral and hoped into the lime light and rose up in the middle of our esteemed hall of Con- gress and handed 'em few verses on pensions, and the remarks there sub mitted by Martin were strictly to the point, and he strung them across the plate like Chief Bender in mid season form.
 A too critical and careful analysis of Martins personal and political in terest in the question of pensions would probably disclose the fact that in his district there are not over a half of a dozen ex-Federal soldiers, or near soldiers, or republicans that have affidavits that they used to be soldiers, or was in some way related to soldier, or ex-patriated Yankee, who have moved to Texas, and as any of the above mentioned class, entitled under our elastic and munificent pen sion laws, with the expert aid of a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

\ "old fashioned mother is out Of date and useless.
 Also
 A certain editor makes it his business to lament the fact. as he sees it, that the new fashioned mother is being ed- ucated away from motherhood.
 Now
 Does the mother fashion change? Is there an old fashioned and new fashioned style of mothers?
 Certainly not?
 The mother instinct is the same yes- terday, today and forever. Wherever a of the mother of that child love that never wavers.
 There are unnatural fathers. all too many, but an unnatural mother is eX- tremely rare, almost unknown. Fathers will neglect and run away from their children. No mother willingly abandous her child.
 The "old fashioned'' mother?
 All mothers are old fashioned in the respect that all of them will do every thing and forego everything for the sake of their children.
 The new fashoned' mother?
 Every mother is new fashioned. Doc tors and nurses say that every mother. whether she lives in a mansion or washes for a living, is anxious and quick to learn the hygiene that will protect and save her baby,
 Education does not spoil mothers.
 Do you know that the records show that not one of the hundreds of girls graduated from Vassar college has ever figured in a divorce court?
 On the other hand