davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

more than the poor. The childless couple the widow, the unmarried can no more evade responsibility for child welfare, l. e., the real welfare of all the children, than the parents of large families. All are re- sponsible not only that the children, all the children, shall learn the three r's, but also chastity modesty, obedience, truthfulness and every other form of pa triotism, and shall reveal what intellec- tual and spiritual force is latent in every one of those young people, that it may be developed for the common good.
 But the evils of private philanthropy, with all the good it has accomplished in the process of social evolution, are too numerous to mention. Everyone knows how it gives a wholly obnoxious patron age into the hands of the philanthropist and wholly obnoxious sycophancy into the soul of the cringing recipient, or else makes that recipient a villainouS pauper, bullying and insistent, such as Dickens rortrays in the character of MT. Silas Wegg. From both points of view philan- thropy is one of the most difficult enter prises in the world. When T hear men bowling at Carnegie's benefactions it seems to me healthier tone than when very genius of beneficence. For though MT. Carnegies gifts, for instance, to Scottish students have been so carefully planned and so princely in their scope, is it to be supposed that the same measure of self-reliance will be left in the sturdy Scot as was there before this wizard Of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

under the miscroscope? If so. you O discovered two facts that are Of great interest. First, you saw an illus tration of natures love of the beautiful in the wonderful shapes of the snow crys- tals. Few things in nature or in art can be more beautiful There are stars crosses octagonal centerS surrounded py clusters of snowy flowers, and well nlgh every geometrical or trigonometrical hg- ure of which one can conceive. Not only so, but the world of botany has Heen invaded by the snow wizard. and many of the forms of flowers, leaves, fungi, lichens and other growths he duplicates, to the wonder of the observer. You Will find many of these shapes wrought by the frost on a window pane in the Win- ter but I think you will find greater variety in the snow.
 The second thing that you will ob- serve is that snow is not always pure. We are wont to say pure as snow when we would express the perfection of purity. But, while this comparison will do for general purposes, it will not do to stress it. There have been found in snow flakes a great many things that one would not not expect to discover, such as mouse hairs, tiny threads specks of feather little balls of soot ana other foreign light particles. These substances had been caught up in the currents or
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

world Or if the employment of leaven is desired, they use a combination of potatoes, meal and a bit of yeast that was left over or borrowed from neign- boring cook There is dry yeast and liquid yeast, and the same phenomena, Of which I shall write, takes place in them both; but they may be best observed in dry yeast under the microscope.
 Yeast begins to germinate with a sin gle cell, but in 8 little while, with all the evidences of vegetable life, it lays hold upon the surrounding flour and re- produces itself Sometimes these cells cling together like a chain. Often they are small, at other times they are en- larged. Thus the process goes on till the mass of flour is leavened. But why is tough frightened? By the fermentation This fermentation takes hold of the sugar ingredients and divides them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide as everybody knows, is gas; and being from the alcohol, expands the dough, makes it porous, and puffy. The yeast plant grows most rapidly in a warm temperature, and in quantities of liquid or soils best adopted to it's peculiar life. It is most certainly vegetable plant, alive and active, and under strong microscope it's peculiar development smay be observed
 seems to be a favorite form with nature
 Man himself is made up of cells. To say nothing of other cells, the human lungs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

That which gives to the production Vi tality is it's unprecedented fidelity to phase of life prevailing in those early eays, while it is underlad by principles which revealed actual conditions. The portraiture Is that of an illiterate, but cunning backswoodsman, bent on getting the most out of life, no matter how, keen, foxy, double faced and double tongued who piled his vocation in the perpetration of fraud by cant and hypoc- ricy pretended piety, and church mem bership.
 Dynamic humor. occasioned by ludicrous dilemma, unconjectured condition, ridicu- lous episode and grotesque situation fol- low each other in rapid succession, and the effect on the reader is explosions of laughter. simon" appears under varied conditions, and is sometimes closely hemmed, in his artful maneuvers, but he is always provided with loophole of escape, due to his long experience and practice. His various assumptions of dif- ferent characters under shifting condi- tions, but remaining the true "Simon" still among them al and using his ob- scure vernacular always, gives a kaleido- scopic change to the divers situations, and rescues the stories from monotony.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

free' Evidently an increase of public in- come to cover public needs is itself a very great and challenging need. Much taxation now enforced is an irritating and iI.iquitous thing, because it reaches tho community indirectly through what is actually class legislation. But that is another story.
 Let it be admitted that in the present stage of social evolution private philan- thropy is requisite, as may be seen in the glaring instance of the anti-tuberculosis work. yet the public welfare evidently de- rnands the speedy assumption of that burden by the governing, tax-assessing authority. Economic law can no more he defied than physical law; and economic law requires the public bearing of com munity burden. In the meantime it is probably the best conceivable way of ad- juSting the load to the camel's back that the owners of the camel should walk for a space. This camel is an adjustable beast, whose strength grows with the de- mands righteousy made upon him. Hence while we may hopefully anticipate the day wherein he will carry every straw, private philanthropy must be for the present will ing to cooperate. And this is all the moro inevitable because no man has won and no man gives back to the community without the sort of satisfaction that comes with the sense of paying debt. Philanthropy Is not an unmixed good: but neither is it wholly evil It Is acting as the forerunner of general obedience to benefcent. universal, economic law.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

he sat in the open space and wondered in his brutish way of what the future meant for him--for the new life that was whelped just now--of the life that had been so fierce and must continue even fiercer since there was one more to pro- tect, one more to feed.
 From his grim musing in the twilight suppose resulted the planting of a crop of maize for the females to tend and harvest. against scarcity of animal food :. . . Breakfast foods were thus early forecasted, my friends st.,
 We have been getting things, achieving things ever since The maize got foot hold in that forest; corn, wheat appeared in due time. In spite of that beliserent Jubal who "sang of the wrath of God and the curse of thistle and thorn,' Tubal. this breeding man in the twilight, 'scrabbled the earth for corn.'' And in the process he began the cultural work of the earth.
 It is a long path from Tubal Cain to Luther Burbank. but we have gone that iong path, my neighbor. And seeing that we are the common heirs to these cons of ages, Ghe length of which don't dare estimate after Ernst Haeck- els calculation). my wonder is that the pigmies of the earth should outnunlber
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

microscope, but have failed to find one in my home. This may seem incredible but it is true. l thought a few nights back that had one, but l was mistaken. The little creature looked like a mos- quito as he hung to the wall, but under the glass he bore no resemblance to the insect that I wanted Upon close obser- vation he was of pure amber color; his wings were of the most delicate gauge and beautifully veined; his head was smaller than the mosquitoes and more symmetrical; only his legs were on the order of the mosquito. When l saw the little thing under the glass, with his am Der wings and body, I was sorry that had killed him; for in all probability he was the foe of the mosquito. As every body knows every annoying insect has its enemy De Morgan, in his Budget of ParadoXes," quoting from Dean Swift. says:
 .'Great fleas have little fleas
 Upon their backs to bite 'em, And little feas have lesser fieas.
 And so ad infinitum.
 And greater fleas themselves, in turn,
 Have greater fleas to go on, While these again have greater still,
 And greater still, and so on."
 Not being able to find a mosquito in the house to refresh my memory, I shall recall some facts that learned long ago, when mosquitoes were accommodating
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

flesh you will not experience any pain I tried this once, only once; and then wanted to catch the man that told me of it.
 How do mosquitoes infect human be- ings if they suck blood? If they in- fused blood which they had sucked from diseased body we should not ask this question. I fancy that much of the blood which they suck is already diseased; much of it is from decayed meats; dead ani- mals and the like. This blood Is full of bacteria which the mosquito conveys to drinking water by his death and by other means; persons drinking the water there by become infected. Innumerable bacteria could thus be infused into a glass of Wa ter. Therefore, never drink water that has stood uncovered At best we drink in a glass of water a mass of horrible looking creatures. according to the miscr- scope, even in filtered water. 1t may be that we need some of these creatures to kill others within us, for there is war oe bacillus against bacillus going on within the human frame all the time. But even then we need not seek to increase the number of the warriors of the interior by drinking impure liquids.
 By the way, where we read in our King James version of the Bible, 'Ye blind guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" in the Spanish Bible the text is. rendered, "Ye pour out the mosquito and swallow a camel"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

are con posed of about 600000,000 of cells. averaging about the one-hundredth part of an inch in diameter.
 But before I leave the subject of bread entirely, let me ask, Did you ever place a piece of moded bread under a micro scope and observe it closely? If not, you have missed a beautiful sight. You have seen the mold on the bread. and will remember that it has three colors-gray green and light blue. Now, if you will bring to bear upon this mold your ml- scrope, wonderful forest springs up before your eyes. There is the gray of the silver maple and the aspen, the green of the North Carolina poplar, and the blue, the smokey-blue of the mountain white pine, which l have seen many times presenting more of a blue than green appearance. And l doubt not, if your glass is stronger than mine, you may see tiny creatures walking about un- der this varied foliage, perhaps, enjoy ing a picnic and spending the day in the tick woods, each one having brought his basket of good things with him. Why not? We know that creatures, smaller than these that I am assuming to be in this mold forest of Arden are capable Of enjoyment. If you have a microscope place a bit of bread away in a warm, damp place until it is covered with mold. then look for the things I have men toned.
 For some time have wanted a good speciman of the mosquito family for my
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

bubbled with humor, and the ridiculous was always first dscerned by him, as 1t is to all humorists. In the quiet re- treat of his humble sanctum unannoyed by the hustle of the throng or the rasp of stridents voices was the native atmos- phere of such a genius as was Hooper It vas in "The Banner" at Dadeville. then an obscure country village, that Hooper first attracted attention as humorist. The droll scenes of the ex- pefiences of census taker of that time diseharging his official function in the baekwoods, where he encountered nu- merous ups and downs, were detailed in the rural paper already named, with in- mtable skill.
 In the retreat of the rural regions, where the first lesson learned alike by members of both sexes, is that of inde- pendence and self reliance, and where is straightway resisted anyone's inter ference with liberty, private affairs, and "helongings," is the basis of series of productions in his little periodical, which themselves would have given Hooper fame. The intrusion of a polite census taKer into the cabin homes of the back woods, where statistical information was sought about poultry. pigs, soap, cows
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

evaporation and were carried off by the winds and suspended in the air by va DOT, which, upon condensing,. passed through a low temperature and froze Into snow. In view of this fact which your microscope will disclose, it Is dangerous for children, as many of them are in- clined, to eat snow, for there may be all sorts of bacteria held in the grip of the snow flakes fantastic fingers. If your child eats snow this coming winter do not be surprised if there follows ulcer ated sore throat, an enlargement of the thyroid gland or scarlet fever, 1nVolv- ing throat and ears. You see, that which is snow now, ascended to the air from the earth as vapor, and no one is able to say whence it rose; it may have as- oended from the back yards of homes where typhoid fever scarlet fever, tuber- culosis or other diseases prevailed. And if such things as I have mentioned may be found in snow, why not disease germs?
 I asked a lady to give me the reason why dough would rise, that is, become porous and light. She answered, Be cause of the yeast" she said. But what makes the yeast" I further asked. She replied, "Why, MT. Fleischman makes that" And so he does. But in the coun- try where MT. Fleischman's' yeast cam not be procured the cooks make their own yeast. They combine water, hops, etc., and give us the best yeast in the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

The skilled manipulation with which the whole is wrought is the work of re- markable genius. Nor is there break or suspension, neither lapse nor padding, but the scenes move and shift with fresh exhibition throughout, and the convuisive effect is irresistible. simon Suggs" was published by the Appletons of New York and for years spread with wonderful effect throughout the country, resulting in the sale of many thousands of copies. From the notoriety produced MT Hooper shrank with girlish sensitiveness.
 m December, 1856, at a meeting Of the Southern Commercial convention, held at Savannah, Hooper was present as del- egate from Alabama. The daily press or the city announced his arrival with no little flourish as one of the distinguished members of the body, and as the well known author of "Simon Suggs" Doubt less this served to swell the crowd when the convention met at night in the Attn eneum. On the assembly of the dele gates, and after the usual formality of reception speeches and replies, and while a committee was out arranging for per manent organization, Judge John A. Jones. himself humorous writer. the author of Major Jones' Courtship.' arose
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
WY WASHINGTON November A. w Had this lis man been of the Bap-
 firt iS al narfain

IVY WASHINGTON, November A. A/ Had this man been of the Bap-
 w tst faith it is almost certain 1867, and had he been a democrat it is absolutely certain that he would nave had great political career. But he was Presbyterian and in Kentucky the Presbyterian church was as pronounceoiy whig as the Baptist was democratic. The anti-slavery men of Kentucky, those who supported the "open clause" of the con- stitution of 1S49, were almost to a man Presbyterians, and very large majority of them were whigs. And here 1t may be remarked that if the Puritans of the north had not put their fanatic fingers into the dish Kentucky would have be- come a free state by 1S60--or 1870 at the farthest--and that by the voluntary suf- frage of her white voters.
 Kentucky was the pet of the republic the belle of the sisterhood, from her ad- mission to the union the last decade of the eighteenth century until the begin ming of the second decade of the last half of the nineteenth century. The rude. unlettered and masterfu men who con uuered the Dark and Bloody Ground from the savage foe and builded the splen- did commonwealth that was cemented in tie first constitution of Kentucky were of the brightest jewels of the Anglo Saxon Cornelia. They had none, or lit- ie, of the learning of the schools; but they harvested and garnered all the phil- osophies of civil liberty. Incapable of cowardice. or humility, they stamped on Kentucky an individuality that no other establishment of political history ever attained. The grandfather of John Mar shall Harlan was one of the pioneers who assembled at Danyille to draft the original covenant that made the gov ernment of the commonwealth of Ken lucky.
 The father of the dead jurist was a distinguished man, leading lawyer more than once attorney general of the state, a prominent whig, the personal friend and political follower of Henry Clay and repeatedly member of Congress from the famed Ashland district. John M. Harlan was educated at Center college. a Presbyterian institution, and was pre- pared fa.. the bar in his fathers office and at Pennsylvania university. He was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

end moved that Simon Suggs' be called cn to give an account of himself forl the last two years The presiding ofricer.' who had evidently never heard before of simon Sunggs," arose with great dig nity and said, "If MT. Suggs is present we should be glad to have him comply with the expressed wish of the conveu- ton by coming to the platform" This was attended by craning of necks and looks of curiosity in all directions. but MT. Suggs" appeared not. Hooper was seated in the pit beside Gen. Albert Pike Of Arkansas wearing a green overcoat. and was overwhelmed with embarrass- ment by the unexpected demonstration. He had the good sense to keep quiet, for his humor could more freely exdue from the nib of his pen than from the point of hi, tongue While to most others this would have been flattery, to Hooper it was an occasion of painfulness. He de- preciated a notoriety won at so cheap price, and by what he regarded a means so unworthy as that of a work like 'Smon Suggs." He sincerely felt that depreciation rather than exaltation was his, as the author of such work, but in this he underestimated the power of his undisputed genius.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

the product be one of rareness, stand ing apart in It's uniqueness and origin ality, it is great and worthy, and the author deserves to be raised on pop ular pedestal to be studied as genius.
 Had Hooper not written simon Suggs" his name would have been ob- scure even unto forgetfulness, and hi. genius unknown to the world. That which he did was apart and above tile ability of others to do. Its source is not the matter to be thought of but the production itself. At any rate, st is the work by means of which the name of Hooper will live as Alabama's $ chief humorist, and as one of the prom inent merry makers of the south.
 There is reason for believing that John son J. Hooper was a grandson of Will liam Hooper, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence The sub- jeot of present discussion came from North Carolina to Alabama, and his first achievement in politics was that of his election to the solicitorship of the ninth judicial circuit. after a stubborn strug- gle with such men as Bowie, Latham
 SpylSer and Presley. But neither the law nor politics was suited to the mind and temperament of Hooper. His being
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

and garden truck" and where the rus tic danes resented such intrusion with broomsticks and pokers, afforded to this man of genius an opportunity to hit off some rare humor ,and in response to his nature he did so. The scene, the ac- tors. involving the polite efforts of the official to explain, and the garrulous re- plies of the doughty danes, embracing throughout the dialogue and the dialect, are depicted with the hand of the master and the skill of the artist
 With it's columns weekly laden with nierriment so rare, the once obscure Banner became the most popular jour nal in the state, and far beyond, for 1t was sought throughout the south and the comical stories were copied far and wide. Encouraged by the popular reception given these effusions, Hooper addressed himself to a more pretentious venture by the preparation of his Simon Suggs." He had the basis of the character to be delineated in certain rude rustic of wag gish procivities who hung about the vil- lage of Dadeville and was well known throughout Talapoosa and the adjoining counties. With him as a nucleus. Hooper in the exercise of his genius constructed lis ''Simon Suggs."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

not directly connected with an exsise commission. Mrs. Nasion's particu- Ter style of reesuning has newer been duplicated, and she will probabully go down in history as the grate and only one of her kind.
 This Sufferagette movemint hadn't moor than opened its eyes before Kansas immedyately recognized it as a good thing and took out coppyrites. "Set still," says Kansas, land we'll show you sum reel Sufferagetts that has class" They delivered the goods, too. A Sufferagette is perfect lady with boil weevils in her garret. The movemint was originated by sum husky Jane that had a wart for a husband that she got "Onwee" frum pecking on and she wanted to go out and peck on sumboddy else's hus- band. There mottow is "votes for
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

the giants of the earth. My wonder Is that there should be any thieves today any liars-any but sane and kingly per- sons on this sweet earth of ours.
 From the appearance of the first thinker who for economic reasons planted the first crop of maize, to the last thinker of this 2Oth century, whoever you are. that strives and aspires, the procession seems to be pageant of giants and pgmies-or rather, a few giants and many pigmies.
 Each generation following that brute man whom God touched with a passion for striving-generation on generation through the laboring years-has striven for it's own up to the possessing, and then striven for it's neighbours own-for it's weaker neighbours own. Written laws appeared for Justification of the con quest of this weaker neighbours own. Slavery and peonage were ushered into the world. I try to reconcile this brutality of the strong--this brutality of those in whom the animal longest lingered-to scheme which had for its end the sur vival of the usefullest. the best In those battles of the mediaeval world, blood and men were cheap-and the vic tors were the brawniest. the most wig orous, the best suited for producing sons and daughtsrs-for felling the forests of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05

lanta look like cheep immytater.
 The populites swept Kansas cleen
 and sent Pffeefer and his interesting
 set of whiskers to the Senate Then
 Kansas produced Mrs. Carrie Nasion of departed fame. Mrs. Nasion was
 one of our best known temperance
 lecturers. She was an orrertor of great forse, and an earnest and ab-
 rupt style. She would go direct to the saloon keeper and appeal to him Sumtimes she appealed to him with onee ting, and sumtimes with anuther, but she was usually successful. Menny saloon keepers were so ovvercum by her arguments that they immediately left there biz ness on the spot, also On the run. Mrs. Nasion was probably moor dis coorraging to saloon keepers than enny uther parson that evver lived