davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

At sixty wrote the Canterbury Tales. Goethe, at Weimer, toiling to the last, Completed Faust when eighty years had passed"
 It will be recollected that Herschell worked at his beloved science up to S1; that Mrs. Sommerville at 80 wrote her learned book on "The Wonders Revealed by the Microscope" and at 90 was push ing her researches into higher mathe- matics; and that Ludovico wrote his Memories of Our Own Times" when he was 115 years old. How splendid were the achievements in old age of Von Molste, Bismarck, Gladstone, Palmerston, Longfellow, Emerson and Peter Cooper! But
 "rhese are indeed exceptions, yet they How far the gulf stream, of our youth
 may flow
 Into the Arctic regions of our lives, When little else than life itself sur-
 vives."
 Exceptions, I say. for the aged gen. by the rush of more vigorous life.
 let, lHlS very retirement rom l11e activities gives old people more time for meditation and for preparation to meet the inevitable end of earthly existence. As fewer things of time engage the thoughts, so much the more should the mind dwell on the things of eternity. Said Victor Hugo in his old age, 1T know am rising to the sky. The earth gives me its generous sap, but beaven lights me with the reflection of unknown worlds Winter is on my head, but eter- nal spring is in my heart. I breathe at this hour the fragrance of the lilacs. the violets and the roses of years ago. The nearer I approach the end the plain CT I hear around me the immortal sym phonies of the world that invites me-
 I said the new year excites the aged especially to pathetic memory and sad reflection. They revert to past years and to the sunny scenes of the long ago, which they contrast with life's winter. when the falling flakes of snow minsls with their thin wind-swept locks Young men see visions,' but old men
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

@AN anyone tell me why the Christ T mas festival, in this most Chris O tian portion of most Christian iand, should be regularly associated with ''looliganism?' Is there any particular reason why the purveyors of fireworks should do their briskest business on the birthday of the Prince of Peace? What is the point of intellectual or moral contact between the small boy with his torpedo" or his giant cracker and the solemn words of the Annunicaton or of the Magnificent? Is there some subtle suitability in the punctuation of sermons on Christmas day with those loud and blatant detona- tions beloved of adventurous or of gre garious youth?
 These questions have been recurring to mo for several years, ever since it became my privilege to dwell among the noble people of the south, and though I have propounded them to experts in archaeolo- gy and art, never yet has satisfactory solution come. So that am being driven to the conclusion that there is no reason worth mentioning, no essential compul- sion laid upon us to seek to please God In the Chinese fashion with a liberal bombardment of High Heaven.
 It will be observed that the quest is two-fold, historic and moral. The historic quest is for the origin of this supposed necessity, which crowds the Christmas sidewalk with rude counters piled with gunpowder and which assaults our sense of reverence by sounds of war and death, and puts the branless white boy and the brainless negro wench side by side, with long, decorated trumpets, marching around the central business blocks on the Eve of the Nativity, as if Birmingham were Jericho and they were Joshua's priestly vanguard. Whence came this singular custom, which thrusts itself upon us not indeed in all America but
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

dream dreams"--dreams of time when life was young, the sky aglow, ambition restless. friends sbouyant. flowers bloom ing and sunlight everywhere. "There're no days like the old days" say they. All has changed and contemplating their sorrows and losses they bring up out of the past song that was sung by lips that have long been silent in death 'sThe harp that once through Tara's halls
 The soul of music shed,
 Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls
 As if its soul had f1ed.'
 Old age makes few friendships It's friends are of the past, and with them the aged ones c6mmunes, although "The messy marbles rest
 On the lips that he has pressed
 In their bloom;
 And ti5a names he loved to hear Have been carved for many a year
 On the tomb"
 The hushed music of old songs, the sense of change, and absence of once familiar faces, cause him to feel that he is a stranger and among strange scenes, his company having gone on before. Ill his age John Ruskin was reviewing a para graph that he had written in his youth and, coming upon the word liberty he said, q forget now what meant by liberty in this paragraph; but I often used the word in my first writ ings in a good sense, thinking of Scott's moorland rambles and the like. It is very wonderful to me now to see what hopes I had once; but Turner was alive then, and the sun used to shine and rivers to sparkle Turner was his loving and intimate friend. In the days of their friendship and love "the sun used to shine and rivers to sparkle"
 But to even the aged the tendency to overlook the blessings of the present while dwelling upon the past may become ab- normal; and, while the death of the old year and the birth of the new, send the mind to past years when the sun shone and the rivers sparlled," do not they also remind men of the abundant blessings they now have, and which they should enjoy? Isn't love still existent? Have
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

.fIo Saturnalia!' The next day the usual bath was taken very early as there was no time later. A family sacrifice of young pig followed, and the rest of the day and the following days were given up to the exchange of calls, presents, and banquets, at which king was chosen whom all must obey. During this period the courts and schools were closed and military operations were suspended that the army might celebrate. A special feature of the Saturnalia laws the free dom given to the slaves, who even had first place at the family tables, and were served by their masters. On December 15 occurred the Consecratia (public vows) and on the 18th the Opatia (worship of the god of grain)."
 It is equally notorious that in those days when the struggle, between the spir- itual forces of Christianity and Pagan ism was decided in favor of Christianity, popular festivals long held necessary by the ignorant populace were merged in available Christian observances. Gradu ally through the centuries the festival of
  served in December, when 1t would agree with the old German Yuletide Observed as part of the sun-worship, by Celts and Germans) and the Roman Saturnalia. Yet it is certain, suppose, that Jesus was not born on December 9, or on any day in December. Some of the early churches kept feast of the Nativity in April or
  Judea is a month of rains, and the shep- herds were almost sure to be safely fold ing their fiocks instead of keeping them out on the hills at the height of the rainy season.
 But it was necessary, the popularizers of religion imagined, to make coali- ton even at the expense of historic yer acity. Hence the deeply rooted popular
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

and sunlight, we are sad and glad. Sad for the mistakes we have made, for du- ties weakly performed, or carelessly neg carry with us always, of days spent with dear ones and kind friends, some of whom we shall see no more in this world; for their voices have been forever hushed in silence here. As write, a tribute of a tear falls to the memory of ono. who was called during the year to join the "Choir Invisible" up beyond the starr. He was to me like as twin brother. An! the sturdy old friend is too vivid to my minds eye. He was a nan-take him for all in all: shall not look upon his like again. as Hamlet said of his father: "The elements were so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up before all the world and say, ''This was a man. Yes, he has gone; but Somewhere, below, above,
 Shall a day dawn-this I know, When shall see him again. .-t
 And now another form comes up be- fore me, who passed during the year. with tired and blIstered feet, to the rest for which that immortality of his soul pined, and I hear him singing as he goes,
 "A call for me, .sa.i :
 Across the sea: ef Cors home, thy work is done; .srgs
 The sky is clear,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

only in these southern cities? That is the historic enquiry which shall be grateful to any reader for light upon, whether drawn from Joel Chandler Harris, Will liam of Normandy or the Book of Revela- ticn.
 But then comes the moral, shall I not rather say the aesthetic question: Is this ftting-all this bare and blasting and be- wildering booming, and the toll of wound cd children who have tried in vain to find the Cradle at Bethlehem by looking at the end of glowing punk or by exam ming whether the touch-paper of the giant cracker was still alight? On both these questions this most superficial ob- server has few suggestions which he must modestly leave to the good sense of his readers. while he awaits further works and other.b .barbarisms on Christmas eve and throughout the holidays may take us far af1eld They will, I think, hardly prove a justification or satisfy the sober citizen. To begin with, one might attempt to show that a Christmas ob served by yelling mobs, strewing confet- ii, changing bells and playing the fool, is a mere survival of old Pagan rites. It is. of course, notorious that the origin of the festival is to be looked for in the Satur- nalia of ancient Rome. Any good cyclo- paedia will tell us how Saturn was the god of the sower, and at the conclusion of the winter sowing on December r, with onstration of joy. The connection of usages between the old Saturnalia ana the traditional Christmas is certainly worth noting. Says the International En- cyclopedia (Art Saturnalia): "At the sac rifice the senators and knights wore the toga, but this was laid aside for the pub lie banquet. After the banquet the pop ulace roamed through the city shouting,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01
\ < vvA hon rd :,

A we board the ship which 1911 has A kindly sent to bear us down the 4 A stream of time. VIC shake hands and say goodbye forever to 1s1o She has been to many of us kind and indul- gent, patient with our shortcomings. shedding sunlight on our paths, and strewing it with fragrant flowers. Many mercies and blessings have surrounded us, encouraging and strengthening our lives to go on and on, to the shores be- yond.
 '"rhe quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from Upon the place beneath: it is twice It blesseth him that gives, and him that
 takes"
 Gods mercies are great.
 He sheds them upon the just and the unjust. Do we realize in our hearts how many of His mercies we have enjoyed during the past year? Do we join with the psaHnist in his songs of praise and thanksgiving for Gods mercies?
 He says, "I will sing aloud of Thy mercy In the morning. for Thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto Thee, O my strength. will sing; for God Is my defense; and the God of my mercy"
 AS the old year recedes from us and we look back through the mists, shadows
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01
Nero as a ROwdy

Suetonius in "The Twelve Caesars"
 After it was dark he used to enter the taverns disguised in a cap or a wig. and ramble about the streets in sport, which was not void of mischief. He used to heat those he met coming home from supper; and, if they made any resistance. would wound them. and throw them into the common sewer. He broke open an1 robbed shops. establishing an auction at home for selling his booty. In the scuf- f1es which took place on those occasions he often ran the hazard of losing his eyes. or even his life; being beaten ale most to death by senator. whose wife he had insulted. After this adventure. he never again ventured abroad at that time of night without some tribunes fol- lowing him at little distance.
 In the daytime he would be carried to the theatre incognito in a litter. placing himself whore he not only witnessed the quarrels which arose on account of the performances. but also encouraged them. When 1t came to blows and stones and pieces of broken benches began to fly about. he threw them plentifuly amongst the people, and once even broks . pras- tors head
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

of life beyond this, the sphere of his infirmities. I am persuaded that compar- atively few. compose this class. Yet, I suppose there are some, like one in an- other parable, who say: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, 'Creeps in this petty face from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out brief
 candle. Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor That stuts and frets his hour upon the
 stage,
 And then is heard no more: it is tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.'
 Having referred to two parables, I se- lect one more. Old age should be like the serene Beulah land, which old John Bunyan describes. It should be full of faith and love, and we should live as much be- yond this world as in it. Of Beulah land Bunyan says, Here they heard contin- ually the singing of birds, and saw every day the flowers appear in the earth and Acoiu liiV NolIS oi LluoiC III lilc idiQ In this country the sun shineth night and day. Here they were within sight of the city to which they were going. Also, they met some of the inhabitants thereof; for in this land the shining ones com monly walked, because 1t was upon the borders of heaven"
 I beg the pleasure of wishing all the aged readers of The Age-Herald a happy new year, and humbly trust that, while they will probably realize the first part of the quotation with which close this paper, sincerely hope they will also feel the full force of the last stanza. The lines were written by an aged man, Al- bert Pike:
 'You are growing old," they tell us.
 "Every year. You are more alone," they tell us, s'E,very year." z rFl ''You can win no new affection, You have only recollection, Deeper sorrow and dejection,
 Every year,
 Yes: the shores of life are shifting,
 Every year; And We are seaward drifting,
 Every year:
 Old pleasures, changing fret us, The living more forget us, There are fewer to regret us,
 Every year. But the truer life draws higher,
 Every year: And its morning star climbs higher
 Every year;
 Earths hold on us grows slighter, And the heavy burden lighter, And the dawn immortal brighter,
 Every year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

sunpowder. A moral appeal to the sense CTS and the superintendents work this thought over for a few months and re- suits will come. But the greatest power is, of course, in the home. What the readers of this essay think is of very great importance. If they think strongly they can create public opinion.
 For whether on November. 5 July 1, or December 9, the boy and the gunpowder are a presage of woe. They are an un- lucky combination of planets. Mothers do well to be anxious and fathers would do better to substitute something more rational for the weapons of mimic war.
 What? Rob the poor children of their pleasure? No. Rather give them pleas- ures more worth while, and on appro- priate occasions give them an artistic dis play of fireworks, under competent man. agement But at least divorce the blessed memorial of the Savior's birth from the fumes of birthstone and fire.
 Inhibitions and prohibitions are of little force against entrenched custom. The hi'ci oA pod SuSeoih ID Puphc opiiloHs Church and school and civil authority could wisely work towards a Christmas that should be void of barbaric noises, full of innocent joys, and harmonious with the angelic greeting to the shep- herds: Peace on earth to men of good will" With becoming modesty I there- fore voice a common feeling that the Christmas cracker is an insult to Bethle- hem, hardly less outrageous than the or- gies of half-drunken mob.
 "In vain, with cymbals' ring
 They call the grisly king
 Iu. dismal dance about the furnace blue" Why then keep up the show of Pagan rites?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

But night draws near, Embark at set of sun.
 Into the night
 With spirit flight. Leaving my cares behind,
 Hoping for day
 I'll wait away The other shore to find.
 It is not far.
 The evening star a Marks where that land begins
 Whose every height
 In endless light With hallelujah rings.
 My home Is there, His love to share Who gave himself for me.
 I hear the word.
 I come dear Lord. st Iris heaven to be with Thee" He was an eminent educator in the south, and for 33 years had filled with honor the professors chair of moral phil osophy in, the University of Virginia. He was ,A brilliant author. hopored and loved of men. Dear old friend, he had fought the good fight and was ready for his crown. Nineteen hundred and eleven. what have we brought to thee? Many resolu- tons, 1t may be; but do we come with pure hearts and clean hands, with peace and good will to all men? Let us not come bringing . microscope with us for the purpose of seeing their faults. If their
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

And there was no mistake for the fei- low believes with his whole heart, mind and strength. He loves justice as he sees it with the loyalty of an angel. ana he hates oppression as he sees is with cordiality of a devil. He Is great big boy, and if he would go to school to me for a year I would make of him one of the proudest of living statesmen. He is of the people, of the soil. He has no ax to grind. He has nothing but the good of the man who tolls with his hands to heart-and listen Ollie will grasp the hand of the day laborer shoveling coal on the street as heartily and as sincerely as he would the hand of his best friend in Congress.
 And after all, is not the heart even better than the head? A long time ago a few men met in cabin In the precinct that is now Danville, Ky. They there formed constitution for that common- wealth and made the grandest state of the entire sisterhood of American coni- monwealths.
 Ollie James is of that clan. I have watched him for years-he is of that guold. He is the stuff.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-12
HIGH PRICES FOR JEWELS.

PHILADELPHIA, April 1.-THE col
lection of E. Burd Grub. of kearny,
N. j., who upon moving placed his fur
niture and art collection on sale 1T
the Philadelphia art galleries, has
brought forth hundreds of %connois-
seurs.
So far the high spot reached in pur-
chase prices was that of 1880 paid
for an emerald pendant studded with
n~inety-one diamonds. The emerald
weighs liz carats. Another high price
was paid for a large and deliberately
carved English oak dining-room set.
consisting of a sideboard, serving ta-
BILE. dining table, ten chairs and a
screen. This sold for s1.25O, and a
Louis XVI. parlor suit Of six pieces
brought SITS.
A marble, gold and silver bronze
vase, made by Tiffany & Co., of New
York, for Boss William NJ. Tweed.
brought $500, and s195 was paid for an
old ebony cabinet which won the grand
diploma of honor at the Paris exhibit
ton in 1857.
A number of rugs and oriental ear
pets brought good prices. and two
silver tea sets sold for $225 and 1915,
respectively. A Japanese rock crystal
bali with a lockwood stand brought
s142. so, and a Steinway upright piano
was sold for $3.50.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-12
WATCHMAN'S BODY
IS UNCLAIMED At
MULLINS MORGUE
Peters Met Instant Death While
Chasing After Woman
Thief.

Up to room today no one had called
at Mullins morgue, in Lafayette street,
to claim the body of John Peters, the
night Waterman who was killed While
pursuing a thief on the Central railroad
tracks last night. Peters boarded at
1929 Ferry street, and it is believed his
family lives in Brooklyn. Efforts were
MADE today to get in touch with them.
Peters was IS years old and was I'm
ployed as night Waterman by Rufus y.
Brown & Co., contractors, who are
building the new station at Ferry
street. About 7 o'clock last night
Peters saw a woman taking lumber
from beside the tracks. He started
along the east bound tracks to drive
her from the railroad property and
failed to see a train coming toward
him.
When the train was almost upon MIN
Peters attempted to jump, but stumbled
and his head struck the cow-catcher.
His skull was fractured and most of the
bones in his body were broken as ne
was pushed along the tracks. The acct
dent occurred near Fillmore street.
After viewing the body County Physi-
clan Mckenzie ordered it removed to
Mullins morgue and granted a burial
permit.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-04-12
PREsBYTERY ENDS
SPRING SESSION
WITH ORDINATION
Rev. W. Gaius Greeuslade Is
Chosen to Labor as Mis-
sionary in Syria.

The spring conference of the Pres
bytery of Morris and Essex was
brought tc a close yesterday afternoon
with the ordination of the Rev. W.
Gaius Greenslade in the Bethel Pres
byterian Chapel. East Orange. The
Rev. Elijah W. Stoddard, 90 years old.
of ~Succasunna. delivered the charge
and the Rev. John McNaughton, OF
Chatham. gave the prayer. The Rev.
Mr.. Greenslade will go as q mission
airy to Syria.
Delegates comprising ministers and
elders were CHOSEN to attend the gen
eral assembly to be held ar Atlantic
City. They are: The Re Peter Me-
MILAN, Dover; the Rev. j. 6. Symne.
Mendham; the Rev. Brown. Bud II
Lake; elders. S. G. Burnham. Norris
town; NJ. E. Condict. West Drank
and a Mr.. King, OF Succasunna.
At the morning session the Rev.
Peter Mcmillan was elected as moder-
ator. Routine business followed. in
GLIDING committee reports. The annual
report was read by the Rev. DR.. John
Fulton Patterson, pastor of the Central
Presbyterian Church. Orange.
An overture from the Cincinnati
P~resbytery providing for a more thor
| ough examination of candidates to the
ministry was deemed too important for
hasty consideration and it was tabled
A report of the years work in the
churches comprising the P~reshytery
was read by the Rev. David Q. Irving
pastor OF Bethel Church. which shoved
the churches to have had a good year.
A. w. Kiiborne and Albridge c. Smith.
both of Orange, the committee 80 re
port on apportionments, showed that
the forty-one churches had paid
81, 4s4.s 81.
Other reports were given by the Rev.
DR.. Charles Townsend; of the First
Presbyterian Church, Orange. who pre-
| scented the claims OF the benehciaries;
the Rev. T. B. Ironsides. chairman Of
the temperance COMMITTEES; the Rev
DIR. ]. r. Riggs. chairman of the COM
mittee on American Bible Society; the
Rev. r. r. Wicks. chairman of the
| committee on SUNDAY schools; the Rev,
d. D. Burrell, chairman Of the commit
tee on seasonal records.