davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

"HE finger ring is of very ancient
 origin. It was worn long before
 J Joseph and Pharaoh came upon the stage of history, and is mentioned again and again in the early Hebrew scriptures. On one of the Egyptian mummy cases in the British museum there is representation of an Egyp- tian woman's hands upon which there are about eight rings. Among the oldest nations of the east one finds, in the ornamentation of the hands, as read upon the remains of figured tab lets, any number of rings. There are also nose rings and ear rings in fre- Quent evidence.
 The custom of wearing jewels in rings arose at a very early period. This was confined to kings and persons in authority, at first. The stones used in these rings were generally engraved, and were used as convenient seals of authority. Alexander the Great, Is said to have sealed all state documents in Europe with his own ring; but in Asia he used the ring of Darius.
 It is most probable that Pliny, the old Latin writer, was correct when he said the Romans derived the custom of wearing rings from the Sabines; they having learned it from the Greeks. There is no mention of rings being worn by the Romans before the reign of Numa Pompilius4 The rings then worn were of iron. later of silver, and finally of gold The latter were gener- ally confined to senators. who wore their rings only on public occasions. Hannibal after the battle of Cannae, sent back to Carthage, as trophies won from the Romans, three bushels of rings. Horace, in the Sat. II, tells us that he had permission from the Elm peror Augustus to wear the ring that graced his finger
 The fops of old Rome made great show of their rings. They had heavy rings for winter, and wore light ones in summer Heliogabalus wore a profusion of rings. but never wore the same ring twice. The men of fashion in Athens we, e prodical in their purchase of rings. Here- dotus tells us that the Babylonians wore rings. My conviction Is that In Layard's Assyrian excavations you may see iic- torial illustrations of the rings worn by men and women of the time of Jonah. I have just looked for my two volumes of Layard, but they are gone. so I cannot verify my supposition. .
 Even before the introduction of Chris
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

would if I could, but you see how it is yourself" They flattered him, and he yeeled to the soft impeachmint of sum Peach"
 Is Alabama then to follow Kansas and Californy? Must we yeeld to the "Skerts ?" Air we no longer men? Is it possibul that in 1916 when Birmingham and Alabama shall again, perhaps, present to the Nasion favorite Sun for polytical prefer ence, that-that Sun will not reely be Sun but daughter? When a grate polytical banquet shall be given at that time at the Country Club, will the Speakers upon that occasion have to get up and say, Madam Toast-Mis- tress? It begins to look that way.
 But it is not too late. Gully is not with them Hart and Sole, there was a trick in it sum where beleeve me, and perhaps yet we may reeapture him. Evvery thing is fare when you air scrapping with a suffergett. You may talk of your Inisiative and Ref
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

not in enny way a reflectsion upon our muthers and our wives and sis ters, I will not say sweetharts, be- cause if feller had sweethart that was suffergett he ought to be strung" if he didn't side-step before it was too late. We would nuss up things that naturally belong to Wo- man and the things to which she has always given her attension and care just as badly, or even worse perhaps than she is going to muss up ours, if she gets into them. It is for her deer sake that we do NOT want her to mix in polyticks, and it is for our own peece of mind as well as her sake that we air going to fite against 1t to the last trench.
 And in conclusion, we say, pick out a good chanse Gully and return to us, we need you. The Wimmin don't want to vote enny how they just think they do. Yours troolys,
 BILL VINES.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

giants who set in motion the tides of influence which make great commun- ities and even states, and yet whose worthy claims are never heralded to tho world as are the deeds of those who reach the popular heights toward which the eyes of the public are accustomed to turn.
 To this worthy class in the quieter walks of life belong numbers of the best men of every generation whose vacations are such as to hide them from the popular view, and yet without whom the greatness and the prosper ity of commonwealth could not be.
 Belonging to this class was Daniel Pratt, native of New Hampshire, sa carpenter by trade, and man in whose capacious brain were great enterprises. Utterly without pretention he was at first a common 1aborer, working at his trade in different cities in Georgia for period of about 15 years, in the early part of the century.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

At that time the question of cotton as a staple had assumed new proportions in view of the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney about 50 years pre- viously. and in view of the capabilities of the soils of the south to produce the staple. The struggles of Whitney to maintain his rights as the inventor of the gin has been prolonged through a pro- tracted period of years, leaving him bar ren honor alone, but his suggestion had found its way to the inventive genius and mechanical aptitude of others, among whom was Daniel Pratt. He removed to Montgomery in 1883, for the purpose of establishing a gin factory in that town. At that time the manufacture of cotton gins was quite limited, but the sagacious carpenter saw in the future the possi
 bility of a means of vast commerce in the manufacture of machines that would reduce the indispensable staple to market able conditions, and while conditions in Alabama were at that time still new,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

wage earners restive They desire to smile on MT. Lloyd Georges great Social Insurance scheme and knife it, so that presently they may get the credit of a still more socialistic measure. They de- sire to keep the English Episcopal church in power in Wales, though the Welsh peo- pie are overwhelmingly non-conformst. They desire to keep the parish clergyman in authority in the schools, though his presence there represents spiritual tyran- ny exerted by one-third of the people over another third. They desire to reverse the decision to reform the House of Peers. But here is their darling and cherished desire: To keep Ireland from home rule, to keep home rule from Ireland.
 All this is, it will be observed, the pol icy of the Rock against the Tide. It is too inert a policy to prove attractive or to awake enthusiasm. Yet somehow MT. Bonar Law is entrusted with the duty, and is expected to succeed in awakening the enthusiasm of England for that null ishness, that stolidity, that impasslNe front towards the future, that magnifl- cent method of the old woman's pig who s'would not get over the stile in order that she might be home in time to make her old man his apple dumplings.
 MT. Law, being both a Presbyterian and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

to our cause, was not to be question ed. In his fidelity we felt secure, for had he not always been trew to us, and had we not honored him with
 fiat jobs? and it was evven so at the present time. He assured us that with him our flag would be safe, and
 in his hands our cause would be prosecuted until victory fpeerched
 upon our banner. With him as feeder we felt so absolutely safe that we gave the James," who air putting in ovvertime yelling "votes for wimmin' the "haw-haw" He assured us that our pants weer safe with him, and that he would be found fitting at the
 last trench, for us. But alas, who can fore see the cunning of the enemy? Not even Redpep with all his wisdum was proof against there superior dipplomasy and intreege; They set trap for this Big Fish" and rite into it he jumped, and be- fore he knew it he was bound hand and foot, and now the Fare Ones air
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

and the production of cotton acted and reacted on each other with wonderful effect MT. Pratt was compelled to en- large his facilities for the manufacture of gins, so that by 1860 he was building not less than 1500 each year. The Pratt gin became famous throughout the south and to the be ginning of the Civil war the sales continued to grow. From that little industrial center in the woods of Au- auga were going forth the means of energy and stimulation which were grad ually transforming the agricultural con ditions of the entire south.
 Through the years this quiet but enter prsing genius was prosecuting his work, unseen and largel unknown for a long time, save by means of his gfn, and yet his quiet retreat was center from whi eh there was emanating motive power for the promotion of prosperity.
 MT. Pratt was Alabama's first great captain of industry. He was not a dreamer, but a seer. He projected his
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

Pratt discerned an opportunity both for the gin and the production of cotton.
 Lands were of fabulous fertility; popu- lation was pouring southward; the ad- vocacy of slavery had been hushed by the prospective productiveness of south ern lands, and Alabama was destined to become the center~of an expansive region for the production of cotton.
 At that time capital was not so abun- dant cotton was not so pregnant a factor in commerce. and the manufacture of gins was rather a novelty among the in dustries. But this sturdy, quiet man of business was controlled by the conditions then prevailing as he was by the possi- bilities of the future. Being a pioneer in an important branch of industry meant much, and he had the pluck and faith to venture.s Pratt believed in himself and no man. succeededs who does not; he believed in the future of the country, and was resolved to begin the manufacture of gins. He was not encouraged to locate
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

eloquent speaker, that would make all uther stars look like the last eff
 fort of dying litning bug, but we had not rekoned on enny feemale
 stars trying to start sumthing. While we weer there eloating ovver our superiority in matters of state and devising ways and neens how we could land our favorite into the high est office in the gift of the peepul. our wives and sisters and sweetharts weer sumwhere else, not all of them asleep as we supposed, but menny of them with there heds so close to- gethur that the rats in there hair could shake hands with each uther planning our polytical demise. And they now have the aid and comfort of Gully. We had planned grate future for Gully, had he remained with us, nuthing, to our minds, was too good for him, but sum Fare One has sheered the locks of this mitey Samsun, and he looks upon up with sorrowful eyes and seys, "boys, I
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

NI ASHlNGTON, ,Decemper z.-tope- \X/ cial)-The editor of the Courier
 w Journal has been preaching a sermon on the suspicious occasion of the dedication of a Rew Christian church in Louisville, and Rev. Dr. D. l.. Powell that whom all the hierarchies of all Chris tendon can show no aber or juster critic, pronounces it an excellent sermon. and so will you. too, should you read it. As a sample of letters it equals discourse recited by Corporal Trim in tristan Shandy," and as moral preachment IL surpasses even that admirable chapter, It difYerentiates between religion and theolo-v doct~ire and dogma, Canaan and Egypt, Mordecai and Haman. And Y cnapsis has been churches had all our clergy treated the subject as ably, as brilliantly. as delectably as Mars Henry.
 Stella asserted that Dean Swift could write entertainingly on the subject Of hrcomst,ck, and Goethe, who was far in ferior to Swift in the world of letters'did that very thing, as follows:
 The hand. on Saturday. the mop that
 plies,
 Will, of a Sunday, fondle you the best ,
 And I warrant you that Mars. Henry can do it. too, and as well as the Irish man who wrote "A Tale of a Tube" or the Dutchman who wrote 'Wilhefm Meister'' Once there was newspaper man in Nlouisville from Hart county
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

wisdom and his ability to destroy them. Now, King Solomon had a wonderful ring, and he determined to use it 70 the destruction of the pestering linn. So, one day, when the Jim were hay ing much sport at his expense. King Solomon called upon the ring to clear away the Jim, or to enable him to do so. Whereupon, the King caught the Jim, and placing them within jars, sealed them up, and had them cast into the Red sea. Now, the reader may not believe this story; but some time when he is in the neighborhood of the Red see, let him fish up one of these jars, and if he finds Jinnee therein, he'll be convinced beyond doubt.
 The Greeks tell of a number of rings that were endowed with magic power. The ring worn by Gyges had tn.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03
DE ALABAMA-DANIEL PRATT-By B.. F. Riley

ISans into the future. wisely measured their scope. and carefully moved to their execution. He had mission. and wisely fulfilled 1t. He probed the future with the eye of an industrial prophet, and his interests expanding with the growth of demand, he himself was being made while he was making. Action always reacts- While the man makes the fortune. the fortune makes the man. The bog car penter apprentice of New Hampshire be- came one of the princely manufacturers of the south While through more than . generation others through the flare Of publicity enjoyed the plaudits of the mul- titude and of the press, Daniel Pratt pur- sued the even tenor of his way, build Ing substantially, lastingly. While others were in the current he was on the outer edge creating current of his own.
 On Autauga creek he has built his own monument In a mighty industry and in little city which is now sought by the worlds current of commerce.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03
RINGS-By Dr. w. E. Evans

Christianity adopted the ring in its mar
 riage service at an early time, and also
 chose to have its bishops wear the pon-
 titical circle of gold with it's high sym bolism.
 In the very early ages kings became associated with all manner of super sition, legends and wierd stories. One of the oldest so far as I know, is as- sociated with Solomon, and runs about thus:
 The Jim, am giving the plural, were fairies who were born of fire, and were the plague of Arabans. They could assume any form they wished. such as dogs cats or monsters of evil. The good Jim were beautiful beings, but the vicious ones were hideous to the last degree. On one occasion the evil Jim annoyed King Solomon, not knowing his
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

strange quality of making it's wearer invisible. Candaules produced his wifs in a state of nudity before King Gy> ges. Gyges determined to have the lovely creature for his wife. So, ac- cording to Plato, he descended into the earth and found a brass horse; he cut the side of the horse away, and found man within, or rather, the skeleton of a man. On one finger there was a brazen ring. which Gyges drew forth. It had the power to make him invisible And, invoking the aid of the marvellous ring, he entered the chamber of Cam daules in a state of invisibility, ana slew him. He then married Nysia. tn. young widow They lived happily ever after. Gyges, King of Lydia, died about CTS B. c.
 I have at my right hand, as I pen
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

tianity the Romans used the "Espousal'' ring. I know that this was the custom in Rome, put I do not remember that Ovid once mentions it. and yet it seems to me that he must have done so in his "Art of Love" but it has been a long time since first read Ovid. Can any of my readers tell whether or not he refers to the ring in anywise?
 I remember seeing the form of a wom- an in a glass case at the museum of old Pompeii. The body expressed the most tragic torture. She had been caught in the destruction of the ancient city and smothered. On one of the fingers was a ring. Since the year 97 A. D. she has worn that ring. Was 1t marriage ring? Was 1t love token? Gone these many centuries are those who could have told us.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

these lines, one of. my old stand-bys in four volumes, "The Arabian Nights" Gear old stories. How much pleasure they have given to the world for chil, dren and older people for generations! have them right at my elbow, because wanted to refresh my memory on the subject of Aladdin's magic ring, and. so, took them down from the shelf.
 When that strange magician from Africa, who misrepresented himself tt be Aladdin's uncle, directed the boy to steal the wonderful lamp. he gave him ring that would preserve him from every evil that would otherwise happen to him. It was magic ring and served Aladdin far better than he expected. On. his return from stealing the lamp, he was very slow to part with that ar ticle. The African, becoming violently
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

at Montgomery, as he would have been glad to do, and most fortunate for that city, could he have done so. MT. Pratt went to Autagua county, and on the plantation of General Elrnore, manufac- tured a few gins. This was only ten- tative venture and one preparatory for greater things toward which he was gradually moving.
 On Autauga creek, near McNeil's mill, there was abundant water power with which to operate his primitive machin- cry, and leasing the use of this power for nominal sum, he was enabled fi- nally to begin the manufacture of gins. Both faith and grit were needed to meet he demand of the occasion, but these MT Pratt had Guided by the same sag acity which had led him thus far, he was finally in condition to purchase land fur ther up on Autauga creek, where he | built his first factory and founded a l town which he named Prattyille
 1 The manufacture of gins in the south
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

" ENUINE worth is frequently
 v overlooked because 1t does not 0 appear in the glare and rush of demonstration and because it may mod estly shrink from the spectacular. The solid distinction reached by many is due to conditions which lie out of sight and without which many who reach positions of prominence would not have been heard of beyond their native hor- icons.
 Impelled by ambition, many see and seize the opportune moment presented, fall into the current created by oth- CTS, and are borne to eminence. Lying back of that which the world esteems greatness are causes created of which many avail themselves to ride to pop ular spectacularity and yet these may be only the superficial and surface et- fects.
 In what are usually esteemed the bumbler walks of life are oftentimes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03
X xIsTUR EDITUR-If there is a

X HISTUR EDITUR-If there is a
 M weller streek in us on this
 suffragett bizness we have not yet found it, but, resent events, we air bound to confess, has sum- what disencounraged us. We air now in position to sympathize with those hardy herows who fought thru four years of war, only in the end to meet defect, only they met defect that was glorious, and was not without honor, for they weer ovvercum by superior numbers and lack of ammunision. But here we air rite in the beginning of the fite, so to speek, in Alabama, both sides, as it weer, lining up for the fray. In Birmingham we had selected feeder who's intrepid and dauntless spirit and marked ability had always landed him on top of the heep, and who's wisdum in counsel, had marked him, as a rival of old man Solomun himself. His loyalty
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-09-14
Expen siVe Irmiursnt.

The gypsy moth is r-'i. opean PEST
which was accidentally introduced
into Massachusetts nearly 40 years
ago, and has since spread rather
slowly, being still confined to the east
ern part of Massachusetts and Rhode Is
land. the southern part O. New Hamp-
sh e, and to more OF less isolated To-
calities in eastern ClEEecticut and
southwestern Maine. The presence of
this insect was first discovered in Bos-
ton in 1889, and the state of Massa-
chusetts for a number OF years KEPT
up vigorous effort to eXlerminate
the insec;. making lalg9 appropria
tions therefor This work was aban-
doned, however, in 1900, but the condi-
lions soon became so bad that ap-
preparations were again made in 1905,
and have since been continued annu-
ally. In spite OF the work of that
state the situation became so serious
that the national government practi-
cally on the ground of the great dan
ger that these pests would soon
spread to other states, was called upon
to assist, and since 1907 congress has
been making annual appropriations to
aid in the work of control. The amount
of this appropriation is now 100000
annually.-Farmers Bulletin No. 453
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-09-14
She Was Also Frightened.

all say it's shame for your husband
to lay the law down to you as he
does"
But he doesn't He has never tried
to boss me one single time"
"You used to be out every after
noon"
"He just thought it was little too
much"
you haven't been to the club in
four weeks"
Stephen said he'd rather stay
home"
"You didn't ride out all last week"
But we haven't carriage of our
very expensive"
"Just so. Everybody said Stephen
Roberts would put an end to your ex-
travagances. Oh, he's bossing you all
right"
When the visitor had departed Mrs.
situation. Was her husband bossing
i her? Was he humbling her to the
dust? Was he insidiously curtailing
her privileges? No! Yes! Come to
think of it, he was actually playing
the domestic tyrant and wearing a
mask while doing it. Other folks had
noticed it right along, but she had
been foolish and blind. She had given
| up this and given up that, and now
people were calling her humble cat!
And did that domestic tyrant of
Stephen Roberts think any more of
her for her sacrifices, as she named
them? Not bit. He would simply
go on demanding more. He had asked
her to give up. hired carriages, but
had he given up cigars? He had asked
! her to eliminate her club, but wasn't
he riding the goat at his Masonic
lodge one night a week?
| Mrs. Clara Roberts had three hours
to think things over before her hus-
band came up to dinner. That was
| plenty of time to arouse her obstinacy,
and when he entered the house she
was ready for him. The love-light
had gone out of her eyes. There was
! a red spot on either cheek. She wait
ed FIVE minutes for him to ask what
the matter was and as he didn't do it
she boldly declared:
stephen, want to ride out every
afternoon next week."
You know what my salary is at the
bank" he replied.
And l shall go to the club"
| 81 hope not"
"And l want new suit at once!"
| eyes,"
81 didn't marry you to be ground
DOWN."
/ "No?"
| Mother. said l could come home to
her any time"
"Yes?"
"And II things don't change at once