davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

Her vanity led her to sit hundreds of times to the photographers. One of her pictures was taken with Swlnburne when he was sowing his wild oats in London Another represented her with Alexander Dumas. 1t was picture of Beauty and the Beast" for Dumas was as ugly as Menkin was inexpresslbly beautiful. mean Dumas the elder.
 Her wit and beauty led men to strcw her pathway through the enchantments of Vanity Fair with fragrant flowers. with costliest jewels, and with untold sums of money. which she condescended to accept. But the glory of her career was finally eclipsed. The class of men whom she knew and who professed love for her were as chanagable as she was Other favorites came into the radiant scenes of Vanity Fai~ Former habitues were forgotten. Menltfn tried to maintain her old power over men, which was for
 nerly proverbial; but Paris smiled, then
 laughed, then scorned the woman whose beauty was fading because of dissipation, and. upon hearing that she was dead, merely exclaimed, Mon Dieu," and gath ering up its silken skirts followed the long line of rustling gowns through the brilliantly lighted aises of Vanity Fair, smiling, chatting, laughing at hollow nothings. At that very hour lay the poor body of the worlds former most famous beauty amid surroundings of pathetic pow erty. Not worn out with age, but with the life that she had lived She was only 33. Yet every flower in the garden of life was withered at B: every song of her heart was hushed at 33; and every love was dead at 39.
 Yet, as Lola Montez became at the last, a penitent, like the woman in the scrip lures: lost. because not yet found, and weary, because she had not till now come to Him who gives rest. so it may have been with this poor straying woman, your sister and mine, Adah IsaacsN Men kin. We are to suppose that the words. Thou knowest' were suggested for her tombstone by herself. Thou referring to God. He alone knew her heart, her struggles against temptations, the sor- | rows that she experienced, and, at last, only God knew how she tried to grope through the deepening darkness to And the path that leads to light. Thou knowest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

from all this hollowness, from all this sin the two women, still mere girls, fell and sank into neglect, into scorn and into forgetfulnees. They were much alike in life, they were much alike in death. almost identical. They had in common a poetic ideality and roseate dreams of a romantic life. The narrow confines of quiet social life they both resented, and beat their wings against the cage of their social Imprisonment until they forced open the dor and escaped into the wide, wide world-to be, as Ouida says in Tri- cotrin of another, ITO be swallowed down by its cruel jaws" Once innocent, but soon soiled. It's the sad story of many life. The outcast, the lost man, the lost woman, now staggering down the dark way to the realm of the Queen of Hell, were all once innocent.
 I beg to mention curious coincidence. Among the eminent men whom Miss Men pers at her splendid London establish ment was Swinburne the poet, and when Trowbridge wrote the life of Lola Mon- tez he heads all that follows with a stanza from one of Swinburne's poems Dolores. It reads thus on the page just opposite the portrait or tne DTllndHtly beautiful romantic adventures:
 By the hunger of change and emotion, By the thirst of unbearable things,
 By despair, the twin-born of devotion, By the pleasure that winces and stings, The delight that consumes the desire, The desire that outruns the delight,
 By the cruelty deaf as a fire
 And blind as the night"
 I think these lines express the unde- fined. wild romantic natures of Menkin and Montez. Within them there was something that responded to the call of the great world as yet. unexplored by them For the height and breadth of the life beyond the home they hungered. They would know its pleasures, though they might bring a sting. They both lived to realize "the delight that con sumes the desire" and "the desire that outruns the delight"
 I have never known these points of analogy to have been made by any writer before, nor this: Montez was often before the courts, once Menkin was, though this was not to her dIs- credit. It was this way: She was an intense southerner and was summoned
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

went hell-bent for Governor Kent, Tip pecanoe and Tyler too."
 In 1S47. which was seven years before the present republican party was born, Maine was represented in the United Staates Senate by two democrats, one of whom was James W. Bradbury, who lived to a great age and died democrat His term expired in 1858, since when no dem- ocrat has sat in the Senate from Maine. Here Is the republican list covering pe- riod of 5S years: Hamlin, Fessenden, Nourse Merrill, Farwell Blaine, Hale and Frye and from that list might be erased the names of Nourse and Far well, who served only small fractions of terms. Blaine, too, was a senator less than six years.
 Hannibal Hamlin was of democratic an- tecedents The slavery issue drove him out of the party he had served so long and faithfully. Lincoln said that his ad- ministration was a composite affair of whig and democrat. Himself, Seward, Secretary of State; Bates, Attorney Gen. eral, and Smith, Secretary of Interior. were whigs, whilst Hamlin, vice presi- dent; Chase Secretary of Treasury: Cam eron, Secretary of War; Blair, Postmaster General, and Wells, Secretary of Navy, were democrats. But they were agreed as to the issue of slavery, and that was the momentous question.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
Y HENRY WARD BEECHER said man
 is a three-storied animal. He may u u ba r,ora than that hut he ia at

1T HENRY WARD BEECHER said man
 is a three-storied animal. He may ! ! be more than that. but he is at least three stories high-or low.
 There is the first story.
 That Is the basement, the ground floor. where we spend most of our time. There appetite rules and passions crawl. We are so made that the daily cares of our physical selves require much attention. Above is the second story.
 That is where we live Intellectually. Some of us live up there more than do others. But if we spend even a brief time in that pleasant room each day 1t gives us strength and happiness.
 The third story?
 That is the best part of ourseves-the highest story. And do you know there are some who seldom live in that part of the house? They put in 1t no furnish ings and treat 1t as if 1t were mere earret. It is the tower room where we live i'll kinship with the spiritual forces of the universe.
 Where do you live?
 In the basement of yourself?
 Or on your intellectual foor-the sec- ond story of yourself?
 Or on the serene heights of your spir-
 
 How some of us furnish, and furni- ture the basement! There Is nothing too good for our physical entertainment.
 And many of us find in the intellectual second story our choicest treasures and our coziest place
 But the top storyf
 An! There in that upper chamber we are to find the source of all our strength. Even a few moments in communion with the spiritual forces of that altitude will bring peace and power
 How get up there?
 We rise on stepping stones of our dead j selyes-clinb the stairs up from self to selashness. Sometimes from base to tow er is a long way, but like the stairs to the top, of Stirling castle-there's the out look!- Where do you live? IA Tn the basement or sub-basement of yourself?
 Did you ever stop to think that the base ments of this life mayhap extend into tfe next life? ' This is typical story of injustice to woman.
 When William Johnson's wife died the children were all married except Milly' tho youngest. and Twas taken for granr-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
YOMAN in religion is perhaps the most interesting single fact of
 every age and nation. It was

XUIOMAN in religion is perhaps the \X/ most interesting single fact of
 w every age and nation. It was woman whose influence was paramount in great crisis of the Hebrew story. Among the Chinese the mother of Mencius is re- vered equally with her splendid son.
 Apollo could not speak to ancient Hellas save through woman's lips. And in the long development of Christianity, woman has been a constant spiritual factor.
 This is all the more remarkable, in view of the discount, the contempt from which the women of all nations have had to suffer- Buddhism scorns womanhood, and yet, Buddhism worships at the shrine of a goddess. The Chinese people be- moan themselves when daughter rather than a son Is the flrst-born. But nowhere on earth is the eternal feminine more potent. The same historian who tells us of Paul, who suffered not woman to speak in the assembly, shows him nrst introducing the Gospel to Europe through woman. What could be cheaper than to decry the newer mysticism on the ground that It's stronghold is among women? Have not women like Madame Guyon been the teachers of their contemporaries in every Christian age? I am anxious to do justice to Anna. the prophecies, old or young. welded or widowed. And I am com pelled to recognize that the womanly type Is singularly adapted to reflect the deep CT, the more subtle, the more unuttera-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

A FEW days ago there appeaed in
 "A The Age-Herald copied article 4 A on the career of Ada Menlon. That ton. The first thing about the clipping that caught my eye was the misspelling of the name of the famous actress. She persistently refused to spell her name Ada" and with equal persistency held that her name was Adah Isaacs Menkin.
 The maiden name of this celebrated emotional actress was Fuertes. Her first husband was named Menkin-A. Isaacs Menkin--and though she had three suc- cessive husbands after she had divorced Menkin. she was always known by the name of her first husband. but was never called, after the first divorce, Mrs. Men kin, but Miss Menlxin."
 She was ravishingly beautiful wom- an. I was mere child when this stella actress was one of the greatest attrac- tions on the American stage, but singular as 1t may seem have from time to time through the years recalled this wonder ful woman out of the misty past, and through the eyes of reminiscence l have gazed upon the splendor of her beauty and sadly sighed at the waywardness of her life.
 Her history bears many points of re- semblance to that of the celebrated and notorious Lola Montez, who died before my time. but whose life. written by w. R. H. Trowbridge, I have read. They were both christened Dolores; each child lost her father by death when she was only 2 years old; in their young maiden hood they both achieved distinction as stage dancers: while still practically chill dren they both married, and each soon was separated from her husband Menkin had singular aptness for the learning of languages, so had Lola Montez; giv- ing up their dancing as means of live- lihood, they both became actresses; the life of each one was filled with TO- nance, adventure, disappointments. sor- rows and losses. and with deeds that one may not mention; from exalted and brilliant positions of pomp and splendor wherein royalty laid its admiration at their feet. and where 'the creeping thing" vice, had put on wings of rain bow hues and flew through air burdened with the fragrance of incense rising from silver censers before the shrine of lust
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

I returned, unexpectedly, one Satur- day night from my summers vacation. The church officials had granted the Ladies Temperance society," the use of my church audience room for a lec- ture on the following night. When the deacons were apprised of my return they offered to withdraw the appointment, that I might fill my pulpit as usual on Sun day night; but being glad to help the tenn perance cause insisted that the appoint ment be not interfered with, and con- sented to introduce the lecturer to the audience. He hailed from Maine, and was an entire stranger in the city, but brought letters commendatory of his work for temperance.
 The church was crowded. The audi ence room was, probably, the largest in the city. I should say at rough guess there were seated 2000 people in cluding those in the gallery. The peo- pie of the city largely and ardently advocated temperance.
 Seated in the end of pew near the rostrum I noticed the only negro In the audience. I knew something of his life. He was a lawyer of some ability; had come to New Bedford as a runaway slave some years previous to the civil war, and had entered the of flee as servant of state-rights lawyer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

before General Wool. He was then in charge of military affairs at Balti- more and in the same city at the old Holiday street theatre Menkin was playing. For some remark made by her, counted reasonable. she was brought into General Wool's presencv. At one point of the examination Men kin lost her temper; Wool was twirling a. chair around on one of Its legs when the actress said, "If Jeff Davis had you he'd make you twirl faster than you are turning your chair" I am under the impression that her wit and repartee had an agreeable effect upon the old West Pointer, and thar she was set at liberty. do not know that this story is true, but I heard it told, for in the years that followed I came to know some persons who had known Menkin personally in her better days. In the height of her renown, Menkin was little, if any, better in morals than Lola Montez. Yet, towards the last Montez became a penitent and a slum missionary. She died in her forty- third year. She was buried in New York. Menkin died when 33, in Paris, and was buried much as pauper is laid away in the ground. On her tomb are these simple words, Thou Know est" Both lives were lived in splen- did sin, surrounded by all the gorge ousness that wealth could procure, but when the curtain fell at the last, and the footlights were eXtinguished, these two women, famous on two continents, were poor indeed. Menkin left behind her one of the most pathetic poems that I ever read. She had undoubtedly the poetic genius. Indeed, she pub lished a book of short poems in her earlier life, but 1t may be doubted If anything that she ever wrote came so truly from her heart as the poem to which I refer, on her "Life's Failures"
 The stage career of Adah Isaacs Menkin might have been equal to Char lotte Cushman's, in ability, but for her self In a marvellous degree she had the fatal gift of beauty" and to her 1t was disastrously fatal beyond the power of words to tell. In a way that dare not hint, it destroyed her fit ness for the stage and left her a poor stranded thing on the banks of a dark, slimy river, whose currents are lost in the gloom of night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
HEART TO HEART TALKS-By Edu;n A. Nye

That isn't much, to be sure. It was the natural way for you to begin your letter. But when father reads that much he stops a bit to clear his throat, and 9 tear slides down the worn face of your mother.
 There are interims when they stop to make exclamations or comments. They even laugh heartily over your crude attempts at humor. And so on to the ending
 Your loving son." Father holds the letter awhile and aft CT time, at mothers request. reads over again certain passages. And finally, when they have talked much together about you and the letter, father puts 1t back into its envelope and lays it on the man. telshelf.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

ed that Milly must stay at home and take care of father.
 Miliy was willing.
 She did not realize what was in- volved in such a career.
 Father would be very unhappy, tho children said, if he moved to town, and, besides, Milly would have good home.
 Following the family conference. the other children went back to their homes and children and to the accumulation of money. The years went by.
 Milly was a comedy girl, and had suit OTIS, whom she gently refused because she must stay with father.
 And when father died Milly was worn, middle-aged spinster.
 What did she, prematurely old and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

Do you realize what such letter means to father and mother?
 Father will get 1t after the mails is distributed at the village postoffice. along with the county paper, perhaps, and a circular, and he will know the handwriting instantly.
 He will not open it.
 Your letter is too precious for that. Your letter is more than an incident; It constitutes an epoch. And father will put it into his pocket carefully and go home.
 "A letter from John, mother"
 Mother dries her hands and sits down in her chair, while father gets out and carefully wipes his reading spectacles. And father begins
 Dear father and mother"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

faded, get in return for her self-sacrifice?
 Why, when the old farm was sold Milly got merely her share as one of the heirs and no more.
 And the other heirs placidly put their share of the proceeds of the estate in their pockets and thought the division, which was according to law" "a fair one."
 They said Milly had had a good home all these years.
 Of course they did not know how diff ficult it might be sometimes to put up with the childishness and vagaries of an aged man.
 They made visits to the old home oc- casionally. and they could not see that father was troublesome or hard to please"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

And of course they did not realize how Milly had lain her maiden hopes upon the family altar and now, broken in spirit, was facing the world alone.
 It was pathetic-almost tragic
 And grossly unjust.
 Of course the father should have pro- vided especially for Milly in his will, or she should have had a salary for her un- selfish labors, even if it took every dol lar of the estate to pay 1t. or the brothers and sisters should have made her some fair money requital.
 But
 cry community. \ How long has it been since you have written a letter to the old folks at home?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

stage she was arrayed in the approved
 Siddonian style, and looked every inch
 the great lady. She read the letter
 ceived from Macbeth, in which he tells
 her of Duncans proposed visit, with ferocious intensity; the words were be- fore her; but after that her lines slipped her, and she poured out cat
 aract of speech about guilt, crimes
 demons, and her own foul purposes
 with such passionate effect as to shiv CT the audience. The lines of horror that fell from her lips were not Shake
 speare's, nor had they ever before been
 uttered on land or sea. But, o, how
 she was applauded. But this victory over Shakespeare was the golden glory | that precedes the fall of night. A lit- | tie later as the drama rolls on, Lady
 Macbeth upbraids her husband with
 cowardice, and Miss Menkin managed | to get through her lines to-
 Nor time nor place | Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
 They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
 Does unmake you"
 "Unmake you'-these were the fatal words that, Tor the time being, unmade
 her; for she was at complete stand still. Her memory played her false; but with no sign to the audience she
 rushed up to Macbeth, and laying her
 head upon his shoulder, she whispered, 1T don't know the rest" Macbeth, in Scotch kilt and tartans. from that time | became her prompter. In other parts
 of the play, where her sentences were short, she managed to wing" herself | to letter perfection" By "winging," | Is meant this: An actor who is not | sure of his lines will stand between | the "wing-scenes" of the stage study | ing his part. When he is to' "go on,' | he drops his book or manuscript in
 the ''wings;' when he exits, he takes | up his book again, and Is ready to ap- pear before the audience when his cue word is spoken. Thus Menkin got through her first impersonation of
 Lady Macbeth.
 | Mrs. Siddons had an experience much like that of Miss Menkins, when she
 played Lady Macbeth for the first time.
 The reader will find it given in Camp | bells Life of Mrs Sddons." The book l was long out of print when I read 1t, and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
l FADING of the prospective change in the laws of temperance in Ala
 y banla. brings to memory an incl

FADING of the prospective change in the laws of temperance in Ala 4 A banla, brings to memory an incl dent which occurred several years ago while I was pastor of the First Baptist church of New Bedford, Mass. But this scribe will state before relating 1t that he honestly believes that prohibition well enforced would be great blessing to all cities or localities; that the grogshop is a curse to any community. At the same time I recognize the facts that many good and temperate men have divergent views, and they as honestly believe that local option Is the wisest policy. It is on record that the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, held that local option was the more conservative policy for the prosperity of the country. And this brings me back to the incident.
 I had been in New Bedford for about two years, during which time prohibi- tion laws were strictly enforced. There were no blind tigers" In the city, or at least had heard of none. and I had seen only two drunken men during that time, though I had spent quite a large portion of my time walking about the city day and night in the discharge of my pas toral duties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29

Is that the last of your letter. think you?
 It is only the beginning of It. IL Will be referred to for days and maybe weeks. And you. to whom writing is so easy, are you not ashamed of tho lcng intervals between letters?
 And. oh. my son or daughter when you do write
 Do not be afraid to open your heart and tell the dear old folks all the love you have for them. Give your feelings full vent. Make your letter odorous with the perfume of your affection
 I take it for granted you have not im- blbed that shameful form of snobbery where you are ashamed of the mother who bore you or of the father who fed you?
 Well, ther, write often.
 Letters cost you but a trit1e of time or effort.
 To the old folks at home your letters are worth their weight in gold
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
The Parcels Post


 From the National Monthly.
 The people of the United States paid. last year, more than s243,0 O00 for their postal service. There are more than SC, 900 post offices In the country and more than 100000 employees are engaged In the ser vice. The government has every facility and equipment for carrying on a parcels post system, the same as 1t Is carried on in most of the European countries and with great success in New Zealand and Australia, where the population is far less dense than in the United States, yet the republican party in Congress has steadfastly refused to enact parcels post legislation. because of the influence ex- erted by the express companies.
 Our parcels post with foreign countries shows beyond argument, that the postage rate of our domestic parcels post should be not moro than one-third of what 1t ia. at the utmost. and that the weight limit should be several times what 1t is Tho domestic parcels post of other countries. and of New Zealand and Australia, show also beyond argument that the postage rate of our domestic parcels should be only a fraction of what it is and that the weight limit should be several times greater.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-29
A Psychic Phenomenon

A Psychic Phenomenon From Judges Library. A man and woman accidentally touched each others feet under the table. Secret telegraphy,' he said. communion of soles," said she -