davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Fincry In Mems Attire

News that London tailors are receiv- ing orders for gentlemen's waistcoats em- broidered with lace is only one of many reminders that modern apparel is tending to a return to the splendor of the eight eenth century" said well known tailor. Tt seems that the Nottingham lace man. ufacturers are responsible for the intro- euction of this frippery in mems dress, as the creation of a new demand for lace is only in line with the expansion of their business Tie report has it that London tailors have entered into sort of agree ment with the producers of lace to es- tahlsh the fad. and that many of the bloods' of society have already adopt ed it.
 Before and after Carlyle wrote 'Sartor Resartus, the philosophy of clothes was and has been an interesting topic, and because of my profession it affords me especially much pleasure.
 Now. it is my opinion that the ornate fashions preceding the colonial period in America declined partially if not wholly on account of the spread of democracy. It seems a bold statement on the face
 
 between the frigidly plain male apparel of today and that of a century and half back, we feel that some sort of explana- tion should be attempted. The styles for mems clothing became commonplace. I contend, not because men became less vain. but because the spread of demo- cratic principles demanded it.
 Without stopping to argue the matter, we may observe with interest that beau ty and splendor in mems attire are now on the forward march in Europe, while the spirit of democracy, very, very broad ly speaking, is on the wane. I say de- mocracy is on the wane, because it's place is being taken by plutocracy, the power of wealth.
 America today is the most thoroughly democratic of all countries, yet the insid- ious potency of money is every day be- coming more clearly apparent. That is why look for the increasing introduction of finery In mems clothing. Whatever the political situation here. America will al- ways be ehslaved to London and Paris fashions. Just watch for the lace em broidered mem s fancy vests''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
An Extra Session or Reciprocity

No matter how rapidly the senate passes appropriation or other bills 1t cannot avoid an extra session if It refuses to take up Canadian reciprocity and cast a final vote upon it.
 Nor will a negative vote be regarded AS final if the result be brought about by senators who have but two or three days of official life left in them.
 A clear majority of senators who have copstituents behind them VIII alone suffice, for the President IS rledped to use his utmost efforts to hiring about an acceptance by the Uni ted States of the new agreement. Votes east bv the Keans and Depews and purrowers of the Senate will not prove effective. Canada understands the sit nation and she will await action by an extra session in view of the fact that she has the Presidents words that he will do his utmost to secure acceptance of the agreement.
 rhere sems to be an unity of pur- nose to get all else out of the way, and perhaps reciprocity will be taken up .today or tomorrow, and passed. A vote must soon be had upon it Ii an extra session is to be avoided.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
MISSISSIPPI sNAG DESTROYER

From Harper's Weekly.
 Every year when the crest of the June rise' has swept down the Mississippi val lev and the stored water of back creeks and flooded lands has found its outlet, from several ports on the big river and it's tributaries there begin the annual trips of the 'snag boats whose object It is to break up the nests of snags lett py the floods and clear out thoroughly all such Instructions to navigation.
 For many years, until the time of Shreve, from source to mouth the banks and even the channel, of the river bristled with the stumps and branches of sunken trees and logs. Eddies and bends were choled with intricate drift piles of roots, branches and trunks. Beneath apparent Iy safe waters in the swiftest of the<cur- rent often lurked a hidden tree ready to tear the bottom from whatever boat encountered it.
 About 1GO years ago, urged by insistent westerners, Congress sought remedy. Captain Shreve had invented boat which he called a "snag boat which he believed would clear the channels, and in 1929 he began work with his Heliopolis as superintendent of the western river improvements.
 The attempt was success. The Heli- opolis was a double-hulled vessel, having a powerful beak, or ram, built between the hulls forward so massive that it could withstand any blow the engines could give Above it were winches, crude, but good for their day, and an equipment of tackle, saws and axes.
 With this boat the snags were attacked. The practice was to send the beak among them at full speed and so break up and scatter the branches. Then, lowering lines, the master would "snag on to- the obstinate trunks. apply power to his winches, hoist the logs. saw and chop them to bits and allow the pieces to float away harmlessly.
 In this way Shreve cleared the river in a remarkably short time and later re- moved the great raft that obstructed the Red river for 1J0 miles.
 The ''snag boats of today have discard ed the beak and have substituted for it a huge roller mounted between the hulls, over which to draw in the snags. On the twin decks is placed a whole battery of steam hoisting engines and derricks equipped with cables, the largest of which will lift a dead weight of 150 tons.
 The work is as much preventive as it is curative. Every tree on the river bank which bids fair to fall into the stream is cut down and sawed up. The work of single "snag boat in one season, from July to March, was the removal of 2507 tree snags from the bottom of the river. Y immense drift piles from their anchor ages, and of 5s75 trees from caving banks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
SLUMP IN TooTHpICks

From the Rochester Democrat and Chron-
 icle.
 It is always to a degree perilous for locality or a state to debend all most entirely upon one leading indus try, however important and profitable 1t may be. If, for instance. the truck farmers of Irondequoit had continued to devote their energies to the cultivation of other fruits and succulent vegetables, they would not now be able to acquire wealth by cutivating land costing $1o0O or more an acre and operate their plants by electricity. Now there is trouble in Maine For some unaccountable reason there has been slump in the wooden tootlpick market. which is principally supplied from the Maine woods. Tooth picks which only recently sold at ssS . case now bring only ss in the toothpick exchange, or say s6.9s f. o. b. Kennebec. In their despair the toothpick manufac- turers are using their raw material for matchwood.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
THE LONGEST JACKPOT

From the Chicago Inter Ocean. The poker story which the Hon. Will liam Waller Fucker of Missouri insisted On telling to the House of Representatives On Friday, and which in the absence of the sergeant-at-arms he told In defiance of the point of order of mo quorum" cer- tainly revealed one of the most remark able jackpots on record.
 The jackpot of which Representative Fucker told was remarkable chiefly for it's quite inordinate and wholly unreason- able length, and for the persistence of the player who opened 1t in striving to get an opportunity to show that 1t be- longs to him and that he ought to have the money '-'
 The player was a soldier in the latter days of the civil war, who disregarded the mandates of the general commanding the camp by engaging in a poker game. He had opened a juicy jackpot so skill fully that it had fattenad to s450 before the other players dropped out and he was called upon to show his openers
 And just at that moment the provost marshal descended upon the game, i'm pounding the jackpot, and marched the players off to the guardhouse. There they were searched, and all their money taken from them.
 Subsequently, the soldier had returned to him the money found in his pockets, SS27, but was refused the jackpot, which, as it would appear from the record, none of the other players denied he had won.
 According to MT. Rucker the winner has been trying ever since to gef the gov ernment to give up the jackpot. There Is a bill pending in Congress to return the money to him, on the ground that the government has no just claim upon the jackpot, since it's representative. the pro- vost marshal, did not ''sit in' the game, and that the money must belong to the player whose claim the other players admitted to be good if he could show openers
 Tie Hon. William Waller RucAer's tale failed to move the Hon. James R. Mann to desist from opposition to the passage of the omnibus private claims bill, and we fear the old soldier will have to wait for democratic House, which may be more sympathetic. However, the incl dent has served to add to poker annas the facts about what is undoubtedly the longest jackpot on record, since it has been waiting for a show of openers for more than 45 years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
Thrice i. he armed that hath his quar- reI first. - King Henry XI.
New Mexico and Arizona

The constitution of New Mexico has been approved by the President and by tbe House committee on territories, and the state may be admitted before Congress adjourns.
 But the business of transforming the mainland into states cannot be completed by the present Congress be- cause it does not approve of the recall when applied to judges, as it is in the Arizona constitution. Practically speaking Arizona has decided to have the constitution that suits her people, and her new constitution will not be sumbitted to the present Congress. It will be laid before the next Con gress.
 Some may think that the recall should not be fitted to judges, but the people of Arizona think it should be, and there is no reason why they should not be permitted to have all the recall they think they need in their public business. They understand the situa- tion in Arizona better than the people of Vermont understand it. The Arizona constitution goes over, however to the next Congress and per haps it will be accorded fair treatment in that body. There will at any rate be no lame ducks in it to block public sentiment in Arizona.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
ROTANY BAY

From the London Chronicle.
 Sir Joseph Banks was the man who invented the once familiar phrase Bot any Bay" He was the botanist attached to the expedition of Captain Cook, the Australian Columbus" Landing at this bay, close to the present city of Sydney, he found such an abundance of strange plants and flowers that he associated the word botany with it for all time. For a long time Botany bay and Australia were synonymous in England. Sydney has spread out to> the historic bay. and you can travel by tram car to Botany" It was Sir Joseph Banks who made the kangaroo and other Australian animals known to science
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
zoo FOLK AT BANQUET

From the New York World.
 Since Harry. Lehr gave society new thrills by having a monkey as guest at a dinner, most dining rooms have beeu reserved for humans. But last night Ray mond L. Ditmars appeared in a banquet room of the Waldorf Astoria with a col lection of suit cases filled with live sam ples from the Bronx Zoo, where he is curator of reptiles. The hunters known as the Rocky Mountain club had invited Ditmars to eat with them and tell them things about his business. He came prepared for a good object lesson.
 \ In order 10 avoid surprises he opened the cases upon arrival, and in the prog ress of the dinner from soup to nuts the 1C0 club members had the intimate com pany of variety or snakes, lizards. tor toirses, monkeys, waltzing mice, and others of Ditmars daily associates. They lolled on or scampered over tables, tried various courses, and were so pleased with the style of things that they were ready 10 pose as exhibits when the curator arose Ito speak D1tmars first set out to prove that ex- cept for weight a boa constructor would make good muffler. He had one 25 feet long, which was heavy to lift, but which snuggled close to the speakers neck when placed there, and pinched no harder than would have been comfortable in the outer air. A king snake, gopher, corn and pine snakes ratters and moccasins went through similar performances and wrig- ged their delight as the early shudders of the onlookers were succeeded by ap- pause.
 | There nearly was trouble for Ditmars when he called upon wooly monkey from Brazil to go through its paces. That animal had made friends at all the tables in the course of the dinner. and had taken a social glass with everybody who offered 1t. As result his efforts to re- | spond to the call of his keeper were con fused by the vision of several Ditmarses, from whom he had great difficulty in se- lecting the one to whom he belonged.
 When assisted to the right place he tried to join in the discourse concerning himself, and his stumbling utterances and grimaces put him straightway out ot
 the dignity list. He was the favorite oi the evening, however, and everybody
 wrote down his name to remember it fol another meeting. It is Don San Paolo y Camoinas Mantequina .Lagothris.
 A group of ji-ji runners, a pigmy kan
 earoo. waltzing mice from Japan. and q
 Borneo monkey who breaks the necis of wolves and cats tdem completed t1ie exhibit Ditmars telling all their good
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
FRANKLIN's WEAKNESS

From Mathew Arnold's Culture and An
 archy.''
 I remember tine relief with which, after long feeling the sway of Franklin $ impertuable common sense, I came upon a project of his for new version of the Book of Job. to replace the old version, the style of which, says Franklin, has become obsolete, and hence less agree able. q give" he continues, l" few verses, which may serve as sample of the kind of version I would recom- mend''
 We all recollect the famous verse in our translation: Then Satan answered the Lord and said: "Doth Job fear God for naught?" Franklin makes this: "Does your majesty imagine that Jobs good conduct is the effect of mere personal attachment and affection?"
 f we'll remember how. when I first read that drew a deep breath of relief and said to myself. After all, there is a stretch of humanity beyond Frankilns s victorious good sense"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
Commission Government

The Municipal Journal and Engineer nublishes a table of the cities that have adopted the, commission form of gov ernment-111 in number. When we consider that the movement was begun but ten years ago in Texas c..y that t had been wrecked by a tidal wave 1t must be conceded that it contains great elements of popularity if not of good government.
 It is not exactly true that Galveston began the movement, for Washington has been governed by commission from the day of its organization, but { the popular idea of commission govern ! ment for cities relates to the Galveston or Des Moines charters. All cities that have adopted the essential features of commission government have taken as q basis the conspicuous accountability of all officials to the people, and short ballots.
 Of the Ill cities which have adopted commission governments 60 have the a recall and nearly all have the initia 2 tive and referendum All nave cleo 4 lions at large for limited numDer oi officials, and not by wards or districts About half of the III cities have five commissioners, but a good many of them have but three. The general idea is to focus popular attention before election, and concentrate responsibi. ity afterward, in as small number as 1. possible.
 4 The Municipal Journal says the re-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
Bonny-Castle Dale in the Wide Worl Magazine for March.

Magazine for March
 A IL along the numerous bays and A inlets. at the mouths of the great 4 rivers, and on the shores of many of the islands of Washington and British Columbia live a class of men and women l have never seen elsewhere on the Amer ican continent. These people are of all nationalities. vet not of any In many cases. found, they were not naturalized citizens of either Canada or the United states. Their position is the result of ignorance, laziness, or drunkenness: In rarer cases they are simply vicious-de- termined to get a good living in the easiest possible way and with the least risk of being found out when they break the law. They are the peachcombers, the water gypsies of the Pacific
 The homes of these strange men lie ev- anywhere. Perhaps they form collec- tion of houses on tiny island: elsewhere you may see a cabin hung with wildfowl, or you may walk through the woods, where every tree seems to have a dog chained at its foot. One deserted town we saw was a great place for plunder- church, school house, and home all stood deserted, because the coal seam 'pinched out The beachcombers that pass in the night up and down the neighboring waters of the gulf footed many useful objects in this abandoned village.
 When you come to the food supply of this host of men, women, and children you strike an interesting subject. There seems to be nothing that swims, flies or walks but is good for the beachcomber's S
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
The Ensley Postoffice

"The recent announcement that Con- gross has increased the appropriation for the Ensley postoffice by S35,cOO is very pleasing 70 tne people of Ensley," said Postmaster ]. x. Thomas.
 "The site for the building has already been acquired and the people are very anxious to see an adequate building erect ed. one that win be in keeping with the growing business of the office.
 "'rhe volume of business of this office is increasing very rapidly and this is an evidence of the rapid developments that are now in progress in this section.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
A MORO LOVE SONG

Edward Barron, in the Philippines Monthly. Shadows dream along Lapak-
 Siassi. pearl of all the isles; Soon shall come the prao back Of one who hungers for thy smiles, Sailing up the weary miles,, Scarlet-hued his sail shall shine Scarlet-hued and fringed with black, As you wove it, line and line,
 Long ago on far Lapak. Siassi o sweetheart of pearl.
 From Lapall too long he bides- Green Lapall where waters whirl
 Through the Strait of Whispering
 Tides.
 Ere the rice the hill slope hides, Madly shall the conch-horns play, Signaling the boats that furl All their streamers in the. baystsss Loves call for thee, 0 heart of pearl!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
Marion Iuztitutc

Marion Institute is in most flourish ing condition, and the indications for the future are very bright said Superintend- ent Fl. C. Murfee of Marion. who was in Birninehain yesterday.
 '',rhis is one of the old established schools for boys in the state, and has a most worthy reputation behind it. We are trying to live up to the high standard that has been set for it. The attendance at the present session is very satisfac- tory
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
TO THE DRYs

From the New York Sum-.
 The Hon. Richmond Pearson Hobson, the most modest and patriotic man in Congress, nay, in the world, has seldom shown both qualities to better. advah- tage than in having reprinted in the Con gressional Record of February II a lecture covering nearly six and a half pages of that sterling sheet, an old lecture of his on "I'he Great Destroyer r-Alcohol. Thus at the expense of the United States MT. Eobson recommends himself to the drys.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
BEACHCOMBERS OF THE PACIFIC

rot. The frogs from the dyked land sloughs, the sea-eggs from the low-tide rocks, and the eggs of the wild fowl from the crumbling lodges of the breeding grounds-al are welcome. Devil fish and crabs, whalesteak and sharks fins dulse and layer from the rocks. herring spawn shores on which the beachcombers dwell all conditions of>frayed fins and fungus laden bodies. codfish and halibut from the ledges where the whipcord-like kelp grows. clam and mussel and cookie, snail and periwinllle and limpet, wild fowl of all kinds, game birds old and game birds young, and eggs of game birds in season and out of season-such is their bill of fare
 At times are fishes come ashore-the rib bon fish, for instance, a thin slice of creature seven feet long, yet not as thick as the hand. Sea parrots and grebe; any thing, everything that can be turned into food or dollars finds its way sooner or later beneath the roofs of the odd shacks of these strange people
 Later come the regular steamer and the iron horse. Honest agriculturists crowd down to the sea edge, pre-ampting the shores on which the beachcombers dwell. Then begins a battle, stubbornly fought by the souatter, lawfully by the farmer In the end the latter wins, but not al ways before some house or barn, erect ed after years or months of patient labor, goes up in smoke A very few years of standardization drive the beachcomb- CTS to yet more distant shores. In time even these will be taken up, and then the Pacific coast will lose class of people it can amply spare-the beachcombers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

SEVEN DAYS. On Monday morn, So many say, I'm all forlorn, The world is gray
 Birmingham Age-Herald. And Tuesday morn Is just as gray, With payday still Five days away.
 Springfield Union. But Wednesday, well, About that time, We write an "Oh, Be Joyful" rhyme. When Thursday comes, If there's a show, We call Yvette And say, Let's go." On Friday things Run smoother yet;.@ We think, There's just No use to fret On Saturday There's much to do; Quite "broke" we make A touch or two.  Then Sunday dawns, A day of rest, When one may wear His speckled vest. Did Monday we Describe as gray? Twas all a joke, For that's payday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Where a girl takes her mothers advice it's a sign she pretends to.
 Talking about the weather could make Shakespeare look like bore.
 Maybe the reason nearly all women arc so good is they don't really like to be.
 You can tell How much one woman hates another by how nice she can be to her
 To have it reproach you when it de- served it. the best place for your con science to be would be in your liver.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
YEA. NERILY.

YEA, VER1LY. How sweet is lovel" Say those who know, Especially
 When blossoms blow,' How pleasant 'tis To plan and plan And make terms with Tn installment man. But, oh. what bliss And what delight, When father walks The floor at night, And loud and long The baby cries; It may be, just
 For exercise.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

The city of Gary, Indiana, has just an- nexed Il square miles, and now it is only 23 miles from Chicago. Those cities would grow together if they could get rid of the Indiana state line
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

Nevada proposes to let criminal con demped to death choose which of three methods of killing shall be used-hanging, shooting or by hydrocyanic acid. He is supposed to take the last-named "volun- tarly."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
WORTH CONSIDERING

A club woman says a furtive look. like that of hunted animal distinguishes the bachelor from the married man."
 She ought not to rely solely on her own Judgment in that particular. Per haps, the average bachelor doesn't look
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

Water elephants have been discovered in Lake Leopold, in the Belgian Congo They are about six feet high and have a short trunk.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

Captain Hobson's attention is respect fully called to the Chicago theatre that is about to have Japanese ushers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

Helen Miller Gould may. be elected president of Wellesley college, she being so differnt from the rest of the Goulds.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

Wall street has monopoly of stock gambling at present having succeeded after long fight in closing all bucket shops
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02

When the interstate commission renders unanimous decisions there is little ground left for a successful appeal.