davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
szAR WHO COULD PARDON

A. J. C. Hare in Studies in Russia" A young poet had written most scur- rilous poem. in which he had described and libeled not only the empress, but also the grand dukes and duchesses. Some
 one, the censor of the press, went and
 told the empress
 The man had better be sent off to
 Siberia at once,' he said; "it Is not a
 case for delay"
 'Oh, mo-" said the empress; wait a
 little, but tell the man I desire to sec
 him at o'clock tomorrow evening""
 When the poor man was told this, he felt If his last hour had come, and that the emperor must intend himself to pronounce a sentence of eternal exile.
 He went to the palace and was shown | through all the grand staterooms. one after another, without seeing anyone, till at last he arrived at a small, com | monpiace room at the end of them all, where there was a single table with a | lamp upon it, and here he saw the em-
 press, the emperor. and all the grand Gukes and duchesses whom he had men I toned in his poem.
 | How do you do, sir?" said the em- 1 peror "I hear you have written a most beautiful poem, and I have sent for you | that you may read 1t aloud to us your self and I have invited all the grand dukes and duchesses to come that they may have the pleasure of hearing you" Then the poor man prostrated himself
 at the emperor's feet. "Send me to Si-
 heria. sir' he said; force me to become
 a soldier; only do not compel me to read that poem.''
 "Oh, sir, you are cruel to refuse me the pleasure, but you will not be so un- gallant as to refuse the empress the
 pleasure of hearing your verses, and she will ask you herself"
 And the empress asked him. When he had finished. she said "I do not think he will write any more verses about us again. He need not 50 to Siberia just yet"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
THE PLACE OF BURNS

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
 A famous collection of 5500 volumes, re- latng to him whom the poet Henley calls
 mad, sad, glad bad Bobby Burns," has been left to the nation by the will of William Robertson Smith, the late super intendent of the National Botanical gar dens Half of the first page of the first issue of the Public Ledger, on Friday. March 25, 1886, Is filled with an apprecia- ton of "The Poet Burns" The years that have elapsed since his death at Dum- fries, July 21, 1796, have only served to the bard on the part of innumerable ad- mirers of every nation. Over his personal failings veil, in generosity, is drawn; his verse is immortally remembered be- cause the appeal of it; as much as in the case of Homer or Shakespeare, Is vital and human and universal. The place of Burns on many Scottish bookshelf and in many a Scottish heart is close beside the Bible. The great collection of mem- orabiia given to the nation is from a Scotchman of average means-and 1t was not till he had established a very sub- stantial nucleus that he received the pow erful aid of MT. Carnegie. So many of
 the lines and pregnant phrases of the poet men that it scarcely requires the printed text to keep green his earthly remem- brance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
FACING THE END

l From the London Spectator
 1 The most moving, because the simplest and least self-consciods, narrative we
 have read of the actual laundering of the
 Titanic was told by man named Dillon. Dillon had already given evidence before
 Lord Mersey and had described how he
 went down with the Titanic, came to the
 surface and swan about till he was
 picked up. He gave details of this ex- perience.
 l While a group of men were waiting on
 the poop deck for the ship to sink, some one said, Go to the fiist cabin barroom. | Several of the men went and found free
 whisky being served out by steward Go on, ladsl cried the steward; drink up. She is going down.. We made for | the whisky said Dillon. We got our | share" Apparently. with the common fatalism of seamen, even of seamen who can swim, he had no thought of being
 saved. The ability to swim seems almost
 like an insult to destiny in nlidocean He was for going to frst-class cabin below and there shutting out the visi-
 ble approach of the inevitable end. A brother fireman dissuaded him. They re- turned to the poop deck One man had a cigarette paper, another some tobacco;
 flag" was was made, lit and passed
 around among a group of 15.
 Dillon was next his pal, Johnny Bannon when the ship slid underneath. He re-
 members next being among men strug- gling in the water. There was a hor- rible row" but he recalls hardly any thing shouted articulately. He did. how ever, hear one man cry out, Mother
 mother!' He himself, Roman Catholic. repeated Our Father. and Hail Mary" Then he swan away from the noise and came across Johnny Bannon on a grating. He said, "Cheero, Johnny,'' and Bannon answered, "I am all right, Pad dy," There was not room on the grating for two, and Dillon, saying, Well, so long, Johnny" swan off In the direction of a star where Johnny Bannon said he had seen a flashlight. After few min utes he was picked up by a lifeboat and was unconscious for a long time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
An Honest Confession

'I have not warmed up to the water works question and have not quite com mitted myself but I read with much in- terest the interview of MT. John D. Strange, the well known attorney, in The Age-Herald.n said citizen.
 Tn referring to the waterworks con tract referendum proposition. MT. Strange stated that he had signed the petition for an election. T went about talking against the contract; that, how ever, was before I had read it, he said. After having signed and talked, I have carefully read the document. I found it all right and believe now that it is the contract for the poor man. I will go abroad correcting the result of my previous work
 "Mr. Strange Is like other persons who sign petitions without thoroughly inform ing themselves as to the facts of the case. But this gentleman Is certainly to be cordially commended for his frank ness. He finds. doubtless, that an hont est confession is good for the soul. His short interview will, I believe, make many votes for the contract which I am inclined to think is good thing for the householder of moderate means, all though, as I have said, I have not yet fully committed myself"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
SOCIETY GIRL WHIPS INTRUDER

Ardmore, Pa, Telegram to the New
 York Sun.
 Miss Elizabeth P Coleman Lewis, an athletic society girl of Philadelphia, re- fused to appear against negro bellboy whom she thrashed at the Bryn Mawr hotel.
 Miss Lewis heard noise in one of the clothes closets She yanked open the door and found Harry Davis, r years old, at tempting to hide behind the door. Miss Davis yanked him from the closet and with a right hand swing sent him to his knees
 The negro made for Miss Lewis, and was met with a straight left which doubled him up. All the fight had left him by that time, and he made a dash for the door. As he passed the girl knocked him over chair
 Miss Lewis quieted her maid, pulled Davis to his feet and knocked him down again with blow on the nose.
 The maid opened the door and Miss Lewis gave a blow which sent the negro down the stairs.
 When asked to appear against Davis Miss Lewis said he had been punished quite enough to suit her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
THERE ARE OTHERS
From the Montgomery Advertiser,

IoH tilc 4hont6oHhttS AdNcItiScT.
 Ned Brace in the Birmingham Age Herald of Sunday makes a suggestion which has occurred to good many other people. but who have not framed 1t into public utterance. Discussing the Lorimer case he says:
 "Lorimer probably overstepped the mark. but there are precious few sen- ators in that august body in Wash ington who. did not use money freely to obtain their seats. Having started investigations 1t would be we'll for the United States Senate to go further''
 What rattling of dry bones there would be if this proposition could be carried into effect. It might be a good idea too to investigate the methods by which a republican senator or dem- ocratic senator, as the case might be- received his election by vote of a leg islative bunch of his political oppo- nents as against regular of his own party
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17

Consolidated Coal and Iron company now being operated by receivers. This company has large holdings of valuable raw material to say nothing of its fur mace plants. While the price of ron was below s1o it was a struggle for any iron company without abundant capital to make both ends meet Now that iron is selling at fair profit with the tendency upward all the iron mak- ing concerns should thrive greatly.
 eBusiness conditions throughout the country are improving steadily. and in- dications point to a genuine boom in the Birmingham district in the near future"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
New Cotton From Texas

The first bale of new cotton has been brought to New Orleans and duly sold. The bale was classed as strict middling, and it tipped the scales al 512 pounds.
 This bale was grown at San Benito Cameron county, Texas. Cameron county is the southwest county of that great state. Brownsville is in Cam, eron county, and across the Ric Grande lies Matamoras in Mexico.
 Cotton that is ready to be picked in July can laugh at the boil weevil for the insect does not become numer' ous enough in the early days of July to bore into many bolls.
 The first bale in previous years has been brought to market in June. The crop is, however, late and July bale is the first one to appear in large market.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17

congressional and national cam paigns." The best assurance of all is the statement by the standard bearer himself that every important detail of the campaign will receive his atten- tion. His close friends say that he will be the real campaign manager, and those who know him well say that he is a politician who never fails to read public sentiment alright.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
THE OLD HEROES.

I sought a little book store for a monthly magazine, When suddenly a youthful ardor filled me, For there on gaudy colored little volumes could be seen The heroes who in former days had thrilled me. I thought they had departed with the days long past and dead, But there were Diamond Dick and Old King Brady Who tracked the villain to his lair and filled his hide with lead, And saved the name and fortune of the lady. Nick Carter, ever brave and young, was still upon the trail. But I was flabbergasted by the knowl- edge That after eighteen years or so of schol- arship at Yale, Frank Merriwell is still attending col- lege. George E. Phair. in the Milwaukee Sen- tine.
 A GREAT HELP. Optimism helps a man to make the best of what befalls." 'So does accident insurance"
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
Dignity in the Presidential Race

The impression gains ground that neither Governor Wilson nor Presi- dent Taft will go on the stump. It is high time indeed that the old time dignity of presidential race should be restored and re-established
 Let the bull moose of Oyster Bay rampage over the country as much as he will, hurling from every car bump CT or other platform abusive nouns and adiectives. All that sort of stuff moves nobody now. It is expected. It is the colonel in his normal condition. No one will heed his abuse, and Gov ernor Wilson and President Taft should continue to ignore the diatribes of greedy third termer.
 If the two leading standard bearers will do this in the three months to come they will win the respect and gratitude of all intelligent voters. Let the rabble flock around the utterly irresponsible Roosevelt. They can be easily outvoted, and the bull moose party will go out in November never to come back again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
CORN FEDv HUSBANDS
From the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune. The lady who wrote Mayor Fitzgerald of Boston and Mayor Gaynor of New York asking for husband of culture
 sufficient to employ money in enjoying
 leisure is i'll advised in her unwilingness
 to accept what she calls the corn fed'' variety abounding in these and adjacent parts Culture. leisure, and money have not worked satisfactorily here or in the east in producing husbands. but the ''corn fed' is known product of proved worth.
 He may be given overmuch to slippers and sleep. He may take but languid interest in the higher life and be hope less as to soul states. He may chirlS his dollars too much when he talks, but he is a good provider and can be depend ed on to wind the clock. lock the house. and put the cream and butter in the re- frigerator. He Is contented, placid, serene, and generally comfortable. He is not much subject to moods, although
 he is apt to make considerable fuss over
 an ache.
 He's a dependable sort of creature and if the ice man is sassy he will take him
 down a peg. He is not likely to climb any heights, but he is less apt to ex-
 plore any depths
 The lady, we fear. is hunting temporal
 ment and trouble.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
HIS FIRST TRIP

Senator John II. Bankhead of Alabama tells this one on himself:
 When I was first elected to the Eff tieth Congress I had to go to Washing ton for a couple of days to see about a postmastership.
 Having never been to Washington when I came out of the old union depot l got into hack and told the driver to take me to the Metropolitan hotel. It took him about half an hour to get there and he charged me 75 cents.
 Two days later I paid my hotel bill and asked the clerk to call me cab for the train south.
 Why, MT. Bankhead.' he said, what do you want with a cab? The porter can carry your grip over and surely you can walk across the street to the station
 That cabman had carried me fully two miles and a half to get me to the hotel less than a block away"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
TROUBLES DON'T KILL

From the New York Telegram.
 Notice the passing hence in Hawkes. vile, Ky, of Mrs. Nancy Newman known to her intimates as the trouble woman of Hancock county from the number of misfortunes she had en- countered during her stay on earth.
 She was the last of IS brothers and sisters, whose stepfather. Capt. John Sterrett was the first sherin Of the county. Her youngest child was scala ed to death in flaming vat. The sec- ond was burned to death two weeks afterward. The third. Confederate soldier. was murdered in a riot at Mo bile. Ala The fourth was killed two years ago when a house fell on him. The fifth met death in a runaway five wears ago. A son-in-law and a grand son met violent deaths. and two weeks ago she fell and broke her leg. Truly a sad list of tragedies, but withal 1t is pleasant to reflect that Mrs. Newman lived to be s7 years old
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
BAFFLED.

T never can have my own weigh,"
 Remarked poor Henry Peck; He climbed upon some scales one day, But when he craned his neck To see how far the needle went.
 It hadn't moved at all. That's why In tones of discontent
 These bitter words let fall. His wife, dame of dauntless will,
 Who studied him the while. Would not vouchsafe to answer, still, She wore a knowing smile. As if she had in mind to say
 To Henry, doubly sold, Nor can you ever have your way.
 If simple truth be told"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
A FIG FOR PRIDE

FIG FOR PRIDE From the New York Telegram.
 Many man is ashamed of his pedi- gree, but not so James Ewing Mifflin of Philadelphia, a descendant of Gov ernor Miffin, for whom Fort Mif1in, Mifflin county, Mfhinburg, Miffintown and Miff1in street are named. He thinks it's a joke.
 Digging back into shis lineage MT. Miffiin says that so far as he can dis cover the ancestor who brought the wealth into the family was a dump cart owner.
 Therefore in the historic pageant to be held in October MT. Mifflin has an- nounced that he will drive a dump cart, and has already made arrangements to rent the most dilapidated rig of the kind procurable.
 The idea is full of meat. A parade or even soiree or cortversazione where everybody revealed the truth in regard to his family tree. and in some cases told his right name, would be of in- tense interest and inestimable value.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17

W AsnlNGroN ond IT. nsra '~,y is'sps'al, p.'son a}
 w Hlllsdale, Mich, is travelling around over the country lecturing to large audiences on How to Postpone Your Own Funeral"
 Of course. the average citizen would or dinarly have no desire to postpone his funeral if circumstances and the board of health demanded 1t, but the real idea contained in Dr. Paulson's lecture Is to postpone the necessity of having fu- neral.
 We have never had funeral. and if the doctor can show us how one is to be avoided, he will be comforting a great boon, and we will certainly be under last ing obligations.
 We must confess, however, that the doctors recommendations are not calcu- lated to inspire confidence in the course he advises one to adopt. The use of the washtub as a way to both health and beauty is strongly indorsed by the doc tor. The doctor carries with him a reg ular washtub outfit, and gives demon strations of how the thing is done.
 The doctor said that the washtub should be above the waist line, so that the chest will be trust out and the lungs filled with air as the performer plays sym phony with mothers petticoat on the bosom of the washboard.
 Not only washing, but ironing and saw ing wood were recommended as means of preserving feminine beauty and health.
 The doctor may be right. But we would much prefer that he make such recom- mendations to our wife than to do so ourselves. There is always danger of be- ing grossly misunderstood in matters of this kind. An intimation coming from us to our wife that a good days washing would heighten her beauty might be looked upon by her with a certain degree
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
DELIBERATE

From the Argonaut.
 The Rev. James Hamilton, minister, of Liverpool. while on holiday in Scotland. had a narrow escape from drowning. Ac- companied by boy. MT. Hamilton was fishing for sea trout when he slipped on stone. lost his balance. and being en- cumbei ed with heavy wading boots, had great difficulty in keeping his head above water. Finally he managed to get back to the shore, although in a very exhaust ed state, and said to the boy: T noticed that you never tried to help me-" "Na' was the deliberate response. but I was thnkin o't.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
TELEPHONEs
Anti-Option Cotton Bill

The bill bearing the name of MT. Beall of Texas, chairman of the com- mittee on expenditures of the depart ment of justice, has passed the House. It is similar to the Scott bill which the Senate pigeonholed to please the cot ton exchanges. The Beall bill was sup ported by nearly all the members from the cotton growing states. The chief provisions of the bill are as follows:
 One section makes it unlawful for any person to send or cause to be sent any message offering to make or en- ter into contract for the purchase or sale of cotton without intending that such cotton shall be actually delivered and received, and provides penalties for violation.
 Another section makes it the duty of any person sending any message relating to a contract for the future delivery of cotton to furnish to the person transmitting such message an affidavit to the effect that the mes- sage does not relate to the character of contracts described in section 2, and provides penalties for any false statement that may be made in such affidavit.
 \ This section also provides that proof of failure to make any affidavit required in the act shall be prima facie evidence that the message or messages related to contract prohib- ited by section 2 of the act, and that proof of failure to deliver or receive the cotton called for in any contract for future delivery shall be prima facie evidence that there was no inten- tion to deliver or receive the cotton when the contract was made.
 w. B. Thompson, former president of the New York cotton exchange, says the passage of the bill would be a blow aimed at southern prosperity, but he may have had in mind the cot ton exchanges more than the cotton producers. He says the passage of the bill would drive buyers out of small competitive markets, and it would place the price making power in the hands of foreign buyers and spin ners. Neither of these predictions is proven.
 The Beall bill has been drawn up to stop speculation in cotton. Whether this be the better policy or not is un- certain. "As the principal buyers of our cotton," says the New Orleans Picayune, fare foreigners, they would be given an enormous advantage in the regulation of the prices they must pay us if we through blindness and ignorance close our own markets to speculation and contract trading while the great European speculative mar kets continue their operations unham- pered. The net result would be to transfer to Liverpool, Havre and oth- CT European centers the power to regulate the price of cotton, which the New York and New Orleans markets now enjoy"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 The worse brain a man has the more his wife can attribute it to his good heart.
 A man never knows how to appreciate the children and q woman how not to.
 The oftener a girl learns to swim well the oftener she likes to have a man teach her.
 Good coffee may not be able to preserve happy families. but bad coffee can break them up.
 man is never ashamed to say he neg lected business for baseball game the way he is for civic meeting.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
WAS PINK ONCE
om Young's Magazine.

T 1UuIIES
 Its easy to be generous when our own demand is gratifed.' exclaimed Henry Miller. There once was a little girl who invaded the drawing room where her sisters fiance was waiting.
 Here said the child, here is a can dy for you And she gave Hilary Nc. Masters hard white lozenge.
 Oh, what nice white lozenge.' said tho young man, putting it in his mouth and beginning to suck vigorously.
 Yes. isn't it?' lisped the little girl It was striped wiv pink once ,.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-17
PEN POINTS MADE OF POWDER From Harper's Weekly.

Pens for writing purposes are being manufactured To-day in Germany by . process which is exciting curiosity. The trouble found with steel pens is that they oxidize keasily and the ink sticks ts them. This fault Is not to be found with gold pens; but, on the other hand these are too flexible to be entirely satisfac- tory Moreover. in order to form a point suitable for writing purposes, the ma terial of that part of the pen has to De mixed with some hard metal like iridium and this operation is both complicated and expensive. This new pen is of tan- talum and comes to the manufacturer in the form of a black powder. The pen that is made of this has the tenacity of steel and tho. fiexibility of gold.