davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
JAcIx,s TRouBLEs ON STEAMERS

George McPherson Hunter. in The Sur
 vey.
 Since the steamship has displaced the sailing vessel, great changes have been wrought in sea affairs. So gradual has been the transformation that few have awakened to the fact that the sailor him self has changed essentially. In the pop ular mind he is still Jack" of the sailing ship days
 Life in sailing vessel had a sporting, fighting elements in 1t. painfully absent eination unknown to steamship life When the anchor was weighed, sails set and yards slowed. the "chanty man" sang his song, and all pulled with a will. In the nervous, worrying haste Of steamer work the steam winches make noice instead of music. and the "chanty man" is ashore. singing his chanties in the saloons and telling of his departed glory.
 Steam and labor saving devices have transferred the strain from the sailor 8 muscles to the whole crews nerves, re-
  smaller number bear a double burden. Steamers, particularly cargo vessels, go to sea when loaded, night or day. with a high indifference to wind, weather and tide. In coal and ore exporting ports the loading goes on night and day.
 Modern sea faring men get less sleep than any clas sof men we know about and have fewer Sundays. Sunday labor is not common, but, on the contrary. very rare in American ports. The same could be said of British home ports, but it is almost an established custom in South America. In Spain. the ecclesiastical au- thority readily grants a permit to dis charge or load cargo on Sunday. In the far east, where there aint no 10 com- mandments," Sunday labor is becoming increasingly common on board cargo ships.
 It is not an extraordinary thing for a man to have no Sunday in port for months and years if engaged in passenger ser- vice where the sailing scredule may be so arranged that his ship is always at sea on Sundays.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
NOT ON LONG JOURNEY

From the Saturday Evening Post. Admiral Robert E. Peary was in the smoking compartment of train leaving New Orleans for the north. A fussy young man, evidently commercial tray eler on his first trip, came in and sought to make conversation.
 Well" he said, we're in for a long tedious journey"
 ''Yes," assented Peary.
 I'm going clear through to Atlanta observed the young man.
 ''Indeed,'' said Peary.
 "Yes; clear through to Atlanta Long tiresome trip, too"
 Yes" observed Peary.
 Maybe you're not going so far as am." said the young man.
 Maybe not"
 How far are you going?"
 "Oh," said Peary, I'm only going tt the north pole,'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
Crop Prospects in the West

The governments estimate of the condition of winter wheat on May 1 points to crop of 325, 100000 bushels. This would be the smallest crop since 1904. But large spring wheat crop may yet bring the total wheat crop up to normal. There may yet be wheat for export.
 Nor does the winter killing in the central west mean total losses to the farmers. The 6,000,0 ,0O0 acres that were winter-killed will be replanted in corn, oats, alfalfa, millet and kaffir corn. The percentage of spring ploughing is not up to average, but the western farmer can accomplish a great deal when confronted by exceptional losses.
 In other words, it is too carly to say what the outturn of the crops will be. The farmer is not wasting any time in attending political meet ings. He is engaged in planting ad- ditional crops, and favorable weather may second his efforts. The business situation does not turn upon the Mo- vember elections. It relates now, as ever, to the growing crops, and the government estimate of May 1 is by no means final.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
N nIrrERENT LANGUAGE

From Brownings Magazine.
 Edward Coles Rowland, the widely
 known Washington journalist and statis-
 tician of the civic federation, who died
 in New York recently, used to tell tfis as
 tone on him".
 A delegation of Mexican editors, with their wives, daughters and sweethearts, was visiting Washington. Rowland, one of committee of newspaper men who were showing the visitors around, rode in carriage with a charming editorial daughter whom, for long time he dared not address, supposing she was as igno- rant of our language as he was of hers. Coming along toward the capitol, though, he determined to give his cheek and nerve a chance anyhow, and pointing to
 the noble pile he said "El capitole. Very fine. Magnfico." To which the charming signora instantly replied:
 "Bet your life 1t is!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
MISTAKES IN CRUISERS

From Pearson's Weekly.
 One of the most important points in building big warship Is that she shall be steady gun platform. It is obvious that no gun crew can make good shooting from a ship that rolls about like a drunken man.
 For this purpose, all our large battle ships are provided with two bilge keels. which are long steel plates running parallel to the keel. one on each side of it. They are fixed just at the angle where the almost flat bottom curves sharply up to the side.
 | For some reason one of our latest giant. the huge Dreadnaught cruiser Orion, was sent to sea with bilge keels much smaller than the ordinary. The result was that when she ran into rough weather she rolled in a simply appalling fashion. Everything that could possibly get loose went tumbling from side to side, and as for shooting, her big guns would have been practically use less. She has been brought back into Davenport dockyard to have new keels fitted.
 AHO Ahohs WiiiSh neiS iouhNhcu 1cN months ago from the same ,dockyard as the Orion. and is so long that the dock had to be specially heightened to hold her. is the fastest cruiser In the world She develops 27 knots.
 Her engines are of 10000 horsepower, and naturally she needs terrific heat to drive her full speed.
 Her navigating bridge was placed on one side of her foremost funnel, and the fire control platform Qrom which the guns are worked) on the other.
 When the Lion went out for her full speed trials, flames, 50 feet long, roared out of the top of this funnel and swept the bridge, and especially the fire control platform. 1t was said that every piece of metal on the bridge was warped and twisted and that some were even melted.
 As for the fire control, any one who had ventured there would have been lit erally roasted alive. This platform is 30 feet above the top of the funnel and was exposed to the full blast of the volcano like eruption from it's mouth.
 Like the Orion, the Lion is back in dry dock Her foremost funnel will have to be shifted a long way further for ward, and at least e25OO0 of the taxpay- CTS money will be expended to make good the results of the blunder
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15

From the Saturday Evening Post
 A YOUNG man starts in newspa-
 A per work as reporter. That is 4 \ his apprenticeship. In rare cases A. man may start as an editorial writer or as a specialist, but unless he has been a reporter and has learned that end or the work he never amounts to very much.
 The work of the reporters is the hearts blood of the newspaper. They bring in the news. What they find out and write is what the editorial writer must base his comments on, and woe be to the editorial writer who does not keep in touch with the news staff. He gets to be an academic prig, who invar- iably forms his opinions from the edi- torials he reads in his favorite papers Real editorial writers never are anything but real reporters, with the privilege of commenting instead of reciting The old fashioned commentator, who shut himself up In a coop and spun out theories, is rapidly passing away. He has been lost in the shuffle.
 In the newest and most advanced news paper building in this country, not long COmpleteu, lnHTe lSll u cup VI d NdNCAh IT or a private room on the editorial floor. Every man who has to do with the edi- torial end of that paper, from the hum blest reporter to the imposing editor-in- chief, sits on one floor, out in the open, each man in touch with every other man. Why? Because the reporters who bring in and write the news are the handspring of the paper. Because 1t is essential that every man on that paper shall be in close communication with the scouts who are finding out what that big town is doing and what the world is doing-for the tele- graph news is all furnished by reporters also-ln order to construct an intelligent and forceful paper that shall contain an adequate presentation of what is happen
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
"suNNY JIM. IS 0. K
the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
 Senator" said Vice President Sher- inan to Senator Pomerene of Ohio, talk. ing him outside the chamber into the marble room, T am in great trouble
 "Why, what's the matter?" asked MT Pomerent, who is a democrat.
 My grandmother is very Il. and ] would like you to take the chair and preside this afternoon while I hurry to her bedside
 Senator Pomerene took the chair, and half an hour later Sunny Jim Sher. man was sitting in a box cheering himself hoarse as the Nationals in the second inning made three runs and tiec the score with Boston.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
Good BusIness Conditions

There is a good deal of activity in business circles in Birmingham. generally speaking, and the industrial situation in the district seems to be very satisfac- tory," said Leo K. Steiner, banker and coal operator.
 Business conditions here have been improving for some time past. There is a great deal of large construction work in progress, and this year promises to be one of the best in the history of Bir- mingham."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
The Clayton Resolution

Congressman Henry D. Clayton. chair man of the Judiciary committee, has cer- tainly made a great hit with his resolu- ton which aims to extend the term or the President of the United States 10 six years and make him ineligible for a second term" said a prominent democrat. q have always thought it was a mistake In the founders of the government in not making the Presidents term longer than four years with provision that the chief magistrate could serve only one term 1T the constitution had so provided the coun- try would have been spared this mud singing in the contest between ex-Presl- dent Roosevelt and President Taft. have the utmost faith in the stability of our republic, but foreign nations must LOOK on and comment unfavorably at the un- seemly row in the republican party over the presidential nomination.
 If Colonel Clayton's one term proposi- tion crystallzes into a constitutional amendment it will be another feather in Alabama's cap. I have feeling thai this state will furnish the next President. and with the Clayton resolution passing into history Alabama will have her fill of glory te4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
GaIyeston.s New Birth

The Galveston flood of 10 years ago, which was so disastrous to that thriving port, turned out to be a blessing in dis gulse," said Caleb F. Whitehead of Cleve- land, O., who was in Texas last wee6.
 "The people of Galveston showed their pluck by going to work to rebuild the inundated district and to safeguard the aster. A great sea wall five miles in length has been completed and the con , crete causeway two miles in length, also completed, is a splendid piece of engi- neering.
 T first visited Galveston about 15 years ago. It was an easy going city and gave little promise of growth, but it seems to have had a re-birth. It is growing very fast now and Is one of the most attrac- tive cities in the south. The census of 1920 will probably find it with popula- tior of 100000 and the city will never stop growing.
 T am not old enough to remember ths Chicago fire, but from all accounts the terrible conhagration was really the mak- ing of that great city. On a smaller scale Galveston has had something of the same experience. The flood was the turning point in Galveston's history.
 "On my recent visit to Texas I found great spirit of optimism there. Pros perity seems to be the rule in all the cities and large towns.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
IN. HOTEL LOBBIES
Cotton in HaIe County

While there has been much complaint of the backward spring many of the farmers of Alabama have managed to get in their crops and some of them speak most cheerfulIy of their growing cotton. A. c. Jones of Hale county, is one of the fortunate farmers.
 s'Farm conditions in my neighborhood are not bad.'' said MT. Jones yesterday. T have 600 acres in cotton and corn. While we had very wet early spring 1 found dry days enough to finish my planting My cotton is well up and looks all right.
 We used to think that if cotton wasn't t planted by the latter part of March we would have very poor crop prospects. But cotton planted in the middle of May will turn out all right, provided we have the right sort of summer and a late fall.
 T have been in Mississippi recently and there l found cotton farmers much more backward than those of Alabama. But on the whole even in Mississippi considera- ble cotton will probably be made"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
NO PLACE FOR IDLE RICH

Edward Ellsworth Ross in the Century
 Magazine.
 Among a people that exalts doing things into a kind of religion the suc- cessful man keeps on with his work even after he has ceased to care for it's re- wards. Though he have much goods laid up for many years, the middle westerner is loath to say, Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry" So few lay off their harness before lifes afternoon that nearly all circles jingle with the spirit of the striving. At the governors ball, all the men you meet are workers near the top of their respective ladders of endeavor. The drone under 40 is re- garded with impatience, even contempt; for the social aspirant is gagged chiefly by his proved worth in the competitions of real life.
 To escape this nipping and eager air, those who early find themselves in the coupon clipping class drift away from the hustling west to places where they can meet other idlers, kill time grace fully with foxhunt, coaching party and
 horse show, and be looked up to as bet ter anu Hdpplei tiidn otHer people. Inen, too, the west Is not we'll enough uphol- stered to make the sybarite perfectly comfortable. and so he gravitates to- ward the London hotel, where Jeames
 warns the morning newspaper before handing it to you. or the Paris restaur- ant, where Gaston, after carving your duck, places the carcass in silver press and snueezes won it's last saVOry drOp of
 juice The exodus of this type Is a bless ing to the west, for it postpones the day
 when the noxious idea will take root that
 the elegant loafer is superior to the cap l ahle doer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
A MEMORY.

l know where lie recesses fair,
 Mid blue, encircling hills, And smiling Nature fingers there,
 Soothed by her morning rills; Pleased by wealth of vernal blooms And songs from every bough, While frolie airs wait sweet perfumes To calm life's fevered brow. know the sun shifts through the leaves, In golden pattern traced Upon the sward. No bosom grieves,
 Where every cares effaced, And where sweet Fancy culls her dreams From blossoms of the May, And where the hollow world misdeems Our hearts no more for aye.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
THE GRAY STREETS OF LONDON

Katharine Tynan in McClures Magazine. The gray streets of London are grayer
 than the stone The gray streets of London, where I must
 walk my lone; The stony city pavements are hard to
 tread, alas My heart and feet are aching for the
 Irish grass. af Far down the winding boreen the grass Is like silk, The wind is sweet as honey, the hedges
 white as milk; Gray dust and grayer houses are here.
 and skies like brass, The lark is singing, soaring OCT the Irish
 grass The gray streets of London stretch out
 a thousand mile O dreary walls and windows, and never a song or smilei Heavy with money getting, the sad gray
 people pass. There's gold in drifts and shadows in
 the Irish grass. God built the pleasant mountains and
 blessed the fertile plain; But in this sad gray London, God knows,
 I go in pain. Q. brown as any amber and clear as any
 glass. The streams my heart hears calling from
 the Irish grass. The gray streets of London, they say
 are paved with gold; I'd rather have the eowslips that two
 small hands could hold, I'd give the yellow money the fooish FOLK For the dew that's gray as silver on the
 Irish grass. IT think that I'll be going before I die of grief: &s m, The wind from over the mountains VIII
 give my heart relief. The cuckoos calling Bweetly-caiiing Tn "Come home. come home, .ascushlas to tho
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
PROGREssIvE CUMMING

From the Bethany (Mo) Democrat.
 Lula and Roy Gum took dinner with Grace and Lloyd Kennedy Sunday.
 Louie Gum and wife spent Sunday eve ming with Lon Gum and wife.
 Putnam Ellis spent Sunday evening with Albert Gum.
 Lon Gum and wife called on Charley Kennedy Saturday night.
 W. J. Gum and Charley Kennedy called on Lon Gum Nondays
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
WHEN THE GEAR TRAVELS
From, Tif-Rifs.

The Russian royal special train is the heaviest and most luxurious in Europe. When it was constructed it was devised to stand a charge of dynamite and It cannot be taken fast over most of the Flu ropean lines. because their rails are too light.
 The train contains a small chapel, a H. brary, bathrooms, drawing room, dining room and bedrooms. The servants quar- ters are at the rear and consist simply of an ordinary vanlike carriage arranged with sleeping hunks, as if on board ship. The train is so made that it can be changed to fit the Russian or the mid
 European gage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
Underwood the Right Man

Tt seems almost unthinkable that any aspirant for the presidency other than Chairman Oscar ". Underwood of the ways and means committee of the House of Representatives should be seriously considered for the democratic presidential nomination." said B. N. Rathbone of Chi cago.
 T am simply democratic voter; never have been politician, but have always felt an interest in our party. My first vote was cast in 1892 when I had the pleasure of voting for MT. Cleveland l voted for MT. Bryan in 1896 and have voted straight ever since, although I never was an ardent Bryan man. Now for the first time since 1892 the democrats have fine opportunity of winning a vic- tory at the polls.
 Underwood is so obviously the logical man to head the ticket that I cannot see how party leaders could do other than bring about his nomination. There is certainly strong democratic sentiment for him in the north. I would imagine that the south would be solidly for him. Maybe a weaker democratic candidate could be elected President, but no matter what the republicans do, or whom they put up, the democrats vii have to work to win"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

his return it is easier for him to facs his father than his mother His father knows something about the temptations of the world. understands the situation and sympathizes with the sinful one. To be sure, the father understands, but it is our humble opinion that the average boy expects to be forgiven sooner by his mother than his father. His mother may not know. she may not understand, but her love leaps over such trifling obstacles. While the fathers stern regard is not at all 1essened by the fact that his own youthful follies are brought home to him in the conduct of his son. t.fs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
The Music Festival Fund

'Nearly all the music festival guarantors have paid their pro rata assessment to meet the deficit and I feel certain that the few who have not responded will do so within the next few days" said a member of the festival executive commit tee. Ut was generally agreed by music lovers that the Minneapolis symphony or chestra and the solo artists which <hat organization brought with it, all measured up to a very high standard of excellence. The orchestra, indeed, was considered by competent critics the best that has been heard in Birmingham since the late Theo- dore Thomas was here many years ago, and Birmingham has had the opportunity of hearing a number of high-class sym phony orchestras.
 "What caused the festival deficit to be larger than usual was a strong counter attraction-the Grisgs lectures in the high school lyceum course. Dr. Griggs IS a most popular lecturer. and the cultured people who attended the Griggs lectures belonged to the class who can usually be counted upon to attend festival con certs.
 'sThere will be festival next spring as usual The management will endeavoI to arrange dates that will not confncl with any other strong attraction.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15

in an American prison. but the whole sys-
 tenn of discipline is lax Smoking is per-
 mitted, talking is winked at. and there is good feeling existing between the
 warders and their charges. In fact. the discipline seems to be little, if at all, more severe than that of an English workhouse. There must. for example, be
 much worse places than the prison in Oaxaca. One day when was passing-it
 happened to be the afternoon for visitors
 the women friends of the prisoners. with lots of children, were pouring into the
 prison yard, where a military band was
 playing lively music to the convicts. who
 sat around in easy attitudes. smoking
 cigarettes. gossiping and having a thor oughly good time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
REFLECTIONS OF BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Women deserve; men receive.
 The reason a man never has enough money is he wouldn't if it were more.
 Most people do their talking on sub feet first and their thinking on it after ward.
 Folk volunteer for foolishness. but they have to be drafted for sensible things.
 The trouble with a man who can give graceful compliments Is he will even try to pay his bills with them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15

clones. earthquakes. blizzards. smallpox, yellow fever. gout and indigestion that all this United States has known or will know when the universe shuts Up and begins the final invoice. In other words, it has got war and hell both packed up in corner and yelling for ice water.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
TOO IMPROBABLE

'Dibbs says he recently saw moving picture which showed candidate for po- llitical office refusing a contribution from a rich man." Tt was only a piece of acting?"
 Sure. Nothing like that ever happens in real life"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
UNRIyALLED EXPERIENCE

From Town and Country. Prospective Employer (perusing refer
 ence)-Have you any knowledge of the silk and satin department? Applicant-Spent all my life among 'em, sir. Prospective Employer-And sheets and blankets2
 Applicant tforcibly)-Born among 'em, sir.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
EQUAL RIGHTS

From the Detroit Free Press.
 You know Browns wife is suffra- gette."
 'Yes."
 And she also likes to go fishing''
 Yes"
 Well, Brown planned a little fishing trip and before they started out he said to his wife: My dear, you've been argu- ing for equal rights with men all winter long. Now you're going to get 'em. On this trip you bait your own hook, and take off what fish you catch.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15

The Indiana republicans are seriously considering the nomination of George Ade for governor. They would no doubt ex- pect him to conduct his campaign in the slang that he has made famous
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15

Boston jury ordered that the cost of his ticket be refunded to theatre-goer whose seat did not afford complete view of the stage. If this process goes on yet be able to get his money back.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
Al COMMON THouGHT.

A COMMON THOUGHT. The after dinner speaker Has nothing much to say. But ne'ertheless he rises And glibly talks away. We sadly sit and listen, As all the others do, And everyone is thinking, When will that bore get through ?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-15
HOW AROI1T THIS2

There is a great deal of quaint philoso- phy in Cora Harris's latest novel. ''The Recording Angel" Most of it Is true and all of it is interesting. For instance, one of her aphorisms is that when the prodi- gal son has been in the far country, having a damned but good time" on