davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

story of all sorts of influences, institu- tions, tendencies, traditions, usages, to show the reason for their grip upon the people, whose story is being reviewed. Out of that new study has come new under standing of the soul itself, new peda- gogy, a new synthesis of knowledge, aud thus also new inventions and a new phil osophy. There is an intense relation ship between the Wright brothers with their revolutionary discoveries, for in- stance, and the atmosphere of freedom In which this new age has learned to culti- vate knowledge.
 In yet another direction it may be said that record making and record writing are proceeding side by side. For never since the first century has the activity of the church been more marked than now; and yet never before has there been seen a similar literary activity in the church. We are outdoing the age of Clement, of the Fathers before or after the Nicene Council. And we bring to the task mind far more free from the tyranny of super stition than that of any prior time, ex- eept perhaps the mind of the apostles and prophets, whose function, indeed, was creative rather than literary. Though the commentator is active the prophet is not
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

equipment for work in his pulpit, that you may look through his bookshelves and find-or. alas, not flnd-Hastings, us he should be, in all seven dull green quarto volumes, with proof that they are pretty frequently disturbed
 But it became clear that the work even yet was not complete Of making many dictionaries there was no end yet In sight, especially because to the modern mind study of Christian artecedents involves study of comparative religion generally. And comparative religion is only another name for the beginning of ninking. which is the story of philosophy and ethical dls- eovery and doctrine.
 So are we led on, step by step. This latest series is published on plan of CO., operation through the house of Scribners. in this country, sold on a subscription basis, just as was the Bible Dictionary, and when d new volume arrives it Is dn event. It is resplendent in massive red cloth. I have Just counted the names of the collaborating writers and specialists who are brought together in this fourth volume. They are no fewer than i66! They arc of all languages and of all faiths, but they are grouped here on the simple ground of their knowledge.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

1s40; David Copperheld in 1s49; A Tale of Two Cities in 1859; Our Mutual Friend in 1864. The unfinished story, The Mys- tery of Edwin Drood was left incom- plete in 1870.
 A recent writer says, "Diekens never did such a preposterous thing as write for purpose. he wrote for his art This is not true. He wrote for his art. true; but his art was sacrificed upon the altar of Human Brotherhood Was there no purpose in Oliver Twist, no moral pur- pose in Nickleby? I could go through the list and point out a great moral pur- pose in them al
 It is quite true that some things can not be claimed for the wizard of Gads- hill. For elegance of diction and class ical allusion, one need not go far to find his superior. He makes but few refer ences to the classics, and the scantest allusions to the master poets He quotes no dashing lines on love from the iaunty ovid. From his books you could never know of the existence of land "Where burning Sapho loved and sung Where grew the arts of war and peace, Where Delos rose and Phoebus sprung In all this, Bulwer far exceeds Dickens. But who reads Bulwer now? Only three of his stories are read-"My Novel, "The Last of the Barons" and "The Cax- tons" Men may say that Dickens did not quote the classics because he did not know them. Be 1t so. He did what was better. He saw around him women and children weeping, and sought to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

worry a little bit ovver the stability
 of there jobs. Senator LaFollett is an avvowed Cannydate for the Repub- licon nominasion for the Presidency, and he is not failing to let the pub lick know all about his emminint fit ness for the job. Maggyseens and newspapers all ovver the country air pressed into survice, as is evvery ex- federal employe who used to sit on the Band Wagon with Taft, but was showed off to make room for sum one else. It is marvellous how suddenly a statesman can change his views. As long as he is on the pay roll and has strength enuff left to sign his sallery voucher he has strength to defend evvery act of the administration; lie is a most cheerful defender of the Powers that Be, and is prepared at all times to hand out hole collums of brilliant reesuns and arguments up holding enny old thing that is pulled
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

The custodian of the Astor library, New York, replied to the same inquiry thus: 'We estimate the relative use of the au- thors you mention as follows: Dickens, Scott, Thackeray." The statement was made by Chapman & Hall, the English publishers of Dickens works. that the annual sale of Dickens stories for years has been the enormous number of 25o.O00 volumes. Mark you, this has been the sale of the books for years
 We have no record of the thousand of publishers of these works in this coun- try, except in one instance. P r. Collier lions of books, and in the 10 years pre- ceding 1909 he sold more than ever be- fore The works of fiction sold stand thus for numbers:
 Thackerays works, 6l6,000
 Shakespeare, 732, GOO.
 Scott, 992500.
 Dickens 5.720,0Oo.
 These figures appeared in Collier Weekly in January, 1909.
 That will do very well for a man who is already passed out of the list of men of permanent fame. The truth Is this, people may or may not like Dickens, yet the fact still stands that he Is the most popular author in the English language. and that his characters are oftener quoted than any other writer's, except Shake speares
 This is a marvellous fact when we con slider how long ago some of the books were written The Pckwick Papers were given to the world in 1S36 Nicholas Nick leby in 1898; The old Curiosity Shop in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

will take nine moor times to convince him that he cannot be elected Presi- dent, for he ant no quitter, and we simply hav'n't got the time to con- vinse him. He proposes to take a hand, and you can't set on him, he won't stay still long enuff. I say give him one white chip and let him set in, he'll lose it all rite, he's newer won enny thing yet, then he'll be froze out.
 Willium is the only disturbing fac- tur in the Demmercratic party rite now, and if he can successfully be Crimped and kept that way, and if we can keep LaFollet Pinchut and Co. frum developing cold feet, and also prod the Curnel now and then and get him to Bark few times, we ought to make the c. o. P. elefant look like collectsion for Forrain missions on rainey Sunday-Next Novembur.
 Yours trooly,
 BILL VINES.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

scale of goodness. Nor does he ever lend a grace of sentiment to vice, or ever attempt to excuse the ineNcus- able"
 How different from the mass of books called literature that are reeled off tho press in this day Here they come. Tales that boys and girls read before they have reached the age of l6. Here they come. Stories of illicit love, of women going wrong, of scandals too gross to mention, social and domestic problems involving nausea ting filth. and all written with no moral purpose, but for the sake of art. Out upon such so- called art Oh, let us go back! Back to the days and to those writers who gave the world clean stories, and books that leave no sllmy track across tho heart of the young.
 He knew the evil effects of unclean books. Hence. he dared not even if his mind were so inclined. though 1t was not write a story whose result would be vicious in it's influence.
 One hundred years ago Dickens was born. The world will celebrate that lowly birth. for he was the child of poor parents. Let there be a celebra- tion of the birth of the babe, that, the world afterwards came to love, in the homes of the people. Let Dickens be read again this year. old and young should take down the old volumes and read them once more, to enjoy their humor and thus forget the worries of life: and to have the heart softened by their pages of pathos.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

cents he no longer looks aftur the
 Forests. He weeps grate scalding tears as big as butter beens, as he eontemplates how the dear publick air the Goats, so maid by the poly tical Bosses of this commonwealth, sed polytical Bosses stedfastly re- fusipg to give him job. He Soughs a big Cigh when he thinks of the good old days of Teddy, who newer was a Boss--Teddy a Boss-Perrish the thought before it is thunk, Teddy could not be Boss if he tried, he's far too gentle and mild and meek and all that to be Boss. One would pick out good healthy Bengal Tiger as being a Boss before they would think of Teddy. Pinchut deplores Barnes and Murphy of New York, these rude men, he seys air no longer the survants, but the masters of the peepul, and Pinchut hates that-he hates it because they air, and he ain't.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

~ ADSHILL is in the famous, flow cry county of Kent, in old Eng N land. From an early time II has had mention in romantic and his toric literature; but it was destined to become best known throughout the world as the vine mantled home of 8 world famous literary wizard whose name has become a synonym Tor all that is humane and sympathetic among men. .ssssssz l..
 Through the leafy lanes of Kent, in the neighborhood of Gadshill, lightly swinging his black hawthorne stick, often accompanied by his dogs, the wizard was wont to wander, and there's eareely a> bit of forest whereabouts that has not rung with the merry nu- sic of his laughter.
 Hither came the wizards friends as to a fountain ever flowing with gener- ous streams of cordial hospitality. They were always welcome, but had heartiest greeting when the nut brown partridge might be flushed, or when the nighten- gales sang in the adjacent woodland. Among those who oftenest enjoyed the springtime beauty of Gadshill, or sat before the blazing logs of winter, were Thackeray, Charles Read, Wilkie Col slins. Foster, McClise, Stone, and many others. whose names are familiar to us all. The wizard loved his friends
 He was also a kindly lover of the creatures of the lower orders of crea- ton. If Colerfdge was correct in say ing,
 .He prayeth best who loveth best
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

Some idea of the area of the work may be given by the initial and terminal words of this volume. It runs from "Conflrma- ton to Drama" It's generous cathol- icty is shown, for instance, in the first word, which is treated partly by an An- gican and partly by d priest of the Irish Catholic church. The article on Death and the Disposal of the Dead" occupies an even hundred pages. and is q fairly complete exhibition of all humanity as t stands in all lands on the edge of the Great Mystery. Phoenician, Babylonian, Sysian, Hindu Buddhist, Mohammedaa, Christian, Farsi. German, Black Fellow. and the rest pass here in review, bearing their dead. carrying out their rituals. dumbly witnessing to their conviction that here is not the end, but new beginning. No fewer than lS scholars beside the cd itors, have worked and brought their best intelligence to bear on these repre- sentations of death and funerals On the other hand lucid and brief review Of Darwinsm by Benjamin Kidd Is as abso- lutely modern as though there never had been any folk tales or terrors or anything else but the cold light of reason
 Twenty writers conspire 10 tell us all
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

abreast of the modern mind. For he has the inestlmable gift of finding the man who knows and persuading him to tell.
 The Dictionary of the Bible ran into four volumes, but the four became five with an appendix, not vermiformis, dealing largely with matters of first class signifi- canoe, ssuch as the Code of Hammurabf, which had been squeezed out of the early volumes for want of space and because their inclusion was radical departure in Bible Dictionary making.
 And that was not the end. It had be- come evident that no such boundaries as had been at first imposed could contain the enormous mass of newly available knowledge, especially concerning the place of Jesus in the heart of civilization and literature. Hence sixth and seventh volume came. with the title, Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels" These are all portly volumes of about 900 pages, mak- ing a library for the modern preacher which ought to make him not only bet ter preacher but bigger man than all his predecessors. For here he is able to absorb the best that all the scholarship of the universal church affords. Here are green pastures. and deep, clear streams. So that it is test today of minister's
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

thwaite was promoted to the supreme bench MT. Shorter succeeded him as the judge or the judicial circuit, in which ca paeity he served for nine years, being elected from time to time, without oppo- sition.
 When the question of withdrawal from the union was before the secession con- vention of Georgia, Judge Shorter was sent as one of the commissioners from Alabama, He later became member or the provisional congress of the Confed- eracy, and soon became a candidate for governor of the state in response to a pop ular demand. In 176l he was elected gov ernor.
 The storm of war breaking over the country, there was imposed on the gov ernor an unprecedented burden. attended with unique embarrassment of an appall- ing nature. Questions of complicated na- ture arose in consequence of the haste necessary to meet the tide of hostiities bearing southward, and in the excitement of the hour and the extremity of the pe-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

dead and gone. For instance, the great Jewish Cyclopedia, issued some years ago, or the invaluable Catholic Encyclopedia, forms a synopsis of facts and forces which does infinite credit not only to modern scholarship. but to modern liberty. The dead past is no longer dead. but wo may walk through those illuminated aisles and almost talk with the departed, who walk there in white, or perchance In red or black We can think with their brains, checked by their environment. and we are therefore on the way to having really adequate historical sense.
 But all this goes with an intenser and n more aggressive propaganda than has appeared in many centuries. The annallst, the analyst, and the propagandist are brothers and even twins or triplets. Such Is our intellectual fecundity! We are changing our creed by applying our faith. and making new world by our study of the ages gone by
 1 am led to all this dscursive truism by the arrival of volume of Hastings's 8 Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. Dr. Hastings is an editor of note. He has produced the most scholarly and conser- vative dictionary of the Bible, a natural heir to Smiths and Kitto's works, well
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28
BILL VINES ON THE MAN WITH THE POMPADOUR

You Air IT. A horrible suspission has found Judgement in Williums brane that there air sertain persuns in the Demmercratic ranks who actu- ally think that they would look well as the standard barer of the party and that it is possibul that they mite conduct it to victory insted of defect.
 Willium, therefour, has turned out the Goats, and let out holler. He begun to suspect sumthing along last August when Oscar got up on the floor of the House and camly and politely informed an amazed Nasion that Willium was Chairman of the Board of Directurs of the Annynias Club. Willium cought on rite then to the fact that as a Peerless feeder he had lost a few laps and that unless sumthing was didding rite quick he was destined to becum a prominent member of the Jas. J. Jefferies Class. He's brite all rite, he can see tAing if you keep handing it to him, but it
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

But that's all rite. All we can say is go to it LaFollet Pinchut and Go. and wallop the steem out of Taft, if you can, and the moor rumpus you kick up the moor we will enjoy the show, and the easier 1t will be for Oscar to-"Cop de Rag.".
 But while the republicans air having there Ruff House and air politely handing each uther lemmons, it is also kinder keeping our emminent statesmen guessing what our star loser is going to try to hand us, they want to be reddy so they can side step it. Willum J. is getting as restless as an old maid at a New Yeers party along about the ninth inning. He is beginning to beleeve that the Dem mercratic conversion is actually going to meet and get ovver there habit of sending out committee of Prominint Statesmen aftur him-sed committee pinning a Big tag on his manly boosum, and saying unto him Willium
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

off. He holds these views and cir culates them until sumthing happens, and he gets the Hook, then he instant ly discovers that the President is a polytical Wart, and his adminstra- sion joke, and that he is not a statesman, but ward polytician, and Boss, and that he has surrounded himself with lot of grafturs, and that the country is going to the devil and then sum, and he calmly expects folks to believe him-in both cases. There is Mister Pinchut for instance Ex-Forrestur, and one thing and an- uther, persunal frend of Teddy the Big Smoke" Mistur Pinnchut is hopping things up for LaFollett, sim ply because Pinchut is an "Ex" and is now engaged in the unremunerative passtime of standing on the outside looking in. Mistur Pinchut wales and tares his hair when he thinks of the grate rongs of the peepul, especially
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

that is known of demons and spirits, from the Ainu to the Red Indian, with all lat itudes Included. But when it comes to the Doukhobors, they are sympathetcally treated by New York Greek journalist; Primitive Medicine is discussed by Dr. Charles & Myers, a famous psychologist, as well as physician and so all the by- ways of each topic are pretty thoroughly explored. Peculiarities are handled in scientific spirit. pr. Hastings has Loyalty strlven in every instance to find the man who knows, and has given him free hand.
 The limits of such work however. are arbitrary in the last degree. Readers Will be constantly feeling, as they study these prolific pages, that to religion and ethics there is no boundary on earth or in heaven. The spirit of religion was voiced by the Roman sage: "Nothing that Is human do I consider foreign to me" Hence no art. no industry, no region of mans endeavor, lacks the religious and ethical atmosphere. So that Dr. Hast ngs will have to begin again, when he reaches volume 12 and writes The End. Nevertheless he is doing well. and is Just as necessary as the Britannica itself; though l wish he used India paper!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

1 test, one baby was declared to be the most perfect in the state.
 In the contest for good points many
 babies were weighed and measured and tested for proportion, vitality, touch, taste and hearing The test was scientific. On a scale ofl100 there were so many
 marks for weight, measurement, health, looks, teeth, hair. etc. The babies in- tellgence was discovered by their in terest in a photograph, or watch held up, some sa6h proof The one baby1swas pronounced the
 perfect one bysmeans of scale and tape and "laboratoryt test"
 So far so good Who can telfr what may be the out come of that |perfect" baby? Oftentimes the weakest babe turns out to be the strongest or most intelligent individ- ual
 The infant whose brain Is excessively developed requires more than the aver age of blood for that organ, leaving the rest of the body weak, The "perfect" baby physically may be weak mentally because the blood is demanded for the body to the exclu- sion of the brain. Also You see, there are many things. like heredity and environment. entering into the evolution of a human being It Is difficult to prophecy the destiny of babe.
 You can size up a young colt or
 collie pup by ordinary tests. A babe is different. You cannot tell what may be the de- velopment of q human body through ju-
 dicious care and training, or what quan- tity of gray matter may be hidden away in the small brain pan of an infant. Some of the strongest and ablest men and women have been weak as babies
 The main thing is to- Give the baby a chance. You cannot tell what possibilities are wrapped up in that mite of humanity. Properly nourished and given plenty of pure air, day and night, the puny, pull 1 ing baby may develop into an athlete or a genius. l If the baby Is frail it Is no sign that | it will grow into physical or mental weakling
 The perfect baby has yet to be
 born.
 One of my correspondents asks for
 the story of Jack Sheets. the wireless
 hero.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

To man of more exalted personal
 M character ever entered public life | in Alabama than Gov. John Gill Shorter He had all the virtues of Chris tian statesman. Gentle refined, highly cul- tured. modest, he was yet a firm and faithful official. His presence produced an atmosphere of purity and awoke the pfofoundest respect.
 A graduate from the University of Geor- gia in the class of '37 for Georgla was ms native state, he removed with his rather, Gen. Reuben (. Shorter, to Eufaula, then called Irwinton, and after a course of study entered on the practice of the law. Six years afterward he was appointed by Governor Fitzpatrick solicitor of the ju- dicial district in which he resided. In 1s45 Mir. Shorter was elected senator iron, Barbour county, the first from that coun- tv after it was formed from Russell coun- ty. His bearing and service at once at tracted attention, his ability was promptly recognized, and when Hon. George Gold
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

TT is an encyclopedie age. Rarely, if
 ever. in the history of mankind has so ! much original investigation, invention, creative development, gone on side by side with so much classification. Usually the age of the annalst follows that of the creator. Achievement has gone hand in hand with poetry; but the lexicograph- CT and the historian have brought up the rear
 Our peculiarity 1t is to sustain the crea- tiye note of the last generation while We mass together the results of all the generations. Our best achieve nitnts indeed are traceable to the revival of historic study. With re- lentless scalpel our surgeons have un- covered all sorts of quvering and protest ing facts The history of Rome and Greece and Judea, as well as the history or Japan of India, of England, has been re- discovered and illuminated by these an- alysts.
 And it has not been a new study of mere happenings, but rather of the growth of ideas and ideals, of the national con- sciousness, of the national or tribal soul. Backwards. to primitive beginnings the scholars have tracked the origin and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-28

have done less than he did would have made him recreant to his obligation, and every one who did his duty at that time. and under conditions so stressful, fell un- der the same unreasonable public condem- nation. man of less nerve and less granite in his soul would have been swept off his feet in a public ordeal like this.
 On the expiration of his term. in 1868, he was a candidate for reelection, opposed by Thomas H. Watts then attorney gen. eral of the Confederacy, and an opponent of Governor Shorter at the previous elee- ton,
 Public sentiment had grown so morbid during the tempestuous times of the former administration that Governor Shorter failed of reelection. There was q burst of ungrateful expression of popular feeling, but the result was not unexpect- ed Governor Shorter had borne immense burdens in the fact of popular clamor, and naturally and logically he preferred the indorsement of a people for whom he had done so much, while on the other