davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Concerning Music Teachers

The movement to compel the licensing of music teachers, set on foot by the Music Teachers associa- tiop- of. Michigan with view to rais- ing the standard of musical instruc- lion and putting stop to the activity 6f incompetent quacks,' is being heartily indorsed by real musicians and educators. It is safe to say that more than 50 per cent of those making living by teaching music in this country are incompetent. One finds in- competency among music teachers in all parts of the United States. In New York, where only genuine musi- clans might be expected to thrive, i fhere are scores of quacks among voice teachers who receive large pay for lessons. In the south most of the !. nin1o teachers are women, and while
 ofts of them are well equipped many know scarcely the rudlments or music. Many persons who make living by ss lying piano lessons cannot tell the .3 y in which composition is written; cannot analyze chord; cannot play fhe simplest thing that has brains or artistic merit in it with any dynamic eharm or intelligent interpretation.
 There should be law requiring every would-be music teacher to pass an examination and pay for cer-. tificate setting forth his or her ability to teach music as it should be taught.
 Lawyers must pass an examination before they are admitted to the bar 5 Pkysicians must be examined. It used
 B be that drug clerks learned to put |e prescriptions without conform
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
The Iron Market

' Matthew, Addy & Co. in their Cincin- nati report of this week say:
 Business continues excellent. There is no stopping the iron market now that it has started, and it's advance movement seems progressively more rapid. Com pared to finished material, pig iron has had no adequate increase Of course, the strength of the market lies in the fact that all finished materials are in such demand that many of the mills are falling badly behind in deliveries
 ''One of the most significant signs of the times is the growing shortage of rail- road equipment The railroads have been unable in most cases and unwilling in other cases to make the improvements and additions demanded by the needs of the country. Now that we have great crops to move and tremendous squirt in general industry, they find themselves handicapped. This was inevitable. But they are now liberal buyers; railroad pur- chases during the past few months have run into heavy tonnages and this is only the beginning
 .'During the week there has been a con tinuance of the heavy buying. Several large lots of pipe iron have been placed and there has been fine scattering trade for foundry grades.
 "Inquiry is still active and the outlook is most promising. In view of recent heavy sales and full order books, furnace men are in no hurry to sell, preferring to wait a while and let the future take care of itself i'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Ay0ndale Park and the Zoo

Park Commissioners Smith, Martin and Stack are reported to favor the location of the proposed zoo in Avon dale park. The trees and the space and the water supply are there, and it is located not far from the center of the city
 A city is not considered complete that has no zoo to which children can go, and adults also for that mat ter. This may not be as important as a public library or a public art gallery, but it is important enough to be desirable, and it is to be hoped that means Will be found by the city commission to promote it.
 The city has a fine park at Avon dale and the first building need not be expensive, and the costs of main tenance will not in the first five years be excessive. The people can be trusted to buy animals from time to time. The enterprise deserves con sideration at the hands of the city commission, and no doubt it will do all that the income of the city will justify in upholding the proposal of the park commission. Avondale park is cef- tainly an ideal spot for zoo that will interest every child of school age in the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
HOW TO PICK A GARDENER La. .t.. Iaac l.xit

From HarperS Magazine.
 young housewife advertised for com potent gardener to work by the day. By strange coincidence two applicants ap- peared at the same time. As she stood questioning first one, then another, she spied her mother sitting on an opposite porch short distance away, directly be- hind the men, frantically gesticulating and pointing unmistakably toward the less prepossessing of the two, The young woman. supposing her mother had some personal knowledge of the applicant, hired him to do the work.
 Has that man ever done any work for you, mother?' inquired the daughter when they were alone.
 "No,' replied the old woman, q never saw the man before
 Then why did you choose the tall man The other had much better face.''
 ''Face.'' retorted the old woman brisk ly. When you pick man out to work in the garden you want to go by his over alls. If they're patched on the knees you want him. If the patch Is on the seat. you don't"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Woodrow Wilson a Sure Winner

The reactionary papers say that the Vermont election shows that Roosevelt cannot be elected, and the bull moose papers come back with the declaration that Taft is dead and almost as good as buried.
 As a plain matter of fact the cleo tion in Vermont shows that the re- publican party is hopelessly divided, and that many republicans stayed at home, and that at least 5000 of them voted the democratic ticket.
 The increase in the democratic vote in Vermont simply means that no states electoral vote is assured to either Taft or Roosevelt, and that Woodrow Wilson may get all, i,clud- ing even Vermont's. At my rate Will sons majority will be overwhelming, and a democratic House and demo- cratic Senate will come also on the fourth of March next.
 This is what the Vermont election means, and everybody knows it, in- cluding the esteemed bull moose and reactionary editors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Alabama's Thirteenth Fair


 The fair grounds at Fairview pre- sent scene of busy activity. While the spectacles and amusement acts will exceed all precedent, the oppor- tunities for instruction will be far bet ter than this state has before secured. The entire business of preserving cat tie from the injuries of the tick will be fully explained and carried on be- fore the eyes of all who visit the fair, and this should mean a great deal to the state. The county exhibits will be fine, and the new poultry building will show what the possibilities in that direction are. Simply because the fair is to have many spectacular ex- hibitions no one should think that the useful and the valuable will be ignored for they will not be.
 The fair is to be made the very best that experience and money can secure. Skilled men are at work to make it a fine fair, and steps have been taken to grant to all in the state chance to see it at low rates of fare. The grandstand has been enlarged and all the preparations look to the incom- ing of a vast number from every part of the state, for this fair is as much a fair for south Alabama as it is for north Alabama. It will be prepared to fit every one of the 67 counties in the state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Judge HundIey Returns

Judge Oscar R. Hundley together with Mrs Hundley. returned yesterday from an extended automobile trip through the north.
 We had a delightful trip but had to ship our automobile home from Louis- vile and take the train," said Judge Hundley. We found excellent roads everywhere except for about 40 miles between Indianapolis and Louisville Indeed this stretch was so rough that We decided not to try it further.
 We started in the automobile from Cleveland, Ohio. and went around the lakes through Chicago to Milwaukee where l attended the sessions of the American Bar association.
 Returning we came back by way oi Chicago and Indianapolis. As whole it was a delightful trip. though I think spent the hottest night of my life in Louisville.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
g to any educational standard
 without being examined as

or without being examined as to their competency, and same times the prescriptions they filled proved fatal. But today pharmacists have to stand examinations and no one is licensed who is not competent.
 In great many occupations high standard is set and no one can enter until he has been examined. It should be the same way in the realm of mu- sical pedagogy. In the meantime, the Music Teachers association in every state should be careful not to admit any applicant for membership who is not known to possess a reasonably good musical education. One reason why there is comparatively little dis crimination in concert audiences in this country is because of the prevail ence of poor teaching.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Paying for Political Campaigns

"The democratic national commit tee," says Acting Chairman McAdoo, 'has placed no limit on the size of in- dividual subscriptions to its campaign fund, and will not do so. It is the character and motive of the subscrib- CT and not the size of his contribution that will determine it's acceptablllty. There are an unlimited number of pat riotic and disinterested people in this country devoted to the cause of clean government from whom contributions in any amount will be gladly received-s The democratic fight is for the recov- cry of the government in the inter- est of the people, and in order to ef- feet that recovery we shall not limit the number of the contributors nor the size of the contributions when they emanate from the proper source and are inspired by the proper motive"
 This is all very true, but still it IS far better to have many subscriptions each of small amount than it is to have a few of the Mark Hanna sort. When trust or corporation that IS not trust sends in $10,000 the natural presumption is that 1t has something up its sleeve. This has been the case every since and includ- ing the campaign of 1896, and it can easily be repeated by tariff benefici- aries and magnates this year.
 Money for campaign expenses IS needed in the contested states, for Wilson and Marshall cannot be elected without an effort. If the large ob- jectionable gifts of the past 16 Years are to be avoided this year, it can only come about through multitude of popular subscriptions each of small amount R l
 The appeal of the Wilson Marshall club of Birmingham, 40o0 strong, should not go unheeoed. A vigorous effort is to be made to secure contri | buttons of a popular nature to be used in the contested states. The financial committee of the club makes . special appeal when it says: Our club is composed of the friends and constituents of Oscar Underwood, and | while we were at the time disappoint- ed in not securing his nomination at Baltimore, we are not sore and as an evidence of our loyalty to and enthusi- asm for our ticket liberal campaign | fund will be expected from our large club, and if we fail in securing it, a reflection will be cast upon our dem- ocratic enthusiasm, and upon our city, the home of MT. Underwood"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Musical Taste

'I have been struck with the fact that more requests have been made this sum mer for the better class of music than for ragtime or trivial stuff,' said Clar- ence Klenk, the violinist who leads the music at the Florence cafe, and who, by the way, is known to be one of the best educated musicians in this part of the country.
 'I have been living in Birmingham for many years, and in teaching and playing have come closely in contact with mus ical conditions and musical apprecia- tion-or lack of appreciation-and it is most gratifying to observe an improve ment in musical taste. In concert go- ing audience assembled to hear high class programme, one expects to find dis orimination and appreciation of the best in musical art, but when 1t comes to din ner music,' in Birmingham and other cities, we do not expect to find very large percentage of critical listeners I have been all the more pleased therefore, to find that compositions by TschaikoE- sky and other master composers take bet- ter than trashy pieces.
 Early in the summer I began to notice that when I played very light, catchy music I had no requests to play it again the next day But when played really good music requests have invariably come to repeat. This,'f say, is encouragins.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
RESTRICTIONS or A .nACHELoR

l.rol.l the New York Press.
 Women ought to be able to vote so as not to want to.
 The reason the children can get wet feet without catching cold Is you can't.
 A millionaire can stand being hated by everybody because nobody will be that way to his face.
 It's better to drive one horse and stay in the seat than to drive four In hand and be spilled in the ditch. { When girl is too short she can build up her height with heels and hat; but when she's too tall there's nothing she >an do but be sensitive about 1t.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
DREAMS
By Andrew Lang.

By Andrew Lang. He spake not truth, however wise, who
 said
 That happy and that hapless men in
 sleep
 Have equal fortune, 1aiien from care
 as deep As countless careless races of the dead Not so, for allen paths of dreams we
 tread,
 And one beholds the faces that he sizhs Tn vain to bring before his daylit eyo4 And waking. he remembers on his bed; And one With fainting heart and feeble
 hand Fights a dim battle in Q doubtful land, Where strength and courage were of n no avail; And one Is borne on fairy breezes far To the bright harbors of . golden star !. Down sfragFant neeting waters rosy pala.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
SURGERY IN ANCIENT TIMES II,,rav,. yNaokln

It has been pointed out that the statues and placques carved in stone and wood to be seen in the Gizeh Museum prove that the priest mummi- fers of Memphis six thousands years ago possessed a profound Knowledge of anatomy. Science. therefore. as Lockyer remarks, is as old as art, and they have advanced together.
 Another remarkable fact fin this qon- nection is that excavations in Italy have brought to light scores of finely finished surgical instruments for certain opera tions. which are in almost every partic- |ular of form like those reinventcd in modern times and used by the most advanced surgeons of today.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
THE LOST CHILD
pm the Youths Companion.

From the Youths Companion. was brought into the police station. The officers. tried in every way to lsarn her name. Finally one of the officers said: : t.Tei me, little girl, what name does your mother call your father?"
 Why responded the child, innocently. "she don't call him any names; she likes him."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
SOME BRIGHTNESS LEFT.

Though its days be dark And filled with woes, The world is sweet
 For just one rose. Though the shadows fall And the tear drops, too, A gleam of sun
 Doth hope renew. And ever the hearts
 Of the toiling throng Are won from despair
 By the Tilt of a songi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
WHEN TWAIN sPoKE FOR SHERMAN

Albert Bigelow aPine in Harper's Mag
 azine.
 The army of the Potomac gave dinner in Hartford June s, 1881. But little memory rauains of 1t now beyond Mark Twain s sneech and bill of fare containing orig inal comments, ascribed to various rev cred authors. such as Johnson, Milton ana ,carlyle. pleasant incident foiioweo' however which Clemens himself used to relate.
 General sherman attended the banquet and Robert Lincoln, then Secretary or War Next morning Clemens and Twicn- ell were leaving for West Point, where they were to address the military stu dents. guests on the same special train on which Lincoln and sherman had their nr,vate car. Tnis car was at the end of inc train. and when the two passengers reached the station Sherman and Lincoln were cut on the rear platform addressing the multitude. Clemens and Twichen went In, and, taking seats, waited for them.
 As the speakers finished, the train start ed hut they still remained outside. bow ing and waving to the assembled citi- zens, so that 1t was under good headway before they came in. sherman came up to clemens, who sat smoking unconcern- ctly.
 well" he said, "who told you you could 20 in this carp
 Nobody" uaid Clemens DO you expect to pay extra fareT' asked sherman. NO" said Clemens. '"I don't expect to pay any fare" "oh. you don't! Then you'll work your way"
 sherman took of his coat and military hat and made Clemens put them on. "Now," said he. ''whenever the. train stops. you get out on the platform and represent me and make speech"
 zt was not long before the tsaAq atoppeds
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
ADRIFT WITH THE Tk7c

those vest pocket edition ican dogs to take home tdltian Me Legare-pronounced Leg-ree.N children was leading the dog along lhe was string, when a South Carolh co'eo taineer stopped him. mouA
 Are It a regular dog?' the ma s
 Yes, it's a Gh---. We'll, I caE nounce the name of it. said Legarglo,, it's some kind of Mexican dog" pu'
 Just a pup, l reckon"
 No, it's full grown
 ''Well,' opined the mountaineer, that the least dog I ever seen at one time.''- Philadelphia Telegraph.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

The addition of s100 to the annual pay of rural carriers, bringing the salary up to Sl1oo. adds s4,0oo,oC0 a year to. the ex- penses of the department. It is an expen- diture however, all approve of.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
More About Armageddon

Men and women who had Sunday school training in childhood and who heard preaching after they were grown are familiar with the word Armageddon and its significance All Bible readers, t might be said, are as familiar with Arma geddon as they are with the cave of Adullan and the stars in their course , fighting against Sisera But since Roose- welt made Armageddon prominent word in politics and gossip in general many bright essays have been written on the subject, and many side lights have ap- peared. Thus writer in The New York Sun says:
 ..Nhen Mir Roosevelt said we stand at Armageddon and we battle for the Lord or words to that effect, it was evil dentiy an effort on his part to create u much needed atmosphere of righteous ness around his treacherous plot to usurp tho office ana hlacken the fair fame of an honorable gentleman, his one time friend. But with his customary brash- ness he gave utterance to the high sound ing phrase without stopping to ascertain just what really had occurred at Armag- cddon. According to the Bible text (Rev- elat!on. xvi, 14-l6 the only human hosts gathered thera for battle were those pos ssssed by the spirits of devils. and they fought against, not for the Lord.
 "A marginal note refers to Revelation xix, for more detailed account of the fray, and here we learn that these hu- man hosts were led personally by the beast Against them went God Himself, terribly arrayed. riding the white horse typical of death and commanding the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

The Majestic, sister boat of the IT. tanic, completed last week her five hun dredth round trip between England and America, and the event was duly cele- brated
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
Pouulnritx of Wilson

. Gol. O. P. Gaut. who recently returned from St. Louis, says that prosperity seems to abound everywhere. In speaking Of politics he said: T believe that Wilson will come mighty near carrying every state east of the Mississippi except Penn sylvania and Vermont That, of course, may sound a bit too enthusiastic from democratic point of view, but there is hardly state in the east that Wilson will not stand some chance of carrying.
 q have never known the time when the republicans had so little hope and when the democrats were so full of confi- dence. There will be landslide for Will son and Marshall"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

The colonel evaded the pure food law very much, as he continues to do in the case of the tariff As an evader he has few equals and no superiors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

Cornelius A. Bliss was New England Yankee anG it is reported that he left behind good record of what he did in the party campaigr ns 'onA. His son Is on deck.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

The Chicago News says Col. J. Hamilton Lewis is so quiet about his campaign for the Senate it is suspected that he is con- ducting it in the cutting room of his toga taller
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
IN HOTEL LOBBIEs
A Great Pine Organ


 H. C. Clifford of San Antonio, one or the best known organ tuners and regu- lators in the United States. has recently tuned the organ in the First Presbyterian church and the organ in the First sap tist church, and has thoroughly over hauled and made as good as new the HOOK & Hastings organ in the First Netho- dist church. The latter had long need ed an overhauling, and being very large instrument, MT. Clifford worked month on it before he had everything just right. During the present week sew eral men who take much interest in pipe organs called at the church to hear MT. Clifford run over the keys and demon- trate the wonderful possibilities of the stops and the voice combinations. Among those who spent some time with MT Clifford inside the big organ inspecting the mechanism was Oliver Chahfoux' the well known musician. He mad often heard organ recitals at the First Metho- dist church, but he said he had never realized what great instrument this was until he heard it in perfect condition.
 T have been engaged for many years Tn organ Work, sdiu MI. Sitaio'
 have heard and examined most of the celebrated organs in this country. Ire big Atlanta organ, which was purchased by the city and installed in the auditorium cost a great deal more money than the one in the First Methodist church, but I can say without the least exaggera- ton that this organ here in Birmingham ic 10 tee ct in the nt1re SOuIn. It has some of the rarest tone effects that one could imagine. Its vox humana is exceptionally beautiful. I have never heard anything of the kind quite so beau- tiful. Like all of the older organs this is a tracker and I would say, by the way, that if I had any influence with church looking around for good organ I would say, whatever you do buy tracker.
 "The modern pneumatic organ has beau tiful musical qualities and we get very fine effects from them, but in seven or eight years-1O at the most-they are used up. The life of a pneumatic is usually from five to seven pr eight years, while the life of tracker is practically unlimited This organ at the First Meth odlst church is certainly good for lco years to come All 1t will need is good overhauling from time to time.
 q love pipe organ and nave been in a great state of joyous excitement in my work here. I do not represent any organ building company. I am on good terms with all of them But, l always insist that the tracker type sives the greater satisfaction in the end.
 MT Clifford was here about II years ago He had not visited the city since. He marveled at Birmingham's growth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

The home weather bureau declines to let the weather go above 92. It considers that temperature high enough for opening cotton or anything else.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

Everybody took a holiday on Labor Day This may seem odd at first sight but it is the English language that is faulty
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
WHAT DID THE BRIDE THiNKs

I IOfn JUUSCs
 The three-ti:nes widower, with his new est choice, was once more making the necessary visit to the city official in Ho- boilen. Upon receiving the fec, the clerk exclaimed heartily. Thank you! Come again."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
THEY'VE MET BEFORE.

woman who played "The vampire.' With conspicuous success is now appear ing in The Ne'er-Do-Well." The vam- pire and the ne'er-do-well are old, old ac- quaintances.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07
SHE NEVER FLIRys.

Although the day was very warm In fact, considered hot. A chap who smiled at Agnes Maud Was frozen on the spot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-07

And Jim Smith of New Jersey is trying to break into a reform Senatel What do you think of that?