davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

1 The beating of my pulse, l feared, would arouse the sleeping men. On tiptoe I followed again the path be- tween the innocent and finally had deposited in each pocket the sum of which I had robbed it.
 Tired almost to exhaustion, l slept.
 You remember the story of Dr. Jekyll. For the sake of adventure the good man. changed himself into the evil MT. Hyde. At first, to transform MT. Hyde into Dr. Jekyll was easily accomplished Eventually, however, Dr. Jelyll slept as Dr. Jekyll and awoke as MT. Hyde. Correspondingly as difficult became the task of repro ducing Dr. Jekyll
 Tt was the battle of bad, indulged, against good, restrained, with the for mer a certain victor.
 Like Dr. Jekyll, l could not resist the temptation of becoming Mir. Hyde. For many nights robbed my fellows and restored the stolen property.
 And then-I reached the point at which the full amount was not re- stored.
 And then-I determined .o be a beggar no more, but, indeed, man. 1 did not loathe the beggar or his profession. l loathed the necessity of becoming a thief.
 You see my reason for reformation differs from that of the average beg gar who turns from his evil ways. will be successful"
 
 In the meantime William Clayton Cole had finished lunch in the Hill man cafe.
 After persuasion, he agreed to make up" just once more.
 In an hour a beggar sat upon the you for aims in front of the Morris. :"
 In an hour a beggar sat upon the pavement in front of the Morris hotel, but he was not William Clayton Cole.
 That man weighed 175 pounds. The beggar could not have tipped the scales at more than 140 pounds. The face of William Clayton Cole was round. That of the beggar was angu- lar, his cheeks hollow, his forehead wrinkled, while around his chin grew or attempted to grow struggling beard.
 As the wind blew he coughed con tinually. The. man might have died as he sat.
 Across his hollow chest string held his coat together. Through the ragged sleeves his horny hands pro- truded, under every nail of which filth had gathered. A patch adorned each trouser knee.
 And through one trouser leg a ghastly wound was seen.
 The man was pitiable-and repul- sive.
 To each passerby he extended his hat. Between the hacking coughs he implored- C'aint you help a poor old cripple, friend? ?"
 Long he sat and those who watched glowed in the knowledge that Bir- mingham is charitable. Nickles and dimes and quarters were dropped into the beggar's hat.
 And then there came Hull in the procession.
 Finally, the beggar staggered to his feet and feebly grasped the crutch which had been reclining against the wall.
 Pretty easy, eh?" asked he.
 "But-who are you?"
 A chuckle was the only response. And then
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

may get dozen pairs or he may get more.
 The shoes are in good condition for his purposes, as they were the better grade of shoes with lasting qualities, even though they may have lost some of their shape and good looks. He pays, say, quarter for each pair. Then he has them soled and the uppers fixed and polisnei and sells them to stores on the lower East Side at a flair profit
 These shoes are not to be confounded with sample shoes. There is a regular business done in that line, too. but by a different class of dealers. These sample shoes come from the manufacturers ana are shoes their salesmen take out on the road. One salesman will take the right shoe and another the left. After they have made ther trips the shoes are put together again and are sold to tile sample shoe slealer. ~-r-s-- ''in their travels around the country m the hands of the salesmen they may have got scratched up bit, but otherwise are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

"Polonius told his son that apparel oft proelaims the man. He might have added that apparel also coneeals the man.
 The selection of clothes is the first and most important lesson taught by the instructors. It is a mistaken idea to believe that beggar can become prosperous in spite of his dress. have known many men of fine intel ligenee who were forced to retire from the profession because they could not learn the art of proper dressing. When a beggar so bedecks his body With rags that his appearance Is ludlcrous, he is deprived of the weapon winch arouses sympathy. You can afford to appear repulsive as the re- suit of disease. But when once you inspire man with desire even to smile, you frighten away the spark of sympathy and go, as a result, with out a handsome dinner.
 s'When 1 sat an hour ago on the pavement in front of the Morris hotel, you, who saw me, did not smile. You could not smile [ watched you. At first, you shuddered and desired to run away. But you did not run. Instead, you stood still, realizing the fact that one so grieviously afflicted as I, should not be permitted to suf- fer if little dime could prevent.
 You remember that you gave me coin, and I judge that you are not man who would recklessly bestow charity
 Had Dr. Watson heard the story he would have answered:
 Very simple! But how did you produce that terrible sore which through your trousers leg appeared unhealed and unhealable?
 That was very easily accom- plished,n answered Cole as if he had really been asked the question.
 "As I have told you, some years | ago I lost a leg. Therefore, when the Iimprovised limb of cork is removed, the natural stump presents very fine background for the man of artls- tic temperament. By the application of croton oil and mustard plaster, the skin is caused to pucker and as- sume a fiery tone. Remove the plas- ter, apply around the borders of the embryonic cancer any solution which leaves behind dark or tan stain, and the work is complete. 'It is a scheme to put the imaglna- tion of the people to work. It is first noted that leg is missing. The thought of the stump then impresses itself on the mind. No sooner has one thought, than he glanees hurriedly towards that stump, and behold-lt IS in plain view.
 No one is fond of contemplating horribles sore. Therefore, as soon as he has seen, he looks away again. Therefore, there is no chance of de- lection.
 AS a matter of fact, were the ordinary man to examine closely he would be unable to declare the wound fake. I have known cases wherein physicians, Investigating for police departments, have been completely deceived into carefully dressing that which the beggar can restore to health by a bit of soap and a scrubbing brush"
 -.H-5.
 "It must be exciting, the profession of beggar, Mir. William Clayton Cole?"
 Just game of wits, as 1 told you before," answered he.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

are willing to pay bounties for hedgehogs, and their fellows are willing to earn money by killing them, have been direcr- ing their financial and shotgun attentions to the poreupine, which is no more hedgehog than it is a bison. If the New Hampshire law says ''hedgehogs" the men who bring in the porcupine ought not be allowed to collect a cent
 New Hampshire always has been long on bounty laws. It has paid out money for wolf scalps. bear hides, hawk heads, and srasshoppers. The porcupine eats the bark of coniferous trees and thereby is supposed to do a lot of damage. The hedgehogs, of which we have none. are insect eaters, harmless little beasts. which it ought to be a pleasure to let live. Por- cupines may do some damage to the trees, but they are picturesque and interesting and they have a place in the economy of nature. We hope before the tribe has been annihilated that some one in the White Mountain State will make test
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

1 "We have union. Every mans whereabouts are known at headquar- ters. The cities of the United States are systematically worked.
 "We are the little fry of profes- sional crooks. In beggardom, as is the case with every other trust, there is the man higher up.'
 .'This individual, through his secre- taries, sends instructions. We move at his orders like the soldiers under the command of their captain.
 Therefore, we know each other We are equipped with a system of signals. sAfter the work of the day, we meet, as a rule, unbind our wounds, stretch our twisted limbs into their natural shapes, and proceed to make merry
 AS strong and well dressed men, perhaps the cripples you encountered today, are passing the evening at the theatre. Not once in decade are we discovered, and then there is always some one to snatch us from the tolls.
 Had Sherlock Holmes really de- sired to exercise his wits, he would not have considered the capture of those criminals just shrewd enough to escape Scotland Yards. He would have begged his way from London to San Francisco and on the journey studied the stupidity of 90 per cent of the policemen he encountered.
 tss
 After my graduation, l worked New York with school of novices under the eye of our instructor. Hav- ing become proficient, l started on a career which, as stated, has continued for 20 years.
 "I have visited every city of the United States, and am acquainted with the alleys and darksome holes of each. I have twice crossed the acean and have matched my wit and skill against the cleverest beggars of Lon don and Paris.
 q was successful in the making and saving of money and in addition to a neat sum of cash, I own property in New York. But roses were not al ways the conspicuous decoration of my path. have been cuffed around by policemen whose ingenuity was not developed sufficiently to discover monumental fraud which stared them in the faces and shook them by the hands. I have aften been before learned justices and have received permission to spend weeks in jail. But on account of we'll developed case of 'erysipelas,' the genuineness of which no city physician has ever ques- toned, it never befell my lot to serve a sentence on the streets.
 
 "As a result of perpetual treat ment. blood poison 1sstaped some years ago, qnl lost leg.
 q hr.so sat upon the streets of Bir- r,ingham with a partially healed stump in open view. The sight was disgusting-even to me. But it served to awaken the sympathy which had long slept unmolested in many breasts.
 "The missing leg became a stock in trade. During the day it brought me profit. After the fall of night attached the limb of cork which now wear, and arrayed in the garb of responsibility attended the theatre, or mingled with leading citizens in hotel Hobbies, or spoke at political meetings.
 Life was not bore. The profes- sion of the beggar requires ingenuity, eternal watchfulness and nerves well controlled Be lacking in either, and instead of a money maker, you be- come 'misfit, absolutely dependent
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
BY GEORGE ADE

Steamer Chair that he had been un- able to get his Tea at the usual Hour and out in that place called Minnie Apples the stupid Waiter never had heard of Bloaters for Breakfast. Furthermore, he had not seen his Boots again after placing them out side the Door in Chicago.
 The Houses were overloaded and the Railway Carriages were not like those at Home and the Reporters were For ward Chaps and Ice should not be added with the Soda, because it was not being Done.
 He was jolly glad to escape from the Wretched Hole and get back to his own Lodgings, where he could go into Cold Storage and have Joint of Nut ton and Brussels Sprouts as often as desired.
 The Yankee cringed under the At tack and then fully agreed with the Son of amphibious Albion. He said we were new and crude People who did I1OI hllOW ilON tO NNoi Clothes or eat Stilton Cheese and our Politicians were corrupt and Murder CTS went unpunished, while the Aver age Citizen was dyspeptic Skate afflicted with Moral Strabismus.
 Then he retired to his State Room to weep over the Situation and the Brit ish Subject said: "The American is a Poltroon, for he will not defend his own Hearth and F'ireside." ~
 A Cooks Tourist from Emporia, Kansas, dropped into the Vacant Chair. When the Delegate from The Rookery, Wormwood Scrubs, Isling, s. E., resumed his scorching Arraign- ment of the U. s. A., he got an awful Rise out of the Boy from the Corn l Belt. r
 The Emporia Man said there were more Bath Tubs to the Square Mile out in his Burg than you could find Tn the West End of London and more Paupers and Beggars in one Square Mile of the East End of London than you could find in the whole State of Kansas. He said there were fewer Murders in England because good Op- portunities were being overlooked. He said he could Tip any one in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
BOUNTY FOR "HEDGEHOGsy
New Hampshire Offers Reward for
 Unknown Animal

From the Chicago Evening Post.
 The state of New Hampshire pays a bounty on hedgehogs In eight townships the slaughter of 1665 of the animals was certified to recently in one day, and $33, in money was paid out as reward of merit.
 In one little corner of the fairly bis, state of New Hampshire 1865 hedgehoss have been killed, and this presents a cu- rious fact of natural history Until the reports came in scientists supposed that there was not hedgehog in the United States. We are willing to brave contra diction and say that the scientists are right, and that there is not a hedgehog in this country outside of the zoologicai gardens. The New Hampshire people who
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

1t IS unnecessary, on account o1 it's comparative lack of importance, to mention the leg which is missing"
 William Clayton Cole thought a moment.
 9 s"There is only one reason why would hesitate to continue this nar- rative.
 The average man is only too prone to grasp an excuse to decline to aid And there are so many people in the World- who, while we are sitting here safe from the keen tooth of the north wind, are shivering in the blast-per- haps with dingy shawl drawn tightly around tender shoulders, supporting on trembling legs a stomach long un- derfed.
 And I have found that the story of the professional often bears fruit, while those who are helpless against a cold world continue to starve.
 Tt is impossible for the average person of affairs to differentiate be- tween the professionally and the really infirm. Therefore, lest one who really needs might continue in his misery, let nothing in my story cause the charitable to desist.
 T was born in New Jersey. After graduation by one of the leading col leges of the country, landed in New York.
 q rebelled against the tyranny of work. Within short time 1 had no money, no probability of securing em- ployment, and no friends.
 "Dr. Jekyll became Mr. Hyde.
 "Unknown to the vast majority of the people of the United States, there is in New York the only training school for professional beggars in the world.
 NI was educated in the art of de- ceiying the charitable, and during my entire business career, remitted to the college a percentage of the money of which virtually robbed the people.
 "The principal of the college was a physician. As result of his instruc- ton, can twist my arm until it's ap- parent deformity would wiring tears from the heart of a. woman, and arouse the sympathy of modern MT. Scrooge.
 "I can by the application of acid lotion and ordinary paint cause pain less and harmless abscesses to form on my arm. I can produce artificial erysipelas. The production of a death like pallor is as simple, as the play of child.
 An hour ago, saw sitting on the corner of the storehouse of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb one of the most abject pictures of perpetual misery which ever came beneath my eye.
 ''It was Gum Shoe Pete plying hls trade. :,
 How's business today?' asked him. ;,
 Rotten,' he replied. Ferdly worth the trouble of rigging I'D.
 His two arms, as strere as yours, were apparently parals zed. Ills chest was hollow. His cough wrought vls- ions of a funeral. From his hlp, leg hung helplessly.
 1There is no cleverer make up ar tist' on the stage than Gum Shoe Pete. He owns tenement house Tn Brooklyn.
 "There is honor, it is said, even among thieves.
 "For that reason, could not be in duced to betray the key which would reveal the truth or falsity of every man who beseeches aims.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
SECOND HAND SHOES
Discarded in Some Stores, They Find
 Way to Other Wearers

From the New York Sun.
 We do quite a business in second hand shoes" remarked the shoe salesman, pick ing up a pair of old shoes which a GUS toner had just discarded. Many of our customers don't seem to care 10 have tner old shoes half soled and are glad to leave them on our hands. Most shoes left in this manner find their way eventually to East Side stores, where they are sold for a dollar a pair. That is after they have been fixed up.
 Nowadays there are men who make a regular business of buying discarded shoes from such stores this. We have a man who calls here once m3nth for shoes which our customers haNe npt He
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

and when opened received without noisS all the Fragments of cement which wer| dislodged as the hole was enlarged so al to allow of the easy passage of a person. By means of a rope ladder the descen| was made readily into the office beowl The next steps of the thiefs work conl sisted in the bringing down of two cylinI ders of compressed oxygen and an acetv| lene generator charged with calcium cal bide and water. With these he was aill to produce a blowpipe flame of such in| tensity that steel fuses in it like lead II an ordinary gas jet. It required only | brief space of time to melt away so muci of the door that the contents of the safI were accessible.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
" ONV1NCED that his object of
 ! charity was worthy, the bank - nn. e,.nl.u 1nana.1,inn drnnned

! charity was worthy, the Dank-
 CT every morning dropped a quarter into the palm of the beggar.
 For five years nothing occurred to cause the man of wealth to change the custom. Promptly at 9 o'clock the began extended his hand, and the banker presented the quarter.
 Time passed, and the banker failed. Apparently, no hope confronted the Respondent man. Then the beggar appeared.
 T know of your trouble" said he. q have very little money, but l have come to help you
 You help me-" exclaimed the banker. 'lmpossiblep
 Nevertheless, 1 have come to do what l can in return for your kind ness to me-" replied the beggar. T have here $25,000 in cash. Take of it what you need, and repay me when you can" ~s
 There is q moral to this little story.
 First, it contains the exemplifica- tion of the theory that bread cast upon the waters will return. Secondly, it contains an example which would
 
 point to the cultivation of the habit of saving.
 But the object of relating the story is not to point out the morals which might be contained. Rather it is the object to suggest. what is true that every man who begs should not be permitted to stand in the way of passefsby, and check the progress of the world
 The existence of the professional aims seeker has given birth to the professional dispenser of aims. Up to the present time the latter has ac- complished little of good.
 The average citizen has no concep7 tion of the extent to which is carried the imposition of the. professional beggar.
 There is in Birmingham today Will liam Clayton Cole.
 He has appealed to the char itable from Dan to Beersheba, and in no city of the American continent has his carefully trained voice failed to touch the heart of the good.
 William Clayton Cole is a rascal. He admits the charge. While not ashamed of his record, he does not heartily approve.
 "It was an easy way to make both ends sometimes" he says. But often it was h-lll"
 He was reminiscent. The tempta- ton to tell his story surged up strong within him. He opened his lips and before he checked himself, one of the most peculiar tales of the day was told.
 'In the beginning" said he, "I an- nounce my retirement from a profess sion which I have followed for twenty years.
 >'During my active business career, l saw the greater part of the civilized world, ard learned human nature as a child his book. l retire with a sav- ings account sufficient to carry me through the remainder of my life.
 "On the debit side of the ledger is the pride which was born with me lost; also the opportunity to take ad- vantage of well trained mind and a robust body lost; also that intansgl- hle thouph sweetest of 7dll thrills which comes only to GntC man who against outrageous fortune has achieved success.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

of the law which says hedgehogs, when It means porcupnes, and thereby make a technicality. which, as a general thing, we in no wise believe in, prove for once in a lawyers life to be good thing
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

all right and naturally are the best the manufacturer could turn out in their par ticular line. Hence they are apt to be bargains.
 or course there are hardly enough of these sample shoes discarded by the man ufacturers in a year to stock all the sam pie shoe places now running. In good many cases you will probably find that other shoes have been thrown in with them. the sample shoes helping to sell the otherS"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
Paris Eats Camel Neat
From Tit-Bits.

ErOn Ilt-BltS.
 Camel flesh Is being sold in Paris, the prices ranging between that paid for prime beef and venison The animals came from Algeria. and it was their untamable na- ture which ultimately caused them to he sent 10 the abattoir. Bears meat was a novelty the same dealer introduced some time ago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

MORAL-A little Learning is a dangerous thing and good deal of it is Suffocating.
 Copyrighted, 1912, by George Ade).
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

some Meditation: During the past Two Years l have mingled in all Grades of Society and I have decided to round out my Career by being Deep-Sea Diver"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

Cervical Vertebrae with a Plaid Shawl around him and roasted Our Native Land.
 He told the American in the next
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
An Ecclesiastical Note

From the Ellsworth (Nanl Reporter
 Rev. F. S. Rees of Ellsworth is seinl deep and wide for sinners. and hopesf capture every lost sheep from Buna, Hell Creek this winter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04
The New Fable of the Juvenile Who
 Studied Mankind and Laid His

Once there was Kid who wore Uniform that fit him too Soon and Cap on one Ear. His Job was to an swer the Buzzer and take Orders from any one who could show 25 Cents.
 In the Morning he might be acting as Pack Pony for some Old Lady on Shopping Spree and in the Afternoon
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

NN the deck of a Transatlantic \ Skiff certain Old Traveller,
 who owned allegiance to George and Mary, reclined on his
Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-09-18
Finney Named on
Advisory Board
Columbia Editor viii Help d.
rect Wilson's Publicity
Campaign,

New York Sept, 8, The demo-
cratic national committee has APP
pointed the following general fl
nance committee for Tennessee.
William H. Carroll, Memphis,
chairman; X. 7. McConicO, Nash
vile; Lewis NJ. Coleman, Chatta.
nOoga.
The following Tennessee mem
bers Of the advisory committee or
publicity have been appointed;
G. f. Milton, Knoxville Senti
mel and Chattanooga News; Lap
G. Walker, OF Chattanooga Times
E. h. Stahlman, Nashville; Banner
q. II. Baskette, Nashville Demo
crat, H. suter, Nashville Tennes
sean and American; c. P.J. Moon
ey, Memphis Commercial Appeal
J. 1. Finney, Columbia Herald.