davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Passing the Examination

They were all assembled in a room from which a darkened corridor led to another room. where there was music and feasting. One by one the candidates went through the corridor The King who had been informed of the details of the plan of Zadig, had displayed in this half-lghted corridor which each candidate traversed alone. many of his choicest treasures. Gold and jewels were lying about ready to the hand of him who would take them and the candidates were alone, When the candidates for office ware all assembled in the brilliantly lighted hall, the music struck up and they were ordered to dance-the lightest dancer to get the job.
 Never did dancers perform with less grace and agility-except one The oth- CTS danced with heads down, backs bent. their hands pressed to their sides. The exception danced lightly and airily.
 That Is the man for your treasurer. ]. said Zadig.
 The other candidates were searched ! and the secret of their bad dancing was made manifest-they were loaded down with tue spells they had gathered in the semilighted corridor. which was. there
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
The Truth of the Matter

Of course, they all thought Zadig was lying when he said that he had neither seen the dog nor the horse and, ar resting him, took him before the Judges, who condemned him to the knout and to spend the rest of his days in Si- beria.
 Also they fined him 400 ounces of gold for saying he had not seen that which he had seen. But he was allowed to address tho court and said:
 The truth of the matter is as fol- lows: l was walking in the wood when l observed in the sand traces of an animal that l could easily perceive to be those of a dog.
 "fhe light and long furrows traced on little emineces of sand plainly dis covered that it was female dog, whose breasts were hanging down and had therefore but lately filtered. other traces of different kind that always appeared to have brushed the surface of the sand near the forefeei showed me that she had very long ears And l also remarked that there was | a slighter impression made by the lef' forefoot than by the other three. So kne wthe dog was lame in one foot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Sold Into Slavery

As the fugitive Zadig reached the bor- ders of Egypt he came upon man who was bearing woman of exquisite beauty. 'Helpl" she cried, deliver me from the hands of the most barbarous man in all the world.''7-s
 Zadig rushed to the woman's assistance and the man turned upon him and tried to kill him. In self-defense zadig killed the woman beater.
 Then the woman turned upon zadig and berated him loudly. crying out that-he had killed the only man in all the world she loved.
 party of soldiers came by. took Zadiz prisoner and sold hi minto slav- ery at Cairo, where a rich Arabian merchant bought him and took him to his own land.
 This Arabian merchant, whose name was Setoc, was at first little impressed with his bargain in buying Zadig. But, gradually, after he got comfortably home again, he began to find out the genius of the man and advanced him to his chief favorite. He began to take counsel of him upon important sub jects.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Saved By a Parrot

When this was shown to tbe King his majesty fell into a royal rage and or dered zadig to be impaled alive at once. The unhappy poet was not to be allowed even to speak word in his own defense what he had written spoke enough.
 It looked now as if zadig really had to go.
 But the King had parrot and the par iot was fond of peaches and the parrot flew over zadlg's garden. There was a peach lying there, just fallen from the tree.
 The parrot swooped down, picked up the peach, and flew back to the palace. Sticking to the peach was piece Of psrer. The parrot laid peach and paper on the Kings knee.
 The King read the paper, but the words made no sense. The queen saw that the writing was Zadig' remembered what had been written on the piece of paper tha' was to cause his death and ordered that the paper be brought-she was shrewd l Queen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Cured, But Not By Hermes

The assailants of Zadiz and his be- trothed had been recognized the ser wants of young Orcan, nephew of the prime minister.
 Flatterers had told the young man that his uncle's power was such that he could commit any crime with impunity. He hal seen Somira and had resolved to take her away from Zadig.
 Zadig and his lady love got back as best they could to Babylon, where zadig was laid up for long time with his in jured eye.
 They sent to Egypt for that great phy- sician and surgeon, the old pr. Hermes, who came, accompanied by great retinue Hermes looked over his patient and saw that an abscess had formed on the injured eye. He charged great fee and then said that the eye could not be cured.
 Had 1t been the right eye, he said, he could have cured it, but injuries to the left eye could not be cured. Then he collected another fee and went back to Egypt.
 The abscess broke of its own accord and Zadig got well. Hermes. when he heard of it, was much vexed, and wrote q book to prove that the eye ought not to have been cured
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Professor of Physical Culture

Ogul was fat and sick. the women hda been sent out 10 look for basilisk which alone. said his physicians, could restore him to health.
 Zadlg had a bright idea at once-he was gifted that way. He went to the castle with Astarter and introduced him- self as a celebrated physician.
 He had a basilisk he said. It was contained in a ball and the Lord Ogul could be cured by handling the ball
 So he made Ogul play ball with him until the lord-whose only complaint was eating and drinking too much and not taking enough exercise-got thin ner and got we'll
 ogul offered Dr. zadig great sums of gold for his successful treatment. But zadg said that all he wanted by way of recompense was the slave. Astarte.
 She was given him at once. Astarte was no longer in the first blush of youth. and Ogul considered he had done" the physician.
 So Astarie and Zadig departed from the castle and went toward Babylon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Tracing the Horse

With regard to the horse. Walking In the wood, l observed the marks of horses shoes al lat equal distances. This must be a horse, 1 said to myself, that gallops excellently.
 '''rhe road was about seven feet wide, and l observed that the dust on the trees on either side had been brushed off at a distance of about three and a half feet from the middle of the road. This horse, I said, has a tail three and d half feet long.
 T observed under the trees which form narbor ever the road about five feet high that the leaves of the branches were newly fallen, from which l inferred that the hores had touched them with his back as he gdllored through, and must. there fore, stand five feet high,
 "As to the bridle, it must have heen embossed with gold, for the horse had rubbed the bosses against a stone, which was touchstone which had tested, and left marks of gold thereon.
 And from the marks left by the shoes on the Hints of the road l concluded that the horse was shod with silver
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
By Superhuman yalor

One day ttey were out walking under the palm titts which fringe tic banSs of the Eurhrite, Just beyond stho ga es Of Babylon when they saw al proacoing men armed with sabers and bows ard arrows.
 They rushed upon the pat Ho'ig fouehr with the deIceness of n tiger and finally, with only the help of the one e'..yo who l al accompanied h'm. fe heat off his n'a,iarta and rescued Ser;,ra from their c!ut.fes.
 In the scrimmage Semira had been lightly wounded and Zadig severely wounded. An arrow had pierced his left eye But he thought not of his wounds while he saw the blood of Semina flow.
 70, zadig," cried Semira when she re- covered from the swoon into which she had fallen, "I loved thee formerly as my intended husband; l now love thee as the preserver of my life and my honor
 Never did a more charming mouth ex- press more moving sentiments of love and affection than that of Semlra, never wat heart more moved than hers-apparently
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
The Loveliest Girl in Babylonia

And Zadig was as learned as 1t was possible for a man to be-for he sought to live with the wise.
 He knew the sciences of the ancient Chaldeans and understood the principles Of natural philosophy. such as they were supposed to be in hose days He knew as much of metaphysics as has ever been thrown in any age-wnlch IS nothing at all.
 Yet he had his peculiarities. l2 spite of a new philosophy which had recently sprung up among the magi of Bamyton, he was firmly persuaded that the year consisted of S65 days and six hours. and that the sun was the center of 'he solar system.
 When the principal magi told him tha. such sentiments were ot danger ous tendency and savored of reason to the State zadig held his tongue with modestry and meekness.
 Now one " ould have thought that this zadig would have been happy man. He thought himself that he ought to he happy, and as a preparation fer such a perfect state, he went !n search or a wife, finally engaging hitnsed to the beautiful .-u',a, the most lovely sir in all Babvionia.
 As for Seinii d, she just adoied Aadig
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Rich, Modest and Wise

Tn the great city of Babylon, in the reign of the illustrious King Moabdar. there lived a youth named Zadig.
 Rich, young, well educated and possess ing great natural talents. he had learned to moderate his passions and. th7agh he did pretend to examine every action by ,he cold light of reason, his endeayor was to do what seemed to him te bs right an1 was every ready to make allowances for tae faults and failings O. others.
 He had read in the first book Of ..zoroaster', that self-love Is a football swelled with air from which, when pierced, gusts of wind rush forth.
 Above all, Zadig never boasted of his success with the fair sex nor affected to entertain a contemp"ble opinion of women.
 He was generous and was never afraid of being generous to tha ungrateful, re- membering the great precept of the Bac- trian sage: When thou eatest give to the dogs, even should they bite thee."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Too Much and Too Little

News of Zadigs perspicacity was car ried to the King and Queen; he was at once pardoned; all Babylon spoke of his wisdom. and the judges were ordered to return to him the 100 ounuces of gold.
 This they did, coming to his house with great formality. and only holding back from the sum mentioned 39s ounces to de- fray the costs of the legal proceedings.
 Then the servants of the bailins, attor- ncys and register demanded their fees. Hadig paid them and everything was se- rene.
 But zadig now realized how extremely dangerous 1t vas TO kno wtoo much and resolved to keep his wisdom to himself thereafter.
 Soon after prisoner of state escaped and passed under Zadigs window. Zadig was examined. but refused to answer any thing. But it was proved that he had seen the man and he was fined 800 ounces of gold.
 zadig now resolved to comfort himself by philosophy and opened his great subur- ban residence to al lthe learned men.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
The Queens Dog

So Zadig divorced Azora, and, return ing to country house, resolved to seek happiness in. study of nature. He soon discovered q thousand differ ences where other men see nothing but uniformity. one day as he was walking in a wood he saw one of the queens eunichs running toward him followed by sew oral officers.
 Young man. said the eunuch, have you seen the queens dog?'
 "ls it a female dog" replied 2adig, and has lately whelped? Is 1t very small spaniel with very long ears and a lame left forefoot?'
 You have seen her" exclaimed the eunuch. No, have not seen her."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
News from Home

Arriving on the borders of Syria, zadig was attacked and taken prisoner by a rgbber chieftain, who despoiled him of his gold and brought him prisoner to his castle.
 Zadig had defended himself when set upon with such valor that 1t excited the admiration of the robber chief, and when the prisoner was brought to the castle he was freed from his bonds and invited t, dine with the chief. The two became good friends at once and the chieftain told Zadig the news.
 This was that the Prince of Hircania had gathered his scattered forces, invad- ed Babylonia, defeated King Moabdar, who had gone mad. and been killed by his own subjects. All the kingdom was now in confusion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
A CL ASSIC
 IN A P A c E

In "Zadig" yoltaire gave full sway to his biting satire and his pessimistic phil osophy. He scoffs at law and religion, at faith in man and constancy in woman.
 But the story is an interesting one, for the great genius Voltaire could, out of base material. build up fabrics of gold The author influence on contemporary thought was vast-it extended over the world and it t,prepared the way for "The Reign of Terror" e
 "Zadig" was very popular when it was first published, and continues to this day to be- perhaps. the most widely read of all Voltaires works. And ihe works of Voltaire were many. He wrote ''Oedipus' at the age of IS, and at the age of SS he wrote Irene" Between those dates he gavs to the word some 70 volumes of wit, satire and pessimism.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Convicted By His Own Lips

The judge laughed. and saying with ol my heart" turned to the consid- eration of other affairs.
 What have you done?" said Setoc.
 Walt and see' said Zadig.
 When the court was about to break up the presiding judge said to Zadig Well. has your stone arrived yet?
 The delinquent creditor laughed and said to the judge: Your grandeur may stay here until tomorrow and after all not see the stone. It is more than six miles from here and it would require 15 men to move it."
 Well" cried zadig, "did I not say that the stone would testify for usi since this man knows where it is hC thereby confesses that 1t was upon il that the money was counted out tc him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Making the Best of It

The first thing Zadig did when he was able to go abroad was to set out to visit her for whom alone he wished to have eyes-the beautiful Semira.
 The lady had been for three days past in the country, he learned and he set out for he rabode. On the way there he learned that she had openly declared that she felt an unconquerable aversion for one eyed men and the night before had married to Orcan.
 When Zadig heard this he fell speech less to the ground and sorrow almost brought him to the brink of the grave.
 But finally he got tine better of his sorrow and said to himself: Since I have suffered so much fro ma woman brought up at court. it behooves me now to marry the daughter of some citizen"
 So he wenth back to Babylon and made love to Azora, a woman of the greatest pruderce and belonging to one of the best mercantile. families in town. He mar ricd her and for three months they lived most happy life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Governed By Law and Justice

Things were in great confusion in the city, for the Prince of Hircania had been killed in battle. The inhabitants, when they say Astarte. received her joyously and at once made her take the vacant throne.
 Zadig kept in the background for a while, but when the citizens declared that the Queen must marry and that her consort should be chosen from among the knights who bore themselves pest at, great tourney, he came forward
 Needless to say, he was the victor in the tournament and married the Queen who had, secretly, sent him an especial suit or armor to wear in the fracas
 When the Babylonians found out that the great champion was none other than the wise Zadig they were delighted and blessed all the stars in the Babylonian heavens that fate had restored him to them again.
 So as the King and Queen of Babylon zadig and Astarte reigned long and prosperously. The empire enjoyed peace and plenty, and was governed by love and justice.
 Zadig told himself a thousand times a day that at last he was happy. But was he? It is so long ago that nobody can tell, but the probabilities are that he was frightfuily bored. Next weeks one-page classic will hG "Marmion.' by Sir Walter Scott
 Copyright. 1912. by Irving King.l
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Penalty of Progressiveness

This action, however, brought down upon him the wrath of the conserva- tives and he was in so much danger of being tried and executed for heresy that Setoc thought 1t the safest thing to send him away upon an embassy to the Island of Serendlb.
 .'Well' said zadig to himself, "where am I? I fined 400 ounces of gold for having discovered the passage through the wood of the Kings horse and the Queens dog; condemned to be impaled for having written some bad verses in praise of the King; sentenced to be strangled because the Queen looked fa- vorably upon me; reduced to slavery for having rescued a woman from the hands of her assailant-and now upon the point of being burned for having saved the lives of all the young widows in Arabia.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
In the Nick of Time

They put the pieces of paper together; tkey just fitted and this is what they read.
 Tyrants are prone to fragrant crimes
 1c clemency his crown he owes; To. concord and to peaceful times
 Love only is the worst of foes.
 Of course Zadig was rescued just in the rick of time, brought before the King ard Queen and so impressed them with his wit and wisdom that his Babylonian rsjesty confiscated the wealth of the en- vious man who had accused Zadig and gave his new favorte the money.
 Also zadig was commanded to live at tie court and was soon on most intimate terms with the royal family. He especially impressed everybody by giving back to the envious man who had come so near having him impaled the whole of the confiseated property.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26

Then came up one of the grooms and said: Have you seen the kings horse which has run away"
 He is the fleetest horse in the sta- bles," replied Zadig, "he Is feet high with very small hoofs and tail three feet and a half long. The studs in his bit are of gold 23 carats fine and his shoes are of silver
 (Which way did he take?" cried the groom.
 T have not seen him and never heard of him before,' replied zadig.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Dissemhling Their Love

So zadig waxed great and rich and powerful at the court of Babylon He Il ought that he had now secured hap piness.
 But. alas Shocking to relate, the Queen tel. in love with him and he fell in love w.tl, the queen. But zadig was moral man and Queen Astrate true to her mar riage vows with King Moabdar.
 So they simply avoided each ether ss much as they could. and when they me, sshed and ogled and became greatly em- harrassed.
 All the court saw that the Queen and zadig were in love with each other, and a. last the King saw it. too. He gave
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
When They Saw Approaching Armed Men

orders that Zadig should be bowstrung an6 a cup of poison carried to the apart ments of the Queen with an order for her to drink.
 The Queens black dwarf overheard the orders and warned Zadig, who fled at night from the palace and the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26

he had borrowed. They were paid at once.
 And Setoc was so charmed with the way in which zadig had handled the case that. he took him at once to be his friend and chief counselor. | Many were the long philosophical dis coursse which they held together and, among other good works. Zadg did away with the custom, then prevalent, of widows burning themselves upon the funeral pyre of their husbands.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Setoc's Counselor

The delinquent debtor was confused and falteringly confessed the truth.
 The merciful judge condemned him to be fastened to the stone without food or drink until he should pay back to Tetoc the 900 ounces of silver. which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26

that the young man possessed of the handsomest person was also possessed Of the most wit and virtue. There was a lit tic levity about her that sometimes rather gave Zadig cause for reflection. One day Azora came In in a great fit of virtuous Indignation,
 What do you thinkp she cried, What do you think! You know that Widow Cos rou who three days ago raised a tomb to her husband beside the rivulet which skirts the meadow and swore that she would never leave the tomb as long as the brook flowed by 1t? Well, what do you think I found her doing just now?"
 Changing the course of the rivulet, l guess,' laughed Zadig.
 "Just exactly what she was doing,' re- piled Azora, and went off into such a tirade against the widow that zadig wa far from being pleased with her osten- tation of virtue and devotion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Planning q Test

He determined 10 put Azora to the test. He had friend named Cador, and when, few days after this. Azora went for visit to relatives in the country. zadg summoned Cador to his house and revealed to him his plan
 The result was that when Azora re-
 turned home she was met by weeping ser- wants, who told her that Zadig had died during her absence and now lay buried in
 his family tomb at the bottom of the garden Azora wept and tore her hair
 and vowed eternal fidelity to the dead. In the evening Cador begged leave 10 wait upon her as her husbands best friend and he joined his tears with hers. Next day they wept less and | dined together.
 | Cador told the widow that Zadig had left him the greater part of his estate and that he would be pleased to share lit with her. The lady at first fell into a passion, but by degrees became more mild and reasonable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
BY FRANCOIS MARIE ARONET VOLTAIRE


after always known as "The Corridor of Temptation"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26

Iealnuslv and PnetrY

the poets and the authors and the 'in- tellectuals" of Babylon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26
Too Much Devotion

The only fault that zadig could find in her was that she always seemed tV think
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-26

Next weeks one-page classic will b "Marmion." by Sir Walter Scott.
 Copyright, 1912. by Irving King.A
The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-12-21
DIOCESE OF WINONA

Rose Creek: The Thanksgiving
dinner and supper given by the ladies
of st. Peters parish netted the sum
of $3.50 for the church.
Wabasha: The knights of Column
bus here received large class on
Sunday, December Is. Many visiting
knights were present to assist at the
exemplification of the first, second
and third degrees.
SIayton: The Catholic Ladies Aid
Society held fair on Friday and
Saturday evenings, December 13 and
IA. The proceeds were given to
Father English for the benefit of the
church.
Mankato: The children of the IS.
Peter and Paul parochial school gave
an entertainment in Loyola Hall Sun.
day afternoon, December 8. When
the program of singing, speaking and
playing was completed the ladies OF
the parish served supper to the large
number of guests.
Winona: A banquet was given by
Winona Council, Knights of Colum.
bus, on Tuesday evening, December
3. A large number of visiting knights