davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
When All Buildings Go Free

The late Henry George wanted but a single tax, and that was to be laid on land only, leaving all buildings and improvements untaxed. Mayor Gay nor was appealed to to support sin gle tax bill in the legislature. The mayor had just issued list of choice books which he had been called upon to defend, but he found time to say that he could not support single tax bill because it would confiscate vacant lots in cities. The entire ground rent would be empted into the public treas ury. Vacant, unimproved property in cities would go to the dogs.
 The question, as Mayor Gaynor ad- mits, is a big one, and it has several sides, and when society is reorgan- ized and vacant lots cease to be, the single tax theory may be more feasi- ble than it is now. Mayor Gaynor discusses the matter fairly and justly. He simply says that all American cities have too many vacant lots at present to give the single tax plan a square chance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
DICKENS AND HIS WIFE

From Charles Dickens and Women,' by
 H. Snowden Ward, in February Lppin-
 cott's.
 hSuE separation between Dickens and
 his wife was the serious blot on his
 \ life, but it has been made the basis of much insinuation and suggestion for which there was not the slightest founda- ton in fact. The novelist's attitude to his wife would be difficult to define com pletely, at any one time, or through it's gradual oranges That they were true and loyal to each other seems certain; but two essentially and entirely different natures were incompatible from the first, though they had many years of happy life together before they discov- cred this.
 Dickens was all flash and fire; his wife was relatively slow and deliberate. He grew to love the glitter of the footlights and the applause of the public; she all ways clung to the hearth and the small circle of cronies. He was difficult man for any wife to live with-enormously ae- tive and energetic, whimsical, changeable, and inconsistent; a great stickler for puhctuality and regularity in some things. yet the greatest breaker of all rules and regulations when it pleased him to do SO. As life advanced, he grew more aIid-snore nervous, and needed greater change and distraction, which he sought in frequent travel and bewildering variety of ac- tive interests. Mrs. Dickens, a motherly soul, could not appreciate or sympathize with the eccentricities of genius; she found his ways and habits and some of his friends much too meteoric and bril- liant, while some of her own friends and relations irritated him to the verge of desperation. He felt that she had not grown with his growth, but always tried, oh, So very hard, to be considerate and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
Under the Equitable Ruins

The wealth of paper securities stored in 6000 boxes of safety deposit vaults at the bottom of the Equitable building was well nigh incalculable. This wealth remained blocked up by rubbish many days, and all sorts of surmises were started. All were finally saved intact and uninjured. There were no cinders in any one of the 5000 boxes.
 The case has, however, given New York security holders a scare and there is now demand for fireproof vault located under "a reasonably fireproof building. The Equitable was not a building of that sort. In these days of steel frames and the free use of tile it would seem as if such vaults could readily be built Nothing above the vaults would be absolutely fireproof. Little in this world is. The walls and floors and roof could, however, be made of ma terial that would burn slowly, and ir that way the vaults down below would be secure.
 The Equitable fire has set security holders to thinking, and it will doubt less result in a more cautious selec- tion of space in vaults. The matter is still under discussion, and the judg- ment of the public has not yet beer made up. The big fire may result in vaults more secure than New York has at present. Architects are con. sidering the problem.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
THE FALLING OF A METEOR

From the Atchison Globe.
 A meteor fell in an Atchison home yes terday. Years ago the man of the house married a woman who insisted upon being his guiding stare She inquired all about his business affairs and kicked and screamed and held her breath until he allowed her to point the way for him. Last week the Atchison man was about to enter into a big deal. His guiding star found out about it and walked the floor wringing her hands. saying her woman's s intuition told her the big deal would ship wreck him. She convinced her husband that he was groping in the dark and should allow his guiding star to light a path leading away from that big deal. The husband gave up and followed his guiding star Yesterday he found out that some other man, who had no guiding star, had made the thousands he walked away from. When he went home the me- teor fell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
LIGHTHOUSE IN THE AIR

From the London Globe.
 The progress of aircraft in Germany is well indicate ted by the fact that illuminated captive balloons are now being used tor the purpose of guiding aeronauts by right. Ons of these has lately been placed at Treplow between Berlin and Stettin). The balloon is of a red color and carries an electric light. It is visible for great distance at night and is easily distinguished from any other light. IT case of fog. when the light could not be seen, an electric bell is caused to ring by means of a hygrometer attached. Ir this way 1t is possible for person ir charge to ascertain the height of the fog gene and cause the balloon to ascend into a less moist and clearer atmosphere, when the bell will cease ringing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

all of Mr. Morgan's collections to this country during his lifetime.
 Here is where they will be most appreciated. Here is where they are greatly needed in training the tastes of 90,000,O0O people. The general belief is that MT. Morgan's gift will prove the most valuable that has come or will come from the remarkable group of men worth at least hun dred millions a piece--Morgan, Car negie, Rockefeller, Hartman and Hill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

his ability to handle great questions aud to keep the members of his party Tn line when the time comes to vote on mat ters affecting the welfare of the people.
 ''The democratic leader of the House. Mir. Underwood like Jim Bludsoe, Is holding the party's nozzle to the Economy river bank, without regard to what shali be the effect upon his own prospeels as candidate for the presidency says the Mobile Register His thought IS all for the party. He wants it to go into the presidential campaign with clean record. He opposes the money bills-the Sherwood pension bill. the battleship bili and the public buildings bill-because there is a scarcity of money in, the treas ury, and the democrats profess to con demn the republican way of spending the peoples money. In his brief speech upon the buildings bill Monday, he warned his colleagues that to saddle the treasury with s16.0O000O charge for public build ings at this session would be too ap- parent an effort to court political favor without sincerity"
 It makes the Alabama friends of MT. Underwood proud to see how strong and influential he is among the leaders of his party. MT. Underwood is standing for those bills which he thinks are right and which the democratic party favors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
LINGO LONDON DOESN'T LIKE

From the London Chronicle.
 "Rubbers,' as we have noted, do not mean galoshes on this side of the Altar tic. There are few words which illus- trate better than rubber" the power of usage to make them mean just what 1t rleases. Caoutchouc being hopeless word. our forefathers made India rub Der, of 1t because it came from Brazil (ccnfounded with the West Indies) and because they used 1t chiefly to rub out pencil marks. But <here is no thought of that use in the motoring circles of today or among American wearers of overshoes. Then the American, having invented rubber neck" as a term for a sightseer turning his neck about to stare at things, has cut it down to rubber" and made of that finally Ia general word of re- rroach used especially to express incred- rHty," as an American authority puts 1t.
 "Gent," is the most offensive of all ab- breviations, and MT. Justice Wightman once construed it very aptly. In case tried before him a witness referred to one of the parties as 'an independent gent" "An independent what?' said NNightmar. "A gent, my lord, repeated the witness. "Oh, 1 understand, replleu the judge, that's something short or a centleman isn't it?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
THE TOWER OF FAMINE

By Shelley. Amid the desolation of city, Which was the cradle, and is now tn of an extinguished people; so that pity Weeps Ter the shipwrecks of oblivion'
 wave, There stands the Tower of Famine. It 1 rpon some prison homes, whose dweller
 rave For bread. and gold, and blood; pail
 linked to guilt, Apitates the light flame of their hours. Until its vital oil is spent or split; There stands the pile. t9Yer amid tn
 towers And sacred domes; each marble ribbe'
 roof, The brazen gated temples. and tn
 bowers of solitary wealth; the tempest proof Payilons of the dark Italian air, Are by it's presence dimmed-they stan,
 aloof And are withdrawn-so that the world i
 bare, As if speeter in shapeless terror Amid company of ladies fair Should glide and glow. till it became
 mirror Of all their beauty and their hair d hue, The life of their sweet eyes. with all it Should be absorbed. till they to mar1
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

sympathetic. She showed long patience and perseverance. which at last became sullen and somewhat stubborn, Through all their life together, through all the long friction that ended in the separa- tion, through>the gradually growing real ization by each of the impossibility of completely understanding the other, there stili persisted strong personal affection and feeling of loyalty. bitter regret that conditions should lave become strained.
 On the sole ground of complete incom- patibiiity-of tastes. interests and na- tures-they separated, on friendly terms. The gadfies of society, setting rumors ahoat stung Dickens into a public state ment that was undoubtedly unwise, for it attracted the attention of thousands who would have known nothing of the matter. The high strung nature remained sensi- tive on this point to the very last. and even in his will there is a suggestion Of defense against some possible charge of having treated his wife ungenerously in money matters.
 In the books, Mrs. Dickens does not ap- pear From their first meeting to the time of his death, Dickens seems to have invested her with sort of sanctity, and he never consciously took one trait or in- edent from her character or life to weave into his works. Though he drew from friends of the family known when he was only or 5 years old. though he convert ed the orphan servant girl from Catham WorlShouse into Dick Swivellers 'Marchioness," though he laughed at his fo+ cawberi and cha'ied his mother as Mrs Micawber and Mrs. Nickieby. though he used his impressions of his sister Fanny. of his first sweetheart and of his young companion, Mary Hogarth, he made no literary use of the character of his wife. To him she was sacred to the last
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
X plague of both of your houses!
 -ROmeo and Juliet.
No Walkover This Fall

Democrats should stand together. In the House of Representatives un- der MT. Underwood's superb leader ship, they do stand together, but out side of the House one hears not lit- tie discord and contention. Presiden- tial aspirants are denounced with bit terness. All this means the loss of votes after nominations are made. All this is unnecessary.
 All democrats should understand that the situation calls for candidate that can poll the largest possible vote. In 1908 MT. Bryan boiled 6,409, ,104 votes. No democrat ever boiled a larger vote, except MT. Bryan him. self in 1896. But Mr. Taft boiled 7,678,90S votes, and Theodore Roose- welt and William Mckinley both boiled over 7,000,000 votes. In other words, to win next November the democrats must make substantial gains. This should be kept in mind and the bitter ness which is springing up among democrats should be declared out of place and out of all regard for the situation. All democrats should stand together, seeking simply to bring for ward without bitterness the man who can poll the most votes in November. The very strongest man will be need ed, for it is not to be a walkover 1T any sense of the word. It is to be a battle, and every democratic vote should be boiled.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
SLIGHT MISTAKE
,a l2roolslvn Life.

From the Brooklyn Life.
 Major Fitzgerald of Boston relates an amusing incident winch occurred while he had occasion to stop at country hotel u Connecticut In c conspicuous place in the parlcr was an inscription, lei on parle Fraucais' The mayor, as he mo- ticed the signc- turned to the proprietor snd said: Do you speak French?"
 Not me- the man replied. United States is good enough for me-"
 well. then" said the mayor. why do you have that inscription on the wall? That means French is spoken here.''
 You don't mean it." exclaimed inc hotel keeper. Well, I'll be alarmed, A young chap sold that to me for God Bless Our Home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
STOLEN MONEY RETURNED

Boulder Correspondence Denver Repub-
 lican.
 Manager Charles W. Rowland of the Boulder Mining and Elevator company re- ceived an express package this morning containing s500, sent as conscience money by some individual who does not reveal his name. The only message was as fol lows:
 Many years ago took from your com pany not to exceed S2oo. It has troubled me ever since and return it herein, with good interest. Please acknowledge re- ceipt to the Rev Father H. Moynihan oi St. Thomas college, St. Paul, Minn.''
 The money was stolen about 1887, ac- coroing to MT. Rowland, the safe being blown open at the office of the milling company here.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
WHY A PIG cURLs ITS TAIL

E'iom the Philadelphia Record.
 Empreevil.e, Pa.-At a recent county in stitute a professor asked the teachers Why does a pig curl it's tail?' The ques ton was indeed simple one; but tn' majority of the teachers, who knew how to solve some of tho most difficult alge braic and arithmeticai questions, were simply stunned by it. In this town there is a man who raises Chester Whites. H. is Davis Garrett, and he knows why . pig curls its tsn, as his pigs all do, be cause they are in a healthy condition and pigs, he says, whether Chester Whites CT any other kind, cannot help but GIT their tails when they are well-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Jaxys and Laws

There is no law on the statute books of the city which specifically states that there shall be no skating on sidewalks '' said citizen. Technically, prosecution could follow a. failure to obey the com mand to stop skating on the ground that skating might be termed nuisance or disorderly conduct.
 But there is a law which prevents the blockading of the streets by engines and cars for a space of time longer than one minute. I attempted to reach rown this afternon on street car, but was held five minutes by the watch at the Louisville and Nashville crossing.
 T would be glad were the commission CTS to issue instructions concerning this nuisance"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
Graduate of Convent

Miss Addie Dougherty, niece of Long Tom Dougherty, pitcher for the Brew CTS, in the American association. and a great favorite in that league, is doing as much for the famiy's name as her big urcle," said a baseball fan. "by her rem dition of Kathleen O'Connor in The Rosary She is receiving favorable com ment everywhere. Miss Dougherty has been associated with the success of the play ever since the original company was first played in Chicago Easter week a year ago.
 Miss Dougherty is a graduate of St. Vincent's convent in Chicago, and it was in that institution that she first got a glimpse of the footlights. as she appeared in many of the plays that were given by the pupils of that school. It was when she finished her education at that school she cast her lot with the stage for a live lihood and her success has been from the beginning"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
UNDERWOOD CLUB FOR MOBILE

From the Mobile Register.
 The preliminary meeting for the organ ization of an Underwood club in Mobile which was held yesterday, gives splendid promise of an active campaign in the in- terest of Alabama's candidate for the presidency, which will reach far beyond the confines of the county. It is also a fine sign for the city to see diversified ir- terests in harmony on political. matters. in the same manner that all interests have recently come together in one effective organization for the commercial and in dustrial advancement of the city. When a community is entirely united for it's own progress and expresses thus unity also in political affairs, it's representation in this state or national organizations, whether political, social or economic, is the best that the whole people can eb-. tain. It brings to the front men of intellectual ability who creditably repre- sent factions.
 In the promise of strong and united b. cal effort for Underwood which the meet- ing of yesterday indicates, there is also to be considered that the bankers, busi- hess men, railroad men, exporters ond| importers and shipping interests repre- sented all have business relations vgith| other large centers of population aad| friends in high places in the businessI world, upon whom an impression will be| made by their participation in the Undcr- wood campaign. Alabama is advancing g| Mir. Underwood for the presidency. not as| a southerner, but as an American oe| lofty principles who is neither radical nor| reactionary. His claim upon the recogni-| tion of the democrats of every state| lies in his public record. not upon state| sentiment. The energetic support of his| own state, however, will be a considerableI factor in bringing other states to u e| same way of thinking, and the formation| Of strong Underwood club in Moblo| will have large influence on behalf of Ur-| derwood wherever the business connect tions of this city extend
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press
 Diplomacy is chiefly swimming across a fresh river to get a drink of water.
 Living up to Sunday school notices is no harder than making meals of saw dust.
 About the luckiest thing that can happen to baby is not to look like any of the family.
 The only person who seems never to have heard of public duty is the man in public office
 No matter how early a girl could get home from dance, it would be too late for her to get up the next day in time to help her mother with anything.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
Some Dnrinc skntcrs

The boys and girls on the Southslde, said a resident of that section Of the city yesterday. "are having a fine time skating from St. Mary y's-on-the-Highlands down the hill to Twentieth street.
 Yesterday one little fellow came down the hill so fast that he could not check himself before colliding into an old lady. Both picked themselves up, however, none the worse for the compact.
 "A moment later boy saved himself from the wheels of an automobile by an eye lash. A negro was driving the car, and had he struck the youth there might have been a lynching."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
For Congressman mt Large.

T have noted with great interest that Schuyler II. Floyd has announced his candidacy for congressman at large from Alabama" said prominent citizen of Morgan county yesterday.
 "I have known MT. Floyd all his life
 and I also have the honor of being &C.,
 quainted with his distinguished father,
 Capt John B. Floyd, intimately MT.
 Floyd is a descendant from a long line
 of distinguished Virginia and Alabama fsmiles, including the Featherstones of Virginia and Pryors, McClellans. Harrises
 and Richardsons of Alabama.
 'I have watched the career of Schuyler | Floyd in Birmingham with keen interest | and I have noted that he has usually accomplished whatever he has undertake en. I am told that he is closely iden- | tihed with many of Birminghams lead | ing citizens, and that by his fair deal | ings and engaging personality, he has | made many warm friends in Birmingham and Jefferson county. He assuredly has | a vast number of friends and admirers
 ir his native county of Madison and else- where and in north Alabama. Like his | cousin, Justice Thomas c. Mcclellan, he
 has inherited many of the strong traits
 of the late Senator Luke Pryor, a man
 all Alabama loved and honored. One of
 the strongest assets young Floyd pos
 sesses is his unswerving loyalty to his friends, and it seems that with Jefferson
 county and practically all of north Ala
 bama for him he will prove a formidable
 candidate for congressman at large"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
WHY ENGLISH TEACHERS MaRR,
pm the Chicago Tribune.

From the ChlCag0 Iribune.
 Spencer had the poetic malady."
 "Burns' outer manhood resembled that of his mother"
 "ShalSespeare's sonnets were caused by a darky lady,
 Romeo cut across Juiet's back yard and seen her on the stoop.''
 ''The chief writers of the period were Raleigh. Sidney, Hd sHces shd Mir. Green.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
WHEN ARTEMUS CAME BACK

ming that he appeared to recollect the sub Ject of his lecture. And then with com ical air of gravity he slowly said: l suppose you want to hear something about the Children in the Wood. They were good children. They were unfortun- ate' but entirely respectable. But found the subject such a difficult one to write about that l concluded I would not deliver lecture on the Children in the Wood this evening. I may do so some time, however, and so in bidding you good night small take the liberty of saying, 'Toi be continued.'"
 And as he bowed low, the air vibrating with the noisy plaudits of the multitude: the man who had come back, the genius whose career was to be so brilliant and so sadly brief, must have felt thrill of triumph that compensated for all his struggles and his trials.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
The McAdorx Family

Dr. Thomas NJ Owens of the states de- partment of archives~and history, was in Birmingham yesterday to attend the flu neral of his uncle, J. F. McAdory. The deceased was a brother of Mrs. owens, mother of Dr. Owens.
 At the funeral" stated Dr. Owens, there were large number of people. counted 70 direct descendants of Thomas MeAdory, the father of the deceased. Il is a large family
 pr. owens returned to Montgomery after the funeral.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

From the Chicago Tribune.
 Barber suggests Hair Tonic ta bald Headed Man"
 Pastors Parrot Tries to Help Him Ask Blessing at Company Dinner''
 Great Airing of Soiled Linen; Fire in Chinese Laundry"
 Two Society Leaders Accidentally Meet in Pawnshop.''
 Manicure Lady Recognizes Runaway Husband by His Warts"
 Fighting Editor ill When Kicker Calls at Office"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05
UNpERwooD,s GOOD SHOWING

From the Montgomery Journal.
 The democrats of the country have in Oscar Underwood one of the ablest lead CTS ever in the House of Representatives. He has on more than one occasion shown
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

The groundhog loses much of his sig niacanee and dignity when he is referred to as Arctomys Monax. This is done in the academy only.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

The Russia autocracy has granted a pension of 5000 to Tolstois widow. It did this to save itself from the reflections of the rest of the world.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

Manehu imperialism is to be bought off. The cost will be about $2,Ocoooo a year Atdication comes high, but the starving Chinese need if.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-05

Senator w Murray Crane is to manage the Taft preliminary campaign, and "the pussey footed usybody' will be sure to play for even.