davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
A woNpERFuL MACHINE

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
People who enjoy the luxury of cool
ing breeze In close apartments during
midsummer heat by merely pressing an
electric button have no idea of the COM
plexity and ingenuity of the machine
which confers the boon. Nothing Is
more simple than tanning, and people
seem to think that anybody could
make the apparatus. On the contrary
the electric fan is a triumph of genius
and an example OF the highest kind of
constructive art.
In the ordinary slxteen-inch fan there
are more than 600 different parts. all re-
curing the incest kind of adjustment TO
give the desired result. Like the parts OF
watch, the material used has to be the
best of it's kind regardless of cost. Take
for example. the LIZ feet of wire in the
fan. This is nearly a quarter of mile
and copper is expensive But the wire
employed in its construction is the very
best. Not only so. but it must be wrapped
and insulated throughout Its entire
length with cotton and costly silk. The
wonder is that the mechanism can be sold
SO cheaply.
The 600 or 100 different parts range in
size from tiny screw to the big blades
and in price from a few cents to several
dollars each.
The motor is of a special type, original
ed exclusively for the operation of the
blades. and requiring special skill in its
construction. The conditions within
which the designer had to work were
narrow. The motor had to be delicate to
save bulk and weight. Yet it had to be
efficient because the task to be performed
was hard and the work hours long
Meanwhile the price had to be kept down
safely within the proilibitive limits. This
required a small consumption of current.
The result is machine costing only from
$40 to SOS and needing only tho current
supplied common incandescent lamp.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
GUEST HOUSE IN ASIA MINOR

From Fresh Fields and Pastures New
for the Traveller" DIR. Francis E. Clark,
in National Magazine for August.
The guest house is a real institution in
Asia Minor. 1t is sometimes owned by
an Individual. but is usually the common
property of the village. To this guest
house, like the travellers bungalow in
India, every traveller has right, but as
all have the same rights, one may have
more company than he desires. How
ever, the head man of the village will
usually arrange matters for the foreign
traveller, and the native guest will often
courteously make way for him.
In the guest house is one large room,
in one part of which our horses munich
their hay, with the drivers lying beside
them, while in the other part We spread
cur rugs and set up our beds and unlim-
Der our cooking apparatus. Some guest
houses have two rooms connected by a
wide opening, without door. in one Of
Which the animals and animal drivers
sleep, and in the other the pampered
guests from abroad.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
LEFT IT TO ARBITRATION

From Tit-Bits.
IT must insist, sir" exclaimed the
pomppus person. that the device Is a
fircnlug"
And I am equally confident that 1t is
a water plug" retorted the mild indi-
vidual
Now. my dear sir" puffed the POM
pous person, this device was put here
primarily as a plug on which to attach
hose in case of fire in the vicinity.
Therefore 1t Is absolutely impossible
that it can be anything but fireplug."
You are entirely wrong" declared
the other. This plug was placed here
TO supply water. Consequently 1t is a
water plug, If 1t supplied nre--why.
then, OF course. 1t would be fireplug."
The rompous person stopped a pass
ing pedestrian.
"Sir," he began, az desire to appeal to
your Intelligence. This man has be-
come involved in an argument with me.
He insists that this device is a water
plug, while ]. with equal confidence.
claim that Il is a freplug. VIII you
kindly settle the question for us?"
Certainly replied the pedestrian.
You say this is flreplug an your
friend declares 1t is water plug. Just
let me investigate
He looked carefully at the plug and
raped it gently with his cane.
II greatly fear you are both wrong"
he finally remarked. This appears to
be an iron plug"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

TARyOID RECORDS OF BABYLON
.Affairs at Washington" Joe Mitchell
chapple In National Magazine for Au-
gust.
1--WE think we are a great people, said
the retired army officer. taking off his
glasses, land we. feel that We are prog
ressing at I ..iendous pace, but mere
newspaper account saying that the
French government has unearthed in
Babylonia 5000 tablets, giving history
In full of the reign of the ancient kings.
Here we find for the first time that Baby
lon, and not Rome, was the real Mother
of Law In those days there was a sys-
tenn of courts and of appeals that even
suggested a recall. Sir, this report also
states that during the days of Nebuchad-
nezzar they had free rural delivery of
mail, over every highway in the kingdom.
And shades of Grover Cleveland!-it has
also been proved beyond a doubt that the
Egyptian government In 1900 B. c. had a
perfected system of civil service. There Is
a record that the first turbine engine was
invented by the Egyptians, and that Arcn-
imedes devised this mechanical contriV
ance by which the fields could be watereo
when the Nile was low. This is the same
principle that is used to drive the latest
additions to tho Cunarders
What shocked the doughty old Amer
lean most of all was the information that
4ooo wears ago the phonograph was used in
ancient Egypt, and was in reality only
perfected by Edison in the nineteenth
century. There is evidence also of the
use of wireless telesraphy before the
Christian era, while the Egyptian alpha
bet has proven to be a scientific key to
orpan,zed human speech. 1t Is a hard
blow to our self surficiency to find that
the banjo of the southern plantation with
its fascinating "thrum" only echoes the
musical instruments used by Egyptians
in prehistoric times.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
THE KIND HE LIKED

From the New York Times.
w. ID. Howells, at a luncheon at Kit
terry Roint, said of certain popular
novelist:
There is about as much poetry in
him as there Is in McMasters.
'McMa sters, you know, was walking
with a beautiful girl In a wild New
England wood
what is your favorite flower, Mr..
Mcynasters? the girl asked softly.
'McAiasters thought a moment. then
cleared hi. throat and answered:
"'Well, I believe l like the whole
wheat best
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
The more woman scorns masculine
selfishness in general the more she will
indulge it in her own man.
There's really no reason to get eX-
cited about a woman's beautiful stock
ings unless you have to pay for them.
Any man who has the money win pay
high prices for few good cigars, but
how much would he pay for many vir-
tues?
Fat people are awful lucky always to
have a seat in train to themselves If
the rest of tiIs passengers can possibly
find any others.
A million dollars in the bank may
not be able to give man true happi-
ness, but 1t can come a lot nearer to 1t
than being thousand dollars in debt
ever could.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

By Petrarch
A tender paleness stealing DER her
cheek
Yelled her sweet smile as 'twere a
passing cloud,
And such pure dignity of love avowed.
That in my eyes full soul strove TO
speak
Then knew how the spirits of the
blest
Communion hold in heaven so beamed
serene
That plying thought. by every eye
unseen
Save mine, wont ever on her charms to
rest.
Each grace angelic, each meek glance
humane.
That Love ere to his fairest votarfes
lent,
BY this. were deemed ungentle cold
disdain.
Her lovely looks in sadness downward
bent.
In silence. to my fancy, seemed to say,
Who calls my faithful. friend so, fAs
away7
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
Prosperous Cities

Birmingham makes a great impression
en- visitors" said w. F. Lamb of jack
son, Tenn. Il come here frequently and
always notice progress. This city is evil
IDENTIFY growing at very rapid rate
THE cities of Tennessee are all thriv-
ing. Memphis is making strides. was
there a few days ago and found business
conditions In fine shape. Memphis has
fertile country to draw from, and it has
a splendid future.
Nashville does not grow as fast as
some of the cities of approximately its
size but it is rich community and will
always hold its own in the business, as
we'll as the educational world. My town
CT Jackson is very prosperous. We claim
a population of between 10000 and 5000"
MIR. Lamb is the southern representa-
tive of the Bush-Lane Piano company,
whose factory Is near Chicago. That
company is a stakeholder in the Cable
Shelby-Burton company of birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
RAILROAD MEMS WAGES

4 ROM Leslie 3.
The United States pays the highest
scale of railway wages in the world.
his Is the report of the bureau of rail-
way economies at Washington. It
shows that the average daily wage of
railway employees of all classes for 1910
was, In the United States. s2.23; in
England. SIS; in Germany. sic; and
In Austria, csc. While engineers on
American railways receive an aver
age weekly ccmpensa don of $25 so, the
pay in England is $11.17 The Ameri-
can railway f1remen average SIS a. and
the English firemen s6.67. These fig
ures will not be disputed.
The old world should be ashemed of
the meager wages 1t pays. It was
shown by tho testimony at the recent
hearing that some American engineers
make over $4,000 a year, which is more
than many cIergymen. physicians and
business men make But the calling is
hazardous and the pay should be liber-
al. We wish 1t were more If the
pay of the engineers should be in
creased. the pay of nremen, brakemen
and conductors will undoubtedly have
to to be advanced.
We believe in good wages for good
men, but the evidence taken by the
board of arbitration shows that it will
be impossible for the railroads TO In
crease wages unless they are permitted
by the Interstate commerce commission
to slightly increase their freight
charges. The railroad employees of this
country should bear this fact in mind
and bring all their influence to bear
In favor of an equitable adjustment
of their claims, one that will treat
the railroads as well as their employees
with hfirness
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
AuGUST.

This is the month of August,
Sultry and tame and slow;
Outlines we fall to dreaming
OF ice and sleet and snow,
of wintry winds careering
Ger hill and vale and plain,
The Storm Kings gusty fieering
And the sobbing beat of rain.
This is the month of August
The leaves begin to turn
A dreary, dingy yellow,
So hot doth summer burn.
No Tilt is in the morning,
No happy fancies. throng
In the minds OF weary mortals
Who plod life's way along.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
MISSED THE TuRN1P.

We'll, Singles. did you enjoy your va
oation?"
"Oh, yes. but coming back was dread
fully afraid the train would run off the
track, or collide with forward section.
or do something else that would imperil
the lives of all on board"
why were you so frightened"
1T had no confidence in the conductor"
And why had you no confidence in
the CONDUCTOR
Because he timed the train by watch
strapped round his wrist
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

strength until it was succeeded by the
republican party. I wonder that Roose-
welt, in starting a party, did not select
a short name. But no matter what his
party may be STYLED in the future 1t Will
take the place of the republican organi-
cation now beaded by President Taft"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

of the building blocks were such as would
generally be used today. but the pillars
of the temple of the Sphinx are l6 feet
in height by AZ feet in width, and some
others are 20 to 90 feet in height. Most
of the great columns are built up IN
courses, and those of Luxor are not solid,
two-thirds of the diameter being filled in
with yellow concrete or cement which
has now lost its adhesiveness. These,
however, are of immense proportions,
with shafts of 40 feet. capitals of liz feet
and a diameter at the base of 11A feet
At Karnak the columns of the main hall
measure SO feet In the shaft, with lotus
flower capitals of 10 feet additionally
their largest diameter is IL feet inches.
Other temples were supported by columns
scarcely less lofty and impressive. Upon
these columns immense blocks of hewn
stone formed massive architraves. on
which the thick tagging of the stone roofs
were supported. The arch, while not un-
known to the Egyptians, was for some
reason seldom used in the great temples.
BY what means these immense pillars
were carried UP and the superstructure
added is something of a puzzle to modern
artisans who appreciate the difficulties to
be met.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

while I sometimes poke fun at the
Roose.en party, have never moderated
the coloners political strength said F.
T. Hendby of Philadelphia. Roosevelt
may appear to make himself ridiculous
at times, but he Is one of the most mag
netic men that ever lived, and in spite
of the prejudice against third term can
ddates he will poll very large vote.
II have voted the republican ticket
twice in presidential campaigns. l have
never voted any other national ticket,
This year l have fully made up my mine
to vote for Woodrow Wilson. and l be-
lieve Wilson will be elected, but have an
idea that Roosevelt will give him close
race
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
MAD STEER WRECKS RED AUTO

from the Chfcago Tr1bune.
Charging head down at speeding
red automobile containing C. E. Frye
and four members Of his family en-
route from Middletown. o.. and near
Elkhart. Ind, crazed steer ditched
and overturned the automobile. The
steers head was caught between the
front wheel and fender after 1t had
demolished the hood and the animal
was thrown over into the ditch with the
machine. None of the party was seri-
ously Injured. The steer had TO be shot.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
Humane,. OFFICER. warning

"The practice of leaving horses and
mules with check rein drawn tight
should be stopped in this CITY," said
county humane officer last night.
II find that expressmen, hackmen
and others leave animals on the streets
with a tight check rein for a long
time. This is a practice of cruelty TO
animals that could be easily aVoided.
have given more than so warnings to-
day and unless needed expect to ar
rest the Offenders and try the virtue OF
the courts"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
Picnic Today

The Jefferson County orphanage as
ISOLATION, which holds its eighth an
nual picnic today at Germania park,
has sold large number of tickets and
weather permitting great crowdNwill
be In attendance
ut is a real pleasure TO assist in
getting up the annual picnic for the
benefit of the orphans homo at East
Lake." said a member of the commit
tee. Merchants and others are always
generous in their contributions. We
will have a sumptuous barbecue. Ev-
erything that we Will. serve has been
donated. The orphanage needs at least
$4,000 at this time and we hope to clear
that much on this years picnic.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

These be strange times. Booker T.
washington was invited to lunch at the
White House, but he would not be accept
able as a delegate in the bull moose con-
yention.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

A BUSY MAN
Each morn he rose in merry mood
And laughed aloud when skies were
blue,
Nor would he frown, with woe imbued,
If storms should work the landscape
rue.
In fact, he never was depressed
Throughout a term of many years;
The reason why perhaps you've guessed
He simply had no time for tears.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
EGYPTIAN MoNoL1rHs

Mobility of the Trades Charles Wins
low Hall. in National Magazine for Au-
gust
The monoliths of Egypt were as a rule
or comparatively moderate size. and most
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The platitudes were absorbed by Taft
and Roosevelt, and Governor Wilson was
compelled to hand out new straightway
phrases.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The bull moose candidate for governor
of Illinois, Mr.. Funk, is 10 times mil
lionaire, and he may give Governor
Deneen lively race. Ex-Mayor Dunno
is the democratic nominee.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

Seven nurses are awaiting the appear
ance of the posthumous child of Col. John
Jacob Aston, who went down on the III
tanic.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The three cornered campaign bids fair
to resemble a game of cut-throat euchre
in which two form combine against the
third party.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The Allen outlaws of Virginia are said
to be in Alaska, and there they should
stay until they are ready to emigrats
to Siberia.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema left an es-
tate of $4,000. 1t goes to his daughters.
and il they die without issue it goes to
the Royal academy.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

Mr.. Taft was born without a backbone
and vet he has constituted himself the
guardian of the constitution. That instru-
ment is old enough to get on without a
guardian,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The money is ready and the statue of
the late DIR. Edward Everett Hale is to
be dedicated In November.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

"Gunkle seems to be confirmed pessi-
mist"
What makes you think so?'
well, he says he is sure that he won't
live long enough to see the millennium,
and even If 1t did come in his lifetime
he would probably have to keep on work.
ing as hard as ever"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The man behind the gunman In New
York is still secreted in some cyclone
cellar that has not been accurately To-
Gated.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

o.orge law smith in the August NUMBER
~ the North American Review.
-wo HUNDRED AND FIFTY years
ago there was living in London a
L beautiful and gifted girl OF 70 VINO
nad already published a remarkaDie ~
,oa and who was to be for nearly ~
1sars a professional writer, the first wom-
On who lived by her pen In England.
"she was gentlewoman by pirth' say
her unknown biographer. 'of good, ram
iIv in the city of Canterbury IN Kent
her fathers name was johnston
The girl herself, who was born in ls4o'
hare name variously spelled ARA
Anhra. Aphara or Ayfara, and for hler-
a., n,rnoses she often signed herself
In the northern part of South America
,s country now called British Guiana.
IT was settled by the English in 1867 ana
a few years later, perhaps IN looo' Alra
father was nominated to the post OF leu
tenant general of this colony, then caiieo
sprinam. He set sail ION the hazardous
xovape of the West Indies" which ne
never accomplished, for he died at sea-
ARA. as the daughter of the lieutenant
General. took up her residence in the
beautiful estate of st. Johns Hill. she
describes the mansion, which was seated
bsside a river in a cool, shady grove.
rrhe whole globe of the world" she de-
clares. "cannot show SO delightful a
place as this grove was
But over the beauty of this idyliic land
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

woodrow Wilson is steadily declining to
go on the stump. He hopes to reinstall
the dignity of presidential races.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The frost Is on the pumpkin In some OF
the northern states, but the cider barrel
has thus far escaped.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The ermine wearers are beginning to
have that insecure feeling in these revo-
lutionary times.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The bull moose had to create new
party In order to get any nomination at
all for a third term
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The two battleship issue is not broad
enough to cover more than the ports OF
the country.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

No man is old who has occasional hank
erings TO whack the umpire.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

If, beef prices go out of reach the coun-
try may have to fall back on bull meese
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
"a LONG-FORGOTTEN HIT )"

1t, the African Prince Oroonoko Is some
heightened her effects here and there for
artistic reasons. But surely the story
makes a profound impression of reality.
there is nothing impossible or even i'm
probable in, the course of its events. ex-
traordinary as they are, and there is lit
tie reason to doubt that the author gives
the facts of Oroonoko's life substantially
as she received them during her stay inv
Surinam. Perhaps we may call the book.
then, historical fction-the earliest exam
pie of type that has been in recent times
exceedingly popular.
Her assiduity as a writer was remark
able. She became a prolific and success.
full playwright but of the morality of hon
plays the less said the peter. though it is
fair to state that it does not seem no.
ticebly worse than that of the other pop
ular dramatists of the corrupt restoration
period. She continued to produce plays
till 1857, two years before her death She
published also poems" and number OF
so-called novels" the best of which
after Oroonoko was The Nun or the Per-
jurd Beauty.
oroonolo, or the Royal Slave. as writ
ten by Afra Behn, was a book of only 12o
small pages.
Compared with what fictions had pre-
coded hers, Mrs. Behn's narratives mark
decided advance toward reality Such
fanciful tales as Sidney's Arcadia, Lyly's
Euphues. and Lodges Rosalynde are by
no stretch of language 10 be called novels.
But enough has been given of her Oroo-
noko to show that it is meant TO seem,
and in part is, transcript OF an actual
life. that it is direct and vivid in style,
and that it evinces no mean power or
portraying character. A full measure OF
credit, then, should be given Afra Behn
as a pioneer in the making of tho novel
of today.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
FOR A PURPOSE.

"Tribble fell in love with his wife be-
cause she had romantic name"
Just so. And Is he happy now?'
"Oh, very happy. She's out at Reno"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

woodrow Wilson was once a lawyer,
but he reformed many years ago.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
THE UNwELcoME ONE

There goes fellow who is a chronic
officeseeker."
What office does he seek?r
Mine quite often. He's bill collec-
tor"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

The bull moose Is now up against 100000
negro voters in the contested states.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08
A PREcARIoUs CALLING,

The 'thorny path of literature
Is very hard to tread.
Since one who travels isn't sure
He'll earn his daily bread.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-08

Mr.. Taft is In this years presidential
race but rat in the corner.