davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
s.,,. Underwood Literature

"The members of the Underwood Club of College Men, formed some days ago in Birmingham, are sending out to the college men of the United States vast volume of literature" stated George L.. Watkins. president of that organization yesterday.
 "The following is copy of 5000 let ters mailed today:
 Dear Friend: As a member of the above named organization I am taking the liberty of writing you in the interest of the candidacy of oscar w. Underwood for the presidency of the United States. As you doubtless know he resides in this city and is personally known by me so that this letter is prompted partly by personal friendship. In addition, however. and of much greater importance, l con slider him eminently fitted in every way for the office to which he aspires.
 'Wfl you not consider seriously the availability of MT. Underwood, looking into his fitness from all possible view points? If you consider. as I have done, that by reason of his long experience in Congress, his wide knowledge of the tariff issue, his undaunted courage and abso- lute integrity, he is the best man, not only among the democrats but in any party, for the office which his friends wish to confer upon him, will you not join us in our efforts to bring about his election?
 T would be glad if you would take the time to drop me a line. stating your views on the subject and giving me an idea as to the political s'iraion in your district
 Thanking you and w.ta s.acere good wishes, truly yours
 "'CEOKsE Il WATKINS. :"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
More Viaducts Needed

\ The city commission has ordered the railroads to build viaduct in Nor wood, and the railroads will no doubt meet and carry out the demands of the city. This is well and good. A new viaduct in Twelfth avenue in Norwood is clearly needed.
 But it is not needed quite as much as one is in First avenue at Twenty eighth street, because Twelfth avenue has a viaduct-a very poor one, 1t is true-while First avenue has none at all.
 The viaduct in First avenue should be built without delay. The railroads have been excused from doing their duty a long time, and surely they can not say that the city would be pre- cipitate if it should pre-emptorily de- mand that First avenue be made safe against approaching trains. As things exist in First avenue life or limb is daily imperiled.
 The deadly grade crossing should be abolished, and start should be made in First avenue. That series of crossings is a menace to 10000 peo- pie a day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
Revision of Schedule A

The chemical schedule which was ,ndorsed in yesterdays democrtiac caucus will be speedily sent to the Senate under Leader Underwood's watchful eye. In every respect it is an excellent bill. AS revenue meas ure it is excellent, for it would add about 30 per cent to the revenue above that of the schedule of the Payne act. This would be accomplished by in- creasing the rates on luxuries, such as perfumes, fancy soaps, toilet waters, caffeine, chloroform and crude tartar.
 On the other hand large number of the necessaries of life are placed on the free list, while on others duties are reduced. It is a bill that will please consumers while it will arouse the opposition of special interests. It assails many sly duty placed in the Payne act by influential gumshoers. All through the new schedule runs a current favoring consumers and dis regarding manufacturers' profits.
 Such bill will command the sup port of all well informed disinterested men, and the House will probably send it to the Senate without the adoption of a single amendment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

.lfon hat young married folk can live aonlf rtably on SIP 8 week, likewise have aoen perpetrating hoax on the public. Twelve dollars a week. Why, such sum qf ntiney merely for sustaining life is pre- nf rous. According to the latest figures, a i,o.son ought to tbe able to keep me yacht with an income of s12 week.
 One dollar a week is ample for per son, not only for mere living, but for growing fat. This is not speculation, but is proved by statistics-and statistics can not He. At any rate Dr. Albert P. Bru- baker, in a lecture on the Nutrition of the Body" delivered at Drexel institute, in Philadelphia, made the positive asser- ton that any person could live and grow fat on dollar a week. Furthermore, he proved his assertion by citing the exam pie of two University of Pennsylvania students who lived for six months on s22 Knowing the human body requires about 2S00 heat units day, they selected their food accordingly and the trick was done,
 Dr. Brubaker gave the diet of the two students as follows: Two and a half dozen cans of baked beans, s2.27 one and a half dozen boxes of patent food, s2.10; nine cans of condensed milk. 70 cents; 101 pounds of dates, s392; 10 pounds of raw peanuts, 50 cents; three quarts of cottonseed oil, 55 cents, and bread, but ter and extras, s1179.
 One of the students was suffering from tuberculosis when he began the diet In six months he had gained six pounds. The diet was kept up for two years. This fact should make it plain that the in- creased health of the students was not an accident. All that is necessary is to figure the thing out accurately.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
open Air Concerts

we have had free band concerts for two summer seasons and, of course, we will have the concerts again next sum- mer," said a member of the Musicians union.
 Tt is not too early to take up the sum- mer concert question. The trouble here tofore has been that the matter of en- poying the musicians was put off until the summer had come By starting three or four months in advance the leader. whoever he is to be, will have time to pick his men and to engage a few outside art ists if necessary. Large bands are ex- pensive, as everyone knows. but if the city commissioners will give a lift by making a liberal donation the ladies of the Music Study club will doubtless be able to raise a sufficient fund to employ a band of % or % men,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
HOW X CONQUEROR WAS SPARED C M G Hyde MAncient Histor,.


 The early career of Cyrus is currently given as follows Astyages. having dreamed that his grandson would conquer all Asia, became alarmed for his own crown and directed one of his courtiers. Harpagus, to expose the young child on the mountains to be devoured by wild beasts. Taking pity on the boy. Harpagus confided him to a herdsman. who reared him as his own child. As Cyrus grew up, his princely bearing among his play mates revealed his high birth, and after a time Astyages discovered how he had been deceived. To avenge himself he had the son of Harpagus killed and cooked. and compelled the father to eat the flesh. Cyrus escaped to the Persian court and Harpagus awaited favorable opporSuni- ty to avenge his injury by delivering the Median kingdom into the hands of Cyrus. When the right time came he sent se- cret message to Cyrus, who at once marched into Media with large force, which was joined by multitudes of desert CTS from his grandfathers army. The Median power was overthrown and Cyrus the Great became King of the Medes and Persians in 55S B. C.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
ROMANCE OF THE LATIN QUARTER

From the Boston Evening Transcript.
 Eighteen years ago the Latin quarter in Paris was in state of revolution for week. Police and cavalry charged daily. The students upset busses and set newspaper kiosks on fire, and one student was killed by a missile thrown by some unknown hand. In the midst of the rows one day baby girl. few months old. was found forsaken on doorstep near the Sorbonne. The students adopted her at once. She was christened Lucie Ba-
 re, to commemorate the circumstances, D ever since she has been provided for
 the students association. She has
 ned out good girl, who has worked "a d. as milliners hand. She is now t0 be married to a country baker, and
 ie students. her foster fathers-for the est of IS years ago has been religiously hs lded down from generation to genera ton of students-have given her we'd eng present, and will send a deegate to e'ae her away at the altar. No trace of as real parents has ever been found.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
SAD ENERGY
From the Ksr IS City Star.

From the kaf IS City star.
 John CaiaNu, ny speaks of some young 1nen rowing n he Thames with their Us al sa8 enefs
 qe soIa6 men just the right word comes. Glad energy would have meant noth- ing 'sad energy means so much.
 Lei s ger e'i inc obvious out of>she way-aui thet nothagness which glad would nave conveyed. Obviously, then. it is lsht Cor yos1g men to have exer- else. s vof and 70 play makes Jack dull fas etc
 And yel and sal Inc little word sad was the itie word Hesame' to open the door nto He life of things. The energy ol yo.as rien Hel endowed, cap able of gtea, a,in'ss. set killing time as those yours men owing on the Thames were killing d
 The old | rant dn,s were very absurd Tn .A vast >rgy, wasted looking for on and ,cuing for lorn damsels. Ran't !; it wasn't tragic. It wa a es .nre was to do in the period aaS Co life and we'll it was Iii
 There is more ,f tolas, with less of absurdity. than Pa'nr4 and Oliver ever knew. T.c fortE f-l in the jump CTS" know it 1rt of the super ficially mes lpnrnai a bur young fel- lows do not know TT SC have sad energy which necds pe direction for their oNn haunng ' ction that will lead then lto afa for their city and theif s;o,e
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
THEN THE LESSON STOPPED

From the Boston Herald.
 The teacher was conducting her little charges through the mazes of idolatry, and as she read she made each scholar finish the sentence to show that they un- derstood her.
 'The idol has eyes, read the teacher, "but it could not
 See chorused the children.
 Tt had ears, but it could not
 Hear came the response.
 Ut had lips, but it could not
 The answer came waveringly, but it came Speak"
 Tt had a nose, but it could not"
 Wipe it." was the shouted answer, and then the lesson stopped.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
EAST WILL DECIDE

From the New York Press.
 The course of political empire has been taking it's right of way westward in the Irnited States for many years, but 1t is not doin, so now. Incident to the large growth of population in the great cities of the east, this years important and exciting presidential campaign will be de- cided in the east.
 In the last presidential election, 1908, the total number of electors was 4s3. This year 1t will be 531-an increase of AS. What states gets most of this increase. New York, which, instead of 39 electors, will have 45 What states stands next in the increase of electors? Pennsylvania, which, instead of 34 electors, will have 3S. New Jersey gains tfrom 12 to 10, and those three states-New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania-will gain more than any other group of states in the country.
 In the middle vest Indiana makes no gain. Ohio and Michigan get one addi- tional elector each; Illinois gains two.
 The l 4states of the south gain collec- lively seven electors. The booming and blooming Pacific coast states gain seven, Of which three are allotted to California The great west, once the prairie land of adventure and opportunity. shows little gain. Missouri shows and ifs shown" none. Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa are stationary, with no more electoral votes than they had four years ago. Actually the population of Iowa is less than it was 10 years ago, and Kansas and Nebraska, its eloquent insurgents, republican and democratic, have gained little.
 Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota each gain an elector Wisconsin has the same cleo toral vote as it had four years ago-13. wyoming has no gain. The increase of three electors in Oklahoma, still boom ing, is offset by three electors in staid New England two in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island.
 No state loses any representation in the electoral college of 1912. but with 4s ad- ditional electors, those states which have no increase are relatively going back ward Eastern influence is decidedly greater in many states not in the eastern group of states than 1t was 10 years ago, notably Ohio, which has now so many bonds of connection with New York and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
AN IDLER.

AN IDLER. With dreamful eyes he wends his way Adown life's troubled vale, Nor ever mingles in the fray,
 Where strong men strive and fail. He may win pity from the throng Who struggle all the while, But ever as he plods along
 He wears happy smile And Fancy weaves her fabrics fair, Mid realms of beauty bright. He owns more castles in the air
 Than eer grace mortals' sight.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
"THEN YOU'LL REMEMBER ME,

From "The Bohemian Girl" When other lips and other hearts Their tales of love shall tell; In language whose excess imparts The powr they feel so well; There may. perhaps. in such scene Some recollection be-, Of days that have as happy been, And you'll remember me.
 And. you'n remember, you'll remember
 me. W When coldness or deceit shall slight The beauty now they prize; And deem it but a faded light
 Which beams within your eyes; When hollow hearts shall wear, mask Twill break your own to see; In such a moment I but ask
 That you'll remember me, That you'n remember. you'll remembod
 me.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
LIylNa NN Nit NNHM

From the Wa hiigton Po-t.
 It was certain ta come so it is just as NEi io ns at once. The high cost
 delusion and a snare
 thing as high cost of is out at last. Ordinary a fe paying exorbitant prices ger. eggs. meat and poultry, but tn fe wilfhttf deceiving themselves whsn they ttiak they can't live cheaply.
 Moreover. these platforl eso come forth periodically th kse
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
HOW READING IS DONE
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
 "HE faculty of Columbias new School
 of Journalism might well consider
 4 including in it's curriculum studies like 'The Relative Legibility of Different Faces in Printing Types" by Barbara Elizabeth Roethlein, issued last month from the Clark university press. In one of his apothegms Goethe said that not only the matter of what we say, but the manner in which it is conveyed, should be the subject of constant, earnest and anxious attention. The writers of adver- tisements and the editors of headings and news columns would find instructive the studies by psychologists like Professor Huey, Dr. Erdmann. Professor Dearborn and others, to this effect:
 "It has been established that the move ment of the readers eye does not proceed gradually and continuously across the page in any such fashion as, for ex- ample, q meteorite moves across the sky Typical eye movements consist of suc- cession of alternates leaps and pauses; ; nor is the movement always in forward direction, because it frequently happens that ones eye movement proceeds back ward, i e., to the left, from an intermedi- ate fixation point
 Since the printed line is read by series of interrupted glimpses, and with an inn pulse to turn the eye backward it should not be too long and unbroken. The ques- ton of selecting types the outlines of which may be readily caught is likewise paramount. This problem of finding the most legibe faces" is not simple. Just as an expert aurist knows that persons may unconsciously lose half or three- quarters of their sense of hearing, so a readers eye may skip lines and areas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
HOW IF ENDED

The hour was very late, the toastmas- ter was tired, the audience was rest less.
 In addition to this the toastmaster was new to the office, and unfamiliar with the names of the response makers, and painfully near sighted.
 We will now he wearly remarked, as he looked down at his list. listen, in conclusion, to that prince of persifage, that juggler of jests, that master of mer- riment, Mr.-ah, yes, MT. G. w. Bubble dinger."
 There was a profound silence.
 The man next to the toastmaster pulled his sleeve.
 Say" he hoarsely whispered, you've got the wrong initials. G. w. Bubble dinger is dead"
 The toastmaster caught only the last word.
 "Dead?" he echoed. "Well, I'm not surprised"
 And then he hurriedly declared the exercises ended and they all went home. ,-Cleyeland Plain Dealer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
nrrll.cna4. Fl ! eAcHELon

From Il 2 NlN Ao-t tf-ss.
 Tempees arc he davis silt edge se- curities.
 Havina a,alff never n de anybody as happy a ua. tsNHs t makes everybody unhappy
 girl rCt sulc a Nln is in earnest with he hen flo Niil Q etend not to be with hin. 1
 A mal tlf1k 1e gers T glrl 10 marry him. bu lne irrNraiis angei scores the winning ai1 lpQ heH
 A woi aa rf hise' al ie altar to obey a man, a k p to him to do il if .Ie M 70 fN a husband.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

of print because of degree of ilegibility which neither he nor the makeup ed itor might gauge. For example, Miss Roethlein found in her very accurate experiments that type faces set at graded distances from the reading eye with increased haeviness or breadth of out line, were increased in 1egibility only. to a certain point; when a bold facen is thick ened by about 8 per cent fits increase of legiblity' is lost, being reduced by 12 per cent'-a reduction occasioned by narrowing the internal spaces within the letters and consequent sacrifice of de- tail. But when the letter form was broad ened only IS per cent the readers found it nearly one-tenth more legible. Another discovery Is suggestive:
 While the 10 point letters of greatest average height are most legible when pre- sented singly-because they subtend a larger visual angle-they tend to lose their advantage when combined into groups and lines, because the lines are separated from one another by narrow in- tervening spaces of white; and the reader finds that the letters of adjoining lines tend to merge into one another. E Those faces whose average height is great est have suffered most from being pre- scented in groups, while those faces whose average height is least have suffered least"
 Other valuable deductions are made con- corning the form and size of letters, their thickness of line, width of white margin surrounding them, position of each in the letter groups and the shape and size of the adjacent letters, which are of special significance to the expert, and ex- planatory of phenomena that have a facile though unconscious effect upon the vision and minds of readers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
Pure Food Clerks

The pure food clerks of the state, c. H. Billingsley and Robert M. Martin. are in Birmingham at the present time. They are engaged in making an inspection of the liquors offered for sale in Jefferson county, and are inquiring into the mat ter of the alleged promiscuous sale of cocaine.
 "There is nothing sensational in con- nection with our visit,' stated MT. Bill kingsley. I've are simply going over the field in Jefferson county as we have done in every other county of the state. Conditions here are good, as far as we know
 When asked concerning the report that the llquor bearing the label of Robert p. Lee would be discontinued in this state, MT Billingsley answered in the af- frmative. "The state is determined that this indignity to the commander in chief of the lost cause shall not be longer perpetrated."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

Saturdays are considered the best days for blizzards in the northwest, for the old man is at home on Sunday to clear away the snow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

If T. R. comes out into the open in re- sponse to the eight governors, what will Nick Longworth do? Nick is at present out for Taft.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

Peach King Hale says the peaches up north were all killed by a temperature of 20 degrees below zero. The Georgia peaches chuckled when they read this
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

California, the population of which has increased nearly 1.OO0,000 in 10 years, large ly through the inflow of newcomers from New York, Massachusetts and other east ern states.
 The states of the east will determine the presidential election of 1912, under the new distribution of electors. based upon the population as shown by the census returns of 1910.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

President Taft has sent a millionaire to Paris. Pretty soon sign will be put up in the state department, "only mill lionaires wanted"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
AN IDLE DREAM.

How would you like to have the walls of your den papered, Scrapsley@
 With one-thousand-dolar bills"
 Jehoshaphat. What for?"
 So I could take my pocket knife every morning and scrape off a bill for the days expenses"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
A FIXED HARIT

A bard has writ so many rhymes,
 A roof OCT him to keep, That we've been told he oftentimes Makes verses in his sleep.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

The Countess of Warwick is coming over to discuss social problems. She is so handsome she is sure to have many fol- lowers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

The heirs of Francisco Ferrer get his eonhscated property, but the supreme civil court cannot restore life wrongly taken.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

It is eas. 70 iceaz no Is that are dead, but .s are living is task [ a. -aes
 Rumors s corn in. threes, but actual 5yrng construc- ton come tse one. .-a#-as==----.=
 Arlzona's ste4aaa fociai ation may serve to % taian Hoaard Taft's memory gre Mexico sh 6 rae sg and aamonstrate once for all Hat '. asas not ned guard ian.
 zs------- The peach eop pfonIlses Q be big enough for cholera moroas urposes. France ha inc strongest vernment she has had since the days of Gambetta.
 
 It is generally agreed we are getting a. plenty of winter weather this year.
 ----.s.--
 Porfirio Diaz should be allowed a sheer or two over Maderos shortcomings. Now that China has become a progress sive republic. nothing Is impossible. Madero has not yet demonstrated that he is. Mexieo's strong. man., Senator Stephenson is splashing around in the whitewash tub.
 Steeple hats are to be worn next spring.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

Congressman Underwood keeps at work him to all sensible men.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

THE MULLIGRUBS. 'Tis drear without, The rain-drops fall; Hopeless upon The Muse to call. We're in no mood, Alas, to Hit; Would fain know where Tears might be split.
 P IT.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
Underwood's Complete Equipment

"One remarkable fact about Underwood is that not a single disparaging thing has been said of him." remarked an old democrat "As a presidential proposition republicans as well as democrats speak in high praise of him.
 Nearly all the famous historic char acters had enemies. Strong men usually have them, but no one says that Under wood is not capable of administering the affairs of this government. He Is the most successful leader the party has had in many years. He Is a master of the tariff. His equipment is complete. He is a simon pure democrat. and if the democrats do not nominate him 1t will be a monumental mistake. The democrats are proverbial for making blunders and for falling out among themselves.
 3 I've have fine chance of winning this time, provided Underwood is the candi- date, and I am optimistic enough to think the democrats will act wisely and win a grand victory at the polls.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

Lillian Russell wants her future husband to assure her an income of s60,ooo year, and he is d newspaper man.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

A scientist says man should walk on all fours. So he does when he is searching for the elusive collar button.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15

Now that China has become progress siye republic. nothing Is Impossible.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
so TO SPEAK.

What is a fete champetre, pa?''
 "A fete champetre son? Ahem! guess that's some sort of frolic in field.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-15
MANAGEMENT BEGINS AT HOME.

k4NztII11F4NI T BEGINS AT HOME. "Digsforth is always trying to think up some way to manage the trusts''
 "Pshawl Digsforth can't even manage his wife"