davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

car, takes drink of water at the cooler, gazes for a moment at the scenery, and returns.
 "Mr. Smith" he says, "begs to be excused"
 All right, sir" rejoins the young reporter, but will you ask Mir. Smith to name an hour at which 1 may see him ?"
 Again the secretary, carefully trained, refrains from smiling. He bows and retires. Again he drinks cup of water, chats a moment with the stenographer, and returns.
 q am sorry,' states he, but Mir. Smith says that he will be engaged during his entire stay in Birming- ham"
 After several such experiences, the young reporter becomes aware of the facts in the case. But his reception on each occasion has been so courteous that he remembers Mir, Smith not un- kindly. He simply smiles when he remembers. ss, !...&ssf
 Oscar Underwood has mingled with reporters all his life. He understands them thoroughly. When he has story he tells it without hesitation, and it is never necessary to ply him with question He never says, T tell you this in confidence But when in course of making statement for pub lication, he reaches point at which he would go no further unless he knew that what he said would. not appear in print, he lowers or elevates his voice, or looks at you''with a shrewd understanding, and goes ahead. The reporter catches the message, and feels good in that he is not required to take an oath as to his honesty.
 Having completed a trip. through Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri last fall. MT. Underwood returned to Bir- nninghan. When d reporter found him, he commenced: q went directly to Louisville, had fine reception, and spoke at banquet. From there I went to Lexington, and spoke to the Commercial club. l am inclined to believe that the democrats will win in Kentucky, and in the mountains, which have always been strongholds of the republicans. believe the ma jority of that party will be cut down."
 Without taking breath, he left Kentucky, told of his reception at the Congress hotel, and his address be- fore the Iroquois, Chicago. He told in detail of his trip through Missouri, mentioned without prompting that he did not meet Champ Clark, and ex- pressed the belief that the democrats would win in that state. He then told of his journey to Hot Springs, his stop of ten days, the resumption of his trip to Birmingham, and concluded by stretching himself and expressing satisfaction in that he was home again.
 It was all over in ten minutes.
 k 4
 Governor Conner, failing to differen- tiate between the reporter and the "distasteful" newspaper which he rep resented was never able to make his visitor feel at home. The news gath erer was invariably under the impress
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

thickly that it often requires some- thing stronger than diplomacy and a trifle weaker than battering ram to clear the atmosphere.
 The governor receives the reporter very cordially, for there is no man more polished than he. But he doesn't talk without carefully, considering what he is about to say. The gover- nor is keenly alive to the fact that the statement of chief executive finds a ready ear and a tongue of criticism in every corner of the state.
 The reporter is impressed with an idea that the governor while being interrogated is hesitating, until he knows positively that any answer which he might make cannot be ap- piled to any other subject than that under discussion. While the reporter talks, the governor generally looks out of a window. The most serious suppression possible gathers over his face. And he thinks well before replying.
 The reporter has an idea that while he is invariably kindly received, the governor would be happier were he permitted to continue his work with out interference.
 w. Melville Drennen, when he was mayor of Birmingham, subscribed to this motto: If you want to keep a secret tell it to the reporters
 He had mastered the lesson that unless one with an important em- bryonic news item takes the news gatherers into his confidence, some one of them will find it out. The average reporter has no hesitancy in publishing that which by effort and enterprise he learns, and he seldom gives a thought to the possibility of spelling a gigantic project by pre- mature publication.
 One time the city was preparing to buy one of the public utility plants. The negotiations were being conducted under the utmost secrecy. There was no doubt but that the publication of the plans. would change the situation which then was most promising. So, in the thick of the litigation, Mir. Drennen sent for the reporters. When behind closed doors they had seated themselves, he said:
 "The city is preparing to buy the plant of the -- company. At the present time the prospects are fine. When the plant is acquired mu- nicipal ownership will be in full swing"
 By the time he had reached that point, the reporters were busily mak- ing notes, that is, all were save the youngest. The realization of the fact that he was about to land the biggest story of the year had caused his hair slowly to rise, strand by strand, and his muscles to lose their faculty.
 And the mayor continued: T will be fair to each of you. Of course, you understand that nothing is to be published at the present time. have taken you, young gentlemen, into my confidence"
 The disappointment among the re- porters might have reached heart less sensitive than that of Mir. Dren- nen, but that the deal eventually
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
RAMA FOX IS HOURS
Long Chase of Red Reynard by Hun
 ters and Hounds in North Carolina

Lowell Correspondence Charlotte Ob-
 server. +.'
 D. w. Mitchun, Ed Mitchun. Alex Big ger and others went to South Point to run q red fox. Jumped him at o'clock a. m, and ran him eight hours. a hard steady running in the mud. with 1S dogs. About 10 o'clock we were afraid we could not catch him. so we sent after more dogs but before the other dogs could get there we had him treed in a hole.
 We got a man to build us a scaffold so we could get upon it and chop him out Alex Bigger and Ed Mitchun caught him in a sack and brought him home. We thought that one of the finest. best races we had ever heard of, So we de- cided to another race out of him at night, being he had run so well. We decidded to ask our friends to come. bring their dogs and join us. We kept the fox in an old empty house so he could be kept in good shape. January 10 we decidded to turn him loose.
 We asked big, little old and young to come with their dogs and join us. About $ clock ?. m. there were about two
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

failed to be perfected was not due to breach of confidence on their part.
 George B. Ward, one of the best mayors Birmingham has ever had, and one who through his fearlessness and integrity established a reputation throughout the country, was generally finding fault with the reporters. The reporter who reached the mayor in the morning was not saluted After long silence, the news gatherer would say, Good morning, mayor"
 Il don't want to talk to you,1 Mr. Ward would reply. That story of yours yesterday afternoon ruined me. i the administration, and the entire city,
 | In the afternoon, he would send for the reporter of the morning paper. "Where did you get that interview you had with me this morning?" he would ask. T said nothing-but, say, say; don't you make correction. You have made me look foolish enough al- ready. l expect I'll have to take the medicine.
 In the vernacular, he was the best newspaper mayor" that Birmingham has ever had This is due to the fact that MT. Ward was always active. He was doing something always wisely, perhaps-but he was making news, nevertheless.
 Incidentally, the reporters who were the bane of his existence, were among his warmest friends, and it is true to- day that they are ready to "fall in'' whenever he says the word.
 J. Lee Long has friend in practi- cally every newspaper man" ot the state. This is due to the fact that he considers the reporter as he does the doctor, the lawyer, or the candlestick maker, no. more, no less; simply a man in profession who takes pride | in faithfully telling the story of the world Some men regard the reporter as a freak, some as a nuisance, and some are so considerate as to regard him as ;s necessary evil.
 From the time MT. Long in the leg islature undertook to wage the wars of Governor Conner, he has often fig ured in public print. He is well posted, seems to know by intuition what is occurring or about to occur, and does not hesitate to answer when asked concerning important matters. He has often been misquoted. But he
 is one in the state who knows that the errors of reporters are errors not of the mind, not the result, of premedita- tion-but the result of misunderstood ing. .. e
 During the campaign against the proposed prohibition amendment to the constitution in 1900, MT. Long, on one occasion, was forced to visit his home in Greenville. During his absence, the opposition issued state ment which would have been answered had MT. Long been in Birmingham. A reporter, with the best intention, an- swered the charges for him and was careful to make the answer just as strong as he thought the occasion demanded. His several fearful mistakes placed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

MT. Long in an embarrassing posi- tion. But the citizen of Greenville in the knowledge that he had found a friend who would rush to his as sistance on any occasion, forgot en- tirely that the reporter in his zeal had gone too far. "You see me next time, old fellow," said he. "Now think no more of this!"
 It is always with the man newly elevated to office that the reporter has trouble. Judge Lane during his term as mayor learned the news paper man." Therefore, Commissioner Lane has no trouble with the repor- ters and the reporters have none with him. ....
 "Come in," says the judge, "and have a seat. This is the busiest day of my life. Tell me what is taking place. hear nothing in this office.
 The reporter sits down. It IS with out difficulty that conversation fol-- lows. The judge laughs. often and often tells stories. He never intimates that the ''intervew" at an end; and if he doesn't enjoy the visit, then he dissembles with exceeding cleverness. Judge Lane never declines to tell the legitimate news. He is fearless and honest, and these factors generate news. Were he not restrained by a sense of justice, he would furnish the newspapers with more copy than any other man of the state. He has one fault, in the eye of the reporter. He has been a judge and is too technical. Accustomed to the delay of the law, he fails. to realize that story is a story today and not tomorrow. He is so. fearful of technical errors that he prefers to prepare his interviews and it sometimes requires day to pre- pare them But he is not grumbler. He sometimes says, "I saw you yes terday, at noon. You have written that this occurred yesterday morning. It is often the little things in life, my boy, that count. Culpepper Exum- has the happy faculty of being able to- appear gruff and indifferent without giving of fense. The reporter knows the presi- dent of the commission so well that he is never surprised at anything that happens. If MT. Exum says "howdy' and leaves the office before ques- tion has been propounded, the re- porter doesn't care. He might have cared at one time. It is true that MT. Exum doesn't take the reporter seri- ously, and it is equally as true that the reporter doesn't always desire to be so seriously considered. n
 If you asked Gully" for state ment concerning a certain subject, he will answer you in one of three ways. He will either say right off the reel what he thinks, or he will promise to say something later, or he will tell you in general terms how he stands, and advise you to go ahead in your own peculiar style.
 q am against that proposltion,D MT. Exum said on one occasion. "Go ahead, if you want to, with an inter view. Only be sure to make it strong enough."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

sion that the governor was wondering why his guest refused to depart.
 In answer to the reporters ques- tions, the governor generally saw proper to change the subject by re- ferring to matters entirely irrelevent. The reporter, determined if possible to get the news, was almost always compelled to laugh heartily at the joke the point of which had escaped him.
 Goernor Conner was never discour- teous to the reporter, but never took majority of the interviews isssued by that chief executive were in defense "of the administration" and there seldom fell from his lips story in the writing of which the reporter could rejoice in the knowledge that he was about to spring something even the tone of which was new.
 Since retiring from office, Governor Conner has retained his characteristic manner in reference to reporters. Some days ago he was asked if he thought Roosevelt would endeavor to capture the nomination of the repub- lican party.
 "I was telling some farmers Satur- day." stated the governor in reply, that if they held their cotton, the price would go up, and if they sold, the price would slump. That is a topic of more importance, young man."
 As a rule, the so-called captains of industry are difficult nuts for the reporters to crack. All of us remem- Der Don H. Bacon. And there are others of the same category.
 George Gordon Crawford is happy exception. The president of the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad com pany is seldom too busy to chat mo- ment with the man who is expected to find out what has occurred and what is about to occur.
 MT. Crowford invariably shakes hands with the reporter and invites him to have a seat. After these form alities, he does not fold his hands and await formal application of queries. Instead, he asks the reporter what is occurring, and what he thinks of re- cent developments. Sometimes, he CellS d story, anu oOIIlctlIllcS, dSdlIl, startles his guest by asking for ad- vice.
 When the reporter asks for infor- mation, MT. Crawford answers promptly. Of what has already oc- cured, he speaks freely. Of what is about to occur, he takes the reporter into his confidence. And it so hap pened that two years before the con- struction of the dam at Edgewater, a reporter knew of what was planned and what was agreed upon.
 There are easier men to interview than Goernor O'Neal. As a matter of fact, it is sometimes difficult for the reporter to get within striking distance of the chief executive. In Montgomery, there is a deal of red tape to be unravelled before the gath erer of news can reach the ear of the governor. When he is in Birming- ham his friends gather around him so
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

Bristol factory, received letter and a box of porcelain earth" from South Car olina in 1765. It was sent by his brother in-law, who lived there, and he requested Champion to send this porcelain earth
 to the Worcester factory to have few pieces of china made of it.
 This gave him the idea to make the china himself, and without doubt was the commencement of the Bristol factory, the first products of which were mace with American earth" The mug is there fore most interesting, because it has the silhouette portrait of Champion, with the initials underneath. ''R. e. a delightful and unique speciment of old Bristol.
 This service was made at Bristol and presented to Mrs. Jane Burke by Alr. and Mrs Champion on November ,. 1'I4, 70 commemorate her husbands tEdmund Burke) return to parliament as memoer for Bristol The covers are beautifully decorated with raised flowers in biscuit china.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
EVER EAT COUNTRY HAMS
Those Who Have Eaten It Say It Is
 Surprisingly Delicious
From the Kansas City Star.


 A cynic has described country ham as "a ham which your friend in the couh- try is going to send you, but doesh l. His experience was sad. and to one who knows from happier and hammier fatS the extent of his bereavement his bitter ness was pardonable.
 one may write of a country ham from two angles. Or. rather, two may thus approach the subject from different start ing points and with different purposes. one way Of treating the tender theme is to tell how the result is attained. An other is to be the poet and through del icate apperception to feel, and, feeling to convey the spirit of the ham. There ls, too. a third way. and that Is both to knoW and tell the hams architecture and to pay appropriate verbal homage to the spirit. But this combination is held only by the few rare poet analysts like Dean Walter Williams of Columbus, Mo. practical concocter of hams and charles l-aiAp fin lis appreciation of the product
 one less endowed may only sing. know
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

Dear Boy line of Polite Cuff to all of those rugged and self-made Bucks who get. back to Earth every Day at 5 p. m. and begin calling feebly for Barbers and Masseurs and Manicures and Nerve Specialists and Barkeeps.
 She leaarned that Rough House lost all Social Stigma if pulled off at ? a. m. in Private Resort with Striped Awning in front and Carpet leading down to the Landing Stage.
 Her Folks kept writing her to come back Home, because the Ladies of the Guild were about to have Bazar, but she Stalled as long as she could and when she finally packed up the Wardrobe Trunks and the eight kinds of Massage Cream, she extracted a promise from Cousin and several other Desperate Characters that they Would come out into the Wilderness and give the Rummies a Touch of High Life.
 It was the first time that Madeleine had spread her Wings and hit the rarefied Strata. For a Beginner she was there with the Spread. She made the American Eagle look like an En- glish Sparrow.
 As soon as she arrived back in Sleepy Hollow she began to turn the Old Family Residence upside down and get it stocked up, just like Club, for the Hot Babies from the Metrop- olis.
 The Real Things arrived on Spe- cial Car with their Hats down over their Ears and were more or less ob- scured by Dogs and English Help and Cigarette Smoke. AS they rode up Main street there was Pale Face at every Window. Just as the Parade passed the High School, the tall Smoke-S Stack over at the Hominy Mills fell with Loud Crash.
 That Afternoon there was smell of Moth Balls in many Refined Home. for all who had learned to take Soup from the side of the Spoon were under Royal Command to come up and get private Peek at the import ed Gentry.
 It was to be a Dinner followed by a Small Dance. If it had been a full sized Affair, no doubt Father would now be working by the Day.
 Instead of the customary 3 Carna- tions and Maiden Hair Fern gracing the center of the Board, the etrrified Guests saw Wogan-Load of tropical
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

V V A
 M quoth one of the finest re-
 porters who ever lived, ma ture has framed strange fellows in her time; some that will evermore peep through their eyes and laugh like par rots at bag pipe, and others of such vinegar aspect that they will not show their teeth in way of smile, though Nespor swear the jest be Imaginable" "
 Shakespeare wrote of what every reporter knows to be true, that as no man resembles his fellows in counten- ance, equally in temperament he diff fers; that what pleases the first, is certain to be abhorred by the second, that what causes one individual to crack his cheeks with laughter, wrings tears of anguish from another.
 Had the reporter to deal with any single individual-be he a swaggering policeman on an isolated beat, or a boisterous bandmaster of a suffrag- ettes encampn1ent-from all the weeds of the universe, the perfume of roses would en1anate, and life would be one continuous round of joy, indeed.
 In the age of fable, Hercules per- formed twelve labors,o each of which caused the ambrosial hosts of 0lym- pus to marvel.
 But the reporter of today, without that divine aid which made smooth the by paths of the original Samson, is expected in every "A hours to cleanse. the Augean stables and lead Cerberus captive from Hades. If, aft CT reasonable time, he fails, the inex orable law of the, survival of the fit test eliminates him from the cast, and he. becomes a book agent, profess sional dispenser of charity, the mayor of a city, or bank president, and when in the midst of comparative wealth. glories in the fact that lie re- ceived the "can." ,ssse sr.
 The reporter is the author of cur rent history It naturally follows that without intelligence, energy, accuracy and truth he must fail. And it is as plain as day that with these gifts he could not fail if writing was his sole occupation. But his great work con- sists in the gathering of the news which does exist, and his greatest in the creation of legitimate news which doesn't.
 For this reason every man who pos sesses a vocabulary and can enlist apt alliteration's artful aid is not equip ped for reportorial work. He must be able to know in advance what method of procedure must be employed in a hundred cases, each of which in es- sential feature differs from the other. He must pet the news and get it hon. estly.
 Milton H. Smith, president of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, can not be interviewed. Reporters, har- ness worn, never attempt the job. When the novice reaches the private car of the famous railroad captain he is courteously received-by the sec retary.
 May see Mr. Smith?' he asks.
 The secretary doesn't smile. With the reporters card, he retires into the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
Worth 10 Times It's Weight in Gold

teapot which is worth ten times Its weight in gold is one of the most remark able pieces in the famous Trapnell collec- ton of British porcelain, which has been purchased by Albert Amor. This teapot weighs about 16 ounces, equal to 53 SOW ereigus. About five years ago the teapo; was purchased for nearly Gioo and it's value now is more than ten times it's weight in sovereigns
 The sugar basin and cover in the ser vice weighs 57 sovereigns. milk jug and cover B sovereigns, and taken all around the service alone will be worth about eight or ten times it's weight in gold
 Richard Champion, the founder of tne
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
Boy Hunters Shoot Big Wildcat

Emporium Correspondence Pniiadelphia
 North American.
 Franklin Alden, II years old, and his smaller brother, near Sizerville. Cameron county, F years old. proved themselves mighty hunters the other day by killing the largest wildcat, or bay lynx, seen III these regions this year. The cat weighed 3, pounds and was four and half feet in length
 old hunters say this is an unusually large wildcat, most of them reaching a weight of only 20 pounds.
 The little boys tracked the beast for three miles before their dogs treed II. Then. as they were about to shoot, ! tho cat sprang for the dogs, but the charge of shot struck the cat first, and the next instant the dogs had him.
 The dogs were afraid to tackle ths wildcat when they first came upon him. as they are mere pups and had had their ears boxed well by a cat before. Tie boys received ss for the wildcats hide and got sl bounty froIa the state
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

once rode still meeting the Trains.
 All the older Residents were sitting back on their Surplus trying to hatch out per cent. Anyone suggesting Public Improvement was led into Court House Square and publicly Be- headed.
 A Girl with real Jamaica Ginger coursing through her Arteries did not have a Look-In so long as she was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

might be woven in the wreath. let here this one pe laid. Pity, like naked. new horn babe stridng the blast, or heavens s cherubim horsed upon the sightless cour- iers of the air"-this quality akin to love, this pity mounts and struggles in tue breast on eating a country ham. Pity for the unhappy urbanite haunting the ham and row, and eating his light com plected" nam as if it was good-even smacking his lips over it in the depths ls his innocent ignorance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11

~ NCE there was d kittenlsh | Senorita condemned to dwell in a Piccolo Town out on a Spur Division of the Dinkusville Short Line.
 It was one of those not-dead-but- sleeping Settlements with a Sheet Iron Cornice on every Store Building and the Hack in which Gen. Sherman