davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

and very good coffee, served in ridicu- lously small cups, and munching sweet meats make pleasing contrast to an equal number of young Americans whose only idea of having a good time when seeing the town by gaslight is to keep walters upon the run with drinks that would cut the throat of a Turk like a seimitar. And. generally speaking, Turks are men of excellent physique and plenty of physical courage.
 Comparatively few genuine Turkish ci- garettes find their way to the American consumer. A majority of the brands thar are called Turkish" are stronger than the genuine article, and each cigarette contains more tobacco. The American smokes more vigorously than the Asiatic. He would get only about two "puffs" out. of such cigarettes as the Turks smoke, so the American manufacturers put a good deal of substance into, their ''Turkish'' brands.
 If there had been nothing but the popu- larity of cigarettes between the Turkish troops and efficiency the elan of the Bal kan armies would have been cut short. and the Turk would have been the victor. The trouble was that Turkish government has been for long time poisoned by graft and clogged with inefficiency. It may be true, as the States believes, that ''conquerors have never smoked cigar cites" It is hard to picture Tamerlane. Alexander. Attila or Bajazet, as a man Who would have been a Cigarette fiend'' if cigarettes had been in voe14e in tba periods in which these knights of the short sword and the mighty ."punch" heurished. But the Turks downfall is due to his Pashas and not to his pastimes or his passions.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

John Golden, a Missouri farmer, drove 1250 turkeys into Sedalia, where he sold them at 161s cents on the hoof. The birds averaged over 16 pounds and brought their owner $3200. He drove them 26 miles at the rate of two miles an hour.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The iron and steel trade continues to stock market conditions. The reports from the Iron Age and the Iron Trade Review which will be found on another page, show how active business is this week and how bright the outlook is for 1Ql2
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The ballroom in Mrs. Edson Bradley 8 house on Dupont circle, in Washington, is constructed so that 1t can be turned into a private theatre. It cost $250 OOOO, and its furnishings include some of the finest tapestries in the country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
mingham yesterday on business for his

mingham yesterday on business for his company.
 John sharshall Grasty. professor Of geology at the University of Virginia, arrived in Birmingham last night and will remain here for day or two. Dir. Grasty has done much field work in the Birmingham district and has larss number of friends here. He is at the Hotel Hillman.
 T. H. Aldrich, Jr.. left this week for Boston, where he will join his family for the holidays. He expects to return to Birmingham in January to fill business appointments.
 c. E. Hickey, superintendent of terml- nals of the Queen & Crescent route at Cincinnati was In Birmingham yesterday.
 Jack cranford and Mrs. Cranford or Jasper are in Birmingham engaged in Christmas shopping.
 J. W. McNeill of Ragland, is stopping at the Florence
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The thrifty congressman will next month frank his laundry to the family wash erwoman and back again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

New York had snow on Thanksgiving Day, but has had none since. It is due about seven inches up to this time in a normal year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The butter trust is in a fair way to be we'll churned up by Uncle Sam. who Is very much in earnest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

All Europe is in suspense over the Bal kan war, and so is the small boy over the coming of Christmas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The St. Louis politicians overlooked $900o job which has been vacant 13 years. They are engaged in trying to kick them- selves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

Little Pu Yi once Emperor of China, has the whooping cough
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The suffragettes of London may yet shcw the Turkish and Balkan envoys what real war is.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
KEEP YorR TEMPER.

hEIH 4oOR IEMPEK. All in the merry Christmas time, When bells ring out their joyous chime, And scenes of cheer beguile you, If some one on your corn has stept, In the mems goods or the ribbon dept Don't let that mishap rile you.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The last lap of the Christmas buying is now before the belated shopper. Only a single week remains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The cold may not strengthen until the days begin to lengtheh.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The Red Cross stamp is a bright spot in the Christmas package. Don't for get it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
PRACTICAL MATTERs.

When one reads he should read some thing to improve his mindp Quite so. Still, it is imperative for some of us to read laundry lists and time tables occasionally"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
MhItelaw Reld was the aon of farme

Whitelaw Reid was the son of a farmer near the little Ohio village of Cedar vile. He was born and grew ID at Cedaryille. He was named in honor of an old preacher of the neighborhood, and his name at baptism was Jacob Whltelaw Reid. He dropped the first name. He built a new house for his mother and improved the farm until it became the show place of the county.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The country's sugar bill is S1,0O0,000 a day. The tariff is responsible for a part Df it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

Roast muskrat is not popular even in Chicago. where horse steaks are readily purchased.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

One in every four of immigrants to this country is illiterate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

Miss Johanna Redmond, the daughter of she has acquired reputation as play wright. Her plays illustrate Irish char acter and manners. She is the only un- now she is to be married to Max Green, the chairman of the Irish prisons board.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

Senator Maritime of New Jersey says and he confidently expects to see him n- stalled as Secretary of State. Democratic senators prefer to see MT. Bryan in the former at large, arousing personal antag- onism at every step
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
ART THESE DAYS.

 How is Gladys Glow doing on the stage?" Judge for yourself. The preachers pro- test everywhere she goes" "Ah! The dear girl must be drawing an immense salary"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

John Drew owns up that he was 59 the other day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
UNCHANGED.

Dubkins seems to be set in his ways" T should say sol He still reads the Outlook"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
Who can not these times
 Sing a holiday song.
THE SURPRISE.

THE SURPRISE.
 The mischievous girl said to the other girl as they entered the crowded Heights car:
 Just watch me make one of those men up there feel uneasy"
 The other girl giggled and they pushed along the aisle until the mischievous girl paused in front of a sitter whose news as most of his hat.
 Isn't it funny" said the lively one, how men read newspapers! They hide behind them and get close to them, and read, and read, and reaG wonder what they find so awfully fascinating? They | can't see anything else, and they can't hear anything. and if the car tipped over into the sewer they'd keep right on read ing. Of course. they don't mean to be forgetful of the ladies who stand in the aisle-it's all the fault of the hypnotic stuff they find in the papers,
 Just then the. target of her talk low cred his paper and looked up. He wore glasses and was 50.
 T thought that was your voice, Polly" he said. What in the world are you jabbering about?' The lively girl gave little start. II guessed you'd look up pretty soon, daddy" she said T knew you way across the car.'
 But of course she didn't ". R. Rose in Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 LIBERTY. The schoolboy with shining morning No longer creeps to school with sluggard
 pace,
 But free a while to follow every bent, To mischief turns his hand, in sweet cou-
 tent.
 POOR "GELL" DIDN'T KNOW.
 At the Knickerbocser theatre a really unsophisticated chorus girl has been dis covered. She Is one of the models in "Ohl Ohl Delphine."
 Last night the stage manager invited her to dinner.
 "oh, I can't accept' she said. people might misunderstand!'
 No, they wouldn't" persisted the man. ager. ''They know me too well, and yolS- are like Caesars wife" 'Who is she?" asked the chorus girl Does she belong to this company y?''-New York Telegram.
 ALL HE CAN STAND. Christmas comes but once year."
 And who of us is glad? To tell the truth, we greatly fear lis dad PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
RETALIATING

RETALIATING. Boasts he's 'Spug,' eh?" Yes. I'm going to give him box of matches"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
About Persona

Harry S. Jenkins of Baltimore is in Birmingham.
 A. P. Bush of Mobile, representative in the legislature from that county is here on business. John D. Carter. general southern agent for the Santa Fe railroad, was in Bir-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
STRIKING A NEW NOTE.

oIRIklNG A NEW NOTE. 50 you are thinking of writing 3 novel?n Yes" What is the nature of the plot?" I'm afraid it's rather old-fashioned Most of the characters are half way de- cent "Oh, we'll, the novelty of the thing may appeal to some readers"
 HONEST WORKING MEN. Some men opine
 A glass O beer
 Is very good
 For Christmas cheer,
 But they are wights
 Of modest means,
 Who never ride
 In limousines
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

A BAD CHARACTER. He's loaded with crimes And his heart is all wrong,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

Entered at the BirmlnBham' Ala-' postoffice as second class matter uhoef act of Congress March 5. 1873.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19
THE RECRUDEscENCE OF FALLS

J. ". McNeill of Ragland, is stopping at the Florence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

ALL HE CAN STAND. Christmas comes but once year." And who of us is glad? To tell the truth, we greatly fear Iris dad. PAUL COOK,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

The schoolboy with shining morning
 face" No longer creeps to school with sluggard
 pace, But free a while to follow every bent, To mischief turns his hand, in sweet con-
 tent
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

e E. Morgan and ". G. Wharton are the only authorized traveling represent atives of The Age-Heraid in Its cir;u- lation department
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-19

patIv and sunday Ase-HeraId. ... $500 Dstly and Sunday. per month... TO Daily and snnday. three months. 2.0O snnGav Aae-aeraid ...... 200 Weekly Age-Herald, per annum.- .oo
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04
BeIoIedZ ZaZIaH ZW1

The poets father was fond of me-
dieval mysticism and rabbinicaI lore;
his mother was natural musician of
great gifts. She was once playing
softly to herself in the twilight when
she heard a sound in the room and
turned around; a moment later the
little boy was in her arms convulsive1y
begging her to play! Play!'' That same
little lad was in those days beginning
to browse through a library where
Walpole and Voltaire. the EN- blems"
of Quarles and Mandeville's Fable
of the Bees" gave his mind it's bent
toward speculation and introspection-
The first book he bought with his
own money was Ossfan's Poems. The
book he appears to have read most
assiduously is the English Bible, for
all his poems are saturated with the
diction and imagery of the King James
Version Hezekiah's phrase, IT will
go softly all my years." for example,
IS used no less than three times in
''The Ring and the Book"
Two poets of his youth also exerted
deep influence upon hirn-Byron and
Shelley 1t is of Shelley. the fiery
morning star of the nineteenth CEN
fury, that he wrote those beautiful
lines:
All, did you once see Shelley plain.
ana dlo Ne STOP and SPEAK TO your
And did you speak to him again?
How strange it seems and new!
The people who complain of Brown
ing's obscurity have never read this
poem, nor 1.-THE Pied Piper of Hame-
lin, nor F'How They Brought the Good
News from Client to AK"
The Browning Love Story.
The story of Robert Browning's
marriage to Eliza beth Barrett, which
has been called "the most exquisite
romance of modern life is far better
known than any of Robert Browning's
poems. "All the world loves lover"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

were as happy as mortals could be.
Browning was 35 and his bride Al
when they were married. 1t was a
courtship that began in correspon-
dence, moved along slowly to personal
acquaintance, and surprised all the
world when it eliminated in romance
Just to think of tiff her little pet
dog had barked as they stole out of
the house the elopement would have
been a f1asco. The dog did not bark.
and so they turned up presently in
Paris. and thence went to the village
where Petrarch had poured out in
deathless sonnets his love for Laura
who was married to another man and
was the mother of eleven children.
Most of the remaining years of the
poet-pair were spent in Italy, at his
beloved AsoIe, in Florence or in Rome.
In Italy Mrs. Browning wrote the
"Sonnets from the Portuguese and he
The Ring and the Book"
His Robust Philosophy.
Despite his fondness for the by-ways
and corners of history and philosophy,
and despite the sentimental vein that
is revealed in the correspondence with
Eliza beth Barrett, Robert Browning
was essentially healthy and mascu-
line Briton, and his poems have the
same virility that marks Whitman and
very few besides. Stopford Brooke,
one of his sanest and keenest critics,
has said:
His intellect. was English, and had
the English faults well as the Eng
Iish excelIences. His optimism was
English; his steadfast fighting quality,
his unyielding energy, his dlrectness,
his desire to get at the root of things,
were English. His religion was the ex-
cellent English compromise or rather
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

and here was such a pretty idyl in
the midst of a prosaic age that it
bids fair to go down to the end of
time along with such romances as
that of Dante and his Beatrice, Pet
rarch and his Laura. The British
poet, however, was of a more practi-
cal turn than the two Italians, who
were content to stand afar off and
see their inamoratas married to other
men. Yet he had an even greater
impeachment to overcome than a rival
lover. Elizabeth Barrett was one of
those super-sensitive and maudlinly
morbid women, due to a spinal affec-
ton, who spend their lives in prepar-
ing for an early grave. He had to res
cue her from herself and a despotic
father; had to persuade her to elope
with him when she believed herself
to be dying. A year later she was
elm bling mountains at A. NJ.
So Robert Browning may be ac
claimed as the discoverer of the mod
ern cure for neurosis or hypochondria
the pharmacopeia of fresh air and
sunshine and action He also demon
strated another fact-that genius and
domestic happiness are not incom-
patible. I'VE will live the real
answer" he says in one of his letters.
And they did. For fifteen years they
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04
Tie Queen z1RZa0e
C3G0 Z2c WaI9o

wonderful churches of Cuba with
their fine old paintings. splendid vest
n1ents and rich mural decorations. and
at Camaguey particularly do these
edihces appeal to one Is their time
worn walls greet you at every turn
Not alone does the ancient beauty Of
the church appeal to one, but there
seems to be something uncanny about
their b1ack-robed Spanish priests with
their peculiar shutting step as they
move in and out of the strange look
ing confessfonals.
Up to the first American occupation
Camaguey depended almost wholly
upon cisterns for her water supply.
and although there are several ar
tesian wells bored by the United
States Government in the town at
present many of the residents still
use the old tinaiones. These water
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

be published was Pauline" which
appeared in 1888, when he was 20
years old and still under the spell of
Shelley. Even SO, by this fragment,
the divine fire was passed on to
another poet, as is shown by the story
of young Rossetti transcribing the
entire poem from the copy in the
British Museum. Browning's last
book of verse, "Asolando," was pub
lished on December IL, 1889. the day
of the poets death. 1t was a peculiar
hobby of his not to write for the mag
azines-thus becoming an UNLIMITED
guest in the homes of the magazines
readers-he preferred to conquer his
public and to know that every one
who bought his books did so because
he was interested in them.
THE Ring and the Book is gen.
orally esteemed to be his greatest and
most characteristic work. The story
Of how he came to write this poem
has often been told. One warm June
day in Florence he passed through
a market square when he CHANGED
to see upon stall a square
old yellow book" which he bought.
1t contained the story of the Fran
eeschinf murder. which is the germ
of the poem. The story of the murder
of Pompilia is the best-reported muir
der case in the world, for in the
twelve books of the poem nine diff
ferent people tell the story from nine
different points of view, including the
murderer and his victim and the aged
Pope who pronounces the final YER
dict.
This work, which appeared In 1885,.
marked the beginning of the general
recognition of Browning's supreme
poetic genius. 1t Is a monument to
his dead wife, whom he has portrayed
in the character of the sainted Pom
piIia. "Had never known Elizabeth,
he said, ct could never have written
The Ring and the Book" And
henceforth he of whose works during,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

people congregate. He also carries
supply of fresh sugar cane and when
customer appears he places a stick
of green cane in the sQueezer and
turns q big wheel, the result being
glass of pure, sweet juice. His tum-
blers are of various sizes, which are
used in his sales, ranging from two
to five cents per glass. The water
man with his goatcart is always on
hand. for the cfstern water caught in
the peculiar tinaiones is not always
paIatable for drinking, and water for
this purpose is delivered in fve-ga1lon
cans by the water merchants.
The OK is another beast Of burden
in Camaguey. These animals creep
along in lazy fashion while their
driver, far more lazy, is half the time
asleep. They wear little harness and
pull from the head Often the sides
of the carts are built of the bamboo
which grows in profusion throughout
the Island and is rarely exported. The
Cuban oxen do wake up sometimes,
and the writer once saw one Of them
give an exhibition of gymnastics with
his hind feet which would have done
credit to a Missouri mule Live
chickens are peddIed from door to
door in small cages. The Cuban
housekeeper always buys her chickens
alive. They are usually killed soon
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

after the purchase and brought to the
table two or three hours later, with
the result that the meat of the fowl
is tough and stringy. Sugar cane
leaves make good provender for the
oxen, and little goat carts loaded with
the bright green leaves are constantly
humping about the streets of the old
city.
There seems to be little danger Of the
town being accused of race suicide,
for there are children everywhere,
and as no Camaguey child is expected
to wear clothes until it IS at least
seven years of age everywhere in the
streets one encounters little brown
skinned children absolutely nude play
ing in the sunshine. Truly the streets
Of Camaguey present a Kaleidoscope
of color and unique pictures.
The ancient city has, like other
cities of Cuba. a large number OF
churches, and from whatever direc-
ton it is approached its church towers
stand out conspicuously above the tail
palm trees against the sky. Most OF
these edihces are old. some of them
having been built many centuries ago,
their tine-worn walls contributing in
no small degree to the ancient ap-
pearance of the city. The Church
Of Neustra Sonora de Ia Carload is
one of the most picturesque old edi-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

receptacles resemble huge 5ardinieres
and are made by being turned over
a core on potter's wheel. Many Of
them are six feet in diameter and will
hold five hundred gallons of water.
AS none have been manufactured for
at least fifty years the old ear then
jars will soon give way to a more
modern method of supplying water.
Many fine old Spanish residences
are still preserved In the city. These
have been owned by the same fami-
lies for several generations. Indeed,
the entire white population of the
city is descended from twenty or
thirty old families, there being less
mixture with negro blood here than
anywhere in Cuba and the color line
is strictly drawn. The women are
unusually pretty, and as all the old
Spanish ideas of life are carried out
the women are especially custom fet-
tered, and the women's suffrage move
ment is not likely to prove popular
in Camaguey.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04

fees in the West Indies La MERGED
is, however. the most important one.
and was built away back in 1928. and
its walls are from four to eight feet
thick while it's tower is constructed of
species of Cuban hardwood which
lasts for centuries It was erected by
the missionaries OF Our Lady Of
Mercy, a Spanish order founded at
Barcelona early in the thirteenth CEN
fury. The order finally died out in
Camaguey until only one priest was
left. just before his death he turned
the church over to the care of the
Barefooted Carme1ite monks. who also
came from Spain. A dozen or more
of these good men live at the monas-
terry attached to the church, and one
of their number always accompanies
the visitor about the sacred edff1ce-
A volume might be written on these
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-04
III W1hhcH 3<ON1
"TLa5L R0GN2

balance of dogma, practice and spirit
uality which laymen make for their
own life. His bold sense of personal
freedom was English. His constancy
to his theories, whether of faith or art,
was English; his roughness of form
was positively early Teutonic."
In his boyhood he had been a
dreamer who ran after Gypsy cara
vans and went to the woods to listen
to the nightingale; when he. had got
further on in life, Lockhart was able
to say of him: 81 like Browning; he
isn't at all like a damned literary
man. This is in keeping with an
amusing story that Browning told on
himself at times. He was visited by
the Chinese minister and his attaches.
Overcome by the impressive array of
dfgnitaries, he asked: ITO what am
I indebted for this great honor?" The
interpreter explained: you are
distinguished poet in your country,
and so is his Excellency in his.
After some polite formulate of felfefta-
ton had been exchanged Browning
inquired the nature of his Excel1ency's
poetic productions Chiefly poetical
enigmas,'' replied the interpreter.
Shaking the mandarfn's hand. Brown
ing cried: ct salute you as brother"
and breadth of Browning was shown
most strfkingly in the meeting with
the tragedian Macready. soon after
Mrs. Browning and Mrs. Macready
had both died. The poet and the
actor had not been on the best of
terms, the result of a disagreement
over the tragedy 1.-THE Blot in the
Scutcheon," which Browning had
written for Macready but which Mac
ready hesitated to produce. When
they met after their deep hour Of
sorrow, all resentment was brushed
aside as Browning shook his old
friends hand and cried only, "Oh.
Macready!"
Very affectionate and delightful
was Tennyson's verdict upon Brown
ing after dinner together.
Gamut of His Genius.
The first poem of Browning's to