davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

mo, dear, Walsingham is older That
| was built in 1850. and Eastwood not until
| 1887, the year of the ratification of the
United States constitution by Virginia"
! What massive houses they built in
those days. observed Miss Boiling, they
always remind me of secret stairways,
subterranean passages, and hidden panels
| in the walls, like old English houses"
I'VE have no secret stairways, non sub
| terranean galleries." said my grandmoth-
| er, but We have a hidden panel right
here in this room"
oh. how interesting" calculated Miss
| Margaret Cammeron, where is it?"
My grandmother arose and asked Mr..
Edgar Page to remove the portrait of
| George Mason, the framer of the bill of
| rights, and one of my ancestors. The
| removal of the portrait showed no diff
| ference in the panneling from that which
| could be seen all around the room; but
| my grandmother touched a spring about
| four feet from the secret panel and the
latter slowly opened, disclosing a small
closet about foot wide and three feet
! in height. "Oh, how ghostly," exclaimed
| Miss Lucy Carter.
| Grandmother then proceeded to tell of
| certain times when this secret closet was
| used and how valuable papers and fam
| lily jewels had been preserved in 1t. "how-
ever" she added it has not been used
| since the war"
Mr.. Page was about to rehang the por-
trait, when grandmother said she'd rath-
er wait till morning and have Jasper dust
the frame before it were restored to it's
place. She had hardly completed the SEN
tence when Jasper came to the door and
called grandmother.
She was gone for about Is minutes, and
on her return told us smiling that she
had caller-a tramp-who wanted some
thing to eat, and a nights lodging. He
is now in the kitchen eating his supper"
l quietly slipped out of the drawing room
and went to the. kitchen, where / saw a
hard. weather-beaten, ragged and fierce
looking man, whose dark face was
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

Search was made, but they could be
found nowhere where's the tramp?''
was asked by several persons at once.
Jasper reported that he left about sun
up answered grandmother. Edmund
Leigh volunteered to ride after him. Late
in the afternoon he returned, but said
the tramp was not to be found, but he
had given notice to the sheriff whose con-
stables were already out searching. l
never saw my grandmother so distressed.
During the whole day Miss Emily Royal
white and nervous, listlessly looked upon
all that was going on. | changed my
mind. I now saw that no practical joke
was played. I was overwhelmed with
emotion, and with tears streaming down
my face ! had to acknowledge to myself
that Miss Emily Royal had St. | could
not say 1t. | hated myself for thinking
it. l went out of the house and sat in
the shade of an old poplar tree about 200
yards from the house. There was going
on within me a boundless tumult. I knew
that she had taken the jewels, yet, to say
so would be to blast forever the fair name
of a beautiful young woman, whom every
body loved. ] prayed that she might have
the moral courage to make a clean breast
of it all, but there seemed to be no like
lihood of this.
Two days passed A merry crowd went
to the station to meet Miss Mary Barton,
daughter of Judge w. II. Barton, who
had been included In the invitations to
Eastwood, but who had been detained till
this late day. Miss Barton was a lovely
young woman, and did much to brighten
up everybody, for all were depressed by
the mysterious loss of the Eastwood
jewels.
On the day of Miss Barton's arrival
Miss Emily Royal seemed to be in better
spirits than for several days past. Yet,
she would not talk of the loss that had
been sustained at Eastwood, and seemed
to be hiding her thoughts by trifling small
talk that meant nothing: indeed, she was
apparently forever preoccupied. The ten
sion among the family was very great,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

whole company laughed. when was it?''
looked her square in the face, and her
beautiful eyes were the home of purity
and womanly honor. | then told what
| saw on the night of the disappearance
of the jewels You brought the bag out
of the reception room.' 20, for the love
of mercy. why have YOU not told me this
before" pathetieally exclaimed the young
lady. What did | do with the bag?" I
answered, You came downstairs with it
into this room" "Did | have 1t when L
returned to my room?'' "I did not see it,"
[ replied. "Then must have left 1t here
somewhere. / remember | had a troubled
dream about the jewels, and wanted to
put them in a secure place to keep them
safe from the tramp who was ON the
place that night" said the perplexed
young lady. Lets all look for them, for
they are in this room" said Mr. Aston.
search was made. Everything port
able was turned over or upside down,
without avail. Finally, Colonel Drum
goold said, You will all remember that
the portrait of George Mason was taken
down that night, and the secret panel
was disclosed. and that next morning
the portrait was re-hung. I'll bet ten
dollars that you will find the jewels in
the secret panel" Oonce more the old
portrait was taken down, the panel OPEN
ed, and there. safe and sound, was the
buckskin bag with its treasure intact.
There was much laughter and merry
making in the old home that night.
On the day before our guests were to
leave us, | was plucking roses near a
summer house. when Mr.. Page and Miss
Emily Royal, not seeing me, were pass
ing. | heard Miss Royal say, That
you love me l do not question. and I am
largely responsible for 1t. | am in great
trouble about it. and have suffered moro
than / can tell you since you told me
this was all / could hear. 1t explained
to me Miss Royals distress of mind of
a few days before, behind the vegetable
garden under the beeches.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30
VISIT-By B. F. Riley. D. D.

becoming a part of mis- escort through
Georgia, and cherished the privilege
of serving him with the most minute
servility. There Is a good side to hu-
manity always IL we only reach 1t
To the Indians 1t was a special delight
to shoot down an occasional buck on
the way and to present il to the polite
Frenohman between whose cultured
conyentionality and the rude but
touching sincere klndnes of the Indian
there was an amusing difference.
With great effort and sacrifice. Gov
ernor FicSens had made every arrange
ment possible for as august demon
stration as the young state could give
to the eminent guest of the nation.
His plans were perfect in every de-
tail. for he was an executive master.
as Is shown by the correspondence in
the possession of the present writer.
between him and the militia command
ers. as well as with the civil author
tiles and prominent citizens. The chief
difficulty seems to have been to raise
fund sufficient for a demonstration
worthy of the great French patriot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

fringed with grizzled beard, and whose
eyes suggested the wildness of wolf.
While he was eating his glance turned in
every direction. He took in the whole
place. l was alarmed, for | believed him
to be burglar, and by the look of him,
not too good to commit murder if it suit
ed his purpose. After he had eaten Jas
per showed him to the office in the yard.
where there was a comfortable bed and
where he was to spend the night.
When / returned to the drawing room
found the subject of conversation to be
about burglars, thieves and murderers.
Mr. Aston thought that grandmother
should have sent the man away, and Miss
Emily Royal said: II know | shall not
sleep wink tonight" Said grandmother:
There's nothing downstairs that he could
take, but the silver in the dining room,
and that is always locked securely; now,
If he should find his way upstairs to the
hall reception room he might make us
much poorer than we are, for the old
family jewelry is there; yet l have no
fears. BY the way, I'll show you the
jewelry I speak of when we go upstairs .
About II o'clock the men went to their
rooms in the north wing of the house, and
the ladies were assembled in the upper
hall reception room wondering at the
antique brooches, rings, earrings and
medallions that had been in the family
for many generations, which grandmother
had. poured out of a buckslSin bag upon
the table. Among these treasures there
was a medallion which Louis XVI had
given one of my ancestors, at st. Cloud,
in 1890. This medallion contained a por-
trait of the King himself, and the gold
frame was ornamented with 2S diamonds
The curios were gathered up into the
bag, finally, and placed behind some books
in the bookcase. 'I'll not lock them up
tonight, for I want you girls to help me
rub them up in the morning." said grand
mother. Miss Emily Royal exclaimed
as the ladies started for their rooms I'D
never trust those things out of my sight
for a minute. o, I'm so nervous about
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30
BUSINESS GREAT WAR MAKERS-B Richard Spane

8"O Lord cowdray the doubtful
honor is given of being the man
L without whose support Huerta's $
government would have fallen a month
ago. He has disclaimed credit for ad-
vancing money to the dictator. or for
arranging loans to carry on the de
facto government, but there is no doubt
that he has played a powerful part in
Mexican affairs and had much to do
with the British governments recog-
milton of Huerta.
His lordship Is the greatest con-
tractor in the world. He is better
known as Sir Weetman Pearson, hav-
ing been raised to the peerage by Mr..
Asquith only a few years ago. He en-
ploys armies of men and his operations
extend all over the globe. He controls
the wonderfully rich oil fields in tine
Tampico district and has managed to
operate them with slight interruption
through all the turmoil that Mexico
has experienced since Madero started
the rebellion against Porfirio Diaz He
is probably Mexico's largest individual
creditor through works of harbor i'm
provement and mammoth undertakings
for which he contracted with the gov
ernment. With the London banking
interests that are behind him he wields
great Influence.
War used to be the prvileg OF kings.
Now 1t is the prerogative of bank ers.
Racial hatreds have brought on conf
paratively few conflicts in the last 25
years. Commercial rivalry or the greed
Of trade has overturned a dozen gov
ernments, wiped out tens of thousands
of human lives and caused various
changes in the map of the world within
the same quarter of a century.
Lord Cowdray should not be con-
fused with that other Pearson of the
Pearson -Farquhar syndicate, VINO also
has great interests in Mexico. The
Pearson of Pearson Farquhar fame is
an American but has the support of
British and French banking interests.
The American Pearson is the traction
lord and the hydro electric power lord
of Mexico, while the English Pearson is
the oil king and the man who has built
most of the harbors that now are open
to deep draft vessels. Between the two
of them they have made the name OF
Pearson one to be conjured with III
Mexico
For contractor Lord Cowdray is about
as quiet and modest an lnd1vduai as q
person is liable to meet. He has done an
immense amount of development work fol
the republic of Brazil. His contracts
with the British government have amount-
ed to-scores of millions of dollars. one
Job-that of the new harbor of Dover
was a gigantic undertaking. But he does
not depend on government contracts. Th,
world is his oyster. He is ready for any
thing in which there is profit and 1t does
not matter il 1t is in China or in Chill
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

| litical rivals and the Europeans Who had
business enterprises in Mexico into closer
relations
Venezuela would not have had so many
storms within the last 10 years but for
the great value of it's asphalt deposits
at Trinidad. General Cipriano Castro
was open in his declaration that most
of his troubles were due to a great COM
pany with headquarters in New York.
which wanted a free hand in its opera
tions in Trinidad. He accused this COM
pany of arming and equipping forces
against him. Maybe he was correct and
maybe he wasn't. At any rate, he made
all the trouble he could for the New York
concern and for. other foreigners who
had various interests in Venezuela. His
fight against the foreigner was solely for
his country. 1t was a very dull year
when England, France, Germany, Hol-
| land, the United States didn't send a
flock of warships down to La Guayra to
threaten to blow that town off the map
if Castro didn't pay the claims of for
eign business men whose interests or in
vestments in Venezuela had suffered
through Castro's attitude.
Castro is out of Venezuela now He is
an exile. He is not wanted anywhere.
He is q pretty tough citizen from all
accounts, but he is one of the few Latin
American governmental heads who con-
sistently opposed the foreigner invading
his country. His platform was Venezuela
for the Venezuelans. There are not
few South Americans and Central Amer
iaan wi bn bau LOT of
admiration, for Ciprano Castro. They
think his ideas were right, even if he
had a coarse way of carrying them out.
One of the troubles of Cipriano was that
he didn't believe in paying any debt ii
it was owed to a foreigner. That is
where he was wrong and that is how he
got into trouble-a trouble that has been
| a very serious handicap to Venezuela.
Business knows no land nor flag. This
| is shown by the recent case of the
Krupps. Every charge made by the
! socialist leader in the Reichstag WAS
more than borne out by the investi-
| cation which the German government
| reluctantly made The Krupp estab-
| lishment is the largest in the world
engaged in the manufacture of war
mterial. 1t employs more than 10000
persons 1t has been a semi public in
stitution, being subsidized by the Ger
man government. Despite this fact, it
was broght out in the investigation
that for many years the Krupps have
maintained spies in the war depart
ment of Berlin, to keep the managers
of the works advised of everything
connected with the governments mill :
| tary establishment At the same time
the Krupps have spent considerable
money to inflame the foreigner against
Germany. They have procured the
publication in French newspapers of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

matter tending to promote a clash be-
tween the two nations. 1t was all done
in the course and in the cause of bust
ness. The Krupps wanted Germany TO
increase its army and to increase it's
armament. AT the same time it wanted
France to increase its army and in
crease it's armament As a business
concern the Krupps VI ere not averse to
selling goods to the French. They did
so just before the Franco Prussian war
and there was no good reason why
they should not repeat A war between
Franco and Germany would be of tre-
mendous value to the Krupps. 1t would
intail colossal losses to France and
to Germany not only in the destruc-
tion of material but in the waste of
lives.
All this mattered not to the Krupps.
it would seem. 1t is to the credit of
Bertha Krupp, the woman who is the
head of the house of Krupp, that she
knew nothing of what was going on
A score of officials CT the Krupp es
tablishment have been dismissed and
disgraced and various attaches of the
German war office, who took the
Krupps bribes, have been sent to
prison. The whole scandal has been
of incalculable value to Germany and
to France. 1t has made clear to the
people of the two neighboring nations
that many of the situations that have
brought them to the verge of wal
may have been the development OF
selfish interests, such as those of the
In, a,.tio ;t,.t
They will hesitate awhile hereafter be-
fore they get excited and talk of rush =
ing to arms. They will want TO know
If the whole thing isn't scheme such
as they now know about
The Boer war was brought on prac-
tically by one man. Cecil Rhodes. Bat
for his ambition, the Boer republic
probably would be one of the govern
ments of the world today. The Beers
interfered with his business enter
prises. lie had his own desires regard
Jameson raid, in which John Hays
Hammond, the eminent American en-
gineer, took part. Rhodes ambition
cost England tens and tens of thou
sands of lives and hundreds and hun
dreds of millions of dollars Great
Britain may get the money back ir
time, for South Africa is immenselN
rich. but she will never get back tn,
lives that were sacrificed There have
been few more unworthy wars. 1t wa.
one of greed, pure and simple-busi
ness greed.
1t is not generally known, but 1t /:
a fact, that a New York banker dit
more than any other one man to keel
alive the Cuban revolution and {,
bring about the freedom of the Pear
of the Antilles. The banker was Juai
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

/ him, he was really anxious to take it.
As he came westward from Augusta,
conditions grew rawer. but every pos
sible provision was made for his com
fort. For months together he had been
in the country as its guest and the
Character of the receptions varied in
every respect save one-the cordiality
of the people which was unbounded.
The American Congress had extend
ed to him a formal invitation to re-
turn to America on a visit. the invita-
ton being impelled by a double mo-
tive, that of showing the revolutionists
OF his own land, to whose vengeance
Lafayette had fallen a victim, because
of his democratic principles that Amer
lea was his loyal friend and that of
enabling new generation of Amer
leans to express their gratitude to Il
patriot of France who had split his
blood in behalf of the independence
that they enjoyed. From the moment
that Se landed on our soil throughout
his was a triumphal journey and he
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

for money Was exceedingly scarce In
those infant days of struggle, but
Pickens was indefatigable and he had
n way of accomplishing whatever he
set his hands TO- Fortunately for Gov
ernor Pickens was the delay of LaFay-
cite, as this enabled him to execute
more to his satisfaction the vast and
difficult plans relating to the series
of receptions along the triumphHl
march of Lafayette through Alabama.
For days together Lafayette was lost
to the public. as traversing the Wild
erness he was lost In its depths MAX
ing his way as best he could from the
Savannah to the Chattahooehee under
the protection of the Georgia escort of
militia and painted Indian warriors.
The correspondence shows that he
could not be heard of for days to-
gether but on the banks of the Chat
tahoochee the provided escort waited
day after day till he should appear.
He at last came within sight and the
demonstration began and novel enough
1t was. OF this We shall learn more in
the article next succeeding.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

was hailed with a universal tumult of
honor and praise. He was compara :
lively poor man because of principle.
Though the possessor of vast estates
in France, they were forfeited or in
palmer language, We're confscated by
the government of France because of
his republican principles. The American
Congress voted him 100000 in gold
and a township of land. He was deep
ly moved by the gratitude and love Of
the young nation, and often in speak
ing in response to welcomes accorded,
his voice would tremble with emotion.
1t may be said in passing, that at
the one hundredth anniversary of the
battle of Yorktown. in 1881, in whica
battle Lafayette shared, a represen-
tatiye of his family was present as the
guest of the nation.
When Lafayette reached Washing
ton in 1926 there was accorded him an
ovation that was almost overwhelm-
Ing. From long distances the common
people had travelled, some coming on
foot. others on horseback, in OK carts,
wagons, carriages and every way man,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

trip southwark and westward, or to-
ward the great southwest. Ala
bama, Mississippi and Louisiana were
then called. In making his dates in
advance he knew practically nothing
of the nature of the country. nothing
of the difficulty of travel, so that by
the time he reached the eastern bor-
der of Alabama he was several days
behind time. So far from delay cool
ing the ardor of the people, it had Just
the opposite effect. The interest deep
ened. widened and seethed meantime.
and his announced coming into a given
region absorbed all things else. Even
the Indians of Georgia and of Ala
bama were seized by the eonta gion of
enthusiasm, and while knowing little
or nothing of Lafayette or of his ca
reer, they learned that he was tho
friend of Washington and a great war
rior, and so Joined with native ardor
into the excitement of his reception
A body of painted warriors with varied
and gay plumage, and with bodies
stained In divers colors, and wearing
red and striped blankets, insisted on
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

| Nothing is too big for him. One evidence
of how he goes about getting work was
given in New York.
When the Pennsylvania railroad made
it's plans for tunneling under the Hudson
river to get into the city and then under
the East river to connect with the Long
Island railroad all the great contracting
firms of America put in bids. They were
sure one of them would land the prize.
But his lordship came to town one day
and submitted figures They got for hlh
a big portion of the work. How he put
the job through well within the time limit
and secuted away to Mexico and other
portions of the world where he had other
contracts under way rather surprised
| those Americans who thought Englishmen
were slow. What surprised them still
more was the thoroughness with which he
did every detail of that Pennsylvania
work. His force of men showed training
and skill that only come from complete
organization. Persons who ought to know
Goethals-to compare with Lord Cowdray
Goothals-to compare with Lord Cowdray
as an engineer and handler of skilled and
rough labor.
The Mexican problem would be a simple
one If Mexico was not so rich. Its natural
resources are wonderful. The country has
been called the treasure house of the
world. The American is viewed with less
favor in Mexico than is the Englishman,
the Frenchman, or the German. That
adds to the complexity of the situation.
1t has strengthened the position of such
men as Lord Cowdray. The Mexicans
never have forgiven the Americans for
what happened in 1S45, when General Tay-
| lor swooped down from the north and
beat Santa Anna at Palo Alto, Reseca de
| la Palma, and Buena Vista. Even if
| they could forgive or forget Taylor, they
cannot forgive the invasion of Scott
through the Valley of Mexico from Vera
Cruz into the capital city, with Cerra
| Gordo. Puebla and Chapultapec as re-
membranes of his journey.
! 1t matters nothing to the average Mex
| ican that it W the United States thai
came to the r. ue of that distressed ma
! ton when Maj )leon the Third put Max
amilan on the throne. The Mexican per-
| sists in believing that the people of the
| north intend some day TO seize Mexican
| territory, and that American enterprise Is
only the forerunner of American con-
| quest.
One element that went against Maderc
| was the fact of his intimate relations
with Americans. The Madero family has
offices In New York and considerable
business in the United States. Rivals
| of Madero made capital of the idea thai
| Maderos friendship for Americans was
| a menace to Mexico.
Business and politics are so closely
| interviewer in Mexico that any situation
| such as developed through Madero's ad
ministration was bound TO bring his po-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-30

women and children, to catch a glimpse
of the great ally of Washington and
patriot of the revolution. and all about
the city on the outside We're their
hraying mules. neighing horses and
lowing oxen in the midst of an un-
broken eneampment formed by the
country folk. In crushing multitudes
they thronged about Lafayette, in gem
uine democratic style, seeking to grasp
his hand, a demonstration that was as
much enjoyed by Lafayette as by
themselves. Henry Clay was then
speaker of the House and his speech
of welcome to Lafayette is one of the
most splendid bursts of oratory that
ever came from his musical lips. The
reply of the distinguished Frenchman
did him great honor. 1t is pity that
these great deliveries are buried in
old and musty books of which but lit
tie is known. Wherever LaFaNetts ap b
peared in Washington the unrestrained
multitudes would rush frantically to-
ward him as though they would devour
him.
From Washington he planned his