davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
Up to Eleven Pounds in Weight

A big question is puzzling Postmas-
ter General Burleson. The govern
ment is carrying packages by parcel
post up to II pounds in weight. Has
any express company or any other
company or any individual right to
compete with the government in the
handling of packages up to that
weight? No one has a right to break
into this monopoly of the government
in other respects, and Mr.. Burleson
proposes to inquire if the express COM
panies can lawfully carry and deliver
packages under II pounds in weight
The question will reach Attorney
General McReynolds in due time, and
then we will have a definite opinion
on big subject. When the Attorney
-1neral has investigated the right OF
q private individual or corporation tc
compete with the government the
President will no doubt take up the
problem, and then indeed it will be
in course of solution.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
New Head of Convict Board

The appointment of Banker Well
born of Admission as the president OF
the convict board, is an assurance that
business in that branch of the state S
service will be honestly conducted.
But even honest men cannot con-
duct the business of leasing convicts
to mine owners and sawmill people
in satisfactory manner. Nothing
is ever settled until it is settled right,
and the handling of convicts will be
unsatisfactory to the people until they
are put at work on the roads that the
people are compelled to traverse.
jefferson county is about to lead
the way in this great reform. Upon
the success of the effort in this big
county much depends. If jefferson
can demonstrate that convicts can be
economically employed on the public
roads the great battle will be more
than half won. Nothing then could
prevent the building of good roads
throughout the state, even as Georgia
is today securing good roads through
the use of convict labor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
Bailey Now in waycross

T. Jefferson Bailey, former newspaper
man of Birmingham, is now secretary OF
the waycross, Ca, Board~o Trade. lie
writes an interesting letter to Capt.
James Richmond McGregor of the Frisco
lines as follows:
MY Dear Captain: I have heard your
narrative of Pea Ridge, and l have heard
you tell 'em few others, that listened
good-but the story that you must tell
from henceforth, with a vehemence that
will make its reality undoubtable, is that
of the boy who put Way in Waycross.
for that's me.
II am handling the affairs of the Way
cross Board of Trade now-been here Just
one week today. | am sending YOU via
Southern Express a package of folders
that show the Waycross spirit; it is a
'pippin, in the advertising world, where
tile city productive of such brain storms
is only populated by 1900 human beings
Now in my early days | was told that
in South Georgia one came to town from
the rural districts with wagon load
of gophers--he made purchase, handed
over big gopher, and in change he re-
ceived lot of small ones, thereby max
ing money more plentiful, never losing
the coin in trade. That is scarcely true.
no more so than the myth about the hen
that laid the golden egg. 1t is he-e just
like it is everywhere, get the egg, nix, on
the female chicken that laid the fruit
Now, hand these folders to those who
would build pecan orchards in the Garden
nf Eden n America and tell tbpf11 1f
Glad Hand Bailey at the station when
they a1ight. Thanking you herewith for
this courtesy. and with regards to the
boys, always your good friend,
"T. JEFF. BAILEY
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27

or Oak from Third avenue TO Walker
street to Cotton avenue. thence along
Cotton avenue. to Birmingham on some
route not yet decided on.
Another route suggested was across
via Elizabeth street from Third avenue
to some point south of the Alabama Great
Southern railroad. thence to Bessemer.
'rhey have been assured of right of
way for any of the above routes that they
may decide on. That will benefit and
relieve the situation of the citizens of
West End.
What the people of West End want is
transportation facilities to take care of
her vast population that now has to walk
so far to a car line Regarding the West
End loop from Occeola station on the North
Bessemer car line to Berney station on
the South Bessemer car line, that is to
be built and operated by the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company, and
it was their franchise which was applied
for at Tuesdays lasstlng of the commits
sioners. 1t viii be a great benefit, and
Will prove a great relief to that district,
and will be most profitable feeder TO
the company
II want to say that this line does not
interfere whatever with the Tidewater. =
committee composed of Mr.. Ruffin, A.
Smith. j L. Chamblee and O. s. Oment
was appointed by the West End civic
league to handle this matter and ask for
a franchise at Tuesdays meeting of the
commissioners.
II think the Tidewater company, as
well as the citizens, are alive to the fact
that the business center will always cater
to the manufacturing center, and that
West End is directly in this path of prog
ress, and that 1t will take street car
transportation to handle the people. we
look for a population in Birmingham OF
300. 900 in thesnext five years, and we know
West End will get her part of the IN
crease. for we are all happy bunch OF
boosters and not knockers. And we are
assured of the fact that the Tidewater Of
ficials will render great assistance
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
PSYCHOLOGY IN DRESS

The professor of psychology in we'll
known university, an eminent author and
profound lecturer. recently dismissed his
class and attended dressnakers' con-
vention.
1t wasn't idle curiosity that took him
tigator, and he bent to his purpose and
to the subject before him the elastic
branch of learning he so earnestly pro-
mctes His findings are not novel. They
are interesting. however, because they
represent the psychological estimate OF
an extremely common subject.
According to the professor. MANKIND
has progressed but little along the lines
of wearing apparel. Dress didn't orgi-
rate through necessity. 1t was a proof
of primitive vanity. Its first form was
PERSONAL ornamentation. Man displayed
the fruits of his prowess, the claws and
skins of the beasts he had slain. He
gave the woman the feathers of the birds
he trapped, and she added the shells and
bright pebbles that pleased her dawning
fancy. Thus came clothes into the world,
with ali their consequent rewards and
penalties. With the early adorninents a
desire for novelty, for distinguished az
tire, was aroused. 1t still anects human
kind. no matter what the social grade
may be. The African chief with bat
te,ed silk hat is the Beau Brunmel OF
his community and the envy of 20 rival
tribes.
The old instincts remain. The person
who is the most comfortable Is rarely
considered the best dressed. Personal at
tire changes but little. 1t merely fuc-
tuates-and always with the same motiVe
and the same primitive thought penino ".
In short, the psychologist declares that
in the matter of dress the woman OF to-
day is merely the cave woman with
glorified opportunities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
From the Kansas city Star.

FROM tne hdHSds lily Sldis
eek HoDEsTY." says Billie Burke,
MI sis a matter of geosraph,
AV rather than of morality or
geography, the investigators probably
would admit. but fundamentally of cts
tom. which, of course, varies with the
geography.
Incidentally they would point out that
he wever it arises the sentiment OF mod
est ydoes exist, and is an important Sc
cial factor. The origin of the virtue
doesn't affect it's value to society any
more than the origin of mankind n tie
evolutionary process affects the value of
a man.
The variations in what modesty permits
and requires constitute an interesting
study. The Herero of South Africa insist
that women keep their heads covered
As to what else they wear they aren't so
r.articular. A German explorer found
that a Herero lady didn't mind posing
for a photograph with nothing much on
except the head cloth. But she was ter
ribly shocked at the idea of removing
that.
It is the style among the Yakuts To
wear nothing above the waist. I:ut they
COZ slider bare feet immodest. Mission
aries in China have written home asking
that churches that send them boxes omit
picture books showing persons barefoot
ed In China the exposure of the foot is
deccllete.
On the Uganda railroad near Lake Vic
toria. under the equator. Sir Harry john
son found a tribe who considered clothing
quite superhuous The members wore or
naments, but nothing else. But they were
regarded as ''the most moral people in
Uganda Near them lived a tribe. the
Baganda, who were exceedingly particn-
lar as to their clothing. But they mad an
unsavory reputation as to morals.
In civilized nations, of course, dress
that is considered proper for evenint.
wear at parties would be regarded as ex-
tremely immodest for street use. Con-
vcntonal usage permits the wearing of
costumes for bathing that would not be
tolerated off the beach. The same differ
ences appear accentuated in othec parts
Of the world.
In Japan, for instance, until recent
SdiS hOt pdlnS NtiC tdhtu Dy ever NpOhy
In pubic. What no one could help, ev
erybody was expected to ignore. But
japanese women who would bathe III pub
lie with no embarrassment were shocked
at the dress which European women
wore at evening parties.
1t may be noticed that while we are
shocked at the idea of promiscuous bath
ing by the Japanese our ancestors did
the same thing well into modern times.
Church councils were repeatedly con-
demning the practice, but it did not dis
appear from Europe until three or four
hundred years ago.
The Anus, who are the aboriginal In
habitants of Japan, have their own Pc
culiar code. missionary reports the
case of an 'Tinu woman who refused y
wash in order to be treated for skin
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27

From Youths Companion.
BY standing very straight he could
just look across the top of the horarian S
desk. His eyes met the librarian s
sdlarely when she accused him of having
kept Fifty Famous Stories cut for
three months, He explained that he had
left it for a day at the end of each two
weeks, and the librarian. accepting the
explanation, considered the matter set
tied. Five minutes later when she
glanced up from her work, she found
him still there.
Little boy, what do you want?" she
cried.
Please, ma'am, that book
The librarian looked at him helolessly.
But you've had it for three months
otker?n
Because that's the only ore she likes
I've tried another, and. she won't look
at it,"
ingly.
'.Yes'm The one l teach"
you mean your teacher" The librarian
corrected him.
mo, ma am, the girl I teach"
The librarian put down her pen and
gave her full attention to the matter.
How old is she?" she asked.
The diminutive teacher eyed her cri j.
caly. Bout as big as you,'' he de-
cided. "She's an Eyetalan. Her fatf er
mends shoes in the basement at The cor
ner of the avnoo. He's mean to her:
and she can't talk English, and she don't
know anybody, and she cries lots. SO I'm
tee ching her to read, evenings
Don't you get sleepy?' the librarian
asked. There was no amusement in
voice now.
The boy nodded, half ashamed. Yes,
ma am, srnetimes. But" he frightened
up. but she's learnin, and when she
knows English she'll like this better than
Italy, you see.''
A moment later the smallest teacher
was hopping down the steps; he carried
the Fifty Famous Stories" under his
arm. And back in the library The Ii
brarian was thinking-many things!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
MAY IRwIN.s "GooD-BY"

Ffcm the Ohio State Journal.
People really do not know me. Seeins
me In a hotel dining room or on trolley
car or the stage is very, very, very diff
ferent from seeing me at home. I'm
quite another person there? Atmosphere
is everything. On stage womans $
one thing and making chutney sauce she's
another
Ii were not on the stage l would set
tie down into the most domesticated
woman in the world. I love to fuss
around and shoe flies and boil cabbage
and bait mouse traps and enter into the
true spirit of the freside
When l decide to quite I shall go. biff-
bang, just like that. One night in the
calcium and the next in the Kerosene.
"Over the fence is OUT is my way of re-
firing. No farewelling all over the, works
year after year.
Thank heaven, I can afford to reti, e
any time 1 can afford to retire. Cur
rercy has been given to rumor that I
have made some money. The currency
is true. L am cdpltallZttte, 81 w spoeh'
Still, I'm not boasting.
Yes,I have fads. They're my boys.
I'm very ambitious for them. Walter,
the elder, is in a brokers' office in wall
street. Harry is learning the insurance
business. The stage for them? Not
much. In fact, not any. One actress IL
the family will be about all.
When l quit l shall live in New York
entirely surrounded by apartment houses
in the winter and on my little island sur
rounded by the ST. Lawrence in the sum
nler. / five in the open when l can and
in the shut when / can't.
SO I'm serious in saying that when |
really make up my mino to det- CHI myself
from modern dramatic art and give the
stage fair chance l shall simply put
on my old green bonnet at the end of a
nights performance and leave the curtain
to be rung up on an aching void the
uext night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
Progressives in the House

Eighteen progressive members have
already agreed to attend a caucus on
April 4, when Victor Murdock of Kan
sas will be put in nomination for
speaker. More progressives may be
unearthed, and it is known that there
is a goodly number of near progress
sives in the House who lack the full
courage of their convictions.
1t is practically determined that the
progressives in the House will here
after act as a regularly organized
party. They have asked Leader I'm
derwood to recognize them as party.
They refuse to accept anything at the
hands of Mr.. Mann, the reactionary
leader. The entire plan stands ap-
proved by Colonel Roosevelt. ut
would be-" says the colonel, "an adj
mirable thing to run Victor Murdock
as our candidate for the speakership
and | hope that, as you have sug-
gested to him, he will announce him
self as willing to accept the nomina-
ton of the progressives for this posi-
tion. Then l think it would be good
thing for the progressive party that
our men should act together and
should consult one another freely and
in addition that they should keep in
closest touch with near progressives
SO as to act substantially on the same
lines, with the idea that they might ul-
timately join with us. We should go
ahead with our organization as a
separate distinct national party"
This simply means that new and
aggressive party is getting ready
against 1916, and that there is moth
ing left for the old republican party
to do but to go off and die.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
Do but think
Remaining the City's Streets

In CITY Engineer Kirkpatrick's plan
for remaining the streets of this city
the avenues on southside are TO ee
numbered and the use of initials is to
he abolished. The addition OF the
suffix "south" would become impera-
tive. But must a person living at 9lz
Fourth avenue, south, add also o.
w, to his address? This would out
do Washington at its worst, for the
address named would then be "9lz
Fourth avenue, south, S. W. A cltl-
zen living at 912 Fourth avenue on
northside would have to put on ms
card 1912 Fourth avenue, N. w. or
he might live at 912 Fourth avenue,
N. E. at is plain" says Mr.. Kirk
patrick at one point in his statement
"that the words north and south
must be added to every avenue" Ihis
NAV mean that the citizen at 9lz
Fourth avenue must carry good long
address, no matter on which side ne
lives. 1t seems, however, that either
those on the one side or the other OF
the railroads need not be required to
use more than the initials of the sec
ton of the city they are located in.
The plan is before the people as well
as before the commissioners, and II
should be carefully considered by
every citizen, for it is indeed an i'm
portant matter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
INDIRECTION..

Richard
Rar $ the tofd
Of song
nyetw
that a gudah
Never a flows bu a
foFetold
thai hidden;
hidden;
of feeling
revealing
which symboled
beheld, inward
Back of the sensitive of receiving
o s
Of the
And
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27

Edmund Trowbridge Dana, Longfellow' S
grandson and heir to the wealth of his
father, Richard Henry Dana, is much
pleased with his experiences as. a wage
Garner. Since last September he has lab
ored as a farm hand, engineers assistant
and car conductor. 1.-THE majority of the
men whom have met as fellow laborers,' .
said Mr.. Dana, certainly filled me with
great enthusiasm for the future of
America, which had almost been killed by
acquaintanceship in exclusive clubs at
Harvard In many ways | have found
that the Harvard aristocrats with whom
have come in contact are distinctly in
ferior to the foremen, conductors and
other workers with whom I have been
thrown. However, | don't think for a
minute that this inferiority is inherent or
inherited. 1t is merely the natural .
suit of bad environment, namely, that
of a life of too much luxury spent too
far. away from the basic economic life of
the natfons's Some Of Dana's acquaint-
ances are passing him without recogni-
tion or with a cool nod since he joined the
wage earning class.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27

The first straw hat of the season made
its appearance in Washington on Mon
day. 1t floated through the lobby of the
Willard, sometimes on the head and some
times in the hand of a tanned, distin-
guished loking man who, the clerk said,
had just come from Tampa, Fla, and
whose name was Col. George Ford. Colonel
Ford wore the Panama through the lobby,
and then. carrying it, strolled once
through Peacock alley. 1t seemed to blend
perfectly with the avenue of flowers
through which the colonel walked.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
THE ORIGIN OF GANGMEN

From The Diary of Cop" in the Amer
lean Magazine.
1.-THE gangmen start as boys in the ten
ement house districts. The kids run in
punches and fight each other. The gang
that wins out holds sway and becomes a
desperate and hard crowd. Even before
they drop the curtains (put on the first
pair of long trousers) they get to run
nine chances with the crooked game b'
rcbbing drunken men. The first watch
they get they find it easy to turn into
money at pawbrokers. If a cop sees o
kid leaving a pawnbroker's he knows
ask what about it the pawnproKer offers
to slip him little change. II the cop
doesn't take the money the Fagin runs
to his district leader The district leader
either persuades the cop to drop the case
or has him shot off to a beat where ne
will find nothing but trouble.
"The young gangman never works.
You can see him standing around the
corner saloons and cigar stores and pool
rooms in every election district in the
city. He gets TO know all the gamblers
and crooks, and when he is 20 he doesn't
mind trying a footpad job il the street is
dark and clear. AS he works for tho
party on election day he can always It
bail If he is arrested. If he makes a
clean up on a job lawyer who stands
in with the district leader shakes him
down for the most of the money and the
politician gets drag on the fee. II
doesn't take him many years to get IN
the gunman class.
monk Eastman, Humpty jackson.
Chick Trigger, Big Jack Zelg, and the
resr of them started that way. They al
ways had protection, and when they sn-
in trouble had bail ana lawyers ready
for them They will cripple man Ter
life for $25 and kill one for sl00.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
HE'D HEARD IT

From I1t-Blts.
A we'll known idiot named Jamie Fra
zer surprised people sometimes by MS
replies. The members of one parish nad
for some time distressed the minister
by their habit of sleeping in church. lie
had often endeavored to impress them
with a sense of the impropriety of sucn
conduct, and one day when Jamie Frazer
was sitting in the front gallery wide
awake when many We're slumbering
around him, the clergyman endeavored
to arouse the attention of his hearers by
stating the fact, saying: You see even
Jamie Frazer the fdiot, does not fall
asleep as so many of you are doing.
Jamie, not liking. perhaps. to he desig-
mated, coolly replied: AN IL hadn't
been an idiot would have been Sleep
IN. too"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
surging Waters in the Middle West

This is peculiar weather. 1t is part
and parcel Of unsettled weather con-
ditions throughout the country-in
Pennsylvania as well as in the middle
west, in Nashville and Indianapolis
alike. In Nashville wind storm at
1915 o'clock of Tuesday night blew
1T rate of Ga miles an hour, accom-
panied by vivid lightning and a con-
siderable downfall of rain. The re-
mainder Of the south escaped such
winds on Tuesday The entire week
promises to bring stormy and unset
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-27
su.w,s OPINION OF HIMSELF

From the New York Times.
London-G. Bernard Shaw has this to
say of himself:
Among the most celebrated people IL
Europe | am not only a man OF genius,
but make money out Of it,
MIR. Shaw has been putting his theory
of socialism into concrete terms and says.
Socialism means an equal division Oh
the national income among all the inhap-
itants of the country, and the mainten-
ance of. that equal division as an n-
Variable social postulate, the very root
of the constitution The problem that
socialism offers political economists is
how to make this postulate workable.
MIR. shaw believes that the process OF
redistributing the income has already
been begun by legislation, together with
TIE noolinr tendencies of capt. al, and Will
lead TO an examination of the overwhelm-
ing objections TO income inequality