davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
FnArLuuEs THAT ENpE.R

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
Who would care to live with the idea
man or woman? What we want Is "al
creature not too bright or good for human
natures daily food'-not a cold, mar
moreal statue. a pale, angelic paragon
whose bloodless perfection is source of
irritation to ordinary fallible mortality.
The goodness of Agnes in Dickens David
Copperfield'' will irritate some readers in
the same degree that the doll like pretty
futility of Dora offends them and prov cd
monotonous to David.
1t is the woman or the man of countless
appealing imperfeetions who is most cared
for And George Meredith finds that
Beauty that makes holy earth and
heaven may have faults from head to
feet"
1t is sometimes good for the object Of
hero Cor heroine) worship to be idealized--
it spurs one to attain the heights to have
some believe him better than he is. But
1t is, on the whole, more comfortable for
each of us If our friends cherish no llu-
sions regarding us. The best of men and
women do not wish to be thought So
They are the first to disparage exagger-
ated and profuse laudation. Their human
ity will not let them realize what they
are.
Where others see them as saints uncan-
onized. martyrs uncrowned, they are palm
fully aware of fraility. They are the
last to seek to be ideallzed or idoIized
just because they are the worthest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
Interest in CIubdom

MANY of us can remember when cities
Of considerable size had one large social
club and no more said an old citizen
last night, ''but now 1t is slow COM
munity of 100000 that does not have at
least two clubs of equal social rank, and
when it comes to the larger cities we
usually find three or four club houses.
Birmingham with population of about
175O 600 has larger number OF clubs than
any city In the south outside of New Or
leans | belong to three clubs here and
several of my friends belong to four. The
latest acquisition is the Roebuck, with
its picturesque club house on a pic
turesque little lake and with golf links
said to be the best in the south. The
grounds embrace 10 acres and they are
beautifully situated. When I saw the
large gathering of prominent citizens at
Roebuck club this evening it was plain
that the Roebuck club was one of Bir-
mingham's needs.
''rhe club membership is limited. 1t
has now reached 125 and within the next
70 months it will probably he up to the
maximum, which is, believe, only few
hundred.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
China With or Without Mongolia

TheA recognition by the United
States of the republic of China has
nothing whatever to do with the ques-
tion of Mongolian independence. Rus
sian intrigue induced Mongolia to de-
clare herself free and independent,
and as an autonomous organization
she proceeded to grant to Russian citi-
zens certain liberal privileges of trade
and agriculture in Mongolian terri
tory. China has never admitted the
independence of Mongolia, no matter
how much that independence has been
recognized by Russia.
The United States recognizes the
republic centered at Peking and China
is left free to determine the Mon
golian problem in her own way. Rus
sia proposes to set up a buffer state
in Mongolia, and China proposes in
her own time and way to undo the
buffer policy.
This country need not wait upon
the action of the other powers. We
hastened to recognize the republic OF
Portugal and we should not wait
longer to recognize the Chinese re.
public which was firmly established
over year ago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
improvements in Two years

"Birmingham has evidently grown
fast since the last census, and as for its
improved appearance, this has been dis
tinctly noticeable" said James j. Yard
ley of Pittsburg.
"This Is my third visit to .Birming-
ham. When 1 was here first. about 10
years ago, l had no idea that Biz
mingham would ever be a metropolitan
city. Two years ago 1 was here for
the second time and 1t dawned on me
then that Birmingham was destined to
become one of the great cities of this
country. And now on my third trip
am fully convinced that a splendid
future for Birmingham is assured. The
business district has improved in a
high degree and one of the best things
about this city is that its attractive
residence sections are multiplying. The
South Highlands has long been fash
ionable, but / am told now that all
that highland section on the northside
Is being handsomely built up by pros
porous people of taste and homelike
feeling.
II may possibly get to Birmingham
again in the next year or two and III
do l am going to allow myself q day
to drive around and look at the beau
tiful residential sections
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
POINTED PARAGRAPHS

From the Chicago News.
Jealousy is the offspring of distrust.
The more birthdays a woman has the
less they count.
Treat people kindly and you will find
them easier to work.
MANY man has married in haste and
raid alimony at leisure.
A sentimental girl is lost at wedding
without dainty handkerchief.
Honesty never looks better to a man
than when it comes nome to roost.
Everything comes to him who waits.
He'll even get the earth when he dies.
Occasionally we meet man who acts
as if he was living his life by contract.
Nothing pleases some people-but they
get kind of satisfaction out of knocking.
When woman runs after man he
quick to pursue
There's always some man around to
second any kind of motion-except a
motion that looks like work.
After an orator has reached the top he
will not express his opinions unless some
one is willing to pay the express charges.
1t takes romantic girl to refer to a
caterpillar as an unfinished butterfly,
and a cynical man to call a butterfly an
eyerdone caterpillar.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09

The Guaranty Trust company of New
York tossed a couple of billion dollars in
geld certificates and bonds into moving
vans and moved from No. IS Nassau
street to its new quarters at Broadway
and Liberty street. President Alexander
Hemphill said: There were two or three
hundred millions more than two billions.
don't know the exact sum, but believe it
was the greatest amount of actual physi-
cal wealth in negotiable securities ever
moved at one time in the history of the
world" The half block that the treasure
laden vans traversed was lined with spe-
cial policemen, each one a complete ar
senal in himself. On each van sat two
guards, sawed off shotguns on their laps.
Officials of the company who had been
secretly planning the 200 yard journey for
weeks, checked each steel box containing
the cash and securities and personally SUI
pervised all the details until the heavy
doors of the new vault slammed behind
the last consignment of bullion. While
the vans were being loaded for the final
trip, one of the drivers said. Gee. I'm
tired Juggling all them billions around. If
one of you guys would lend me nickel
I'd buy myself scoop Of beer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
-r-------- --ss.-----------
GRAPEFRUIT IN ENGLAND

From the New York Herald
1t is reported from London that a re-
cent attempt to introduce grapefruit as a
breakfast food has failed. and that a
heavy importation of those delicacies has
caused such a slump in the market that
costermongers are selling them from bar
rows for penny apiece.
This will surprise no one who has ever
lived In England. That country has known
many changes during the last few years.
Caste lines have been ohliterated; the
silk hat is no longer an object of rev.
erential worship; actors have been knight
ed and bands introduced into restaurants.
But the breakfast table is the last ditch
of British conservatism. The Englishman
eats bacon and eggs 365 mornings in the
year and welcomes leapyear because it
enables him to indulge in that delightful
dish 366 times.
The monarchy may be abolished and the
house of lords deprived of its prerogatives.
but the English breakfast will remain as
it was in the days CT the Conqueror.
Grapefruit will never have place in it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09

Diamonds of the weight of Is 2-5 tons.
which would fill a space of 1914 cubic
yards and have a value of nearly 81, 600. :
100000, have been taken from the earth
from the earliest time to the present day.
according to the estimate Just made by M.
De Launay. the well known metallurgist
These figures. however, only concern the
stones before cutting, which reduces their
weight volume by half but multiplies their
value by five. A box three feet high, six
wide and eight long would thus hold the
total worlds output of these gems in
their finished condition and would have
a market value of s4,70o,OOo, 900, according
to present prices. OF this quantity, ac-
cording to M. de Launay, 100000 car
ats of the value of ss5,oo00O0 have been
contributed by India, the source of all dia-
monds from ancient times up to the eight
value of slOo,0oo0o0 by Brazil between 1923
and 1910. These fields are now, however,
practically exhausted and gems repre-
senting 142,000 900 carats of the value of
s7oo, 100000 would come from South Africa,
which is now almost the sole source of the
worlds supply. Apart from South Africa
NJ. de Launay says the only other dia-
mond fields which count at all are those
of New South Wales, the annual output
of which, according to the last figures,
is 22o5 carats.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
p,.,,...-,,L. NATURALIZATION

NOW that President Wilson has been
In office more than a month the public
cannot fail to be impressed with the
fact that we are having business-hlSe
administration" said Jackson S. Nor
ris of Philadelphia.
1T was one of those who voted the
straight republican ticket but since
the democrats won I am glad TO see
an administration that is starting out
to be an agreeable surprise to many of
us who looked with some dread upon
democratic triumph. Not only has
President Wilson made hit with the
country but his cabinet is making an
excellent impression. Level-headedness
seems to prevail in administration cir-
cles and I have noticed particularly
an absence of desire on the part OF
cabinet officers to shine unduly In the
spotlight.
THE democrats may get to wrang-
ling among themselves before 1915, but
they are certainly starting out well.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
THE "KING. AND THE POWDERS
tr,,,,,, r-it


On the first consignment of seidltz pow
ders in the capital of Delhi. the monarch
became deeply interested in the accounts
of the refreshing draught. box was
brought to the king in FULL court, and the
interpreter explained to his majesty how
it should be used.
Into goblet he put the contents of the
twelve blue papers, and, having added
water, the king drank it off. This was
the alkal and the royal countenance ex-
pressed no signs of satisfaction. 1t was
then explained that in the combination of
the two powders lay the luxury, and the
12 white powders were quickly dissolved
and as eagerly swallowed by his majesty.
With a wild Shrek that will be remem-
bered while Delhi is numbered among
the kingdoms, the monarch rose, stag
gered, exploded. and. in his full agonies,
screamed, Hold me down." then, rushing
from the throne, fell PROSTATE on the
floor
There he lay during the long continued
effervescence of the compound, squirting
like 10000 pennyworth of imperial pop,
and believing himself ip the agonies of
death-a melancholy and Illuminating g
proof that kings are mortal
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
THE MAN OF COURAGE.

A man to be great
Must battle with fate
Must never bow down In defeat:
Though rugged lifes path,
Through tempest and wrath,
In seasons of cold and of heat,
He must struggle along,
With a laugh and a song,
No matter what troubles befall;
Still able to say,
"On some other day
Dame Fortune will pay me CALI
Though in sight of the grave,
Yet hopeful and brave,
With his eyes ever fixed on his goal;
With scarcely a thought
OF the battles he's fought
And the storms that afflicted his soul.
He may not be named
In the list of the famed
Who have wrested the wreath and
the prize,
But he's proved that he's worth
All the cutters on earth
And he'll truly be missed when he
dies
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
PHOENIX OF GRAND OPERA

From the Boston Transcript.
Mr.. Hammerstein is joyous again. He
has invented and patented one more de-
vice in cigar making, which promises to
yield long and steady income He is
about. to build another opera house and
his mind, he says. is full of bricks and
mortar as well as of projects for the new
theatre When the rivalry in the building
of new playhouses in New York was
sharpest. one manager declared that he
was fast becoming a real estate man
by necessity. Mr.. Hammersten Is a build
er by instinct and haolt. lie must erect
a new opera house before he can under
take new venture in opera. The one Is
the inevitable concomitant and stimulus of
the other. And this time oscar" is
building for the people-"for the society
Of Drawn and muscle,' "for the rewarding
handshake of the poor ''as child OF
New York who revels in its greatness.
No wonder that after long eclipse under
clouds of misfortune, Mr.. Hammerstein's
epistolary style shines forth again re-
splendent. He is the far darting Apollo
of press agentry. The bystanders watch
the flight of his shafts as joyously as
he propels them. Invariably some of
them fly straight into the target-which
is the Metropolitan opera house.
For the people-if they will come, and in
the new opera house-when 1t is built.
Mr.. Hammerstein will produce opera in
English, at modest prices. In these latter
days he has seen great light. 1t has
warmed the ashes of ais disasters in Lon
| don. and out Of them he rises. prophet,
priest and king of opera for the people
| ia English. IIe win have texts trans
lated into the vernacular and fitted anew
to the music; he will find singers and
teach them to sing Understandable Eng
| lish. Into their mouths he VIII pour the
art of diction that they may pour 1t
| forth again iii English, pure and unde-
| filed. There shall be nothing inferior" in
| all that he does The labors of Hercules.
| 12 times y; but they do not dsmay the
| valorous Oscar" He .rrats the people.
| If he gives them interesting opera and
| Interesting singers, no doubt they will
! justify his trust and come to his Ameri-
can opera house," quite Indifferent to the
idHSuase THAT uropS III PeaiiS VI uietioh
| from its stage.
If they are not interested, even more
surely will they stay AWAY. Perhaps, In
his heart oscar" trusts also the Metro
Ipolitan He expects 1t to make fuss,
to accuse him, justly enough, of breach
of the agreement that denied him operatic
existence in New York until 1920, to take
out injunctions and do all else that will
make him a martyr to operate freedom,
vocal in interview and statement" Yet
sometimes they are strange, stlll men
those directors of the Metropolitan. They
have been known to sit fate like uncoilng
the rope with which other men go to hang
themselves
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
Pisgah Home Fenced In

The location of Pisgah Home on a
six acre lot surrounded by a high
fence should be considered isolation
to considerable extent. 1t is difficult
to see how isolation could be carried
any further within the city's bounds
Pisgah Home is admittedly de-
sirable institution. 1t shelters and
feeds the homeless man, and, if pos
sible, secures employment for him.
Such an institution should not be
driven from pillar to post. 1t should
be permitted to take root somewhere
that it may begin its work. This city
needs home that will temporarily
shelter the homeless man, and surely
there should be some rest for the
weary.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
OnEYING ORDERS

From the Gulf States Presbyterian.
She was only a small girl, but even
little people can be naughty sometimes,
and this was one of the occasions when
Mabel had kicked over the traces.
Naturally, mamma was terribly an
cry. and Mabel was dispatched to the
regions aloft, where. In her mother
bedroom. she was bidden sit upon a GER
tain chair, pending further instructions
from headquarters.
The particular instructions we're long
delayed. from Mabel's point CT view, and
after half an hour she ventured TO query
in childish treble
"Mamma. may l come down now? l
promise I'll be good.
Headquarters was still huffy and waited
up the stairs the reply:
"No. you just sit where you are TIL
/ call you
IAN right" came in sing-song tone
from the bedroom; "all right, mammy
only Tn sitting on your best hat
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
TEST OF LOVE
From London Answers.

From London Answers.
Darling cried the young man, as he
sank at the maiden's feet, II would do
anything to prove my love for your
That's what every man gays when he
wants to win girl" answered the young
lady harshly.
Cant move you?' painted the des-
perate Romeo. prove me. Put me to
the test Test me, I pray you.'
II wonderv' whispered the lady softly
to herself, while blush mantled her pale
checks. Then suddenly bending over
the almost swooning youth who crouched
at her feet, she exclaimed: II will put
you to the test!"
"Ahr' The youth sprang to his feet,
cxultant, triumphant, and cried aloud to
the maiden at his side. Your test? Your
test?"
"'Tis to marry some other girl muir
INJURED the sweet young thing, as she
glided backward through the velvet cur
tains into the ballroom.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
President Wilson'S Tariff Views

In a message personally presented
to the extra session the President ols-
cusses in a brief but comprehensive
manner the tariff. In the last para
graph of it he does mention reform IN
the. banking and currency laws ana
other like reforms, but they are mere
" mentioned, not discussed. The mes
sage discusses the tariff and nothing
else, not even an income tax. Inc
President calls for lower tariff duties.
He wants tariff in the interest OF
consumers-at any rate he wants one
that was not framed by manufactur-
ors themselves to meet their respec-
tive avarice. Consciously or uncon-
sciously," he says, 1--WE have built up
a set of privileges and exemptions
from competition behind which it was
easv bv any, even the crudest, forms
of combination to organize monopoly;
until at last nothing is normal, moth
ing is obliged to stand the tests OF
efficiency and economy, in our world
of big business, but everything thrives
by concerted arrangement. Only new
principles of action will save us from
a final hard crystallization of monop-'
oily and a complete loss of the in
fluences that quicken enterprise and
keep Independent energy alive"
This tells the whole story in vigor-
Gus words. The President asks Con-
gress to avoid reckless haste in sub
stituting freedom for artificial stim-
ulation in our industries. But still he
desires on the part of Congress thor
ough well-considered work that will
adapt our industrial development to
present conditions.
There is no discussion in the mes
sage of particular rates or schedules.
The President presents general and
vital principles only and he leaves to
Congress the world of details needed
in bringing the tariff to the revenue
basis demanded by the Baltimore plat
for,,,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
A REAL PIONEER
from Tit-Bits.


ut is to the pioneers of big movements
that the credit and honor belong, not to
the followers said lecturer ON vege-
tarianism in a Highland village, and he
exhorted his hearers to become pioneers
of vegetarianism in that neghborhood.
At the conclusion of his lecture he was
warmly shaken by the hand by an old
lady, who thanked him for speaking so
kindly of her son, Donald.
"But think you have made mistake"
replied the lecturer. IT don't know your
son and I'm not aware that I mentioned
him tonight"
Eyes, yes.' said the big lady. Donald
is one of those pioneers of big move
ments.
...Oh, I see," replied the lecturer. what
is your son, madam" 1855
what is Donald?' said the proud
mother in surprised tone. why, DON
aid walks in front of a steam roller ..stp
red flag"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09

House, but he seemed to become
aware as the debate wore on that the
methods of John Adams and the dead
and gone federalists need not be fully
duplicated in these Jeffersonian days.
The old guard, however, were given
a chance to air their views, and they
did SO, led as formerly by the dis
tinguished senator from Massaehus-
etts and by the no less distinguished
senator from Utah.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
prnsnerons Knoxville

"While Knoxville is nothing like so
large as Birmingham it is a most thriv-
ing city and its future is bright, said
Henry Fonde. general agent of the
Southern railway, with offices In Knox
vile and Birmingham. Knoxville, in
addition TO well known industrial and
commercial lines, has some important
undeveloped resources. A marble COM
pany has recently started operations
and its output is already In good de-
mand.
''As for Birmingham, 1t Is now grow
ing faster than ever. 1t is hard to
over estimate it's future in the next
few years"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
MAKING BOYS CLEAN

illustration of an institution findina
that great special problem lay at 1t;
door and then meeting it, The funda
mental theory seems to be that tn.
city does not care to expend its fundl
in educating those who are not in
clined to care for themselyes-tha
health is an asset to the state. Few
schools have SO specifically define,
their problem, or SO honestly grappec
with it,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
Raising Alfalfa

sSome Alabama farmers have been very
successful in raising alfalfa but more
attention will be paid to this crop within
the next few years and the time will
come when alfalfa win be an important
money crop" said man who owns land
in the black belt
'The fact that James B. Haggin has
bought nearly 5000 acres of land in Greene
county for the purpose of raising alfalfa
for his famous dairy in Kentucky will
stimulate alfalfa culture. If Mr.. Haggin
can make it pay other farmers can do So
There is a we'll defined alfalfa belt
through the central part of Alabama. The
trouble with many farmers who have
tried to raise alfalfa on a large scale
is the Johnson grass, which grows rapidly
and crowds out other grasses. When
the Johnson grass is exterminated then
It is easy to grow alfalfa
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
IN HOTEL LOBBIEs
T,,e car wheel Industry

our car wheel business continues
brisk said Frank C. Turner in charge
of the Birmingham plant of the South
ern Wheel company. formerly the De-
eatur Car Wheel works
I'VE have four plants-one In ST.
Louis. one here and two in Georgia
and all of them are busy. Our business
here during the past four months has
been the best in like period since the
panic of 1907
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
aNRs, THE rINEsr DEGREE

From the New York Tribune.
Prof. Robert McElroy told the grad
yates of Wells college at their annual
luncheon at Sherry's recently that the
finest degree they could ever win was
MRS"
"A. B. and A. NJ" he said, "are all
very we'll From Wells college they are
decidedly worth having. I understand,
however, that IS per cent of your gradu-
ates acquire the Mrs This is the finest
degree any woman can win."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-09
COMPLETING THE LIST
nm the washington Post.

From the washington Posi-.
'sFor Southerner,' comments newh-
paper chronicler, Secretary fDanfA's Is
something of an anomaly, for he pstther
smokes, drinks, nor swears.' why moi
go the limit and add that he is not "a
colcnel, and never took part in lynch.
ing: "