davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
Edgar Poe in MUSIC

\ Arthur Bergh an American COMPOSER
has set Edgar Allen Poes poem, 1.-THE
Raven to music has made a melodrama
OF some merit. The Musical Courier in
a recent number. in discussing the new
publication, says in part:
"Iriniitable Poe, the most remarka bio
poet the United States has vet produced.
and who has had unstinted praise from
European critics and much abuse from
American writers, is still, and probably
will remain, a great stimulator of musi-
cal ideas in the brains of composers.
Henry James, a fellow countryman of
Poe, has spoken of this poets useless
verse'-as If poetry should teach morality,
inculcate wisdom. praise practical inven-
tlons and furnish tombstone epitaphs in
fustian doggerel! Poe's verse. like all
other verse, is useless for purposes for
which 1t was never intended, as are mus
tard plasters and flying machines
but as lyrical poetry the magical word
symphonies of Poe approach the vague
ness of music more nearly than the poems
of any other poet whomsoever. From a
musical point of view his poetry is any,
thing but useless Many a composer has
regretted the paucity Of Poe's poetic OUT
put. For musical purposes the whole of
Wordsworth's voluminous verse could be
exchanged for another slender volume of
Poe's unapproachable lyrics
I'VE see nothing in this musical setting
The Raven to warrant our ranking Ar
thur Bergh with either Poe or Chopin.
But we repeat that we find suitable and
consistently uniform style of musical
treatment which admirably suggests the
atmosphere of the poem. The music is not
a copy of Wagner, an imitation OF BerIioz,
or replica of Tschaikowslxy, yet there
are harmonic changes, rhythms and for
mulas which prompt us to believe that
Arthur Bergh remembered those compos-
he was making his weird music for The
Raven How he caught and imprisoned
that impalpable atmosphere we cannot
say. He probably cannot tell us himself
how he did it. Presumably he keenly felt
the grip of the poem on his feelings as
he wrote. At any rate, he has succeeded
in echoing in his music the tears and rap
lures of the poets verse. There is al
ways something ominous and foreboding
in Poe's pleasanrties. 1t is like the trag-
edy of death and dissolution lurking be-
hind the wine and laughter at the fare
well feast of Petronius while the life blood
of him and the lovely Eunice is slowly
trickling from the severed arteries.
1.-THE highest praise we can bestow on
the music of The Raven is that Arthur
Bergh mas felt and expressed that tragedy
in modern harmonies.
1T is this setting which David Bispham
uses in his recitation and acting of The
Raven
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
The Auditorium CAMPAIGN

Ia majority vote for the auditorium
opposition next Monday seems well
ssured but vigorous campaign
Mould be kept up until the polls close.
bond issue of S200,0O0 would pro-
rae an auditorium building larger
nan any in the south and certain it is
hat nothing is SO much needed here
i thfs time.
Birmingham has long been a popu-
|r city for the holding of small con-
xntions. With an auditorium with q
onM capacity of 10000 it would
Lam That great national gatherings
uld be held here frequently. OF all
large bodies that meet once year
once in two or three years Birming-
m would secure all of them in the
lrse of a few years.
Why any citizen would vote against
city building the auditorium is
to understand, but in most large
nunities there are objectors tc
psitions for the good of the city
|mingham should have the get-to-
Ether spirit and none of the fault
hiding or croaking spirit.
With an overwhelming majority in
vor of the auditorium in next Mon.
VS. election Birmingham will take a
e stride forward in the matter OF
Plic spirit and progress.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
ST, MARKS


u-ror, "stones of Venice" by John Rus
kin.
In the midst of it, as we advance siow-
ly. the vast tower of st. Mark seems 10
lift itself vigibly forth from the ieVei
field of cheauered tones; AMI, on eaoh
side the countless arches prolong tnem-
selves into ranged symmetry, as II the
rugged and irregular houses ina. pressed
togetber above as In the dark alley nal
b.en struck back into suddeh obedience
and lovely order, and all their wide case
ments and broken walls had been trans
formed into arches charged with goodiy
sculpture and futed shafts of delicate
stone.
And well may they fall back, for he
vond those troops of ordered arches there
rises a vision out of the earth, and all
the great square seems to have opened
from IT IN a kind of awe, that we mdy
soe II. far away-a multitude of pillars
and white domes, clustered into long,
low pyramid of colored light; treasure
heap. 1t seems, partly of gold, and partly
of opal and mother-of-pearl, hoilowcu
beneath into fine, great vaulted porches'
ceiled with fair mosaic, and beset with
sculpture of aabaster, clear as amber
and delicate as ivory-sculpture fantastic
and involved of palm leaves and lilies, and
grapes and pomegranates, and birds
clinging and nuttering among the
branches. all twined together into an end
less network of buds and plumes; and' IN
the midst of it the solemn forms OF
angels. sceptered, and robed to the feet'
ana leaning to each other across the
g.tas their figures indistinct among the
cleaning of the golden ground through
the leaves beside them, interrupted ana
dim like the morning light as 1t faded
hack among the branches of Eden, when
erst it's gates were angel guarded long
ago. And round the walls of the porches
there are set pillars of variegated stones
Jasper and porphyry, and deep green SER
nentine spotted with flakes Of snow and
marbles, that half refuse and half yield
tn the sunshine, Cleopatra like, their
b,uest veins to kiss"-the shadow as 1t
steals back from them, revealing line
.fter line of azure undulation, as re-
oad;ng tide leaves the waved sand; their
rooted knots Of herbage, and drifting
leaves Of acanthus and vine, and mysti-
cal signs, all beginning and ending In the
cross; and above them, in the broad arch
ivolts. continuous chain of language
and of life-angels, and the signs OF
heaven, and the labors of men, each In
it's appointed season upon the earth; and
above these. another range of glittering
pinnacles, mixed with white arches edged
with scarlet flowers-a confusion of de-
! light, amidst which the breasts Of the
, Greek horses are seen blazing in their
breadth OF golden strength and the st.
Marks LION, lifted on blue field covered
with stars until at last, as II in ectasy.
the crests Of the arches break into q
marble form. and toss themselves far into
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
THE SAME OLD SUIT

From the Saturday Evening Post.
One-eycd Bill Plaster, long since passed
to his reward, moved suddenly from Tex
as to Arizona.
How comes it, Bill asked Marc Smith,
now senator from Arizona, that you left
Texas and came over here?''
why" said Bill, "rll tell you, Marc
It's all on account of lawsuit. Every
term of court 1 was pestered with a law
suit. Always there was that durn law
suit every blamed term, and just sloped
to get rid of it,
What lawsuit?"
"Oh," Bill answer ed, the same old law
suit every time. They allus called it the
conphonwealth of Texas agin Bill Plas-
ter%
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
SLIPS OF THE NoyELIsTs

From the Manchester Evening News.
Novelists are in hurry at times, but
only a few of their readers are critical
II detective story of many years ago
the villain carried up to his room a bas-
ket containing $1,000 sovereigns and hand
ed it to accompices< on ladder This
Is ecipsed in novel by Guy Boothby
Here the villain stipulates that G100,O00
in hard CASH shall be brought to him
secretly at the place appointed A gem
tleman with a weakness for arithmetic
states that this amount of gold would
weigh a large part of ton.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
Underwood for the Senate

It seems almost certain that Oscar
w. Underwood will become a candi-
date for the United States Senate for
the full term beginning March 4, 1915.
The people of Alabama may have
several strong men before them for
this honor. But in Mr.. Underwood
Alabama possesses her greatest con-
structive statesman; not only that, he
is the south's greatest political asset,
and if it is his desire to go to the Sen
ate the people of Alabama can i'll af-
ford to deny him the honor.
1t has been urged that Mr.. Under
wood should remain in the House
which has been the forum Of his splen-
did triumphs, and where his leadership
is undisputed, and where he is un-
doubtedly such a potent factor in the
democratic administration that he is
second to President Wilson alone in
Importance and in the esteem of the
people. But with the enactment of the
tariff and the currency legislation the
two great pledges of the party will
have been redeemed. When the bill
that bears his name is upon the statute
books, Mr.. Underwood can feel that
the great task which the American
people looked to him to accomplish is
behind him. If then he wants to seek
new field in the Senate the people
of his state would honor themselves
by choosing him.
Mr.. Underwood, if he runs, will be
elected, because the people of Ala
bama will not refuse to reward the
man who has been the greatest in
strument in the creation and enact
ment of the legislation for which the
democratic party has stood for long
years; the only man in, or out, of
Congress from the southern states in
the past so years who through sheer
force of character and craftsmanship
has forced the entire country to ad-
nit that he is of presidential size.
Through fair, impartial and able
leadership in the House for the past
two years, Mr.. Underwood has done
more toward the elimination of sec
tional prejudices than all the orators
have done since the civil war. And in
the Senate Mr.. Underwood would
place himself upon the same high
plane of craftsmanship occupied by
those illustrious men of the past of
whom all Alabamians speak with
pride.
Mr.. Underwood's S announcement will
be awaited with keen interest from
one end of the state to the other.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
FAyoRY1,E FICTION

From the Chicago Tribune.
"Your excellency."
why, Jack, l Never Dreamed That
Your Intentions Were Seriousr'
81 Take a Glass Occasionally for Med
icine, Eut That's ALL"
Shortest and Most Direct Route to
All Points East
my Account Overdrawn? Why,
Thought l Had Several Hundred Dollars
Heie.'
"This Book Is Published at the Earnest
Solicitation of Friends
81 Don't Care What She Says About
Mel"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
THE LATEST ZEPPELIN

From the Louisville Courier Journal
Count Zeppelin's latest and largest di.
at Freidrichshafen. is declared by its
builders to be the first airship capable
Of crossing the Atlantic without undue
risk" The aircraft is $50 feet long. with
diameter of 80 feet. and will be driven
by four motors. each of which is 20;
iiorse power.
While the aeroplane is more popularly
believed to be the practical airship of the
future, the Zeppelin dirigibles have un-
questionably made their mark In aeron-
autics and their advancement in relia-
bility seems TO have been regular. the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
Strong Iron Market

"The pig iron market is strong and
upward and 1t will not be long before
birmingham iron is selling briskly at $11. sc
on No. 2 bass,'' said a well known
broker. I'VE may not see SIS market
this year. but I feel certain that pig
metal will go above $12 before Christmas.
The iron market is sometimes peculiar
1t was very dun in the early part of the
year, and it seemed that nothing could
start 1t up, but when the Woodward Iron
company sold large tonnage at $40 the
tide turned and the price has been ad-
vancing ever since.
Some iron makers criticised the Wood
ward company for selling iron as low as
$40, but when we look back we see the
wisdom of its sales department The
company made a little profit, it reduced
its enormous stocks ON the yards and
started the ball to rolling. L regard the
Woodward transaction as something OF
far-reaching Importance and several New
York papers in their commereial columns
have referred to 1t as such"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
SULGRAVE MANOR
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
A MERICANS will soon have new
~ incentive for visiting England,

From the Louisville Courier-J Journal.
A MERIcANS will soon have new
~ incentive for visiting England.
"Sulgrave Manor" the ancestral
home of George Washington, in Sulgrave.
Northamptonshire, is to be purchased by
the British committee of the Ghent CEN
entary as a part of the celebration of
century of peace between English speak
| ing peoples, and as a tribute to the char
acter and achievement of the great pa
| triot. 1t will be dedicated as shrine for
travellers, but will, especially, of course,
attract Americans.
"Sulgrave Manor" is a tastefully built
stone house sufficiently old to impress
persons from a new country in which
building 100 years old is regarded as
worthy of note. In 1888 Henry VIII grant
ed the place to Lawrence Washington.
mayor of Northampton. The Washingtons
lived in 1t for the better part of a CEN
tury before the great grandfather of
George Washington came to Virginia
| Except that the house is of white stone.
instead of wood. "Sugrave Manor" is a
home not wholly unlike Mt. Vernon. 1t
is an unpretentious. commodious, solidly
made residence such as may be seen upon
plantations in the cotton states and farms
| in Kentucky and Virginia, and in Penn
sylvania and New England These lived
| Lawrence Washington Gent and other
Washingtons of the same station. as is set
forth upon memorial brasses in the village
church, in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. in very much the same style
| ir which George Washington lived in his
treasured retirement at Mt. Vernon, oc-
cupied with the pursuits of agriculture
and the pleasures of simple hospitality. In
| very much the same style live some of the
descendants of Washington nowadays.
| The Washingtons of England and Amer
| lea have exemplified an ideal of living
which was widely popular in this country
during colonial days and which still mas
many adherentc among Americans VINO
are of the better, though not always ricn-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11

er. class. Homes of the sSuIgrave Manor
type are now increasing in popularity
among even the very we'll to do in the
older sections of the United States Per-
haps the opening OF "Sulgrave Manor
as Mecca for Americans will exercise a
positive influence upon the residence arch
itecture in this country. 1t is to be hoped
that it will. There are many newly rich,
and entirely worthy. Americans in all
parts of the country whose tendency to-
ward flamboyancy in residence architec-
ture might be chastened by a visit j, to
"Sulgrave Manor" and chastened in time
to prevent them from building not wisely
but too ornately. The simplicity of style
which made the house in Sulgrave an at
tractive home when Henry VIII granted
lit to Lawrence Washington nearly 400
years ago. and which makes ii as attrac-
tive today, is worthy of consideration, and
of imitation, by Americans who are able
to build handsome homes If home is
built in good taste and in nine cases in
10 that means simplicity of style, 1t ages
with dignity and increasing charm. II
it is an example of bad taste. which us
as a woman who has relied upon hair
bleach and rouge for beauty.
Pilgrims to "Sulgrave Manor" many
of whom will be young Americans of the
dollared class, who win eventually build
homes, should come home with higher
appreciation of chastity and modesty in
architecture. The two centuries that in-
tervened between the acquisition of Sui
grave Manor by Lawrence Washington
and the occupation of Mt. Vernon by
George Washington span many changes,
and the time between the building Of
''Sulgrave Manor and the year 1913 spans
many more, but the tasteful residence
which Henry VIII bestowed upon Law
renee Washington. Kent the mayor OF
Northampton, is in Just as good taste to-
day. What proportion of the gingerbread
palaces of the American rich built since
the civil war are so made that as much
may be said of them 400 years from now?
the blue sky in flashes and wreaths OF
scuptured spray, as if the breakers on
the Sido shore had been frostbound be-
fore they fell. and the sea nymphs had
inlaid them with coral and amethyst
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11


enjoyment of life. The reading Of good
literature is never harmful. Time
spent in communion with nimble minds
and able intelleets is ever helpful.
Parents can confer no greater boon
upon their children than the inculca-
tion of love for good books. 1t is
greater far than the purse of Fortuna
tus. 1t brings an inspiration in times
of trial, it feeds constantly the fires of
ambition. The public library is God
send to those striving for self-im-
provement. 1t should have the encour-
agement of all who would help their
fellow man.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
The State Fair

As the time approaches for the
pening of the Birmingham State Fair
reat interest is being displayed here
|abouts and in other sections of Ala
bama. The exhibits this year will I'm
ldovbtedly be larger and more attrac-
tive than ever. Especially will the
|woman's department surpass any pre-
.vious efforts in that direction. Farm
exhibits will be large and varied and
)there will be more fine horses at this
fair than in any ever held in Alabama.
Birmingham people can be counted
upon to attend the fair in great num-
bers. In view of the fact that this is
to be the best fair ever held the local
attendance should make a new high
lrecord.
4 Every man and woman should en-
deavor to attend the fair at least once
during the nine days that it will be
open and all the children old enough
to appreciate a fair should be in at
tendance on children's day.
In spite of drought in some parts
Ehe state Alabama farmers as a
ee have made large crops. Our
|ners have been wonderfully pros
ous during the recent years and the
noteZf as well as the nearby sec
R1a< ST the state should be particular
II represented at this years
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
UNCONvENTIONALITIEs
I'M the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
bet your life don't beg your pardon.
you coarse boor, for stepping on your
foot. You stuck 1t out lin the aisle for
me to step on''
cigars if it wasn't for the fact that I
know you'd take it, and you're too cheap
a State to waste a good cigar on, bjucks!''
Madam, kindly see If you can't hold
your head stifl till the elevator gets to
the top floor; your hatpin is within half
an inch of my eye.'
by the way, Mr.. Ginsiinger, / wish
you'd take your trunk and other traps out
of the house by next Saturday. I need
your room for q more desirable boarder." /"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
LET US FORGET

BY James Whitcomb Riley.
Let us forget. What matters 1t that VIC
Once reigned DER happy realms OF
long-ago
And talked of love. and let our voices
low,
And ruled for some brief sessions
royalty?
What If we sung, or laughed, or wept
maybe?
1t has availed not anything, and so
Let it go by that we may better know
How poor thing is lost to yNp and
me.
But yesterday kissed your lii and
Did thrill you not enough to shah the
dew
From your drenched lids-and M ed
with no regret
Your kiss shot back, with sharp br his
failing you:
And SO, today, while our worn es
are wet
With all this waste Of tears, Id ps
forget.
Copyright 1910. The Bobbs Merrill
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Interest In the Auditorium

am glad to see that interest mas
been aroused in the auditorium PROPOSE
tion,' said ex-Judge william NJ. Walker,
VINO returned this week from a summer
vacation spent In Madison, Wis. ''Bir-
mingham needs nothing at this time more
than great auditorium building, and |
nope the vote viii be large next Monday
and overwhelmingly In favor of the audi
torium bond issue.
In New York Birmingham and Bir-
mingham properties have always been
well known in financial circles, but no
matter where ,ne goes now he finds peo-
pie who are we'll acquainted with the
main facts about this city and district"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
Likes the Traffic Ordnance

"One of the best things that was done
In Birmingham while l was in Europe
was the adoption and enforcement of the
traffic ordinance said b. NJ. Allen. THE
traffic officers are performing their duties
well and am glad to see that pedestrians
are learning to conform to the new rule.
II was much interested In the fine traf-
fee system in the congested streets Of
London. The auto busses make great
the most densely crowded districts ,of
London. Such speed is made possible by
the pedestrians keeping out of the way.
London is great city, as we all know,
and In few things does it show more en-
lghtened progress than in its thorough
traffic system, which is always accom-
panied with a minimum of confusion
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
HUMtLIATING.

see where prominent young man
was accidentally killed while cranking
his automobile"
1T must have been a sad blow to his
FAMILY for the public to know that"
You mean the news of his death?"
No. the fact that he didn't own a self
starting machine"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11

The Public Libraries

HA.e are nearly $4,000 citizens of
ningham who take advantage of
public library system, and they
n access to approximately 10000
D hes. These figures show SUBJ
kl increase in the number of
books and readers, but they are
v proportion to this city's inhabi-
he reading of good books is both a
sure and a duty. The people of
hgham owe it to themselves to
rate with the library system.
are today thousands of volumes
dusty and unused in the homes
E city. They might be made avail
to those who would appreciate
they might be employed in the
er their creators contemplated,
ding information and pleasure
kg their perusers. The donations
he public libraries of Birmingham
sma This is because people do
thin well. They fail to consider
,recrd htion and the education which
derived from the volumes
ying neglected.
by profess that they would like
kmiliarize themselves with cer-
of the classics, but they haven't
ime.'' Such an idea is largely fall
rs, Lovers of good books can al
Ind periods for the indulgence
tastes, and this aids, in the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES


Hobbit, you ought to marry and set
lie down"
"oh, don't know about that If 1
were to marry and settle down it would
be just my luck to have son who would
grow up and run through sthe streets il
a gymnasium suit"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
ALLOWANCE IN ADVANCE

From the st. Paul Dispatch.
Doctor-From now you may let your
husband have a glass of beer every day
You understand?
Wife--Yes, doctor-just one glass day.
Doctor Ga week later)-Now, l hope you
have kept strictly to that one glass per
day that allowed your husband to take?
Wife--Most decidedly. doctor-only he is
four weeks in advance with his allow
ance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
A WARNING.

DO not allow some Jealous drug clerk
to larrup the atmosphere in elouuence
over something Just as good,'" advises
a patent medicine company Somewhat
slangy, but the Find of people who buy
patent medicine in large quantities are
the kind of people who appreciate slang.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11

The Musicians union of Birmingham
has amicably settled its difference with
the theatres and the Birmingham public
strains of real orchestra instead of the
mechanical pianos that have been in
vogue during the strike.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11
COMPARISON.

"A theosophist says a heavy. soggv soul
is an inferior one'
I II shouldn't wonder The same tbin.,
might be said Of a heavy, soggy biscuit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11

That flying SQUADRON" of the Cham
her of Commerce calls to mind the effec-
tive work that was done by another Fly
ing squadron" in the Spanish American
war. 1t is hoped that Birmingham's fly
ing squadron will do as well in capturing
votes for the auditorium.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-11

Now that the tariff is out of the way.
Il is to be expected that the currency bill
will soon come 70 vote. President VIII
son does not seem inclined to let his
school boys get away until all the
work is finished and this fact will doubt
less help the bill