davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
CONTINUED from first page.)


though it may be- it is not all play. The forest
anger must know his arithmetic well. He that
lie growth timber injured by inudicious cutting
|, scale the timber the mill, that cutting in
tcess of contract is not being done. And always-al
ays night and day, there is thing for which he
{ waiting watching, ready.
The forest being swept by the fire monsterl Its
ngue OF flame lashes to height of 100 feet above the
eetops--2o0 feet above the ground. Its hot breath
pairing wind Its appetite is whetted by resin and
ntine and its f,rked tongues flash out to span rivers
nd even lakes.
If the scene could be contemplated calmly there would
something grand and fascinating in the terrible spec
ce The flames dash from treetop to treetop beacon
ghts flashing along a distant shore. The fires climb
frs with the rapdity of lightning flash. Cinders
scend in great showers and sparks shoot the baz
forest like rockets. The flames rush through the
ooas with the roar of artillery and the fury of wild
ing. Otherwise the woods strangely silent, if
serted by all animal life And it is WELL for nothing
uld have lived in that pathway of flames Here and
ere beated settler dashes of the smoke and the
aze into the road and joins in the fight toward safety
t as rule every one has gone long before. Every
ing has been turned over the flames to do with
ey please
On, the fire end rushes at speed of ten miles an
ur maintained and unabated for days at time And
en-as far as the eye can see everything Is burned
BIT scrap of green is left in the The ground is
vered with ashes, in places six inches deep lumber
mp is located by sidetrack and the trucks of train
at burned. Not the ashes of the lumber piles
main-the wind so strong that they were blown
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Pillar of SMOKE a Cry of Alarm.

Whatever be its the fantest pillar of smoke in
the sky is the of alarm that calls the United States
forest rangers of the national forests into
the role of the forest fighter is quite different from
that of the city fireman. There is Changing bell
spectacular rush through busy streets. No applause
comes to his ears. He has into the valley to
penish his supply of cold from the spring As he
climbs slowly the steep side of the mountain towards
his lookout the pine needles cracke under his heavy
boots like little frecrackers in the dry still air. SHIN
mering with of heat. Arriving the top he mops
his wet forehead and gives swift, sweeping look
around the horizon that marks the limits of the 10000
acres of pine forest he is watching.
As his has almost completed the circle he stops
one hand raised and pointed toward the northeast.
small black cloud seems to speck the heavens and in
stanty he brings his field glass bear upon the speck
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

healthier financial condition, and social un-
rest. Banks refused to extend loans. Men
who had considered themselves rich suddenly
came to the conclusion that they were on the
verge of ruin. Cash accumulated in time
locked vaults. More than one investor took to
studying time cards of Canadian railroads and
sailing schedules of ships bound for South
American ports
In the midst of all this Mr.. Van Huyten
discovered that his fortune had been wiped
out, and that in the effort to save himself and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14


safe and sane"
me- He deposited $4,000 and left whistling.
How Talford spent the next two days he
was never sure. That he avoided the places
he knew and that knew him he was certain.
1t seemed to him that he enjoyed himself; that
he laughed a good deal that he met many odd
people. Never, however, did he look at a news
paper stock quotation.
On the morning of the third day he awoke
in an obscure hotel lie rang for a newspa-
per and slowly turned to the market page.
The combination OF letters he looked for sud
denly leaped at him from the paper. each with
a wavering rainbow outer edge. The quota
ton which followed them was twenty points
below where he had ordered the broker to be-
gin selling short.
Here's where [ ought to faint" he said to
himself. He ordered hearty breakfast in
stead.
An hour later he was leaving u bank. The
money he had taken was back where it be-
longed.
He called up the Van Huyten home.
That you, Aunt Vanf" -.
90, Ed Ed How could you stay away at
time like this? Your uncle is dying. How
could you, Ed, after all he's done for you?
And have no one but you to depend on now"
I'll be right up" he answered in husky
voice.
thought I cared much for him,
either" he said to himself as he tore up rail
road ticket to San Francisco which had been
in his pocket. And here am crying like
baby
This is where the story ends And now the
problem is presented. It's one in bookkeeping
the biggest kind of bookkeeping. And this is
it How are the particular items. described
above, in the lives of Messrs. Talford and Van
Huyten, set down in the final ledger? Is the
former debited with robbng bank? Or is he
credited with something? And how about
Van Huyten? And, most problematical of all,
how about Mrs, Van IIuyten, whose love Tor
her husband and faith in her adopted son were
the real reasons for both transactions, al
though sheo never knew anything of either?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

His first Impressions confirmed A forest fire has
started the southern slope of the range of
tans to the northeast lie watches it. motoness, for
ten seconds He gets his finder the flame
definitely than his vision, trained
urement of and location though it is could do.
And them
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
An Uninieniional Confession.

Talford was sitting with Mr.. Van Huyten
one evening after dinner. They were in
room that was a composite den, library, and
living room. Mrs. Van Huyten always joined
them there after performing her evening duty
Of general household inspection.
$ Uncle john" said Talford, "you're run
ming all to pieces. Why don't you just pack
UP and go away for a vaca ton? What's the
matter with your"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
. By THOMAS I. HorNE

And then strange thing happened. Mr..
Van Huyten, who never before in all his life
had felt the necessity of admitting guilt
who never knowingly had done any previous
really wrongful act said abruptly;
" I'm thief; that's what's the matter"
When the words were out of his mouth he
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Wait Finds a Home.

John V. Van Huyten was a man of affairs.
[e was married and lived in what the papers
Ill palace. All the sixty-odd years of his
sfe had been well spent, if reputation for
ltegrity and good manners rather than for
rains and energy, is a good purchase. He
as wealthy, charitable, and honorable. He
elieved in foreign missions, aristocracy, and
rejection denounced the oratory of William
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Visits the Bank Vaults.

1910 tHC LuuC uutlSs
In the morning Talford was still walking
about the room. At . o'clock he walked Mr..
Van Huyten from a restless sleep.
"Don't leave here till l come back" he
said.
He went to the bank and from a certai1
box in one of the vaults he cautiously took
packages of bills amounting to $150000.
"Mr. Van Huyten is ILL.," said he to the
vice president, and there was no tremor in his
voice. " He is at the University club. l did
not want to worry Mrs. Van Huyten about
his condition. | told her we had to attend
directors meeting last night. going back
to the club and will get him home as soon as
he is able to move.'
why, certainly, Ed," the vice president
said, pleasantly. I'm sorry the old gentle
man is laid up. We're all right here. You
needn't worry, although they'll probably
smash the market again today"
"You can reach me by phone at the club
or at home if I'm wanted" said Talford His
last words struck him as particularly well
chosen. He left the bank, his pockets un-
comfortably crammed with the packages of
bills.
I've got about three days." said he to him
self.
In Mr.. Van Huyten's at the club Tai
ford empted his pockets upon a table and di-
vid--l the money into three piles. Mr.. Van
Huyten locked on dumbly
Here's $4,000 to make the trust fund
good Put it into safety deposit vault and
leave it there. You must be fit to go home to
dinner tonight"
What are you going to do?" gasped the
older man.
g may go away answered Talford, put
ting the smallest pile of bills into an inside
pocket. "All you know is that you left me
at the club to attend to some business"
g But / can't take this money!
s. I'm not giving it to you. I'm paying a
debt. This business is strictly between our
selves
It's greater crime than the other. but /
can't tell Van,' sighed Mr.. Van Huyten,
weakly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

"How can ever tell van?" asked Mr.. Van
Huyten helplessly.
" You can't, of course said Talford, half
to himself. We aren't going totell her. We
won't have to do that"
As you may have guessed, Talford's up
bringing and his banking experience had
taught him two things-the impeccability of n
Van Huyten and the infexible necessity of
paying debt. One idol was smashed but the
debt remained to be paid.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Wreaked Haooc Ocer Miles.

Those acquainted with the history of the great woods
familiar with the tragedies caused by the fire monster
the period before the fire fighting brigades maintained
the government became what they are today.
One of the earliest forest fires was the great Mramch
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

lilies known to have plunged directly the deep
woods with the approach of the blaze with the result
that they cut off without chance escape Two
thousand fugitives escaped from Beaudette in long
train of boxcars. The mob of men, women and children
waited for the train while their homes were in flames
The track which they escaped ran through the forest
fire for miles and they forced cross many burning
bridges.
At the time of the Michigan fire in 1908 10 year old
boy into Mllersburg carrying in his pocket hand
kerchef little pile of ashesa that remained of the
ncnerated body of his little sister.
When fire swept the north fork of Lewis river in Cow
z county, Washington, in September, 1902 party of
nine pleasure seekers had been camping at the foot of
Mount St Heens They driving ahead of the fiery
storm in attempt reach the prairie they
suddenly found the road barred by the fallen timber
There for them and all pershed together
When found by relief party the nine charred corpses
lay close together the ironsal that remained of
the The horses had managed to get only few
steps from the wagon when they too became victims
On the occasion of this same fire one settler when
leaving home in the morning, told his wife that should the
flames come near she to take the children seek
refugee the timber She followed his advice but
the flames devoured the green timber with fierce rapdy
Hon They Start
How do all these fires ge. started? The causes are
many but practically all be classified as preventable
The usual in the order of their frequency are
Railroad engines lightning; careless campers fishermen
and hunters settlers burning brush clear land
tivation logging engines and sawmls malicious
diaries.
The railroads right of way usually from 100 to 200
feet wide. In many places within the national forests
the brush and debris has been properly cleared up
the right Of after the large timber has
moved and dry punk logs and debris form the in
fammabe kind of material for ignition by spark from
the engine Despite the improvement both in engines
spark arresters the railroads still hold first place
for forest fires.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

"Lie dot0n and talk as much as you tpish.
II ,cW do you good. Iwanf to think"
wife from ruin he had lost $4,000 belonging
to his wifes sister, of which he was trustee
II had all come about naturally and rapidly
that he could not lay his finger on any precise
act and say. 1t was here that | became dis
honest He could not believe that he had
been dishonest. He was simply dumfounded,
and yet he understood the cold, bloodless way
in which court looks at such things.
His was not an easy story to tell any one
least of all his wife. An excusiveness and a
pride in what he had believed was the infall-
bility of his resources had fenced away from
him the close friend he needed in his calam-
ity. He fought along by himself, uselessly
and without hope of victory. A Fabian fnan-
cial policy was his only defense. Time was
gained, but sleep and health were lost, and the
finish seemed only step behind him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

fire of 1925. 1t began its great destruction about
o'clock in the afternoon of October day at place
about sixty miles above the town of Newcastle the
Mramchi river in New Brunswick. Before 10 o'clock
at night it twenty miles below Newcastle. In nine
hours it had destroyed belt of forest eighty miles long
and twenty-five miles wide. Over than 100000
every living thing killed. Even the fish were
hundred and sixty perished and nearly 1000 head
of stock The loss estimated $500 000 nclud
ing the value of the timber
The Peshtgo fire of October, 1871, was still more Sc
than the Miramchi. 1t covered an area Of more
than 1000 square miles in Wisconsin and involved loss
in timber and other property of many millions of dollars
Between 1200 and 1900 persons perished including half
of the population Of Peshtgo that time a town of
1000 inhabitants.
Another most destructive fire started Hinckley
Mnn Sept l. 1894 when the loss of life and property
heavy. Hnckley and six other destroyed
and except for the heroic conduct Of locomotive engineers
and other railroad the loss of life would have
much greater
In 1908 the forest fires 70 600 persons homeless
in Minnesota and Wisconsin, destroyed four towns, and
caused loss of 49, 100000. After the had gone
its the town of Chisholm Mimi, particularly pre-
sented Of ruin and desolation. Backened and
smoking piles Of charred wood little heaps of gray ashes
scorched skeletons of brick mortar all canoped
the most fourishng towns the great Mesaba range
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Toll of Dead Unknown.

The fire monster that had such free reign
the forests holds its the details Of hundreds
of instances where human beings caught in its mad
failed in their fight for safety But each big disaster
has had its known train of suffering to stir the
into strenuous effort to smother the demon
During the big northern Minnesota fire rescuing par
ties brought into Warroad the bodies of seventyve per-
killed in the fires which burning the
rounding country and they reported that they
of bodies but unable them. Several
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

1.-The position
and prominence
of his foster
father made life
easy for Tai
ford.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14
ABUSING FRANK PRIVILEGE.

Whatever may be the result of the investigation at Washington as to the discovery of an 'insidious'' lobby, 1t
 has again brought to light in no un- certain manner the need of making some change in the franking priVi- leges which are now extended to mem bers of congress. When it is pointed out that the frank in one instance alone has aided to the extent of $2S,o00 in curtailing postal expenses and throws that burden upon the postoffice department. it is plain that Postmaster General Burle- son has plenty of opportunity for ex- erting his influence for reform which will effect a great saving within his administration.
 The practice of getting statements speeches and figures printed at the expense of the government and then the forwarding of them throughout the country under the frank of some congressman, is one which attaches a large bill of expense to the operation of government. The franking evil is one which has long needed attention, and one which has brought forth many suggestions for a better control with out proper recognition being taken of the value of the arguments. The franldng system has it's merits but 1t suffers through the abuse of the privilege. There is no more reason why 1t should be used by the friends of the congressman than there is that political speeches and magazine arti- cles should be printed in the Congress sional Record, when they are never heard in congress.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14
EVERY DAY REFLECTIONS
Books and Newspapers.

The book is passing. The magazine and newspapers are taking it's place.
 Men read books to divert the.c minds, to forget the present. It is the constant effort of the human race to escape the actual for this reason they get drunk, they engage in sports, they read books. Sometimes they real books in order that they may have something to talk about. to secure am <. intuition for conversation Sometim as it is to acquire information. Little by little periodicals are meeting these wants more satisfactorily than books.
 The. book Is heavy to hold ineanA venient for the pocket. The news {. paper can be carried easily.
 The book is expensive; the news :. paper is cheap. One feels like a crim- inal if he tears page from book i; there is no such feeling in clipping from 6 newspaper
 The people in books are fictitious: in newspapers they are real
 Every ne~spaper is an epic poem There are the affairs of nations, wars. councils, popular uprisings, deings of kings, Chinese mebs, suffragette out rages, Mexican barbartties.
 In all the realms of human activity afisteeracy is receding before the ad- vance of democracy, The book is the artisteerati the newspaper is the dem eefat
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14
scHooLHoUsE BUILDING.

Many are the smaller communities throughout the country which realize the need of modern schoolhouses with better advantages in the way of ar- rangement and equipment. but which cannot afford to go to the expense of architects fees for the securing of the latest ideas in this direction Many small places are forced by lack of Sunds to foT@go such aid in the plan ming of the first buildings, and others do not attempt it because of lack of appreciation of the needs of a. mod ern schoolhouse.
 Recognizing the importance of proper buildings through it's work in behalf of better education, the federal bureau of education has adopted the admirable plan of furnishing models of attractive schoolhouses to local au- fhorities, normal schools and partic- ularly to points in the west and south west. which are planned especially for rural communities where low cost Is tha first essential. They represent, however. the latest ideas in school architecture. are attractive to look at and enbody the latest hygienie arr arrangements. Models for one, two. and four room schools are provided with all details. so that any carpenter will be able to build schooihouse for his district and meet all modern re= auirernente. Every settlement has an interest in It's schooiheuse. and as it grows the interest in ths school de= veiors. and it makes very iittis diff ference where 1t is. there cannot be 100 much interest taken In the echeefs --A fi1zzx D'nx1<-
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14
THE STAMFORD WRECK.

|. The latest railroad accident, the col lisien at Stamford, which has result
 ed in six deaths and a large number
 of injured, calls not only for a rigid
 investigation of the causg of the ap-
 parently inexcusable loss of life. but
 the taking of the necessarily steps which will not only try, but will be
 successful in preventing them, in the
 future. Numerous serious accidents
 have occurred in that vicinity within
 a short time, with sufficient fatal re- -5ults to be a lesson against any in- clfnation to carelessness, the permis- sion of inexperienced engine drivers at the throttle, and the disregarding wreck comes in the face of past ex- perience that it arouses so much in- dignation and demand for the get ting at the bottom of the trouble. Ac- cidents will happen on the best of railroads, but they cannot be con- sidered as excusable when there is a disregard of signals. at point where it is also known that there must be stop anyway. If the situation calls for a higher grade of efficiency on the part of engineers, it should be insist ed upon, and the same if the trouble is with the railroad equipment. The demands of safety to the travelling public cannot be neglected, and if it. isn't possible to make sure of the qualifications of the engine drivers, the safety device which will stop trains rushing by signals should be invoked.
 What the impact of the big engine and heavy train would have done to a steel parlor coach is difficult to tell. but such would have eliminated the fire menace which threatened the dead and injured and which would have greatly increased the suffering had it been where fire apparatus was not available. The results of the wreck only add unnecessary empha sis to the need of better protection to human life
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14

(Written Specially for The Bulletin.)
 am only a little uneffensive mouse, but the great big giants who occupy this house, seem to dislike me, and act as if they had more right here than l.. They have nc cause to complain of me, I am sure, for I get in their way as little as possible. The night Is the time I prefer for my foraging, and they sleep during the night SC we do not interfere in that respect. If by any chance, get hung ry enough te come out in the daylight and encounter any of them I scurry out of sight as quickly as possible, but they behave very badly towards me on such occasions. Why the oth- CT day woman tried to crush me be- cause I came in sight in the pantry. What harm did I do7 There was room enough for both of us. and would not hurt her.
 Queer people, these human crea- lures arei They wear all sorts of garments and of all colors. ill-fitting things, too. They would get about much better if they wore a close fit- ting suit of grey like mine. I never could go out and in the small spaces I find open to me- should I dress in loose flowing garments like theirs. Then grey is so much prettier a col or than all bright hues in which they array themselves. Our family are an ancient one, and we have always worn drab, and consider it the proper thing and the most stylish mode pos- sibIe.
 There is a bunch of our tribe that dress in white, but they live in cap tivity, and are treated as pets instead of enemies. I wonder if people would pet me. if I dressed in white. I am sure I prefer freedom and my grey suit.
 My manners are much better than some mice I know: thoy sharpen their teeth and nibble and scratch at door castings if they find them closed. Where live there are cracks under the doors large enough to let a mouse go about, which makes 1t convenient for me but not long since I heard some one com plain that I had the run of the whole house at night because of that very arrangement. have been told of houses where a hole was made in the doors for a cat, and I had supposed the spaces were left for my accommo- dation
 Speaking of cats, I don't like cats, and why people prefer cats and dogs to mice, is a mystery to me and to many others of my relatives. Those animals eat more, and waste more, and are more cruel than we. Yet they are kept in spite of all their faults. and praised if they catch and destroy us. We never take the life of any
Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
Opposed to Nom de Plume.

MT. Editor: The writer of the let ter on "The Drama of the City Meet ing" published in The Bulletin June 13, skulks behind the name of Jus tice" CD to shoot his arrows at two citizens whom he names, while con- cealing his own identity.
 The merits of the questions under discussion do not concern me at pres ent, and neither General Aiken nor Mr. Jensen needs defense from me; but, in the name of fair play. I beg to enter protest against cowardly, anonymous attacks of this character made by those who are afraid or ashamed to come into the open, and, with your permission, Mr. Editor. I will add that The Bulletin, while de- nying responsibility for the opinions of correspondents, ought not to permit it's columns to be used as a stalking horse for anonymous. invidious assaults.
 WILLIAM c. GILMAN.
 Norwich Town, June 13, 1913.