davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

fads. Work is his recreation. One of the
queer things about Mr.. Weyerhaeuser
is that he never lost dollar in q lum-
Der deal and never made a dollar In
any other business in which he invested
money. One of the jokes he tells at his
own expense has to do with his purch-
asses of bank stock. Before he got to be
very rich he was induced to take an
interest in various small banking con-
Germs. Not one of them succeeded. Since
then he has stuck to lumber.
Comparatively few men know Jules
Weber. He Is the king of the kitchens.
He came to America from France when
he was mere lad. He got work in the
old Astor house. He was the egg boy.
His duty was to keep track of the stock
of eggs. After a while he became as
sfstant cook. He had rare talent In
culinary affairs and won high repu-
tation before he left the Aston He
saved his money and opened a restau-
rant in Thirtyfourth street between
Broadway and Seventh avenue. Incl
dentally he imported French delicacies.
The importing business grew SO large
that he gave up the restaurant and de-
voted all his attention to merchandise
ing. Today he Is perhaps the largest
authority on cooking. Most of the
French chefs who are installed In the
big hotels of America were placed there
his French viewpoint. When he had q
restaurant he lived over his establish
ment When he built great warehouse
he followed the same rule and had his
living quarters upstairs. He has made
lot Of money In real estate. Years ago
he made up his mind that there was
one spot in New York where a man
could not make a mistake in buying
property That was in the section be-
VITO ttrfh ~ NJ, I'D
streets and Fourth and Seventh ave-
nues. He put his surplus money into
buildings In that part of the city and
today II Is the richest district in Man
haitian. Weber Is the leading spirit of
one of the quaintest organizations In
America-the Thursday club. It's mem
bers are the leading French chefs of
New York. Once week the club has
luncheon. When a member fails to win
the approval of the critical persons who
are at table he Is desolated. When he
gets the applause of the fellow men,
hers and a vote OF thanks he feels that
he has achieved the highest honor at
tainable In his profession, Some of the
chefs plan their luncheons a year ahead
and give to them an amount of thought
far greater than to the most imorta mt
banquet they ever are called on to pre-
pare
Michael 1dvorsky Pupin is the king of
the telephone. He gets his middle name
from the town In Hungary where he was
born. He is Serb. His parents were
peasants. He came, to America as
stowaway. He didn't have a dollar when
he landed. He worked as farm hand
down in Maryland or Delaware. When
he had learned a little of the English
language he returned to New York and
did all sorts of odd jobs He worked in
factory and as rubber in Turkish
bath. While he worked in the factory
he attended night school He saved
little money and went to Columbia uni
versity. He not only worked his way
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

poetry. Ana many the classical afNe,
sions. With how many OF tho stories 20
which allusion Is made are you tamiiiar7
Consult the text OF the play. and try your
memory. take the liberty Of starting
you with ono. Jessica Says
I'm such a night.
Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson."
Jasons rejoicing over fhs recovery %
the golden fleece was much limited by
the absence OF his father Aeson, who was
too old and too infirm to be present.
Whereupon Jason went tv his wife. Ma
dea, a powerful sorceress and said. MY
spouse. tate some years from my life
and add them to my fathers" Medea re-
piled. Not at such q cost shall It be
done, but IL my art avails me, his nfe
shall be heightened without abridging
yours" The moon was at it's fun; It
was such night" not breath of wind
stirred the foliage was still. and to tho
moon and stars Medea addressed her In.
carnations She gathered all manner~g
potent enchantment herbs and many
other things. She boiled them In a mighty
caldron and stirred them with an old,
withered branch which became green at
once and covered with leaves The iiduii
boiled over the caldron and wherever il
ran there grass sprang up i'l1e the YER
dure of spring. Medea then took Aeson
and cut his throat. and let all OF the
blood out of his body and in It's place
poured In the Juices OF her caldron. AT
once Aeson lost his white hair and beard,
for they assumed the backness of youth
his emaciahon disappeared and he became
vigorous and felt as he had done 20 years
before. Medea was not always such q
merciful and kind person, but
I'm such night,
Medea gatherd the enchanted herbs
That did renew old Aeson."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02
Baseball Extra in Prisee

The successful Issue of the baseoaf ex-
ira was an achievement that caused all
of US in the printing detail to be rather
proud and from many sources we have
received kind and esteemed compliments.
says Good Words, a paper published by
the inmates of the Atlanta federal PEN
itentiary. We are st II human and APP
preciate the e expressions especially
those coming from our associates, as the
object of this special extraordinarily APP
proved by the prison off'elals-was to
break the monotony of prison life and to
afford some pleasure to the other inmates.
It's purpose was accomplished and we are
glad. The hard work necessary to pub
lish 1t promptly and in nice shane is now
FORGOTTEN in the satsfact on we feel,
caused by the cordial reception accorded
L by our fellow prisoners. Register No.
1857 is entitled to credit for the up-to-the-
minute style of the makeup and the at
tractive display of the features. He will
leave here this month, and the 'extra'
will cause him to be long remembered,
1t was typographical triumph for him,
and all that he asks is Il chance to do
the same fine work on the outside. The
orchestra also loses member. Mac"
was always a willing and conscientious
worker here. and we wish for him in
new fields of endeavor all the success he
can have,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

England he went TO the continent and
startled the superstitious, who believed
the horse to be the devil, and Banks
magician. And thus falling under the
ban of the authorities, they were both
put to death by the fortunes of fire.
''Trolius and Cressida," act 3, scene 2,
contains an allpsion to an idea. whose
antiquity will astonish the reader. I'M
less he is better Informed than I was
when first read 1t. Troilus is assuring
Cressida of his fidelity, and that his love
is true
"As steel, as plantage to the moon,
AS sun to day, as turtle to her mate"
It is "as plantage to the moon" that
dwell on. for 1t means, as Reginal Scott
in his Discoveries Of Witchcraft' says:
THE poor husbandman perceiveth that
the increase of the moon maketh plants
fruitful" Our ancestors brought the no.
ton from England with them, and to
this day 1t prevails throughout the coun-
try. do not know how old the saying
is, that If you want crop you must
plant with the right moon," but e cry
body has heard it. Is there anything in
1t? do not know; but this I do know
planted my late potatoes on, as my
farm hand said. 1.-The wrong of the
MOON and only one row out of
every 10 rows were worth 1.-The
hiling." although I paid high price for
my seed potatoes and got the very best
in the market. I knew the moon wasn't
right for planting, but I said: 81 am
planting on the EARTH not on the moon,"
AMI the moon must have heard my rash
remark
In LAS You Like IT," act 2, scene 1, we
have preserved to us an old folklore be-
lief. We read:
Sweet are the uses of adversely.
Which. like the toad, ugly and venom
Gus,
Wears vet a precious Jewel in his head :"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

kitchen. as his companion had gone with
the horses to q stable.
After few hurried words, the sheriff
aroused Mrs. Hinson. a supper was i'm
provised, the strangers began eating. Burr
was affable and chatty. was profuse in
apology for the unreasonable interruption,
and complimentary of the excellent sup
per. The sheriff had prepared Mrs. Hin
son to ascertain. il possible. II either man
was Burr. and while the sheriff stood
over the fire, with his back to the COM
pany. and after Burr had retired to the
kitchen. she asked his companion IL sne
did not have the distinction of entertain
Ing Colonel Burr IN much confusion the
companion arose without a word of re-
ply, and Joined Burr In the kitchen.
The sheriff rejoined them, engaged in
conversation, and soon all were abed.
The next morning Burr expressed his dis
appo ntment at not meeting Colonel Hin
son, and, strange to say, was soon mount
ed together with the sheriff and his com
panion, the sheriff proposing to show the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

fourth OF an tho lemons imported iiitel
the United States and one-fourth OF all
the grapes imported into the United
States.
Joseph III Gorgio Is the banana king Of
America. He is only So years old. Ho
came here an immigrant lad and worked
for 50 a week on pier 90 North river To-
day he owns 20 steamships engaged in
bringing bananas from Central America
and the West Indies to the United States
He gives 100000 tons of freight a year to
the American railroads.
Henry Siegel dry goods prince, came TO
America from Germany when ne was IS
years old. The first work he got was as
shop boy In a Washington store. 1t was
four years before he rose to the dignity
of earning SIS a week. He became a sales
man and after awhile went into business
with two of his brothers in little store
In Parkefsburg, Pa. In 1876 he moved to
Chicago and became q manufacturer OF
cloaks. 1t was there he met Frank
Cooper and went into partnership with
him. Their start was very modest. What
Henry Siegel mas grown to be In the dry
goods trade of Chicago, New York and
Boston Is pretty well known.
Fouar men met at dinner In New York
hotel the other night. They were Cart
Laemmle, one OF the big men of the mo-
ton picture business: Julius Hilder. who
has been big figure as an importer OF
notions and fancy goods: julius Glug-
man, Fifth avenue furrier. and Leo
Hirschfield. vice president of n great
candy corporation. Twenty-nine years
ago the four of them were companions
In the steerage OF the steamship Necksr.
Immigrants on their way TO America. To-
day they are milionaires. Each found
fortune in the land OF promise.
1t looks from all this as IL the immi-
grant boy, with the spur of poverty, does
better in America than the native born
with all his natural advantages.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

greatly absorbed in a game of backgam-
mon. A fire OF logs and pine knots
burned in the wide fireplace. the village
was quiet in slumber, and perhaps the
light seen through the oh. nks of the cabin
was the only one visible in the village.
These young men engaged In the game
heard the sounds of horses feet rapidly
approaching their cabin. Some one halt
ing in front of the cabin in which the
young men sat. voice hailed. and on
opening the door, the light revealed two
mounted men one of whom asked where
the tavern was. and then how far it was
to the home of Colonel Hinson. They
were told that the home was seven miles
away the road rough and dark and that
dangerous stream interviewed. AS the
two travellers sat on their horses with
the light of the cabin falling fully on
them, one was seen to be much more
than an ordinary man because of the
character of his language. his striking
face and the evident anxiety expressed
in an unusual way, and while he wore
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

this day his movements remain wrapped
In mystery,A because Burr in his dying
hour disclaimed any purpose of the dis
memberment of the union, which was one
of the chief charges urged against HIM
so long as he lived. That he had deep
designs, however, is not a question, and
with proclamations containing offers of
reward for his arrest circulated. and his
effort to leave the country. the doubt Of
his guilt and of his completely in some me-
farious scheme Is at once dspelled. He
was well on his way to Pensacola in his
flight, when he was checked In the Tensas
settlement, in this state, which event led
to his trial.
The night of February IS. 1907. was one
of unusual GOODNESS for this latitude. The
surface of the ground was frozen, and
nothing was so unusual as for travellers
to be abroad on the highways. In the
little village of Wakefield, in Washing
ton county, were a few huts of the early
settlers of that region. In one of these
at the hour of 10 we're two young men
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

TN Loves Labor Lost" act s, scene 2,
Rosaline says to the princess; Bet
4 ter wits have worn plain statute
caps" What were statute caps?" BY
an act of Parliament it was required
that all above the age Of years, except
the nobility and persons of degree, should
wear on Sundays and holidays wooden
caps manufactured In England. This law
was passed to encourage wooden man.
ufactures In the realm, SO that such
goods might not be imported. The law
was passed in 1871, but in 1897 It was re-
pealed. 1t was unjust, for while 1t APP
piled to the palmer people, 1t left the
gentry free to wear their bonnets and
feathers. statute cap. therefore, was
a wooden cap of English manufacture.
Loves Labor Lost was written while
the "wonlen law was in effect. After its
repeal the country was concerned about
the ways and means of encouraging the
woolen Industries Some advocated the
bur'n of the dead in wooden. To- this
srss est'on Beatrice alluded when she
said to Leonato: lust IL He send me
no husband for the which blessing am
Mt Him upon my knees every morning
and evening Lord! l could not endure
husband with q beard on his face;
had rather lie In the wooden, that Is,
had rather die and be buried i'm wooden.
The very thought of the wooden shroud
upon ones dead hody was a more OBJ
jectionable thing than death itself. In
1865 Parliament enacted a law recurring
burial lin woo'ens only This law was
supposedly In force until 1914 when II was
revealed. In Pope's Moral Essays. he re-
fers to this law. The Narcissa of his
poem was celebrated actress by the
name of Mrs Oldfeld. who died in 1881.
/ subjoin Pope's satire:
"odiousl In woolen, twould a saint pro-
voke"-
Were the last words that poor Narcissa
spoke.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

Gentlemen he said, st have given a
lar~e amount of business to you, far
more than you expected. as the result
of my trip. l have lot more business
which ! can give to YOU. It's all in black
and white in the papers in this package.
think any person who has worked as
hard as I have and SO well, deserves
a partnership in this firm. If you want
these orders you NAV have them. They
represent big profit to you. Good work
deserves proper reward. Look these pa
pers over and then tell me If you want
me to continue with you as member
of the firm
After the Crossmans loo',ed those pa :
pers over they had no doubt of the adj
visa bility Of taking Herman Sielcten into
partnership He was only junior for
some years. but in 1894 the firm be-
came Crossman & Sielcken. 1t prospered
amazingly. For the last 10 years 1t has
been the leading coffee house of the
world
At various times Sieicken was cred
tied with working corners in coffee. Be-
cause of this he got to be one. of the
most feared and hated men In the cof-
fee exchange. After while coffee didn' t
offer enough play for SielcFen's tremen-
'ous energy and ambition. He embarked
n various enterprises. among them the
steel industry and railroads. No one
vas too big for him to cross lances with.
''e and John w. Gates had titanic
fight In American Steel and Wire. Gates
rot the worst of it. Then Sielcken got
n a row with E. H. Hartman and George
T. Gould. This fight was for possession
Of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf
railroad, now known as the Kansas CITY
Southern Harrman.s Gould and Gates
rad taken it away from Arthur e. Still
veil. They had no particular regard TO
the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf.
t was north and south railroad and
disturbed the east and west traffic on
the trunk lines they controlled through
the grain bet The Kansas C'tv. PITTS
burg and Gulf gave a short haul to the
gulf The old established trunt lines
rave long railroad haul from Kansas.
TehrasFa and the middle west generally
to the Atlantic seabnard.
uarr'man permitted the Kansas CITY,
P't'shrro and Culf to d~oop Very lit
tie money was spent on maintenance cf
ad or equipment. Wrecks were fire.
"nent. Traffic fell off So did receipts
Then Sie'cken, representine syndicate
Of Dutchren who he'd LARGE block of
bonds got control. He had no practical
railroad exceren"e but what ne did witt,
that property within six months amazed
transportation men. When he took
charge there was an average Of three
wrecks a day. Within few months the
average was reduced to one wreck a
day. Within year he hrou~ht the
rrnrerty up TO fair state OF efficiency.
Today the Kansas City Southern is get
ting back to what it was designed to
be--a real railroad.
While busy with the Kansas City
Southern. Sielc''en found time to engi-
neer one of the biggest deals IN the world.
Brazil produces s. per cent of the world 8
supply of cofvee. Most of the Brazilian
coffee Ia raised In the state o< Sac Paulo
and territory nearby. Brazil made SO
much money out Of coffee for some years
that the planters thought there was no
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

Copyright, 1918, by Richard Spillane.)
i .RMAN SIELCKEN got married
the other day and took his bride
1 to his country home. Msriahalden,
at Baden Baden. Kaiser Wilhelm has SO
palaces and vast landed possessions, but
no one of his palaces and no one of his
estates approaches in beauty or extent
that owned by Herman Sielcken. Kaiser
Wilhelm Is monarch of Germany, but his
rule is limited to the German empire
Herman Sielcken is q monarch of COM
lnerce and his rule extends the world over.
Kaiser Wilhelm was born prince. Hers
man Sielcken was born poor. Perhaps
100000,000 persons pay tribute to Emperor
Wilhelm. Perhaps 500.000.000 persons pay
tribute to Herman Sielcken.
HERMAN Sielcken Is but one of hundreds
OF immigrants who came to America with
little more than energy and hope and to-
day are kings of industry, many of them
with wealth greater than that of any
hereditary king.
OF the tremendously rich and powerful
men of the United States, Selcken is one
of the least known. He was born In
Hamburg and before he was q went to
Costa s2ica to work for German firm
there. He didn't like the country an1
within year left for California. where
he got job as shipping clerk. So soor
as he learned to speak English with rea
sonable fiuency he sought work thai wou''
give an opportunity to him to travel and
get acquainted with people. A wool con-
Germ engaged him as buyer. and for five
<r six years he traversed the territory be-
tween the Rockies and the Pacific
wherever sheep We're raised and sheared
buving wool. On one of these trips he
was IN train wreck in OREGON and nesrlr
lost his life. When he recovered from his
injuries he came to New York seeking
work. He got clerical position in q
-oncern that imported crockery and glass
ware.
II was in 1860 that Sie,cken left Ger
many. IT was IN 1876 that he reached New
York In those eight years he made p
fair liv'rg-noth'ng more. Then there
came remarkable. change.
In Costa Plea he had learned tn speat
Spanish. Because of that fact .he was
able late In 1876 to obtain employment
with the firm of w, II. Crossnar r. SIM
witch handled cofsee on commission
basis Sielckan Went to South Amer'ca'
tn solicit consisnments for the crossmans
Hts success was surprising. For SIX ~
eieht months every mail from the south
ern continent brought business to the
house. Then. as the story goes his re-
ports ces sed suddenly. Weeks and months
passed and the firm heard nothing from
him.
What had become of hin, the Crossmans
had no idea. They feared he had caught
a fever and died. To trace him was dirt
cult He had no regular itinerary. 1t
distressed them good deal to lose 81
promising representative. Giving up all
hope OF getting any Information about
him, they looked around for man to take
his place. Then one morning he walked
into the office and said How dive dor
Just as II he had departed only the even
ing before. The members of the firm
questioned him eagerly. He answered
some OF the questions and some he didn't.
Then he laid package on the table
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

But Perkins was not so easily daunted.
and met each objection in a vigorous
way. However. Malone could not be en-
listed in the effort. and Perkins sallied
forth in search OF the sheriff, Theodore
Brightwel. with whom he was soon ON
horseback and they were making their
way to Colonel Hinsons. Meanwhile
Burr and his companion had reached
Hinson's about u O'Clock. Colonel Hin
son was absent. and In response to the
hailing at the gate Mrs Hinson glanced
through the window, saw two men mount
ed, and went back to bed without re-
spending. The travellers alighted, went
into the kitchen where a fire was still
burning and were warming themselves
when the sheriff. relative of Mrs. Hin
son walked into the kitchen, having left
Perkins on the roadside to await his re-
turn. as Perkins deemed it imprudent to
show himself, after having been talked
to in Wakefield. Burr partly concealed
his face with his Handkerchief, and at
first was the only occupant of the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

mo, let the charming chintz and Brus-
sells lace,
Wrap my cold limbs and shade my life
less face;
One would not, sure. be frightful when
ones dead
And, Betty, give the cheeks little red. :"
In Loves Labor Lost act 8. scene l..
Moth answers question propounded by
Armada, thus: NO master; the hobby
horse lis but a colt" In Hamlet we
read, For o, for o, the hobby horse
is forgot" In Much Ado About
Nothing" In "A Winters Tale" and in
"Othello.' we come upon the hobby
horse. The hobby horse figures in all the
paws of the times. He is in Bea umont
and Fletchers Women Pleased" in
Ben Johnson's Bartholomew Fair" and
in Kemp's Mine Dais Wonder we
have:
with hey, and no. through thick and
thin,
The hobby-horse quite forgotten,
| follow as I did begin,
Although the way were rotten
One must suppose that there is justii-
cation for the ubiquitous presence of the
hobby-horse vet. we are not to imagine
that the hobby-horse to which so many
illusions are made in old literature, is
the same thing our children call by that
name today. At the time In which many
of the PLAYS of Shakespeare We're writ
ten. the hobby-horse was the most con-
spicuous figure in the county May fairs
and public festivals. It's body was made
of twisted willow, it's head of paste
board, and over its sides hung two false
legs of a man. The horse was fas eued
around the waist of man, whose feet
being on the ground. enabled him to walk
whittier he would, While the horses feet
and legs were covered with a cloth down
to the ground The false legs gave the
effect of the "rider's' own legs. This