davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
THE STENOGRAPHER

From Golfers Weekly.
Who else knows us half so well? She
has heard all that we have said and
then made notes of it. She has read our
incoming letters. She knows who pleads
with us for help and what we do about
1t. Do we write frankly or evasively, she
follows the straight hewed line or the
curve of our deviousness. Are we cour-
teous only to the powerful. or is our
treatment even to all who come seeking I?
The woman at our elbow, hammering out
out paragraphs, is a clear eyed witness.
Over the telephone voices drift in from
the world, and the tone of each is caught
and judged before our presence is ac-
knowledged. She knows whether our
friends are worthy. Is the home happy?
She knows it. She notes all our tricks of
person. Our good temper, our clean
speech, fly further than we guess She is
familiar with the stale phrases we scatter
over the thousand routine letters, and
is gladdened when we light up the languid
page with an unspoilled turn. She is
aware when we have tumbled out from
laden desk to worlds series ball game.
She, too, would enjoy Mr.. Bakers versa
tility, but she wades through our debris
till twilight. She could keep our tardy
correspondence up to the minute, but she
has to time her efficiency to our limita-
tions. Never outpacing us, she Is as loyal
in the background as our shadow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
The Mex ellar Bill

The introduction by Representative
McKellar of Tennessee of bill in the
House of Representa- lives designed to
prevent the cornering of foodstuffs by
market spectators is timely with the
whole nation stirred by the present
price on eggs. 81 cannot conceive" he
declares, "of any greater crime
against the public than cornering of
the market of foodstuffs."
Mr.. Kellar charges that by use OF
cold storage, warehouse gamblers,
whom he terms 'voracious vultures of
the market place." have frequently
established themselves in position
where they could practically dictate
the price of any food to the whole ma
ton. This he believes is wrong, as
does every man affected by the mat
ter, which is saying the entire popu-
lation of the United States.
No one, of course, will underrate
for moment the value of the cold
storage industry. 1t is, indeed, one OF
the great boons in our modern life;
but the spectators who take advant-
age of it's possibilities for the pur.
pose of controlling the price of food
must always incur resentful opposi-
tion on the part of the public.
This practice of food speculation
should be stopped, and if such drastic
measures as are contained in the pro
posed law are necessary to cope with
the situation, then they should by al
means be enacted. There has beer
great agitation in regard to specula-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
Work for the Army

An end has come to the period of in
activity for at least part of Uncle
Sans army along the Mexican bor-
der. The soldiers are not taking lives,
however; they are saving them.
Gen. Tasker H. Bliss, commanding
in Texas, reports that portion of the
troops under his command are engaged
in the work of rescuing persons left
marooned by the floods. 1t is esti-
mated that Ia, 900 were in the bottoms
before the coming of the waters, and
of these no more than 1000 succeeded
in reaching havens of safety. Ten
thousand are cut off by the floods, and
United States soldiers are taking an
active part in the task of rescue and
relief.
Those marooned are herded in their
homes or in gin houses, and are desti-
tute. Food, clothing and blankets are
needed, and these are being supplied
as rapidly as possible by the soldiers.
The United States army has become
a factor for untold good in times of
such stress. And really it is a much
nobler work than that of shooting
folks,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
EYE-STRAIN AND CRIME,
From the Journal of the American Med.
ical Association

From the Journal of the American Med
ical Association.
A SAN FRANCISCO schoolteacher.
"a who had suffered much from eye
trouble herself, at one of her
visits to her oculist's office described an
incorrigible child in her school who ap-
peared to have some defect of sight This
suspicion had been repeatedly reported to
his parents, but as they were poor as
we'll rs ignorant nothing had been ac-
complished so far. She decided there
fore to make an independent effort in
the boys behalf and solicited the assist
ance of her oculist's aid. There were
doubts of any good accomplishments be-
ing possible, as the boy seemed both ex-
traordinarily duh and superlatively mean.
His teacher said that at the age of IL
years he was the worst child in her ex-
perience of many years in school work.
He frequently played hockey, asso-
ciated with the worst boys of all ages,
smoked cigarettes, swore like trooper
and lied outrageously; besides, he seemed
to take a stupid pride in learning moth
ing and thwarting all her efforts. The
only physical defect noticed was that he
held print unusually close to his eyes
Examination showed one eye had two
sevenths and the other one-fifth of nor
NAL vision.
The boy was dumbly Indifferent in the
beginning to the eye test. but after much
labor and aggravation, lenses were placed
before his eyes, giving practically perfect
vision at once; then he showed symptoms
of being almost human. The glasses were
ordered and the case gladly dismissed.
More than year afterward the doctor
saw the teacher again and inquiries were
made with misgivings. The report was
after he procured the glasses and had
gained consent for his wearing them, the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
vlcksburg progresslve.

I was in Vicksburg recently and was
glad to see indications of modern prog
ress there" said George II. Clark, the
well known engineer
"Vicksburg struck me as being a very
hourishing city, Notwithstanding the fact
that the boil weevil had played havoc
with the cotton this year In the nearby
territory. 1t was estimated that the cot
ton tributary to the Vicksburg market
was reduced by the boil weevil from 10000
bales to 10000
THE grand jury in session at Vicks-
burg was dealing with the graft cases.
and intense excitement prevailed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
A PRINCE AMONG WATERS
From the Chicago Record Herald.

From the Chicago Record-Herald.
One of the most remarkable cases of
good nature and condescension under try
ing circumstances that has ever been re-
ported was described recently by corre-
srondent of the New York Sun. This
truly arpreciative man said that he had
taken lunch at restaurant when, to his
horror, he discovered that he had just
money enough to pay the bill. He was
not shocked because he had had such a
narrow escape fiom pledging his watch
or because Re saw his finish in a soup
house. but because there was still an in
debtedness to be discharged. There was
the waiter and as an inevitable conse-
quence the tip.
Think of the tortures the poor man
must have endured while he studied on
the problem, CT bis sense of littleness and
shame as the lowering attendant poised
above him, smiled upon him. oppressed
nim with troublesome courtesies, en-
veloped him as if he were a possession to
which title had been proved. He was GER
tainly in corner, but he was person
Of a quick wit and very resourceful. He
asked the waiter if he could use subway
tickets received the cheering answer that
he could, and squared himself with the
offer of two of the tickets, which were
accepted without a freezing hauteur.
No doubt ash will always be preferred
to subway tickets or anything else, but
here was waiter who set an example
of princely consideration for a cashless
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
Views On RuSfucss.

1.-THE cool, seasonable weather Is having
fine effect on businessmen only on
certain lines of retail trade. but on prac-
tically every line of business" said III. j.
Porter president of the Porter Clothing
company. I'm November there was a
slump in trade all over the country, but
December will witness probably healthy
volume of business here and elsewhere.
The Birmingham district is in excellent
shape. When | came to Birmingham to
live several years ago the Industrial ac-
tivities indicated big pay rolls and fast
growth, but there has been vast improve
ment in every way since 1 began bust
ness here. Large industries have multi
Piled There has been wonderful develop
ment in coal mining and in the manu-
facture of finishd products from pig iron.
the American Radiator company has one
of the most important industries in the
district, and it's operations here were
eral years after I became a citizen of
Birmingham. The wire mill at Fairfield
costing several million dollars is just now
completed and will be turning out wire
early in January. These immense plants
give a character of permanency to Bir-
| mingham that other cities of approx
mately Birminghams size lack; and many
other pay roll-producing plants have been
built quietly here within the last two or
three years. The future of Birmingham
grows brighter every year, and it cannot
be easily overestmated.
when I was in New York recently. I
found in bot oit aI
! dull but everybody was feeling that just
as soon as the currency bill was passed
there would be a very decided improve
ment. The revised tariff is seldom re-
ferred to, business concerns affected by
1t having adjusted themselves to the new
schedules. The currency measure pend
ing in Congress seems to be all that is
holding the financial world back just now.
Its passage will have an immediate ef-
feet of the cheering sort. The banks are
loaded with money, and as business Is
fundamentally sound. believe that early
in the coming year the country from
one end to the other will enjoy great
prosperity. Georgia and Alabama are
especially prosperous this winter as a re-
suit of large crops and the high prices
the farmers have received.
"If the interstate commerce commits
sion allows the carriers to increase their
freight rates, and l believe the commits
sion will act favorably, as it certainly
should, the iron market would boom once
more. About so per cent cf the iron that
is made In this country goes into rail-
road material, and about 40 per cent OF
the lumber is used by the railroads.
Everybody in this part of the country
should be earnestly in sympathy with the
transportation companies. I believe the
railroads have received worse treatment
than any of the large corporations. Wages
have been going up steadily and rates
have been kept down. I believe that pub
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
NOT SURE OF HER FIGURE

From the Popular Magazine
Attorney General McReynolds tells this
on himself:
Some years ago he was the attorney
for the defense in an important case which
hinged on the testimony of one woman.
Consequently, he conducted the cross-ex-
animation of the fair witness with ella b.
crate caution.
How old are you?' he led off, preparing
to trap her if her reply did not tally with
an important date in the story she had
just told.
"Fiftyfour or Ca" she answered, f1us-
tered by the ordeal she faced.
What do you mean?' demanded Nc
Reynolds, leaning far forward In his chair
and looking particularly stern. Don't
you know your own age?"
I'm not sure" the woman replied
doubtfully. Indeed. I'm not sure. You
see, 1 always get my age and my bust
measurement mixed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
Az a Convention city.

Now that Birmingham will soon have
nts palatial hotel completed, all that will
be needed to make this a great conven-
tion city is an auditorium with seating
capacity of 5000 or 10000" said Charles II.
Winfrey of Chicago.
II am told that the new hotel will have
many features similar to those of the
Blackstone of Chicago, which at the time
it was built, not very long ago, was the
last word in hotels in this country.
Birmingham is now the most talked of
town in the south. and it is generally
thought that it will eventually catch up
in population with New Orleans Its
growth seems to have been considerable
since 1 was last here two years ago, and
the large buildings that are now in course
of construction must make fine inn
preston on visitors
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
The Anti-Tuberculosis Work

The officers of the jefferson County
Anti tuberculosis association are de-
sirous of having the people OF this
community call at headquarters, 1T
North Twenty first street, and see for
themselves some of the evidences of
the practical good that is being ac-
complished. The demonstration lee
lures every night are of distinct in
terest, and the public is invited to at
tend them.
The association has conducted an
effective campaign of education, and
thoughtful citizens are beginning to
see now that the tuberculosis
work is not a mere charity. All this
effort to cure and, better still to pre-
vent its spread, comes under the head
of defense. AS someone remarked the
other day, this anti-tuberculosis move
ment is as much in the nature of de-
fense as the fire department.
The achievements of the association
with limited means have been great
and with proper cooperation on the
part Of the people results will be fan
greater in the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
POINTED PARAGRAPHS
n the Chicago News

From the Chicago News.
Your young physician very speedily ac-
quires a wise look.
A poor movement set on foot may result
in a lame excuse.
More than watch dog is needed to
keep the wolf from the door.
No man succeeds unless he takes
chances; neither does he fail.
Some people act as If they had corner
on the earthly saint business.
The good will of business is generally
appraised at more than it Is worth
When love at first sight leads to mar
riage second sight is apt to lead to di-
vorce.
There's lot of credit coming to a
good woman in the next world that she
failed to get in this.
All the worlds stage-and some of us
can't even get a chance to look at the
play from the gallery.
Although woman may be afraid of a
little mouse, she never forgives her hus-
band for not being a Carnegie medal
hero.
Now that paper Is being made from
cornstalks. let some genius proceed to
convert yesterdays newspapers into cat
tie food.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

child's transformation was rapid and conf
plete. He had become the willing slave
OF the teacher where before he seemed
to resent her every interest In him: he
never missed day in school, where for
merly playing truant was chronic with
him. He was the head of his class now,
where previously he was too dull to be
classed at all; he had voluntarily stopped
his numerous bad habits and had become
the marvel of the neighborhood, as we'll
as the joy of his parents. and so on.
The explanation of this metamorphosis
Is simple and natural The child was
more than three-fourths blind and no one
had known it. He could not learn because
he could not see and his eyes and head
undoubtedly panied him when straning to
see. His incorrect and absurd answers
made the other pupils laugh at and guy
him, so he hated everything connected
with the school. and in playing truant he
met the worst possible associates and
learned from them his notable array of
vicious habits. When he put on his
glasses he saw the world for the first time
clearly and in comfort. He therefore
was able to learn and his ambition was
aroused. Hence he loved schooling and
the opportunity to show his real capa-
bility, and by regular attendance at
school lost the bad companionship which
was really responsible for his show of
criminal tendencies. After the boy be-,
came the pride of the school his parents
took an interest and aided him, where
before they ignored so unlovable a child.
boy who at the age of IL was the worst
child i'll the school and neighborhood and
was absolutely callous to all moral su-
aston, would probably have developed into
a criminal. 1t is no exaggeration. there's
fore, to say that the development OF a
dangerous breaker of law and order of
an extreme type was prevented by pair
of glasses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
KATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN

Nichols Crouch
p ATHLEEN MAVOURNEEN the dawn IS
The horn on
lark from dew is sha king
= Kat Mavourneen, what-slumberng still?
hast forgotten e
hast forgotten how
may be and it forever;
why ar thou SILENT thou
and it forever,
thou silent, Kathleen
un1b
mountains glow in the golden
wher spell that
Arise in thy beauty, Star M
Mayourneen, sad falling,
To think Erin and thee part.
1t be Tor and it be forever;
Then VIII thou sient-thou o my
be
VIII thou silent, Kathleen Mavourneen?
when the ~ .
suffe n exile with nought to
The OF far above life's
Will sweeten sadden lone pilgrimage.
Oh Mavourneen, long
lives. arise! for this day part;
nd 1t be
Arise sumbers-O Heart Heart.
1t be for andtit
Flower of Erin. Kathleen of Kildarst
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
INTERNATIONAL LAND SWAPS.
From the Springfield Republican.

Denmark, so says rumor, wants ia
swap Greenland to the United States
for Mindanao and then give Mindanao
to Germany in exchange for Schles-
wig -Holstein. This deal may be put
in the same class with the proposal
to have the United States give Cam
ada the Alaskan panhandle In ex-
change for British Honduras and then
transfer British Honduras to Mexico
in return for Lower California. Sucl,
complicated bargains are rather too
confusing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
Richmond On the James.

Il was in my old home town of Rich
mond on the James the other day. and
was glTd to see that it was going ahead
rapidly" said w. E Leake.
In years past the Virginia capital
grew steadily, but not as fast as some
other southern cities. Recently, how
ever, its pace has been equal to that
of Atlanta, and nearly as fast, If not
quite, as Birmingham's Richmond has
long been wealthy city, and today its
great strides are remarked by all of us
who knew 1t in other days"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
LoOphOle for the UniOnists

Loyalty to the existing order of
things technically is the pinnacle of
patriotism. Therefore, F. E. Smith,
Andrew Bonar Law and Sir Edward
Carson claim that they are not preach
ing sedition when they advise the men
Of Ulster to oppose home rule by force
of arms. But when the home rule bill
is actually upon the statute books of
Great Britain, then there will be a
different story to tell.
All the arming and the drilling and
the taking of fast-binding oaths which
have been going on in Ulster so far
are for the preservation of conditions
long legal. 1t is no political crime to
proclaim that the order of government
will be upheld at any cost. But if the
order changes and Ireland is given a
parliament of its own, the Ulsterites
must amend their manner or they will
become rebels, and as such liable ito all
the penalties the law prescribes.
Smith, Law and Carson know they
are safe in preaching armed resistance
to home rule. Practicing it is another
matter entirely. When home rule is
passed by Lords and Commons there
probably will be an immediate cessa-
ton of the mock heroics which have
been going on in Ulster. Otherwise,
the government will be compelled to
act with energy and dispatch
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

lie sentiment now will turn strongly in
favor of the railroads. Railroad rate reg
ulation is right, but every reasonable
request the carriers make should be
granted. Now. coming back to the bust
ness outlook, it is my prediction that 1914
will mark the beginning of a new era of
good times for all of US"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
A PROTEST.

Hello, old fellowl' said Loafling to
Buserton. Il just dropped in to kill lit
tie time"
For the love of Mikew exclaimed
his labors, kill it out in the hall. I OBJ
iect to my office being used for that sort
of abattoir."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
BLANKET INDUSTRY.

From the Nashville Banner.
Now that the fugitive Navajos have
surrendered, the blanket industry
will emerge from its period of depres-
sion.-Birmingham Age-Herald.
Business of profit-taking in New Eng
land. The Navajo war. while it lasted.
was mighty hard on Yankee blankets
makers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
LOOKING FORWARD.

Mrs. Twobble's little boy is employed
now in the office of a steel magnate."
"His first job, eh?"
Eyes. And Mrs. Twobble says that
when he gets to be president of the COM
pany she expects to spend all her winters
in Cuba"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
IN ADVERSELY.

When dark days come-a heavy heart
Is beating in your breast,
You seem, somehow, to We lost the art
OF hoping for the best;
When troubled dreams invade your slee
And when you wake to sigh,
Strive on, my friend, your pledges keep
And never cease to try!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

According to a cable dispatch from
Rome to the New York Sun the pope
is about to renounce his temporal power
and make up with the Italian govern
ment Count della Ore. president of a
powerful Catholic organization. the
Popular Union, reiterated at the conelu-
sion of the Catholic congress at Milan
a proposal of concilliation between the
Quirinal and the Vatican. He proclaimed
the patriotism of all Italian Catholics
who, he said. recognized the sovereign
ty of the state, and expressed the hope
that the pope's reconciliation with
Italy would be brought about through
the constitutional will of the nation
without Limitation of the states SOW
ereignty. The counts speech is said to
have been undoubtedly inspired by the
Vatican. 1t is believed that the decis-
ion of the Holy See will be announced
In Forthcoming papal document.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10
NOTHING MISSED

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Have you been in Mrs. elders new
homer"
mo"
ITS furnished perfectly exquisite You
ought to see the antiquei Everything is
just as old as 1t can be! Why. she hasn't
neglected a single PERIOD
"Indeedr
Yes. What do you think? She's even
got Queen Anne vacuum cleaner!''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

/ patron that is most encouraging. Prob
ably in the largeness of his nature he
would have accepted postage stamps or
any small valuables. If you are caught
er, do not abandon hope until you have
made an inventory of all the portable
property you may have about your per-
son. Walters are human, after all, and
not above those little concessions that
smooth life's pathway.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

The goose bone prophets who began
early in the fall to forecast a winter
of unusual severity will be discredited
unless the weather bureau gets busy
pretty soon. This cool spell, however
wintrV
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

When T. r. talks in South America he
cans, but the chances are that he listens
intently for an echo from this land of
Urcle Sam
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

''Voracious vultures of the market
places" and "plunderbund of food sharks
is the inspired way in which Represen-
tatlve Mcclellan of Tennessee speaks of
cold storage spectators. But the aver
impervious to criticism as the average
cold storage egg.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

1t develops now that young Mr.. Sayre,
who recently enjoyed a White House
wedding, is something of an explorer and
knows a few Eskmos.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

Whether Mr.. Pindel1 of Peoria gets
to St. Petersburg or not he will con-
tinue to be the inspiration of many a
pert paragraph.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

hoodoo trust has been unearthed in
Cuba. The verb "unearthed' is used ad-
visedly because "hoodoo trust is apt
to be rather deep affair.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

Even the 3year- old member of the
household knows enough arithmetic to
feel sure that Christmas Will be here
two weeks from tomorrow
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

Paris police are waging war on long
hatpins. Long hatpins are apt to cut
short the ogling career OF many a boule-
vardier.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

President Wilson did not commit him.
self when visited by suffragists. The
President knows when, where and how to
be foxy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

Something ought to be done with the
nag that is engaged to run in Ben
Hur" chariot race and won't run.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-10

A Massachusetts man is living on 9
cents day. He is probably compelled
to buy a few Christmas presents.