davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
The IncomInu aam,n,.,ro,iou


Notwithstanding the fact the federal
patronage has become comparatively
limited by reason of the civil service
law, there are apparently as many DEM
ocratic applicants for office as If the
new administration were going TO re-
turn to the spoils SYSTEM" said Hiram
L. Menzel of Philadelphia
Il am a national progressive but
many of my best friends are democrats
ana several democrats in my part of
the country are aspirants for federal
office. President-elect Wilson has said
very clearly that he did not believe in
disturbing the working force of the
government merely to put his support
ers In office. l believe that in all large
cities where republican postmasters are
giving satisfaction they will be allowed
to remain in office indefinitely. As to
the consular offices there will be no
changes whatever. because the entire
consular service is on an established
non-partisan basis No one is appointed
consul except after a rigid examination
and once appointed he is in the service
Tor life or during good behavior.
Il can remember when consuls were
partisans and received their appoint
ments as rewards for party work Those
days have gone for ever"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

From the New York Sun.
Even those old established humbugs
the Four Seasons bow to the spirit of
can't attend to their business. They
must be waiting for an all wise federal
government to regulate it.
The Oldest Inhabitant pretends to
stretch his elastic prevaricating MEM
ory and remembers nothing like the
recent and present continuous spring
and warm spell Greens" are being
picked right under the nose of Uncle
Horace johnson, the Middle Haddam
weather seer. who didn't foresee this
long masque of winter. Robins are pip
ing ironically on the window sill OF
Andrew Jackson De Voc, the Hacken-
sack Wizard All the oracles OF all the
soothsayers to scorn are scattered.
About this time look out for wasps.
waiting. Snakes have been seen in East
Boston.
In the name of the crops, Of trade,
of lungs, to which Is offered warm,
weary, fiabby and enervating atmos-
phere; in the name of ice cutters, skate
makers, sled makers; in the name of
depressed and flaccid community, give
us cold wave; give us the air that
bites and braces; bring the ridiculous
old dotard absentee back to his work.
No blizzard, If you please; mercifuliy
pour that on Kansas. where 1t will dis
solve before the unfailing flame OF Red
Stubbs poll; but end the unhoiy mo-
nopoly, the restraint of competition
now so long exercised by spring.
Does the west grudge even living
weather to "Wall street,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
STORY OF A FAMOUS SONG

Franklin SqYere Song Collection.
Listen to the Mocking Bird" was
written and first published in 1855 by
septemus Winner of Philadelphia under
the nom de plume of "Alice Haw
thorne," his mothers maiden name.
1t was sug gested incidentally by list
ening to colored man, Dick Milburn,
known as "Whistling Dick" who wan
dered about the city whistling an imi-
tation of mocking bird, at the same
time strumming an accompaniment on
a guitar.
The song was published in ballad
form and at once became very popular.
and such is it's hold upon the public
fancy that, although it has been sung
and whistled and played the country
over for an average lifetime, it still
retains its place as song of national
reputation. 1t was sold by Mr.. Winner
to the flrm of Lee & Walker for
trifiing sum. The profits from its sale
have exceeded 100000. perhaps the
largest amount ever realized from any
musical composition of its class
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
A BLOW AT BACHELORS
Washington Post

4 rom the WdSHiHStou iost.
The policy said to have been adopted
Ly the New Haven railroad of fayoring
married employees over bachelors is cer-
tair. to arouse considerable comment Not
all of it, we suspect, will be favorable
10 the policy taken by this corporation,
v nich admits, in the same breath In
which it announces the scheme, the weak
nesses which are inherent in ii. Ac-
cor6ing to ehe railroad company steady
married men, possessed of wives of indus
trious habits, will prove the most COM
petent and careful employees, and these
are to be promoted in preference to men
of sporting proclivities.' or those whose
lives show tSaits of character that may
unsettle their husbands and make them
worry while at work. Hasn't the New
Haven management here placed it's finger
upon the weakest spot in the married
mans armor?
This great employer recognizes the
handicap under which man labors whose
home life is not a happy one. whose wife
is quarrelsome, extravagant and friv-
o,ous That such man should be a
Door workman seems inevitable. Probably
ne would make a less valuable employe
than the man of sporting proclivities.
by whom, presumably, is meant the gay
ard giddy bachelor. That all bachelors
have sporting proclivities' is myth too
deeply rooted in prejudice to be refuted
cffhand, but to say that married men
are frequently addicted to them in all
their varied forms is but to state what
philosophers have long observed.
The most unsatisfactory employe of all,
we imagine, is the married man of sport
ing proclivities,' mated to woman of
cxtrayagant tastes and sour disposition.
The combination is, indeed. SO common
as TO lead to the suspicion that the traits
m the wife may be traced to those in the
husband, and vice versa. In preferring
happily married men over those not IN
this class the railroad is doubtless psy-
chologically sounl But why discriminate
AGAINST the bachelors? Many of them
are hard working and worthy citizens.
and should be given change to live.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
CONFIDENTIAL WOODROW
ny BILL VINES

| take up the affairs of the government IN
all branches and begin to reign, and not
single lifelong democrat can with any
oegree of certainty point out single man
who will be in The cabinet. Not day
passes but what some distinguished sem
s-or or congressman or something Will
nike up to Trenton full of enthusiasm and
eloquent language, and leave blue print
of the qualifications of some candidate for
cabinet portfolio and for several days
thereafter the papers and the gossips viii
declare with certainty that SO and so Is
going to be secretary of something, and
t,:en that little boomlet will curl up and
pass in its checks and the opaque and
dense uncertainty of the situation Will
again assert itself.
There are plenty of men in the demo-
cratic party who would grace any one of
the cabinet positions--they admit it them
selves-they have admitted it TO President
elect Wilson. and. the information has
been delicately conveyed to him that they
we're ready and willing to serve their
oountry-at great personal sacrifice-in
that capacity, but if he has decided to
appoint any one of them, he cheerfully
conceals the fact The situation is get
ting on our nerves. President-elect Wilson
is credited with the statement that moth
ing but progressives will be on guard"
OF course he refers to progressives with
a little ''p" not big "P." In other
words, progressive democrats. There are
all progressive, some of them progress
enc way and some another. but If you
want brick thrown through your plate
glass front. just dare to say that any
democrat in Congress is not progress
sive, and there will be something doing.
Fol the past two or three weeks the
querry of What is a progressive?" has
been as about an interesting a question
as the once famous problem of What Is
whisky?"
The bookmakers declare that William j.
Bryan is the only favorite, and the only
one ON which you can place your bundle
with anything like cinch to win. All
the rest are 100 to 1 shots, and are apt to
stop in the stretch and bite the fence
while some unknown gallops home with
the bacon. In the meantime, the Presi-
dent-elect's wonderful capacity for keep
ing his own counsel would certainly be
conducive toward making some of our
sseat statesmen peevish-if they didn't
think 1t would be bad form to get that
way before they know where they are at.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
SHRINE OF ABELAaD AND HELoIsE

From 'The Battlefield of Love- by Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, in National Magazine.
The worlds greatest batt,efelds are al
ways shrines for the tourists. Waterloo
is yearly visited by thousands of trav-
elers. and pilgrimages are continually
made in our own land to Bunker Hill.
Yorktown and Gettysburg.
When l came to France it was my de-
sire to visit another great battlefield; q
field where waged q strife that has re-
sounded through centuries--that remark
able strife between religion and human
passion, in the hearts of Abelard and
Heloise.
Guide books point only to the tomb OF
Pere Lachaise as all that survives OF
philosopher and pupil lover and maid
husband and wife, monk and nun; but
1t was my good fortune to learn more of
the lives of this i'll fated pair than the
translated volumes of their letters relate;
aid to see more of the places and objects
associated with their names. than the
tomb at Pere Lachase.
Guided through the mazes of the ceme-
terry to the tomb of the immortal lovers.
ny Charles Moonen, whose card and con-
versation proclaimed him ''Homme des
lettres, while ne acted as professional
suide, ! learned an interesting fact.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

Here i the list of the men that Con-
gress is expected TO incorporate as the
american academy of immortals. It
was made In Boston. Read 1t over name
by name: Woodrow Wilson, William
Team Howells, Henry James. Henry
Acams, Thomas r. Lounsbury, Theodore
Roosevelt, John S. Sargent. Alfred Thayer
Mahan, Daniel Chester French, John Bur-
ioughs, James Ford Rhodes, Horatio w.
I'arker, William Mlligan Sloane. r. I'm
6erwood johnson, George w. Gable. An
drew D. White, Henry Van Dyke. William
C. Brownell, Basil l.. Gildersleeve, Arthur
T. Hadley, Henry Cabot Lodge. f. Hop
l,nson Smith, Edwin II. Blashfield, Owen
Wister, Augustus Thomas, William M.
Chase. Thomas Hastings, Hamilton
Wright Mabie. Brander Matthews, Thom-
as Nelson Page, Elihu vedder, George
Edward Woodberry. Kenyon Cox, George
v Nhiteheld Chadwick, Abbott ii. Thayer,
John Muir, Charles Francis Adams, Henry
Mills Alden, George de Forest Brush
William Rutherford Mead. John W. Alex
ander, Bliss Perry. Abbott Lawrence Low
eli James whiteomb Riley. Nicholas MUIR
iay Butler, Paul Wayland Bartlett,
George Browne Post.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
Some Historic DueJ.

zone OF the illustrated articles IN
I.eslie's of January 90 gives grapbic
account of the Mordecai- -McCarty dnel
fought in Richmond in April. 1873"
said an old member of Birmingham,s
Virginia colony. The narrative is re-
lated by the late William L. Royall
who was one of Richmond's most
prominent lawyers and who was Nor
decai's second.
"Mordecai and McCarty had been
classmates in the law school of the
University of Virginia. Both had fine
records in the Confederate army ana
both were members of the Richmond
club and were prominent in Rich-
monds social life. Mordecai was NOR
tally wounded and McCarty seriously
but recovered and lived for MANY
years The duel was over a woman.
a beautiful belle in Richmond society
who had many suitors. including Nc
Carly and Mordecai. All the partici-
pants of that affair OF honor are now
dead. Royal had always declined TO
discuss the duel. but shortly before
his death he was induced to write Tho
narrative which is now published in
INslie's. In .he Introduction to Rova,rs
account it is stated that this was the
last of the great southern duels-the
one which struck the death knell Of
duelling in the south But this is a
mistake. 1t was the last duel in high
life. l believe. in which one of the
principals received mortal wound.
but there were several political duels
in Virginia during the SOS which near
ly proved fatal
Gen. William Malone bolted the
democratic party ard by an alliance
with the republicans wrested the state
from democratic control. Trouble then
began which lasted for five years,
or more and which called to mind the
bloody days of the reconstruction pc
riod. For at least four years Virginia
was terrorized by Malone and his lieu
tenants. The dominance of Mahoneism
was broken in 1888 as direct result
of the election Immediately following
the Danville riot, although< General
Malone, who served six years as Unit
ed states senator, was not finally over
thrown until he ran for governor in
1889. During the Malone regime many
challenges were sent and among the
ducls fought was that between Col
Tom Smith of Fauquier county, dem
ocrat, and William c. Elam. editor oi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
A Large Concert Band

Il am glad to know that Mr.. Memoli
Is rehearsing a large brass and reed
pand Tor the purpose of giving a series
Oh high class concerts between now and
inner said prominent music lover.
since returning from Italy where ne
studied for three years and conducted
concerts during a part of that time Mr.
Memoh has been engaged in teaching,
but he has recently got together band
Oh ABOUT 30 pieces and has already had
eVeral rehearsals. He will probably give
the first concert ON a Sunday in Feb
ruaryn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

ing the attendance and testimony of
witnesses before immigration authori-
ties.
7. Providing for matrons, inspectors
and surgeons on immigrant ships at
the discretion of the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor.
8. Providing for the deportation of
aliens who become criminals three
wears subsequent to entry.
9. Providing for interior immigrant
stations.
10. Providing against illegal entry
of seamen and stowaways.
II. Permitting aliens to be repre-
sented by counsel in appeals from de-
cisions of boards of special inquiry.
IL. Providing experts in insanity in
large ports of entry.
13. A new definition of the meaning
of the word "alien' where it appears
in the law.
When the President signs this bill
the literacy test will for the first time
in the history of this country be ap-
piled to a person seeking home IN
America. Nearly all the provisions
of the bill have a tendency to dis
courage immigration, but it will not
stop the flood that has been fully
started. Immigrants will continue TO
come in while steamships with steer
age space to be filled continue to ar
rive at our ports.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
xyyzAsHINGroN. January as.-tspe-
| NJ cial)-since woodrow Wilson

w eial'-sin'e woodrow Wilson
won his election last November,
and especially since he returned to Tren-
ton from his vacation in Bermuda. every
sta esman of any great importance in the
democratic councils in washington, and
indeed in the country, has been to see
nm, or is on the slate to go to see
him, and chew over the incoming admin
istration.
Evefy single one of them who have
visited him, from this city at least, have
returned in high good humor For three
or four days they would wear a smile
that would lead people to believe that
they were greatly pleased with their in
terview with the President-elects and
were eminently satisfied with the situa-
lion. But gradually that smile began to
wear off Said statesmen would begin to
reflect upon the really tangible informa-
ton which the President-elect handed TO
linn during their very pleasant and high
ly confidential chat, and the more he re-
fected UPON it the more he began TO
realize that what he didn't know about
what was going to be done and who was
going 10 do 1t would fill a very large
sized Carnegie library, and then some.
He would thefr concentrate his mind on
what actually did happen at Trenton, and
= hen he brought it down to the last an
a,ysis, he was forced to the inevitable
conclusion that nothing happened and not
much of that.
The truth of the matter is that the
President-e1ect who has been an imparter
Of information by profession all his life
has evidently gone into voluntary bank
-uptey so far as information is concerned
and has permanently retired from the i'm
parting business. He gets one of our
leading statesmen up to Trenton and per-
mits him to work large and burning
surplus of advice out of his system, pats
him on the back and expresses his indy
ing appreciation for said advice, and
leaves him under the impression that his
lfe would have been lived in vain, instead
of New Jersey, IL he had not obtained
said advice, and sends him away full of
JOY and Trenton scenery, but with about
as much knowledge about who is going
II be who in the new administration as
q New York banker has about the money
trust when before the Pujo committee.
Here it is just little over a month
until the democratic administration will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
REFLECTIONS OF 4 BACHELOR

from the New York Press.
Eeing fair in business is very ex-
r,nsive way of running it.
What makes a woman so loyal to her
Ecsband is he isn't to her.
The further girl will run from
after her.
The more man hates to get up prompt-
y in the morning the more he will lie
Gbcut how he does it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
TWO BUTTERFLIEs

From the Yonker's Statesman.
Mrs. Styles-"A curious fact about the
butterfly is the size of the case from
which the insect proceeds. The case is
rarely more than one inch long and a
quarter of an inch in thickness; the but
terfly covers a surface of nearly four
inches square"
Mr.. Styles-"The same thought has
come to me when | have seen fash-
ionably dressed woman coming out or
fashionable apartment
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Development In Five Years

birmingham has made remarkable
progress in the past hve years. said Fl.
II. Atwel1 of Chicago.
My first visit to this city was in
1907, just before the wall street panic.
| came again the following year and
"hiie fnere We're many signs of bus
mess iIe then commercial activities
had evidently been temporarily retard-
eo: My third visit was in 1911, and
hardiy knew the city, so great had
been its strides. And on this, my fourth
visit, | see that still greater improve
ments have taken place. Birmingham
Is going ahead at rapid rate and
the next census will probably find it
with a population of 800, 900 or more"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
Pump and Automatic shotgun.

Il have come to the conclusion that
the use of either the pump gun or the
automatic in killing birds should be
prohibited by law said prominent
sportsman.
AS the law now stands the bag limit
is 20 birds. Very we'll; the best shots
can and do kill sometimes three to five
birds on a. flush. If covey happens to
light pretty We'll punched, and get up
'one-two-three' and so on crack shot
will kill all of them with a pump gun.
which carries five shells; and the auto
matte is the most rapid of all firearms.
'The boil weevil is getting to be a men
ace to the cotton plant and to the pros
perty of the country The dove and
quail are the very best friend of the
farmer in destroying this pest Now. If
the quail are killed out almost 10 the point
of extinction. the result. can be easily
figured out. I am not an alarmist; also
| am no game hog. I am fully satisfied
when, as sportsman, l bag the limit. |
enjoy seeing well trained dogs work on
quail, quite as much as l do killing the
birds. l have shot every guage of gun
from the 10 guage down to the 20. For
trap shooting, at ducks, turkeys and large
game. the IL guage is the gun. I have
come to the conclusion that for the gem
tleman sportsman the ideal gun is the
latest pattern IS guage, double -barreled
gun.
BY the way, ones friends often say
to sportsman when he is starting on a
hunt, Bring me bird or two, little
Knowing that the average cost of every
quail brought into the city by real sports
men is not less than 81 per- bird Only
last week party of men waded through
10 miles of mud away back into the coun-
try near Eutaw and although they killed
many birds they reached home with but
few. The reason why?-over 100 birds
were spoiled by the hot weather Along
the railroads, at points in easy reach of
Birmingham. the birds are scarce this sea-
son."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

Free advice is the dearest to follow.
Too many friends can break Croesus.
Scandal shrieks so loudly that truth
cent make itself heard.
Next to having curly hair the right re-
I.gion is very important to a woman.
After woman gets reconciled to the
WAYS of -fhe man she's married she then
sets out to convince herself that he's a
good husband.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

'At Argenteuil." said Mr.. Moonen, you
VIII find the old convent still standing,
though no longer convent. where Heloise
received her first communion, and to
which she returned afterward to take the
vows for life"
So to Argenteuil the next day was the
pngrimmage made; at first to meet with
many disbursements and battling con-
trsdictions from residents of that ancient
an6 historic environ of Paris, for Heloise
lived long ago-and while poets and the
savants and the bookworms, and the
oreamers of Argenteuil may all know her
domicile, it was not my good fortune TO
meet any of them that first hour.
Argenteufl, in truth. is more famed for
its excellent asparagus than for its low
ers of romantic history.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27
A LAMENT

BY Percy Bysshe Shelley.
o World. o life, time!
On whose last steps I climb,
trembling at that where l had stood be-
fore
When will return the glory Of your
prime?
No more-oh. never more!
Cut of the day and night
A joy has taken fight;
hoar.
Move my faint heart with grief, but with
delight
No more-oh. never mQroJ
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

Mahone's organ, the Richmond Whig.
| Elan was shot in the mouth and lost
several of his teeth.
George D. Wise. a member of the
| house of representatives. democrat, from
the Richmond district, and United States
Senator Harry Riddleberger, Mahoneite
republican. met on the field of honor
and exchanged shots but neither was
wounded. John S. Wise. one of Ma
homes lieutenants and the republican
candidate for governor against Fitz-
hugh Lee. fought a duel with Mr.
Ward, editor of the Abingdon STAN
dard, without fatal result.
"The last historic duel fought was
that between Richard F. Beirne, ed
itor of the Richmond State very In
fluential paper, AMI Mr.. Elan of the
Whig. Beirne was a candidate for the
democratic gubernatorial nomination.
He was young man and was one of
the most gallant and popular gentle
men in all that part of the country.
The Beirne- Elam duel was a most ex-
citing affair Beirne challenged Elan
but after the challenge was accepted
the principals had great difficulty in
meeting. They We're on the warpath
five or six days chasing each other
around through the state of Virginia
and the state of West Virginia. They
finally came together near Waynes-
boro, Va. Elan was wounded in the
groin and 1t was thought that he
would die, but after six months he
was able to resume editorial work This
affair attracted so much attention that
all the New York papers sent special
correspondents to Virginia and while
the enterprising chroniclers were on
the heels of the belligerents the COM
bat was witnessed only by the prin-
cipals and the surgeons. The weapons
employed were historic derringers which
had been used in the memorable duel
between Ritchie and Peasants in 1924
Previous to the Beirne- Elam duel Mr..
Beirne had challenged Senator Riddle
berger. They were to have met on
the same day that Riddleberger and
Wise exchanged shots, but owing to a
mishap the meeting did not take place.
The principals in all these political duels
have been dead long since.
After the Beirne- Elan duel there
may have been several affairs between
men of small social or political conse-
quence. The duel near Waynesboro
was the real death knell to the code
of honor in the SOUTH"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-27

Mrs. Margaret Zane Witoher was the
fist woman messenger the country ever
Of Utah TO the president of the Senate
she received S5s5 for her mileage.