davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
PERILs OF LETTER WRITING

From the Louisville urier-Journal
In the August issue of the Bookman
appears a letter written by the late
o. Henry. in which he says of Pitts
burg:
Il want to say that Pittsburg is the
lowdowndest' hole on the surface of
| the earth. The people here are the most
ignorant illbred, contemplate boorish,
| degraded, insulting. sordia, vile, foul
mouthed. indecent, profane, drunken,
dirty, mean, depraved ours that I ever
imagined could exist. / shall linger
here no longer than necessary"
| To generalize from particular in
stances is common human failing,
and o. Henry was wholly human and
not without the common failings. AS
the boys say, something was eatin'
him. when the letter from Pittsburg
was written.
OF course, the letter is not descrip-
tive of Pittsburg. 1t is even less true
than Lafcadio Hearn's whitening de-
scription of New Orleans in a compila-
| tion of his letters recently published,
or his overcolored description of Japan
and the Japanese which have created
for the American reader an ideal Japan
that has served the purposes of lesser
writers of fiction. Inasmuch as the let
ter was doubtless written in sudden
heat and passion, as a result of an
annoying experience, and was not what
the author would have written If he
had been attempting a fair description,
the publication of the letter seems as
unfair to o. Henry as to Pittsburg.
An artist who saw things as they
were and had a remarkable faculty for
so painting them is butchered in the
house of his friends when he is mis-
represented by scathing generaliza-
tion of Pittsburgers that was surely
not intended to be final or to be made
public. If there is any probability that
you may become famous you will do
well to consider the peril that lies in
writing any letters whatsoever, and
especially those recklessly .condemning
persons or places. You may be sure
that your nearest friend will be as
glad as your sworn enemy to sell your
most intimate communications as soon
as the sod is over your grave.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14

From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
e. H. Moeller. who recently returned
from Kansas, where he has been travel
Ing and making the Panhandle of Tex
as. received the following letter from
friend of his wo made his first trip
through the Panhandle:
'T have been on the road for a Kan
sas City house now for six years trav-
cling Kansas and Missouri, but the
house has now added the Panhandle of
Texas to my territory and l have Just
finished my first trip. The first town
out of Kansas across the strip was
Tyrone, Okla. l had spent the after
noon there and intended to take a night
train back to Liberal A bunch of us
were Sitting on the front porch of the
Commercial hotel when 1 saw a head
light looming up down the track. l
made a rush for my grips and yelled at
the boy to get his cart and take 'em
over to the depot quick. didn't wait
for his answer, but ran over to the
depot and rushed up to the window and
demanded a ticket for Liberal.
" How's this? I said to the agent. I
thought this train ,wasn't due for an
hour, and here she is not a mile away
Mister he replied, you better go
back to the hotel and buy cigars for
that bunch. This is your first trip down
here, amt 1t? Well. thought so. That
headlight is just 40 miles away; you've
got pretty nearly an hour to finish that
game of rummy. This is the longest
stretch of straight track in the coun-
try, rs miles, clear across the PAN
house over there? That's where | live.
don't have to light lamp until after
3 o'clock winter nights. About sun
down the Golden State Limited looms
up down about Texhoma and she shines
right into my kitchen window for an
hour, finally getting so bright that my
wife has to pull the cnrt,--S, and 10
minutes behind her comes No. "a, and
1t takes 1t 70 minutes to get by with
its light. It's great saving for me, and
my wife has gotten so she won't wash
dishes by anything but electric light
never have to call the dispatcher to
get a line on the trains. I climb to the
roof of the station, get line on the
headlight and mark up my board ac-
cordingly Have you any baggage to
check2'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
aIrIETING THE MOB

From the July National Monthly.
On one of his vacations in the coun-
try a circus ticket seller took with
him his pet parrot. During the season
the bird was kept in cage near the
wicket. She had seen many big crowd
clamoring for tickets. and heard her
master quietly talking to the throng
as he made change with lightning
rapidity.
But on the second day In the eoun-
try the parrot strayed away Going
into the orchard in serach' for her, the
Snowman was attracted to tree where
a huge flock of crows was making a
great commotion. Polly was the cause
of the excitement. Surrounded and
pecked at from every side, scarcely
a feather was left on her body. But
above the raucus caws of the crows
he could hear his pet solemnly ad-
monishing: Don't crowdl Don't push
Plenty of timel Plenty of timei The
performance hasn't begun yet! Don't
crowd! Don't pushl"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Put Convicts on the Roads

William Goodwin has brought suit
in the city court for $4,000 against a
local company, claiming that while a
convict and being under lease to the
defendant portion of the mine roof
fell upon him and injured him. Good
wynn was ID years old at the time of
the accident.
This news item is typical of the col
umns of the Birmingham newspapers.
The court dockets are filled with such
cases. This boy was taken against his
will and put to work. Just for the
money that might accrue to the state
from his labor, he was compelled to
engage in an occupation hazardous to
experts and doubly so to the inexperi-
enced. AS result he was hurt.
What right has Alabama to do
this? E? The boy had committed crime,
it is true, and owed penance to the
state. But the state has no moral
excuse for subjecting him to danger.
Furthermore, why should the state, by
hiring convicts to coal companies, en-
gage in competition with its own free
citizens?
Alabama's public roads are badly in
need of work. The employment of con-
victs on public highways would be of
benefit to the people as a whole, and
not an asset merely for the corpora
tions which own the coal mines.
Again, they would fare far better in
the open than they do cooped up in
the bowels of the earth. Humanity de-
mands change in Alabama's system
of working prisoners.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14

co City. The far eastern diplomat, it is
officially announced, has made nc
references to "the identity of inter
ests" between his nation and Mexico
All things considered, the japanese
have acted openly and in good faith.
They have shown a disposition to do
nothing that could prejudice their
standing with the United States, either
as an advocate of the. prosecutions of
Huerta or with reference to the Cal
ifornia situation.
Great Britain has made it clear that
it's recognition of the Huerta govern
ment was with distinct understand
ing that the administration was pro-
visional only and shortly would be
succeeded by one chosen in a free and
fair election. France and Germany are
seeking to place themselves in line
with the authorities at Washington.
Their recognition of Huerta arose
from the partisanship displayed for
the usurper by Ambassador Henry
Lane Wilson. They have no intention
of seeking to hamper President Will
sons transit Rio Grande plans.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
WHY SHOULD 1T?

o why should the spirit of mortal be
proud?
Returning to town one observes to the
crowd;
I'm glad to be hack in the city today"
And somebody punetures with: "Oh, been
away?"
F. P. Adams in New York Mail
% why should the spirit of mortal be
proud?
You purchase some clothes that You do
not deem loud;
And right off, some neighbor your van
ity shocks
BY saying: Il heard that new outfit six
blocks
Arthur Chapman in Denver Republican
o why should the spirit of mortal be
proud?
You come home at dark with your honk
honking loud.
You answer the phone after dousing the
glim--
How far" asks friend, did you ride
on the rim?'
Doc Bixby in Nebraska State Journal
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
The States Pensioners

Alabama does little enough for its
old soldiers, and it does that little bad.
ly. There are at the present time about
1900 veterans on the states pension
rolls, and it is estimated that one.
fourth had no connection with the
army of the Confederacy at the close
of the civil war. This is a statement
made by John G. Webb of Demopolis,
chairman of the state pension board.
Recently the state decided to intro
duce some order and system into its
pension policy. An examiner was sent
to Washington to check the records of
those drawing money from the treas
ury, and some astonishing facts have
been brought to light. Examiner
Brooke declares that his Investigations
lead him to believe that more than
1000 men are now drawing pensions
illegally. In numerous instances he
found that Alabamians who deserted
the cause of the south and joined the
army of the Federals are now appear
ing quarterly and collecting the pit
tance supposed to go only to those
who did their duty faithfully to the
state.
If what Mr.. Webb and Mr.. Brooke
suspect is true, and no reason to doubt
it is apparent, more than a quarter of
a million dollars is being paid annual
ly to men who have no legal or moral
right to it. The true sons of the south
get small recompense for their sacri-
fices.' They should not be robbed by
those who deserted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Diaz's Futile Trip

The Toxic government has made it
plain that if Felix Diaz, emissary of
Huerta, has gone to Japan seeking as
surance of support in an anti-Ameri-
can movement he is going to have
his trouble for his pains. Diaz ostensi-
bly, is special envoy to convey the
thanks Of Mexico to the Mikado's gov
ernment for participation in the Mexi-
can centennial. This, it would appear,
is not of sufficient Importance for a
journey across the Pacific by.an am
bassador. A motive weightfer and
more sinister is behind it.
General Diaz announces that he will
continue the trip, despite the fact that
he has been warned that he will meet
rebuff. The japanese cabinet also has
seen fit to issue denial of some OF
the incidents reported Of the arrival
Of the new Japanese minister in Mexi-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
TIE WEEK.

This is Monday; let's be glad
III we still are we'll and strong;
There are many who are sad
Many sleep the sleep that's long;
Let US laugh eoufageously,
Yesterday you know, was Sunday;
It's triumph not to be
Dead or manned on Monday.
Chicago Record-H Herald
This Is Wednesday,: let's be sad.
Knowing full well it's a gray day;
How can anyone be glad
Three full days away from nav day2
This is Wednesday; let us weep.
Bow our heads in deepest sorrow:
What we had we failed to keep,
What we need we cannot borrow.
Louisville Times.
rms Is Sunday; let's beware
Lest we see the epidermis
or some lady sweet and fair
Where her charms do not concern us
All the new things will be out
Just as tight as they can pin them;
Let us not look much about
Lest we see the ladies in them
st. Louis Post Dispatch.
Darn the day. 'tis! What's the use
of pretending we are glad?
Sultry summers played the deuce
Robbed us of the sjoys we had.
There's no day in All the week
That makes such hit with us;
We who once could pertly speak,
Now cen lack the strength to cussl
PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
he MY SWEETHEART

BY Eugene Field.
Sweetheart, be my sweetheart
When birds are on the wing,
When bee and bud and babbling flood
Bespeal1 the birth of spring:
Come sweetheart be my weetheart
And wear this posy ring.
Sweetheart, be my sweetheart
In the golden summer glow
OF the earth aflush with the gracious
blush
Which the ripening fields foreshow;
Dear sweetheart, by my sweetheart.
AS into the noon we go.
Sweetheart, be my sweetheart
Z When falls the bounteous year,
When the fruit and wine of tree and
vine
Give us their harvest cheer
o sweetheart, be my sweetheart
For winter, it draweth near,
Sweetheart, be my sweetheart
When the year Is white and old
When the fire of youth is spent, for,
sooth
And the hand of age is cold:
Yet. sweetheart, be my sweetheart,
TILL the year of our love be told.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
WHY HE GOES TO CHURCH
Claude Weaver, Congressman from ol

Claude Weaver. Congressman from Ok
lahoma, in Leslie's.
l go to church because I find peace
there. that peace which De Quincy de-
scribed as resting from human labors,
a Sabbath of repose, a respite granted
from the secret burdens of the heart, as
if 1 stood at distance and aloof from
the uproar of life, as IL the tumult and
fever and strife were suspended, as If
there brooded over me dovelike and
halcyon calm.
I go to church because love the
music that I hear there, the mighty roll
of the great organ. mingled with the
marvellous symphonies of that divine
stringed-instrument, the human voice. .,un-
twisting all the chains that tie the hidden
soul of harmony.
/ go to church because delight to
hear the teachings of the preacher,
whose soul is dedicated to God, whose
field is as wide as Gods universe, whose
theme is the destiny OF man, and whose
words are the oracles of fate. Marvellous
is the spell of the preacher, to whom God
has given genius and consecration, and
the power of illustration drawn from the
cid, sacred. immortal book, and from the
mi, ;cles OF nature, no less revealed in
the crimson tipped flower turned UP by
the plowshare of Robert Burns upon the
soil of Ayr. than in the long reaches of
the star girt skies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
THE HISTORY OF THE FAN

times of peace. The Romans used the.
fan, as did the earlier nations, to enhance
their splendid festivals At banouets
slaves stood behind the guests and waved
enormous fans made of peacock feathers
gorgeously colored and further enriched
with ostrich plumes. In the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries, ladies of the chief
| Italian cities carried fans, in which a lit
tie mirror was set. According to charm
| ing Spanish legend, Psyche was asleep
one day ON a bank of flowers and Zephyr
kept lowering near her. This made Cupid
jealous and to punish the intruder Cupid
pluclzed of Of zephyr's wings and gave it
to Psyche that she might always have
cooling breezes. This is the Spanish story
OF the origin of the fan.
Early in the eighteenth century the fan
was In general use among the ladies OF
England. and Addison wittily wrote
| Women are armed with fans as men
with swords and sometime do more ex-
ecution with them"
| At this time the fan was a fascinating
trinket in the hands of powerful beauties
and figured in many a political intrigue
Social events and politics, the folles and
fashions of the time We're depicted upon
them. Scenes from popular plays We're
painted upon them. while others had the
rules of various games. Some bore rec
ords of royal marriages.; others were in-
scribed with verses or contained carica-
turesson social and political events. After
the French revolution the cupids, roses
and rustic idyls disappeared entirely from
the fans.
Up to the early sos the palm leaf fan
and other inexpensive fans of oriental
make were in general use. Fans to be
operated by mechanical power were hard
ly possible until the discovery and devel-
opment of electricity. While experiment.
ing with an electrically driven propeller
for q small boat an electrical engineer
conceived the idea of the electric fan.
This was before the perfection of the elec-
trio generator and electric service for the
home and office. Consequently the new
fan had to be operated from battery cur
rent. Little advance was made until 1888,
when successful attempt was made to
connect the fan with the electric lighting
circuit in place of lamp. The electric
fan became popular at once and the man.
ufacture of fans began in earnest. A cou-
pie of years later the ceiling fan was in
troduced and since that time the produc-
ton of desk. bracket ceiling and oscillat-
ing fans had grown with each succeeding
year until American made fans are now
in use throughout the civilized world.
Modern electric fans can be operated four
hours for cent, or as cheaply as a smai
electric lamp.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
coNRAD,s FIRST ENGLISH SHIP

From Publishers Notes.
Joseph Conrad has told in his book "A
Personal Record how he happened to
become an English writer. What is per-
haps not so we'll known Is how he. a
Polish aristocrat, entered the British ma
rine. From his Fifteenth year, though he
''had not six words" of language in
which he afterwards wrote 'Nostromo'
and The Mirror of the Sea-" his am
hition was to be an English seaman. Af-
ter much opposition he began to see his
way clear and he has recorded his emo
ton when his hand first touched an Eng
lish ship. There are ships" he says. Il
have forgotten; but the name of that ship
seen once so many years ago in the
clear flush of a cold. pale sunrise 1 have
not forgotten. How could 1.-The first
English ship on whose side ever laid my
hand The name--I read it letter by
letter on the bow-fwas James Westoll. ,
Not very romantic, you will say. The
name of very considerable. we'll known,
and universally respected north country
ship owner, I believe. James Westolr
What better name could an honorable
hard working ship have? To me the very
grouping of the letters is alive with the
romantic feeling of her reality as I saw
her floating motionless and borrowing an
ideal grace from the austere purity of
the light"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
TELEPHONE
The best ward of mine honour, is
revarding my dependents.
loves Labor Lost.
England Reconsidering

Great Britain may yet decide to be
an exhibitor at the Panama exposition
to be held in San Francisco in 1915. So
far indications that it will Slo so are
not strong, but enough has developed
to show that the decision of Sir Ed
ward Grey and the Board of Trade has
not met with entire approval. The
unionists are seeking to have the mat
ter brought up in the House of Com
mons, and they have the backing of
large manufacturers who think that
England would suffer by non-repre-
sentation.
The announcement that Great
Britain would not be present was
made by Sir Edward Grey, secretary
of state for foreign affairs. Though
never officially stated, it is shrewdly
suspected that Sir Edward has al
lowed pique rather than reason to
sway him. England is angry over the
fact that the United States proposes
to discriminate in favor of its own
ships in the matter of toll rates
through the Panama canal. The Eng
lish statesman thinks, honestly of
course, that equality of treatment is
guaranteed all nations under the Hay
Pauncefote pact. So far the Washing
ton government has held to contrary
view. 1t is q question of Interpretation
of the terms of that treaty.
Sir Edwards stand concerning an
exhibit at San Francisco has met with
much dissatisfaction among the Eng
lish people. Many think that while the
foreign minister is entirely correct in
his attitude toward canal tolls, it is
not dignified for so great and power
full an empire to permit peevishness
to dominate in deciding for or against
an exhibit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
NOBODY TO STOP HIM

From Wilson's "Thackeray in America. y
Thackeray's other short story was that
wishing 70 see a specimen of the red
shirted bowery boy and volunteer fire.
man of that period, of whom he had
heard so much, both before and after his
arrival in this country, he wended his
way to that thoroughfare and soon saw
one of the species seated on a hydrant-
Approaching him, he politely said:
please, sir, 1 want to go to Brooklyn
"Well," answered the Bowery boy,
why the hell don't you go?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Eine prospcets For QnaiI

81 am pleased to hear that there Is
fine prospect for plenty Of quail
shooting the coming season, said a
sportsman.
THE season has been unusually IA
vorable for Matching and rearlng quail.
In and near the city are many coveys.
Some of the young birds are over half
grown and can fly like old ones
heard of gang of wild turkeys, ID in
number. not far from the city. The
birds are fully half grown.
Squirrels are plentiful and this Is
the time to find nice, fat young ones in
the corn fields, cutting the juicy ears.
There is nothing better than Bruins
wick stew with brace of squirrels
and two frying size chickens, together
with corn, tomatoes and green peppers
in the pot"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Signs of Business i'm Hotels

ut is very interesting to sit in a hotel
lobby in busy cosmopolitan city such
as Birmingham and study the men who
come and co. said an observer last
night.
Il had occasion to spend a half hour
in the lobby of leading hotel today,
Wednesday, and it was at busy hour.
Most of those who came in did so with
a quick, busy air. The travelling men
are already anticipating the big crops
now assured. and are pushing their late
season and next spring sales.
81 notice that several women are on
the road, and they swing along with
their sample cases with a confident, nat
ural and business-lilxe air.
Il think both" the hotels now under
construction will be required here by nexi
year, for we are certainly gaining in
population, and as a great business cen
ter. Next year we will probably have
a big musical festival. and many other
large gatherings; and then country mer.
chants are more and more inclined te
come here to buy, either from our loca
houses, or drummers who have headquar.
ters here"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
WELL PATRONIzED

From the Ladies' Home journal.
A rural school had a pretty girl as its
teacher, but she was much troubled be-
cause many of her pupils were late every
morning. At last she made the announce
ment that she would kiss the first pupil
to arrive at the school house the next
morning. At sunrise three of the largest
boys of her class were sitting on the
doorstep of the school house and by {
o clock every boy in the school and foQr
of the directors were waiting for her to
arrive.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Iron Ore VaIues

"The Standard Steel company did a
great thing for itself when 1t acquired
the 1900 acre tract from the Self Flux-
ing company" said mineroloGist who
had no sort of connection with either
company The transaction represent
ed in round figures something like ST.
600 900, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 600 in cash
That property would have been cheap
at double the price. There is compar-
atively little ore land in this district
not already owned by one of the ac-
tive corporations. In 10 years from
now or in less time, perhaps. $1,000 an
acre will be considered reasonably low
for good red ore, even il it is far down
in the bowels of the earth"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
Counting the Cost

Wreck and ruin prevail in the neal
east. The Balkan states have been thu
scene of two devastating wars, on'
following upon the heels of the other
The whole country is laid waste
Scores of villages and hundreds Of
homes have been destroyed, and mis-
cry, want and dire distress are to be
found on all Sides"
Now the rest of the world is being
called upon to come to the relief of the
stricken section. Rev. Elmer E. Count,
American superintendent of Methodist
missions for Bulgaria, is on the scene,
and he sands a shocking description of
conditions. Thousands are on the
verge of starvation, and succor must
come at once if it is to be of avail
History is repeating itself again. 1t
is pitifully true in this instance as in
many of the past, that those who
fought most bravely and suffered
most direfully, in the war and after,
have only confused idea of what it
was all about.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-14
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

20 why should the spirit of mortal be
proud?
One loves little kiddies. and raises a
crowd
And when, of a Sunday. fried chickens
on deck,
Poor ma gets the gizzard and father the
neck.
Judd Lewis. in the Houston Post.
why should the spirit of mortal be
proud?
That never makes much of hit with the
crowd,
Who know very wen that the chestiest
chumps
In less than week may be humping the
bumps.