davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

sode, and only served to develop the
fact that the sagaeious correspondent
had too keen an insight for the com
fort of the commanding general
On his return home in 1865 Major Screws
was entirely reliant ON his pen for
livelihood and became connected with The
Advegtiser as an associate. Great eonsid-
GRAFTON was shown him by the editor, Mr..
Reid. who finally put him in possession
of the paper. Here has been the orbit
of his great service to the state Ills
tripod was his throne, and though the
paper was suppressed for period o.
months, under the bayonets of reconstruct
ton. 1t was not throttled. and its col
umns radiated with exposures of the cor
ruption of those corrupt days. Under Ma
jor Screws The Advertiser was the vent
of heroic expression and the champion
of the liberties of the people of Ala
bama. In those days of darkness and
OF trial when Major Screws wrested with
poverty in the maintenance of his Jour
nal, the people of Alabama little knew
what he was undergoing in their be-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

"'Tis true tits spitty, but spitty It's,
tbs true"
And whether catarrhal or tubercular
or emotionally homeopathic and geyser-
like, provoked whether by phlegm or
plug, splitting is a dirty, disease bear
ing, ignorant, nasty and unsocial deed,
which no beast on four feet can con-
descend to perform, except the whale,
once a dragon of poetic tendency who
was robbed of his understandings and
banished by the Lord to the salt ocean
because the splitting habit had grown
upon him and he needed all the water
there was to supply his glandular ex-
haustion and the deep places of the
earth for a cusp pidor He used to both
spit and speak. Now all his spout
ing is a splitting. and the salt sea eats
up the bacilli Again to misquote the
immortal bard:
"But custom doth make spithards of
Whereby we all deserve a whaling
But the pick of all our garden of
Allah in this fair valley is the dis
tribution plant which goes on wheels
in the quest of garbage. picks it up
boldly in midday at the center of our
business activity and litters it plenti-
fully along Fifth avenue and other
thoroughfares Do you inquire why
this distribution plant works So we'll ?
The answer is that it is unintentional,
but incurable, like the mumps, and that
some day it will be different. Are we
not fatalists? Can we make things
happen? BY the boils of job, the thing
may not be changed save by a decree
of heaven.
BLOW winds, come wracl<s,
At least we'll die with garbage on our
backs,''
These chariots of Destiny shall still
so uncovered, a parody most humor-
Gus on those exquisite lines intended
to be true of Birmingham,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

thing even for the best of men is peni-
tence, confession, the sprinkling of ashes
on our head, the putting of sack cloth
on our flesh.
But leaving the personal side of this
to the preachers in their pulpits, I sug-
gest the necessity that all of us together.
in our community relationship. have need
of Lenten fasting, Lenten penitence, Len
ten battle with the sins that most easily
beset us as community.
!. We urgently need to repent of COM
munity filthiness. For such an exceed
ingly nice people as we know ourselves
to be- we are unforgivably dirty in our
community habits. There are only one or
two streets that are cleaned in all Bir-
mingham All the rest is abominable,
patch work. A few blocks at the center
are washed sometimes and somehow. A
favored stretch leading southwards is
sprnkled and swept ineffectively but at
least swept and even sprinkled before
sweeping.
AS TO the sweeping, may the gods
of good housekeepers preserve us Not
knowing how TO prevent it, we churn
up the dirt for passersby TO breathe
and we excuse ourselves for the same
reason as that with which a Bengali
farmer defends his continued use of a
wooden plough: I'VE have always done
it this way" Fatalism sits like incubus
upon the sleeping brain of the street
cleaning department, which mutters
between snoreful periods: "As it was
in the beginning, is now, etc, etc" Black
gnomes with clanking chains, impris-
oned Noachic demons. WELD brooms
in sundry cutters, spots chosen with
predetermined favoritism, as by hyp-
ereabrinistic deity. Over the rest dust
reigns and even after the darkling
gobins and their brooms have gone,
still dust reigns. and the washed and
swept places are soon filled with seven
other foulnesses more filthy than the
exercised originals The most exclusive
line of street cars passes through re-
gions never once brushed or washed,
where millions upon millions of unmen-
ticnable microbes cling to clouds upon
clouds of whirling dust atoms, which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

churn themselves beneath and behind
each passing vehicle, rush forward and
invade the retreating car and find
lodgment upon pretty lips, on gracious
attire, in gentle eyes and upon each
male passengers nicely brushed suit
and hat, making him look like one es-
capped from a sandstorm in far New
Mexico. But New Mexico has the ad-
vantage. She scatters abroad nothing
deadlier than native alkali Birming
ham sprinkles the seven deadly sins on
all and in the throats of all. once or
twice q year we order weeds to be
cut. Dead cats and scraped-up road
refuse are then disclosed and the iron
tar barrels which city contractor
discarded where he tried and failed to
make a surfaced street. We even make
solid bitulithic pavement and then
breathe the worn and flying surface
of it or wade through the water that
storm leaves on its crossings, or we
find the place where mud has washed
down an unpaved slope and made a
lake of slime where the crossing ought
to be and where the motorman insists
that you must assume 1t is
To repent of dirt! To repent of the
dirty, universal habit of spitting
have walked with clerk and l have
walked with judge, both chewing
tobacco and both expectorating volum-
inously and frequently. | counted the
Judge spit five times per block. The
clerk / lost count of. From my office
to Second avenue on n single trip /
have observed Birmingham in the per-
son of AZ citizens, spit AZ several times.
That works out seven spittings to a
block in five minutes. Most of the
splitting is nervous and habitual and
well synchronised, like the erup tions
of a geyser. A large proportion, how
ever. is evoked by catarrhal irrita-
tion and spells Infection Black and
white and all the shades between all
spit. Even women and young girls
spit--not, of course, all women, nor
all young girls. and not all men. As
we may amend Shakespeare and de-
scribe Birmin CHAM:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

machinery of a city makes little noise.
1t moves almost as quietly as the uni
verse. Yet it never misses stroke,
and its; every stroke is power
A bluebottle fly on windowpane is
certainly Industrious, also busy. but
he gets nowhere. Moreover. he never
same pane as often as he happens on
the wrong side of it.
The trouble is that he lacks brains.
If he had even a glimmer of intelli-
gence he would find some other way
out of his difficulty.
In modified degree is this not also
the trouble with those who make too
many motions and too much noise
about their tasks? OF course hustle is
are people who fly hither and yon,
stew and worry their heads off and get
little or nothing done TO show for it,
There are other ways to work besides
with our hands or feet-with our heads.
for example. That is what our heads
are for
Lincoln had way of stripping every
question down to it's essentials. He got
at the nub If 1t and decided that lie
accomplished much without seeming 10
hurry.
on vital things he was very slow and
painstaking, vet historians now agree
that. generally speaking. he acted at
the right time
He had time 10 chat with his friends
even TO tell stories, yet the presidency
of the United States is a most exact
ing office and never more so than dur
ing great civil war.
Lincoln knew the secret OF making
every move count.
1t is that which tells the story of er-
ficieney. Move quickly, of course. but
surely.
The great business houses of our own
day are developing that same kind Of
efficiency. They move with the pre-
cision of gigantic machines
The men wanted by these big houses
are those that work with their heads
men thar know the most about the
business. men that find new ways to
draw trade, to eliminate waste 10
cheaper production, to cut corners
The man who has his headworls prop
erly organ nized viii not make false
moves. He will not be a human cdi-
tion OF bluebottle fly.
Some people object to the word
goodness or say they do, but down
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

ESOR solid and substantial serv-
vice and for disinterested de-
i votion to the cause of democ-
racy, the duration of all which
stretches through a period of about
a half century. none excels the veteran
editor, William Wallace Screws of
Montgomery, From the early dawn of
manhood to ripened age, Major Screws
has been identified with the fortunes
of his native state. II is doubtful that
another has impressed the thought of
the state so uninterruptedly for so long
a time as he. There has never been
the slightest waver in his fidelity and
downright labor for a long period of
years. Certainly he has sufficiently
wo.s the approval of the people of the
state as to be worthy of place among
the men who have constructed the
commonwealth to its present stage of
advancement No flash nor pictur-
esqueness, no sensation nor sudden in
novation has at any time attached to
that which he has done--it has been
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

Perhaps 1t was mother or a wlie,
perhaps only neighbor.
There was no preaching about it, pos
sibly little of reproof of admonition. Yet
her unseifishness made less selfish her
sraciousness made all more gracious.
Such life is light set upon hill.
It's influence none can measure. To
many it may prove suggestion, hope,
an inspiration, who never mention the
fact Possibly they do not even recognize
it at the time Yet the good work is
done.
The writer has in mind one such. Her
name does not here matter. To- give it
might seem personal
This woman has husband and six
children, to whom she faithfully minis
ters.
Yet. though her time is so fully occu-
pied, this does not prevent her from being
present help in, time of trouble to her
,neighbors.
We will call this lady Mrs. II. because
that is not the initial of her name.
Recently one of Mrs BIS neighbors
was at deaths door. The doctors had
little hope.
Inc DelSiDOf three little cn1lufen We're
taken into Mrs. BIS home, who had
ample mother love for three more.
After being at the very doorway of
the other country the neghbor began al
most miraculousiy to recover. She her.
self believed ii was through the prayers
and helpful suggestions of Mrs. b., but
she was admonished TO tell no one.
At about the same time another neigh
Dor fell i'll. and Mrs. Il. also waited upon
her.
All three women belong to the same
church. The following Sunday the min
lister prayed not only for the sick. but
for those attending them and telling them
simply OF God as an ever present help.
No one had any doubt as to whom
was meant.
During all her labors Mrs. B. found
time to attend to her church duties. TO
her little clubs and to be interested in
the affairs of her town and the outside
World
''I was sick and ye visited me-.
There are saints in our common life.
They make their whole communities
richer and better for their presence.
Let your light so shine
The beauty of all this is that 7 per-
sonally know every word of il to be
true.
Few more illuminating books have been
written than one recently from the pen
OF an, Isnsfishuan. Coulson Kerna han. 1t
is entitled The Man Of No sorrows"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

service rendered as in a treadmill, pa
tiently. persistently. and persevering-
" He has gone down into the depths
with his people, has suffered as they
have and has risen along with them
through the varying fortunes which
have been theirs in the years of the
immediate past.
Major Screws native region is Bar
boar county. His academic training
anf all indeed he ever had, was at
Glennville, a village noted in other
days for its educational advantages.
He entered life early for he was ad-
mitted to the bar al 90 after having
studied in the law office of Watts,
Judge & Jackson at Montgomery. At
the end of a two years practice he
entered the Confederate service, being
among the first to enlist. Like many
others, Major Screws was not seces-
sionist. but he was a patriot, and sub
ordinating his personal views to the
expressed judgment of the people of
Alabama, he shouldered his musl1et and
went with the first troops that were
concentrated at Pensacola. He joined in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

Dear Mr.. President Taft: | am the little
boy who you waved at when you were
in Marshall. Tex, and I waved back at
you. 1 never will forget how you looked.
You are the only President ! have ever
seen. I am seven years old. / live vita
my grandma. Ny little mother went to
heaven when I was 10 days old. | have
no brothers nor sisters. / would like to
get letter from you written with your
own dear hand. l hope that you will not
dlsappoint me. / know the names OF all
the presidents and the year in which they
served our country. with best wishes for
your future, | am sincerely yours.
GEORGE LANE CoRLEY.
Honey Grove. Tex
The above touching letter was received
by Mr.. Taft at the White House only
few weeks before he was scheduled to
leave office. Needless to say the lad had
his wish, for he received not only a
letter written by the Presidents own
hand, but an autographed photo. The
boys letter will be kept among the Taft
mementos.
There is one thing in the childish mis-
SlNe tndt SnOlid De laktn TO uedft Dy
every boy in the land. Although but
seven. he knows the names of all our
presidents and the years of their inau-
guration. Probably lie also knows other
things about them
There could be no more helpful or In
spring study to any boy than that of
the lives of our presidents
In nearly every case these presidents
were themselves poor boys who won their
way TO our highest office by sheer merit
ability honor, service TO their country.
They were all good men. After the
clouds of partisan passion have clear.
ed away we can see this. No country
in history ever had a line OF executives
whose character was so uniformly high
and unblemished
Moreover some OF them were very
great men
Washington and Lincoln compare Ia
yorably with. the greatest figures of any
time or cline.
There are others OF the second rank.
but little behind thsse-Jefferson and
jackson, Grant, Cleveland. Mckinley ami
others OF those vet living there Is TOO
much difference OF opinion and partisan
lcat for Them now to be given their true
rank. But history will assign them their
places
or all the Is who have hold this lofty
post one thing can he said that should
give US Infinite pride.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

). And one of these is by all odds
the greatest sin OF the community.
1t is the sin of poverty. 1t has many
forms-on the one hand it is waste and
includes all drunkenness, all frittering
of the souls strength on worthless
things, all denial OF the best food to
the souls building. ON the other hand
it Is the sin OF greed, which wrings
profits and rentals from the poor
while 1t denies them air, food, cleanli-
ness or any outlook of hope. Again. it
is the sin of shift1essness and self pity,
which spills the hearts best blood in
vain struggle to be happy without
being wise. These all are forms OF
poverty.
/ know nothing half so hard as the
coming war on poverty. But as Lenten
days are with us we may well induce
upon our selfish and tradition-haunt-
ed brains the conviction that all pow
erty exists to be conquered, as dark
ness exists only to be illuminated. We
must separate our civil life from waste,
from the drink curse and the waste
curse and the greed curse and the ig-
norance curse. All together must be
saved.
"Nor will that day dawn at human
nod,
When, bursting through the network
superposed
BY selfish occupation-plot and plan,
Lust ayarice, envy--liberated man,
All difference with his fellow mortal
closed
Shall be left standing face to face with
God"
So Matthew Arnold. TO get there Is
worth all the self discipline and PEN
itence of a civic lent, 40 days fast
from evil, the community yielding TO
the age-long ever recurring call, Re
pentl Repent
But | have not enumerated our sins.
"If we should set thin in order they
are more than can be numbered" But
we are going to leave them behind.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

half. But in cool heroism he labored on,
as though he had the purse of prince
at his command. and unselfshly served
tie people. undergoing perhaps as much
privation as anyone who has ever served
the state.
Under conditions like these the unselfsh-
ness OF Major screws was put to the
test on more than one occasion. At one
time during the agitation caused By the
stantons in the notorious struggle to OBJ
tain the issue of bonds in behalf of tine
Alabama and Chattanooga railroad, the
history of which struggle is too long to
be gone into here, an agent of the Stan
tons appeared at Montgomery and pro
posed TO Major Screws TO pay him Sol ,05A
for the use of the Montgomery Adver-
tiser in the promotion of the fraudulen,
scheme Major Screws was to remain the
editor of the paper, and the sum pro-
posed was merely to purchase the right
to use. it's columns, through another, in
fixing this burden on the people OF the
state He was a poor man. graphing
with the difficulties incident to the times.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

but he fatty declined the offer and brave
" continued his opposition to the issue
of the bonds.
There was another occasion when he
might have suceumbed to a proposal as
democrat. and found some plausible
pretext for his action. The marvellous
mineral resources of the state were win
ming national attention. and a segment
of the democracy in Congress under the
leadership of Hon. Samuel ]. Randall OF
Pennsylvania was espousing protection III
the interest of the mineral developments
of the country. Mr.. Randall was the
champion of these democratic protection
lists and it was sought to bring tho
mineral interests of Alabama into the
movement The bait was tempting one
at time when capital was in great
need for the development of our deposits,
and an exponent such as the Montgomery
Advertiser was, would have proved of
immense advantage to this wing of the
democratic party. Accordingly a special
agent was commissioned to Montgomery
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

The story is supposed to have been seen
in a dream.
A new messiah had risen. and all the
world rapidly accepted him.
In London he was received by the king
and by vast multitudes, who set aside a
feast day in his honor.
This being spoke of Jesus with rever-
ence, but said he was mistaken in one
thing and that for 10 centuries men had
persisted in his mistake-that God is not
God of sorrow and regrets, these be-
longing to finite nature, but that he is a
God of love and JOY. The new prophet
came to correct this mistake and to re-
move from mems shoulders the burden
of the cross.
The people heard gladly and accepted.
They gave themselves up to an abandon
of joy. AT first they were content TO de-
vote their lives to revel and feasting, but
joy in a few months changed to pleasure
seeking and finally to sensuality. Men
and women were coarsened, and the finer
beauty was lost from their faces.
The man of no sorrows attempted to
save the world from the doom he had un-
Willingly brought upon it, but despite his
efforts it fell into greater depths of un-
clean living and of Woe
Then TO the man of no sorrows came
the spirit Of he Man of Sorrows, COM
forting him in this great disappointment
and teaching him the gospel of pain.
Sorrow of Gods sending is the loving
hand touch of the great Physician upon
a wound that lie must probe to heal"
The mistaken prophet then returned to
teach the gospel of the Nazarene, and the
dream passed.
Those who suffer pain--and who es-
capes?--looll at it with such shrinking IL
it concerns themselves and such sympa-
thy If II afflicts others that they seldom
see the philosophy behind it.
Yet pain is but natures method of tell
ing us that there is something wrong with
our physical being. So sorrow may be the
method of telling us that something is
wrong with our moral or spiritual being.
Sorrow and pain are finite. of course, but
they arise from failure to live in harmony
with the laws of the absolute.
Whether we see the truth or not. our
sufferings and griefs are directly or in
directly brought by ourselves.
Sorrow and pain are a refining fire in
which the gold oNcharacter is purified.
II Is not the man making the most
that docs the most work IT
is the man who makes every move
count
The giant dynamo which turns the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-23

"uERE are many opportunities to dc
good in simple, unostentatiou'
ways.
II sometimes seems that every moment
is packed with them.
II is not hard to rise to the big occa-
sion.
The real test comes in rising to the little
occasions
Ii may be trihing service, a small
Kindness. a helpful suggestion, COM
fortng word.
If our hearts are in tune these things
come easy TO us.
The beauty Of a right word or deed is
that it helps both ways--the giver and
the receiver.
It has power to multiply itself in
definitely.
1t makes the smile little brighter the
hand clasp little warmer
Thus it passes from one to another.
Like the pebble dropped in the ocean,
the waves go out to the very shores
What if no one knows who dropped the
pebble? A
But does no one know?
somewhere lneie must pe hcPt 80
ord.
Somewhere the influence of each act
must be measured
! But. whether II is or not, the good is ac-
complished.
That is enough,
4 1t is easy to say and do the kindly and
helpful things If we keep ourselves KIND
/ ly and helpful in thought.
AS man thnketh in his heart so does
+ lie speak and do-at least in the little
3 things
E 10 those who are keen of sight we con-
& s,natly reveal ourselves
There are unguarded moments when we
show the real trend of our thoughts.
4 The only safe way is TO be right all
through.
Then we need not seem
Then we will see and seize the oppor-
5 t,inities to do The right thing Figuratve-
IL speaking, at least, every moment pre-
sents such opportunities.
Once past they are gone forever
One more chance unimproved'
1t would have required such a little eff
fort and might have resulted in good be-
|lyond our power to measure.
Yet we neglected 1t.
= Let MS not make the mistake again.
Y For all the future moments are ours.
4'Ne have all OF ny known women whose
Hives swectencd and bcautificd all with
whom they came in contact