davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
A Different Looking city

Birmingham Is changed very much in
appearance since l was last here about
five, years ago." said w T. Nathan of
Pittsburg
There Were a few fine office buildings
five years back, but today Birmingham
seems to be leading all the other south
ern cities in the matter of slSyscrapers
The business district is spreading out
fast and 1 am particularly impressed
with the fact that two handsome hotels
are being erected on Fifth avenue at the
corner of Twentieth and a palatial apar1r
ment a block or two away.
The 12-story hotel is a magnificent speci-
men of architecture and the eight-story
hotel oposite has an air of elegance about
it that would do credit to any big city
The 25-story bank building on Second ave-
nue. is not only a gerat skyscraper but
the ornamental work on it makes ii espe-
cially imposing.
Il heard a good deal of Birmingham 20
years ago, but it was then considered
merely a manufacturing town. 1t has
grown to be a commercial as we'll as an
industrial center, and it undoubtedly has
a great future There are young men
here who will live to see the city's pop
ulatlon increase TO 100000 Birmingham
will probably reach the million class be-
fore any other southern CITY,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
War on Migrants

The city commissioners of Birming-
ham have taken the first great step
forward in the effort to stamp out the
lawlessness prevalent in the Birming-
ham district. There are several salu-
tary measures needed to reduce the
homicide record of jefferson county,
but the officials have gone directly to
the heart of the problem.
The war on the idle class in Bir-
mingham should be unrelenting. To
this vicious element is attributed
much of the crime that has earned for
Birmingham such an unenviable repu-
tation. 1t is true that the suppression
of vagrancy would not mean a total
suppression of homicides, for the
records of the coroner's office show,
alas, that many men who are classed
as good citizens have deemed it nee
essary to take life in elf-defense;
but it would reduce crime in large
measure and remove to great degree
the mental suggestion of so much law
lessness.
The war on the vagrants should not
be spasmodic, it should not be for a
week, for a month, for six months,
but for all time. Ceaseless vigilance
against this class is necessary here,
for city as large as Birmingham is
peculiarly attractive to idlers. And
the street corner "masher," while oft
en-, strictly speaking, not a vagrant,
should not be overlooked.
The code of Alabama gives officers
of the law wide power in dealing with
this situation. Six officers in plain
clothes with nothing to do but look
after this class should very quickly
make some impression on these unde-
sirables.
The commission acted wisely in de-
creeing that all cases should be taken
directly to the court of common pleas
where mine sentence can be imposed.
The limit of the law before the city
recorder is not always deterrent to
vagrancy but with swift punishment
staring them in the face most vag-
rants will very quickly find work or
move on.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Army DesertiOns

According to Secretary Garrison's
recent report, desertions from the
United States army increased during
the last fiscal year as compared with
the year before. They reached large
total. This is disappointing when it
is remembered that the standard for
enlistment, morally as we'll as physi-
cally, is much higher than it used to
be. Recruiting officers are very strict
in their examinations.
There was a time soon after the
civil war when the little army of
twenty odd thousand was made up
largely from the "scum" of the, big
cities, and comparatively few self
respecting young men could be in
duced to enlist on account of the dis
reputable fellows they had to touch
elbows with. The enlistment standard
remained low for some years, but it
is all very different now. Character
must be we'll vouched for. No man
in the habit of drinking is accepted,
and no one who is deficient in common
school education can pass the examin-
alton.
Many we'll educated men are found
in the ranks today. Some have en-
listed from patriotic motives, and
many have started in as privates with
a view Of working up to a commits
sion. Every ambitious young soldier
can enter the school at Fort Leaven-
worth and take a course almost as
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Fine Hand Music

Il am expecting TO see an unusually
large turnout of the knights of Columbus
Sunday, December 81, on the occasion of
our annual memorial mass at st. Paul's
church." said NJ. E. Linnehan, state
deputy of the order.
Our ranks have always been quite full
when attending mass, but as our MEM
bership Is much larger than 1t was, we
should have line extending all the way
from the hall between Twentieth and
Twenty-first streets, to the church. Nap
pts band will furnish the music for the
parade He will have a band of between
% and 80 men, and two of the beautiful
marches he has selected are recent COM
positions by Italian composers. HandePs
dead march, in 'Saur will also be played
THE Knights of Columbus will have
an important meeting Monday, night and
large attendance is expected
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
AIabama's PrOsneritY

Everyone who has occasion to travel
through the agricultural sections of Ala
bama notes with pleasure the steady i'm
provement in farm conditions" said a
member of the Chamber of Commerce.
within the past four or five years many
farmers who used to be in debt are now
out of dept, and are well ahead in every
way. Some are growing very rich. The
greatest improvements made recently are
in the diversfication of crops and in the
large results obtained per acre.
THE last issue of the Baltimore Manu-
facturers Record has an article entitled.
Prosperity in North Alabama Typical of
the Whole Souths Improvement in
which appears letter from r. E. Pettus.
United States jury commissioner at
Huntsville. Mr. Pettus gives facts which
are not only encouraging, but to persons
not informed distinctly Illuminating. He
wrote in reply to a letter which he had
received from the Manufacturers Record
This is what he says:
Your letter carried me back to other
days when for 10 years l was president
of our Huntsville Chamber of Commerce,
when we counted the Manufacturers Rec
ord one of our very best friends Those
were the days when we located 10 large
cotton mills, oil mills, foundries and
many other plants that have given and
sustained life in our community. My ed
ucatonal plan that you published and
commented upon so favorably has largely
been adopted in this and adjoining states
"'This section, financially, is in good
10
crops and realized big prices for them
Land Is enhancing steadily in value, crops
are being diversified more and more; in
this county we have 175 miles of free pixies
and better roads in every nook and cor
ner than ever before; the large farms
are divided into 40. so and 16O-acre tracts
rural delivery and telephones are the or
der of the day, and every neighborhood
had its higher grade school, and every
county its high school. Nothing but prov
idental Intervention can impede our prog
ress.
lin several wells 400 deep we have
found quite a flow of natural gas of the
very finest quality. A company has been
recently organized to sink one of these
wells to a depth of 3G0 feet, when it is
confidently expected that an abundance of
gas will be found, or an oil gusher be
brought in. There are five mammoth fruit
tree nurseries in this county, one of which
is said to be the largest in the world.
This city was for years the home of the
record breaking Jersey COW, Lily Flagg,
and the Piedmont Stock Farm sends out
one of the fastest string of, race horses
there is in the south. Old buildings, once
the pride of our ancestors, are being re-
placed with new and more up to date
ones. Where the old market house stands,
in the heart of the city. five-story hotel
will be erected at once. and contractors
have one story of our new courthouse up
with a large force Of men at work.
! 9 The president of our Chamber of
Commerce now is one of our most progress
sive young men, Edward c. Belts. who
believes in doing things"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

Pointed Paragraphs.
Kisses speak louder than words over
the telephone.
The clean tablecloth catches the early
grease spot
Even a girls heartache is forgotten
when she has the toothache.
One can never buy a satisfactoIy Y
brand of popularity at cut rates
But the man with money to burn may
not love the smell of smoke.
Some candidates ought to take the
rest cure for their ingrowing politics.
A woman hasn't much use for a man
whom she can't teach to be jealous.
You know very well that the excuses
you offer others wouldn't satisfy you
It's easier for a man to make money
than it is to spend it to the satisfaction
of his wife.
When woman says: 81 found out
something today that / promised not To
tell get ready to listen.
Give one woman two minutes to size
another woman up and she can devote
two hours to describing what the other
had on.
Before reaching the age of 80 a man
wonders how soon he will marry-after
that he wonders how much longer he
will be able to dodge the issue.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

high as that of West Point, which will
gain for him a lieutenant's commits
sion.
Still, with all the safeguards, con-
siderable percentage of those who are
sworn into the service desert. Every
desertion costs the government money.
If the trouble is to be remedied more
educational work along patriotic and
ethical lines will have to be done.
Black sheep will be found everywhere,
but the number of desertions shows
that they are far too numerous in the
army.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
business Activity in Gadsden

Gadsden continues TO grow, and busi-
ness there in all directions is very active
at present" said Capt. j. NJ. Elliott, for
merly of Birmingham, but for many years
one of the prominent citizens of the Gads-
den district. "The Gulf States Steel conn
pany Is kept busy. 1t has one of the
best wire and rod mills IN the country,
and its output is in demand
Birmingham is going right ahead. of
course, and every time l happen to be
here | notice much solid Improvement"
Captain Elliott was a member of Gads-
den party who came to Birmingham Fri
day night and went yesterday to Lock u
to see the completed dam. The party re-
turned from the lock in automobiles and
took the Alabama Great Southern at the
Terminal station at p. m. for home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
More Art Taste

There is naturally more demand for
pictures and other things that come under
the head of art than when [ first made
this city my home" said J. B. Hoffman,,
the we'll known picture and pieture-frame
dealer.
Il started in business here with very
small stock-a stock that / could have
carried under my arm. / haven't as
large an establishment now as many
that may be found in New York or other
of the large and older cities, but | am
glad to see a more discriminating taste
ON the part of the Birmingham public in
everything pertaining to the beautiful.
People who buy now want pictures of
real merit, even if the price is low.
Christmas trade is fairly good and
believe all dealers in my line will be kept
busy the coming week"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Value of Concentration

The south has several organizations
seeking to promote material develop
ment. Alabama has its land congress
and other organizations inviting cap
ital and homeseekers to this state.
1t was recently announced from Mont
gomery that another movement was
to be inaugurated under the auspices
of an organization formed for the pur-
pose of advancing the south, with it's
headquarters in Baltimore, and chat
it's activities were to be invoked in be-
half Of Alabama"
The Southern Commercial congress
held. a notable meeting in Mobile in
October. 1t was intended to draw at
tention of Alabama and the whole
south. The citizens of Mobile raised a
large sum-about $17,0O0-of which
$4,000 was paid direct to the con-
gress and the rest was spent in push
ing the enterprise and in entertaining
guests, including the President of the
United States. In addition to the
money secured in Mobile by subscrip-
ton, an additional sum was raised
from the admission fee charged to en-
ter the hall where President Wilson
spoke. A man who has been active in
many Alabama movements during the
past few years, in writing about the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
Italy's Generous Act

The explanation Of most great myS-
teries is exceedingly simple-when
they are known That which has puz-
zled all Europe and the United States
for the past two years, the theft of the
,Da Vinci masterpiece "Mona Lisa, y
ihas at last been cleared up. The civil
lied world was agitated when the fact
sfinally leaked out that the famous
painting was missing and the outburst
of rejoicing at the discovery of the
canvas unharmed is proportionateiy
great
The action of Italy in instantly
making preparations to restore the
"Mona Lisa" to France, while any
thing else was scarcely to be expected,
was generous. Italy might have re-
tanned the portrait and successfully de-
Tended her claim in court of law.
The "Mona Lisa" was taken from a
Florentine gallery when Napoleon
was in the hey dey of his power and
striding over the continent like a Co.
lossus. 1t was not sold, but taken.
Italy has declined to stand on any
such technicality and the celebrated
picture will be returned to the Louvre,
from which place it was stolen in Au-
gust, 1911.
1t was with difficulty that Parisians
realized that the "Mona Lisa" had
actually been found. During the past
two years numerous attempts have
been made to impose on the officials
with false copies in an endeavor to
collect the reward; but this time the
identity of the picture has been es-
tablished beyond question. Authorities
of the Louvre were incredulous, but
when finally convinced that it was the
real "Mona Lisa" which had been un-
earthed, gave way to their emotions
in true Gallo manner.
1t is sad commentary on the sup
posedly ceaseless watch which was
kept over the priceless work of art in
the Louvre that man not even an
employe of the gallery should have
been able to calmly walk in, remove
the greatest canvas from its frame,
conceal it about his person, hide the
empty frame and make his escape
without being once suspected.
1t is extremely fortunate that the
painting was not damaged during its
transportation from Paris to Florence;
fortunate not only for France but for
the world, for such paintings as Da
Vinci's "Mona Lisa" are , too rarely
executed to be profaned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
NED BRACE WRITES ABOUT LAST NIGHTS =. :,
DINNER OF THE FAMOUS GRIDIRON Cl UB

Wen drop EN- and chop ,em,
The one way to stop 'e.n.
Ihat meets our desires"
Timely and topical ballads, parodies OF
men and things in the public eye, light.
ened the courses of the dinner. Here wa:
verse from Let them Co.:
If Roosevelt yearns for the Jungle.
Let MIN go. let him go, let him go,
If he could somehow get a hunch
To invite old Huerta down to lunch.
IL Huerta would go for a visit,
Where the Amazon's waters flow
Theodore might show
Huerta where to go,
Let him go, let him go, let him go" 3
y y y
Among the guests present were Vic,
President Marshall. six members of tn,
cabinet, the French, German and Bra,
lillian ambassadors, the ministers o.
Peru and The Netherlands, Senators ]
Hamilton Lewis. Illinois; Ollie James
Kentucky. ard T. NJ Simmons, Nortf
Carolina; Representative Oscar Under.
NOOut SoS(itldiN
John Purroy Mitchell mayor elect o.
New York; Gen. Felix Agnus, BaltiI
more American: William F. McCombs
New York; +. S. Bigelow, SaturdaJ
Evening Post: Robert Bridges, Scrib|
ners; Rev. J. Thomas Grove, Bran
we'll. Va; John NJ. Deponai. Ba1timorI
Star; American Minister to chile VI
L. Fletcher; Franklin 2. GLASS;, BirI
mingham; Charles II. Grasty, Baltimore
sun; William b. Haldeman. LouisvillI
Times; Thomas w. Lamonte, New
York; Brig. Gen. Hunter Liggett. u
S. A., Frank r. Kent, Baltimore Sum
Walker Percy. Birmingham; Victor n
Ritter. New York Stats Zeitung; Id
Albert Shaw, Review of Reviews Del
avan Smith. Indianapolis News; Gov
elect Henry c. Stuart. Virginia.
The following letter from PresidenI
Wilson was read by President Rudolph
Kaufman to the club:
II am deeply chagrined and greatll
disappointed that very severe coil
still keeps me indoors and will prrI
vent my attending the banquet of TN
club this evening; deeply chagrined5
because l seldom misbehave myself Il
this way and am ashamed and dis
appointed because 1 was looking fors
ward to the evening with keen anticH
patton of pleasure. l am sure that
will miss you much more than yoa
will miss me, and l wish for you ths
jolliest and most rewarding eveningl
Officers of the club were elected as fol-
lows:
Ernest G. Walker of the Boston Hgf
aid president, and Edgar c. Snydea
Omaha Bee, vice president: John
shriyer, Baltimore American. and LouH
w. Strayer. Plttsburg Dispatch, were ri
elected secretary and treasurer, respaa
lively.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
LET US co.

By Julia Neely Finch.
Come! Let us go. Let us go
Where singing streamlets flow.
Where falling leaves
A carpet weaves
OF wondrous colors soft and deep.
For fair Summer is asleep
And 1usty Autumn flaunts abroad
His flags of radiant. yellow gold
And flaming scarlets bright and bold
Within the wood a silence lies
As in the temple of the Lord,
Eome worship Him beneath His skie
In warp and woof of woven words;
In cramping walls and roofs that bi
Some souls their calm contentment fiji
But as for me, the songs of birds,
The woods. the fields, the winding roa
The sharp cold winds whose impish gl
Nips nose and neck and chin o. me:
These, these / find most to my mind,
The naked poughs in grace defined.
Against a far blue sky outlined
Those strange, soft sounds that hum;
sense
Can scarce percieye, so dense, too dens
Natures web of harmony.
These for me tighten life's duh load
And put heart of grace in me.
Come! Let us gol Let us go
And join in Natures litany
With humble heart and bended knee
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
2,eJ3oueQ
THE REASON

From Lippincott's
Among the employees whose duties al
supposed to be discharged in the rear
certain shop in Baltimore. while ii
proprietor looks after matters in from
are couple of darlSies, who occasional
take things easy"
One afternoon they were engaged in
quiet game of seven-up on a barrel, who
they We're startled by the sudden appea
ance of the boss, whom they supposed
be in his usual place in front.
The boss was angry. How is IT, he d
manded, that l find you fellows playir
cards?"
II don't know, boss" was the respon;
of one of the darkies. "unless it's on al
count of them rubber heels you
wearin'."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

New York police have discovered that
petty criminals have been hiring substi-
tutes to take their places in prison. 1t
would be interesting to learn just how the
substitutes were substituted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

If Captain Hobson We're this estate s
sole representative in the affairs of the
nation. what would be Alabama's stand
ing now in Washington?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Billy Sunday is reported to have con-
Verted Gaby Deslys, which reminds MS
that the burlesque of one of Gaby's of
ferings" which Gertrude Hoffman did in
Birmingham was not quite as "strong" as
the daring Gertrude made it in some other
southern Cities
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
HELP!

From the st. Louis Republic.
He claims to understand all women
thoroughly"
MY isn't he any older than that?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

An American duchess has been ap-
pointed mistress of the robes by Queen
Mary. That will give the girls who 'knew
her when" something to talk about for
years. .
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

foreign sculptor objects to the hands
and feet of American women. Can't ex-
pect to please all the foreigners who come
to our shores.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

A we'll known actress carries a pet
monkey about with her. The curious part
about it is that she is artist enough not
to need the advertising.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Spice is the name of a new weekly start
ed in Birmingham by Leonard Burton,
newspaper man who lived here many
years ago; but who for some time made
his home elsewhere. Volume l. No. 1 has
Is pages, and is well illustrated.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Even the worst little boys in the neigh
borhood are beginning to wear a pious
look.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

If Birmingham as a city keeps up with
her leading citizen, Underwood, her rank
will soon be second to none.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Underwood as a statesman is truly rep
resentative of Alabama and the south.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

A Chicago postal clerk stole 10 cents and
was sentenced to year in prison. If he
had stolen $40 he might have received
life sentence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

As George Ade would say, the Italian
who stole Mona Lisa seems to be a
trihe "balmy."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

The Lone bandit made another hard
and a hard working train robber is pre-
pared for the holiday expenses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Precedent will soon be a thing of the
past in Washington.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

The next time We see that .'movie" star
who beat his wife smirking in a picture
we are going to get right up on our feet
and hiss.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

Alabama is well advertised politically as
we'll as industrially.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
SOMEBODY'S HUSBAND.

SOMEBODY'S HUSBAND.
He's somebody's husband-don't smile
at his plight.
For it's plain to be seen that his bur-
dens aren't light;
With arms full of bundles he struggles
along,
Pushed this way and that by the holi
day throng.
A woman precedes him and little recks
How heavily freighted the poor man
may be,
But forges ahead with militant air
And an eye that could freeze with its
wintery stare.
They are lost in the crowd, they have
passed out of view,
The woman who wills and the man
But I tell you again, lest the truth be
forgot,
He's somebody's husband, which ac.
counts for lot.
TROUBLE IN STORE.
'Pokesly says he is going to throw
an old shoe at you when you get mar
ried tomorrow"
I'm glad Pokesly Is getting to be
more friendly. He hasn't had much use
for me lately"
Perhaps he hasn't changed. He told
me he thought he could get the kind
of old shoe he wanted at a blacksmith's S
shop"
GREAT WILL POWER.
''In what respect?'
lie went to buy some Christmas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
ADRlFT WITH THE TIMES

MORE MONEY. IN IT.
81 can say this much for dentists. u
What is it?'
"Yo,f seldom find one who has
grasping nature"
"No?"
They'd much rather fill tooth thl
pull It,"
A LARGE OPENING.
"How rude of.you to yawn right
my facet
'Is don't want to quarrel. dear, bud
think you Will have to acknowled|
that strictly speaking the yawn wi
right in my own face"
DIsPRovED.
"The author ofsthese poems says
tunes his Tyre with diffidence."
Il don't believe that statement.
"Why not?p
Doesn't he use a picture of hims
as a frontispiece? E
A MATTER OF MAKEUP.
Don't you think Miss Flabkin haI
beautiful complexion
well, to tell you the truth, 1 have|
seen her today"
PAUL cook
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

WHEN SHORT OF FUNDS.
"a man may be a good listener and
still not be listener who is good"
quite true And while you are qulh-
bling, permit me to observe that n
man may be ready spender and still
not be a spender who is ready"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
NOT QUALIFIED.

"Does Mrs. Gaddons belong to the
exclusive set?
I'm afraid not, She's never been
fined for smuggling"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14

presents and only spent twice the
amount he intended to spend"
LATE HOURS.
"Spaddles has ruined his health and
lost his position"
81 thought he was a wide awake
young man."
That's just the trouble. He was
wide awake too many times when he
should have been sleeping"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-14
DOESN'T KNOW MONA"

DOESN'T KNOW "MONA."
Mona Lisa has been found again.
"Oh-er. of course. / don't read the
much, but this white slave
traffic is menace to the whole coun-
try"