davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
An Army Corps Swifter Than Wind

In the great national armament of
the world it is the chief aim of each
power to acquire some specially char
acteristic feature in military equip
ment which is not possessed by rival
nations and which it is difficult for
such nations to simulate.
The Macedonian phalanX was for
long time terror to the enemy, a
most successful strategy in warfare
and one which rivals seemed unable
to initiate. 1t consisted of three rows
of spearsmen, one behind the other
with weapons of unequal length, the
longest spear being handled by the
rear file, so that when all three rows
were presented they formed an almost
impenetrable wall of sharp, cruel
spear heads. This method made the
troops of Macedonia for long while
absolutely irresistible.
The Japanese have essayed to rem
der cavalry the most effective arm of
their military service, and this seems
rather strange when the small statue
of the Jap and his consequent diff
Guilty in maanting a horse are taken
into consideration. And yet they are
said to have become swift and reck-
less chargers. 1t is jocosely related of
the Japanese cavalry that during the
Russo-Japanese war their impetuosity
of the charge was such that when the
steeds were shot down and fell to the
ground the riders kept on, impelled
by the impetus, until they flew into
the camp of the enemy.
But now comes Norway with a
corps of infantry that is able to move
with the celebrity of the swiftest cav
airy and cover a march of so miles a
day. Such wonderful record is made
possible by the equipping of the men
with skates and instructing them to
execute war maneuvers with astoun1-
ing rapidity upon runners. The heels
of the skates are so shaped as to en-
able the soldiers to spin around as
though upon pivot and no corps in
~the entire army can right about face"
with such rapidity as that of the skat-
ing infantry.
For scorting and patrol duty these
men upon steel runners are of invalu-
able service, but the great trouble
is that they can only be employed in
the long winter months when the
fiords and narrow inlets of the country
are frozen over, and this is a season
when few nations go to war, for very
few campaigns are conducted when ice
and snow are to be contended with.
Still, corps upon skates is unique
and 80 miles a day for infantry is a
record without parallel in marching
annals,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Eyangelistic Work

"AIueh good has been accomplished
this winter by the many evangelistic
|, meetings which have been held under the
auspices of the Young Mems Christian
association of this city," said II. r. How
ell of Birmingham.
Some of the most brilliant speakers in
the United States and Canada have Wis
tied the city at the invitation of the as
sociation, and the people of Birmingham
have shown great appreciation of the ef-
forts of the management in this behalf.
The Sunday crowds have seemed to en-
joy listening TO the religious speakers
sThe orators, however, have not been
confined altogether to religious work.
Social and foreign problems have been
treated on and expounded eloquently
Most of the meetings have taken place
in theatres engaged for the purpose. Be-
fore Christmas for six succeeding Sum
days great evangelsts visited the city
and held large meetings under the aus
piees of the Christian association, and
in several instances the speakers re-
manned here through the following week.
making special weekday addresses, some
of them visiting the numerous schools
of the district
For the past six weeks another series
of meetings of this character have been
conducted by great orators secured by the
association for this purpose. Sunday
marked the last of the programme
planned. "Bily" Williams of San Jose,
closed the meetings in fine style. During
the past two weeks he has held special
workman's meetings. visiting the car
shops at the noon hour. About 10 adj
dresses were made in this manner
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
Bungalows in Birmingham

II think Birmingham has an unusual
number of cozy and ornate private res
idences," said visiting architect yester-
day.
I'm fact the number of such handsome
structures here is greater in proportion
to the population than in most cities that
L have visited / must speak, however,
of one error into which not only Birming
hamites, but people generally fall; and
that is the calling of any small, trig-
looking house a bungalow Architecture
has its strict rules as well as any other
science or profession. and it CRATES upon
me as an architect to hear the term bun
galow' used somewhat indseriminately, or
rather misused. A bungalow must always
be wider than it is deep, that is, it's
front must exceed in length its lateral
walls and it's roof must be an unbroken
sweep from the caves to the hip. If
these rules are not observed in the con-
struction, the building is not in the strict
sense a bungalow"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
LUKE NI'LUKE SAYS

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
In some homes mother makes the chill.
dren get along without candy and Ice
cream because father can't get along
on less than 20 beers a day.
And just because a girl has her face
covered with stuff that looks like baking
powder is no sign that she is absolutely
pure.
The man who laughs at superstition
when he walks under a ladder will cross
his fingers and spit over them when he
sees funeral passing the next corner.
When father is guilty and is trying to
edge out of 1t he INDICATES about what
good husband he has been and Is amazed
that mother will take the word \of any
old gossip and question his word.
There won't be so many divorces when
women work as hard to hold men as they
did to capture them.
Some old white-blooded fossil is having
fine time sending Luke anonymous
postal cards. I'll bet this lad Is vice
president of at least II societies for the
prevention of something or other.
When he isn't wishing he was a big
league ballplayer every real small boy
puts I'm the rest of his time hoping the
school will burn down and that the SOAP
factories will all fail.
Some men are so practical that they
can't build castles in the air withou,
renting them out as aeropane garages
Live so that they will have to print nice
| things about you while you are alive
Any porch climber can get a good obft-
uary notice.
Suppose the women did get to wearine
| them? They would always be handi
| capped. They would always be afrait
to use the hip pockets
One of the peasures of being a slav,
to the Demon Rum is to meet a man IL
bar who wants to put his arms aroun,
you and kiss you, and who pours bee,
into your coat pockets trying to show
you how much he likes YOU.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A number OF prominent London au-
thors have sent petition to Premier
Asquith urging the British government
to reconsider its decision not to take part
in the Panama-Pacific exposition in 1916
Among other reasons advanced, the pc.
titioners think that the sum involved is
moderate in comparison with the harm
that might result from a lessening of the
friendly regard existing between Eng
land and the United States. Among tn,
sgners to the petition are such wei
known persons as A. Conan Doyle, Henr,
Arthur Jones, A. e. w. Mason, Sir Arthur
w. Pinero, Sir owen Seaman, Mar,
Elizabeth Braddon, John Masefield, Mis-
Humphrey Ward and Arthur Christophei
Bensno.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
AMERICANS A DYING orT.

From the Philadelphia North American.
The question as TO whether the native
American stock is perishing has received
considerable attention from statistieans,
and the results thus far are not encour-
aging to those who believe that the eoun-
try and the world need the descendants
of the early settlers" How soon, II
ever, the original American. as we ac-
knowledge him to be, of European stock
and apart from the Indian, is going to
pass away, is something none of the ex-
perts will attempt to say.
Walter F. Wilcox, statistieian of Cor
nell university, says that a very care
full and thorough study of the popula-
tion of Massachusetts, made at his sug-
gestion. led to the general conclusion that
the native population of the state is dying
out at a considerable pace. He believes
the same observation will apply to the
rest of New England and to New York,
but it probably does not apply to the ma
tive American stock of the south. There
appear to be no readily available sta
tistics regarding Pennsylvania and the
north central states
Some years ago President Eliot OF
Harvard, in his annual report, showed
that of SS1 Harvard graduates who took
their degrees from % to 80 years previous
y, y per cent were married and Is per
cent unmarried. The Y per cent had
1862 living children On the assumption
that half Of the children were boys, there
were 631 male children. 1t was Presi-
dent Eliot's conclusion that:
THE highly educated part of the Amer
ican people does not increase the populae
ton at all; but, on the contrary, falls to
reproduce itself"
II believe this to be correct" says
Statistician Wilcox. But the evidence
does not warrant any definite statement
regarding the probable or possible period
within which the old American stock will
have submerged.
.Viewing the subject more broadly, the
increase of population among peoples of
European stock during the last two GEN.
turies has been enormous and unprece-
dented. The increase has not been due
to any increase in the birth rate, but
rather to a decrease in the death rate
Under present conditions, it seems prob
able that a nation may increase mainly
from its weaker lines of descent, or, at
least, may not gain as it might and
should from its best lines. This change
may extend to races, and the white race
may lose the numerical predominance it
has so recently acquired.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

september 6, 1901, as President
IL Mckinley was holding a recep-
- ton in the Temple of Music at
| the Buffalo exposition, he was shot
twice by Leon Czolgosz as he was shak-
| ing hands with the President. The as
sassination had evidently been planned
with care. Over his right hand the as
sassin wore a white handkerchief, as IL
tho hand was bandaged. Beneath this
handkerchief he had concealed short
barreled Derringer revolver.
A little girl was Immediately ahead
of Czolgosz in the line, and the Presi-
dent after patting her kindly on the
head, turned with a smile of welcome
and extended his hand The assassin
thrust out both his hands, brushed aside
the Presidents right hand with his lef.
lurched forward against the President
and, thrusting his right hand close
against his breast, he pulled the trig-
ger twice.
| Czolgosz was a self-avowed disciple
of anarchy, and at the time claimed
that he alone was responsible for the
crime. having had no assistants. He
persisted in this statement to the end,
| anu tlt lildi utNtlOpcu IO otuei
names connected with the assassination,
] The assassin was a Pole and lived in
Cleveland up to a very short time be-
fore going to Buffalo. At one time he
kept saloon in Cleveland and later
worked in an iron mill. He had been
born in Alpena, Mich, and was only a
little over 20 years of age. His father
was born in Posen county, Brumburg,
coming to America 80 years before the
sons crime. He was considered poor
but peaceful citizen, were the other
children of the family.
As soon as the assassin had accom-
plished the deed he was seized by S. r.
ireland of the United States secret SER
vice, taken into a side room for fear of
| the angry crowd wreaking vengeance
upon him, and was then hurried off to
Station House No. / and was thrown
into an underground cell. On the fol-
lowing Monday he made a written
statement, in which he reiterated his
first story that he was alone in the
crime.
President Mckinley died on Saturday
morning. September IA, and his burial
| took place on September 20 at his home
in Canton, o. Czolgosz. the murderer.
was arraigned before Judge Edward X.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
A Gracious Stroke of Policy

The raising of the United States
legation in the Argentine Republic to
the rank of an embassy is deserving
of more than a passing notice of
events transpiring in diplomatic cir
cles.
The act is of peculiar significance
from the fact that the United States
was the first nation upon the globe
to establish permanent legation in
that country. Then again, it demon
strates that Uncle Sam is by no means
asleep. No republic in South America
has made such strides in progress and
commercial circles as Argentina, a
fact which until recently has received
. greater recognition from European
governments than from our own.
So far as population is concerned
this is the smallest republic that has
been accredited with an ambassador,
hut potentially that country is deserv-
ing of the greatest consideration upon
our part. Her shipments of beef and
corn are becoming quite factor in
the commercial world and her mercan-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

a suit to enjoin the trustees OF the school
district and members of a club support
ing baseball from fulfilling their contract
of leasing part of the school grounds for
a baseball field during the summer
months. The Injunction was denied be-
cause the contract provided against un-
lawful conduct on the grounds and was
such as to be financially beneficial to the
school district. In speaking further about
baseball the court said: 1T IS an inno-
cent legitimate amusement and, like
legitimate business, to warrant an in
junction stopping or destroying It, it must
appear that the indulgence In it is nee
essafily a nuisance"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
Mrs. X. l.. Stevenson

Many admirers of Robert Louis
Stevenson's works probably did not
know that his widow had survived
him for a decade, until she died re-
Gently at her home in Montecito, near
Santa Barbara, Cal. The widows of
famous men are, as a rule, so over
shadowed by the, greatness of their
husbands that they live on sometimes
| long after the men whose names they
bear have passed away, forgotten save
by small circle of intimates, unless,
as it occasionally happens, they be-
come addicted to the memoir habit.
Mrs. Stevenson seems to have been
in every way a worthy mate to her
distinguished husband. To her unflag
ging care and devotion the novelist
doubtless owed many additional years
of his life, a life which was in its
late part constant struggle against
disease. Mrs. Stevenson not only
cared for her husband as a nurse, but
she acted as his secretary and
amanuensis, conserving in many ways
his feeble strength When we pay
our willing tribute to Robert Louis
Stevenson we should not forget the
loyal woman who stood at his side and
not only eased his suffering, but
helped, by taking from his shoulders
the drudgery of literary composition,
to perpetuate his fame. For this the
world owes debt of gratitude.
Mrs. Stevenson was first married in
indianapolis at the age of II to Sam
uel Osbourne, clerk in the Indiana
unhappy and they parted twice by
mutual consent before Mrs. Osbourne
finally obtained a divorce. She first
met Stevenson at Gretz, village on
the edge of the forest of Fontainbleau,
where she and her daughter were
members of an artists colony, both
the mother and the daughter having
gift for painting.
Returning to California, where she
and Mr.. Osbourne had made their
home before their estrangement, Mrs.
enson crossed the Atlantic as a steer
age passenger and travelled by immi-
grant train across the American con-
tinent to visit her. He wrote a vivid
account of the hardships he endured.
The novelist reached San Francisco
in December, 1878, worn out by his
journey, and himself suffered severe
illness. Mrs. Osbourne had by this
time recovered and nursed Stevenson
until his shattered health was partly
restored. In the following spring she
obtained divorce from her husband
and was married to Stevenson at Mon
terey. The couple lived in various
places, both in this country and
abroad, always in search of a climate
that would prove beneficial to Steven
son, and finally sailed from Sam Fran
cisco for the South Seas, where the
novelist died on the island of Samoa,
December A, 1894.
Lloyd Osbourne, with whom Steven
son collaborated in some of his late
literary work, was the novelist's STEP
son.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

York the highest price obtained was paid
for a volume of Hogarths works, which
was sold for $500. The copy belonged to
the Earl of Hopetown ana contains go
ensravings by Hogarth. A volume of
Grimms Fairy Tales with illustrations
by Cruikshank brought 1895. A complete
set of George Elliot was bid in for S21,,
The 1902 edition of John F.sKe was sole
for s277. The large paper Boston edition
of Charles Dickens, 1904, brought s27O
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
BASEBALL INDICATED
From the Docket.

And now comes court ana assures
everyone of us that baseball is not III
itself bad. What relief must it not be
for those who have heretofore been SUBJ
jected to the vituperations of well-mean-
ing friends after their return from a
Sunday baseball game. They may now,
with stately wrath, turn to the case OF
Royse Independent School Dist. VS. Rein
hardt, 15s Southwestern Reporter -
and, as supporting their defens i
Chief Justice Rainey of the court 4
peals of Texas. who says: ''Thi
game of baseball is not a nuisan
Sc is we'll settled" This point ar
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
POINTED PARAGRAPHS
From the Chicago News.

FTUIH lIe CnICagO NEWS.
Never threaten to kiss a girl.
Keep one eye on your enemies and two
on your friends
She may find it easier to fool him than
to keep him fooled.
Some men mistake decanter for the
fountain of youth.
Some girls are shy about marrying men
who are shy of ready money.
Many a man has real money in his
-rreat became he doesn't own an auto
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
A RATIONAL INFERENCE

From the Houston Daily Post.
We do not pretend to be thoroughly
formed about the Alabama
race. Our belief that Underwoo
cinch is based entirely upon an in
that the people of Alabama are ~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A holdup man arrested IN New York
a Sunday school. Truly versatile char
acter, who believes in playing both ends
against the middle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
VANISHED BEAUTY

From Shakespeare's THE F
Pilgrim"
Beauty is but . vain and doub'
A shining gloss that fadeth suc
A flower that dies when first !
bud;
A brittle glass that's broken p
A doubtful good, a gloss, . glass
Lost, faded. broken, dead With
And as goods lost are seldom
<ound,
nded gloss no rubbing will
A. overs dead lie wither'd
round,
A. oxen glass no cement car
81 luty blemish'd once's for
ite Of physic. painting.
ost.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

If you would only stop to think about
it, right now there is somewhere in the
bushes phenomenal pitcher whose name
will be a byword in a year or two
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

Nervousness is said to have been shown
by Castillo when captured by United
States troops. A certain amount of ner-
vousness is permissible in his case.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

Tom Sharkey. the pugilist, who is do
ing a little time for running a disorderly
resort, handles snow shovel extreme
ly we'll Even a pugilist may have tie
making of a useful citizen in him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

\ woman seeking a divorce says her
husband hasn't read a book since they
were married. Some husbands have to
work so hard to provide fashions flip
peries for their wives they never have
time TO read a book.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

Mr.. Taft says T. r. doesn't stand much
chance. He certainly would not, if every
body had the same private thoughts
about 7. r. that Mr.. Taft entertains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

An observer says some men endure mat
rimony as they do being bald, as some
thing they can't escape. However, be-
ing bald doesn't entail additional expense
unless a person starts to buying hair
tonics
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A thoughtful Ohioan bought his own
monument before committing suicide. We
trust he didn't exceed good taste by die
tating his own epitaph
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

While some big prizes have been Of
fered for transatlantic flights. the avia-
tor who gets across safely ought to be
thankful to escape with his life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

For some reason or other. stage ladies
are conspicuously absent from thrilling
news of the day. Can it be possible that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

Nicholas Longworth announces that he
will run for Congress again. Glad tidings
for paragraphers. Nick makes a shining
mark for pert ones,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

The granddaughter of the poet Lowell
confesses to having kissed her affinity
while hubby was away. Seems to have
inherited poetical temperament
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

1t isn't safe to roam about England
If you look like Premier Asquith. Amer
ican tourists had better consult their
mirrors before venturing out
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A baboon will be the mascot for Sir
Thomas Lipton's Shamrock ", the new
challenger for the Americas cup. ANY,
thing for a change of luck.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A New Jersey man recently died in
his 111th year and he is to be highly
commended for never having made pub
lie his private rules for promoting lon
oax-itE
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

A Pennsylvania spinster As years cid
fell to grieving over a girlish vow she
made never to marry and committed
suicide. If every girl kept a vow of
that sort the world would be full of
spinsters inhaling gas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

According to a spokesman for Huerta,
he is fighting for peace. The impression
that he is fighting for Huerta's life and
Huertas job is all a mistake
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

So far there have been no government
statistics published as to the number OF
ultimatums exported from the United
States in 1918
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

An interview with a baseball mogul
about this time of year is the most i'm
portant item in newspaper.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

Another American girl has married a
French count and started off on an auto
mobile honeymoon, As usual we fear
the worst.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

BEGINNING THIS DAY. thank
Thee, my Father, that 1 slept last
night In Thy house; TINT j have gar
mcnted myself in Thy cotton and
fax and wool; that l shall eat Thy
food; that 1 shall garner Thy har-
vests. Help me to go dutifuIly as
Thy child enjoying Thy bounty. And
mny 1 look into Thy face and he
glad. Amen.-H. VI. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

With a green crew and boat drills that
were a farce, no wonder the Monroe fig
ured in a tragedy of the sea.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24

The German crown prince has the
mumps There is probably no complaint
more thoroughly democratic than the
mumps.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-24
TROUBADOI
FOOLS.

FOOLS.
The speedfool makes the angels weep
The swimfool has ambition:
The icefool is beyond a doubt
The coolest proposition.
New York sun.
The airfool tumbles from the sky,
The coastfool feels elation;
The gabfool is the biggest fool
That's known to all creation.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The rowboat fools another fool
And a most useless critter:
But the MOTHERHOOD who let's her girls
Run the streets leads the litter.
Houston Daily Post.
The weatherfool's intolerable,
Who says grounding was right"
But the darnfoors the man who b'lieves
Hobson will win his fight.
BUGHoUSE.
Mrs. Swivel: "How's your son Johnny
getting alone at college?"
Mrs Swimble: Just fine; he's so fond
of bacterology that all his classmates
call him the mierobat, of the college"
DARWINIAN CALESTHENICS.
Bibbs: Il am much interested in evolu-
ton and even believe that it may be
traced in the dance"
Gibbs: Sure; the tango is but the sur
vival of the foot test"
MORAL SUPPORT.
Jones: "Is it true that Brown was
held up on his way home last night?"
Smith: Yes; he was too full to get
home any other way