davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

at the State Fair last week were im- pressed by the manly bearing of the youngsters. Their prototypes abroad are winning undying honors for themselves and their organization. The Boy Scouts were born in the mind of General Ba- den-Powell of Transvaal fame. It is an organization whose chief tenet is peace but in the period of stress which now weighs upon the nations of Europe the Boy Scouts are taking a noble part in tie war. In England they are acting as messengers, guarding and patrolling bridges, culverts and telegraph lines, col lecting information concerning supplies and equipment, helping to gather the crops, and performing many other du- ties that formerly fell to their elders In Belgium the Boy Scouts have had their baptism of fire, and enc of them, Georges Lysen, has been decorated by King Albert for bravery on the field
 ''The report of the suicide of General Von Kluck has been denied" Thus reads press dispatch We are glad to sec that the correspondents are making some attempts to correct their mistakes. don't remember having seen a denial of the story that General yon Emmich committed suicide because the forts of Liege failed to fall before infantry at taoks, but General Won Emmich has ap- peared in the news columns since his suicide was reported. S1uch space was given to the report that Empercr Will liam had deposed General Helmuth Von Moltke, chief of the general staff, be- cause their ideas of strategy did nnl agree, but for some strange reason the dispatch did not end with the familiar words: Ut is reported that the latter ha 3 committed suicide" It was a good old custom among the Japanese to get even with an enemy by committing hari-kari on his doorstep. But Japanese culture and German culture have nothing in common.
 Of all the German generals, it is prob- able that Von Kluck is the greatest favor fte among Americans. His raid almost to the gates of Paris was spectacular in its daring. He was beaten back by the sledge hammer blows of the allies but time again he saved his army from what seemed almost certain capture or destruc-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

Christian is a potent cause of unbelef, and of the scoffing of unbelievers. At this moment men talk of Christian nations
 being at war. But there are no Chris ton nations. If we say that America is a Christian nation. behold her hand red with the blood of the murdered. red with the blood of children sacrificed to greed. red with the souls blood of thousands of young women who were driven from homeless childhood to homeless woman hood, loved with the love that blights and enslaves and kills. Is America a Christian nation? Yes, in the same sense that England is Christian. but not precise ly in the same degree or way. We can see Englands sins. She can see ours.
 We both carry them on our backs. So also does Germany and so does Russia.
 Here and there are admirable traits.
 Here afM wonder are men of golden souls and the minds of genius, the talent to teach, to discover, to command. But all are harnessed to the wheel which drags up the steep, with Sisyphus. load that must again rush down into the inescap-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

N ONE form or another that is the
 question of the hour. asked over and = over by peace lovers and the sons of trade. The general verdict seems to be that, as Christianity, civilization is a failure. proven so by the deluge of blood saturating the stubblefields of Belgium and France, East Prussia and Galicia, Servia and Bosnia. and places whose Names were unknown to us till they were written with pens of fire and in the red sink of human anguish.
 As Christianity, civilization and culture were proclaimed as a religion. Germany had more of it, Russia had less And the end of it was given in masses of armed men, tramping with vast artillery, ehrough the streets of Brussels, 26 hours of steady tramping. grinding wheels, thud of hoofs and more and more tramping Then presently Paris can almost hear the tramping, till it dies away to the Eouth and east. Civilization and culture almost came to Paris.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

Xenophon describes in his "Cyropedia, D the life of Cyrus of Persia. the training of youth in the Persia of Cyrus day. Commentators think, however, that he merely set back the date of the training of the youth couple of centuries anc that the system be describes existed in his own Greece.
 He says:
 ''The youths punish also one (of them seives) whom they find accusing another falsely And they bring one another to trial, also charged with an offense for which people hate one another most, but go to law least, namely. ingratitude, and if they know that any one is able to re- turn favor and fails to do so they punish him severely. For they think that the ungrateful are likely to De the most neglectful of their duty toward their gods, their parents. their country and their friends, for 1t seems that shamelessness goes hand in hand with ingratitude. and it is that. we know, which leads the way to every moral wrong
 Note:
 "Ingratitude is an offense for which people hate one another most, but go to law least"
 In this country at any rate people do not go to law because some one else is ungrateful for benefits rendered. No penal code fixes a punishment for in gratitude. It is ultra vires'-beyond the power of the law, which has a long arm. but cannot reach the man or woman who reaps the benefits forgot
 But in the moral code
 Xenophon is quite right in speaking of the shamelessness of ingraitude. He is in good literary company in denounc- ing 1t as a crime against the higher feelings of mankind.
 For instance
 'I hate ingratitude more in a man than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness or any taint of vice..
 So says Shakespeare in Twelfth Night"
 When you are wounded by one of the little inevitable hurts of life
 Forget them by think of the bigger things you are engaged in.
 Take the case of little Jimmy O'Con- nor, for instance. Jimmy lives in New York. and he plays baseball with his nine when the, pier on which they play is not occupied by bigger fellows. Jim my is the catcher of his team. He showed what stuff he is made of in a game lately In the fourth inning the um- pire noticed that the ball was covered with blood. He called the members of the two teams around him and asked them to show him their hands. All com piled readily with the exception of Jim my, who hung in the background.
 Come on, Jimmy. let's see your hands," said the umpire
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11
SOME SIDELIGHTS ON THE WAR-By Harry J. Burney

grounds, the condemned man was rolling a cigarette, which he smoked calmly while he listened to the reading of his sentence. Then he shook hands with the chaplain, and stepping briskly to the ex- ecution post. folded his arms and looked straight at the firing squad. He refused to have his eyes bandaged. At a sharp command yolley sounded" Thus die men today-even as they have died in all times.
 One of the staff compilers of the New York Evening Post points out that there are no less than three generals by the name of Von Below in the German army. As they are appearing from time to time in the news, confusion Is almost certain to arise in the mind of the reader. At the outbreak of the war one Lieutenant General Won Below com handed the second division of the first army corps at Insterburg, another Lieu tenat General Won Below commanded the ninth division of the fifth army corps at Glogau, and the third, Gen earl Won Below, commanded the twenty first army corps at SaarbruclSen. The latter is the officer who figured most in the news. In addition, there is a Lieutenant General Von Bredow, as well as a General Colonel Won Bulow.
 Another matter of passing interest is the number of German officers who have French names. Among these may be mentioned Lieutenant General Won Hutier commander of the first general division, while the cavalry of a corps is commanded by Lieutenant General Von Pelet-Narbonne. Lieutenant General Won Francois commands the first army corps, the first division of which is un- der the command of Lieutenant General Won Conta Count Monteglas commands the fourth division of the second Ba- verian army corps, and two other Ba- varian generals are Von Benzino and Von Martini. Other foreign names arc those of Lieutenant General Wichura, Gales de Beaulieu, Von Berrere, Won Mudra and D'Elsa. And-dont forget this, please-the commander of the eighth army corps Is Lieutenant General Fluff Won Tschepe und Weidenbach.
 All who saw Rirnin ghau,'s Row Scouts a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

the English ambassador in Berlin evil dently was quite clear about IL end- ing in hostilities. as is evidenced by the fact in connection with the dis charging of his cook above mentioned. We only regret that five valuable days Il. e., from the moment the cook was dis missed until the moment of the deciara- tion of war-were lost in futile pourpar- lers.
 "The famous cook has now become a great historic personality. constituting. as she does, the most important land mark in the history of the world"
 We regret extremely that the name of the cook is not given. Did we know it, we would gladly send 1t echoing down the corridors of time. Another thing is over looked by the writer of the LolSal An zeigers editorial. He should have had something to say about the courage and heroism of Sir Edward Gosehen. His bravery is equal to that of any of the brave men who have poured out their life blood on the soil of Belgium. Many men would rather fire cannon than a cook.
 
 many distinguished men who assert that the war was forced on Germany by England, and he does not base his arr gument upon the episode in the ambassa- dorial kitchens. He contends that for years Great Britain has been jealous of the increasing might of Germany as an industrial nation, and seized eagerly upon the violation of Belgiums neutrality as an excuse to rush to war. Such statements are easy of belief. but when it Is as- serted that England was already for the titanic encounter doubts are certain to arise. It Is true that her fleet happened to be In home waters. but when this is written no especial damage had been done to the war squadron of Germany On land England was pitifully and woefully unready Her armies are yet to be raised The German forces had been In Belgium and Luxemburg three weeks before Great Britain sent it's little force under Sir John French to the firing line In time England and her colonies will have a powerful force in the field But even with the incomparable Kitchener at the head ot her military affairs England's part In the land operations. for sometime, will be far from the chief one
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

"Aw, deres nothin' the matter wid me Leave us go on an play ball." answered Jimmy. 'Nothin' doin'," said the um. pire, and he grabbed Jimmys dirty lit tie fist and made him open his hand to the bone. The "kid'' had cut his hand that morning and in playing his posi- tion of catcher he had given the wound continuous pounding, opening the gash and soaking the ball with blood.
 Jimmy wanted to keep right on play ing, insisting that it was ''nothin." but the umpire used his authority to put him out of the game and have his in- jury treated.
 in his section of the city. And he de- serve his fame.
 Here's hoping
 That Jimmy, when he grows up will escape the evil influences of the unsav- ory part of the city in which he lives. There are too many saloons there for one thing, and Jimmy may become a good fellow being popular-too good for his own real good.
 But
 If he escapes them and grows into the fine. upstanding manhood of which his youth is Apromise he'll be a worthy citizen. The spirit that kept him in the game with an injured hand, which must have hurt badly. and led him to ignore the blood running over the ball. will give him the strength needed to keep in the bigger game called life.
 No doubt, as the position of catcher is one of the hardest on ball team some folks say it is even harder thar that of the pitcher-and Jimmy did moi ask to be relieved of the hard work anc sent to the outfield, in the same wa, he'll not ask to be kept away from the harder tasks in the days to come
 Jimmy stuck. And no doubt he will stick in the future. The stuff of whicl Jimmies are made is none too plentiful
 Speaking recently to the American As. sociation of Railroad superintendents Frederick D. Underwood, president of thu Erie railroad. told the railway expertI what hs thought about men who do no observe rules.
 He said good many interesting things Here Is one of them:
 Breaking rule or doing somethinI outside of the rules is many times al offense to be condoned provided the of fender has brains. Ills action shove, him fearless and perhaps expedient. Ther are the seeds of a good man in ever, rebel. Mentally pussy footed men are no desirable"
 That is-
 MT. Underwood and other men of hi kind, successful executives. with repu tattons for picking out good men to sx
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

that they have no right to obtrude their sadness on the world. You and I pass ing along the street see approaching a person clad in deepest black or wear
 ing a mourning band on the sleeve. We mark the saddened countenance, and immediately the sun of our own happiness is temporarily eclipsed.
 If the person in mourning had robbed us of our money we would have been justly indignant and would have talk en steps to recover our property.
 But
 He has taken away from us more than money. He has robbed us of something that money cannot buy. He has filched from us part of our right fu.' share of the joy of life and forced vato griefs.
 Is is right?
 Happily this view of the matter is gaining ground. Only the other day an eminent man died in London. In his lifetime he had opposed strongly the wearing of mourning, and when he died the notice of his death in the newspaper contained these words:
 His wife and family will respect his urgent desire that no outward sign of mourning should be worn." This moved the London Times to comment on thu advertisement as follows:
 Those whose sympathy we value will give it to us without our adver- Using for it. It will seem all but in- decent to go about the world demand ing sympathy of strangers. And if we believe that those who have left us have still the power to observe our dolngs we must believe that 1t Is our hearts. not our clothes. that they will read"
 In other words
 The dead if they could speak to us would not desire us to overshadow the lives of others unable to protect them: selves from the assaults of our grief They would rather ask us to cherish them in our hearts and keep their memory green in the hearts of others who knew them in life. So short time do the dead live, any, way!
 Convict 4lS was a train robber. In all likelihood he will rob no more trains, for he is out on parole and there Is no indication that he will ever break his parole.
 The story of convict AIS is interest | ing. He is a living example of the man who finds his work. | And this is how it came about l Soon after he began to serve his term for the train robbery of which he had been convicted. he gave signs oi being a "bad" prisoner All prisons are full of bad men. but "bad" pris- ouer is another thing. He is man
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11
R WILLIAM By B. F. Riley D. D.

ieient in some of it's evolutions and that the Emperor sought to know why 1t was. He learned that certain stalwart Ger nan officer, young man, was not sui hciently prompt with his orders and the ship was awry in it's movements. William ordered the young officer to be brought into his presence, and that of other of hcers of the feet and abused the young officer, after which he gave him terrible slap on tho check Humliated by this se- were treatment and disgrace, the buriy young Teuton leveled a blow on the nose of the Emperor. knocking him spra wiling on the deck, and then jumped into the sea and committed suicide by drowning.
 This rumor was persistent for weeks in
 the European journals. while those of Ger
 many were perfectly silent The story
 gradually spent it's force and nothing
 more was said about it. At the time, how
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

able valley of humiliation. The system is a cosmos that demands their loyal service unto death. They serve. They toll. Thes die. But the cosmic structure is moi made Christian save by infinite numbers of these defeated lives.
 The civilization of the future will be based on the fact of the new birth oi the individual He must be born of the water and the wind In other words. till he will devote himself to the unseen ideals of love he is under the heel of the visible powers of selfish corruption and decay. The City of God win come. peopled with the newborn, and that will be the first example of Christian civilisation-a city under the Spirit of Love. the joy of the whole earth.
 If millions must die to diseredit s false- hood and fake. time-worn deusion and a spiritual snare, their death Is worth the while
 Is it proved that civilization is a failures Proved even to the hllt, Not even that giant genius of peace, Sir Edward Grey, could help tho proof going in, clear to the hilt.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11
BY-PATHS OF


the entrance to the grounds, and was much annoyed by seeing the sentinel fre- quently presenting arms. This he did again and again in rapid succession. and as the man seemed to be pranking, the old sovereign stole down the steps and unobserved by the sentinel. watched the occasion of the strange proceeding. He soon saw his grandson, the Present Elm peior, bounding at intervals from be- hind an object which would screen him from the view of the sentinel thus com polling the man in frequent succession to present arms. He watched for the occasion, and when he ascertained it, he called the mischieyous boy into the pal ace and gave him a sound thra shing The sentinel was no more annoyed by William.
 While the five sons of the Emperor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

of so many fine and splendid men to prove what was already so evident, that civilization rests on force, that civiliza- ton as a religion is no more Christian than 1t is Jewish or Hindu or Buddhist.
 Civilization is simply the name we give to the art of living in cities. the art of living in masses. It has been touched and tinctured with the Spirit of God, the Spirit of brotherhood and worship and chivalry and love, but it is not super. saturated with that Spirit. It is not sub jugated by that Spirit. It has simply be- come tolerant of that Spirit, and is only on the way to the inevitable suhjection. This is the longing ia those lines of Ar mold
 'On to the bound of the wastel
 ''On to the City of God'
 Or. as another poet has it.
 My heart is pained nor can it he
 At rest till it find rest in Thee
 Kaiser Wilhelm and Emperor Francis
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

ever, 1t was currently believed that the report was true.
 In 1s9S, while the present writer was spending sometime In Germany. an anee- dote of Emperor William was related to him by an Englishman from London. He said that two other young Englishmen had come to Berlin some weeks before and one of them fell into trouble by a too free use of his tongue. The two com panions were seated in a beer garden, for they line the principal streets of Ser lin. and were engaged in rather a hi- larious way, in discussing the Emperor. whom they had just seen at the palace. After laughing at his conduct for some time, one of the two. in a drawing way, and in no subdued tone, said to the other, well, isn't the Emperor the - fool you ever saw
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

call of Kansas and Oklahoma has echoed through the states and regi- ment after regiment of men. hungry for work. has answered
 Often before has this same call been sounded, but never as this year. For never in the history of men and fields has the silence borne fruit of such bounty.
 Through Missouri. Indiana. Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania 1t shall spread. and then on to Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska. North Dakota and Washing
 ton. These are the high 12 among the wheat states.
 And when these and the others in which the rest of our wheat is grown have swung the last bundle into the shock young Uncle Sam may stand on his highest hill and forming a trumpet l of his calloused. sunburned hands. shout to a world that must eat threo times day. Mine hundred million
 bushels, and all Is well!'
 | Never before In the history of the world has any nation grown such . crop of wheat. Five years ago Russia with an acreage one-third larger came
 with 117,0o0.000 bushels of this prodi- glous total Our own next largest crop was 137.o00,000 bushels short of the present flood of gold.
 For a moment. at least. we may turn from the perplexities of psychological
 business depressiQns. graft grown na- tional backdowns and rumors of war.
 to sweep with wonder propped eyes this stretch of wealth which pales to sickly hue the bravest dreams of the
 brave admiral who dared unchartee seas to find another sort of gold.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

ton. Through the bloody weeks along the Marne. Aisne and Disc he has fought and maneuvered with a skill and daring that have won him praise from enemies as well as friends. We are really relieved to learn mistake.
 Frequent reference is made in the news- papers and magazines to book written by General Bernhard of the German army and the doctrines contained therein. The volume was published in 1911. Here are some of it's teachings.
 Aspirations for peace threaten to poison the soul of the German people. . :. War is an indispensable factor of culture. If 1t brings with it widespread misery and emphasizes the primitive bru- tality of man, it is nevertheless a neces- sty for national life.
 Healthy nations increase in numbers and require new territory for their sur plus population. They must obtain 1t by conquest. Might then becomes right, and war is to decide what constitutes right.
 War is required to enable the nation to create COlOn1eS Wnicn Will take the products of it's industries.
 'The precept to love God above all things, and thy neighbor as myself. can claim no significance for the relations of one country to another. Any action in favor of collective humanity outside the state is impossible. Such conceptions be- long to the wide domain of Utopias. i.
 Arbitration treaties are detrimental to an aspiring people The efforts di rected toward the abolition of war not only must be termed foolish but abso- lutely immoral. The weak nation has not the same right to live as the pow erful nation.
 War is a peculiar necessity for Ger many at the present time. It is necessary to recover for the nation that unity which is lamentably deficient today to retain for Germany that strength of the Ger man nation which has been pouring into foreign countries; to secure for Germany colonial territory, and to protect Germany from Slavonic races. This neces- sity for war is accented by the rivalry of France which has created for herself the second largest colonial empire in the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

forth a certain hour. the file of five little princes would march in in regular order with the sedateness of regular soldiers. Their first and supreme training was that of the military school.
 On one occasion the Emperor returned to Berlin from a demonstration of his fleet in the North sea. with a badly bunged face. His peaked nose was swol- len and his eyes had the redness of han- nel It was caused to be noised abroad that while walking the deck of one of his warships in the darkness he ran against a beam overhead and was knocked down. However. a different yer sion of the affair soon oozed out, when the press of other countries declined to accept this version. The European jour nals stated that during the maneuvers of the fleet there was one boat that was de-