davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

Up to 1s45 there stood in one of the most squalid recesses of Westminster London, riclSety building of wood and plaster, three stories high and bearing all the marks of its ancient origin. At the time indicated it was used as tene- ment house, and it's pointed roof a,si wooden balcony were seldom free from the ragged garments of the poor ten- ants. hung out to dry. This anticipated structure was the home and the print ing house combined of the man who first linked types and printed books on English soil. This may be said to have been the cradle of English literature.
 In the outset of his plan. Caxton went to Cologne and had his first rude press built. together with his block types and in 147e he set it up in London and ven- tured on the printing of books. Natu- rally enough. in the birth of his enter prise. Caxton was sort of jack at all trades. Before books could be printed, they must be written, and so Caxton had
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

boards of wood. reduced to thinness. and yet with sufficient retention of thickness 10 be able to have the long tacks driven into them. In advance the boards have been properly ornamented by being eov- cred over with embossed and gided leather.
 book is put aside to dry while ths work is proceeding with others. begin- ming with the nightly work of the au- thor. who is the proprietor of the shop. and going through the torturous No oesses already imperfectly described. When the volume Is sufficiently dry. after being exposed for many hours to the air. the finishing touches are given. Rows of wide-headed brass taeks are now driven ornamentally around the edges. the corners are protected with brass plates. and then the clasps are put on to hold the hook well closed. and not till then Is it finished. As each is com pleted. Caxton sallies forth to find purchaser. And this was the way that books were first published and sold.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

ton of their children. They pay the school tax or they take advantage of the provision of free schools in the cities and towns and think their duty ended there Tt is too much work to help Johnny oI Mary with lessons; that is the teacher work"
 Sir or madam, you are wrong.
 The greater part and the best part of @ childs education must be gained al home. Unless the parent is deeply. &C., lively interested in the training which the child receives in school the teacher builds the superstructure on a weak foundation.
 If. despite the handi,ap of parental in- difference and sloth. the child receives a good training, praise the teacher. If the result Is poor. look at home for the cause. It lies there in the great ma jority of cases.
 This is not to say that all teachers are wise and well trained and imbued with the love of their calling, without which no teacher is worthy of the name. The profession contains it's percentage of in- competents. like any other. But the harm they do to children is negligible in com parison with the sins of omission of which parents are guilty.
 T don't know what can be the matter with my child.' says the parent. He does not advance in his lessons as he should. I am afraid his teacher is not competent"
 The man or woman who speaks thus is m Ina xub ot,i
 T understand my lessons better than my classmates because father or mother takes the trouble to go over them with me and explain the difficult parts
 Getting between another human be- ing and the sun is a favorite occupa- ton with some folks. They take a de- light in shutting off the sunshine of life. They are called pessimsts, but perhaps human parasols'' would be just as good name for them.
 "The human plant is of all plants that which needs sunlight most" says Michelet, the famous French historian.
 Actual sunlight. the rays which in- vigorate and fructify, and the figurs- tive life giving stream of light and warmth which flows from the sun of hil- man kirdness-the human plant must have both if it is to live and grow.
 Yet there Is this difference in the two suns--the rays of the sun in heaven may be too strong. They may wither and burn and kill instead of bringing like. Like the vegetables of the field man may be reduced to ashes If exposed too long to the heat of the sun
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

sure used was by means of wooden beam, and the power was thjt of the hand. Crimson ink was first Used. and when copy of the Latin Bible was first seen in Paris it created a sensation. The Germans, however made but slight prog ress in the art of printing. and the few publications issued under conditions so crude. were regarded more as cu- riosities than as means of advancement few of these curiosities found their way across the English channel, and one of them fell into the hands of William Caxton, who, in the capacity of a gov ernment official, had been to Germany and had caught a view of the crude presses there in operation. Caxton saw in the invention an opportunity. He was familiar with the growing thirst for knowledge, and this shrewd Englishman caught the idea of establishing a print ing establishment in London. The life and career of Caxton is little less than a romance, and to read his life is to be fascinated throughout.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29
BY-PATTIS OF HISTORY-INVENTIO

in different parts of Europe which looked toward advancement, about the time of, the invention Of printing. let us con- cern ourselves about the primitive ef- forts made in book-making. which, to say the least, Is most interesting from our present vantage ground of observa- ton.
 The diversion of Coster attracted the attention of some more ingenious minds, and led to the suggestion of carving lCt- ters on the face of small wooden blocks about the size of the toy blocks of the child of the present time, and these pre- vailed for a considerable period. So far al can be ascertained, Gutenberg of Mentz, Germany. was the first to re- duce the movable types to actual prac- tice. Being a mechanic. Gutenberg con- ceived the plan of constructing a frame in which these blocks could be placed Tn such order as to print one page of book at time. The letters were large, and when arranged in order so as to priat a page, they were linked, and the pres
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

and with marvellous patience thus con- tinues till a line Is formed. when that stick is laid aside. and another Is taken. and the same process is laboriously gone through. Exaeting as this Is. he cannot remain very long at this one place, for he must move about the place now and then 10 see that the other work is pro- ceeding.
 or course. there was some degree of method, even in this primitive printing shop. The division of labor necessary made 1t obligatory on his part to be much about the establishment to see that all was going well. One Is charged exelu- sively with sewing the leaves together with an awl and needle and thread. This done. and the book Is placed into a frame, well hammered with many a heavy blow. and frequently examined to see that 1t Is perfectly flat Then the book is heavily smeared with paste and glue on the back and sides. and is in fserted into the boards. which are to be its permanent cover. These are veritable
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

merciful Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not. and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive. and ye shall be forgiven" Have compassion one of another. Love as brethren. Be pitifui. Be courteous. not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing; but contrariwise. blessing. He that will love life and sea good days shall refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do good: let him seek peace. and ensue it Love joy peace. long suffering. gentleness. faith. meelness, temperance"
 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which Is evil: cleave to that which Is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. in honor preferring one another. Not sloth- full in business; fervent in spirit. serv- ing the Lord. Rejoicing In hope--pa-
 tient in trn nulation--continuing instant in ayeT-distributing to the necessity of saints-given to hospitality" "Bless them which persecuto you--reJoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep" "If thine enemy hunger. feed him if he thirst, give him drink" Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" "owe no man anything, but to love one another" Bear ye ono another's burden"
 If humanity would but control It's life according to th's divine Allsahest. the universal moral menstruum, nations would ground their arms, war would be- come tradition, labor and capital would rejoice at their common pros perity. homes would be happy, friend ships unbrolSen, love would fu1nll the law, and mankind would speedily enter Into the ruby dawn of an everlasting day with songs os rejoicing, and sor- row and signing would flee away.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

on him. The world is richer for such gifts of God as the great humorists.
 It is better to laugh when you can. There will come a day when only serious things shall confront one. The good Book tells ns there's time to laugh, and
 1t sets high premium upon "the merry countenance."
 As 1 looked upon the drolleries of High links, I thought of the invisible coat in the fairy tale. If one assumed that garment 1t rendered him invisible, and he could go about accomplishing things to the wonderment of men The magical perfume of High-Jings was quite as won derful, and if 1t were employed In real life there would be no arrangements be- tween friends, no domestic quaSres, no misunderstanding; or if they came, they would soon disappear. This marvellous compound is not called High-Jinks in real life. although it's effects arc the perfume on the stage, with this exception-in life 1t really accomplishes those things which were figuratively set forth before the foolights.
 Further, the actual compound is not very costly. It is possible to every home. and to every person, whether rich or poor. Also, 1t is like some of the pro- prietary medicines whose advertisements inform us that 'it may be compounded at home." There are only few homes without the formula and I'll venture to say that the reader of this paper may find an old book somewhere in his home that contains a description of every es- sential ingredient. In case you should not know where to lay your hand on the Book, make these quotations from It. and the formula of the wonderful per fume will be plain: "All things whatso- ever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" Be ye
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29
What It Would Say

From Pearson's Weekly.
 Lord Sudeley told us an amusing story the other day.
 He was impressing on us how useless 1t was to set ili-trained teachers to educate children. A schoolmaster had taken his class into some public gar dens, he said. and he brought them to a halt beneath certain spreading tree. His botanical knowledge was small. but that did not stop him from improving the occasion by botany les- son.
 "This Is a beautiful old elm." he said, and he drew the children's att tention to its peculiaritfes. ending up by speaking of tho people who in ages past had rested in it's shade. T wonder" he added. what this old elm would say If 1t could speakr
 Unfortunately for the schoolmaster, botanist who happened to be passing overheard his little lecture, and promptly replied:
 If 1t could speak. your old elm would simply say. Sir. am an oakr"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

N o you know about High-Jinks? :? Noi Well. I think you should A-> You know of high-flyers, of high livers. of high-tariff, and you have heard of high-balls, although you never saw one; so, think you ought to know of High-Jinks.
 IIigh-Jinks originally described a game of forfeits in which all manner of rough publications were indulged. It had its rise in Scotland among the laddies and lassies of the highlands. It was a fa- vorite game with the Tams and Sandys and with the Jeanies and Marys, whose weather-toughened frames liked the sport most when it was toughest.
 In recent times, however, High-Jinks las come to stand for something else. and that something else was illustrated a shcrt time back on the stage of New York theatre. Wondering what could be made of High-Jinks to entertain a polite audience, I passed into the theatre and took my seat in the third row from the stage
 The curtain rose. Now shall learn all about High-Jinks, I mentally ejac- ulated. The scenery was fantastically spectacular, and about 60 people were singing, accompanied by an orchestra of 20 accomplished musicians. The music was of the catchiest quality, and, as a certain melody called IIigh-Jinks ran all through the musical farce, everybody in the audience before the close of the even ing could sing it, and they did.
 The High-Jinks, to which the song re- ferred and which gave title to the play. was perfume-a magical perfume, which acted upon the mental temper just as the most agreeable cologne acts upon the Schneiderian membrane. As Farina or Eclat banishes all disagreeable odors and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

air was drenched with the actual High links perfume. and the atmosphere of the stage, saturated with the perfume of the metaphorical High-JinlSs, mingled with the air of the auditorium-and the stantly in a good humor laughing un- restrainedly and singing High-Jinks to beat-the orchestra.
 There sat near me a grabbed, sour tempered man, whose stiff attitude and inimobile countenance seemed to say, "i have a case of in-growing grouch, and I defy you to make me laugh" He's a mummy. I said to myself. and he can't tell & joke from an epitaph. I watched him. After a while the Mummy's eyes began to spar<le-then his facial mus cles began to relax-he caught my eye and smiled-his right leg dropped to the floor and he crossed 1t with his left then his entire body became 1imp-and finally when I looked at him he was doubled up and trying to sing High Jinks. 1t was positively irresistible, that frivolous flood of fun. The Mummy had escorted a beautiful lady to the theatre and from the first she showed that she was as full of merrment as a nighten- gale is of song.
 At the close of the evening I watched the retiring audience. Every one was laughing, and singing High-Jinks. Tho perfume filled the air, I mean literally and actually It clung to ones clothing. As the procession passed through the long foyer to the street the atmosphere of night was dripping with IIigh-Jinks. It lost none of it's power by exposure to the night. Dignified men, elegantly dressed women, young men and young girls, husbands and wives, sweethearts of both sexes, and even lonely "stags''- all were laughing in merry peals. Some
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

N the forests about Haarlem, Hol-
 land, Laurence coster cut the letters
 of the alphabet from the smooth bark of the beech. dipped them into stain, and made words and sentences to in- terest his grandchildren. This was first done to amuse them, but later he en- ployed the device as means of instruc- tion. This occurred about 1425. From this trifling diversion came the most powerful agency of the worlds progress during the last five centuries-the prin- ing press.
 Previously the iron-pointed stylus was used in tracing characters on waxed surface of wood or else by writing with pointed sticks on skins made exceedingly thin. This was not only most laborious. but it was without any assurance of permanency The wax surface was lia- ble to be spoiled, and the ink on the scroll of skin was liable to fade.
 Without stopping to call detailed at fention to a combination of conditions
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

lost their color and broke into smiles one apologized to the other and the other said. 70, everybody makes mistakes sometimes" Then the wn1lom foes, arm in. arm dance out of sight, while the orchestra plays High -Jinks the audience joining in the chorus, having by now learned it.
 All manner of strained situations are relieved by the subtle High-Jinks per- fLrne Husbands and wives who have hardly spoken "as they passed by are left in cordial conversation. Sweethearts who have long been estranged through the inevitable lovers quarrel" are brought to renew old vows. And old friends no longer pass as strangers, for Iigh-Jinks perfume impels the hand clasp of other days.
 l suppose the High-Jinks song is sung about 20 times in the course of the play. You might suppose that one would grow weary of the frequent repetition. BNt it is not so. There is always something taking place on the stage that makes it's introduction appropriate. You look for it, and never get enough of 1t. And when at last when the tide of merri- ment reaches high-water mark and the curtain is about to descend upon stage full of dancing, merry-makers, all sing ing High-Jinks, you are, and everybody else is, constrained to join in and in- crease the hilarious gale of merry music
 On the particular night of which I write every lady received from an usher tiny bottle of High-Jinks cologne. The bottle held a teaspoonful, l suppose. The bot tie itself was about the size of my-lady's s silver thimble. When, however, the fem mine part of the audience learned the nature of the perfume, it's need and its use the bottle were turned over to the men as most needing them Soon the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

In house where there are little chil- dren. The latter, so they say, love sweet words, kind looks and gentle voices, and If these are not to be found in the family into which they have reincarnated they will close their eyes and forsake the earth till chance offers to return again amid less quarrelsome surroundings"
 No, the Ekoi are not civilized, not even advanced" enough to send their children to works in canneries before their grow ing bones have had chance to harden
 They live in Nigeria, a part of what used to be called darkest Africa" be- fore white dealers in rubber, urged by greed to the commission of frightful cruelties. penetrated therein to bring with them European Tight"
 The Ekoi in their heather blindness have hit upon truth which many of us in this Christian country, do not seem to realize-that the happiness of a child is entirely dependent upon and propor- tionate to the harmony and good will of the household
 It is sad sight to see youthful cynics, made so by the bickerings of parents Home aint no good" said little fel- low to the writer lately. There's pop and nom; they're always scrappin' An wen they ain't scrappin' with each other they're takin' it out O us kids"
 The poor little white chap would havo been better if born with a black skin among the barbarous Ekoi, would he not
 If the care of little children has been intrusted to you you do not fulfill your whole duty by giving them food and clothing and shelter. You owe it to them to give them happiness in the home. If they cannot have 1t there they will seek 1t elsewhere, for it is the nature of children to seek it.
 Take a lesson from the black Ekoi. Their belief may be a superstition, as the traveller says, but it is better than many a dogma.
 It is the natural, untaught, unerring expression of a great truth.
 Geniuses don't have to plug away at their businesses CT trades or profess sions. They can just go along in an easy. slcuching, lazy kind of way until the time. comes for unusual effort Then they can always trust to a flash of the inspiiation which is the essen tial part of genuins.
 But most of us are not geniuses (That is fortunate for the world, for while genius can direct, as a rule 1t cannot or does not get down to details.) ) Do you remember Mark Twain's s story of "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras Courty?"
 Older readers need not be told of the humor of the talc-and younger folks
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29
HIGH JINKS-By Dr. w. E. Evans

were dancing as they issued into the street and I saw a number who were fluttering their handkerchiefs over the heads of their eompanions-among these latter was the Mummy. who with the beautiful lady presently passed into the Waldorf cafe in merry mind.
 But
 'efhe time has come. the Walrus said,
 To talk of many things"
 If l may be permitted to change one word in Lewis Carrolls lines, I shall make many read other.
 EIigh-Jinks does not rank among the classics and, off hand, I cannot give the name of the author; nor am I able to write the name of a single actor who took part in it's performance It Is good enough to stand without the aid of some great name. The composer of the mu- sic, I suppose, was born to blush un- seen, if he bushes at all. At any Fate. I never saw him blush; for I have never seen the man. Yet. l am debtor to the man who gave so much enjoyment.
 Through the whole musical comedy could trace a beautiful parable. and not once did the rollicking droleries blind my eyes to the more serious suggestions of the hour. Blessings on the man who make us laughl The world is so full of the tragical; there are so many sorrow laden hearts; there are so many minds that wearily finger about a closet that holds grim skeleton; there are so many forms that bow under the burden of grief at pathetic graves so many hands that hold dry ashes of roses, and so many eyes that are red with weeping, that he who brings the summery shine into the life, the old-time sparkle to the eyes. and awakens the music of the old songs as ''nepenthe for the aching soul,'' is an annstle of nercy and neace. Rlessines
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-29

suggests the fragrant blooms of Para disc, or reminds one of western breezes. gently blowing over the plains of pinks and violets, thus bringing sweet satis- faction to the senses-so, the magical rerfume of High-Jinks, acts upon the mind, upon the soul, and upon the en- tire moral nature.
 A mere whiff of High-Jinks will turn acrimony into miability-harshnes into gentleness-and hatred into love. A sub tie gust of this perfume suddenly fall ing upon quarrelsome folk, instantly transforms their bitter contentious Into merry songs. and their hot gesticulations into graceful signs of good humor and merry greetings
 On the stage at one time, a physician was greatly angered py his wife. He spoke to her sharply, even brutally. She naturally took mental fire, and grew vio- lent even to the degree of white heat. Then quarrel followed in which each sought to outdo the other in loud words and-just then someone passed and gent ly waved his handkerchief, which had been perfumed with High-Jinks cologna above their heads. Immediately the tide Of passion was checked, words of anger gave place to words of love, and lips erstwhile livid with wrath now met in loving kisses, while husband and wife danced off the stage to the tune of High links.
 Two men met unexpectedly They were rivals There was blood on the moon and in their eyes. Nothing could satifv eitaer but the life of the other Their faces assumed the color of red flannel AS they were about to spring forward Tn the act of throttling one another-a friend passed, mildly finttering his High Jlnks-perfumed handkerchief in the air When, Prestoi the red-Hannel-lile facav