davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
A MAINE HUNGER

ioiii iAlt
 The fact has been widely advertised in the papers that in the early spring, when the buds are just beginning to burst and the moving vans are coming out of cold storage, a young woman of Maine will take her departure for the primeval for est.
 What seems to interest everybody is that she will not go along with the usual array of Saratoga trunks and hand bag gage, including a Persian cat, a Nebucn- adnezzar dog. a photogra phic moving pie ture outfit and bottle of cold cream; but, on the contrary, she will go with out anything at all. Every stitch of clothing will be left behind by this am bititous young woman, including hair pins, face powder, red paint and other modern necessaries. Arrayed only in a warm pink glow, she will sally forth among the trailing arbutus and the pussy willows if there be such, and the other flora and fauna waiting to receive her. After idling the time briskly away for couple of months lodging bears and other animals who may have se- cured season tickets she will come back improved in health and with a coat of tan that would bring the blush of shame to a Brazilian salamander. While we are not desirous of discouraging anybody who wishes, even at this late date, to introduce a new health fad, we are bound to say that we do not believe this ex- pertinent will be success. This Is not necessarily because of the remoteness, but because it was tried once before with all the scenery and state business. Eve started off just that way, and what was the unhappy result? It is too painful to dwell on. To repeat it at this time, how ever. seems rather hopeless.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
Railroad EmplOyes' Pensioncd

"The Pennsylvania railroad system has just issued the list of the employees re- tired on pensions in April, 1914.' said a
 railroad official. 'It comprises v names
 the largest number ever retired in any established.
 Among those just retired are a gen
 eral superintendent and an assistant to a vice-president, who was also former general manager of the railroad These
 men have been retired upon exactly the same conditions as control the ase of a track walker or d brakeman. One woman, Josephine Miller, was among those re-
 tired on April l. She had been employed on the Philadelphia division at Lancaster,
 Pa, for the past 3S years.
 That it Is the practice on the Penn- sylvania railroad for men to make it's service their life work is indicated by
 the fact that six of these employees who
 have just retired. have been on the pay roll more than 50 years, IA others more than 45 years and 90 others more than 40 years. Tn other words 50 of the T men retired on the Pennsylvania railroad sys- tenn on April 1, had been in active serv- Ice of the company more than 40 years. ''The Pennsylvania railroads pension plan of taking care or faithful employees in old age provides that the entire pen sion shall be paid by the company. Every employe must retire at the age of 70. In
 case of physical disability at the age of
 65. an employe may be retired. The pen sion amounts to 1 per cent of the aver- age salary or wage for the 10 years previ- ous to retirement multiplied by the num- Der of years the man has been in the
 employ of the company. The plan ap- plies to every employe without regard to the rank''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

the fame of TiYertons meteor spread rap idly. Great regret was expressed that there was no hope of rescuing it from its grave in 30 feet of water
 Shortly, however, three fishermen who | lived near by showed great interest in the possibility of bringing it to the surface. They ascertalned the location where the fireball was supposed to have gone down. and soon after went out very early one morning in quest of it. We may imagine the joy and surprise of the Tiverton peo- pie when the three men returned in the afternoon with great dark mass-the lost meteorl How they got 1t Into the net, how it nearly dragged them into the water, and how they cracked it by drop ping it on the dock, proved such an in- teresting story that the trio had to go over it again and again. A dense throng soon appeared to view the visitant from the skies. Offers were received by the lucky men from many quarters, which they re- peated with pride. Soon they began to charge 10 cents peep, and the writer duly offered up his dime. The stone cer- tainly looked like a visitor from other worlds. It was smooth and shiny, heavy as lead, but brittle and scanned, showing crystal formations in the seams. The throng came with its dimes; the Asso- ciated Press sent representatives, and newspaper men, enough to start a war, were soon on the scene.
 Finally the happy owners removed the meteorite to Fall River. where, in store. it again drew large crowd at a dime each. Just as they were planning to take 1t to the Broekton fair, a scholar of note appeared and gave the half-round solid mass an examination. He was familiar with the country round about the spot where this was found, and also familiar with meteors. He was obliged to report that this wonder-stone was nothing more or less than a potful of sag from an old copper mine near the Stone Bridget He added that many fishermen finding them these slag balls as ballast
 Tiverton was not ready to give up yet however What should be said of the ter rible explosion and the ball of fire seen by so many? About the explosion there was certainly no doubt; broken windows don't come from the imagination. The inhabitants stood firmly by their meteor until local contractor went to get some dynamite from his store-chest. It was gone, and the rascals-a party of mis- chievous boys-who stole it and exploded It on an island in the river were soon discovered. The contractor refused to prosecute the boys, much to the disgust of the oldest inhabitant, who feels the indignity which his town has undergone very keenly. And so ends the history of the great "Tiverton Meteor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
GREAT TRIALS OF HISTORY
TRIAL OF THE STAUNTONS

ATT Is close to 40 years since the famous trial of the Stauntons in England was
 - being followed with marked attention
 throughout the English-speaking world
 as one of the most remarkable murder 1 trials that had been held previously or
 since then. It was only by mere chance
 that the discovery was made that the | death of Mrs. Harriet Staunton had not been regular, but that there was a trag-
 edy back of it.
 l On the evening of Friday, April 13,
 1S77 an inquiry was made at a shop in | Forbes road, Penge as to the place | where death could be registered. It was stated that the deceased was a lady
 from Cudham, in Kent. There was in
 the shop at the time a gentleman bear ing the historic but unusual name of Casabianca. He became interested, as he had a sisterin-law in that location whom
 he and his wife had heard was victim
 of serious maltreatment.
 | casabianca took it upon himself to look l into the matter, and the revelations that I followed led to the postponement of the funeral and an examination of the body.
 Harriet, before her marriage to Louis 1 Staunton, had been Harriet Richardson. | She had left to her by will close to e40O0. | The marriage took place on June 16, 1875. l As there had been no settlement, Louis Staunton became possessed of all the I property to which his wife was then or | might at any future time become en- titled.
 Harriets mother visited her daughter three weeks after the wedding, and was then informed never to do so again, and it was the last time she saw Harriet alive. Rumors reached her that the husband
 was paying attention to one Alice Rhoades and sadly neglecting his wife.
 Louis Staunton had a married brother by name of Patrick, and after their l child was born it was to Patrick that he sent his wife and child to board. From the 23d of October, 1876, to the 12th of April, 1877, Harriet Staunton disappeared from the outer world. The nature of the treatment to which Harriet was subjected
 during these sad months was strongly dis puted at the trial; but it is certain that she was kept in duress, and forbidden to go outside of the door of the house. At any rate, the unfortunate infant of the l Louis Stauntons died of the treatme | Finally, when Harriet became so weak
 and emaciated that she could no longer 1 speak, she was placed in room at Penge,
 where she died on April 13. On the 18th
 the coroner empanelled a jury in order | that a post-mortem might be held. It de- veloped that there were no traces of poison or any evidence of violence, but
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

the complete absence of fat and the ex- treme cancellation of the body drove Pro- lessor Rodgers to the conclusion that death was due to starvation and neglect
 The result of the coroner's inquest was that on Saturday, May 19, the jury rem dered verdict of willful murder against the StaYntons and Alice Rhodes. The contradictions between their evidently concerted narrative and the cumulative testimony of crowd of independent wit nesses were overwhelming.
 The prisoners were taken to Maidstone jail and on Monday, May 21, they were brought before the bench at Bromley The hearing of-the cases was held at various times between that date and June 13, and on the latter date the quartet were committed to the ensuing Kent assizes on the charge of murder.
 The Kent assizes were held at Maid stone, but so bitter was the public that the court did not believe the prisoners would get fair trial there, so it was re- moved to the central criminal court. The trial became known as the Penge mvs. tery Sir Henry Hawkins. the lord chief justice, sat in judgment Each of the prisoners were separately represented The trial was postponed several times, but was finally begun on September 19, 1877.
 The issue before the jury was explained to them that it was necessary to find out whether Harriet Staunron had met her death through the cuIpable misconduct Of the prisoners, and if so, whether such misconduct amounted to murder ar man. slaughter. If the deceased was kept with out food or otherwise neglected with the design of causing her death, those who abetted the guilty design would be guilty of murder
 The examination and cross-examination of the witnesses lasted five days and when the jury retired they were only outJ an hour and a half when they brought in a verdict of guilty against all four to mercy. The judge pronounced death upon all four persons, but the public had changed their temper when the two women were to meet their death and long petitions were circulated to save them. Finally on October 14 the death penalty was remitted, and a fortnight later the sentence of the three Stauntons was commuted to penal servitude for life.
 Alice Rhodes received free pardon and was immediately released Patrick Staunton died in prison, his wife was re- leased after a few years and Louis Staun- ton, after serving considerably longer term. Mystery will always brood over the Penge case.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
TEACHING ENGLISH

From the Chicago Record-Herald.
 For years educational publications, and others, have been working at the thesis that some way must be found to teach the college boy how to write decent Eng fish. All the reformers have taken the same tack and had the same port in view; they have considered the ultimate much about the incidental effect on the teacher The recent flight of a college professor from his thesis and his classes brings into view neglected side of the business.
 This poor man, harassed for a number of terms by '.mass. clarity the "loose'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
THE GREAT "TIvERToN METEOR.
rid Magazine.

From Wide World Magazine.
 During the height of severe thunder storm. which swept over Tiverton. Rhode Island, Oh the evening of August ?. 19l3 terrible crash sounded over the town Windows were broken, pictures and china thrown down. and a great commotion caused. The news soon spread abroad that the people who lived near Stone Bridge, which spans the water between Tiverton and Newport, had seen a great ball of dull red fire shoot across the sky in the direction of the river, not very far from the bridge. One gentleman oi excellent reputation declared that he saw it plainly, and that the shock was SC great when it struck the water that ne was thrown to the ground and stunned This evidence was readily accepted. and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

and the periodic" sentence, the inborn inability of his young barbarians to feel that decent English was worth the bother, and their genial indifference toward achieving it even if it were, flew the coop" Returning from New York after' a fortnight of freedom, he explained that his ungracious and monotonous job had become too much for his nerves.
 No doubt it was. We must regard Evanstons refugee as victim of the as- sumption that everybody can be taught to write English. There was one period
 in .1fs development of the public schools when it was assumed that everybody could be taught to sing and to draw. A lot of time wasted. Writing Eng fish is fad" like any other. The con- tentions of semi-illiteracy in business letters are now accepted, they need not, be questioned and disturbed. The college
 instructor in rhetoric should work only on few picked pupils.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
DoTHAN WILL AID PENSACOLA

From the Dotnan Morning News.
 Dothan yesterday began an active and energetic campaign to aid Pensacola in obtaining the re-establishment of a navy yard and coaling station at that place. Combined with this movement is one to have Alabama coal used at this coaling station.
 The Chamber of Commerce sent tele- grams to Senator Bankhead, Congress men Underwood and Clayton or Alabama, Secretary of the Navy Daniels and Sem ator Lee S. Overman of North Carolina and l.. Y. Sherman of Illinois and Con gressman Mckenzie of Illinois. represen- tative from Secretary N. T. Cobb's home district. asking them to aid the Pensa- cola delegation. now en route to Wash ington, in their efforts to obtain the navy yard and coaling station.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
WHEN DEATH COMES

From the Providence Journal.
 And {now appears a confident person with a new theory that death comes at random and according to the hazard of the governing circumstances, rather than during a preferred period of the dition--in fact. it might almost be called a matter of common knowl- edge-that death is most likely to oc- cur in the early morning hours, which is to say, in the later hours of the diurnal period of darkness
 This belief has been so common as to be practically unquestioned, and it has often been scientifically ex- plained The vital forces are supposed to be at their lowest ebb in the hours just preceding daybreak. and it seemed only natural that the waning spark of life should tend to flicker out during this time of greatest depression.
 But scientists, mathematicians and statisticians are continually enacting the role of iconoclasts, and they take apparent joy in upsetting our precon- ceived notions of the facts of life. This particular statistician gained access to the records of a large hospital covering a period of many years, and from his researches he was enabled to compile a table showing that more persons had died in the early afternoon than at any other hour of the day.
 The early hours of the morning were second in the mortality records and the fewest deaths occurred between ' and II in the morning. But the difference between the least and the most fatal hours was very slight, tending to show that death is quite impartial in the choice of the hour of visitation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Maj. 5. T. Selman of Birmingham, who has had practical experience and success in selling machinery in Latin-America, writes a letter to The Age-Herald on subject of far-reaehing importance, and 1t should be generally read The com munieation appears in today's issue, and every ambitious young man who has his eye fixed on a business career should read it carefully. Also business men generally should read and ponder it. Major Selman value of it Is that it comes from experi- ence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
40's, and most of the fatalities sus- tained will be the effect of the Mexi- can bullet.

A controversy having been started over the proper pronunciation of "Maxixe,p the name of the latest dance hall hor- TOT, newspaper reader states that the word is of Portuguese origin, and is pro- nounced according to that language. In Portuguese the "m' is pronounced the same as in English, the "a" has the broad sound of the "aa in father" the ''X' has sound similar % "sh" in Eng fish words like should and sheet" the '1' Is pronounced like Zee" in beet" and the final "e" is sounded like the short "a in English. Thus "maxixeo is pronounced ''mah-sheese-shay." with the emphasis on the second syllable but as the last syllable is considerably softened, the pronounciation is more like "mah- sheese."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Mary, the negro cook of the noted Page family, of which Ambassador Walter Hines Page is a member recently sent a pair of Carolina hams to Queen Mary of England, and has been notified that the hams were received, although the Queen has not yet expressed her appreciation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

While the country Is marking time for a few days awaiting report from the in- termediaries the state department is hay ing little rest; but the chances are that within another week MT. Bryans dove of peace will be in fateful mixup with the dogs of war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

A Cleveland woman who felt the need of little exercise went out and horse- whipped two newspaper men. The free dom of the press is ignored when wom- an gets her lander up
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

performance of Paylowa was delayed in Chicago by a lack of clothes," but it was the oboe player in the orchestra who lacked the clothes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

| Pierre Loti says nicotine doesn't help him to write. We've always had a sus- picion that tobacco was overrated as an adjunct to literature.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

The Pennsylvania railroad system has issued list of v employees retired on pen sions this month, the largest number re- tired at any time since the plan was in augurated. Among those retired is one woman, Josephine Miller, who has been employed at Lancaster, Pa, for B years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

If Mary Garden has quit America for good, as she declares the almighty Amer ican dollar must have suddenly lost it's attraction for her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
IRONY.

Of busy, beauteous Birmingham, the poet fain would speak, Where men of many nations a habitation seek. Her hills are vast storehouses of richest iron ore. Her furnaces and foundries vast floods of metal pour. Her men are strong and brawny, with heart and nerves of steel And In her vast upbuilding show pur- pose strong, and zeal. Her maidens are metallic, too. though oft appearing meek, TOT when they say they love you, they ironically speak!
 Robert 4. Love. Now look here, Bob, you must not rob Our city girls of truth; It may be you're somewhat obscure In making love. forsooth. Now iron, you know, to steel will go IT carbon you infuse. And diamonds pure are carbon sure. So try a little ruse. A diamond give, and as live Next week you'll surely feel There's not one gal ironical But al lare true as steel.
 PRESTO CHANGE.
 A tadpole has no legs at all,
 But when a frog he swims.
 A girl at fifteen loses hers
 For then they turn to limbs.
 A LA ME?ICANA. I've often suffered severe pains, But nothing ever griped me
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Paint is cheap says a Denver paper. No doubt, but applying it to fence or barn is just as laborious as ever, and spring fever is in our midst.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

An ability to sing tenor usually implies a certain faculty in love-making, which troubles
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

The Ford people can make an automo-
 bile in 3S minutes but an amateur driver can convert it into a pile of junk in
 about 3S seconds.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

A woman writer says men like a changeable woman. Not if she changes
 too often and they have to pay for the changes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

The front" having been made thor oughly hygienic by modern sanitary methods, going to the front" is not Sc dangerous as 1t used to be-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Miss Wilson will be a May bride instead of a June bride. thus showing that she is not at all superstitious
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Englands liquor bill increased s25, ,OOO.- ooo last year. John Bull needs some sort of "bracer" to offset the activities of suf- fragettes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

There is a great deal of competition be-
 tween spring poets and war poets, with
 the odds considerably in favor of spring poets.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Huerta may be willing to listen to req son. but those United States marines killed at Vera Cruz are stilf dead.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
TELEPHONE

BEGINNING THE DAY-1 stand amazed. O Lord, before this won drous, unbelievable thing-that mortal can come into communLchtioh with God. Thou deignest to hear me, and Thou speakest to my inner heart SO that may know Thy will l yyouId remain in Thine audience chamber forever, 0 Most High anu Gracious God. Amen.-H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

The "sex problem" as problem per SC exists largely between the covers of neurotic books.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

Villa says Huerta is a drunkard, which seems to make it unanimous
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
PATRIOTIC.

PATRIOTIC. Sonny: Pa, is all our war dogs in Mexico?" Pa: Nearly all." Sonny: 'Well, I hope they won't come back with their hind legs shaved and looking like Mexican dogs
 c. F. M.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
TROUBADOUR AMI. JESTER
vANQuIsHED.

As I felt last Saturday
 When that tag woman sniped me.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

vANQUIsHED. I've often tried to find word To rhyme with Louis Pizitz, But when think that I've bagged one, It usually misfits. I've often tried to find a word To rhyme with Judge Cahalan. But 1, alas, must give it up My powers sure are failin'.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
WHO os HE?

WHO os HE? If Constant Reader from Squaw Shoals, Who writes to Troubadour Will send his name we'll publish what He writes and maybe more. His rhymes all right, but then his feet Have qpite a hop and twist But we can fix them up with some Poem chiropodist.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Washington bureau. POT Hibbs build ing. .,oo. Covent Garden, London.
 Eastern business office, Rooms 4S to 6o. inclusive. Tribune building New York City; Western business onice' Tribune building, Chicago. The s. C' Beckwith Special Agency, agents ior- eign advertising.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Entered at the Birmingham, Ala. postoffice as second class matter uhuer act of Congress March 3, 1879.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30
MODEST SINISTER

MODEST SINISTER. Host: Miss Sally. may I help you to a turkey leg?" Miss Sally: "Yes, if you will cover it with gravy pantalettes."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

No communication will be pubilshea .,-,.hor+ its author's name. Rejected manuscript will not be returned uhlees stamps are enclosed for that purpose. Reniittances can be made at current rate of exchange. The Age-Herald Will not be responsible for money sent through the mails. Address,
 THE AGE-HERALD. Birmingham, Ala
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

A. J. Eaton, Jr.. and O. E. Young are the only authorized travelling repre- sentatives of The Age-Herald in US circulation department.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-30

Daily and Sunday Age Herald-SS.Oo Daily and Sunday per month =. 'oo Daily and Sunday, three months = -'eo Weekly Age-Herald. per annum. .oo Sunday Age-Herald .............. 2'Oo