davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

n EGENDS, traditions and myths have
sprung from the failure of history
- to record facts and events shortly
after their occurrence. Were a record
made of these same facts and events
when they actually occurred, there would
be no room for the legendary, unless the
cold facts should be entirely ignored
with positive intention to mislead future
generations, and make history what Ma
poleon said it was, Lies generally agreed
upon" Il
There are countless legends associated
with the early histories of nations which
had birth in the purpose to account for
the existence or nonexistence of certain
things in the rise of those nations, which
at first were purely legendary, but which
in the roll of the ages have assumed
historic or semi-historic Importance.
Sometimes the fact which at first was
considered unworthy of record upon stone
or upon parchment or upon paper by SUBJ
seduent events has been made of vital in
. terest and the question is asked What
was the origin of it? and, Who was the
first man to propose 1t? And search as
We may, we find in many instances no
answer to the inquiries.
Oftener than otherwise, the legend con-
tains something, even if it be remotely
related to the facts; but being tradition
ally repeated from generation to genera
ton, much is forgotten and to supply
what is lost from the memory, imagina-
ton is brought to play its part in filling
up the story and in investing it with sem
sational interest In the course of time
the aid of art, of poetry, of song and
story are invoked, and the legend be-
comes part of national history. This
crystallization of the untrue in a nations
history is not confined to the age of IA
bes, but finds illustration in abundance
In modern times.
We should regard it as incumbent upon
us of the present day to pass as few un-
answered questioned and doubts down 10
the coming generations as possible. And to
this end we should employ pen and paper,
chisel and marble, lettered brass and
bronze tablets, medals and monuments,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

1t Is part of the beneficent plan of the
| Creator, who rules the universe with a
| wisdom which is oftentimes hidden from
| our limited vision.
80 shines a good deed in naughty
world" says Shakespeare. Let's change
a. word or two and make it, 80 shines
| a brave example in a striving world"
The brave example is Helen Keller.
How much good this brave, strong
earnest woman, working despite fearful
handicaps. has done will never be known.
She is one of the great beacon lights of
life.
Read this recent news story:
"Stallard Edwards, a coal miner, with
a leg just amputated, was wishing he
could die when he was told the story of
Helen Keller. He said, Well, IL that
deaf, dumb and blind girl can do so much
for herself and others you bet III find
way to get along
Miss Keller, when told of the incl
dent, wrote on the typewriter: TO the
man in the hospital who must begin life
over again heavily handicapped. Your
friend, Helen Keller She inclosed a $40
BILL"
Honor to the woman whose name Is
known through the world as that of an
example of what hard, long, untiring in
| dustry may accomplish. And honor also
to the man who, though wounded and
despondent, can take courage and re-
solve to face the world anew. inspired
by woman's sweet patience and en-
durance. Success to them both!
There was a man not long ago who
| lost both his legs in an accident. He
would not sink beneath the waves of adj
versity, but bathed strongly to keep HIM
| self up. He would not seek charity, al
| though friends arose to help him. They
| gave him a little cart equipped with the
means OF pushing 1t and himself along.
| He sold newspapers and shoestrings and
| other notions Soon he made enough
money to fit out a little store. His
| cheerfulness and industry attracted his
! neighbors in the little town in which
| he lived and worked. They admired his
| grit.
| A time came when similar qualities
| were needed In the government of the
| town, and the legless man was elected
mayor. Higher honors were predicted for
| him.
| To the honor of human nature be 1t said,
| the world has known many such exam
| pies of rises from misfortune and ad-
versity. Sometimes 1t seems as though
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

old flint and steel rifles were used in
the drill, these would never be brought
into requisition when the eombats would
usually ensue. Shooting and stabbing
We're far less frequent then than now.
the test of manhood being in agility,
strength, and the projectile force of the
fist. There were bullies, not few, and
when one got sufficiently under way to
raise a yell like a Comanche Indian, it
was regarded as defiant banter. This
species of sport would usually come
as the last act Of the tragedy of the
day.
Among the diversions of the day was
that of test of craftsmanship. The
stakes were usually steaks, or to use
the terminology of the time, "a beef
quarter" To be able ito hit the bulls
eye," as the center of the target was
called, was an ambition worthy of any
rustic. A feat so remarkable made one
the lion of the day, and his renown'
was widely discussed during the en-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

dire misfortune were needed to rouse a
man to exhibit what is best In him.
There's lesson herein for the more
fortunate ones who retain all their limbs
and their senses 1t is not difficult to see.
THE trouble with women said Mrs.
r. II. Passmore, business woman of
Minneapolis, one of the most successful
women financiers of America. lis that
they think only In one or two figures.
Madam, the same trouble exists among
men, especially when they think of them
selves. and their own affairs.
They think only in terms of the limited
present or past. not caring to take the
trouble or perhaps not daring to solve
their equations in terms Of the future.
The man who thinks only of the past or
present use small figures in his calcula-
tions. The man or woman VINO reckons
the future employs the large sums which
count.
1t is characteristic of all great Imam
ciers, as of all great statesmen. generals,
philosophers and others who do things or
assist others in doing them. that they
think largely, widely, in general terms
not IN small, concrete examples Sucn
thinking is done In large figures, not in
one or two or three. is II not?
The small man thinks In small figures
of himself and his own affairs and of the
world at large
This is not to say that every man IL
to take upon himself the burden of
the universe and feel II Is incumbent
upon him to settle all of tine weighty
problems of life and death, of govern
ment and finance, of religion and phi
losophy, of morals and education
which have vexed the world since man
began to think.
Happily. most of us are so consti-
tuted mentally that we cannot even
think of undertaking so enormous a
task
But
Each of us can increase his computa-
tions. be 1t by ever so little. Each of
us can widen his mental horizon. Each
can bring to bear on the facts of his
own Individual life and on the prob
lens which confront his city, state and
nation the increased thinking power
which comes by exercise of the mental
faculties.
There is very little danger OF too
much thinking. There Is grave peril in
too little.
Think of small things as they affect
your own life and resolve to better
them. Think Of the large thingA the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18
HEART TO HEART TALKS-By Charles N Lurie

Friends out of sight, in faith to muse
How grows in paradise our store.
Among the numerous and varied
medical movements of the age none Is
more interesting than that looking to
the abolition of old age
Various methods are proposed One
scientist tells us to drink sour milk pre-
pared in a certain way. Another ad-
vises us to be careful in our diet and
the ordering of our daily lives, While
still another tells us we may eat and
drink whatever we please, but we
must be careful about hours of rest.
And son on, and so ON.
Now comes a certain famous scien-
tist from whose Investigations and ex-
periments it is inferred that old ago
may be postponed Indefinitely by con-
trolling the development of the cells
which form our corporeal tissues
But
Do we really wish to do away with
old age?
Can we spare the ripening, mellow
ing processes which go with the pass
ing of the years? Youth and middle
age, with their follies and their vain
regrets, their mistakes and their mis-
deeds, often leave much to be desired.
How often are the errors of the earlier
vars rectified in tn sunset decades!
Old age does not necessarily mean
ruin and decay.
If it is preceded by years of discretion
it means progressive growth in mental
power and self control and wisdom and
knowledge and all that goes to make well
rounded manhood and womanhood.
Proper old age Is not peevish senility, IT
is not accompanied by the wagging Of the
chin which prates of the good old times. .
when everything was better thar it is
now.
The wise old person-old in years, but
not in zest for life-recognizes the con-
stant. If slow, growth of the earth in
wisdom and goodness. 1t combines with
the memory of the old times the close
association with the newer, better years.
Besides. 1t acquires the faculty of &c.
cording to everything its proper place, Its
rightful proportion in the scheme OF
things Matters which seem to very very
important in youth and middle age are
merged into the world picture In their
rightful sizes and relations and nelp tc
form true, harmonious idea of the
whole. 4ts
age. We cannot afford to lose its infiu-
ence. 1t has its rightful place In the
scheme Of things.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

suing week. No greater honor could
come to one than to be able to win a
quarter. and "the grocery" was alluded
to as place of prominent resort
throughout a wide community There
were also racing days" which was ap-
piled to foot races as well as to horse
racing. There was track for each hard
by the grocery" and in the foot races
the runners would strip bare to the
waist, pull off their sohes. and run the
distance of several hundred yards.
Brace after brace of runners would
test their speed during the day, the
defeated contestant having always to
treat the crowd
This was varied in turn by horse racing
day. Two parallel tracks were always
kept In order by the grocery keeper for
this equestrian sport. Serawny ponies
that had plowed all during the week were
taken on the track on Saturday, betting
was freely indulged in, the owners would
be their own jockeys. and amusing were
many of the races thus run.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

and thus in our day anticipate the ques-
tions of the ages that are yet to be.
1 am writing this paper with a pic
ture of flag before me- It's stripes
are red, white and blue. Upon its
field of deep blue there are seven
stars, each with five points. This flag
is known as the Stars and Bars. 1t had
its origin amid a proud peoples patri-
otic pains. 1t fluttered over as noble
a soldiery as ever followed the fortunes
of war, 1t stood for a nations hope,
a peoples rights And though for wise
reasons, it was not used so long as an
other which took it's place, to some of
us of the south it is held in loving
of the worlds redemption. Beautiful,
beautiful flag, now a thing of history,
and of loving memory.
Whence came this flag that once ex-
cited patriotic hearts to beat as throb-
bling drums while armies marched to
victory or death? What shall we tell
our inquiring children and grandchil-
dren in the years to come?
One of the many subjects that excited
discussion in the first days of the Con-
federacy was whether or not we should
have a distinct flag. SOME thought
we ought to fight in the Union and re-
tain as our national emblem the old
flag for which our heroic fathers had
fought the wars of the mighty past.
This question engaged the time and
debate of the provisional Senate and
Congress of the Confederacy. Finally,
1t was decided that a new constitution
and a new flag should be adopted; and
committee, with William Porcher
Miles of South Carolina as chairman,
was duly appointed to receive models
and designs of new flag. This COM
mittee involved the aid of the newspa-
pers of the chief centers of the south
and advertised for drawings and models
of flags. About 130 designs came to the
committee for inspection, all of which
were preserved in a blank book, being
pasted therein with the letters which
accompanied them. l suppose this blank
book with it's historic contents may be
seen even yet in Washington city, in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

" HERE'S new movement afoot
fathers of sons.
i Mothers of sons, take notice
also for it concerns you as closely as 1t
does your husbands.
It's the father and SON. movement.
Its motive and it's principle are found in
the following declaration:
1--WE resolve that our sons shall be
more our companions and our fathers
more our comrades, adding both to the
sweetness of our private life and to the
value of our citizenship
How's that for a resolution for tie
and true it rings.
Father of a son, do you cheat yoIr
boy--not of money. but of the comradc-
ship which should be his by right of
birth? And. son, are you addicted to
the terribly widespread, disrespectful and
altogether bad habit of referring to your
father and thinking of him as "the old
man?'
He ought not to be "the cid man. to
you, you know. He ought to be, il he is
not, the nearest, dearest, best friend you
have, your truest chum and finest COM
Joy as well as your right and privilege 10
bring your father close to you, ito grap-
pie him to your soul with hooks of STEEL"
as Shakespeare says.
Again to the father:
You ought not to be numbered, you
know, among the multitude who think
they are fulfilling their highest duties
toward their sons by providing them
with money for education and living
expenses. That is only part of your
duties and, weighed in the scale of
really. only a small part. The better
part is in making your son friend
and a good citizen. Your relationship
should be such that in every crisis of
his life your son will say to himself as
did the prodigal son of old:
II will arise and go to my father
Your son should say that before lie
becomes a prodigal. The surest pre-
ventive is making it easy and natural
for him to go to his father. Don't hold
!. him off at arms length. SO many
Fathers do. by preoccupation with busi-
mes or professional affairs.
Fathers too busy to listen to me-.
says the boy or the young man and he
seeks advice or consolation perhaps at
inferior, lower springs.
Be a real father to the be
And. son. be real son to sJr
er. one on whom he can W
the years close on him. SoI Is taf
gray In his hair was acquired r. iiiir
sfg over your future Sor 2i tAe
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

One of the pricses which are paid for
the gift of advancing years is the loss
of friendshoips, yet the fact need not
sadden anyone who has true perspective
OF life, for as new old friendships fall
from the stem or go to seed others burst
into bloom.
DIR. Johnson expressed the idea we'll
wher he said to Sir Joshua Reynolds, his
faithful friend:
"If a man does not make new ac-
quaintances as he advances through life
he will soon find himself left alone. A
man. sir, should keep his friendship in
constant repair"
Friends of youth seldom last into mid
die life. AS the youth develops into a
man his interests change. New ideas and
new ways engross him, and his path di-
vcrges from that of his former friends.
Slme of them outstrip him in the race for
wealth or fame, and they do not recog-
niae the old time bond as lasting. Others
tell behind him, and he no longer has
the time to keep up the intercourse that
was SO sweet and fine In the days when
affairs did not press co hard
new lfleHuSnlpS ARISE. lC-lS Detter SO.
Youthful friends for youth, manhood s
friends for older years.
Many men-and many women-have
trieo to define friendship. They have
attempted to crystalline the sentiment
which makes atperson prefer another or
no one has expressed the idea better than
Emerson, who wrote:
THE highest compact we can make
with our fellow is, Let there be truth
between us two forevermore. And in
another place he said:
"A friend may well be reckoned the
masterpiece of nature"
Friendship implies giving as well as talk
| ing. To have friend you must be a
friend.
You must be willing to render service
at the altar of mutual obligation. You
must be willing to sacrifice time and
convenience and money if need arises.
Yours must be no mere Zip service
which touches not the heart and shriv-
els up at the approach of the flame of
need.
This is what is meant by keeping
| your friendship in constant repair. 1t
means replacing the old friends with
the new as the former dear ones are
taken away by the hand of time or
death or removal.
| One more quotation. this time from
John Keble.f the sweet singer of Chris
tian hymns:
'Tis sweet. IS year by year we lose
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

Still another cruel sport was that of
the "gander pulling" a large gander
with creased neck would be suspended to
a flexible limb overhanging the road, and
one by one the horsemen would ride at full
tilt grasp the neck of the goose, and
attempt to wiring 1t off while his horse
was at full speed. With many a piteous
honk, the goose would turn its head here
and there to avoid being seized, and It
was not easy to accomplish the required
feat A given sum of money was the
usual reward to the successful contestant.
This cruel sport of more than 70 years ago
WIS among the first to disappear from the
programme of the rural diversions. The
reader of Georgia Scenes has been made
familiar with this sport, which at one
time was quite popular.
Muster day." which came once each
month, was usually one of bloody hlari-
ty. The crude evolutions on the field be-
ing over, "the boys" would return to the
grocery, and after being bouteously
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

accessions from the neighborng eopula-
ton. and frequently the braw1s would last
throughout the night. Broken fingers,
noses. well chewed ears and dislocated
teeth usually made up the casualties OF
the day. Bunged and beaten as many
were. they would resume their usual labor
during the next week. while the scenes
of the preceding Saturday would be the
subject of general comment, and the end
OF the following week would find them
again at the grocery.
These groceries, so-called. prevailed
throughout the south till the opening of
the civil war, during which 1t is pre-
sumed that the beligerently disposed got
full qualification on fields of a different
type. Among the changes wrought in our
social life by the war. this was not among
the least. Efforts to revive the grocery"
of the good old times" after the return
of ths few from the battlefelds of the
war proved abortive. and thus vanished
this popular institution in the states Of the
south.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

wrinkles came in the same way. Help
to make him forget them.
There are cares that swell the heart
and make it bigger and warmer, just
as there are cares that shrivel it and
leave it tired and cold.-Fron 1.-The Story
Wiggin.
If your cares are of the latter sort
endeavor to transform them Seek the
good that may be found in everything,
even in adversely. You will remember.
Sweet are the uses of adversely,
Which, like the toad, ugly ard venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel In his head
And this our life, exempt from public
haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the rum
ming brooks,
Sermons in stones and goods in every
thing.
The cares that are nobly, bravely, pa
tiently borne are transformed as though
by magic alchemy into ornaments OF
the soul. They are accepted by the bear
er and by others as insignia of rank, as
emblems of nobility conferred by high
er sovereign than any who rules on earth
Sometimes it seems that the greatest
cares are given to the highest natures.
that the good in the sufferers may shine
forth before men.
One poet asks:
Is 1t true, o God in heaven, that the
highest suffer most
That the mark of rank in nature is ca
pacity for pain?
1t seems so sometimes. Perhaps that Is
because the best receive from nature, the
wonderful all mother, greater capacity
to bear and to endure and not to yield
beneath the strain
Happy are those who do not let the
accumulated cares overwhelm them ard
VINO do not let their sweet natures he
soured by the vinegar of circumstances.
Ihey are of Gods elect; they are anoint-
ed with the oil of the victor.
The rally task quietly and cheerfully
performed. the great sorrow borne with
out complaining, the burdens of others
assumed for loves sake
They are heavy indeed. but the load
is lightened by the thought that it is
carried for the sake of others.
Let each carry his own burdens?'
Yes; in an ideal world, in which each
all be endowed with an equal capacity
or bearing and achieving. But not in
r finite, unequal world. with some able
I'd willing to do and dare and bear
= I'd others perforco enrolled among the
leaners."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

state wide. nation wide and Worldwide
affairs which affect your life and my
life and the lives of all of us.
The more one thinks of large affairs
and traces their relationships and
qualifications the more one finds how
finally they filter down and tinge the
life of even the humblest citizen. 1t
is to his interest as we'll as to the adj
vantage of the great, the high and the
mighty to think of these things.
Besides. tracing these matters to their
sources and in their effects and rela-
tionships is one of the most absorbing
of studies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18

n MoNG the defunct institutions of
~ past era in the states his
= tory, is that of the country
grogshop, which was known in those
days as "the crossroads grocery" a
name derived from the enterprising
spirit of the keepers of such places TO
locate where the roads crossed, in or
der to catch more trade" Many of
these country saloons became notorious
resorts. These places were the rendez-
Vous of the rusfics of the hilarious
type in those far-off days. These rude
trysting places were the weekly scenes
of coarse sports. gross hilarity, and of
rough-and- tumble fights. Hither the
rowdies gathered from a wide region,
drank freely, yelled vociferously, ard
fought not little. The monthly muster
OF the militia was usually in connection
with one of these rural institutions and
hlther would come ''the boys" for an
all-day frolic. While squirrel guns and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-18
Could Not

From the Dayton Herald.
The young man In the parlor scene hac
just proposed.
Cant you read your answer In nv
face. George?" queried the bfushtng maid.
"Of course not. darling" he replied
your face II anything but plain.''
The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-01
HELP A WORTHY CAUSE

You can do so BY subscribing 70
the work OF the Boys Club. The
boys are anxious to enlarge the
scope of the work and are much in
need of funds to secure a place OF
meeting. Funds are being solicited
to rent a room and also TO furnish
same. In this column will appear
from day to day the names Of those
contributing and the amount contri-
btlted. All monies should be paid
to the club treasurer. Master Wellic
Meffert. See Charles Duval, preai-
dent, or r. B. Bowers, adviser. for
particulars and to give subscriptions.
Subscriptions
Mems Glass of Religious InEesti-
CATION, s1.50 a month
The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-01
clnn Almanacs.

In early times in England the people
used what were called clog almanacs.
which remained in use till the begin
ming of the eighteenth century. An old
writer thus describes them:
"This almanac is usually a square
piece of wood containing three months
on each of the four cages. The mum
Der of days in them are expressed by
notches. the first day by a notch with
q patulous stroke turned up from Il
and every seventh by a large sized
notch. Over against many Of the
notches are placed on lht left hand
several marks or symbols denoting the
golden number or cycle OF the moon
The festivals are marked BY symbols
OF the several saints issulsg from the
nOtches'