davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

ton. He has hugged his disappointments to his bosom and he has bided his time True, he met only with defeat and humil- iation in the far east. but now things are different. He is not thousands of miles away from his base of supplies He will not be at the disadvantage under which the Jap found him. He is brave and he knows how to suffer and endure. And he is ruthless, utterly so. Napoleon was completely undone by the campaign of 1912. But in that year victory smiled upon the Man of Destiny as it had done be- fore. He could sweep the Cossacks from the field by charge of Murat's pussant cavalry; he could break and route the solid lines of the enemys infantry with the cannon of Davout and Ney-but he could not conquer a peoples despair The splendid city of Moscow, with it's beauti- tu palaces and imposing towers, was fired by it's own inhabitants and the
 grand army was compelled to begin that retreat which resulted in it's annihia- tion. Then came Leipsc Fontainebleu and Elba.
 Russia is not the most enlightened of nations. The lamp of patriotism burns with no bright flame in the hearts of her inhabitants. The people groan beneath the curse of poverty. There bureaucracy is to be found in it's most pernicious phase, Ignorance, superstition, { re on eV- cry hand But the Slav has shown on a thousand battlefields that as foeman he is not lightly to be reckoned. In the present imbrogio it is likely that he will be convinced that Austria and her allies are warning against his race and his re- iigion, and he will walk bithly to the cannons mouth.
 The triple alliance was formed in 1883 by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy for the purpose of checking eneroachments by Russia and France. By it's provisions the three powers are bound to support each other in certain contingencies. Its terms were made moro definite in 1887. the World Almanac tells us. The exact
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02
A GLIMPSE OF THE MAP OF EUROPE-By Harry J. Burney

Servia and thus deal a body blow to the growth of slav power and sentiment in the near east.
 The Serb character is unattractive. King Peter waded to his throne through the blood of the murdered Alexander and his Queen, Draga Maschin It seems clear that the recent assassinations of Francis Ferdinand, heir to the thrones of Austria and Hungary, and his wife, had official Servian sanction. The atrocities commit tel in the late Balkan wars are evidence of the ferocity of the people. Austria feels that future tranquility depends upon the destruction of the little kingdom. It is a nest of reptiles and civilization might be benefited by it's elimina ton.
 King Peter was called to the Servian throne after having been for many years a wanderer from his native land. King Alexander, his Queen, and a large mum Der of officials were murdered in their beds. The new King was accorded quick recognition by the chancelleries of Flu rope. The United States pursued diff ferent course when the President of Mex ico was assassinated But Wilson was subjected to the harshest sort of criti- csm because he refused to recognize Huerta with his hands dripping with the blood of Madero and Sudrez.
 It was Germany's s proposal that the trouble between Austria and aServia be 'loealized Translated, this means that the rest of the world shall stand by while mighty Austria pounds little Ssrvia to a pulp. Germany would nave Seryia de- stroyed by it's powerful neighbor and Teutonic prestige strengthened. It would be about like New York telling the rest of the United States to- keep hands off while Massachusetts licked the filling out of Rhode Island.
 Russia and Servia are friends. They are one in race and religion. The larger brother feels called upon to assist the smaller. Time and again Russia and Aus tria have been at daggers drawn. The Slav is resentful of the power of the Teu-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

at the gay capital of Henry IT. The beautiful, gallant youth rode with the ladies and nobles in the royal cavalcades to Blois, to Gowes and to Poictiers but he applied himself so we'll to his books that the French savant wondered at his thirst for knowledge, He mingled with the ladies of the court that brigade of 300 beautiful and witty women on whom the Queen Mother, Catherine de Medici, relied more for the success of her po- litical schemes than on her treasury or her fleet; but his heart was always whole he never figured in love affair nor a duel, never disturbed husbands peace of mind-his morals were uncorrupted and his mind filled with philosophy only. And here we may note that the surg ing, glowing, overflowing streams of poetic fancy and amorous sentiment poured out by Shakespeare in his early years. could no more have followed from the cool placid depths of Bacon's breast, than they could have found outlet in the notoriously severe, condensed, unadorned style of his early writing Macaulay has written we'll and beautifully on the con trast of style in Bacons early and later writings, contesting rhe statuesque dull nes of the style of his first book of es- says and the rich, spreading, efflorescent style of the essays he published in later life. when his powers had developed similar charge was characteristic of Ed mond Burke. Says Macaulay, Tt rarely happens that the fancy and the iude- ment grow together It happens still moro rarely that the judgment grows Ias4pi than the fancy. This seems, however, to have been the case with Bacon." The case of Shakespeare was just the reverse
 l.. 1. ..f& Ia at the meridian of life.
 In 1893 Bacon was a very busy man. His fathers death had left Lady Ann and her two boys dependent for support on her small estate. At IS Francis entered Gray's Inn Court and two years later had been admitted to the bar, and had earnestly, and laboriously set himself to rise in the world. At 24 he was elected to Parliament, and for 10 years had been useful, respected. rising member. In two years he became bencher He mas tered at an early age vast technical system of law. Though his health was delicate, he mingled much In helpful so- ciety; and his recreation from social, pro- fessonal and legislative labors was to develop his schemes of codifying the British laws, and substituting for the frritless Aristotleliaa philosophy the practical. utilitarian philosophy of mod ern times. All of Bacon's literary work was intended to be of practical benefit to mankind and besides his finished works he started several never com pleted He had taken in youth the whole circle of knowledge for his sphere and his life work spread out till. like the fairy tent a lady could hold in her hand, all the world might repose under it's shade. In 1593 Bacon took his seat from the important borough of AIiddlesex, and at the opening of Parliament electrified the country and Increased his fame. by boldly challenging the right of the peers to dictate a subsidy to the commons. through whom the people oply could vote | tax on themselves. Alter . stormy
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

who was closer to Groote than was any other Entering with zest into the plans of the founder. Groote, Florentious now began to expand the work into other cities. in each of which was carried on the work begun by Groote first at Deventer From city to city the spirit spread brothers houses were built. in which there was abundant opportunity to work. with attendant diversion. and thus was conducted at that early time precisely that which is conceived tosbe the mission of the Young Mems Christian associa- tion. description of this original or ganization would be exactly what mod ern Young Mems Christian association should be.
 With so much success for good was this original institution. that it was conceived that if it was a good thing for one sex it would be for the other, so an organi- zation for young women was instituted and it proved a mighty reinforcement
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

icant class. and Groote was forced to abandon his evangelical work, and went again to consult the aged Ruysbroek. What took place in this private confer ence can only be determined by that which followed. Groote came forth a new man with new purposes in life. which he sought to reduce to practice.
 At Deventer. his native city in Hol- land he called about him group of earnest Christian young men. infused into them the spirit of conservation, and soon was formed what became one of the great est religious forces of the time, The Brethren of the Common Life. The pur- pose of the organization was devotion to evangelistic work. to education, and to literary productions for the good of the common people. This was as far back as 1879.
 The common efforts of these young men led first to a common purse then to the establishment of a common home. which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02
WROTE HIS PLAY-By w. E. Vassar

tailed, and the poet had been obliged for his maintenance to do a clerks work At IS years he had married A
 woman some years older, had later en- braced the actors profession, and at 23 where, from the lowliest steps. he had risen to the height of popularity and success as actor and writer of plays
 In 1593 he ceased to collaborate with other dramatists in prosllcing plays;
 was made the acknowledged playwright
 of the leading company in London. the Chamberlains, and, in partnership with
 Burbage, ran successfully the newly
 opened playhouse, called The Theatre
 He then revived the plays he had writ
 ten in collaboration, substituting for
 the work of others lines of his own.
 At that time he had produced and pre-
 sented seven of his plays, namely,
 Loves Labors Lest" 1.-TWO Gentlemen of Verona" Romeo and Juliet"
 Henry the Sixth" "A Comedy of Er-
 rors." King Richard the Third" and
 Titus Andronicus." all of which had been favorably received by the public. in 1893 he published ''Venus and |Adonis," and in 1594, "Lucrece," but it is believed with reason that those
 poems which ranked him with Eng
 lands greatest bards, had been writ
 ten before Shakespeare left stratford.
 in the more inspiring atmosphere and
 environment of rural life, for they are
 instinct with the influence of the wild
 wood and the open air, and with the exuberant fancies and passionate i'm
 pulses of youth. For those nobly, if
 impassioned poems, and for his first drama, Loves Labors Lost" Shakes peare had found congenial patron, or sponsor, in the person of the dashing young Lord Southampton, the same who became involved in the Earl of Essexs Irish plot and nearly scan- tlalous love affair with the earls cousin. Of Southampton an English biographer of Lord Bacon says: "Heady, amorous, quarrelsome. swift to go right or wrong as his passions tempt him." but together with the Earl of Essex
 and Bacons brother, Anthony, and other companions, he ,applauded Shakes peare's plays at The Theatre and gave
 the actor generous support Such was Shakespeare in the glorious morning of his unclouded and successful career. And what of Fracis Bacon? He was born in high life, his father being lord
 keeper of the great seals under Queen Elizabeth, and his saristocratic mother besides her own high ancestry, claiming
 for brother-in-law Cecil. Lord Burghley,
 Elizabeth's prime minister and favorite ste tesman. Francis Bacon's education
 was of the highest. His mother was noted
 for her knowledge of Greek and divin-
 ity. had translated Jewelrs Apology
 and been praised by the critics. and we
 can well imagine the care she gave to
 the early education of her youngest and
 most promising son, whose brightness so
 pleased Queen Elizabeth that she called
 him at 10 ''her boy lord keeper" He
 passed three years, under the best mas ters, at Cambridge and Gray's Inn; and
 at 16 went with Pauletts embassy to Paris. And well he profitea by his nfe
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

vVI HEN Peter the Great crushed the W power of Sweden at Pultowa
 w and drove Charles XII into ex- He among the Turks, Russia sprang at one bound to the forefront of the na- tions of Europe. For two centuries all etrembled at her frown. Then came her disastrous war with Japan. The world discovered that the bear could be tanned. The passage of the Yalu, Liaoyang, Muk- den-there was shown the weakness of the Slav. Again David had met a Go Hath; a modern Bellerophon had en- countered and conquered a latter day Chimera.
 Russia's humiliation was complete Her armies were scattered and broken; her fleets were shattered and sunk. Bruin could hardly be seen for his bandages Sulen and cowed he once more retreated behind his snows, to nurse his anger and bind his wounds He was sorely hurt, but the hurt was not mortal. He chafes within his confines. He demands more breathing space. He wants more terri tories in which he may stretch himself. Wand above all he demands sea room. To the eastward the Jap lies in his path. Bruin has tried to clear that way and has failed. Some day he may make an- ether essay, but that time is not the present.
 Magnificent port facilities have been es- tablished by Russia at Cronstadt, but in the North sea England and Germany are lions in her roadway. Sailing from her ports of the south, her ships must thread the Dardanelles to gain the Mediterran- can. Servia, friendly state, cuts her off from the Adriatic with the new independ- ent princpality of Albania.
 Austria seized the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina by right of might. She has long coveted the territory of Servia. which bars her from the Aegean. The present trouble has it's origin in another pretext. Austria's real desire is to crush
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

for duty. Russia's figures show the vast ness of that empire. Her standing army numbers .s0e,00o. and with reserves to the total of S,so0000 can put forth an army of i.5O0 GOO, and still have the astounding number of 52Q0,000 to draw upon.
 To the average mind these figures mean little. They are too immense for com prehension. But all can grasp the fact that should these fearless hordes clash the slaughter will be terrible. A sample of modern warfare has been seen in both Asia and Europe. The engines designed by man for the malming and murder of his fellows well serve their purpose. Thousands of human bodies will be thrown into shallow graves, and the bones of thousands of others will whiten in the sunlight The widow will lift up | her voice in lamentation for the husband who will return no more, and little chil- dren will weep and suffer the bangs of hunger Cities will be destroyed and | fields laid waste. The clock of time will 1 be set back century.
 And who will be the gainer? What will be proved by this unparalleled illusion of
 blood? We can discern the damage, but | we cannot forsee the benefit to be de-
 rived. We know that want and woe and desolation are inevitable But where the | advantage?
 | And at whose behest are these frightfnl | contingencies to be brought about? Are the people of these nations demanding | that they be murdered? Are they bent | upon their own destruetonP Are they re-
 solved voluntarily to cast to the winds | the principles of sef-intorest? Are they convinced that Christianity is mockery, and are they sef-determined to fJurn 10 | savagery?
 Tt is inconceivahle. Rather the world
 will believe that this carnage and this
 slaughter are at the command of rulers and not of the nations themselves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

to the other. Thus it was that there was the original organization for young women, Just as a similar institution ex- ists today.
 In every city and town of any impor- tance between the ocean and Merseburg and between the Baltic sea and the iron tiers of Suabia. there were to be found both brotherhood and sisterhood houses. In complete harmony these planned and labored together. Instead of a secretary as we now have at the head of each local organization, there was one chosen as rector, whose function was that or a modern secretary of Y. NJ. C. A. Under this rector came officials whose designations indicated their functions, For instance. there was the scriptuarius, the lhrarius, the magister novltiaman, the infefmiraius. and the hospitarius. The work was carried on without un- due observation or ostentation. Through out it Was sober. practical and moral
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

was called a brother house. Under Groote and his yoke-fellow, Florentiousr these godly young men enlisted in all kinds of organized work such as teach ing the most illterate, copying the Bi- ble and other books, for the printing press was not yet. distributing litera- ture as thus copied visiting the sick and imprisoned, and ministering generally to the we'll being of humanity. In calm determination Groote put his fortune into the enterprise and carried 1t to success. From Deventer the cause spread far over the realm, and came at last to excite the attention of the authorities of Europe. It's uniqueness, success, unquestioned good for common humanity. the zeal of it's supporters, their diligence and enthusiasm and all else elicited unusual attention.
 Unfortunately Groote died at the early age of A. but he had so projected his scheme, that it could be easily taken up by others, and especially by Florentious,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

his favorite school author. Those who think the plays of Shakespeare required the extensive classical learning of Lord Ba- con for their production should remem- ber that many of the classical allusons. like those not to ovid in the play just referred to. are to he found in the sources from which Shakespeare drew his plays, some are to be found in trauslatinns that might easily have been read hy him. and that others are to be commonly found in English literature. It is clear, how over. that he liked to quote from and to allude to Ovid in his early plays
 Another quotation, from Ovids second Heroic Epistle, occurs in the last part of Henry the Sixth; Shakespeare puts line from Ovid in the mouth of the murdered Earl of Rutland as he expires; and that line does not appear in The True Trage- dy of Richard Duke of York" in the scene in which Shakespeare made but few alterations when adapting the older play to his uses. Mr. Baynes notes that Shakespeare was working probably at the same time on the two last named of his plays and gave one quotation from the first and the other a quotation from the second of Ovid's Heroic Epistles.
 The last direct reference to Ovid occurs in "As You Like It." The professional court jester ,Touchstone. begs the simple souled rustic. Audrey. with whom he has fallen in love. to come home with him. telling her he will fetch up her goats. and adding; "I am here with thee and thy goats. as the most capricious port honest Ovid. was among the Goths.''
 The many indirect proofs of Shake- speares acquaintance with Ovid's poems cited by the Fracer's contributor need not here be adduced; suffice it to say. they were numerous and convincing. And all this use of a particular school author f.t-n mt tI,,r- ship of the plays, however creditable it is to Shakespeare's application to his lessons at school
 Shakespeares masterful poems. pub lished in 1593-94. now little read because offensive to the refined sensibilities ee our age, were entirely approved by th> custom of his time and did more to give him wide and lasting fame than did even his successful plays. The motive of the poems was noble; the first. Venus and Adonis, shows awfully the fatal results of unrestrained sensual passion; and the second, Lucrece. sets forth. in vivid pie lures, the charm of chastity over all hearts. human sympathy with outraged purity, and innocent love contrasted with vile lust--to quote from the concluding lines of Lucrece,
 Love comforteth like sunshine after
 rain,
 But Lust's effect Is tempest after sun"
 It seems strange that a pagan poet should have furnished. not only the themes, but so much of the details of description. and verbal expressions to tho ardent Christian genius; but such wac the case: The germ of both the de- scriptive poems was derived from Ovid, that of Venus and Adonis'' from the brief account of the same story at the end of the tenth book of the Meta morphoses." and that of "Lucrece" from the vivid dramatic sketch of the tragedy which closes the second book of tho
 kcestinusd on Pags TAistyl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

in response to the demand of the period. It was no less so when George Nil- Hams entered on his plan for the enlist ment of young men in sacred servteo Es ch did his duty, and in doing so won distinction in the annals of service for hLmapity. If Williams was not aware of the organization founded by Groote. it is a most remarkable fact that his plans were so exactly like those Of his fa- mcus predecessor in the enlistment of Christian young men in active service.
 Whatever George Williams may have done the fact remains as great sa- cred historical fact, that 10 Gerhard Groote of Deventer, Holland, belongs tho distinction of being the first who con- ceived the idea of organizing young men as n distinct force in the field of hu- nanity Honored as the name of George Williams should be. that of the great Dutch philanthropist, Gerhard Grootc should not be suffered to fall into forget funess.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-02

No interest of humanity that could be aided was overlooked. Works of mercy ahounded without respect to class or con dtion. Means of instruction were pro- vided under the most difficult conditions, the vicious were sought out and saved by the tenderest ministrations and Bi- bles and other books were laboriously copied and actively circulated where they would do the most good. Before the existence of this order. education had largely been confined to the mendieant oi ders, but very poorly performed by ttem. The brethren If the common life, as a forerunner of the Y. M. C. A., wrought a revolution
 Whether nearly 6oO years later George Williams modelled his plan on that of Groote, or whether to Williams it was a relatively original plan, Is not known, nor does it matter. That which Gfoote did to a measurable extent. and Fioren- tious to wider degree. were movements