davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-11

Live poultry active; prospects foi
steady market. Eggs steady.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
Three Commissioners Enough

The bill to increase Birmingham s commission to five members should be defeated. The more commission CTS the more politics. What the peo- pie want is less politics in the admin istration of city affairs, not more.
 If three capable men cannot con- duct the business of the city and do it efficiently then five or seven or nine could nN.
 As The Age-Herald pointed out re- gently, if the commission were in- creased to five there would be always someone seeking reelection and less attention to the actual business of the city. With five commissioners Bir- mingham would have continuous political campaign. And when the people voted in favor of exchanginp the aldermanic form of government for the commission form one purpose in mind was to eliminate politics ol certainly to minimize it.
 Whatever criticism might have been made of the commission regard ing any of it's acts was not due to the fact that the three commissioners were overworked; that the burden of administration was too heavy fol three men, albeit they are kept busy week in and week out. Had there been five or seven members some citizens would have been ready to criticize just the same as now.
 The city commission should be en. couraged and aided by the people as far as possible, but above all, let us stick to the three-member plan.
 The pending measure is politica and makes for office seeking politics pure and simple.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
 Americans have always been little re- miss in acquiring foreign languages. In the early days of the republic their iso- lation from the rest of the world may have been a reason, If not an excuse, for their inability to speak fluently any tongue but their own, though not for their in- difference to other literatures. A read ing knowledge, at least, of French and German afterward became a fairly com mon accomplishment, and the labors of men like Lowell did something to make Italian better known. But until very recent period Spanish has been almost totally neglected. It was an American, George Ticknor, who wrote monumental history of Spanish literature, but his ex- ample was less fruitful than it should have been.
 If Spanish is becoming at last favor ite study there is every reason to re- joice. A literature that produced Lope dc Vega, Cervantes and Calderon is wortf while for itself. But the practical value of an ability to speak Spanish Is plain The extension of our trade in Soutl America requires it. and, if Brazil is te be considered, an ability to speak Portu guese as well. No small part of the com mercial success of the Germans in that part of the world is due to their ability in this respect We must follow their ex- ample if we wish to do as well as they have done.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
Regarding Personal Efficiency

Edward E. Purinton in an article in the Independent last fall proposed a "personal efficiency test" for every body in which he asked series of 30 questions with a space to record an- swers after self-analysis. The idea was good one in the main, but like many other advanced thinkers, MT. Purinton was in some of notions more theoretical than practical.
 His first question was undoubtedly to the point-"Do you like your work?" No one can do good work unless his heart is in it. The second question was likewise to the point "Have you learned the best, quickest and easiest way of doing it?" An other practical question was, "Can yor relax entirely in your leisure hours?' But here is one that seems a bit far. fetched-"Are you correcting youl own weaknesses; mental, financial social or spiritual?" If person i' afflicted with any sort of menta weakness he will be wise to consult ; doctor and take such nerve bracins tonics as may be prescribed. He can not do much in the way of mental cor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02

rection by his own unaided efforts.
 As for financial weakness, if man has grit or worthy aspiration he will get out of debt as speedily as possible consistent with honorable methods. If it is a case of over living his means he should retrench. Regarding social weaknesses, they might be referred to sociology and spiritual weaknesses to psychologist or religious teacher.
 Another question which MT. Purinton asks, Are you saving money sys- tematicaly? might be answered by the person questioned by exhibiting his or her savings bank book or Christmas club book.
 B. L. Winchell, formerly president of the Frisco, but now director of traffic of the Union Pacific, was so impressed with MT. Purinton's ar ticle on efficiency that he addressed New Years greetings to traffic de- partment employees, including off cials, in the form of circular letter, on personal efficiency. He suggested that self-examination is profitable, and "but few of us do enough of it."
 MT. Winchell did not ask for an- swers or reports on the self-efficiency tests, but merely recommended that each employe show the result of his self examination to his wife or mother, if the employe was so fortu- nate as to have one or both. The traf- fife director concluded by asking thatif the result of this "stock taking" shows an employe can do better, will he do it?
 All large corporations and business concerns are paying more attention now than ever to the efficiency ques- tion, and where the practical side pre- dominates good results should be ex- pected.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
The Cotton situation

prominent New York cotton broker age house. in its weekly reveiew, says in part:
 Lacking any development of impor- tance cotton prices during the week were under the influence of last Satur- days ginning report. The census bureau placed the total quantity of cotton ginned to January 16 at IA 4,907,942 bales This was larger than was generally ex- pected, but the really bearish phase of the statement was to be found in the
 46O.OO0 bales reported ginned during
 the first half of January. This amount
 was not only more than double that of
 last year but it established new gin ming record for the period. There seems | to be no question now that the com
 mercial crop will be at least 16,500, 00C
 bales. Outside, however, of the fact that
 the supply Is larger than previously estimated the situation shows no basic change for the worse
 Although the foreign demand fluctu.
 ates from day to day there is no evi.
 dence of any permanent diminution. and indeed, there is no reason why it should be expected. as foreign stocks are st
 low that unless manufacturing there
 ceases entirely foreigners must con
 tinue to take our cotton in quantity Al a matter of fact, English mills are wei
 occupied with army orders and the trad reports from Manchester and Lan
 cashire are distinctly encouraging. Tn
 Improvement in the domestic situation
 continues. Recent sales of print cloth
 at Fall River are the largest for severa months. and more of the New Englan
 mills which have been running on shpr
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02

time have decided to resume work at full capacity Among these are the mills of the Fall River Iron works. which ena- ploy 1000 men. These have gone on full time after having run for four days Q week for over three months. The i'm provement is perhaps best exemplified by the recent statement of one of the largest cotton goods commission houses here in New York, which was to the effect that their bu Gness has been bet ter the last 10 days than ever before in the firms history. This concern repre- sents southern as well as New England mills, so, on that account, the state ment has much significance Many of the large southern mills are now run ming at full capacity, and the textile trade situation in Georgia and Alabama is reported as excellent"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
steady Improvement fin Business

February is going to be good month in the business world; certainly the indications point that way" said Joseph M Shorthouse of Philadelphia, who has an interest in a large nianu- featuring business January was a very good month, but February will be far better and I believe that by spring we will have prosperity in full swing.
 T have been an independent In pol itics. I voted for Colonel Roosevelt in 1912 and may vote for him again in 1916. But I do not agree with my re- publican or progressive friends who try to make it appear that the hard times We have had have come large ly from democratic legislation. Presi- dent Wilson has done remarkably well under the circumstances. He has made fine President and the democratic Congress has done several things that should help rather than hinder busi- ness. If the country Is prosperous in 1916, and I believe 1t will be, nothing can prevent MT. Wilson being re- | elected"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
SHOOTING FOR RAIN"

pr. Andrew D. Palmer in the Popular
 Science Monthly.
 So far as the records are available, the rain accompanying or immediately follow ing great battles is not unlike that whicn might have been expected in the course of natural events Bearing in mind the fact already stated, that throughout large areas rain occurs on an average once in three or four days, and also the subiective fast that rain associated with July 4 celebrations or with battles wouio doubtless have been remembered had II not been for such associations, the hy- pothesis appears to have no foundation. In 1892 the United States government dis proved the idea by experiments in whlch violent explosions of dynamite were pro duced within clouds by means or kites and balloons, with no rain following as a direct or even as an indirect result. The practice, still followed in various European countries, of attempting to pre- vent hail by bombarding approaching clouds or of projecting vortex rings or smoke upward, also is without scientinc basis The relatively feeble correctional currents resulting from these artif1ciat attempts to influence the weather are too meager to have any appreciable effect upon the massive convection accompany ing storms and are wholly inadequate to influence precipitation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
SPEAKING OF JuTNEy BUssEs

Letter to the San Francisco Chronicle
 Hon. Sir: I inquire to know from frieno if white man runs cars of his cities oaA- land & he say no it been a Brown man & I like very much color or ms hsne
 propose wish to you that Japan poy be allow space between rails to run 1in- rikisna at very low price from middle st from Piedmont park maybe on shady side of st, for people without umbrella to keep sun off Riksha very good ezy
 riding has 1 wheel each side for horse- Ian hoy of working age to pull for 2c all way. Jap boy wear sandal and pants of yellow to look like Key Route. Hon. Sir: No transfer to be given while on way f,om Piedmont. but many stops in r,,icr succession to run against 5itney auto which I have honor to know Is pr,perty of Standard Oil. I thank to know what think of my excellent pro- pose.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
POINTED PARAGRAPHS

From the Chicago News.
 Grievances and babies grow with nurs- ing.
 It isn't the upper dog that howls for the peacemaker
 It takes an unusually cheerful liar to make a living at it.
 And you may do man favor by not giving him advice.
 Hard work is the only sure cure for an ingrowing grouch. The way of the reformer is almost as hard as that of the transgressor.
 Before starting for the top the wise man equips his person with parachute.
 Marriage is sure to be failure If he rocks the boat while he rocks the cradle. Philosophy may not be able to prevent a man from falling in love- but love knocks the corners off a lot of philoso- phy. Many a misguided youth imagines that girl Is interested in Nis welfare, when in reality she is intereSted only in his farewell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
Guillotines for Congressmen

A man who signed his name "Con Stakes" walked into the Baltim6xe and Ohio station at Philadelphia, and after lengthy dissertation on lying and the prevalence of that baneful habit among some congressman, wrote a telegram to Charles M. Schwab saying: "Please send 300 au- tomatic guillotines to Washington inn mediately." He gave the operator $1 to pay for the message. "Con" seemed to think that members of Congress receiving the "individual' guillotines would know what was expected of them and do it at once.
 Before leaving the telegraph office, which was buzzing with excitement by this time, Stakes remarked that he would like to have the Senate supplied with the guillotines first. After a general decapitation of senators had taken place he didn't care whose head was cut off He was evidently either confirmed joker who wished to live up to the slang interpretation of his l first name, or else a person with 'bees in his belfry," to continue the slang idiom.
 After MT. Schwab had labored abroad, using, it is presumed a great amount of tact and diplomacy to SC. cure foreign orders for submarines and other munitions of war, he wal politely informed by the department of state that he might endanger tn, neutrality of this great country by filling some of those orders, and tn, usually masterful MT. Schwab bowed to the inevitable. Perhaps he nigh be in the mood to send small guillo tine to certain government officials if not to members of Congress.
 Stakes, however, made a big mis take in telegraphing to Schwab il New York, with the purpose of sup lplying members of Congress witt guillotines to kill themselves, instea of sending his message to some of tn business men in Alabama and substi ltuting the state legislature for Con 9ress. Guillotines for some of tn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
Ground Hog As Forecaster

This is ground hog day as well as Candlemas day. The two always come on February 2, but there is no con nection between them. Candlemas is an ecclesiastical institution that has come down from the early centuries and it is of worldwide interest. The ground hog, or woodchuck, bur- rowing marmot, is strictly American. It is thus described by naturalist: Eighteen to 24 inches long, grizzled above and chestnut red below, the feet and tail blackish." The ground hog is found from Hudson bay to the South Atlantic states. New York used to be a great state for ground hogs, but few of them are seen there now.
 Occasionally one of these little ami mals is trapped or killed in Alabama. A few years ago fine specimen of the ground hog was shot in Blount coun- ty, but if all the boys and all the sportsmen were to start out to look up a ground hog today the search would probably be in vain. Still the ground hog does come out of his hole, even in Alabama, on the second of February, if tradition is to be relied upon.
 If the day is bright the ground hog will see his shadow, and being a sim pie minded creature will become fright ened and return to his hole. He will , remain there in a dormant state for six weeks. If, however, the day be cloudy the ground hog, not seeing his shadow, will remain out of his hole, and that fact will be taken as fore cast of an early spring.
 How or when the ground hog legend originated has not been recorded. Why the second of February rather than the first or third or fourth should have been selected as ground hog day is not easy to understand Old weather prophets who have kept tab on the seasons for long years find that when the early part of February is dreary and winterlike an early spring follows, and that when the early part of February is full of sunshine and is springlilSe a return of winter to continue several weeks is almost certainty.
 The ground hog sign sometimes fails, but not often. Yet it has never been considered seriously by the weather bureau of the United States government. But aside from its place in the economy" of the goosebone prophet this question will always be of interest, "When and where did the ground hog story get start?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The crop pIyer.incation cam paIrn

Alabama seems to have taken the lead in arousing public interest in crop diver sifcation in the south," said Henry M. Moeller of Chicago
 ''The campaign that is now about to be inaugurated in Alabama will certainly bear good fruit. I understand that this campaign was organized in Birmingham and that it is very thoroughly organized. Every state in the south should have q similar campaign between now and March. Alabama is known outside as a very rich state in it's agricultural re- sources. All that is needed is diversified ton of crops instead of depending upon one money crop.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
sunday Moviur Picture shows

The Sunday picture shows for char ity proved so popular that strong public sentiment has developed in fa- vor of keeping them open regularly on Sundays. was the opinion of Coroner Spain yesterday.
 "The city commissioners are to be congratulated upon their attitude in favor of allowing the moving picture
 theatres to remain open on Sunday afternoons" said the coroner. These moral diversions are whole some. Despite the protests of mil
 nority of our citizens the city commits
 sioners will not, in my opinion, ignore the rights and justice due to the great
 majority. Last Sunday when the
 movie theatres were open the city of
 Birmingham was exceptionally orderly.
 There was not only no homicide, but there was not even cutting or a shooting affray of any kind during the day
 With pictures shown regularly on Sundays Birmingham would become, I believe, cleaner and in every way a much better city,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
DEATH OF HENRY WOHLLEB

By John Osborn Sargent. On the field in front of F'rastenz, drawn
 up in battle array, Stretched spear on spear in a crescent, the
 German army lay; Behind a wall of bucklers stood bosoms
 steeled with pride, And a stiff wood of lances that all as-
 saults defied. Oh, why, ye men of Switzerland. from
 your Alpine summits sally And armed with clubs and axes descend
 into the valley? ''The wood just grown at Frastenz with
 our axes we would fell To build homesteads. from it's branches
 where Liberty may dwell. The Swiss on the Germon lances rush
 with impetuous shock; It is spear on spear in all Quarters-they
 are dashed like waves from a rock. His teeth then gnashed the Switzer, and
 the mocking German cried: "See how the snout of the greyhound is
 pierced by the hedgehog's hide!' Like a song of resurrection, then sounded
 from the ranks: ''lllustrious shade. Won winkelried! to
 thee render thanks; Thou beckonest I obey thee! Up, Swiss.
 and follow mev' Thus the voice of Henry Wohlleb from
 the ranks rang loud and free. From its shaft he tore the banner and
 twined it round his breast. And hot with lust of death on the serried
 lances pressed; His red eyes from their sockets like
 flaming torches glare, And in front, in place of the banner. wave
 the locks or his snow white hair. The spears of six knights together--in hip [ hand he sseiEes all- And thereon thrusts his bosom-there's .
 breach in the lances wall. With vengeance fired. the Switxers storm
 the battles perilous ridge, And the corpse of Henry Wohilob to their
 vengeance is the brjdoer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
ORIGIN OF WAR WORDS

From the London Express.
 It is a curious, and in some respects,
 perhaps a significant fact that. with the exception of shrapnel, named after it's inventor, an English colonel, there are very few war terms now in use whlcn have not foreign origin
 Sword, musket, grenadier, dragoon are all alien terms. "Grenadier" is generally supposed to come from the French. The word is, however, of German birth, and originally was "grenatier," the force ow- ing their name to the hand-grenades with which they were armed.
 The word 'musket' has an Italian de- rivation, ''moschetto,' which was really a species of small sparrow hawk. In an- cient times and in the middle ages the name musket was used to designate a small mortar which threw arrows. When gun powder was discovered a small cannon was baptised 'musket," and later the rifle of the ordinary infantry man earned the name while the whole unit was called ''musketiers." Both "dragoon" and ''cuirassier' come from the French. The dragons had a dragon painted on their shield, and the cuirassiers carried a breast protection made of copper-in French ''cuivre." "Hussar' comes from the Hungarian word "husz," which means "2O" The force
 derived its name from the fact that long ago every twentieth recruit in Hungary was placed in, one of the mounted regi. l ments.
 The Uhlans, notorious for their atrocities in the present war, owe their names tt the Turks It comes from the Turkish | word .'oghlan." youth. The Uhlan al
 ways had something in common in char
 acter with the Turk.
 | "Sword' comes from the Polish wort
 .'szabla," and pistol from the Italian town Pistoja, which was famous in the middle ages for It's arms factories.
 The bayonet takes it's name from thu French town Bayonne, where the inventor l lived some 125 years ago.
 l .'Howitzer'' is derived from the Czecl word "houinice," a wooden apparatus l used in ancient times for the purpose O throwing stones. We meet with the wort also in the Hustle war, in the fifteenth century, where the weapon figures al
 'hauffnttz."
 The officers rank of major was derive' originally from the Spanish wor'
 mayor" signifying great or high. l Even war itself comes from q fOreig source, coming down with the Italian an Spanish guerra" and the French "guer re-" from the old German word "werra.
 Most of the Russian military terms hay | also a Herman origin.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
A Weather Prediction

q am not prepared to predict what the ground hog will do, but I feel sure that whatever he does in the way of staying out of his hole or going back into his hole will give us pretty clear idea of what the next few weeks will be in the way of weather" said an old observer.
 'In 30 years that I have kept notes on ground-hog day the six weeks follow ing February have given us the weather Mir Ground Hog forecasted with only two exceptions. I am inclined to think that we will have very early spring. But if the ground hog sees his shadow then we may look out for more winter weather"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02

Frank I. Mayes, owner and editor or the Pensacola Journal and part owner of the Meridian, Miss, Dispatch. who died yesterday after an illness of several days, was one of the best known and most sincerely esteemed newspaper men in the south. He loved his work and his career had been as many friends in Alabama who will mourn his untimely end
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
THE REAL THING.

You talk about neutrality among na- tions. Bahi"
 "why the scornful attitude?"
 You haven't seen any real neutrality until you see the way married man acts when his wife and her mother are having a quarrel"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-02
state "solons" could be purchased by popular subscription in Alabama without half trying.

In recent Stevenson sale, held in New York, s14o0 was paid for the manuscript of one of the noveist's unpublished stories entitled 'The Hair Trunk, or the Ideal Commonwealth: an Extravaganza." The story relates the adventures "os a lot of young Cambridge fellows who are going to found a new society, with no ideas on tho subject and nothing but bohemian tastes in the place of ideas" evidently one or Stevenson's whimsical efforts. The complete manuscript of .The Waif Wom- an" brought sss0. The manuscript of the frst IA pages of "St. Ives" was sold for Ssoo. One of his earliest attempts at novel writing, called When the Devil Was We'll" was sold for s6Oo. A manuscript of Stevenson when he was studying law brought s2Oo Notes about California min ing days brought s275. Among other sales were the manuscript notes for "Child's Garden of Verses" bid in for S325