davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
sHRAPNEL,S FIRST TEST
, Louisville Herald.

From the Louisville Herald.
 The first test of shrapnel was made in England 1l2 years ago, when a commit tee of English army men reported favor ably on the invention of their fellow of fcer, Henry Shrapnel, after whom the deadly missile was named.
 Shrapnel was first employed in war fare at Surinam in 1894. and fully demon strated it's explosive usefulness. Soon after that all the nations of Europe be- gan experimenting with shrapnel
 Sir George Wood. who commanded the artillery in the battle of Waterloo a cen tury ago, declared that Shrapnels nven- ton was responsible for the British vic- tory, and that without it Napoleon would with deadly effect in the present war, and it is the testimony of military ex- perts that American-made shrapnel used by the allies is vastly superior to the German article.
 Henry Shrapnel entered the Royal ar of York's army in Flanders. It was the failure of the British siege of Dunkirk which led Shrapnel to begin the experi- ments which resulted in the invention of the case shot now universally known by his name.
 In 1915 he was granted a pension of $6O00 a year. in addition to his army pay. He retired with the rank of lieutenant gen. eral in 1927. and died in 1S42.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
CUPID IN WHEATFIEI.DS

From the Savannah News.
 Parsons and justices of the peace n Kansas are garnering a golden harvest while workers in the fields are garneiing the wheat. The reason is that so many very eligible colleeg boys are making va cation money by bringing in the sheaves, and so many pretty girls live on Kansas farms. Given a college boy with a soft heart, a pretty farmer girl whose dad has many acres of -than-a- dollar whe..t, Kansas moon, the smell of new cut wheat the hour after big Kansas sup per and it isn't surprising that many wed dings follow. From Smith county, Kan sas, come reports of an unusually big wedding crop. Fond mothers of college boys may hereafter forbid their darings to go to Kansas when the wheat is ripe and the girls are, too, but is not a wealthy farmers daughter as likely to make the right sort of wife as the city girl who knows nothing of cooking, of how m Jn y is made, or of much else except the latest dance steps and styles?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
 Some of the girls who wear these sec
 everything waists should either put on more clothes or more fat.
 A man will not accept an Indian Head s5 bill without first Inspecting it care
 fully. But he will grab bunch of store
 hair and excelsior and imagine that he IS
 getting woman.
 Don't knock the grouch. He has it all over the lad who wants to tell you all about it every time he meets you.
 It actually seems as if the girls and the automobiles get better looking every year. Father will so up to a fishing camp and put in, delightful week eating mud and
 bugs and spiders and ants. But if he sees
 a fly on the dining room table when he gets home he is so disgusted that he hasn't any appetite.
 Some women can wear bungalow | aprons and look classy. And others al- ways look like everything they have on
 was purchased at the 10-cent store It wouldn't do us a blame bit of good to be able to see ourselves S others see us. We wouldn't believe our own eyes. The mornings when you don't have tu get up and go to work are the mornings when you wake up early and can't get tc | sleep again.
 When a girl is clustering 1t on her cheeks she never stops to remember that red is a danger signal. | A whole lot of the peaches and cream 1 compleXions taste like kalsomine and | shellac.
 1 There are suite a few durn fools in this country who would like to get chance l to lie awake at night and worry over the 1 fact that they have to pay an income l tax on million dollars. | When she is single she imagines that | the hero always marries the girl. But
 after she gets married she discovers that
 the villain always marries the girl.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
POMEREITI. PANTS

From the Freeport (O.) Bulletin
 young man by the name of Verbeck
 who rides a motorcycle, was passing along the road when he met an automo- bile driver who was in distress. The motorcycle man stopped, and when asked to lend hand gave freely of his time He was unsuccessful, however, and it was decided to have the motorcycle tow the auto into Freeport More complications presented themselves, as neither the auto driver nor the motorcycle rider had rope to tie the two machines together The automobile man solved this problem by taking off his pantaloons and using them for tow rope. The owner of the auto rode in the bug wagon into town, and on account of the darkness it was not noticed that he was shy a pair of pants The motorcycist lowed the machine to the residence of the driver by way of back streets, and here he unloaded the machine. The pants used as a tow rope were not dismembered by the operation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
Conventions in August

Two important conventions will be held in Birmingham in August-the Farmers Educational and Co-opera- tive union August 12, 13 and IA and the Alabama Merchants association August 24, 25 and 26.
 The former will be attended by 800 or 600 delegates and the latter will bring to the city 1900 or more -mem- bers of one of the most active organi- cations in the state.
 Last year the attendance at the an- nual meeting of the merchants asso- citation numbered fully 1400, despite the fact that the European war had caused serious depression in the cot ton belt. This year the agricultural situation in Alabama is normal again and consequently the merchants throughout the state are buoyant once more.
 The Birmingham jobbers will be assisted in entertaining their visiting friends by the bankers and business men in general. These merchants conventions are gala occasions and the programme for next month will be un- usually attractive.
 Such annual affairs are good for Birmingham and good for those who assemble here. There is nothing like people from all parts of the state get ting acquainted and mingling with each other. Birmingham always has the "glad hand" for the farmers and for the merchants and next month the reception and entertainment com mittees will endeavor to establish new high records for hospitality.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Good for the South

My business takes me to all parts of the country. and having once lived on a farm l take especial interest in ag- ricultura1 conditions" said ". H. Heine of St. Louis, assistant manager of the World Color Printing company.
 What has particularly impressed me on this trip south is the diversification of crops. In Alabama 1 have seen great nelds of corn and great fields of hay and great fields from which oats had been harvested. I have seen some cot ton, but north of Birmingham where I have done most of my observing, there is less Of the staple than for merly and more of everything else.
 This diversification that seems to be so general in. the cotton states is cer- tainly good for the south.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
Profit in Porkers

Raising pork "brings home the 'bacon." This is no idle jest, as is proved by H. c. Poe, president of the State Bank of Temple, Tex.
 A year ago Bell county, Texas, it is asserted, sent S613,157 out of the county fer meat to supply the local demand.
 Banker Poe decided to state a move ment to keep this money at home. Ac- cordingly, he advertised that he would distribute one hundred pigs among the boys and girls of Bell county, taking their personal note payable
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
MAY PROFIT AFTER ALL

From the Charlotte Observer
 The Chinese captains of industry. [" who recently. visited every part of this land of splendid opportunities except the south, have returned to the Pa cific coast, concluding a tour of TO- TAO miles. They made inspection of 200 industrial plants in 27 cities, and perhaps thought they saw 1t all, when, In fact, they missed the better part of the United States through the ex- ciusion of the southern cities and the southern cotton mills. But notwith- standing all that the south will be certain to benefit by the visit of the Chinese commissioners in case the sen- timent aroused for better shipping fa- cilities and the establishment of bet ter banking facilities shall be pro- ductive of results. Through this wider opening of the door, the south would De pretty sure to crowd it's way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
China in the Dust

Either May or May promises to be observed in China for sometime as a day of national shame. The Japanese ultimatum was presented on May T, and many believe this day marked the final humiliation of China, but others declare the acceptance of the ultima tum on the following day the proper occasion for mourning. The remark able statement given out recently by President Yuan to his own people and to the world as well, in which he publicly disparaged himself and bowed his head in shame for the predicament in which China finds herself, is one of the most remarkable state papers ever conceived. It no doubt reflects with startling faithfulness the true feeling of high minded and patriotic Chinese, who believe their national honor has been trailed in the dust by the acceptance of Japan's humiliating proposals.
 The newspapers of China are un- sparing in their condemnation of the government and it's diplomatic repre- sentatives. While nearly all the edi- tors seem to agree that a sad blow has been dealt to national pride, there is a significant undercurrent of feel ing which may bode no good for the willy Japs in the future, if it is any indication of how the nation as d whole expects to conduct itself.
 In a remarkable editorial the editor of Min Pao writes: May ', 1915, is the day of disgrace to China. Let us remember it in our hearts and write it on our bones until the day we shall have revenged the wrong. !. We will sleep on straw and eat bit terness until the day of revenge"
 If the leaven of hate works sui ficiently long in China the Japanese may yet find themselves menaced by the huge nation they have treated with contempt.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
Busincss. Revival in the East

six weeks ago there was much com plaint of dullness in Philadelphia but trade is now fast improving," said Joseph s. Pendleon Of the Quaker City All through the east business seems normally brisk. and Philadelphia is looking brighter and buster than at any time since last summer
 The outlook for an active fall trade Is certainly encouraging. It is the prevailing opinion in commercial and industrial circles that with the ending of the war this country will see a great boom"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
EARLY DAY OF LARATION

by every member present, except MT. Dickinson.
 And Jefferson added: q took notes in my place while these things were going on. and at their close wrote them oft in form and with correctness, and from 1 to of the two preceding sheets (on one of which the above quotation appears) are the originals then written" Elsewhere he said: For the truth of this I pledge myself to heaven and earth''
 Iut just the same, Jefferson was wrong. The report of his committee was written on several sheets of paper; many changes were made in it; whole sentences were stricken out; there were innumerable al- terations and corrections, as any one can see for himself by consulting a facsimile of that document. It was attested by the president and secretary of the Congress and sent to the printer; but what the members actually signed was the en- grossed carefully prepared copy on parchment, brought before them on Au- gust ?.
 There are four forms of the Declara- tion, and all of them have been repro- duced facsimile. These are:
 l. me origlnal report Of the committee of which Jefferson was chairman, with all the alterations. This is in Washington.
 ?. The printed Declaration signed by Hancock and Thomson immediately after it's adoption.
 3. The engrossed copy on parchment signed by 56 members. which is in the care of the Secretary of State at Wash ington.
 4. The printed Declaration, with the names of 55 sgners, sent out pursuant to the resolution of January IS, TIT.
 And these are all. In August, 1922 lief. ferson admitted that he had made a mis. take in his solemn assertion. He was compelled to account for the fact that the Declaration preserved at Washington was written on parchment, and he admitted that this had been signed in August. But he went on and made another mis- take when he said that the parchment copy was compared at the desk with the original one, signed on paper" The facts show that there was not an origi- nal one signed on paper, except the enc signed by Hancock and Thomson, the two officers. It is extraordinary that Jeffer- son, of all men, should have been thus mistaken. +,-.s s.sls4ls i sss s74
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
DOWN THE MOONLIGHT STREAM

By Jay B. Iden. When the dreams come down by the
 moonlight stream That flows oer the window sill, Through the tangled vines where the dew.
 drops gieam,
 To dip by the bedtime hill, Then our mother sings us boating song, And the crickets trill and play, And we launch our boat where the tide is
 strong,
 And drift with the dreams away. Oh we launch our boat by the bedtim.
 hill.
 And drift through the meadows far, By the Sleepytown and its nusty mill Where the dream mote millers are There the wee dreams come on the pale
 moonlight <. All their wee dream sacks to fill. And the wee dreams deem 1t rare de.
 light
 All the wee dream dust to spill. So they sift the dust on our bedtim.
 shrouds,
 As the moonlight stream flows on. And we drift through banks of dreamland
 clouds
 To the first faint peep of dawn: Till the boating song is a breakfast call And the Morningtown looms near. Then we fling the dust to the sun and all Of the wee dreams disappear.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

BEGINNING THE DAY-The ne- gro Is the ward of the American people. He is particularly the ward of the people of the south. He is not problem to be studied, hut a person to he helped. We are not to kick him because he Is down. but to lift him up. We are not to abuse him because he is backward, but to lead him forward. What would he Christ's attitude toward the negrOs-H. NJ. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
........................,
ADRIF'T WITH THE TIMES
SOUL GREATNESS.

The man whose life is still worth while Need not be asked to wear smile, Just so the brightness of his soul Can make pains shadows backward roll And help some brother to plod on
 Whose hope and faith are nearly gone. The light his spirit sheds around
 Is better far than any found
 In cheerful faces, though they be From trace of sins and sorrows free.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
PROGRESSIVE.

From the Dallas News.
 A court of appeals in California has ruled in effect that murderer who knows enough to hide from the police and hire lawyer cannot plead weak mentality in his defense. California has always been a progressiye state
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
MUCH CHEAPER

From the Detroit News.
 Tires Also Counted Lot" captioned the News in the story of the Chicago motor race. and Resta used but three"
 He was lucky' remarked E. l.. '1 have to have four, and spare one be- sides"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
CARRYING TT roo FAR

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 College boys will be boys of course, and will cut up more or less. But what are We to expect when college pro- fessors take to blowing up capitols and shooting fnanciers?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
CAR HAS NOTHING ON KAISER

From the Wall Street Journal.
 Military expert says: "The Czar can f. ford to lose millions of men. The Kaiser cannot" But so far as willingness to sac rifce somebody else is concerned the Kaiser is as good sport as the Czar any day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
MORE BINOCULARS NEEDED

From the St. Louis Post Dispatch
 trench filled with German soldiers is said to have been captured by British officer single-handed who had left his binoculars there. What the British army needs is not more shells but more binoc- ulars.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
MIsDIRECTED EFFORT

From the Dallas News.
 The allies at the Dardanelles report that their Turkish foes have been gull ty of no atrocities. Maybe some of our missionaries in Turkey ought to be sent to Europe
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
WHERE'S THE BASEBALL DECIsIo,

From the Detroit Free Press
 Judge Landis, who fined the Stan dard Oil company s29.OO0,0 ,000. recent ly fined a farmer cents Evidently he's after the maximum and minimum recordA
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

A total of 19 deaths in a population of approximately 1Oo.oooOoo is not bad show ing for safe and sane Fourth but why the 19?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Vice President Marshall thinks we should wait for the President to tell us when to get angry Unfortunately, one never knows when he is going to lose his temDer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
SAVING AMMUNITION.
From the St. Louis Republic.

When Cupid sees a withered dame Whose views are rather narrow, He goes in search of other game
 And doesn't waste an arrow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

No Thaw trial seems to be an unqualified success, from public point of view, with out the presence of Evelyn Nesbit Thaw on the witness stand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The shooting of MT. Morgan prevented John D. Rockefeller from witnessing the hose race of the Tarrytown fire company on July 5. Tough luck.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
INFLUENTIALLY NIL

From the Fl Paso Times.
 The German socialists have committed the Bryan act on the Kaiser,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
RAMPANT CIVIC PRIDE.

Did you learn much on your last trip abroad?"
 What did that have to do with it?"
 They wrangled so much about the mer- it's of their respective home towns back in the states that half the time I couldn't hear what the guide was saying
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
AUsPIcIous BEGINNING.

Father, I aspire to be leader among men,
 That's all right, son. but you are young yet and must start at the bottom. It's true that I was leading at tender age, but my opportunities were-hum-ex- ceptional.
 What did you do, father?"
 T was-er-an usher in a theatre.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Old King Cholera is still to be reckoned with in war times, but his power for harm is not what 1t used to be.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Uncle Sam has a considerable deficit to worry over, but the war offers a ready explanation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The monoplane has been practically abandoned as a military flyer by all eoun-
 tries. One of the greatest objections to the use of this type in war is that neither the pilot nor the passenger can get a good view below him. matter of prime inn portance when on scouting expedition. Also, for a given horse power 1t is easier to get high speed out of biplane than out of a monoplane, without lessening the lifting power of the machine. or it's abil- ity to land slowly. The amount of struts, trusses and wires is about the same in a oiplane as in a monoplane. For given width of plane. or span, as it is called technically, the biplane has two lifting surfaces, one above the other, while the monoplane has, as it's name indicates, only one. The biplanes lifting power is twice that of the monoplane. but the latter is no harder to drive through the air. The head resistance" in flying both machines Is about the same. The weight differs but little, if any The greater the sur face of an aeroplane for given weight, the slower it can land and the quicker it can leave the ground. This is a great advantage to military avators, who can not always choose the best place either to light or to rise.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The news that the British drive" has been postponed until next year is not be- lieved to have created much enthusiasm in Paris.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The Italians are having easy piokings Germans begin to take a hand in the proceedings there may be a different tale to tell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The British embassy will have to fur nlsh convincing proof before the sane part of the American population will believe that the shooting of J.. Pierpont Morgan was the result of German plot.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
ALABAMA PRESS

Gadsden Evening Journal: Automobile prices are tumbiing so rapidly that it soon may be said of them. as it formerly was of kodaks. that the first cost is noth- ing, as compared with the upkeep.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Just to keep up the average, Georgia has indulged in another double lynching of negroes who are supposed to have been innocent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
Seems a Long Time

While it is a fact that many persons made provision for a long drought and put away a supply of beer and liquor before prohibition went into effect it is also a fact that many persons who, enjoy a mint julep now and then did not. and the 1st of July found them like the foolish virgins at the marriage feast, without any oil. said Peirce Hogan.
 Speaking to friend of mine the other day about the matter, he remarked that he was under the impression that he could buy all the liquor he wanted after the 1st. but, like many others, he has found out that he could not, for, whatever the future holds forth the prohibition laws are being obeyed at this time.
 My friend stated that he had not had bottle of beer this year. I knew better than that, for we had had several together during the latter days of June.
 You mean you have not had drink since July l.
 What did I say?'
 You stated that you had not had a drink this year..
 "'Well Persee, he replied, it looks that long anyhow''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

A crusade has been started to eliminate the hyphen in Americanism. It should have been eliminated long ago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

It is just as well to take extraordinary precautions for the Presidents safety. There are too many scatter-brained people at large in this country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The unhappy Chinese feel that they are disgraced, and don't mind saying so The attention of ultrapacifsist is respectfully called to China
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Luckily for him, John Bulls army was ready when the war started. The failure of the British to have a large and ade- quately equipped army in the field is the principal reason why the Russian bear is just now in retreat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

The Yaquis are crude people. but as scrappers they have few equals.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Like bright metal on q suiten ground, My reformation, g1ittering o'er m.
 fault, Shall show more goodly and attract
 more Than that which hath no foil to set
 it off. Henry ", Part l.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Dothan Eagle: If there Is. anything more enjoyable than a Houston county all-day singing with dinner on the ground its identity has not yet been revealed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Guntersville Advertiser: Our farmers are too busy just now to worry over try ing to read the dispatches from the big war. They are more concerned over erad- icating illiteracy and the cattle tick; and in getting everything in shape to harvest bumper crop this fall.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Mobile Register: Vice President Mar shall says that it will be time enough for us to get mad when President Wilson gives the word. There is something in that. President Wilson has just said that he is going to keep us out of trouble if he can. If we follow both these leaders, We will certainly not rush without think ing into war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09

Troy Herald: A Covington county farm- CT has five acres of tobacco under culti- vation which compares favorably with to- bacco of North Carolina. Another way to diversity and starye the boil weevil.