davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-17
CHAPTER xxIv-contInued.

Together he and Mark dragged Piotr
to the cab and forced him within.
Piotr. dazed by Marks appearance. re-
sisted but feebly.
Before the grim majesty of ap-
preaching death even Piotr's madness
was abashed. The supreme conscious
ness received back the atom that,
when imprisoned in flesh, had been
Roman. It was Kazia who saw.
He is dead"
The Matka uttered a low moan, then
became silent again, resumed her rigid
gazing at the not less still body. Piotr's
hand passed over his eyes in bewil-
dered gesture. The woman who kept
the door made the sign Of the cross
and went quietly out
Kazia bent over to kiss Romans
forehead. Then Piotr came out OF his
daze. He caught her roughly and drew
her back.
moi"
"Piotr!"
you're not fit to touch him."
8he turned and went slowly into
the kitchen. Piotr followed.
He confronted her and Mark. You
can go now. both of you"
"Oh, Piotr, not now!" Kazia began
pleadingly. "The Matka needs me
and"
I'VE need nothing from you. We
weren't good enough for you once.
You left US to be fine lady. Now we
don't want you"
But came back and you wouldn't
let ne stay"
"Yes. when you found that Jim
Whiting couldn't give you what you
wanted. You thought you could use
us then-as he did" He nodded to-
ward Mark. How" his teeth barred
In an ugly accusing leer, "how did the
Hunky girl get to be such a fine lady?'
BE stillI- Mark stepped close to
him, stsEnly. Isn't there any decency
In that cracked mind Of yours? Re-
member she came to them." he pointed
toward the little bedroom. when they
needed some one. You were out fill
rant And whose money do you think
had to keep them alive because you
wouldn't do a mans work."
"A mans work." Piotr laughed.
{ horrible startling cackle. ITO cracked
brain that isn't to betray and gouge
and drive" He broke OF. DO you
mean It was her money!"
who else would have cared?"
Piotr went back into the death room.
ciutched his mother by the shoulder
ssnd shook her cruelty. Tell me-" he
cried in her tongue. have you taken
money from her-that woman-when
told you what she was?"
The Matka shrank back from his
vehemence. II had toto buy things
to keep him alive"
Piotr, releasing her, stared, his
mouth working Queerly. Even you're
against me-"
He went again slowly into the
kitchen. taking up his hat from the
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-17

he looked up to her from depths of
establishment she could never know.
The voice was growing unsteady
again. when think how 1t might
have ended-if you hadn't come to-
night! Pm glad you came-to save
me from that. And now-I think
you had better-go. :"
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-17

table. He did not stop until he reached
the door. There he turned. facing
kAzia-
You can have her now. I'm 60
ing"
Hes crazy" Mark muttered. Don't
mind him"
With an effort she recalled herself
to the situation. You had better 20
now. l must take care Of the Matka.
Will you please telephone to the hos
pital that ehan't be back tonight?"
But I can't leave you alone here,
while Piotr's at large. I'm going out
to arrange for tomorrow. Then III
come back here"
ut may be best" she agreed.
Two hours later he returned and
raped lightly. Receiving no answer,
he tried the door 1t opened and he
entered quietly.
SHanka lay on a narrow cot. In the
sleep OF exhaustion. In a chair by the
table. head pillowed on one arm.
Kazia, too. slept. She stirred uneasily
as he entered. then became still. He
uptoed to another chair and began his
lonely watch.
sThe night seemed endless. To Sit
motionless. looking at the relaxed for
bern figure she made. became impos-
Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-17

would Be misery for me always. You
wouldn't want that . And this-it
seems I've always known It would
come. It was a chance took for a
few months happiness. I've had my
happiness. You haven't harmed
mel beg you to believe you haven't
harmed me-
"Kazia-"
But the hoarse cry died away. There
was nothing to say. His humiliation
was complete. Magdalen that she was.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
The Turks and Caucasia

Speaking to Russian correspondent Inf the New York Times, Caucasian colonel said: "You are funny people, you northerners. The Japanese war should, think, have taught us good lesson, but you still adhere to your ancient, lighthearted attitude when we have to deal with a second-rate power"
 He points out that while the con- flict against Turkey will of course be decided in the west and is therefore a factor of secondary importance, the fighting efficiency of the German ized' Turkish army should not be un- derestimated. The Turks have con- centrated 100000 men along the Cau- casian frontier and will make a stub born foe. Every foot of ground will be decided before the Turks make progress in their campaign. Caucasia is a rugged country where nature has interposed many barriers to any kind of military operations except aerial attacks.
 The fact that there are estimated to be no fewer than 2500 German of ficers in the Turkish army is significant of what has been done by the Germans toward reorganizing it and converting the Sultan's soldiers into well trained fighting men. No one seems to know just how successful the Germans have been in perfecting a Turkish fighting machine, but with large number of highly skilled officers to lead them the Turks are bound to make far better showing than they have done in recent wars.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
Wheat's High Record Price

Exporters of grain and domestic millers were both large buyers of wheat in the Chicago market yester- day and the price for spot reached a level which had not been equaled at this time of the year since the Franco Prussian war in 1870. Number ? win ter wheat sold at $1.36A a bushel and the May option advanced 1O14 cents as compared with few days ago.
 Corn and oats moved up in sympa- thy with wheat. It was day of ex- citement on the Chicago exchange. Those who had wheat to sell had been anticipating sharp advance, but they were agreeably surprised and greatly elated at the record breaking prices.
 If the war continues until the end of the year the new wheat crop which will be harvested in the summer will bring fancy prices. Even should war come to an end within the next six months wheat would still be worth con- siderably over S1-probably 1.25--be- cause the foreign demand would be practically as great as it is now.
 A record breaking wheat crop was harvested last summer, and the acre age now sown is believed to be fully 10 per cent larger than that of last year. Reports come from many parts of the cotton belt that much winter wheat has been sown on land formerly devoted to the south's great staple. There is larger acreage in northern Alabama than usual, and for the first time in many years black belt farmers are experimenting with wheat as we'll as oats, and it is encouraging now to feel that they will get large prices.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06

The New York Sun in prefacing a few short interviews with prominent finan- ciers, says that better conditions finan- cially and industrially are predicted by investment houses and students of the sit- uation created by the war. One promi- nent banker and broker had this to say: we see much to encourage us. Our crops total close to the s5,ooo, ,oOo 900 mark, our steel industry shows signs of inn provement, and other lines indicate grow ing activity. Tn addition, there is some reason 10 hope that the attitude Of anil mostly toward large corporate interests, which has run through the last three ad- ministrations, is becoming less bitter. The war with it's problems has brought the business man into closer relation with the official than ever before and a better understanding of the legitimate needs of trade has resulted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
Evidence of Returning Prosperity

The fact that the Baltimore and Ohio railroad resumed operations Monday at it's Mount Clare shops, giv- ing employment to two thousand work men who had been "laid off" for some time, was very significant of the i'm proved industrial situation. It was stated in Baltimore that this was the railroads answer to the per cent advance in freight rates.
 The Baltimore and Ohio has been making steady strides in expansion and betterments during the last few years. It did not stop it's develop ment work because of business de- pression. A few weeks ago it com pleted it's large improvement schemes which had called for an expenditure of $1O0,O0O,O00.
 When Daniel Willard, thoroughly trained railroad man, accepted the presidency of the Baltimore and Ohio, he made it condition that the finance committee was to allow him to make large expenditures in order that the properties might be rehabilitated and the road brought up to the highest standard of efficiency.
 Many years ago when the Garretts owned the controlling interest of the Baltimore and Ohio it prospered. Un- der the administration of the elder Garrett the line was a great money maker, but toward the close of the Garrett regime the physical properties ran down and after many vicissitudes the company went into the hands of a receiver. Oscar G. Murray, who had worked his way up in the railroad world from small clerkship to dis tinction as traffic manager, was placed in charge of the Baltimore and Ohio, and he it was who helped bring it out of its troubles. But feel ing that he needed an experienced operating man of exceptional capacity he secured the services of Mir. Willard, kwho some years before had been asso- .iated with Murray in the management of the road.
 Mir. Willard is fine type of the modern railroad executive. He is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
Peace Sunday in February

The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America has announced that Sunday, February IA, would be observed as centenary peace Sunday. The movement is meeting with en- thusiastic response by individual churches throughout the Unted States. The Rev. Dr. Henry K. Carroll, as- sociated secretary of the federal council, said that on February II peace messages would be delivered in 100000 pulpits and that peace pro- grammes would be part of the exer- cises of Sunday schools and young peoples societies throughout the country
 When the European war had been in progress only a short time there was concerted movement among the different religious bodies to have prayers for peace in Europe in the various churches on given Sunday. The spirit of the movement was well carried out, but the war went on.
 The movement inaugurated for Feb- ruary will be more widely advertised and more thoroughly organized than was the former peace Sunday. There will be concerted action from one end of the country to the other, and even if there is no immediate effect on the European war situation 100000 peace sermons will be distinctly educational and should have good effect on, the rising generation of this country.
 Those clergymen and laymen who will have charge of the peace Sunday arrangements should have the earnest support of all right minded and peace loving people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06

New Englander and is a graduate of an agricultural college, but instead of taking up farm work he went from the classroom into railroad activities.
 He is familiar with every depart
 ment of railroading, and is one of those strong men who always look upon the bright side of life. In a brief statement in connection
 with the resumption of work at the
 Mount Clare plant MT. Willard inti-
 mated that he expected business to continue to improve. He said he had
 just spent the last of $100, 100000 on betterments during his administration as president, and that another $100,- 000,OOO should be expended within the next ten years.
 able to raise considerable money dur ing the last two or three years of stringency despite the batting of com mon carriers by certain class of poli- ticians and reformers. But few have persued such broad policy in making expenditures for new work as has the Baltimore and Ohio. If business im- proves as fast as is generally thought it will, all the railroads will be able to raise virtually unlimited sums of money and do more in the way of ex- pansion and betterments this year than they have done in the past three or four years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
GIVES TILL APRIL FIRST

From the Tuscaloosa Times-Gaxette.
 E. Steiner of Birmingham. who has just returned from trip to Europe, pre- diets that the war will be over in few months. How every one will wish that he is a true prophet in this instance. With the war over business would take a spring forward that would be won- derful. Confidence would be restored and things would become normal again. But if the war should como to close by April i, would our cotton growers act wisely and plant just enough cotton to keep up the price? If they wont wild and planted for a bumper crop the price would be kept down for several years to come The people of Europe are going to be too poor to buy cloth as freely as they did before the war. They are going to wear out their old clothes and that will cause a less consumption of cotton for several years to come. Better plant foodstuffs and raise cattle and hogs and be prepared to live at home. even after the war comes to q close. The industrial upheaval has been so great that 1t is not going to adjust itself in day, . month or year. It will take time and lots of 1t. The so,.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
Talking With a Farmer Debtor

T had a rather peculiar experience with a farmer a short while ago. said the credit man of large Birmingham busi- ness house.
 T went out on a scouting trip to Marion county to collect some accounts due by merchants to my firm. I was only par tially successful, and one of our debtors introduced me to farmer, who is not only well to do, but is a sort of oracle in his locality. He owed the local mer- chant some S400. I chatted with him, and developed the following line of apologetio reasoning. He said When I bring a peck of peas, a dozen eggs. or a dressed shoat to market, the merchant names the price. When I buy bolt of domestic, a pound of nails, or a barrel of four the merchant fixes the price. This time am going to fix the price of my cotton; it is 10 cents.'
 This catchy logic appeals to the farm CTS of his neighborhood-never mind the business and moral obligation; not to speak of the great law of demand and supply which governs all markets in the concrete"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06

ing in places to height of over 6000 feet; on the west, plateau region whose steep slopes and narrow, wind ing valleys are even more conducive to isolation than the eastern section; and between these upland belts, a pleasant green valley, yet this, too, diversified by ridges, which in sec- tions makes it almost as remote as parts of the other two belts."
 In this region there is a population of more than 5,000,0OO, of whom l 100000 are urban or near-urban, and the rest rural. The bewitching scenery in some of the mountainous regions of the south might we'll inspire the rude poetry which is found in the folklore of these people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
A Proud Record

Not a single passenger out of 1Ss, ill., s76 carried in 1914 on all of the 26, 19s miles of track of the entire Pennsylvania rail- road system was killed in a train acci- dent" said a well-informed railroad man.
 Reports compiled for all the lines of the system, with figures for the last month estimated, show that Pennsylvania pas- senger trains travelled 67,3s9,3S1 miles in 1914. More than 5000 trains were operated every day more than 100000 trains in the year.
 "The Pennsylvania railroad lines east of Pittsburg in the past two years car ried 311,675,794 passengers. and not one of them was killed in an accident to a train. In four of the past seven years 1908, 1910 1913 and 1914-more than 55S, ,OO0 900 passengers-five times the population of this country-were carried by the PennsyI- vania lines east of Pittsburg without a single one being killed in a train acc- dent.
 The Pennsylvania management regards every accident of any knd on it's prop erty as one too many. Every effort is being continually directed to the end that the number of accidents of all kinds may be steadily reduced, and if possible pre- vented
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
THE OLD HOME

By Madison Cawein An old lane, old gate, an old housy
 by tree: ss.l4 ~ A wild Id, wood, voc wild brook-they ssi not In boyhood I knew them, ap6 still they
 call to me, ~ e- Down deep in my hearts core I hear
 them and my eyes Through tear mists behold them beneath
 the old-time skies. Mid bee-boom and rose-bloom and orch
 ard lands rise. l hear them; and heartsick with long,
 ing is my soul; To walk there. to dream there, beneath
 the skys blue bowl: Around me, within me, a weary world
 made whole. To talk with the wild brook of all tho
 long ago; To whisper the wood-wind of things we
 used to know When we were old companions, before my
 heart knew woe. To walk with the morning and watch its To drowse with the noontide luIled in its
 heart of gold; To lie with the nighttime and dream tho
 dreams of old. To tell to the old trees. and to each IN
 tening leaf, The longing. the yearning, as in my boyS
 hood brief. The old hope, the old love- would eass
 me of my grief The old lane. the old gate. the old houss
 by tho tree. The wild wood. the wild brooh-thsy will
 not lot be bs; Tn boyhood knew them, end still thev
 call to mo.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06

ments upon the crude living pictures al a result of it's experience at the vaude' vile theatres which aim especially at gel. ting family patronage. Musical comS| dy has from time to time eclipsed thu least draped living pictures by introduoI ing the half dressed young woman in situation fitted to her state of undressI and in many comedies and farces wiThouI music pace has been kept with musical comedy in this particular. Burlesque al popular prices has Jagged behind becaus| its audiences have been content witl the old style performance. Many of th| celebrities of the burlesque "wheels" hav' been attracted to the vaudeville circuits by higher salaries, and are entertaining the family with turns mot, usually shocking ones-which father and the boy1 used surreptitiously to see in the bur- lesque theatres. But if the theatregoe| is hustling for spice, he does not pursu' his quest in the burlesque houses anles| he is ignorant of what is to be found elsewhere. This is not tantamount te saying that the first-class theatrers ard existing only to cater to depraved tastes| The stage as a whole is quite respectabld and there are more helpful than harmful plays. Among the musical comedies thert are many examples of wholesome cleanI liness, but burlesques no longer bases it} hope of patronage upon providing shock ing exhibitions. Both vaudeville and mu| sical comedy have invaded its field and stripped it of the doubtful honor of of fering thrills to the seeker for uncleal| shows. A Louisville burlesque theatr] which had for many years been popularlJ regarded an an improper place, and had often been heatedly described as ''dive'| opened its doors to women short timd ago without changing It's bookings, and the women who went were surprised! perhaps little disappointed, to find that what they had supposed was a palace of sin was merely a theatre offering half1 dollar musical comedy. If some of thd shows were trimmed here and there bJ a censor, for family consumption, thd jokes deleted were those at which thd higher priced musical comedy stage, and the popular priced vaudeville stage, would rot have baked, and at which neither thd producer nor the audience would havd blushed.
 The suitability of burlesque as Sum- day attraction may we'll be questioned, but if burlesque houses should not be open upon the Sabbath other theatrers should be forbidden to open upon Sun day. An occasional musical comedy has all of the elements of run-of-factory bur lesque with a good deal of spice added, and the moral tone and intellectual level of vaudeville are not above the moral tone and intellectual level of burlesuue.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
THE BURLESQUE BUGABOO

From the Louisville Courier-J Journal.
 nHE mayor of Evansville, who has
 put the ban upon burlesque shows
 \ as Sunday attractions, is not alone in the error of regarding as especially pernicious any exhibition under the label "burlesque.'
 As matter of fact, the burlesque shows of the period and the musical comedy of the s2 theatrers do not diff fer greatly in point of coarseness. The greatest difference is that as a rule the quality of the performance is better at the higher priced theatres. That is not always true, for many of the popular stars and ''principals'' in musical comedy are recruited from the burlesque stage. Many unsophisticated persons picture burlesque, frankly so-called, as a wicked show fit only for an audience made up of men who have low tastes. Many of these virtuous persons complacently at- tend $2 burlesque in which former lights of the half dollar burlesque stage are fea- .tured and prodigiously enjoy as musical comedy or '.revue' a typical musical burlesque the genius of writers for the popular price burlesque stage has con tributed the "book."
 A generation ago the burlesque theatres provided what were commonly called leg shows and the theatres, as a rule, did not. The line of distinction was sharply drawn. The Black Crook" which now adays would be considered wholly in- %o the American theatregoer the sum of wickedness that it was possible for a re- spectable woman to admit having seen. The daring spirits who had seen it denied 1t in sedate company and boasted it as a great experience when chatting conf dentially with friends When the 'Black Crook" was revived about 20 years ago its name was necromantic. but the per- formance proved stupidly proper to nice young women whose mothers had told them, with bated breath, what a shock ing performance it was and how shocked they were to learn that some of their contemporaries actually and brazenly went to the theatre to see it.
 In the days of "The Black Crook the lmaglnatlOn or the producer went no further than the exhibition of plump young women in tights The possibilities of the "broiler' in various states of un- dress less conventional were yet to be realized by caterers to polite audiences. The spiciest part of the "buresque" or variety show was, usually, group of women in ''ieshings." Such '1iving pie q .I, viously clothed, created sensation even in ''stag' theatre. The present gener- ation is familiar with up-to-date improve
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-06
Ballads of the Southern Mountains


 In an article on Songs and Ballads of the Southern Mountains" written by Oliver Dame Campbell for The Survey, the author discusses sub- ject that is little known to the urban dwellers of the south.
 Even those who live in the larger towns of the mountain districts have paid little attention to folklore. "The Southern Highlands" the author writes, "include strip of country stretching from western Maryland to northern Alabama, covering portions of nine states and including approxi- mately an area of 100000 square miles. This is the real mountain coun- try east of the Mississippi--a country so diversified, however, that one can make generalizations neither about the region nor about the people.
 On the east are lofty mountains ris-