davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

for as every one knows, love letters look awfully silly in cold gray print.
 Why the cupidity of Cupid should figure so universally in keeping the saint, put to death for no greater crime than opening the blind eyes of his jaiIer's daughter, history fails to tell us; in fact, history seems in this par ticular instance to be very remiss, for whether we find the dear old saint recorded at all, we unusually find the word supposed accompanying the record.
 St Valentines Day is not birth day; if Is a death day, for St. Valentine, ac- cording to what may be learned from history. was put to death by Claudius II, on February IA, in the year of our Lord 270, and so it is only natural to suppose, that there was some sort of religious ceremony to commemorate his death, which very shortly got mixed up with organism, Cupid and the ladies
 "In the spring a young mans fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love-" is a true old aphorism which in some way accounts for the havoc that St. Valen- tines Day plays with the ladies and also as this is the beginning of the ma ting season." the argument is thus borne out Perish the thought that "a young man g fancy" should go to waste-so-enter the ladies. and Dan Cupid.
 It is not an innivation this thing of Cupid being up against it." with the feminist movement, for we learn of a peculiar Persian festival known as Nerd Giran, which took place in Feb honor of "the guardian angel of the fair sex
 During this festival, from which Val entine customs may have sprung, hus- bands were commanded to abey thei, wives, and maidens had the privilege of proposing.
 In the British Museum. it 8 said that to be seen, penned by such notables as Charles, Duke or Orleans, who was taker prisoner at Agincourt, in the year 14l5 The following is an example of tn, valentine of that period
 1 Wilt thou be mine? Dear Love reply; Sweetly consent or else deny, l Whisper softly, none shall know.
 Wilt thou be mine, Love, ay or no? 1 Spite of fortune we can be Happy by one word from thee.
 Life flies swiftly, ere it go.
 Wilt thou be mine, Love, ay or nor
 In the sixteenth century, the custor was inaugurated of drawing ones valen tine at some celebration in honor of tn
 day for, no less person than MI
 Peppys wrote in 1067:
 q am this year my wifes valentino
 and it will cost me E5. But that I mus
 have laid out if we had not been valer tines"
 In a notation of two days later, how
 ever, we find he must have been mis
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

taken as to his draw, or else 1t was a double draw, for he sets down:
 "I find Mrs. Pierces little girl is my valentine, she having drawn me, but here do I first observe the fashion of drawing notices"
 The eighteenth century seems to be the first appearance of the commercial ized valentine.
 People in those days wrote their own valentines with quill pen thick paper" and if the quill" was uninspired or untrained to versify, books of suitable verses could be had at the book sellers, as, for instance. "The Ladies' Polite Valentine Writer" The Ladies' Polite Valentine Writer" "Cupid's Annual Char ter" ''The School of Lovet," etc, and even "The Quizzing Valentine Writer, which was supposed to be more or less comic-for England. There was also "The Tradespeople's Valentine Writer,' from which two of the alleged examples are worth quoting. One is supposed to be ap- propriate to a butcher and reads:
 I do wish for my own picking
 To've a delicate sweet chicken,
 For thy sake I'll be quite spruce,
 Tho I may be called a goose.
 Another, supposed to- be sent by pawnbroker, reads
 I pledge my word for thee I live,
 And am sincere where honor calls, Oh. then, my dear one, answer give.
 You know where to, at the Three Balls
 Here is an example from the Polite Valentine Writer" prepared by an enter prising book seller of the eighteenth cen tury for best seller: You are witty you are pretty, You are single. what a pity l am single for your sake. What a handsome couple we would make
 A valentine effusion written in the year l190, now among the British Museum curios, so says well known magazine Of recent date, was written on "a sheet of paper about the size of a ady's pocket handkerchief, and folded into squares of about four inches and sealed with a heart"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

housework or attend to my baby was soweak. Lydia E. Pinkham s Vegetable Compound did me world of good, and now am strong and healthy, can do my work and tend my baby. advise all suffering women to take it and get well as I did. Mrs. FANNIE COOPER, RED, Bridgeton, NJ.
 Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com pound, made from native roots and herbs, contains no narcotic or harmful drugs, and to-day holds the record of being the most successful remedy for female ills we know of, and thousands of voluntary testimonials on file in the Pinkham laboratory at Lynn, Mass, seem to prove this fact.
 For thirty years it has been the stand ard remedy for female ills, and, has re- stored the health of thousands of women who have been troubled with such ail- ments as displacements, inflammation. alteration, tumors, irregularities, etc.
 If you want special advice write to Lydia E. Pinkham Med- icine Co.,, Confidential kynn, Mass. Your letter will be opened, read and answered by a woman and held in strict confidence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

The modern valentine writers are con spicuous for their ingenuity and real art ists talent, when it comes to getting up original verses and illustrations.
 Making round of the shops a few days before St. Valentines Day it was no un- common sight to find such creations as a pair of white doves cooed inaudiply over a broad pink ribbon, on which was print ed a message more suggestive of 'cozy- corner conversati tion" that an article of commercial value in garish shop win dow.
 on your saying Yes" was the sentiment inscribed.
 Nearby another valentine showed an old darkey who bore aloft a minstrel ban ner, music and words: 'Honey, Tnp waitin."
 70 lucky one who sips the nectar from thy ruby lips" struck me as being near est the old-time "Roses-are-red- violets- blue favorite done in exquisite red paper in folder letters:
 The summer girls noted for
 The light ring of her laughter; Beware. young man, for there are more
 Expensive rings, she's after.
 These are only few of the valentines. included in this years offerings. Valen- tines of plush and satin and silk. hand painted or Autographed, built of card board or tissue paper or paper inache arc
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
DIABETES
Physlcians Using New Remedy
 Ereat Succeas. Doc Packnge Er

Diabetes no longer need be a ter those who have become afflicted this dread disease.
 As the result of extensive experil physicians announce that q simple growing wild in Mexico, long know it's high medical value. has the mer reducing specific gravity and. sus Diabetes, besides resoring vigor building up the system.
 This harmless vegetable remedy s relieve the patient of his worst $ toms in the most aggravated case short time. To prove it we will ma package for 10c to help pay distrih costs, also free booklet of special to the diabetic, containing latest list and table of food values giving centage of starch and sugar Gear drates) in 250 different foods. Dis is always sold under guarantee of faction or money refunded.
 Tell your afflicted friends of this and send 10c today for a full size package. AYES CHEMICAL co, 269 B. Whitney Point. N. Y.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
FRUIT LAXATIVE F CONST|PATED,
 TAKE CALIFORNIA SYRUP OF FIG

mands. It Is just as effective for g| pa as it is for baby. It simply cal injure. Even cross, sick, feverish dren just love it's pleasant taste mothers can rest easy after givil because it never fails to effect a inside cleansing
 For thirty years "California Syr Figs" has been recommended by l clans as the ideal stomach, liver bowel cleanser Millions of families are we'll informed use nothing els recently there has come flood of ious fig syrups, so we warn the I to ask plainly at drug stores for cent bottle of California Syru Figs" and see that it is prepare "California Fig Syrup Company. make no cheaper size. Hand bacl "counterfeit" with contempt.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

to be seen and it is case of pay money and take your choice
 The most blase valentine of all wa showing an empty glass, reflecti girls face and a burnt-out cigaret ing near. with this would-be erigram highly emblazoned underne
 Life without love is cocktail the cherry left out"
 Shades of St. Valentine.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
Good morYow 'tis St Valentines Da, All in the morning betime And I, a maid, at your window To be your Valentine"
 -Hamled. Act ", Scene V.

St. Valentines Day is the memory of A-martyred, austere saint kept green by a pagan god of mythology-just a dear little, merry little, pagan god called Cupid, who this year Is having trou-
 bles of his own in trying to keep to the ''up-to -dateness' of the feminest movement, with it's eugenics, It's equal ity of men and women and its demand for "sterner stuff" even in Valentines,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

The valentine has fluttered down the ages. fluctuating from a mere Motto to an illustrated motto, and from an H. lustrated motto to commerciali2ed verse. from plain verse; to more picture and less verse, then to more verse and less picture, on to comic sheets and hand paintings, thence to figures of dressed dolls. and undressed Cupids, not to for get hearts cut out of all sorts of flaming paper sent to express sentiments of love ana adoration, also hearts of felt" car- rying "heart felt love were seen.
 After all, isn't the real valentine. to your way of thinking, one of those little old-fa shoned lace paper affairs where you pull a little ribbon sticking out be- low, and open up full blown rose with a pierced heart inside, and find a verse something like this, in gaily colored let tcrs:
 I've run away without my coat To mail to you just this This valentine that I have made
 And sealed it with a kiss For valentines are love, yon know, Just love--love-right straight through. | I really am your valentine <, And you'll be mlne-won't you?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
Ole Miss, whar dar's CT Ill Will, dar's Sho' ter be CT Valentine! Yassum.

It reads thus:
 When you hear this harte behold, Twill break as you these lines unfold. The power of envy cannot pretend To say I have fals verses pend. For VI the inside sheet. Sweet Turtle
 Dove,
 I've wrote the morals of my love. Thou are the maid and only maid That hast my honest harte trapad.
 The unfolding of the valentine Is like a "Chinese Puzzle,'' for as each layer of paper is undone. it discloses something new. and next we find:
 My dearest dear, and blest divine,
 I've pictured here your harte and mine.
 Then comes, as the missive unfolds,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
Best liver and bowel regulator for mamma, daddy and
 children.

If you're headachy, constfpated. bil- ious or stomach is disordered and you want to enjoy the incest liver and bowel cleansing you ever experienced, take a tablespoonful of "California Syrup of Figs" tonight and in the morning all the constipa tion poison, bile and clogged-up waste will gently move out of the system without gripping and you will feel splendid.
 Every member of the family should use this fruit laxative as occasion de-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

good Lydia E. Pink
 hams ta ble
 Compound has done for me. I suffered very much from a female trouble. I had bearing down pains, was irregular land at times could hardly walk across ]the room. l was 1unable to do my
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

heart pierced by three bloody arrows, under which is the couplet:
 And Cupid with his fatal dart,
 Has deeply wounded my poor harte. Then you unfold again, and two pink hearts separated by red ink cross burst upon your view, with the inscriptions: And has between us fixed a cross, Which makes me to lament my loss. Unfold once more, and again the two pink hearts, this time one over-lappin, the other, over the wall: And never will my poor harte have ease Till our two hartes be joined as these As you finally unfold for the last time, wondering what more the love-lorn youth can possibly say, you find two coupletJ worthy of the good Romeo himself, in: If you refuse with me to wed Twill bring destruction on my head Pale death at last shall stand my friend, And bring my sorrow to an end. - The story closes with the touching verse:
 If you'll be myne
 I will be thyme
 And so good morrow
 Valentinei'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

SU8, H2nusouIe oook k-o76 6pages, hundreds of interesting illustrations attractively bound in blue cloth.
 We are distributing this great book regular price $500 ' among our reader, for 96c and one War Book Coupon. !" By special arrangement with The Lon don Times we have secured limited number of copies. When they are gone the price will be $500. Look for the coupon today on another page, and take advantage of this great book bargain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

over the map of the world.
 he war The London Times laid dfar-reachine acts through it's own special mcthods-to gather from cabinet ministers and smbas- sadors, from military and naval oficen, from it's own trained correspondents standing far back in the deep shadows of European politics, clear and accurate in formation as to what was actually happen ing and what it really meant. The rcsult IS the great illustrated war history of The London Times-which, in accuracy and information, stands head and shoul- dcrs above any other book yet written about the great conflict.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

dasdust documents but from the testimony who
 lived through the battles they describe experts have studied the armies first hand diplomats who
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
THIS WOMAN'S
 SICKNESS
Quickly Yielded To Lydia E.. Pinkham's Vegetable
 Compound.

Bridgeton, NH want to thankyo , thousand times for the wonderful
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
The Greatest War Book Ever Written

human interest that other histories lack You cannot get along without this important book you undenand the war you want to know what has actually happened you want to the meaning of the operations from day to day
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
Ne7v Names For Old Mdlddy
By ADA PATTERSON

gold in which we wrap a pigmy and call him kind, is maya"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
The Hidden Hand in the Great Game of War

The greatest the history of the world is being fought Behind the brief reports and confusing telegams the great tragedy of civilization going Ten million men are locked death gappe and the existence nations hangs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

Then you unfold again, and two pink hearts separated by a red ink cross burst upon your view, with the inscriptions:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

And has between us fixed a. cross,
 Which makes me to lament my loss.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

Unfold once more, and again the two pink hearts, this time one overlapping the other, over the wall:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

And Cupid with his fatal dart,
 Has deeply wounded my poor harte.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14

heart pierced by three bloody arrows, under which is the couplet:
Evening star., 1915-11-21

finish of coppery gold. This finish of
bronze and gold emblazons the entire
plumage throughout as though burnish-
ed into brightness. In the rays Of the
sun it shows a most beautiful combina-
tion of bronze, black, copper and gold.
X
The wild turkey of the southern or
Mexican country, called by some nat
uralists Meleagris mexicana, is some
what shorter in shank than the north
eri1 species, and in body color metallic
black shaded with bronze, its tail and
other feathers being tipped with white.
This appears to be the species that
was first taken to Spain and other Eu-
ropean countries. 1t is also thought
that the white markings of the plum
age of this fowl show its influence on
the variety of domestic turkeys known
as the Narragansett.
The wild species known as the Hon
duras turkey was originally a native
of Honduras and other parts of Central
America Some describe it as most
beautiful in coloring. equal to the I'M
peyan pheasant. if not richer. The head
and neck of this wild variety are
naked and no breast tuft is present.
The caruncles of the head and neck
differ somewhat from those of other
turkeys. The ground color of the plum
age Is described as of a beautiful
bronze-green, banded with bold bronze,
blue and red, with some bands of brill
liant black. 1t is to be deplored that
Evening star., 1915-11-21
The 0ptimist.

~ ILMAN HALL. magazine editor Of
VI New York said of the war:
TT doesn't pay to be optimistic in
considering this horrid war. Yes, It's a
pretty rotten world that will stand for
y war like this.
"optimists. anyway, come to a bad
end. A preacher in a poorhouse said as
he buried an optimist the other day:
".Ah, what an optimist the world
loses in deceased! Once he failed in
business, but thanked heaven he had
his health. Another time he failed in
health but thanked heaven he had his
business. Then. just before he entered
here, he failed in health and business
simultaneously and said:
"'oh, well. what good Is the one
without the other?"
Evening star., 1915-11-21
An Emergency Fund.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The star.
LONDON, November ;. 1918.
A CANADIAN magnate paid a call
"a the other day on a young relative.
an officer from the land of the maple
leaf (his father is a general there'.
who. having been wounded at the
front. is now laid up in hospital here.
A German bullet went straight through
h s left nostril and damaged the ROO
of his mouth, but he has been patched
up so successfully that it is doubtful.
so the surgeon says. if it will be pos
sble TO tell where he was wounded.
Asked by his relative if he had none,
enough, the patient laughed, hshed ou|
of his locker small tin box and pro-
duced from thence a well worn strip
of cloth into which three sovereign
were sewn. That's the extent of my
wealth." he said. Il had seven when
l was hit" And then he told an anus
ing story about that seven "quid-
Thinking it would be wise to have
an emergency fund, he sewed this $50
worth of gold into the strip of cloth
before he went to France, and wore Ii
around one ankle. under his puttee:
He had it there for the best part OF
six months, and there was an under
standing between him and his best pal.
also an officer, that If he was done
in" the pal should inherit the wealth,
whereas II the Pal went west TIC
teller of the story should come in for
the pals wrist watch.
When he got that bullet in the face
it messed his frontispiece up pretty
considerably. For one thing, he couldn't
utter a single word Needless to say.
he forgot all about his hidden hoard.
but when they undressed him the nurse
discovered it.
What can this dirty rag be doing
around the boys ankle?" she cried, In
dignantly, and, to the horror of the
wounded hero. she peeled it off in a
twinkling and hurled it into recep-
tacle for rubbish near at hand.
In vain did he babble. as best he
could, and make signs that the de-
spised rag must on no account be
thrown away. The nurse remorselessly
ignored his protests and bade him be
silent. and his cherished seven pun"
looked like goners. While his nurse
was momentarily absent from the
room he managed to get out of bed
and retrieve them.
Evening star., 1915-11-21

this variety cannot be bred successful
ly as a domestic fowl in the northern
climate.
While not a recognized variety. there
are seen at times turkeys with crests.
or topknots. This seems to be rather a
freak than natural appendage. In the
crested fowls, known as the Polish
family among chickens, there is an un-
usual skull formation which naturally
belongs to this breed. But with the
turkeys (and ducks as welD the crest
seems to be an unnatural growth
There are but few of them to be seen
at present
There is apparently no contention re-
earding the original transportation of
the turkeys from America to Spain be-
tween the years 1913 and 1926. 1t also
seems to be admitted that they were
introduced into England in 1924 Among
the earliest recorded varieties of do
mestic turkeys are found the black
Norfolk and the large Cambridge tur-
key. Undoubtedly the turkey had been
domesticated in this country prior to
the recording of these varieties in Eng
land.
The growing of turkeys seems to
have improved as a result of a deter
mined effort on the part of pro-
ducers of what is termed standard
bred or exhibition stock to demon
strate that 1t is more profitable to use
pure bred breeding stock than the
smaller and less vigorous stock of days
Evening star., 1915-11-21
z=-,6p

the black turkey. Quite likely this va
as the foundation for the cross with our
bronze turkey. The influence of the light
markings of the Mexican turkey is shown
in the plumage Of some of our domestic
varieties
Six standard varieties Of turkeys are
more or less grown in this country
the bronze, Narragansett. buff. slate.
white and black. The main differences
are in size and color of plumage- The
bronze and the Narragansett are the
largest, the huff ami slate are the
medium and the hlack and white the
smallest In addition there is a nom
standard variety known as the Bourbon
reds
The bronze turkey holds place OF
honor 1t is a cross between the wild
and the tame turkey. as has already
been stated. It's beautiful, rich plu-
mage and it's size have come from its
wild progenitors. To maintain these
desirable qualities crosses are contin-
ually made. In this way the man,
moth size has been gained. Their
standard weight ranges from sixteen
to thirty-six pounds. according to age
and sex Probably more of this va
riety are grown each year than of all
others.
The coloring OF this variety is a
ground of black, blazoned or shaded
with bronze. This shading is rich and
glowing, and when the suns rays are
Evening star., 1915-11-21

tells me that the whites and blacks
do not marry at present, although the
tendency of the mulattoes is to marry
race is marrying up instead Of down.
and that in time the colored man will
be lost and his blood will be swallowed
up in the white. He says there is no
prejudice in Brazil against the negro,
although there may be. perhaps, a So
cal one.
Others tell me that the social objec-
tion does not obtain, and. as far as 1
can see, the whites and the colored
move along side by side, arm In arm.
and on the same level. There is an abb
solute equality as to the street cars.
railroad cars, hotels and steamers. No
one thinks of objecting to the presence
of any man or woman in the dining
room on account of his or her color.
On the coasting steamer in which
came here two-thirds of the passengers
were colored, and many of them were
Evening star., 1915-11-21

gone by. Theft efforts to introduce
throughout the country the several
standard varieties of turkeys has
greatly benefited the turkey-growing
industry of this country.
This effort has supplied rich, new,
vigorous blood throughout the whole
country, adding strength and vigor to
innumerable f1ocks, and thereby, to
some extent, building up the stock that
had become deteriorated through the
Garelessness of producers themselves.
Throughout the country the attent on
of turkey growers has been called to
the successful production of market
turkeys in the state of Rhode Island.
Unquestionably some of the best mar
ket turkeys produced in the world have
been sent out of Rhode Island. But
even there, a number of years ago, the
art was in danger of being lost through
careless handling Of breeding stock.
There is no other kind Of live stock
that will return so large profit to the
successful producer as will poultry.
and no kind of poultry is more profit
able than turkeys when properly ham
died. The fact that turkeys will, from
the time they are six weeks old until
winter sets in. gain the greater part Of
their entire living from bugs. grass
hoppers and waste grain that they pick
up in their wanderings over the range.
assures their existence through this
period at little or no cost to the grow