davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

commentaries. It is a greater mon,l-, ment of civilization that Andrew Car negie's famous Peace Palace at The Hague, or that other peace palace which he erected in Costa Rica, which the earthquake threw down. Indeed. it is a question whether the European war has not practically destroyed his peace mon ument in Europe
 The peace monument on the top of the Andes is 8 bronze figure of the Christ. placed on the boundary between Chile and Argentina. to commemorate the treaty of peace made between the two republics in 19os It marks the settle ment of a dispute which involved terri tory as large as our state of Kansas, or more than one-third as large as either Germany or France. The statue was cast from old Argentine cannon. It is 26 feet high and it stands on granite pedes- tai. One hand of the Christ is out stretched in blessing, and the other up- holds the cross. On the pedestal are engraved these words:
 Sooner shall these mountains crum- ble into dust than the people of Argen- tina and Chile break the peace which they have sworn to maintain at the feet of Christ, the Redeemer."
 The English. the French and the Ger mans are. inclined to look at the coun- tries of lower South America as a part of the bacl1woods of the world, and some of them are prone to sheer at their lack , of culture and morals. Tn these days when organized murder has become a national virtue and written obligations between countries are merely scraps of white paper, is 1t not refreshing to think of ''The Christ of the Andes?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03
The Right Time to Eat

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
 The charges have been rung on the mo breakfast fad, the two-meals-a-day theory and several others. Now comes Professor Bergonie of Bordeaux university with another, that we eat our meals at the wrong time.
 Take an ordinary meal, he says, and creation of energy commences at once, the amount of energy Increasing up to some three hours after the meal and then decreasing slowly. Few persons, he believes, eat hearty breakfasts now adays, the chief meals being taken be- tween F and 1 and between and s o'clock. This, he declares, is all wrong. He says food consumption should be reg ulated just as engineers in an electric station regulate coal consumption accord ing to the variable demand for current. We work half the day without proper fuel and then in the evening, when the organism is about to rest for long pe- riod we stoke up, producing unneeded energy and overlooking the liver. '. hat we should do, he insists, is to make the principal meal at breakfast about 7:30 and then two lighter meals at 4:50 and 8 p. n,.
 If any person wishes to try 1t the professor has no patent on the theory, but for the bulk of us, who have to take our meals when we can,. the Her bertian theory. 'I eat when I'm hungry, I drink when I'm dry and I want what l want when I want it." must seem the ideal schedule. It may be unscientific and contrary to.all the practice in the electric stations and professional house. holds, but it has the indorsement of cen trries of experience by the race, which may outweigh the undemonstrated ratio- cinations of one savant.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03
Germany's Empress Eye-Deep in Relief Work

own hands to visiting various relief in- stitutions and consulting with high off, ficials in the Red Cross organization and with others identified with the army commssariat, all of whom frankly &C., knowledge the value of many of the practical suggestions made by her. large percentage of the flowers which the Empress distributes in the hospitals, by the way. are from her own hot houses for she has made a pastime of gardening for many years. and has a wonderful display of blooms both at Bellevue. near Berlin. and at Schloss Wilhelmshohe, near Cassel, one of the Kaiser's favorate palaces. Orchids are her great hobby, and the discovery of a new specimen invariably fills her with delight. The imperial table nearly al- ways is decorated with them, and the Kaiserin is in the habit. too, of arrang- ing the vases in her own and the war lords apartments with her own hands
 Ordinarily the most retiring of women, the Kaiserin had figured in the newt of the day to quite an unusual extent in the few months before the opening of the war since which time, it may be recalled, Danish newspaper named the "Hejmdal'' published in Schleswig. Holstein was stopped for five days by the military censor because it contained no allusion to her Seth birthday, which occurred on October 9. It was said to be due to the intervention of the Elm press. you may remember, that Herf von Lobell. the Prussian minister of the interior, issued his famous order closing the night resorts of the capital at a. m, the Kaiserin being reputedly of the opinion that the deterioration in pub lie morals and decline in the national vigor was due to the famous night life of Berlin. She is also supposed to have urged the Kaiser--in March last-to issue his also much discussed fiat prohibiting the wives of German officers from rid- ing estride, a growing practice which shocked the Empress, the keynote of whose character is her womanliness.
 Her imperial husband. who also has referred to her as the jewel that sheds lustre by my side" once described the . Kaisern as an example to all German women in her enthusiasm over the three Ks"--kirche, kinder and kuchen-and ever since, as the culmination of real love romance, he married her in 1884, the war lord has proved himself the most devoted of husbands. Never will he per nit his consort to be outshone, as result of which sentiment, the display of jewels which the Kaiserin makes on state oc- casions has been declared to border or vulgarity," and because a sentry once failed to recognize her majesty, the Kaiser promptly caused a portrait of the empress to be placed in every barracks through out his empire. A fact, by the way. that recalls that, upon noticing an unspeaN- ably bad print of the Kaiser in the wait ing room of the little station of Rauen. the Empress as promptly sent q handsome portrait of the war lord to replace it.
 Prior to her marriage, of course. she was Princess Augusta of Schioswig -iiol-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

any other, mountain of the Andean chain. It has by far the highest peak of the new world. Some distance away to the southward can be seen Mount Tupungato, which is 22,G00 feet high, and all along the way down the Andes we are in sight of magnificent moun- tains. We passed the famous Inca bridge, and still farther down crossed the narrow Plain of Uspallata, over which the old mule pass ran. Our way up the Chilean side of the mountains was through the valley of the swift flowing Aconcagua. We climbed down towards the Atlantic along another gla- cial stream that ragged and foaIned as it forced its way through the stones The latter river Is that which goes through Mendoza, forming the great fruit growing oasis that lies in the desert at the foot of the Argentine Andes. The river carries down great loads of silt which. by irrigation, feeds tens of millions of grape viues and countless fruit trees and gardens. It is the father of the city of Mendoza, where this letter is dated, and it has built up about it some of the most valuable soil of the world. But that is another story. &
 The first scheme for making a rail- way across the Andes was originated by an American. This was William Wheelwright, of whom I have already written in my letters from Chile Wheelwright was born at Newburyport. Mass, in 179S. At the age of 26 he became United States consul to Guaya- quil. Ecuador, and three years later went to Valparaiso, where he estab- lished line of passenger vessels along the west coast. He was the founder of the first steamship service of that coast, and about 75 years ago he had a line of steamers going from Chile to the Istnmus Of Panama. William WheelwriGht planned a railway that should cross the mountains from Cal dera, on the Pacific, to Rosario, on the Rio de la Plata, several hundred miles from it's mouth at the Atlantic
 He started this road way back in the fifties, but 1t never reached the noun tains, and did little more than connect the silver mines of Copiapo with Caldera
 Meggs, another American, also had schemes for crossing the mountains, but his chief work was done farther north ward in central and southern Peru. The present road originated with two brothers Juan and Mateo Clark, who got a con- cession along back in the seventies, and who started building on both the Chilean and Argentine sides about 1SS9 The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

BERLIN. December 22---(Spe-
 | cial )-Every now and then a
 red letter day occurs in one Of the Red Cross hospitals in Der
 lin, now said to number over 1zOo, where tho men who have been wounded in battle are being nursed For hours previous the staff have been working like beavers in order to have all patients, wards. kitchen and them selves ready for inspection by an ac- knowledged expert in the art of nurs- ing and then, in the midst of an cleo tric silence, there enters a tall, stately woman whose hair has grown unmis- takably grey, but whose carriage and figure many a girl of 20 might envy and whose wonderful smile makes the whole ward seem brighter.
 Behind her are attendants bearing armfuls of flowers books fruit and Eweetmeats of various descriptions while with her are officers in glitter ing uniforms and ladies-in- waiting Of lofty rank and so, conducted by tho matron or the surgeon in charge of the hospital this veritably queenly woman, who is the Empress of Germany. goes from bed 10 bed. halting at each with kindly. word and a gift for it's occu- pant and, more often than not after glance at the patients chart, en- tering into an animated discussion of his case. and whenever this occurs, re- vealing a knowledge, Of both m edicina and nursing impossible of possession except by one who has made serious and painstaking study of both.
 Tbe wounded men thus cheered heartened and left with lasting inn precision not only of genuine majesty but of genuine womanlness and sym rathy, the Kaiserin, who, since the beginning of the war, has spared no effort to alleviate the suffering which has followed in wars train, proceeds to inspect the kitchens there demon strating herself also a model house. wife. to whom every detail of the most up-to-date cuisine is familiar, Jraising, criticisng or recommendinc according to what she sees improsses her. and eventually, her entouraGe mesnwhile. hyving been relieved of it's burden of flowers and good things takes her departure, leaving in the mind of everyone with whom she has come in contact the impression of a thoroughly kind, thoroughly capable woman, whose heart is filled with love for her people. and with sorrow for the heavy burden which all partici- pating in the great world struggle lave been called upon to bear.
 All agree that the Empress. whose six sons as we'll as her imperial lord are. of course. at the front, has aged visibly since the war began, but, in spite of the fact that her health for some years has been indifferent and that she has been the victim of quite an extraordinary series of severe accidents. she insists upon deyoting practically every moment of her waking hours to phlanthropic work-work that ranges from knitting ocarfs and mufflers and even preparing certain dishes for the hospitals with her
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

left her with a whole basket of fruit, flowers and pastries.
 At another time, when the Empress was riding through the little village of Bornin, near Cassel, she noticed the vil- lage schoolmaster craning out of the school window to watch her Promptly the Kaiserin cantered up to the window end asked the astonished and embar- rassed pedagogue what subject was in hand at the moment? He replied that the children were having their history lesson. which dealt, that day, with Queen Louisa. That is interesting said the Empress, "pray proceed and I will listen."
 So the lesson went on, while the Kais- erin sat on her steed. and so well did the pupils acquit themselves that tho royal lady declared that they had earned a holiday, and next day, by her order the school was closed and all the pupils en- tertained at the nearby Jug Inn where they made merry till evening fell and toasted their Kaiserin in harmless bev- erages. And next day the poor school master was made proud and happy by the receipt of an autograph letter in which the Empress commended him for his work
 The series of alarming accidents which befell the Empress took place at the rate of one a. year for five years in sue cession. In March, 1908, she was throwl from her horse near Potsdam and brok{ her arm. In the following year. whilA driving in state through Madgeburg, she was struck on the head and stunned by a heavy bouquet thrown by an admirer from the second story of a house (num- bered 13) and did not recover for some weeks. During the next year, 1905 she sprained her ankle severely while play ing tennis; in 1906 she fell from top to bottom of circular iron staircase at the royal castle at Wiesbaden. cutting open an artery in her temple, and in the year following she again was thrown while driving, her horse taking fright at flying piece of paper and "shying'' violently. with the result that the Em- press got a nasty tumble and in fall ing, tore one hand badly against heap of rough stones. Her mount. moreover, at once began kicking violently. and the Kaiserin was in danger of further injury. when the Kaiser. who had inc stantly dismounted. came to the rescue and gathering her in his. arms. carried her into a nearby cottage.
 After which he sent two distinguished generals. who were of the party, gal- loping for dear life, one in quest of leech and the other of a cab.
 Copyright, 1915. by Curtis Brown.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

had spread out the sheaves of wheat inside ring of hard ground, and near them stood a half-dozen horses, wait ing to be driven over the straw to tread out the grain. A little farther oil l saw the threshers at work. The threshing floor was surrounded by a line of posts and wire fence. Inside three cowboys were driving 29 horses around and around. One boy stood in the center of the ring and the others at the side. Each had long whip i'4 his hand and they kept the horses on a dead gallop. After q time the horse } were driven out of the ring, and the sraw and chaff were thrown up against the wind so that they were blown away and only the grain was left. The grain was then gathered up and hagged for the market, and at the same time another carpet of sheaves was laid on the floor. l am told that some of our vesting machine making companies have recently invented small threshers for use in the mountains, and that even now some are being sold in these highlands
 As We travelled on up the Andes we could see the old trail which for hun dreds of years has been used in crossing the continent. We passed trains of don keys, loaded with freight and driven by men. There were also droves of horses and cattle and pack mules taking freight from one side of the range to the other The mountain trail goes over the Andes at almost one-half mile above the rail- road tunnel It is much longer than the railroad: but the freight rates of the latter are so high that these mule trains compete for much of the traffic.
 The altitude of the mountain trail is 12.6o5 feet or a little higher than the top of Fujiyama, Japan. It goes over the Uspalata pass above the railroad tunnel. which is 2000 feet lower The tunnel is two miles in length, and it's altitude is just about two miles above the level of the sea. The boundary line between Chile and Argentina runs through the tunnel and it was in the darkness that I crossed from one republic to the other The longer part of the tunnel is in Ar gentina.
 Andes is magnificent The mountains are much like the Rockies along the Denver and Rio Grande railroad. The formations are of every description, and in some places they have the colors of the Colorado canyon. Now you go through mighty gorges, and now under rocks which hang mountain-high over the track. A little further up are beau- tiful lakes that sparkle like polished sil- yer in the clear mountain air.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

work went slowly, being stopped again and again, but. it was finally completed as far as the ends of the tunnel on both sides of the Andes, about 1899. Then the construction stopped. The engineers seemed afraid of the tunnel, and the money could not be raised until w. R. Grace & Co. of New York took the con tract and began to work on both sides of the mountains. The gangs pushed their ways in from the frontiers of the two countries, and late in 1910 they came to- gether. The plans were 50 carefully made that for sometime the workmen in Chile could hear the workmen in Argen- tina digging the way through the thin veil of rock that was left. Then a dyna- mite charge was set off, the wall fell and the mountains were conquered.
 The tunnel goes through the mountains at an altitude of TO- 46S feet, and 2000 feet lower than the top of the old pass by which the mule trains now go, and near which stands the famous statute, 'The Christ of the Andes" The tunnel has length of 10,3s5 feet, and all the way is through rock.
 ible from the railroad, but it is well worth a trip up the mountains. It issone of the wonderful statutes of the world, and there is none that compares with it in the nobility of the sentiment it
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

a drive, but soon after 10 both are inn mersed in their duties. The Empress is up-to-date in housekeeping, at all events. She looks over all the plans for remodel ling her kitchens, and insists upon the newest electrical and labor-saving de- vices. Each morning the luncheon and dinner menus are brought to her apart ment and she goes over them carefully, altering here and there, sometimes adding dish which she thinks may please her royal husband.
 has insisted in being boss in all mat ters touching her 'kinder's'' upbringing. One day, 1t is related, their only daugh- ter. Princess Victoria Louise, romped into the Empress boudoir with the an- ncuncement that papa. had told her she might go out.
 But mamma told you that you must stay in," observed the Kaisern, and though your papa is the Emperor of Ger many, l am the emperor of the nursery!' The little princess''- remained indoors. Up to the time of her marriage, by the way, she was her mothers constant and much-loved companion.
 Of medicine the Empress has made a serious study, and could give many nurses points, fact that she demonstrated when her second son, Prince Eitel Fritz, was i'll with inflammation of the lungs. herself nursing him back to recovery. She used to be famous tennis player, too, and was daring-perhaps too daring-horse- woman until indifferent health began to keep her out of the saddle.
 Of the Kaiserin's kindliness and good ness of heart there are stories innumer- able. Here is one of the best of them which had a sequel which the royal lady was far from anticipating and proved not little embarrassing. An ardent lover of children, she once, while staying at her castle of Urville, in Alsace-Lorraine, gave a big treat for all the little ones of the village school in the ground of the Schloss. The brightness of one of the little girls greatly pleased the Empress, and said, "Tell me your wish and will grant it." little thinking what the reply would be-
 The youthful damsel thought for a mo- ment and then said. shyly: 'T wish 1t would be granted us to learn French in our schOol.'
 Though much taken aback, and realiz- here involved. the Empress replied grave ly. Your wish shall be granted" And the little maiden replied. "Thank you very much Frau Wilhelms'
 Next day, accordingly, the first lesson in French since the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine was given in the village school, thereafter to be followed by others is September, 1912.
 On another occasion, the Empress was told that an old and bedridden woman wished more than anything else that she could see the wife of 'our Kaiser'' ride by. A few days afterward, the Kaiserin called on the old woman, talked with her kindly for nearly half an hour. and then
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

But on state occasions the Kaiserin is truly regal. Report has it that on one occasion she was eclipsed by the Dow ager Queen of Italy, beautiful Marghe- rita, whose jewels were famous. and that since then the Kaiser has insisted upon his spouse's literally loading her self with gems. The value of those which adorn her at one time is said to be over $1,250.000. fact that has been bitterly criticized by the socialists. One of her diamond ornaments, by the way. Is said to be the identical circle of these gems which Napoleon wore In his hat and which was found by Butchers sol diers after the battle of Waterloo, while the others include a large diamond tiara, a necklace of pearls and diamonds, sev- eral diamond bracelets, rings on all firr- gers. diamond chain wound round her waist. and other wonderful precious stones in the train of her dress A few superfiuous stones are also attached to the kaiserin's fan, and during court functions two pages are entrusted with the task of watching the royal lady to see to 1t that none fall off. The Elm press own jewelry. it is said is sur passed by that of many middle-elass women in Germany. the stones that deck her on state occasions belonging to the Prussian crown. and becoming the prop erty of one Empress after another. These gems are kept in a fireproof safe. which Is guarded day and night.
 As to the intellect of this royal woman accounts, as ever, vary. She has been described as wonderfully astute and the Kaiser's mott trusted adviser and also as being best described as harmless. D Luckily, however, we have a shrewd American woman's impression of the Empress-that of Susan B. Anthony, in fact, who met the Kaiserin at the Wom- ans Congress of 1904. and who then wrote: "The whole effect of her presence, in addition to stateliness, is one of gra- ciousness of very womanly type. Her smile was good. Not wooden nor set nor put-on for the occasion, but just the nat ural smile of good wife and mother Her French. Italian and Dutch are as good as her German, and I was greatly impressed by the volume of literature which she must have assimilated to know, as she does, the whole details of the women's movement the world over. should say hers was the most alert mind in the Kaiser's court and she has a survey of the whole woman's field, both social and political"
 All who know her declare that the Em- press has few superiors as a ''haus-frau. ' In normal times, the Kaiser rises at $, and it is his imperial spouses own hands that prepare the cup of >bouil1on or tea Of which he partakes while donning las uniform, for it is an axiom, of course, that the 'Hollenxonerns know no dress- ing gowns.- The Kaiser and Kqiserin breakfast alone in their little salon, the
 meal generally consistfng of tea, eggz and cold meat. At they usually go for
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03

of about per cent, and a maximum grade after the rack and pinion sec tions were reached, of about 3 per cent The valley was that of the Aconcagua river, which has it's rise in Mount Aconcagua, not far away. The stream was the color of putty, and it reminded me of the glacial streams of the Alps. The river is fed by the glaciers of Aeoncagua, and it is loaded with the earth washings of the An. des The valley widens in places, and here you find irrigated patches with little fields of alfalfa and barley and beans. Now and then you pass q mud hut matched with straw, and where there is room there is q village of simI- lar huts. The most of the people live on the lands which they till. Some of the fields are not bigger than bed quilts. They have horses and oattlo feeding upon them. All of the hold ings are exceedingly small. I saw farms of four and five acres, and on one near station l counted an acre of corn, a half-acre of barley aud three pasture fields of an acre or so. Near the track the edge of the grain field the farmers were threshine. They