davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
AS TO LIMITING ATHLETICS
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 n ARTISANS of college athletics be-
 come impatient when the taulty A method of excessive exercise is pointed out, and those who claim con- servation in this regard grow unrea- sonable when they encounter opposi- tion. College athletics has been estab- lished so long that efforts to confine it within moderate limits are met with vigorous protest rather than with so- Der discussion.
 That the strenuous training of stu dents of mature age has been pro- ductive of 1amentable results when these hard and big muscled young men failed to continue or were forced to discontinue the active training to which they were indebted for muscular prow- ess has been demonstrated too ire quently to be disregarded in a dis cussion of college athletics. This be- ing true of college athletics it becomes more forcefully apparent in athletics of high schools, team" competition practiced by boys of less developed physique, in whom the process of growth must be seriously interfered with by training for competitive con- tests. The Journal of the American the fact that protests are coming from various parts of the country setting forth the menace presented by the ten dency to deterioration of the American boy or girl arising from severe athletic training during this adolescent period.
 While systematic exercise or physi- cal culture under an intelligent in- structor is rewarded by beneficent re- sults competitive athletics demanding change of diet and habits and self denial has been found to impair keen ness of intellect as well as the integ- rity of the body We'll thought out ex- ercise, no matter how strenuous when adapted to the age .and constitutional capacity of the boy or girl, together with interesting social functions, re- lieves the monotony of school life. But as the investigations of Professor Bar deen of the Wisconsin university have clearly shown, from to 10 per cent of the freshmen in that university all ready present enlargement of the heart and dilation attributable to indulgence in athletic sports, which appear to nave become sine qua non in our prepara- tory schools. This handicap welghs the student down throughout his whole college career, making him unhappy by reason of his being debarred from all exercise and really diminishing his ca pacity for scholastic work.
 The lesson is obvious. to limit boys and girls to systematic and mildly ex- acting exercises that do not induce nervous and muscular strain during
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
Business Review Encouraging

The New York weekly review of the business situation is decidedly en- couraging. There was distinct gain in steel mill production and the iron market, which it was believed might relapse into dullness, held it's own.
 Foreign cotton buyers are eagerly covering supplies for future needs. The foreign demand for foodstuffs is pnabated. Railroad traffic showed an increase last week as compared with the same week year ago. And among the most significant statements con- ing from New York are that "the easy money market and abundant banking supplies have had a pro- nounced influence in reviving invest ment inquiry" and that restored con- fidence has brought out the fact that there are unsuspected reserves of cap ital awaiting investment.
 On the whole the weekly review is the most buoyant issued since the be- ginning of the new year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
Art Exhibits in Public Library

Thirty-five or forty years ago not more than five or six cities in this country were fortunate enough to have art galleries. Such institutions were founded and maintained by wealthy individuals, and even today only in very large cities are to be found galleries containing pictures and sculptures of high merit. But cultural activities are so widespread and touch life at so many angles that the time will soon come when all cities, small as well as large, will have permanent art exhibitions free to the public.
 For several years past Birming- ! ham Art club, made up for the most part of young women,, has been hold Ting annual exhibits, in which many beautiful pictures are displayed. Each year an increased interest has been uilCotcu III IicSc iOSdi cAHiDito. Art taste, like everything else that is elevating, is a matter of cultivation, and the art club is entitled to the gratitude of all people striving to inn prove this community's esthetic and humanizing atmosphere. N
 And now new forward step has been taken in the promotion of art culture in Birmingham. A series of art exhibits at the public library has been inaugurated under the joint su- pervision of the library director and public schools. The pictures making up the first exhibit were executed by school children in the elementary grades and the high school. Next month group of pictures from the Chicago Art institute will be brought to Birmingham and displayed at the library. This collection will contain many works by artists of established reputations.
 In the latter part of March pictures will be brought here from the Pratt Art institute of Brooklyn, and later on there will be pictures from the Boston Museum of Art and from the Art Museum of Philadelphia This enterprise on the part of the library management will lead ultimately to permanent art museum here. Some \ day Birmingham will have a hand some public library, and when the time comes for building such an edi- flee large section of it should be set apart for an art gallery.
 In the meantime lovers of the beau- tiful will derive great pleasure and profit from the various exhibits that have now been provided.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
- --ses------------- STORIES OF COLLEGE LIFE

From the Harvard Lampoon.
 Anybody can write story about col lege life. If he has not attended a college, so much the better. His imagination is less tranineed. A few simple rules must be observed, however.
 1. All heroes are named Jack Stanley or Dick
 ?. All college men wear sweaters al- ways ,and smoke short, fat-bowled pipes.
 3 There is always a Fatty" who is a funny fellow.
 4. Any four college men make up d quartet. which can sing ''Merhileee We ro-hull alonnng" at any time.
 5. All college men are wooing a girl named Dorothy or Betty who is sweet and pure as an angel.
 6. All college men address each other as "old hoss.''
 f College men never study, but spend their time in tossing repartee back and forth.
 8. All college rooms are adorned with peunants.
 a. All college men call their fathers "pater'' and speak of the 'shonor of the dear old school' in a husky voice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
The Confederate Flag

"The Confederate flag was as great an improvement on the old United States emblem as Dixie (the na- tional anthem of the south) was on
 Yankee Doodle,'" is the statement
 made by a writer in the Pittsburg Post, in discussing national em- blems. Ut would have been stroke Sf diplomacy" the writer continues, Eff the United States government, on the downfall of the Confectionery, had odoptsd the southern flag instead of fbe old one, and Dixie as the na- tional anthem instead of Yankee Doodle.' As conquerors of the Con- 1oderacy they were quite entitled to (o this, while the action would have 41acoted the south and done much to Somora that bitterness, which is not It entirely effaced, between the two 6teat sections of the country"
 : This suggestion is interesting, but lkiefly because the person who makes lt believes that the Stars and Bars pDaks better flag, in the sense of a 1Dorp artistic flag, than the Stars 6nd stripes." There can be little diff
 eones ef opinion as to the merits of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
A NEW WORD
From the Wichita Beacon.

From the Wichita Beacon.
 Jonathan Bourne of Oregon has found a perfectly good word He starts an in- terview in the Washington Times thus:
 'The present conflict between the Pres dent and the United States Senate over appointment of federal employees in vari- ous states echinates very grave evil in our form of government"
 Huh?
 Echinates?
 Yes. It is in the dictionaries of as early date as 1913, but apparently Jonathan is the only one who has found it. The dic- tionary says:
 Echinate, V. t-To render prickiy or
 bristly
 Fine word. that.
 When thing becomes an issue between men or in politics, it bricks it's partisans forward and bristles bravely toward it's foes.
 And it is because real progress; real fundamental truth has the quality of everlasting echination Chats one Jona- than hasn't seem that truth and right will not down. The pesky thing is so prickly and irritating to our hearts and heads and sense of justice that We can't ignore 1t. Thus progress echinates and echinat- ing, goes forward.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
POETIC JUSTICE

From Golfers.
 According to MT. Thomas Dreier of Cambridge. Mass, when a man is found drunk in the streets of Copenhagen, "he Is placed in a cab, taken to the police sta- tion, examined by doctor, and then sent home in the cab. Next morning the bill for the doctor and the cab is sent to the publican who served the victim with his last drink"
 This is all very well, but our smart lawyers would make short work of such a statute. They would prove: First that the man was in a twilight state of ill., ness; second. that he had had another drink later; third. that the barkeeper was trying to sober him; fourth. that the fine amounted to an unconstitutional confis- cation of property, and fifth. that two commas were misplaced in the rounds mans report of the affair That plan may work very we'll in Copenhagen, but the United States is different.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
HOW OLD ARE YOU?"
Dy ByJ.L VINES
|W/ AsHINGToN. January s4.-espe- e. A oiolA 4I.. -r 4i.<

!" AsHINGToN. January a-tspe- W cial.)-If the plain peepul of the
 United States are not up-to-date in all matters pertaining to their welfare under any and all conditions it will be no fault of the public service which lies impart to said plain peepul for their bene- fit. Not the least of these watchful pub lie servants is the public health service. Not long ago the public health service Of bulletin on the folly, to say nothing of the atrocious tastes, of wearing red- flannel undergarments. Red flannel un- dergarments We are informed are neither attractive, nor do they commend them selves for their beauty. They are espe- cially offensive to bovines of the male gender, and consequently are seriously detrimental to health. The peepul are warned against the weakness of wearing red f1annels. which 1t seems has grown to be a habit with some folks. Those who are adicted to this practice are urged to refrain from it, not only because it is d iutIiIt tO liltlf cODSllLut1O0S and con- dncive to colds, but besides red fiannels are hot worr in our best circles.
 Now the public health service again comes to bat and calls upon us to re- member our ages. In fact, the bulletin just issued point blank in the opening paragraph asks How old are your" Of course it is not incumbent upon ladies who feel some delicacy in disclosing the exact dates tEey were issued into this cold and unchiritable world to write a letter to the public health service and give them this information, which could be of no possible use to them. but it is merely in- tenGed to startle you with the informa- ton which follows that there are a great many peepul in the United States who do not actually know their own ages, and of the consequent embarrassment that might acrue from such ignorance.
 You will need this information when you apply for marriage license, or in registering for voting, or in seeking
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

By Robert Burns.
 Today is the 156th anniversary of the birthday of the illustrious poet. Robert Burns. Below Is printed copy of his "Epistle to a Young Friend," Andrew Aiken, which, in the opinion of some crit les, is the best didactic poem in the Eng fish language.
 I lang hae thought, my youthfu 1rieno'
 A something to have sent you, Though 1t should serve nae other eno
 Than just kind memento; But how the subject theme may gang,
 Let time and chance determine; Perhaps it may turn out sans'
 Perhaps turn out a sermon. Ye'll try the world flu soon' my iao'
 And, Andrew dear, believe me, You'll find mankind an unco squad,
 And muclxle they may grieve ye; For care and trouble set your thought,
 Even when your ends attained; And a' your views may come to nought.
 Where every nerve is strain'd. I'll no say men are villains a;
 The real harden'd, wicked, wha hae nae cheek but human law,
 Are to few restricked; But. och! mankind are unco weak.
 And little to be trusted; If self the wavering balance shake.
 It's rarely right adjusted! Yet they wha ia in fortunes strife.
 Their fate we shouldna censure, For still the important end of life
 sThey equally may answer; A man may hae an honest heart.
 Though poortith hourly stare him; 4 man may talk 8 neibor's part, r9
 Yet hae ila cash to spare him. Aye free, aff han your story tell When wi a bosom crony; But still keep something to yourself Ye scarcely tell to ony. tConceal yourself, as weers ye can Frae critical dissection; But keep through every other man, WI sharpened. sly inspection.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
Indictment sunday Weather

"Birming gham has had about as much freezing temperature winter as usual, but it has had more beautiful days than I have known in residence cere of nearly 20 years" said club man.
 "We have had several days at a time of balmy spring-like weather-al- most summer temperature-but l do not recall a winter when there was so few bright Sundays. Two Sundays ago we had sunshine, but with that exception, l think, it his rained or been raw and dreary either all day or a part of the day. I predict however. an early spring; but we may know more about this after ground hog day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
THE ARMY ENGINEERS

From Popular Electricity and Modern
 Mechanics.
 ''They Also Serve should be the inscrip- tion on the crest of the army engineers. In the American service it is "Essayons," Let Us Try and in the grim chapters which war has graven upon the pages of history, they have not been found want ing. The service is not spectacular, and there is little mention of their deeds in the glowing stories which are spread broadcast over the world. but the roll of honor and the roll of the fallen both contain honored names from this infre- quently thought of service
 They are cogs in the war machine. as all the branches of the service are, yet to the soldiers who are supplied and kept upon the fighting line for offense and de- fense most of the honor Is accorded by the world.
 The engineers and the bridge trains on the whole, though, know and are rather proud of themselves in g very modest little way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
FREAKS SAT TOR ARTIsT

When l was in Cincinnati" writes Fly Mayer, the famous cartoonist, in the Feb rary Strand. T was working on a paper the very name of which I have forgotten. Anyway, the editor was also the press agent for Kohl and Middleton. the dime museum people, and one day he sug- gested that as the paper was rather shal<y, I might find employment in mak- ing posters showing the armless wonder, the fat lady, the living skeleton, and ether freaks attached to the Kohl and Middleton show.
 q agreed to this, and set to work with enthusiasm. The garret of the dime mu- scum was converted into a studio, and there my queer subjects sat to me- They were all very pleasant and-appar- ently-qute happy, and possessed of thoughts and emotions very similar to our own. They would converse about the vis- itors and recount little items of gossip which they thought would interest me- After the sittings I would lunch sn fa- mille-it was part of my payment-and shall never forget the scene as all these oddities crowded around the big table The food was of the best-the freaks saw to that-but while the fat woman was allowed to consume what she pleased and she didn't seem to have very large appetite-the living skeleton had usually to make merry on a spoonful of soup and a rusk. for fear he should become robust and lose his job. However he didn't seem to mind, and often spoke of the time when, having retired, he would be able to eat what he wanted and get as stout as nature intended him. l made many posters which they were kind enough to say were very striking,' but I cannot honestly say that I enjoyed the york;
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
EPISTLE TO A FRIEND

The sacred lowe O weel-placed love, Luxuriantly indulge it; But never tempt the illicit rove,
 Though naething should divulge it; waive the quantum O the sin.
 The hazard of concealing; But, och! it hardens a within.
 And petrifies the feeling! To catch Dame Fortunes golden smile Assiduous wait upon her; And gather gear by every vile
 That's justified by honour; Not for to hide it in hedge.
 Nor for train-attendant; But for the glorious privilege
 Of being independent. The fear O hells a hangman's whip To haud the whetch in order; But where ye feel your honour grin,
 Let that aye be your border; Its slightest touches, instant pause Debar a side pretences: And resolutely keep it's laws,
 Uncaring consequences. The great Creator to revere Must sure become the creature; But still the preaching cant forbear, And even the rigid feature; Yet ne'er with wits profane to range,
 Be complaisance extended; An atheist laughs a poor exchange
 For Deity offended! When ranting round in Pleasures ring. Religion may be blinded; Of if she gie random sting,
 It may be little minded; But when on life we're tempest-driven. A conscience but a canker- correspondence fix'd wi Heaven
 eeSa noble anchor!
 
 Adfeu. dear. amiable youth!
 Your heart can neer be wanting! May prudence, fortitude and truth
 Erect your brow undauntingI In ploughmap phrase. God send yoA speed" Still daily to grow wiser; And may you better reck the rede !. Than ever did th' adytser.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
Regiments of Regulars on Parade

Maj. Gen, Leonard Wood, command ing the division of the east, did a good thing the other day when he had a full regiment of regulars-the Thirteenth infantry, headed by it's splendid band ' parade through the streets of New York" said E. w. Norton of the borough of Manhattan.
 When the United States army was limited to 25,000 men it was easy to understand why there could be no full regimental parades. The troops were scattered, and only a few army posts had as many as four companies of either branch of the service together. But now that the army is considerably larger, al- though not large enough perhaps, sev eral full regiments are stationed near large cities.
 An occasional reginental parade is well worth while In the first place the people appreciate military display now and then. The Thirteenth regiment pa- raded from the Battery to Fifty fourth street and thousands of people stood on the sidewalks and applauded. It was the first time that many of them had seen as many as 1000 soldiers together in one command The regulars them selves seemed to enjoy the parade It was certainly a novel experience for commanders who have headquarters in large cities will order out regiments for parade purposes at least once a year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

the growing period of life, to avoid al- together all violent competitive work. as has been recently done in bicytlinae so miles by several boy scouts in md winter as an endurance test. The hu- man body is self-regulating machine that may be depended upon safely after 1t has reached maturity. Previous to this period its various parts are not sufficiently developed to regulate the organic compensatory functions
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25
Railroads and the Unemployed

The Republican club of New York is not a political organization, as it's name might imply, but is civic or ganization composed of prominent men, resident and nonresident, re- gardless of their party utilization. It is one of the older clubs, but only re- gently has it become widely known as a center of influence in large public affairs.
 A few weeks ago Secretary of War Lindley M. Garrison addressed the club on the national defense. Last Saturday William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State, and B. F. Yoakum, chairman of the Frisco lines, were the speakers. MT. Bryan held the view that government ownership of rail- roads was inevitable.
 MT. Yoakum's theme was Rail roads, Government Ownership and the Unemployed" and his presentation of the question was very different from MT. Bryan's. Several months ago Mir. Yoakum, discussed in a carefully prepared paper the rela- tion of the railroads to the govern ment, in which he argued in favor of government co-partnership rather than government ownership. In his address before the Republican club he called attention to the vast number of unemployed men in this country at the present time and stressed the point that the way for the govern ment to help improve conditions would be in opening some of the vast pub- lie domain to settlers from the pop ulation of congested cities.
 The government still has approxi- mately 2,OOO,OOo,OOO acres of land, most of which is well suited to farm ing. If it be suggested that the un- employed would not avail themselves of the opportunity of settling on land that the government might provide, Mir. Yoakum called attention to the fact that whenever the government has opened up and offered new lands to the general public people from all parts of the United States and of all classes have camped on the lines of reservations for weeks in advance. and have almost rioted among themselves in their eagerness to catch the first signal from the government that the farm lands were open for settlement. MT. Yoakum felt sure that the un- employed men and women of New York, Chicago and other big centers would be willing to do nearly anything that would furnish homes for them 1 selves and an opportunity to educate their children. He gave it as his opinion that if the government would act on the line that he suggested the railroads would at once begin con- struction work and build into large stretches of undeveloped territory that would become productive just as soon as new settlers acquired farm acreage. He presented recent statis- tics to show that there had been no railroad extension since 1912. In the 30 years previous to that time new construction averaged 6OOO miles a year.
 As to government ownership, Mir. Yoakum said it did not matter much who owns the railroads, because the government will exercise the same regulative control over them as if it really owned them. He thought the people would be slow to add 1,7OO,OOO employees to it's pay rolls. Moreover, there would be, he said, storm of op-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

Detractors of the President accuse him of seiiishly building up a political ma chine to insure his renomination There are doubtless critics mean enough to say that the White House baby is merely an other scheme to increase the Presidents s popularity
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

Ihe simple natives in uncivilized parts or the world may fight among themselves but they at least localize war, and that's more than so-called civilized naonle do
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

A sporting authority says Jack Johnson hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in mora than year. His thirst by this time must De tremendously John Arthur has really abstained.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

BEGINNING THE DAY-O God of sIl grace, and Father of all pity, hnyc mercy this day upon the men and women, who, in prison -hOuses of sbc soul, wonder If God has forgotten. Let there be light that Thy face may be seen. And if there Is . message that I can carry, Q God, send ms. Amen.-H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

Ihe man who is accused of having start ed the European war has resigned. If the man behind the gun could resign there wouldn't be any war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-25

quackless duck was exhibited al Chi cago poultry show. Taking the ouack out of duck must be as hard to do as removing the stickers from n cactus