davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
Fine Team Work

The Birmingham Young Mems Christian association started out to secure 1000 new members in a seven-day campaign, but it will do better than that. Yesterday was the fifth day and when the canvassers reported at noon a total of 921 appli- cation blanks had been signed; and as the campaign enthusiasm is now at it's height the largest results may be ex- pected within the two days yet re- maining of the allotted time.
 In membership campaigns in the south the Norfolk association holds the highest record. In it's recent can- wass it aimed to get 1000 new members but it brought the number up to 1545.
 The Birmingham association should be able to reach the 1900 mark-all new members. This city has a repu- tation for team work undertaken from time to time in behalf of various institutions. Perhaps no better team work was ever done than that now under way for the local Young Mems Christian association cause. It is such team work that tells. It is an inspira- tion to an entire community and every fine achievement of this sort makes it all the easier for subsequent cam paigns in a good cause to succeed.
 The Young Mems Christian asso- citation teams should not rest until they win the southern pennant, so to speak. Without doubt it can be done. Let them report 1900 by Saturday and all Birmingham will shout.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
Continued Improvement

February witnessed more activity in the business world than January, and with March came a marked inn provement over February. April will be still better.
 In a few sections of the country conditions seem fully normal, and in other sections they are almost normal.
 The great army of unemployed labor has been greatly diminished since the first of the year; and last month men who had been idle have been put back to work by the tens of thousands. There could be no better barometer to indicate that prosperity 1 is returning.
 The reviews issued by the banks as of April 1 were all optimistic in tone. All of them referred to the steady improvement in the south. When cot ton reached cents this entire section felt it, and now that the price has limbed to 9 cents, with prospects of it going to much higher level, busi- ness men as we'll as farmers in the south feel more buoyant than at any time since the European war began. The earnestness with which the cot ton farmers are taking to the crop diversification idea is having a far reaching effect. Alabama will make a good record this year in diversified tion and better one next year. It | is this year, of course, which most concerns the average merchant and manufacturer, and if the crop reports a month hence are favorable, even if the cotton acreage is not reduced as much as the farmers were advised to reduce it, business in the south will be better this summer than it has been in the last IS months.
 The outlook is certainly enough to develop the strongest sort of optim- ism.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
HAWK AND WOLF CRISIS

and snakes. All that was to be the gov ernors surprise. All the time MT. Mitchell was plotting this bill through the legis- lature, passing it upon some of the sound est traditions of Missouri, the governor sat chuckling over in his office and read ing his clipping from a report of the bio logical survey. This is what the gov ernor said in vetoing the hawk bounty:
 ''The government report and the best writers upon the subject have thorough ly demonstrated that hawks are more helpful than harmful: their principal food being the mammal pests, such as gophers, field mice and rats, snakes and harmful insects.
 There are only three species of hawks whose destruction is recommended, and these are scarcely ever found in this sec tion of the United States. Occasionally there is an outlaw hawk which invades the poultry yard, but we can trust the own CT to take care of him without the incen- tive of reward of $1 from the state"
 So much learning Such ornithology! What a terrible blow! Let us all sympat- hize with these gentlemen. Is it possible to do anything?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
AN ISLAND

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning. My dream is of an island place
 Which distant seas keep lonely, A little island on whose face
 The stars are watchers only, Those bright, still stars, they need not
 seem Brighter or stiller in my dream. An island full of hills and dells, All rumpled and uneven With green recesses, sudden swells, And odorous valleys driven; So deep and straight that always there The wind is cradled to soft air. Hills running up to heaven for light Through woods that halfway ran As if the wild earth mimicked right The wilder heart of man; Only it shall be greener far And gladder than hearts ever are. The place is all awave with trees, Lines, myrtles purple-beaded. Acacias having drunk the lees
 Of the night-dew. faint-headed And wan gray olive-woods which seem The fttest foliage for dream.
 
 Nor think each arched tree with each Too closely intCrlaces To admit of vIstas out Of reach,
 And broad moon-lishted places Upon whose sward the antlered deer May view their doublt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
HOMELY HOMILIES
By STD

Ihis column VIII be used each day To tell of things you do and say.
 Ne'H write of men. both large and small. or happenings to one and all
 or lodge, of business and of club or brilliant men and silly dub. The man who really pulls a stunt
 Will find his name right out in front We'd rather praise than we would roast We'll never. knock when we can boa st Look out, we're here, beginning now. And so, dear friends, we make our bow. It seems there was a ray of hope For those poor fends who craved some
 dope
 When Dr. Whelan said he could Cure all of them so they'd be good. But now the doctors out of cash, And all his plans have gone to smash The dope fiends cry and moan and weep Because he's out of Twilight Sleep.
 Two well known men about town were discussing the bond issue election last night. The one who was for It was sure it would carry. The one against it was equally sure that 1t would be defeated. The argument became Very heated and finally one of them offered to bet $50 that he was right. He told his opponent to put up, money talks" The other re- marked. Tt may talk all right, but the only thing it has ever said to me is good-by."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Returns from Texas

T was greatly pleased with the city of Dallas" said pr. George Eaves, who has just. returned from Texas
 Dallas is in wonderfully rich cotton belt, and that being so, business depres- sion was felt there for a time. but during my two weeks visit I heard no talk of hard times. Dallas residential district Is expanding very rapidly. Stretches of real estate that had long been unimproved are now being adorned with beautiful homes. When MT. R. s. Munger developed his Munger place property. it was considered a little far out but the expansion has gone far beyond it.
 Dallas has an elegant specimen of architecture in it's city hall. It fronts a full city block and is as solid as it Is artistic. There are not many cities in the south that have such thrifty and at the same. time such an attractive appearance as Dallas"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
 A woIpan usually means what she says when she says it, but she Just can't help changing her mind.
 This would be much better world If people would only finish everything that they start
 Love may be blind. But jealousy goes around with a 50-inch telescope.
 Don't argue. Did you ever hear an e-- gument that was anything more or less than a flock of unnecessary converse ton?
 Any old time you see mother wearing daughters cast-off hats and coats it is a sign that she wants daughter to have all the special scenery so she can get married of.
 If a woman has enough spoons to enter- tain without running around and borrow ing some, she always ina zines that she is little better than her neighbors.
 There was a time when revival was measured by the amount of good done Nowadays the standard seems to be the amount of money taken in.
 A scientist says that the ordinary wom- ans vocabulary runs about 400 words. But she rses the 400 about 400 times an hour.
 There are not many sure things in life But it is always a cinch bet that any old time real young girl marries a real old man the cid man has money.
 When a wife mas her husband properly trained he spends half the year carrying out ashes and the other half emptyine the pan under the ice oox.
 Nothing ever pays as bis dividends as good health.
 Most of the rcformers So around talk ing about their principles when what they really mean is their prejudices.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
The Want Ad

If you fail to read the want ads you are decidedly out of fashion. Moreover, you are missing much in a practical way, for the want ad is the key to opportunity.
 Almost everybody wants something, and close study of the "cheap column pages will invariably point the way to that something, no matter whether 1t be job, a place to live, a tenant for B place you own, or the exchange of some article you don't want for one that you do want.
 Summed up tersely, the classified page is the clearing house for human wants, and there is an element of human interest tucked away in the solid lines of agate well worth fol- lowing. Some of these little ads tell story of sadness, others tell of joy-reading between the lines-but every one has it's human angle.
 There is romance, too, in the want ad column, for it is matter of record that many a man owes his start in life to an insignificant looking little "three lines, three times.' This may sound bit like exaggeration, but it is nevertheless solid fact, for it has often happened that job obtained through want ad service has been the stepping stone to brilliantly sue cessful career. Of course the ad alone will not carve out the career-natur- ally, the man who obtains the job must "make good" after he gets it. but there must be a starting point somewhere, and the classified ad does the starting.
 The want ads popularity is practi- cally universal, too, for no matter what your station in life, if you will scan the whole page closely, day after day, thus acquiring the habit you will find something that some what appeals to you. Perhaps you arc not in need of job, but you may have house to rent, a house to sell you may want to buy home, you may want to exchange a bunch o1 vacant lots for an automobile; perhaps you would like to trade a typewriter for gas range-everything, in fact throughout the whole gamut of hu. man wants is represented on the classified page.
 You may think there isn't thing fin the whole world that you want-a thing that is within the range of pos. sibilities-but even so, get the want ad habit and see if you don't fine something to change your cynical opinion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
GOSSIP IN LONDON
From the Philadelphia Evening rele-

From the Philadelphia Evening TeIe-
 graph.
 Through train service with sleepers and dining cars has again been established between Berlin and Brussels.
 Paris without its night cafes and some of it's American and British tourists might be poorer, but 1t would certainly be more exciting Perhaps. like, absinthe. they will soon both be abolished by a decree of the chamber.
 In the street in front of the Comedie Franchise Is the well-known book store of Stock. that used to be in the ground floor of the theatre before the fire of 1900. In the front window is a most marvellous piece of art-lithograpfed ap- parently. It Is that of little nude baby boy. All you can sec is the boy, the mother is only partly outlined. The babel s the thing. He is round and chubby and Is taking his dinner in the way Mother Eve taught all women to nourish their children. 1t is a. very pretty sight Now comes the artist of it-7it is called .'Classe dc 1915-Le Veinard." The class of 1915 will not be called to the army until they are 21 years old or exceptionally at is years of age. Here is the touch of the artist who says: ''The lucky dog;" he in of the class of 1915i
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

pointed arbitrator to effect settlement as to water charges between the Birming-
 ham Waterworks company and the con
 sun CTS. was discussing the situation yes
 terday with few friends at the club.
 During the discussion the assertion was
 made that in the past year or two there
 has been d decided increase in the con
 sumption of water for domestic purposes,
 due. 1t is said. to the fact that bath
 rooms even in the least pretentious dwell
 ing houses, are considered by the build
 CTS of today as essential as bedrooms. Speaking of baths,'' said Judge Cab aniss, ''the attraction of the swimming
 hole to the average small boy is prover-
 bial. Despite warnings and whippings he will avail himself of every opportunity to splash around in the old swimmin' hole even though the muddy water be thick as gumbo soup; yet when 1t comes to taking bath at home. with all the con- veniences of the modern bathroom, his aversion to soap and water is only eaualed by that of the Digger Indian. "On last Sunday morning a somewhat precocious youngster of about 10 sum- mers, named Tommy, was asked by his
 mother why he had failed to take his
 morning bath.
 "'Well, muvver,' replied Tommy, since daddy has been readin' so much bout the war in Urope. was 'fraid they might
 be some fioatin mines in the water D Dolly Dalrymple and Clyde Ennis were discussing equal suffrage.
 "A local artist asked me the other
 day." said Miss Dolly in clinching a
 point, "how we women could prove that
 we were more capable than men.
 Why we can prove it by our clothes answered. "A man has clothes made to fit his figure. but woman has her figure made to fit her clothes.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
National Prohibition in Great Britai

National Prohibition in Great Britain
 The United Kingdom has always been large consumer of alcoholic beverages. There have been total abstainers in England, Wales, Scot land and Ireland, but the majority of men in those countries have long in- dulged in stimulants more or less freely.
 Among the wage working classes the liquor evil seems to have been increasing of late, and because of ex- cessive drinking on the part of large percentage of those employed in the works turning out munitions of war, of which England feels herself in pressing need now, the government is about ready to start drastic action along prohibition lines.
 The Britisher takes his liquor seri- ously and he will take prohibition just as seriously. King George has not only given his moral support to the prohibition measure but hc/ stands ready to set an example to his sub- jects by abolishing liquor from the royal sideboard. Lord Kitchener, who, like the King, has been noted for his moderation in drinking, has already,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

for the sake of example, gone on the water wagon.
 The purpose of the government is to give prohibition trial as long as the war lasts; and if it operates as well as the chancellor of the exchequer believes it will, prohibition in modi- fled form may be made permanent.
 Some months ago when Russia, which enjoyed monopoly of the man. ufacture and sale of vodka, put the ban on the liquor traffic as a war measure, intemperance among the working classes came to an end. All reports at least indicate that the masses got on the water wagon inn mediately and remained there. But uppertendom in Russia is still allowed to buy and serve wines, including champagne.
 Because of the war France has pro- hibited the manufacture or sale of absinthe, but the drinking of wines goes on as usual. Great Britain was slow. in following the prohibition ac- ton of the other allies, but whatever law Parliament may pass will affect all classes alike. The gentry and the nobility will be accorded no privilege which is denied the wageworker. In this matter Britain is to be consistent or nothing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
ALABAMA PRESS

Guntersville Democrat: The man who is natural born fool will always find an
 opportunity of displaying the fact.
 Dothan Morning News: There are three
 kinds of men who do not know anything
 about women. They are old men, middle
 aged men and young men. Lamar Democrat: The weather is so
 treacherous that it might be unwisc to
 Change 'em" just now.-The Age-Her-
 aid. And the winter has been SC long that
 we've done "wore 'em out" Gadsden Evening Journal: Alabama has just gone through a campaign more thor ough than ever before waged, and one which will produce better results than any former campaign. It is that conducted by the crop experts, not by politicians. Anniston Evening Star: Lots of small boys we know have received decora tions at the seat of war for fighting. Falkville News: Hardships are not al- ways handicaps. Often they are helps
 Force and fiber are built by hardships. Gadsden Times-News: Apropos of noth- ing at all, we rise to remark that the man who first referred to an editors office as a sanctum sanctorium was a master at Irony,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
A Good Indication

Until 30 days ago, l couldn't tell even appro oximately, what my registers for the day in my various stores were going to show" said ". G. Patterson, the well known tobacconist, but, al this very infinite I can estimate within s10 what the total of my business will amount to- This, from my angle point, is the best indication of the times Bir- mingham is a great deal better than it was up to 30 days ago.
 "Of course, times are not normal, but they are rapidly approaching the same status they were before the present European conflict began. We may at tribute the present improved conditions to tho increased price of the south s staple crop. cotton. notice in the morn ing paper, that this product is hover ing around the 9-cent mark, which, in itself, is a good indication that we arc gradually coming into our own.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
NEWSPAPER CLUB STORIES

Speaking of theatre passes and dead heads" said Miss Sue Wright, reminds me of the time when Charlie Greer first came to work on The Age-Herald and was one of our bright "cub' reporters.
 Now. as everyone knows, while MT. Jeffries. tho dispenser of theatre passes, is usually very kind and good natured. sometimes he can make you feel as if a wintry blast had struck you. True to human nature he likes to be approached suavely and Automatically. "One day Charlie walked in the office and said in rather a commanding sort of tone: Let me have two passes to the show tonight, MT. Jeffries.'
 "Mr. Jefrries turned and looking him up and down. said very cooly: Young man, what route do you carry?'"
 A newspaper man tells the following:
 Secretary Dameron was recently mak- ing an effort to entertain an Atlanta man. The Georgia visitor contrived, however, to keep the conversation centered on his home town, and no opportunity was lost to boost that city at the expense of Bir- mingham. MT. Dameron did not wish to appear impolite, but in effort to change the subject took the Atlanta booster to the cafe and directed that he take a look at the city from the summit of the 25-story building.
 "The visitor was visibly impressed. and pameron thinking it then safe to take a shot at Atlanta, said:
 "'You must admit that there is no such building to look down from in At lauta.'
 'The unexpected reply coming hot from the bat was But we have more to look down on.' "
 Judge Jelks Cabaniss, the recently ap-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

From the Selma Journal.
 Hobson has at last consented to de- bate with some felow up in Massachu- setts on the whisky question That poor fellow had better watch out.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

BEGINNING THE DAY--Grant me the courage, Q Lord, to test my life by the spirit of my Master, and learn why l am not happy and strong and of service to men. O, give me His emphasis upon essen tial things, His sympathy. Ills love. His desire to minister rather thnn to be ministcred unto. Make me like Him, and I ask nougbt else. Amen H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Press dispatches tell of an Oklahoma man who, upon joining the church, sent s3-5o conscience money to a man from whom he had stolen a pig Nothing hog gish about this kind of religion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Japan does not appear to be asking any thing unreasonable of China. The Japan csc demands amount to about the same thing as saying: "Chink, you go ahead and do the work. We'll do the bossingr'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

The lowest water rates in the history of Birmingham became effective yester- day and there was no April Fool joke about it, either.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Those Europeans who can't understand why the weather should affect war oper. ations have never seen J. Pluvius run amuck on opening day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

The plan of the Montolair peace society to end the war by mental suggestion would be about as effective as were efforts to prevent it by moral suasion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Practically every class and faction in the city has brought out a candidate for the city commission this fall except the suffragists.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
THE CHILD GROWS HOLDER

From the Decaturs Daily
 Having appropriated the Build It Now idea from the Decaturs. Bustling. Busy, Buoyant Birmingham is displaying all the zeal to be expected of the convert.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Jack Johnson wrestled bull Wednes- day as training exercise. It strikes us that the dinge has been throwing this brand for several seasons.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

If Garrison leaves the cabinet, who stays? asks the New York Sun. Well, for instance, there will be several of the Presidents mainstays.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

What will the Kaiser do after the war? asks an exchange. Well, for one thing, he is likely to negotiate the transfer of some pretty valuable real estate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

The fact that Bismarck was born on April Fools Day does not appear to have had any undue influence on the Iron Chancellor's life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

A German-American has been arrested in Paris as spy. Any man who can now prove that his fathers name was Casey Is to be congratulated.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Not because an American has been Killed by German submarine. but be- cause the Washington government was not notified in due form, the wires report another grave situation in diplomatic circles. If this means that Washington ooes not care If an American is killed if the demise is just duly reported. un- douotedly European tourist travel this summer will be further discouraged.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Houston, Tex, has an undertaken named settegost which seems to assure that he doesn't stand aghast at the sight of a corpse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

A New Jersey mother 37 years of age has r children. At that rate she will soon have to adopt the submarine name system.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

King George has offered to abstain from alcoholic beverages in order to set the example for a prohibition nation during the war but we can't help but wonder if there might not develop a i1ourishing little blind tiger in Buckingham palace after his majesty's gentlemen of the household spent a few days of aridity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02
DO yoU MEAN HoBsoN

Or, as.the umpire might say, Italy vii hit for Servia in the ninth
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

Will somebody kindly tell us what has become of the man who put the River of Doubt on the map?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

"Huerta himself again." says news paper headline. Coincidence to Huerta is in order
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

While Germanys import supplies have been pretty well cut off. the Kaiser is having little trouble in finding plenty of food for thought.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-02

We are willing to forgive the weather man for a late spring if it will help re- duce the annual crop of April fools.