davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Adair County news., 1915-01-06

speaking to their friends and
relatives, in such language as
this: 20, we despised the work
that we heard of in Logan;
but, O, we were deceived-I
have no religion; | know now
there is a reality in these things:
three days ago / would have de-
spised any person that would
have behaved as | am doing now !;
but, o, | feel the very pains of
hell in my SOUL" This was the
language of a precious soul, just
before the hour of deliverance
came. When they went home.
their conversation to t h cir
friends and neighbors, was the
means of commencing a glorious
work that has overspread all the
Cumberland settlements to the
conversion of hundreds of pre-
cious souls. The work continued
night and day at this sacrament,
whilst the vast multitude contin.
ued upon the ground until Tues
daymorning. According to the
best computation, we believe thai
forty.6v souls were brought tt
Christ on this occasion.
Muddy River Sacrament, in
all it's circumstances, was equal
and in some respects superior, tt
that at Casper River This sa
crament was in August. We be
lieve about fifty persons, at thi'
time, obtained religion.
AT Ridge Sacrament, in Cum
berland, the second Sabbath il
September, about forty-fiv'
souls, we believe, obtained relie
ion. At Shiloh Sacrament, tn,
third Sabbath in September
about seventy sersons. At MIR
Craighead's Sacrament, in DC
tober, about forty persons A
the Clay-Lick Sacrament, con
gregation, in Logan county. il
October, eight persons. At Lit
tie Muddy. Creek Sacrament il
November, about twelve. A
MOntgomery's clearinghouse, II
Cumberland, about forty. A
Hopewell Sacrament, in Cumber
land, in November, about TWEEN
ty persons. To mention the cir
cumstances of more private oc
casions, commondays preaching
and societies, would swell a let
ter to a volume.
"The present year has been
blessed season likewise; yet no
I equal to last year in conversion
worA. l shall just give you
The Adair County news., 1915-01-06

CONTINUED from 3rd page.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
Alabama's Banner Year

This years large grain crop in the south will have the effect of further
 stimulating the diversification move
 ment next year. The government t's latest estimates differ little from
 those published in July.
 In corn production Alabama has made splendid record. It surpasses in percentage of increase over 1914
 that of any prominent cotton state except Texas and Oklahoma. A year ago Alabama's corn crop of 55, ,488, ,000 bushels was larger than
 usual, but it's new high record as
 stated by the United States agricul-
 tural department is 71,600,000
 bushels. Last year Georgia and Ala
 bama ran a close race in corn yield.
 Georgia, in 1914, raised 56,000,000 bushels--less than half million bushels greater than Alabama's crop. But this year Alabama goes consid- erably ahead of Georgia. The latter's production is estimated by Uncle Sam at 64,900,000 bushels, being 6,700, ,000 bushels less than Alabama's yield. At the rate this states grain harvests have been increasing, especially corn, it will within a few years be in the class with Kentucky.
 The revised figures regarding the value of the south's grain crops, in- cluding rice, give a total of 1,330, 33S, 1000. Of this $1, ,047, ,679, ,OOO is the corn value. The Baltimore Manufac- turers' Record, in presenting the grain statistics, says: "More interest ing than the mere facts of the stu pendous increase in corn of over 301,- 100000 bushels, or nearly B per cent gain in year, is the fact that this in crease is general throughout the en- tire south." It instances first Ala bama. Next Arkansas with an in- crease only little less than Ala bama's.
 With industrial prosperity in full swing, with food crops the largest ever produced in this state and with cotton selling we'll above 10 cents A. .sr
 it will probably go to 12 cents be- fore Christmas-1915 will be ban ner year in Alabama.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
ANGRY BALLAD WRITER

From the Knoxville Sentinel.
 Alfred Bryan the composer of the song. T Didn't Raise My Boy To Be a Soldier is indignant at the construction that has been placed upon his composition as the battle song of peace-at-any- price.
 '"rhe song is self-explanatory, and needs no apology MT. Bryan writes in a letter to the editor of the New York world. let nations arbitrate their future troubles; it's time to lay the sword and gun away" Is pure ly a plea for arbitration. "There'd be no war today if mothers all would say. T didn't raise my boy to be a soldier " The plea is universal If mothers ''all would say" and sons would "all obey" there could be no wars.
 The song was written at the opening of the European war;" the composer says. when this nation was shocked at the sudden reversion to barbarian by the offending nations of Europe. and its sub sequent acts of brutality and violence vis- ited upon the peaceful women and chill dren of the countries invaded. It Is pure ly and simply a protest. through the voice of motherhood against that form of "kul- tur'' which has enslaved millions of peo- pie to the will of one man, and which exacts fidelity even unto the third and fourth generation to the fatherland from those who have migrated to other lands and taken the oath of allegiance to the country of their adoption-as witness the propaganda of the Dumbas and others.
 T have been accused of writing this song to strengthen the cause of the so- called peace societies in but not of this country. Nothing could be further from the truth
 In conclusion MT. Bryan says:
 There are seven relatives of mine now fighting with the Canadian regiments in the trenches in France in the cause of freedom-nll Bryans. No! no relation to William Jennings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
STEEL OUR DEFENSE

From the Providence Journal
 Ability to produce steel for battleships, submarines. guns and shells is one of the best of the assets of the United States in the event of war. How many Amer jeans realize that our steel industry has a capacity equal to that of Great Britain, Germany and France? Our annual pro- duction is about 35,O00,OOO tons. That of Germany is 20.00O00O tons. and Great Britain's Is estimated at 100000 tons. France is not large producer of steel. And in time of emergency the output of American steel mills doubtless could he greatly increased.
 These figures suggest another line of thought-the importance of insuring an uninterrupted supply of steel by protect ing the eastern states against invasion. A navy which commands the respect of foreign nations is indispensable. The most effective types of battleships, cruis- CTS and undersea fighters should be pro- cvided at once. Defense of coast cities Is not the only point to be considered-the inland steel centers must enter into all comprehensive plans of defense.
 The steel men are ready to supply the materials and build the ships. What is needed is intelligent cooperation on the part of the government. The time to or der battleships and submarines is now.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
ROTOGRAVURE

Montgomery Journal: The four-page TO- togravure supplement of the Birmingham Age-Herald Sunday was artistic and at tractive. and was quite a feature of the Sunday issue. The Age-Herald has pur- chased the rights for the southern states of this new method of Illustration, and the Journal congratulates its Birrning- ham contemporary on securing the patent rights and also on it's display of public spirit and enterprise
 As we understand it, the New York Times and less than half dozen other metropolitan newspapers have the privi- lege of using the rotogravure method of illustration and we happen to know it adds much to the popularity of the Sun day New York Times.
 There is nothing too good-and there ought not to be anything too expensive for southern newspapers to give southern readers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
Greatness of France

Whatever else the war in Europe has done, it has made France sublime The French people have won the ad- miration of the world, and the un- stinted praise of their foes, by their heroism and the tremendous spirit of self-sacrifice which has united the whole nation in the closest bonds of brotherhood and has left no room in all the length and breadth of the land for shirker.
 While England muddles along, wasting valuable time in playing poli- tics and listening to the fretful con- plaints of labor leaders, and while hapless Russia, despite the valor of her troops at the front, is betrayed by interruptions grafters to the enemy, France, from the highest to the low est, has put heart and soul into the war. Rich and poor, patrician and plebeian, do what their hands find to do.
 The stories that have come from France have thrilled humanity, for never did a nation meet the supreme test of it's greatness more nobly or more unselfishly than our sister re- public across the sea.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
NOT MUCH OF. A STORY

From the Pensacola Journal.
 The old darkey was bent with age. Rheumatic and paralyzed. he sat on Pala- fox street. begging his bread He had lived good, honest life, and had earned his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, but now too old and too feeble to work, he sat by the wayside, waiting on the charity of the, careless people who passed him. He was only an old darkey, broken and useless-a figure familiar on the street of the city.
 Down the street came a little boot black, black as the ace of spades and as he came he whstled. and whstling, stopped and turned. He ran his fingers in his ragged pocket and dropped a coin in the old darkey's hat.
 The man who witnessed this and who told me about it, stopped the small dar- key as he hurried away.
 How much did you give him." he asked.
 "A nickel"
 How much have you made today?'
 Ten cents.' Then he ran his fingers in his pocekt and shook his head in refuta- ton of his mistake as to his finances
 No" he said. T got 10 left. I made 15 cents" And then he went on his whistling way
 Just little darkey boot-black and just an old darkey beggar. Not much of a story. And yet
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22

fIcials of the army. But whatever be the increase in the numerical strength of the army, reorganization will be recommended by the special board preparing details for a. comprehen- sive military programme. The divis- 1onal system is to be urged, and rightly so. With such an organization in the place of the nondescript sys- tenn now.in force. the army could be increased automatically to any num- Der in case of war on very short notice.
 Military critics will watch the de- bate in Congress on the administra- tion's recommendation with keen in terest. The general public will con- cern itself only with the far-reachlng question of being ready for emerg- apc;ac
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22

Barbed wire plays such an important
 part in the European war that various
 devices have been invented to break through entanglements. Motor cars have been equipped so they will cut through barbed wire, but for obvious reasons a motor car cannot be used for clearing the way for a charge. Soldiers have been sent forward to. cut wires and open way for their comrades to follow but they face certain death. Even more inhuman is the practice, said to have been com mon in the early part of the war when the Germans were making enormous sac rifices of men. to send troops ahead to form a bridge with their bodies over barbed wire entanglements, over which the troops behind them charged. How ever, the favorite method of clearing away Instructions of barbed wire is with ex- plosives. The British troops are using an explosive tube with much success. One end is pointed so 1t can be pushed through the wire without catching. The taken off and other tubes joined on when the entanglement is extensive. The tubes are fired by a time fuse and blow pas sage about 12 feet wide.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
RoCKEFELLER,s REFUSAL TO LENu

From the Buffalo News. l The loan of $1 1000, 100000 asked by the allies afforded America's richest man
 John D. RockefeIler-the opportunity to
 climb to dizzy moral heights. It Is said
 he refused to participate.
 It is not a pleasant thing to question
 MT. Rockefeller's motives, which may
 have been any one or all of three
 First he may consider it poor busi-
 ness proposition.
 Second. he may have seen an oppor-
 tunity to re-establish himself and gain a popularity he never before enjoyed.
 Third, he may have been actuated hon. estly and sincerely by disinclination to
 pro vide funds to prolong a war among men.
 cussion Billions are quite incomprehen- sibe to the ordinary mind, but from the
 fact that the foremost financial men in
 America are willing to participate in it. we
 are satisfied that the risk Is compatible
 with the rules of good business.
 The second affords a better reason.
 John D. Rockefeller Is bordering the eighties now He must know, better than any other person. that not all his philan- thropies have established him in the es- teem of Americans. Nothing that he can do in his remaining years will cause America to forget the manner of found ling the nations greatest fortune. Men in the scar and yellow rarely overlook an opportunity to offset with popular deeds the unpopular deeds of earlier years.
 The thild-though we shall prefer to accept it as Mir. Rockcfellers reason is open to to debate. The loaning of $1,- Ooo. .00c00o to the allies cannot be construed as other than business proposition Even those who oppose it admit 1t would be permissible in times of peace, and by the very admission confess an unneutra
 interest in the war. If Germany made
 the same request she. too. should be ac-
 commodated Only when, the allies are granted their loan and the Germans re.
 fused. does the matter of supplying Flu.
 rope with money become other than g business venture. If Mir. Rockefeller Is actuated by the moral aspect. and by the hope that popu- lac sentiment will compensate him, he will livery probably to disappointed. The pub. lie will be deterred from applauding by
 Rockefeller has just returned from a war. fare that lasted a lifetime, where thu losses were tremendous and where soms of the weapons were as unpopular al chlorine gas and submarines.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
Enjoyed Two sronth., Tour

q greatly enjoyed my two months vacation spent in travelling through the western part of our great empire" said $. E. Thompson, who returned few days ago from the Pacific slope
 Tt was the most extended trip ever had and I realize now what a great benefit it was to me-physically and educationally. San Francisco is a grand city. Chicago used to be called the Paris of America but the Pacific city holds that position. Many people have an idea that to say this city or that is like Paris suggests the immoral side of life. Not at all. Paris is full of animation; full of color, but the gayety is not connected with anything suggestive of evil.
 Tn San Francisco I met the Fred erick Gunsters of Birmingham and sev- eral other esteemed Alabamians, who seemed to rejoice in the golden west Judge Hundley had done San Fran cisco just ahead of me, but met many persons who spoke of him in terms Of high appreciation.
 "It was particular pleasure for me to meet in California George Harris, for "c'eiy SuperiHtehuent oi the Dirmihg- ham Railway. Light and Power com pany of Birmingham, but now in charge of the operations of the big street car system in Oakland, just across the bay from San Francisco. We had dinner to- sether in one of the many elegant cafes of the great exposition city MT. Harris has most agreeable position and his salary is about double what it was in Birmingham"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
The Appendix

An eminent physician is authority for the statement that the appendix is mot in such bad odor as it was a decade ago. Surgeons are actually re- training from removing it in some cases of appendicitis"
 Here's hope for the timorous per- son who imagines every time he has a pain in his abdomen he is a poten- tial candidate for the operating table. However, let him not be too sanguine. While there is a disposition nowadays on the part of surgeons to make sure that an operation is absolutely nec- essary before cutting open a patient, and not to cut him open first and then apologize afterward if mis- take is made, the appendix is just as treacherous as ever and we are ad- vised to leave the matter of operat- ing or waiting entirely to the judg- ment of competent surgeon.
 Some cases of appendicitis get well without an operation, and while there may not always be the need of an inn mediate incision, particularly during a first attack, we are informed that an appendix that has once given trou- ble is bad thing to carry about. The average person would vastly pre- fer to have it out. That is infinitely better than hoping to "pull through" the next attack, which is liable to come at most inconvenient time.
 Another question frequently asked by the layman, says the authority quoted, is: "What did people die of before appendicitis was discovered?" The answer is inflammation of the bowels" Nowadays the delft surgeon snips out the offending appendix while the inflammation is localized.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
HOTEL LoBRIEs
Montxomery,. Political RevoIution


 Montgomery had a political revolution Tn the municipal election Monday" said Bruce Kennedy. secretary of the big civic organization of the Capital City.
 Those who have not kept up with city politics in Montgomery probably do no. realize how sweeping will be the results. The victory of the anti-administration forces means a complete readjustment of political line-ups and it is my prediction that 1t will reach much further than purely city affairs. Why it will probably even affect our district contest for Con- gress and I feel sure it will be reflected in coming races for all the county offices of Montgomery county.
 The people who have so long been in the political ascendant at Montgomery are still rather dazed by the sudden change But mark what I say, we, have not seen the end of our spectacular politics down there by whole lot,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
FROM SOLITUDE TO TUMULT From the RaieiHh Times.

Y ToIu the ftdiei0u 1inNeBs
 Steffansson. the Arctic explorer who gaired fame several years ago through his announced discovery of the blonde Esquimaux." has been discovered safe after having been given up TOT lost for months
 What a changed world he returns to out of the silence in which he has been im- mcrsed since March P. 1914
 While he has been suffering hardships dying in herds in the name of patriot ism.
 While he has been contemplating the mystery of the eternal stiffness. the earth has been clamorous with the noise of war fare.
 While the groans and prayers and curses of distressed humanity have been flung forth in agonixed question of the mute cause of creation itself. Steffansson. somewhere on top of the earth. has been searching the Sphinx-like stars for deeper meanings.
 Yet the stars. nor the ice. nor snow. nor lonely wolf, nor wandering man of the cold chilled out of knowledge of hia origin-none of these hinted to him of the madness and the hubbub.
 We who have become inured to the tragedy in the degree of Its slow de- velopment-what would we think if, like Steffansson we camc into tts glare and roar without premonitioni
 It is a biz world inhabited by little men. whose greatest tumults are lost in it's vastnesses as a shout is blown into eternity by the gale.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-22
For Stronger National Defense

Several months ago when President Wilson announced his intention of urging Congress to provide for an increase in the army and navy and for reorganization of the larger units of the military establishment, public opinion was manifestly on his side; and as the time for the conven- ing of Congress approaches the senti- ment of the country has become all the more pronounced in favor of a betterment of the national defense.
 A few ultraconservative states men have referred to the movement for larger degree of preparedness prompted by the National Security league as an example of wartime hysteria. They were opposed to any considerable increase in the navy and opposed to any increase in the army whatsoever.
 Early in the summer Chairman Hay. of the House committee on mili- tary affairs expressed himself in an interview in the New York World as opposed to adding to the army. In his opinion the army of 90,00O was quite ample for a peace footing. But Con- gressman Hay is a reasonable man, and if he was correctly quoted by the National Security league Monday he will support the administration cor dially in it's efforts to place the coun- try in state of preparation for de- fense against foreign foe.
 Public opinion has made it's inn pression on MT. Hay, as it will doubt less do on Claude Kitchen, who is to be chairman of the ways. and means committee. In recent inter- view MT. Kitchen was emphatically opposed to increasing the army, but he will change his mind after he hears the administration side of the argu- meat and the Presidents side is ob- viously the country's side.
 MT. Hay intimates that he could not bring himself to believe that the United States needed a standing army of 5O0,0OO, as some of the Se- curity leaguers have advocated. There will be a general agreement on that point An army of such size would cost the country, Mir. Hay says $7O0, ,0O0, 900 year, which would mean an unnecessary burden on the people. But moderate increase is needed, and that MT. Hay will agree to. He is inclined to believe that Con gress should provide for doubling the number of field artillery regiments There are now six such regiments There should be twelve, according tt the views of some of the higher of.