davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

was nuthing doing-tbat is of the drawbacks
about orracles. They have the weathur bureau
sined d city block. When they make forecast it IS
all but the shouting Paris was destined to
be the direct cawse for tire downfall of Troy and
there waa no way of getting away frum it. still it
his folly that brought it about. He was
getting along fine and Troy was booming to beet the
band, reel estate the upward trend and the
city fathurs considering putting in electrck lites
and cooking gas the sidewalk bonds had all been
assimilateG, when Paris went trip to anuther
bngdtim. and in a moment of weakness fell in love
with HELEN This mite have been all rite, too but
HELEN happened TO be anuther mans wife. Accord
ing the dope. however. she sum chicken, and
Paris coud not be blamed for getting dipDy ovver
her Emmy way, it shows thai if we haven't kept up
with the Greeks and Trogens in uther regards,
have trew to form to this-theere is nuthing
These days and times that keeps frum falling il
love with sumbCddy elses wife--and nuthing does.
So while his friend had downtown to buy
ery sized beefstake for his entertainment, Paris
COPIED the calico and skipped This raised rumpus
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

awhile, and then each individual would pick himself
out a persunnel victim in the ranks of the ennemy
and would charge him and valiantly attempt to
up his classick lectures with battle axe.
We do the same things thecse days with guns that
will shoot across few counties and muss up the
SCENERY for hour two aftur it is discharged.
But it wasn't of war that l intended to speek. The
comparison l desired to draw did not as hole,
late to hostillities just thinking what bless
ing it would be in modern times if could enjoy the
privileges of the ansient Greeks, and upon EVERY
occasion where disastur mite impend we could
as they did-consult oracle and be governed ac-
cordinglv. What 4 CRATE boon it would be il sum of
CRATE statesmen and polytsians could consult
oracle before he accepted the nomminasion. Ser
tainly it seems to us that air miles behind tne
times so far orracles air consurend. The oracle
biznesc has been sadly negected-it is industry
that ought to be revived Now is the time it appeers
to us, for sum of our ambisious yung to take ZIP
the profession of orracles There is room at both
the top ana the bottum of the ladder. One of our
big universities ought to start the ball rolling by
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

establishing chair on orracles. We smtainly air
missing sLmthing.
Take, for instints in ansient and NEUROLOGICAL
Greek history find that most everybody
suited an oracle The housewife of the plain peepu
if she had the meens could consult an oracle about
whethur sour krout put up in the lite of the moon
would keep not OF corse, she couldn't engage the
survases of high prised oracle such as used
exclusively by the predatory rich but as under
stand it, orracles weer within the reech of all.
There was the nuther of Parris-Parris
persun The ordnery reedur mite assume that Paris
was town or disease, but not so, he was a prnse
of the royal blood--eXtreemy blew blood, also-ac
cording to the dope Well, emmy way, Paris muther
consulted an oracle who told her that Paris was
the cards as a reguler "cutup,' and eventually he
would destroy the city of Troy, which was the capitol
of the Trogens and the reguler meeting phase of the
Legislature. Of corse, it can be sceen if EVERY
muther should consult oracle about hur hopeful
offspring the oracle bizness could be easily
dun. At emmy rate, Paris muther did everything
she could he'd off the orracles forecastbut There
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22
Small Towns Lose Young Men

The reason small towns never be-
come big towns is tied up with the de-
sertion of the young men who go to
the cities to make their way. Milford.
n. H, decided to put stop to this,
and the November American Magazine
tells how it was done. The writer
Says;
Most communities Of less than 5000
Inhabitants suffer constant loss of
their best blood in the emigration OF
their young people. This is particular
ly true in the older states east of the
Mississippi. With the exception of the
favored few whose families have
wealth or own some established enter
prise, the young man and, to a less ex-
tent, the young woman of the smaller
town, after completing their education
seek the larger cities, or newer states
or even foreign countries. This exodus
is looked upon almost as a law of ma
ture-as inevitable as the swing of tho
seasons,
Thus are our smaller communities
sapped The educated, enterprising
young men go; the young women Of
their type, left behind, frequently re-
fuse to mate with the only men avail
able-indeed, often have no men of any
sort to choose. This situation has
formed the basis of many stories and
one of the most popular plays of the
present decade.
But the thriving town of Milford,
n H., believes that it's entefprising and
able young folk do not have to be
transplanted in order to succeed. 1t
declares that if the individual endowed
with ability to create business In
ontana 0. Mexico WI only exercise
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

In some it does not average more than
SIS per ounce, while in others it is worth
$40 and upward per ounce.
Nearly all of the gold taken out Of the
ground about Fairbanks has been placer
gold This means it is made up of gold
dust and nuggets scattered through the
earth and gravel, SO that it has to be
only washed to get the gold out. OF
quartz gold, which comes from veins or
other particles of gold imbedded in and
mixed with the solid rock. this region has
as yet produced little, although several
quartz mines are now working.
The most of the gold of Alaska has
come from placers. The total value
produced is now about $780, 900. and
of this amount $500 O00. 600 has come from
the placers. The greater part Of the
quartz gold has been and still is from
the great mines of southeastern Alaska,
and especially those of Treadwell and
Juneau Some of those mines will be
producing for a century to come and
they are now yielding millions of dollars
a year.
The remainder of Alaska so far has
been to a large extent a placer gold
proposition, and the placer output at
present is about $10,O000 900 per year. Much
of this comes from mines like the Nolan
mine I have described but much also
comes from the dredges now working on
the Seward peninsula and especially
about Nome. The Seward peninsula is
estimated to have more than $500, 0oO0 Oo
worth of gold still left in its gravels.
There are many millions of free gold in
this district and also in ather parts of
the Yukon Tanana basin. There is placer
gold along the Kuskokwim river and
dredges are now working in the Iditarod
and along the Innoko The Guggen-
helms are considering the ACCESSIBILITY OF
dredging over the old creeks about Fair
banks. They have been going over the
ground and trying to buy up the claims,
but the owners want too much for them.
| heard one miner discussing the posi-
bility of his men striking for higher
wages Said he: ''They can strike il
they want to. l can make a living out
of my dump heaps. l can take a rocker
and wash out SIG any day Of the week"
Placer mining in Alaska is far differ
ent from that Of other parts of the
United States. In California and in the
Rockies all that miner needed to start
business was a pick, shovel and a pan
to wash out the gold. He might add a
rocker or other rude pieces of machinery,
but all told the unit cost little. The free
gold lay on the top of the ground, or on
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22
UP AND DOWN BRG0ADVWAY-=By ALLEN Griffin johnson

Village and other atmospheres and To-
cahties that are off the beaten paths"
The head of the Heart of New York
company has now issued prospectus, in
which she states that the aim of the or
ganization is to meet the needs of cul-
tured, thinking people who visit this
city to save them time and money and
multiply the pleasures of their visit many
times. Representatives of the company
call upon request only and by appoint
ment.
This article however, is in no sense an
advertisement for the work of the COM
pany, but merely a recognition of the
clever work of a southern woman, who is
we'll known in Birmingham, Nashville
Atlanta, New Orleans and other cities
both personally and through her literary
efforts, which have been published be-
tween stiff backs, and which are now
in demand in the east as well as in the
south and other sections of the country.
1t is also given a tip to visitors who
will find this the best way to get a real
look at New York city, which, though it
seems to lie spread out before you, is
really more or less in hiding from the
outsider who knows not how to open GER
tain doors, or to find his way into some
of the most interesting sections.
1t is deeply to be regretted that q
natural feminine shrinking from associa-
ton with this work keeps her name from
you who read this little tribute to her
cleverness, but perhaps it is best that a
writer continue to be known as a writer,
and not as the head of a business or
ganization of any character.
She has employed guides, male and fe-
male, who are thoroughly familiar with
all sides, including the inside of New
York, and in each case. the representa-
tives will be found to be men and women
of tact, refinement, intelligence and clev-
erness.
The company goes even further. it I'M
dertakes to show women the best shop
ping districts; to take people to dem
lists, doctors. etc, and to assist them
in every imaginable way 10 getting what
they want and where they wish to go
while in Gotham.
Every visitor to New York is not even
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

given a chance at this service. Letters
are sent to those who are deemed desir-
able only, and it is even now all that the
of visitors who ask for the services. In
Naples, in Paris, in Venice and else
where abroad, such service has been
given, but on lower scale. The field
in New York is wide open, and the Heart
of New York Company, headed by a
southern woman who didn't even know
New York Is years ago, is offering a
service that is not equalied elsewhere in
the world.
If you care for art, you will be taken
where art is; If music is your desire. you
will be taken where you can hear just
what you care for. What we do" says
M-er, the. head Of the company, lis to
talk it over with you, and find out just
what your tastes are, and what you
would enjoy most of the things we sug-
gest We have no itinerary.
Perhaps you may not care for what
has happened in New York. Perhaps
you would like to know what is happen
ing here today. Any daily paper will in
form you as to the Metropolitan opera,
or the great dramatic and theatrical
events scheduled for the day or week, or
the important art exhibits. But there
may be, somewhere, some particular
prints, some private exhibits, some rare
copies that would especially interest you.
Maybe an Italian troupe Is singing one
of your favorite operas down on the
Eastside Perhaps some scientist, lit
erary celebrity or social worker in whom
you have special interest is going to
speak today or tomorrow, and, of course,
you want to 60"
Can't you see the cleverness, the
'.classiness' and at the same time the
simplicity of the whole idea? 1t Is pos
srble, through this company, to get into
the offices. the studios of men of fame
here and there; you can be taken into
where a real illustrator of note, an ar
fist whose reputation is worldwide. is
actually at work. and you may shake
the hand of this parsonage in many
cases.
A little bit later, perhaps, the woman
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

and sly, delicious peeps under the hedges
about fascinating old New York.
Ordinary guide books and ordinary
where you see New York all dressed up
and expecting company; or to Wall
street, where you see New York at wo7k;
or perhaps to, Pell Street and the Bow
cry, and Little Italy, on the far-famed
East Side, where you smile at New
York in her curl papers. But you know
New York doesn't wear her heart on
Fifth avenues glittering sleeve. And
you know you cannot sense her soul IN
her laughter and her song. To find the
real, big. throbbing heart of her, one
must leave the beaten paths, and slip
down the by-ways-here today and there
tomorrow
Wouldn't you really enjoy a jaunt
down to Greenwich Village" where
from cellars like flowers smiling under
hedges? There one finds 1.-THE Treasure
Box 1.-The Oddly Cellar" and other
places just as attractive.
"Or perhaps you'd enjoy something to
eat down where Bobbie Edwards pushed
the tables back at the Crazy Cat Club
and introduced the after dinner dance one
night in the long ago. And there's the
Dutch Oven in McDougal street, and
just above it the Liberal club organ
lied by Margaret Wilson. Here Dresser
has debated, Borden Robinson has
sketched, and Henrietta Rodman has left
the print of her sandaled feet! And the
Brevoort, under the shadow of the
Washington arch; the pleasant night life
of the Cafe Lafayette, and then 1.-THE
Candlestick Tea Room, 1.-THE Red
Lamp" Gonfarones, Morris, Romano's,
'The Red STAR Mazzini's and the
rest of them.
Just where is Greenwich Village?' It's
boundaries cannot be defined any more
than its atmosphere can be described. 1T
begins somewhere around Twelfth street
and commits suicide at the battery
Can anyone say why Washington
Square has a fragrance, a meaning, while
Washington Heights has none? We can't,
but there are a great many interesting
things one can tell about Greenwich
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22
The Best Come Back of All

Inc Best Come Back OF All
The November American Magazine
prints the prize winning articles in the
come back" contest held by that
magazine. The writer says that a
man who was hopelessly crippled made
good in this way:
"On hot day in summer he was be-
ing pushed along in a wheel chair at
California beach resort. Without
money, without health, and past mid =
die life his chances for a new start
seemed slim. A man passing on the
street stopped at a root beer stand
and laid down cents. He was hand
ed foaming glassful The time
financier saw that he look ed hot and
thirsty; that the lifted the glass Gag
erly; that he set it down only half
emptied. and walked away, not with
the look of one whose expectations or
a cooling, satisfying drink have been
realized. The sick man diagnosed the
case briefly: Another fellow trying
to sell something who doesn't under
stand his business Later in the day
he was again wheeled past the same
stand. 1t was deserted. The invari-
able evening ocean breeze had sprung
up and it was too chilly to expect any
more sales that day.
Fortunately physical infirmity can
not keep man from using his mind.
nor suffering subdue the courage of
one who knows the value of an idea.
From as small event as the sales OF
a half-warm glass of root beer the
man who had directed big projects
evolved and executed business schemes
representing hundreds of thousands OF
dollars, now worked out plan for
the rebuilding of his fortune.
LAS he had not been afraid to plunge
with thousands, he did not hesitate
to stake everything that was left
$4,000 on the new VENTURA root
beer stand in the hottest town he
knew of in the hottest part of Cali
foruia. Apparatus and supplies were
the best and most expensive with the
motto, The hotter the day. the colder
the drink After the first week the in
vestment paid. AS fast as possible, 9TH
er stands were opened in other hot
towns, all of them at a safe distance
from the cool breeze of the ocean.
although the wheel chair still holds
him captive, and even writing is al
most an impossibility, every detail OF
the business is under the immediate
direction OF the owner. At his head
quarters in Los Angeles he receives
minute daily reports from the men in
charge of the stands. He is the mind.
the energy, and the enthusiasm of the
enterprise, and although never seen by
either his employees or the public lie
is serving. his personality is felt by
both. After three years this man is
in fair way to realize his original
aim of making this chain of little
stands pay him a clear income of sloo
a day"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

and brought a that lasted 10 yeers and ended
in the ;ctal destruction Of Troy which has remained
that way ever cents SC it can be obsurved by the
ordinery passurDy that it won't do to munkey with
an oracle They may be a long time in getting vim
dcasicn, but when all the returns air in fral the
rurel presinks, you may bet your last sanction that
the oracle has arrived with both feet that is 10 say
the days when the oracle bizness was conducted
at the old stand in the reguler. conversational way.
We have These days job lot Of bogus and moth
orracles would couldn't have held offise boy
job to furs class practisoner in the days of Achilles
and Paris. Not neer much attension is paid to
them as is paid Wilyum SulZur They have brought
furst class and highly honnered calling into dis
repute and maid it the affing stock Of the common
nerd
Sumthng ought to be dun to revive orracsm 1t
seems tc be lost art An oracle who could win the
love and respect of the community is a long felt
want. Who will start the movement?
Yours tTooly
BILL VINES.
Washington, D. G.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

~ VIEW YORK, october 21.-(specal.)
IN\II After familiarizing oneself
II Nj with Gotham, it becomes evil
dent that it is the place of all
places wherein a real idea can be made
to produce results 1t also becomes ev-
ident that a great many of the ideas
already in practical operation here were
not the creations of the native brains.
Having reasoned thus far we arrive at
the conclusion-those of us who play with
ideas more or less-that we have at least
an equal chance with all others, and
then, sometimes after the simplest fash
ion, we put something over'-soms
of us.
This has just been accomplished by a
southern woman who has not lived here
all her life by any means, but who has
had ideas from infancy. She is liter
ateur, woman of many personal attrae-
tons and so much modesty that she alb
solutely prohibits the use of her name.
but she knows her New York as well as
she knows her southern home town, and
it is this knowledge, acquired within the
past few years, which gave her the
results, or, in plain Manhattan parlance,
money.
Here follows an outline of some of the
prenatal pangs she went through with
before the birth of the well formed
idea: Every fair day hundreds of peo-
pie fill the many sightseeing cars that
carry them on the regular trips; the up
town trip, the downtown trip, the trip
to Chinatown, etc. But there are thou
sands of visitors to the city every day,
and it must follow that many of them
do not get on the ''rubber-neclS' wagons.
This may be the result of any one IF
several causes There are people who
find the seats. on, the sightseeing cars
too conspicuous; there are others whd
: have been here and have seen the regu-
lar sights" past which these cars carry
them with such set explanations as, "On
our right is Daly's theatre etc." and
there are still others who realize before
starting out that they are not going 10
be forgiven a glimpse of the real heart
of New York city.
There are thousands of visitors, and
natives, too, for that matter, who walk
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22
WHO WILL BE THE ORACLE?-By Bill Vines

"a olSTUR EDDITUR: We folks of the twenty-eth
lN\WI sentury think we air smart We look back
UVyl upon past gennerasions with air of SUI
periorrity and everything which, In veew
of present and past performances in lines emmy
how is not becumming. We fgger becawse have
subways, oughtomobiles, homeless ham and bonded
debt that air hole blocks ahed of ansesurs of
the past sentury to say nuthng of the dark be-
fore wimmins suffrage had ever been thought
Of But air we? l ask again in all candur, have we
so blooming much on the folks who used to perform
ovver this mundane spheer thousands of yeers ago?
wot not. Also, doubt 1t.
Sertainy, lore and tradision air to be given
emmy credit Whatsoever they had it in
respects in all events. 1t is trew that the ansient
method of warfare perhaps was little crude. In
those days before the advent of powder dig guns
and gas the fitting confined to closur quarturs,
and the heftiest guy usuelly cum home with the
bacun, also the scalp Of his enemy In them times
armies would meet upon the field of battle and shell
each uthers trenches at 40 passes with rocks for
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-22

behind the idea will have to step forth
and be recognized in spite of herself but
just at present it is impossible to call
idea appeals to you, / may be able to
put you in touch with her when you
come to visit us.
And this isn't the anly idea possible of
birth. There are many others. and the
good feature lies in the fact that an idea
in New York city catches on at once, So
but l don't want to depopulate good old
Birmingham where, as l remember,
everybody used to have ideas, even the
city commission. some policemen and
maybe a newspaper.
Down under Grand Central station
there is a terrible machine at work, cut
ting steadily, a great tunnel through
solid rock. l had the privilege of see
ing the mechanical monster at its labors,
but could hardly refer to the opportunity
as having been enjoyed During my
brief stay underground there were so
many peculiar sensations around my
spine, heart and other organs, probably
resultant from overeati ting lack of sleep,
toe much work or something that 1 was
glad to get back upon the surface once
again. You may see this monster in the
movies If they can get picture of it
Underground, and really 1 believe seeing
it in the movies would be the most COM
Portable way.
While the soldier-police of New York
city were parading on the avenue Tues
day, the strikers enjoyed delightful and
very effective riot over on Lenox ave-
nue.. These men-and women-believe in
grasping every opportunity.
Since Caruso has returned to us-bring-
ing a moustache, by the way the season
may be said to be we'll under way
And Madame Bernhardt is also on hand,
though she had to be carried off the YES
sci in which she made the voyage The
loss of a leg does not seem to have Grip
pied her ability materially. Unlike many
other French actresses, her legs were