davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
HOTEL LOBBIES
Nothing to Attract Here

That the question of what is the mat ter with Birmingham is very vital one and should be properly answered in the immediate future is the opinion of Joseph Kohn of Ensley. According to .Mr. Kohn the lack of sufficient at fractions is keeping the people away rom this city and thus a large source ot revenue. to the merchants is cut off.
 The merchants of Birmingham are feeling rather down in the mouth" said MT. Kohn, and with excellent reason for despite the enormous pay rolls now being dispersed in the district sales are not increasing with the ratio eX- pected. And that brings up the question of what is keeping the people away.
 Well, from young mans viewpoint there is no particular reason why we should come to Birmingham There are no theatres other than the Lyric and the moving pictures in Birmingham are Just the same as in Ensley, Bessemer or Anniston. In fact as far as enter talnment is concerned Birmingham now community in the state and thus offers nothing to attract visitors This par tlcular phases of the situation should be given some thought by the local civic bodies, for while there is some advantages in having a morally model city, the disadvantages reach into every mans pocketbook"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Origin of GringO

But few persons know how the word 'gringo' originated in Mexico, and why the Americans are called gringoes by the MeXicans," said E. Eldon Jerralie, a travelling salesman. "The word really originated from the English word green grove which was sung by the United States soldiers along the bor- der at one time. Certain songs have always been popular among the sol diers, and the song that contained the word green grove happened to be very popular at one time.
 "The Mexicans heard the song so much until they began calling the Ameriacn soldier a gringo, thus short ening the English words green grove For long time the name gringo was only applied to the soldier, the civil ian being called Americana, but as the word became more into use it was &C., cepted for the Americana as whole The Mexican considers the American an enemy and he associates the green grove with grass, through which creeps the snake, the toad and other enemies ,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Will lnform Public

Commissioner John R. Hornady is very emphatic in his statement that the $2,000,00O school bonds will be utilized only for the actual needs of the schools without respect to political or geo graphical influences
 "A detailed statement of what is pro- posed to do with the $2,000,0O0 bond will be given to the public at an early date, and every effort will be made to familiarize the voters on this subject
 Tn this connection I wish to em- phasize in the strongest possible man. ner the fact that the situation is to be handled upon only one basis, and that basis is the actual needs of the schools A very careful study has been made covering the entire school system, and sectionalism has had no part in 1t. We have considered Birmingham as a unit and have endeavored to work out a plan under which the school needs of the whole city would be met. and this, l am convinced, is the only basis upon which we could act.''
 Commissioner John Hornady is speak ing every day before various local bodies on the school bond issue and he ayers that he is open for further bookings. He spoke before the Bir- mingham Realty exchange and the Graymont School Improvement associa- tion yesterday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
FLAG "DESECRATION"
From the Boston Herald.


 Whatever the merits of the controversy about the use of certain emblems or tags in connection with the effort to raise money for the Belgian relief fund, it calls attention to a Massachusetts law that is grotesauely absurd and unreasonable There should be ample law to protect the flag from abuse or insult of any kind, but what is to be said of a law that is so sweeping that it actually makes it il- legal to publish a picture of the flag in a newspaper or magazine? No publica- tion may legally be sold on our news stands if there Is representation of the flag anywhere in its pages
 The framers of the remarkable law in question had nothing of that sort in mind It is one of many instances of the unex- pected results of the ill-considered, slov- enly drawn laws that cucumber ou1 statute books Such laws foster contempt for all law. Massachusetts is the last state that should pass them or keep them in force. Let this supremely foolish law be wiped out without more delay, and a common-sense law to prevent the desc cration of the flag be passed in it's place. rEe amendments made this winter do not go fa' enough.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
"MY LADY NICOTINE"

From the St Louis Globe-Democrat. Knights errant, in the age of chlvalfy, had each his own lady, for whom ms sword was drawn. No doubt every hght- ing man of today has in his mind ana heart the image of some woman for whom he strikes The day of chivalry IS not ended. But that there IS one laoy
 appealing to the devotion. all alike, was shown in the clearing from New York TOT
 Bordeaux Saturday of the trench liner
 Rochambeau, carrying 42,0O0 pounds of smoking tobacco, 2,500,0o cigarettes ana AZ gross of corncob pipes, to be dlstr1puteo among the soldiers of the allies ln Franee and Belgium. My Lady Nicotine IS the
 reigning divinity among the allied knights fighting from the Yser down to the Vos- ges.
 .Iadv Nicotine is the affectionate
 name given by the men in the trenches to Mrs Clara Washington Lopp, who, soon after the outbreak of the war, began work to have the men at the front well supplied with smoking materials. Before she and her husband came to this coun- try in December to make an appeal Tor more of the weed she had already collect ed and had distributed among the troops 26O 900 pounds of tobacco and R,OOOOOo cl- garettes These donations must have contributed somethiyg to that smoke of battle of which we have all seen much,
 both in word pictures and other pictures It being out of the question to stop the smoke of battle now, new supplies for the men who have to raise the smoke are needed.
 Not long ago some German soldiers were
 disciplined for having, at friendly meet
 ing between the lines in lull of the
 fighting, given some French soldiers to-
 bacco for smoking. Their field officers
 held such practice unmlitary, and they
 may be right, but this has been habit
 of soldiers in all armies. Of truth, the
 smoking man knows the miseries of any
 other smoking man deprived of his smoke,
 and his fellow feeling will make him won-
 drous kinds, no matter about uniforms,
 national airs or national colors.
 Under the strain of severe and sus-
 tained work of any kind, My Lady Nico-
 tine'' is a goddess fit for the worship by
 her devotees. Under such a strain as that of battle the incense blown before her altars is purest worship Chivalry is in every wave of it. This has always
 been true. but now with the Missouri corncob pipe contributing to the cloud
 chivary will get boost to restore the
 days of crusaders and Paladns. The
 corncob pipe may make new Hollands and
 new Ronscevalles We know it is to
 be the greatest foe of all ant-tobacco re-
 form in Missouri. And why such reform anyhow or anywhere? Let Ephriam be joined to the idol he loves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Tomorrow Button Day

If the sale of buttons for the illit- eracy-reduction fund did not yield as large sum as desired by the Alabama Illiteracy commission, it was because it was an experiment and not general. ly appreciated or understood. This year the state is thoroughly organized for Button Day." and the results should be bountiful
 Those in charge of the sale of but tons showed good judgment in fixing the price at 10 cents. Few are so poor but they can afford to contribute this small amount to the cause of educa- tion, especially to aid the commission in it's philanthropic work of teaching illiterate adults to read and write.
 In Birmingham alone the proceeds of the button sale should not be less than $2000, and for the state at large it is reasonable to suppose thai |s12,O0O or $15,OO0 will be realized. Tomorrow is the day. Let every man be ready with his dime.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Birmingham's First Reunion

Although Birmingham was a very young city in 1894, when, it was host to the Confederate reunion for the | first time-the fourth annual gather ing of the United Confederate Vet erans-the crowd of visitors was un- usually large. The veterans them selves numbered at that reunion about twenty thousand, and among them were many celebrities who had achieved distinction on the battle field and who had high rank in the Confederate army.
 John B. Gordon of Georgia was then the commander in chief of the united organization. Stephen D. Lee of Mississippi was one of the notables who contributed historic sketches, and Gen. Fred S. Ferguson of Birming- ham delivered the address of vel come. These and countless others who
 wore the gray and fought valiantly for the Lost Cause and who were 1 familiar figures at the reunions in l the nineties have crossed over the river to fame's eternal camping
 ground, but their memories will be kept ever green.
 That reunion of 1894 was a brilliant and joyous event, and the recollec-
 tion of it made it easy for Birming-
 ham to get it's second reunion in 1908; and the success of that reunion made it again easy for Birmingham to cap- ture the United Confederate Veterans
 for the reunion this year. In 1894 g
 "wigwam" built for the occasion had
 spacious look, and at the opening
 session fully ten thousand were
 crowded under it's roof.
 Not only was Birmingham a small
 city then-of less than thirty thou
 sand population-bu it had not en
 tered the steel making class and its
 mainstays were simply coal and iron
 Yet it was bustling community witt
 an optimistic citizenship and scores
 of prophets of the Birmingham dis trict's future greatness.
 Wonderful strides the city mad'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Roosevelt and the Republicans

The nearer the republican conven- tion approaches the more likely ap- pears Theodore Roosevelt's chances for the nomination.
 Under the skillful management of George w. Perkins the progressives have never thought of proposing any body but the colonel for their stand ard bearer, but with the regular re- publicans it has been different.
 Politicians know that the only pos sible chance for Roosevelt to win is for the standpatters and the progress sives to get together. Some of the republicans have taken a dispassion- ate view of the situation and have in- timated that for the sake of beating the democrats they would be willing to accept the bull moose, as repugnant as that might be, but the majority are believed to be as strongly opposed to tliS AiaH ol OyoIeI pay do Cney were four years ago, when the progressive bolt gave Wilson walkover.
 But those republican leaders who insist that it must be Roosevelt or sure defeat are going to be on the winning side so far as the nomina- .ion is concerned. The conservative element in the republican party have been hoping that Hughes might de- velop strength enough in both of the Chicago conventions to carry off the honors and lead d reunited host to victory. But the distinguished jurist
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14

lacks magnetism and his name is not so easy to conjure with as some of his admirers had imagined.
 When it comes to the question of ability-for a masterful capacity for statesmanlike administration Root is the greatest man in the repub- lican ranks, but he is no vote getter. He has served many years in public life, and has held three important of fices-two in the cabinet and one
 term in the United States Senate but never once by election of the peo- pie. And the republican leaders will
 naturally look for a man who can win
 votes.
 1 As for the many "favorite sons
 whose names will be presented to the
 republican convention, all except Jus
 tice Hughes will be negligible quan-
 titles and even Hughes will soon be
 out of the way when it comes Roose- velt's time
 Now that the New York Tribune, for long years regarded as the lead ling republican newspaper in the
 country, has come out for Roosevelt for the nomination, certain of the lesser republican journals will fall
 into the Roosevelt line.
 The colonel will conduct noisy and
 vitriolic campaign, but he will find
 not few of the regular republicans
 men who never bolted and who never voted for bolter-lukewarm, so iukewarm that they will stay away from the polls on election day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14

The frut-pacling industry of the ing the past few years and has stimu- lated the production of cherries to such an extent that merely carting off cherry pits has become a considerable item of expense at many canneries. The bureau of chemistry of the department of agri- culture has discovered that the cherry pit, which is now a waste product, contains two valuable oils and a meal that makes an admirable stock food, while the juice lost in extracting the seed will produce pure alcohol, syrup and jelly. It is es- timated that nearly 3,50OOO0 pounds of cherry pits accumulated each year at the various fruit-pacldng plants, which can be made to produce a handsome revenue. Government chemists found that by treat
 ing the pits in their laboratories two oils could be extracted, one practically the same as almond oil, used extensively by pharmacists, and the other almost iden- Clcal With the OH or pltter almOnQS used incidentally and in the manufacture of perfumes, flavoring and confectionery. In addition to the two oils the kernel con- tains a meal which is said to compare favorably with the soy bean and cotton meal cake as stock food It is estimated that from the pits wasted every year there could be produced 200 tons of fixed oil. worth from P to 45 cents a pound ; more than 5000 pounds of volatile oil, valued at from $3 to $11 pound, and $40 ton. From the juice could be made more than 5000 gallons of pure alcohol 20,- coo gallons of syrup or 5000 gallons of jelly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
THE NEEDLE

By Samuel Woodwork.
 The gay belles of fashion may boast of excelling In waltz or cotillion, at whist or quad rille; And seek admiration by vauntingly tell ing Of drawing and painting and musical skill; But give be the fair one, in country or city, Whose home and it's duties are dear to her heart, Who cheerfully warbles some rustical ditty, While plying the needle with exquisite The bright little needle-the swift-flying needle, The needle directed by beauty and art. If love has a potent, magical token, A talisman, ever resstless and true A charm that is ever evaded or broken, A witchery certain the heart to subdue- 'Tis this-and his armory nevS has fur nished So keen and unerring, or polished a dart; Let beauty direct it. so pointed and bur nished And oh. it is certain of touching the heart:
 The bright little needle-the sWift-flying needle, The needle directed by beauty and art. Be wise, then. ye maiden, nor seek ad- mration | By dressing for conquest, and flirting with all; You never, whate'er be your fortune ol station, | Appear half so lovely at rout or at ball As gayly convened at work-covered table, l Each cheerfully active and playing her | part, Beguiling the task with song or fable 1 And plying the needle with exquisite 1 art;
 The bright little needle-the swift-flying ! needle,
 The needle directed by beauty and art
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
GERMANY'S DEADLY Y FIRE
Lieutenant Johnson of the Gordon High r fnfc

Lieutenant Johnson of the Gordon High
 flanders, in Leslies
 TAM sending you an account Of the bat
 tie of September 25. From Ypres n one returns alive,' say the German soldiers. When I heard that the scotch brigade, of which I am a member, was to deliver an attack there I felt some thing like the guests at Belshazzer's feast when they saw the handwriting on the wal. At dawn, with sdung rifles and ban doliers, we started for the firing line wa a communicating trench The firing line was made up of new trenches. NO Man Land" in front, which reached to the en- emies' line was a catacombed maze or tattered down trenches strewn with bones and the withered flesh of dead bodies, pieces of equipment, broken rifles, tins and fragments of sand bags.
 At $50 a. m., the darkest hour or the night, the fireworks started As the bonn bardment became more intense the ground began to shake as if from Vio- lent earthquake. At 4:O5, with shlnlns steel bayonets on their rifles, long line of battle-made soldiers scrambled over the parapet and disappeared in the dark ness.
 Machine guns were pumping bullets into the earth everywhere. l found myself caught in the cul de sac of impregnao'e barb wire entanglements. It was another death trap, for few feet in front, hang ing in the wire like fly in a spider s web, was corporal, whose feeble efforts to extrcate himself showed that he was dying. The hot lead was coming in sheets and I began to develop strong affinity for mother earth. Suddenly l was cov- cred with earth by violent explosion and for some minutes I lay dazed, the blood gushing from a wound in my hand where a piece of shell had gone clean through. Incapacitated as I now was and with death facing me on every side life never seemed sweeter than at that mo-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14

ment Scrambling to my feet I made dive into the newly made and still smoking shell hole. It was deep and I was at least safe from bullets. From everywhere came the piercing screams and squeals of men dying in poignant agony. Never will those horrible and pen etrating cries be effaced from my mind.
 To lie in the shell hole until daylight meant certain death, and it was already gray dawn. Stripping off my equipment started on the 4O-yard sprint, and luck was with me, for halfway I stumbled into an old sap which gave me ample cover until our parapet was reached. With number of others, wounded, but who could walk, we attempted to leave the firing line, but it was too late Hundreds of German cannon trained on the communi- cation trenches had blown them to atoms. Sand bags and earth were still going high in air, leaving deep, open cavities through which in daylight it would be impossible for endorsements to arrive or wounded to leave.
 At a. m the bombardment of the en- emy became more intense. It was the prelude to counter attack. Huge Jack Johnsons'' fell nearer and nearer until our dugout shelter became so precarious we were forced to make for shelter further up the trench. I looked over the parapet and saw dead bodies everywhere, with far in the distance what looked like a low, dark cloud moving nearer and nearer. It was blue-gray mass of hu- manity pouring out of the German second line trenches and advancing on the first line, which was still r . by few kilted platoons. The machine guns rattled and every man with a rifle opened fire. but still that ant heap of humanity kept com ing on till the first trench was recaptured, which sealed the fate of the platoons as they were unable to retire.
 In the afternoon drizzling rain set in, which subdued to a certain extent the artillery fire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Grave News From Mexicn

Meager reports yesterday of a clash between civilian Mexicans and American troops at Parral add an element of genuine seriousness to the already complicated situation beyond the Rio Grande.
 The apparently hostile attitude of the civilian population toward the presence of American forces presages danger of grave complications. The American nation waits eagerly for further details.
 Meantime, there should be no dal- lying with preparedness. The na- tion's representatives at Washington should provide more troops, an ade- quate aviation corps and whatever is necessary to maintain the nations dignity and honor.
 Congress should lose no time in preparing to meet any emergency that might arise, whether it be in Europe or in Mexico.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14
Thomas Taggart, Orator"

The s'voice" of Tom Taggart has been a power in the democratic poll tice of Indiana and the nation for years, but MT. Taggart clearly be- longs to that class of politicians whose deeds speak louder than words. No one who has kept up with the ac- tivities of the redoubtable Thomas, as a politician and spa owner, would ever suspect that he would yield to stage fright, yet it seems that IS what happened to him when he at tempted to make his maiden speech in the United States Senate, of which he has recently become member by appointment, to fill out an unexpired term.
 In his first effort to gain hear ing in the Senate he spoke so low that few of his colleagues could hear him ard there were lengthly pauses be- tween his sentences. The vice presi- dent took pity on the floundering Thomas, however, and asked if there was any objection to the considera- tion of a bill which the Indiana states man had waved in his hand when he rose to speak. Senator Shoot, who did not know what Senator Taggart was talking about, objected-which was rather unkind of him-and Senator Taggart took his seat, blushing like a schoolboy
 What finer compliment could be paid the dignity of the United States Senate than the embarrassment shown on this occasion by man who is recognized as one of the most as- tute politicians in the country and has doubtless helped to make" more than one national representative |? Heretofore he has remained in private life. His enmity was feared and his support was sought after by candi- dates for office. He himself kept in the background, but directed the destinies of other men. Thomas Tag gart probably thought little of the impressiveness of the United States Senate during the years when he was playing politics" in Indiana and talk ing part in the national councils of democracy, but when facing this au- gust body on the floor he lost his self possession and acted like the veriest tyro.
 The Senate evidently still Hooks the part" as distinguished assembly of great men, even if it's performances occasionally fail to measure up to that high standard.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-14

between the first and second re- unions, but more wonderful still have
 been the strides since the last. With
 population of close to two hundred thousand, it has more extensive in-
 dustries than any business center of the south Its commercial district is noted for it's handsome buildings, while the residence sections are not surpassed in beauty by the most fashionable residential districts of any city in the United States.
 Although Birmingham is without
 war associations or tradition, it is nevertheless distinctly southern city and the hospitality of it's people is one of it's crowning glories. And in no city in the broad southland is
 Confederate reunion more at home than here in Birmingham.
 The crowd that will come in may well be the largest perhaps ever
 gathered for a reunion; but there will
 be room for all. And as this probably will be the last it will be surcharged
 with sentiment and will thrill with
 tender greetings and tender partings.
 But the pathos of it will heighten historic color and will be quicken ing inspiration to those of literary fancy who in the coming years will
 write romantic stories of the stirring
 war times. Let's make it the greatest
 of all the reunions.