davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
SOUGFFERS ARE POPULAR

accompanist He may set out to play
 solo with much show of innocence, but ha
 knows his audience, and he knows that
 first one and then another will take up
 the strain, and that they will quickly be
 making their own music and forgetting
 him in glory of sound.
 And so- it comes about that the squiffer
 is a curiously joyous instrument. Even
 to those who have never had any part
 or lot in it's efforts when they hear it in
 these times of war in war surroundings,
 1t brings many kindly recollections of the
 times of peace. They remember, maybe,
 how they have heard it's organ-like
 strains floa ting toward them over dewy
 fields of a summer evening, to the trot of
 horses hoofs and the chatter of wheels as
 a party of holiday makers, homeward
 bound, passed over the high road in the
 valley below Or, perhaps, it always
 brings the memory of one special occa- sion They are standing on the platform
 of wayside station on another summer
 evening. The sun has sometime ago
 sunk behind the hogback of the gray hill
 away to the west, and the stars are begin- ming to shine out bravely from a clear sky, and the only sounds are the gurgle
 of little brook close by and the purr of the nightjar, every now and again, in
 neighboring tree. Suddenly from away down the line, comes the faintly borne sound much louder close at hand as the
 home signal drops; then comes the porter
 with a lantern, and then the stationmas- ter, and then, round the bend, comes the light of the train. It is an excursion on its way back from the sea to the great inland town away beyond the hills. There is much rattle and chatter IS the train comes nearer, but high above the
 noise there bursts suddenly upon the ear the sound of squiffer, tremblingly and eagerly giving out the theme of Annie Laurie" It gets as. far as Maxwell towns braes' alone. but all within ear shot come in on the next words and so
 the song spreads along the train from carriage to carriage, and tenors and basses and Seconds all hastily adjust themselves and address themselves to their new work. Every one is "up and
 away" by the time the last two lines of the first verse are reached, and the rush of the wheels has sunk to an accom- paniment. So the train comes and goes, rolling throngh the little station. strange medley of light and sound of protrudine heads and wsvine handker- chiefs: of a song sllns thronoh and ended and of the brave little soniffer taking up another theme as the train winds round ! the hillside and is lost to view. Then at
 the wavside station one hears the brook
 again and, after while, the nightiar.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
Real F Farrmimg i'm
 City of New York

THE public does not associate the U great American metropolis with farm life, and yet there is much acre age property within the municipal boundary, and some of it is titled regu- larly. The late Mayor Gaynor's home embraced sixty acres and his land was Harmed" profitably. George W. Perkins New York home includes seventy-five acres, but he cultivates only small part of the ground, treat ing the rest as park,
 One need not be very old citizen to recall the time when Harlem was noted for it's truck farms, containing each from two to three acres. That part of New York is now handsomely built up, but there are still hundreds of truck patches in some of the out lying boroughs. In the food prepared ness movement those market gardens with every vacant lot and every little back yard is being planted with vege- table seeds. And all the cultivation is being done with economic system.
 The mayors food commission, at the head of which is Mir. Perkins, has organized the great city for food pro- duction with as much thoroughness as a nation is supposed to organize for war. New York boys of scout age are being taught for the first time the use of garden implements, and all of them are making themselves useful in the vast project of the metropolis in feeding itself"
 City farming interferes somewhat with the city beautiful, but in these war times, when the whole world is threatened with food shortage, many pretty flower garden has to give way to a potato patch.
 The plant-somethingto-eat move
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

This is a queer world. It often happens that the best boy in the neighborhood winds up in the pen, and the toughest boy in the neighborhood becomes min ister
 The reason some people act like nuis- ances and pests when they are in store is because they are good customers and the proprietor doesn't like to call them down.
 One sure way to avoid accommodating millions and one sure way to keep from dying rich is to keep up a 1907 standard of living on a 1917 salary. Any time two women are very polite
 to each other it is a sign that they do not like each other.
 Friend wife could tell friend husband
 exactly what she thought of him, in 10 words But, being a woman, she prefers to turn it into 10000 word story. Any time woman tells you that she took a sponge bath the betting is that she used wash rag.
 If a modern city boy were compelled to get up at 5 a. m. and do the chores and split enough wood to keep the kitchen stove going all day the Humane society would soon slam his parents in jail. Every middle-aged man would like to feel as good again and be as young again
 as he was when he regretted that he had to devote so much time to sleep. Most of the lads who sit around and whine that life is not worth living dc
 nothing to make it so.
 Some fellows can't understand why they should lay anything by for rainy day when they can always borrow ar umbrella.
 1 We have been around a heap and have
 met almost everybody. But we never rar | into the kind of folks who used the dia | feet found in a best-seller novel. 1 After they have been married about | 1 years woman kisses her. husband witt
 all the enthusiasm displayed by smal l boy who is taking a dose of castor oil.
 Every man expects to wake up soms
 day and find himself famous. And h'
 always gets as far as the walling-up part
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
THE SpRHNGTTMllE OPERA
lk L. Stanton, in the Atlanta Constitution

l. Stanton in he tanta Consti ton
  of blossoms takes the when
  And windows see the Angel leaning don't all ree as God
  
  tsometi of No And swthd gls yous to isten
 
  It isn't tinkling silver bells to sell the world ticket And-hee Master
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
Let's Build an Auditorium

Now that the two great national-good roads and music-conventions are over, and those of us who were fortunate enough to attend both, or either, felt so keenly the need of an auditorium, can't we begin at once to devise ways and means to have the auditorium built?" said Mrs. R. F. Johnston.
 ,'T so fully realized during the prepara- tions for the biennial the tremendous need of fitting place for large gather- ings that am again asking if it is not possible to bring sufficient pressure upon our commissioners and our public men to begin at once preparations for the af- fairs of next spring.
 Had it been possible to seat 1000 or 5000 people we could easily have disposed of that many tickets for the affairs of the biennial and have given the thousands of people who could have afforded $2 for the season chance to enjoy the festival. There were thousands who wanted to go who could not pay the price.
 'The city owns the lot already, and it is available for an auditorium. The city sometime ago Voteu lHe poHuS to d IHucil larger extent than we will need to place a great auditorium on the lot now occu- pied by the negro school on South Eighteenth street
 "Constitutional lawyers tell me that the supreme court will give us the privilege of disposing of the bonds. Why not bor- row now and begin the erection of the auditorium so we will have it for next springs events2 Our President has asked that we do not stop our public improve ments. Let's begin building our auditor ium. There is no better time than now"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
Will Continue to
 FighE B0II We@yil

1E1 VERY year is a busy year at Au- 0 burn, and at the present time when an extraordinary effort IS be- ing made to increase this country's food production the Alabama Poly technic institute is directing it's en- ergies more largely than ever to agrl- culture. President Thach and his able faculty have led in advancing the economic status of the farmer. Dur ing the last ten years science has been applied to husbandry as never before. And everything done in the line of demonstration work has been educa- tive and thorough.
 While the institute has displayed lively interest in crop diversification its concern in cotton growing is in mo- wise relaxed. It is fighting the boil weevil with the aid of successful farmers from neighboring states who are now recognized as experts in cop ing with the pest. And along with the weevil problem more intensive cultiva- tion of the staple is being urged.
 A large cotton acreage, such as Alabama planted up to two years ago, is not desirable, but what is of the utmost importance is increased pro- duction per acre. The economy of such practice in the growing of any crop is obvious, of course, but it ap- plies with especial force to cotton. A small field of say, twenty acres with five acres to the blow yielding a bale to the acre, will pay better than the old-time crop of hundreds of acres yielding only a third of a bale to the acre.
 The Alabama farmer has been blessed this month with ideal plant ing weather. He is endeavoring to raise more food and feedstuff than in any previous year and if the seasons are favorable until harvest time this will be a banner year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

From the Philadelphia Public Ledger
 Lovelace pronounced the final verdict in the case of Mars versus Cupid. It is almost too familiar to quote. yet nothing else so neatly hits the nail upon the head. The Cavalier poet was himself both
 fighter and lover, and he had felt the pang of parting from Lucasta, Ion go- ing to the wars" It was not unkind, he told her, to turn to a new mistress.
 "Yet this inconsistency is such
 AS you, too, shall adore;
 cuold not love thee, dear, so much,
 Loved I not honor more."
 A hard doctrine, perhaps, yet women are the first to subscribe to it. Many a man during these last terrible years has married only to leave for the front. He was no stacker. either in love or war Is it not little unknd, therefore, to ac- today of a desire to avoid military serv- lice? The suspicion is perhaps not un- natural Many of those who are engaged in breaking the license record are of for egn birth and their patriotic fervor may be questionable. The fact that married men have better claim to exemption than single men is counted against them.
 Nor are all the wives as easily convinced as Lucasta, My fellow isn't afraid one young woman said, but I'm afraid for him, and if he's married he won't have to fight She wouldn't raise her boy to be a soldier
 But few women really feel that way. No doubt some who proclaim themselves pacifsts admire brute strength at heart.
 Becky could not restrain an involuntary
 thrill of admiration for Rawdon Crawley when he knocked down the Marquis of Stein, even though her castle of cards | tumbled with the blow. If these newly married men turn out to be mere slack CTS, if their purpose is to make the do- mestc hearth a refuge from duty, will
 they not lose love as well as honor?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

From the Christian Science Monitor.
 1N E7ANY people may never have JW thought of it, but there is' after 1.tsf c VA all, very little of what might be called fashion in regard to musl- cal instruments. There are, of course such things as waves of enthusi- asm,' almost always local, not to say parochal, for playing one particular instrument, but the choice is limited. The fiddle and the piano remain in tranquil and undisturbed possession as the solo instruments Occasionally great 'cellist will arise, and play himself into the hearts of the world, but there the list ends abruptly, If the flute or the clarinet or the oboe venture on lone effort, it is only when they emerge, for brief mo- ment, from the crowd to carry on the theme for a bar or two alone, and then sink back contentedly to swell the concord all around them
 There is, however, one solo instrument, which never finds a place on any orches- tral platform, which is regarded by your professed musician with fine contempt, or at best with amused toleration, notwith- standing it has probably more opponents, and an measuraby vaster audience, than all the other instruments put to- gether and that is the squiffer. H>is just here, of course, that the question arses. What is a squiffer? It Is not the first time that the question has been asked, nor will it, in all probability, be the last, and so let it be frankly answered. A squiffer is a concertina, and it is very popular just now "at the front" One IS likely to hear it's strains, especially after nightfall, "somewhere'' in many lands somewhere in France, somewhere along the banks of the Tigris, somewhere be- -yond Gaza, over against Hebron, and even under the walls of Jerusalem, and the tune may be Onward, Christian Sol diers," or it may be "Tipperary" or it may be almost anything else, for the man who plays the squffer is nothing if not eclecti in his tastes
 Now there is one way in which the so- lost on a squiffer differs from the sooist on any other instrument. He neither eX- poets nor receives any personal credit for his performance. The man who owns and plays a squiffer. whether he he attached to a bank holiday or any other holiday excursion in times of peace; or, in time of war be found in the recreation tent at home or in the ruined barn behind the ring line somewhere in France. simply regards himself as means by which a necessary work is being carried through. One of the chief reasons for this is, of course. that he is, after all. mainly an
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
B. NI. AlIen,s Popularity

T read with much interest a letter in Mondays Age Herald, signed by Mr. Charles Sumner, in which the writer sug- gested that Judge B. M. Allen would be a mighty good man to represent this dis trict in Congress" said J. M. Lennard.
 He should be urged to enter the next race. I have heard some well known citi- zens refer to MT. Summers letter and every one of them indorsed it with en- thusiasm.
 Judge Allen is not only man of strong common sense and fine ability, but he is one of the best liked democrats in this part of the state"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

ment extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific. And as everybody is taking a serious view of it and all amateur husbandmen and horticulturists are doing their best the 1917 harvest should reach record-breaking figures. No matter what else may befall us, this country will have no famine and there will be no cause for city people being underfed next winter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
HOTEL LOBBIES
Patriotism of Birmingham

I. Groom Beatty, manager of the. Bir- mingham Realty company, happened to be present at the city commission yesterday afternoon when the city fathers spent Sl0OO00 for government war bonds, and he was very enthusiastic over the patriotism shown by the commission.
 T believe that it is fine business for the city. l am for that kind of patriotism. l believe that it will encourage other cities to do likewise, and I am glad that Birmingham, heretofore advertised, as be- ing broke, can set the pace for northern cities, much less her sister cities in the south," said MT Beatty.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
A Gratifying Patriotic Act

city of citizen
 O0000 of the warb
 spirit which prompted immediate aid nation n approved
 which broad boke the rocks So municipality the United States to of the nation
 reflected the wishes and desires of the of Birmn Il a gratifying
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

Chairman Dent stands out conspicu- ously in Congress, but not in the way the average patriotic American would care to stand.
 It is said that mere boys are being sent to- the German trenches. Is the Hindenburg line worth the sacrifice?
 
 A recent photograph shows Colonel Roosevelt surrounded by newspaper men. The colonel likes nothing better.
  Berlin, N J., may want to change it's name, but Paris, Ky, never will.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
MASON AND DIxoN,s LINE

From the New York Globe.
 In the May American Magazine Henry Sydnor Harrison has an article on vir- ginia in which he says:
 "Every Broadway investigator knows the individual who bounds yelling upon the cafe table when the band plays Dixie and tells strangers with tears of the old family place and lost niggahs. Research has shown that he was born in Staten Island, and thinks that Mason and Dixon's line runs excursions in the sum-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
Memphis Treats Them Right

Capt G. G. Lewis Company A, Second Alabama, formerly the Montgomery Greys." who was in Birmingham en route to Memphis to take his command, after a few days spent in Montgomery, said:
 q am delighted with Memphis, and our boys are being treated royalty The Mem phis people have taken us right into their consideration is shown the men in uni- form. Memphis is great city, and due to the cotton there, I am much at home, for it makes me think of Montgomery, even If Memphis is a larger city, said Captain Lewis.
 Captain Lewis company is guarding the Mississippi river bridge
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
GOING roo FAR.

You are an optimist. hope?'
 "Yes, but I'm not one of those irrepres- sible optimists who are so numerous just now"
 What do you mean?"
 Well I believe the Kaiser's goose is cooked, but on the other hand I'm not predicting that in less than two months British Tommies will be playing con- certinas in Berlin
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
*Kellerna'nn.
STUCK TO HIS POINT.

STUCK TO HIS POINT. And our doctor advised you to take more exercise?" "Yes, but I told him that I ran every. morning to catch suburban train to town"
 .'what did he say to that?' "1e said I ought to move further away from the railroad station"
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
THE GOssIPs.

When people pass before us
 We comment on their ways; That's why the anvil chorus
 Is loud on summer days. We get a chance to view them While out to take the air; Our tattle may get to them,
 But little do we care
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
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moyEp NOT HONOR MORE,

P. S.-My neighbors do not raise chick ems. I wish they did.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
Enhancing Value
 Of Mineral Lands


 7N HERE is a steadily increasing N demand for mineral lands in Alabama, and such being the case values are naturally reaching higher levels. Iron ore property is extremely scarce. Large bodies that were for sale a few years ago have been ac- quired by one or the other of the big corporations. And what is true of ore is coming to be true of coal.
 There are no very large tracts of coal land in Alabama on the market. And that which is purchasable will command a much higher price than was quoted four or five years ago. The fact is that the coal business was so dull this time last year that it was said to be at rock bottom;" but con ditions changed The Alabama market was never better perhaps than it is today.
 Industrial prosperity is not likely to flag during the next ten years. After the war, as now, there will be mighty demand for everything that comes out of the mine or that is forged in the mill. Undeveloped coal land now offered for $50 an acre will be considered "dirt cheap" year hence at $100. The Birmingham dis trict's greatest activity is just ahead. * *
 The old-fashioned southern colonel who used to sit on his broad veranda and sip mint juleps has a son who runs down to New Orleans, Jacksonville or Pensa- able
 Atlantic City, says a visitor, is an att tractive place the year around But it's in the summertime that the fellow with a kodak and a penchant for snapshotting beach beauties hes himself to Atlantic City
 A magazine writer says a certain mo- ton picture star looks as if he needed more fresh air Couldn't have been thinking about that husky Doug. Fair banks.
 Belgian children who are attending schools taught by German officers prob ably think twice before throwing erasers and paper pellets about the schoolroom. When French soldiers see what the retreating Germans have done to an evacuated French village they want to weep and fight at the same time.
 
 Pretty Baby was composed by ne- gro musician of Chicago and it has been played to a frazzle on practically every photograph in the country.
 
 While vigorously recruiting for the Lord, Billy Sunday is not overlooking the fact that men are needed for the army and navy.
 Russia wants the United States to un. derstand that she doesn't need any more men. What she wants is militant Amer ican dollars
 Jack London wrote of jolly tar who couldn't sail a boat The world seems ) to be full of chauffeurs who cant "chauff."
 It begins to look as if this country vii soon be reducing the size of it's garbag can.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
osoMEwHERE IN FRANcE.v

The Germans left town behind
 They hated to do that; But soon regained their peace of mind, Because they shelled it flat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
NO DIsPARAGEMENr

NO DISPARAGEMENT
 T noticed you faltered in the second stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner ' said the first patriot, sternly.
 50 did" answered the second patriot in an apologetic tone. Ut wasn't because I didn't know the words Don't you think that for an instant I merely baked at high note"
 SOMETHING MORE REQUIRED. Do you believe honesty is the best policy?"
 "oh. yes" replied the practical man of affairs, "but nowadays it's a hard pol icy to borrow money on, unless you also have some gilt-edged collateral"
 NOTHING ELABORATE.
 Have you made your plans for the summer?"
 Yes" answered the citizen of modest means. I'm going to invest in an extra Palm Beach suit and have my last years Panama cleaned. After that I expect to stand pat and wait for cold weather"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

FASHION NOTE. Alas, alack! They're making threats Of bringing back The pantalettes!
 Akron Times. Can't jist see why You're in stew, Amt gonna try The things on yew". %Rube dialect to facilitate rhyming.
 Youngstown Telegram. And we don't care What folks have got on, Just so it helps The south sell cotton
 Houston Post. No pantalettes- Just get this pat Will ever hide Annettes* anat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25
NEIGHBoRLY SARCASM.

-FI11 v HI10 -
 T sent word to Dubwaite that if he didn't keep his chickens out of my garden would sever diplomatic relations with him."
 And what did he say?"
 He sent word back that he didn't care particularly about keeping on friendly terms with a man who can't play pin ochle any better than can"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

Atlantic City, says visitor, is an at- tractive place the year around But it's in the summertime that the fellow with a kodak and a penchant for snapshotting beach beauties hies himself to Atlantic c,....
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-25

Some wag has said that chickens are the best vegetables that grow. I believe this and if I find any growing in my garden, why, I, as pot gardener. am going to pot~them.