davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
From the Pittsburg Post.

From the Pittsburg Post.
 SN OMANCE never pictured such ca- |W reer as was experienced by Jeanne S9 Du Barry, one of the most mo- torious women in French history. The Kings favorite for many years, during which she held even the reins of govern ment in her hand, when the revolution looked for retribution, and they found it in the guillotine.
 When the king died and the royal pal ace gates were shut to her, only two of her great army of lovers remained Henry Seymour, a married Englshman, and the Due de Brissac. The latter was cast into prison when Jeanne met a corresponding fate. De Brissac was ex- ecuted first It is said that the mob threw his head into the drawing room at Luciennes before her feet. This was in 1792, Her hour came in 1793.
 There was struggle at the scaffold when Jeanne was led forth to execution. She rushed to its edge, and cried: "HelpI
 
 to pity. The crowd, however. was stirred for an Instant. They were so accus- toned to noble deaths that, for the first time, watching this one 1t occurred to them that hero was a woman going to be killed. But the instant passed; the crowd was soon itself again. So fell the lovely. empty head.
 When Louis XIV of France fell in love with Mademoiselle Jeanne vaubarnier he did not even know her real name. Her real name was Jeanne Becu, the daugh- ter of a seamstress and of father un- known to this day. She was from the Joan of Arc country" She moved to Paris in 1749. There she married do- mestic and she herself went out as a cook.
 It was in 1761 that Jeanne definitely entered the half world, and at a private gaming den in Paris met the man who was to lead her to the heights of ras- cality-Jean Du Barry, called count. ti- tie to which his family had no right whatever
 It was not long before Jean showed that he was no mere libertine. but an ac. complished and perfect scoundrel. He was born to be hero of adventures, and was liked by women. It was said thai he covered" them with gold and dia. monds and for diamonds she became his decoy.
 No mistress had reigned at court since the death of Madame de Pompadour IT I17e4. Richelieu (already Jean Du Bar ry's friend) wanted favorite who woulo play into his. hands. Ills majesty, evel
 on the watch for prey, had caught sigh
 of the beautiful girl. A meeting was ar
 ranged. When the King and Jeanne me she was herself; she treated the Kinl
 as a man. and as the King was man
 he fell in love with her at the first in terview.
 This was in the spring of 17ss. Tn
 King at once began to show marked at
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

Another reason why we have so many divorces is because a girl imagines that she knows all about managing a husband when she doesn't know thing about managing a kitchen.
 This is queer world. The rich think It Is no crime to be poor, but the poor think it is crime to be rich.
 There was a time when girl was afraid you would see her ankle bone. But now adays she seems to be afraid that you won't see her knee bone.
 Any man who can live up to his wife's expectations doesn't need to worry about the future. He'll get to heaven, all right.
 is so much in the newspapers about war and so little about fashion.
 If the average man wasn't such a liar, the average woman wouldn't be so vain. We never knew a practical joker who wasn't poor loser when some other fel- low turned the joke on him. A husband is an animal who knows that he can't buy $10 worth of cigars for s5 but who expects his wife to buy $10 worth of groceries for $5. to make man appreciate the comfortl of his small flat. Things have changed since the old days If the children were not whipped unti father whipped them. they would never get whipping
 We asked this question two years ag6 and have received no answer, so wei ask 1t again. How long has it been since you saw a woman alarming a pair ol socks?
 | You may have noticed that the fellow | who brags about how square he Is hasn'' any corners sticking out of him. | A girl turns a deaf ear to the fellow who is whispering love when a fellow
 who makes noise like real none.
 comes around.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
LENGTH OF REVOLUTIONS

From the London Observer.
 For It's size and significance. the Rus sian revolution is ono of tho quickest and least sanguinary on record. Six days practically saw the end of 1t. where's more than three years elapsed between the storming of the Bastille and the proc lamation of the French republic. It took six days of barricade fighting in 1880 to persuade Charles x to abdicate; but Louis Philippe fled in 1S4S after only two, though the subsequent state of siege lasted four months.
 England was 10 years in establishing a commonwealth, and five weeks sufficed to convince James IT that French soil was healthier for him than English Thej Italian wars of liberation occupied most of 1860; and the insurrection in which the Greeks deposed King Otho in 1862 was over in IA days. The quickest revolution on record was that of Portugal in 1910. which was over in a day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18

woman and child to help increase the food supply. The appeals that have been made for large planting and intensive cultivation have not come from alarmists, but from those who understand what the country is fac ing.
 With the organized efforts now be- ing made in Alabama and elsewhere in the south the future for the farmer is looking bright once more. Let there be no Tagging in this all-important cause.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
MEDITATION IN STARLIGHT

J. H. Fabre, "The Life of the Grass
 hopper"
 High up. immediately above my head, the Swan stretches it's great cross along the Milky Way; below. all around mo, the insects symphony rises and falls. The infinitesirnal telling it's joys makes me forget the pageant of the stage. We know nothing of the celestial eyes which look down upon us. placid and cold, with scintillations that are like blinking eye lids. Science tells us of their distance. their speed, their mass. their volume; it overwhelms us with immensities; but it does not succeed in stirring fiber within us. Why? Because it lacks the great secret, that of life. What is there up there? What do those suns warm Worlds like ours. reason declares; planets whereon life revolves in infinite variety. It is a superb conception of the universe, but. when all Is said, only a conception, not supported by obvious facts, those su- preme proofs within the reach of all. The probable, the extremely propable, Is not the manifest, which forces itself upon us irresistibly and leaves no room for doubt.
 Tn your company. on the contrary, my crickets. feel the throbbing of life. which is the soul of our lump of clay; and that is why. under my rose mary hedge, I give but an absent glance at the constellation of the Swan and devote all my attention to your sera- made! A dab of animated glair, capable of pleasure and of pain, surpasses in interest the immensity of brute matter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
Historic Lens Is
A Great Coal Center

A Great Coal Center
 1T EMS is an ancient French city of lL about 27,o0o inhabitants. It has recently figured in the war news as the center of operations for English and Canadian troops taking part in the great offensive against the Ger mans. It is in the heart of rich coal region, one of the richest in northern France. The number of men employed there before the war was 25,000,- The annual yield of coal was 15,000,- 900 tons. Apart from it's strategic value, the recovery of this territory will be highly advantageous to indus trial France, despite the efforts the Germans are making to destroy every piece of property they have to aban- don. Steel and iron works, foundries, engineering works and steel cable manufactures are also found at Lens.
 The city is only twelve miles from Arras, which lies to the south. It is eighteen miles southwest of Lille. The village of Vimy, now immortal ized by Vimy ridge, is on the line between Arras and Lens. Calais is seventy miles northwest by rail. To Americans who are accustomed to travelling great distances across this broad country, it is hard to realize how close together the towns and cities are situated along the western battle front.
 Lens has figured in wars for hun dreds of years. It was there that the Great Condo, Louis II de Bourbon, styled the Due d'Enghian in early life, regained his military prestige by defeating the Spaniards in 1648. AL though but 27 years old at that time, he had for five years been regarded as tone of the two greatest captains of his day"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18

wv cial9-"The Ever-Faithful
 w Isle" applied to Cuba, is phrase which seems destined to be re- vived with great enthusiasm in view of the island republics declaration of war, "secondtng the high attitude of justice and humanity assumed by the United States of America, bound to Cuba by so many ties of commerce, treaties and cor dial cofraternity" as President Menocal declared in his recent proclamation.
 Tt was the Spaniards who first ap- piled the term Faithful Isle be- at the time of the overthrow of the Span- sh Bourbons of Napoleon" says todays war geography bulletin of the National Geographic society. And now, In the face of great crisis, Cuba, faithful and unhesitating, casts her lot with the coun- try which made her free.
 While Cuba's army of 1000 men and 444 officers and her total unorganized available military strength of 450,0O0 may not seem of vast importance in strug- gle where fighting men are counted in millions, nevertheless the declaration Of war against Germany will doubtless be vast relief to those strategists of the URited States army and navy whose duty it is to foresee lurking danger. Had Cuba seen fit to remain neutral, and had her neutrality been carelessly maintained her 2500 miles of coastline, indented by nu- merous bays and gulfs, would have been a constant menace to the United States as possible bases for hostile submarines and raiders In fact. 1t might have been necessary for our government to main-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
GETTING EVEN
I the Chicago Herald.

From the Chicago Herald.
 A young man and a young woman leaned on the front gate. They were lovers. It was moonlight. He was loath to leave. as the parting was the last He was about to go away.
 'I'il never forget you" he said, "and if death should claim me my last thought would be of you.
 "I'll be true to you" she sobbed. 'Tll never love anyb ody else as long as live"
 They parted. Six years later he re- turned. His sweetheart of former years was married. They met at party. She had changed greatly. Between dances recognition took place.
 Let me see." she unused; was It you or your brother who was my old sweet heart?"
 Neither" he replied. Probably my father"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
HOTEL LOBBIES
Campaign In FranIkIln County


 "The Commercial club of Russellville Is taking up vigorously the matter of in creasing Franklin countys food crops" said J. E. Orman. A letter is being sent broadcast containing the following state ment of facts:
 "All merchants and shippers have been having trouble to get cars to transport the necessary freight to carry on the business of the country. Franklin county buys outside the county about 50 per cent of the hay, grain meat, lard. flour, and so on that she consumes. These commod- ities have been brought in by the rail- roads, and, recently, because of the short age in cars, 1t has been very difficult for our merchants to secure sufficient stock for their customers. Now the United States, because of the war, will need large per cent of the rolling stock of the railroads to mobilize the army. That be- ing true, where will the roads get cars to haul to us the 50 or 60 per cent of the food we are in the habit of buying?
 Let every man on the farm plant enough peas, beans (both garden and feld), potatoes, Irish and sweet, sorghum and corn to insure his own family against want and that his stock will have an abundant supply, then add an acre or two of each for the market. Prices are going still higher and the man who at harvest time has foodstuff for sale will reap a rich harvest No farmer at this time should abandon cotton, for it is an absolute necessity, but he should cut his acreage to feed himself"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
Submarine Attacks
Annericam Warship


 VNTHEN German submarine wv fired a torpedo early yester- day morning at the torpedo-boat de- stroyer Smith, hundred miles south of New York, and fled under water, this hostile act again showed how little credence could be placed in the promises of the imperial German gov- ernment.
 Germany, adopting an aggrieved attitude when America declared that a state of war existed, stated categor- ically that no acts of aggression would be committed until America took the first step. At the time this announce ment was given out Germany was pre- pairing to send her submarines across the Atlantic for the purpose of block ading American harbors and terroriz- ing neutral shipping.
 The U-boat made poor shot, miss ing the Smith by thirty yards, and lost no time in getting safely under the water, but that torpedo was in re- ality the first shot fired in the war between the United States and Ger many. It indicates that Germany, so far as she is able to do so, will carry on naval operations in American wa ters. What they will amount to re- mains to be seen, but it isn't likely that any general attack will be de- livered.
 That we will have to contend with submarines and few commerce raid- CTS is probable. In fact, it is thought that there are already a considerable number of U-boats lurking along the Atlantic coast which have evaded the allied blockade. There is, of course, nothing to fear from the German
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
THREE SEASONS

By c. c. Rossetti.
 "A cup for hopel" she said, In springtime ere the bloom was old; The crimson wine was poor and cold,
 By her mouths richer red.
 "A cup for lovel' how low, How soft tho words; and all the while Her blush was ripping with q smile Like summer after snow.
 "A cup for memoryv' Cold cup that one must drain alone: While autumn winds are up and moan
 Across the barren sea-
 Hope. memory, love: Hope for fair morn. and love for da, And memory for the evening gray
 And solitary dove.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
Shoes for the Soldiers

My company in Milwaukee has just wired to the Secretary of War what regard as very patriotic offer" said John D Reaves. representative of Harsh & Edwards Shoe company, man. ufacturers and tanners.
 'The telegram states that the com pany will manufacture for the govern ment, beginning at once, 500 pairs of shoes per day at actual cost. The ca- pacity of our plant is 4000 pairs of shoes day, so that this offer repre- of the factory turned over to the gov ernment"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18

BEGINNING THE DAY The body of Benjamin Franklin, printer, like the cover of an old book, It's contents torn out, and stripped of its lettering and gliding, lies here, food for worms, yet the work It. self shall not be lost for it will, as he believed, appear once more in a new and more beautiful edition, corrected and amended by the au- fhor.-FrankIin's suggestion for his own epitaph.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
An Inspiring Scene

"I have never seen a more inspiring scene than the young artists contest at the Jefferson theatre yesterday morning. said Mrs. F. T. Rice. The talent dis played by the contestants was most en- couraging. The winners, of course, gained special distinction. but every one of those who took part in the contests were worthy examples Of youthful artists in their chosen fields.
 "The judges had a hard time decid- ing on the winners, as some of those who did not receive prizes were most accomplished. The smiling enthusiasm of the young men and the young woman who were given honors of the occasion was worth going many miles to see. Each of them was filled with the glow ing optimism of youth, than which there is no rarer qua1fty."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
TOO EXTENSIVE.

A creature lovable and bright
 Is Arabella Blinner, But has so fierce an appetite
 l can't take her to dinner. A twent-dollar bill would not
 Suffice, I fear, to feed her; To cabarets where dancers ''trot" I'll never, never lead her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
rHp HAPPY COUPLE

From the Beulah (Mich) Record.
 The bride was gowned in cream silk tint and mode beftting her personal charm and natural grace. The groom was dressed in a manly pride that so goodly heritage had come to him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
A CONTRAST.

A CONTRAST. Now, one must read the papers To keep up with the war And learn from correspondents How great it's horrors are. The submarines are taking Each day a deadly toll And still OCT Europe's battlehelds The mighty thunders roll. We're told of thousands dying, And sufferings acute And desolated cities
 Where man has played the brute. Therefore it's rather restful, Or so 1t seems to me, To turn to the society page And read about tea.
 HIS CHOICE. But don't you want to|hear the roar of the big guns?" asked the excited patriot. NO" replied the confirmed pacifst. Niagara roars loudly enough to suit me and I can listen to that right here at home without running the risk of losing an arm or leg"
 A REAL LOVE MATCH. He married beneath him, you say?" "Yes. Twas a basement affair. He fell in love with the janitor's daughter"
 DOING HIS BIT. NO, doubt, you consider yourself good citizen.'
 T know am," answered the suburban ite.
 Can you point to & single thing you have done for your country?" T can point to several hundred things. At least there were fully that many green shoots in my garden when I left home this morning."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
c3uulEzlhNll3au1fH

P s.: I'm no Nere catalogue gardener. I've got sure enough one, and I don't mind owning up that I'm . pot" gar dener.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
Food Campaign I'm
 The South Active

1M7 EVER has the federal govern 0 NJ ment manifested such earnest interest in food conditions as now. Farmers in every section of the coun- try have been told of the gravity of the situation; of the food shortage in America and in the nations of the allies. But the time for mere talk is past. The time for action is here. And it is highly encouraging to see that the movement to induce tillers of the soil-those who plant large fields and those who raise truck for the market or only vegetables for the home table-to cultivate every avail able foot of ground, is taking practical shape.
 It not infrequently happens that campaigns for promoting some great enterprise fail because the agitation through speech-malking and news paper articles is not followed up at once by tangible work
 Birmingham's food preparedness executive committee, of which John H Frye is chairman, is starting out on the right line. The citizens who form the committee are men who are used to "doing things" An active secretary has been appointed who will devote his whole time to the work in hand and a suitable man for field agent is being sought. One of the most important things the committee will undertake is that of assisting the farmer to procure seed. In this mat ter the government and every seeds man will cooperate. There is a scarcity of good seed, as there is a scarcity of nearly everything else, but with proper conservation there will be enough to go round.
 The more efficient handling of commodities from the producer to the consumer" will be well looked after. An ample fund will be raised to carry on the work.
 The Alabama crop diversification campaign, which was started in Bir- mingham two years ago, aroused a great deal of interest, and the results were fairly satisfactory; but the tor rential rains and floods of last sum- mer wrough havoc in many counties and caused distress throughout almost the entire state.
 The farmers were naturally dis !, heartened when early spring condi- tions were unfavorable, and alto } gether if agricultural Alabama ever needed succor and cheering counsel it is now. It behooves every man,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
Powder Man Is Interested

There Is assuredly no one attending the annual convention of the United States Good Roads convention in this city who Is more enthusiastic over and more in terested in the work of the assemblage than Dr. J. H. Squires, who represents du Pont de Nemours & Co. of Whining ton, Del.
 T am devoting my time and talents to highway construction and improvement and will address the delegates to the con- vention on Wednesday in an illustrated lecture that will be of inestimable value to all who are interested in the work, !" said Dr. Squires
 pr. Squires speaks in glowing terms of the splendid highways of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and sees no reason why they should not be emulated by the state of Alabama.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18

Sound all the lofty instruments of war, And by that music let us all embrace.
 First Henry ".
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
HARDsH1Ps OF WAR.

"These soldiers in camp here seem to be care-free lot"
 "They are not all as llght-hearted as you may suppose"
 "No2"
 "only this morning I was talking to young fellow who said his best girl hadn't written him a letter in more than two weeks"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18

navy, as it is still safely bottled up and will not be able to escape into the Atlantic, so long as the British navy continues vigilant.
 The possibility of bases for subma- rines in the south Atlantic has been recognized by American naval au- thorities, although it is not believed that bases reported elsewhere, par ticularly along the coast of Maine and northern Canada, are in existence.
 That the Germans will sink Ameri- can ships in American waters goes without saying, but no fears are en- tertained of their being able to ac- complish much in the sporadic attacks to which they will be limited. How ever, of one thing we may feel cer- tain. The presence of U-boats will speed up the work of preparedness and will fan the flames of patriotism in this country as no amount of fervid oratory could have done.
 Dream of National
 School of Music
 m URING the last twenty-five or 4S thirty years men prominent in. the musical life of America have writ ten or spoken in favor of the United States establishing and maintaining in Washington a school or college of music. But few persons regarded the proposition seriously. Theatres, opera houses, conservatories and symphony endowed by the govern ment enabled European capitals to have the best, with the people ad- mitted on small charge so far as concerts and other entertainments were concerned, and students of music enrolled in standard institutions for a nominal tuition fee.
 But sturdy, old-fashioned Ameri- cans looked upon luXuries such as theatres and opera houses and con- servatories as part and parcel of the monarchial system, and not to be thought of in America. But after France became republic the govern ment continued to support music and drama as part of the general culture. And some day Uncle Sam may take a cultural view of these matters, and give the country at least great con- servatory in the national capital.
 The Federation of Musical Clubs, now holding it's biennial convention in Birmingham, has done a splendid work in educating the public in the matter of musical appreciation. Who knows but that in the next decade Congress, informed by new ideals, may be induced to build a conserva- tory worthy of this great nation?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-18
PROGRESS.

PROGRESS. 4 "scribson is much encouraged over his new book" Has he found publisher willing to bring 1t out7' "No but the last one he sent it to dic- tated a typewritten refusal, instead of Inclosing the usual printed slip"
 FEELING BETTER. T saw you in a preparedness parade not long ago." "Yes I marched with my fellow citi- zens."
 "Do you still feel the way you felt that day?"
 "No, thank the Lordi My feet are not blistered, my head doesn't ache, and I'm not tired, hot and dusty"
 PAUL, COOK.