davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
A Mothers Prayer

the little baby drew it's nourh with whom conversed with soul? burning and these strange the flesh held to hear martial the terrible and the broken bodies o boys Mo- mo- will not see heroes shedding such blood they can spare berys and then coming n kisses and new love!
 straight boy Keep little tender Keep patriot!
 this heart? feel strangely un worthy and then drew to him simply modesy mother; needs me- pride And as he walked away from laughter it seemed that he no mine grown big.
 And he is not mine He him the heart was so depths Oh how loved him! how life could hold much Now Thou requiring Thou hast blessed beyond wonderful by sending hin, the my soul
 not know My country Thou Thou wilt And Thine No cannot country Thee give him to Theefo Thy country. country is Thine,
 me? Can bring him back? And who to require of God? him Thou already him once should privilege again. had him. him. Death take him do not give him him closer bigger boy, life
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

sunday School Conferences Success
 T had no idea that the city-wide Sun day school conference for teachers of girls. held under the auspices of the Woman's Council of the Birmingham Sunday School association was going to be such big success,' said Miss Myra Batcheler, the general secretary, and one of the most efficient Sunday school workers in the south. "The attendance was very much better than I had hoped for the programme was fine, and the fellowship great Birmingham is learn ing to do things in a big way in re- Hgious as well as business enterprises. It's a great pleasure to have such CO., operation. There will be an open meet ing at the First Presbyterian church this afternoon at o'clock, every teacher and mother, of girls 1923 years, is in vlted. The big mass meeting will take place at the First Methodist church at 4:3O Rev. R. A. Waite, assistant secre- tary secondary superintendent of the International Sunday School association, with headquarters at Chicago will make the principal address The hours have been so arranged that both meetingi can be attended"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
Crowder Getting Wise

T surely have learned a lot that never knew before about Jefferson ooun- ty' said Arthur Crowder, foreman of the grand jury, and who is supposed tc pc we'll Up on everything pertaining to Birmingham and imperial Jefferson.
 Tn the first place, it is 8 whopper. There are IS Missourians on the jury, so the officials have had to show the jurors whole lot. For instance, we lunched at the county convict farm, then went g miles to Taylor's Ferry to inspect the prize camp. We had dinner, eating the same food served to the convicts. can say this much, the road being built is go- ing to be a great piece of work. I am beginning to believe that one of the best things the civic bodies in Birmingham can possibly do is to get some of Bir- mingham's leading citizens to make tours over the county and see some of the as sets and the problems. It has been of great help to me in appreciating the task of the county commissioners Theirs is no easy job"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

ginia. My folks were owned and waited upon the r. r. v's If you don't be- lieve me, just ask Dr. George Denny, president of the University of Ala bama." And then he told me how Dr. Denny's father, a Presbyterian minister, used to visit the family in which his father served, and that he himself waited on the table, and that after din- ner was over he and "George"-.splease remember we were just boys, and used to go fishing together; in fact, played together as only the old time aristo- cratic white boys played with colored ones In fact, it was hard to keep him out of the kitchen as he was al- ways following me about"
 I know of no stranger thing in the history of education than that story of the white boy and the ''pickaninny' who roamed the fields and fished the streams of old Virginia together just at the close of the war. The colored boy freed, but handicapped, started an up hill fight to learn how to read and write and made good and is today the pres- ident of the greatest negro school in the world; while the white lad, though shackled by the awful days of recon struction, yet made his way through college and is now the head of the Uni versity of Alabama. Can you beat this story of two boys reared in Virginia; the one white, the other black, but fast friends. who, in the whirligig of time. landed tho best educational plums in Alabama. It is stranger than fiction. because truth is stranger than fiction. I, for one, take pride that we have them both in my home state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
GODS WAYS

By William COwper. God moves in a mysterious way,
 His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea,
 And rides upon the storm Deep in unfathomable mines
 Of never falling skill, He treasures up His bright designs,
 And works His sovereign will. ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
 The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy. and shall break glIn blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble senss,
 But trust Him for His grace; Behind frowning providence.
 He hides smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, < Unfolding every hour; The bud may have bitter taste,
 But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err. sAnd scan his work in vain; God Is Ills own interpreter.
 And he will make 1t plain
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

The books that are written to lead a boy into the paths of virtue might do more good if they didn't put boy to sleep as soon as he tries to read one of them.
 princess often wonders how a police department detective ever manages to apprehend criminal, because a police department detective never looks a bit like Sherlock Holmes
 married man hates to be impolite. Yet he knows that if he tips his hat to a woman when he is out with his wife, his wife is going to ask him million questions about the woman and is going to regard him with suspicion for a day or two.
 Some men never ask you question un- less they know the answer and are mere ly trying to show up your ignorance.
 As soon as Congress saddles prohibition matters of the nation, 1t might enact a law compelling a man to wash his feet at least once week.
 Another thing that we have learned is that there never was satisfactory hus- band nor a satisfactory train schedule.
 A girl may fail in her lessons in high school. But she never fails in her les sons in dancing school.
 It is hard to please everybody. A grouch can be offended 100 times a day, while good-natured man won't see a thing to be peeved over. This surely would be wealthy nation if it was as much fun to save money as it is to spend it.
 Every wife knows that if it wasn't for her, her husband would be much big ger fool than he is.. What has become of the old fashioned man who used to peddle lightning rods | Never marry woman because she has teeth like pearls and beautiful hair. You may discover when it is too late that the l teeth are false chewels and that she is ald-headed.
 l Why does man who sheds dandruft l insist on wearing black coat when he 1 could wear a gray one? 1 If girl is we'll built and the wearing of a kimono proves that fact, she man. ages to let the young man she is chasing l catch her wearing kimono when ht calls at her house. | We are not afraid of hard work, and
 we do not mind being kept bVsy. But ws act as delivery wagon rorta colony oi Belgian hares. |
 What has become of the old-fashioned
 woman who used to trade off her hus-
 bands old clothes for kettles aid pans Il The reason why girl can wear an in-
 visible waist in cold weather with 8
 w in front that comes down almost as
 Tar as the Mason Dixon line. is because
 she is wearing an opaque skirt so sh
 won't catch cold,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

"Hypothyreosis' has been dragged into the De Saulles trial and a physiological chemist is to figure prominently in the proceedings. That court room is no place for an ordinary allenist.
 # $. # Villa says he will follow the rules Of civilized warfare. He probably realizes that there is no use trying to compete with the Huns in frghtfulness.
 < * Judging from the way things are going now, the Kaiser will be able to eat his Christmas dinner in Petrograd if he so desires.
 One ministerial crisis follows another these days. The premier of Sing Sings Mutual Welfare league cabinet has re- signed
 Great Britains tobacco controller sug- gested that women give up smoking. They replied, Well, of all the cheelSp' That settles itl
 # # x Those French and British troops sup posed to be hurrying to help the hard pressed Italians must think they can win in a walk
 If Lenine thinks he can make ali the belligerents stop fighting he is a bigger fool than even his photograph indicates
 ;; * Considering the weather in Flanders, it's fortunate that the modern soldier can keep his powder dry
 * * . It certainly does lend interest to crim- inal trial when a Broadway past figures in the testimony
 If these were not such parlous times we might drop tear for the passing of Sousa's beard.
 So far as the ultimate consumer is con- cerned, Dr. Garfield can't shake the big stick too often.
 Kerensky's chance to have his monu. ments scattered all over Russia has gone glimmering.
 # # * C Have any of the food conservationists discovered way to eat the outside of a pineapple?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
All Enemy Aliens
 Should Be Interned

TIT is reported that Attorney Gen J eral Gregory will urge Congress to amend the law providing methods for dealing with enemy aliens, so as to include females over IA years of age.
 When the new regulations were an nounced, making no provision for women, many of whom are actively engaged in secret service work for the German government, it was evi- dent that serious blunder had been made. Every one knows that a skilled woman spy is more dangerous than a man. They have been able in many instances to get information where a man would have failed.
 The American government and the American people have no desire to be unjust to German women, but when they are found to be enemies of the country they should be interned along with men.
 It would be folly to exempt large number of expert female spies mere ly because they are women. Can any one doubt that they would seize the opportunity granted them to redouble their efforts and make up for the shortage of male spies?
 The department of justice is aware that many women are employed by the German government in this coun- try. They have been responsible for plots to destroy munitions plants and cripple other industries.
 Chivalry is admirable, in war as in peace, but it can be overdone. Con gress should amend the law directed at enemy aliens to include women anG thus remove a serious menace to oul shipping and industrial plants.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

YAM a southern man, born and reared II in south Alabama and therefore 4 can afford to be interested in the negro race without being suspected of playing to northern prejudices or sym pathies.
 I realize that now is a time for bet ter understanding between the two races. The country is at war and needs both white and black to win it. I have stood here in Birmingham pledging the loyalty of the negro, and l have been rlad that they have not failed to do their part.
 The labor situation in country, town and city became acute with the constant stream of negroes going north. It ere ated new conditions for southern whites, just as it intensified racial problems for northern whites, but I am not going to try and settle them now, although want to have my part in seeing that they are settled right in the end. and therefore I pespeak the cooperation of right thinking men of both races to make 1t easier in trying to find the best way.
 I have been attending the colored Methodist conference and the Baptist convention because l wanted to see and hear the representatives of these two great religious bodies discuss the ques-
 
 surprised not only at the earnest but at the intelligent way in which they are trying to thresh out problems af- fecting not only their spiritual but their material welfare There has been mighty little foolishness talked in either of the meetings
 l I think they are right in endeavoring to find a solution themselves, in their own way, without continually calling on their white brethren to help them out but, on the other hand, l have felt they are truly thankful whenever one of their white friends manifests ger uine desire to show them better way. I believe that the more the ne- hero ia made to work out his own sai- 1 yaffpn, the quicker will come his re- demption. The various white boards in the differeat denominations are begin lning more and, more to put the burdens souareiy upon negro shoulders. It makes for manhood and self-reliance sr>s
 When I learned that Matpr Moton, the president Of the Tuskegee Institute, Was to speak at the Baptist contention on Friday night I made up nJ mind to hear him. for he occupies position of great influence and has It within his power to serve his peop9 as well as the whites of America All that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
Hard Work Follows

T find that when a fellow gets out on committee duties, and I am always ready to do my part and most generally get put on everything that comes along, that it takes hard work to clean up ones desk after he returns to business" said John Shelby.
 We surely have made things hum this fall in doing our bit for Uncle Sam. 1 was glad to see in recent issue of the Manufacturers Record of Baltimore, an article in which cabinet members we,a loud i'll their praise of the manner in which Birmingham had done and was do- ing her part to help win the war l know of nothing which better advertises a city than for 1t to get the reputation of pulling together and either landing big things or pushing big things along If we keep on pushing as we have been doir g for the past few months we will land something for ourselves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

M Sr,ans llfs al, .n three ,".,, of .tsnsI. the M S VS and geologists, as we'll as ex- perts from Pennsylvania and wyom ing, express opinion that the discovery
 of natural gas within eight miles of
 the Birmingham courthouse means
 that there will be billions of cubic feet of it in this territory.
 Gas and oil men of the world at
 large are here and are spending their
 own money in boring wells. One of these men told me yesterday he be- lieved that they would develop gas
 enough to last Birmingham and it's in-
 dustries for more than twenty years. He likewise expressed the opinion that
 oil would be found in the lower stra- tas He and his associates believe SC
 fully in it that they are spending their
 money freely for development, expect ing to get an hundred fold return. These oil and gas men are enthu- siastio over the district. They nave
 made money in other fields and they expect 60 make it here.
 Local geologists and engineers have
 for many years expressed the opinion
 that beth oil and gas were in this territory in volumes. But apparently no one, until outsiders came in, was willing to spend money in large sums
 to develop this fact.
 Last Thursday I saw the two wells
 already bored and saw flames shooting up forty or fiyt feet where the gas fits boring additional wells one thou sand feet apart, the engines of the drills being operated by gas from the two wells already complete. I was told that the measurement shows more than one million cubic feet day from one of the wells, and nearly that much from the other The gas men tell me they will get five or ten times as
 much when the other wells they pro pose boring are complete
 While some people express doubt as to the quantity of gas in the dome, the men who are spending their
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

had ever read about him was in his fla vor and I was anxious to meet him.
 I happened to be in Atlanta when Booker T. Washington made his famous new leader of his people. Some of the south's greatest orators spoke on the same occasion, but it was conceded by all that the brother in black had car- ried off the honors, for his address was telegraphed over the country and com mented on editorially by practically the whole press of America.
 I heard him about 20 years later at Harvard university at a sociological con- gress. I was the only southern man present He thought he was speaking to a northern crowd. I must confess that he gave those Boston Yankees the In my life. I never heard the southern white man more enthusiastically praised. He spoke as defender of the south. I had heard it charged that he had one talk for the south and one for the north. After hearing him at Cam bridge, felt that it was doing him a great injustice.
 I met him later when Charley Hare kegee and I had a talk with him. He struck me as being a man who had a great enterprise on his hands, and that he was carrying the burdens of a race on his heart. To me he was a pathetic figure in bronze. pioneer trying to carve out path in which his people might walk to higher and better things. He blazed the trail in which Major
 Moton walks, but 1t is not yet a thor oughfare. There is much work to be done.
 was amused at Major Moton's de- scription of the way in which my friend w. w. Campbell, the banker of Tuske-
 gee and one of the trustees, went about to lock up his record before he offered
 him the presidency. It seems MT. Camp i bell got on the train and made for Virginia and got an opinion from Dr. 1 Alderman, president of the University 1 of Virginia. He then went to Newport News and other places talking with men, high and low, white and black,
 asking them what they knew about Ma 1 jor Moton. "He did all this before he
 called on me" said the major. with a
 merry twinkle. and then he looked me
 up and said: "Moton, you are all right; everybody in Virginia says so."
 I He has face that lights up wonder fully just before it breaks out in a
 smile. and grinning with delight. he
 said: "Dr. Barnett, you know come
 from one of the first families in vir-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

| money in the work are confident this is one of the greatest fields in the world. They seem. likewise. confident that they will develop oil somewhere in the neighborhood of three thousand feet below the surface, and have or dered an outfit for boring to this depth.
 Of course men boring for gas and oil must be speculative. They study geological formations and base their opinions on what has been developed in similar geological formations in other sections. Based on the West Virginia fields they believe both gas and oil are here in great quantities and they are spending a lot of money to prove the accuracy of such judg- ment.
 If they be correct Birmingham will be the largest and most prosperous city in all the south within year It might double in population in that time.
 Natural gas in quantities will bring every sort of industry, even unto d government armor plate plant, per- haps.
 1,a nax 1f t-,r-n flo. velopment, the prospects of oil de- velopment and the splendid news about the great new work the Tennessee Company is doing and is to do in this district, given out by President Cor don Crawford yesterday, and printed in another column of today's Age-Her- aid, means that this district is simply humming.
 Not only in a manufacturing and a development way is this district doing it's duty, but it's men and it's women, young and old alike are doing their full duty by this government in the great world war in which this country is taking the leading part. Thousands of Birming- ham and Alabama boys are already in France and many of them are now on the battle lines.
 There have been no slaclers hereabouts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE GREAT
 DOINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OF BIRMINGHAM

Those who are too old to serve and those who have been rejected are doing their full duty at home. Even the coal miners have quit fussing over wages and have gone to work on full time in the hour of their countrys needs
 The women are likewise doing their full patriotic duty at home. Practically every woman in Birmingham is knitting, doing Red Cross work or performing some other function in support of her governments great efforts.
 # # %
 And this reminds we that Alabama should not be laggard in according to woman her full rights.
 New York has recently voted in favor of woman's suffrage. If the women of this state want it, and believe they do, the next Alabama legislature should sub- init the matter to the people, Few men will there be who can be elected to the next legislature unless they are pledged to vote to submit the matter of womans suffrage to the people of the state.
 If the women want to vote under the educational and property qualifications surrounding the ballot in this state they sould be permitted to do so
 am told that fully 40 per cent of the residence and business house property in Birmingham is owned by women. These women property holders are certainly entitled to voice i'll the selection Of those who are to govern municipal and state affairs. If the women had their way Birmingham would soon have magnificent. and an architectually impos- ing, auditorium in the center of Capitol park. Then there would be a real play ground for the people, place for con ventions and a place to shelter all those ing on Sunday afternoons. But, as it is, this auditorium should be builded at once and builded in Capi- tol park-in it's center, like the buildings in the parks in Washington, and in all the capitols of Europe
 Let us all get together and do this.
 Ao,AR,-eo
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
ALABAMA PRESS

Alabama Reporter: It is amusing to hear the appeals for economy. My! Isn't everybody cutting corners and living as cheaply as the high costs will permit!
 Sylacauga News: While the daily pa pers are making governors the weeklies are tuning their harps to play an inde- pendent tune for one time.
 Ashland Progress The delicious south ern yam is growing sweeter every day, as if trying to fill the breach caused by the sugar famine.
 Florence Times: Lauderdale farmers have sown more wheat this year than ever before. They have been Hooverized and they will get ss>ser bushel for their next crop. ->
 Carbon Hill Journal: We are going sto miss the Christmas cheer that comes from jug this year; but we can feel just the same If we contribute something to the comfort of the boys in the muddy trenches.
 Russell Register: The governor of North Carolina has just paid a visit to the governor of South Carolina. but so far as press reports show history did not repeat itself
 Piedmont Journal: Yes, it costs to be an American citizen, but it's cheaper than being a subject of the German Kaiser.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25
East Lake on Map

East Lake Is enjoying the fact that she furnished a chairman of the commits sioners for the city of Birningham,' said pr. c. c. Jones, the well known physi- elan.
 Just at present the faculty of How ard college are feeling elated over the splendid way in which the interests of the college were presented before the Baptist State convention at Sylacauga, and before the Woman's Missionary union at the Southside Baptist church. It seems that the denomination is be- ginning to awaken to the fact that How ard college is worthy of better sup port than it has had in the past"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-25

loyal ally of Potsdam, would not only have conquered territory restored, but would be given two of Russia's impor- tant trade routes.
 Even the Bolsheviki may soon find out that they are dealing with crafty government which, far from making reparation for the devasta- tion it is wrought, is still intent on schemes of conquest and aggrandize- ment.