davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
"FLU' PLAGUE IN CAPE TOWN

with the door locked. as otherwise they could get no sleep.
 Telephones were not used-nearlN all the exchange people were i'll, and the doctors disconnected their phones as, otherwise the thing never stopped ringing The town and suburbs were portioned out to the doctors who kepa well, and if they fell i'll that district was left without doctor. ,
 Tn the hospital here we were crowd ed out, and all the staffs short. On night duty it was terrible; at times we had 400 patients and several times I only had 10 night nurses on duty. My nurses worked like heroes; never can tell how fully they lived up to sk5 traditions of their professions. Young nurses, most of them, we were all working at more than our best, the dead and dying all round, and deatif in a terrible form. too.many shrieking to the last in terrible delirium. Yes my nurses never faltered: they knew it was almost impossible for them to escape getting it; still steady, brave, loyal girls, they never failed me, an1 al times I had to ask such big things of them; none ever said No" "A
 Night after night some or them got ill and had to be forced to bed; -whenI there were no others to take their places those remaining on duty did. double work. How we did it do not know. Out Of a staff of 150 only F or 14 escaped the disease. All thef doctors were down at one time or an- other; we lost one doctor and one of the porters. Although many of the nursing staff were very near death, We saved them all.
 Things have eased down now, and what Is left is number of people suit -ering from the effects of getting about too early; they have developed, kind of chronic pneumonia. The nurses are nearly all on duty again now, and the past six weeks is like bad dream that could surely never have been real.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

the farmers themselves. As the price is about $20 ton above the price prevailing in the state, the shipment of seven hundred and eighty tons means a net saving of at least $15,000 to the peanut growers of Alabama.
 The purchaser agrees to settle on the weights and grade at the loading station where the weighing and grad ine~are done by a bonded weigher, a county agent or a marketing specialist from Auburn. It is pointed out that by this arrangement confusion over differences in weights and grades is avoided. It has been demonstrated that a good article properly graded will always find a ready market at good prices.
 The growing of peanuts in large volume is a new branch of agriculture lin Alabama. A few years ago the peanut crop in this state was negli- gible quantity. Even after the farm CTS began to increase their acreage the peanut was regarded only as a minor crop. Now it is reaching the level of a major crop. Few farm activities pay so well. So much for crop diversification and improved mar keting conditions which Auburn is all the while promoting.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
', ss' < President Wilson May Return to Europe

WHILE reports coming srs from ;n the the main encouraging and show substan- tial progress made, it seems now al- most certain that President Wilson will have to return to France in the spring. With only about fifteen days left to him for transacting business before sailing for the United States, the peace conference will have to speed up its deliberations considerably in order to solve the more urgent problems which the President feels it his duty to put through, if a sec ond trip to France is to be avoided.
 While MT. Wilson's critics will as- sail him anew if he decides to return to Paris and it may create the im- pression that things are not going as well as they should, nothing could show more forcibly the Presidents sincere determination to carry out to the letter every promise he made when America entered the war.
 On the other hand there is no req son apparent on the surface, at any rate, why there should be any mis- givings about the work of the confer ence. There is a spirit of good will evident among the powers taking part and an evident desire to cooperate for the best interests of all concerned. Furthermore, it should be remembered that the conference is dealing with questions which it is hoped will be settled for all time. It cannot shape the world anew in few weeks ol months. Make haste slowly" is ar adage that forcibly applies to suct weighty and momentous decisions.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Real Estate in
 Increasing Demand

MNTHILE the building trades are w waiting for spring to start active operations, desirable sites are in increasing demand, which is a good indication that Birminghams require ment for new houses is soon to be met.
 If three thousand dwellings could be erected today every one of them would be occupied before sundown. At least that is the consensus of opin- ion in realty circles.
 Real estate prices are still low and the prospective home owner and the alert investor will not overlook bar gains, for certain it is that price levels will advance materially with the first sign of building activity. 6
 In times of extreme dullness only central property attracts the Investor, put now. OH IIle verge Ol d DOOIIl, Out- lying lots as well as "close in' build ,ings are in demand.
 Everybody IS remarking on Bir- mingham's rapid growth. In nc former period of this city's progress have it's strides been so plainly in evi- dence as they are at the present time
 Yes, the cost of building is greater than it was in other years, but prices of construction material will not come down to any appreciable extent ant wages will remain high indefinitely.
 The year 1919 will be as good tim' to build as next year or the year after There will be no economy, therefore in waiting.
 It is reported that the silk topper will enjoy a new lease of fife. Unfortu lnately Dixie land is a place where ther fare few snowballs.
 The war is lover. but for the mex 99 years Hun" will be the short sn ugly synonym for Teuton.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

The perfect male Apollo" has been discovered by committee of the Ma tional Association of Merchant Tailors, but since he was found in the army. we can't hold his pulchritude against him. # x %
 Few men are heroes in their own generations" remarks the Atlanta Journal Posterity will doubtless ap- prove the present generaton's verdict of Jess Willard.
 < # x
 An Atlanta woman shot and killed her husband when another woman called him over the telephone. It's always the open season for husbands in America.
 # < #
 Red-haired heroes are plentiful among allied soldiers decorated for bravery And how about "Titian blondes" who wore the Red Cross uni form?
 # F #
 It begins to look as if Germany would have to wory along without those colonies which were to form the basis of her worldwide empire.
 # x <
 American criminals who took ad- vantage of the army uniform to ply their trade in Paris should be rounded up with a minimum of delay.
 # # #
 With the final exit of John Barleycorn, most of the cabarets in the country Will be put out of business. There is always something to be thankful for. # a # Instead of being permitted to pass his time in saving wood, William ought to be compelled to put in eight hours day tearing up scraps of paper. , < # < The way a returned doughboy de- yours mothers cooking should not be taken as a reflection on the way ! Uncle Sam fed him. # # # Motion pictures have made Coblenz t-er- more or less familiar town 10 mil lions of American movie patrons. * * # | Some conscientious objectors prefer to be called Children of God" They prob | ably mean "Gott." | # # # 1 Clothing prices have tumbied, put put ter and eggs continue to break the al titude records. # # #
 You don't hear of the former crown prince trying to make himself useful in Holland @ ~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
WRONG DIAGNOSIS

From the Rehoboth Saturday Herald
 Mistakes are sometimes made among the medical fraternity which are very funny says Dr. Carrel of the Rockefeller institute.
 "A sentimental young man sent the song. '"There's a Sigh in the Heart," to the charming daughter of a we'll known physician The young man had written the title op a slip of paper at- tached to the outside of the music. The young woman opened it in her fathers study and the slip of paper bearing the words There's a Sigh in the Heart fell on the doctors desk
 ''The physician, finding the slip, ex- claimed. What unscientific rubbish is this? Who ever heard of such a case" On the slip of paper he wrote the fol- lowing, after which he returned it to the young mans address, which was on the reverse side:
 Mistaken diagnosis; no sigh in the heart possible. Signs relate almost en- tirely to the lungs and diaphragm"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

From the London times.
 0N1HE following graphic details or
 the terrible sufferings of Cape
 S Town from the influenza scourge are contained in private let ter from the head sister of the New Somerset hospital, which has been re- ceived in this country:
 We have had most terrible tune in Cape Town, and, in fact, all over co,sxb Africa with Spanish influenza It has upset everything; the rush ID c.na Town has been SO dreadful that avarv one who was not ill has been worked to the limit. At first we laughed and joked about the fiu' put in a few days people began 10 DC H. by the dozens; the sickness Was seiS violent. very short and very fataL De- fore the first week was out they were dv,ne as if with a plague, by the scores and later by the hundreds. The deaths started with 20 day ana De- fare many days were over mounteo un ,o 800 and even 500 day. In two weeks 5000 people died, and cape Town was like city of the oead.
 Tn the hospital here the servants too,s III first; then all the laundry peo- ple. then porters and ward maios' las' of all the doctors and nursing s.alt-, The people died in the streets; at ono time big covered wagons patrolied the streets to pick up the dead. house. to-house visitation was started, and the most terrible state of affairs was discovered whole families strlckeh' the dead and living in the same beds no food in the house, no one able to crawl about to get it; hundreds or people starving because they could not po ont to get food; all delivery carts stonned. no one to drive them; shops shut, the people being i'll, business houses shut up:\trafns and trans stop ned running: theatres. telescopes ana churches all empty and closed It was like the great plague in London. Tn the great cemetery six miles out of Cane Town there were no people to
 
 | friends and relatives from a motor car l to the plots, and had to dig the graves themselves: often they were so weak | that they could only dig two or three 1 feet deep, and as they turned to get l the body they had brought other peo- ple came and threw the bodies of | their friends into the grave others mad dug; fights ensued, and the scenes were terrible. No clergymen or priests l to bury anyone. At the height of the plague shere were no collins, and the people. rich and poor, were buried in blankets. The bodies turned black some hours before death, and the stench from them day, or. even two days, before they died was like a pes- tilence Relief parties were organized and the military were called out to 1 dig graves. Doctors and nurses work ed until they dropped. and others, to keep themselves well, never went td their homes. but slept somewhere slss
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
HOW KITCHENER DIED

tho crowd at the single one which was opened may have blocked many people from getting on deck
 One raft turned over and the one of the other three rafts on which the war rant officer was riding. drifted befors the gale for over five hours. when by an extraordinary chance it passed through rocky entrance and was beached on an island. By that time of the 30 on the raft many had been washed off, and of the rest all but four had died and had fallen into the net in the middle oa the raft
 On reaching shore the warrant officer scrambled out, and found himself among the rocks. 6
 He scrambled up them with great difI ficulty, tearing off his nails, and with one other man got to the top about 4:39, clock in the morning. There he found a shed and spied a moving light His farmer going about in search of cattle.
 With the aid of some farmers, the four. survivors, who had been taken to ths house, were well looked after In all there were P survivors, two on a sec-' ond and six on a third raft, blown ashore two or three miles from his land -s ing place. . No officers were saved, a fact which. prevented their doings in the Jutland battle being reported and rewarded. There was no time between that battldl and the authorization of Lord Kitchener for proper report to be made. The warrant officer scoffed at the idea
 of Lord Kitchener being alive. He is
 quite sure that the Hampshire was not
 torpedoed, but struck mine
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

Why Is it that a man gets so much pleasure out of doing things that he ought not to do and that he cannot af- ford. to do? is., --
 The marriage service is supposed to be a solemn affair But we can't help laughingG when big corn fed girl promises to obey little hungry look ing shrimp that she can whip with one finger.
 The average husband will admit that his wife is his better half because 1t and admitting that she is the whole thing.
 A woman will buy s10 worth of junk on credit when she wouldn't think of buying 10 cents worth if she had to pay cash.
 When they are first married her kisses are hot, but her suppers are cold. But a year later her kisses are cold, but her suppers are hot, l Any time you get into fight just re ! member that the other fellow is as bad | ly scared as you are. ! Funny how daughter can dance N miles the night before and never get l tired and how she cant walk 40 yards | to the grocery to get her mother a bar of soap the next day because her feet
 hurt her so much.
 1 And what has become of the old
 fashioned man who was able to run two flats on one salary?
 When man wants sto be driven to
 drink nowadays he goes ahead and phones for a taxi.
 ] If you want to learn how much pow ! erty there is in this world just gS
 around and try to borrow s10 from your ! friends. 1 Another queer fish is the man who would rather brag about his ancestors than brag about his children. Ns l A single man has to go out when he lis hunting trouble. But a married mar
 can always find it right at tome.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

From the Manchester Gng) Guardian.
 1T ONDON.-The loss of H. M S. H Hampshire with Lord Kitchener
 and his staff on board, in June, 1916, has been one of the great mysteries of the war. Questions have been asked in Parliament and in the press, and 8 report was presented by the naval com mittee which investigated the disaster, but until now no detailed account of it has yet been published. The following narrative is now given by a warrant of fcer who was saved from the wreck:
 H. NJ. S. Hampshire, four days after the Jutland battle, in which she sank Lord Kitchener aboard June 5, 1916, about o'clock in the afternoon, and set out with 800 passengers in the foulest wealth CT known in that region, It had two es- corting destroyers, which soon returned to port, they were unable to face the storm. Everything aboard was dashed down and only one hatchway was open.
 At about o'clock terrible explosion took place forward and there was a scramble for the companion. A large number of the crew were young and new hands and there was good deal of hurry All the lights went out at the moment of the explosion. There was no attempt to launch boats. which could never have lived in the sea that was running. Life rafts however, were
 launched. -fss
 There was no sign of Lord Kitchener, and it is thought that he never got on deck There was not five minutes between the explosion and the disappearance or the ship. Vain attempts had been made 4. o~ox, oil bo+obuovs and if is thou ght
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
KEEP THEM OUT

From the Baltimore American.
 This war has made many lessons for us and the most pertinent one now is that our national good nature should no longer tolerate the abuse of our hospitality by foreign crlm- inals and agitators. To such our doors should be closed in future after those already among us have been sent back whence they came.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Shoes Higher in Price

J. A. Blumberg has just returned from Boston, where he attended the conven- sale shoe dealers
 If people think that shoes are de- clining in price, said MT. Blumberg, they are mistaken. Prices are higher by 50 cents a pair. This is caused by shortage of labor and shortage of leather since the armistice was signed.
 ''The merchants and public should make up their minds to buy what they need. There was strong vote to that effect at the Boston convention"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
TRANSLATION FROM HORACE

By Lord Byron. The man of firm and noble soul No factious clamors can control No threatening tyrant's darkling brow Can swerve him from his just intent Gales the warning waves which plou gl, By Auster on the pillows spent To curb the Adriatic main,
 Would awe his fix'd. determined min,
 in vain <t Aye, and the red right arm of love, Hurtl;ng his 1ightnings from above, With all his terrors there unfurrd \ He would, unmoved, unawed behold The flames of an expiring world
 Again in crushing chaos rolId N In vast promiscuous ruin hurled, ~ Might light his glorious funeral pile Still dauntless midst the wreck 70 earth he'd smile.s ...s..l "A
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
HIS SOURCE OF INFORMATION

From the Los Angeles Times.
 An attorney was examining a witness acter of the dead man kwho figured in the case to which the witness replied:
 .He was man without blame. be- loved and respected by all pure in all his thoughts and"
 How did you learn that?'' demanded the judge. T read it on his tombstone was the disconcerting reply.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
THE .srRIMMvN,ss

From the Louisville Courier Journal
 It is stated that there Is more nou- rishment in peanuts than in beefsteak. but one cannot always have herd of elephants, a corps of clowns, beautiful bareback riders and ringmaster in for dinner to make him enjoy his peanuts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
EXTENSIVE TO BE SOUGHT

From the Nashville Banner.
 Never" says the New York Sun, did office more instently seek the man than did the senatorship from Michigan seek MT Newberry." And. as it happened, it cost MT. Newber~y something like S165.O00 in cold cash to be found.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
THE PRESIDENTIAL SHIP

From the Washington Star.
 Tn spite of the deference due lad.e it must be admitted that the Georg, Washington is a far more wonderful steamboat than the dear old Marthi Washington.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
AuuNMMdAuntfH
DEAD AND DON'T KNOW TT

From the Houston Post.
 The distillers expect a change of senti- ment when the soldiers return from France. This thing of being dead and not knowing it must be profound state of annihilated mentality. Death probably has Its degrees and the distillers may have taken the >S7th degree of inanima : ftnu
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

Washington. bureau, 2o7 6lnps oD-- ing. s,ra.t
 European bureau, Henrietta sN' Coyent Garden, London .1o
 Eastern business otfice' building, New ork city, "es'ein oss-, ness office. Tribune building, Chlcaeo The S. .. Beckwlth speclai Aseno'' agents for foreign advertlslnG.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

ONLY THE BRAVE" ETC. 50 you have been to Paris, ladZ' The soldier answered, Yes" What did you think of Paris, lad? Opinion please express.' T had poor luck in Paris. sir. The story I'll unfold. I met 2 peach in Paris, sir, And waxing rather bold. T said, How do you do, ma'm'selieT And soon began to rue it. All she could say was, Kees -ine,
 please
 And I didn't dare to do it.
 A MISNOMER You Americans are queer people" remarked the English visitor. Flows that. Lord Blessus?" You speak of a swindler as conf dence man."
 '"wel1?"
 By jove. sir, you can't put any con- fidence in the ba1ly chap at all"
 ABSORBED 'Mrs. Grabcoin was deeply interested fin the opera"
 -Tndeed7'
 'Why, several times while the tenor was singing she actually forgot what she was talking about
 A SAD PARTING "As a rule we don't publish poetry. but here are some lines that seem to be worth while. At any rate, they have extraordinary depth of feeling" "What are the verses about7- "A Kentucky colonel addresses a farewell to his mint bed~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Midway Across the Lake

q would like to see a permanent midway built across the lake at East Lake park" said J. w Nelms of that enc of town. Tt could be built 50 feet wide with the attractions and booths on either side of large walk way and would offer a much better stroll than the old chert walks on ono side of the park.
 If the attractions were placed on the proposed midway numerous small sheds and buildings could be torn away and more playground fixed up. The short walk to and fro along in front of the punched attractions gets very monotonous. while stroll across the lake in itself would be refreshing"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Thirteen No HOodOO

"Yes. I have seen this bank grow" said w. D. Robertson, assNtant cashier of the First National bank
 twenty years ago the bank had an organization of 12 people, I made the thirteenth. Today there are 107 ind;- viduals on it's roll.
 "No, being number 13 hasn't proved a hoodoo for me- Perhaps the un- lucky number was balanced by the fact that I was born on the same day the bank was chartered, April a5 1SS3"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Membe. of the Associated Press

The Age-HeraId is the only LnoA to ne and sunday newspaper in Birmlhs aTA.. carrying the Associated Press
 patches. ,,.aIv
 The Associated Press is exclusi' entitled to the use for-Puptlca1 n, alI news dispatches credited 10 er not otherwise credited ln ehls Ro.t and also inc local news published herein.
 All rights of republication or spseia' Dispatches herein are also reserVeo'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
BAD FORM

'aThe spirit of your departed husband wishes to speak to you about famllN matters" announced Madam Mistlvo, the eminent medium.
 "Oh. dear! That's just like Henry exclaimed the client. 'He never did have any sense of proprtety"
 Whats the matter?' .
 '-Fhis gentleman with me is my sec ond husband"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
FORGOTTEN SLOGAN

'eTime flies"
 Millions of near-philosophers nave [ made that remark"
 Perhaps so. I was just thinkins' how long ago it seems since the ]in- goes were shouting, on to Mexico"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
HIDING THE HEADLINES

HIDING THE HEADLINES T detest the man who reads news paper over my shoulder in a trolley car"
 Don't you know how to punish him?'
 ".No." s@Turn the paper So all he can see i5 fu1l-page department store adver- in the prices of ladies' underwear"
 PAUL COOK. '
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30
Here is the Opportunity

we had a hunch that there would be something doing in the way of in dustral development in north Alabama as soon as the auiescent period fol- lowing the close of the war ends," said Fred Pieper. jeweler, of Covington. Ky. who, with Al Miller of the same city. were In Birmingham yesterday, and we came down to take 8 look. If there is anything good to be picked up we want to get in on it. This is our first trip to Birmingham and we are very much pleased with what we have seen so far. We are going into tho mountains north of here for a few days and then return here before going back home We started south in an automobile, but when about half way decided to complete the trip by rail-