davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
TENSIONS EXTRAORDINARY,

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
 Get cabinet position in Spain and you will receive a pension of 1000 pesetas a year for the rest of your life. If you serve only one day your pension is se- cure for all the rest of your years. Cao- inets change rapidly in Spain, and there are now about 150 ex-ministers on the pension roll.
 It has been hard to persuade a Spanish cabinet to do away with this evil--just about as hard as it has been to persuade an American Congress to abolish the mileage graft. But at last cabinet of altruistic tendencies has been set up at Madrid and it proposes to wipe out all ministerial pensions. Not only for themselves and their successors, but also for their predecessors who have been the benefciaries of the system, they seek to eliminate the pensions. An ex-minister will, if the cortes approves the measure, be compelled to work for a living just like anyone else.
 No wonder there is unrest in Spain if the statute books contain many laws like this. What would we say in this country if all our ex-members of presidential cab inets were knocking down sl400 a year for nothing?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
A Long Felt Want.

"The Big Sister movement is one of the greatest things the women have ever undertaken" said Louis Pizitz, "and it should have been done before. It has been a long felt need and am glad that the women of Birmingham are interested and want to provide a home for not only our Birmingham girls, but are also looking out for the welfare of the out -of-town girls who come to this city seeking employ ment.
 There are approximately 5000 girls and women working in Birmingham and a large number of these do not live at home, and the establishment of the Big Sister home will give them place to live with homelike sur roundings and at the same time at 2 nominal cost. It is indeed a great thing"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01

The Rev. J. A. MacSporran may not have as many burrs on his tongue as Dr. John McNeiil, but the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of this city, like the shepherd of the South Highlands Pres byterian congregation, is betrayed by his speech.
 believe, however, that he is Cana dian, but his parents were from Bonnie Scotland. For years in America the Scotch-Irish have come in for unstinted praise, and it's a rare combination. but it's hard to get finer type than is found among the Canadian-scotch, and Bir- mingham is to be congratulated on hav- ing such one as Dr. Macsporran.
 Now this is not to be a biography, but rather an appreciation of the man who, having got hold of his own people, is rapidly getting in touch with the folk at large. Now. in the first place. the modest preacher who is the subject of this sketch is as little of a grand stander" as there is among the min istry in this great city, which, by the way, is blessedly free from the pulpit type which always seeks the spotlight. I have so few free Sundays in Bir- mngham that it is rarely I get an op- portunity to hear anyone preach, and, therefore, I have never yet had the privi- lege and pleasure of sitting under the preaching of pr. MacSporran. But stran-
 ger than this, in spite of the fact that am generally where there is any talking going on during the week. it was not until Tuesday at the Kiwanis luncheon that got to hear Dr. MacSporran.
 Count Iva Tolstoi, the eldest son and ! literary heir of Leo Tolstoi the great Russian and world figure. was down for speech about his native land, and there
 were present large number of invited l guests who had come to hear his mes,
 sage There was general disappointment
 when it was iearned that he had beer
 unable to arrive in the city in time tt
 fill the engagement on account of a de layer schedule.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
His Time Was His Own.

Elmore Martin was born in Charles ton, s. C., played second base on the Clemson baseball team for two years and now does engineering stunts for the United States Steel Corporation, but before that he spent several sum- mers at Hungry Neck" the ancient county seat of Berkley county. South Carolina, where the fame still fingers of old Major Freeman, of ante-bellum days. To hear Elmore tell it, the words and music are somewhat like this
 gallant Confederate soldier, a cotton
 planter and first, last and all the time an artistocrat
 ''Now. in those days, when a man
 was really somebody. the thing to do
 was, on the slightest provocation, present him with a watch. I never heard exactly what the stunt was the major did, but there was a great con l course shortly after the war, just after
 the major had made four-day trip to Atlanta on some political business. so
 when he got back the people gathered
 and to the major they presented a watch
 "The stately old gentleman bowed gracefully on the platform, thanked his constituents for their token of ap- preciation and then gave out bit of l information that was at least startl- | ing. He said:
 Gentlemen, I thank you for this token of your interest in me, and l earnestly ask that my refusal of it be
 not taken amiss, but I am gentle
 man, born and bred, I have no need for
 a watch, a gentleman's time is his own.' The major had walked to the meet | ing with somewhat uneasy step, and
 when it was over, in his room at the hotel, he said to the bell boy, take off these shoes and then these socks, l they are the first socks l have ever | worn, and, God helping me, the last !"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
NEWSPAPER oDDITY DOOMED

New Yorl.-The "Old Philadelphia Lady finally is doomed, it is assumed, since Frank Munsey, who has bought the New York Herald is a business man with not much regard for traditions and few. if any, superstitions.
 The "Old Philadelphia Lady, letter is probably the strangest showing of the peculiarities of the late James Gordon Bonnet. Late in a December in the last years of the last century. on the edi- torial page of the Paris edition of the Herald. this letter was printed
 To the Editor of the Herald, Paris, De- ccmber 24 1899: l am anxious to find out tho way to figure the temperature from Centigrade to Fahrenheit and vice versa. Tn other words. I want to know, when ever L, see the temperature desigsated on Centigrade thermometer, how to find thermometers,
 "OLD PHILADELPHIA LADY" The following day. either by mistake or design, it was printed again. some thing happened that day. nobody seems to know just what, and Bennett, who livod in Paris, gave positive orders to the editor of the Paris edition that the letter vas to be printed each day until he or del ed it discontinued.
 Year in and year out since then, the letter has been printed in every edition of the Paris Herald. Editors have come and gone. each one trying to .'kill'' the letter until he ran against Bennetts or der, which he immediately obeyed. When Bennett died after the letter had seen some nineteen years of daily publicity, always under it's original date, the men in control thought it better to let the letter continue until the will was read. and after that, still having no light, they kept it in the Letters From the Peo- pie column.
 If anyone besides Bennett knew why he kept on printing the letter, the knowl- edge is lost now. Some said he had had stroke of fortune the day it was print 1 ed first, and kept it in the paper as a good omen. Others said the date had a significance for him. and he reprinted 1 it daily so that he could find the date without referring to a memorandum | book
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
Overconhdence Might Hurt
 Campaign for Bond Issue

Bc7T HE Montgomery Advertiser
 U sounds timely warning against overconfidence in the cam paign for a good roads bond issue in 1 Alabama. It declares that opposi- tion, heretofore quiet, has cropped out and it is of such character that nobody can tell how widespread it is."
 Some of the smaller state papers have reflected sentiment adverse to
 the bond issue, in spite of the fact that it will mean more for Alabama
 than any single undertaking ever
 proposed for the public welfare. The Advertiser does not believe there is kany organized opposition, and neither
 does The Age Herald, but it is never
 safe to take too much for granted. Apathy just now should neither be encouraged nor tolerated.
 Unhappily, there are sections in Alabama so backward that they ques- ltion the best motives and are against Revery new proposal, whether it is for
 their own interest or the general
 good of the state. A prominent auto
 mobile man recently pointed out in
 "a short address in Birmingham that
 there were Alabama counties which
 actually voted against absolving men who served their country during the war from paying poll taxes for a
 fixed period Nothing but ignorance . or stupidit, could have caused such extraordinary conduct.
 There are people in Alabama who oppose progress, no matter what form it takes. They are afraid of extra taxes, of assuming new respon- abilities. In other words, they are mc sbaeks, living behind the times. It coes ID good, apparently, to tell sush people that automobiles will be taSsd to pay for Alabama's good roads that the federal government will match Alabama's twenty-five miller dollars with an equal sum ari saat tne expenditure of this n y, hs ge safeguarded By
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
Former Crowned Head
 In a Parlous Plight

A REPRESENTATIVE of Con AA stantine, former King of 1 Greece, has appeared in London with a "small but costly crown" for sale. i He reports the deposed monarch in greatly reduced circumstances. { "There is not a poorer nobleman in the world than Constantine. He eats poor food, lives in humble fashion and has hardly any servants to look after his needs"
 Anyone who has ever been a king can realize what all this means. The ], crown to be sold is not the state crown, but smaller diadem reputed to be worth about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Jewels, or ders and badges belonging to Con- stantine have already been disposed of, his agent declares Constantine is not well. He doesn't like being called friend of Wilhelm, which is not so strange now as it would have seemed during the war, and feels ir general much abused man.
 Sweet are the uses of diversity, sayeth the poet, but the worlds de throned and exiled kings do not sub scxibe to that doctrine and even more cast down, perhaps, than "1ino," is Wilhelm, erstwhile chief of the "Potsdam gang"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01

state and federal control that graft and slipshod work will be prevented. They are not open to arguments.
 This type of citizen is in the mi nority. He will not be able to de- feat the bond issue, which will liter ally lift Alabama out of the mud and create untold wealth, providing per- manent, hard-surfaced highways which will put the town and the coun- try into close communication and bring millions of dollars to Alabama farmers who will thus be given the best facilities for marketing their products.
 But lest the reactionaries spread their doctrine of sitting still and let ting the future take care of itself, it hehooves all advocates of good roads in Alabama to keep hard at work until the campaign ends in ox,arub e1p1ipu sI1cceSS
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
RELEASE

By Helen Hunt Jackson. If one had watched a prisoner many
 year
 Standing iehrd barred window pane hetred with heavy handcuff and witt
 chain.
 And gazing pr the blue sky, far and cloAr And suddenly scme morning we shou1
 hear
 The man had in the night contrived q
 gan N His freedom ard was safe, would thl
 tring rains An. would it not to dullest heart appe2 Good tldings? Yesterday l looked q
 one
 Who lay as if asleep in perfect peace His long Imprisonment for lift was don( Eternity's great freedom his reioaas Had brought Yet they who loved hid
 called him dead, And wept. refusing to be comferted
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
INFLUENZA AND GRAPEFRUiT.

From the Florida Times-Un;on
 The discovery that grapefruit is a val uabe aid in the treatment of the Span- ish influenza, now rising to epidemic pro- portions in some of the cities of the north, should widen the market for that product News comes from Orlando that | it is being ordered in carfots by Chicago 1 for use among the flu sufferers the latest manifestation of the sudden de- l mand for it in that city coming in the form of an order from physician of the
 Florida city now in Chicago for two car l loads for Mayor Thompson for distribu-
 tion among those so afflicted.
 1 A statement of the fact that Chicago l is ordering grapefruit by the carload, if Emade in newspapers of the various cities | to which the flu is spreading, should increase the demand for it. If coupled
 with a further statement of the reasons why it is in request among sufefrers
 from the disease, it would lead many not now using the fruit to become acquainted
 with it. Once using it the habit would | soon be formed and the permanent ad- idition to customers for grapefruit would
 be large.
 1 Still more, if the fact that sugar is not 1 necessary, that little salt or ss-t 1 and pepper, improves the flavor more
 than sugar, to those who are not accus-
 toned to it's slightly sour-bitter taste
 might add to it's popularity. The mum
 Der of those who prefer grapefruit with | out any addition, who would rather eat | it ..au naturel," is large and growing. Such users cannot be persuaded that sugar, salt or pepper do more than con ceal the flavcr they like so we'll. In ! fact. the very best quality of grapefruit needs no sugar.
 1 The recurrence of this form of inf1u- enza, especially at time when the na-
 ton is afflicted with so many other ills, | is deplorable. But the growers of grape
 fruit cannot be accused of pure selfish ness, of trying to commercialize the suf-I ferings of their fellow man. if they urge
 upon medical men and patients the use. of their product when it's value is miti-I gating an attack of the influenza is sol well proved that the mayor of one of,
 the great cities of the land orders it by | the carload for distribution among his suffering fellow citizens. K
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
LUKE McLUKE SAYS

There would be less trouble in this country if automobile drivers would use a little horse sense.
 Why is it that the man who can't raise two bucks a week to pay the install- ments on the furniture can always man age to raise $2co to get a divorce?
 We know a married couple who have had 400 fights in the last two years over what make ct automobile they would buy if they had the price of an auto mobile.
 We have located lot of the old timers. But what has become or the old-fashoned girl who used to wear stays?'
 It isn't harc to get a strange woman mad without speaking to her. All you have to do is stare at her shoes.
 Fanny how a man won't get excited over losing six tons of coal from his cellar the way he will if it happened to be six quarts of "Sharkey.
 A bride may have face like an ant eater and be so dumb that she falls over her own feet But that won't keep the local paper from stating that she IS s'beautiful ana accomplished" in the we'd ding notice All brides are beautiful and accomplished
 Maybe the reason why married man is not strong for going to church is because he hears preaching enough at home.
 Why is that a woman regards crochet ing 'ias recreation and regards alarming socks as work,''
 Every week woman makes solemn VOW never to b1y another thire from an aseat And she keeps it until the next agent rings he- door ee,s.
 Some men are so lazy that they can't discharge an obligation without giving lit the customary two-weeks rotice, It has just about gotten 50 that a girl will gc tn any limit of immodesty in or der ic oGveitise her modesty- There are still whole lot of Mary Anns in this country if you cnly knew lit But they sign their name. Marie Antc:nette' .nsi Marianne.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
UNDERWOOD AND TENNESSEE

From the Florence Times
 Whatever the other sections of Ala bama may do in the coming senatorial election, it should go without question that the Tennessee valley will roll up a bis majority for Senator Underwood. A just sense of gratitude on the part of the people of north Alabama amply jus tifies this reflection. The influence of Senator Underwood in favor of the great work that has made Alabama famous in it's material development has been incai- culable. He has been at the head and front of our development here, in fact. throughout the state. His influence at Washington has been most potent. great leader among the statesmen of the coun- try, whose broad views and wonderful ability has made him a national figure. It is gratifying to know that his friends claim for him increased strength among the people in all sections of the state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01

But when it was announced that Dr. MacSporran had been communicated to take his place there was a feeling that the meeting would prove success in spite of the absence of the distinguished foreigner. Now it is never easy to sub stltute on progrs mme, for it makes no difference how capable the man who fills in may be he starts with psychological handicap as the crowd has come keyed up to hear someone else. It's a great disadvantage. for l speak from personal of grief which came over the faces of audiences as I arose to speak in the place of another man.
 
 But somehow the fact that Dr. Mac Sporran, while frankly admitting his em- barrassment, yet boldly challenged his hearers attention by freely stating that sage for such men as he faced. and in making a bold attack on the old idea that one must not talk shop" he soon had their undivided attention I am glad that he punctured the outworn dogma that men when they came togethel should leave behind them all trace of the things to which they gave their time and attention.
 He made it plain that it was frequenly an impertinence for man to talk any thing but shop" for too frequently they ventured into fields in which they had not plowed deep enough to grow a crop of ideas worth being gathered. He felt that the men men who had done worth while things should be called upon to tell about them, and not waste the time of other people by bringing half-baked opinions about matters outside of their lines of en- 1 deavor He was confident that nearly any man could talk interestingly about his own speciality.
 1 Dr. MacSporran was but laying basis | fo his own address, and made no apology l for speaking on the theme which en grossed his own life that of religion, not 1 in the narrow secterian view in whief l spiritual things had been codihed int'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
Gan. Rut Not Forgotten.

The fact that John Barleycorn is dead and buried is demonstrated in small town I recently visited" said w H. Wells. While in this town on business sI passed down the main street of the city and in front of a drug store on one of the most prom inent corners there was small grave with tombstone bearing this inscrip- tion: John Barleycorn. Born 200( years B. C., and died on January 16 1920. Dead and buried but not for gotten for his memory will live for ever This was most unique idea and attracts the attention of al visitors to the city"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
QUITE POPULAR.
THE REV J. A. MACSPORRAN--By Frank Willis Barnett

religious dogmas or enwrapped in theo- a belief nurtured and kept fresh by daily
 communit with God and kept warm in
 intimate and friendly association with man. His theme was about living and not dead faith, blessed reality which
 went down into the very springs of life.
 He demonstrated the fact that when ever a man speaks to mon from the heart, not with winnings or pious tones, but in clarion notes of assurance that men will
 respond to his message It is true that
 the crowd had not assembled to hear
 clear cut gospel sermon, but it is equally
 true that when it fell from the lips Of one whose life backed his preachment
 that those present hung on his every
 word, and when his splendid champion ship of a religion for virile men was fin-
 ished he was cheered to the echo.
 He had the choice of telling few jokes, or of making an entertaining ad-
 dress, but he chose the higher and the better thing and used the occasion for pulpit from which to sound the eternal truths which will always sway men when they are lifted out of themselves into
 higher things by one who is in close touch with God. It was an evidence that prophets of the Lord are not only needed now as in Old Testament times, but that
 when one arises whose lips have been touched with heavenly fire that twentieth century men are as willing to hear him s was Israel in days gone by.
 l was glad for the sake of the minis i try that Dr. MacSporran pitched his 1 talk on such an elevated plane, for it showed that he was not ashamed to mag
 nifty his office as an ambassador of the l Most High to men of this generation 1 am sure that everyone who heard hi.i l admired him for his courage and for < i fervor, for when the Kiwanians ,l5se , by singing their favorite song it had z l ring of a genuine religious hymn, and re
 minded me of great revivals and can.p meetings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
MHo,LL RUN THE RISK.

From the Tampa Tribune.
 Kentucky distillers offer to give away a gallon of whisky to anyone
 who calls for it. Boy. bring a time. table.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
A WORD TO THE WISE

From the Rome News.
 If you would avoid the flu this winter, cal in doctor who calls everything Ike that bad cold
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
colored Piano virtuoso.

Music lovers who attend the piano recital by Tourgee De Bose, colored. at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church next Friday night, will enjoy a real treat" said Oliver Chalifoux. 'I heard him play two classic pieces a few days his musicanship. He has tempera- ment and perfect technic. Not many of the famous artists who have ap- peared here compare with him.
 De Bose comes under the auspices of the colored war community service.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

why so?"
 If he reaches into a pocket it will be safe to conclude that he's reaching for snake and I'll take care not to crowd the reptile"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
ONE LEFT OUT

From the Savannah News
 A liquor deaiei, an undertaken and druggist were among those first arrested in the roundup C. dispensers of wood all eohoi beverages. Somebody wants to know why coroner was not also included in the air-tight corporation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
pIrY THE PooR MORkING GIRL

From the Baltimore American.
 Nowadays. the poor working girl in her fur coat. as she comes from the factory makes the average house. wife look like three dimes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
Has Made Good.

"It is a pleasure while in New York to run across southern boys who have made good in a big way in financial commercial and Journalistic circles. said Al c. Garber, who returned yes terday from a visit to the metropolis T learned last week while in New York that l.. P. Hosmer, formerly state bank examiner and national bank examiner, with headquarters in Bir- mingham, had become cashier of the Fifth National Bank of New York.
 MT. Hosmers home originally was in Greensboro. He built up quite g reputation in banking circles before going to New York. There he became secretary of the Metropolitan Trust Company, and now he holds still more important position.
 The south has right to be proud of the successful men who represent her in the worlds greatest city"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-01
vIcToRs AND VANQUIsHED.

vIcToRs AND vANQUIsHED. The Hun, we heard, was overcome And crushed for many years; For this our soldiers bled and died, For this we paid our tears. But Britain wears a worried look And France does much the same, While Uncle Sam still hems and haws And will not play the game, The Hun alone works, plans and dreams His eyes fixed on star, And well may puzzled neutrals ask, Who was it won the war;"