davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21

From the Kansas City Star.
 S7 N reading the much talked of
 novel, Main Street." which Is GA now being published in the Sun day Star. one is reminded of the remark of an old Scotch lady about Burns The Cotter's Saturday Night that she saw nothing in the poem whatever because 1t was an account of exactly what had happened In her home every Saturday night. Here. indeed. was high compliment to the poet in his faithful reproduction of life. The outstanding feature of Sinclair Lewis book is the truthful picture which 1t contains of a sec tion of American life.
 Tn holding up the mirror to the small town of America and at the same time giving all the readers of the country an opportunity to peep in at the reflection, Mr. Lewis has done something for American liter ature very like the service performed for English literature by Jane Aus ten, George Eliot and Mrs. Gaskell. While it is to be seen whether Main Street" will take a place In perma- nent writing along with "Cranford," "Silas Marner,' or Pride and PreJu- dice" 1t can hardly be doubted that the book already has established a dependable reputation In contempor- ary literature. It has been before the public a year, and 1t has secured in that time attention of character that seldom comes even to the best sellers.
 Whether MT. Lewis likes the small town is not a matter that enters into an evaluation of his novel unless 1t can be shown that the attitude Of the author has colored falsely the picture which he paints. Nor Is the dues- ton of a book of this kind to bo settled with any snug satisfaction about the superiority of tho city to the rural center. These are matters beside the mark. The service of Main Street" lies in tho writer's ~e-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
Charles Bernhard Nordhoft, in the At
 lantic Monthly.

Charles Bernhard Nordhoff, in the At
 lantic Monthly.
 THY far the greater number of ad- lN venturers, unfortunately, reach ~ the South seas without worldly goods of any ktnd--victims of de- fusion, fostered by nearly everything printed about this part of the world, that in these blissful isles one need not work in order to enjoy the cus- tomary three square meals.
 There are said to be islands, far off and inaccessible, in the Paumotu group. where the good natured brown man will not let 6 stray white starve; but, as a rule, the islands of the Pa cific are unhappy places in which to find ones self destitute. It is true that rapid depopulation should make living easy for the survivors; but the land Is closely held, and the surplus. which once supported far greater numbers. Is now devoted to the articles of luxury for which a cen tury of intercourse with Europeans has created demand.
 Every steamer unioads one or more enthusiastic whose purses have been emptied to buy passages souths and whose heads are filled with dreams of slumberous ease in a palm thatched hut where the traditional duslSy maidens, of surpassing suitability and charm ply the fan or prepare savory repasts of the food that na- ture provides in superfluity. And the fact that such dreams are not entirely baseless makes them all the asore de- captive.
 Only last year a boats crew from shipwrecked vessel managed to reach Rapa Iti, lonely southern out lior of Polynesia, visited by chance schooner at intervals of year or two. The men of Rapa, brought up from in, fancy to the ways of the sea, are in demand as sailors. and the result IS that on the island the women out number the men in a proportion said to be ' to 1.
 When, after many months. vessel arrived at Rapa to rescue the strand cd mariners. the work of rescue had to be carried on almost violently; for the least popular member of the boats crew was provided with half dozen brown girls, who hovered about anxi- ously, not even permitting their lord so simple task as raising. the food to his own lips.
 The parting was a melancholy one; the girls stood weeping on the beach. while the sailors protested that they had no desire whatsoever to leave the
 ing better than to be left undisturb-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
TALK ABOUT MAIN STREET.

fusal to satisfy an ever present desire of readers to have life represented in more pleasing fashion than it ac- tually Is and to spin out a story, full of suspense and anticipation, that finds no counterpart in real ex- perience.
 There is some excuse for the TO- manticist in fiction. and the work of this type that has survived is worthy of continued attention. But unless the product of the romancer, is balanced by the work of the real ist, to which class Mir. Lewis belongs with a vengeance, most distorted and unwholesome view of life Is es tablshed in the mind of the reader. Love of the unusual. adventure, a good story. the complete working out of justice, is strong in humanity. But love of truth should be, and is. q great deal stronger. For 1t is only by seeing one's self, the world or any portion of it in the full light of truth that progress is possible and hope for something better secures . foundation.
 Main Street." is not an endS in itself. any more than 1t stops simply at being source of entertainment for those who used to be of the small town and now are out of it. or those in it and out of sympathy with it. Tho book reminds this considerable portion of American life of its, strength as well as Its failings; IL also reminds the observant city man of the equally interesting and per haps uncomplimentary picture that might be drawn of his life, and Of the too ready satisfaction of all of Us to continue in daily round of monotonous and purposeless ex- istencs. Main Street" further is q reminder of the fact that mines of material ready for the eye that can see and the pen that can portray. arc at hand in many other quarters. The farm, the city and the suburban town still await their turn in treat ment of the Main Street" character.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21

 From the Chicago News
 Dry books may satisfy thirst for knowledge.
 Don't argue with a wasp; it always carries its point
 You can't always tell what man thinks of you by what he says.
 The man who tells you that he is no fool may be only mistaken
 Some men know more than their wives and wisely keep 1t strictly to themselves.
 man often makes bootless att tempt to get upstairs at about ? a. m. without awakening his wife.
 only a few years ago people gazed in wonder at the first gas light. Now they gaze in wonder at their jast gas bill.
 If man is careful in scraping ac- quaintances he might avoid many of the scrapes that acquaintances get him into.
 A man should put his heart into his work from the start. but he had better think twice before putting his money into it. Nobody believes in lying. but until .ar,athipr hatter is offered what is poor human nature to do when it is neither wise nor expedient to tell the truth?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
< * <
Building Roads Will
 Help the Unemployed

~ oNGREss, according to Wash NJ ington dispatches, will pass forthwith the federal aid road bin. The tragedy of the unemployment situation is that this measure has hung fire during the long, weary months when unemployment was at it's height and men most needed work. Related though it is and com- ing as 1t will on top of progress sively improving conditions in indus try, the 25,000,0o0 proposed to be made immediately available will prove a great help.
 The bill in conference appropriates $25, 100000 when it becomes law and $50,0o0,000 six months later. In addition, $5,Ooo,0oo is to be imme- diately available for national forest roads, and $1o,ooo,ooo more on July ]. 1922.
 State funds matching the S25,- 100000 will place $5o,00o,ooO into road building at once and the total within six months should be almost S200, 100000. That will not only build many roads and permanently benefit the people, but it will also tide over many thousands who are still without occupation.
 All this should have been 'dont months ago. It is crying injus tice to the unemployed that con gressmen could not reconcile theil differences as to the manner il which the road money was to b' used. Many heartaches would hav'
 avoided and many men, womei
 children would have been hap
 but for the senseless delay il
 eminently just and beneficial
 ,ion for the welfare of the ma
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
ADRIFF WITH THE TIMES
PRECEDENT

How sad to see, in a crowded court
 room, A trembling wretch for mercy
 plead, Or hang his head in shame while
 hearing Some cold and heartiegs lawyer
 read Those tender nissives that convict
 him Of having played both fast and
 loose With that fair plaintiff there who
 eyes him With looks austere! Alas, the moose Might just as well begin to tighten Around another victims throat, For in suit for breach of promise The man is always made the goat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
 Unjust Attack Made On American Statesmen

H News-Tribune takes vigorous exceptions to statements made by Will Irwin, the magazine writer, in disparagement of the American rep resentatives at the conference to limit armaments. The News-Tribune quotes MT. Irwin as saying, "Sena- tor Lodge is an old politician who hasn't had an idea in 30 years. And so are the others associated with him, old men, who know none of the realities of war" ... They wish to be left alone to make preparations in secret for the next war"
 As the News-Tribune asserts, MT. Irwin may have some personal req son for disliking the Massachusetts senator and making charges against him that many of his enemies would not regard as justifiable, "but when he arrives at the stage of such sub lime ridiculousness as to declare, They wish to be left alone to pre- pare for the next war; his good faith may be questioned from A to Z."
 Apart from Senator Lodges quail ifications or the lack of them, his appointment was made imperative because of his position in the United States Senate. Mir. Harding would need no other justification for the appointment, although Senator Lodge is certainly no fool. MT. IT, wins denunciation of the other mem- bers of the American delegation is both absurd and untrue.
 It will be gratifying to Alabamians to know what the News Tribune thinks of Senator Underwood. It says, after commenting on the com parative youthfulness of Secretary Hughes and his unquestioned abil- ity, Senator Underwood is also 59. He is considered one of the younger members of the Senate minority. He is not leader of the democrats in that body because he is an old man; he is leader because he is vigorous, active, a good fighter, a patriotic statesman and man who has always shown constructive ideas. MT. Irwin makes himself out a kind of Ishmael when he undertakes to make such unfounded allegations against the Alabama senator and his three colleagues"
 Whatever motive prompted MT. Irwin's attack, he is not adding to his prestige as political observer nor a good judge of men. Such charges, if taken seriously, would injure the disarmament conference and create uneasiness in the public mind which is utterly without foun- dation,
 Surely no one but Mir. Irwin be- lieves that Secretary Hughes, Sena- tor Lodge, Senator Underwood and Elihu Root are incompetent to per form the important duties assigned them, or so purblind that they want to plot in secret for another war. Such supposition is preposterous and inconceivable.
 * ;s*
 l It is feared in Belgium that King Albert is needlessIy rlsking his life by making So many airplane flights. There is not much danger. Albert doesn't fly in an American army plane.
 # * *
 A newspaper optimist suggests that if there is railroad strike the rum runners may use their motor cars to bring farm products into town. That's what they are doing now.
 * < }.
 Birmingham detectives found I9i
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
WOULD-BE LOTUS EATERS

ed in the enjoyment of 6 life they found full of charm.
 But Rapi Iti Is one island out of many score, and he who seeks to eat Of the lotus in that distant sea will be reminded of the kingdom of Heaven. the Camel, and the Needles Eve.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
Bachelors In Danger

Though, I have noted much en- thusiasm everywhere about the semi centennial, there Is an appalling amount of 1t among the sturdy bach elors around the Tutwiler concern ing the prospective arrival of beau ties by the wholesale in their very midst" says pr. Page F. Reid, whose office is In the Tutwiler, and who knows whereof he speaks.
 T feel an especial anxiety about my good friend Kelly B. Spencer, who has announced (publicly) that he is going lead them all about. I be- lieve there is grave danger of the ranks of bachelorhood being one short. if not many. After, if not be- fore. the close of the great semicen- tennal
 At any rate I believe the young men and members of the junior chamber are going to entertain the beauties royalty, and as for the great optimism around the hotel about the coming of the beauties it will take good form in relieving Fucker Agee, president of the chamber, of an avalanche of some thirty beauties I hear he Is responsible for which I think too great a responsibility for any one man."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
.Do You Remember,

T have been reading the Do You Remember Column In the Ase- Herald with great deal of interest," said W. W. Shepherd, who first made his appearance in Birmingham In the early '7Os.
 Many of the old land marks have already been cited by various citizens of the community, but there are many left yet to be brought to the attention of those who are Interested in the history Of this rapidly growing city.
 T recall the days when we went hunting for 'possums out around Five Points and squirrel hunting in the woods where the A. q. s. shops now stand, when the present site of the Chamber of Commerce building was a cornfield and there was another largo cornfield where Pizitz store now stands.
 T wonder how many remember that Twentieth street had board walks and tho stores on the west side of the street were bel9w street level. have seen Birmingham grow from a very few furnaces to the great steel mill city that 1t now is.
 Has any one ever tried to estimate how much iron ore has been taken from the mines in the immediate vi- clnity of the cityT
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
TREE DEDICATED TO UNKNOWN


 From Popular Mechanics.
 A living memorial distinctive and majestic. and different from any other that has been dedicated since the World war. was unveiled recently in Yosemite National park. It is a tablet of bronze set at the base of one of California's famous big trees. This giant of the forest, towering above the ordinary timber that sur rounds 1t, stands henceforth as "a memorial to the unknown deadn who gave their lives in the great war. A peculiarly fitting ceremony marked the unveiling of this tablet. Water from the crystai-clear stream of the Merced that flows through the park was sprinkled upon the tree and the tablet, to symbolize the purity of the devotion of the men who died in the war and whose names remain un- recorded The rock at the foot of the tree on which the tablet was placed was taken as symbol of the per- manence and strength of the princi- ples for which the men fought, and the tree, which it is hoped will live through generations. was cited as emblematic of the living and grow ing gratitude of the nation for the supreme sacrifice mad oa ts soAs
 in the war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
COILDN,T BE DONE

From the St. Louis Globe Democrat.
 No gentleman nowadays would think of stepping on the hem of a isdv's gown and tearing out half a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
Wnnt Clean Acts

q am glad to see that vulgar vaudeville acts do not get . 'big hand from Birmingham audiences" re- marked Harry Redell of New York, who appeared at the Lyric theatre the first half of the week. This speaks well for the-city, in my estimation.
 "The censorship idea is a good one If it is handled sensibly. but ofttimes this position has beea the prey of corrupt politicians and the office used for their benefit. but the besr censor of the stage in the world Is the audience. If the audience wants low, vulgar acts then the managers try to get thep. But if the audience demands clean. wholesome vaudeville they get that.
 In Birmingham it is easy to tell the kind of act the people want by the way they receive it and always the clean act gets the best comment
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
GRAY-HAIRED INFANTS

From the Boston Herald.
 students of modern history should not forget that those infant republics were born with gray hair.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
* * 2 lative Bloc" To Ike Case To People

iBLE to hold the tax-protest- ,g ''bloc" together, the lead- ,sed the remaining members
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
WHAT GEORGE MISSED
From the Reboboth Herald,

From the Reboboth Herald.
 George: o, George! Come. Coine."
 What was that? George hlighuy sprang from lis bed at the sound ot his wife's voice raised in an earnest entreaty. George, 0. eieorgc' She was in peril She wh5m he owed better than life itself; his young wife. his first and only love, "Georgel O., O! Quickly!" He reramhleS into his clothes. Not seeond mast be lost He must save her
 George! GeoFge eeogesi At last he is on his way down, three steps at a time, to arris 3, breata sss, in the dining room. 70 g4aafe ycu are too late. To, lAte.f
 Too late, sasped tsaoMg.
 Yes the bapy had h4 Joe in his mouth, and he iaos4 se fnanyl Why G.dn't you com when I eailei?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
Winners at Atlanta

Judging by the manner in which exhibitors at the Alabama State Fair. have won prizes at the Atlanta fair" said k. A Brown, president of the fair association, their exhibits must have been very fine indeed.
 "Dr, Naftei's agricultural exhibit, which won the first prize at the Ala bama State Fair. also won the first prize at Atlanta, and the exhibits came from as far away as Ohio, with many from the southeastern states.
 The Alabama woman's department walked away with first. second. third, fourth fifth and sixth prizes. In other words, Alabama exhibitors made clean sweep in exhibits of their class All Alabama should be proud of the record made by their men and women at Atlanta"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
NON orINls slanIAn

NON OfAs< ftNfttAaE Duncan Burnett in he p0etry Re view. How shall die while tnA winds ar. How shall die shiie ths oars of the
 wheat Grow golden asas 6st Ht ioyers
 arc bright
 Hcw shall die ynna ne SUI ayes
 light. Jrs- as all that taasy or see Somsnow becomes .A fart os ne Surely in the self-sanae way Am part of the universe ey&ry aay. If | touch flower and straight it
 isl Surely if words by mouth or by pen Can add to its vast nruensitF Some part of the soul and rody of
 me? Surely If words by maas 1T hy pen Render immortal SC tkau My love which iss sg ENMr
 words can be Shall live in the wos a4a st
 of me If lying quietly ura taa These are the thipgs held Rth, The sea and the eli vtie
 blue sky, Seagulls calling and s ah, The salt sea srael iA firing
 sound Of ships and saiis utward
 bound, Wind and sunlight ayed open spaces, And steadfasf men wsth sindly faces. So, how can ! mora thast seem to dia While the ;eA lies flu2er the sunIis
 sky? How can aie hess4& sea wind: How can l uszEe i1e Isn arc kindJ
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
A DAY DREAM


 ''Why didn't you sell that visitor a motor car?" asked the manager. ''He said he was just looking around" replied the new salesman. '.fie's going to buy a car when his oil stock makes him rich. I took down his name and address,
 You might as well destroy that Spain has a garage now, but there's nothing in It." PAUL COOK,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21

FIRST YEAR IS THE WORST "Do you regard golf as a form of recreation?"
 ''No," replied the melancholy play CT. as he cast a wistful eye over the links. "Im just beginning"
 BROUGHT HOME TO HIM What Is Daubson working o1 now7'
 "A picture entitled, The Great American Desert"
 'What gave him that inspiration?'' "IIis cellar was robbed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
A HOME INDUSTRY

And this" said the chief of detec- tives, who was doing the honors to 6 party of feminine investigators, "is our fingerprint department"
 Dear mew exclaimed one rnotherly looking woman who seemed c little out of place. Where are the chil- dren?"
 "rhe children, nna'am?"
 "Yes--to make the 4ingerprints"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
THI GwaHY,

From Llfe.
 Our statesmsa Geclars4 hat w~ fought to get neiatuE pns rf the war; and then made preseNE os it to the soldiers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
cHURcHs CoLoHrlDi sUPpI,pmrN,

From the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
 The New York preacher who sprayed his church with a variety of colors in. order, as he says, ito induce the congregational mood" has taken q leaf from the theatre d book which the pulpit has often consulted. It is well known, too, that medicine recognizes the effect of color so far or wisely in that di- rection as it possibly could.
 An interesting study of the relation of color to mood is offered by the poets. The gray and gold elegance of Rosetti might we'll be the subject of an essay. Kipling during his long imperl incarnation was forever splashing red. There is stili com fort to be found in the lace and law ender gentleness of Longfellow, mel ancholy in Lanier's weird browns and dying yellows, uneaslness as well as delight in Swinburne's hectic tones, sheer unhappiness in Poes grisly tints, while Browning, with out the use of the brush, unfolds many a landscape of bright, reassur- Ing green.
 If the poets can play so Sffectually upon our emotions with colors why may not the preachers? If music can romp the chromatic scale from the ineffable blue of a Mcdowell melody to the black despair with which Tschaikowsky drapes his countrys agony, the New York preachers ex- pertinent seems justified.
 Admittedly the New York preacher is utilizing different color medium from that of the poets and musicians who squeeze their effects from the tubes of imagination. He is realist who Is attempting to enlist the aid of Hcience in appeals. He is doing his best within his limitations, is he not? Introducing. as it were, the cCloreI supplement into the church.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
HARD woT.k

"After man earns tne respect of hia wife's relatives he ssIdom accom- plishes anything else during his life time" remarked Mr. Grumpson.
 How do you account for that2'
 He's probably too exhausted
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
ANOTHER EXPOSE

I might expose another bluff,
 Methinks, had the mind to; Few movie stars eer write the stun
 In print their names are signed to.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21

In the meaptime what has become of the important looking people who were just about to bid for Muscle Shoals and put Henrys nose out of joint?
 $ # < Nearly all the statesmen agree that a better understanding among na- tions is needed. Somebody ought to break tho news to the Balkans.
 * # < Brief dispatches from Chicago in- dicato that Judge LAndio occasionally drops baseball and functions as federal judge.
 Poor old Vulcan will not take part in Birmingham's semi centennial celebration. He's too heavy to ride on float.
 ~ w 4 While President Harding pleads for peace and patriotism. the repub- lican office seekers are pleading for plunder,
 < < * Great Britain has placed orders for fouS more capital ships. Speed up the disarmament conference.
 # # $, For the first time in six years flour has dropped to s7 barrel, Tell that Co your baker
 $ < < There are men who haven't felt sawdust under their feet since the saloons closed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21

AN ARTFUL DoDGER T believe I'll write another column on 'Whither Are We Drifting?" re- marked the editor of the Chiggers- vile Clarion.
 Are you hard up for something to write about?"
 Exactly. As nobody seems to know whither we arc drifting, can grind out about column and leave the question with my readers"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
r3mNUaM1Aanein
poJNTED PARAGRAPHS

pOINTED PARAUItAPHS From the Chicago News. Dry books may satisfy thirst for knowledge.