davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
THE COUNTRY BAND

From the Montg omery Advertiser.
 Editor II. S. Doster of the Prattville
 Progress has engaged in a laudable
 enterprise to obtain a brass band for
 his community. He says there is
 plenty of talent in Prattville and all
 that is needed to have good band is
 some encouragement on the part of
 the people. Fourteen members appear
 to have been signed up" at the first
 meeting, all of whom are reported to
 have some knowledge of music.
 There is considerable difference be-
 tween the talent required in the or
 v,nization of successful baseball team and the talent needed for brass
 band, but the effect Is the same in
 community spirit and community en-
 joyment. Half a dozen small towns
 in Alabama have put ball teams Into the field that would do credit to any of the leagues of professional base
 ball. The rivalry between these ann 'ateur teams imbues the people of the towns they represent and they make their games gala occasions. The re- cent contest in Montgomery between
 Uniontown and Andalusia gave as
 much keen enjoyment to the fans" of this city and district as it did to the baseball enthusiasts of the, two communities wing for the state
 championship. Old timers witnessing the games stated that they saw bet ter baseball than they ever witnessed
 in the Southern league games at Montgomery.
 The small town band is just as much of an institution as the ball team. It has been the butt of ridicule in the comic papers and the joy of paragraphers since Bert Lesion Tay Tor made paragraphing an art. but 1t remains, nevertheless, source of local pride and pleasure. Frequently from the small town bands have come ! musical organizations which have at tained national reputation. A miners
 band from a suburb of Pittsburg won first prize at an exhibition where some of the leading bands and orches- tras of the United States were en- tered One can never tell from the small beginning what the band will
 become in time.
 At musical contest in Alabama a pianist from an obscure place In Dal- las county showed such remarkable genius and technical skill that the people present from the large cities were amazed Their inquiries discov- cred that the student had been in- structed by an old German. then en- gagged sn farming. but formerly a | professor of music in Europe. Prob | ably every county has some latent talent of this description and Au- tauga evidently has It's share. when II young men with some musical knowledge show up for the first re-
 hearsal of the Prattvillc band. The nucleus is there for a musical or I, ganizati which should give much ] pleasure to the community when the 1 local talent is developed. Editor Doster deserves well of his people for shis suggestion and the results so far obtained. We hope they will grow with the wears and that the Prattville Brass band will reach the point of i excellence characteristic of every thing undertaken by Autauga's busi- ness and social cep'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
RAIsINs AND REASONS

From the New York Herald.
 The National City Bank has issued bulletin on the somewhat unusual tution--of raisins. This commodity tution--or raisins. This commodity has been having a spectacular career. The American raisin industry began to assume interesting proportions about 20 years ago. Our imports. which had run as high as 10000, 900 pounds, began to fall; in 1919 they were only 12j,ooo pounds. Our ex- ports rose from s,oooOoo pounds in 1898 to l1o, 100000 pounds in 1919.
 In the last two years, however. our Imports began to increase. From 10000 pounds in 1919 they boundec to 14,000,000 pounds in the fiscal year that our exports were declining ter ribly. We were keeping our raisins at home and at the same time buying more abroad. .f4
 The bank bulletin does not attempt to explain the causes of all this. Let us turn, therefore, to that great source of. wisdom the Congressional Record. and to a speech by Senator Stanley of Kentucky in the Senate last week The. senator in quoting the statement of a MT. Aaron Sapiro on raisin conditions in Fresno county California:
 Since prohibition raisins no longe, are a food problem but booze prob lem. Since that time the raisir growers, instead of receiving 8 or cents a pound. are getting this year almost 20 or T cents pound" s
 The next thing you know there will be report from the banks oil the tense state of the dried cherry market and solemn senators will, bs discussing the wonderful advance oi the hop industry. Meanwhile if Flu rope wants 10 be fed she must not ask for too many raisins. She would not use them. anyway, for anything except bread pudding. And bread pudding is just as bad. without raj sins as with them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
To revenge is no vaIuor. hut to bear --Timon of Athens. Y # *
M M M
Prohibitionists Want
 the Conference Dry

6THE attempts to make the dis u armament conference dry is another illustration of prohibition hysteria. Pressure is being brought to bear on President Harding to limit the nations guests to non- alcoholic beverages for fear that if they take a glass of wine at dinner or cocktail it will prove an "open- ing wedge" for the forces of evil, which means the "wets."
 This is far-fetched and unnec- essary alarm. The foreign diplo- mats who will attend the confer ence are not going to stay here for eyer and demoralize our sacred citi- zenry. Furthermore, they have the right, if they so desire, to take a drink in any of the foreign embas- sies Or to bring liquor in their bag gage, and no prohibition officer can prevent them, regardless of what Wayne E. Wheeler may think about it. ,g.
 But apart from a meddlesome in- reference with the habits of states men who are not concerned about our prohibition laws, there is a wider purpose to be served by treat ing them as guests and not wards. They are coming to America at the invitation of President Harding to try to solve a great problem. It is the desire of the American govern ment to promote amity and good feeling among the various repre- sentatives. To expose them to petty annoyances and restrictions which they would regard as silly and un- warranted would create an unfavor- able impression, would subject the American government toN ridicule and, since little things often have a bearing on great matters, might find an echo in the disarmament conference itself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
DIME NOVELS NOT so BAD

From tho Manitoba Free Press. , This Is not . plea for the return or the dime novel. In fact, we fear that the dime novel can never come. back they don't sell anything for & dime any more. All in all. however the only thing about the dime novel that was as bad as it was painted was the cover. Most of us remember much that was pleasant about the old paper cover" that flourished in the sos and '90s. Under Diamond Dick we gang fought all sorts of thugs and bad men; with Old King Brady we de- tected the bank robber with our oe- tectors hitting on all six; we rode with Buffalo Bill as he put the lndian sign on Indians, that were nr least supposed to be bad. Sometimes 1t was ron gh stuff, but at that 1t was rarely that moro than one throat day was out or more than a pint or gore leit clinging to the deftly removed scalp. We remember that in the end virtue (spell with capital V. please) ai- ways triumphed and that honestly 1T not the best policy. didn't do anybody any harm. The much abused dims novel, 1t will have to be said. tended the young shoots of the imagiation Tn many q creaky woodshed loft and in
 many a sheltered spot behind the cedar fence.
 As we remember the dime novel, we are unable to recall one bedroom scene one neglected wife, one youns heroine sobbing in her pink boudoir because she is not understood, one nasty sex problem. Which may lead some of~us to think that the dime. novel had nothing to fear in compari- son with the $2 novel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Misrepresenting Facts
 In Regard to China

00TE smile indulgently when for x WV eign newspapers locate Ala bama west of the Rocky mountains or confuse the Secretary of State with the President, but there are times when American newspapers and magazines show an unpardon- , ble ignorance of other countries, which is all the more inexcusable nowadays when the cable and the wireless should give us a correct idea of how the other half of the world lives.
 In a recent issue the China Re- view takes exceptions to statements made in a quarter-page advertise ment in New York papers headed, "They Don't Drink Milk In China, followed by the assertion that the Chinese have never discovered the value of milk as an article of diet, The writer of the advertisement goes on to say, Little children die kke flies in the first frost. They arc sbeset by many and strange sick nesses. To the western mind the bringing into the world of so many children and their wholesale infan- tile death rate is appalling. The adult Chinese is invariably short of sfAturc, is lacking in vigor and en- esgy'"
 Thc absurdity of these charges is Apparent to any reasonably we'll isformed person. The Review says
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Better Treatment
 of State Convicts

1T T is gratifying to know that there 4 is little criticism to make of the is little criticism to make of the treatment given convicts in Ala bama. Conditions at most of the camps and stockades recently in vestigated are uniformly good and it is announced that they are to be still further improved.
 Humane treatment Of convicts will pay returns in many ways. Given the ordinary comforts of life they will work better, be more con- tented and cause the authorities less trouble. Many a man has been turned loose on society after serv- ing a prison term a hardened and imbittered criminal because of real or fancled wrongs he experienced while convict.
 Imprisonment at hard labor is a form of punishment meted out by the courts for breaking laws. A sentence of that kind does not in clude unnecessary hardships and brutality. It is the duty of the state to see that convicts are treated hu- namely and given a chance to re- gain foothold in society when they have paid the penalty of their crimes.
 Public sentiment in Alabama has become more enlightened on this subject in recent years and worth while reforms in prison management have been instituted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
IBAVARIA'S SPLIT WITH RUSSIA

'Liko Fer1c1es of Athens, Ludwig I of Bavaria, realized the patriotic impulses generated by 8 beautiful capital. I am going to make Munich such an honor to Germany that mo- body will know Germany who has not seen Munich.' declared. But in Lola Montez Ludwig found not an Aspasia, but Gaby Delys. So ob- noxious did the royal scandal be- come that one of his cabinets was popularly known as the Lolaminis- terium.' Finally the patron of Wag- ner had to abdicate. And under his son and successor, Macmillan II. fur ther popular demands were granted.
 "Bavaria's struggle for separation is long story. Frequently she sided with Austria against Prussia. But she succumbed following the Franco German war after which, 1t has been remarked, there were no longer any states in Germany. only provinces.
 Even then her spirit was not ouenched An old proclamation was renewed as recently as 1900 by which the German Emperor's birthday was to be celebrated by the display of only the Bavarian flag on public buildings.
 "Treaties and alliances cannot com bat geography. Amid Germany's ex- .tremest rationalism there remained villages in mountain-rimmed Bavaria where the young men gathered on hilltops at twilight to crack whips in unison, for, long experience hao shown that evil spirits would flee
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
AMERICAN A OPIUM
From the Missionary Voice.

From the Missionary Voice.
 Just when China's laws against the growth of the poppy were becoming effective. America began shipping drugs there in sufficient quantity to defeat the beneficient legislation of that country. It is said that the exportations of morphine and opium from the United States are sufficient In quantity to give dose to every lr,habitant of China every five months or to keep millions in state of per
 petuai debauch. VI The Jones Miller bill now pending in Congress would put an end to this htdeous business. The American conscience should demand It's pass age. at once. Surely China has the right to expect us to help rather than hinder in the realization of her moral aspirations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
" " pr. C. C. Thach a Noted Educator

TN the death of Dr. c. c. Thach, H president emeritus of Auburn, Alabama loses one of its most dis tinguished educators, a gentleman of the highest character who labored with much success to make the Ala bama Polytechnic institute what it is today.
 Succeeding Dr. William Leroy Broun as president in 1902, Dr. Thach was the active head of the college for + years until ill health, attributed to overwork, forced his retirement. The esteem in which he was held by the institution he served was shown by his election as presi- dent emeritus, the greatest honor that can be conferred on retiring executive.
 During the yearsIof Dr, Thach's incumbency Auburn made rapid progress until it became recognized as one of the leading technical schools in the country, drawing stu dents from all parts of the United States. Dr. Thach gave most of his time and attention to Auburn, but he was identified with many educa- tional societies and enjoyed national prominence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
Roo.tcr Mu.ic

Just so long as there is rooster left within thre emiles of the court house we can't call this burg a city, said Jack Hunter
 out where l live there is q ban tam, 6 brahma and a bat-eyed bump tious buff cochin, that sing tenor baritone and basso- -produndo re- spectively.
 They take it in relays to crow, their whole idea being to prevent sleep on my part. The bantam, in 8 falsetto, barber-shop quaver starts the others just about midnight. He cuts loose on the stroke of the bell and IS on the job for 15 minutes, and just about when he is nearly done the brahma busts In with sort of obllga- 10 that swells 10 a full blown solo, and by 1 o'clock the cochin -profundo is coming down the line with raucous growl that can be heard from Dothan to Florence.
 Just so long as 8 burg tolerates such a nuisance it has no right to be called a city"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Limited to z5

Because of the-targe number of ap- plicsnts for enlistment in the Marine corps, orders have been received to accept and enlist only 75 Alabamians during October according to. Sergt. Limuel F. Hill, who is in charge of the local recruiting station. of the Marines at 19z21a Second avenue.
 More than 125 men made appiica- tion for service in the Marines during September" said Sergeant Hnl,s land they were, literally speaking, travel hungry. Some wanted service on land while the majority wanted the sea travel and to visit foreign couh- tries In which the soldiers of the sea have stations.
 From the date that orders were . received to resume recruiting this of flee was crowded with applicants from all over the state. All seemed anxious to enlist, especially. the ex- service men"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05

by the World war. Is Germany showing any desire for moral su- premacy? Is France, or England, or any other country on the face of the earth, not even excepting Amer ica?
 We are better in some respects, perhaps. We are infinitely wiser, but morally humanity hasn't changed much in the centuries that have elapsed since Dante died.
 < < <
 Mrs. Mccormick says all the wor- ries of existence are dlspelled by synthetic psychology. which is founded on "a consciousness of the sub-consciousness." Yes. yes. but what does it meang
 .' x <
 The drys don't want delegates to the disarmament conference to drink anything stronger than coffee and tea. We fear the drys. are going to be disappointed.
 $. < R
 After an artist learns to draw a pretty girl suitable for magazine covers it isn't long before he owns a town house and little place in the country.
 *s # #
 Voliva has offered s1,000 to any body who will prove the world is round. Wilbur is either a thirty third degree jackass or a first-rate advertiser.
 A Brooklyn woman has named a divorce suit, probably because hubby was always running around with 1t at night. A New York beggar collected s21 an hour because he said he lost an arm in France. A judge discovered that he was another war profiteer.
 $. < <
 The President of the United States has to be versatile man, to pat the marines on the bank one moment and praise Dante the next.
 # 4 @
 Belgium, Holland and Portugal will be asked to say word or two on far eastern questions. A word or two will be quite enough.
 .. # x
 Should Henry Ford's offer for Muscle Shoals plant be refused, he ought to be paid about s1,ooo,O00 for advertising it's value.
 a # *
 The large number of 'Chfcagos po- licemen engaged in bootlegging may explain the privileges enjoyed py Chicago's gunmen
 Y # # There is too much stuff being sold by bootleggers that makes con- sumer weep on the broad bosom of a policeman.
 # # <:
 What we admire about aviators is their extreme nonchalance, even when emerging from wrecked plane. ).a
 x * <
 Judge I4andis says the world se- ries will be close. That's the way. We like them-close and on the levek
 ss < S
 All authorities agree that Corea has been treated like stepchild, but what are we going to do about it?
 < < E
 Having seen photograph of Venizelos' new wife. we can state g1wna av==
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05

the Chinese not only use cows milk, but also goats milk, while on the northern plains mares milk is used, a custom that was practiced long be- fore America was discovered. As for the mortality rate among Chinese children, that is a matter about Which one may confess his ignorance, but the Review says they do not die for the lack of milk and the death rate "is no higher and in some instances lower than that of certain parts of the United States"
 As for the size and energy of the adult Chinese, if there is any human being who can stand more hard work than Chinese coolie he has never yet been found and it was his labor during the World war that helped substantially to win a vic tory for the allies. Many of the Chinese seen in America are above the average height. The Chinese of North China are in particular a powerful and vigorous people. No American who has even seen Chi nese laundrymen toiling from early morning until far into the night and they all seem to work long hours-can truthfully say the Chin csc have no energy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
SECRETS LOCKED UP

From the London Saturday Review
 Lord Esher has proposed to seal up for 60 years in the British museum the papers on which he founded his Tragedy of Lord Kitchener" Earl Haig's papers concerning his com mand in the war are notsto be opened til lsio. Some fresh letters of Dick ems are to be available in 1925 and will be eagery -sorutinized. His writ ings as known to the world are not fully representative of his busy ca- reer as a man of letters. For in~ stance, a Life of Christ which he wrote for children has never been published.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
LAMAR LETTERS. Sylacauga, october 3, 1921.
WANT oNE-CENT RATE

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 We would like to come down to your 50-year celebration if the rail- roads will give a 1-cent rate per mile. While you are doing things for the Warrior, can't you divert the Tennessee river into the same and thus have a great inland sea? Will you have little local celebration or do you wish for the United States to play hand?
 A big delegation from old Tennes- see if passenger tariff is o. K.
 J. E. SLAUGHTER.
 Nashville, Tenn, October<S, 1921. so6 Demonbreun street.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Grow and Move

Birmingham is certainly on the move" said D. F. Cornelius. q have been living in the Magic City prac- tically all my life and I don't recall a time when so many merchants and business men have moved W
 q sometimes wonder where my haberdasher will be next. Loads of furniture and office supplies cah be seen almost daily New buildings are being erected, new offices opened and a spirit of move. move seems to per wade the atmosphere"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
ADRIF'T WITH THE TIMES
HopE DEFERRgl

HOPE DEFERRED A simple. country maiden Strayt into town one day And sough for some employment To pssssthe time away Until a movie magnate
 Said, You're the girl for me" But she's still washing dishes Down at the Busy Bee."-
 A TOURIST ACCOMMODATED "six months"
 Thanks, yer honor" said the tat tererd wanderer. Cold weather is comin' on an I wuz hopin' to get a little further south. but I'll just write .me friends that I'll spend tn winter here.' t5sars
 BUYING A PIG IN A POKE What's this contraption?" "A labor saving device" says the young Wife. T bought 1t this morn ing"
 "what kins of labor?' "Dear me! The agent talked so fast I forgot to ask"
 LIGHT FICTION "Why did you put that swindler in the prison library?"
 He said he'd always had weak ness for literature"
 Maybe so. but it's tho kind usually known as a prospectus"
 WHAT'S THE USEr The great of heart are often met, The simple and the strong, Who frequently themselves forget To labor for the throng. Alas, the fickie crowd does not Reward them with its thanks. But classifies them as & lot Of imbecileS and cranks.
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Great Opening Day

q think that the state Fair this year is wonderfully said W. Urdang of Sylacauga, who is stopping over in the city at the Metropolitan hotel. q have witnessed a great many opening days and, let me tell you, this was above par
 ordinarily one would think on ac- count of the business depression less interest would be shown, but I have not~found this the case, as there seems an abundance of interest be- ing taken"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Pay Dirt

"I ran down to Birmingham from Golden, Miss, where my farm and gravel pits are," said Charles Wolf
 ford, "on a little business. l am Just 125 miles from the Magic City and 130 miles from Memphis. For years I had known that the gravel on my place was one day coming into de- mand, and for nearly a year I have been actively getting 1t out and mar keting it. l4
 "The Illinois Central is using 1t for ballast and it Is being used on the Mississippi highways. I have Just had a Birmingham firm to make an anly- sis of 1t and 1t has stood all the tests. It was this that gave me a chance to see the great improvements which have been made since my last visit"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
POINTED CRITICISM


 "I don't know whether this is a compliment or not" said scribon. "A reviewer says my latest book reminds him of Thaekeray"
 That's finev
 'Wait a moment. He detects a slight similarity in the punctuation"
 SUSPENSE.
 That was high note the prima donna reached.'
 "It was, indeed" replied the cas- ual patron of grand opera, as he set. tied back comfortably in his seat. Now, can breathe easier" "Eh?o
 T was afraid she wouldn't make it."
 A HEARTLEsS TRICK Who was the poet who wrote about mans inhumanity to man'?" asked MT. Bibbles, in choking voice. T don't recall" said MT. Jagsby. What reminded you of that quota tion?"
 I've just discovered that I paid ;1o for a quart of cold tea"
 VERY GoDo OF DAUGHTER Your daughter seems to be . strictly modern miss"
 ''She makes some concessions to old fashioned ideas" said MT. Dubwaitk. How is that?"
 "She occasionally permits mo to meet some of the young men she runs around with"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
Better Business

Business conditions around De- mopolis have improved a great deal in the last few weeks" said w. D. Spurlin, secretary of the Commercial club of Demopolis, who Is at present in Birmingham. The increase In the price of cotton has made merchants great deal more optimistic
 "Demopefls Is as much interested in developing Its terminal facilities for the Warrior Tombigbee river system as is Birmingham, and has just about completed it's loading and unloading will mean a great deal for the town in making 1t a shipping center for the surrounding territory"