davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
PIGEON A BLACKMAIL AGENT

PIGEON A BLACKAaAIL AGENT.
The legend Of the carrier pigeon is one
of gallantry, of romance, of succor to
beauty in distress, of information be-
tween lovers, of comfort, to beieaguered
cities, of dauntless heart and clessing
wing through high adventure and dead
" peril, says the, New York Sun and
Globe.
When one thinks OF the praises and
honors that have been won ~ that ex-
cellent bird ever since ancient man
learned TO turn its priceless accomplish
ment to his own. service, one shudders
at the thought of what our practical
criminal classes would do 70 the homer's
reputation if they found it possible to
use the bird for nefarious purposes.
Fortunately there are obstacles to the
use of homing pigeons as blackmail
collectors, as young man In Queens
discovered to his cost. The bird that
he, by way of practical joke" had
caused to be delivered. to a prosperous
citizen of his acquaintance, with an
anonymous demand for $1,000, was
trailed by detectives 10 its purchaser
and the blighted joker was arrested.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
ATTACK PRISON VAN

Z. DUBLIN, April 12.-(By Associated
Press. "A gang of 20 to so armed
men attacked a prison van enroute to
Mount Joy Jail this afternoon. A run
ming fight followed between the mill
tary escort and the attacking party,
which was finally beaten off. Troops
are now searching the district.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
GIVES UP Y MILLION LEGACY


Ogden NJ Hoagland, college graduate
and lawyer, who turned to the musical
comedy stage where, under the name
Of Jack Henderson, he became known
as the best dressed juvenile on the
stage, has announced a legacy of u
million dollars left to him by Mrs.
George B. Wilson, Il, of Philadelphia,
and assigned it to her three sons. says
the New York World. -
Mrs. Wilson, who died December 10,
last, spent most of her life collecting
rare orchids. Her estate was estimated
at about million dollars. After many
requests to, relatives and friends, she
directed that the residue be divided
equally among her, sons, Graham,
George and Soaring Wilson, and
daughter, Mrs. Florence Wilson Mar
tens, whose. address is given as the HO-
tel Majestic, Paris, France. 8,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
Mrs. ROBERTS RIJRIED

FORT DEPOSIT, Ala. April r.
Especial Mrs. Ethlyn Roberts, wife
of T. b. Roberts, Of Fort Deposit. was
buried here Friday afternoon in the
family burial lot at the Fort Deposit
cemetery. The deceased was a mem
Der of the Baptist church at this place,
and owing to the illness of it's pastor,
the burial services were performed by
Rev. Caleb Bates, pastor Of the Meth
Odist church at this place. The de-
ceased is survived by her husband, T.
b. Roberts. one son: and one daugh-
ter. r. E. Roberts of Fort Deposit
and Mrs. o. l.. White of Mount Will
ing, Ala.
the name of Sam Gold and the 500
salary placed opposite.
And that very thing the commit
tee did. There is such a thing as do
ing a job too well. Sam now believes.
The committee, he holds, would place
a premium on incompetency and dis
honesty.
But Sam knows a thing or two
And the thing or two that Sam knows
is perhaps unknown to the average
senator.
Rats may be driven away from
favorite resort. but they will invari-
ably return.
They viii come back to the 'faso-
ments." said Sam. as he left the build
ing. and I will come back with them,
Results coantsAnd you can count on
results if your ad is in The Age Herald.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
TROTZKY RETURNS

Had Been In Caucasus Because OF Ill
Health
MOSCOW, April 12.-CBy Associ-
sted Press. Leon Trotzky. soviet war
minister. who has been absent for a
long period in The Caucasus, because
of III health. returned to Moscow today.
Regarding the Bessarabian situation.
Trotzky declared, We will never agree
that the Bessarabian workmen and
peasants shall remain under the iron
hell of the Rumanian MOBILES"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13

Results counts7And you can count on
results if your ad is in The Age-Hersld.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22

through the little streets which halt at it's edge to the bosom of the commercial seas on all sides of it. It is one of the few spots in New York where time has failed it's theft of exclusiveness and where beauty and historic associations haven't been marred by the march of progress.
 The keys to its iron gate are in the possession of the families whose homes surround it. It is the playground of the neighborhood kiddies--the little rich children of Gramcery park.
 A giant oak in full leaf at this sea- son of the year occupies virtually the center of the park, and, with naples and other trees, provides. shade for the little ones and their nurses or other attendants. Near the oak is a bronze plaque with the bust of Samuel B. Ruggles, the founder of the park, and who donated it to the city in 1881. Geranium and iris are in bloom, and the entire square is hedged with box wood inside the iron railing.
 Children from Third avenue and Sec ond avenue and the streets tributary thereto go to the park on visiting occa- sions, but have to be content with squeez- ing their little faces between the rails and watching the little kiddies of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
CHINESE JUNK IN
 NEW YORK PORT
George Waard, Skipper, Accompanied By His
 Oriental Wife

Bringing tales of pirates and mys- terious sea animal, and lacking three of the original crew-one called head hunter from Borneo who turned back in fear of the god Tai Fat-the Chinese junk Annoy bobbed up and down on Sheepshead bay the other day, says the New York World.
 The Annoy left Shanghai May 1T, 1922, on its way around the world. It was probably the strangest ship, with the strangest crew, Chinese or other wise, that ever dropped anchor around New York.
 On shore, testing his sea legs, and relating experiences in his picturesque life, mostly at sea, was George Waard, skipper. On board the 6S-foot three masted, 14-ton craft was his Chinese wife, Choyee Waard, whom he married 19 years ago in Shanghai. And speak ing excellent English, propelling his sampan skiff for the amusement of visi- tors from the Sheepshead Bay Yacht club, was their 12-year-old son, Bob.
 Its Own Yarn SpinnerB
 On board also was Alfred Nilsson, another soldier of fortune, who was picked up at San Francisco when the Annoy arrived there on it's way down the coast to sail to New York by way of the Panama canal. A dusky youth from Panama completed the crew.
 Nilsson, who is in his twenties, is writing sea stories, most of them gleaned from the skipper.
 George Waard, who, with the assist ance of his wife, steered the first Chi nese junk through Chinese waters to Metropolit&r &r arschorage, is a Canadian citizen of N birth. Firing of placid life in Canada about 20 years ago, he travelled to China, where he entered the customs service of that country and fought Chinese smugglers and pi- rates.
 About four years ago Waard began constructing the Annoy, which is of camphorwood and Chinese fir. There is not a nail or iron bolt in the entire craft, it being held together by bamboo pins. The Annoy took 87 days in it's journey to Vancouver, the first port touched.
 In this period it was not only at- tackled by pirates, but one night while a typhoon ragged the skipper heard strange sound on deck. Ascending with drawn rifle and three revolvers in his belt he saw a strange sea animal 16 feet long, Waard said. It was sub- dued with four shots.
 Capable Of 10 Knots
 On the way down the west coast the Annoy lost her rudder, but another was hastily improvised and set in place. The Annoy is capable of 10 knots, but this speed was doubled by a typhoon day out from the equator without serious accident, although all on board were forced to cling to the tiller to keep any course.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
POLITICAL PARTIES LATE
Constitution Ignores Necessary Adjunc
 Popular Government


 Theframers of the Constitution were dead set against two things, to-wit, di- rect democracy and political parties, writes William B. Munro in the In- dependent. They were fearful that di- rect democracy would be a prelude to despotism in America as it had. been in ancient republics. So they rejected by a large majority the proposal to let the people choose the President di- rectly. And as for political parties tor factions as they were then called), the Constitution. simply ignored them. Ev- erybody hoped in 17S7 that there would be no political parties in America as there had been in England.
 For a short time the system func- toned exactly as was expected. There were no nominations for the presidency or vice presidency the electors were not pledged in advance. In 17S9 and again in 1792, every elector spontane- Ously voted for Washington. Then things began to shape themselves diff ferently. In all the states the function of choosing the electors was turned over to the people. Two political parties arose and became active: at the cleo tion of 1900 both these parties nomi- mated their candidates and every cleo tor voted in accordance with his pledge. Thereafter the work of the presidential electors became and has remained a mere formality. The people do the choosing and do it just as directly as though there were no presidential cleo tors at all. In other words, we have developed by usage a method of cleo tion which is essentially what the fram- CTS of the Constitution sought to avoid. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief stone of the corner.
 The Constitution ignores the exist ence of political parties, but these or ganizations are of prime importance in the actual workings of American gov ernment. The school textbooks tell us that American political parties began Tn the closing years of the eighteenth century. But John Adams was more nearly correct when he declared that they began with human nature" lonial days and there were bound to be parties of some sort, whether the Con- stitutiOn ignored them or not.
 The first nominations for the presi. dency were congressional caucuses. The senators and representatives of each political party went into secret conclave and agreed upon their respec- tive candidates. Then the people were asked to choose electors pledged to these candidates, which they did. From 1900 to 1920 the nominations at each election were made in this way. But the congressional caucus was at best a poor makeshift and it became very un- popular. The people clamored for a more direct share in making the nom. nations and, in 1924, the caucus was abandoned. In it's place was evolved the national party conventions which we continue to use at the present day.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
PICTURES OF DEAD FISH
A Writer Eliminates Against The
 Still fife School Of Art

Still Life School Of Art
 As candidate for the Ignoble prize, l suggest all pictures of "still life" You know what I mean, for it is, for some unknown reason, common mural decoration, especially in dining rooms.
 There is a table, usually covered with a checked tablecloth. On this stands large basket of fruit; oranges, peaches, bananas, apples and grapes. This basket is usually overset, so that out of it come tumbling apples, peaches oranges, bananas and grapes. This is thought to be Art; it is in reality so stupid and tiresome that how people can endure looking at it three times a day and every day in the year is an unanswerable question.
 There is only one thing worse in a dining room than pictures of fruit, and that is pictures of huge dead fish, with their horrible mouths agape. De gusti- bus non disputandum. Some people love to have large fish served on the plat ter with the head conspiciously there {: have seen game birds and chickens brought on in that fashion. which makes the taste of Salome more in telligible.
 The Ignoble prize continues to draw many candidates. have just received a letter from Mir. Gordon Paul Grain ger, Harvard graduate, who suggests Rodin's Thinker" because, like Ro- din, he is faker. Only a Rodin would ask you to believe that such an indi- vidual could think Rachmaninoff's Prelude because in the scale of gloom it represents absolute zero, should be adopted as the official anthem of the Despair school now so rampant William Lyon Phelps in Scribners Magazine.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
AUTO OWNER GETS FULL VALUE NOW
Dollar Buys More In Cars And Tires
 Now

Greater value is received today in motor cars, tires and gasoline than in practically any other commodity in general use, according to D. A. Burke, president and general manager of the Peerless Motor Car company
 "As matter of fact" says Mir. Burke, these three things are the only ones 1 can think of at the, moment in which the buyer receives lore for his money today than he did ten yea-~1hgo.
 "In computing the purchasing power of the dollar of today, the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce has used the 1913 dollar as a working basis," continues Mir. Burke.
 with this as a standard we find that the dollar of 1913 now buys Ill cents worth of automobiles, 123 cents worth of tires and 101 cents worth of gasoline.
 "As a somewhat violent contrast to this, consider the advance in cost of living in general. Here we find that the 1913 dollar is worth only 61 cents. Today, your dollar buys approximately 51 cents worth of clothing, 60 cents worth of shoes, 6S cents worth of food, B cents worth of furniture and house furnishings.
 "As everyone knows, rents have scared in the last ten years. We find that throughout the country the dollar is worth an average of 61 cents in rent as compared to ten years ago. In building, either frame, brick or con- crete, your 1913 dollar is worth less than 50 cents. In farm crops your buying power is somewhat greater, al- most 75 cents, and live stock comes close to the par of ten years ago, bring ing 9S cents worth.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
MARRIAGE COURSE
Glass of. B Turned Out By The
 Brooklyn "Y"

The marriage course at the Central ''Y' in Brooklyn is over.
 ! The other night thirty-five matrimo- niarl students left the classroom, their faces wreathed in happy smiles, firmly clutching certificates of proficiency in the work of the course in family rela- tio61s."
 The certificates state application and attendance at the course had been sat isfactory, and contains the signatures of Carroll N. Gibney, director of edu- cation at the "Y" and the six instruc- tors who had given the lectures.
 Many of the students, when ques- tioned, voiced the opinion that the course will prove beneficial to them and believe they have acquired knowledge that will enable them to make their future wives supremely happy. One young man, asked when he intended to marry, said: T am going to get mar ried in September, but do not know to whom it will be."-Brooklyn Eagle.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
GRAMERCY PARK
 IS ONLY FOR RICH
Only Spot In New York Which Has Retained
 Its Exclusiveness

When the mayor of New York gave the keys of the city to the democratic national convention, as announced his determination of doing, there was one key lacking It is the key to Gram ercy park, the garden of the aristoc- racy which still fingers within the shel- ter of exclusiveness on the East Side, says New York letter to the Philadel- phia Public Ledger.
 Like a sparkling lake at the foot of precipitous cliffs, Gramercy park in its green beauty opens up in the clefts of the skyscrapers of stone and brick which hem it in from Fourth to Third avenue, and it's beauty flows in rivulets
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22
By Ketten

rich at play. The latter are within the inclosure with their hoops, skip-ropes and velocipedes but more than likely they would prefer to be outside the gates romping in their rompers with the little children of the poor. For, mostly, they sit on the benches under the watchful eyes of their maids and seem fearful of spelling their play clothes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22

Regular sailings by large freight steamers, low port handling charges, favorable rail and water connections to the interior make Mobile q formid- able competitor of all other Gulf and Atlantic ports in the handling of Pa cific coast lumber destined to points south of the Ohio river.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-22

The open door to opportunity-The Age-Herald Want Ads. Read Them. !,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-04
MyNeighborSGys

Adhesive tape may be easily re- moved from the skin if softened with benzine. Saturate a sponge with benzine. wash the tape with it and it can be pulled off without any trou- ble.
 Instead of squeezing lemons when ever a drink os lemonade is wanted, squeeze several lemons at a time. tsrain the juice and keep it in a bot tie for future use.
 The reason that soft water is bet ter for cleaning than hard water is that hard water contains lime and magnesium, which combines with the soap and makes an insoluble com pound Soft water contains no min erals. so it produces a soapy father in which dirt is soluble. Boiling will soften hard water to some degree, because the process of boiling precipi- tates the carbonatPs in the water.
 Old light-colored silk blouses can be made to look quite fresh and new if after being washed they are dipped into very thin starch before being ironed.
 To clean a navy serge dress or suit brush the dust out thoroughly, then dip a fairly stiff brush in hot water and rub we'll into the serge. Iron on the wrong side, and the suit or dress will look like new.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-04
ADVENTURES OF
 RAGGEDY ANN,
 RAGGEDY. ANDY

Raggedy Andy hid in the bushes and peeped out while the old witch, Minga, got upon the magical hobby horse and rode away through the woods. Minga. the witch, had mended the broken hob lLy horse and now called it her very own.
 The hobby horse really belonged to Raggedy Ann for he had given himself to her long before.
 The witch had ridden away through the woods to the house of the key mak- CT to have him make her new door key.
 The witch thought the wind had blown her doors shut and that they had locked themselves as doors often do. But really, the reason the doors were shut and locked was because Raggedy Ann was inside the witeh's house and had shut and locked the doors.
 Raggedy Andy, of eourse, did not know this, for Raggedy Ann had run in the witch's house while Raggedy Andy was away in the deep, deep woods trying to think of a good way to fool the witch and recover the two magical books. Raggedy Ann went all over the witch's house trying to dis cover where Minga, the witch, had hid den the two books.
 They really belonged to Raggedy Ann just as did the nice magical hobby horse, but the witch, being a mean old per son, had taken them from the Rag gedys while they were busy eating ice cream sodas and had taken them home with her. Raggedy Ann looked in the cupboards, under the beds and every where, but she could not find the two magic books.
 The witch must have the magic books in her pockets !" Raggedy Ann thought. Still, they were too large for her to do this. Maybe, thought, she made them smaller by working mag ic on them r
 Just then Rageedy Andy walked up and peeped into the window. My, he was surprised to see Raggedy Ann in side the house. Raggedy Ann unlocked the door and let Raggedy Andy in. 'The witch has gone to get a new key for the doors so that she can get in the house!' Raggedy Andy told Raggedy Ann.
 Then, we must get out before she returns" Raggedy Ann said. Any way. the two magic books are not here, for I have looked everywhere v
 We will lock the doors and hide in the bushes outside!" Raggedy Andy said. ''then, maybe, we can find out what Minga, the witch, has done with our books and get them back"
 So the Raggedys went outside, lock ed the doors and Raggedy Andy put the key in his pocket. Then, as they heard the compity climp of the magical wooden hobby horse returning they hid in the bushes.
 Presently here came the magical hob, by horse, lickity split and ran around the house five or six times. "Why The witch isn't on his back" Raggedy Andy said as he called to the hobby horse. "I carried the witch almost to the key makers, then kicked up my heels and sent her flying over my head Now it will take her about two hours to walk back and we can hunt for the magic books!'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-04
CHAPTER 6s

A INT CYNTHIA was to leave on A the ] o'clock trai1r Manville had
 come up to luncheon and was to 1esourt7 her to the station. 1 had pro- virfaFl her with q dainty luncheon MAHls cooked on trains always gave fen indigestion, she claimed. Really liatf overlooked nothing for her comfort Ystr not one word of appreciation had she given me; but had not failed to find fa1llh ahout several things l had done
 "Never mind." E~whispered to my. self. she will soon be gone and did nat allow her to make me unhappy Mnre during the morning I slipped awav to- the nursery and, taking Anna i'll my arms. I whispered that Aunt CEnfiiiH was going, that now mamma cuulil be with her more.
 "Tse glad her is goin', I don't like isr.. slis returned, hugging me close.
 "Yom mustn't say that, dear. Now kiss mother I must run away" Even although had been upstairs with Anna bnt1 a moment L heard Aunt Cynthia s aoltt voire asking where I was.
 Right here, Aunt Cynthia I ran qlinHlE ddwn the stairs. IS there s0mHttliinE | can do for you?
 ".No.. but it is very impolite to say ttfnn laHst tu IenRe me alone when you will soon be without me-
 II beg your pardon. I thought you we're SO busy YOU would not miss me fnr a moment. You are sure you wHnted me fon nething%'
 Quite sure, unless you will find that lHtH magazine | was reading the other sk
 Don't YOU remember, Fluff tore if up tried to- take it from him and YOU would not let me. saving he might do what he pleased with it'
 ''Oh., yes. the darling. I will buy an dtiia1r at the station It had been sGaruely week before that Anna had readinG and had received a very hard dnIN a child while Fluff was a pre- ainus pet bit my lip to keep back I retont knowing it would do no good And them. nothing mattered now She was going away.
 Manwills came in soon. Luncheon wentt off pleasantly Aunt and my hus- ha11dl talked business most of the time. Aftenward we went into the library. We had nearly an hour before time to lHHNe for the train.
 | liHdl lingsredl behind moment in tifH dining room and as I joined them | ItnHrtl Manvillea say:
 ''Sd it is all settled. dear aunt. It liHss always been my wish to have you witin me [ felt as if an icy hand hHIt me by the throat What did he mean& tried to speak. but. could not
 II have persuaded aunt now that her tnme iH sold to make her home with us psrmanentlE. Susan. She will return tn uH aa soon as she has arranged her