davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Denver Jewish news., 1924-06-12

Born in 1876 in NeuStndt- Shervint.
raised in Mogilow in well-to-do, en-
lightened Jewish family, he received a
thorough religious training combined
with n sound secular education. As
early as at eleven years of age his
interest in the affairs of his people
manifested itself in his attempts to be
come the correspondent Of the then in
ilncntial and widely read Hebrew daily
paper "Iia' Meilitz" in PctrOgrad.
While learning by heart Talmudic vol
umcs. he endcavored to write Russian
poetry, his heart having been captured
by the poetry OF Pushkin and Lennon
toy. However, the life of the promising
lad was destined to undergo an i'm
pOrtant transformation and all the pain
of transportation into new and en-
tirely strange environment II was his
uncle. IIirsch Bernstein, the family's
first 'discOverer of America" who. hay
ing found in the sos refuge in New
York, proceeded Immediately to pre-
pare the ground for large settlement
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
4 Notabl Inscription
By DR. fHASk CRANE

Above the portal of the Pantheon in Paris is, the inscription: Aux grands hommes la patfie reconnaissance, 2 which being inter- preted is, .sThe grateful country to her great men.rs K .s.....,s.
 The story is told that | country boy came to Paris to be educated
 He visited the Pantheon. He was awed by the iliustrious names that surrounded him as the guide conducted him through the vaults. He was shown the monuments to Yoltaire and Rousseau and the tombs of Victor Hugo, Marshal .Lannes, and others. Finally the guide indicated receptacle in which he said, were the reinains of fifty-six great men. The simple boy thought that would be a good opportunity to acquaint him self with the heroes of his native land. So he stopped and learned by heart the fifty-six names.
 Later, when he wns asked in written examination to give the. names of some of the great men of France, he wrote down the illustrious fifty-six. X He was amazed when the professor marked him zero and sharply reprimanded him for attempting to perpetratei joke.
 All of which throws a sharp light on the humbuggery of alleged greatness.
 It has been assumed for some thousand years or so that greatness and prominence mean the same thing.
 Ut is assumed that the maI,s who is born king is. greater than all the other babies born that day, and that the gentleman who is elected president is greater than the gentle men who were beaten.
 All of which is delusion and a snare. For the first thing a soul needs to learn is that worldly success of. any kind is not the test of greatness.
 The man who makes millions of dollars, is not necessarily either great-souled or great minded; he simply has "a certain kind of compatible with utter pettiness. K The soecalled great artist, or author, or statesman, or warrior, may be really quite small and mean.
 Real greatness lies in those attributes com mon to all men in loyalty, courage, strength of feeling, intelligence, self control sound judgment, clarity of vision, noble -mindedness, and the like. esSsas ' ,slss S.5
 A blacksmith or q carpenter can have these, and frequently does have them, tosa greater degree than a senator or a learned professor.
 The fundamental error in moral education is to teach children tos9try to be great in the sense of being wealthy or conspicuous.
 The kind of greatness the world needs and the individual needs, is that inner greatness with which so-called success or failure has nothing to do.
 France owes her greatness not to her great men, including the '56 others" but to her common people.
 George Washington would have been noth. ing had it not been for the hundreds of George Washingtons loyal and true in the ragged army behind him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
The Dictionary Habit.
By H. ADDTNGrON BRUCE

To most people dictionaries are simply books of reference-useful as giving the meanings of words. To few does it occur that they may also be valuable as aids to self-deveiopment if read attentively from time to time.
 by the dean of Amreican dictionar " makers, Frnak H. Yizetelly:
 "The modern lexicon resembles A vast clearing house where one meets all sorts and conditions of men,. q
 Some words are so familiar that we recog. nize them as members of our own household and pass them by with friendly nod. 9th CTS we bow to hastily and indifferently as we pass.
 There are some to which we hasten as to long neglected friends suddenly brought to mind. We pause momentarily before others to recall them to our memories
 One points to mistake that we have made; another gives us friendly advice; a third shows us a historic fact; fourth ex- plains a popular tradition, and as we pro- ceed we mediate, we dream, and learn Ian. guage, history, morals, poetry, science. sports and trades Where can one find so patient a teacher?' 4ts -
 And, in fact, it is possible to gleau from personal experiences evidence as to the posi- tive value of more or less systematic reading of dictionary t..' t.lf r
 There is in, New York, for example n banker who rose from the humble occupation of janitor to the presidency of the great in stitution wherein he began his janitorial ca- reer. Recently, discussing the factors con trlbutory to his success, he mentioned that in early life he had read through Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, and added:
 That led me to Crabbe's Synonyms and Roget's Thesaurus. concluded the boiled oown value Of many books was in dictionaries, so so read dictionaries of biography, classical dictionaries, medical dictionaries, and various others.' ' E That iiiustrious Canadian statesman and orator, Sir .Wilfrid Laurier, was an assiduous dictionary reader Commenting on this fact the Toronto Globe not long ago editorially ''To the hours spent over an English die tionary he owed his extraordinary command ot that language, with a full appreciation of the meaning of words in all their various shades" -Yf # -53g s.- F.-77 Y .-S'- -
 It may safely be insisted that Sir Wilfred got even more than this from his dictionary reading habit His mental vigor and alert ness must have been intensified thereby. if only because the surer grasp one has of the power is bound to be- ?
 The mastery of a. proper use of the moth CT tongue, it has been well said. .is the nrst and last requisite of sound and exten- sive mental development Language is the key to everything that pertains to human life" s9 : sY ~ " ~ nNet It may be objected that one difficulty to dlctionary reading is the scumbrous bulkiness and weight of dictionaries That objection IS not so valid as it once was. There now are available light-paper dictionaries of little more than ordinary book size.
 Such a dictionary lets itself be read easily. ana ,S occasional reading of it, done studiously, wih be found truly worth while. Y
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17

SIS, 5000, and surplus from $15,000 to $25,- 900. Extensive realty development is noted around Tuseumbia. Many new buildings are being built at Alexander City. A contract is let for large emInber concentration station at Montgomery Paper mills are to be established at Mobile with paid-in capital stock of $150,- GOO. State banks in Alabama increased their deposits more than nineteen million dollars between June 80, 1923 and December. q, 1923, with increase in resources of ever thirteen million dollars in the sar,e period. Paryish is to issue fifteen thousand dollars worth of bonds for school impr ,vements. Carbon Hill State Bank is building a new
 banking house. Improvements to the Burch- field hotel at Tuscaloosa are to cost 100000. Decatur will spend $30O,000 in street i'm provements. Work is progressing rapidly on
 a new high school building at Tuscaloosa to cost S20O.000. Thus Alabama continues it's activity generally anu in'+a gratifying man ner throughout the state. <
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
FILING BLOC ON BLOC

.. .Assif there were not already d useless sur plus of blocs in congress, it is announced that another is in process of formation. It is xepoyfed that sixty members of the lower house are organizing a beer-and- -light-wines bloc with the purpose of acting together in I&4moting bill to legalize the manufacture, sale and transportation of light wines and beer with an alcoholic content of 2.T5 per cent It is said that they will introduce sixty separate. but similar bills, one for each mem- Der Qf the bloc.
 So far as concerns legalization of light -ziDas. that is lightly regarded by prohibit ionists as an opening wedge to a traffic in heavier beverages. Light wines are not pop ular in America, and there is comparatively little demand for them. Americans as q rule call for beer or whisky in some form. Still, with so many other blocs in congress, it is not surprising that one should be formed to deal with a proposition that interests a great many people directly or indirectly. The process of introducing bills into congress is largely mechanical and is a mere accommoda- ton to some of the folks back home" A large percentage of the bills introduced are sssceyer heard from again. So, if a beer-and- li ght-wines bloc desires to get some exercise a*id a little additional publicity that way, sSeh is its privilege.
 It may be that the purpose of the extra Srdinary scheme is for home consumption knly. It may enable each wet member to poSe as the friend of a measure which ap- peals to the thirst of his constituents, even though there be no legal way to relieve pafched threats. The scheme is already sus- peeted of being a publicity stunt with vote getting attachment, and nobody believes the bloc itself will exercise any influence towards success of the measures.
 But the beer-and-light-wine bloc is merely a symptom of a malady which appears to he spreading. It seems to have become fash iyAeble to form blocs in connection with any nlelsures which arouse differences, and con tenfYans until congress is go largely com posed pf and affected by the bloc system that it is Blooming incapable of considering bills in. the traditional way of passing or reject ing them on their merits as developed through debate and discussion. The organization of one bloc leads to that of another, until repre- sentative government is in danger of sink Ing into degradation. If the bloc system be carried much further, perhaps it will in- rade the sacred realm of the ballot-box, and Hen we shall have elections as we'll as gov sEnment by bIocS. .
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
FiIJRTHER INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS

Within the last few days The Age-Herald has published many reports from various parts of Alabama that evidence industrial 1lbsress and development in nearly every
 rt of the state. It is encouraging to note
 only Inc extensive territory which is
 arked by the spirit of progress, but the riety of industry represented in the favor
 ble reports. The expansion includes many
 sw enterprises representing large invest ? nents, while many additions and improve nents in established industries are included In the progress made.
 Some of the developments are set forth {: Seottsboro's hosiery mill is working day and niaht shifts to fill orders that will keep fac toFS running continuously throughout 1914. The Conner cotton mills ut Union Springs uearing completion. and expected to be ready for operations in n few weeks. Tal- .laaeea's splendid new water system hears .eompletion. Anniston city council adopted plans for street improvements to cost $15O, 600. Florence city commission passed an Or- sliunnce to pave seventy-eight blocks off city streets. A syndicate purchases lands and building sites for coal mining and furnace oreratiOns in Marshall, Etowah and DeKalb eovntics, -Gadsden authorized the issue of $90.OOO worth of bonds for school improve nents. New ice plant is being erected at Cor Svva. First National Rank of Tuscumbia in- creased it's capital stock from, $00,OO0 to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
Truth Vs Poetry lI
By s. E. KYsER

She was gazing out where the crowd went And the wrinkles were deep around her
 eyes: tr if foT. Age was coming upon her fast \ As she was beginning to reali1e, Then, tripping along on unwearied feetgA
 Came one who said in breezy way: 8 How young you are looking, my dear, and And the world seemed suddenly bright and
 gay .-ss, +t. %s He was doing his act where the crowd
 seemed cold ;; .- .,.ss-T s4 .,. Hokum that never had failed before .. Availed him nothing; the jokes he toIiSl
 Were answered with ripples of mirth no
 more, ..- < But nice, fat man in an orchestra chair Let loose Il hilarious laugh, at last, And the act began to go big right there, The signs of approval came thick and fast One who was weary and full of doubt
 Went to his task when the day began; Fate had hegleNSeu to pick him out As a rich or famous or fortunate man; His thoughts went back to his youthful days And he grieved because of the ills he bore Then along came the boss with a word of
 praise, And life seemed suddenly good once more We hustle along and forget to care How others may wait for word of cheer 1; We have cares of our own that. we have to bear,
 And our praise is hoarded where praise is
 dear;
 We might be making the dark days bright
 For those who are doubtful and those who sigh, ast But we. fail to offer the praise we might, f. And withhold the cheer that we could sup |. VI .ss. - : - ets.a. .
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
Watching The Parade
ny JoHN PILGRIAI

My young cousin came in this afternoon for some advice. It doesn't hurt him and feel all .the better for it.. He said that he was considering changing jobs.
 q want to get married, you know" said he, land I'm not making enough money where am. Flannel. and Woolens, Inc, offer me forty dollars a month more
 So we talked it over. My young cousin is at the moment in the electrical line. He has been working for the same firm for four years. has acquired a thorough u.der- standing of the retail end of the business, and has studied something of the scientific side. In another year or so he would be equipped, to go on his own.
 "I'd have enough capital to start little store, too,'' he said. And I think I know where there will be good location about that time. But I want to get married and that forty dollars more each month would make it possible. f
 So we considered. The fact that he is of fered an increase by firm in another line is pretty fair proof that he has made good as a salesman. Merchants get to know these things It may be that his own boss cannot afford to increase his pay.
 But if you go sinto dry, goods you will lose the four years you have spent in electri- cal fixtures said. "A part of your pay has been in accumulated knowledge. and ex- perience. In four years in. dry goods you might so establish yourself that wholesale drug house would offer you raise. Would you take it 2 Do you, expect to spend your life bargaining for petty boosts in the salary envelope? Or are you going to do something worth while? Are you training yourself for something? Or just marking timeT'
 Maybe the girl won't wait" said he
 So that is where I stopped giving advice. When it comes to picking another fellows girl for him; I quit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
The Prouillg Ground
By ,WICKEs WANfBOLDT

Roughly speaking, people when subjected to temptation fall into three classes :.s- Those who are. distressed and humiliated. that a wrong thought has presented itself = those who make no attempt to repulse temptation and yield whenever circumstances will per nit and those who look with serenity on temptations and regard them merely as things to resist-as opportunities to show strength and to develop strength. s-siie
 A fine old philosopher who lived about two thousand years ago tells us that we should welcome temptation--that it is a test ing of ourselves. ...-size
 It is encouraging to us if we can regard our temptations as tests and not as humiliat- ing thoughts or evil opportunities. Everyone has temptations. Indifference between the moral man and the immoral man is that the immoral man yields to his temptations and the moral man does not. We can no more prevent i tlBe approach; of temptations than we oansReep buzzards from flying over. our houses or rats from approaching the prem ises. But we do not need to let the buzzards nest on our roofs, nor do we need to entertain the rats. s j-.- ~. D. | s'
 There is reason for temptation. It is not hit-and-miss matter due to whims or analytical investigation of a Supreme Power The running of the universe is business too stupendous for a mortal to comprehend Probably the Director General of the universe needs lot of high-grade souls to heipn Him run it. Undoubtedly He shas difficulty in getting enough of the kind that can measure up. The only way He can find out whether those in this world can qualify is by testing
 The point is that when temptations or tests are presented they should be regarded as school examinations, and our objective should be to get a one hundred per cent mark
 We should show a real understanding oi conditions and be the better able to meet q situation if, when a a.temptation presents iitseli we should smile knowingly and say,h Here is test" And if it should be, a big tempta. tion, Here is supreme test. +'as. .
 The main thing is to stand the test. <
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
The Night Comes
By JOHN CARLYLE

On the sun dial of Sir Walter Scott the passerby reads these words "The night com eth"
 Samuel Johnson, great scholar, abie and learned man of Britains eighteenth century, had engraved on his watch these words :: "The night con1eth."
 How many of us in the smooth or tur- bulent course of cur lives, where there is so much to do and so little done, realize the full weight of that message: The night eometh? st.~s. Many of you who read these lines have but remnant of life to live. Others are almost at the beginning of the. course. Who ever you are there is time, and time now, to plan the affairs of life with new thoughtful ness, to allot time in such a fashion as to yield a worthy result. There is time to al. lot the hours for worthy matters. There is time to plan your life in such way as to make a dutiful contribution to your age. s'
 Most men and women do not have sii- perior ability, unusual talent. Most of HIS are ordinary persons facing ordinary tasks. Perhaps many of us are discouraged because we are not confronted with spectacular de- mands. Perhaps that accounts for our struggling march to the days work.
 There is enough to do for all of us. Life is filled with simple opportunities and simple jobs. By doing them to the limit of our capacity, however nnmDle that IS, we Snall be making an honest contribution. -
 Do you allot the hours in the best way that you know how? That is the most i'm. portant question in your life, Upon your answer and your practice hangs the verdict as to whether it is worth while that you should live at all.
 Thomas Carlyle, peering deep into the hearts of average men,, cried out: Pro duce, in Gods name; produce, ssN
 The chapters of Carlyle are filled with solemn recognition of the value of the rem- nant of time. He knew that the night cometh. .. a,
 Many of us are held back by the acute consciousness of the failures of yesterday, by the sad misleeds of last month and last year. Drop forever the black things of the past into the oblivion of Gods forgetfulness." !" There is yet time to work. Do not. impair the fibre of your present capacity by try. ing to stretch it oyer the jagged evils of a day that is done and will never come again Concentrate your strength for today and to- morrow. Do not fritter it away on the worries of last week.
 Allot, your time-from now on. The night cometh. -
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17

life with more efficiency and prospect of ex. banded productive results.
 Tulsa had a population of 1S0O0e in 1910
 In 1920 this increased to 72.Oo0, and in 1924 the population is estimated at little more than 100000. That city possesses great natural resources and has made an enyiable record in material growth, as well as in creased population, Its citizens manifested wisdom in applying the principle that expan- sion in development calls for corresponding increase in public educational facilities. The schools are in chief measure the foundatio ot progress and prosperity. @N .f
 A situation similar to that of Tulsas ex- ists in Birmingham. The expansion of our school system has not kept step with the growth in population and material develop ment. The result is that the city's pros perity demands that conditions be improved. Birmingham is more than twice as large as Tulsa. A capable committee of financiers eyamined the eommunity's economic condition and reported that, with an additional tax levy of three mills to provide sinking fund for interest and maturing principal bonds to the amount of $4.150,000 can be issued without jeopardizing the city's credit.
 The general committee representing all in terests will soon meet to consider reports of special committees and ub-committees on school needs and the financial situation, and will recommend to the city commission a plan upon which to call a bond election. The whole. program has been conducted in open manner and according to the most demo- cratic methods. The special and sub-conn- mittees have been painstaking and faithful in their efforts. There seems no reason why a, practical plan, both as to the amount of the proposed bond issue and the purposes to which the funds shall be devoted, cannot be presented in. a way that will bring the largest benefits to the largest number, and that will win majority approval at the polls. t
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-17
CONSIDER JAZZ"

Since the recent decision of the young son of Banker Kahn to be the leader, of a saxaphone jazz band at private social func- tions, that peculiar American form of mu- sic, if such it may be called, is attracting n new interest. It seems that Mir. Kahn has forbidden his son to appear in public in this capacity, but announces that he sees in jazz Hthe organization of genuinely and distinc- lively American musical possession" E.
 It may seem unusual that such view is taken by a director of the Metropolitan Opera, which is presumed to be the last thing in musical standards. Still, it appears that, regardless of what refined critics and sensi- tive ears may think or feel about jazz, it has become an established institution, and those who are inclined to be shocked or tortured by the product may as well make the best of it. Jazz is defined by some as "a chaotic and unreliable accompaniment of modern dance perversions." That is true when the playing produces. merely disordered sounds that are offensive to those with an ear for harmony, which is the inevitable effect of tir-pans, quacking comets, shrieking saxa- phones, scraping' sandpaper in all their fren- zied ensemble But there are those who con tend that jazz is folk music of primitive sim plicity, with rhythm, melody and form. A famous French composer declares that it is Americans "only original contribution to music.' As such, musical "highbrows" are undertaking to preserve it so that worthy concert programs may include typical exam pies of this style of composition.
 The fact is, the critics seem to lean to the theory that jazz, like some of the more ponderous passages of descriptive grand opera, is not so bad as it sounds. It is fine, if ones ear be cultivated to the peculiar style. There are broad possibilities in .ac- quired tastes4 An eminent composer said that what is called rag-timet is good music on jag. According to this theory jazz may be music permanently insanesrs n5 ssos77
 Whether jazz really is an outgrowth of the "coon" rag-time which made its appearance fifteen or twenty years ago, or whether it be development of negro and Indiaa song, it appears to function fairly well as q melt ing-pot product, and should not be held re- Isponsible for all the movements and activities that accompany it. To blame jazz in itself for the suggestiveness and vulgarity with which many have clothed it is not quite fair Rather. the associations than the form of music are responsible for the fact that jazz is regarded by many as an abomination.