The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], March 01, 1914, SPORTING SECTION, Image 13

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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THE BIRMINGHAM
AGE-HERALD
VOLUME XXXXIU
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 1014
SPORTING SECTION NCMBER 299
_THE LAND OF THE K ALEV ALA
By C. F. M ARK ELL,
HE fascination of the sea has
ever enthralled the heart of man
and the tribute to that fascination
has been the burthen of many a lip
breaking: into song. But there are
divers seas, the expanse of the ocean,
the mighty sweep of the desert sands
and the interminable stretches of
driven snow. it is difficult to say
which is the most potent in its spell
and 1 have succumbed to all three.
>’!;h tne majesty of Neptune have I
been awed and by the dalliance of
Amphitrite wooed from the placid
... coves of summer seas that mingle with
Jurujuba's bays where the purple
crepusctile is neither day nor night to
v here the temebrous waves roll at the
foot of the North Cape and sing a
requiem unknown to other seas. I
have ploughed the golden sand dunes
of the desert of Egypt, the aureate,
[ mediately proposed to help me out or
n»y trouble. We engaged passage upon
a quasi ferry boat for Abo (pronounced
jObo) In Finland and from thence pro
ceeded aeross country partly by rail
and partly by troika, the Russian
sleigh.
Tne occasion was one of intense de
light to me for what could be more
thrilling to one of an imaginative and
sentimental temperament than a jour
ney through the land of the Kalevala.
tha* great Finnish epic that ranks
with the Odyssey of Homer and the
Ttamayana of India? ,
We proceeded by rail as far as Lahti,
from which point we took the sled. It
was growing late in the da,> when all
preparations for the dash aeross the
snow had been completed and as 1 sat in
the troika waiting for my friend to pur
chase some ugly, black cigars at tlie inn,
there came to my ears through the half
opeu door of the hostelry the notes of a
violin played by some lounging patron.
At the same time t h« coincidence
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••«
Top—Gardens of Russian count, Finland. Bottom—Viborg, Finland
wipd-ravished furrows' of Arabia’s
• weeps, the incandescent stretches or
Persia’s plain and the ashen-bued bar
rens of Mesopotamia’s wastes.
Again have 1 skimmed the glimmer
ing surface of Finland’s frozen fens
with the apparent speed of a benight
ed swallow’s tireless wing and with it
all 1 cannot say which exerted the
greatest charm.
Many years ago 1 found myself mfl
1 ooned as it were in Stockholm, be
ing unable to procure steamship trans
portation from that city to St. Peters
burg. But my good star, which has
ever brought me out of the greatest
difficulties, and upon which 1 always
Implicitly rely, came to my relief.
In my youth T had known at col
lege In Washington a Russian prince
■who was quite a companionable class
mate but who had been dismissed from f
the institution for reasons by no means
complimentary to his morals. In my
dilemma I ran across him by accident
in the hotel at Stockholm and he im
I Tell You
Catarrh CAN
Be Cured
I Know That What Cured Me \fter
2ft Yearn of Caaleaa Doctoring; Will
Interent Every Catarrh Victim
and I am Willing; to Let Ev
ery Sufferer Try and
Prove Thin Great
Method Abso
lutely Free
of Coat
I am not a doctor and not a scientist.
*ut simply an American business man
srith plain common sense enough to
appreciate a really good? thing when 1
have it proved to me, and withlenough
humanity to want others to benefit as
I did. When a man suffers all the in
conveniences, the humiliation, the em
barrassment of catarrh for 25 long
^•ears, spending hundreds of dollars and
\nuch valuable time on alleged remedies
It makes no difference how bad your
.'atnrrh or Asthma may he, the very
flrat use of this treatment will tiring
you Instant relief. 1 tell you to depend
upon It absolutely.
without any success, and then suddenly
finds a means that cures him almost
like magic, it is his plain duty to see
that all the world is made to hear of it.
For all those 25 years l went about half
ashamed of myself, always conscious
of the nauseating and disgusting prac
tices I was forced to Indulge in.
After I had tried about everything
(half a hundred different remedies),
' X learned of this wonderful Swiss treat
ment and had proved to me some of
the remarkable results it had brought
. about. I tried It and was better In nu
Instant. In just a short time I was well
and free from that awful catarrh.
I was so pleased that I secured the
rights and now offer you sufferers
from catarrh the chance to try this
wonderful tfeatifient. without a cent
of cost. ‘ Ju.t. address A. H. Prwnmn.
Hulte 171. 102 Fifth Ave., ChidtiKo—
but do it NOW. Grasp the opportunity
whlls it still knocks at your dour, Hand
——T sura.
brought to my mind the \erses of the
Kale"- ala.
Other tunes the horns are blowing,
Other doors thou heftiest jarring.
Other gates thou hearest creaking,
Other voices at the fishlines.
Resting one foot on the threshold,
On his sledge the other placing.
Forth L go most sadly longing
As into the night of autumn
As on slippery ice in springtime.
When on ice no track remalneth,
On its smoothness rests no footprint.
Soon lie came and we were off. For
awhile I listened to the merry tintinnabu
lation of the bells upon the douga, the
wooded bow which connected the points
of the shafts, and watched the superb
movement of the horses. It is claimed
that the original intention in employing
bells was to frighten off the wolves while
others assert that their purpose is to give
warning of approach and thus avoid col
lisions in the narrow forest paths, but T .
am inclined to the opinion that they
were primarily designed, as were ovir
church bells, to drive away the evil
spirits, just as the Neapolitan drivers
of the day ornament Their noises' har
ness with a huge metal covered pyramid.
The animals seemed as tireless as birds
of passage and skimmed over the snow
as four-footed swallows; indeed 1 might
have compared them with harnessed
spirits of the wind had not the harness
been so sparee and the leather thongs
so thin that the steeds had the appear
ance of running loose or actually fly
ing. The capabilities of the Russian
horse are astounding and their charac
ters a strange mixture of docility an.l
fear.
When standing at rest they permit
their drivers to convert their haunches
into couches or headrests and again
they are spoken of as “madmen." They
arc equally responsive to endearing
cajolery and contemptuous abuse, for
to their capricious drivers they arc
sometimes "little doves" and sometime*
"accursed hounds," though the w^ip is
not often applied, and with no other in
centive than the master's voice they
maintain a pace of 14 miles the hour
for many successive hours.
When hut one horse is used to a
sled, the turnout is designated as 3n
"egoist," hut frequently for the mere
sake of appearance a second animal
is attached by a single trace. He is
termed a “madman” and his presence
seems to inspire the steed between the
shafts with a wild and greatly accel
erated speed. When a third horse is
added the team becomes, as was ours
upon tiiis occasion, a trollia, and as I
looked at my flying steeds I was re
minded of the chariot races of the
Romans of old or the speeding horses
of mad Jehu coursing the plain of
Esdraelon.
The animal between the shafts of
necessity kept hie head erect and gazed
straight before him, hut the side horse*?
galloped in real classical style, turn
ing their heads outward as they flew
over the frozen -snow. It Is said that
this turning of the head is effected by
a short line running from the bit to
tlie harness saddle, but such was not
the case with my steeds for there was
neither line nor saddle and T am satic
fied that the attitude is assumed half
through fear of the whip, and the horse
essays to keep his eyes upon the driver.
One can scarcely, without experienc
ing it, imagine the sensation of such a
strange drive behind such animals at
such a wild huntsman's pace across a
frozen snow covered sea.
Finland is a land of lakes and in
summer is a most beautiful country
for many of the lakes have their shores
lined with the summer residences of
the wealthy citizens of St. Petersburg
and Moscow, hut in winter it is drear
iness personified, the abandoned pal
aces adding to the gloom and deserted
appearance of the country. We crossed
many' of these lakes upon the ice to
save distance and crossed several
rivers through necessity. I was seized
with horror of losing my way across
the trackless plain of Ice and the situ
ation became almost appalling. Added
to this were the frequent hovering,
haunting^ spectral outlines and config
urations of ships frozen fast in the ice
with all sa*ls set yet motionless as a
statue: *n fact they seemed as mounds
of dpalh and yet the rapid speed of
my sled caused them to appear as
gliding in an opposite direction. My
apprehension was, however, soon
greatly rcFeved when I learned thai
the course was marked out by poles j
mo le fast in the ice and tha^ at stated
intervals we passed houses of refuge I
equipped with alarm belle that are rung 1
•
when a blizzard prevails; veritable
lighthouses of tlie plains.
Soon twilight fell upon us and the
horizon failed to longer mark the sep
aration of sky and earth so that T
imagined myself upon the outside of «
sphere of milk and crystal. I kept mj
eyes rKtted upon the tireless flying
steeds before me until the impression
was created that they were actually
suspended in ether; on. on sped my
troika, the gloom, the cold and th«
terror becoming hourly more palpa
bh\ I felt as though enveloped in
that primordial chaos that obtained be
fore light was separated from dark
nepF and the sea divided from the land,
that I was fixing through space and
that my soul was well r^igh divorced
from my body and transported into an
unknown land by a walkyriau ride.
T thought of what Gogol said in Ivs
Ames Mortes: ‘Troika, troika bird, who
invented thee.' Thou couldst only
born among an audacious people lint
are thou not thyself, O Russia, tin
brave troika bird that none can pa-->?
Where are thou going? Ansxver. T' <
troika does not answer; it flies onw.nl
and clears all obstacles.’"
At Viborg we stopped for the night
and I had an opportunity to study tin*
Finns. I have always loved Russia, hut
Hie Finns ate to her what the Ameri
can Indian Is to us, the aborlgim ;
among us but not of us.
I have ever compared the l'lltd of
the Czar to a proud dame upon whose
fheek rests tin* pall of silent ingui h
and whose bosom rise's and falls xvilli
t strange, nameless aspiration; whose
yes glow with the fire of idealism and
whose hearing portrays the reserve and
•\chisiveness born of being misunder
stood. Rut. such Is not the character
if the Finn.
He xx*as designated in olden chroni
cles as the Chudf and today lie is the
very antithesis of the Tartar, for b.»
is relatively' silent. proverbially
gloomy, notoriously morose and decid
ed 1 y uncommunicative.
1 had thought that my knowledge of
French would enable me to converse
with the people of Russia, but in this
I found myself woefully in error, for
It is only the educated Russian that
is a polyglot and it was quite for
tunate that 1 had my friend with me
1 detected no little covert resentment
in the Finn toward the Russianizing or
Russification of their country and this
spirit was much more pronounc'd in
the women than in the men. When 1
mentioned tills to my companion he
smiled and laconically quoted a Frencu
poet: "1‘orquoi. if* femmes, restez-vous
jen arid ere?"
St 114 1 round much during my brief
slay in the land that was «»f interest
I and instructive. The remnants of thcdv
religion show that their primitive cul
was free from abstract dogma and
mainly devoted tu the insurance of ma
terial welfare, being of a thoroughly
practical and prosale character.
Their simple prayers consist of an
invocation for good harvests ami plont>
of cattle. But later when they found
tlull Yttmala, their own deity, did not
always answer their petitions, they
wore not averse to appealing to Rus
• i i s favorite sai^tt. Nicholas. These
petitions were crude as tlie following
will attest: “took here, oh Nicholas
God. Perhaps tax neighbor, little
Michael, has been slandering me to you.
or perhaps he will do so. If he does
do not believe hint 1 have done him
no ill and wish him none. He is a
worthless boaster and babbler, lie does
not really honor you. and merely plays
the hypocrite. But 1 honor you from mx
Inert, anxl behold I place a taper be
fore you.”
Their religious ceremonies arc chief
ly devoted to axertlng the influence of
malicious spirits or freeing themselves
from unwelcome visits of their depart
ed relatives. For this latter purpose
t hev at stated seasons still carry to
the graveyards a quantity of cooked
food which they place upon the tomb
of a relative and beg him to accept
it and not return to their old homes
where their presence is not wanted.
They are also accredited with placing
stones upon the grave to prevent the
occupant from rising, amt Just at this
point arises a nice question whether
su- n a practice may not have been the
origin of tombstones. Tt is at least an
interesting subject for study.
On the othec hand the Tartar, who
is i Mohammedan, will not imbibe the
Christian faith. He is. however, more
h-nient toward Christianity than Is the
Finn. He deems Mohammed an ad
vanced manifestation of religion and
| looks with both pity and contempt upon
jour benighted condition and inability
I t«» progress.
! I was greatly interested in the old Rus
sian sagas, which hear a close resemblance
| to those of Scandinavia ;wnd another proof
| that the Norsemen and tite early Finns
were one and the same people. Olga is
I a popular name in Russia, ami it was
first borne bv one who is described in
tbe ancient chronicles as being tite fore
runner of Christianity in tlmtycountry as
the morning star is the precursor of tin*
sun and the dawn the precursor ol tb"
da ‘’As the moon shines at midnight,
! she shone in the midst of a pagan people.
She was a pearl amid dirt for the people
were in the mire of their sins and not
vet purified by baptism!” When Olga's
itishaud was slain she resolved to take
v engeance .upon his murderers and to ac
complish tills she fixed lighted matches
to the tails of sparrows and letting them
flv over the root’s of the houses so de
stroyed till' city of her foes.
Another interesting saga demonstrates
that the horse was a favorite medium for
cor massing the death of great n^cn, and
the fact is that when recently discovered
tumuli in Russia have been opened the
bones of horses have always been found
in conjunction with the human skeleton.
I’robaly the most interesting sag.
upon this subject is that relating to
the death of Oleg, who was tin* guar
dlan of Olga's husband. A wizard had
predicted that he would die by means
of I is horse and he put him aside, en
trusting him to the care of others. It
l we it among the Creeks and returning
home asked after four years concern
ing his pet horse. He was to id that
tfhe animal was dead, and laughingly
said that the wizard had spoken falsely.
Then he ordered a steed saddled for
.i* .. isncd !o see the bones of his old
pet, and rode out to where the skele
ton of the animal lay burled. f When
he saw the bones ho leaped from his
horse and said with a smile: *H »w can
a skull he the cause of my death?”
Then lie touched the skull with his
foot, when out darted a snake which
bit .him upon the heel, from the wound
of \\4|ich he fell sick and died.
1 fain would have lingered longer
in Finn la nd, but my friend was anxious
that we move on to St. Petersburg, and
1 was under so many obligations to
him for his assistance there was noth
ing left for me but to acquiesce. I
have since passed through this country
of charming lakes by rail, but 1 have
had few experiences that so thrilled
me its that troika flight over the land
of the k a leva la.
1
His Meaning
From the Boston Record.
One evening, just at dark, a mart
• rove through the village with a hand
some car. equipped with all the mod
ern devices. Hardly had he proceeded
a square before a constatde loomed
luege In the vista. t4Se© here, young
let er.” exclaimed the official, “you will
have to jump out and lignt up your
lamps.”
“All right, old pal.” cheerily an
swered the motorist. “Just as you say
an out it.”
With this ho touched a button and
instantly tin* powerful light gleamed
forth. For a moment the constable was
stunned. It was his first experience
'v itlt electric lights in an automobile.
But he recovered
“Say. young feller." he exclaimed,
moving nearer the car, “don't try to
get ga v with me! When T tell you to
light your lamps ? mean for you to
step out and light 'em.”
"CASCARETS" IF HEADACHY. BILIOUS,
SHAKY. CONSTIPATED—DIE A BOX
1* urred Tonnuf, Had Taste, Indices- foul *nse:- bad breath, yellow skin*
tion. Sallow Skin and Miserable Head- menial fears, everythin* that Is horrible
aches ecme from a torpid liver and ,ml ,mUs' *tiny \ t’asoaret tonight will
eloped, cnnsti|,at,nl 1.n«Ha which ^UMien v nut "> n.orntnit a 10
eent box from your druggist will keen
wlVh ..nrtl'J'c ?lrtnVa° l '7°"’'' n,l"d IJUT ;„Mw, i:..w..|H Clean, atom
f m ' " •L'.VT14 !',,d •lrh • •* ...I . I,-Hi- and make you
rmnunts like ffai-ha*.- in a a will Imrrcl. bulb for .. Don't forket tho
I bat .*• ttie first step to untold misery children.
I Mail Orders
Posted
Monday
Filled at
the Adver
tised Price
These are two requisites that are insisted upon be
fore suits are put in our stocks.
ffi Quality Always
jtSp So plienomenal an increase has been shown in our
gSj ltead\ to-Wear Section that our buyer hn been .
eompelled to make a second trip to eastern mar
nkets to purchase Spring Suits. His first purchase
was so eagerly bought by enthusiastic women who appreciate in
dividuality in our garments at so reasonable a price.
Here is another 100 Suits just sent us by our buyer in New York.
I Suits that he secured at a bargain price. Suits that should sell
for $25 and $27.50. Right up to
the moment styles, too. Monday
they are .
For packing winter suite] N Crepe V/aistS
and. furs—Manhattan Air- _ tT.
Tight Red Cedarized Moth AF0 XJ.0F0
Bags. Sizes for suits, Since Crepe is the most called for
coats and furs. material of the season, these
. Waists are doubly stylish made of
Jr F1C0 this material in the season’s new
75c est models. Handsome Crepe do
Chine Blouses are the freshest ar
lip CO rivals, showing many novel stylo
<Cl QQ features. Economically priced
-—-1 |T.$3,98.$9.50
_virwr/ti'. ’W! •/'"/ •pf'rwim •>nw -Hiirtmirn
Millinery Section
Enlarged
Mme room- more room so iiisislont was lh<> <it maud from the |
.Millinery Section and so important was the increase in business I
from that department that we had to give it to them. The car
peiiteis lia\ c been hus\ all week making the neccssarv changes.
-Monda\ all will he in readiness to serve you. Special groups at
^ fpceial prices will he the order of the day. Here will he found
the newest, smartest styles and trimmings lints trimmed with
jet or with jet and net combinations the nobby ribbon how
trimmings so much in vogue this season and flower and fruit
effects. Prices range from a dandy group at $2.98 upward; all
most reasonably priced and much less than you would expect for
such smart millinery.
k Silks—Crepes Especially
Yard-wide S11l< Poplin, lustrous finish,
\ in nandsome shades. Yard . ipl.UU
\ itU-inch Moire Silks, in black and all fashionable <r*-|
TOfc* shades. Yard. Jpl.OU
i 1 Yv\ Th< "ew ('rinl',f' Crepe a parlicularly stylish silk for ibis spring, in I
J \\\V tango, wisteria, Hague blue and other orY I
I IIyV •st-vlish shades. Yard . . ip L.O«7 L
\ |wi\ New Crepe de Chines of a superior and extra handsome u»-|
1 |\\ duality, in many-new and desirable shades, 12 inches wide. Yard
1 Mvi 1 rcp(‘ Meteor, the aristocrat among this season's silks, in all (t*Q AA
\ 1\\ COl°rs' es*)eclallv brilliant in finish, 42 inches wide .... ipZ.UU
Colored Wash Fabrics of Today
46-inch Pebble Cloth, a now one for this season;
T/ an excellent suiting .. 0»/C
Handsome Embroidered Crepe—white grounds tjrr
embroidered with dainty figures. Yard . OOC
Yj Pacific Serpentine Crepe, In pretty pattterns and -j
\\ solid colors; 13c value . lOC
My lliee Cloth—40 inches wide, dainty figures ami OCT
V™ floral patterns. Yard . Ot)C
kmvtt Pongee Linen—highly mercerized, permanent OCT
\\W finish, pretty colors . ODC
\W Itatine. Eponge Ratine, Bpuretlc Crepe, Shoe-peg Ratine. Leghorn Zephyr
Av7 >Crded Crepe. Embroidered Ratine, Irish Poplin and .'di-inch OCT
W Colored Linen. All new. stylish fabrics, at . &OC
di-inch Brown Linen, a usual ^
Vv. -’Oe value. Monday ...... . Iv/C
V\ ~ '1 t-—--X
'N\ American Print Calico, all Ginghams — Amoskeag,
v /ZS colors, light or r„ Renfrew, Red Seal, i A „
dark, Monday .... tlv Toile du Nord . .
f.ilwv ^_f k._ j
Spring Models In
1 Fine Corsets
7 W. B., KABO,
R. & G. Thomson
and Louise -
Tlic* best models by the country’s best
makers. A special showing of
the lias been arranged for Mon
day. An expert eorsetierre in
charge, who will assist you in get
ting the model you need.
'
House Dresses for 49c
To clear out a special lot of House Dresses, they have been put out ami
marked at this price; formerly priced at $1 and $1.25. High neck and
long sleeves, light and dark shades, made of good /fQ/»
percales; some sizes missing. Monday for ....■•. Ttc/C
House Dresses for 98c
New styles with the sewed in sleeves, collar anJ cuffs matched, high
neck, dark and light shades, made of ginghams and percales: QQ
ail sizes to be had. Real $1.50 values. Monday for . *JOC
Skirts and Bungalow Aprons 50c
New Gingham Skirts and Bungalow Aprons, in gingham and percales;
exceptionally well made and serviceable:
light of dark . ..'. . t)UC
New Crepe Kimonos 98c
Made of genuine Serpentine Crepe, trimmed with .satin hands. aq
floral and conventional patterns; $1.50 values. Monday • .
Hosiery Specials
Children's heavy ribbed Hose,
sizes (i to 8; lot* quality. Mon
day at 71/2c pair; 1 R/t
two pair for. -LaJ v
Ladies’ Hose of exceptionally
good quality, in several
weights; well worth lfx*. Q „
Monday .pair .
Children’s extra heavy ribbed
Hose; usual 20c value. Mon
day at 15c pair. OfP „
two pairs for.
Ladies’ flare top, Wayne knit.
Hose, 35c pair. (P'1 AA
three pairs for ....
Ladies’ Boot Silk I lose; look
as well, wear het.t(*r than $1.00
quality pure silk hose; P A ,
all colors. Pair.wvv
Gloves
Beal Chainoisette Gloves from
Kavser, long and shorts, in nat
ural. white and gray. PA _
Monday for, pair .... vVFV'
From The White Goods Section
45-lnch Lingerie Cloth, of sheer nr
slid beautiful weave . £t)C
36 Inch Ratine, tlie most called-for OO
stilling of the scusou ....... 0«/C
l.ongeloth—high count, superior quality.
10-yard bolts Monday for . iuC
Colored Curtain Scrims, in patterns that are the same as those on high
priced scrim, full yard wide, wide range of -j rk II
patterns. Monday for .... AUC
New Brass Curtain Rods With /\
fixtures. Each . AUC
Crib Btymkets—a large assortment of patterns; OQ
Dimity Bed Spreads, the newest fail; rtk-| wf
easily laundered. Eaeh .... JJ)A« I O
Diamond Hill Cambric or -|
Hope Domestic; 12 yards .tPA.UU
Children’s Wear For
Spring
Boys’ Blouse Waists light and dark colors, iij
white with stripes and figures; well made of //AWiflfTOv
percale, ginghams and madras; with pocket;(A* 111 lAlfJ IB |l
sizes H to 14 years; HOc OpT _ \ n 1 Iij
values. Monday for .^^y* y I 111
Children’s Dresses--made of Dost grade jafSIy J»
Amoskeag ginghams, in pretty plaids, HI ill IIP
trimmed with solid colors, all in new spring BrTj
styles, with three-quarter sieves; "| Q ' l ! I
regular $1.50 value. Monday for tpi*lw W/A
(See window display.) iJis35* l
£ * r.^