The age-herald. [volume], September 15, 1900, Page 4, Image 4

About The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902

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The Age-Herald.
*. W. KAKHETT.Kditur
Dally and Sunday Age-Herald.
Dally and Sunday, per month.
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.Weekly Age-Herald, per annum.LOO
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Fred L. Allen and IL L. Parrish are the
only authorized traveling representatives
of The Age-Herald in Its circulation de
partment.
Remittances can t>e made by express,
postofflee money order or drafts at current
rate of exchange. Address
THE AGE-HERALD,
Birmingham, Ala.
IKE OKLT D411Y NEWSPAPER (It ALABAMA
Demand of the Pennsylvania Miners.
The miners in the hard coal regions of
Pennsylvania have but one grievance—they
do not receive a fair wage for a fair day’s
•work. This is their so-le grievance in sub
stance.
When it comes to details they ask the
abolition ot the company's stores; reduc
tion in the price of powder; payment of
employes, in compliance with the State
law, in cash at semi-monthly intervals^ that
a check weigh man shall be hired by the
miners to see that weight is correct; an in*
crease of 20 per cent in the wages of those
receiving less thun $1.50 a day, of 15 per cent
in the wages of those receiving from $1.50
•to $1.75 a day', and 10 per cent in the wages
of those now paid $1.75 a day. The other
demands of the miners relate to mining de
tails, and do not concern the public.
In New Zealand such differences are set
tled by compulsory arbitration, and the ar
bitrators are selected by the State. There
are no strikes in that far-away land such as
Pennsylvania will witness on Monday, but
New Zealand has no Republican party—no
Hannas, or Quays or Tom Platts, who work
the corporations for campaign funds and
act and legislate according to the size of
the contributions. New Zealand Is an ad
vanced country, and America is in the
hands of the Mark Hanna oligarchs.
In France compulsory arbitration has not
been adopted, but a substitute has been
found in a permanent tribunal established
by employers and employes. This tribunal
has settled over 7,000 cases, and only 23
strikes have occurred in the trade that
adopted this plan. The tribunal has com
mended itself alike to the employers and
the employes. It Is the next best plan, com
pulsory arbitration being the best. It is be
lieved that similar tribunals will soon be
established in the' other leading trades.
Hesitation ot the Administration.
The administration’s “me too” Russian
policy has collapsed and it is floundering
along without any definite policy. It pahed
troops up to and into Pekin; participated
in the parade through the imperial palaces,
although quite without the range of the
conditions named by the administration,
and now it does not know how to get out
of the muddle. It is involved in a tangle
ot European ambitions and plans. Russia,
Fiance, Germany, Japan, Great Britain,
Italy and Austria, are each and all repre
sented in Pekin, and the United States
cannot become even influential in such a
crowd unless it enters into European poli
tics. It must find allies, take sides, em
brace this or that plan offered by others,
or sink into insignificance. Independent
action is out of the question, and this state
of things should have been foreseen by the
administration. It should have known that
if it entered upon a campaign with allies,
It would have to enter into the plans of
some of the allies at least. It would have
to join some combine in international poli
tics.
As tilings stand President McKinley has
at great expense released Minister Conger
and his associates, and he has accomplished
nothing else, and he must now either adopt
the scuttle policy, leaving "the open door”
at the merey of Russia and other allies,
or else it must become an active participant
in European politics in the Far East. It
Is the one or the other, as Mr. McKinley
has conducted the business. He entered
upon the war against China without con
stitutional warrant, and he finds himself
in a hole from which extrication is becom
ing increasingly diiilcult.
In the meanwhile, expenses go on in
China. The other nations are preparing to
w inter troops in Pekin. If the administra
tion does likewise a very heavy outlay be
comes necessary, and Congress has not
appropriated a penny for any such purpose.
A deficiency in army appropriations would
bring up the constitutional question, which
certainly needs bringing up unless the
country is willing to consider the Chinese
war, began and carried on by the admin
istration, as a precedent that practically
repeals the provision, “Congress shall have
pow*er to declare war.”
South Carolina Primaries.
The primary has been brought well
nigh to perfection in South Carolina, a
State that has always possessed rare polit
ical sense. All candidates of the party are
named in it from United States Senator to
beat constable, under the one rule that the
successful man mu9t receive a majority of
ol the votes cast. If no one has a majority
at the first primary, a second one is held
two weeks later, and in tho latter the vot
ing is confined to the two receiving the
highest number of votes in the first pri
mary
The second primary was held last Tues
day, and about 80,000 voters participated In
it. About 90,000 voters participated in the
first primary. These numbers alone utter
ly condemn the clique or convention sys
tem under which about a dozen in a county
usurp the rights and powers of the people
in this and other States.
In last Tuesday's primary the people of
South Carolina were called upon to decide
between two policies in the treatment of
the liquor question, because they were
compelled to choose between Governor Mc
Sweeney, who stands for the dispensary
system, and Colonel Hoyt, who advocates
State prohibition. Governor McSweeney
was nominated for Governor by a majority
approaching 10,000.
The Age-Herald mentions this case, not
because it desires to discuss the liquor
question, but because it wants all Ala
bamians to see how efficiently the primary
system meets all demands—how responsive
it Is, how representative its action be
comes. It enables every man to express
In the boxes of largest power his views.
Eighty thousand men in South Carolina
had a chance to express their preferences,
not only as to men, but as to policies as
well. Nothing more Impressive occurs In
this country than these direct actions of
the Democrats of South Carolina. The
time is fast coming when all the States
will' adopt State primaries, for the con
vention is subject to numberless abuses,
and is never effleiant as direct action by
the people themselves. The people no long
er need "mlddlmen” in conducting their
public business. The convention must go.
Mine Owners Reject Arbitration.
Anthracite coal is confined to a small
district in northeastern Pennsylvania. If
such coal lands were consolidated into a
square it would form a district of only
thirty miles each way, and there would not
be a pound of good hard coal elsewhere
in the country. But it lies in detached bod
ies, covering or rather extending into five
or six counties. These hard coal mines are
near large cities, and less than two hun
dred miles from the coast, and they are ex
tensively worked. The number of organ
ized union men in them is said to be 142,
000, and on Monday next these men will
begin a determined strike.
Their grievance in brief is that they do
not receive a fair wage for a fair day's
work. The mines are owned in great part
by five or six big railroad corporations,
and these corporations have cut down
wages until the miners stand at about the
bottom of the wage list. If they have a
rival in this respect it must be sought in
the Southern cotton mills. Wages in the
hard coal mines have long been so low
that the operators have been compelled to
import liuns, Poles and the like in order
to get enough men to accept them. Against j
this intolerable condition of seml-starva
tion the men have struck, and the value
of organization on the part of the labor
will soon be tried. The strike will be con
ducted by union officials sitting at Hazle
ton. in the heart of the heaviest mining
district of the anthracite coal industry.
The miners endeavored to avoid a strike
in every possible way. Thqy asked the
operators to arbitrate the questions at is
sue, but the operators avoided an answer, |
knowing as they did that capital was on
their side-—that there Is no hunger or suf
fering in store for them—that they can ask
au enhanced price for their stocks .of mined
coal, thus recouping their losses in other
directions. The operators even refused to
meet the miners and discuss the situation
and the latter’s grievances. They have
their millions, and they propose to teach
labor a lesson.
All agree in Pennsylvania^ that tne mine
owners are at fault. They are at fault in
not paying a fair wage for a fair day's
work, and they are at fault in refusing to
discuss or arbitrate the grievances of tho
miners. The miners precipitate a strike
because they have no other remedy. “A
few of the operators, mostly small ones,"
says tho Philadelphia North American,
"have announced that they would rather
have arbitration than a strike. But no
such disposition is manifested by the large
mine owners. Indeed, these latter do noth
ing but hide, and in hiding remain silent,
while the miners, the press and the clergy
of the coal region and every friend of hu
mane and civilized methods have pleaded
for arbitration. The men who could on a
moment's notice substitute arbitration for
a strike conceal themselves behind the
large names of railroad corporations. That,
however, does not relieve them in the
slightest from the moral responsibility
which will be theirs should idleness, want
and disorder fall like a plague upon the
anthracite coal region.” This is the con
ceded situation, and when the big opera
tors resort to tho United States court,
which has become subservient to them,
their course previous to the strike should
be kept In mind.
When the railroads determine to rebuild
their bridges, Galveston’s future will be
secure, for It has been ascertained that its
channel is as deep as it was before the
8torm- _ . ui ■. J.'.aoius.
Duty and Destiny have taken the place
formerly held by benevolent assimilation
In the literary vanity of the Presidential
mind.
When the water works in Galveston are
coupled up, the Ancient Mariner couplet
will be abolished In the esteemed newspa
pers. U 4 til
Whoever else Mr. Bryan may have In hla
cabinet, he will not have an attorney gen
eral who Is In partnership with the trusts.
New Yorkers who are compelled to
choose between b03s and boss, are Inclined
to seek the effete monarchies of Europe.
LI Is once more In charge of things, and
he will proceed to dicker with the nations,
If the nations are willing.
A splendid school year Is what Super
intendent Phillips anticipates, and It la
what Birmingham wants.
All Urn allies in China are watching Rus
sia and each other. Distrust Is the para
mount issue out there.
Galveston Is regaining Its courage and Its
water supply. _,
As the allies have taken everything else
In sight In the Chinese cities, It Is proposed
to let the land alone.
The Chinese war Is ended, and Fighting
Joe mast make up his mind to live In peace
ever afterwards.
Russia or Germany or Japan would he
willing to Shoulder the entire problem la
China,
New York has done well, but It Is still
far behind Its noble contribution to Johns
town.
The ship that can beat the Deutschland
can beat all the world and the rest of man
kind.
The domestic troubles of pugdom entitle
Its leaders at least to seats among the
400.
American cities should vie In sending
quick and abundant aid to a stricken sister.
Houses on stilts are proof against floods
if they are built on the boat plan.
Galveston will yet resolutely face both
wind and wave and conquer.
Looting in Galveston or Pekin Is the bot
tom of human depravity.
New.. York and Galveston have long had
a fellow trade feeling.
The biggest display at the Paris Exposi
tion will be its deficit.
The drip of the fall rain Is the knell of de
parted summer. , , ,
DEMANDS A RECOUNT
From the Chicago Tribune.
Nashville, Tenn., is demanding in tones
of thunder that a new census of the city be
taken.
NO LETTER FROM CLEVELAND
From the New York Heralcl.
Mr. Cleveland’s position has not been
Changed since he wrote the letter to the
Herald which the whole country has read,
and there is no reason whatever to sup
pose that It will be changed in the immedi
ate future. We say this with the utmost
confidence, knowing whereof we speak.
That circumstances may arise which will
altar this state of affairs is, of course, pos
sible, but not at all probable. At any
rate, no such letter is in existence, neither
is it in sight.
CALLED HI* OWN UNDERTAKER
New Albany (Ind.) Dispatch to the Globe
Democrat.
John Vogel, forty years old, a saloon
keeper of this city, died today under pe
culiar circumstances. About 1 o’clock he
personally called up Undertaker Frank
Kraft and asked him to come to his house
as soon as convenient, as he had need of
his services. Mr. Kraft complied in the
course of an hour, and arriving at the Vogel
residence he found him dead from natural
causes. A physician who was called stated
that Vogel died of Inflammation of the
stomach, although as late as 9 o’clock to
day his physician visited him and did not
consider his condition serious.
INFECTION RARE IN SHIP CARGOES
From Leslie’s Weekly.
The startling assertion is made by Dr. A.
H. Doty, the able and progressive health
officer of the post of New York, that some
of our quarantine restrictions are of no
value in protecting the public health. Dr.
Doty, who has won international fame by
his successful conduct of his exacting and
responsible place, declares that ships' car
goes under ordinary conditions do not act
as a medium of infection. This Is contrary
to the opinion held for many years, but
Dr. Doty shows that within the past five
years 35,000 vessels have been inspected at
the New York quarantine station, and only
in eight or ten cases has It been deemed
necessary to disinfect the cargoes.
THE NEW SULLIVAN Ul'EKA
From the Boston Herald.
The latest Sullivan opera, “The Rose of
Persia,” as reported by the Herald’s New
York correspondence, appears to be a suc
cess, as far as Sir Arthur Sullivan's musio
is concerned. We miss the account of Gil
bert as his collaborateur in it, however.
It was a loss to the nations when this part
nership was dissolved. The public will
sigh lor more "Pinafores," “Pirates,” “Pa
tiences," "Iolanthes” and “Mikados.” It
Is sad to think that Gilbert’s crankiness
has deprived us of them. They have been
the most delightful feature of the stage
In this generation—tuneful, witty, Indeed
unique and unapproachable In their way;
best of all, perhaps, when we consider
much that has succeeded them, they have
been pure and innocent In the enjoyment
they have brought. We can yet appreciate
and relish Sullivan’s charming music, and
to complete the fascination we needed Gil
bert with him. Alas, that It is denied us!
GENERAL WHEELER'S RETIREMENT
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The retirement of Brigadier-General
Joseph Wheeler deserves more than a pass
ing mention.
General Wheeler Is the living symbol of a
reunited nation. When the civil war broke
out in 1801 he was a young lieutenant In the
United States army. Resigning his com
mission he Joined the army of the Copfed
eracy, rising to the grade of lieutenant'gen
eral. During that four years’ war he was
noted as a dashing and skillful cavalry of
ficer, performing most efficient service to
the "lost cause.” But when the cause was
lost Wheeler gave up like a man. Identified
himself with the national Interest* »nd
co-operated heartily in the work of national
legislation. And when opportunity came he
offered his sword to the government he had
once tried to destroy. That act marked the
final healing of the breach. Sectionalism
passed into history.
General Wheeler belongs to this conn try.
He Is a public character In the best Sense.
His fame Is one of the treasures of the
nation. /
REFLECTIONS UF A BACHELOR
From the New York Press.
Every city man knows that a country girl
knows more than she looks like.
In another thousand years, probably, the
women will have got so they can purr.
You never saw a man who would want to
marry a girl whose eyes really “sparkled
like diamonds.”
No girl under 20 thinks her father and
mother are half delicate enough In the way
they treat married life.
Nothing makes a woman sicker of life
than to buy two brand new hats and then
have the other women get up a fad going
around bareheaded.
In hotel lobbies
AND ELSEWHERE
Astrologer Raphael's prophecies for this
day, Saturday, September 15, 1900:
“Avoid superiors and keep quiet."
“Those in employ must be careful, and
those in business will lose money."
“Young women will receive offers."
“A child born on this day will be very
clever and quick, but not lucky in busi
ness."
“Hire men servants and set chickens."
Astrologer Raphael’s prophecies for Sun
day, September 16, 1900:
“Visit thy friends in the evening."
“Beware of accident and sickness, and
keep thyself very quiet; in thy business
thou wilt have losses and disappointments
and thy affairs will go very wrong."
“A child born on this day will be very
unfortunate In all It undertakes and meet
with many disappointments; if a female,
in danger of disgrace."
0 * 0
Whilst in t».e solar year and according to
the calendar summer will not end until j
Wednesday, September 26, summer practi- j
cally passed with the passing of last Thurs- j
day, as yesterday bore complete evidence. |
On the 26th Instant there will be but one
second’s difference between the duration
of night and day, hence that will be t/he
autumnal equinox; meaning literally that
the day is equal to the night. Ordinarily
as the years come and go powerful atmos
pheric disturbances mark the coming of
the autumnal equinox. This year such dis
turbance comes somewhat earlier than
usual, having begun in this latitude on
Thursday, the 14th of September, 12 days
before the equinox proper. Similar con
ditions sometimes prevail a fortnight or
even three weeks earlier, but such rarely
transpires.
So far a3 humanity is concerned, autumn
came Thursday night. Popular custom
according to the uninformed and quack
nostrum almanacs divides the year arbi
trarily into four quarters and gives these
quarters the names of tho quarters of the
solar year. Likewise those same authori
ties inform us that the sun doesn't “shine”
on a very cloudy day, and how to cure
corns.
There is no more reason of fact for arbi
trarily calling June, July and August
“summer” than there Is for the unlearned
to call Sunday “Sawbuth," the seventh day
of the week, when we know that Sunday
is the first day of the week and Saturday
is the Sabbath of the Hebrews, the only
race which ever had a day' of that name.
“Sawbuth” aa applied to Sunday suits the
purposes of cant and promotes the ends of
deception.
• * •
Birmingham wasn’t dusty yesterday.
Birmingham was muddy yesterday; for
rain fell all day as it had fallen the previ
ous night.
Birmingham is always In one or the other
of those conditions, generally the other.
The streets are for ever filthy. An hour
of direct sunshine will make them filthily
dusty; ten minutes of rainfall will make
them filthily muddy. Birmingham has a
1 most capable commissioner of streets; but
I not sufficient means are placed at his dis*
| posal to keep even a residential street in
good order. Tho cobwebs of redtapeism
and nambypambyism tie the willing hands
of the commissioner of the streets.
Evidently it is lawful and right to put
out fires; to put out burglars—if any should
ever be caught; to put out tallow candles
that may light little parties indulging the
most cherished of national games; to put
out half enough lights and half enough
policemen; but it is all wrong to promote
the public health by cleaning the streets.
If the whole City Council, headed by the
Mayor, should be able to start out today
to counting the germs of death in one
cubic yard of Birmingham street filth,
whether in the form of dry dust or dust
that had been wetted, the honorable board
of Mayor and Aldermen would require
something like one hundred thousand
years, more or less, to complete the count!
If there had been a visitor in Birming
ham Thursday at nightfall with seven mil
lions of money to Invest—there might have
been such a visitor—and he had taken a
stroll in the thickly populated and fash
ionable residential district of the North
side, he might have boarded the first train
leaving town. Doubtless there were visi
tors here with money to invest who did
see the monster Dust Devil in its most
hideous form.
Over all the down-town districts dust
was heavy; but from Third avenue to
Eighth avenue and from the city limits
on the west to the city limits on the east
the dust was an appalling pall. It hung
like the damp dark fog that hangs
above poisoned rivers in tropical climes;
and every cubic yard of that dust teemed
with millions of disease germs.
• 4 •
At both services—7:30 and 10:30 o'clock—
at St. Paul's church tomorrow morning
the collections will be for the benefit of the
sufferers in Galveston. Rev. Father
O'Reilly is deeply sorrowful for those peo
ple, und ho is desirous of doing all he can
do to aid them in their direful distress.
Therefore he directs that tomorrow's col
lections be for Galveston; and will so state
from the pulpit and urge the congregation
to give freely in answer to the greatest
call for charity of this century!
This money gathered at St. Paul's will
constitute everybody’s fund, and doubtless
a great number of good folk who do not
belong to St. Paul's will enjoy the 10.30
service and bestow their gifts for the
storm sufferers.
• 4 *
Representative James H. Leath, who will
be one of Jefferson's legislators at Mont
gomery the coming winter, is slowly recov
ering from the effects of a prolonged and
dangerous attack of bilious fever.
• • •
There is political gossip, not attaching to
any individual names, to the effect that po
litical and other “influences” are being
brought to bear upon Governor Samford in
favor of each of various "candidates” for
the gubernatorial private secretaryship.
That would impress the thoughtful man as
incredible. It may be doubted; but if It be
true it is probably unprecedented. Certainly
It would be carrying practical politics de
plorably far towards direct impertinence to
the chief officer of the State. Any man
would personally need to be very close to
Governor Samford to have warrant for giv
ing him unsought advice upon that subject;
and it is almost unbelievable that a man
would place himself In the attitude of a
candidate or applicant seeking the most
Important delicate confidential position in
Alabama! If it were suggested to most men
in the State, most likely they would hold
themselves to be entirely qualified for the
Governor's private secretaryship, a place
very difficult to properly fill; and probably
no man thoroughly fitted for its dutieg
would seek it by political or other “Influ
ences.”
If there really be any offices In the world
which should not be sought, the place of
private secretary to the Governor of Ala
bama Is one of those offices; and any ef
fort of a citizen to rig up a temporary “ma
chine” to hoist himself into that particular
position might be accepted as reasonably
good evidence of unfitness. Whilst all the
Alabamian-s who shaM or may have business
with the Governor are largely interested in
the personality of the Governor’s secretary,
the Governor alone has the right to name
his secretary and he alone will be respon
sible for whom he names. All the public
wishes Is that the secretary be a civil and
courteous man who will attend strictly to
his public duties. That much is required .by
the Governor, and he also requires quali
ties far more important to himself. He shall
be the judge of all the qualities required.
* • *.
It was Governor Cobb's appointment of
Colonel Robert McKee to be private secre
tary which raised for a moment at any
rate that position from a mere clerkship
to the dignity of a State office. Colonel
McKee was at that time the first news
paper worker in Alabama and was a public
man of pre-eminent ability. He was one
greater than the Governor. When Governor
O’Neal succeeded to the ohief magistracy
of the State he, strong man as he was,
wisely retained Colonel McKee's services.
In 1886 Governor Seay came Into office, and
he appointed to be his secretary Mr. J. K.
Jackson, who had been for several years
clerk of the railroad commission. Governor
Jones, when he entered office In 1890, re
tained Mr. Jackson. Governor Oates suc
ceeded Governor Jones In 1894, and appoint
ed as secretary Mr. Valden of Unlontown.
Governor Oates declined to ask for a sec
ond term of office, and retired in 1898 to
give place to Governor Johnston, who
named as his secretary Mr. Chappell Cory.
Thus during a period of some twenty years
four men have served six Governors In
the capacity of private secretary.
« * •
Hon. Frank P. O'Brien and Mrs. O'Brien
will leave Birmingham today for Loretto,
Ky., to visit their daughter, Miss Annie
O'Brien, who as a Sister of Loretto bears
the religious name of Sister Frances
Patrice. Captain O’Brien and Mrs. O’Brien
will be accompanied by Mss Wolley.
EDITORS HAVE TKOUHLES
From the Typographical Journal.
Editors have troubles like less disting
uished folk. One of these, who presides
over the destinies of a Western newspaper,
is mourning the loss of two subscribers.
One wrote asking how to raisff his twins
safely, while the other wanted to know how
he might rid his orchard of grasshoppers.
The answers went forward by mall, but
by accident he put them into the wrong
envelopes, so that the man with twins re
ceived this answer: “Cover them carefully
with straw and set fire to it, and the little
pests, after jumping in the flames a few
minutes, will be speedily settled.” And the
man with the grasshoppers was told to
“give them castor oil and rub their gums
with a bone.”
THE OLDEST DEMOCRAT
From the Boston Herald.
The oldest living Democrat is thought to
be Mr. David Irwin of Byron Centre, Mich.
He is 102 years of age, was In the Mexican
war, and the civil war of this country,
and he attended the G. A. R. reunion at
Chicago last week. He is described as
being vigorous, not very gray-headed, and
as walking with elastic step. Of course,
he reads without the aid of glasses; he
always does. We are not told as to whether
he has abstained from the use of liquor;
perhaps his politics is considered to be
sufficient certificate that he has not. The
old gentleman is a lawyer, and continues
in the practice of that profession. He is
able to recognize his party, notwithstand
ing the changes that it has undergone dur
ing the period that he has belonged to it.
MaeArthur's Casualty List
Washington, September 14.—The following
is General MacArthur’s latest casualty list:
Manila, September 13.—Adjutant General,
Washington—Killed: August 27, Jaroe,
Leyte, Company D, 44th Infantry, Edward
M. Agre; August 28, Company D, 43d Infan
try, Richard O’Heara; September 9, Cam
buago, Luzon, Troop R, Third Cavalry, Ser
geant Matthew Simlla; August 24, Nueva
Cacera, Luzon, Company C, 43th Infantry,
Corporal Otic C. Newby.
Old Two l*ev Cents
Washington, Sept. 14.—Assistant Secre
tary Vanderllp today gave notice to banks
having old 2 per cent bonds on deposit to
secure deposits of public moneys that
those bonds must be surrendered at once
and other bonds substituted or their de
posits will be correspondingly decreased.
These bonds on deposit amount to $2,118,
500.
Refused to Marry Him
Lorraine, Ohio, Sept. 14. — Carmello Dl
Vencenizo, an Italian, today shot Joseph
ine Pryvcnzo, 18 years old, and then killed
himself. The girl cannot recover. Her re
fusal of his offer of marriage led to the
tragedy.
SI.’HOOF. ISFK.INS
W. J. Lampton in the New York Sun.
Wow!
Ten million ‘‘wows!”
Or more.
Rise o’er the land.
Oh youngsters,
You’re up against it, sure;
You know the gall
Of government ,’j
Without the consent of the governed, J
And we tender you
Our earnest sympathy.
September is a slob.
That’s what it is,
Or it would never loose the key
To lock the fetters on your limbs
Ang give your brains
A chance to boom.
What's brains to you
When all you want is room and time
To let your bodies have full sway?
The grown-up folks may leel the need
Of books and brains—
Your work and world and wisdom
Call ior different stuff.
If it were so
That two times two were hopscotch,
And two into eight went fishing,
Or d-o-g spelled “I spy,”
Or geography were a description of the
Earth's swimming holes,
Or grammar were the study of the parts
Of a boat.
How much more gladly would you seek
True wisdom
In the schoolhouse walls.
Or If the young idea were taught to shoot
With a shotgun,
How silently you’d “wow”
When sad September
Shoved you into school.
The grown folks outglit to go to school
Because they do not like to play,
And you, who do.
Should be let run
Until you. too, have grown beyond
The playing age
To find the need
Of what Is taught in school—
Ain't that so?
SKETCHES FROM
EVERYDAY LIFE
The heart Of a great city Is like the heart
of a man--ft never sleeps. Like the heart
of a woman, it is dangerous. In the small
hours of the night the footfall echoes from
the opposite houses, sound starnge to
the ear. They are mocking, and seem to
mimic you. These echoes tell the thoughts
of the passers by—the weary homeward
tread, the shuffling gait of the reveller,
the stealthy tread of the criminal. Some
times the echo of a careless walker is
drowned in the rush of many feet, then
all is silent. Some one has been sandbag
ged. Then there is a wflld babble of thun
derous echoes. A cab is coming down the
avenue. Some poor horse is being robbed
of his sleep.
The arc lights glitter at the comers,
showing more plainly the intermediate
darkziess. Down in the alleys all things are
possible. In the light of the lamps is per
fect safety.
There is life and movement ail night.
Fruit stands, restaurants, depots and
hotels are all open. The stream of travel
ebbs and flows never ceasing. Trains ar
rive and depart filled with passengers
driven by necessity or lured by pleasure.
The police docket keeps record of the
night The telegraph never stops—clicking
out the news of the past day. The type
machines get it ready for breakfast. The
police count the hours and the gamblers
count the spots on their cards.
It is all commonplace, but of interest to
each, so long as his footfall echoes.
• • •
It was 1 o’clock at night. The Louisville
and Nashville train had just arrived.
Most of the passengers had left the train
and passed through the gates. The last one
came straggling up. He was a good imi
tation of a minstrel, with his cheap band
bag, his black face, his excessive white
collar, and his general rural air. He look
ed as if he had just stepped oft the stage,
the only defect being that he was too
genuine. Half dazed with sleep he slouch
ed up to the gateman.
“What time de Jackson train leave,
Boss?”
“Twelve o’clock tomorrow.”
“Great Lawd! Whar I gwine ter sleep
till den?”
“I don’t know,” said the gateman. “You
can’t sleep here anyway. Pass on through.”
Ho passed—as Beatrice Harriden would
say—another ship in the night.
* • •
Pants were advertised In the window at
■'only $1.99"—the 99 being In very small
letters. A brilliant light displayed them
to advantage. In parenthesis let it be said,
that they are usually trowsors, but under
$2 they are pants. The street was empty
except lor two gentlemen ot color who
stood on the sidewalk lost in contempla
tion of the window.
“Look mighty good from de outside.”
said one.
“Only tl.99," said the other in a reflec
tive tone. “What you reckon dat 99 mean?”
“Dat's 99 cents," said the first, “one dol
lar and ninety-nine cents.”
“Well, lemne see. 99 cents—data one dol
lar, and another dollar’s two dollars. Dcm -
pants cost two dollars. La! dat man most
fooled me. I thought dem pants was
cheap.”
* • •
At Twentieth and Second avenue is a
“night Ihawa’ stand. Rivalry in business
Is so keen that an unwary wanderer may
be hustled into a cab and driven oft before
he knows it. Here to hesitate Is to be
lost, and to parley means ultimate sur
render. A mere word, or an inquisitive
look is sufficient introduction to the cab
men to warrant them in letting loose the
flood of importunities which they know so
well how to use. The man who halts on
this corner does so at the peril of a quarter
or half a dollar.
The votaries of certain trades are birds
of prey. They practice the art of ensnar
ing the heedless. To speak more correctly,
these are the learned professions. In the
profession of the bootblack, he succeeds
by his art, not the art of shining shoes,
but the art of getting customers. His
study is human weaknesu and its suscepti
bility. Of the same nature is the persua
siveness of the hackman, the newsboy, the
book agent and other professions not usu
ally considered learned.
There Is but one way to pass a cab-stand:
Look straight ahead, shut both ears and
walk fast.
m 9 m
“Whether at Nalshapur or Babylon,
Whether the cup with sweet or bitter run.
The wine of life is oozing drop by drop,
The leaves of life are falling one by one."
All through the night the clock in the
court house tolls for the dying hours. Often
a spirit passes away and no other bell is
ever tolled In honor of the dead. These
are the unfortunates, for whom no requiem
is sung, for whom no one mourns. One
recently gone spoke thus:
“I am dying of old age. Tet I am still
young. I have gone to the -ogs, and am
glad to die. The fear of death is a sign of
youth. Death to the young is the great ter
ror. There Is nothing sc fearful, nothing
so bad, as not to be preferable to It. Death
Is seen in tho brilliant light of early days.
Every feature, every detail of its horrid
countenance is distinctly seen. With ad
vancing years, as the light grows dim and
tue lengthening shadows soften its out
lines, it is not so terrible. Why was I
frightened? 'Tis but a bug-a-boo of youth
—a bogie man. Come on, old fellow—shake
hands."
He lay back on his pillow, and as the
court house bell tolled three he passed
away.
c UENEBAL 1VUHELHK FOE SENATOR
From the Huntsville Mercury.
A Montgomery dispatch suggests that
General Wheeler Is in training for a seat
in the Senate. The idea seems tq be based
upon his systemartic tour of the cities In
North Alabama, In which he is renewing
his allegiance to the people of Alabama.
General Wheeler has been a public man
for many years and will doubtless again
seek an office, but the Mercury doubts bin
having an eye on the Senate. It would ap
pear more reasonable for him to ask the
Governorship of Alabama. That honor
would certainly please one whose fame an
a sollder and statesman Is secure, and the
honor attached Is fully equal to that of »
Scnatorshlp.
General Wheeler Is absolutely one of the
most popular men In Alabama, and if he
should enter the Senatorial contest against
Senator Pettus he would muddy the politi
cal waters in Alabama.