The age-herald. [volume], December 13, 1900, Page 4, Image 4

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

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The Age-Herald
K. W. BAKRKTT.Kdlto,
l;OSS o. SMITH .Uu.lnesa Manager
Daily and Sunday Age-Herald.^*2®
Dally and Sunday, per month. ‘V
Sunday Age-Herald# alone, per annum.
Weekly Age-Herald, per annum.
All subscriptions payable In advance.
H. L. Parrish Is the only authorized
traveling representative of The Agc-lierald
In its circulating department.
Remittances can be made by express,
post office money order or drafts at current
rate of exchange. Address,
THE AGE-HERALD,
Birmingham, Ala.
TM ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IH AlAB MA
Hazing at West Point.
The country and Congress has at last
been aroused by that particular form of
idocy commonly known as hazing, and
neither will be satisfied by army reports
made in the case of Cadet Booze of Penn
sylvania. The cadet is dead, and his tes
timony cannot be procured, and the entire
concern at West Point is banded together
to prevent the real facts from coming out.
The Secretary of War, appalled by the
storm of indignation which has arisen
over the death of the young cadet, has
appointed a commission headed by Gen
eral Brooke, but the country will give lit
tle consideration to its findings, for one
army officer can be trusted to shield anoth
er army officer in all cases where dis
honesty is not charged. The labors of the
Brooke commission will therefore be of
little popular value. •
But the House has named a committee of
five consisting of Messrs, Marsh of Illinois,
Smith of Iow’a, Driggs of New York, Wag
ner of Pennsylvania, and Clayton of Ala
bama. Mr. Driggs will probe the matter,
and also the practice of hazing which the
committee is authorized to investigate and
consider by the terms of the resolution.
Mr. Wagner appointed Cadet Booze. Mr.
C'layton is a native of Alabama, and was
educated at West Point. In the debate
over the resolution he showed an inclina
tion to stand by Colonel Mills and the West
Point view of the case. The inclination of
Messrs Marsh and Smith are unknown. Al
together it is safe to say that the truth will
be brought out if it can be brought out by
anybody.
Until then the facts of the case will not
be known, one side asserting one thing,
and the other side another. The appoint
ment of the special committee is in the in
terest of the truth and of the suppression
of a practice that is as brutal as It is
Idiotic. Mr. Driggs did not hesitate to say
on the floor of Congress that he would be
In favor of abolishing the academy if the
brutal practices could not be stopped.
Popular Vote in the Soulh.
: The New* York World shows that in
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas
and Texas—the twelve states that consti
tute what is generally known as the
‘‘Solid South,” the Republican vote is in
creasing while the Democratic vote Is de
creasing. It prints this table in corroba
Ition of its statements:
1S92—
Democratic .1.491,000
Republican . 754,000
Populist. 391,000
- 2,630,000
1896—
D. mocratlc-Populist fusion 1,796,000
Republican . 811,000
- 2,607,000
1900
CDemocratlc-Popullst fusion 1,475.000
Republican . 993,000
- 2,468,000
The rising Republican vote does not up
hold the Republican statement that that
vote is ir. course of suppression by legisla
tion or intimidation or trickery—one or
c! 1—for it is increasing steadily, bidding j
fair to cross the million line in 1904.
But the effort of the Worid to show that
the diminuation in the Democratic vote is
due to a dislike of anybody or anything,
simply shows that the World does not
understand the situation. If there could be
fiu active and actual contest in each county
ever county offleers^md the presidential
election could be heica at the same time,
the World would see all its figures and
theories, go to pieces. The decrease in the
, Democratic vote is due to the fact that
the presidential election In the South does
r.ot as a rule occur when State and county
officers are elected, and comparatively few
vote. Men will not go out of their way
to vote when the result is not doubtful.
A forgone conclusion never did bring out
a full vote In this country, and never will.
The World should charge up the loss in
Democratic votes to shiftlessncss and let
It go a: that.
Affairs in the University.
• The condition of affairs at Tuskaioosa,
In the State University, is deplorable. It is
not going too far to »ay that it has long
been deplorable. The Institution has long
been a football of politics, and this has
culminated at last in a rebellion of stu
dent! Students may not always be correct
In their conclusions, but no or.e doubts their
honesty of purpose, and r.o one need doubt
that their eyes are wide open.
A suspension of public opinion Is how
ever best until the Joint committee appoint
ed at the suggestion of Mr. Dill has re
ported Tills committee consists ot five
Senators and five Representatives, includ
ing the speaker of the House and the pres
ident of the Senate. It has power to ad
minister catlis, and to send for persons and
papers.
If the university is to be saved from the
deinnltlon bow-wows It must be lifted out
cf politics, and kept above and out of It.
JTita power of ths Joint committee is ample,
and it has plenty of time In which to make
a thorough Investigation. If it can devise
a plan by which the university can be di
vorced altogether and for all time from
policies, it will have rendered it and the
State a great service. If it cannot do this
it may as well report in favor of closing
I the doors of the institution, for “pull" will
ruin it anyway.
This crisis In the university should de
termine its fate. It Is perhaps a timely
crisis, for it comes just before the legisla
tive recess, thus affording ample time for
an investigation of a searching and valua
ble nature. Let us hope the joint commit
tee fully appreciates the importance of the
work entrusted to it. It should deal with
the future as well as the present. It should
endeavor to place the institution on a foun
dation that will command public confi
dence, -and It can do that in only one way
take It out of politics.
Keapportionment in Congress.
The Republicans rtill hope to pass a re
apportionment bill before the Christmas re
cess, although there are wide disagreements
among them as to the basis of representa
tion. One lot desires to keep the House
down, for various reasons, to its present
size. This would make the basis of repre
sentation 20S,917, and on that basis Alabama
would hold a member on a large fraction.
This basis would, however, deprive Ohio,
Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Maine, South
Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia
of a member each, and it is wholly safe to
say that such a basis will not be adopted.
Congressman Hopkins, dhairman of the
t committee that has charge of the appor
tionment bill, seems to favor such a basis,
however. He says "it would bo Inconvenient
and expensive to enlarge the membership
of the House. The number proposed would
increase the cost of Congress at least $1,000,
000 and crowd the hall of tihe House. It re
quires a majority vote to pass any legisla
tion, and with a House of nearly 400 mem
bers it would require the constant presence
of almost 200 members. Experience has
taught us that It is difficult to keep such a
large number on hand all the time."
The better probability Is the adoption of a
basis that will not cut down any state’s
representation. Such a basis would be about
396,000, calling for 386 members, or about
390 when Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mex
ico are admitted as states.
So wide and divergent are the differences
over an apportionment bill in the Repub
lican party, it is believed a caucus will be
called soon, and if the caucus can agree
upon a basis no doubt a bill can be pushed
through before the holiday recess.
Registration for the Primaries.
Let no one think because he is registered
for voting purposes in an election that ho
is registered against the city Democratic
primaries. All who desire to vote on De
cember 31 jiust register anew in his own
ward. The registration books are now
open, and will remain open a week longer,
and every one who desires to vote in the
primaries on the last day of the month
should bo registered.
The good government of the city is at
stake, and the chances are that the pri
maries of December 31 will be the most ex
citing the city has ever known. They will
at least be the real election, the later elec
tion in May being but a legal formality.
The officers of the city for two years to
come will be selected on December 31. In
terested persons are at work, running their
followers Into the registration places, and
it behooves the great body of voters to reg
ister, or else forever afterwards hold their
peace. The mftn who does not register for
the primaries will be a man wrho will have
r.o voice in the coming election.
What is needed is a full registry of citi
zens; the independent citizen does his
own thinking and acts upon it. It is that
kind of men that are needed today at the
ward registration places. The books are
open until 7 o'clock each night, and no one
has a valid excuse for refusing to do his
duty to his neighlxfrs and fellow-citizens.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch holds that
this ciuestion is Incorrectly put: "Should a
married man tell his wife everything?” It
should read, ‘ Should a man tell his wife
everything.”
The cartoon business seems conducive to
long Ilte, for Sir John Tennicl, of Punch,
is doing the best work' of his country at
the age of SI.
Tod Sloane's methods did not fit the Brit
I ish mind and purse, and he is now persona
non grata there and must ''needs come
home.
Beet Sugar King Oxnard married below
his.station, but such accidents will happen
in the rush and hurry of modern life.
The New Turk Mail and Express says Mr.
Kruger will lecture on "European Sover
cigs 'Whom I Have Not Met."
This is the last Christmas of the century.
It is the last chance of tlie charitable In
this century, in other words.
The army is to have no canteen and is to
have thirty dentists. A soldier's lot is
not altogether a happy-one.
Senator Vest is mending in health more.
It is believed, to spite ex-Governor Stone
than anything else.
There is a feellngJUiat the Congressional
eulogy over dead members should go out
with the century.
Mr. Ilanna wants to reduce the gold in
the treasury by shovelling It out to the
ship owners.
Mr. Hoosevelt proposes to shoot the day
lights out of Colorado, which is the ene
my's country.
Joseph Chamberlain has no coat of arms,
in a cabinet fully equipped with such old
time toys.
The assimilation of the Boers by Kitch
ener Is very strenuous.
Victor Hugo knew a thing or two, i|nd he
once said: "Open a school and you cjlose.a
prison."
New York’s vigilance committee Js ap
palled by the amount of work in j plain
sight.
Mr. Croker Is always getting It in the
neck—even the operations he Indulges in.
Kitchener has plenty of work to do, and
no glory to win In the doing of It.
The Republicans will be at least lined
up on the Nicaragua canal bill.
Minister Wu Is taking advantage of
American freedom of speech.
The camera trust went to piece because
it was overdeveloped.
The Goulds’ poorest Investment Is Count
Boni.
A 'FERVID STATESMAN.
From the Boston Herald.
M.r. Towtto of Minnesota will be Senator
from Minnesota for a few' weeks. He pos
sesses the qualifications for making tilings
lively in that ibrief space of time, how
ever. He is fervid and fluent.
WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY.
From the Baltimore Herald.
Washington is unquestionably the most
beautiful city in the world. Its public build
ings are upon a scale of magnlflcance never
attempted in any European capital. Its
park system is of the most sumptuous char
acter. No other city in the world has so
many splendid monuments. Its streets are
the most perfect ever known in ancient or
modern times. Though Washington un
doubtedly had a mental forecast of what
was in store for -the capital which he laid
out. It Is probable that even tfiie father of
his country builded better than he knew.
EGGS IS EGGS;
From the New York Commercial-Adver
tiser.
“New-laid eggs,” "fresh eggs” and just
“eggs”—every housekeeper knows the dif
ference in quality and in price. Sometimes
‘“strictly” is put In one of the first two
labels by a protesting grocer who would in
crease h'is honest profits, but we believe
that the above nomenclature is common to
all parts of the country. The point is that
it will not be long before all eggs will bo
sold as "eggs,” and the consumers may
have them poached or soft-iboiled with an
easy conscience and a confident palate, may
eschew a long diet of fried and scrambled
eggs and of dubious omelets.
An Englishman has 'invented a process by
which eggs may be kept fresh for an in
definite time, and Uhls without the use of
cold storage, that snare and delusion so
far as eggs are concerned, or the use of
chemicals that impart weird flavors to this
important article of food. It will no longer
be necessary for even the least favored
boarder to crack with care and caution the
shell of his matutinal food. It may be a
year old, off two years, or five years, yet
will it be as if its proud parent had clucked
her maternal joy but the day before. It Is
an invention worthy of the closing year of
a great century, and if it should bring sor
row to the humorest, that will be n.ore than
offset by the joy upspringing in the bosoms
of the boarders and tragedians.
' CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
From the Mobile Register.
. The General Assembly having passed the
act calling an election of the people to de
cide whether Alabama shall have a new
constitution, and Acting Governor Jelks
having signified his intention of signing the
act, we shall at last heve an expression of
act, we shall at least have an expression of
subject. If the people want a new consti
tution, it will be their privilege to say so.
If they do not wrant it, the matter will be
disposed of and cease to agitate the public
mind. All we asked for on a former occa
sion was that the opportunity to vote on
this subject be given the people. The then
Governor thought the time not ripe for
this, and put his influence to work against
the proposition, and, after the Legislature
had decided to call such an election, it
was re-assembled, and persuaded to re
verse its action. Now, however, a new
Legislature has taken the proper steps, and
w'e shall have a vote upon the question.
We have no reason for thinking that that
vote will be in the negative. In tact, wre
believe that there is a general desire on the
part of the people that we have a new
constitution, and that the vexed question
of suffrage be regulated so that they may
no longer be dominated by the race ques
tion. It is said by some that there is no
fear of trouble from the presence of the
question, but we have not lfad a trial of
the matter. The time may coirfe—in fact,
it was threatened during the last few'
years—when the whites may become divid
ed on some vital issue, in which case the
ignorant negro vote will be used, and, of
course, wll'l have to be rewarded; or, it
will be fictitiously used, and the cry of
fraud will be raised, and then tflll be revo
lution. It is altogether much better for
us to get rid of the possibility of this sort
of trouble, and we can get rid of it by
means of a new’ constitution, tl>e clauses
of w’hlch will restrict the suffrage and give
us political freedom.
Vanriper Has Surrendered.
New York, December 12.—Lejrls C. Van
riper, the broker who, with John B. Me
KenzLre, fled at the time warrants were
secured for their arrest recently, when
Charles W. Morgan was arrested, surren
dered himself today. He gave ball In the
sum of $5000 and will be arraigned tomor
row.
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
From the Chicago "News.
Don’t run If you want to catch your
breath.
An event Is a circumstance that seldom
happens.
No matter how tall a man Is he Is not
above criticism.
After nine days of wonder thd puppy gets
hla eyes opened.
The fire of genius isn't always capable of
making the pot boll.
Cultivate small pleasantries If you would
be happy; great ones seldom last long.
Modesty In a woman Is like the color on
her cheek—decidedly becoming if not put
on.
An old bachelor says that a widow will
Jump at an offer of marriage quicker than
she win at a mouse.
It doesn’t require much philosophy to
take things as they come, but It requires a
lot of It to p^rt with them as they go.
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE
Astrologer Raphael’s prophecies for
Thursday, December 13, 1900:
“Court, marry, and ask favors'before 4
p. m."
“Thou hast a very unfortunate birthday, i
and thy money and business will waste, j
and what thou undertake**! will fft.il; keep
thyself quiet and do not run any risks,
neither travel nor remove.”
“Young women will court."
“A child born on this day will be very
unfortunate, wCiether in employ or out of
it, and be poor; it will have good friends,
but will throw their help away. If a female
she will marry well and be rather happy."
Astrologer Raphael’s prophecies for Fri
day, December 14, 1900:
“Travel, and sign writings in the even
ing."
“Thou wilt have a favorable year for thy
business, if this be thy birthday, and with
attention it will progress."
“Young women will have offers of mar
riage, which they may accept and be thank
ful for."
“A child born on this day will be for
tunate and have many good and substan
tial friends who will assist it much."
“If a female she will marry well and get
a good husband."
"Somebody has stolen my overcoat and
it is the third one which has been stolen
from me this season,” said a man as he
shivered at the crossing1 of streets last
night. He was a public man, and the sug
gestion that some of his needy constitu
ents were probably the thieves did not
soothe his temper, and as he got colder in
the chilly night he got hotter in his indig
nation. *
“It astonishes me that we hardly ever
hear of the punishment ^f sneak thieve*
or burglars, and the rumor I hear that in
one of the courts this morning a man was
fined $50 for stealing an overcoat is incredi
ble. The average thefts of overcoats in
Birmingham is probably ten a day, the av
erage value of the coats being $25. Thus in
the single article of overcoats the thievery
is $250 a day in Birmingham. It seem to me
that every third man I talk to has been
robbed of his overcoat. My own losses
make rae gay—hysterically gay. Three
overcoats stolen from me, and cold weather
scarcely begun.
"If ever I should marry again
It will not be for riches;
I will marry a girl ten feet tall,
So she can't wear my—overcoat.
" ‘Overcoat’ doesn’t rhyme precisely with
‘riches,’ but there Is a garment which
does. My overcoats which were stolen cost
$35 apiece, or $115 for the three; and here it
is Christmas time. I am coatless, and sev
enteen hundred presents, more or less, to
buy! There was a man held up by the post
office Monday night and nothing said about
it. I believe I shall go forth holding up
and to hold!" and the public man entered
the government building with a look of
fierce fierceness as if he meant to do des
perate deeds.
“Birmingham is the only city known to
me in this country in wrhich concerts and
similar entertainments are suffered to be
marred by conversations between persons
in the audience,” said a man long familiar
with such entertainments and with the
more enlightened life of many chief cities.
“It may be assumed that no person is
so utterly ignorant of good manners as to
be unaware that sustained conversation I
during the progress of a concert or a play
is bad form and therefore vulgar. Hence
those who so offend the proprieties must j
be adjudged as doing so in sheer wanton
ness and in defiance of cardinal rules of
reputable manners; and that makes the
offense all the more blameworthy. In
Birmingham persons who go to the con
cert or the play to enjoy it are made to
suffer by ceaseless rudeness and evidences
of general bad manners. There is a con
stant gabble all over the house, and dur
ing the intermissions, or between the acts,
big, lanky, awkward men scramble over
the feet of and rush against ladles in un
seemly haste to get out and secure a drink
or smoke a vile cigarette before the cur
tain again rises. I knew a gentleman of
the old school who declared that in his
opinion no man of real refinement would j
approach a lady writh the disgusting odor
of a fresh cigarette or whisky on his
breath! That is what he said.
“But even more amazing than conversa
tion at public concerts is that in private
drawing rooms guests often carry on sus
tained conversation, whilst ladles are sing
ing. In any other enlightened community ;
in the world, a man or woman who wTould
talk In such circumstances would never be !
invited thereafter to anybody’s drawing- j
room, for all over the world that is held !
to be evidence of manners so bad as to be
entirely beyond pardon.”
* * *
“The recent Southern Industrial Conven
tion at New Orleans, I repeat, far exceed
ed in importance and success all that I
had hoped for, though my hopes were ail
the time high,” said Col. N. F. Thompson,
the secretary of the convention, who left
Birmingham yesterday for his home in
Huntsville.
“The thousand men in attendance were
representative of the very best business,
industrial and progressive element of
Southern life. As regards the character
and ability t>£ the men, I doubt if any abler
or more powerful national convention ever
assembled in this country; I doubt, in fact,
if our recent convention was ever equalled
in the United States, for all the delegates
were picked business men of the greatest
ability and highest character in their re
spective communities throughout the
South, and in the North, notably Philadel
phia and Pittsburg, each of which eltics
sent a powerful delegation of its strongest
men.
“This much as to character and ability
could not have been said so truly and so
fully of any other great convention, na
tional or otherwise, of which I have any
recollection. We all know in a way the
general character of the men who compose
ordinary national conventions, and know
that the average delegate to such conven
tions is a very ordinary man; and so the
lists of delegates to our New Orleans con
vention show that great industrial and
business meeting to have been composed
of representatives of the best business men
in this country.
“Every delegate to the convention was
gratified by the presence of such a great
body of such strong oltisens, and in1 that
gratification I personally shared most cor
dially; for it was proof that after all our
efforts towards perfecting the Southern In
dustrial Association full success had been
attained.
“That the convention will prove to be of
great and lasting benefit to the South no
man who was present can doubt; and I am
oonfldent that its influence for good will be
instant and will continue. The question
now engaging our most serious attention is
the location of the headquarters of our
league of industry. Atlanta, Chattanooga,
Memphis, New Orleans, and all the
principal cities of the South are eager
ly anxious to secure the headquarters;
but Birmingham, being the natural
centre of the industrial South, has
the strongest material claims for the dis
tinction of being made the place of head
quarters, and doubtless Birmingham will
not be so shortsighted and Improvident as
not to put forth the proper efforts! Bir
mingham ought to have the headquarters,
has a natural right to the location, but Bir
mingham must do something for itself in
the matter. Other cities are eager for the
general ofllces and would do all that is
needful to secure them, and Birmingham
, will have to do something if the offices are
1 to be located here.
“The presence of the headquarters in
Birmingham would be a ceaseless and \ery
great advertisement of Birmingham—an ad
1 vertisement which would reach all over
the industrial world!’
• * *
Dr. I. D. Morgan, the veteran physician
of Eutaw, and distinguished Confederate
veteran, is spending two or three days in
Birmingham, in resting from a very busy
practice.
“ 'Roscoe,’ who ate 'em alive, is again
dead, and his latest death occurred in Geor
gia as a matter of course,'' said & lobby
lounger last night. ‘“Everybody who dies
at all dies in Georgia or has kinfolk in that
State, mainly in Tlanter. The son of the
sun and grandpa of the moon, Emperor of
China, has a 'distant' relative living some
where in the wilds of Fulton County, near
Peachtree street. This 'Roscoe' of many
(Georgia) deaths is alleged to have borne
•the name of Edward Swanson, a strikingly
suspicious fiction based on Emma Sansom,
the heroine. A grapevine 'special' from Fort
Valley says of Swanson that he 'picked out
of the wired cags^of writhing snakes a
huge rattler and proceeded to toy with hLm
as 'he had did others,’ end the rattler bit
him dead. The story is probably as false
to fact as it is to syntax, and we shall
have 'Roscoe' here in Birmingham's next
good show-time.”
...
Vice-President T. H. Spencer and Secre
tary J. A. Jones of the Birmingham Retail
Grocers' Association have gone to Chat
tanooga to attend the annual banquet of
the corresponding association in that city.
The banquet will take place tonight, and
it promises to be a brilliant and happy
event. The Birmingham association is un
derstood to be in a most flourishing condi
tion, and certainly it will be well repre
sented by Mr. Spencer and Mr. Jones at the
Chattanooga feast.
« * •
Louis C. Cardinal, a leading young rail
road man of Montgomery, ts in town.
* * *
Manager M. Clifford, who will give up
the Florence Hotel January 1, contemplates
going to Charleston or Augusta to res-ide.
MORGAN AGAINST WALKER.
Senator Has His Way With the Mobile
Collectorship.
Washington, December 12.—(Special.)—The
fight over the Mobile collectorship, which
is interesting Alabama Democrats as well
as Alabama Republicans, seems, in its last
development, to have taken on something of
a Morgan versus Johnston atmosphere.
Senator Morgan has taken unusually active
interest in behalf of Bob Houston, of Birm
ingham, and the fact that former Governor
Johnston has protested against Houston’s
appointment has led to all the greater ac
tivity on the part of the Senator, who, as a
rule, does not bother himself with matters
of this character. Some of the strong ad
ministration influences have been favorable
to Ben Walker, but it is said that Senator
Morgan has assured them he will oppose
Walker to the end and would fight his con
firmation if his name is sent in. The Presi
dent is anxious to do whatever Senator
Morgan wishes and unless Senator Mor
gan’s opposition can be withdrawn there
seems no chance for Walker. The Senator
has told some of Walker's friends that in
case Houston does not get the appoint
ment he will favor somebody else than
Walker. Just who his second choice is he
has not indicated.
ALABAMA RIVERS.
Report of Surveys of Tombigbee and
Warior.
Washington, December 12.—The report of
the survey of the Warrior and Tombigbee
rivers, made by Major Rossell, was trans
mitted to Congress today. The plan pre
sented contemplated three locks and dams
in addition to the three now under con
struction, with a view of bringing the im
provement down to Demopolis, Ala., two
of the structures to be located on the War
rior and the third on the Tombigbee just
below its juncture with the Warrior. It
is estimated that the work will cost $760,000,
and the engineer thinks that It is worthy
of being undertaken by the general govern
ment.
Western Union’s Dividend.
New York, December 12.—The >JYestern
Union Telegraph Company reports that for
the quarter ending December 31, partially
estimated, the net earnings will be about
$1,700,000. The dividend of 1*4 per cent which
was declared today calls for the payment
of $1,127,000. ,
Emperor Nicholas Well Again.
L/ividla, December 12.—Emperor Nicholas
now takes his meals with the Empress.
His majesty is deeply touched by the so
licitude for his recovery displayed not only
throughout Russia, but also throughout the
countries o£ Europe, and particularly Amer
ica.
THE OLD GUITAR.
By James Whitcomb Riley.
Neglected now Is the old guitar,
And moldering into decay;
Fretted with many a rift and scar
That the dull dust bides away.
While the spider spins a silver st^ir
In its silent lips today.
The keys hold only nerveless strings—
The sinews of brave old airs
Are pulseless now; and the scarf that
clings
So closely here declares
A sad regret in its ravelings
And the faded hue it wears.
But the old guitar, with a lenient grace, !
Has cherished a smile for me;
And its features hint of a fairer face
That comes with memory
Of a flower-and-perfume-haunted place
And a moonlit balcony.
Music sweeter than words confess
Or the minstrel's powers Invent,
Thrilled here once at the light caress
Of the fairy hand# that lent
This excuse for the kiss I press *
On the dear old instrument.
SKETCHES FROM
EVERYDAY LIFE
"Strauss and his musicians," said a man
who is well acquainted with musk: and
musicians, "with their foreign Ideas of
Sunday, find It a very dull day In our
southern towns. They came here from At
lanta, where they were not allowed to give
a concert on Sunday. The trouble was that
Strauss had all his programmes printed In
pamphlet form before he started on his
tour. The programmes are numbered from
one to ten, and be selects one of them for
each performance. The trouble In Atlanta
was thqi none of these programmes had
the word 'sacred’ on it, and they would not
have a Sunday concert that was not
‘sacred.’ If this word had been on the pro
gramme there would have been no trouble.
It would not have been necessary
to change any of the selections. If all good
music Is not sacred, then I don’t know the
meaning of the word—however that is an
outside matter.
* • •
“Strauss, finding he would not be allowed
to play in Atlanta on Sunday, took the
early train and came to Birmingham, reach
ing 'here about noon. He could have 'bought
a little rubber stamp with the word ‘sacred’
on It and declared Ms programmes, but
'he scorned such a quack proceeding. Ar
riving Ihere he was met at the station by
an old friend, Mr. Karpeles, Whom he knew
in Austria. Strauss, by the way, cannot
speak English, nor any of his orchestra.
He was not only delighted to see his old
friend, but was glad to see someone who
could speak German. AfteT the greetings
were over, the first thing Strauss, with tils
Bohemian tastes, wanted to know, was
whore he could get some beer. ‘You can t
get any here Sunday,’ said his friend. ‘Sun
day is what we call a dry day.’ This spec
imen of dry humor was lost on Strausds
Matters were not so bad, however. His
friend, who was a member of the Press
Club and therefore of Bohemian tastes, ex
plained that at another club, the Turn
Verein, they could be furnished with beer.
The whole orchestra therefore repaired to
the Turn-Verein, where seventeen barrels of
beer were emptied during the afternoon.
There were forty-five members of the or
chestra, and about as many members of tha
club, so If you are fond of calculation you
can estimate how much beer the orchestra
consumed, keeping in consideration the fact
that a German can drink about twice a*
much beer as an American—and still b«
sober.
* * •
"I noticed another curious fact about
Strauss' orchestra,” he continued, ‘‘‘which,
seemed to bear out the theory advanced by
some Frenchman, that playing stringed in
struments promotc8 the growth of the hair,
while wind instruments produce baldness.
The only man in the orchestra who might
bo called bald was the flute player, and the
next baldest man was the cornetist. All the
others had an average amount of liair, and
there was only one man In the orchestra
who cultivated a Paderewski style of hair
iness. I suppose he had a particularly res
onant violin. Why the vibrations caused by
stringed instruments should promote the
growth of the hair and the vibrations from
wind instruments produce baldness, no one
has yet been able to explain. It seems that
it ought to be just the reverse, as plenty of
wind is said to be good for the hair. The
theory, however, seems to hold good as far
as the wind instrument is concerned, for
■the trumpeters in the French army are so
universally bald that it has originated the
name of ‘trumpeters’ baldness' ”
• * *
“I suppose musicians are the most sen
sitive people in the world,” said a listener,
when the first speaker had finished. "The
first time I saw Thomas' orchestra I no
ticed a little violinist sitting on the ex
treme left of the stage. He wa3 not only
small but rather odd looking, and his mind
did not seem to be on his work. He played
mechanically, seldom looking at his mu
sic, and his gaze wandered around the
stage as If looking for some one. I came to
the conclusion that he was a poor musi
cian. Thomas, unlike Strauss, encourages
individualism in his band, and during a
concert there will be half a dozen solos.
He does not play himself—probably this is
the reason. There are usually one or two
singers with his troupe who relieve the
monotony—if you could speak of all musio
as monotony—with an occasional song. As,
the concert proceeded several solos were
played by different musicians and one or
two songs were sung. One was by a very
pretty girl and the moment she came on
the stage the little musician gazed and lis
tened with rapt attention. When the song
ended he led the applause of the entire
house so enthusiastic was he. After awhile
a number was reached on the programme
which I saw was a violin solo. I forget the
name of the selection, and the
violinist who was to play it had some un
pronouncable name, but these things are
to be expected at a concert, so I prepared to
enjoy the muslG being especially fond of
violin playing. To my surprise the little -
musician arose and stepped to the front
of the stage. I was afrafd the playing
would be ordinary at the best, but at the
first touch I saw that he was a master
of his art. When he finished playing there
was a storm of applause which nothing but
an encore would appease. He came out
again, this time leading the pretty girl who
had sung, who seated herself at a piano,
which was at one side of-the stage, to play
his accompaniment. They two were to play
together and the orchestra was to have
nothing to do but listen, and well might
they listen, for I never heard anything as
tender, exquisite and beautiful as the piece
they played. It was called 'Simple Aver’—
« simple prayer. It was not difficult, but
the artist was praying, pouring his whole
heart out to the girl at the piano. I had
heard people say that the-violin could talk,
but had not believed it before. There was
a breathless silence throughout the audi
ence, many eyes were moist, when sudden
ly the artist lost step, or rather got out
of time. The girl cleverly covered it up
with the accompaniment, and almost in
stantly he recovered himself and finishing
the piece he bowed and left the stage, in
spite of tremendous applause hu did uot
return or appear on the stage again. When
tne concftt was over some of the musi
cians found him unconscious in his room
at the hotel with his throat cut. lie had
written a note saying it was the first mis
take he had ever made and that lie did
not oare to live.
He did live, however, and I hope married
[ the girl.”
it "*