Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-22

Ou VIII TSdully EeCdll luc plCbuTC Owen Meredith's genius drew, in exquisite verse, of the man of the world, surrounded by all the beauty, wealth and glamor of life, with brilliant bride to be at his si e, and the music of Il Trovatore throbbing and pulsating through the Grand opera house at Paris, and yet amid all these things there came to this man the faint odor of the jassamine flower. And, with the fragrance of that flower, loved in child hood, there also came visions of early days, and the love and sweetness of youth, until bis soul leaped to his lips, and he said: 'Old things are best.'' One does not need to go to Paris or to be part of brilliant throng, nor to listen spell bound while 'Ahl Have Sighed to Rest Me'' floats out in waves of melody that deluge one's senses, to feel as did h s wo ld-we " To all of us occasion lily t ee comes h cry from hungry hearts. and with 1t yearning for the things that belonged to faraway childhood. Sometimes it is calamity instead of a sweetness that brings back the days of long ago. Sometimes it is an evil happening that removes the cob webs from the pictures of the past and hangs them in the warm light of the pres ent, where all the beautiful colors glow with a new loveliness. Surely no one could feel otherwise than that the disturb ances and upheavalS of the few weeks just past have been distressing in the extreme, viewed from any stanapoint. Thus far there is nothing that compensates for what we have endured. But there is one view of the situation that brings the only bright ness into all this gloom. It is the senti- mental side of the strike, if such it can be called, and, like the odor of le jessa nine flower, tempts us to cry out, truly, "O.d things are best.'
 Have you appreciated the fact that the people of our state-certainly this part of lt-and the negroes are now more nearly drawn to each other than at any time since Appamattox? That we have had brought by the outrageous crime at Pratt mines all the interest and attachment that is in every southerner's heart for the negro? Men have taken up arms as eagerly to de- fend therights of former slaves and their children as they would have done for any other righteous cause! White men and good negroes are united in their efforts to uphold the laws of Alabama, and white men assert, and stand ready with their lives to give emphasis to the assertion, that the negro must be allowed to live in peace in our state. And while these men drill and prepare for any emergency, there comes to them visions of the long ago, when they were rocked to sleep in the soft arms of their dear old black mammies; when through day and night they tended them with devotion like unto mothers, and when no sorrow was too great to be sobbed out upon their faithful hearts. Aye, the old things have come back to us across the years, and the whiz of foreigners bull lets has aroused not only the magnificent courage of southern manhood, but also has
 
 hoods time. Some old things are best.
 The Entres Nous club of young ladies and gentlemen were charmingly enter 6herrod at the home of her sister, Mrs. Claude Allen, South Highlands.
 Mrs. Andrew Cameron and her sister, Mrs. Fountain, are spending the summer in Pennsylvania with relatives.
 Mr. Frank V. Evans, manager of the AGE HERALD, Mrs. Evans and their daughter, Miss Addie, returned home yes- terday. after visit of two weeks to New York and other eastern points.
 Messrs. John N London, John Kim ball and Sam L<fd went to Memphis yesterday tAnG in tennis tournament. Their friends expect them to bring back all the prizes.
 The Tuesday Afternoon Whist club was entertained by Mrs. George R. Ward, and Mrs. John P. Tillman won the prize.
 Misses May and Kathleen Hooper are visiting friends in Selma and it's vicinity.
 Among the many organizations for good in our midst the Brotherhood of St. An drew stands out conspicuously. This soci- ety of true men is doing a great work all over the country and the chapter here, called the Advent chapter, is a powerful factor in helping men to live higher and better lives. New interest has been infused into the members and the chapter is com posed of active, earnest brothers who have in their hearts the love of their fellow men.
 The Young Mems Christian association has distributed recently statement of the work of the association, list of their sub- scribers and an appeal for assistance, signed by the president and directors, sec retary and physical instructor. This body of men has accomplished untold good in fields not to be reached except by them.
 And they need and deserve assistance. The appeal says: "The directors for some- time have been cheerfully carrying large proportion of the financial burden, and now appeal to every citizen interested in to assist in maintaining this many sided ard growing work.'' This request will mt be made in vain, I am sure.
 Mir. Harry Hawkins is president of the associa ion, MT. James Vinson general sec- retary and Mir. c. Harry Miles physical in- structor, with the following gentlemen as directors: Messrs. A. N. Ballard, J. T. Coulbourn, E. H. Cabaniss, Belton Gil rcath, L. J. Haley, IT,, Peter Zinszer, w. ton, W T. Underwood and w. A. Walker.
 With two such organizations of men as the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and the Young Mems Christian association, en- gagged in doing so much good among al+ classes, it cannot be amiss to enlist their sympathy for one class of humanity which we have too long neglected. l refer to youthful criminals, who are sentenced to serve terms of punishment with the most depraved species of mankind, thereby be- coming more hardened and debased by as- sociation with hopeless criminals. Can- not something be done to give them sep- arate place of punishment, a convict farm, reformatory school, or something that