Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-26

If there is punch it removes at once this natural baekwardness. and gives each one that freedom of speech and manner so much 1onged for. But f is not always advisable to have punch. Then the social lubrieator comes into play. He cracks joke, sings a song, or starts game. and instantly the wheels of com versation begin to buzz. It is said that some of the enterprlsing managers of summer resorts give an agreeable young man his board and lodging in return for his services as a social lubricator. Some times the social lubricator is an accom- plshed young woman. When she is ex- pected the guests sit around dumb as oysters until she arrives. Her delicate touch sets the machinery in motion. She is always welcome and she gets invita- tions to everything. She may not be a persona grata to the hostess, but she is invited for the sake of the guests.
 farmer had two sons. one named John and the other Sam. The first was sharp-witted lad, and the other was a silly boy. When the old man came to die he told John he must divide up the flock of sheep with Sam, and John prom ised faithfully to do so. When the time came for division John put all the old, lean. shorn sheep in a flock by them selves, and all the good sheep to them selves. Then he took his silly brothers pet lamb that he thought so much of and put it with the lean flock, and stood near them. He thought sure that Sam would shoose the flock in which was his pet lamb. Now, take your choice" ne said. With an idiotic leer that some times seems to smack of wisdom, Sam said, You can take the sheep you are standing with like you, but I don't like the company you keep" Mir. Bryan has announced his purpose of leaving the Democratic party in q certain contin- gency, and going with the Populists. Tine sound money Democrats can say, We like you, Mir. Bryan, but we don't like the company you keep.'
 The German Emperor paid a second visit to the American cruisers at Kiel. He doubtless caught several Yankee ideas as to the construction of warships. The United States has always excelled in the building of men-of-war. We havS given valuable pointers to our sea-going English cousins. But strange to say, we are far behind in our merchant marine. The great bulk of our commerce is car ried on by English ships The recent launching of the St. Louis, built entirely in this country, will, however, mark the beginning of a new era in American ship building. The English have already be- come alarmed They severely censured the British nobleman who joined in with the other passengers on the St. Louis, and passed resolutions commenting her splendid sea-going qualities. When American shipbuildinS reaches it's full expansion there will be large demand for American steel, iron and timber, and many American worl1men will find re- munerative employment.
 There are 200, ,00O federal office holders in this country. They are standing sol idly by the President in his sound money policy. The President is evidently of the opinion that the government should stand by the goyernment-this is the only safe and sensible course. If an office holder can't indorse the adminis- tration he should resign. The man who is in the official family and who is con- stantly fighting the other members of the family brings discredit upon the whole family It is like a family fuss it sets all the neighbors to talking and causes them to have less respect for the family. The 100000 members of the official family present an impenetrable phalanx to the foes of the sound money policy. The history of this government shows that where the administration is soldly united on policy it always wins. No President has yet been thwarted in his policy when he had the solid support of his family.
 DOTHAN