Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-24
OUR SOCIAL WORLD.

(All items of social interest will be gladly
noted in these columns If sent to Mrs.
GEORGE c. Ball, Nineteenth street between
Tent and Eleventh avenues South High
lands. Telephone $751;
Very much has been written in our
southern journals of Harry L. Edwards
and his recent literary triumph, and it is
certainly natural that we should be in
terested in anything which reflects such
honor upon our section. We have not
always been appreciated by outsiders as
we deserved in regard to literary mat
tiers, and every portion of the south re-
Joices that a comparatively young Geor-
gian has suddenly become one of the
most famous story writers of the world.
The Chicago Record has offered a num-
Der of prizes for the solution of the
mystery of Sons and Fathers" contain
ed in the last chapsr. The Atlanta Jour
nal, which will also publish the story,
will give a certain sum to the person
who makes the first correct guess. The
Journal of Friday has this account of an
interview with Mr. Edwards, who pass
ed through Atlanta few days ago en-
route to New York; q,
Mr.. Edwards was visible only to a
few while here, but those who had the
opportunity of meeting him showeTed
him with congratulations on his great
but deserved success He has always
been popular in Atlanta, as throughout
Georgia, but even more so now that he
has honored the state by his. triumph in
a competition for literary excellence
open to all .sthe. world i Mr., Edwards
bears his honors with the unassuming
modesty which is his characteristic. and
chats in a matter of fact way about the
great story which has made him the best
advertised writer on this continent. He
has been overwhelmed, he says. with
letters of every conceivable character
since the announcement of his good for
tune, the correspondence including every
thing from orders for new stories to
proposition for him to reveal the mystery
of Sons and Fathers" and divide the
prize for the best guess.
Speaking of the mystery chapter for
the best advance version of which the
Journal will offer $50 in gold, Mr.. Ed
wards says that no other living human
being has read that part of the story ex-
cept himself and the five judges appoint
ed by the Chicago Record, who are men
of the highest personal and literary
standing in Chicago, and who read the
stories and made the award of the $4,000
prize. In preparing the story for the
competition Mr.. Edwards wrote the man
uscript, all but the last chapter. which
contains the secret in forty days. 1t was
then transcribed on the typewriter, his
kinswoman, Mrs. Rountree, of Augusta,
reading the original manuscript off to the
machine operator, a herculean task,
which she accomplished In seventeen
days Then Mr.. Edwards wrote the final
chapter in his own handwriting, sealed 1t
and sent it to Chicago apart from the
rest of the story. 1t has been opened but
once since, that was for the inspection
of the five judges who had the awarding
of the prizes, and it now reposes in the
Chicago Records safe, under the person
al charge of Mr.. Victor F. Lawson, the
distinguished publisher and proprietor of
that paper
THE first fifty-seven chapters are now
In the hands of the prize story editor of
the Journal The last chapter will not
be received in Atlanta until the day be-
fore it's publication and after all the
guesses have been received. Nobody in
or about the Journal Office, nobodyin the
southern states. except Mr.. Harry Still
well Edwards himself, nobody in the
world except Mr.. Edwards and the Ave
honorable and distinguished judges in.
Chicago knows anything of that final
chapter"
The Treble Clef Music club will meet
this (Tuesday) morning at II o'clock with
Miss Edna Gockel at her home on Twen-
tieth street, South Highlands.
Mrs Phil Fitzpatrick of Wetumpka is
visiting her sister. Mrs. Lewis e. Par
sons, corner of Highland avenue and
Seventeenth street, South Highlands
MIR. Robert Jemison, Jr., who spent
brief vacation with his parents during
the past week, returned to Tuscaloosa
on Sunday night to resume his studies
at the state university.
Mrs. L. P. Worl has returned from
short visit to relatives at Greenville and
Montgomery.
Mrs. M M. OTIS and Mrs. ]. e. Henry,
aunts of Mrs L. p. Worl, have both been
quite ill recently, Mrs. OTIS with pneu-
monia and Mrs. Henry with bronchitis,
at the home of Mrs. Worl, at Lakevlew.
Mr. Duncan Trimble and Mr.. Henry
Bankhead are spending a few days In
Birmingham They will soon return to
the university at Tuscaloosa
Mrs. A. b. Vandergrift, at her home,
corner of Seventh avenue and Twenty
first street, will give reception Thurs
day afternoon from 4 to o'clock, and
Thursday evening at o'clock. for the
benefit of the organ fund of the First
Methodist church.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. P. G. Harding and
Miss Mamie Pearson returned Sunday
from a visit of several days to relatives
and friends at Tuscaloosa.
Mr. Sumter Mays Ball of Atlanta Is
spending few days in, Birmingham.
An exchange gives these pretty floral
hints ss.
1.-THE compliment of the season is n
bouquet of pussy willows. They are
boxed in a narrow celluloid affair, while
tied at one corner is a huge bow of
striped satin ribbon-the exact coors of
these gray March flowers. To make the
bow more artistic, a few of the blossoms
adorn the cover, and are held in place by
narrow ribbons fastened to the outside.
hn hn hYsd a,S