Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-26

Birmingham Alabama's leading city, and in this day of tours, explorations and excursions, when men and women cover thousands of miles without taking time to catch their breath, it seems a very in significant journey indeed. But if you select a July day for your trip, when the thermometer registers a degree of heat sufficient to satisfy the ungainly body of the most unsuitable salamander, which basi1s in tropical sun, you will rejoice that you are so soon to reach your destl- nation and find a refreshing retreat re- moved from the rumble of car wheels and the throb of mogul engines. Six hours were more than sufficient to study the human types which crowded our rail- way coach, for the same types seem all ways to travel when you do, provided your experience has been like mine. There were business men-merchantS, farmers-there were professional men; there were one or two distinguished pol- ticians; women of fortune and women without, and the ubiquitous babies, or course, with the tired, worn-out moth- CTS, who always seem to select the warmest and coldest days of the year for their outing. There were babies who wept and walled with the lung power or the most successful political campaigner; babies who cried pathetioally, and Wfung your heartstrings with helpless sympa- thy; and there were big, round-eyed ln- fants good-natured and bald-headed, who seemed to be consumed with curios- ity about this great world of ours, ana on whose bright, intelligent faces tnere is ever a mute appeal for 1nfofmatlon. Then naturally there were the mothers who cared for these specimens or young humanity, and looked weary unto death in consequence, and klndly diS- posed fathers, who assisted these eA- hausted mothers, and, would you believe it? other fathers, who found the smok- ing car much more attractive than elther wives or babies; and strange to say, there were women on board who dld not wonder at this fascination of the a1ore- said smoking car after taking an un- biased view of the situation. There was one little family occupying a seat 'pe- hind me which afforded me constant ln- terest, as the father, although young and plain, and apparently without the advantages of training or association, was a model of patience and tender con sideration for the pretty country girl Of wife and their two babies.
 The mother, without an irritable ex- presslon or impatient word, held in her lap through the torrid July afternoon a wee little baby a few months old, ana by her side, when not at the water cool CT was her young husband, holdlng III his arms another baby about year old, who had a larger capacity for ice water than the most inYeterate "scorcher Wno wheels, With a smile this man divided the burdens with his wife, and am con fident he felt repaid for any enort that he made by the sweet grateful LOOK Wlth which his wife greeted him upon his re turn from supplying the cravings or the eldest twin with a cup of ice water! ,, Then there were on board pretty, swell girls with trunks almost as large as seaside cottage on their way lo ,es ,asiio, a1ort able resorts, and one sweet, on-tne-aiel. voung girl who did not have very eA- aggerated trunk but the size or WhUse satchel in a measure cofnpehsat.,eu .,' ,ro roA hny lack of bulk in her "boX, as the FIT glish say l speak feelingly or thls satchel because besides this same bright North Carolina girl, It oc- cupied a part of my seat! But tne satchel was to be excused, lnaeeu coli e doned. when you learned the story o ol the owners life, ana Wllae 1 en1 mbis vo,1np to do for humanity's sake. Ihls youns girl came alertly into the coach at the Birmingham station, having Just arriV. ed from Kansas City, and hndihg that all the seats were crowded, she lookeu @ al me heIplessly with her soft, large brown ewes which were well set in a pretty. ejrlish face, framed in dark chestnut hair which had a tendency to coli anu curl about her brow and neck one ne,> itated only a moment, ana theh ,i o pentle southern voice asked 10 share 1o,, eoat with me With that selnshneSs which travel intensifes, l fear l ulu noe annear overwhelmed with delight at the prospect of companionship, put she Was foo anxious for a seat to observe my u
 consciousness if it was manifest ana sIe i,nn,odiateIv deposited her traps, 1ncluu- inp the aforesaid satchel of large pro nortions and made herse1 coInIot tao,e M and agreeable at the same tlme' As VIZ MS iourneyed along through the great heius cru. of cotton and corn, which rolled ike ehl- oraid eeas hack to the base of the noun tain range. which was clothed with an oplascent haze as the declining SUI, Weai to sleep cradled in clouds of purple anC %
  crimson and gold, ths y9unS grew communicative and wen d, fimes-was receptive. I learned tna' che had been for two years at the traln ing school for missionaries at hanses CIty. which is under the management p ol the Methodist church, south. Ihere ,l si, had been prepared for her work ana having completed her course, she was on her way home to bid her family good bve before sailing on August 26 TOT the missionary fields in far-away Chlna.
 Miss Martin, for this IS the praVe; ora e eai, s.a1 nest girls name, is native of Chapel Hill. North Carolina, and there sne IF now. spending few precious days WILT father mother and sisters before tne great waves of the Pacific separate tnsn for many years. Who can tell what this rirl will suffer in this severing or famiiy fies? But we need not dwell on tha view of the matter. There are so hahs shadows in life, so much darkness ane sorrow. let us rather picture the trfumpf 
 ing comes and we are judged by the deeds we have done in the body not by the pharisaical words we have spoken As we rolled into the station at Atlanta and I told Miss Martin goodbye l Tel that I had been privileged to eaten 8 passing glimpse of strong, nopie ear. nest nature, who was giving to God anc humanity the best years of her woman hood On the train with us was larg. and loauacious party of western men ant women, evidently bent upon investigat ing this section of the south, with al idea to settling with us. They were { comfortable, well dressed crowd, wh' took kindly view of their surrounding and who came prepared to be pleased with us and our country. They left u at Fruithurst, Ala, that new and pros porous village near the Georgia line. 4 colony of such westerners would un doubtedly be a great gain to us, and is to be hoped that the message the, will carry back to their friends on tn lakes and praires will induce many nor to seek homes in Alabama.
 Atlanta is said by Atlanta people t ha very 11lll at prpSpnt hllt if cert ainl-