The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-27
GOSSIP OF THE STREET
AND HOTEL LOBBIES


Rural visitors are frequently very
sensitive = remarked a gentleman who
lounges about the hotels. Il think one
of the elevator boys in here at the Flor
ence learned this fact the other day. An
old gentleman and his son arrived in the
city. They were evidently from the
back-woods, but had money. Late in
the evening the pair walked into the ho-
til and registered for room. A notion
struck the young man to go out again
and the old gentleman got tired waiting
for him to come back. He got on the ele-
vator to go to his room. The conductor
of the lift stopped on the right floor,
but the old man was as much puzzled as
before. Hs didn't know which way to
turn and began shouting to the eleva-
tor boy for instructions. Thinking he
had vouchsafed enough information the
lad paid no attention to the ruralite.
When the "lifts reached the first foo-
tbs old man was Justify yelling for in
formation
moment later the son came in, and
20 MIN the elevator boy confldsd the be-
lief That the old guy he had just carried
up stairs must be crazy or a terrible
moss back. The young man said noth-
1ng, but in fifteen minutes am old gentle.
man. a youth and two carpet bags
marched QUIZ
Il am afraid we will soon hear. a. grsak
how go up from the bakers, and then the
price or loaf bread will go up" remarked
f. y. Smith of Cincinnati, who was in .
the city Yesterday. 1.-THE cry has already
pesn made in France and is bound to
coms here If the wheat market continues
high.
THE price of flour is certain to rise cor
respordirgly with wheat and ere long
TINS bakers will allege that they can not
AFFORD to sell their leaves at present
prices. l would not be surprised to see
an increase of cent per loaf In the near
future. Now, a cent advances appears
like very small thing, but 1t is an item
OF tremendous magnitude to the toiling
masses, Who are forced to exercise the
strtctest economy in order to exist.
Il do not begrudge the advance in
wheat to the farmers of our country. but.
looking at the matter in the light of cod
reason, 1t is apparent that extreme high
prices for farm products is not "a good
Thing for this great mass of artisans and
aaborers In our populous cities, who have
these things to buy. If the wages of the
Atter went up ait the same time there
would be no cause of complaint but OF
that there is no probability. The city
bread winners can only submit and make
the best of it,
ut is TO every mans advantage to take
a trip across the pond" said Malcolm
Jemison, who was in the city yesterday
en- route to his home in south Alabama.
Il have been spending some weeks in
London N ba
ay own up that I never before really an
preciated the advantages of being an
American and living in country like the
United States. I am not hidebound or
marrow, I trust, and am willing to ac-
cord those people across the Atlantic all
due credit Tn some things we might
copy from them Ito advantage. but in ALI
that goes to make up a comfortable ex-
1stence In freedom, in the chance of bet
tering ones condition, in the rights of
citizenship-in fact, in nearly all the es-
ssntials that make life worth living. we
are so far ahead of the most favored ma
tons of the old world that there is no
room for comparison.
What worried me most of all was the
eating. am not a gastronome, but real
~ to my mind the cooking abroad was
villainous, save in Paris. There 1 man.
aged to get along very nicely, but even
in the French capital 1 did rot consider
the cooking as good as in New York,
while in several places on the continent
I nearly starved When they give you
anything that is worth eating in Europe
sths price is higher than in our highest
priced hotels and restaurants, which is
contrary to the popular notion. OF course
one can live cheoply over there, but for
the same money he can fare twice as
we'll in the United States"
''Thbs is essan Tally a labor district"
said r. p. Hooker, who was in the city
yesterday. do you know one CT the
most important questions to come before
congress lis legislation on the labor ques-
ticn? Some excellent measures are now
pending and ought Ito be pressed to a
speedy enactment. The bill for a nl..on-
al labor commission is opportune ard
right, and were such a body now In ex-
-istence 1t would have splendid oppor-
tunity fer doirg good service by helping
to bring about fair settlement of tina
great mining strike. Then there Is Rep
raserl ative Erdmanss arbitration bill,
wIhioh ough- to have BEEN a law long
ago. The time has come when the gem
eral government should intervene in
problems OF such vital moment to all
citizens, and there is no reason, now that
the .tagiff is OIL of the way, that congress-
should nca devote a.self seriously to he
task.
II am one of these who believe that
federal legislation can do much toward
putting an erd to the strikes and lock-
OUTS which are responsible for 50 much
human misery. Amy way, thare Is great
field for experiment, and congress will
have plenty of sorici Slbon from all quar-
ters io go about the work.
SHES COMING HOME.
- Neil cioI>o