Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-06
SOCIETY,".

Miss Maebelle McEachin. of Tuscaloosa, is the guest of Miss Kate Earle.
 MT. R. c. Redus disembarked from the train yesterday afternoon and was cov- cred with shower of rice that was in tended for a bridal couple. MT. Redus thought 1t was raining prosperity in Bir- mingham AS MT. Redus persists in re- maining a bachelor, in spite of the wiles of match-makers, it is probably the first time rice was showered upon him, but it ds to be hoped that it will not be the last.
 MT. Newton Polk, who resides on Tenth avenue. South Highlands, and is the cashier of the Tennessee company, is a grand-nephew of President Polk. He is a grandson of Thomas Independence Polk, who was born about the time of the revolution. He was named Independence from an incident in the life of his father, Thomas Polk. This latter gentleman was a fiery revolutionary patriot, and was a North Carolnian He wrote the famous Mecklenberg declaration of independence, which was issued several months before the historic declaration of independence. The family tree of the Polk family shows that there were two main branches, and the father and mother of Mir Newton Polk were cousins and united the two branches The family is of Scotch-1rish extraction. The family has given to America several eminent men. President Polk, our eleventh President, defeated Henry Clay, and it was during his ad- ministration and through his influence that Texas was annexed. Bishop Leoni- das Polk was another prominent member of the family. He was a West Pointer, but went into the Episcopal ministry and became bishop. He was made gen. eral in the confederate army, and was killed in Mississippi.
 Mrs. Margaret Weber and her grand son, of Nashville, are visiting MT. and Mrs. c. l.. Randall on|the South High lands.
 Mrs l.. M. Lake, of St. Louis, is ex- pected to arrive in-the city tomorrow af- ternoon. She has just returned from most successful tour of the eastern cities, where her lectures on behalf of temper ance principals filled the largest theaters available. Mrs. Lake is vice-president of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, and has complete control over all the woman's branches of the union. She will speak at St. Paups hall next Thursday evening at 8 o'clock under the auspices of the St. Paul's Total Ab- stinence Society, of this city. It is unfor- tunate that she can only deliver one lec- ture here, but arrangements have already been made for long series of evening lectures in Chicago, whither she will go from here.
 The ladies of Cleveland, the last sta tion on the West End and Elyton car line, have organized a literary society for the purpose of mutual improvement and the promotion of freer social intercourse. The initial meeting was held at Mrs. R. M. Bucks on Saturday. the 2d At this meeting officers were elected, committees appointed and a general plan of study mapped out. The officers are Mrs. Frank Norris, president; Mrs J. c. De Jarnette, secretary and treasurer. A critic will be appointed weekly.
 Southern history and poetry will form the basis of study, Alabama being taken first. Those present were Mrs. Frank Noeris, Mrs. Terry, Mrs R. M. Buck, Mrs J. I. Smith, Miss Powell and Mrs. J. C. De Jarnette. The next meetinw ill be held at Miss Powells home Friday, Jan 9th.
 Miss Rosa Sloss has returned from a pleasant visit to Montgomery.
 Mrs. Sam l.. Woodbridge, of Versales, XIV. arrived on the noon Queen and Crescent train today to attend the funeral of her brother, MT. c. M. Avent.
 Miss Anna Morrow will return to school at Columbus, O.. this week, after spend- ing the holidays at home. Next week she will have the pleasure of meeting at To- ledo her sister, Miss Lucy Morrow, whose company plays at Toledo at that time: The company then goes 10 CdHdud, anu from there to the far west.
 MT. and Mrs. Richard Randolph have returned from Montgomery, where they visited MT. Phares Coleman. of the su- preme court. They were handsomely en- tertained, and were much pleased with Montgomery's social side.
 Miss Helen Borton, of Huntsville, Is the guest of Mrs. A. R. Campbell, South Highlands.
 The scene of the story "A Desperate Foe. or A Tale of the Tennessee Blue Grass" by Miss Alma Rittenberry re- gently published, was laid at Ashwood Hall. the county seat of Col Andrew I. Polk, who was the father of Van Leer Polk and the Baroness de Chareete.
 On Saturday evening last the citizens of Thomasville were treated to novel but pleasing episode. and something new in the way of a Christmas holiday cele- bration, by the marching of about twenty young ladies through the streets ringing bells They rang tea bells. dinner bells, well, we were going to say COW bells, but i've won't. There were all kinds of bells making music, base bells, tenor bells. alto bells contralto bells, silvery-toneds bells brass bells bronze bells, all were town belles, except the base drum at the head