The age-herald., 1897-08-15
GOSSIP OF THE STREET
 AND HOTEL LOBBIES

the steps of the city hall building yester- day morning and stumbled into Mayor Evans office. He was a typical ruralite from the piney woods. Following at his heels was common looking mangy dog.
 Lie down thar. shep," were the nrsb words uttered by the individual
 sShep" cut his little. sharp eyes up ab his master, and obeyed the command without protest.
 Wall, l never seed sich a gol durn town in all my born days" drawled the country gent, as he made himself com- fortable in cushion bottom chair
 Something can do for you" querled the mayor.
 Wall, I heered you had that awful dis ease, smallpox. ragin' here and 1t pears like yer doctors is sorter mixed up. Youse the mayer uf Burnin'ham, but lots O these here fellows who says they knows all bout physics don't know a perky thing bout it.
 You've heered tell O verb q octors, hain't yer?"
 The mayor assented.
 Wall, I'm one O them, and my roots has tux more folks out O bed than them doctors durn physics ever did. When you turn them durn fel1ers loose on ye you'd better let out the maxim of yer box, fur yer days is numbered.
 'I cum here to talk biz, and I jest as well tell it at once. I can cure this here smallpox and have the hull tea party well in twenty-four hours I hain't no M. D., and ain sad no medical school in, but I know what my verbs will do.
 ''Why, this here stuff them niggers is ailn' with ain't no more than itch. Give sa, oIa out and little sulphur and birthstone to rub themselves off, and yer smallpox will disappear like sweet milk befo' a. gang O hound pups.
 Jest rub them thar 'ruptions with quinine and dog fennel tea and give 'em plenty O corn liquor to sweat the bile out, and every blarsted one will be as slick and greasy and ready to pick cot ton inside O two days.
 Now, mayer, I mean biz, and I'll put up 'shep' as guarantee I'll fix the hull business better than them thar doc tors. If Birmingham has ten dollar note to pay fur the job, jest consider my services retained.''
 The mayor explained to him that the smallpox scare was over, but if it should break out again his services would cer- tainly be brought into requsition.
 The ''yerb doctor" called Shep, and shuffled out with parting shot, you'd better git feller what knows somethin' bout. this pesky disease"
 Two men past the middle age sat at a table in one of Birmingham's small buff fets. Times, it seems, had not gone wel1 with the pair business had been dull and they had not imbibed quite enough of the ardent to bring on that jolly feeling. It was evident that their 7lmlies were spsnding the summer out of town.
 One said, "The madam is gone, and I don't care if I don't get home before morning" It was evident that they were trying to drown that lonesome feeling in drink. One displayed something of the traits of philosopher.
 Tt has been pretty tight times with me-" he said, land am glad that there is a. prospect of a break don't like be- ing alone very much now, but have to stand it for a while. I don't want to eat alone, and I wart to keep among peo- pie as much as I ean for haven't quite got over a paniclSy feeling that I have had now and then for a few years back Sometimes, when trouble pres ied the hardest and I didn't know just where I was going to get out of hole, I've gone out to the cemetery and sat down and looked over the graves of the people with their headstones standing up so still and quiet like.
 These people don't have no trouble,' said. 'nt's quiet here, all right; no col lectors come around and bother any of these people. They don't care whether things go up or down. They ain't worry ing over taxes and bills. It's night all the time with them
 That's the way I talked, and I felt that it was a mighty sight easier to lay out there than to strain and stew down town over things I couldn't help. Then thought of my wife and children. and felt even if couldn't do em much good that wouldn't handicap 'em by casting a cloud over them; besides, I owed it to them to struggle along and give them the best I could, and make the best of the situation. I get pretty blue Cow, some times; but have quit the graveyard as a place of contemplation"
 Then another round of drinks was or dered