The age-herald., 1897-08-04
GOSSIP OF THE STREETS Z
 AND HOTEL LOBBIES

Capt. -, we'll we won't mention his name, but who is politically and socially one of the most prominent citizens of Alabama, was at the Morris the other night, and, usual. had a good story to ten on himself
 "Perhaps you don't know,'' he said, 'that enjoy tine reputation in my coun- ty of being a remarkable man. In tell ing you this, however. in all modesty, it is entirely proper that I should assure you that greatness was never thrust upon me, but was acquired by lorg, toil- some and persistent efforts. In fact, I may go so far as to state that noth- ing less than a determination to rise, in some particular. superior to my fellow men. formed early in life and. most as- sfduously pursued, has enabled me at last to stand baldly forth and challenge the world to produce a more valiant coen-hunter than have succeeded in be- coming
 This being true. naturally I am de- voted to cc'on dogs and have succeeded In collecting and breeding the most va.- ried ard intelligent collection of thsse useful animals to be found in the South Next to my own fame as a hunter, there iS nQtiUUS SR QedT to me as the 1eDQIa- ton of my dogs and whenever I hear any one suggest that another man has dog that even approaches one of my favorites in ability to put up and tree a. coon, I am at once consumed with a desire to possess that particular canine. Now, I know from experience, that money will not buy dog that has ever been in the woods where coon was taeed but have never been deterred by trifes like that, and. as natural result, have always found myself. sooner or later, the hap py owner of the coveted animal
 |. NSt1 long ago I was in Hurt sville at nfs'ha and while talking 10 a friend at the hotel a ge,l leman cama by with the most miserable looking nrongrel at his heels ffllb ever saw. Insstarily my friend di- rYeded my attention to the dog and told me that he had the repisai gon of being tenda yf-uv-te, wgc shrdiu etao cmfwypt L'he best coon dog in three counties, and 1hat he had tried on mor4 @han one ccca- sion i;o buy him for me; that failing in that he had even tred to steal him, but he was so zealously guarded by his owner that he had, so far found it impossible
 "0f course my cupidl;y was q'emen- dously excited, but not having time to ACitituFehtG d pidif Ol dcllOIi, usSInlSSSu the malster from my mind with the rediec- tien that my nigger Pete, through lo2g years of ira ming in my srvice, would p:'bab1y make trip in ,lJat direction ,lae first right favorable to the work in. hand, after my return home
 ~tfhe train that I intended taking for home was due at midnight, but when I reached the depot found that it was two ip6 baI {,, to return to the fdtel and lay over until the next day. but as I was stepping into a hack happened to se that coon-'og !standing op the pa tfcrm. I notic d from his actions that he appeared lost and, feeling sorry for his forlorn cord'- ton, determined at once to adopt him. and to that end bribed the hackman to procure a cord for me- with winch tfes- tened the cuss ard led him out behind iha depot into the dark.
 "As I stated, the train was two heu 8 late and about the time secured the dog it b4gan to rain in torrents am poor hand to relinquish prize. so placed my back against the depot, pulled up my collar and-just let it rain until the train came. when I executed a flank m ,vemc4t and boarded the baggage car upon the blind side as it was pulling out.
 'I was wet through, but the pYoudest man in the state, until the next day wf en I received a letter from my friend say ing:
 We ordfued champagne and oyeLnrs at your experlSe for dinner. That dog of yours is tine worst cur in the county. We procured him for your benefit about a month ago, but it was not until last night tha- we could carry ouG the full pGogra n1me. You cam pay for the dil- her Wllea, you come up. and we hay 'l-iel to make Jhe bill sufficiently large 10 cure you of stealing dogs
 Mir Eugene Sm.h, of Tuscaloosa was among the guests registered all the Flor eapce yestS day
 
 J. T. Johnson, of DsniSon, Texas, Is In the city.