The age-herald., 1898-10-23
A Visitors Impression
Of the Magic City

Having recently returned from visit to Avondale and Birmingham desire to pay my respects to the Magic City of the South. I found Avondale a charming suburban town, and spent seven delightful weeks among her warm hearted, hospitable people.
 I shall never forget the many kind atten-
 tions bestowed upon while there; and
 even now my heart throbs with grateful emotion whenever I think of relatives and friends who contributed so much toward my pleasure.
 But Birmingham impressed me with its size, its noise, it's activity and its surging,
 restless of humanity. It would be prac- tically impossible within the short space al- lottek to mention the half of what l saw while going to and fro This great city wins alike the wonder and admiration of the resident and the visitor. Along with it's
 mammoth industries, Birmingham can boast of as handsome residences and ho- | tels any city in the south. Its public | school buildings, it's elegant church edi- l fees, its street railway system, its electric n5..ls and it's attractive public parks show that the city is not wholly given up to the spirit of accumulation of gain. As one passes down the spacious streets and broad. avenues he is filled with amazement when he remembers that this same spot was once a cast-away field. Since that time the city has been built up enlarged and greatly inn proved Attractive buildings have been erected, extensive dummy lines have been established, and railroads have been ex- tended to every part of the country, which, by their connection and tributaries, furnish
 rare facilities for the development of the
 wealth that abounds here. In fact, I be- Heve Birmingham Is destined to become one
 of the greatest cities or the south. It is
 undoubtdly city of railroads, of manu-
 factories, of schools. of churches and Of
 innrmaries. Go which way you would, the city was dotted all over with them.
 l attended several of the churches and heard some of the best preachers in Blr- mingham. The new minister of the South Side Baptist church struck me as a man of marked ability and great force of char acter, combined with unusual gentleness of speech and of manner. AS he entered his
 pulpit with every intellectual and emo
 tional fibre within him stimulated to it's
 utmost, he faced his congregation with a
 power and pathos which startled them into eager attention Love for God and human- ity throbbed through every word and look,
 while his benign countenance added irre-
 sistible force to what he said He had not proceeded far before realized the fact that he had won his hearers: that they were
 with him; that his triumph was secure, and
 
 work for God in Birmingham.
 Again, I was highly pleased with the Davis infrmary-that quiet retreat for the weary, wasting invalid As noted the air of refinement and the kind attention mani- rested towards every patient by those no- ble-hearted physicians who presided over the infrmary-as l watched the dear old mother of the infirmary gathering beauti- tui flowers and arranging them with her l own hands for each invalid's room-as I n ha young wife, with her bright face and win 1 ming manner-as 1 saw the contented faces 1 or the attendants, and felt the pure and 1 wholesome influence thrown around every i inmate, l knew 1t must, indeed. prove | haven of rest for the weary, the sick and i the afflicted. It astonished me to hear so | much said in behalf of that infirmary. But | when l saw how completely those self | sacrificing physicians gave themselves uo 1 to their profession, no longer wondered l that grateful hearts showered unnumbered l blessings upon them. Best of all, they are | consecratetd Christian gentlemen, and can | administer consolation to the soul as well ' as medicine to the tortured body But m thus extolling the Davis infirmary, I would by no means speak dispara gingly of other me institutions scattered thoughout the l eily. l heard words of commendat tion spoken in behalf of thenf and doubtless all are doing good and noble work I onlv dwell upon the Davis infirmary because I visited there frequently, and because those near and dear to me had sought rest and healing within its doors 1
 Nor can close this article without 4 partins saiutation to that good newsv paper, The Age-Herald. Daily it droppeS into my brothers home, silently and gently as friend might come. Sometimes if brought glad tidings to cheer our hearts. on other days there was kind of solemn sadness in the rusthngs of its pages as if told or departed loved ones. Yet, as friend It came, and as friend it found wei come, brought it's udings, bright or sad. nlissea u when ieft. l miss 1t still. May peace and prosperity attend 1t on its week, 1y rounds and may it be my privilege to greet it again some day at dear old Avon dale. "
 This Is No Dream
 But the fact that the Hotel Morris is being