The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-29
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

one of the best liked and most accomplished
young men in the house, and is one Of the
states most useful legislators.
1--WE have had a very merry Christmas"
he said " and we have had it in way
dear to the heart of every man brought up
in the country. We have been a-hunting.
Morn and noon and night we have hunted
and to good purpose. Deer, turkey, quail,
squirrel, and an occasional duck have fall
len to our guns. 1 am afraid, alas! that
the ducks have passed away from us. They
are very few this year. We have almost
given up hunting ducks; and yet we used to
have them by the thousands and that, too,
within the past three years. Something is
happenings change in climatic conditions,
1 should say, for down in our section our
lands are preserved and are never over
run with sportsmen. But apart from the
duck, we have grand sport with the gun
at this time of year"
1--WE used to go up to the Flint river"
observed Frank P. OBrien, land we al
ways had grand sport with our guns. We
had our boats, and in these would float
down the river If we tired of water fowl,
we'd go ashore and shoot turkeys, deer,
squirrels, quail, what not, and run down
the festive 'possum. 1t was great sport,
and that sport is still to be had there by
those who are sportsmen enough to go af-
ter it,"
Former Acknowledgement William C.
Fits, of Tuscaloosa, a man of conspicuous
ability, will, it is believed, be elected to the
constitutional convention. He is in the city,
but has not yet discussed the matter of
his own position in regard to the conven-
ton. 1t is hoped, though, that he will con-
sent to serve in the convention. His abil-
ity as a lawyer and his experience as at
torneygeneral eminently fit him for a
place in the body that is to make our or
ganic law.
General Charles M. Shelley was sixty
years young last night, and probably the
blrthnight of no other Albanian could call
forth a fuller measure of good wishes.
There was no celebrate of the event. Two
or three friends were with the general in
formally-two or three friends are with him
in the same way every evening-and they
talked of old times and many things. 1t
spoken in print about the anniversary ex-
cept that which concerns the public. 1t
were intrusion to speak of it in any other
way, in any other circumstances.
Few men have lived who have drawn
about them the fast friendship of more
men whose friendship counted for anything.
1t has been more than thirty years since
General Shelley came prominently forward
in the public life. of Alabama, and there
was no figure more valiant in the struggle
for good government which began long be-
fore the sword of the victor ceased to en-
courage lawlessness in this state-when the
ex-slaves and their alien leaders made life
in Alabama accursed.
General Shelley long ago passed the point
when mere praise of him was little less
than impertinence. 1t is only of the genial,
the sociable, the friendly side of a noble
life that any one may write now. In these
respects none may say more than is wor-
thy of General Shelley His heart is as big
as the world, his impulses as broad as the
higher humanities. His past belongs to
his people. His future likewise belongs to
them. All Alabamians will wish for Cen
eral Shelley as many returns of his birth
night anniversary as he may desire to have.
1.-THE moral and educational standard for
the enlisted men of the regular army is
much higher now than it used to be- said
an old West Pointer to an Age-Herald re-
porter. when the army was reorganized
in 1866 the numerical enlisted strength was
limited to $4,000, and notwithstanding this
small number, it would have been difficult
to fill up the ranks with picked men. Peo-
pie were tired of the army, and as result
of the conditions obtaining then, Uncle
Sam had to accept any one who offered
service. Gentlemen with dissolute sons
would induce them to enlist in the army
for the purpose of discipline and reform. A
large percentage of the rank and file was
made up of the scum of society. But not
SO now. The standard was raised several
years ago and any one who has occasion to
be about garrison will quickly observe
what excellent material the regular army
is now made of. Or any one who applies
at a recruiting station for service in the
army will find how severe the standard is
The regulars men of good character
and habits, of good intelligence and good
common school education and of manly
physique and soldierly bearing. The way
the regulars bore themselves in the recent
war proves that it pays to have picked
men. The country may well be proud of
the personnel of the rank and file of the
United States army
Capt. Joseph V. Allen and T. F. John
ston, of Sheffield, were here yesterday.
H%R
Samuel T. Barnett, of Atlanta, formerly
well known business man of Birmingham.
Is in town.
P. F. Miles, editor of the Union Springs
Herald, was in town yesterday.
EXPLANATION OF "SIRDAR."