The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-30

sometimes "spendid." The latter express
sion is possibly mortgaged to society edi-
tresses and reporters have about released
claim on 1t.
In case of murders, "a shot rang out on
the midnight air" always, and the vic
tim invaribly met his fate at the hands
of foul assassin
There are several favorite subjects of the
rural editor, but after a careful survey 1t
has been decided beyond any question that
he leans strongest towards obituaries. The
grim reaper frequently stalks abroad
in our midst" and carries away lone of
our time-honored citizens on angels wings
to the great beyond" Verify death loves
a shining mark Old peace to his ashes
has possibly consumed moro printers ink
than any obituary pharse in existence with
the exception of the following penscarred
veteran, which has occupied space IN
majority of the weekly papers published
in the United States:
"There Is a. reaper whose name Is death,
And with his sickle keen,
He reaps the bearded grain at breath,
And the flowers that grow between
After the interment the editor, using the
editorial I'VE" invariably Extends our
heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved fam
ily."
used In county papers, and the effect pro-
duces is sometimes ludicrous In one lit
tle town in South Alabama there Is
bridge across a railroad cut which has to
be used by pedestrians going to and from
church. The ratings on each side OF the
bridge had either fallen down, or never
were there, and the editor of the Leading
paper took it upon himself to advise the
''city fathers as follows: 1--WE would suS-
gest to the council that ratings should be
erected approaching the railroad bridge, as
there is danger of being hurt. we were
returning from prayer meeting one night
last week and it was so dark self and
daughter had to feel with our foot Tor the
bridge in crossing the railroad.
Prosperity sometimes reaches the town
in which these editors live, and frequently
"the song of the hammer and saw is
abroad in the land" City reporters ana
country editors all join hands on the &C
casion of a fire, and when the damage IS
great they are in their element. These ar
ticles usually begin by stating that dis
astrous conflagration" visited the nome Oh
Mr. =. as a result of the. "devilish deed
81 "fra fiands" 1.-THE forked-tongued de-
mon" was seen Creeping from every crew
ice, and clicked up everything IN It's
track. 1900,
Elopements are extraordinary happen
;nps and an occuranee of this KIND never
asoanesF without being dubbed "another
Gretna Green affair" with the usual irate
father '1ove laughs at locksmiths' 9nd
similar attachments In peaceable mar
riages the journalist also gets In some iine
work. The brides are always dreams OF
loveliness" and no man ever walked down
the aisle with his best man without get
ting the usual natures nobleman de-
scription in the weekly paper. the pres
ents were numerous and costly
Tho society editress' most horrible IA
vorites are "the social function" gorge
ous' and so on.
Most of big newspaper offices have issu-
ed either an official or unofficial edict
against any of the above expressions, ana
any one who is so unthoughtful as 10 /
them becomes fully aware sometime later
that 1.-THE way of the transgressor is hard