The age-herald., 1899-04-30

speaking about tho capital, we'll soon Ipass one of the old Gaanniltals of Alabama aud curious old place 1t Is now, ss''O the captain of the Mamie King to his passenger,
 While in, Montgomery Gilbert Grayson had been attracted by long, melodious whistle, and on inquiring, found 1t was the river steamer, "Mamie King" arriving on her weekly trip from Mobile.
 This lead a man in the hotel lobby to speak of the beauties of trip down the majestic Alabama, especially at that sea son of the year, when the willows were trailing their tender green arms in the wa ter and the magnolias were in full bloom; while to descend to material matters, the cooking could not be improved on.
 DO well enough for man that's got time to throw away" said another. As that exactly described Gilbert Grayson present condition, he Immediately went down and took passage on the Mamie King" for Mobile. file had rushed head- long through life for twenty-seven years, especially the last ten, with all the energy his New England blood.
 Now, the doctors had ordered halt, and his own common sense seconded his views; so he had decided to idle through the sou.-l, having devoted three years to European travel before he ever thought to find out the variety of his own land, as is too ire quently the case. His idea was to note the rise of new industries in the south, with a view to an article for the magazine In which he had taken an interest, put un- consciously he found himself more drawn to the evidences of past granduer ana tho historical scenes which met his eye on every side, than to the modern enterprises he had expected to study.
 He had been charmed with the beauty or Alabamas s landscapes the fairuess of her daughters, the courtesy of her sons-out where was her far-famed hospitality
 Of course he could hardly expect south erners to stop a complete stranger on the street and ask him to dine, and 1t was true he had neglected to bring letters of intro duction. Still he was vaguely disappointed that some little incident had not happened to throw him In closer contract with those charming people whom so far he had met only in passing. He had rather hoped to find large party on the boat and knew the informality of this antiquated mode of tfaval would soon make them all acquaint- ed; but he was again disappointed.
 The captain explained that though the river was now at it's best, there were fewer passengers that at any other season Of the year. "You see,'' he said, "the Mardl Gras rush is over, and the city crowd~tisat goes down to spend the eumn.dr with its dear country cousins hasn't started yet
 The captain did his best to entertain this handsome, intelligent stranger, and would give him the history of every stately man. sion that stood on the rivers point to catch its cooling breezes. More than once he had been about to tell how this or that had been destroyed during the war by the d. Yank-and then with an apologette cough, he would hurry on on some imag
 
 yankee'S amusement Now they were ap- preaching cahaba and Gilbert was isten- ing to tales of its past importance and present desolation; how the boat that had brought Lafayette to this some landing had whist four times before turning the upper bend so that the cook in Cahaba would know when to put on his fried chicken that favorite southern delicacy, for the distinguished visitor The same house in which the count was so lavishly senteE.4hed, now staafds in the midst of cotton field, inhabitna '-" negro field hands; it's white marble fireplaces, that tower the frescoed ceilings, being used toNcook ther bacon and hoe-cake.
 "Why did they change the capital anu why should that have entirely killed the placer" inquired MT. Grayson.
 Because of the high water that covers the place every few years, answered the captain, as he hurried tffo superintend the landing. He soon came back and tod MT. Grayson that they had 700 sacks of cotton seed to take on, so he would have time to explore the place if he wished. Gil- bert was soon roaming the deserted streets and looking into the once elegant houses that stood wide open in their decay. Not single white family lived there, and even the negroes were at work in distant fields Only the numerous pcanninnies stood around in half-clad groups, and the could tell him nothing of the history of the relics on every side. He was about to return to the boat, somewhat depressed by the name- less gloom of the place, when he paused, transfixed, for, under a dogwood tree In full bloom, stood an up-to-date trap, decor ated with wild azalias, the white ponies ficking their ears as the fragrant flowers stuck in their brides tickled them.
 Seated in the trap was Flora-such modern Flora, with azalias stuck in her correct grey tailor-made suit and nodding from her fashionable sailor!
 Without turning her face she asked
 "How do you think this would do for the flower parade?"
 He was about to say 1t could not be im- proved on, when attracted by his momen- tary hesitation, she looked around
 "Oh I though it was Will! Where and then she stopped, her face pinker than her flowers
 From the boat" he said in answer to her unfinished sentence, "and may l be permitted to repeat the question:
 "Oh! I drove Will down here to the plan tation as his horse is lame, and there he brother stepped out of a by-path. His