The age-herald., 1899-01-03
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

| twenty, I was in Montgomery during an unusually heavy fall of snow. At Perry street and Dexter avenue (then called Mar ket streeD. a lot of boys were throwing snowballs at an elderly and dignified gen. tleman, and one ball knocked off his hat. I ran and picked up his hat, brushed the snow from 1t and handed it to hin He thanked me cordially and in perfect good humor went on his way. I didn't know it at 1 the time, but the gentleman to whom l restored his hat was named w. H. Smith, and was afterwards governor of Alabama.
 'erhe office of sheriff of Bullock county became vacant late in 1868, because the | sheriff elected by the republicans couldn't | give bond. It was decided by my family and friends that I should accept the va cancy, provided that the governor should | be willing to appoint me as democrat. | Judge w. H. Black, the leading republican | of the county, took me to Montgomery and presented me to Governor Smith, at the same time recommending me and assuring the governor that was a democrat. Being | a mere boy, I felt the responsibility inn i posed upon me.
 " Haven't l seen you before?' asked the | governor.
 .''Not that I am aware of, sir an 1 swered.
 ''He then recalled the story of the snow | balling boys, and seemed pleased. "'I shall appoint you sheriff of Bullock said the governor, kindly. And he did ap- point me, democrat. sheriff of one of the Jackets of the 'blsck' counties. and in the time of reconstructioa."
 General Shelley received :. letter from his son, Captain James Shelley, who is with the army of occupati ton at Santiago. The letter was dated December g. He stated that he had just returned from exten- sive tour of observation and inspecting work in the interior, in the prosecution of which he had employed 150 pack mules and carried 15,OOO rations. The more he saw of the Cubans the more he disiked and dis trusted them. They were an untrustworthy lot of men; entirely unreliable in fact Cap tain Shelley's observations serve but to strengthen the public impression of the Cuban patriots"
 John Clarke was reading aloud yesterday with great interest the press account of the ceremonies at Havana attending the for nal transfer of Cuba to the United States. The unpronouncable names of some of the Spanish and Cuban officers he called some- thing else. When he reached that point in the story where it was stated that on their arrival at the palace the American officers proceeded to the saloon," for the formal ceremony, he exclaimed:
 Just like em-just like em! Always going to a saloonl" Then he looked tired, and declared that he was not happy
 'The press reports from Havana that a party of American women were photo- graphed in the throne room of the Spanish palace, Mrs. M. c. Butler occupying the royal chair tells the story of display un- speakably vulgar" said lounger in the lobby. Not only does this show an utter lack of delicate taste and the more refined feelings, but it is absolutely vulgar If those American women desired to be pho- tographed, they should have gone about the business decently, and not made spectacles Of themselves by posing In the throne room and occupying the royal chair There is but one redeeming feature about the brief news report of the vulgar perform ance, and that is it did not designate the woman in the royal chair as Mrs. Gen. eral ex-Senator M. c. Butler
 "Such display of manners on the part of the wives of American officers in Cuba will disgust every gentlewoman and gentleman in the island. That probably doesn't mat ter, seeing that We are on top and don't care a darn. But there are at least some Americans who will resent such conduct. It is not too much to presume that the wi of iob off i,, will hereafter receive circulars from the photographers reading something like this Cabinet photographs, plain, S6 a dozen seated on the thone, s1O extra It is pitiable and pitiful thing to contemplate Ii is American push with vengeance"
 
 Judge Roger A. Pryor. the eminent New York jurist, who has just retired from the bench ona account of the statutory age limit, is a finely preserved man. and is just as capable of hard work as he ever was," said New York politician.
 Indeed, at the age of seventy he ap- pears as virile as he did at the age of fifty-fve The judge is homely, but very striking in appearance He is conspicuous for his poor attire. I do not think that Judge Pryor ever wore a suit of clothes that cost over $15-hat shirt and all-and yet no man in the metropolis is more aes- thetic in his tastes. His home Is furnished elegantly and artistcaly. There is per- haps no man in the country more versatile or more thoroughly cultured than the judge. But, student though he is the judge takes time to go a good deal in society and to keep up with all sorts of people and all sorts of legitimate sport. Every individual with whom he comes in contact interests him-the young and the old, the high and the low, the learned and the unlearned. He is luminous talker, but also model list ener. When men have been in his con- pany they have come away saying, What a gifted man! And the ladies all exclaim How fascinatingn
 "But the judge is never posing or strain- ing to be brilliant or witty. He Is at all times and in all places simply natural"
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