The age-herald., 1899-10-01
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

contractors hope to have it ready for oe- cupancy by March. There have been nu- merous and vexatious delays in construct ing this building, in which everybody in Birmingham and the district is interested. The architects plans were originally drawn for another site, and after the pres enf work was begun a change in the plans became necessary, causing delay of some weeks Then sub-contractors failed to sup ply stone as rapidly as required. And Tor a time brickmasons were not obtainable. Then the supply of wooden frames fell sho-t, on account of the extraordinary ac- tivity in the lumber trade. And so the work Jagged; but not because of any short comings on the part of the contractors. They have done all that could be done, and are now hopeful of being able to proceed regularly and rapidly. The building prom ises to be the best constructed and equipped hospital structure south of Baltimore, and the good Sisters of Charity are eager Tor fits completion. The Sisters are doing great and noble work in the temporary quarters of the hospital, the old DeBarde- leben mansion; but the space is inadequate and the house was not constructed Wi'h a view to hospital purposes. The demands upon the Sisters at St. Vineents are great, but they are meeting them in that nople spirit which prompts them to devote thelr lives to the work of relieving human sul- fering. The cause of St. Vincents appeals to every individual of every condition Of life.
 wanton and monstrous slaughter ol song birds is in progress in the supuros oi Birmingham. During a short WalK Ill the woods on Red Mountain the other oay' MT. Sterang A. Wood discovered thirty Of these innocent and beautiful creatures dead in one heap. This was near Mir Woods residence Boys with guns had gone up there and shot the birds in sport and gathered them together as evidence of their skill. Such mischief, such cruelty and total absence of humane sentiment are lncon- ceiyatle. What sort of men will boys so cruel become? One shudders. Unhapplly, there is no law in Jefferson county for punishng the bird-slaughtering boy or man. When the most excellent Wild olros protection bill introduced by Representa- tive Wallace of Madison, was pending Tn the legislature last winter somebody whose business 1t was to represent Jefferson caused this county to be excepted from the provisions of the proposed act That was unfortunate for Jefferson. The act as passed applies to ten or dozen coun- ties and in these the bird slaushterer may be sent to prison. If MT. Wallace will go on with such good and humane work as that he will be a white-robed angel whilst the wanton slayers of the feathered song sters lie howling. Meantime, the parents Of boys can do much towards saving the birds A good spanking for every bird Killed would teach the young idea how not to shoot A cruel boy is likely to grow to be a cruel man. and cruel men swell the roll of law-breakers.
 Many thoughtful persons regard the slang term of the street dude" as being the mob's definition of gentleman. In discus sion of dudes" in war, General Shelley remarked that the Gallant Pelham was a glorious type of the dude" Pelham the Immortal was distinctively a ladies man." He loved the attractions of the dra wing room-fair women, music, poetry, art; and he was fond of fine clothes. He 
 ishui. No braver soldier ever died. He ranks In history as the American Latour D'Auvergne And of the Pelham type of man was Custer, who died with all his sol diers in the lava beds. Custer wore the daintiest of uniforms, with a ribbon streaming from his hat and a fashy era vat. His hair was long and silky; his per fectiy shaped feet were encased in glossy boots Yet there was not a brave man in the union army who would not have laugh ed to die where Custer led Robert E. Lee was a "dude." and. marking back, so was that other Yirginian, George Washington. The best regiment on the northern side in the civil war was called 'kid eqove.' Count less thousands of dudes" were privates in the confederate army. Napoleon was consummate "dude," and so was Yelling ton. So also Is our own Dewey of today. Nelson, greatest sea fighter of all history, was even foppish in his dress. It is the duty of every man to wear the finest clothes he can afford.
 There is a public impression, amounting to conviction in the minds of well-informed persons, that New Orleans is reporting only the smallest possible percentage of its yellow fever cases. There is com mon belief that the fever epidemic in that city is very bad, and that it is sought to conceal the truth in the interest of trade. The Alabama quarantine officers are be- lieved to be we'll advised of the situation and are not guided in any sense by official reports from New Orleans.
 A well-known politician from the lower part of the state said there was strong undercurrent of sentiment in favor of the nomination of Judge N. D. Denson of Chambers for governor. Judge Denson is one of the ablest circuit judges in the state. His circuit was at one time the strongest of the Populist party, but Judge Denson has stood so high with the people that no man has ever been able to make serious contest against him. He is about 40 years old, prudent, discreet, capa- ble, man of real ability and exalted character. He has all the time been a strong silver man and an ardent supporter