The age-herald., 1899-12-18
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

late Colonel William Martin Holding Of Huntsville, Ala.," said Professor ". H. Councill, the eminent negro educator.
 "Colonel Holdings father was a million aire in slaves and lands. and the manage ment of the estate at the death of the father devolved upon the son. The young master was we'll prepared for the great re- sponsibillty, having attended first-class col leges, and at one time was pupil of that subsequently, distinguished statesman, James G. Elaine. So uniform and marked was young Holdings kind treatment of his slaves that they were often called Hold ing's free niggers' by some people who did not like the black man much in those ante bellum days. When the war came on his slaves remained at the old farm, or farms, as he had more than one. When freedom came they still remained with him, and have ever since had his friendly and intelli- gent guidance. He loved them, and they loved him. He often told me that he loved them as friends, and that they were trusty and loyal. He always carried them
 
 their supplies, and never charged them one cent of interest. He stood between them and the sharpers who crowded around on all sides to defraud them of their hard earned dollars. It was his rule never to sell out a tenant, and at the end of the year if his tenants had worked hard, but failed in the crop, he would cancel their obligations to him. Sickness overlook him u t1 l1af. Al. these ex-slaves of over half a century and faithful tenants of a third of century. The day before his death he called his nephew, Hon. Shelby Fletcher, to his bed side and directed him to go to his planta- tions and release all the old family negroes from all of their obligations to him. He then closed a career of deep human sym pathy-scattering sunshine and gladness wherever he went-and his upright soul went to it's God. He had been the friend of the unfortunate and oppressed, regard less of color, religious creed or political party, although himself consistent dem ocrat. As we'll as the fashionable rich who thronged the aristocratic Presbyterian church to listen to the touching services conducted by the pastor, pr. Bitzer, scores of negroes with fearful eyes among the lowly there testified that the dead man had been their friend in their hard strug- gles to keep starvation from their humble homes."
 About the name of Josiah Quincy, the retiring mayor of Boston, there is the fa- vor of the greatest events in New England and general American history. His family has been distinguished in our history ever since the first whte settlement in Massa- chusetts. The city of Quincy in that state, as does Quincy, Illinois, bears the family name. The Massachusetts town was settled in 1925, five years after the landing of the Mayfower Pilgrims on Plymouth rock; and it was there that John Hancock, John Ad- ans and John Quincy Adams were born. The Adamses and the Quincys have been related by ties of blood for generations. Abigail Smith, whom John Adams married and to whom he owed much of his great ness, was a descendant of the Quincys. Dorothy Quincy, one of the most radiantly and beautifully luminous figures in Amer- can life, the exquisite Dorothy Q" of Holiness imperishable lines, was of the same blood as Josiah Quincy " Boston's retiring mayor She was, by the way, Hclmes's grandmother. The mayor was born in Boston, as were his father, grand father and great-grandfather. In 1893 he was appointed assistant secretary of state by President Cleveland, and was charged with the duty of advising the president upon all matters pertaining to the consular service. He accepted the office unwilingly, and resigned within a year. He is about 40 years old.
  in Massachusetts was the defeat of General Patrick A. Collins, the democratic nominee for mayor of Boston; MT. Hart, the republi- can nominee, being elected by a plurality of 2,000 This fact is really of national in- terest, yet it has attracted surprisingly lit- tie attention General Collins is the most eminent Irishman in the Unied States, and one of the strongest men of his race who ever dwelt in this country. He is the head of the Boston bar: for several years a member of congress, retiring voluntarily because he grew weary of it; and was in 1893 appointed by President Cleveland to be consul-general at London, then the most lucrative place within the bestowal of the president and the senate. In London he was immensely popular with the American colony; and all the United States consuls in Great Britain, and Ireland were warmly attached to him as their official superior and their friend. In 1896 they gave a splen- did banquet n the Hotel Cecil. At his house in Finchley Road he from first to last entertained great numbers of Americans with a grace and geniality unequalled. In America or out of it there lives no truer, better than "Pat" Collins.
 This day week will be Christmas Day, and during the intervening '1awful'' days, as the Scotch call all days except Sunday OF the "Sawbuth" of the Covenanters and their descendants, Santa Slaus and his ass sistants will be busy in their labor of pro- curing gifts for loved ones. In Birming- ham trade it promises to be the busiest week experienced by merchants in many years. Indeed, it is not improbable that tha volume of business will be the largest od .tx, Iox ;n tlA