The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-04
IN HOTEL LoBBfHS
AND ELSEWHERE

1.-THE smartest dog I ever knew was an
Irish terrier that aided in building the
Kansas City road said John Foster, the
distinguished young civil engineer. 1.-THE
dog belonged to me. was named Frank, and
I loved him. He died several years ago.
and in his passing I lost one of the best
friends 1 ever had. That dog came nearer
to the possession of reasoning faculties
than any other brute I have known any,
thing about. He used regularly to carry
messages up and down the line of the road
as we were building it; often trotting a mile
or two on some Grand The story that
Frank was on the pay roll of the Kansas
City company was erroneous, though he
ought to have been paid like any other SER
want. He would take orders to foremen
and others with as much directness as any
man messenger we had, and with greater
promptness We used to send Frank on all
sorts of errands, and he never failed us in
any instance. One day, when my headquar-
tiers were in my car, which was side
tracked at Amory, Miss, some of the fell
lows came in to have smoke and a
friendly chat. Somebody said beer and
that was agreeable to everybody. We de-
cided to send Frank for the beer to a sa--
loon, across the railroad tracks and in sight
of my car; and we started him off with a
note to the saloonkeeper. Frank trotted
straight to the saloon and delivered the
note. The saloonkeeper tied six bottles of
beer together with a string, put the string
in Franks mouth, and told the dog to go.
We saw Frank leave the saloon with the
beer, and start out for the car. In crossing
the tracks he did not hold the bottles high
enough, and two of them struck rail and
were broken. The dog put down his bur-.
den and stood for minute as if rejecting.
Then taking the string again in his mouth
he returned to the saloon, got two more
unbroken bottles, and came back to the car
in triumph. We drunk Franks health with
much enthusiasm"
Zone day in Jasper man with horse
and buggy gave the reins to Frank to hold,
while he did some shopping in a store.
The man staid longer than Frank appear
ed to think justifable and SO Frank laid
down on the sidewalk, stin holding the
reins in his mouth This proceeding made
the horse FESTIVE, and he began to shake
his head up and down and sideways, as il
to show his own displeasure at Franks ac-
ton. Frank didn't like that at all, but SUBJ
mitted patiently enough for a time. Finally
the dog got up. and deliberately walked
several times around a hitching-post i'm
medfately at hand, binding the relns
around the post; after doing which, he
walked away two or three PAGES, laid down
again and watched the horse closely and
suspieiously. He remained on guard un-
til the man returned to the horse and bug
gy."
There is a superstition that is prehaps as
old as the Morse sagas that when rain
falls in bright sunslhie satan is whipping
his WIFE" though sacred history does not
teach that Old Scratch has consort.
There is another saying, which is as old
as English folklore, at any rate, to the eff
feet that satan loves a rainy Sunday. If
that he true the prince of darkness must
have been in great gee yesterday; for rain
hours. The temperature was low and the
atmosphere SO damp and raw that it SEEM
ed as If it did pierce one through and
Through, horribly suggestive of daggers of
ice. Bah! it was abominable. Everybody
who could possibly do so remain a home.
and In bed, if ordinary commonsense pre-
vailed. The atmospheric conditions led men
to reflect upon 1.-The death of kings" muir
der, riot. strong drink, and all sorts of de-
plorable things Rheumatic persons were in
despair, and all that were otherwise ply
sicaly afflicted gave up hope. There was
something in the atmosphere peculiarly and
unprecedentedly exasperating, and even
the most amiable of persons became irrita-
BILE beyond belief But yesterday is passed.
Maybe today will be worse.
Two very notable families of the Black
belt will be united by the marriage of Mary
Finley Craig and II. H. Stewart, the young
er, which with take place in Selma on the
18th of December Miss Craig is the daugh-
ter of Hon. George H. Craig, sometime a
judge and latterly congressman, and
word comes that she adds to the beauty
lustre of two races which have produced
many beautiful women. Mr.. Stewart Is the
son of Hon. H. H. Stewart, sometime may
or of Selma, and for many years powerful
factor in the social, religious and business
life of the fair City of the Wells on the
Alabama. This marriage possesses an in
terest more than local, and many Ala
bamians who have never seen either the
bride or the bridegroom will wish for them
all manner of good things in the life that Is
before them.
Speaking of this Selma marriage, 1t is in
teresting to observe that in the adjoining
county of Autauga very notable society
event will take place on the 18th of Deem
Der. Mr.. and Mrs. William Thomas North
ington. of Prattville, have issued invitations
to their friends to meet Mr.. and Mrs.
Merrill Pratt Northington. Society is we'll
aware that young Mr.. Northington and