The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-28
STORIES OF THE STREET
AND OF THE TOWN


lower floor. and that the cook positively
refused to open the pantry doors of MORN
ings.
The cook, beating the biscuits for break
fast, told of a series of successful burglaries
and everybody at the breakfast table said
that the scurrying between the walls had
kept them awake all night.
The cats on the place had been frightened
away. or no doubt they. too, would have
told some remarkable stories. The holes in
the wall told their own story.
Just what the rats told is. of course, an
other story The other night the mistress
of the house, glimpsing brown-coated fell
low gliding over the waXed floor, screamed
for the maid and butler. The doors were
closed and the entrance through which the
rat came was blocked With a tray CLOTH. The
butler armed himself with a broom. The
young mistress escaped into an adjoining
room, where, sitting on the couch with her
silken petticoats well off the floor, bravely
gave orders for the determination of the
enemy which reached the buffers ears by
way of the transom. The broom came down
heavily, and the woman put her hands over
her ears.
us he dead?" she asked excltedly, only to
be answered by a quick succession of blows,
and finally to be told that the intruder had
run up the chimney.
The butler, stufling newspapers in the
chimney, sent a blaze of light curling up
ward and the brown-coated fellow inside,
quivering with fright, after one or two
whiffs of smoke swept down the chimney
Ali, T., hi, ~, tt
really amounted to chimney sweep. His
sharp little teeth glistened with rage, and
his eye lashes were jet black. The smoke
had completely blinded him, so that it was
an easy matter to chase him under tho
couch, and lifting the Bagdad cover, end it
all. 4 sal
An hour later the man of the house came
home and his wife could not refrain from
telling him, over the afterdiner coffee of
chow we killed rat just before you
came in
"Where were you, my DEAR he asked
smlingly and with quite reflection upon
her bravery. But she refused to see that
side of it and the well-bred butler looked
at the ceiling.
We will kill off a few" said her hus-
band. and the next day he found fourteen
sleek fellows that had been inveghled by
a menu of cheese served strictly on the a
la carte plan. .ia.i
The street crossings are full of stories.
When a circus comes ITO town the crossings
become picturesque q
In the crowd that surged towards
thoroughfare a woman in pale blue gown
sauntered along. By her side walked a
man carrying a dressing case containing
presumably part of the woman's
rousseau, for She was Enthusiastically
bride Her dress was deliberately made and
trimmed with quantities of white cotton
lace. Her hat was swarthed in white tulle
and she wore white gloves. She was bliss
fully unconscious of the tailor-made; wo-
men near her The pale blue gown and the
tulle; the blue sky; the wedding day, the
Journey to town; the young fellow by her
side. we're enough to fill her mind and
heart for one day at least. And SO these
two sauntered down the thoroughfare and
waited for the band wagon which heralded
the parade.
majority of the persons who saw them
smiled in that superior manner, which
speaks volumes.
Almost every one gave them a second
glance. The man construed the looks into
admiration of his companions beauty. inc
woman intuitiveys knew it was the blue
gown but she. finally said, so that every
one at the crossing heard her: Dear me,
L believe 1 am the only woman in the
crowd WHO has on a summer hat. /. -.
sa*uss
There were -four or five in Tie party VINO
SAT together OH car going down town.
The central figure was the elderly one Who
wore, waln her black and White cotton
dress. an old-fashioned sun-bonnet tied be-
meath her trembling throat. Tie car, inc
sreed at which ut Travelled, the hurried stop
to take ON passengers, curious FStie JERKS,
tee railroad crossings, the thorougnfafe at
First avenue, were all new ITO her. Staa
sazed with soft brown eyes at the streets,
the crowds, the City.
The younger one told her of this object
OF interest and OF Irat, which were re-
gardsd as sights Of a city.
Her face was very placid. and she in
variably smiled in response to anything
that the younger sadd Her hands, Wrlhh4eo'
brown clasped her purse.
The oeher persons in the car irresistibly
watched her movements. The advertise
ments were like so many pictures, and she
looked at them curiously. Finaly the
younser asked her question:
How" she said, do you like The street
cars?"
Everybody suppressed smile, which
eventually became more evtdert. The elder
woman, with grea,s Sigh, turned her eyes
toward the younger. The car stopped Tor
a moment.
Il must say" she answered, II must say
L m kinder disappointed in the daings.'
THE BArTLEFIELD
William Cullen Bryant HI