The age-herald., 1900-03-05
IN HOTEL LcBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

The worlds interest in Mary Johnston's ready great is increasing in remarkable degree. Miss Johnston's publishers, Hough- ton, Mifiin & co., advertise that the book Is now in its si1tieth thousand a figure very seldom reached in fiction. The most competent critics declare that this work is the best historical romance that has been written in many years. One of the most painstaking and capable students of litera- ture in Birmingham maintains that it is the most powerful fiction written by any woman since George Eliot amazed the world with the force and vigor of splendid romances. He insists that it quite equals ''The Mil1 On the Floss" though it is not similar to that most beautiful of all Of George Eliot's stories. Here in Bir- mingham, Miss Johnston's home, there is quite naturally great deal of local pride in her wonderful success. fIer fortune IS made, and all persons who know her are agreed in saying that, her great genius apart, she deserves to an eminent degree the praises the world is sounding. Miss Johnston is said to be almost singularly retiring in her disposition, and exceedingly studious. There cannot be any sort of doubt that she is hard-laborng student. Her work demons trates that most conclu- sively. Young in years noble in character, the world is her own, and 1t requires no prophetic power to foresee that she will attain to the highest place as writer of fiction if, indeed, she has not already reached that point She is not Correli nor Ward. nor Sarah Grand, and lovers of the highest in the art of storytelling will praise the Lord that she isn't
 
 doctors story told in the lobby:-"I at- tended party at a private residence and had the happiness of conducting to the place Of hospitality the prettest girl who was there. After Il o'clock champagne be- gan to flow in great abundance, and the rooms being very warm, the drink of the gods very quickly went to the heads of those who were enjoying it, as it always mas @ way of doing. Most of the company became discreetly and commendably jolly That sweetheart of mine very soon got to Feeling funny as she expressed herself not being accustomed to stimulants; and so she came to me and said rather pathetically and brokenly, laughing the while, Doctor I feel so queer-lets go homer Certainty I answered, and tucking her under my arm, we started to walk home I knowing the best thing for her was to take a good brisk walk. In the open air the dear little creature became unsteady and very talka- tive, halting now and then to insist upon some point she had made. Passing cer- tain hOrSa Inc clr little dog was to run out and try to bite me-w'atd you do2' "
 I'd kick the life out of i'm I an- swered,'
 'Tha's right-thought you would "
 'We walked little way, and she stopped and faced me, saying, Doctor, spose-s'pose a big dog was ito try to bite me-w'at you do? I'd kill i'm 1"
 'Tha's right-thought SOL '
 ''The quaver in the dear little voice was pitifully sweet and pretty, and I loved her very much. We soon came to house in large grounds. and she stopped and faced me, asking, Doctor, spose-s'po pose-s'pose a great big dog, big as COW, was to come out O that-that-that yard and try to bite -bite-bite me, w'at'd you dol? 'How's that?' I asked, taking time for reflection. She repeated the words as best she could, and demanded to know what I'd do if great big dog, as big as cow should try to bite her.
 "T'd run like the devilr answered em- phaticaliy.
 ' 'Thas right. thas right-thought so!'
 And we proceeded in silence"
 
 "The shedding of human blood, aside from the sin of it, is terrible thing" said a veteran doctor of forty-five years of busy practice. 'T have seen the worst sides of it during the course of my practice. There was one instance shall not forget. knew an eminent lawyer in the Alabama Black belt, noted for his terrible language to principals and witnesses in cases which he opposed in court. In one particular case in court at Greensboro, the lawyer was un- usually severe on the defendant, who got into ungovernable rage, and waited out side the courthouse door with pistol and : rawhide. determined to thrash the lawyer when he came out As soon as the lawyer appeared, the defendant began to beat him, drawing the pistol at the same time. With great courage and cooness the lawyer grasped the pistol, and managed to draw
 
 quill pens, and he stabbed the defendant to the heart.-killng him instantly. The lawyer held on to the pistol, and took 1t to his home, where he placed it in the drawer of his dressing table. From that hour the killing of the man preyed on his mind, and he became sleepless and worn and broken. But after tossing for time in his bed, he would go and take up tine loaded pistol, CT .tl-1 man in self-defense, God knows!' He would then lay the pistol down, go back to bed, and sleep soundly till morning.. Those words constituted ms panacea-T killed that man in self defense, God knows!' It was a remarkable administration of the theory of self-defense, as held by the law"
 Counties recommended for Alabamians: Those in love should go to Marion; officers to Marshall; masons to Limestone; potterS