The age-herald., 1900-02-21
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

''I'he coal market is strong and must con-
 tinue strong throughout this season." said
 J. B. Darlington. There is no material
 change this week. Owing to the startling
 home demand for Pennsylvania coal, the
 amount let out to other markets is mate
 rially diminished. There is an increased consumption in every section of the coun- try. Hence it is, coal consumers every where are clamorous. Development of coal properties in Alabama is going on all the
 while, but the output this year will fall far short of the demand. In the course of two or three years the Alabama output should reach 10 00o0,000 tons. But this year it will be less than s,OOO,OOO; perhaps less than 100000. It takes time to develop mines and bring them up to their fullest capacity. But as I have said, in two or three years Alabama should touch the 10,- 900 mark"
 1.-The sarcasm, irony. and filings that the man who writes Reflections of Bachelor gives out, come in large measure from a woman," said a well known lawyer. My wife says the bachelor has a wife who puts these pungent sayings into her husbands head"
 "Field Marshall Lord Roberts Is on the way to a dukedom," said a native English man, now living in Birmingham. Roberts is only a baron now, but his success in South Africa will make him the greatest hero at home since Wellington's day, and the prime minister will be only too glad to confer on him, or rather to have the queen confer on him, the highest order of the peerage. It is said that Queen Victoria is opposed to creating new ducal titles There are only twenty-five dukes in a peerage of nearly 500. When Gladstone nominated the present Duke of Westminster in 1S69 the queen opposed the idea strenuousy, but finally yielded to the liberal leaders wishes. No one has been nominated for the ducal rank since that time But 1t is believed that the government, the British public, and the queen will unite on the proposition to award Lord Roberts the highest honor In the way of a title Lord Kitchener, who is now a
 major general and a barron, will probably | fbe promoted to the military rank of full general. and advanced one degree in the peerage, which would make him a vis- count Peerages will be bestowed on half dozen or more of the commanders now un- | der Roberts, and knighthood will be con- ferred galore. Nearly every officer above the rank of major will be knighted. Great
 Britain hasn't had such a circus since the battle of Waterloo"
 Miss Mary Johmsiton's ialbest book, TO Have and-To Hold has reached phenom enal sale" said a book dealer yesterday. Before the book came from the press the publishers had accepted orders for 45,O0o copies. The publishers at first intended to | print an edition of 20 900 copies, but the or l ders came in so fast that this was increased | to 40,000. and then to 60,000. The book was put on sale last Friday, and every copy or dered by the local dealers had been sold be- l fore the shipment had been rece.ved.' "Anniston is going to be the greatest man. | ufacturing city in Alabama" said Frank | Nelson, Jr., of that city yesterday. we are | going to build number of cotton mills in | the next two or three years, and they will l bring other industries. Anniston is now one l of the best towns in the state, and the peo- 1 pie are determined to make it a greater | one.'
 ''The speculaitors in theatre tickets have reaped harvest this week. said theatre goer yesterday. "One whiteIhaired boy sat up all night Sunday night at tihe opera house in order that he might be first in line Monday morning to buy tickets for the Paderewski performance. Two men, who were close up in the line, could not get any $2 tickeits the ticket-seller telling them that all of that kind had been sold. Some boys were standing around offering tickets in this section at s. One broker, however, came to grief, and it would be a good thing for the patrons of the opera house if others would suffer in like manner This man I speak of gave a boy $50 with which to buy tickets. The boy get in line, but before reaching the ticket window gave his em- pioyer the slip, and forgot to return the money. The ladies, even, have gone into the 1 speculative business. I know of one woman | who purchased tickets to the parquet at $i | each, and the next day she was offering l them at $5 each. I don't knlow if there is any way to prevent this speculation in theatre tickets, but if there is it should certainly be brought into use. I don't blame Mama ger Douglas for this condition, but would suggest to him that he make an effort to coiafine the sales to legitimate purchasers. l am a liberal patron of the theatres, going to nearly every good attraction that comes along, and frequently I am forced to occupy a seat on lthe last row. In some cities there are laws requiring licenses of speculators in theatre tickets, and the matter might be brought to the attention of the city coun- cil."
 
 COT. SANFORD A BIMErALLIST
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The special in yesterdays Constitution from Birmingham in reference to the gu-