The age-herald., 1901-01-18
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE

Few people have any idea of the petty
 annoyances that railway people have to
 contend with" said Q railway official who
 was on a car on his way home from the
 office. "Of course, every enc has annoyA
 ances in his business, but to mention a sample of the troubles which railroad men
 have to endure, I am obliged to return to
 the office tonight to examine half dozen unclaimed hand bags to find out one which is claimed and which is probably not worth 70 cents, contents and all. I would gladly give the claimant the money rather than go to all this trouble, except that this sort of thing happens so frequently that would bankrupt myself trying to avoid trouble which on the ancient authority of Job is our natural inheritage The one hand bag which is claimed, and whose contents the claimant admits are of no earthly or heavenly value to anyone but himself was checked to a little waystation, east of Bir- mingham. The owner, or rather the man who claims to be the owner, changed his mind as to his destination and stopped in Birmingham. He also lost the check to his hand bag, but as he gave a description of 1t and stated that he could furnish list of its contents I wired description of 1t to the agent at the waystation and asked him to send 1t to Birmingham. In course of time bag arrived but turned out to be the wrong one. In the meantime had had a dozen visits from the owner who was very anxious to know when 1t would ar- rive. After dozen telegrams I finally wired the station agent 10 send me all the unclaimed hand bags on hand and as I said about half a dozen including the one in demand will arrive tonight, and the owner and myself are to have a little seance with it's contents. He will probably ask to speak with a long lost collar and will fish it up, then he will want to see the ghost of former shirt and will have to produce that. My reputation as 8 medium will be at stake, and I dare say that if he should call for clean pocket handkerchief I would be able to pro- duce it.'
 There are also pathetic scenes in the life of railroad man as we'll as little annoy. ances." said a prominent official who was sitting nearby. "A man came in my office the other day and asked the price of 8 ticket to Florida. He was one of the most distressing looking objects I ever saw. He was a physical wreck and in the last stages of consumption. I suppose you want the tourist rates said, 'as they are much cheaper. Mo-, he replied, I only want a straight ticket-I haven't money enough for a round trip I saw from his manner that the poor fellow realized he would nevep return from Florida, except in a coffin. Well the price of a straight ticket I said, is S12.95.' He took out his pocketbook and. counted his money. He had exactly $12 felt so sorry for him and the sight of him was so distressing that I decided to give him a dollar, not out of charity but really from a selfish desire to get rid of him. Here's dollar, I said. T can't cut the rates, but with this you can go to the depot and buy ticket He had not asked me for charity nor even to sell him ticket at reduced rates, but he took the money, thanked me, and departed. I breathed sigh of relief when he had gone"
 q doubt if they will be able to do any, thing with the negro who ran away from Bessemer with the Italian gir,'' said lawyer yesterday. "A similar case happei- ed in Atlanta the other day. white man and a colored woman went from Marietta to Atlanta and were married. There is law in Georgia similar to the Alabama law which prohibits such marriages and it was thought provided a penalty. The couple were arrested in Atlanta and put in jail. They were turned loose, however, as 1t was found that the law only provided penalty for the minister who performed the cers- mony and inflicted no penalty on the parties themselves, further than declaring the marriage void.
 'In Alabama the law not only prohibits such marriages but makes 1t a felony for both parties to Contract one, or to live to- gether without marrying, and requires that each of them must on conviction, be inn prisoned in the penitentiary for not less than two, nor more than seven years. Thus if you convict one you must convict both. The Alabama law further makes it mis- demeanor for any Probate Judge ito know ingly issue such license. or any person knowingly to perform such a marriage. The law is quite broad enough to cover any offenses of this sort, but judging from the facts of the Bessemer case as published in the papers the negro has not committed any crime against the law of Alabama If any crime was committed it was in Ten nessee beyond the limits of this State and without its Jurisdiction Of course I am speaking as ito intermarriage, and not in to the $9OO which the couple arc said to have stolen from the girls father. I see that the negro denies this, and there are no facts connecting him with the rob- bery. The girl herself says she only took $15. 50 and the family reported to have said that there was a misunderstanding as to the $500 Thus say, that I cannot see where the negro has committed any crime, and do not think he will remain in jail long"