The age-herald., 1902-03-09

Maybe 1t is not permissible to write of women under, the caption the City Editor has chosen for this gossip. but l intend telling a little story of a con versation overheard at the Jefferson a few afternoons past. The takers were the editor of the society column of paper and two society girls.
 If you have not listened to the con- versation of three such persons possibly vou have no idea of the numerous sub tects they may discuss. have never had the experiences; and the story I am telling is of man who has had. He says 1t was somewhat as follows:
 'Shortly after the drop of the cur tain at the end of the first act the con- versation ran along a channel wherein it was told how easy newspaper women found it to secure interviews from Ade- laide Thurston They talked as if they did not know any sensible actress was always glad to secure the free adver- Using such interviews gave. From a personal experience the conversation drifted through a. talk about the newspa- permen friends of the three to the ques- tion of vivisection.
 That was too deep for me and l had to switch to one side while the discus sion lasted I do. not know whether they vivisected a heart or rat but l know they talked in a very learned manner. Finally one used a term the others must not have understood for they turned the line of speech to cooking and cooking schools. After relating sundry experi- ences of kitchen work they landed on another man.
 This man was a pretty nice fellow they said, but he was not of enough con- sequence to hold the attention of the girls longer than the raising of the cur tain During the next intermission the girls talked of false teeth, false hair. wigs, and miscellaneous subjects of which I kept count until the number of 37 was reached Then I went out for a drink.
 (Which facts lead me to say 1t Is no wonder the society girl should be given several years in colleges and then sent to a finishing school. She needs it and all other means for the securing of super flcial knowledge, for she Is called upon to talk of everything in this world men can think of-and some several hun dred other subjects men cannot think of, or mention in case they do think of them"
 This experience of my friend, the mat inee-man, calls to mind the fact that there are some people in the world whom he could sit in front of and never hear a word, to say nothing of so many words. One of these fellows is just now exhibit ing the fact that he knows the value of the trite saying 'silence Is golden" In fact I might say there are more than one who know the value of this-and they are connected with the same incl dent.
 One Is Frank Duncan-another Sheriff Burgin. Duncan is silent because his silence Is saving his neck and at the same time giving him a chance to steal gold. The sheriff is silent because MT London is talking and because the Board of Revenue Is complaining. They'll stop some day, possibly. In that case 1t is be- lieved the sheriff will no longer exemplify the value of the ancient proverb. Here's my hat to both.
 Talking of Frank Duncan, reminds me of one thing I have never seen in print since his escape-and that is the wonder full amount of sympathy felt for him throughout the city as well as the State. I venture the assertion that no murderer ever escaped from a jail with whom so many persons felt a tie of sympathy. Further. am sure no escape ever had so many persons wish, him success as did Duncan.
 At the time of the jail delivery I was in South Alabama; and I am frank to say l never was so much surprised in my life as at the exhibition of feeling about this man. No one I heard talk expressed a hope that he might be recaptured; but some several hundred persons who dis cussed the subject wished the sheriff would never find him. No consideration was given to the fact that he had mur- dered a policeman in cold blood while that man was doing his duty.
 No consideration was ever expressed for the family at home. suffering possibly because the father was away from them never to return. and sent away by a bull let from the pistol of this man. Nobody seemed to think of the damage he might do in society. the young boys he might lead astray, or the other policemen he might kill. None of these things entered