The age-herald., 1902-03-11
Washington Day By Day

Washington, March l0-lopeciai1-S"P tain Evan P Howell, the former editor Of the Atlanta Constitution, who is spending two or three weeks in Washington, con fesses to that peculiarity of many bright minds the world over of being utterly un- able in ordinary conditions to apply the right names to the right individuals being quite incapable of remembering names except after considerable and pro- longed personal contact with the individ- uals representing the names, yet never forgetting faces. It is a kind of inequai- ity of memory that is often very embar- rassing, as many of the brightest men are painfully aware.
 70 Smith! called Captain Howell today to an Alabama man whom we knew well, beckonfng to the Alabamian to come to him.
 Smith, I wanted you to know Charlie Adamson, our Fourth district congress- man, who is himself half an Alabamian, and one of the best fellows in the world"
 Smith" whose real name dodesnt bear the remotest resemblance to the honored name of Smith, was pleasantly greeted, and he took occasion to mention his own "entitlements, as says the learned ne- gro man, which were of no particular consequence, only his name was his own and come by honestly
 The situation was somewhat comical, and Captain Howell, who enjoyed 1t. said:
 That's my trouble-I can never remem- Der names. For instance, my friend Gen. eral Dodge of New York has private secretary named w. B. Smith, whom have known for years and whom l greatly esteem. The other day I had oc- casion to write him a personal letter, and I'll be jumped into the Chattahoochee river if I didn't address him as w. B. oones'. My mistake, when l found 1t out, grieved me very much, for l like Smith most cordially So I wrote him a letter in his own proper name, explained my infirmity of memory, and begged his par don He replied in the kndest tones, and I hope he really doesn't think hard Of me.
 This reminds me of Governor Colquitt of Georgia" continued Captain Howell. You knew Colquitt" We'll he simply could not remember the real names of men he lnew. One morning ne left the Governors mansion in Atlanta to walk to the capitol Dear old Jim Warren was with him-Warren was private secretary to various Governors of Georgia for thirty years. After walking little way they met man who respectfully saluted, saying:
 "Good morning, Governor
 "Good mornng-Mr. Hearn,' the Gov ernor responded, speaking out clearly the good morning and mumbling the MT. Hearn.'
 "Immedately they met another man who said cheerily;
 "Good morning, Governor
 "'Good morning-Mr Hearn,' the Gov ernor responded as before; and then again another man
 Good morning. Governor
 "'Good morning-Mr. Hearn.'
 "Jim Warren, knowing the Governors failing as to names, asked him shyly:
 " Governor, did you know those three men we just passed one after anotherT
 "rCertainly! What makes you ask?'
 "I wished to know if they are brothers. You called each one of them "Mr. Hearn."'
 Jim, ain't you ashamed Of yourselr- said Governor Colquitt."
 "The drinks are on me-" quietly re- marked Congressman Adamson.
 And you know I don't any more at all, Charlie, and you lnow you don't; bur I'll lend you dollar" declared Captain Howell
 And ycu are the me that would never let me pay you back" the Congressman said; and so the two eminent Georgians sperred.
 Captain Howell looks wonderfully well, and seems actually to grow younger. He is as happy as a schoclboy and as full of fun. He is receiving great deal of friendly attention and kind consideration from men of consequence in Washington, for he continues to be held in high honor as southerner of great ability and high distinction.
 My relations with Alabama are very close" said Congressman Adamson. -Four years of my early life were spent in Chambers county, and for four years I in part represented the Fourth Ala bama district in Congress- besides, my own district adjoins that State. When the Republicans in Congress twice de- prived the Democratic member for the Fourth district of Alabama of his seat he turned over the interests of his con- stituents to me, and I was more than glad to be of service to them"
 William Charles Adamson, or Charlie Adamson, as everybody in Georgia calls him, Is one of the most popular, capable and useful members of Congress. It is safe 10 say that no man In the House has more friends than he. MT. Adamson was born in Bowdon, Ga., forty-seven years ago. When he was a child his father removed temporarily to Chambers county, Alabama, for the purpose of developing watermill property he owned there. At the end of four years the family returned to Bowdon, and much of the sons youth was spent in hauling cotton from Bowdon to Atlanta. He was graduated from the local college at Bowdon in 1874, and two years later was admitted to the bar at Carrollton,