The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-21
q Fl

of the presidents. for instance. which
have so long adorned the walls Of the
drawing rooms and the great corridor,
many OF them like Gilbert STARTS Wash
ington. are now stored away in the base
ment, where they are in danger of being
irreparably injured. The change Is de-
nouneed as a sort Of vandalism, especial
~ by the members of the revolutionary
societies. To shove the painting of the
Father of His Country" the canvas
which Mrs. Madison cut from its frame
to save it from falling into the hands Of
the British in 1912, down near the kitchen
and laundry, is certainly not in good
taste.
There is an interesting little story be-
hind the return from the Philippines re-
Gently of an army officer who wears the
stars of brigadier. It hinges on a ques-
ton of rank. Years and years ago, the
brigadier of today was a first-lieutenant,
and In his regimental company was a pri-
vate who gradually rose from the ranks
until he became first sergeant Through
some war department manipulation. the
former sergeant now outranks his former
lieutenant and present brigader, and the
feeling between them is so bitter that the
latter will not serve under the former.
The two men are not far from the age
of retirement, but that fact has not sof-
tened the luminosity between them. The
brigadier, rather than receive orders
/ from the man whom he regards as his
/ personal enemy, requested a transfer 20
another branch Of the service and noti-
fed some of his influential military
friends that If it were not granted. his
resignation would be sent In at once.
The war department aeceded to the wish
CT the gallant but unforgiYing old SOL
der, hence his return from the Philippine
pesthole.
The nnti-subsidy shipping report of
committee Of the British parliament is
looked upon by many here as a very
shrewd device to influence American pub
lie opinion with respect to the bill on the
subject which passed the senate at the
last session, and is now with the commit
tee OF the house having charge of the
matter. British shipowners dread moth
ing SO much as the subvention of Ameri-
can foreign going steamers by the gov
eminent. If that policy Is once entered
upon they realize that 1t marks the be-
ginning of their decline ana fall, the
loss of hundreds of millions of dollars
annually in freight, and eventually the
loss Of the enormous passenger traffic
across the Atlantic. Because of low
wages and cheap food the British ship
owners now possess enormous adYant-
ages in this line of industry as against
Americans and it is only natural that
they should be willing to do without
government assistance provided they
could get their American competitors into
the same boat with them.
In the newspaper notices of the late
Tom Ochiltree the fact Is recalled that
John Chamberlain named for him a
young horse that turned out to be a ia
nous racer. but the story Of the naming
has not been tod. When Chamberlain
had a clubhouse" at Long Branch he
invited half dozen friends, among them
Ochiltree and Congressman James r.
Young of Pennsylvania, to accompany
him one morning to the Monmouth Park
stables and help him TO name some FLIES
At the end of the string came one which
drew from Chamberlain the exclamation
boys, look at that thing, nothing but
legs 1t IS the uglicst article in the form
of horse I ever laid my eyes on-as
ugly as Oehiltree Tom Ochiltree is the
only name that fits him." Ana the vote
was unanimous. 'All right" said Ochil-
tree, IF he is ugly, he is worth the rest
of the bunch put together.
One exceedingly cold day in Washing
ton. Cehiltree wrapped up IN a splendid
fur coat and cap, appeared in the office
of the editor OF a newspaper there Tom
had just returned from Russia. This
cap" said he, was given me by the
Grand Duke -. We met On the Neva
He asked me many questions about