The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-17

JULES VERNE, the noted French (O1E author and scientific dreamer, O has refused to undergo an opera tion for cataract and his sight is now practically gone Eminent scientists who have examined the novelists eyes believe that an operation would prove beneficial
 but M Verne is now 75 years of age and fears the result. His literary labors are now finished but his wonderful stories will continue to delight readers of books for many years to come. When Jules Verne began writing about the submarine boat, the dirigible balloon, and the automobile he was regarded as a fitting successor of Baron Munchausen and no one believed that his ingenious inventions would ever come to pass Now the automobile is so common that 1t has become a nuisance, the submarine boat has achieved mod crate success, although 1t Is not yet so effective as the famed Nautilus in which Captain Memo journeyed 10000 leagues be- meath the sea, and the dirigibe balloon gets along very well until a puff of wind turns 1t wrong side out. But all these things are to come and the future will witness even more wonderful contrivances than Jules Verne ever builded in his study. The automobile will soon become unin-
 teresting In it's present form and we may look for perfection which has not yet been considered.
 It is fascinating work-that of weaving fantastic tales of the future, and when man really possesses scientific knowledge he can make his books of absorbing in- terest. Jules Verne was the great pioneer in this style of writing. but he has had many clever imitators. In our own land of America H. c. Wells has been remark ably successful in weaving stories of other worlds and has introduced much seien- tihc lore in his books.
 Having revised all other things sus- ceptible of this treatment, Dr. ''Lige" Dowie has now turned his attention to baseball. Just what the prophet intends doing has not been made clear, but it Is quite likely that he will make some radi- cal changes in the working system of the great American game Some enterprising reporter states that no bases will be stolen. because thievery is sinful, and that
 there will be other innovations. The
 doctor has not had a great amount of newspaper notoriety in the past few weeks and he probably thinks that 1t is high time for him to spring new sensation.
 Senator Platt Is much perturbed over the fact that the news hunters would have him married to Mrs. Janeway, an intimate friends of Mrs. Platt during her lifetime, and lady well known In Washington society The Boss" refused rather testify to deny or confirm the rumor that he contemplated matrimonial venture when seen at the Manhattan Beach hotel in New York. Senator Platt and Mrs. Jane way have been much together at the hotel during the past month or two and of course the gossps became busy. Whether the veteran politician has any intentions in this direction or not. he will probably do just as he pleases and it is nobody's affair but his own and the widows.
 So the navy has put the ban on rag time" At the League Island yard orders have gone forth that the three bands may let up on such melodies as "Bill Bailey" or "Chug, Chug, Chug," and turn their attention to something more elevating. The reason given for the change is that marines are too prone to cut double shuffles when "ragtime' music begins.
 The people of Galveston were greatly excited when the report was sent out that the tropical storm has entered the west gulf south of the island The mem ory of the awful tidal wave of a few years ago still fingers wildly in the minds of the people and when the ele- ments are disturbed they watch the wa ters of the bay with anxious eyes. The great seawall is now erected, but even this protection cannot give security. No wonder the people of Galveston feel un-