The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-18
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

newspapers will not have another oppor- tunity to build up sensational stories in which this young lady plays a conspicu- ous part. Captain Hobson has been .'en- gagged" to so many young women in various parts of the United States through the kind offices of reporters that no one really believed the last install ment in which Miss Bryan was the bride-to-be. There is an clement of TO- nance in the engagement announced Wednesday evening at Lincoln. William H. Leavitt, the Newport artist, has been engaged in painting portrait of Colonel Bryan, and it is quite likely that the courtship of the daughter occupied a large part of the time when he was pre- sumably working on the picture of the father.
 At stated intervals certain ambitious musicians get together for the purpose of devising a new national hymn to sup plant America" They object to Amer ica" for the reason that the song is God Save the King when sung by the En- glishmen. The Rhode Island society of the Cincinnati recently held a song writ ing competition in which it was an- nounced that prize would be given to the person who succeeded in composing an acceptable substitute. The specimens submitted were examined, an award was made, and the new hymn for Americans to sing has been duly proclaimed. The Imaginable part of the whole affair is the utter futility of such movements. No one k1,a lutions of these persons and everybody goes on whistling America" in undis- turbed serenity. America has become too well established as a part of our na- tional life to be changed and in addi- tion it is not probable that any body of musicians could ever succeed in compos- ing d new song that would possess the stately rythm that characterizes Amer ica." By the way this familiar air is not of English origin but is an old German tune.
 The effort to abolish America re- minds us that not very long ago the Daughters of the Confederacy announced that new words more dignined should be substituted for the rolllcking jingle of Dixie" Whether still in earnest about the matter is question they alone an answer, but so far we have seen no re- suits from the movement. The Daugh- ters would be just about as successful in substituting some amblti ,us poetaster s effusions for the homely words of Dixie as the societies have been in their eff forts to iptr, dIce rev national hymn.
 Those smooth-fingered gentry styled by the police "pickpockets," are just as num- erous as ever and have been very success fu1 during the past summer in relieving people of their valuables. The crowded cars vending their way to baseball parks, the excursion steamer, and holiday crowds everywhere have afforded excel lent opportunities for making good hauls. During the warm season men wear loose fitting coats that permit their watches to be easily lifted" Although we boast of being up to date in our large cities and look down upon the simplicity of visitors from rural districts with much scorn, city people have not yet learned to guard themselves against pickpockets. Women swing their purses in a manner that is very tempting to the pckpocket and few men in a crowd think to guard their watches shirt studs. During the ap- preaching worlds fair at St. Louis pick pockets will be much in evidence and many visitors will regret their careless ness after being relieved of their valu- ables At the big fairs there are always trained officers on guard to protect visl- tors but it is almost impossible to guaran- tee perfect security to all. The best way to avoid being robbed is to leave bank rolls and jewels in place of safety be- fore venturing out in the enormous crowds that throng exposition grounds
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