The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

watching the manipulation of a deft- l fingered negro girl. who. under my mothers direction. was making long gaudy brush woven of peacock feath- CTS The whirl of carriage wheels near the door arrested our attention. and as the carriage stopped, a graceful young woman came forth, whom my | mother recognized with voice of pleasure. as Mrs. Caroline Lee Hentz." had read Linda; or the Young Pi- lot of the Belle Creole,' and considered | 1t the most delightful romance. of life: l and as it was my first novel. and my years were not many, had such an ex- 1 alted reverence for q writer of books. that to know that stood in such pres enc- was overwhelming to my young spirit.
 Every word Mrs Hentz uttered at that time fastened itself upon my memory. The two ladies were talking of that defamation of the South only recently issued called Uncle Toms Cabin" (which had also read) and my mother said surely somebody should give the implications contained in the book the refutation they deserve, and suggested to Mrs. Hentz to concentrate her talents upon so noble a purpose. ] then fancied saw a halo of glory en- circle our fair visitors head. f l They talked of flowers, whose re- l splendance was in fullt view and I drank in the pretty words with which the lovely author expressed her admi- ration and preference. It seemed a. golden day to me, as a recollection. l that on which Mrs. Hentz touched my hand and laid her fingers lovingly on my head, when my mother introduced i me as one who read her books" There could have been no greater ex- ponent of the gentle breeding of South 1 ern women, than this charming writer. | as my memory lifts her again to my view. efs A Globe Trotter. Glorious Paris, with its days of al- most uninterrupted sunshine, has enough of beauty to beguile a visitor 6 twelve month and leave all It's crypts and subterranean passages unexplored. Yet there is, at the end of every week, a band of adventurous sight -seers hold ing permit from the Prefect of Police l that enables them to secure guide to | explore the deep recesses of the earth underneath Paris, known as the Cata- combs.
 | Never less than seventy-fve persons constitute party, each of which must purchase a waxen torch to carry in the hand, and these torches are the only light that illumines the subterranean darkness.
 It was on an occasion like this that I found myself passing through these spooky avenues, weird and sepulchral, the walls on each side formed of fam tastically arranged human bones with skulls and vertebrae furnishing the mosaic. Nearly all the party was far ahead and the guide had called out "Allares,' until he was hoarse; but we still sauntered. holding torches high to reach the ,epitaph on wayside mau- | soleums occasionally looming up, or searching for names on some drawer In the wall of bones.
 Presently felt hand laid upon my arm, and clear voice said in English; 1 Please letame hold to your arm. I am miserable and sorry I came.'' l looked down into the face of a bright-cheeked Yankee girl. who be- tween smiles and frowns denounced everybody whose execrable taste led them or her into such Plutonian realms responded that I would be glad to be of any service, and thus we made the trip together.
 On coming to the surface an hour later, where pure air and sunshine greeted us, we were already congenial l friends. Cards were exchanged and arrangements for other meetings made at our several hotels, and it was only after our first dinner party that dis covered that this unusual introduction to Mrs Robert Seaman had given me the acquaintance of the distinguished Nellie Bly. whose tour around the world had awakened so much interest. The New York World had challenged | the ultimatum of Jules Vernes Round the World in Eighty Days" and chose to send a quick witted little woman. who was a part of that news papers staff, to round up the world in a shorter time. The account given by her was exceedingly interesting. Jules Verne met her as she entered France, and took her. for the few hours delay that was unavoidable, to his ideal home 1 and though she spoke no French and he no English they had a comprehen- sion of each other that pleased the girl exceedingly.
 The journey. for the accomplishment of which a few brave sailors in the long ago have gained immortality through weary years expended in the toilsome task, was at last finished to the satis- faction of all concerned. Jules Verne and his imaginary trip of eighty days, were left behind, and Nellie By re- | turned in safety to her starting point of l New York City. She said that the | eager interested crowd which awaited l the landing of the steamer, removed the horses from the carriage, dragged her | III triumph lO neT uOlel anu cut up her travelling dress for souve- l mfrs.
 When I had joined her in Paris she had married a man of great wealth and was, so far as I could view it, enjoy ing all that life could furnish. Her delightful hospitality enhanced many beautiful days of my stay in Paris.
 \ Relic of the Alamo.
 Once during the session of the Texas l I isIo I tn he pf at | a very tedious discussion when an oc- currence, not quite an innovation, for 1t had happened year after year. dis turbed the drowsiness of the occasion.
 There entered. conducted by Com mittee of Legislators, an old, decrepd Mexican woman, clad in the pictur- esque costume of her race, wearing a 1 long, poke bonnet beneath which straight locks of iron-grey hair es
 capped. She ascended the Speakers l platform, pushed back her bonnet little, so that the furrowed counte- nance appeared. and waited untu the storm of applause that greeted her had subsided, before she attempted to speak. It was some moments before the room was still.
 i If there is a race of men on earth | utterly loyal to their State, 1t Is that | of the Texans; If there is a history of a State lived over and spoken of every day and known by the feeblest minded boy that roams the street, it Is the his tory of Texas; if every battle-ground.