The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01

T must be confessed that the poetical
 side of the fair at St. Louis has been
 sadly neglected. While the country has been flooded with literature good bad and indifferent regarding the won derful things to be seen along the Pike and elsewhere there have been no poems to amount to anything. Therefore the public Is anxious to know the cause of this unusual state of affairs It would seem that the humorists could at least compose few jingles about the dog eating Igorrotes or the ariships that will not fly In the aerial derby, but for some reason they have not seen fit to do so with that prolixity which has character fzed their writings about the war In the far east spring, and other subjects of similar divergent nature. Perhaps it Is the war that is responsible So many bloodcurdling lines about the silent tor pedo and the carnage on shell-swept decks have been launched by scribes that they have really had no time for any thing else. Then it must be remembered that spring is now demanding much at- tention from newspaper bards and has exhausted about all the poetry they have in stock. Perhaps, 1t is just as well that we have no worlds fair epic. Had it been possible for great poem to have been written it could not have lain dormant in the soul of any man.
 Permission has been granted the trus- tees of Columbian university at Washing ton by congress to change the name of the institution. This is step in the right direction and one that should have been taken long ago. There is such a marked similarity in the names of the Columbian university In Washington and Columbia university in New York that much confusion has resulted. In fact many people have never been able to dis tinguish between the two institutions. The result has been that the Columbia uni versity in New York has completely over Washington.
 At last the great desideratum has been discovered and it is a mending agency for bachelors which has just been started in Cleveland. O., by the Cleveland school of dressmaking. Lone men without wives will now be able to have their shirts and socks mended for a small sum and there will be no further excuse for a man mar rying when he does not want to. Inas- much as there will be old maids who will do much of the sewing the scheme will be mutually beneficial to both sexes. -rr.. desirable harbor of safety to bachelors that 1t will be an object for the attacks of those people who think it their chief business In life to encourage matrimony.
 At last the luscious Cullman straw berry has arrived and is now deligkting the eye as well as the palate of epicures. The great, juicy berries are good to look upon but much better to eat They have come in on schedule time. also, for the re- port sent out from Cullman few days ago stated that the first strawberries would be on the market May ?. How ever, the public will make no complaint that they have arrived few days ahead of time. The crop is said to be most satisfactory to growers this season ard the prospects are that the usual heavy shipments will be in order. Strawberry cultivation in Alabama is a business that pays well and should be developed
 It is consoling to the admirers of Herr Conried to know that the board of direc- tors of the Conried Metropolitan Opera company have been abe to declare a div idend of pen cent on the Metropolitan opera house bonds. In view of the fact that there was dire prediction of failure and bankruptcy when Herr Conried first proposed to give "Parsifal' in America his success Is very gratifying to the di- rector himself as well as to the lovers of grand opera.
 The success achieved by Conried Is in striking contrast to the plight of Robert Grau, who undertook to pilot Patti on her last farewell tour It Is now conceded that the project was a failure for every one concerned but the diva herself. This remarkable woman, however, took care- ful pains to shield herself from loss, and 1t is said that If she had made complete failure of her tour she would have been secured by the large sum of money which she required to be advanced befors she would come to America. In fact the diva demonstrated that she had an eye for business and all that TOW remains for the