The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
COMMENTS ION MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

lose his wife and children, but to give up his dog at the same time is indeed a blow. It Is also sad to see an innocent bull terrier mixed up in such disgrace ful family scandal.
 Every now and then a joker makes a monkey out of the publisher by submit ting work by some famous author as an original production. The wire infer ences which certain editors dra- from the manuscript while returning it and the criticism which they vouchsafe are amusing in the extreme and give rise to the suspicion that after all these para gons of the sanctum are not as onnis- cent as they would have the world sup- pose The magazine editor who declares the novel of a famous author rubbish just because 1t is copied off in manu- script and signed by an obscure name must experience a curious sensation when informed of his bl,1nder. Such in- cidents encourage the neophyte in the be- lief that his "stur' is just as good as the contributions that are published, but that notion will not help him one jot in breaking away into the favor of those cold, calculating individuals who pre- side over the editorial sanctum of the great magazines.
 The Hon. Richard Croker, known to his associates in politics as Dick" Croker, and at one time the ''boss' of Tammany. has given the world a striking example of how completely. a man can retire from politics when he desires. So far as exte- rior appearances go MT. Crolxer Is as far removed from American politics as the king of England or those noble lords with whom the former leader now con sorts while abroad. He is not even an oracle, his views are not sought and the interviewers pass him by without thought. In the matter of retiring from politics Croker has been ar successful as he was in conducting the affairs of Tam many hall
 In view of the fact that speculation has always been rife as to why it is that the ugliest men always marry the prettiest women tho action of a maiden out west in refusing the wed the man chosen for her because he is ugly is rather interest ing. Although superior beings of the masculine sex are wont ,o smile at the impractical minds of the opposite sex the fact that women appreciate the wisdom of the axiom of Handsome is that hand some does" is demonstrated by their mar rying so many ugly men. If every wo- man insisted on marrying a handsome man happy homes would be few in num- Der. Even our esteemed President and advocate of the anti-race suicide move ment in spirit and action. would not now be the father of large family, for it is generally agreed that he is not famous for good looks The present state of af- fairs is very consoling to the majority of mankind, for we who are homely know that handsome men seldom amount to much, anyway, and the individual whose face is a caricature stands as much chance to be happily mated to the belle of the ball as tho resplendent youth whose face is his sole qualification.
 In the great waves of Parker enthusi- asm that have rwept over the land what has become of "Bim" the button man1 He it was who laid in big supply of German buttons and predicted sageiy that the Marylander was the man, but for once "Bim' was at fault and it now seems that he has stock of buttons which he will have to dispose of at
 greatly reduced prices" P, c.