The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-04

ih HENRY IRVING announced @1 at reception given in his honor - in London that he would retire from the stage in 1906. At that time he will have encompassed 50 years of incom- parable labor in the service of the drama. Covered with honors and secure in sthe knowledge that he has lived a brilliant career equalled by few men in the various walks of life, the great tragedian can well afford to rest on his laurels. It Is indeed remarkable that the fire of genius continues to burn so brightly in the soul of Bernhardt, Irving and Jefferson. All are veterans of the stage, and are playing at that age when some men sit moping | by the f1reslde, but each Is yet supreme, and the ustre of their fame is undimmed. Jefferson will probably never retire. He
 loves the stage so well that he will con- tinue to act until death removes him from the scene of his triumphs. Bernhardt displays no inclination to quit the stage and Irving is the only one of the great trio, properly belonging to an earlier period of the drama than Mansfield, to announce definitely his retirement. The world will regret to lose Irvinss consum- mate art but who can deny that he has earned his rest?
 It is not a spirit of captious criticism that prompts the writer to question J. Adam Bede's abilities as an original and pristine humorist. but a little anecdote which he fathered the other day gives rise to serious doubts as to his sincerity. According to the newborn humorlst of congress he once had a friend in his boy hood who was great joker This boy met another boy who was not joker but stuttered abominably. The stutterer in- formed the joker that he was going to get some t-t-t-tacks from a certain hard ware store, so the joker hastened around the corner, went into the store and asked the clerk for some t-t-t-tacks, as if there was also an impeachment in his speech. The clerk replying that he had tacks in stock the joker politely told him to sit on them and left suddenly. Now comes along the real stutterer and asks for tacks. Before he got the sentence out of his mouth the clerk mixed things, and there was trouble for the stutterer J. Adam Bede says that was an actual experience of his boyhood. Perhaps 1t was, but great many people. in fact host of people, have heard the little story before, and are therefore in- cllned to call the congressional humorist to an explanation. However it is remark able how often these amusing little ex- perlences happen over and over again in real life and then get published.
 The Gadsden Times-News announces that it has closed deal for a Mergen- thaler machine which will be shipped about August I. In fact several Alabama newspapers have acquired the Mergen- thaer habit recently and are to be con- graduated Machine-set papers are need ed in Alabama and although there are some good papers in the state there is always room for improvement. While there is such widespread discussion of education in Alabama 1t should be re- membered that all advancement is slow without the aid of good newspapers.
 Bobby" Walthour has returned to At lanta where he is being lionized to a queens taste and Is the hero of the hour the admiration of the small boy and a parsonage much sought after by the newspaper fraternity. There is no question that Walthour is the greatest bicycle rider of the present time and while his career is not so admirable, per haps, as that of the soldier who dies famous on the battlefield or the states man covered with honors. he has had a remarkable career on the race track and