The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-20
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORL D

know more about it than the majority of critics who do not. Nowsthe same suggestion could not be made in4regaro to the drama. While the theatrical trust is bemoaning the unjust assaults of dramatic critics the gentlemen who dominate the stage ipS the United States would no doubt be very glad to have their own press agents crifleize new pro- auctions. Suffice to say. there would be no more knocking and the innate modesty of the trust would not prevent eulOgistic comment on new plays.
 melodrama sensation ofsreal heart in- terestis suggested byyfhe experience of . man who was drunk and alsr bald headed. This inebriate lay down on tho track out in Washington and as loco motive swept around a curve. on to a long bridge crossing tho coTufnbia river the reflection of the headlight shone on the bald plate of the sleeper, the en- siner reversed his engine and the train came to stop in time to saveAthe mans life Now here is an incidenttthat would inspire Theodore Keener to renewed prodigies Instead of having ti4e heroine go to the trouble and expense of digging the train just@ass it sweeps sdewh on the prostrate body of her. father. which has been tied across tiisatsAo olk sbysxfllahis, let the old duffsfebe baad and letg the itiaes- cent play of the locomosivs hsaalight on his oranium whrn the. engineer to stop the train. That woific4 centksaly be a scream" in fielodrafna. One Can almost hear in fancy the swellfn q shouts of the gallery gods.
 It is reported thataa boy 1oSAars old is the"nost extensive liar in Ilihois Now such sweeping statements Asheufa not be made without due consis erati6n. While mo one wishes to. den.As the great state of Illinois the poSsessions of ssome choice perveptorsy yof the truth. stiff there are other states and~ other iara. Moreover, one should hot assert that a certain per- son-a mere boy, indeed. is the biggest lar in the statesuntil a poll orsthe other liars is made, as well as a corabapison of their best efforts. While .somea small boys show reriarkable proficiency in the art of prevaricatiop. it is not to be expected that they reveal the skin ora mature per son who has lived longer. hah paa vastly more experience and has told great many more lies than the most energetic liar of 10 years could hspe. to encompass in his brief span of life. Therefore. it is reasonable to suppose that this boy is not the bigsest liar in Illinois. although, mind you, he may be a young prince of
 liars. It takes age and experience to make really great liar.
 From the statement of Mrs French Sheldon it appears that King Leopold has been done slight injustice insreghrd to affairs in the Congo. Certain mission aries would have us believe that things were not as they should be, but here comes a redoubtabls femalS e1porer and author who says that snat has witnessed more atrocities the streets of London than she saw in the Congo Free State. Of course it is not for any mere man to question the word of a lady, especially woman who has carried Her explora- lions further than the inside coat pocket of her spouse, butthis seveistion coming clcse upon so fhu6h indignation and ex- citement is rather surprfsins, to say the least. P. c.