The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-01

SIX year ana Is Beiuofn men, toned in the yellow journals for his ex- ploits, literary or otherwise. Donald c. Mitchell is still living on his beautiful farm, .Edgewood," near New Haven, Conn. and Is honored by hosts of friends in all parts of the land who have read his books. As "Ik. Marvel" Donald Mitchell Is known far and wide, wherever beautiful sentiment and a philosophy of peace and optimism that knows no defeat are appreciated. "The Reveries of Bachelor and Dream Life have brought many to tears perhaps but they haveyalso given us a glimpse of a mans soul that encourages less enlightened hu- manity to strive for better things. In the ''Reveries' there are passages that come close to every one and Dream Life" is a story that has been often repeated in real life. It would be impossible to discover sentiment more tender and genial philoso- phy more comforting than are to be found in the books of "Ik Marvel" His writ ings have the quality of being poems in prose and they improve with each read ing Donald Mitchell is now in his 9Oth year. It is the wish of all who have come under his spell that he may be able to prolong for years to come the winter of life which he has described so beautifully in his books.
 Report tells us of resident of Chat ham, N. Y. 90 years of age who has just enjoyed a dip in the local mill pond, While l-.e old man did not cut any youth ful capers he nevertheless stuck his head under water and remarked afterward that it made him feel about twelve years younger. He also announces that he will Ego in'' again, for the experience has tick led him immensely. Until his last venture the old man had not been in the water since 1865 but it Is believed that he has taken several baths during that time. Now this case raises the question, what will octogenarians and centenarians be doing next? They don't think anything of getting married or tramping about over the country and now they are going in for all kinds of sports. While the old men are attracting so much attention these days the public Is naturally desirous of knowing what has become of the old women. Patriarchs of the male persuas- ion seem to be monopolizing all the at tention.
 Jack London is the most fortunate scribe in the matter of personal advertising free of cost who has ever adorned the liter ary Armament. He ad been already enough talked about within the past few months but now his wife is suing for a divorce and the discussion has been re- vived. Mrs. Jack London appears to be taking an advantage of the novelist while he is away describing affairs in the far east, for she has just filed suit for divorce in San Francisco, alleging that the meterioc MT. London has been too attentive to another. MT. London is al- most sure to affix the trimmings to his pyrotechnic career by getting himself kill ed captured or badly wounded in the far east
 A Chicago genius has a scheme for end ing domestic strife whenever possible by arbitration, method of settling trouble that has been muched talked about here of late and has been much discredted by The Hague tribunal. The Chicago phil anthropist is of the opinion that 1t would be possible to avoid great many divorces If arbitration were employed instead of lawyers Perhaps he is right but 1t would be rather troublesome to find any one with love enough for humanity to act as matrimonial arbiter. A court of mothers in-law to settle these questions would probably be needed in all large towns and while arbitration might prove very effec- tive in household disagreements it would be rather tedious work. The thing to do