The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-17
HE press agent with a sprinkling of gray in his hair was talking to a

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 group in the lobby. "Yes." said he, fellows who have to be on the road as much as we publicity men have q hard time of 1t, especially when tbav are married. For fifteen years my wife always went about the country with me, enduring the hardships of the road without complaint. She is dead now, he continued, with a little catch in his voice. Mary and I became acquainted in rather unusual way. In fact our love affair was what the younger fellows style 8 romance full of heart interest," you have no doubt noticed that exnres sion in the advance stuff of tank shows. l fell in love with my wife through a picture first saw in Houston. Tex. The picture was in the window of an art store and struck my fancy at first glance. It revealed a ballet girl seated on divan and reclining upon a pile of yellow cushions. In one nand she held stambourine and she was dressed in the costume of a French dancer. The girl had a beautiful face. I fell under the spell of the picture at once and found myself haunting the art store win dow when I could escape from business. tried to laugh at myself for indulging in such a foolish and sentimental ca per but could not get my thoughts off that charming face.
 'I remained in Houston only a few days and then made a long jump to Los An- geles. The memory of my picture girl went with me, however, and you may imagine my start of surprise when I dis covered the identical face in one of the large art stores in Los Angeles. From the City of Angels I went to San Fran cisco and there was the girl waiting for me l afterwards discovered that the picture was in great demand all over the United States, but at the time considered myself the subject of striking coincidence. I found the pie ture in Portland, in Salt Lake City, in Denver and in several other western towns which we made on that trip. It soon became a habit of mine to inspect all the art stores as soon as I struck a new town. When I failed to find the picture I sought my disappointment was keen. No, l was not crazy although sometimes wondered whether I was in my right senses.
 Well knocked about the country for several years ahead of various shows, finding more copies of the pie ture that had first enthralled me in Houston. I was with Frohman com pany that jumped back to New York in January, 1888. I fell in with a bunch of theatrical press agents who induced me to go down with them to Dalys and see new musical show. The curtain went up without awakening any marked interest in me. l had become weary of shows. Pretty soon a new lot of girls came on to present a song speciality. The girl who sang the leading role was the original of my picture. l tell you, was surprised and I felt a curious sensation about my heart, too. l studied the girls face but there was no mis- take about 1t; she must have posed for some artist. When the performance was ended l easily obtained an introduction and in a week or our courtship was proceeding merrily. After we were mar ried Mary told me that she had real ly posed for the picture which was painted by a well-known New York ar tst and had afterwards been reproduced. The artist paid her s25. As she was only chorus girl then. she confessed that she was glad to get the money. I bought the Houston picture and have it now.'
 During a recent electrical storm shower of bricks from chimney struck by lightning demolished room in the residence of Admiral Ludlow at Oakdalc,