The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-29

branch
His origin in that distinguished and in
dustrious body was so far back it was
mythical. Something like Providence, his
A. P. brethren said, Fritz had no begin
ming with them exactly. he just naturally
always was, and no matter what should
be done to him, he would forever be.
Fritz himself once stated that he was
a native Washingtonian, but his friends
told him he was too rapid. to be that-he
must be French. Whereat Fritz replied
he believed, if not mistaken, that his an
cestry was Dutch, Holland Dutch. There
had been a Gottlieb in the Dutch navy
once, he said, so record had 1t.
There was nothing the matter with
Fritz Gottlieb He was much better look
ing than half the newspaper men of the
District of Columbia. Certainly he was
taller, six feet one, were it not for
slight stoop of the shoulders. He was n
pronounced blonde. His strong aquiline
nose, his gently recedng chin. and the
mole on his right cheek were Gottlieo
nheritances. while the great bumps OF
observation and studious and heavy caste
of brow were noble attributes induced by
A. P. methods and system His yellow
moustache had a tendency to droop, indl-
eating thereby in Fritz a chronic case OF
inward depression. the cause of which
was known only to his intimate friends
and associates.
one feature. perhaps, slightly peculiar
about Mr. Gottlieb, but for that reason
all the more characteristic, was his hair
his yellow hair Owing to economlcal
reasons Fritz allowed his hair to grow
to somewhat unweldly bulk, and then,
to avoid awkwardness he dug deep FUR
row straight down the middle which part
ran like dry irrigating ditch between
high banks of tasseled corn The gentle
men of the local press were delicately
suggestive on this point
why don't you get your hair cut
Fritz?' they would ask.
But Fritz merely shrugged his should
ers. He did not approve of personal re-
marks, nor did he indulge in them MIN
self.
As far as his clothes went they were
A. P. style, and no matter how sugges-
tive the local press on this point, trltz
was himself responsible solely for his
ties-tes which he selected on remnant
days from the Seventh street dry goods
shops, some of which indeed he made
over from bits of ribbon, for Fritz could
sew as well as write These ties were
delicate propositions with. Fritz, where
fore the local press trod gently.
"See you have new tie, Fritz.
"A very nice tie
rs it the latest, Fritz?'
Swell, and no mistake
Whereupon Fritz would reply: Il made
this myself. The ribbon cost five and a
quarter cents yard. got 1t for four.
Pretty neat, don't you Think?
His mind, something like his ties and his
hair, was a trife unique. 1t had but a
single track as it were, on which ran,
both backwards and forwards, a single
train of ideas. Engined by the motto.
Look before you leap" there followed
a long line of fats such as Discretion Is
the better part of valor," Rome was not
built in a day." 1.-THE best goods are the
cheapest" and "Save up something for
a rainy day"
A work train solely, no fancy cars or
Pullman bouffets in Fritz Gottlieb's BRAIN
no curves or switches in his track; no
falling of road bed, but good solid ballast
built by forty years of corn beef, cabbage,
sourkraut and beer, over which. placed
the solid ties manufactured by expert
ences with the A. P.'s, thus holding Sc
curely in position the grooves on which
his ideas ran. If they met with obstruc-
lions, such small matters as other points
of view, other mems ideas etcetera, they
simply blew crossing signal and ploughed
straight on, a head-end collision, maybe,
and explosion resultant, but not in Fritz's
brain. No! 1t was the other fellow who
suffered.
Thus Fritz was invaluable to the A.
P. He gave them FORM heavyweight sub
stance. character solidity, kept them, in
a word, conservative, prudent and well
balanced.
He was, in fact, the very flower of the
flock.
Then, too, as a news man he was I'M
H. A 81 q
had one supreme and admirable quality
in this direction, the quality of sticking
Wherever Fritz Gottlieb went he stuck.
Were he sent to interview a man, Pres
ident senator, motorman or policeman,
see that man he would, by hook or crook;
sit on his doorstep if need be. but see him
Fritz Gottlieb did.
There was but one instance in his en-
tire Journalistic career that he was
snubbed, and then he did not know it.
That snub was administered by the ever
frank and ever subtitle former Chinese
minister WI Ting Fang.
1t was during the Pekin troubles. Fritz
had been hanging around the embassy
all day, saying as usual, with his tongue
in his cheek, IT believe, If not mistaken.
that 1t is said, etc.
You get away from here" finally ex-
claimed Minister WI, you make me
tiredp
Fritz reported this to the local press
that evening-as joke on the minister.
Apart from native sticking qualities.
Fritz had an eye for watching that
amounted to genius. He was more like a
hawk than a man in this respect.
Thus he was reserved by the A. P's for
exterior observations, being more able
than any man in office to detect facts,
such as a dark cloud lowering in a thun-
der storm. flame and smoke being appar-
ent in a fire, etc.
Thus, in all things 1t may be seen Mr..
Fritz Gottleb was an ideal man, an In
spired journalist and beloved of his breth-
renal things saving one. This one!
Canker worm eating his vitals! 1t was
the undisputed. palpable, cold, hard fact
he was not popular with the ladies!
No man deplored this more than Mr..
Gottlieb himself. No man realized 1t more
acutelyl
IT believe, II not mistaken, it is the
truth" he said once to the local press,
ct am no woman hater, and yet I've got
that reputation; l don't know how 1t IS
I meet nice, sensible. pretty girl. | talk
with her and ask permission to call. II
she saws yes, and 1t amt often she does,
7 lose no time in going up to her house.
There's nothing wrong with my tie, my
shoes are blacked, my hair Is neatly
brushed. never do or say a thing lady
could take exception to, and yet 1t never
fails TO happen, she says she has an en-
eagement she forgot about before the
evening Is half over, and l have to go
before I'm half done talking. Then the
next evening when I call she is out, and
never find her home any more!'
well, now, Fritz, old boy, that's pretty
hard lines" the gentlemen or the local