The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-25
NEWS OF THE DAY
 IN SOCIAL WORLD Interesting Letter of Gossip In
 Fence Contest NOTES HERE AND THERE Extnacts From Letter Eliminated From &pntest Owing To Length-Depart- uIes and Returns-PersonaIs
 of Well Known People.
NOTES HERE AND THERE
By MYRTLE MILES.


 The judges who were selected to choose the winner of the prize in the recent fence letter contest which was instituted in the Mayors office, have almost com pleted their examination of the submit ted documents.
 As will be remembered, the communi- cations were limited to 200 words. A num- Der of interesting ones were within the prescribed limits, but still others, excel lent from every standpoint, must needs be eliminated because of their length. Among these is one which 1t seems pity should not be given the advantage of the public's attention. The writer's cleye- use of words and the thought and sound sense in the argument he uses has re- ceived the special commendation or the Judges who regret that an evident misun- derstanding of the restriction placed on contestants makes it impossible to con- sider the letter in the light Of prize winner. Owing to lack of space, 1t can not be given in it's entirety, but extracts will be of interest:
 Reflection has led me to conclude that fences are not useful, that they are nuisances, and that they are unsigntly' | In the first place, I have often been pleased to reflect that fences are the ex- pression of what remains of a barbarous | instinct one necessary to mans preserva- tion in his primitive state, but now be- | come unnecessary owing to civic progress. ] What is a fence but degenerate wall 1 or battlement, such as were erected In I medieaval times to defend houses and towns? After becoming useless, like many | other customs, it was nevertheless prac- | tioed; 1t being the universal tendency | of man to cling to observances even after their cause and origin are swallowed up | and lost.
 | However, that may be, the fence IS not useful today. To the home IL IS no | protection, for those bent on harmlng l mans habitation, are not prevented py | a frail structure of nails and wood. ine mob would brush 1t aside as II 1t were straw: and the nimble burglar is never l at a. loss for exits and entrances. h. | deed fences are his protection, for once | over them, from the keen-eyed guaroians | of the law he is effectually hidden. NOT will the assertion that various pestiferious | animals are by this means kept away, l bear examination. Domestic cattle are no l longer allowed to wander at large Tn the city streets; and as for cats, dogs, chick | ems. rats and various other species or | small proving creatures, what tence' granting that eSl of It's pickets are sound and firm. is proof against the continual h. l ing gnawing, jumping, climbing and | creeping of these industrious pests2 How | ever. in spite of these facts, this primi- | tive and barbarous fencing continues. NO man is content, after building a house, | until he has erected one of these 1m- | mense barriacdes, as if he wanted to say 1 to the world: This is my castle and the appurtenances thereto; when I have | closed my portculles, beware all ye men l how ye trespass on my demesne." The l ostrich hiding his head in the sand af- lords an example no more silly or futile. I It follows as a carollary that since the l fence is useless it is a positive nuisance. l What slattern of a housewife does not | take advantage of fence to conceal piles | of noisome rubbish which collect in her 1 yard? Publicity is the greatest enemy
 of filth, moral and physical; and that | master or mistress who inclines to un- tidness would soon wax ashamed, il I subjected to the open and covert scorn l of tidy neighbors. There stands, how | ever, in the way of publicity and inspec- 1 tfon, that monstrous product of prejudice l and custom, the board fence.
 l As to cost, no one considers cost with l regard to a fence. The money that might l be laid out in lovely gardens, slightly
 walks, fragrant shrubs, and parterres Of l flowers in view of the world, he invests | in some grinning pickets to be covered | with glaring paint.
 l My last division some may think would be more accurately included under the head of the fence as nuisance; but l 1 prefer rather to treat 1t separate from the l former in order to increase the import ance and emphasis. above mentioned | the effect fences have on the collection | of rubbish, and their tendency, where | there is beauty, to hide 1t; my intention | now is to point to the external ugiiness l afforded by fences. The prettiest yards and streets are marred by the presence of these obstacles which prevent the eye from rowing over a wide, uninterrupted spaoe this being an exercise very pleas- ing to that organ.
 Moreover. since none of these fences Is
 uniform in size, color or condition of re- pair the effect is altogether inelegant
 and shocking. Iron fences, picket fences.
 plank fences, stone fences, wire fences,
 little dwarf fences of concrete, prodigious
 fences with barbed wire at the top; vel
 low fences, green fences. blue fences, red
 fences; black fences, rambling fences,
 short fences long fences, dilapidated
 fences, rusty fences, with the paint newly
 smeared over them; in short, every kind
 of fence, all so intermixed, juxtaposed
 and contrasted as to make hideous as-
 sortment of color, size, variety, age and