The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-13

Istor m New foFk on Aprii 16, by mMmHmHwMwM wMwlHmMmM1m@Fs as in Alabama. But because of her marvellous ability to catch the facial expression. Miss Louise Heustis is ac- knowledged the States most worthy representative in this particular field. Miss Howard weedon and Miss Mar tha Young are two Alabamians whose wonderfully life-like pictures of the oid-tinne Southern negro. hays made them famous both North and South. Out of the 2.000 pictures exhibited In Paris Jew years ago. that chosen for the salon was the work of Miss Annie Goidthwsite. very young girl for such an honor.
 During the early settlement of tho country there were no writers of con- sequence. It was a period of seif-pres- ervation; e struggle for existence. The settlers relished . full dose of fighting. but their literary productions were ad- ministered in select form. It would be as useless to expect a people under | those conditions to be productive in literature, as to look for a heart-throb | in city directory, or romance fin | an agricultural report. But as time went on and life became more com | plex, there was more leisure for the | mind to occupy itself in other matters, and with the gradual advancement of civilization, and the emancipation of intellect. there came an imperative de- mand for expression of thought that is as potent as that of uttered speech--the language of literature.
 The history of Alabama embraces a large number of writers and authors i whose iahors have added to the giory l of the State and whose fame follows them wherever they go. These works include every department of literature. poetry. fiction. history, law and 1 science.
 As time must give the perspective l which is necessary to produce the his- torian, there were but few historical writers in the South prior to the civil 1 war. And since that period the ab- sence of great libraries contatning original sources of information would have hampered Southern effort in that direction even without other him dranees. Yet the publication in 1851 l by Albert James Pickett of the His 1 tory of Alabama and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi from the Earliest Times" forms probably the | most valuable secondary work in the | history of the Southern country To 1 this pr. Thomas Owen has added an addendum with . delightful chapter of | Alabama literature.
 John witherspoon Du Bose's Life and Times of William L. Yancey from 1884 to ls6t," is very superior work. l Tn this biography this man has made the very best contribution of the South to Southern history.
 Alabama also claims Dr. Curry. who has been a prolific writer, his contri- buttons covering the entire held of in- tellectuRl effort with the exception of verse.e ..
 Excellent historical work has been l hU TlS lsa Hf fa. cences of Public Men of Alabama"; by T. C. De Leon in -Four Years fin Rebel Capitals'; by Henry W, Hilliard in Politics in Pen Pictures at Home and Abroad" and by Peter Joseph Hamil- ton. The latter has prepared the most valuable local history in the decade. Colonial Mobile" in which he has written in the light of new authori- ties the early history of the Gulf City.
 Philosophers have not agreed upon a definition for that intangible something called humoF It evades all descrip- ton.
 Joseph F. Johnson easily stands among those who may be characterized as the humorist of ante-bellum days. l Flush Times of Alabama and Mis- sissippi," published in 1851, and in later editions Is a volume of rare humor. It illustrates the character and phases of the flush times as no other work l can ever QO-
 MT. J. J. Hooper's simon sugg's | Adventure" affords never tiring | amusement.
 Other humorous work has been done by Francis B. Lloyd under the name of Rufus Sanders. Sage of Rocky Creek" while Mir. T. c. De Leon has won wide applause for his burlesque and good humored satire.
 When Alabama awoke to the fact in 1861 that war existed, armed men sprung up as if dragons teeth had been sown. Of the poems descriptive of battle the name is legion. While none rose to the dignity Of battle lyrics some bore considerable merit. Captain Henry Flash wrote some in- perishable poems. Anyone fortunate enough to have read them can but re- Kret that Mir. Flash decided the South preferred potatoes to poetry and went into business.
 Among others who have essayed verse and published frequent poems are r. C. De Leon. Miss Mary Gordon Duffe, Miss Memo Greene and Miss Anne Bozennan Lyon.
 Of those who have given their poeml to the public in book form are Mrs J l. Mckinney. under the pen name "Katy-did." and whose song The Green Kentucky Pastures" was sung to open the Kentucky building at thS st. Louis Worlds Fair; Louis De V Chaudron's Madame La Marqulse; : Samuel Mintern Peck's Cap and Bells and Rings and Loveknots;" Dr. orior T. Dozier's "Foibles of Fancy anC Rhymes of the Times" Miss Howard weedon's Shadows on the Wall" ant "Bandana Ballads"
 Alexander B. Meek. however rank at the head of the poets of Alabama His Red Eagle a poem of the South and Songs and Poems of the South have given him a reputation as a poe | that will carry his memory through many ages to come.
 The irrepressible Mrs. Partingtol has said. There is one thing certain the females of the present generation are a heap more independenter thai they used to be-" Certainly the wo men of the North emanclpated them selves from the thraldom of the spin ninR-wheeI and sewing machine earlie
 than the women of the South ern cline But 1t would be a very remarkable fac if God. who scattered the beauties O
 river and mountain. sunny glade an
 smiling valley over the whole country making equally beautiful every portiol of Americas wide domain, bestowe the intellect and nobility of mlnd up ou onA t,ortiom of iks fAnalNA alOu