The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-13

Georgia Theatrics.
 The Dance.
 The Horse Swap.
 The Character of a Native Georgian.
 The Fight.
 The Song.
 The Turnout.
 Tie "Gharming Creature As a Wife.
 The Gander-Pulling.
 The Ball.
 The Mother and Her Child.
 The Debating Society.
 The Militia Company Drill.
 The Turf.
 An Interesting Interview.
 The Fox Hunt
 The Wax Works
 A Sage Conversation
 The Shooting Match.
 The preface to the Georgia Scenes is as follows:
 The following sketches were written rather in the hope that chance would bring them to light when time would give them an interest than in the belief that they would afford any interest to the readers of the present day. I knew, however, that the chance of their sur ViVing the author would be increased in proportion to their popularity upon their iirst appearance; and, therefore, l used some little art in order to recommend them to the readers of my own times They consist of nothing more than fanci- ful combinations of real incidents and characters; and throwing into those scenes, which would be otherwise dull and inslpid, some personal incident or adventure of my own, real or imaginary as It would best suit my purpose--usually real, but happening at different times and under different circumstances from those In which they are here represented I nave nave not always, however, taken this liberty Some of the scenes are as liter ally true as the frailties of memory would allow them to be. l commenced the pub hcation of them, in one of the gazettes of the state, rather more than a year ago, and l was not more pleased thar astonlshed to find that they were well re- ceiVed by readers generally. For the last six months I have been importuned by persons from all quarters of the state to give them to the public in the present form. This volume is purely conces- sion to their entreaties. From private considerations I was extremely desirous or concealing the author, and the more enectually to do so, l wrote under two signatures. These have now become too closely interwoven with the sketches to be separated from them without an ex- pense of time and trouble which am un- wiling to incur. Hall is the writer of those sketches in which men appear as
 
 those in which women are the prominent ngures. For the Militia Company Drill', 1 am indebted to a friend, of whose labors l would gladly have availed myself oftener. The reader will find in the ob- Ject of the sketches an apology for the minuteness of detail into which some. of them run, and for the introduction of some things into them which would have been excluded were they merely the crsa- tons of fancy.
 hAFe not had it in my power t6 suner- intend the publicaticp of them, though tney Issue from press in the immediate vicinity Of my residence discovered that If the work was delayed until could nave an opportunity of examining the proof-sheets, it would finger in the press until the expenses (already large, would become intolerable. Consequently there may be many typographical errors among them, for which I must crave tlse3read- CTS indulgence
 cannot conclude these introductoAv re- marks without reminding those vlsty have taken exceptions to the coarse, inelSgar1t. and sometimes ungrammatical iautuags which the writer represents htuf as occasionally using that it is laf' ac- oomiiiooated 10 the capacity ofts son to whom he represents himselft ing. THE Al
 GEORGIA THEATRICs. .
 1T my memory fail me not, the 10th of June. 1909, found me, at about il o'clock In the forenoon, ascending a long and gentle slope in what was called "The Dark Corner of Lincoln l believe Ii took it's name from the moral darIsness which reigned over that portion of the county at the time of which am speak Ing. If in this point of view it was but shade darker than the rest of the coun- ", It was inconcevabIy dark. If any man can name trick or sin which had not been committed at the time of which I am speaking, in the very focus of ali the county's illumination Gincolnton), he must himself be the most inventive of the tricky and the very Judas of sinners. Since that time, however (all humor asloe), Lincoln has become a living proof that light shineth in darkness" Could l venture to mingle the solemn with the ludicrous. even for the purpose of honor able contrast, I could adduce from this county instances of the most numerous and wonderful transitions from vice and iotiy to virtue and holiness which has ever, perhaps. been witnessed since the days of the apostolic ministry. So much, lest 1t should be thought by some that what l am about to relate is charac cter- istic of the county in which 1t occurred.
 Whatever may be said of the moral con- dition of the Dark Corner at the time just mentioned, it's natural condition was any thing but dark. It smiled in all the charms of spring. and spring borrowed new charm from its undulating grounds. It's luxuriant woodlands, its sportive streams, it's vocal birds, and it's blushiny flowers.
 Rapt with the enchantment of the sea- son and the scenery around me, I was slowly rising the slope, when I was startled by loud, profane and boisterous voices, which seemed to proceed from thick covert of undergowth about 200 yards in the advance of me and about 100 to the right of my road.
 You kin, kin you?''
 Yes, I kin. and am able to do it, Boo oo-oo. Oh, wake snakes, and walk your chalks Birthstone and fire! Don't hold me, Nick stoval. The fights made up and let's go at 1t. my soul if l don't jump down his throat and gallop every chittcrling out of him before you can say 'quit'!'
 Now. Nick. don't hold him. Jist let the wildcat come. and I'll tame him. Ned'll see me a fair fight, Won't you, Ned?"
 "oh. yes: I'll see you a fair fight. blast my old shoes if I don't!''
 That's sufficient. as Tom Haynes said when he saw the elephant. Now let him comev
 Thus they went on, with countless oaths interspersed. which dare not even hint at and with much that I could not dis tinctly hear.
 In mercy's name! thought l. what band of ruffians has selected this holy season and this heavenly retreat for such pande. moniac riots! I quickened my gait and had come nearly opposite to the thick grove whence the noise proceeded, when | ,rl,k frAt tetir Sk