The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-06

average of the neighborhood in intellectual and social ambition.
 Indeed, the Ashcraft family had the reputation of being stuck up.' This was locally considered as an unsavory repu- tation, but the Ashcrafts were secretly proud of the distinction.
 The parents were of extraordinary in telligenee and possessed high force of character. They were jealous of the wei fare of their children. Good schools being out of reach the young Ashcrafts were required to devote one hour to study every evening after supper When the oldest boy (C. W. was second in age) was far enough advanced in years and in his studies he was put through the Alabama Polytechnic institute at Auburn. After leaving Au- burn he taught school in south Alabama.
 It was on invitation of this brother that Mayor c. w. Ashcraft made his first trip out into the world and outside of Clay county. It was wonderful journey for this young boy with broad aspirations from Clay county, by rail from Goodwater to Columbus, Ga., thence by boat down 
 I will let c. w. tell 1t:
 This was my first trip away from home went alone. but had elaborate instructions from my brother and my father. l was told to go to the Rankin House tn Columbus, where I would have to spend the night and get boat next day The boat left just an hour before arrived in Columbus, so I would have to spend practically a day and night there.
 My brother informed me that I should pay for my lodging at the Rankin House. This seemed very strange to me. Our home in Clay county had been the popu- lar stopping place for all travellers through that section and we had never thought of charging anyone for accom- modaton.
 "So when I arrived at the Rankin House I told the clerk that I wanted to spend a day and night with him and that I was willing to pay for the accom- mediation and any trouble I might cause the family and that did not want them to go to any extra trouble on my ac- count.
 "The clerk smiled cordially and showed me to the room I should occupy, and there he left me. It was a large, com fortable room, handsomely furnished.
 After seeing that the door was securely locked I started out on a tour of inspec- ton. One of the first things that at tracted my attention was a row of ivory buttons in the wall near the door.
 Just above the row of buttons was a sign which read something like this: Ring one bell for porter, two bells for hot water, three bells for cold water and four bells for towels
 1T could not find the bells. I searched the room high and low, through bureau drawers and under the bed, but there was not bell to be found. My curiosity was thoroughly aroused. I had been taught to always work out all problems own effort and resolved that as I had plenty of time I would work out this problem
 T finally decided that the bells were screwed into the wall in some manner and that to get them I must unscrew the ivory buttons.
 "So I set to work.
 "In few minutes I heard a tapping at my door. I opened the door cautiously and a negro man handed me fin a pitcher of cold water. sat the water on the wash stand and returned to my task Tn a few minutes another tapping at the door disturbed me. This time a pitcher of hot water was handed in to me by the same negro.
 Well, to make a long story short, I continued to labor on the solving of that bell problem for the remainder of the day and much of the night without success.
 but I am sure I had enough cold and hot water in that room to swim in and l am also sure must have exhausted the linen chest in the hotel.
 'Since realized the comicality of the