The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-11
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE


MN HERE'S a soft rustic as of a but.
terfly's wing, and a sort of subtle
something that comes with the
springtime and apple blossoms, we turn
and look, for it isn't springtime at all;
it's gloomy, dreary, autumntime, and
the leaves are beginning to fall; the
shrubs and the flowers and the grass
that we were planting only a little
while ago are whitening and we are in
doors; yes we are cozy and comfy
round at the pretty little Lyric thea
ire and yet-yet-
What is that sound as of a bird sing
ing its merry roundelay in the early
springtime?
What is that matchless note that
thrills and makes us feel a liEtle nearer
to nature and natures beauties, with it's
half joyous half melancholy softness like
that of the bell bird of the Australian
bush, the insistence of whose warblings
means challenge, a summons to listen.
The tones come from the throat of a
mere mani
That sounds like story, doesn't it
an awful "whopper'' of a story. but If
isn't; it is very, very true; the sounds
come from a marvellous throat, won
drously formed, a throat which has been
gifted with the brd-like qualities that
thrill and thrill, and enchant an fasci-
nate.
Mr.. Charles Kellogg, master of tone,
optimist, naturalist, lover of all mankind
and of insect life, is Hercules in figure,
with the grace of an Apollo and the
voice of bird!
His heart is as big as his body; yes,
mes big physically, mentally and spirit
ually
When he begins to talk to you about
the birds and the beetles, and the snakes
and the locusts, there's sort of warm
comrady feeling that he imparts, for he
makes you see life from a big telescope
viewpoint with a sweeping, keen, BIRDS
eye vision!
This sounds as if Mr.. kellogg were
owlshly serious, but he isn't bit; he
laughs all the time.
He opens his pandora's box of beau
tiful thoughts and ideas, and we feel as
if some giant cornicopia had been sud-
denly unfolded and a thousand ingenious
charms rain over us and about us, and
we are once more near to natures heart.
I just loved the little chat 1 had with
Mr.. Kellogg yesterday; somehow it sort
OF set me to thinking; here was a man,
a great splendid, wonderful man, with
heart of gold and voice of silver
bringing a message to all mankind; the
message of optimism, of hope, of funda-
mentals!
I've never eaten a bite of meat in
my life and I never had on white
shirt" Mr. Kellogg said, which, being
interpreted, is a. billed shirt, for special
occasions.
MY home is in the open; three months
in the year." he said, II am housed and
cooped in by the walls of some hotel
or lodging place when I'm working on
the stage, but the rest of the nine
months with my pack on my back live
with my friends of the earth, the snakes
the bugs, the birds, the trees and the
flowers"
mo, I'm not limited by education" Mr..
Kellogg said. I'm proud to repeat
what my friend, Mr.. John H. Francis,
who did all the great work out in Los
Angeles in the public schools said of me,
that 1 was one man whose brain hadn't
been befuddled by education Under
stand I speak of academic education.
That's why I know no fear or hate"
II don't even know exactly the place
where 1 was born" Mr.. Kellogg said.
ut was somewhere in the northeast cor
ner of California, in Pumas county,
where Oregon and California and other
sister states join together; l was thrown
out IKE the Indian children to make my
own way; the old Indian squaw who
was with my mother when I was born
gives the nearest authentic account of
my early life that I know anything
about
Mine has been the life of the nomad;
the gypsy, if you will, following the
Romany Patrin, often though not wait