The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-18
WHY [ LIKE DIXIE

From the American Magazine.
ARRIVED in little old New York in
the end of June. 1885. 1t was also
about the end of the day. counting
midnight as the end. The streets were
full of people, all going in a hurry. I
thought there was fire. Down home
they never hurry that late at night
except to go to a fire or a fight.
was surprised when told by a police
man that they were only chasing dol
lars and that they kept it up till they
died. / was only boy then, but the
shock received on learning of such a
sordid waste of man power has never
left me.
My home there was in a 10-story
building on the corner or Lafayette
Place and Great Jones street 1t was
then one of the tallest structures in
the city.
The Fourth Of July reached New York
shortly after I did, and it was a great
treat to stand on top of that tall build
ing and watch the fireworks displayed
all over the city. Fire Company No. SO,
whichs was worked very hard on that
Glorious Fourth, was right across the
street. Their apparatus was great at
traction to me. Back home had known
nothing in that line better than what
was practically force pump on wheels
drawn and worked by the firemen.
The Eden Musee, Central park. the
Bowery, Mott street, Baxter street, the
Battery. Brooklyn bridge, the Globe
Museum, the Peoples theatre, Alexan-
der's Museum, Tony Pastors, were great
and alluring attractions for a while;
but they paled. felt the solitude of the
crowd and longed for my beloved south
land.
My metropolitan occupation was err
rand boy for Donovan s. Londergin,
printers, Pearl street, near Fulton ]
started at $3.50 per week. Two dollars
went for board. was highly elated
when they raised my salary to SO per
week; but the most ecstatic feeling !
had after the new wore off New York
was when I got such a severe case of
earache that / had to be sent home.
Manhattan Island was too congested
when left it. March, 1886, to be fit
habitation for real people, and learn
from the newspapers that several stores
and residences have been added, and
that the skyscrapers make my old 10
story domicile look like low bungle
of a bungalow. None of that in mine.
please.
live in the main street of a town in
Dixie whose population numbers about
$4,000. My house has 10 rooms and a
bathroom, with couple Of closets that
might pass for rooms in New York
Four of my chambers are about 20x2o.
Four nice porches give me good Sleep
ing places these summer nights. There
are 10 families in a space Of a00xsol
feet.
This borders on overcrowding. but
we can fill our lungs with ozone with
out showing a neighbor OF his feet.
When I leave home I can throw q
kiss at my wife without slapping some
one and getting jugged" for assault
and battery, or having my salute mis-
sand strange ladies.
We have fine churches and schools
elegant social clubs and fraternity
homes. besides the splendid eleemosy-
harry institutions that prove we are rich
| in life's best asset, not what we get
but what we give. Our theatres give
us the best obtainable. from minstrels
to Shakespeare. Our climate is ideal
Our summer days are warm. but not
with the oppressive heat that kills in
New York and in the London of the
Middle West" Winters are mild, and
live stock find pasture all the year
round. Millionaires are conspicuous by
their absence. but nobody ever starves
| Our best produce = ,v- womanhood and
| manhood-bravt lied, happy
'people, who Al haEpses In making
others happy.