The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-29
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

of passenger traffic. for I have had to make several trips Unnecessary ones) and have found the cars crowded
 I went up to Ashville Thursday night to speak in the interest of the Red Cross, and every seat on the train was taken. and many had to stand in the aisles. crowded coach is a good place to study human nature. I am sorry that many people leave their politeness at home when they start on journey.
 There are two classes of travellers for whom have great sympathy. I al- ways try and aid them as best I can. I speak of mothers with babes and old women. I frequently find dear old sun- bonneted women who are more helpless than children when they get on a train. I have always loved chil- dren, but I find each year that old people appeal more and more to me.
 When the train stopped at Woodlawn two stalwart little fellows got aboard One was carrying an air rifle, while the other toted' the valise. They came and stood by my side. I said: Hello boys, did Santa Claus put anything in your stockings?' This 1oosed their tongues. One was seven and the other ten. The bigger one told me it was trip alone, that they were on their way to visit some friends out in the country. I was to them a great ad- venture. The world would be lone~ some place without children. As talked to the radiant faced brothers I Belgium children, and I couldn't help praying that the fall to which the Kaiser was riding would come quickly.
 The more talked with the happy hearted, trusting brothers, the more l was getting in tune for my Red Cross talk, for 1 knew what a godsend it had been to the little ones of Belgium and Servia, and Poland, and so when I got to Ashvil1e I was all keyed up to deliver a message of what it had done, was doing and expected to do. Owing to the cold. the meeting had been ad- journed from the courthouse to the Methodist church, where I found quite a number of interested men and women anxious to get to work.
 It was real joy Is speak to such an enthusiastic crowd, and after I was through. a motion was made to form a Red Cross unit and get busy at the earliest possible moment. J. P. Mont goinery was made chairman; Joe Me- Nunnelly, secretary treasurer, and the following generals were appointed: English forces: Mrs. J. A. Embry: French forces, Mrs, S. R. High; Italian forces, Mrs. F. R. Lonergan; Belgian forces, Mrs. ]. A. Hodges: American forces, Mrs. J. P Montgomery. You see, I organized them for service ac- cording to the Birmingham plan. hadn't served as a general under Field Marshal Rushton without getting the true military spirit. Rev. N. A. Hood through whose invitation was pres ent, took an active part in stirring up interest.
 was glad to revisit Ashville. I had not been there in 2S years. It was in 1890 that I went there on legal busi- ness shortly after being admitted to the Birmingham bar I stopped at the old Ashville hotel. It was landmark then. I arrived on bitter cold night after the three-mile drive from Whit ney and was ushered into the office, where a big log fire was burning brightly. Soon the supper bell rang and I sat down to a table loaded with fried chicken, and my mouth waters at the memory of the '"possum and ta- ters" I'll not mention the other things because I do not wish to keep anyone from Hooverizing and I fear that might give an impetus. to the appe- best remember was that I was in formed that on account of the rising prices that board was $S month. Ashville Is an old town. A court was first established there about 100 years ago. in August, 1918. St. Clair was one of the original territorial coun- ties, and in those days it was some county when it came to size, for it took in everything east to the Georgia line. bit by bit being added to it through Indian purchases or treaty The court house is over threescore years old, and was built by slave labor. The Southern Aegis will soon celebrate it's forty fifth birthday, and in that time has never missed an issue. It was founded by George R. Gather in 1873.
 1 I got to see my old friend, Judge iInzer, and was glad to find that in | spite of his being more than fourscore l years of age, his eyes are still bright his hearing good, his step firm and his mind vigorous. I went into his
 law office, built 60 years ago and oc- cupied by him through all the inter 1 vening years. I called at his home, in
 which he has lived for half-century | I got to thinking about what a tower of strength he had been in his home
 town, and how the people had learned I to lean on his judgment. He. had beer ] through one war and yet I found hin 1 keen about the resent one With sucl
 a man to lead. am sure that Ashvill, ] will do her part by everything she i. called upon to do by the President.