The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-03
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Juiian street arIlcle, ana MOrSan s H. mstrations in a recent issue of Collier s
 set loose a whole train of pleasant mem. ories of happy days and nights spent ir
 vicksburg.
 Twice in my life l have lived on the bank of Americas greatest river. My first view of it was while a lad at tending the public schools in St Louis
 which in those days under pr. Harris who for years was United States com missioner of education. were considered by many to be the best in the country; so father shipped me west and I matricu- lated at the Henry Ames.
 I have two very distinct. recollectons of the Mississippi, one was while taking summer course at Bryant and Stratten Business college A professor, as a mark of favor, asked me to go fishing with him one Sunday. I nearly tainted, for was living with my brother-in in law, one of the strfctest Methodist preachers in the land, who had even objected to my attending ball games. The other was WIFen II WciS IFOZGA over duu nSaVy wagons crossed on the ice
 I do not wonder that Julian Street was impressed with the Mississippi river at yicksburg. I have watched it by the hour with it's eternal flow and cease less eddyings. I know of no more thrill ing sight than to watch a majestic river s+ r,ar hv ~,1oonJiyhf floatipg op i+a broad expanse, churning the water into foam as clouds of smoke belch out of the smokestacks, and the river is lit up by the fires of the great boilers. and the songs of the roustabouts float shore ward. It beats even the old fire engine us with races between the various sta- tions to be the first at the fires. I, for one, resent the motor fire engine. I miss the horses and the excitement of the people on the streets and the cries of jest watch old Southside run.''
 I am sorry for any body who has never lived on river and raced for the wharf when the steamboat whistle blew. It was about mile from our home in Eufaula to the landing, and when the first note of warning was given at St. Francis bend two miles up the Chat- the thing was to see who could fast. I tried it one dark night and went over an embankment. I am something of tumbler, but it was the only time I was ever able to do a double. When l came too old pr. Drewry, our family physician, was setting my arm.
 I must still have a boys heart and a boys love of adventure, for the lure of the levee in river town always draws me and I have put in many a happy hour in Vicksburg watching steam CTS dock, load and unload. It's busy, ustllng scene The sight of happy heart i'd, singing darkeys. treading the mar row gangplanks with burdens on their packs. while all the time the mate is pouring forth stream of picturesque pro- fanity, is a scene never to be forgot ten.,
 think swearing is useless vice, and dislike to hear an ordinary man swear, put in the old days when a steamboat mate was hurling epithets 1t seemed more ike the rage of a Berseker than the cursing of mere individual. There was somethsng fierce and dramatic in it that almost made it permissible.
 
 I believe of all Mark Twain's books, he one like best is his Life on the If you haven't read it, ,uy, borrow, or get a copy from the li- ,rary. It's chock full of human interest ,tuff that beats the last best seller a miles in thrills. How Mark owed the great river! But what started put to say was, he owns up that being l pilot for years and always giving short, eaving the river, to ask anybody to please do anything, but put his simplest wishes in the form of command and hereby got a reputation for being boor. expect something like this applies to steamboat mate and daresay his excuse Or swearing would be that the deck lands were used to it and wouldn't un- lerstand him if he did 1t politely.
 Julian Street is right when he says that vicksburg is place for stories. How ,e must have revelled in seeing the negro It his best. or rather in his most home Ike setting? And then for chaperon, ,e had my friend Harris Dickson, the ,reatest negro delineator of the day. I thew Harris at Jackson. In those days le was doing secretarial work. I thought linn something of bore, but he and my ,ounger brother Paul were great chums ind corresponded for years. Well, I am dad he has made good. I am expecting ome rare stories when he gets on tho ,ther side and begins to send back articles 'or Golfers.
 I used to never tire of roaming the hills # vicksburg. It seemed to me the most ylorious sunsets that I had ever witt ,essed were from high points overlook ng the Mississippi. I never wearied ,f trying to live over the siege and 1t vas always in the minds of tho people. lnd if they ever forgot there on the outskirts of the city was the National cemetery to remind them at what fear. ,ul cost vicksburg was entered by the northern forces.
 schools and lovely homes. In She old