The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-01
WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Berney Loyeman Is dead. These words passing from lip to lip, put sorrow in many heart in Birmingham yester- day.
 Sol Caheen told me the sad news at the Rotary lunch. where I had just come in from the Methodist conference at Woodlnwn. Later, I read the sad de- tails
 Berncy was one of my favorites. I went up into Joe's office on Monday to ask about Berney, and was told that he had not heard from him for sometime. and thought he might have sailed. A little after l happened to be in Saks' and found out that Stern had seen him out at Camp Mineola the Sun day before and that he was well and happy.
 It's hard for me to realize that he is dead. l have known him since he was nine years old, and watched him grow up. I remember walking down from the Highlands with his father and Ber- ney when he was in his early teens, and l can remember to this day how proud MT. Loveman was of him and how ten derly he spoke to him.
 Now that father and son have both gone, l do not believe it will be out of place to repeat a part of the advice that the indulgent parent was giving INI hnIo you to always be man and stand up for your rights. but I do not want you to be self-assertiye. Do not be conten- tious. but do not let anybody impose on you
 These words clung in my memory and as I saw Berney slip out Of his teens into his manhood, I was glad to find that he was living up to his fathers wish. l lost sight of him for awhile when he went off to school, but when he came back in the store, I saw him almost daily. In fact, used to go out of my way to meet him, for he always gave me such cheery greeting that 1t heartened me in my work.
 
 I saw him go up step by step in the great business of Loveman, Joseph and Loeb, which hls father and associates had built up from a small beginning. used to like to have him wait on me in the furniture department when he was came the head of 1t. I recall his father taking me through one afternoon to show me how Berney had arranged tho stock. He was mighty proud of the way it had been done.
 And then for awhile I missed him while he went out west and stayed for awhile, but at the first talk of war, he was back here and eager to get into tho fight. Berney Loveman was a born soldier. He had 1t in his blood. You could see It in his carriage. You noted 1t in his military talk. He well comed the day when the President broke with Germany and he was among the first to volunteer. It was "the day. he had waited for.
 
 the better soldier, Berney or Joe Ser ney wore the uniform but Joe seemed to get more glory out of the fact that Berney wore kahki than did Berney himself. It seems that all of his fathers pride in him had been inherited by Joe, and his whole heart went out to the man who was to bear arms for the family's honor.
 I saw Berney frequently after he had been in camp at Montgomery. He was full of his work, and was determined to do everything in his power to mako a worthy soldier. He had the highest ideas about true patriotism. but like the brave lad he was. there was never any boast ing, but always an earnest desire to be ready when his time camo to serve Uncle Sam. I saw much of him on his visitors home and VIC had many heapt-to- heart talks.
 . Then ono day Joe called me Into his office and said, "Berney has just been operated on for appendicitis" As soon as l could see him, I went out to St. vincent's hospital and sat by his bed side. He was very weak but the old smile I loved so we'll lit up his face as I entered the door, and turning his tired eyes to his mother, he said: Here's my good friend, Dr. Barnett. who has come to see me- l saw he was In pain and remained only few minutes, but long enough for him to tell mo that he didn't mind being laid aside for awhile if it wouldn't interfere with his soldier duties.
 He came by to tell me good-by when he found out that he was to go north. He was still out of condition from his operation, but he was bent on getting across and his only fear was that he might be rejected In the rigid selective tests l renewed my youth in his and lived over the times when I would have been glad like him to respond to my country's call. It was good to see and feel his enthusiasm. What a wonderful thing is youth, and yet in its very imma- turity there is always danger of it's doing rash.
 I have nothing but pity for my friend who alone In great city, in the face of great sorrow with no one to help in a moment of frenzied grief gave way to an overpowering impulse and chose to die rather than to live without her to whom he had given his heart. 4 mothers, sisters, or brothers yes be-