The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-04
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS


 Kaiser is reaching across the sea and troubling us in our very homes.
 
 It's curious how certain things leave one untouched, while others grip us. have done my share of war speaking. II have many miles of march to my credit in patriotic parades. I have sat at many dinners and listened to men in uniform tell of the battle zone, but somehow none of these things got so close to me as a visit I made on Mon day to attend an auction sale of cattle at Oakwood Hills, the home of Robert N. Bell, the district attorney, at Fulton Springs.
 | knew that for years he had been interested in breeding fine Jersey cat tie, for l had seen his exhibits at the fair-but it seems his duties pressed namesake, until the youngster devel- oped into one of the really great breed CTS in the entire south, being so re- garded by the cattle experts. His herd was one of the choicest in the country. |
 | Now, Robert N. Bell, Jr., the owner 1 of the Oakwood Hills herd, has not yet reached his majority, but to show that he is no amateur when it comes to raising thoroughbreds, saw OK ford Beautiful Gamboge. dropped Oc- tober 30, 1916, bring under the hammer $666, and then go at bargain, for Tom Demsey, the famous salesmanager, who conducts sales all over America and Canada, testified that at some sales knew the worth of such a beauty, she would have brought not less than $500.
 l Now, the point I am trying to bring out is right here in our midst a boy has bred a heifer that was prize win ner at the best shows in the south last | fall. Tn fact, Oxford Beautiful Gam boge, according to three of the best breeders and importers of Jerseys in America, is one of the best they have ever seen. | think it worth while to ake much over the fact that one of our own boys bred one of the most perfect heifers ever | seen in America.
 1 I believe she is headed to be the champion of the United States. When she was led into the ring on Monday afternoon. she got an ovation at the hands of some of the best breeders in the south Now, I am no expert when it comes to judging Jersey beau ties in the COW realm, though I am willing to admit that the Jersey Lily was some peach in the female king dom when she bloomed out as the prize beauty; but Mrs. Langtry in the zenith i of her loveliness, was never lovelier among woman than was the shy, shy heifer, the pride of Oakwood Hills, when she won us all by her satiny coat and big soulful eyes.
 1 The dispersal sale of registered Jer- I sey cattle at Oakwood Hills brought I the war viyidly before me. Young Bob" Bell. after years of hard work, had built up one of the greatest prize | winning herds ever bred and shown in the south. The home, the grounds, | the barns all spoke of peace and pleE- I ty, but I was conscious that while no | zeppelins had flown above it, yet a the chip off the old block had got on his fighting clothes and had vol unteered and would get into the game in July.
 That's what the mad ambition of the Kaiser is doing around the world, forcing men to give up their home life, making them quit their busi- ness and sending them forth to make war against war. If any one at this late day asks you, "Why are we at war with Germany" just cite young Bob" Bells case. which is typical of that of thousands upon thousands who just on the threshold of life have to shoulder arms for the right to live at peace.
 I sat there as the cattle were brought before the crowd. I looked all about on the peaceful scene. I was far re- moved from the roar and traffic of the world. Birds were singing ovsr- head. Chickens were busy on the range. The lowing of cattle every now and then broke the stiffness. Corn in the peighboring fields was knee high The rye was beginning to turn, tn, wheat was ripening. It was hard tc believe that the dreadful submarines were sinking ships at our very doors and yet the noon editions of the pa pers were carrying great headlines about it.
 War had come to Oakwood Hills The auctioneer's stand was draped 1T the national colors, and he stood above the Stars and Stripes. He was selling herd of registered cows. It was ! dispersal sale, and why? Because g Hohenzollern had dreamed of domi- hating the world, and somehow it an. gered me and made by blood boil te think that his arm was long enough to reach into America and make it nee. essary for our best boys to leave ths fields, the shops, the stores, the of fees and stand up to give him { knockout blow.
 } Perhaps you who read this have beer ] called upon to give a boy. For year you had prepared him for his lifel