The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-09
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

, The mind of man is truly a@wonderful thing. Isn't it strange how one thing suggests another and you start off with one memory and then memories just come trooping?
 wrote little story about the pas tors of Birmingham being excited over the matter of dress, then I picked up a agazine and read story about girl who wanted a fine cloak more than anything in the world and while I was reading it friend confessed to me that his desire for an oyercoat had made him get out and find a better job.
 This led to the question of dress suits and the propriety of ministers owning one. This is a big subject and after the war is over and news becomes scarce we might take up the matter in the paper and spend week threshing it out. am sure I have few friends who would de- fend the ownership of their swallow tails' just as I am confident that have others who could write at least col umn condemning the habit.
 It's a curious thing in the matter of dress that the costume de rigeur' for males is also the conventional dress of walters throughout the world and that is why quite often distinguished guests at social functions have been asked to bring another ice, or fetch an extra cup O. coffee, or do this or that menial ser vice. It has caused many apologies for
 it is hard to mollify the feelings of notable by explaining that he was taken for a serving man.
 I remember more than quarter of a century ago that Harry Stillwell Ed wards, Bill Nye and James Whitcomb Riley were booked for an evening of readings at the old O Brien opera house. It was to be a great social event, for after the reading reception was to be held in honor of the distinguished au- thcrs. Society was all wrought up over having such a trinity of literary celeb. rites. The curtain went up to a packed house.
 I have forgotten even the story which
 Harry Stillwel Edwards read. l just remember it was one of his own~negro dialect ones. Then out stepped Bill Nye. great, big. gawky man in a badly fitting dress suit I have forgotten his jokes, but as long as memory lasts will never forget the awkward picture he made or the apology he gave for ap- bearing in such disguise He started an uproar by casually remarking that
 while he might look funny to the au- dience, no one in it realized just how silly he felt in swallow tail' James Whitcomb Riley made no excuse for wearing dress suit" but those whc will recall his personal appearance will be reminded that he was no male | beauty although he was not only poet 1 ical genius, but one of the most fin
 ished comedians in America, and his lreading of his poems was one of the greatest treats of my life. but there is
 no getting round the fact that he cut ! a sorry figure dressed as he was. i 60 not knOW why put urtSS suit E Zen regle" for those who go on the lee ture plptform.
 l But I started out to tell of mishap I once had in dress suit, was 1 living in Atlanta at the time. Captain and Mrs. Raoul. who had a beautiful home on Peachtree, were giving their old
 est son debut party, and being invited, dressed for the occasion and got on 1! a car and meant to step off near the
 Raoul residence for the young lady who was going with me.
 1 Just in front of her home the street
 makes a decided decline. I swung of the Fear and lit on my feet just in time to
 receive the impact of man on bicycle
 with head low down on his handle bars
 and making record. do not know
 how far hes sent me scrapins along the pavement, but think he vaulted at
 least s5 feet over my prostratc body H.