The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-05
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

nut one over me- for when they double teamed on me, remembered long years l ago when I was happy barefoot boy and wanted a dog more than anything in all the world, how good my father was to me.
 1 Now, my father, while a physician dur ing the civil war, had acted as the local Methodist minister in the days when to belong 10 the conference in any way and be in good standing meant that one of the requirements was the orthodox num- Der of children, and so I was reared in home where there were many sisters ard brothers.
 Just for safety, father, who was the hindest man 1 have ever known in all my life, had to put prohibition against dog owning. for if all of his sons had been dog lovers and indulged fondness for keeping one each it would have been necessary to turn the place into a ken mel. l merely state this to clear him of being a dog hater.
 One day at school one of the hpys told me about old man Miller, who lived about two miles out of town, having some of the prettiest rat and tan pups he had ever seen, and asked me if I did not want to go with him to see them. It was just what I wanted to do, and so after school turned out in the afternoon 1 went with him. It meant that I just must have one of them.
 MP. Miller was a kindly old man, but very poor He said he could not afford to give me one, and it was against his religion to sell dog. and besides, he luck, and he wasn't going to take any risk, but that he had figured it out anc laecordng to his calculations it cost him about one bushel of meal to feed each puppy and while he wouldn't think ask ling me money for one that if I would give him the meal could take my pick.
 
 There was a mill on the way home and stopped by and anxiously inquired the told that it was 50 cents, my heart sank within me, for bear in mind I was just a wee bit Of boy, and in those days parents wisely refused to spoil their chill dren by giving them money to throw away. I am glad that early in life was taught the value of money and the sinful ness of waste. It's lesson many need to learn in these days of need. fa, ,,;a al md t.pn and I got to work as only boy can who has great incentive to get together certain sum for something he wants mighty bad. The thrift campaign which seeks to enlist children in making and saving IS teaching thousands lessons in industry and economy who would not have been reached in any other manner. The propaganda of Crawford Johnson in the state and Joe Loveman in Jefferson county calls for the assistance of us all. l rsHNs
 There come happy moments in our lives which cause many in after days to recall them with joy I have had many good things to come to me as l have walked down the years, but do not be- lieve I was ever happier than when finally got within my possession a shin ing half dollar which was my very own to spend as I pleased without consulta-
 tion or advice from any one for just what I desired.
 More than 40 years ago it was happy boy who with 50 cents in his pocket, and a meal sack in his hand, to serve the double purpose of carrying the price of the pup and for use in bringing him se- cretly home, struck a trot out of Eufaula and across the Chewalla creek bridge to the outskirts of Hoboken to get a dog which was to be smuggled into the barn. l Tn the twoscore years which have elapsed since that day, I have traveied far and wide and visited and lived in many different cities and countries, but
 to me the going for, the buying of, and the home bringing of that black and tan
 puppy was my great adventure. It was my first bit of business. it was my first venture into trading, it was the first time had acted on my own initiative. l 1 had ceased to be mere member of a family and had become an individual. knowing what l wanted. ready to work ! for it. and to risk my fathers displeas-
 ure.
 For days I kept Jack" hid out in the
 barn securely fastened in box. After school while father was uptown I would
 take him out and play with him in .he
 stable lot. Later on I got boder and let , All this time father was in ignorance
 that I owned dog. But he was grow ing and getting bolder all the time 1 knew the day would come when ne
 would be discovered and I dreaded i.. l And then one noon I went home for dinner and father was on the back porch, and as l .urned around the house to look for my pet. great horror seized ne.
 The awful moment had arrived. for there was Jack racing up the stairs and barking and romping around father s feet. It was the end of the world for me. The sky had fallen the sun had grown dark, the earth had opened l stood !transfixed.
 I was finally brought to consciousness by fathers asking in most matter Of fact way, '.Son. whose dog is this21 Mine I weakly replied. Well, you know do not want my hoys to have