The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-24
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

I went down Sunday night with Ar
thur Crowder Harry Coffin, and Cassius
Stanley to meet the Hon. James Hamilton
Lewis, United States senator from I'LL
nois.
placed no special Importance to the
engagement. 1t was just one OF the
things I am called on from time to time
to do. 1t was entirely perfunctory ana
rather against the will as l wanted a
quiet evening with my family.
We stood at the gate where the passen-
gers file out. None of the committee mad
ever seen the gentleman, but it wasn't
necessary in order to pick him out. He
needs to carry no Identification card.
TT is writ large on him that he is
"somebody." We would have spotted
him if we had never seen his picture
It's a strange thing, but nature has
endowed some men with personality
that cannot DE hid, while she dresses
others in drab and they slip through life
without ever getting any notice. But
west. It would take more than the ira
ditional bushel of the Bible to hide his
Il light
There is an indefinable something
about the man which cries aloud for mo-
tice. The funny photographers who at
tribute IT to his shock of dark hair and
pink whiskers and sporty clothes shoot
wide of the mark. He does not have to
glory to make people sit UP and take
notice that "chiels amang 'em;" it's
an inward and not an outward magnet
which draws attention.
| Those who set him down as dude"
do so because they themselves do not
know the difference between mere
"dandy" and your true Partisan "boule-
warbler" One is crude imitation of the
real thing, daub alongside of mas
terpiece. He is what the French call
"chic.'' an untranslatable word which is
more often applied to women than to
men. but every now and then some man
has it. J. Ham Lewis radiates it.
| I am giving this first impression to
show how quickly my ennui was dissi-
pated. for when he sensed that we were
| a committee to greet him, he became
very much alive, and with his true south
ern courtesy, refined and polished in
courts abroad, put us at ease in spite Of
our evident embarrassment as to just
what was the proper thing to do in re-
cceying SO distinguished visitor.
|
| Laugh at it as you may, and frequently
men are ashamed to own it, but we are
all overcome by the presence of man
who has charm of manner. And, pray,
why should not a man of the world, one
who leads public life, have grand
air?" Is rudeness sign of strength?
Are we Americans to always put a prem
| ium on bluntness. just in memory of the
Puritans? I think it's high time that
more of us cultivate the art of being
agreeable.
! do not know where friend Lewis the
will pardon me for Being so familiar.
but we talked SO intimately all Monday
that feel like I have found in him a
\ congenial spirit got his innate courtesy
i and developed his tact unless it was in
the Savannah of the eighties, before he
made his great adventure to the west
and grew up with race of men who
look up to no one. down upon none. but
straight into each others eyes on the
common level Of worth and native man.
hood.
show how an American has the grace OF
the old world coupled to the force OF the
inew world They who put down the
statesman from the state of Lincoln as
a dilletante little know the fineness OF
the steel held in hts gloved hand. No