The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-16
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

man came into our midst perfect lstranger and in few days he seemed a Ipart of Birmingham. Now, l maintain that it takes a real man to be able to dc lthis. and so this is going to be story about a man.
 was standing in the lobby of the Tut lwiler, where I am often to be found, for lit is my happy hunting ground for hotel Hobbies, and some one whom l now for get. said: "Dr. Barnett, I want you to lmeet Lieutenant Sharman." l murmureo the conventional things which one gen lerally gets off when presented to stranger, and walked on.
 | I have met scores of army officers, and I never realized that I was passing up mighty fine chap. But had something else on my mind and went about my business. Then the great night came on 1 which ile and others spoke at the Tut
 wiler, but it so happened that just before | he spoke had to leave, for l was billed l to make a four-minute talk at the Bi]ou. | lHerald and found out that the represen- tative of the British army had made Init, and ail day people were asking me- I'Did you hear the Canadian; wasn't he lperfectly wonderful?" I confessed that IT missed nearing him, but somehow ldidn't sense just how much had missed, ! for am at present bit overloaded on war oratory (Perhaps that's why T am continually trying to unload it on some- body else.)
 | The next time he spoke was at the great Bessemer celebration, but l was put up first, as I had an engagement. and had to hurry back to Birmingham. 1 I had told him that I regretted that would have to leave, as had been com ipelled to do on former occasion. He laughingly reminded me that it wasn't compulsory and that he would readily excuse me-
 Shortly after this we were again slated l to speak from the same platform at the Elks hall in Ensley, and he jokingly asked if I was going to jump once more. Now, it had ceased to be a joke to me, but the truth was I was first on the pro- gramme, as I had to rush 10 another
 place. It got to be jest between us that I was an artful dodger, and doing, my
 best to avoid hearing him.
 1 Now, I had made up my mind that would refuse all engagements and sit l with him on the platform at the Jeffer- l son and hear him to the end, but believe it or not, about o'clock it became neces- sary for me to go out of town on some Important business and once more I mad to pass the man up about whom every
 body was speaking in the highest praise. Seeing that he was down for the "boos- Iters" lunch at the Hillman on Saturday, I determined to go and hear him. I got to the door and found it damned. Several of the laddies at the speakers table came and urged me to take their seats, a thing
 absolutely out of the question, although I I greatly appreciated their desire to have me share in the meeting. I stood just at the inside of the door for quite awhile, when an unoccupied seat between two charming matrons was found, and took it, for had made up my mind to stick by the lieutenant if I had to stand dur ing the luncheon.
 Lieutenant Sharman has what few men have and that is charm. Many women have it, but it's rarity in the male sex. It's personality plus, and then some, but
 hard as it is to define, you come under it's influence the moment you are in it's presence. I have seen a few preachers
 who had it, a few actors who possessed it-yes, few society men upon whom the gods had showered it. Any one who has seen and heard the lieutenant has felt
 what am vainly trying to put down in black and white.
 Tn the first place, without being hand some, his face is particularly good to
 look upon. It's face that wins child
 on sight, face that any dog will wag it's tail at. a face that any mother would trust her daughter with. It's strong.
 but with the strength of tenderness, as if it had been softened instead of being
 hardened by the awful things it had been compelled to face in the heat and hell Of battle.
 It was an this in repose, but when 1t lit up with a smile. 1t was irresist;ble 1t just seemed as if it scattered sunshine even in the dampness and darkness of the trenches. and there was a glow in lit that even spread out over No Mans Land, and you basked in its warmth
 even as he was telling of nights visit to F'ritz and meeting Fritz on visit to Tommy Atkins, and both consolidating
 to make the other believe that no one was about.
 Is, in the sense in which we are accus- toned to use the term; but what Is bet
 ter. he is born story teller. An audience
 will quickly tire of the most eloouent
 orator. but no crowd ever tires of the
 man who knows how to tell story We
 are all just grown-up children, and as 1
 sat and heard him tell one experience
 after another in his own inimitable way.
 II was a child again, and when he fin
 ished and sat down, I felt like saving:
 Just tell me one more story, and l
 promise you I will go right to bed" It's
 "a rare art.
 He made us see the war, and without lie bo-rors bo 4.,-lA