The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-31
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

| Yes, I am in favor of good roads. for
 ir the past 1s years have done my part in riding over bad ones, but believe if it was up to me to award the blue ribbon to the worst stretch in the entire state would give it to the half dozen or more miles from Prescott to Franklin school house in St Clair county.
 l But. then. if it hadn't been so awfully | in need of fixingI wouldn't have received an invitation to attend the community barbecue which was pulled off at Frank lin school house on Thursday, and which proved to be one of the most enjoyable | outings which I have attended this sea- son.
 Of course Sid Lee had hand in it. As matter of fact, he was the prime | mover, and when he moves it behooves others to do so, or be run over by human dynamo which is as hard to stop as an English tank when it gets the whiff of a Roche. won't say that he is as awkward as a tank, but when he gets in action he is as effective. 7 You may have attended one of his nu- ! nerous cues staged in the basement of his big First avenue building, where he manufactures out of sugar, water and ginger his famous beverage which goes by the name of Buffalo Rock. and which has done so much to quench the thirst of the men, women and children 1o1 IL states; but as much as he shines on these occasions, to see him in his full effulgcnce, you must follow him country ward, where he reaches the zenith of his power as an illuminator.
 On Wednesday afternoon Dr. E1wyn Ballard came by for me and my two boys to take US up to his lovely cabin home on Kelley creek to spend the night, So that we might be ready for the bar becue on Thursday. We carried part of the cue with us. My feet rested on a 200-pound dressed pig as my legs were straddling a five-gallon freezer of ice cream. At the side were two sucking pigs in life and full of grunts. The road to Trussville was in fine con- dition and we had no trouble in making it in 45 minutes, but from there to Pres colt it was good, bad and indifferent Every now and then, thanks to Asa Rountree's untiring propaganda, we struck a few miles of the Bankhead high way. Just enough to create an appetite for better turnpikes. We crossed the Cahaba river. mere meandering creek, on an iron bridge.
 
 Now, from Prescott on could readily see why the whole country was coming together to talk about improving it. have been in Fords when they did billy goat stunts in mountain climbing, but, believe me, the Chevrolet jumped across gullies and from peak to peak like a tomcat acourting over backyard fences. If I hadn't been present and bouncing and seeing it-with my own eyes, would have doubted any machines ability to negotiate such a trail.
 Hungry and we'll shaken, we arrived at sunset. but soon forgot our troubles as We sat around the supper table and de- voured fried chicken and all the other good things which makes city man nearly kill himself eating when he gets to sit down for a good square meal with a charming hostess continually saying. Please try some more of this. won't you? Why. you must have lost your appetite on the way
 And then to bed to sleep the sleep of the tired brain worker, whose nerves are racked. without any thought of having to arise to go about the daily grind, but whole fresh day ahead of you to do with it as you please, is enough to make the busiest town dweller sigh to live the simple life. far away fro mthe madding crowd, and he lifts up joyful heart for a short rest from his labors.
 We got up not too early, for our host let us get our beauty sleep. Before break fast down the road an auto stopped and I heard Sid Lee sing out: Hurry up land come on to the barbecue" went down by the roadside near the creek and found that he had Dr. Barnwell with him, and they had to get view of the falls. but only tarried for a short while, and went on to get things started at the school house.
 We drove over about Il and found about 1000 people gathered Sid made for me and said: Now, parson, this crowd has been standing around for sometime and am going to put you up to inter est and hold them until the cue is ready" I readily agreed that it was the proper thing to do. and soon from sthe body of a wagon I was unbosoming my self about many things I had made a trade with the crowd that as soon as got the sign that dinner was served, I would quit, and I did. There was . reason.
 Henry sDozier was introduced as a hu- morist who would make them laugh, and he did, but. believe me, when Henry gets to talking about the automobile club and the future of trucks, he is some little spieler. He made corking good ad- dress. Messrs. Mattox, Cook, Lovelady and others added their part to boosting the necessity of good roads. A petition asking those who would give money or time >was circulated and freely signed.
 The cue was success in every way. vr,t,., =, <o te, x.,n xuo1I <oclx.5 ryp