The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-21

 6Clo one who spends the day Hopping
 afmlessly about the house in
 . pink kimona, drinking lemonades and casting vain lamentations against the weather, nothing could possibly be more appealing than a suggestion from some friend with nice big automobile to go to "West Lake,
 The very name sounds "coor' and de- liciously inviting, ripping waters and gentle breezes, and-well, it was beau tifuI evening, or rather late afternoon, when the golden sun was sinking into the glmmering west, and we started TOT this delightful rendezvous, where the shimmering electric lights vie with the siivery twinklng stars in the azure can- opy above like so many diamonds in the sky, making veritable fairy land of beauty and enchantment
 Once started, we rode on through the sweet scented highways, the perfume laden boulevards, on, on, until we skinned into pretty West Lake just about dusk time, where lovers strolled leisurely about the spacious grounds, happy children played and gamboled- on the green, and delighted married fok" promenaded about-everybody carefree, everybody in a splendid, good humor. To derive all the real benefits and en- joyments from "amusement places" one must indeed turn the hands of the clock ray, 'time"-back, and become "a child again, just for tonight; forget those things which have made you mad and sad, and tired, and old; slough them off for the time, and "hark back" to your rightful heritage, which is, after all, the sublime right to enjoy life as it "seems.
 How shall we 'hark back'?" some one inquires. Well, now, let me see. believe the first mark" would be to get nice little, bright, shining nickle out of your pocketbook as you enter the brilliantly lighted West Lake grounds and buy some chewing gum; and be sure to buy the kind with the flavor you used to love when you were a ''l1iddy" if they've got any of that ancient vintage; that delect- able time when you didn't know the meaning Of the expression ito hark back" the kind you chewed in the days when you played London Bridge and leased the cat. and-well, that's the first step, and then
 Chew it!
 Not furtively as if you were ashamed of it-but honest-to- -goodness-like you enjoyed it, because if you don't your "evening off won't be success.
  whiz!-by the bottle. and gurgle and laugh and talk about--why anybody on earth would want real drinks when they could get such goodies as this delicious beverage-sparkling, icy cold | and delicious!
 l Who cares about July 1, anyhow? | And now it's dinner time, and the Dew Drop Inn" beckons you to "come hither pretty maiden and partake of the | "chicken dinner'' which, if you please, is
 real 'sold timer" with fried chicken and gravy and rice and hot rolls ana corn on the cob, steaming and lovely, and
 the very "best-est things to eat you ever saw ecause-listen--there the
 incest lady who has charge of the Dew Drop Inn," and her name is Mrs. Max Culpepper, and she knows how to make good things to eat and how to serve | them, and she surpasses almost any l housekeeper you've ever seen TOT real l delicious food and things.
 1 And as soon as you've had your chick 1 en dinner why then of course you make your way to the dance pavilion, where myriads of electric lights strung about give an air of scintillant beauty to the place, and the music begins and the soft strains of an Hawaiian" melody or real siazz baby two-step starts. and off l glide the merry dancers, tripping grace fully the light "bombastic toe, as my friend Octavus Roy Cohen would put 1t. | Skating rink and bowling alley a1foru other amusements, while the beautiful West. Lake itself holds out its cordial welcome as if to say, Come in, the waters fine-' and you find yourself echo- ing the phrase by ready response for next thing you know. there you are Tn the bathhouse. shedding your pretty summery ''togs'' and donning stunning bathing suit, and presently emerging ! cr fhn Gaa take a dip in the cool waters of the in viting lake!
 Really, swimmers and hathers declare that there is nothing like a dip in beau- tiful West Lake these hot, arid days of the closing months of summer, to put the ''pep" in you and make you feel as if life were worth the living and that something to the jaded, tired folks or to- day.
 And there isn't bit of danger con cerning accidents and things-drown- ing or anything like that, because 1 there's big, brawny, Capt. J. N. Sey- 1 mour, Jr.--his name sounds athletic and strong and dependable doesn't r the life saver and teacher of swimming ready to rescue thv mId Cor man) who needs him at a seconds notice. And by. the way, Capt. Seymour is the only Registered life saver in an in land swimming place in the south something to Birmingham's creditor
 rather Bessemers or still better West Lakes.
 And now I've saved the very best last, because I havept even mentioned N the clever people who are responsible 1 for the present West Lake-namely Mir and Mrs. J. A. Keith.
 There's an interesting story back oi their achievement, because we al know that five years ago West Lake was hardly s'on the map" while today it is high class, amusement place refined. orderly and we'll run.
 MT Keith is one of the very nices' people I've ever met; his bright homes, face is but an indicationiof his splendle character and fine ambition and as hf
 told me when I was talking to hin
 about the big success he'd made O
 West Lake:
 I I've had my. ups and downs all rsgnt IT started at the very bottom or tn'
 ladder: sold peanuts and am not asham
 ed of it-apd I know the game prett!