The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS


 the 'shorters.
 This was the occasion of his re- lating an experience he remembered in his boyhood days. He lived down below Eufaula at Ozark. and it was the custom for the latter place to do its marketing at the former. and there being no railroad at that time there was large wagon trade.
 He told how one afternoon when the sun was going down and he and his father had taken out the mules and tethered them and were making ready for the night, that gentleman in his buggy stopped by the roadside and greeted them pleasantly. for they had chosen for site a place near the home of John Gill and Eli shorter.
 Mir. Bowling said he remembered his father saying, 'rWell.. Colonel, I reckon you never camped along the roadside in this way? to be laughingly told that he had only done it many times, but had enjoyed it greatly. It w as FIJI ClOtttis WnO aLlCi WdA to 4 SP resented his district in Congress. He hospitably told them to call on him Eff they needed anything and drove on.
 Not long ago, one of my readers wrote, saying that while he had never lived in Eufaula+ that in tho old days he used to go there and recalled some of the leading citi- zens, and further stated that one thing which always attracted his attention was the large number of covered wag ons he used to see in the streets which had come in from Dale county, and asked me 1T I wouldn't write a story about them.
 It used to be one of the joys or my boyhood to go in and out amovy the wagons as they lined up in front of Harts block. I would come troop. ing down College hill and turning into Barbour street, through the Mitchell alley above what was then the old Keyles place to watch with keen irI- terest the string of wagons filing In from Abbeville. Ozark. Louisville and Newton.
 It was always a source of wonder how one man could drive four mules, and the maner in which they racked their whips sent thrill of delight through my boyish soul. I thought if only one day I could grow up and be able to do such feats that my cup of joy would surely run over. I reckon some of you who read this will sym pathize with me in making a hero out of the tesinsters.
 I used frequently to go hunting with my older brother. Willie, who, in his latter days was troubled with cough and who spent the greater part Of his time in the season out in the fields. He would take me along to carry his game bag. It was always a source of happiness as the sun got lower in the heavens to run across the teamsters unhitching near aight.
 
 You know there is an odor about ham which somehow goes right to | the spot which tickles ones appetite. I can walk along a city street. even ! now, and get whirf of it and have a desire to invite myself in to get a slice; but to get the real flavor it must float up out of frying pan and l cfr;l T we tramp in the fields. as the embers glow and burn. and she red meat siz- zles. Oh. city man. with an appetite which is cloyed and needs coaxing, what would you give to have the raw enous desire to eat that used to seize on you when you were just bare- footed country boy, and got near the house and the fragrance Of ham per meated the ambient atmosphere? | ss
 I And then to see them make hoe cake. There are many ways to spoil a meal in the preparation of corn bread I am sure of one thing, and l that is it was never intended that meal was to be spoiled with the ad- dition of eggs and butter and lot of other things which improve flour, but are the ruination of meal. The best way to cook meal is after all the ! simplest and handmade, water cooked hoecake baked brown over live coals beats all the corn mullins in | the world. My. what artists the team sters were in frying ham and making hoecakes.
 There was one teamster I will never l forget He was the bad man of the ! lot. He was the typical country bully ! who was ever ready to bulldoze a town man. He was noted. for he had been | at his trade of picking rows for many years and in that time had whipped quite a lot of townspeople. His sue cess went to his head and at last he became insufferable. as is always the case. and then one day he met his l Waterloo.
 rather undersized, quiet. gentle manly fellow came to town as a cot ton buyer and as was the custom in those days. used to hang around the corner just across the Methodist church l waiting for the cotton wagons to roll in It was understood that each buyer sample He had been warned about the bully. He was told to be very care full in cutting his cotton or he would have a fight on his hands. Then one day the bully hove in sight
 with his four mules and the cotton piled high on the wagon. The unas- suming and rather consumptive new conner went up and. pulling his knife