The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-28
M E N <, w o M E N
 A ND T H IN c s

TOT excuse that he was busy and dldn care to take the time to go out in the street or even look out of the window.
 
 Now if it had been any one else save him I would have thought he was mere ly feigning indifference, but knowing not have the time to bother about watch ing the ascension. It's curious how some people regard the value of time.
 l recall when a boy my father told me that it was said that there were men living in the sound of Niagara who had never seen the falls. 1 am sure that such thing would be in the range of possibility, if my friend had been reared in it's neighborhood for although he has travelled abroad he has as little curiosity as any one I have ever known.
 But thank the Lord some 10000 to ao000 citizens of Jefferson county, ranging from babe in arms to grandparents were interested enough to make the pilgrim age to North Birmingham. Thousands walked, thousands used the street cars, thousands rode out in automobiles. It was field day fof rich and poor, high and low. white and black and every body had a holiday. air.
 No danger of my ever becoming her init for I love crowds-you can't get too many folks together to suit me-the moro xuil ing to be jostled and to put up with in- conveniences if I can feel the thriii which comes from being present in vast concourse of men, women and cnii- dren and watch their pleasure or note the way in which they voice their dis pleasure.
 I had no idea there were so many au- tomobiles in Jefferson county as were parled along the various reads around tho ground set apart for the balloon as- censon They were on hand or every make and age and the homeward process sion made the ones from Redwood park honr-ward bound after tho ball games look like small town aftaEs- It was hard driving with the aid Of the scouts at inc cross roads and the dust was something fearful. l was riding "ltn Joe Loveman and was amused at his little girl who remarked to the occupants of tho car in the rear, Excuse my dust. as Wallace Reid says"
 went out Friday afternoon to see the layout so that I would get clearer idea of the show Saturday afternoon. It was a busy sight The white duck cloths Tn which the balloons were rolled up hao been spread on the grass and the ex- merits were busy unfolding them and, be- lieve me, in some cases it was a tax on patience as the folds were stuck together because of the treatment Of the materlai Of which they were constructed. Labor was scarce and the officers pulled off their coats and lent hand.
 Everything had been planned Nothing was left to chance. Each balloon was as signed it's place. The big nine-inch pipe coming from the by-product plant ieo 10 six-inch one which intersected the field and in turn at each point where q ha1,oon was stationed four-inch pipe led to it. I fooled around for couple of hours talking with the balloonists, ioshing my friends and every now and tben giving someone lift, TOT tnere was always an opportunity to heip m some way
 I left before sundown with the oai- looms spread out flat on top Of the oucA coverings and with the huge fish like nets arranged in order to hold doWn the hal gs when they became filled With gas. The thing however, which struch me most was the great number Of wnite canvas bags filled with sand or oeihs filled which were set around 10 pc useo in holding down the balloons. No sooner had the man left the great piies OF sano than the little boys and girls took posses sion of them and played as naturally and as contentedly in them as If they were in their own yards.
  Saturday afternoon. with my nane- sake, I caught a ''jitney" and was con- graduating myself on having quick 1 and easy way to get out without being crowded, but before reaching the grounds | I enc of them was sitting in my lap q, was a man) I got on the field about f. but was by no meanns the first to arrive l It was quite a different looking scene i from the one I had looked on the after 1 noon before. Eleven balloons were wallowing in the mild breeze and every TOW and then would gently touch one another
 
 l I walked down tall path with tower. | ing balloons on either side. It was like a glorified midway. The last finishing 1 touch was being put on each by loyins hands? There was a hurrying to ant | fro among the contestants, as there wa. excitement pervading the crowds whici like the mammoth air bubbles sweilet | and rippled as men and women walked up and down between them. Balloonnt does not make the appeal to me tha aeroplanirs does and yet in spite o' myself caught the contagion of tn, hour and wished to be passenger. l I walked from balloon to balloon ant chatted with some of the pilots and aid. | whom I had met and took occasion t, 1 examine the hangers in which they wer to stay during the flight. They were al nearly alike in shape and size, but my l what a difference in the manner il which they were packed and in the vari ety of things which were carried. Som, were as neat as lady's boudoir. whil, others were as topsy turvy as man den q mean the kind where the marie, male hides himself from his mate an, not the stiff affair seen in the iron
 part of many homes).
 l ,..acptt l..