The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-28
M E N E, w o Nj E N
 A ND T H IN C $

poem about in the Atlanta Constitution
 many years ago.
 But, oh what difference in the morning. l had to get up Sunday
 morning before day. 1 somehow scent
 ed trouble for all night in my sub consciousness beneath the strata of joy
 was a feeling that 1 was going to miss my train and I did.
 : The alarm clock was on the job and
 sounded like the fire department was 1 climbing Summit avenue with steam [ escaping and whistles blowing. 1
 jumped out of bed and rushing into my clothes I ran down stairs and out on
 the porch to find when l hit the side walk that slight rain had fallen. l discovered that I was poor wealth ! CT prophet. for l had predicted cold | and settled weather for the week. anl had backed my judgment by dressing ] for sunshine; but the lowering clouds above hung too low for me not to know that 1 had made a mistake. But I didn't have a moment to spare to run l in and maoe a change of raiment l 1 raced over the hill, which hides , Avondale park from me. and l had
 the streets all to myself. was pass 1 ing through territory infested by hold up men but the weather was too bad 1 even for bad men to be up and about their nefarious business. I felt that | the s2 had to pay for my ticket was
 as safe as in safety vault.
 i It is always relief to reach Spring street, for it is moderately well light ed and there are usually some pedes-
 trians coming or going. 1 hurried OH down to the all-night restaurant near the Seaboard tracks and thinking had | five minutes to the good l stepped in to get a cup of coffee to keep me awake, and also to warm me up, for It was quite wintry.
 The Greek who runs the place was in
 anma ted conversation with a police man. l gathered from the scraps of conversation which floated to me where I sat on the stool drinking my coffee 1 that he was giving the officer tip
 about the holdup men who had been terrorizing nearby section of the community. He was talking like q Gattling gun and gesticuating like & windmill. I thought he was hot on the l trail of the criminals
 l noticed that the man in uniform seemed rather bored and listless in comparison with the excitement and self in the gentleman from Greece. Yawning the bluecoat went out of the door, and I said George, why didn't the officer take your advice?" "Oh, he replied with indignation, "he
 no believe Alexander can tell the po thieves" l was wise as to why the , policeman was so indifferent, but George believes with all his soul that Alexander is the boy to catch the hold up gang.
 went on over to the Alabama Great Southern tracks and not seeing anyone waiting to get on, l began to feel un- easy. Just then the flagman came out of his sentinel box. and I asked him if the accommodation had run and he told me "she had" I knew somebody or something had blundered. l tried to put it first on the alarm clock, but it raised it's row according to the way it was set. I then tried to blame the officials of the road for tampering with the schedule, but all the time I knew that I was the individual who had balled matters up
 ITO go or not goT' became the ques- ton. I was nightly tempted to re- turn home and crawl back in bed and wire that l had been left; but~some- how there is something in my get-up that keeps me on the move, and so l went over to the East Lake car line and caught one going east and got of
 at the Gate City junction. I waited for what seemed to me hour. The fruit stand had not opened and I was beginning to think that maybe the
 Birmingham Railway. Light and Pow CT company had annulled the cars un- til the 7-cent fare went into effect. when one turned the curve
 I got on it headed for Gate City, where l hoped to get 'jitney'' for 1 Trussville. Arriving before the fruit
 stand was opened for business, I spied two fellows who looked like. they had made a night of it. They had built 9 fire and were standing around it with hesitated for a moment about joining them, but went over boldly and wished them the compliments of the season, but neither of them had caught the Christmas spirit although they let me warm by their fire without complain ing.
 shortly the route boys showed up to get their Sunday papers. and things livened up bit. for the lads rustled around and found some large discarded paper boxes and made a bonfire of them. I was waiting for the first car from Trussville. while the two men
 were waiting for the "wienie" stand to open as they were hungry. We all had long wait. Finally l saw man coming from towards Birmingham in
 car to himself and l stood out in the road and waived at him and he slowed down.
 He was good fellow and agreed to I take me as far as Tfussville l jumpe in and soon was cold all the way through. We had gone about 10 miles when he looked into the bottom of the car sand smoke was pouring | Nr0 frvIs l.