The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-23
M E N w o M E N
 A ND T HIN c s

| fond mothers for bragging on their children, but men are not one whit behind them when 1t comes 70 four flushing" about their kids. l This is the reason why I made bold to eyince pride in my namesake on his eleventh birthday on account of his size. as well as his ability to cook. knew perfectly we'll that it would strike responsive chord in the heart of many father.
 | I'll never forget a famous lecturer whose hair, whitened by age, took his audience into his confidence dur ing the Spanish-American war by reciting a thrilling deed done by one of the young soldiers In the great sea battle, and proudly winding up with, that boy was my grandson It was such touch of nature that the crowd gave him a great send-off.
 have friend who has a sen only three years old, and yet his whole life is wrapped up in his off spring. l have had to go about quite a bit and he spends half the time in telling me about his wonder kid, and in planning for his future. He has course marked out for his son up to his graduation day.
 l remember once being in the home of dear old grandmother, and she was telling me how silly lot Of women were who always talked about the smartness of their grand children, and the dear old soul per feotly unconscious Of what she was doing began a rhapsody about one of her daughters babies that was a classic. Did 1 laugh? I did not. honored her for being so natural. But have seen grandfathers just as fool ish about grandsons.
 I'll never forget being in Chicago one Sabbath and going around to a great city church to attend the Sun day school, presided over by one of the most noted superintendents, teachers and authors in the world. It was an up-to to-date Sunday school in every particular; but I have for gotten it's many eXcellencies in re- membering how little fiveyear old grandson bullied his grandfather and led him around at will, despite the fact that the old gentleman was a world figure.
 
 But the two craziest "daddies' that l have ever known are my friends. Thomas Jefferson Bailey and Ellis c. Hollums, young men well known in the newspaper world throughout the south; both of whom cut their eye teeth on Birminghaa papers. The former having for the time being fallen from grace, being tempted by larger stipend to be- come business man, but the latter still on desk at Jacksonville.
 It is a good thing that a great distance intervenes between them for I am sure that if they lived in the same town that neither of them could attend to much business, for [. Jefferson is not hard to get into q conversation on any subject, but when the topic has to be his name- sake, it can be truthfully said that he is postmaster in the art of con tinuous and rapid fire talk.
 Now, Ellis himself is no slouch when he gets wound up. I'll concede that as a conversati ionalist he is not a self-starter life Jeff, but when properly cranked he is good to run until the gas gives out if he hap pens to be telling about the mar velous intelligence of Dan, his in weening affection, and whose brigat ways are never ending source Of wonder and qualification to him.
 For years Jeff and Ellis have been "buddies," but the advent of son in the home of each came very near breaking up a long friendship, as neither one of them showed the least signs of fair play when 1t came to a QfVISIon or llHue WHeu nv e"AN was about their respective infants. At first blush it would seem that Jefr had the advantage. as he gets going quicker than Ellis in "talhfest," but Ellis outweighs him as hold over. and never says quit 'spieler'"
 Jeff said to Ellis one day. Look here. old sport, I am fed up on Dannie.' lThe way you feed me about his beauty and his bright ways, with never a thought of giving me chance to put in good word for Jeff, Jr.' inclines me to the opinion that you are a glutton about him. If I could get in word edgewise, would let you know that my name sake keeps me so busy keeping him off the chicken run that haven't time to hear about your boys first molar." ''Is that so!' answered Ellis. "Ill state for your benefit that Dan is using a safety razor" The joke of it all being that Jeff. Jr. is six months old and Dannie> is just t month younger
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