The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-28
M E N, w o M E N
 A N D T H 1 N G $

-o VI SSJ oHH PAtoS0At
 But famous as is the black belt entering it Is no more celebrated than is the black mud, for while the former clings with persistency which modern ways cannot efface, the latter has a way of sticking which is all its own.
 I thought I had experienced about every class and variety of arteries of travel, from byways to high ways, and in my time have written up some pretty rough roads, but l had something new coming to me when l got my first genuine taste of prairie mud on my recent trip do the hubam clover demonstration and field day.
 do not know why the railroads persist in starting out their trains before the sun gets up, and it al- ways takes the joy out of travel 10 have to take a local on the Alabama Great Southern going either north or south, that Is if you happen to live at Mountain Terrace and do not own a car, for 1t means that you must get up around the peep of day in summer and hustle over to Avondaie to catch a Tidewater, unless you are rich enough to order a taxi.
 Knowing these things was the holy cloud upon the horizon, figuratively speaking, when I got an invitation to the barbecue; but literally speaking, 1t rained nearly all night before the morning l had to get up and make the train. Every moment on my Way over the hill to the car line expected the heavens to open and the rain to descend, and as I was minus raincoat or umbrella and only carried walking stick, I was a bit nervous.
 I was afraid that the Tidewater ! would be unable to get beneath the Terminal station, but while there was a small sized lake in the tunnel, yet rushed over to get breakfast, as I had tiresome ride before me, but the weather was so threatening on the outside that I left portion of the order uneaten for fear that the brewing storm would cut me off from my train. All the way to Newbernel the lowering clouds promised a great downpour and when I got out 1t be- ban to sprinkle, but luckily it cleared up for the day, but 1t kept scores away.
 I have gone into the weather rath- CT extensively in order to lay base for what is to follow. Now, for years I have had my friends who lived in the black belt tell me mar velous yarns about the hardships en- dured by those who make an effort to travel in bad weather across the prairie lands either horseback, in buggies, carriages, wagons or auto mobiles, but I thought they were just "stringing" me.
 | I'll believe them in the future, for they had not told one-half of the difficulty of getting about. l thought it was a bit unusual for spade to be put in the car, and yet did not ask particularly about it. learned later that there was a req son.'' M. c. Crabbe, of Demopolls, kindly offered to take E. R. Root and J. c. Dickman, the bee experts. and me along with J. G. Phillips of New bern to Selma in his automobile and 1 thereby save us.- long wait at way station.
 We were anxious to see the coun- | try and got in the car with joy, and for a few miles sped along the roads with ease until a shower came up and in a few moments it was nec- essary to slow down from a 30-mi]e to a smile clip. thought Crahbe was a most conservative driver. but | the first thing I knew even at the snail-like pace the car had skidded and we were headed in the opposite direction from which we were going
 I wish I had picture to offer Tn evidence to set forth some of the an-
 g,es and circles we made.
 By skillful driving and long ex-
 perience with the slippery roads in Hale, Perry, Sumter, Lowndes and
 other counties with black lands, he managed by~hard effort to stay out of the ditcnes, but could have been
 arrested a score of times for "shim- myif,g." It became necessary to make
 a detour on account of a broken bridge, and it was the cause of our
 troubles. We got stuck in the mud and then the spade came in handy to dig out. It took 10 negroes and
 a pair of mule. to turn the trick. It was a bunch of philosophers anu
 one real superman, for friend Crabbe
 worked wonders. I'll never forget l to my dying day the courtly manner
 of my oldrcollege mate, Louis David son, and the way he bounced out or I Val Taylor's car, which ran up be- hind us. Colley retains the aroma of the old south. and to see him in his
 white canvas shoes. duck trousers I sailor hat out in the mud and ram giving orders to the negroes and yet
 at the same time beaming on our party with the old-time grace with
 which he used to lead the dances
 made profound impression on me as :. well as on the two gentlemen of the
 party who came from the other side
 of the Mason and Dixon line. Here
 after when any one speaks of the