The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-24
M E N w o M E N
 A N D T H IN G s

told about my speaking experiences at Auburn, but I did not tell about spending the night in the beautiful home of President DoweIl, and meeting his charming wife and lovely children.
 Take it from me, who has travelled all over the state, I know of no more at tractive home than is the one set apart by the Alabama Polytechnic institute for it's president. Architecturally it is gem for it embodies in it's lines the best there is in the old ante-bellum architecture.
 1 know of no more home-like residences than were those in which the men and the women of the old south inhabited. In my humble opinion they outclass many Of the more ambitious and pretentious styles now in vogue where much is given to show and little to comfort and quiet ee- gance
 The setting of house has as much to do with it's attractiveness as the build ings l commend the one about which 1 am writing. The front approach is broad enough to give the idea of ample space. There is no sense of crowding. On either side there is also ample room; but the thing which took my fancy for quiet beauty is the rear view
 Some one wrote a book about back yards and the theme was a plea TOT heaufifyipo tho raar nf hap,as ac uAIi as the front and the sides. l think there is room for much improvement in this line, as I am sure that there are very few places which can stand the acid test of attractive rears No wonder that there has come into vogue the expression. "Oh! Ann back"
 But who ever located the president $ mansion had an artistic eye, for when l was summoned for breakfast I fingered for a bit on the landing leading down stairs to get view of the vista which stretched out in the rear. It was so rest |ful, just the thing needed to start fof the days work. There is a pine thicket | llt pldlfl NlSW WHICH duuS Juot tlide SOuthA ern touch to the landscape which makes it dear to my heart. being native Ala bamian.
 I was sorry that I had to rush from breakfast over to chapel It was one time that I was willing for prayers to wait, as I wanted to let the quiet scenery all about me soak in good. I haven't felt like meditating since the war began. citement, and lived in an atmosphere of hurry. A scene has to be mighty allur- ing and soothing to challenge me to med itation for I live the rabbit life; that is, have not time to tarry, but am always on the jump.
 But after chapel Dr. Dowell said to me, T want to show you over the buildings and the grounds. I wasn't very enthusi- the outside was like fine wine. and was calling on every drop of red blood in me, Come out and enjoy the open" We took a swing round the premises, and I saw much that was inspiring and of interest. am glad that have always loved life, terest me in men. women and things 1 hope others get as much joy out of my daily column about them.
 The first thing we visited was the hor- ticultural department. I like to see growing things, and there is always a fascination to me about greenhouses. l had to buy some roses during the holiday season, and was compelled to pay $5.75 a rather small and not overly fresh, and other flowers were equally high. Just to see them growing in profusion was a relief and reminded me of the times when as a boy we used to have such pro- fusion of them in our south Alabama
 home. I have some myself every spring had a guest from Atlanta in the early ! summer. a florist. who walked out in
 my gardens and remarked, If I had your roses in my ice box could get $S.0U | for them
 Next we dropped in the creamery sta.
 tion and found a class at work This naturally suggested cattle. and soon was watching fine herd in which al
 of the pure breeds was represented. saw some splendid animals, and was no
 surprised tha. it was an Auburn white face" that won the grand championship at the Alabama State Fair. l saw il later win prize at the Nashville f'a' Cattle show held in the Rocky City ir December last. By degrees the institution
 is acquiring better grade of cattle. l Dr. Doweil landed me at the d GOT of the
 class in history. and I went in and lee
 tured from to Il. (There were two sec
 tions. or might have been taken up fol cruelty to animals.) Having put in sucf I d season indoors, I was ready to get 2 breath of fresh air. and after having 2
 delightful talk with Dr. Petrie on Rus
 sia, and~ looking through his library on i the subject. on which he is at presen specializing, put myself under the
 chaperonage of P. O. Davis. the director of publicity.
 | He took me over to see the hogs ane 1 to go through the hog serum plant. mos' interesting and helpful thing. for in Au' burn and on the outskirts the cholera
 had broken out in some small herds. ! was shown tine, various serums and how | they were obtained. It was the first timt I had ever seen so many bob-tailed hogs
 and it was news to me that in obtaining the blood it was necessary to cut off a \ part of a hogs tail:. But let no humane officers get unduly excited. for saw with my own eyes that even those hogs
 whose tails had been shortened from four