The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-28
M E N w o M E N l,
 A ND T H IN c $

In the entire soutn, ana WHeH OS- casionally look at the thickness of the trunk of my family tree with it's multitudinous branches, l. am con vinced that race suicide was a thing that my forebears took good pains to keep from being charged to them.
 
 I have always been willing to claim kin with any one who had the least desire to trace any relationship and I call quite few cousin who l am sure are only cousins" by cour- tesy; and yet I find it's an. agreeable thing to pretend that in some way, although it may be far removed, the same current of blood moves in the veins. In spite of what l am going to reveal, l do cherish sentl- ment for relatives.
 Here is my confession, and l am at a loss to account for it, but until last week l had never seen q first cousin, although he was a man who had reached middle life. I had heard of him from time to time and taken an interest in his affairs, but somehow our paths never crossed. He was born and reared in the vicinity of Nash vile, Lut, while my older brothers had visited his home, I never availed myself of the opportunity during my boyhood and youth.
 
 l ain just setting out these de- as to show that ~even here in the south where we make much of our "kinnery" it is possible for two first cousins to reach the age of fifty without ever having met, al though the families had been in timate all during that time. On reaching manhood, he went to New York to live, and for the past 20 years has lived in southern Florida, residing for nearly 10 years at Tampa and spending the other 10 at St. Petersburg.
 Well, recently having some leisure, he concluded that he would spend the time to visit some of his mothers relatives, and so it was with pleasure that we learned he would come to Birmingham and get acquainted He came, and it was joy to meet him and his wife. Now. here is another curious thing about human relation ships, as he married an Ohio girl and after the marriage discovered that at fathers had fought against one an- other. their companies being opposite in the engagement.
 After he had looked over the Bir- mingham district and seen how it was built on coal, iron and steel, asked him how he liked our indus tries, to be told, that while it was all wonderful. yet, he preferred the chief staple of commerce around which St. Petersburg was built. And what may it be?" 1 queried, only to learn that it lived off of tourists" It's new resort town which thrives on visitors. A dozen years ago it had no paved streets and only few brick buildings, when quarter of a century back, it was scarcely more than fishing station.
 It's normal population at present is only about 15,000, and yet in the hei.rht of fba Saaeou v-i,iob ,a.+. around four months, it cares for at least 5o,o00 guests. My first interest came in it when my old friend J. Lee Barnes, for years the manager of the Majestic, and for while the lessee of the Aragon, both Atlanta hosteleries, pulled up stakes and bought one of the great coast hotels al St. Petersburg. Then the bunch of "Rotes,' which came here for the re- cent district conference, put it on the map, for they were real live. wires"
 More and more Florida is becoming the playground not only of the rich but the well-to-do class which can afford to turn it's back upon the wintry winds and seek the balm ana sunshine of the Land of Flowers" My cousin tells me that the evening paper at St. Petersburg for at least 12 years has given away each edi- tion on the dly when the sun failed to shine, and that the records show that only about 50 editions have been distributed by the newsboys free. Florida is rapidly encroaching on California s the mecca for tourists.
 My cousin. Hardy Bryan. informs me that the whole city deyotes itself to trying to make the visitors lave a good time. and that friendliness and fellowship are the biggest thing in the community. There is only one private home in the town, and it's owner has sign stating. This is a private home" on his lawn in order to keen from being annoyed by people rin.r- ing the door bell to inquire about rooms. Every other home in the citv is open to tourists. and frequently. the citizens at the height of the season are urged from the various pulpits to- sec if they can't double or do some- thing to make room for the overflow. Everybody on the streets holds out glad hand of welcome and it's paying not only in dollars and cents but in goodwill.
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