The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-10
M E N, w O M E N
 A ND T H N G s

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 A cat may look at king, and a hum ble reported may follow in the footstep of Thackeray. I am reminded of this by an introduction I got recently. The in troducer said: T know you all have read Dr. Barnett's column, about Men, Women and Things and the things he has eaten on his trips"
 Lovers of Thackeray will recall that all cerning food and drink. Being a preach CT. l have to pass by the drinks, but l make up for it in eatables, and so fol- lowing in the wake of my literary mas ter, dare to set table in this column every opportunity I have, for victuals like the weather Is always a live topic The night before had been to the hun dred-dollar dinner at the Tutwiler, and so I was in prime condition to accept an invitation to dine which came over long distance on the following noon at Hoop CTS cafe. It was John w. Inzer pastor Of the First Baptist church. Chattanooga, who was doing the inviting. and I ac- cepted at once, for I knew it would be an enjoyable meal.
 
 1 He said T have just been on bird hunt and am bringing in a bag of game. Get Dick (which interpreted meant Dr. A. J. Dickinson) and meet be at Hooper's at o'clock He arrived on train which gave him time to have the birds cooked, and believe me, when sat down to quail on toast with all of the trimmings, felt that old times had come again, for in my regular partorates hunted a great deal and never failed to have birds in season | Dr. Dickinson informed me that he had been sick for about 10 days. but while he did look bit under the weather. no- ticed that he ate with what is denomi- mated "a coming appetite" which was most pleasing to the host, who Is a good feeder himself, and likes to see others eat heartily. He had nothing to com plain about the way I got on tho outside of couple of cartridges.
 John never comes to town without dropping in on me, and while I am ai- ways glad to see him, I can truthfully say that his last visit was one of the pleasantest that he has ever made. I | say this not only because he fed me on birds. but on account of his having put | it into my mind to go and see Light nin." I had somehow concluded that did not care for it, as got it into my head that it was very much on the or der of old Homestead and I had about got my fill of it.
 1 He told me how for several seasons that Milton Mobiles had come to Chattanooga. and coached the Rotary play, which it seems is one of the annual features of his home town. It seems that it is used l as a means to raise a charitable fund, which has ranged from several thousand to more than s1o.ooo. Three performances are given. I wasn't surprised that the Chattanoogans were daffy about the wonderful old actor.
 l I, promised John I would go down and
 see the play and meet Milton Nobles. I was glad that I was the four-minute speaker. as the house was sold out and standing room was at a premium. Friend ! Williams, the stage manager of the Jeff ferson, kindly gave me chair behind the curtain, and I got to be almost in
 was the most natural bit of acting l
 have ever seen in my life.
 Before the curtain went up had a
 talk with Milton Nobies in his dressing v>Ia r; hrrt
 when looked into his face. heard his voice and saw his gestures, it all came
 back in flash that had enjoyed him
 as boy. I said: Didn't you play in Eufaula about 40 years ago?" Yes" he
 answered. T remember 1t we'll" It all lcame to mind how he and Dolly Mobiles.
 his wife, had thrilled me as a lad.
 He doesn't seem to act when he is on the stage: he just walks through his part. I could hardly distinguish between tho man and the actor, for in our talk before the play began he got in a rem iniscent mood, and enjoyed his conver- sation as much as I did his acting He is just simply a kind-hearted, lovable man, and his part in "Lightnin fits him like glove. I asked him about his wife and found out that she was in Bir- mingham with him. and that they had lived together in the same house in
 Brooklyn for 40 years.
 I Talking about natural acting, not only was Milton Nobles great in his simplicity but every member of the show was 3 star. It was by far the best balanced cast that have seen for many year 1 say without hesitation that the court room scene was the truest to life of any II ever saw staged and acted. It was done with all the fitness of the players of the Theatre Francaise. It was simply night art both as to acting, makeup and staging. At times actually felt that
 a sure enough trial was in progress sat with my back to the wall just on the left side of the big curtain, where I could face the players. Now. the acid
 test of 2 show is how the stage hand. like it. All the time that the acts were lin progress they were grouped where they could watch It, and they were just
 as interested in it as if they had not seen it the night before, and dozen times or more one of them would slip ur to me and say, Doc, watch him or her
 and you'n see something great.
 '
 I But curious thing was that while IT could not see the audience was taware all the time how the play wal
 reacting on it. could hear the hrs' litter as 1t broke down near the orcnes'
 laugh as 1t travelled back towards the entrance doors or mounted into the bal icony, and then leaped high into the gal. Ilery. It was simply the bubbling over tof hundreds of delighted men and women
 who for the moment had forgotten their