The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-09

case ne QeelQeu to come.
 But the hardest thing in the world to overcome is a sincere. ardent de- sire expressed toward us. even from the lips of strangers; and. as the fi- naEcier sat still and heard great deal more about Birminghams pos- sibilities than he could dream ex- isted, a sort of whimsical smile came to his lips.
 By thunder" was the thought that passed through his mind. its been so long since anybody seemed to want me for myself--or even seemed to want me at all except from the money standpoint, I'm actually en- toying it."
 If this youth represents the spirit of Birmingham the town can't help but grow"
 No Idea of Coming
 Not that Wallis Elberton had any idea of coming to Birmingham. He didn't have. Still he did not express himself.
 That he coveted the ghost mansion Bcb was sure, but if Bob had known it. he had sold him the house the mo- ment Elberton's eyes fell upon the drawings. The little quizzIcal express sion in the mans forehead was caused from the fact that he was trying to place the house, in his minds eye. on the proposed Chicago tract of land. Because Bobs picturi- zation of the Birmingham setting was So much more beautiful, he could not be satisfied.
 Suddenly, the financier turned to his friend.
 T don't believe I'll take today's train. It would rush me too much. And we won't be able to get through these plans in a moment"
 He turned to Bob, for he was most direct in speech.
 T want these plans. They exactly suit me. How much do you ask for them"
 Bob was as quick.
 Not darn cent if you'll come to Birmingham"
 9 Then he leaned across the table on both his elbows.
 He knew the plans should have been worth as many hundreds to him as he felt the man would stand for. Wasn't that the usual business viewpoint2
 For a minute Elberton, the wealthy and eccentric, sat flabbergasted.
 Something Familiar
 Bob was looking at him, one eye slightly closed, but unwaveringly.
 aYoung man." said Elberton. will you pronounce your name to me again?"
 Bob Landon."
 "Where are you from?f a#s"Been here all my life"
 You couldn't possibly be akin to the Bannisters, could you2 You look so much like a pal 1 grew up with in England. Talk like him. walk like him. think like him"
 Pm positive 1 couldn't" said Bob who was rather uninterested in the D turn the conversation had taken, and thu personal equasion-since he was not a conceited youth--was not en- crossing "All the relatives have. l think, didn't wander any farther than Georgia and Alabama"
 Wallis Elberton shook himself from the subject reluctantly. the reason being that the memory of his youthful days was alluring.
 Look" he queried. suppose should do what you asls. What could Birmingham offer me?''
 According to Ideals y That depends on your tempera- ment" flashed Bob. Tt offers ev- .erything to man according to his conception. I am not so much in- terested in what the town would offer you as l am in what you would offer the town. We need builders. We need men of big conceptions. Enough coal and ircn lie in this district to supr5ly the entire world for 100 years at present consumptzn. There is no doubt tn l. birmingham is a success will be success, but whether IL is to continue always just coal ana siron industrial center or become real metro oils wherein the arts may be learned and patronized, de- ponds on the tyre of men we call our substantial citizens. I'm afraid
 fo a successful fact or mine operat- prs who actually give not hoot vhether the general citizenry IS trained in learning, in arts and sci- ence. in literature, in ideals. music and pictures, in poetry a. song, Tn the finer things that the world holds dear and which make lie worth while,--just so long as they get enoagh day labor to do tnelr workP
 .But maybe I'm like tn myself, hedgel E1berton.
 . Bob straightened in his chair.
 "Then don't come" he said em- phatically. We have too many of that sort to deal with now"
 Som chow Bobs answer dug so deeply into the mans soul he became abashed. His companion actually wondered what local citizens Bob could be thinking about-for his type of mind was not the sort that could conceive of things in general. ..He always thought in particular and definite objects.
 What Sort of Futures n Bob brought him to generalities, the,rh, very rapidly with tlis aa What sort of town can we prom ise ourselves with almost every man attempti.g to get richer than his neighbor and spending his money afar for the training of his children?
 Not only should we have schools
 every description here for our own. boys and girls, but even for the instruction of adults whose educa- lions include little more than read ing. writing and arithmetic and yet within whom lie innate powers of artistic and beautiful things"
 why do you think l could server pressed MT. Elberton.
 ! Chiefly because you have the ap- preciation: you know others you could influence to come here; there's n nothing tawdry nor cheap about you. ? T know this from your record and international reputation. You have : aheen everywhere. You have seen the hest things created by the peoples : of the world. You have made your - -rrnoney had your career Further ~s more your ancestors have always had money, and liked everything else more than wealth. Money is necessary. but it is not really worth while unless ~~tt is spent for public happiness and -s good. When it is spent merely to Y4 accumulate more money. what do we as get? A commercialized city, wherein fhe poor become poorer and the rich richer. We get city of miserable renament houses and apartment build