The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-12

At IA years old, Robert Landon be- gins his awakening to young man. hood by joining the Boy Scouts. The son of a poor woman, he leads any thing but an enviable existence, hut citizenship and what 1t means has begun to stir in his soul. One day seeing corner stone being laid and hearing the attendant eulosy to citizen, Bob vows he will be a great man.
 red-haired girl hears him, and much to Bob's embarrassment. speaks up and encourages the Idea. He loses her after a boyfsh promise that he will make good just for her sake. An automobile drives mp and whisks her away7 He does not even learn her name.
 Bob decides to become an architect. and gets a job with the best and most successful firm in Birmingham, and Is persuaded to become a real estate man. He concefves m idea that he wishes to build . series of gigantic electrical figures above the city which will he magnificent to look upon from the top of Red mountain. Tvinkling lights, he felt, were not enough He hopes to see only castles, municipal buildings. houses of God, vast auditOrfums, public and state . crest--all of them to be of marble. Their spires and turrets and artistic beauty, he feels, would forever be an inspiration when Birmingham citf- gems lifted their eyes to look upon them. He maps out figures typical of the old south.
 Chapter V
 In the meanwhile things were not going very we'll at Bob's home.
 His mother had been quite i'll and was growing more feeble all the time.
 SOD decided on new move, and with his increase In pay talked 1t over with his mother, and finally obtained her consent that she would not do any more washing. It was a long and difficult job to woo her from this business that had been hers, and as she was perpetually being urged to take on hurry work and to accom- modate her old customers, Bob de- cided that as far away as he could get from his present location would be the most desirable.
 He found what he wanted at last one day by accident.
 A Cottage
 He was driving along the edge of mountainous new suburb. just opened up. when the tiniest little cot tage flashed into view around inc bend. It stood all alone and was painted the same color of dull green all over.
 It was very charming.
 wonder how much that house to the doof. p
 When he rang the bell the owner. herself, answered the call
 Is this house for sale?' he oueried.
 1 lne woman was a good financier.
 Not exactly she hedged, but it could be bought"
 How .li.. much will you take for it?"
 Fifteen thousand dollars"
 Now to be perfectly exact. Roh had about Is cents in his pocket. But ne liked the house.
 Is that the very best price? ?'
 The very best" responded the owner, who had visions of realizing at least $500 on the deal.
 Bob figured quickly.
 T don't want it."
 But" protested the owner who was disposed to hedge and argue. But Bob had been born with the idea that the man who fell on his price or attempted to, was not the safest man With whom to deal. He had tried to be a rascal and profiteer in the first place.
 ~tp &AAtCo HIS nat. Inank yOu very much. he said and walked back to his automobile.
 Fifteen thousand dollarsw he calculated. Great guns! could build whole house like that for x3,0O0. I know, and make it prettier. What she wants me to pay for is the privilege of living by Mrs. Money bags I'll build some exclusive towns where I'll make Mrs. Moneybass come and beg me to give her the priv hege of living in them"
 And so Bob didn't move just then. Instead he began to launch out to build his first town.
 His prospects were tho only things he had to trade on. and in this first deal he laid the whole situation be- fore the architect.
 Have you any certain section in mind that you would like to buy?
 T have" said Bob. T can get 100 acres of land on the south side of this town and I can make a beauty spot of 1t. too. if had money enough"
 Slowly. slowly" figured the archi- tect- How much will a tract cost your
 -Around sso, ,ooo."
 Money Could Be Had
 "Al1 right, that's a good deal. know right where we can get the money. I can get 1t for you at req sonable interest, too.
 Bob was elated. He and Mr. val- dons like g couple of boys. quit the shop early that afternoon. and went out to look at the property.
 You've got a great head. boy. How'd you locate this real estate?" Used to walk around here when I was a boy and thought 1t was mighty pretty"
 By the following week. the deal had been consummated. When Bob thought of being s3o.o00 in debt, the thought, sometimes overcame him, but as responsibility always seems to do. 1t merely increased his efficiency. and the desire to put over good and successful piece of work.
 Not a house shall go up on that land that just doesn't naturally make a southerner's heart ache to own it. I'll make every bungalow look like a chicken-co in comparison"
 And Bob really did set the town by its ears when he began to build. The funny thing was that, as 1t happened, every house built for the first year was contracted for by q northerner.
 What's the matter?" Bob inquired sayiy one day after his twenty fifth house had gone up and he had sold his twenty fifth northerner. T wonder if the southerners don't like their own architecture?'
 His employer laughed
 Other Plans
 "No, they are just chasing false gods for a little and going in for houses that would be fine for the west. What you want to do is to ap- peal to their sense of being cool in summer time. Make every one of your angles, little balconies and tiny back porches look like the days