tring and wire
with which it was mended, as by the fingers of that especial Providence
which watches over all kinds of absurd repairs made by negroes, and
makes them hold for negroes, where they would not hold for white men.

In an old buff-painted brick building standing on the corner of Commerce
and Bibb Streets, the Confederate Government had its first offices, and
from this building, if I mistake not, was sent the telegraphic order to
fire on Fort Sumter. Another historical building is the dilapidated
frame residence at the corner of Bibb and Lee Streets, which was the
first "White House of the Confederacy." This building is now a boarding
house, and is in a pathetic state of decay. But perhaps when Montgomery
gets up the energy to build a fine tourist hotel, or when outside
capital comes in and builds one, the old house will be furbished up to
provide a "sight" for visitors.

There are several reasons why Montgomery would be a good place for a
large winter-resort hotel, and if I were a Montgomery "booster" I should
give less thought to free factory sites than to building up the town as
a winter stopping place for tourists. The town itself is picturesque and
attractive; as to railroads it is well situated (albeit the claim that
Montgomery is the "Gateway to Florida" strikes me as a little bit
exaggerated); the climate is delightful, and the surrounding country is
not only beautiful but fertile. Furthermore, there are already two golf
clubs--one for Jews and one for Gentiles--and the links are reputed to
be good.

Unlike many southern cities of moderate size, Montgomery has well-paved
streets, and the better residence streets, being wide, and lined with
trees and pleasant houses, each in its own lawn, give a suggestion of an
agreeable home and social life--a suggestion which, by implication at
least, report substantiates: for it has been said that the chief
industry of Montgomery is that of raising beautiful young women to make
wives for the rich men of Birmingham.

On such pleasant thoroughfares as South Perry Street, it may be noticed
that many of the newer houses have taken their architectural inspiration
from old ones, with the result that, though "originality" does not jump
out at the passer-by, as it does on so many streets, North and South,
which are lined with the heterogeneous homes of prosperous families,
there is an agreeable architectural harmony over the town.

This is not, of course, invariably tru