tes, and is
the best-lighted city in the country."

"We have some pretty fair street lighting in New York," interjected my
companion, who takes much pride in his home town.

"I said '_one_ of the best lighted,'" replied the secretary.

"What is the population?"

"Montgomery," the other returned, "is typical of both the Old and the
New South. Though it may be called a modern model city, its wealth of
history and tradition are preserved with loving care by its myriad
inhabitants."

"How many inhabitants?"

"Roses and other flowers are in bloom here throughout the year," said
he. "Also there are six hundred miles of macadamized and picturesque
highways in Montgomery County. Indeed, this region is a motorist's
paradise."

"How many people did you say?"

"Montgomery," he answered, "is the trading center for a million
prosperous souls."

At this my companion, who had been reading up Montgomery in a guidebook,
began to bristle with hidden knowledge.

"You say there are a million people here?" he demanded.

"Not right _here_," admitted the secretary.

"Well, how many do you claim?"

"Fifty-five thousand four hundred and ten."

"Right _in_ the city?"

"Well, in the trolley-car territory."

"But in the city itself?" my companion insisted.

The secretary was fairly cornered. "The 1910 census," he said, with a
smile, "gave us about forty thousand."

"Thirty-eight thousand one hundred and thirty-six," corrected my
companion. He had not spent hours with the guidebook for nothing.

When, presently, we got into the automobile, I gave another feeble
chirp about the fair, but the secretary was adamant, so we yielded
temporarily, and were whirled about the city.

* * * * *

Montgomery is a charming old town, not only by reason of the definite
things it has to show, but also because of a general rich suggestion of
old southern life.

The day, by a fortunate chance, was Saturday, and everywhere we went we
encountered negroes driving in from the country to market, in their
rickety old wagons. On some wagons there would be four or five men and
women, and here and there one would be playing a musical instrument and
they would all be singing, while the creaking of the wagon came in with
an orchestral quality which seemed grotesquely suitable. The mules, too,
looked as though they ought to creak, and an inspection of the harness
suggested that it was held together, not so much by the s