Traveling is as educational as book learning according to some of the American Statesmen, so when I received the glad news of my inheritance of the ten million dollar estate from my kind old uncle, I immediately decided to make a great tour of the world, first taking in my own country. So it is upon this wonderful trip of which I am going to relate a few incidents. Strolling slowly down the broad streets of Paris, gazing in at the splendid display of gowns, I suddenly came to realize I was staring at a familiar face of one of the models, when I recognized Louisa Jackson, whom I thought to be living quietly in old Osawatomie. Nodding at Louise, I passed down the street to a conservatory of music, and to my surprise found Margaret Clarke. She is studying violin under the best instructors in Paris. Now, you can realize how I felt to see so many old faces there in Paris and you can further imagine my surprise when Margaret informed me that Larkin Bussell and Mattie Ensle had married and Larkin was now near Paris in the trench warfare. Also his classmates, Charles Wolf and Dwight Gehring, had enlisted and were now with the construction gang, close to Verdun. these are some of my surprises, but can you imagine what great excitement I was in when, on arriving in Jerusalem and on buying a morning paper, these glaring headlines met my eyes: "reverent Harry Coker, the World's Greatest Evangelist to Appear in the Cathedral in his Famous Sermon, "Help It On," at 8:00 o'clock, sharp." Now, it can be truthfully said, that this was the most wonderful sermon ever delivered in that Cathedral. This last event marks the last of the meetings with old friends for several months. The next instance was during my visit in Honolulu, where I met Ruby Grow, traveling with Miss Lydia Paul, an old O.H.S. teacher, and who was doing missionary work among the Hawaiians. Ruby still grows as far as name is concerned, but in height she is the same old Ruby. Two years elapse between the meeting between Ruby and the other member I will now tell about. During this period I had spent in some of the wildest regions in Africa to the most civilized parts of the country of Europe. I now found myself in New York, on Fifth Avenue, with a very dear friend, who entertained in my honor and where I met the Mme. Shuman Gladys Horton-Battaneo, who, with her husband, an artist, was present. Gladys was very popular and I would have enjoyed seeing her portrayal of the Great Russian toe dancer had it not been for an urgent call from Philadelphia to attend the marriage of Lawrence Lanphere and Amy Fry. Lawrence operates a ranch down in Oklahoma and it has later been reported that there is oil on the ranch. Now, as Lawrence and Amy were very popular in O.H.S., I had a splendid opportunity to greet my old friends, who were present. among the most distinguished were Cora Roseberry, who was soon to be a bride and who was looking very beautiful. Edith Orr-Wagers and Goble, her husband, also attended the wedding. Goble was very proud of his new little wife, whom he looked to with every small attention. Arriving at Chicago where I was to meet more friends, I went directly to a hotel and decided not to go out for several days, as traveling is very tiresome, as well as educational. But to my surprise and pleasure two of the old friends of 1919 called. Pauline Bush and Belle Case were the chosen ones. Pauline bush was very anxious that I come to the Convention Hall and hear her speak on "Woman Suffrage". Belle Case's profession was of a quite different nature. Belle was booked at Gayety Theatre for Saturday Night as the unique trapeze performer. I attended both entertainment's and let me tell you Belle and Pauline are the same clever girls. Belle and Pauline came up next day and we went out to the stock yards to see Cecil Swagerty and Roy Slyter who have gained places in this old world in an unusual way with Cecil Swagerty as manager and Roy Slyter as superintendent. My next and last stop was Kansas City, where I expected to give a little talk at the Knife and Ford Club, and I hardly expected to see any of the '19 class there, but, nevertheless, I found Francis King, who is clerking for Montgomery Ward & Co., still having as his ideal Lewis Jacobs, his high school ambition. During my long days of traveling, I had tried to find Inez Hoag and Hazel Purinton and now Francis informed me that they were running a small millinery shop at Tenth and Main. I know that all of you have heard about Helen Snyder, the second Catherine Rue. Helen sang at the Convention Hall and each selection was greatly applauded. I was about to give up ever finding Leslie, Ruth, Guey and Reed, but as I was going down-stairs in the elevator to call a car, I felt a tap on my shoulder and, turning, I was greeted by Leslie Beck, the elevator boy, with his same old, good-natured smile. The car came up just as I was leaving the telephone booth and who should be the chauffeur but Ruth Lyons, who was an auto expert and graduate from the Kansas City Auto School. It was said that there is always a black sheep in every herd and, bless Pat, if Edgar Guey isn't the black sheep. He is now in New Jersey, writing poetry and looking upon the fine stories he wrote for Miss Light, exaggerating until they were almost one big lie. Good-bye, D.M.

 

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