Auburn High School - Trojan / Oracle Yearbook (Auburn, IL)

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that city, I saw another plane similar to mine, swoop down and hover over my machine. A rope ladder was let down and a lithe, leather-clad figure swung down to my own plane. Using the speaking tube from the front cockpit the figure challenged me to a race. Of course I accepted just for the fun of it, for I knew that I had little chance against an aviator who could do such Locklear stunts. The figure then elm-l ed hack up the ladder and 1 gave my machine more gas. But the race was one sided in favor of my opponent. I got a good start, hut that was all, for soon the other plane passed me up as a freight train passes a bum. Soon it was only a speck in the distance. I had been going as fast as I had dared and was now about ready to give up. Suddenly I found that I was running into a storm. The plane ahead had landed and upon nearing the place I circled down also. I stopped near the other machine and the other aviator came toward me, pulling off his helmet—or rather her helmet. For who should it be but Violet Stevens! When Ruth Law had retired in 1922 Violet had decided to become her suc- cessor. By her cool daring she had won even greater renown and now held several records for flying.' She also told me that Minnie Parrish was becoming famous as the words greatest spiritualist. She had started out by hypnotizing her school pupils so that they worked zealously on their lessons, and had ended by puzzling the most learned heads in scientific circles, by her supernatural powers. I was also informed by Violet, that Catherine Regan was a fashion model for an exclusive, fifth avenue, New York shop. This particular line of work did not interest me much, but I was glad to hear that another one of my old class- mates had risen in the world. I returned to Auburn on the hard road, but just after I reached the city limits I was pinched for speeding. 1 was brought before a judge who was none other than Goldie Suydan! 8he smiled when she saw me her victim, and fined me fifteen dollars. I saw at once that she believed in strict impartiality. We afterwards had a friendly talk together. “What has become of Kathryn Clarke and Adella Bigler?” I asked when something of our old class was mentioned. “Oh, they have become wealthy!” she replied, “Quite wealthy! And its just like a story or a fairy tale too. You see, after they graduated, they bought a little shop in a stylish part of town and began raising angle worms for canary food. They started it just for fun, but the high class people were willing to pay fancy prices for this delicate bird food. Now they have a large building and many employees devoted to worm culture, while all they have to do is spend their money.” Of all the professions I had found among my former school mates this was the most delightful, the most original and the most romantic. I spent a part of the next day at their home and found them the least changed of all my old school mates. Happy and carefree, optomistic and genial, interested in their work they were. The next day as I was reading the sport page of an Illinois State Register, a large headline and picture caught my eye. “World’s Champion Woman Skier,” and beneath the picture was the name “Miss Ruth Knox.” The article went on to tell of her prowess in skiing and other winter sports, and that she was one of the best all round athletes this side the Atlantic. When I had finished the sport page I turned to the editorials. A column that attracted my attention was headed “Health Talks” by Drs. Coeplin and Engert. At the end of each article was signed, “Dr. J. C. Coeplin, Dr. Lottie 22

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“Oh, yes!” he exclaimed, ‘‘1 nearly forgot; you remember Helen Murphy? Well, she’s the matron of the “home.” And Ruby Crafton is a nun over at the hospital.” 1 was so surprised that I nearly forgot what the steering-wheel of the Ford was for. “She was disappointed in love,” Nuek went on, “so she just entered the hospital as a nun. Turn in here and we’ll stop a little while.” 1 did so and together we walked toward the orphans’ home. Soon I found myself looking into a face that seemed to have changed very little from the time when we had all been Seniors. She had grown very portly and with all seemed to be an ideal person for her place. How Irish she looked! I could not keep from telling her so, at which she laughed in such a way that the twenty years of my absence seemed only a few days. As we left for the hospital, Nuck told me of how well she got along with the children under her charge. It was like a delightfully large and happy family in which she was tin1 central factor. At the hospital we found Ruby in her own office, for she had charge of all the other sisters. Frail and graceful she was, as in the days of twenty-two, but her gay smile had changed to one of tenderness and thoughtfulness for others. Before we left, she told us that she would not give up her work for the world. The next day I took my leave of the delightful city, over the old hard road. The machine ran fine and for several hours I sped between prosperous farms. Then suddenly I came to a stop and, upon investigation, found that I was out of gas. Seeing a large house a short distance away and back from the road, I walked toward it, hoping to obtain the gas there. There was a large lawn covered by a perfect carpet of grass, abundantly scattered with shade trees. Everything was well kept from the spacious house to the dog kennel. This must be the home of a real, up-to-date farmer, I thot as I came nearer. 1 found the farmer in his garden working industriously with a hoe. As I came to the fence the straw hat tilted back, and to my surprise I looked into the perspiring face of Walter Brittin. He was as surprised as T and before 1 could explain why I had come, he had turned toward the house and called, “Virginia!” “Oh, Virginia!” at which I heard a voice answer, ‘Yes, Walter.” In a moment Iho screen door opened and a neat little figure tripped down the walk toward us. “Virginia Clark!” I exclaimed, scarcely able to believe my eyes. She laughed gaily and snapped airly— “Brittin, if you please!” And then I recollected how the two had always got along so well together during their years at high school, how they had shared similiar views on all mat- ters that had come up in their classes, but I had never suspected that this would terminate in marriage. The next day we all went together to a little country church, that was near the farm. Virginia told me of the wonderful minister they had, a very lovable man, kind and gentle, and loved by all his devoted parishioners. On arriving I found the ecclesiastical dignitary to be none other than Orville Fry. He smiled when I thoughtlessly addressed him as “Chick” and said that he still liked the nickname. From his sermon I learned more than from three average ones. I could easily see why his little flock was so devoted to him. The next morning I decided to return to Auburn and within an hour’s time I had my “flivver” fixed for flying. Soon after T had risen and started toward 21

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Engcrt, assist.” And then J remembered having often heard of Dr. Coeplin during our school days and understood how they had been brought together. Going into the streets a short time later, 1 found an immense crowd gathered round a platform where a hot political debate was going on. To my surprise I found the opponents to be Blanche Snell and Floyd Harris. They were both running for the state legislature, and had planned their campaign just as Lincoln and Douglas had done four score years ago. Blanche was defending the state- ment: “Resolved that the franchise should be taken from men and given to women only.” Her political career had been marked by aggressiveness, while Floyd had been on the “also ran” list for four previous elections. 1 was very interested in the debate, but as I had to fill an appointment I could not hear the end. That night at the Bijou Roof Garden I saw Cecil Crouse play the leading role in a wonderful play, “The Rose of Romany.” I enjoyed it immensely. Between acts Miss Elizabeth Bruuk was introduced as the greatest American toe dancer, which she proved to the audience beyond a doubt. The next day I went to see my old friend George Mehr. lie owned the best chewing gum factory in the world, and bad become very rich. He told me that Harold Williams was a diamond broker in New York and that Teddy Skaggs was a popular ladies’ man at Palm Beach and various other summer resorts. The next night the newspaper bore the news that the president had ap- pointed J. Mervin Foster ambassador to the isle of Yap. The article went on to say it was because of his excellent diplomacy and splendid statesmanship in other national affairs that he had received this appointment, and that great things were expected of him in the future. By checking up I found that I had either seen or heard from all my former class mates and I found that with my own exception, they had all risen in the world. As for the author of this line, he will do as little as possible during the next twenty years and if this prophecy comes true, will go into the fortune telling Parents, Teachers and Friends. The Class of Nineteen Twenty-two ex- tends to you a most cordial welcome. Within a few days we will have reached that goal towards which we have been striving for four long, yet seemingly short years. We must now enter upon the field of greater activity, which lies stretched out before us. Before doing so, we take this opportunity to express our thanks to those who have made it possible for us to advance thus far in educational fields. Our parents, who have sacrificed so much for our benefit, especially, do we wish to welcome to these exercises. We owe them a debt that can never be paid in full, but by persevering and earnest endeavor we shall win success that shall reflect credit on those most dear to us. To our kind and patient teachers, we wish to say that your work has been business. HUBERT R. HATCHER. 23