Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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THE AGO K N 17 LOOKING FORWARD. Hawkes Nest, Can., July 24. 1935. Dear Old Schoolmate: — Well, here I am at my little cottage, and oh, so glad to be home again. I leel as the 1 had been- gone many years, ana the sight of the sunny iittlc rooms, with the brilliant geraniums in the windows and the blinking old Tabitha, who lazily got up to rub against m.v skirt, gave me an old thrill of pleasure. I walked from room to room peering into every nook and cranny like a curious child. As I stepped from the door in the early July morning I was greeted with a bark of joy from Bowser, who frisked about in mad delight trying to show me everything at once, including the new flowers that had bloomed while I had been gone. From the garden he frisked to the chicken yard. That dog is really half human. It was beautiful to be home again. T must tell you of my visit to the “States” as they are called here, and how I happened to meet the members of the famous class of 1914. It is now twenty years since I have seen any of them, I ho I have kept up a desultory correspondence with several of the girls. I made quite an extended visit in different parts of Minnesota, but spent the last weeks of my stay with friends ii the Twin Cities. But, it having been some time since I had heard from any of the girls. I began a thorough search for them. I had almost given up hope of ever seeing any of them, when suddenly I discovered Esther Sundfelt quite by accident. You know the famous hoop skirt that was in vogue fifty or sixty years ago. is coming in again. And as I have not much of an opportunity to see the latest fashions here in Hawkes Nest, upon seeing in the advertisement of the Emporium in St. Paul that they were demonstrating them. 1 went. The demonstration was held on the fourth floor, and of course the place was thronged with women. Well. I managed to get In and somehow 1 came to get upfront. A very beautifully gowned woman, was demonstrating on a little raised platform. From the advertisement I deducted that this must be .Madam Esther. .Madam was eulogyizing upon the beauty and good sense of the latest creation of fashions wand, when she happened to look my way, and, stopping in the middle of a sentence, stared at me for a full minute. Then 1 found myself grabbed by both hands and I locked up into the face of Esther Sundfelt. Of course everyone turned and stared, but Esther promptly got up and announced that the demonstration was over Cor the day. I had a long visit with Esther, for of course we had a lot to talk about. She has just returned from Paris, where she has been to get new ideas in her particular line of work. She told me, however, that she was going to give up her work. When I asked the reason, she blushinglv confided that she was engaged to bo married to a Frenchman, who has a long, unpronounceable name with two or three titles hooked on. and a chateau in Italy somewhere. Esther was always a good Latin student and T am exceedingly glad that she will get some use of it. Shortly after my meeting with Esther 1 was walking down Nicollet avenue in Minneapolis, when I heard someone call “Sopho! Sopho!” I stopped. Where had l heard that name? Across the street a man was standing, appearing to be a Westerner, to judge from his apparel. Again came the cal!, more imperative this time, “Sopho. Sopho!” Something in the voice and bearing of the man awakened a slumbering memory. No it couldn’t be— yes, it was Dan Strnndberg. the jolly president of the class of 1914. Hurriedly I crossed the street just as he had secured by the neck a beautiful shepherd dog. whose name he had been calling. He recognized me readily, and together we made our way to the Leamington Hotel.

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IS •THE A C O II N ■where he explained, he was residing during his brief stay in the city.' We had scarcely had time to enter the Ladies Parlor, which was entirely deserted, but for one occupant, a little dainty lady with dark eyes and hair, who came quickly forward saving: “Dear Strandberg, is this two o’clockV Dan. with an apologetic, “Say, I forgot all about it, but I met an old class mate,” and turning to me he said. “I forgot to tell you I am married, I want you to meet my wife.” I had dinner with them that night, and we talked over old times. Dan has been out West all these twenty years digging for gold in Utah, where gold was discovered some years ago. Dan has prospered during these twenty years and is now going to turn his whole attention to the spreading of the Swedish language in Utah. He had not forgotten his favorite expression and as r left, his last words were. “Vi voro makalosa vi.” One day shortly after this I had occasion to visit the University of Minnesota, in-order to get a book I very much wanted. I was standing on the campus, little puzzled as to which way to turn in order to find the library building, when the sound of clapping of hands smote my ear. The sound came from a building nearby and prompted by curiosity I went within. It was the large lecture-room of the U. of M. On the platform sat a number of men and women, very wise and very learned looking, and standing before the large audience was Hanna Goranson. I was prepared to hear a Latin oration, when to my surprise I found her talking in the English language on How to preserve your complexion .” She evidently knew what she was talking about for 1 have tried to follow her advice myself and found the results very gratifying, indeed. After she had finished her lecture I went up and spoke to her. Later she walked with me across the campus to the car line. Half way my attention was. arrested bv the sounds of chimes, the next instant a white automobile came slowly into view. A white capped and white-aproned man was standing in the box-like opening in the center. He was busy popping sweet corn with one hand, while in the other he held a large legal looking book, which he was persuing. When he became aware of our presence in the vicinity, lie pressed a button somewhere, the machine stopped and he asked us politely what we wished. Something about him struck me as familiar. I looked a little more closely and sure enough it was Arthur Bellstrom. When we had renewed our acquintance. he showed me his car. Upon my asking how it happened that he had taken up this trade he answered, that it was partly because there was money in it and partly because it gave him an opportunity to study flies and mosquitoes in which he was very much interested. He lamented the fact that the fly was fast being driven out. and that in a few years the fly would be an unknown portion of animal life. After my encounter with Arthur it was some time before I happened to meet any other member of the class. I say happened” because I trusted to “chance” to bring about a meeting. But one day as I was hurrying down- Payne avenue I felt my sleeve plucked by someone, and a clear merry laugh at my elbow. I would have known that laugh among a thousand. Who could ever forget Ruth Larson's laugh? We hooked arms and walked on. trying to say as much as possible in the few joyous moments at our disposal. Ruth has been married quite a number of years. They have a beautiful home near Silver Lake, yet Ruth does her own work, for neither she nor her husband believe in having servants. But in spite of all household duties we find her first on election-day casting her vote. I have been reading the Minneapolis Journal with a great deal of interest of late and especially “Little Aids for Cupid.” The information and advice given is very