Cumberland High School - Milestone Yearbook (Cumberland, IA)

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GLASS PROPHECY I was rudely awakened by someone BD8K1HE me, I turned over and there to my surprise stood one of my old classmates Clair South A flrst I did not recognize hlm because of his heavy beard, but slowly the recognition came to me After shaking hands I asked him what he was doing as a dock hand He told me that he had come to California, lost all of his money in a poker game and was working for tis fare back to Cumberland I told him that I had just received my QIBOHAPQC from the navy and after 10 years I was going back to Cumberland He asked me lf I would loan him enough money to get back I told hlm he could ride back with me in my newly purchased 1913 Model T which was at thls time only 44 years old and still going strong We jumped aboard and started the long Journey home Three weeks later, after much vigorous exercise, we arrived ln a small town ln Wyoming We stopped to eat and to look for a used car deal Walking down the st eet, we sighted the one and only garage Enter ing, we saw a familiar flgure bent over working at a car As he straight ened and turned we recognized him as our old friend and classmate, Bob Gerlock Upon inquiry we learned that Bob started to California in '48 but the old trusty '54 had balked, since then he had spent most of his time try ing to figure out what was the matter In his leisure time he had settled down and married the town belle, daughter of a mechanic, from whom he had inherited his place of business Inqulrlng about a car, we found he had Just what we wanted after pooling our resources, obtaining a small loan and purchasing the car, we pointed our radiator cap toward Cumberland, and were on our way We had gone but 10 miles when suddenly we came upon a huge flock of my surprise when I realized that it was my old friend and buddy, Gall Hol aday We stopped and chatted some time about our happy high school days at C H S Gall told us that he had married his high school flame, Geneva Porter, and that they were living lr a one room shack up in the mountains I remarked that lt might be crowded, but he said that they and their five children d1dn't mind, the only thlng was that they had to run sleeping shifts when all of them were home At this time Ga1l's sheep started to stampede, so bidding us bon voyage he ran for the hills Four days later, looking like a couple of coal miners, and still spitting sand we arrived in Cumberland I suggested that we look for a place to take a bath and Clair agreed After five minutes of hunting, I happened to glance across the street There in neon lights, 10 foot high was a familiar name, Worthington Reading further I noticed that under his name lt read 'Turkish Baths' I wondered if perchance lt was my old pal Worthington sure enough who should start ambllng towards us but the Spider himself I asked him why he ever took this occupation replied that he was a good example of how Turkish Baths help one to reduce, that his name and figure were plastered on every signboard ln the country At that moment an old man stooped and bald, entered As he walked by, Woody asked me if I knew who that was I told him it looked like Father Time about December 31 Woody laughed and explained to me that it was our high school warden, W K Saville, and that since we, the class of '47, had left, he had always wondered where his next basketball team was going to come from This had caused him to lose his weight and also what re malned of his hair After a most refreshing bath Clair decided to go see his boss to try to get back his old Job, as test driver for Chrysler products, so after Journeylng many weary miles together, we found our paths once more parting Since I was without funds, I too, started looking for a Job I walk ed to the corner of 7th and lain street and there with my last three pennies ' . c ere ' A r n ' sheep being driven across the road by a short, bow-legged man.A Imagine . . He

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purchased the latest edition of the Cumberland Surpriser, now selling 5,000 copies daily Glanclng down the 'Help Wanted' column I noticed a huge ad that sald 'Wanted someone to run my filling station while I run my personal affairs Inquire at Btn and Hain ' Since this was only one block away I decided to look 'nto the deal When I walked into the station, lt was empty except for someone in the phone bootn By straining my ears I could distinguish the words, Yes, honey I'll be there at 8 OO honey I was thinking to myself there's only one guy that can sling a line like that and sure enough when he came out of the phone booth it was the one and only 'Doc' Lantz I asked him what he was doing for a living and he remarked 'Same as always, working all day and going all night ' I asked him if APICDQ liked that 'Arlene?' answered with a question in his voice, 'Arlene who?' Don't you remember that good lcoklrg gal you used to go with I asked Finally it dawned on him, 'O her, I quit her long ago, since then I've been engaged 24 times and I've Jllted all of them and the one I was talking to is the latest some chick by the name of Barbara Hiatt Changing the subject I asked him how much he wanted for his station After conversing intensely for several As we walked into the Tavern, Bob explained it had been bought by Mrs Dave Wolford, the former Clara Ann DeBus, who was paying for it on the mon ey Dave sent back from Alaska, where he had started as a gold miner and now owned one of the largest mlnes there After a most delicious dinner and pleasant conversation we departed for the bank having decided on terms during the lengthy dinner as we strode into the bank a pleasant figure met our gaze As she came towards us I recognized her as Margaret McLaren, but on her desk was the name Mrs Aldon Jensen Suddenly it dawned on me that Margaret was married to her lassena banker and they now had a little bank of their own After arranging a small loan we left Then desirous of seeing familiar faces and country, I set out for Atlantic now a huge city of SOO Walking down maln street, now almost entirely deserted, I heard from across the way a high penetrating voice, pleasantly singing airs from the Grand Opera 'A Southern Musicals' I recognized that voice and it drew me nearer until I entered the doorway, I saw the dimly lit stage, in the equally small theater, a figure clad in theatrical robes singing with the greatest of gusto to an empty house Now I knew why Atlantic had mi grated to Cumberland for there on the stage stood Lloyd Smith, who had come to Atlantic in search of great fame and fortune ln the singing pro fession Espylng me he ceased yodellng and Joined me at the threshold where we conversed for several minutes Then upon my suggestion we decided to have a coke We l8lk8d around the corner to a small restaurant, above which hung the sign 'Chuck's Place' Entering we beheld asleep at the bar our old friend, Charles Eblen Presently a woman emerged carrying a small, red headed child Much to my surprise I recognized our former classmate Joan McConnell She told us she had married Chuck and they had settled down running this establishment Presently Chuck awakened and we talked of our school days until we remembered we had come for a coke After the 'Pause That Refreshes' we left with Chuck, Joan, and the wailing child standing ln the doorway waving good bye Strolling down the main street we came upon a dilapidated looking business house which Lloyd explained was run by Eldon Porter under the lnfluence of his able stenographer, Lorene Lugeland Upon entering we beheld Eldon sitting with his feet upon the desk and dictating to Lorene comfortably situated upon his lap While chatting with us Lorene told us that she was unable to make up her mind whether she wanted Eldon or her Anita friend and that she took turns working for them so that she could make a better decision I read last night, however, that she was going to marry Bud Aggen, so Stub will have to find a new stenographer Bidding Stub and Lorene good-bye Lloyd and I ventured into the street JuSt as a huge furniture van roared down the street. The last thing I u . . ' --- : ---I -.- . n . 1 he ' I hours and still having to make the decision we decided to go to lunch.