Cumby High School - Trojan Yearbook (Cumby, TX)

Page 31 text:

E I K , ' In June l956, I stepped into Grand Central Station just in time to board the Night Flyer Special to Arizona. Just as the last all aboard faded away I suddenly realized that it was the voice of y, Ray Taylor who had been the conductor on this line for five years. While I was thinking of the days when I knew Billy Ray in high school the train began to move and I found myself being helped to ny feet by some one who looked as if he were a heavy weight champion ' but to my great surprise, it was none other than ny old friend James Smith who had become a traveling salesman for the Luv-Nit Under- wear Compamf of Greenville, Texas. After all these surprises I suddenly felt hungry and went into the diner for lunch and the only vacant place I saw was at a table where a lonely sailor sat gulping his food. I sat down opposite this sailor and before I could get nw breath I realized that it was none other than Delbert Vick who had just returned from duty in the North Atlantic. Because of a washout on the line we had a 12 hour delay in Chicago. I had always heard of the famous Hep Cat Night Club and took this opportunity to spend an evening there. Imagine how I felt when I walked in and was greeted by the hostess who was none other than Jgyce Vick. Joyce, who owned the Hep Cat , insisted that I meet some of her employees. I almost lost my breath when I was greeted by her secreta.ry, Mammie Q Marriot. We sat down to have a talk of old times and I turned to find a waitress at my elbow who was none other than Curtis Berry. While we were at the table Gul' picture was taken by the Club Photographer who grinned broadly when she saw us. It was our old friend Lavern Morrison. As the camera clicked again I noticed a great crowd entering the club. These men entering were the delegates to the National Democratic Convention which was meeting in Chicago at that time. Leading the group was the Chairman of the Convention, America's No. 1 politician, Billy Viughn. All the leading newspapers and maga- zines were well represented at this convention. One of the most outstanding magazine editors present was Life Magazine's editor Charles Robert Lewis. At the table just to the right of us I saw the famous cartoon- ist, Edward Williams, his wife and young daughter who were out for an evening of fun. I looked at ny watch and saw that I must make a dash if I wanted to catch my train out to Arizona. Just as I arrived at the station the fireman was climbing into the cab of the train and I was happy to see that he was my old classmate Dwight Gaines.

Page 33 text:

when I arrived in Arizona all I could hear about was Lonny's Dude Ranch and I picked up the telephone to see if I could get a room there for several days. I thought I recognized the operator's voice and when I asked who she was I found that it was Mrs. Audrey Dean Nobles or Eula E Smithers as we knew her. While waiting for a taxi to take me out to the ranch I took a stroll around town. I was hungry and walked into a bakery and who should greet me but Billy -Fly Taylor, owner, operator, and manager of the Eat and Be Sorry Bakery. In the back room of the bakery I caught a glimpse of Richard Plunket who was assisting Billy Fry. Richard was covered with flour and dough but I managed to recog- nize him. Just across the street I saw a sign which read we Guarantee to Clean Your Clothes or Ruin Them-Owner and Operator Bobbie Q- Montagge. Just then I heard the angry toot-toot of the taxi and an angry voice shouted Are you ready Bub'2 I was shocked to see that the driver was Audrey Q Marlar. On the way out to the ranch we passed a little red school house and a neat looking teacher was standing in the door ringing the bell. Although she was a little gray after her many years of teaching, I recognized Q11 Swann. when I arrived at the ranch and had paid the taxi fare I was greeted by my host L-gn Edwin Smith. He immediately told me that they were shooting a movie on his ranch and he was sure I would enjoy meeting the producer. I certainly did because the producer. was my old friend Ramon Bramlett. Among the many people on the ranch for the shooting of the movie, the two most outstanding were the moving picture star of the year, El-Q gee, Rag and the country's top ranking radio enter- tainer, Magdalene Vickers. when we arrived Magdalene was enter- taining her co-workers, with the hit tune of 1943, Be Honest With Me. Lonnie took me out to see his race track and on top of the tower where the judges sit there was a carpenter working busily. The carpenter was working industriously because he was Junior Evans. I asked what had happened and was told that the day before an airplane, while doing stunts, had knocked off the top and the pilot narrowly escaped injury. I wasn't greatly surprised to learn that the pilot was Cowboy Dorsae Bacon. we went into lunch and when I complimented Lon Edwin on the food he served he told me that his cook was Doris Noble. At the A lmmch table I met another guest at the ranch, the famous novelist, E Wilma Dean hy. I The next morning was Sunday and Lon Edwin took us all into town to attend church because he was anxious that we hear the world famous evangelist, Clifford Evans. Seated at the organ in the church was the renowned organist, Bobbie Ruth Green. That afternoon I took a train back to New York. I had really enjoyed my vacation and the chance to see my old school mates again.