Drexel Institute Engineering Department - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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PROPHECY Ccontinuecll A Yes, it is true, Cooper leads an orchestra, is a composer of note and is one of Thorn's most trust- worthy assistants. He has one failing: while conducting he grows so excited that he often faints. One night while conducting The Bells, just at that pathetic moment when the unfortunate Lewis is driven to despair over 'lMust I take the Bells again, what shall I do FU Cooper from the leader's box cried, 'fGet the smelling salts, and crumpled up into a heap. On such annoccasion Sig. Henri Thumlert takes Cooper's place. Thumlert would make a good leader if he balanced his orchestra better, but he favors the brass and drums too much. Yet for a jolly rounder no one can equal Thumlert, and his famous l'Hello, men, and Let's have a little game, or some harmony, still remind one of the good old locker days. Our conversation was again interrupted by a mild spoken gentleman who arrived to report news of interest to the President. This man, the Commissionaire d'Affairs, is Joseph Winter. You will at once infer that this long-titled position is not a hard-working jobg in fact, Ioe's work is just like one long drawing period, with nothing to do until the next time. joe is a greater ladies' man than ever, and yet even now when he is carried around on the hands of the ladies I have heard him sigh deeply. Often when I have seen him gazing to the northeast, toward far, far distant Ardmore, I think he is a prey to a memory of certain morning train rides long since past. I After having disposed of NVinter's business, which referred to the color of the teacups to be used at that nights luncheon on the lawn, Van de Mark asked if I had read any news from Camp- bell. I answered that I had a letter from him. Then he asked if there was a letter from Brooklyn, and it went to my heart to hear the deep sigh thatfollowed my negative answer. Speaking of Campbell, I fill with pride to think how much credit he reflects on me, who fos- tered and cared for him, and told him much of value during our school associations. In fact, Doc' is the only creditable engineer that the class put out, not excepting Burrows or Seyffert. : 58

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PROPHECY CCominuedD ' Before I could extend my congratulations to the President, Thorn uttered the soothing words, How like the fragrant odor of the jasmine are my thoughts tonightf' Bullets V' said Applegate. Hey, jones, got any Durham ? Sirrah,'l exclaims the amazed Thorn, Mavaunt with your vulgarity-Ah, the Queen-and little Eva dies tonight. CPoor fellow, he still insists on quoting from his favorite playsj Never can I for- get his disgust at the names suggested for his new opera house. Torche suggested Trocadero,' Bur- roughs wrote from Egypt to suggest XWilliam Penn, and Burtis wanted it to be called the Gayety. After much deliberation Thorn finally adopted the name Paint and Powder. Suddenly an uproar arose, and Burtis, hat in hand, rushed up the avenue crying, Hey, Thorn, where in the devil are my keys? I can't get in my dressing-room at the operaf, f'INell, I haven't got 'em, retorted Thorn. i'You're a liar! shouts the enraged Burtis. Aw, go get a duplicate from Fletcher, the janitor. ' It is now necessary to explain that Burtis fills the leading tenor roles in 'Ilhorn's productions. It had always been a puzzle to me when Burtis discovered that he had a voice. I-Ie always said he had received his training in onelof the largest places in Philadelphia. I have since found that he worked in the finishing rooms of the Standard Roller Bearing Company-he has been a most diligent stu- dent. At the time he was singing the part of Eyestrained in INagner's great opera, 'cEyestrained and Trisoldef' and at present I have this announcement. To-Night at 8.15. Mr. Paulo Burtis as Lewis in Signor Gorgo S. Cooper's new opera, The Bells. Libretto by Professor Cragmile. Teatro Nationale. A Sig. Cooper will conduct. 57

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PROPHECY CContinueclD - Campbell went to work with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Straightaway he began to apply the magnihcent logic I had taught him to railroad affairs. In the first summer he forever destroyed the danger of rear-end collisions by abolishing the rear end of trains-that is, by removing the last car. Later on, seeing that a wreck occurred on account of a train running past a signal, he did away with signals, logically reasoning that if there had been no signal to pass there could have been no wreck. Van de Mark and Applegate gathered near to hear me read Docs letter, while Thorn began to compose a sonnet beginning thus: Such is the gentle raven, VVho twists his wings while shavin', etcf' Vlfhen we had quieted Thorn, I read: Mr, B. G. jones, Prime Minister of Mexico, Mexico City. My Dear Jones: I saw an article in the Philadelphia North American the other day which mentioned that an American engineer, E. S. Van de Mark, had been elected President of Mexico on the reform ticket. INhen it also said that you were Secretary of State, Prime Minister, etc., I had no difficulty in recognizing in the President our old classmate Vandy. Let me know as to the truth of this rumor, so that I can pass it on to the rest of the fellows, most of whom I am in touch with. I was in old Philly the other day, so I dropped in the school. I saw Professor Rowland and he wants Vandy to send him the three reinstatement slips which he still owes. Has Vandy become any heavier? I should think a cinch job like that would give him a chance to pick up. One of our fellows is down near you, although not quite in Mexico. Frank Rothe is. manag- ing a big farm and cattle ranch in Texas. He has introduced scientific management and in a short time 59