Governors Academy - Milestone Yearbook (Byfield, MA)

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T H F M I L F S T O N E fill

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T H E M I I, lu S I O N I Barney 2

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T H IC M I I. IC S 'I' O N IC CLASS I'ROI'lll'lCY VVICNTY long years had passed since the Class of 1925 left llummer. It was the summer of 10-IS, and as I started on a short business trip to Paris, I wondered if I would see any of my old school-mates. I even tried to visualize each one in surroundings befitting his former characteristics, Ray as an eminent professor, maybe, Paul Capron, a renowned author, a man of leisure, Andreani, a noted scientistg Wiatkins, a financier, and all the others equally successful. The first step of my trip ended at New York. At one of the many busy news-stands I bought an evening paper, and the large headlines immediately caught my attention. 'flackson Traps Tobacco Smugglers. I unfolded the paper and beheld the familiar features of 'Qlackf' Below the picture was his ofiicial title, Chief Inspector Ii. R. jackson of the U. S. Tobacco Prohibition Squad. The title did not seem to fit him, and I wondered what circumstances could possibly have brought him to such a position. 'The next morning I left for France on a great trans-Atlantic air liner. VVhile sitting on the deck, I heard the barbarous wail of modern music and wandering inside, I saw the laboring orchestra at one end of the long saloon. The agile antics of the leader, whose back was turned to me, drew my admiration. His urging gestures called forth the utmost efforts of the players, and the frantic waving of his arms produced an harmonious battle of instruments. The piece ended amid shrill notes and sonorous crashes, and the leader turned to his audience and bowed. I immediately recognized my former roommate, Lornie Vfihaleng and I went forward to greet him. He joined me later on the deck, and our conversation in time turned to our old class. H 'Barney' Ray went across on this ship last week, he said. Is he some big professor now? I asked, wondering if my guess had been right. A professorf' he laughed, Haven't you heard of 'Ray's Fleet' yet? Oh, a fleet, I said. I suppose he's in the fishing business. Well, not exactly, he replied. He's the greatest bootlegger the country has ever known. I-Ie's made his fortune now though, and I guess he's going to give up his business. I heard him say that he would like to try detective' work. Barney as a bootlegger was quite a surprise, but I secretly hoped I Would be able to get in touch with him before he went out of business. Tell me about ff. E.', he said. I haven't heard of him for years. I'lI tell you about him, I replied, but I'm afraid you'll be rather surprised. You see he has his degrees as Doctor of Letters and Doctor of I25I