Macalester College - Quid Nunc Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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ing apology for inflicting his Canadian feelings upon us, he quoted Scott's well-known lines: UBreathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said This is my own, my native land. It was with a burst of applause, both loud and long, that we greeted our beloved President. It gives us keen delight to remember that the President of the United States, the Greatest Nation on Earth, or under it, was to us plain Tom Flinn: for he had insisted that we should so address him. It seemed odd though, for Tom Flinn. had been a slight little fellow of about 120 lbs., and the President weighs almost 250. However, he was the same friendly, jolly old fellow as of yore. We remember that during our Junior year, Tom Flinn was a, marked man, for he was captain of our foot-ball team, but we did not dream that he should be captain of the American people. The Presi- dent told us, with charming modesty, the principal events of his busy career. He declared that, in spite of the statements of his biogra- phers, he had never been a brilliant student, sweeping everything be- fore him, and so strenuously applying himself to his books as to find no time for pleasures or sports. He was sorry to disappoint those who had looked upon him as a model for all school-boys and college-stu- dents in America. He had just been an ordinaryboy, and had some- times even tiunked. It was a treat for us to hear a President admit that: for had we only trusted to his biographers, we would have been compelled, either to become traitors to our country by doubting the word of our President, or to do violence to ourselves by subjecting our memories to a severe strain. However, the President did strain the truth when he declared that it was by no great effort of his own, and by no inherent ability above that of his fellows, that he had reached his lofty position. Ile blamed it all on luck, declaring to the last that he was plain Tom Flinn. VVhat a treat to hear a President talk like that! But we were sure that Toni would do so when he reached the VVhite House. Mr. Flinn has never married. XVe believe that from babyhood he ha.s been suffering from an inborn dread of the fair sex. Mr. Geib, as in the old days, sat next to Mr. Flinn, and rose in re- sponse to his name. Mr. Geib was also received with applause, for there were none present who did not honor this gentleman, who, by his quiet, plodding toil had become the honored advisor of many of the wealthiest men of his time. At the bar, Mr. Geib had never been a great success, though in his early years he had pleaded many cases, but as a legal advisor he had outstripped every lawyer in Philadelphia. lle also had stories to tell of days filled with unrewarded drudgery. but finally crowned with success. Like many a, young man of the law, he was judged a false and scheming man, until his sterling in- tegrity had overborne all prejudice. Mr. Geib was returned to Con- gress in 1920, when still a young man, and we have all felt that, though he was so close a friend of President Flinn, yet nothing but his own great worth exalted him to the position which he now so ably F4 'Q

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fills in President Flinn's cabinet. Mr. Geib, with that gentle modesty so usual with truly great men, disowned all credit for his success, and declared that the honor lay entirely with Mrs. Geib. Mrs. Geib is a daughter of ex-President Richmond, and undoubtedly is worthy of so noble a father. The same gentle eyes that we had known so well twenty-five years ago, with their pleasant smile for all, greeted us as Mrs. Dr. --, for- merly Miss Guy, rose in response to her name. Tl11lG,S fingers had touched her face also, but gently: for it was still happy as of yore, and we felt as she talked to us, that the heart, too, had retained its joy, though niellowed by toils nobly endured, and troubles bravely borne. Miss Guy told us brietly of the years spent in China, where she and her husband had gone immediately after their marriage in I9-. They had entered upon this work with the faith of youth, though a million souls looked to them for spiritual food. Now a beautiful church with school and mission buildings surrounding it, and a dainty oriental hospital, speak for the result of their long and patient labors. Vile are sure that both the Dr. and his wife have won their way into the hearts of many men, women and children of the far East, by their God-given gifts of eheerfulness and love. They have been equal co-laborers in this devoted work, and we were proud to remember that the genial Dr. was not a stranger to us in the Days of Auld Lang Sync. The extreme modesty of the account of those great laborers for the world, makes one ask, VVhen will the lives of these Heroes of Earth be written in the books of the world, even as they are now written in those other books, the books of gold? NVe are proud that Mrs. Dr., formerly Miss Jamieson, is also one of our class. Since those early years she has become better known too, in the field of literature, as HM. S. J. Miss Jamieson said that she felt like apologizing, because her life seemed so quiet and common- place in comparison with that of her friend. Just the old, old story of a few years spent behind the teacher's desk, and a series of roman- tic episodes with the young doctor, resulting in that happy union of which poets sing: f'Two hearts that beat as oneff Then quiet, hap- py years of home-life mingled with the social events of her little home city. As a means of recreation, the pen had been called into use. and a. few scraps of story and verse had found their way into the pub- lisher's hands. As Miss Jamieson spoke I was compelled to smile, for I remembered those dainty volumes which my wife prizes so high- ly, and loves to read in the twilight hours. Verily, modesty is a w'oman's crown of crowns! Rev. Ri. O. Thomas, D. D., followed Miss Jamieson. His rising caused a rustlc of pleasant expectation. The charm of that silver tongue had captivated thousands across the seas. Even at college Dr. Thomas was our orator, and well do we remember the day when first he bore oft' the honors in 1904. I need not tell you what he said, for the story of that grand life of service has been told a thousand times. A young man still, he stands at the very head of his profes- sion, the greatest preacher of this young century. Mr. Thomas began 26