Ohio College of Dental Surgery - Alethian Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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A Texas town lies before me. see a sign: nJ. Dellis Thompson, Dentist. Familiar, you say! Yes, and not For, as I approach, I behold the en- tire front of the building covered in the characteristic ad- vertising manner, but, around and over all, I see a perfect meshwork of Gibson Heads,H ltChristy Girls, ItPsi Omega Marches, etc. spection, I pass on. Upon the main street I Not being in a mood for retro; The scene shifts to a little country schoolhouse. Tow, headed urchins fill the seatst Silence reigns in that little room! Even the teacher is silent! Something in that Stately poise, that dignified manner, suggests Miss Stock. I look closer. Yes, it is she! But, wait! While I watch her She rises, faces the school, and, in a voice and with a manner suggestive of 1907 class meetings, addresses those poor: innocent scholars! Addresses themJI say! But with such a volume of dignihed language, such a storm of veiled sarcasm, such a spasm of Vituperative wrath, as brings teare of remembrance to my eyes! It can and does remind me Of only one eventea certain class meeting! Her wrath is awful to behold; her every action suggestS unbridled passion I But, in the midst of that awful tirade, the door opens and in stepseycs, it certainly is the Dukel And what a transformation in the teacher! The awful words die upon her lipseher whole being seems transw posed! With a cry of joy, and in the characteristic man- ner which I had often seen at college Clara runs to meet him, and welcomes her long-lost Duke! I will not attempt to describe this meeting. Words fail me! I leave you to infer the rest of this beautiful picture! My eager eyes fall upon the office of the Scrmgambiari Gmaitc. Seated upon a high soap box, wearing that look of supreme importance and satished self-content which we all knew so well, I see Kraatz, the former editor-in-chief of The Alvthimz. Around him, occupying positions of lesser 45 prominence, are grouped Greenburg, Thomas, Siegfried and Krucker. Greenburg clutches in his childish fist a bunch of Lmreceipted bills, while the other three are only too glad to be alive! The poor staff! My heart yearns for them. But why this unwelcome picture? Simply a tale of offended Seniors, unappreciative under-classmcn. unrelenting advertisers and unreasonable Government au- thorities, all resulting in the removal of Thy Alctlriau 0f- iices to far-off Africa, there to publish the yellow sheet in peace and quiet. I see the streets of a large city. A political procession is passing Here and there I notice banners and illumi- nated signs beating Such inscriptions: ttDown With the Gang! HOut With the Grafterslh This seems interest- ing. But another and larger banner approaches. I read: HThe Cause of Good Citizenship Must Triumph! Green- burg, Thomas and Wright Must Be Deposed! That is enough. My poor overburdened brain is filled with recol- lections. To think that our clearly beloved and highly praised invitation committee should have chosen such a and, as our future! But the ways' of man are devious: paths in college, so are our walks in after life. A country fair is in progress. Something about a large, gaudy tent attracts my attention. As I look a figure emerges from it, and, in a strangely familiar voice, I hear Dave Edwards sing: ttCome 011, boys! Bring your girla and cousins, For here you get tintypes twenty-hve cents a dozen ! From the innermost recesses of the tent I hear the welle known voice of Kid Kelley yell: ttSay, Dave, take it easy! IVe've made enough tO-day ! As for the remain- ing member of our faithful picture committee, I am told that Crawford has retired on a competence to Norwood, there to live in peace and happium with his beloved Cara.

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As Seen in a Vision Ol I am not a soothsayer; neither am I a prophet! To me the black arts are mysteries, while the science of necromancy is as a closed book. But. withal, I am possessed of a faculty peculiar to myself-zL power which has been the source of wonder from those who have witnessed its action and which has, as yet, never been sat- isfactorily explained! While not mystical, yet it is beyond my ken! Well do I remember the first time I became conscious of it! The Class was assembled in Hall H. The dean was engrossed in a disquisition on pericemeiititis. I was all in- terest! Suddenly I became conscious of a peculiar tingling in my fingers and toes. It spread and grew in force until my whole frame quivered. A feeling of numb ness overcame me, and thenethey tell me I swoonedl I clonlt know l All I remember is that I seemed transposed into another worldedifferent scenes, different faces, every- thing different! Little clid I them realize that I was look- ing twenty years into the future! Nor coulcl I at that time comprehend the meaning of it all! I do not, as yet. enjoy a complete understanding of this mysterious influ- ence, but experience has shown me that the accuracy of my visions is beyond dispute. It is not within my province to tell you what this power is, or why it obtainsibut my lingers are a-tingle! I feel Yes, I am gomg, gomg! numb! My eyes are heavy! A desert isle is spread before my vision! The verdure i5 tropicalrithe scenery beautiful l Numerous human be- ings run to and fro: all clad in the conventional garb of the Pacihc Islander. A tlignihecl, erect figure attracts my at- tention chieBy on account of a noticeable baldness. I look Closer. Van it be? Yes; it must he! Who would have thought it? Elias, our President! our ban vit'ante! To think that he. of all the class, should seek such a place to practice! But I read his story in his features. A tale of disappointed affection, a paen of unreasonable State Boards, a lyric of self-remmciation, a story of a mis-spent life. But not quite so! For behind him I see the figure of a woman. The hgure, I say, for the face is Smiley's. Kind, gallant, loyal Smiley! Rather than see Elias deserted he renounccs all kin, and follmvs him! As the figure ap- proaches it taps Osborne on the shoulder, and, in a familiar voice, says: llWake up, you old nut! Lizzie is waiting for you in the kitchen ! A glow more than human lights up Eliasl features: and, with awakened memories of an al- most forgotten past, he turns and walks from my vision. 44-

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A Salvation Army barracks stands revealed before me. A meeting is in progress. A famous spell binder is atl- dressing the assembled multitude. On account Of the vast size of the auditorium hi9 figure is rather indistinct! Dtut that voice! I coulcl recognize it anywhere! And those words 1 Those beautyelaclen metaphors, those soul-stirring appeals, those irresistible phrases, those awful climaxese surely they could emanate from but one person! And so they do! For that speaker is Willard Gott, our most ex- alted class orator. I always felt him to be destined for higher and better things: than dentistry, but never expected to see him in this particular line of. activity My heart yearns for himeaud he certain- ly deserves a better fate! To think that he, of all the class, should have such a future! For I see the engine room of the O. C. D. S. The glare of the furnaces illumi- nates it, and in that glare I perceive our able testator-our own Jackeshoveling coali While I watch him a bell sud- denly rings, and. with weary, dcspondent steps, he hastens t0 amwer the summons of Miss VVarhick. His tale cerr tainly is a sad one. jiltecl by the one he loved, shunned by all hit: friends of brighter days, despondent, and out Of funds: yet loath to leave the scene of his former triumphs, he secures the position of janitor of the old college. And in this he is very successful, for, with the enormous salary which he receives, together with the annual Freshman Thanksgiving turkey, he lives a life of comparative ease, Poor Siegl A Hower born to hush unseen, And waste its sweetness in the desert air. The future of our Historian is much brighter. For, encouraged by the success of his uClass Historyj' Wood forsakes dentistry and launches into the Field of journalism. He is now a popular author, his average annual output of historical novels being something over twenty-three. As for the rest of the class, the least said the better! They are all eking out a mcmotonous existence in their chosen profession. They all have comfortable practices, cozy homes, numerous children. Some of them even retain fohcl recollections of the good old days of 1907, when we, as the Senior Class, Were alike the idols and ideaIs of Doctor Way, the joy of Miss VVarnick, the favorites of the dean, and, ab0ve all, the friends of one another! The vision has passed from me, Familiar scenes, fa- miliar faces, familiar voices. remind me that my trance is ended. My mind is again rational. What I said while in my recent condition is forgotten, and I am as one of you again. But, be that as it may, rest assured that whatever I said or saw is as certain as fate! I stake my reputation on that! You do not believe me? Well, then, let the future Cle- cicle! Time alone can corroborate the accuracy of my visions! But, notwithstanding my hrm belief and implicit COIIFle dence in the accuracy of my visions, I hope, against hope. though tit may be3 that ttthe brightest clays of our past may he the darkest Of our future ll, P. A. KRUCKER, '07. e46: