Riverview Military Academy - Orbit Yearbook (Poughkeepsie, NY)

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The Tour X I f If For many years it S l1ad been my desire to make a tour across thc continent in my -1- 90 H. P. Mercedes ' , ..-e- g dl i X QE? and it was not until 1928 that my desire , was at last realized. , ' Having fully equip- ped both my ma- chine and myself, on August -lith of that year, I started on t my journey. In- -4 stead of travelling directly across the continent, I decided first to travel southward, and at 8 o'clock on the morning of August 4, l9Q8, I started from Albany. The state roads were in excellent condition, and I sailed along regardless of my worldly cares, and not troubling my- self much as to where I was going or what I was going to do, until I reached Pough- keepsie, where, in front ofthe court house, a crowd of enthusiastic men and women greeted my appearance. In their midst, standing on a high platform, stood a dark shapeless individual who was evidently very much impressed by his own efforts, judging from his gestures and the Venus-like pose which he assumed. His auditors seemed no less impressed than himself, for such remarks as, Isn't he a dear? , Oh, that figure! The Saviour of our cause! were heard by the feminine faction of his audience. I looked again to scc who the gentleman could be who was so favorably accepted by the fair sex Cin Poughkeepsie tool and recognized my old class mate Sweeney, who was upholding wom- an's rights most vehemently. He soon finish- ed his oration, and, amidst tl1e thundering applause of the crowd, descended from the platform, and before I could congratulate him upon the success of his speech, had ascended to his room on the upper story of the court house. As I continued on my journey down the South Road, I noticed in the distance a black

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H-H I IIVJ PR NE f Y

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cloud of dust, and speeded up my car a little, so as to overtake the cause of the disturbance. As I drew nearer, I noticed that it was the Wappingers car, going at the rate of about six- ty miles an hour, regardless of the fact that just in front of it was an exceedingly sharp curve. I knew that if the motorman did not slow down, the ear would certainly leave the rails. And sure enough. As the car struck the curve, it leaped from the tracks, jumped the stone wall on its left, and landed in an open field. I shuddered at the awful sight, and immediately stopped my machine, and ran to the spot of disaster. Three of the passengers were killed instantly, and a nmnber severely hurt, among which number was the motorman. I was particularly curious to see who the motorman was who had conducted his car so carelessly, and ran to the spot where he lay, helpless. Great was my surprise to find he was no other than Clapp, the famous drill master of my prep. school days. Not knowingjust what to do, I looked about to see if perhaps there was some one of the passengers who was not hurt, and who possibly could assist me. Just in back of 111e, I heard a husky voice exclaim Courses omittedb, I'll be late-I know I'll be late! I thought the bull-like voice sounded familiar to me, and on turning around-sure enough, it was Ernst Russell! After a mutual exchange of Wlldfs 4 W W Im 1 Q AW? M N .. , I U- , Y 1554 ,..-- ,. - .1- ' s i . 7? y , as i if I T, 'x it I fjf my J im ff! ,....-- Q-f greetings, I suggested that we had best begin to lend aid to the injured. VVell, said Ernst, I'm a veterinary doctor myself so ean't be of much assistance to many of these people. However, I can work on Clappf, After giving him a few doses of horse medicine, Clapp re- vived sufliciently to be removed to the nearby cemetery. After the remainder of the injured ones had been taken care of by a real doctor,