Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

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THE 1919 SENIOR ANNUAL My first night was a bit lonesome, as I was not accustomed to traveling alone, but my troubles vanished in the morning. Imagine my surprise to find myself seated at the same table with 'Larry' Gaheen. I-le was waiting for the session of the League to open 1 he being the U. S. representative - so we had plenty of time together. Our chief attraction was 'Ed Wolff's Beauty Chorusf It certainly did credit to its manager. Arlinda Ingalls was his leading lady at the time and Genevieve Parks, an expert tight-rope walker and juggler. Speaking of the theatrical profession, have you noticed how rapidly Vera Inman has been coming to the front for some time. Perhaps you didn't know about it, however, as her name has now changed to Strettonf' Well, she could always sing, and it was because of her that our Glee Club at R. F. A. was such a success. Was it under E.d's management that you played? Yes, for a short time, but after my marriage to Count Aresa I went to Mrs. l've been following out the route prescribed of astronomy, but a grand opera star is good enough for me. Got any of the new Slippety-Slop-Slide music? Oh, yes, here is one of the latest ones out, 'Mildred Dear, You Know I Love You,' by Lincoln Evans. Do you want to hear it? H 'Line' has made a great hit as a song writer. Sure, go ahead. I suppose Mildred plays the songs he writes? inquired the visitor. She was always pretty good at the piano. Well, responded the Countess, going to the piano, I hardly agree with you. At present she is playing the organ at the church where 'Joe' Ruby preaches. 'Joe' has pretty progressive ideas, but I guess he hasn't introduced dance music into the pulpit yet. What's happened to Josephine -- er - I mean Joe's sister? Oh, Genevieve? Let me see - Oh, yes, Elden told me, she is in France with him doing Red Cross work in his army. Inspired to rashness by the irresistible strain of Lincoln's melody, the airman extracted a cigarette from a hollow in the heel of his shoe. The soothing aroma of cigarette smoke lured both into a blissful reverie. Ten dollars' fine and thirty days' imprisonment! The words thundered forth accompanied by a crashing of glass and the firing of a revolver. An oflicer of the law had caught them with the goods. The stub of the cigarette disappeared into the mouth of the offender, and the two guilty ones moved about restlessly. The grim officer entered the window and produced a pair of handcuffs. The culprits, terror-stricken, faced him with downcast eyes. Kelley, as I'm alive! said the officer. Well, what d'ya know about it if it isn't my old pal Claude Bell! Say, Claude, old top, let me off and I will give you a cigarette. The great detective gazed upon his victim thoughtfully and responded, Kelley, you know the penalty if I am caught letting you escape, but I will take the chance for old times' sake. ExceIlentl I-Iave a seat Claude and help us pass the evening, invited the Countess. 1. 30

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THE 1919 SENIOR ANNUAL THE PROPHECY OF THE CLASS OF 1919 Nineteen hundred and twenty-nine had rolled around and the old June moon stopped in his course to peer into the window of a sumptuously furnished apartment in New York. Here a prima donna of world-wide fame was reclin- ing on her divan watching the moonbeams dance with the shadows on the wall. The telehone rang impatiently. It was the usual end of her musings. It was probably the manager of the theater with some trivial question or a newspaper reporter wanting to know the date of her last appearance. With a sigh she rose, drew the curtains, shutting out the moon's bright rays, and turned on the light. This is Countess Aresa, greeted the actress, lifting up the receiver. Well, Priscilla! I knew it was you! exclaimed a deep voice at the other end of the wire. May I come up and see you? Why-er-yes. Who is it? stammered the Countess, a bit overcome with surprise. Ha-ha! Your voice sounded so natural I half forgot we hadn't seen each other in ten years, and l supposed you would know 1 why, l'm Lynn Kelley of Class ' I9 -- remember? Rememberl l should say I do! Sure, come right up.. Be careful when you land, there are two other triplanes on the roof. Good-bye. And Countess Aresa, otherwise known as Priscilla Beach, hung up the receiver. Five minutes later there was a knock at the ceiling and the classmate of former days descended to the room. The greetings over, there was a silence in which each marveled at the change which ten years had made in the other. The airman was the first to break the spell. He glanced around the room, his gaze resting on a picture of a general in full uniform. Why, that face looks so familiar to me - and yet I am not acquainted with any generals. Ohl That is Gen. Elden Shue, who has made a shining record with the army of occupation. l met him in Paris and he gave me his picture, answered the Countess. ln Paris? Yes. Come and sit down. It was in France that I made up my mind to try the stage. I had always had a desire to and encouraged by some success there I determined to continue for a while over here. I sailed immediately after leaving college and made the trip in thirty-live minutes in Vincent Raffauf's famous seaplane 'The E.thyl'l Hynes and l-Iertel were the pilots and they changed their course only to escape colliding with a reckless star rover, 'The Allison,' which was carrying Karllotta Heyne home from her honeymoon. Upon my arrival I summoned a limousine to take me to my destination, and it was my surprise to find the driver to be my old classmate, Lura Kirk. She informed me that the proprietor of the hotel to which I was going was Marjorie Dunning, and that Odelia Plunkett was her assistant. She after- wards mentioned that Mabel Quackenbush was clerk. I soon decided that the hotel must be run on the American plan. 29

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THE 1919 SENIOR ANNUAL Funny thing, ever since the chief sent me to New York l have been arresting old-time friends. Detectives will be as numerous as mosquitoes if this keeps on, and twice as bothersome, at that, remarked the Countess. l wonder how the anti-gum ordinance is progressing, mused Kelley. I don't know about that, but if it is going to pass they might just as well turn R. F. A. into a prison right now if it's the same as it was ten years ago, returned the Countess with a laugh. Jennie Jones has certainly clone wonders in Congress to defeat the bill, she continued. She always had a convincing way. Well, commented the detective, you must admit that the world is improving, even if it is a bit hard on us. Yes, and the class of 'l9 certainly has done a lot toward it. 'Tilly' hart has done wonderful work in the study of physical training. Her last accom- plishment was to take a school of pupils physically and morally weak and make them over into first-class men and women. Elizabeth Biggam deserves the credit for making them all turn 'Christien'l l should think that the poor teachers would be exhausted by this time, marveled the detective. l guess they would have been if it hadn't been for Mildred Lauther, who gave them electrical massages after each class, exclaimed the Countess. How shocking! murmered Kelley. lsn't Lola Willson doing something like that too? No, her strong beliefs are in spiritualism. l heard a wonderfully inspiring lecture given by her on the subject. l think Frances Clyde and Ellen Wilson are partly responsible for her sudden interest in the subject, they having suc- cessfully faked an act of hypnotism in her presence. Do they realize the value of their services? While l don't know about that, at least they haven't gone into the business of hypnotism. Frances is head nurse in the Roosevelt Hospital, Chicago, and Ellen is studying science in the service of the government. Has anyone been back at R. F. A. late? ventured the detective. At this point in the conversation the evening paper, the Evening Daily Backbiterf' edited by Floyd Jones, scaled through the room from the opening in the ceiling and landed on the head of the startled speaker. Oh, laughed the Countess, those newsboys are so careless. They never stop to drop the paper and you always find it unexpectedly. Let's see if there is any news. Dooley always has some interesting editorial. Oh, it's fashions today. Do you remember how it used to be his hobby to inquire into all the particulars of girls' clothes? His education has evidently helped him. He says: 'The latest style of hoop skirt is the self-adjusting, double-back action, bustle etruscan, face expansion, Piccilomini attachment, gossamer, indestruc- tible, demileopard magic ruffle polocticomoran. It is said to be a very charm- ing thing and we publish the fact for the benefit of our lady readers. We hope they will appreciate our efforts to please them.' l'm glad he knows what that means, exclaimed the airman. lt's German to me. Well, it's all interpreted here. Lillian lnfanger has designed it for him. She's quite a wonder at that work. BI