Walnut High School - Walnut Tree Yearbook (Walnut, IL)

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jSky - - 0l The Walnut Tree ■ -J01 ceived Valda Epperson working in Woolworth’s “Five and Ten Cent” store. Valda started to say something, but was called by the manager and had to hurry away. | Then, noticing a group of people hurrying into a great cathedral, I learned that a great evangelist was speaking there. Wishing to catch a glimpse of him, I hastened into the building, and there speaking to the people stood the world’s most famous evangelist, Ormond Gerbitz. I was simply stunned and my astonishment increased much more, when Alden Mungor, piano player for Ormond, sat down and played several popular tunes in a regular “rag time” fashion. Listening to Ormond a few moments, I heard him praise Ovanda Cook for the wonderful missionary work she was doing among heathens in western China. Since the time was short until the races, I left the cathedral for the airport. CJ A voice calling my name from the street startled me and looking toward the source I saw Dale Exner sweeping the street. Dale stated that he had taken the job as street sweeper, because his finances had suffered a depression. Feeling sorry for him, I suggested we have a bite in a nearby barbecue stand. We found the owner to be Ethel Kruse, who was thus consoling herself after an unhappy marriage. 1 As I passed a huge theatre a sign entitled “Alice Parsons in ‘Passionate Love’ ” caught my eye. Before giving the air races a thought, I hurried into the theatre with the intention of seeing Alice act. The play was rather absurd but I enjoyed the chance to see an old friend again. On my way out of the theatre, I bumped into a man and when I turned to excuse myself, I beheld Verner Birkey dressed in the latest styles. Verner informed me that he had been very successful with his home for stray cats and dogs. He was furnishing many of the Chicago meat markets with weiners and bologna and the leading fur corporations were soliciting his trade. CJ When Verner had gone I realized that it was too late to attend the International Air Races, so I determined to go joy riding on a bus. As I boarded the bus I heard a familiar voice and turning I looked into the face of Raymond Ross, who was calling streets and taking tickets. He had no time to talk then, but told me to look w'ho was riding in the front of the car. I made my way along to the front and there in a handsome sailor suit sat Ivan Peach. Ivan was going back to Walnut and marry some quiet little woman who would make a home for him. Riding along through the park Ivan called my attention to a nurse maid sitting on a bench flirting with three policemen. When we came closer, we recognized the nurse maid as Jane Birkey. Jane looked up and blushed a W------------------' 1 9 3 0 Page twenty-three

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— Ml 'The Walnut Tree -J01 1 Wishing to look around in the city before going to the races, I looked for a means to get down town. I saw only a huge Rolls-Royce car, so I went to ask its occupant how to get a train down town. The owner, Clarence Tornow, was delighted to see me and offered to take me any place I wished to go. When we were speeding toward the heart of the city in Clarence’s luxurious car, I asked him what his occupation was. Clarence whispered to me that he was a prosperous “bootlegger;” when I asked him where he got his “stuff” he confided to me that it was made in a brewery in Kentucky run by the former Evadell Anderson and her husband, a romantic southerner. Poor Evadell had expected to run a sausage factory north of Walnut, but fate had cast her lot in a Kentucky brewery. This amazed me a great deal but I concealed my astonishment. JJ In a short time my ride was over and I found myself in the midst of busy Chicago. There, standing on the street corner was Mildred Parlier, running a huge newspaper stand. She had been very successful and now owned a half interest in the Chicago Tribune. This morning she was on an inspection trip and was waiting for her husband, Donald Langford, to come for her. Mildred had married him ten years ago and he was still recuperating from the effects of his bachelor life before that. Donald’s spending money was furnished by his dutiful wife. Mildred also told me that Inez Langford, her cousin by marriage, was on a honeymoon in Europe with her fourth husband, a strong man in Ringling Bros, circus. 1 Taking leave of the newspaper stand I wandered up the street into a tiny cafe. Here I met Edna Wallace, an old maid school teacher, who was taking her pupils on an observation tour. We agreed to have lunch together that we might talk over old times; how surprised we were to find the petite waitress to be Edith Fordham, who still was as pretty as in school days. 3 After Edna had gone I went into the street again. There on the corner stood a man whom I recognized to be Arthur Gallentine in his Salvation Army uniform. Arthur was vigorously beating his tambourine and begging people to help his cause. I started to walk toward Arthur but just then a threatening speaker in the street attracted my attention. It was Stanley Sorrenson, a domineering traffic cop, who was “bawling out” a timid little woman for having squeaky brakes; he sounded very fierce and would not listen to her arguments, which made me smile as I thought of his arguments back in school. I then started to do some window shopping and was not a little astounded when I noticed that all of the furs at Marshall Field’s store were guaranteed to be direct from Alice Keithahn’s Fur Farm in the Ozark Mountains. As I was making my way along, I heard some one tapping at me from a store window. Glancing up I per- Paqe twenty-two 9

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§§ v Ml The Walnut Tree deep crimson just like she did when a girl. The bus rolled on and this amusing sight passed out of view. 1 It was nearly four o’clock when I left the bus so I decided to visit the stock yards. On my way I noticed a huge brick edifice, which was the home for aged women. Upon looking at a bulletin in front of the building I read that Gineth Glafka was the matron of the home. Her record showed that she had been there ten years and was very strict and orderly with the women. When I arrived at my destination, the huge pens of livestock interested me; while I was looking at the cattle, I was accosted by a woman wearing a huge sombrero and a khaki riding habit. She was almost brown from the sun, but when I saw her smile I knew immediately that it was Alene Strouss. Alene owned a great ranch in Arizona and was in Chicago with a trainload of stock. I was somewhat taken back at Alene’s vocation, but I congratulated her and after bidding her goodbye, I hurried back to the main part of the city to have dinner before leaving. CJ At five o’clock I entered the Drake hotel to tidy up a bit for dinner and the manager proved to be Thomas Downs. After relating some of the days’ happy experiences to him, I inquired where one could get a good meal. Thomas recommended the “Dance Until Dawn” Night Club as a fine place to have dinner. After a fine dinner in this beautiful place I was leisurely preparing to leave, when a ravishing blues singer came strolling over to my table. I was not prepared for this and attempted a hasty exit, but she would not let me go. When she whispered into my ear she was Bernice Black, I was greatly astounded. She had changed a great deal since school days and seemed quite a woman of the world. After talking with Bernice a short time, I knew the time for my departure was growing near, so I left the Night Club and started for Union Station. Cf I had decided to return to Walnut on the faithful little train that had been the same ever since I could remember. When I reached the station it was just train time and as I was purchasing my ticket a “red cap” seized my parcels and hurried toward the train. I hastily followed him until he had deposited my packages and found a seat for me in the coach. As I gave him a quarter “tip,” I looked at him and almost fainted—it was Harry Whitver. Quickly snatching the quarter back, I handed him a five dollar bill and told him to give “the little woman and the kiddies” a treat. Harry protested at this, but I pushed the money into his hand and the train started to move, so he was forced to get off. The train slowly moved forward and I settled back into my seat for the journey. I was going home, happier than I had been for years—going home to help another class graduate and scatter over the face of the earth! W = 1 9 3 0 '- Page iioenty-fouv