1909

If all goes well, I'll be hopping into my Hot Rod next Wednesday and heading for New Jersey to tie on a few feed bags with my sister Mildred, then on to the son's place to see him, his personable little woman and, of course, the grandson. I'd like to make it to Hanover, but time won't permit.

The painting season is about over in Aurora, including the storm windows and the inside of the woodshed. My women folks have painted the kitchen, are working on the powder room (that's the place where you fix up to go to the toilet) and will do the upstairs bath, and then they'll subside for the season.

For the last two summers a flock of chimney swifts have been hanging out in our chimney, building their nests up there. They'd drop stuff down into our fireplace and once in a while a young bird would fall out of the nest. But we've fixed 'em. We've had a cage put over both flues, and next spring, when they come back from the south, they'll be in for a surprise.

The Latest from Dutch Thorn

That guy Thorn is the wonder of our class. A few years ago he was wondering if he'd ever reach 60, on account of that calcium deposit forming around his heart. Well, he got to be 64 on March 15 of this year, after surviving one of those rare heart operations where the doctor chipped the scale from around the ticker. This is what he had to say in his last letter: "Real estate sales are booming with me and we have at last acquired economic independence. Some fun! (Dutch is with Schulstad & Huffman, 116 East Lafayette Street, Tampa, Fla.) "Health is perfect, and the old ticker behaves as it did years ago before the calcium began to form. I put in all the hours of the day from sun-up until nine or so in the evening and I love it. "About a month or so ago we took a short vacation over on one of the nearby beaches and there we had the good fortune to run into Buster Brown and his wife Frances. Needless to say we had a grand time for two days together, only Buster was on the wagon and I had to drink by myself with the exception he still will take a bottle of beer or two. "I have him thoroughly sold on Florida and he is coming down here in a year or two when he can retire from his government position. He was thinking of settling in the 'Garden Spot of America,' but I stole him away from you."

That's a happy sequel to a run of tough luck that was chasing Dutch for a number of years. His classmates, I know, will be tickled to hear about it.

My, How the World Has Shrunk

Yes, indeedy, mates, it's a small world. Once in awhile, when there's any '16 news comes out of Cleveland I shoot it in to F. Stirling Wilson who writes a snappy column for his gang. Stirling, who's a Navy career man, has been transferred out to the State of Washington. In his last note to me, he asked me if I knew a guy in the building where I make my office and dam if he wasn't right on the floor below me. This gent, who's in the publishing business, classed Stirling as a talented writer, said he used his stuff from time to time. So, if any of you '16 birds read this you can be reassured that you've got a class notes editor who's on the beam.

First Call for Class Dues

Don't be backward about coming forward with that five bucks for your class dues. Secretary and Treasurer Bertie French has mailed out all the bills and now he's sitting by the window in his domicile in Sandwich, Mass., waiting for the postman to ring once, at least. Remember that your dues include a subscription to that star publication, the ALUMNI MAG. Make Bertie happy by putting your remittance in the mail right now, if you haven't already done so.

Now, i£ some of you guys will get busy with the pen and pencil, maybe we'll accumulate some news for a fresh Diddings. I want to know how Harry Burroughs is getting along and whether his son was released from the Marines so's he could help the old man. Has Art Sporborg moved into his new house, or are he and his better half still living with their kids? If they don't get houses built any faster down there than they do in Aurora, he's still with the kids. What's Hal Pratt doing in his retirement years? Going to seed? Has B. Matthew Scully been on any trips lately? What's cooking with Sawny Reagan out on the West Coast? Is Gene Stark alive yet? I wrote him a letter a year or so ago and the bum never answered it. Has he gone high hat? He wasn't that way in college. Did the dates on Merrill (J. P.) Follansbee's date ranch get wormy this year? Is Stan Gates in the investment business in St. Paul, or has he retired, and is he as handsome as ever?

Come, come, men. Get the lead out of it and make with the U. S. mails before postage goes up again. Your correspondent is signing off right now.

Class Notes Editor Pioneer Trail, Aurora, Ohio

Secretary and Treasurer, Sandwich, Mass.