The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1908-07-23
Brookings in 1928
Items taken from the Brookings Daily
Register of July %, 1929

Register of July %, 1929
The Rt. Hon. Joseph Swering, X. B.
X. c., Imperial Potentate and Keeper
f the Geld Box for the Shah of Per.
STA, arrived in Brookings Saturday for
a visit with relatives and old time
friends. He was accompanied by three
of the Mrs. Swerings and a bunch of
little Swerings.
OF all the young men who have
gone out from Brookings, the subject Of
this sketch has had probably the most
v onderful and varied experiences.
Becoming shocked at some of the
doings of the electric light plant where
he was working during the summer
of 1908 he placed his belongings in a
red bandanna handkerchief and went
out in the cruel world to seek his
fortune. Arriving in Minneapolis he
secured a job as mOtorman On the
street cars, holding this for about six
months when the wanderlust again got
him and by easy stages he finally
reached San Francisco. Here he Sc
cured a situation running an elevator
and was doing we'll. One evening
while strolling around the city and
viewing the strange sights he wander.
ed down near the docks into what is
known as the Barbary coast, the haunt
Of ~seafaring folks and one of the
toughest places this side of where Sam
Small says the liquor dealers are going.
Upon reaching a particularly dark por-
ton of the street he was suddenly hit
over the head with an eelskin and
when he again got his senses found
himself aboard an ill-smelling craft.
beyond the sight of land, and bound
whittier he knew not. He was not kept
in ignorance long, however, being told
by the captain, in language more for
chile than elegant, that he had signed
to ship on the "Susy Jane" and that
they were bound for the far north in
search of seal and other fur bearing
animals, and that if he looked sharp
and attended to- his own business no
ell that it was the best thing to do as
he was told and put in about six
months at as hard and disagreeable
work as can we'll be imagined, finally
escaping when the boat touched a little
place on the north coast of Norway
where he suffered untold privations
from the extreme cold and hunger,
finally being found by a goat herder
who took him to his hut and fed him.
Here he remained for some three
months, earning enough money to take
him to Christiania where he secured
employment in an electric light plant
and finally married a widow who was
immensely wealthy. But two weeks
after this event his wife was killed in
a railway accident and Mr.. Swering
concluded to go around the world, see
all he could and finally return to
B~rookings to live and die. All went
well until one day he landed at Lycia
in Persia, was caught making Sleeps
eyes at n Of the members of the
harem of a rich nobleman, was thrown
into prison and finally condemned to
death. When all hope seemed to be
gone he was released, taken to the
castle, given great honors and install
led in his present responsible position.
The woman at whom he was looking
came, by a fortunate turn of affairs,
to be the favorite of the Shah and at
her request the wonderful change in
his position came about. The Honor
able Joseph says that Persia is a fine
country and that he has come to like
his new life immensely.
He will remain here until fall, re-
turning home via Paris and London.
Following the oriental custom his
wives keep the entire lower portion Of
their faces covered and curiosity is so
thick around Brcokings these days that
you car cut it with a knife.