The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-17
SUNDAY.

During all the summer of 1910 had
thought of making a trip east and my
plans and hopes had included a day on
the Atlantic coast and possibly few
hours on a steamer. I had never seen
the ocean and for years 1 had longed
to see the waves beat on the shore ana
hear the swish and swirl of the water
that is driven without rest eternally
against the rocks. l thought that l
could rise to heights of eloquence and
compose poetry about the melancholy
waste of waters, and so forth and so
on. But 1 did not; 1 got as sick as a
mule However, 1 digress or, rather,
precede. This is a prologue to the
diary proper.
The trip did not take form until 1
met Gibbs on the street one day in
July and asked him where he was go
ing to spend his vacation. By G1bbs
I mean Charles Gibbs. English to the
bone, whose long suit is figures, time
tables, patience, exactness, neatness
and several other virtues I don't re-
member now. Well, Gibbs said he was
going east, too, and he wanted to see
the ocean We made a deal then and
there to take the trip together. and 1
never regretted it, but 1 think Gibbs
did
We had no more business travelling
together than Martin Luther and
habit in the world, while I have all
there is on the calendar and several
others. But we made that trip and ate
and slept and rode and walked to-
gether for over two weeks and agreed
on all the essentials. 1t worked fine,
strange as it may seem, for Gibbs kept
me out of trouble and l kept him
reasonably busy at the job. and he had
no time for melancholy or monotony
to steal in and corrode his view of
men and things and events
After several long consultations we
agreed that the trip should consume
sixteen days and that we would fol-
low as nearly as possible this route:
Kansas City to Chicago with two days
stop at the Windy City. Chicago to
Detroit with day at Detroit Thence
to Buffalo by boat. From Buffalo
Gibbs was to go to Canada and spend
a day with friends and was to go
to Vermont to spend the same time
Albany and go to Boston. day in
Boston and another at Newport and
then a steamer trip to New York.
Three days in the metropolis and then
another boat ride to Norfolk, Va.
Then still another boat trip to Wash
ington two days there and then home
via Louisville and st. Louis. A fine
schedule. and it worked out, too.
Gibbs schedules always work out. 1
remember We gloated over the many
boat trips in that schedule, but we
lost a lot of that "gloaty'' feeling after
the third night spent on the briny
deep.
We left our happy home September
g. which was Tuesday. Gibbs had a
lot of trouble getting me started. He
wanted to go September 1, but I held
firm for the 9Th. Tuesday is the only
proper day to start on a trip, and
Gibbs agrees with me now Turning
from this introduction to my notes of
the trip I find the following:
Start for the East.
Tuesday, Sept. Cleft Topeka 1870
a. m on the Santa Fe. Nearly missed
my train. Had date to meet Gibbs at
the Kupper house in Kansas City at
10 a. m. Gibbs had left town the Sat-
urday before. 1 was on time at the
Kupper to the minute. Gibbs was not
there. 1 was astounded. But then
that was { Only occasion during the
trip where I was on time, and the
only time that Gibbs was ever late a
second. SO let it pass. We bought
our round trip tickets as per schedule
beforehand and left Kansas City at
D. m. for Chicago via the Milwau-
kee & st. Paul Limited, a good train
and a good road.
Wedne sday. Sept. LANDED in Chi
cago at O'Clock and made pike for
the Great Northern hotel. Gibbs was
at home in Chicago, having lived
there at one time. 1t was my first
visit to the western metropolis, and
Gibbs had trouble in keeping me out
from under the street cars and some
five thousand trucks and drays that