The chronicle=news., 1913-02-26
FOUNDER OF FAMOUS
BORROWED TIME"
CLUB IS KNOWN HERE

u heart account that cannot be oy-
crdrawn". Pcopi. are talking about
him because he has done something
really worth while. Philandsr ".
Barclay deals in bicycles and clcc.
irIcai supplies at Oak Park. Ills. and
Is the organizer OF the borrowed
Time" club. OF which the Americas.
magazine In Its February issue had
much to say. And Philander W.
Barclay II u nephew %! Mrs, ". Il.
Hines OF this city and brother of
James 7. Barclay. who IL associated
with Judge Hines In the coal busl-
ness. and he stopped off In Trinidad
on his way home from California to,
visit for u few days with his aunt
aud his brother.
Back In Oak Park. Ills. is an or
ganization known as the Borrowed
Time" club that Phiiandcr Barclay
organixed ten years ago. The club
In made up Of men who are Twin. on
borrowed time. each member hav-
Ing passed the milestone that marks
the allotted thrce-score years and
ten. In this club he has brought tn.
venerable patriarchs together-men
over seventy who mingle ut the meet
InHs mn rccitc the anecdotes Of their
youth and every member Of that
club looks upon the young man Of
thirty ~ "onc OF them" How Phil.
andcr Barclay came to organize the
Borrowed Time club Is u story
we'll told In the American magazine
but one which will bear the telling
again here.
In thu, suburb Of Chicago where
Barclay II clgagcd In business. u
| man who was richly honorCd by the
esteem OF his fcilowmcn died many
years ago. That man was Barclays
father. Soon afterwards tn" young
man brcam" closely asxoc!Rtcd In
friendship with the vcncrabl. old
friends Of his father and the Idea of
a social club among men over scv-
cnty years Of age was conceived by
him. u. laid his plan bcfor" Path
cr Robbins. who endorsed the Idea
with enthusiasm.
lu time to come the Interest Of the
old men wus enlisted and the club
was formed aud nt tn" first meeting
Father" Robbins was elected presi-
dent. \ simple constitution was
adopted. plodKinE support To any
mo, cement which promoted the COM
fort aud fellowship OF old men.
| Thus the borrowed Time" club
became an Institution. Regular
meetings were held by the venerable
ncmbcrs some bent With weight
OF ycsrs-kindiy faces crowned with
white hair that is. no to speak. the
emblem OF their fraternity" and NIL
active In the promotion Of the club.
Aud this fraternity was the of
spring OF the nable spark OF kindli-
nes. that Iliumincd the soul OF IL
founder.
In telling the r.maisrrr of til,
story John Arson Ford. In the
American magazine says:
Father Robbins remained the
head OF tn. club until his death two
years ago. The event cast such u
gloom over the old men that II was
feared they would never hold meet
ings again. barclay was determined
that the club should go on. person
laily invited tn. members 10 u .pc-
cial meeting. When they gathered
they found a portrait OF Father
Robbins ON the wall before them. As
they sat in small groups talking In
sober tones hush fell as they heard
Ia voice which much rescmblcd that
lof Father Robbins. The old men
listened ut looked at Barclay. Then
they notice u phouograph concealed
behind bank OF palms. After n
few minutes Barclay explained that
some months before. he had secured
photographic records of short
!spccches by Father" Robbins and
ARRANGED to reproduce them at this
meeting. II was u crucial moment.
Barclay did not know but what this
vivid reminder OF their old friend
would cause the men to regret their
looming. hut there was SO much good
cheer in the familiar voice from the
phonoyraph that tears trickled on
wrtnkled cheeks. e.
The old men went to their homes
shaking their heads In wonder over
the voice they had heard. happier
than they had been for many weeks.
From that day the pcrmancnce OF
the club was assured"
Last winter while visiting In Los
Angeles, Calf. Barclay observed tho
number of old men that frcqI"nted
the parks. lie secured All interview
with the mayor and proposed a Dor
rowcd Time club. The mayor
heartily endorsed the plan aud BAR
clay spent weeks enlistine the inter
est Of the old men he met. An or
ganization was perfected. As n re
suit other clubs are being formed.
Minneapolis is to have u club. and
as far away as New England there
arc towns In which the old men are
organizing.
Barclay. modest young man.
would not talk of the unique accom-
plislmcnt In Trinidad. Suffice ~
to say the grand idea is growing and
Borrowed Time clubs are spring
ing nn In many cities and towns. In
Oak Park lie gives most OF his time
to his business and hanging up on
the walls of his sloD Is this verse