The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-12-27
Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. 16, 1918.
Hon John t. Thompson,
Editor of the Iowa Bystander:

Editor of the Iowa Bystander:
Please allow space in your very val
nable paper for the following. 7 call
your paper valuable because it has
brought me news every week for over
ffteen years from some Of my far away
friends. The write ups of your travels
and of our people you came in contact
with are very encouraging as well as
brilliant. Your paper introduces us to
strangers and tells Of their prosperity,
etc, and it also keeps us acquainted
with the Whereabouts and conditions of
our old friends, whom we think are
many, scattered hither and thither.
Dear sir, repeat your travel and write
up every year.
My visit to Clarinda, Iowa, Nov. 8
to 7, 1918. The guest OF, Mr.. and Mrs.
i. w. Williams. We had very de-
lightful time during our stay in their
beautiful and busy home We witnessed
some things in this busy home that were
and are going on every day, that caused
us to wish every colored citizen, and the
white people who live south of Mason
and Dixon line, could see what we saw
going on in that most beautiful, busy
home of Mr.. ana Mrs. i. W.. Williams.
The fact is this: They have full line
Of groceries and confectionery store,
and something is being sold out Of this
store nearly every minute from five
o'clock a. m. to ten P. m. Nine-tenths
of their customers are white people.
And they serve meals three times day.
kept account Of how many persons ate
dinner and supper. Dinner each day
averaged thirty dinners as follows:
Twenty white men, seven white women,
and three colored men. Suppers, eight
white men and one colored man. How
ever, it is said by those who know that
Mrs. Williams is the best all around
cook, pies especially, in or about Clar-
india. It must be true because she
bakes forty or fifty pies every day and
by 9 p. m. they are sold. Twenty cents
a pie. Sir, =. w. Williams, who was
grand chancellor ten years Of the
knights of Pythias of Iowa, and wife
are working very hard and they are
making friends for their race. Their
customers and others have perfect de-
corum and politeness while in their
store or in the dining room. They US
ually have two women hired to- assist
them. They pay good wages, besides
room and board. They need another
young woman to take charge of the con.
fectionery department.. There is good
chance for some honest young woman
that wants to grow as q first class clerk.
While in Clarinda greatly enjoyed a
four 20 clock dinner in the beautiful
home of Mr.. and Mrs. Arnett. Mr.. Ar
nett runs his own jitney truck. He
gave me very pleasant ride in and
about the city, even out to view the in
sane hospital. The Williams know how
to feed. It's the stopping place Of trav-
cling troops, such as our old friend,
Blind Boone, stops with joy. I shall
never forget my most pleasant visit in
the home of Mr.. and Mrs. L. w. Will
liams.
Mr.. Editor, several persons I see
from Iowa am trying to get them to
subscribe for the Iowa Bystander.
think they will soon. Love to all my
old friends in Iowa. My church work
is getting on fine. This is my best year
here out Of four, To the editor and to
all Of the readers Of the Bystander, a
Merry Christmas and Happy New
year Yours fraternally,
o. A. Johnson,
1864 Madison St.,
Kansas City, Mo.