Baxter Springs news., 1918-11-15

oleNASeS~s
In New York Public School No. 78 I
had three chums, "Blll" Meek, "Jim"
Fleming, and "Charlle" Unger.
Bill was full of wild ideas and
schemes. He had the "get-rich-quick"
mania. About every two weeks he
would call us aside and In mystic
rlous and important manner carefully
unfold some daring scheme to get rich
quick, giving his personal guarantee
that II could not fail. At first we
were very enthusiastic over his
scheme and wanted to 20 In "with
both feet" and would carefully work
out the details of how to proceed,
when, bang! Bill would introduce an
other project absolutely different from
the preceding one. When we asked
him what became Of his wonderful
proposition of two weeks ago, he un-
blushlngly told US that unforeseen cir
cumstances which no one could pre-
vent had interfered. Then he would
unroll another wild dream Of fortune.
And so 1t went on; one scheme after
another vanishing In smoke, until we
became very skeptical. Personally,
I had no faith In any Of Bits day
dreams, but / admired, and perhaps
envIed, his spirit of adventure; so at
Inst l decided that ] would take a
chance, success or no success.
One night Bill came around to the
house with four tickets for q blood
and thunder war play entitled "Cuba's
Vow" His brother was playing the
villain. This play greatly impressed
me; in fact, from the first net to the
last the footlights were gushing blood,
love and adventure-and rotten act
ing. Bills brother was awful.
Bill was a pretty good Judge Of
human nature. He had TAKEN us to
this play to get us worked up to q
pitch Of enthusiasm, and thus getting
us In the proper frame Of mind. he
could unroIl his latest scheme.
That night. after the show, he pro-
posed a trip to South America. which
took our breaths away. We were to
run away and ship on tramp steam
er, for a passage Of about nine
months. With the money thus earned
we were to equip ourselves and start
out for Port LImon, Costa Rica, and
20 into the coffee plantation business.
We all fell for this and took solemn
VOW to stick. The scheme especially
appealed to me because here was my
chance to follow Dana In his 1.-TWO
Years Before the Mast" The next
day, after sleeping II over. Charlie and
Jim decided that there was more
money In New York, and refused to
70. I admit had a sinking sensa'
tion In the pit Of my stomach when
I viewed the proposition In the sun
light, but I stuck. Then BIZ and I
made a tour Of the docks in New
York, trying to fnd the ship we
wanted. We fell In with several
''boardlng masters" These men In
fest the water fronts Of large cities
and are nothing but bloodsuckers
preying on sailors. One Of these
parasites took us on board an old
tramp steamer, lying in Erie basin.
called the Cushko. Here we met
the steward, a 'llme juicer," John
Royal-MInns, with the emphasis on
the hyphen. The wonderful tale Of
ease, luxury and "gettlng paid for see
ing the world" stuff that the steward
and the boarding master unrolled be-
fore our eager eyes carried rs into
the seventh heaven Of expectation.
This was Eve O'Clock In the afternoon.
The shin was to sail at three-ten the
following morning. but they did not
tell us this. The steward said that
we were Just the two that he wanted
there being vacancies on the ship for
second steward and second cook. he
suggested that we sleep on the ship
that night, and then In the morning,
after seeing what II was like. we could
20 home and decide whether we want
ed to- ship or not. / demurred at
this, because I had to 90 home hrst'
~ he gave Bnl and me permission to
20, but said we had to get back at
midnieht. We hurried home and on
the sly packed my grip with my be'
longingS.
That night I exploded q bOmbshen
in the family. After dessert had been
served, puited mp with importance. ]
declared: swell. Tn going to South
America" A barrage Of laughter
rippled around the table. This GOT
me sore, and I shut up like q clam.
II was February, and Very cod
AhOut seven O'cloek that nlRht 9 gEeal