Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-21

IBERIA. Ohio. August 13.-Ths was
a town of Puritans when Warren G.
Harding was student al the Ohio
years has been only a memory. Life
ran between rigid palings.
"Out there is the cemetery" said a
former resident. I'VE used to go
there on summer Sunday. afternoons.
1t was the only place we had to go"
The littleneSS of the town--the mar
roWneSS of its interests may be
guessed al from the stories that per-
sist. There was once an Iberian W no
made a failure as storekeeper but
became shining light in the Stand
ard Oil Company's silk hat brigade
In later years he wandered back to
the home of his boyhood. wearing his
silk hat. sweeping Prince Albert
coat which was then the very ne
plus ultra of fashion. and-unfortu-
nate1y--a severe jag. 1t rained. and
he bought a pair of rubber boots and
in silk hat and rubber boots and
Prince Albert he wandered through
the streets condemning the village in
loud. clear tones.
Survived Forty Years.
'Then he went to the hotel" said
an old resident. land called for a
dozen fried goOse-eggs for supper.
I'VE have no goose-egSs- SAID the
kotelkeeper
What sortuva hotel is Kiss, any
VOW? demanded the ex-native, sour
ly. 'Selluva 'otel-not got ANY goose
eggs"
That simple little narrative has
survived the storms of forty years;
as has the other of the farm mana
on MacLerney's farm near by. VINO
,.l ,oh no
pole of the barn and united the rope
reaping two broken legs from ms ell
fort And the scandal of the drunk
en- geese is still remembered. But TO
appreciate it the simple annals OF the
town must be gone over more deeply.
NOWADAYS there is no hotel IN
Iberia. because no one. apparently
ever goes there except those VINO iiNe
there. Years ago. when railroads mrs
began to drive the oxen from ohio
roads. the farmers of iberia eiuseu
to grant the Big Four right OF way
through the town. =.
1--WE will not have railroad mere
they said, land have our boys ruined
by these wicked railroad men.
So the Big Four passed around the
town in a wide sweep. And when
the Ohio Central College was puFEeo
down in 1885 the town had so lar
ceased to grow that no EFFORT was
ever made to rebuild the little col
lese. That this was practical lhere
is no DENYING but that IT was wise
NAV be doubted. For evidences oi
the influences of the ONO tehlI d.
College may be seen in the neisnoof-
hood to this day. The nearby larns
are full of intelligent men ana WON
on who attended it. Nowhere IN ohio
does one find straighter or cieahel
thinking. Like many anotheF 49,.
college of yesterday, it may hot M
turned out profound scholars. put It's
graduates were cultured ana oroau
minded men and women.
Center of Abolition Movement'>
Ohio Central College was center
of the abolition movement III
DAVIS. Half a dozen places are sun
nointed out which We're recos hiHeu
stations on the underground rali"aE'
Orce three runaway slaves were re-
cantured there by United states i'aI
sbais hut the farmers of the neiS I. .
borhood put the poor creatures a.
liberty and whipped the marsh"i~
with hickory withes.
DR.. Gordon. president of the coliest,
a stern and just man. stood ps a""
He did not urge the whippihS;. :,
say the old-timers, but neither o'"
he interfere. c,o.a,,,d
He was lodged in Jail at Cleyeiann,
where the federal ofncers 'lieu "
force him to turn states eHioenee., ;.
"I will die before l Will Speah'
said he passionately.
speak. Later oil I .