Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1921-12-22
Young Man Travels AfaP


Dec. Is, 1921
Mr.. Ray Durbin, McConnelsvil]e
O:-Mother says you would like to
have little news regarding my
work. so here goes:
1t doesn't seem possible that
have been about as far away from
home as a person can get and yet re-
main I'm the United States. In fact |
played the most Northwestern town
in the country, Friday Harbor,
Washington, UP in the San Juan Is
lands. am now working eastward
and my last date before Christmas
will be at Green River, Wyo., Dec.
19, which will close my season. Am
going to stop over at Kansas City
and Chicago, so expect to be home
about Christmas day.
/ am certainly seeing some won
derful country and meeting fine peo-
pie. am travelling for the Ellison
White Bureau, member of the affil-
lated lycenm and Chautauqua asso-
citation. They put on five dav Far
Festival throughout the Northwest,
which is much like our Chautauqua.
They call their platform manager
the director" and I am on with the
same talent every place I go. Their
talent is certainly among the very
best and many Of them have appear
ed at our own Chautauaua at home.
Some of them are: TheParnells, Gar
ner Jubilee Company, Gorst, the bird
man: Pitt Parker, Cartoonist; The
Bell Ringers and DR.. S. Parkes Cad
man. Don't know what the latter
was paid at McConnelsville. but he's
getting $3.50 lecture with this bu-
reau. They are all certainly fine
people to meet. NV Drooram comes
on the second night of the festivals
and seems to take big with the aud
ience. In manv of our towns IN
Mc-Aarc rt8s. ce tha audiences We. 2
composed of Indians. Then in Utah
they we're all Mormons. They see'c-
ed to fall lard for the "spiritualism"
stunts. NV proeram is much differ
ent from the one gave at the oDera
house before I left home, as / have
MANY new and larger tricks. They ad-
verfise me as having the largest one
man magic act on the ChautauQua
platform.
I especially enjoyed so mile boat
trip across Puget Sound to little
island by the name of Richardson.
where we were holding a Chautan-
qua. Most of the talent got sea sick,
but it Just happened that the water
was smooth on my day.
II crc,t p week In Portland. Ore,
where the company has office hNe -
quarters. while played IN towns
near there. On one evening ll or
the office force came out to see my
narformance and I received notice to
caIl al the Office in the morning. To
INV surprise they made me an oner
for next years season at an increase
of coz ner week on my present sal
ary.
At one place, Moro, Ore, we were
snnwed in for a week and missed a
.,,oak,a engagement. Had quite a
nice time, though, for the hotel was
snch a fine one, and we were not the
onIv ones who were stranded there.
Resides myself, one of our directors,
and the Russian violinist, Srth'nsVv
ond hts company, there we're about
EN travelling men in the same plight.
believe mel We had a lot of nun.
One evening they made the mrsl-
clans and mvself nut on an enter
tafnment and different ones OF the
Others told stories and put on
0a4uq,ts.'' Had pood "eats" too.
Now. Just little about the coun-
try. Some parts of 1t are wild ana
woody. plenty of bears and deer. and
since / didn't get to 20 fvnting there
are plenty left. Saw lots of beauti-
ful mountains, PLAYED right through
the Glacier National Park, and had
the pleasure Of going through gold
mine.
Didn't intend to write 80 much
when / started out and hope
haven't bored YOU too much. Hone
to see McCOnnelsville and all the
folks soon. although don't have
much time to get homesick, for life
is Just one show after another
Cordially yours,
nj G. MCDONALD BIRCH.