Arizona republican., 1922-04-27

H
My Dear Editor:
We have visited many cities in thA
past eight months, Khayyam and |,
and We've met ana entertained, and
been entertained. and royalty treated,
by many delightful people And we
have been Stunned. even mistreated
by few. So we thought we'd tell
you how we've Jared here at Phoenix.
and how we like your city.
'Khayyam" is a brown, and some
what reticent army field tent, but
square, and a true friend. So / all
ways speak as though we were one
which We really are, for we lirlderS
stand one another's moods ana
whiIns, an unusual thing in two or
more beings, we believe.
As we lirnped into Phoenix from
the coast, hot and dusty, and began
to inquire directions TO the city camp
ground, we were a little surprised at
the courteous answers We received.
and at the Willingness on the part of
those we approached to do us a favor
another unusual thing, we believe.
And when Mr.. Langford, the park
guardian. explained to US that we
could settle for a time on his nice
green grass-well, that also was
hard to believe at first: for as rule
they try to allot US a place near the
city incinerator.
A few days before arriving here
We were waiting for a. street car in
a coast city. But it was on a pecu-
liar street corner, for the street car
turned the wrong way for the con-
venience of waiting passengers. when
the passengers waited on the right
side. So we were a little puzzled
And when the car came along. sure
enough we WERE on the wrong side.
But we grabbed the closed gate,
hoped on, and smiled at the con-
ductor anyway. But the conductor
didn't catch our smile. Perhaps il
isn't an engaging or contagious smile.
Or possibly that particular conductor
has become immune to smiles through
harboring the old belief that his bur-
dens are harder to bear than his
neighbor's. However it may be. he
only looked glum. or grim,-or was it
merely authoritative anyway, it's
a disagreeable quality, and one that
is hard to embrace in single word.
But the conductor could talk. And
he did. And said: THE NEXT
time-you wait on the other side!"
And so we revolved it over in our
mind: and wondered If he couldn't
at least have left the first three
words unsaid. But we thanked good
ness (and Bernarr MacFadden) that
we had always been as devout in our
daily physical culture as we had in
our nightly prdyers-for it is conso-
lation at such times, especially If YOU
have a lady friend along, to feel that
your good right cross still carries its
steam.
But while there Is always the Bit
ter, there is also the sweet. and as a
rule the latter far more than makes
up for the other. But even so. one
cannot help wondering, when he is
beset by a rude, unfeeling boor, just
how long it will take us as a proud
nation, TO be fully as we'll as theoret-
ically capable of ruling" ourselves
and whether or not the little woman
1t home doesn't sometimes harbor a
resentful feeling, and tingly SEN
sation in the region of HER right
shoulder, when she is told that, "The
NEXT time, etc.
But-as we stood in line at the
Phoenix postoffice window GA to ~
waiting our turn, we were also, and
unknowingly, awaiting a pleasant
surprise. For '.khayyam' and -
well, we're not so finicky as to outer
garments; and when we stepped TO
buttoned, the true rough meek. we
were little awed, If not quite over
whelmed by the kindly, nay. the radi-
ant smile that greeted us-a smile
which also greeted each and every
man or woman, boy or girl that like
wise approached the window to ask
for mail. And we made it a point to
discover that this happened on othey
days that followed. And surely a
young lady who can, in the course of
the daily grind, and day after day,
meet the public in the same fine
spirit in which she would meet rev
acquaintances in cultured home
WELL she must be a person of ines
Unable value to a pestered post
master.
Nothing draws and holds the wan
dering pilgrim, ever hoping and
searching as he is for he knows not
what, like a kindly reception in a
strange land. For it makes him feel
that, Now. at last, perhaps. l have
found home"
GEORGE ONN.