The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-29

ing me to be an escaped convict should place me under arrest? Truly 1 had overlooked something; I should have had some kind of signed state ment from the warden setting forth my true situation. But in the event of complications, perhaps a telegram would set matters right. However, l would not borrow trouble but would make the most of my journey. A snowstorm delayed the train two hours in central Kansas and it was yet behind time when the porter came through and said, The next stop is Kansas City"
 To the right stretched that won- derfully productive valley and all along there l was seeing familiar sights. Many changes were. appar- ent-it was my first trip over that road in twenty-one years-but the whole landscape and general appear ance was the same as before. And a queer feeling of mingled gratitude and new hope swept me when real ized that within ten minutes more l should. be again standing upon the soil of my own beloved state-Mis- souri,
 l was ready to step from the train when an impulse to write seized me A Greeting To The old Town.
 With the paper resting on small volume on my knee, I wrote with a pencil the following lines:
 Kansas City gateway to the west, They all come back, in time, to you You with your sweet and subtle
 charm;
 You with your heart that is, tender,
 warm;
 You with your people true.
 And though far from prestige, for
 tune or fame One of the commonest kind of clay I have a message for you, my dear; So pause, old town, incline your ear Next time, I'll come to stay"
 No telling what else I might have added to that first verse, had there been more time for writing while
 
 It was my plan to remain in Kan sas City that night and go out to my old home some miles away the next day. In putting that plan into exc T cution l took a taxi and drove straight to the Savoy. Should any reader of this see fit to look over the register for that date-Saturday l ha find there the entry: "G. B. King, San Francisco and New York. For obvious reasons I did not want to register under my true name and l that was the first name that came into my mind when the smiling greeter turned the register for me to write.
 I had thought of going on home the following day but on second thought knowing of my mothers s state of health, I decided to tele- phone my sister near there. My brother-in-law answered the phone and I could tell that he was nonplussed.
 Home After "A Years.
 Hours before that time next day l was at home-the home that l. as an impulsive youth in my teens, had left just twenty-four years, one month and eight days before.
 I shall not attempt to make the reader understand what that weeks visit meant to me. Suffice 1t to say that my joy was made the greated because of that of my loved ones at home. From time to time we were in a reminiscent mood as to the hap penings of the long ago-we talked of everything except the things of those worst years just passed-and there was not the slightest discord to mar those few days that. for all of us, seemed to make up fully Tor the years of trial behind us. In accordance with my promise l wrote the warden rather lengthy letter the day following my arrival telling somewhat in detail about the good time I was having there at home.
 On Sunday, March 2, I bade my loved ones farewell and started upon my return journey.