Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-25

g A w, WHAT you blathering
n about? Don't you worry
II about me. I've got pilot
4 \ that can't be beat. He
knows that country backwards"
Will Rogers last remarks" to the
wife of his oldest, closest friend, Fred
Stone, who, with their daughter Carol,
had driven to the Santa Monica ranch
for good-by supper with the Rogers.
Illustrated remarks they we're, too,
revealing that Rogers was in high glee
over his coming flight. Says Mrs.
Stone:
Right then and there. by the car,
he danced jig in the sand before we
drove off!
1.-The last person Bill saw before he
went to the airport with Betty and
Bill, jr., was Emil-the Swiss butler
who has been in the family for years
and has been laid up with a broken
leg, sustained when he fell of the
wagon on the ranch. OF course, Emil
did more things than buttle. Bill went
straight to the hospital to say good
by to Emil on his way TO the plane.
He was devoted to people who worked
for him.
even from us Bill kept his plans
more or less in the dark. remember
asking him last Summer when he
started of for the Orient: Bill where
are you going this timer
@'oh, I'm Just going to pick up a
few battles everywhere!
This time we did know that Bill
planned to 60 to South Africa on his
fight with Wiley Post, stopping of
at the little town where he first ap-
peared with a circus. Talking to
Betty few days before he left, I asked
her If she was content for Bill to 90
into that dangerous country.
She was her quiet, tranquil self
she is always self-contained. But a
great deal goes on behind that little
wall of reticence she builds up-we
love her all the better because Of it.
We kno, now that she begged Bill
not to go.
IF he had looked t,.e world over
he couldn't have found another wife
like Betty Blake. I can't remember
when we didn't know each other. You
see, our children were practically born
and educated together. But I do
wildly recall the first night, 10 years
ago, when Bill brought his wife to
see us.
"She was so pretty. so gentle and
genuine and sweet. We fell in love
with her the first time we saw her
Just like Bill did.
AT THE time I never thought
there was anything unusual
about Bill except that he was ex-
tremely humorous. He was much too
shy to say much, but suddenly he
would come out with some droll re-
mark that would set us in stitches.
No cause for it, nothing leading up
to it. A sort of impishness about it.
mo matter whether he poked fun
at you, you liked it. That was the
greatest talent he dc-'eloped!
II always thought people didn't
mean it when they said Bill was
homely. I considered him a good
looking man, and so did my girls. We
saw something so beautiful in his face.
! recall the first time I met him I
thought he had the finest pair of
eyes had ever seen. They said when
he got angry, his eyes would flash like
q tigers. never saw Bill real mad.
They rented house right across
the road from us at Amityville, N. Y.
used to look across and see Bill
riding his pony and singing his rope
around while he recited poetry. I
never knew what 1t was-cowboy
poetry, maybe. He used to sing, too,
in q high tenor. His favorite tune
was called 'Camped on the Banks of
the Cimarron.'
When Fred came out to Holly
wood years ago to make q picture for
Mr.. Lasky, the Rogers moved into our
house at Amityville. They were ex-
pecting new baby. The stork, having
called several times at the Rogers
and Stones, the children were tired
Of having their noses knocked out of
joint. I remember telling Paula about
the expected event in the Rogers
family while we were gone:
"'You are sure they are going to
leave the baby for Aunt Betty, not
us2' she inquired anxiously. Assur-
ing her that we couldn't be bothered
with new babies while travelling, she
bresshed . sigh Of relief. Pretty soon.