The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-09-21

Though Cliff got to the fabulous court of the
| Khans he found adventure and enchantment in a
China staid and impassioned -.
$3.50
But in this their visits centuries apart, differed
While Polo sought fabulous wealth from the then
ancient civilization of China, Cliff came simply into
their presence bearing them a treasure. treasure
of civilization that handle lightly, yet
one the Chinese regard as a rare privilege. The
privilege of education.
1t was the usually bustlng Saturday night in
town in July of 1887. The guns had begun to
rumble in China and a horde of little fellows from
small island to the north had begun to pour across
the China Sea. They clattered, militarly, swag-
geringly into land mystic. land that remains
the question mark Of the east that has baed Japan
to this day. gang of the fellows were talking
and among them Cliff, then about to sail for
China. And talk centered eagerly about his forth
coming trip, and the just begun between these
strange Oriental peoples. Then last week
happily among a small group who a dimly-
lit station platform watched the return of this same
hometown boy. A lone traveler-the modern
Marco Polo.
He's a new Cliff back from China. More talka-
tive sure less reticent than the young college
student who two years ago embarked for contin-
ent 80 strangely different from Eagerly,
with awe he regarded China at first. The people,
their mental processes were different from his own
Their outlook, their impressive resistance to what
happening to them; their poverty, their doglke
submission to aggression. Yet he found
in them a sense of humor unsurpassed, philosoph-
ical outlook that met trial with shrug of the
shoulders, quizzical smile that questioned but
went little further. His best out of China he
regards along those lines An ability to meet people
and converse with them in a pattern that would
easily have retired him to the sidelines two years
ago.
He found China pregnant, not only with history
time-worn and ancient as dust, but with history in
the making giving China the new life" He
ringsider in one of the most forward steps China
has made in centuries. But he found stumbling
blocks to his own appreciations of what was going
Unable to get anything either old or new to
read, he had to rely observation, questioning to
supplement his own meagre material Now, he
says, he only read and reflect to get the best
out of what happened in China. Above all he
doesn't want this experience to be the shining light
of his life, experience that casts shadow over
what is to come. Rather he wants it a COM
pement the future. An experience rich of course,
but one which to build.
There was thrill in coming home that grew
most intense he travelled along. Back early in
the summer far in Chna's interior, he stated his
march out. Walking riding rickshaws, or lumber
ing, large wheel carts. Then by airplane, steam
ship, extraordinarily every known means of trans
portation on trip nearly half way round the world
When Yves Rotert called Sank Centre, next
station my excitement mounted" Home at last.
Strange to be home? And the odd answer: the
only srangeness is that nothing has changed. Only
Marco Polo.
Around Our Town
in host of little pecuarities that at
significant and inconsequential. For instance
the other day heard this statement: "A ten minute
errand and gets home hour and a half
later" And that's of the beauties of small
town life, the speaker, FIR. Henry Reflex OF West
Union pointed out Visiting along the way chat
ting pleasantries and weather with shop keepers is
a small town entity You can't escape it. City
dweers don't realize it, but the lonesomest spot
earth for a country cousin is-the busiest inter-
section in a city loop where there are thousands
of people, And to say, hello. Hattie
Hedn chose hottest day of the season last week
to make every kind of pickle she knew. When
Past Matrons met at SCOTS lake home the other
D. m, the dog caused a momentary furry by killing
four of their grown-to-eatin hens
Age accepts circumstances; youth chafes at the
bit-fretful in disappointment. 89-yearold Mrs.
John Gallagher, st. Cloud fell downstairs and broke
circumstance for of that age to have both arms
in spnts. When her daughter, Mrs. Ben Dubois,
of this city, viewed her after the fall Mrs Gallagher
looked up and quipped, Il went after Hitler but he
got me-" The serenity of age The other
day when Tony Strauss married learned this
odd bit of ages in the family. Mrs. Mary Strauss,
of st. Paul. is twenty years senior the age OF her
oldest son, George of this city, And George is just
two decades older than Tony.
Odd how quickly important decisions made
and some not important Often it's interesting
to note with what clarity decisions, on the spur
of the moment, approach. Not long ago Glenn
Steider had cottage home on lake. Not uncom-
mon, haven't lot of people But the tale goes
that Sunday Glenn thought he would like one.
The thought stuck and the next day he sought lot
Osaks lake. Tuesday he had bought 1t. The
succeeding two days he purchased materials laid
plans. In less than one week the home was under
construction. And not long ago, the Wrucks had
plans to go a western trip. But certain factors
called for cancellation. Then circumstances
opened the discussion again, and on Saturday
night at 1880 they definitely decided to 60 Next