Repository: UIHistories Project: UI Library School Alumni Newsletter - 26 [PAGE 18]

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I'niversitv

of Illinois

Library

School

day than a n y Other Station in the w o r l d Its stores are modern anH \ m e r i c a n . It has been described by a famous artist as the r j t y zM perfect skyline. W i d e clean streets, stately and imposing a r c h i l L~-„; .... M f U and i-'inlriis. are sonic ot Its distinctive — *ffeatuJ spacious parks iinl gardens, a r e s o m e of its rdens, probably unexcelled a n y w h e r e in the world, c o n t l botanic jjmr finest existing collection of A u s t r a l i a n flora. I Picturesque boulevards * them the famous St. Kilda Road, shaded by ide spreading t r e e , leai "g tree- l,.'J the city to delightful mountain and seaside resorts. It is a city of para created and zealously cherished loveliness. It has a charm all its om__ inhabitants are well-dressed, kindly, friendly, generous. This is where are to make o u r home." Cleona L. Case writes as follows from Caney Creek Community Out* Pippapass, K n o t t County, Ky.: "Lack-a massy m e ! Can this be I? So said I to myself a< I tool brisk walk down the one street of this mountain valley village just before fc 5:30 supper tonight. And now I sit here all by myself in MY LIBRARY, prepsfl to let you all k n o w w h e r e I am and why. ( T i n s is the one free day o f l week, because an earlier librarian was an Adventist and refused to work o a that day. So that is the rule now, and I w o r k four hours on Sunday' "But some of you do not even k n o w how I come to be way down h x e in the mountains of S o u t h e a s t e r n K e n t u c k y ! O n February 7th, throug the recommendation of the American Library Association, I received i letter asking if I would be interested in an immediate position here, and replied that I would. As time went on, ten days passed, so I finally decided that someone else must have had the a p p o i n t m e n t , when all of a sud<M on the 17th I got a telegram, 'Come at o n c e / T h e earliest I could lean was on the 21st, so arrived here on the b i r t h d a y of ' O u r Country's Pa.'That sounds simple, but it was by no means! " W h e n the station agent told me that I would have to travel on different lines to get to Wayland, Ky., (12 miles from here) I thought* was pretty tough, and was sorry for myself. Rut that was as the dust olj the balance, compared to the rest of the ride which I shall remember toj the longest day I have to live! So I will go somewhat into details. J "When I got off the train at Wayland, 12 miles awav, and went into»tht| boxcar station they told me that the 'mail hack' for 'the Pass' would: D C around soon, and began to tell of what a terrible ride it was, but I said *n was prepared for almost a n y t h i n g ! E l m e r Stone, the driver, appeared.-nice looking, about 35, overall-clad. I got to k n o w him well on that mcirnor able trip, and like him. T h e 'hack' (?), a rickety looking affair, resembMB a small loosely draped emigrant wagon, drawn by two large (and well tne needed to be) mules. Gathering up my skirts for a large step, I was sam histed up to the almost spring-less seat, and off we started. Behind me j saw my trunk and box and suitcase, numerous bags of mail and boxes o\ freight We started following Reaver Creek for some distance; then W J 1 he told me it was Caney, the music of whose water I have day and rug" * it runs a stone's throw from my library. I just hate to start to d f cn r ^ that trip! My feeble words can give but little conception of it! WelU > way,—for six mortal, endless hours I sat on that lurching seat, ««»";. hanging on with both hands for dear life, lest I be dashed against Eli^r 0 or spilled overboard, sometimes being convinced that I should be wrenc" * limb from limh. He admitted that it was the worst he had ever seen W roads, as it had rained for a week. He drove so near to the edge of c h ^ that once I asked him if he was going to spill us over, hut he Slid, * £ Not once for all the twelve miles could the mules go faster than a w»» 1 and one hill I thought they would never be aide to pull us up throw the mud. "1 wish I had hegun to count how many times we forded that creek -„Once with the water almost up to the mules' bodies He Hid that oC* Monally it gets so high that they just don't try to go down Then for *MH twenty minutes we rode right up the bed of Cam , then- beirig no oth*! road at all! 'i or twi the creek-ride gave space for * — i.vo' few relax