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Show I 'Way Back When By JEANNE DREISER WAS A BILL COLLECTOR IF YOU lived In Chicago, 111., years ago, you may have bought carpet tacks or a can of paint from a young hardware clerk who looked like nobody at all to you. A few years later you might have rented an apartment from the real estate office where he clerked; a little later you may have seen a young man persistently ringing the doorbell door-bell of that neighbor of yours who was careless about her furniture Installments. In-stallments. For Theodore Dreiser, famous In American letters today, was In his youth hardware clerk, clerk In a real estate office, and bill collector for a furniture house. He was born In Terre Haute, Ind., in 1871. A poor boy, he attended the public schools of Warsaw, Ind., quitting at the age of sixteen to go to work In Chicago at $5 per week. An ordinary young man, with an ordinary background, who could i have foretold that tome day he would produce a book ("American Tragedy") which would arouse world-wide controversy, banned in some cities, required reading in some school systems? After the collector's job, persistent per-sistent calling at the Chicago Daily Globe got him a job as a reporter. His rise was rapid as he developed 1 a clear reportorial style, until 1893 1 he became editor-in-chief of the BuU terick Publications which Included Delineator Magazine. His first book, j "Sister Carrie," was published in j 1900 and immediately tanned for ' its frankness. It was not until 1911 that his next, "Jennie Gerhardt," , appeared; and it was followed at regular intervals by other books of the "call a spade a spade" type. "American Tragedy" appeared in 1023, was translated into many languages lan-guages and was adapted to the stage in America and in Germany as late as 193G. LOWELL THOMAS WAS A COOK THE life of Lowell Thomas has been tremendously exciting, but it may be encouraging to those of you in everyday jobs, and pining for adventure, to know that he was not always free from humdrum oc- ' cupations. The radio and news-reel reporter was born in Woodington, Ohio, in 1S92. The family moved to Cripr'a Creek. Colo., where Lowell attend- '. ed public schools set in the midst of a typical rough-and-ready mining ! town. His parents were not wealthy, I and Lowell Thomas had to work for ; a higher education. While attending attend-ing Valparaiso university in north- era Indiana, he was a janitor, a salesman, and night cook in a short- 1 j order restaurant. Thirsting for i more knowledge after graduation, the boy went on to the University of Denver where he took several ! degrees, working at odd tiir.es for n newspaper. During the sumnu-r ; months, he punched cows and Vtlclicd alfalfa. In ChicnKo Kent j Colleno of Law, he studied law. and then took post -graduate work In English literature at l'l'meeton. After Aft-er that ho worked as a teacher and on a newspaper. His beginning did not promise excitement ex-citement and adventure. Hut then came the World war. and Lowell Thomas went to tho front with a stalT of cameramen making olllelal pictures! It chanced his whole life He Joined D. II. Lawrence and his bedouin army In Arabia, emerging from that "revolt on the desert" with the exclusive story and pie-lures. pie-lures. It was the beginning of his fame. Since then, 10 ha, ,, b1. most everyone of Importance, seen everything of note, and reported his observations l newspapers, on the screen, and over the al.- In a graph, le style that has gained him an audience au-dience of million.,. He has traveled from Alaska to Hurnm. spoken in almost every town over Mux) In p,n-UhUlon p,n-UhUlon In the United States, a,u has written a score of boeUs. -WNU tvl..a. |
