Fleet, A. W.

FLEET

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/29/2019 at 17:51:04

Albert W. Fleet
Lamoni's Passing Parade.
by Joseph H. Anthony. p. 90. Blair Printing Co. ca. 1948.

He was a tall, slender, curly-haired youth, whose clear blue eyes reflected the mischief and good humor that bounded forth so freely and impulsively that when in his company they gave definite assurance that commonplace or dull moments were simply out of the question. His name was Albert, but in those days we called him Si, a nickname that did not wear too well, though one which is still productive of many worth-while memories.

While we were in the same grade in school, yet during those first months of our acquaintance we were not too congenial, due probably to the fact that I attended the west side school and he was an “eastsider.” And at that time I personally could find but very little commendable connected with anyone who came under that classification. High school, however, was the great melting pot, which in those days tempered and annealed these rival factions; for after a few months of attendance there these feelings of antagonism that existed between east and west-siders gradually gave way, until in time they were virtually forgotten.

It was during this first year in high school that Albert became interested in music and bean the study of the guitar, and a short time later became a member of our mandolin club; and from then on he and I became close buddies. Often when we had plans for the evening, I went home with him after school and helped him do the chores, thus enabling us to get an earlier start on the activities of the evening. In those days I liked to milk cows, and as he did not, this portion of his chores naturally fell to my lot. Each time this arrangement was made, his mother-as sweet and motherly a person as it was ever my pleasure to know-would smile in her kindly way as she handed me the milk pail with the remark: “We will get more milk this evening. We always get more milk when Joe does the milking.”

But this little twit about his failure to attend to the details of the stripping did not worry Albert in the least, for the quicker he finished the milking, the sooner he could participate in other activities which were very much more tho his liking. In those days Graceland College boasted no instrumental groups, and as the members of the mandolin club were eager to participate in any and all community and college activities, they often assisted in college programs of different kinds. It was while they were assisting with a college play, that during a lull in the rehearsal some of the boys of the club wandered away on a little trip of exploration that really turned into quite an unusual adventure.

At that time none of the third floor of the Ad Building was finished, though some of the rooms had been hastily partitioned off as dormitory rooms to form temporary sleeping quarters for some of the boys who helped with student industrial assignments about the college grounds, and when we entered one of these rooms and found the regular occupant absent, we proceeded with boyish enthusiasm to decorate the room in a way that was unique and novel. In close proximity to this room was stored a variety of articles intended as the beginning of a college museum, and in a very few minutes a number of these articles occupied ridiculous but conspicuous places about the room. The old spinning wheel, the ox yoke, the buffalo head . . . and yes, Aristotle, the owl, all assumed important placed in completing as heterogeneous a motif of decoration as probably was ever planned upon such short notice – all under the guidance and direction of one Albert Fleet.

This undertaking was not completed, however, when our efforts were rudely interrupted. At once all work ceased, and in a moment some of the workers instantly departed. The sound of someone moving about in the adjoining room gave evidence that it was occupied, and instantly we realized that if we wished to escape apprehension our safety depended entirely upon hasty retreat. This we did, but as we passed the door which opened into the room from which the sounds came, we noticed in the dim light that an old-fashioned hasp and staple was attached to the door. Evidently it had been placed there to permit the fastening of the door from the outside. No arrangement could have served our immediate purpose to better advantage and we were not slow to make use of the opportunity. One lad quickly adjusted the hasp over the staple while another hurriedly slipped a small piece of wood in place, locking the door securely. Then we knew that no matter who the occupant of the room happened to be, he could cause us no further trouble. So we returned leisurely to the chapel, and, losing ourselves in the rehearsal, we forgot entirely the locked door upon the third floor.

The next day being Saturday, there was practically no activity about the college building, and it was only by a mere matter of chance that the janitor late that afternoon happened into the vicinity of that particular room. When he did, however, his attention was attracted by numerous abnormal noises which seemed to center behind that door, and as he mounted the last flight of steps there was not doubt as tot he source of the commotion. He lost not time but hastened in that direction, where a lusty voice from within the room demanded that he open the door. When the janitor finally lifted the improvised latch and looked into the room, he realized immediately the significance of the situation, for instead of releasing one of the students, who we thought was the occupant of the room when we locked the door, instead he beheld an irate faculty member, who had been locked within the room for almost twenty-four hours.

Among other adventures I especially remember one that happened when Albert and I drove out into the country to take the hired girl to her home, where she was accustomed to spend the week ends with her parents. We had made the trip several times and it was an experience we really looked forward to, as it offered opportunity for a variety of adventures. One time we conceived the idea of returning by way of Davis City. This made the trip considerably longer but it gave opportunity for a brief chat with some of the feminine residents of that town in whom we had become genuinely interested. We were just entering that period of life when boys like to feel they are approaching manhood. We had passed the stage of cornstalk cigarettes, had even confirmed our maturity by taking a few puffs of regular cigarettes filled with tobacco; but neither of us had made sufficient progress along this line that we could be classed as experienced smokers. But on this particular day, when we started the return trip, Si brought from his pocket two large black cigars. What a wonderful idea it was! For where would we ever find a more favorable opportunity to indulge unmolested in this practice, which undoubtedly lifted one immediately above the standing of a mere boy and elevated him to the plane of full-fledged manhood! So we lighted up and felt very important as we rode along the country road, laughing and talking as we exhaled great clouds of cigar smoke and endeavored to adopt all the familiar mannerisms of confirmed cigar smokers.

But we had not gone too far when our merriment gradually subsided. For some reason I began to feel terribly uncomfortable and my head became so feathery light it seemed it would surely leave my shoulders and float away into space. About this time I glanced at Si and noted that his face had turned a chalky-white; however, with a noticeable effort he returned my look of inquiry as he tried bravely to smile . . . but the effort ended in dismal failure.

“I've got to get out of here,” he muttered finally, as he dropped his half-smoked cigar and brought the horse to a stop. A moment later two deathly sick youngsters scrambled out of the buggy, tied the horse to the nearest fence post, and then prostrated themselves upon the grass by the roadside while the world and everything upon it swirled in topsy-turvy fashion before their aching eyes. How long we remained thus I would not attempt to estimate, but in time the dizziness and nauseating sensation subsided somewhat, but even so, it was some time before we felt capable of attempting the return journey. This experience, however, robbed the trip of any desire for additional adventure. Davis City had even lost its attraction . . . we had celebrated enough for that day.

To enumerate all the experiences connected with those youthful associations would consume more space than there lies at our command; and while today they are amusing and interesting to think about, yet at the same time the thought only deepens that unsolved quandary which will always surround the adventures of adolescence. But in spite of this cleverness Si was plainly resentful and his parting remark to her was anything but complimentary. Of course I was not a little jubilant at the outcome of the venture, and, even though, during the days which followed, I could plainly see that there was a definite change in his attitude toward me, yet I could not entirely dispel the feeling of satisfaction I experienced over what I considered my success in retaining the lady's favor. A few evenings later, however, my bubble of egotism collapsed with a bang when I again called at her home; for as she answered the door and stepped outside, she placed a restraining hand on my arm. I heard a slight sound that Indicated the movement of someone within in the room. In a flash I understood the whole situation and realized that I now occupied exactly the same position in which my friend had found himself so short a time before. And to make the situation more ironic she even employed the same line of explanation . . . she was so terribly sorry it had happened this way . . .and then, perhaps, some other evening if I cared . . . oh, yes, I realized then exactly how Si had felt about it all; and vaguely I wondered who stood in the adjoining room to hear my parting remark.

It is an old saying that a touch of grief makes the whole world akin, and while that seems a rather broad assertion, yet this incident only tended to cement our friendship more firmly than it was before. While it was a touchy subject for some time, ti was not too long until we realized that it had a humorous side, and viewing the matter in this light, we were able to by-pass the rock upon which our bark of friendship might have capsized.

Albert seemed to mature more rapidly than most of us, for it was not long until he felt he had outgrown the attractions offered by a small town. He made frequent trips to some of the larger cities, and after each one of these he would become more dissatisfied with his surroundings; in fact it was following one of these trips we learned that during his absence he had enlisted in the standing army. But then for him came the rude awakening, for he found that peace-time army life could even be more boring than life in a small town, and more irksome than anything he had previously experienced. He admittedly learned a good lesson here, however, and when finally he was released from the army, he returned to Lamoni determined to take advantage of some of the opportunities he had previously ignored. To the surprise and delight of his father, who had practically given up home of his assuming an interest in business affairs, he turned his attention in that direction, and with the passing of time he developed consistently in this line until he finally assumed complete and successful management of the mercantile business that had been developed here by his father.

Though upon his return from the army he did not return to his place in the mandolin club, yet sometime later his love of music found an outlet for participation when he and some friends organized a male quartet. This organization proved to be quite a local success, appearing frequently at community gatherings, where the singers impress their listeners with their ability and versatility. In addition to their vocal selections they added saxophone numbers to their repertoire, and this also proved to be an attractive novelty. It was then they conceived the idea of organizing a permanent company with the idea of entering the concert field and filling engagements out of town. This group they called the “Saxes,” and they worked diligently in the preparation of a program and other details subsequent to the anticipated concert tour, but in time interest began to lag and finally the project was abandoned altogether.

Following this, A. W. Fleet really came into his own in the business affairs of Lamoni. He was but a young man when he took over the entire management of B. D. Fleet & Company, and when the disastrous depression of the 30's left the town without a bank he was one of the principal promoters of the movement that finally succeeded in the establishment of the State Bank of Lamoni as we have it today, and of which institution he acted as president.

A. W. Fleet was an interesting and exemplary character. He was reserved and unassuming, but behind this quiet exterior he displayed a pent-up love for fun and a subtle sense of humor that made him one of the most witty and companionable characters imaginable. Coupled with this he bore an air of alertness and cleverness that enabled him to comprehend and cope with intricate situations efficiently and effectively. He was a man who took a keen interest in matters of business an he assumed a definite quality of leadership that showed its effect in the development and promotion of many important civic projects. He was one of the home-town boys who took pride in the old home town, and who gave liberally of his time and talent in the advancement of those institutions that are so characteristic of Lamoni. The interests of Lamoni were definitely his interests and he worked untiringly for their advancement. Locally and throughout the county and state he was well known for his zeal, his integrity and his sincerity. He was a man of purpose and influence, who proved himself an efficient participant in Lamoni's passing parade

Transcription by Jean Belzer