During his 87 years of Consular service, 18 of which have been spent in Shanghai, Mr. Cunningham has collected several scrap-books, Those feontain events, unusual. invitations, personalities and pictures, Asked if the would uso these in writing his memoirs, Mr, Cunningham remarked that just now he was too tired to think of so dificult a task, but that some day he hoped to get down to It.
Naturally, during his 87 years. in interesting corners of the world, Mr. Cunningham has come across many picturesque personalities, The man }who made the greatest impression on him ho declares. is Mr, W'lliam JJenn: ngs Bryan, "the silver-tongued orator" According to Mr. Cunning. tham, the most. beautiful piece of oratory he ever listened to was when /Mr, Bryan gave an impromptu speech fon the subject of keeping alive the [memory of a distinguished ancestor, This speech was given at a luncheon party in Norway during the corona ton ceremonies of King Haakon, Gen, Hertzog, now Prime Minister jot the Union of South Africa, Mr. [Cunningham describes as a "forceful "Another personality who deep impression on the cone ory was Dinizulu, one of the rulers of Zululand, describes as shrewd, cunning, and Jalways trying to get the Britist: into trouble, The "Mad Mullah," whom he never saw, was another tmpressive personage, and Mr, Cunningham said that, alliough he never contact with him, he will never forget him, 'A Fascinating Woman 'The late Ella Wheeler Wilcox, th poetess, was to Mr. Cunningham' mind one of the most fascinating has over seen. "She bad," in. modern jin the past 20 years, because of 0 physical disability, Mr, Cunningham's favourite sport at' one time was n Ing. Tennis, Badminton, and golf iso have been favourite games of his.
He has never been seasick, Since left the United States for the first time in February, 1898, Mr. Cunning-fag returned to his country nine lig fist telp back to America twas "made in 1901, his second in 1906, and others followed in, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1018, 1920, 1926, and 1930. His longest trip was in' 1911, the year of his marriage, when ho travelled 27,000 miles, ' going from Durban to Bombay, ' London, the United States, and back to Bombay of London.
twas in Durban that he met the future Mrs, Cunningham and became fengayed, Ten months after he left his bride-elect In South Americ they were married in London and proceeded on a visit to his home, Mrs, Cunningham died in Hangchow jin April, 1994.
The Interest of China Of all his posts, Mr. Cunningham China has been the nos interesting. Asked the reason for his preference, he declared that it was ecavse there have been so many constructive developments here in the past 15 years that he had been eourayed.—Besid Wes people, both Chinese and foreign, and he enjoys "digging In" and solving the dificult problems that have arisen here, For the present Mr. Cunningham intends (o drift, because he needs a rest. He is s0' undecided as to his future course that he is shipping his furniture to three different places. Some he intends to leave here, "just in ease" he returns, another portion he is sending to his Maryville kome, fand the remainder' to his brother's home in Florida, There is no doubt Mr. Cunningham is sad at leaving Shanghai, for all friends are here. His, brothers barely remembers or knows, for one was 8 years old, the other 7 or when he left the parental root and sought his fortune in distant ands Jas a member of the United States consular' service, In those da [becoming a consul was an easy matter, provided one had a pull, Mr. Cunningham, then just out of law school, " decided he would enjoy travelling and that the consular vice was just where he wanted to be. INo sooner said than done, His father knew a Congressman, and the young man. tecelved an appointment and then took an examination. Now things have changed and only after rigid examinations have been passed Is It possible for one to' enter the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.