The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 68

Mam Hero HisWfe Roy L. Gray of Fort Madison Satisfied Requirements of Magazine Writer Looking for America's "Average" Man But to Mrs. Gray He's Oh, So Different, 7F. 5 7 BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT. OH! MADISON, Nov.

i.ls the wife of the Average Man who lives in the Average House on the Average Street in the Average Town in the Average Staie the Average Woman Since her husband has been labeled "the average man" 1 1 by a magazine writer, Mrs. Hoy L. Gray of Fort Madison has come into her share of the publicity with which Mr. Gray was showered over' night. Her neighbors say she is average.

Her husband says "she is different." Other people call her husband average and she thinks "he's different." But both admit that they are probably really the average types. 1 it 'fw the woman who leaves her home and children to compete in the business world when it is unnecessary has her utmost disapproval. Her children come first always. Like all proud parents, she does not believe they're average at all and challenges you to find the mother who will admit her own children are not the best In the world. "No, Roy and I do not wish our children to be as the Average Men and Women," Mrs.

Gray declared. "We want them to go further than we have." As for her husband, Mrs. Gray maintains that "he is different" but admits that it takes him about as long as the average man to get anything done around the house. "1 wanted bim to take the screens off for the winter," Bhe said, "but 1 got tirwl of waiting and took them off my- Roy Gray, America's "Avar age Man." family usually spends the holidays at home. A trip to the lakes during the summer is an event, which inclines Mrs.

(day to say that they do not go around is much as the average family. Mr. and Mrs. Gray were married In 1914 and each passing year has found them just a little bit better oft as far as living conditions are concerned than tha preceding one. They knew each other In heir childhood days, both having been Li k.t r.

How He Won Title. It's the old, old story. A man may impress others as being extremely commonplace, but Juet the same lie's a hero to bis wife who thinks "he is different." And vice versa. The title of the "the average man" was bestowed upon Roy L. Gray, one-man clothing store proprietor of Fort Madison by William S.

Out ton magazine writer, who made bis selection after a nationwide search in which he used the census report, a weather chart and then considered the opinions of Mr. Cray's acquaintances. It was found that "there is a little bit of rJJ rl us in Roy L. Gray." The average man had to be: A native-born American, of average ge, average size, average education and average viewpoint. He.

had to Own an average home on an ayerage street, drive an average automobile and be head of a family of four, which is the average used by the census bureau, fie had to be engaged in an average one-man business, be neither a leader nor a laggard In public affairs, neither prominent nor obscure, popular or unpopular. A Good "Average." His friends and neighbors all agree that Roy Gray is the man to bear the label ot "the average man." He is a church member who does not attend services regularly. His taste in radio miisic runs from current jazz to light classical compositions and he believes the movies are not as bad as people are led to think. He is not alarmed by the antics of the younger generation. He has an average Interest in matters which do not directly affect his home or his business.

He Is independent on local issues, but a party man in national politics. The Elks, Odd Fellows and Rotary club all claim him as a brother and he Is a member of the chamber of commerce. He is not emphatic tn his beliefs concerning prohibitions because be believes neither side is giving the public the true facts. The average house in which the Grays live is located on the average street in Fort Madison. Mrs.

Gray does her own house work Including the laundry and cares (or their two children, Dick, aged 8, a miniature package ot his father; and Sue, aged 4. Children Won't Be Average. Bhe believes that for the married woman, the home is the only place and pi I ft, reared In Farmington, la. Doth are content to progress as they have. Curirien wealth would only niaks them unhappy, they believe, and a few hundred dollars Increase in their Income would make little difference In their manner of living.

Roy L. Gray has become a celebrity overnight. Friends and acquaintances take It as a matter ot course, but occasional a stranger from some other city and state enters his store and asks for him. "We heard that Mr. Gray has been nominated "the average man" and we wanted to see him," they say.

Human curiosity, that's all. 3. Mr. and Mrs. Gray with their two children; below, left, the Aver age Man in front of his store.

time from hr home and children. Her church claims her entire contribution to meetings. The average car that the average man owns is of the average pries and is now in Its fifth year of service. Its predecessor saw nine year service In the Gray family. The average man drives it to and from his store and In the evenings and pn Sundays it is used tor pleasure riding.

'Except for an occasional trip the Gray BEAUTIFUL ANGER jV "fcrcvf jay i There Is a wealth of variety In the expressions of animals whon they are aroused to anger. MohI of the cat family grow ferocious but some of its members maintain a partial dignity while giving vent to uncontrolled passions. A naturalist connected with the London zoo a sort of psychologist of the lower orders of creatures has been making both written and photographic records of the reaction ot the animal to the Impulses of fear and anger. man ot the tribe as represented at the zoo. lielng a boss he reserves the right to an 111 temper and that Is his weapon I'l keeping the other baboon In order.

When one of the bunch disobeys, be seals himself firmly on his haunches, throws back his head and lets out a roar that hi underlings not only understand but hasten to obey. Quite as picturesque In anger a any of the animal kingdom I the secretary bird, who Is no beauty at any point but has mnrked Individuality. When bs get good and mad be throws up bis neck feathers till they look like quill pens in an old fashioned sand box, opens his beak and says little, but woe be to the molesting person who guts within range of the beak, for it is sharp as a dagger and there is power behind It. a delayed dinner service. But Ihe naturalist's study contradicts that pleasant assumption for It records that this fellow looks just the same at all time and under all circumstances.

He holds a bad temper record. His portrait is of bis perfectly normal self for he Is at odds with the rest of the world twenty-four hours a day. Another member of the cat family Is really beautiful In anger and gives wonderful emphasis to Its expressions. He Is the caracul or Persinn lynx, whose face Is so handsomely marked that his scowl Is almost winning. This lynx, however, observes different rule and, unlike the golden cot, does not work overtime at this form of self-expression.

He just snarl and snap when somebody annoys or frighten him. The baboon In the picture I the head we always have. Contentment is happiness, you know." Home and Church First. Like "the average man," Mrs. Cray is not a leader nor a laggard in public affairs.

She votes, because she believes it her duty to do so. She does not actively engage In club and society work because she believes it takes too much self the other day. I guess the average man Is like that." "Just the 'same I don't like to think ot Roy being the "average man," because I think he is more considerate and more thoughtful than the majority of husbands, 1 "We're not rich and we're not poor, but we are content to go ahead just as The most dignified resentment of Interference manifested by a member ot the zoo army bf that of the golden cat. His eyes really show only a mild satisfaction with things as they are. From the picture one would gather that he was making a somewhat grouchy protest against Why a Yankee Beauty's Long Skirt Pleased Queen Mary But It Wasn't Old-Fashioned in the Least-Merely the IV Trains Musi Be WorniBut t.

"Latest Thing" from Paris. Mrs. Lowell C. Pinker ion Another June Wife of tfie American Vvf of Court Gown Consul in London, Wore Knee-Lengih a "Siylish SKort'in 1 9 i I Worn by MiS3 Helen Hardenhergh, of New York V'-' LONDON. IT" It i'A LONDON.

AN American girl pleased Queen Mary more than any other woman presented at Court this season. The girl is Mis Grace Cody, of New York, and the favorable impression she made on the Queen was due primarily to a long skirt 1 "3 iV Court fashion nave unaerg-on mamea cnanges in recent year, a long time strict etiquette and Queen Mary' wihes did not I Wfv For, 11 4 eM Miss Grace NewYork, assheMei ihe Queen. Note Ihe it. permit women wnn oooDea nair De receivea. The bobbed covered np their (horn lock with switches.

Skirts, too, were supposed to be quite long. But fashion finally overcame custom, and this year nearly all the women presented at Court have had bobbed hair and knee length skirt. Miss Cody wa the exception. She wore a bouffant dress which ended below her ankles, and Queen was heard afterward to comment oa 'that lovely American girl uch charming old-fashioned taste in her costume, too." As a matter of fact, Mis Cody wa NOT old fashioned. Long skirts for evening, when the dress is bouffante, are the latest thing in Pari Boutiant Dress Comes BEWW 'Ankles "CHARMING!" QONB M.ry Was R.rt.a to H.

Said WV a Nw York Ctrl, Reie at Court, Wore a Dress That Cam Below Her Ankle, C'liit Vtwii 9 Ina GoU Uiluio iu k-iA idaj. Notiemberk, 1927 4.