Roving Reporter of Herald-Traveller Graduated From Yale In 1928--Hannibal, Office Mouse, Is Inspiration of Column

"People are very nice to the Roving Reporter," declared Travis Ingham, Yale '28, the Rover of the Boston Traveller in a CRIMSON interview yesterday. "They always talk to him even though they do not always know who the Rover is. Many people ask why the reporter is single on Monday, married on Tuesday, and has a child on Wednesday; then, how he can be single all the rest of the week. The secret is, only the anonymous Rover knows how to accomplish that feat.

"It is both easy and difficult to meet the Rover. He may be shadowing you at any moment for his interest is in human affairs and not in politics. He gets his subjects from almost any place. Vacant lets, dogs, small boys, football games, office mice and alley cats all form sources of interest for his articles. Sometimes the reporter feels vigorous and dashes off an interview, but the Rover dislikes rainy days and often has to wander around and risk his chances of running into a live column of news. Often the Rover stays near a telephone all day and receives his suggestions by wire. People call him regarding their aunt who came over on the Mayflower, or concerning some boot-black who knows the answer to all international problems.

"The Rover would have enjoyed working on a sheet like the CRIMSON, but he was captain of the cross-country team in college and had little time for news offices. Since he now works for the Herald-Traveller, his favorite subject is Hannibal, the office mouse.

"The Rover believes that last week was an ideal week for the person with newsy spirit," continued Ingham, who is the brother of Katharine Brush, the authoress. "On Monday he went to the "Green Pastures' School for the young Negroes who are potential pasturers. The Rover gained entrance on the pretense that he was from the board of education. Many are the roles played by the Rover as he scoots over his course for news. Tuesday, he wrote of his friend Hannibal. Wednesday, a lady who was sent home from London in the war days by Herbert Hoover to stop her suffering under perilous conditions called the Rover from Essex. This formed an excellent story for the column.

Thursday found the Roving Reporter telling of his new colleague, Sarah, the office cat. Hannibal, however, does not care for Sarah. Friday and Saturday were gorgeous days and the vigorous Rover interviewed two personalities for his versatile column which has now taken a permanent place on the editorial page of the Herald-Traveller. The editors used to hide the Rover's fantasies in the remote corners of the financial page.