Collier's Magazine

# American Adventures: Threshold of the South

Collier's for September 16, 1916, features the opening installment of Julian Street's travel series "American Adventures," illustrated by Wallace Morgan. In "The Threshold of the South," Street recounts preparing for a journey from New York to Baltimore and the South. The narrative details his departure from Pennsylvania Terminal, where friends see him off despite his ambivalence about farewells. The author reflects on his preference for impersonal committee send-offs over emotional ones from loved ones. His companions—two women described in vivid terms—distract him during the practical business of train departure: checking trunks, locating tickets, and managing baggage. The piece captures the pre-travel confusion of managing logistics while distracted by social pleasures. Street employs humorous self-deprecation and digressive commentary, establishing his characteristic voice for what appears to be an extended domestic-travel narrative exploring regional American character.