party from India. For this 1956 visit, Elizabeth had planned 35 as the maximum she could squeeze in. But, as is always the case with Baba, more and more names were added to the list of those to stay at the Center, until there were 48 all told, so facilities had to be quickly enlarged.

During the months before July 1956, Elizabeth could be seen daily in the company of the carpenter, turning a storeroom, a tool room or a luggage room into an extra bedroom. Additional bathrooms, a laundry and an enclosed dining terrace were built. For Baba, ever thoughtful of others, had sent word previous to His coming that all those unable to stay at the Center were to be invited daily to a picnic buffet lunch. On some days, there were as many as 150 guests! The dining room, serving delicious but simple meals, was under the capable supervision of Mrs. Houston, who had met Baba in 1952, ably assisted by Elizabeth's cook Bessie and her two daughters. Peter Thibodeau was errand boy extraordinary.

Soon word was passed along that the Master was coming! Shortly before 3 o'clock, Baba appeared, striding across the lagoon bridge with that light, quick step He always has when approaching an expectant group of lovers and devotees. One of the mandali as usual strove manfully to keep up with Him, holding an open black umbrella over His head to shield Him from the sun. Baba mounted the steep brick stairs up the bank to the sandy traffic circle outside the dining room with energetic steps, and all of us, about 70 people, followed behind Him as He walked briskly down the dirt road through the pine forest to the "barn”.

This is a huge rectangular building reconstructed from an old barn of cypress wood, moved 20 miles to the Center at a time when lumber was rationed, and was planned by Elizabeth as a meeting hall. It was here Meher Baba gave darshan to several hundred people on May 17, 1952. To see Him go up the steps and enter the hall brought back a flood of memories to many of us who had been present then.

Baba showed the hall to Marion Florsheim and others who had not seen the Center before, then He sat down in the very same high-backed chair He used in 1952. One inevitably compared His looks to His appearance four years ago. Though Baba looked a little older, a bit grayer, the same wonderful warm radiance and aura of love emanated from Him, especially when surrounded by a group of "close ones." His fresh complexion, His sparkling eyes, His expressive, mobile hands particularly gave the impression of