The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-19
e$E Assks
NUtllIl Eagle
CRISIS ON cow ISLAND.
Terrible Times When Old Nah
Hutchins Suspended Payment.
While Hutchins Was Sober, Money Was
Tight; But When Hutchins Got Tight,
the Financial Situation Speed
lily Improved.
fCOPYRIGHT, 1881


There is man on Cow island who
takes newspaper. He did not SUBJ
scribe for il in rash. unthinking man
ner, but calmly, and because he felt
the need of it. This was in 1867. He
chose the Boston Telegraph because
it was a steady-going, conservative pa
per, and he has stuck to it. He does
not get the daily, of course, but the
weekly edition which costs one dollar
year.
The Telegraph continued to be
steady-going and conservative until
1857 when it got into financial diff
culties, and the management changed.
A lawyer named Ananias ". Shyster-
or if that isn't his name, it fits him
like a hemp collar-obtained control,
temporarily, and he got out such pa
per as would have said that nobody
bat himself was bad enough to read
But the subscriber on Cow island did
not notice the difference. Again the
management changed. and a cult ured
gentleman took charge. He made the
paper SO literary" that even in Boston
it was but dimly understood. Yet Lem
Hutchins, of Cow island. read it with
out dictionary. The literary epoch
was succeeded by wild sensationalisn
Get a murder to lead the paper if you
have tn kill subscriber" said the
new chief to the managing editor, and
it was done. But Uncle Lem Hutchins
thought it was the same old Tele-
graph. The world had grown wicked,
that was all; and he had always said it
would.
In the early part of this month the
managing editor Of the Telegraph or
dered an article on the financial situa-
ton. And make it red hot" he add
ed. The young man who prepared the
article was working for twelve dollars
a week. and he was thus naturally dis
posed TO take somber and hopeless
view Of all monetary questions. He
wrote from the heart: and it was al
ysnost no trouble ct all for him to cipher
Seut general bankruptcy. The article
went into the weekly, and eventually
reached the subscriber on Cow island.
Old man Hrtchins never doubted
anything that he saw in the Telegraph.
He was 6oubly bound to credit this
particular article because it BODIED dis
aster. Cow island is off the main coast,
and things have gone wrong for so long
down there that the people believe
calamity to be the general rule of
nature.
''B'jinks, mother" said he to his
wife. after perusing the scare story in
the Telegraph. money seems to be
almighty skerse, jes' now. They amt
got none, even up in Boston,
"Wh2t seems TO be the trouble,
Lemuel?" inquired the old lady.
wall, as near as can find out. the
folks that have any money are hangin'
onto it,
You can't blame 'em for that, I'm
Eure," rejoiped the prudent housewife
Its what I've alters tried to beat into
Sou. How much did We get to-day for
your fish over to Swans island?"
Seven dollars an fifty-two cents"
what We goin' to do with it?''
wall. was thinkin' some o. payin'
How much is it?''
old man hutchlnS got out diary,
the covers of which had been bought
during the war. The interiors of such
diaries can be obtained separately,
thus saving half the cost of new
book Some thoughtful Yankee de-
vised this scheme long time ago. and
doubtless got rich on it. Mrs. Hutchins
always gave her husband the film"
for his diary as Christmas present.
Its three dollars an eight cents"
he replied TO his wife's question. He
shut TIE book with an air of deep con-
sideration. AN guess I'll hang onto
it" he added, It'll we get next weeks
papers. anyhow. Then we can see how
things is goin'. Moneys sllerse enough
here, that III swear to. I'll bet there
amt fifteen dollars o ready cash on
Cow island"
Hutchins went down to the store on
the following morning to get some
over-ripe CLAIMS for trolling bait
Chalk EN- up" said be.
John Collins, the storekeeper, took a
Nttie canvas bag out of his pocket and /
ldnptied it on the counter. He then |
counted the coins which it had con- !