The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-19


| pie. Some had canes and some brooms-
! Here was a man with the fire shovel.
there one fourishing the tongs Some
were without hats; some were strug-
! Cling into their coats,
''Catch him. Catch him" was the
cry of all.
Gentlemen, gentlemen, cried the
vendor. spreading out his arms. But
one of his own adjectives, whizzing by
his ears, warned him that expostula-
| ton was vain. He seized his pack and
ran.
Catch hinl Catch hin!n cried all
| the townspeople.
Down the narrow streets he lodged,
threw the broad streets he few, pelted
| from behind, painting for breath. But
the vendor was still man of resource.
Ee had now got fairly out OF town.
He spied a vacant marshy plot close by
the road Into it he few, and set his
goods before him IN the manner of a
stOckade, until only his head appeared
above the top thereof.
The vendors conduct fairly took
away the breath of the townspeople.
How strangely he looked peering over
his adiectives.
Gentlemen" he said, Il am peace
able man. In what have l offended?"
There was confused murmur, and
then one man stood forth to act as
spokesman for the rest he was an
erect gentleman and prim also. al
though at present somewhat rufaed by
his late exertions
"You have made jabbering goose Of
my daughter" said the gentleman
And OF miner
"And OF mine" shouted voices from
the crowd-and the vendor was Obliged
to dodge down behind his stockade to
avoid the adjectives that descended
upon him.
The gentleman waited for him to ap-
pear.
And gibbering maniac Of r1y sou. !"
he continued
Here the uproar was SO great that
the p-im gentleman seized a broom
and waved the townspeople into order.
The vendor, leaning his head upon
his hand, observed the enemy with his
bright eyes.
How much viii you take?' said the
vendor, finally.
Take his head" said one voice.
Take his money" said another.
Take his pack" said third.
His tongue" said fourth, and all
the townspeople spoke at once.
The prim gentleman lost his temper.
He laid about him with his broom But
for every blow he gave he got one in
return.
The vendor saw his chance. He
seized the whole stockade with both
his hands and hurled Il 1T tho enemy.
For moment the sky was darkened.
Catch him! Catch bim!" cried the
townspeople. But their voices became
mufaed and they were bent to the very
earth; they were bewildered and
blinded by the shower of adjectives-
It was some time before the prin
gentleman, passing his hand across his
forehead, stumbled to an upright posi-
ton.
Where am I at? Where am at?"
he said, family.
jects, false and true, fair, fantastic,
sharp, blunt, curved. straight, short
and long. lsy g,itteriag in tic morning
sunlight. Around his Geek he foand
tvta.sd cba,n. Yoa-5ear-3arIing-d
Iicious dai5y-pppa," said the chain;
there's the sweetest ham Tor break
fastr'
The prirn gentleman turned stifny in
tho direction of home, whittier indeed
the chain seemed to lead him Once
only be paused on the road.
did we catch him?" he questioned
of neigbbor.
Ibid we?" said the neighbor.
did we2" cried another and another
and still another, as the question
passed on down the line OF the return
ing citizens.
Not one could answer. but gay and
hooking laugh rang through the air
The whole company looked up and
then down, and to this side and to that
side, and even backward Nothing
was TO be seen
ct is the wind blowing from the
west" said the prin gentleman. Why,
breakfasts hour is at hand" and so say
ing he fastened home.
AS to the adjective vendor, whittier
he went, and how, twas never known
We know the wind was blowing from
the west and we know that WHISTLER
by land or by water, whether on foot
or wing, the vendor was shjftY man.
Margaret Newcomb.