Omaha daily bee., 1893-07-09
Talk with a Travelling Man in Which III
g. ri

Talk with n travelling Man IN NhiCh lie
Recites Several Stories.
"It's just a year ago tonight that was in
Omaha the last time" remarked Mr.. S. II.
MaXfield, Chicago travelling man, at the
Murray last evening, as he shifted his
chair just another hitch, so that any stray
zephyr that happened along would be sure to
strike his whiskers. II stopped over on my
way to Arizona in response to telegram,
and left the next nigh, for Kansas City.
Say" he continued, as he mopped sew
eral pints of perspiration from his brow,
"that was one of the hottest, driest trips I
ever made. This weather strongly reminds
me of it.
"If Colonel Dante, formerly of Italy, but
at present residing in parts rs yet unknown,
viii address, with or without stamp, yours
truly, he will hear of something to his ad-
vantage. Or, if Veritas or Taxpayer or
some other equally well informed person
will furnish me with the coonels address,
it will oblige me very much. | have been
told that the colonel wrote several cantos of
matter about trip he and friend of his,
MIR. Virgil, took through some arid regions of
| which, l believe, Mr.. Virgil was a part
| owner, or which, at least, he had designs
| upon in the way of an irrigation scheme or
| something Of that kind. 1t is understood
that the colonels work sold quite well,
| nearly all the second edition having been
| disposed of without assistance from
| the authors relatives. / am always real
| glad to see struggling genius get ahead even
| at a royalty of only 10 per cent after the
| second edition is sold. and for this reason |
| wish to ascertain the colonei's whereabouts,
that l may be able to put him onto good
thing in the way of material fer another
| book.
81 have heard number of persons re-
mark that this same Kansas was the country
| Dante wrote about, but | think they speak
| unadvisedly and more from an arid point of
view than otherwise, for l have observed
| tnat great many people in Kansas are
| troubled with arldity, which seems quite
| prevalent ailment down there.
| "It might be as well for the colonel to
bring a few canteens with him, if my letter
| brings him out here, as they are hard to
get in Kansas. 1t is thought by some folks
| that they can be obtained by stealth and
telegraphy, but it will be found that the man
who brings a bottle to train in response
to II telegram will have to run the
gauntlet of enough thirsty persons to popu-
| late wharf tenement, each and every one
| of whom will perjure himself and swear that
| he and he only, sent that telegram. So it is
far better to concilate, subsidize, and other
| wise square yourself with the porter Of the
| Pullman, who can generally tell you where
to find the desired liquor. But all the same,
should advise Dante If he goes that way,
to bring along quite plethora of canteens
ana things"
SAY" interrupted perspiring list
ener, ~ thought YOU started to
| tell us about the hot trip you took
and here you are talking about poor old,
dried up Dante and the liquor problem in
| Kansas"
That's So" assented Mr.. Maxfeld, "but
Just let me talk awhile, won't your You all
seem to be lazy enough to be good listeners.
"In speaking of Kansas as an arid region
l did not wish TO imply that the whole state
is arid, Only the western part OF it is
almost without exception, troubled with
aridity, and there is hardly man in the
state who does not carry three or four
aliases aud Il couple of alibis TO aid him in
obtaining medicine IN case he should have
sudden attack of this aridity, which some
times happens.
speaking of arid regions, however, it is
not until the train gets into wes tern Kansas
and southeastern Colorado that the country
itself is found to be noticeably arid. Then
the wayfarer is apt to notice IT quite in-
tently, especially by daylight. The sand,
which seems to be feature of the
country, has sunburnt and chapped
appearance, and the prairie dogs and
cucti look haggard and dissipated. The
cattle skeletons, which seem To be a per
ennial crop down there, look bright and
coutented, however. which is 1 suppose, n
| good thing, It's good deal like that region
described in THE BEE the other day.
''At one place on the road out in western
Kansas, / went into a day coach and struck
up an acquaintance with a man who was In
the farm land and ranch selling business
out there. He looked prosperous and
seemed inclined TO conversation and enbon
point, and |, with one dreamy, languorous
eye on the sad, sad landscape, wondered how
this could be thus. Finally, with blushing
curiosity and sweeping, piercing glance at
the sun burnt plains, asked:
"Buu what do you raise herel What dc
you live one
"The real estate man looked grieved &c
think that such ignorance should exist in
the hat of one who had told him he was
indigenous to the west. Hc shifted in his
seat impressIvely and fixing his cold gray
eye upon me he answered compassionately
Stranger, we raise hi, and live on the
credulity of fool investors from the states.
after all now | come to think OF it,
had pretty good time on that trip. Yol
know there are always one or more pairs o