Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-08-03
Than Kansas Takes a Notion.


When Kansas takes Il notion to do
something strange and remarkable, as
she does very often, there is no mine
ing about it. She does it thoroughly
and well. 1t has been said that moth
ing is impossible, neither must any
thing be unexpected, in Kansas. At
ter three comparatively normal and
impurtutrable years it seems that
Kansas took a notion that it was time
to do something again to attract at
tention. She selected 1895 as an aus
picious year and began to canvass her
thoughts for an idea. The legislative
war and populist regime were not yet
out of mind, and it was plain that she
would have to find a brilliant con-
ception" outside of politics. There
was no longer any possibility for any
thing new or surprising in that direc-
tion. She was in the position of the
circus performer thinking up a new
trick and apparently concluded that
nothing short of double or triple
combination of startling and ''almost
incredible" maneuyerS would serve to
interest a people who had almost
ceased to wonder at her performances.
So she determined to utaliZe her corn
crop as a basis for her movements,
and soon offered the finest specimen
of corn weather the country ever saw.
Cool. gentle breeZeS swept across the
prairies from Nebraska to Oklahoma
and iiZzling, soaking rains fell in in
"a Cb u
pansive agricultural smile spread
from the Colorado line to the Quin-
! daro waterworkS Meanwhile the
corn grew and grew and moisture
laden winds SWaying the tall stalks in
Il rhythmic, cOquetiSh motion WhiStled
q lullaby that brought only dreams
of prosperity to the satisfied farmers.
The climatic conditions were such
that the newspapers called attention
to the incompatible summer resort
weather in Kansas. Balmy days and
cool nights made life dream of bliss.
Secretary COburn of the state board
of agriculture, from the top joint of a
! towering corn stalk, surveyed the
waving fields and with a dare-yOu-to-
cOntradict-me look sent out the aston
ishing forecast that Kansas was going
to give the world 400 millions bushels
Of corn this year. But the moisture
continued. The Smoky, in an indiS-
Greet ecstacy Of joy, oyerleaped its
banks, and along the valley of the
Solomon, there were cries Of ''Hold
Enough"
Then in the agricultural bosom
there arose a meek, timid, uncertain
desire for little dry spell, and lit
tie warmer weather. Just enough to
permit the blowing down of the weeds
and help the ears develop and get a
little solid. Immediately the desire
was humbled, SmOthered as it were
under the braZen rays of an African
sun, and while the papers were hold
ing up the burning temperature and
heat fatalities Of New York in com
pariSon with the mildneSS of the
weather in Kansas they changea their
tune with the abruptnesS that ward
politician changes his creed.
Kansas was going through the sec
Ond stage of her great double act and
getting ready to display her climatic
versatility in a manner that would
make the people of the Equatorial re-
giOnS gasp for breath. The mercury
in the thermometer set its machinery
mooving in an upward direction and
fastened the reverse lever that way.
When the section hands out on the
Santa Fe were wondering when the
climax would be reached the rails
suddenly began to show signs of life.
THY twisted under the scorching sun
until they bumped up their backs and
tore the spikes out of the ties with a
report that has set the whole country
to talking. Neither India nor Africa
are in it with Kansas. Nothing is i'm
possible. Kansas can always attract
attention when ''She takes a notion
ii kansas City (Kansas) Gazette.