The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-02
THE MAJOR REFUSED.
Abe Crofoot Tells the Colonel How
He Was Thrown Down.
IN WHICH HE SHOWS THAT IT IS THE

Height of Injustice to Compare Him
With Severus-A New Scheme That
Promises Big Results.
Colonel Dawson had come to town for
his mail. but being ahead of time he had
taken a seat on the veranda of the vii
lage tavern. The day being hot and the
colonel being alone he had fallen asleep
il his chair, when he was aroused by
voice saying:
"Howdy, Kurnel Dawson-howdy. I
do declar', but I'm right glad to see
yo'r'
THAT yo', Abe?" replied the colonel
as he opened his eyes and started up.
Eyes, kurnel, it's me. was just
passin along and happened to see yo'.
Come mighty nigh sendin man out to
yo'r place yesterday with a note aszin
yo' to coma to town"
"Shoo" gasped the colonel as he
dropped his feet off the railing. lis it
mo- trouble, Abe? Pike county scandal
izers bin at it agin?"
"They hev, kurnel. They hev!
Couldn' t possibly let Abe Crofoot alone
fur over two weeks, yo' know. Jess
sorter worked up grand climax on me
yesterday and looked to see me throw
up my hands and go outer the game.
How's nevis, kurnel?"
Jess fairish, Abe-jess holdin their
own" --sD---Sssss-- ..-g--~-----'
"And COMP
ga leetle better than fairish, Ireckon.
What hev the scandalzers bin up to this
time. Abe?''
''Kurnel Dawson" began Abe as he
got his right foot over his left knee and
began to sharpen his pocketknife On his
shoe, 81 reckon yo' hev read about Sc
verus = Alexander Severus? Yo' run
mostly to CON and nevis, but yo' do
1eetle readin on the outside -
"Only jest leetle, Abe, as my eyes
amt what they used to be. Don't re-
member about Severus. Did he ever run
a plantation in these parts?'
mo, kurnel. Alexander Severus was
emperor of Rome between the va RS 222
and $50. Ee was powerfully educated
and good fighter. Went right at it and
licked the Persians outer their butes
agin the biggest kind of odds. He was
runnin the empire bang up when fell
Ter named Maximin murdered him and
raised a rebellion.
"Shooi'
''And now, Kurnel Dawson, take no.
tice of a few p'ints in the case. Yo'
know where Rome is, of co'se?"
mot jest this mint, Abe, as I've bin
mighty busy all summer, yo' know"
Eyes, I know. WAL, Rome is in
Italy-across the ocean. That's pint
No. /. It's 1895 now, amt it?''
''She is, Abe Yes, sab, I'll swear to
that. -
''And I told yo' that Severus died in
the var 235. That's a matter of 1860
vars ago. That's pint No. 2. Yesterday
rnawnin I wanted to use 50 mighty bad,
and 1 drapped into Majah Days Office
and asked him for loan. Kurnel Daw-
son, what & 'yo reckon the majah said to
me? Yo' are a-sittin right thar, and
I'm sittin right yere, and what d'yo
reckon he said?"
"Reckon it wasn't his day for 1endin
$2,' replied the colonel as he hitched
about in his chair.
Exactly, kurnel-exactly, but that
WASH all. He not only cut me short on
the 50, but he said if I'd taken advan-
tage of my opportunities I might have
bin a second Severus. That's pint No. 8.
Do 70 foller me, kurnel?''
81 think do, Abel think So -
"Thar's one more pint, kurnel. Half
an hour after I left Majah Days Office I
met him in Nick Carriers saloon and no
didn It know me. stood right at his ell
bow while he called for a julep, and he
never looked at me. Jess drank by his
self and left me standin thar and Nick
said it was the worst throw down he'd
ever seen in Pike county. I was mighty
nigh sendin him a challenge, and sendin
fur yo' to see me through. That's my
case, kurnel, and what d 20 think of it,"
Seems like the majah was agin yo',
Abe, - replied the colonel
"Of co'se he was agin mei'' exclaim-
ed Abe as he rose up in his excitement.
''Tho majah was agin me, and what's
the reason? Bekase 1 can't do the i'm
possible Kurnel Dawson, was I BON
into this world 1850 y 'ars ago?"
''Of case not I"
''Was bon in Italy when I was
bo'n?''
Reckon not.''
could a man who wasn't bon till
over l 1856 vars after the Emperor Sew
erus hev any show to equal him?"
''Skassly, Abe-skassly
IF I'd had my show with Severus
and failed, wouldn't say a word, but
didn't hev my show. If I'd a-bin thar
in his time, it would hev bin neck and
neck between as, but he had over 1000
Vars the start Of me. Am to blame
that WASH t on airth in the Ear 222f"
mot a bit of it. Abe -
"Am to blame fur bein bon in Pike
county, instead of Italy?"
"No, sah-no, sahl Can't nobody
blame yo' fur that. -
'If Severus had all the show, and I
had none, kin be expected to come out
on top? Kurnel Dawson, look me in the
eyel Now, then, from what yo' know
80 Ill = 4