The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-03
SKETCHES BY NJ. QUAD
Saving a City.

About noon 1 came along to where a
man sat in the sun before a dugout, and
he did not wait for me to come to q
halt before he exclaimed:
"I'n do it, stranger-I'n do it as
sure's yer borni I'm a man as CAN'T be
imposed on beyand a sartin p'inG!''
Anything wrong?" I asked as
looked around and failed to find any
evidence of other inhabitants of that
plain.
81 should say thar wasp he yelled as
he rose up and then jumped foot high.
Stranger, what would you say was
smokin in place of terbacker?''
''It smells like a piece OF old woolen
shirt.
''That's it--that's exactly what it is,
and it's the last of the shirt at that
Stranger, when did hev my last squar'
meaI?''
''Two days ago, perhaps %
cts over three, and then had no
salt with it I've bin tramped on and
ground into the earth and I won't stand
it no longeri Ar you goin as fur as In
dianola?''
Eyes, I'm going right there. "
''When you git to Indianola, want
you to go and see kurnel Davids. His
office IS right across from the tavern
He's short, fat man, and his hair
would be red if he had any. You'll find
him paintin signs and writin out hand
bills and circulars about Golden City.
He'll be a-writin about the railroads
and factories and churches and skule-
houses which is to come here. He'll be
a-writin about the rich farmin lands, the
public parks, the soshul advantages and
the healthiness of the climate. He'll be
a-writin that Golden City is to be the
Chicago of the fur west, and that in
less'n ten years she will hev popula
shun of 2O0,O people. -
"Why, man, you don't tell me that
this is Golden Cityl'' 1 exclaimed.
81 do, stranger. She's right here, all
surveyed and city lots for sale I"
''And there is only one dugout and
one inhabitantP'
''That's all, and that's bin enough up
to now. Another feller was to come over
three days ago and bring provisions and
dig another hole and keep me company.
That would hev increased the popula-
ton and the number of dwellings a
hundred per cent, you see, but he hasn' It
come. You say to the colonel that you
saw me. You say that l was hungry and
lonesome. You say that was hoppin
mad and CROWN madder every mint.
Jest you pound on the table and look
him in the eyes and say if he don't
git the balance of the population of this
city out here before noon tomorrer, with
sunthin to eat and drink and smoke,
that the present inhabitants will walk
right off and bust his boomin old town
all to squash Stranger, will you do that
fur sufferin public?"
eyes, 1 will. -
s'Thank you. The kurnel agreed to
give a dollar day and my grub fur
bein the skules, factories, railroads,
churches, populashun and soshul advan-
tages of Golden City, and if he don't
cum up to the rack I'll shoulder my
blanket and fryin pan and leave a scene
of desolashun behind me!'
I agreed to put the case in a vigorous
manner, but was saved any trouble in
that direction. Five miles from Indi-
anoIa I met the other 'populashun"
loaded down with blankets and provi-
sions, and when 1 told him that Golden
City was in danger of being wiped out
of existence he uttered yell of dismay,
put the whip on his mule and went
away at headlong speed.