The courier., 1898-12-10
IN KANSAS.

not have largo house in Corning, Kan.
nor that after week Of poor houses. the
finances ran low. All organisations
that travel have been embarrassed ct
times for want OF lucre. And storms
and lack Of good advertising arc apt to
take the wind out Of the most carefully
constructed eaile.
Before we arrived in Corning, while
We were yet cramped In tho bobsled, On
optimistic youth met us with a gun
thrown over his shoulder. He was
voluble in his predictions for . big
house. Had not the entertainment the
night before been one grand fizzle? Was
not the public waiting to blow in its hard
earned coin on the Wesleyan quartet!
Well. ! rather guess. And 20 our jaded
hopes were spurred to the highest pitch
and in our minds We were bowling before
an immense multitude Of Cornipgites
and our treasurer was already lingering
the corpulent receipts. How sweet .
thing is imagination! Had it not been
for this adjunct to human experience We
never would have had that audience and
those fat receipts. For when We went
to the opera house q few people were
scattered about the room like corn stalks
in Z shorn field. Behind the crude
scenery five despsiring individuals met.
The treasurer. with his bubble Of pros
perity pricked and the joyful anticipa-
tions Of the other four knocked higher
than kite. With q mask Of suiles and
simulated light hearts We gave our con-
cert to the little sample Of N audience
and went our way back to the hotel sad
aud sodden as the hotel biscuits.
We hied ourselves to our room and
counted the cash. As fate would have
it there was just enough money to get
four men on to the next date. l was the
fifth wheel in the coach 90 had to re-
main behind in Corning while the sing.
ers went on to earn enough money to
liberate me. stormed and begged the
boys NOT 70 leave me. alone among
strangers, but there was no help for it
and bad to eee them 60 away through
the night on an old freight train, while !
heaven help me-had to 60 back to
that hotel and 60 to bed.
My heart was heavy as lead and sleep
came ut last, welcome anaesthetic to
the horrors Of being alone in town the
slze Of q henysrd. awaiting the tickle
favor Of Kansas audience to extricate
me.
The next morning I took up living
again where l left of the night before.
was subjected to the sly inspection Of
the natives, penalty I suffered from be-
ing advertised Nebraska poet seem.
ingly being queer. and one to be stared
at % q species Of one-riDged circus. /
read all the old newspapers. wrote eome
letters and watched the little clock on
tho show case. And speaking Of the
show case reminds me of the primitive
honesty Of the natives Of Corning. The
landlord. who came from Q farm in west.
ern Kansas to operate the hostelry, was
always on the street talking politics. In
consequences the cigars in the ehowcase
lacked the presence Of . salesman.
But this did not stop the rubes. Well
I should say not! Every user Of the
weed in town seemed to be on to the
combination OF the show case and money
drawer and whenever he wanted to
smoke he came in and took . cigar and
made his own change. 1t saved let's OF
trouble on the part OF the bewhiskered
,.r1,o,d whoaa principal desire seemed