The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-15
railing, and now there is s.bIoody
hand" on the bridge.

| railing, ana now there is a 'sbIoody
/ hand" on the bridge.
He was black and his clothes we're
/ scant and none too clean as he appear
! ed on Kansas avenue today Nobody
knew where he came from nor where he
was going, but in five minutes he had
crowd of boys trooping at his heels
| that would have delighted any boy
seeking public attention. The boy him
self would have attracted no notice by
himself, but the team hitched to his
toy wagon was two dogs. One was
little animal with woody fur and the
other was smooth coated and trif1e
larger. Their harness was made of
pieces of leather fastened together
with strings. Around the neck of each
dog was a strap to which the guiding
line was fastened. The animals seem
ed perfectly resigned to their situation.
Occasionally one would sit down to
rest, but when he found that his mate
kept on, he would hurrfedly jump up.
A wheel came off as the wagon drop
ped off the curb, and the dogs stopped
while the youthful teamster made the
necessary repairs. A stray dog, at
tracted by the sight, ran bowling after
the procession. When he came near
enough the driver gave him a crack
with his whip which put an end to his
demonstration.
The boy and his strange team stopped
at a little cabin on the east side, in
which a colored woman was working
over the wash tub. The boy who is her
son, delivers the washing with his dog
team
Col. Sam Radges was on Kansas av-
enue again conspicuously without an
overeoat. Meeting an acquaintance
near Sixth street he said: Say, lend
me your overcoat." The latter began
to remove the outer garment when
Radges held his hands up to prevent
him. Il wouldn't wear an overcoat to-
day for a thousand dollars have
plenty of animal heat That is why 1
don't need it. Now, when the Their
mometer is 103 above zero, I put on my
oVercoat. That keeps out the heat.
Then is the time to wear an overcoat"
Col. Radges walked away breathing
in the air as if it was a summer day,
and he doesn't catch cold either.
'"That macadam just before you get
on the new BRIDGE" said Col. Burgess
as he leaned against a drug store show
window, lis like our old fashioned cOrdu-
roy roads back east. I'll tell you, when
fellow rode ten miles over one of those
roads he could eat out an ordinary taX-
ern. There We're lots of those roads
years ago"
Robert BelIxnap of Osceola, Nebras-
ka, drove through Topeka today in
covered wagon on his way to Emporia.
Lying on a mattress in the bed of the
wagon was his invalid wife who is suf-
fering with consumption. horse and
mule were hitched to the wagon and
pulled it along at a slow gait as If they
too were in misery Belknap stopped
on lower Kansas avenue, entered
small bakery and got a few eatables
with the last money he had 1t was q
small meal for two people, but it was
all he had and he started the jour-
ney with the determination which has
brought him this far. The wife was in
considerable pain and she coughed fire.
quently and her breath was labored.
Asked where he was going Belknap
said: II am taking my poor wife out
to Emporia where her father and moth
er live. I lived at Osceola, Neb., and
had a small farm there. My wife has
been getting worse and I spent all my
money trying to get her cured. But
it's no use. She can't live long and she
wanted to die at her home. Her folks
used to live in Indiana but went to En-
poria a year ago Haven't a, cent Of
money left and don't know what we
will do for food, but I hope to get to
Enporia soon. My team is hungry and
may give out soon. But will have to
take Nellie home. We had two chill
dren but they are both buried at Osee-
OLA AS Belknap spoke a farmer who
had stopped to listen lifted a box out of
his wagon in which there was about
a bushel of corn. He gave it to the
traveller and received hearty thanks.
Robert Be1knap started west with his
sick wife at 10 O'Clock on the Burlin-
game road.
At the corner of Fifth and Kansas
avenue a large black delivery wagon
was driven west across Kansas ave-
nue. at rapid speed. A large well fed
horse pulled the wagon and a bIOated
looking man with blue eyes urged it on
1t was not a grocery wagon, nor a feed
wagon, but a delivery wagon for a
wholesale liquor agency in Topeka.
The front and back of it were closed
and the whole body including the top
was painted a dull black. 1t con
tanned several cases of beer and key.
An old lady started across Fifth
street walking north. She did not see
the vehicle nor the careless driver.