The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-17
GETTING EVEN
Dave Leahy Tells a White Rabbit
Story at the State House.


A party of politicians, state officers
and newspaper men were grouped in
the Office of Insurance Commissioner
McNan listening to stories yesterday
afternoon when Dave Leahy, cores
pondent for the Kansas City Times,
happened in. Just as Leahy made his
entrance one of the party was telling
story of getting even with certain
politician, and when the end of the
story was reached, he remarked:
There was Just one time in my life
when 1 really felt I got even with a
man. Tt was while 1 was on the Wich-
ita Eagle
Dave is a good story teller and Com
missioner, McNaH knows it. So he
quickly responded to the feeler by say
ing;
about ready for a good story"
Leahy didn't need any more cOaxing
and started in with his tale.
"A few years ago. said he, "a cheap
magician toured this state and stopped
off in Wichita for a two nights en-
gagement. AS representative OF the
paper 1 went to see him, and his work
was so cheap that / decided to roast
him. 1 made it pretty strong, telling
what a fake he was, and it came out
In the Eagle that evening. On the same
evening 1 went down to the theater TO
see the second performance
"Chet Crawford was managing the
Wichita house then, and 1 met him as L
entered the theater He hadn't seen the
anything about the roast. He called
me off to one side, and told me soto
VOce that he wanted me to help him
out that evening by putting in my over
coat pocket a small white rabbit that
ne had with him, and which the magl-
clan would come out and accidentally
find after making a similar rabbit dis
appear on the stage. In other words L
was to take certain seat in the house,
and play the part of accOmpl1ce to the
magician.
IL,
most Obliging fellow in the world, and
1 thought 1 might do the magician a
good turn after roasting him the way
did. So 1 consented, tucked the little
rabbit in the pocket of my overcoat,
and went on and sat down in the seat
assigned me to wait developments.
The curtain was rung up and the
magician walked on the stage, but in
stead of going on with his work he
WaltZed up to the foOtlightS and COM
menced to roast the paper and me per-
sOnally in an unmeTciful manner.
never heard such a ripping IN all my
life I was dumbfounded for the first
few minutes but as soon as I got my
wits together it suddenly flashed upon
me that I had the fellow just where l
wanted him on the rabbit deal. So l
kept my seat and waited paruently I'M
til he finished his roast.
He finally got through and started
to go on with his work, but before he
got away from the foOtlights I was on
my feet and shouting to him from my
place in the auditorium: Here, you
darned old fraud said I, here is proof
that you are a fake With this I Owed
into my overcoat pocket and brought
out the rabbit. Holding it up in full
view I continued:
g This rabbit was given me at the
door of the theater tonight with the
instructions that after you made a rab-
bit disappear on the stage you would
mysteriOusly find the same rabbit in
my pocket. If this doesn't prove you
to be a fake to the satisfaction of the
audience, I'll eat the rabbit
1T was his turn to be dumbfOunded
then, and he smiled a sickly smile and
went on with the performance. But
every time he would make anything
disappear during the rest of the even
ing, some one in the audience would
shout:
Whose pocket is the duplicate of
that in?''