The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-15


went over to Jack divers hotel to fig
ure out way of elect1ng their candl-
date despite the enormous majority of
the opposing party. 1t was suggested
that colOred voters from the south side
OF the river be requested to also cast
their ballots on the north side but that
was not thought to be wise as they
would be needed at home. 1t was sug-
geSted that Wilson was a popular man
and that if his friends rallied to his
support early and late and often he
would be elected.
Capt. Dowden managed Wilson's
campaign in North Topeka. Matt
Campbell was the Republican candi-
date The Democrats were having
plenty of fun out of their mysterious
maneuvers and Wilson was as jolly as
any. The Republicans tried to find out
the manner of fight the Democrats
would put up determined to fight them
with their own kind of fire but they did
not find out. In those days it was ex-
pected that the side with the feWest
votes would have "repeaters" and the
Democrats arranged for the 'repeaterS"
TO receive receipts at North Topeka,
Silver Lake and RossVilIe when they
voted Everything was going well on
election day. The party so often in the
minority did not want to pile up too
big a vote so along in the afternoon
Capt. Dowden received the following
dispatch from Silver Lake:
stop voting. Got enough"
That night when the votes were
counted Campbell won by 19.
What" shouted Wilson when he
as well as not had twice that many
more" But the day was lost
In his lecture before the Topeka
teachers, Mr.. A. E Winship, of Boston,
told an interesting story of the ad-
Vancement of civilization in the west.
He told of the surveying Of the sixth
principal meridian, u miles east OF Sa-
lima and nine miles west OF Abilene.
In 1854 the government sent out
surveying party with directions to go
to St. Louis, then follow the 10th paral-
lei as far west as CIVILIZATION would
ever reach and run the meridians. The
surveying party Travelled 13S miles west
of the Missouri river and decided that
civilization would never pass that point
and there the meridian was surveyed.
The meridian is still there but ciVili-
ZatiOn crossed it with a jump like
Steeple chaser going over a. hedge. But
the surveyors We're wise men in those
days.
A Topeka young man had serious
trouble not long ago. He lost his tenn
per. missed a car on a once-in -a-half-
hour line and made a young lady very,
very angry and all on account OF pair
of fancy stockings.
This young man had an engagement
to take a young lady to the theater.
After supper he chatted a little too long
with some friends and then rushed up
to his room to dress for the evening.
He had no trouble with his collar but
tons and gave thanks for that. His
collars We're not frayed and his we'll
Starched shirt front cleaned like
piece of onyx. His hair parted nicely
and all went we'll till he started for
pair of fine silk stocking with red and
green stripes.
He did not find them in the lower bu-
reau drawer nor in the middle one.
They must be in the top one. He pull
ed at the drawer and it stuck fast. He
4
tied a heavy cord to the two handles
and gave a quick pull. Off came the
handles and the sudden giving away
sent him SpraWling across the room.
He got up to find his cuffs and shirt
front sOiled and wrinkIed- He screwed
a couple of eyes into the drawer and
tried to pull it open. No use; it would
not bulge. He glanced at the clock. A
few minutes till car time. He had to
go to the suburbs and if he missed that
car he must wait half an hour. With
renewed energy he pulled. Then he got
a stove poker and prled- The glossy
surface of the bureau was scratched
and a few pieces were broken off before
he got it open. He tumbled all the
things out to find the stockings were
not there but lying on his bed where
he had placed them at noon. His tenn
per and his clothes were ruffled.
He was finally ready to go, but looked
as if he had come out of a free fight
instead of a bandbOX as he hoped to.
He had missed the car he expected to
take and would have to take the next
one which meant that the theater could
not be reached before S:45 if then.
He reached the house and apOlOgized
He would not take off his OVercOat as
there was no time to be lost. They
hurried to catch the next car for up
town. She was sorry they would miss
the first act. but then they would en-
joy the second. He was feeling very
happy at getting off so easily until he
happened to put his hand to his throat
and found he had forgotten to put on a
collar and necktie. Because of the
stockings the girl had to walk up the
aisle and witness the second
act alone while he went out
to hunt up a friend to borrow
to see the third act. Between them they
saw three acts for three dollars when
they might have seen six. He now
wears plain black stockings