The Topeka state journal., 1900-01-06

A few nights ago the firemen were
busy. They had three calls. The last
one was to the fair grounds where a
barn was burned.
They got back from the fire about
$3.50. 1t was a cold night and the fire.
men had not had any too much sleep.
They had put the horses away and after
thawing out a bit had gone to bed to
snOoze a short time before daylight
They were just getting the sheets good
and warm when the downstairs door
was opened and somebody out of breath
rushed in
..Firel" yelled the man.
The fremen sprang from their beds.
They jumped for the sliding rods.
Where" yelled one of them.
''The state house dome.' yelled the
man who was a policeman.
What in blazeS is there in the dome
to burn?" cried one of the men as he
erawled back into bed and those who
had slid down the poles wearily climbed
the stairs. The policeman had seen the
usual cloud of smoke from the state
house heating plant as it poured up
ward and enveloped the dome. The
alarm would not have been amiss if
given by a stranger in town but To-
peka people need never be alarmed
when the state house is hid from view
by smoke. In time the dome will be a
beautiful black. Just give the smoke
stack time.
In the latter seventies Topeka had a
crack" baseball team, captained by
Hale Ritchie. that was called 'The
Westerns"
in the state, except Ottawa, and defeat
ed them whether the games were played
on the home grounds or at some other
town. Ottawa disputed the Topeka
clubs right to the title Of champion
and a game was arranged. 1t was to
be played at the fair grounds in To-
peka-
The day came and the Ottawa team
played all around the Topeka team. At
the end of the sixth inning the score
stood to in favor of the Ottawa
team. Topeka could not score. The
Topeka rooters had considerable money
up on the game. Something had to be
done.
There was a professional ball player
from the east in Topeka by the name
of Phelan. At the beginning of the
sixth inning he was smuggled into the
box. The Topeka sports were told that
he would save the game. A good big
purse was offered him If he could do
SO. The first man to bat for the Ottawa
team stepped to the plate confident that
a home run was in store for him. The
ball came toward him. He struck at it
but he missed. He struck out. The
next man did the same and so on till
the side was retired without a score.
The Topeka team took heart and pound
ed out a few runs.
The next inning was the same They
could not hit Phelan. The game ended
Il to in favor of the Topeka team. OF
course. after the game was over every
one wanted to know how it happened.
Phelan threw curves and the first ones
ever thrown on a Kansas diamond
A good story is told of a man who
was at one time mayor of Topeka and
who prided himself upon that fact and
also that he never drank anything but
water" as he expressed his prohibitory
views.
He attended a convention In st.Louis
HIS name was on the programme for a
speech. His turn came and he spoke
upon municipal affairs and praised the
cause of temperance. II have never
drank anything but water and have
lived the most of my life where we have
a prohibition law. I have the honor to
be mayor of a city with $4,000 inhabi-
tants."
The next speaker was the mayor of
st. Louis ''I have heard what the gen.
tleman said.'' remarked the mayor. ''I
differ greatly from him. 1 have never
drank water in my life and have lived
most of my life where there are half a
dozen .breweries. I have been elected
mayor of a city with 100000 inhabi-
tants."
Some years ago Bishop J. H. Vincent
was chosen to introduce a lecturer
whose subject was Fools
Bishop Vincent mounted the platform
and after making few remarks to the
audience said: I'VE shall now have the
pleasure of listening to a lecture on
Fools by one-here he paused for an
instant, the audience was amazed ,-"of
the brightest men I know" continued
the bishop when his pause had been
sufficient to carry out the joke. The
audience laughed.
But the lecturer was not to be out
done when it came to a contest of wit
He arose, advanced to the front of the
platform and after a few remarks said
It take pleasure in giving my lecture
but I am not so big a fool as Bishop
Vincent"-here the lecturer paused for
a second and taking up the thread of
his talk said,-'would have you be-
neve."