The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-16
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

who Were discussing politics and poll
1clahS am so prejudiced that new
er ask negro to support me or my
friends If / have anything to do with
them politically it is done through some
one else, and not directly. 1 never did
think much of a negro in politics, being
a Southerner, and I learned a lesson in
that line in Wyandotte which thoroughly
cured me of having anything to do with
them politically 1t was about Il years
ago and was anxious to be elected to
the city council and was making every
effort that could to get things fixed
at the primaries. There was an old negro
preacher In my ward who controlled the
negro vote in ''TennesSeetown, a settle
ment of negroes who came to the town
during the exodus from Tennessee, and
1t was necessary that should secure his
influence because there were at least 200
voters under his thumb and most of
them lived in my ward The old man
came to see me and after q long talk,
he said that he believed that it was nee
esSary for the welfare of the community
that be chosen to look after their in
tereStS- / gave the old man SIS, the
amount he asked for the benefit of his
church fund which he assured me was
running very low. The primaries turned
out in my favor and L considered that
everything was working all right until
one day met friend on the street who
told me that the old man was doing
tremendous amount of talking for my
opponent I could hardly believe this,
but the next day l met the old man and
told him what had heard. I guess OATS
right, he said, yes, OATS right; for 1
certainly is opposed to YOU Done
changed my mind bout you being de
proper person for dat sponsible office
Why, you old rascal 1 said, didn't 1
fix it with you to support me and didn't
l give you $25 for your church? Yes, You
shorely did, sab; but dat was to support
you afore de primaries, dis is aftaw de
primaries an is anodder proposition
There was no getting around the old rob-
Der and l was obliged to give $25 more
toward the church fund. I believe he
collected enough money during his life
to build a fine church, but there never
was cents worth of work done on it,
81 had a peculiar experience in Arkan-
sas while on a hunting trip down there
last winter, said a gentleman at the
National addressing a friend who had
just returned from Colorado and was
loaded with the usual fish and deer stor-
les. A party of us left ST Louis and
went down into the timber country for a
Few weeks sport. We got into pretty
wild country but we We're getting along
all right as we had two natives with US
10 put US on to the mode of hunting.
They We're brothers and were both ex-
pertS at hunting and trapping and We're
mighty good fellows to have along. I
don't believe I would have slept we'll if
they had not been with us, for it was my
first trip there and / had heard some
great stories of wild boars, panthers
bears and catamounts We had estab-
hshed rule that two men should al
ways remain at camp to watch the
horses, do the cooking and take care of
things in general. OF course we took
turns at this and sometimes it got
mighty lonesome, for the hunting party
would frequently remain out over night
One night was left at the camp with
one of the brothers, the rest of the party
who had gone out early in the morning
had not returned and we We're lying on
our blankets smoking and awaiting
their return. Suddenly We heard a pc
culiar noise in the woods a short dis
lance from the camp. I did not know
what it was and asked my companion
who was acquainted with the noises
made by every animal in that country
but could see that he was puzzled. The
sound was repeated several times and
then he answered that it was strange
sound to him. We kicked up the fire a
little and then got our rifles and waited.
We had located the sound and both
watched the woods in that direction
Presently my companion called my at
tentiOn to the cleaning of two eyes in
the darkness. Take a shot at them he
said, and aim right between them I
raised my rifle but was unable to get a
bead. Did you ever try to aim at any
thing of the kind at night? Well, if you
have you will know that a novice can
not do it. 1 told him that was afraid
/ would miss SO he took the gun from me
and almost instantly fired. There was a
rustic and then a voice called, Don't
shoot any more and my companions
DfOCnef walked INTO camp. lie SAID he
had crept up on us with one of his dogs
and made the noise to brighten US. He
was hiding behind a tree and made the
dog stand by his side The shot had
passed directly through the dogs head,
killing it instantly They both seemed
to look upon the affair as a joke but it
gave me the shivers and didn't warm
up until the sun came up.
Harry l. Middleton, press agent of the
Wallace show, who was at the Fifth Av-
enue yesterday, tells a good story on
himself L was coming into Topeka last
night from st. Joe over the Santa F'e and
the train stopped at a small station long
enough to allow an old country man to
come aboard. AS he came down the aisle
with his carpetbag we could tell that he
was not an experienced traveller. The
car was crowded and as I was occupy
ing a double seat he stopped at my side
and asked if he could sit with me. I can
generally get a few good stories out of
those kind of fellows so made room for
him in the seat. Now you know that old
cOuntrymen are the most inquiSitive
persons on earth; they want to know
who you are, where you are going, who
you are related to and, in fact, every
thing about you. I will try and tell it to
you as the conversation passed between
us. After the old man had settled him
self in the seat he said: What might
your name be young man. I told him
what it was and fixed myself to tell him
my history. What do you do for a liv-
lng2 write FOR the newspapers, said l.
DO you travel all the timer said he.
About ten months of the year, said I.
How much money yo you make out of
it?' said he. Forty dollars a week and
expenses, said l. The old man caught
his breath and looked at me as much as
to say that he would not like to be my
companion on my last journey. After ne
had composed himself he said: Forty
dollars a week and board, how many
hours do you work a day?' Oh, three or
four, said / What said he, do you
mean to sit there and tell me that you
get $40 a week and board working four
hours a day2' Yes, sir. The old man