The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-15

at 1890. Thank you.' said the woman
and she returned to her seat as she
had about 40 minutes to wait. In
short time she again went over to Mr..
McNaH and asked him what time he
had said the train would leave and ne
again smiled and gave her the desired
information. She resumed her seat but
again approached and said: dislike
to ask so many times but would you
kindly tell me when the train leaves for
Topeka He said Madam, the train
has not changed time since I told you
before; it leaves at 1880. Now will you
tell me why you ask that question 50
frequently? Have you such poor
memory that you can't remember ten
woman, I know well enough when the
train leaves, but when you talk you
smile and that amuses my little boy so
much"
ST was reading in a paper last week
that the number of people killed by
lightning in the United States during
the year 1899 was 562 and that the num-
Der injured was $780," said a gentleman
at the Copeland apropos of nothing
whatever. 1.-The article went on to tell
about which trees were struck by light
ming and which trees were almost i'm
mune. 1t stated that the German govern
ment had required record kept by all
the forest oVerseers Of the kind of trees
struck and went on to quote the report.
The article was of no interest that l
can discover to any one. 1t showed that
the beech and pine suffered less than
other trees but of what use is that
knowledge to any one. Suppose a man
is out in a forest and suppose a storm
comes up, the chances are that even II
the man had read the German govern
ment's report and knew that q beech
tree was the kind to seek shelter under
he would be unable to fnd one. If he
couldn't find a beech he could hunt up
eating a pine and his memory retained
the report, he could hunt up the next
best tree. The chances are that by the
time that he had found his lightning
proof tree the storm would be over. 1t
seems to me that they are getting this
thing down too fine. They have sta
tistics on everything and a man can no
longer make a statement without being
called down by some pedantic idiot who
will pull an almanac on him and quote
the report of some department to prove
that he is a liar. They know the num-
Der of bacteria to the square inch and
have accurate statistics on the previous
condition of the ancestors of the Wild
Man of Borneo. The number of children
dying from cholera infantum in the south
Sea Islands seems to be as important
matter of record as the birth of kings.
There seems to be absolutely nothing
that has not been figured out, tabulated
and recorded, The amount of gold and
the number of corsets imported and ex-
ported are both carefully recorded. The
distance to the latest discovered star,
the normal temperature and respiration
the Chinese question; the number of
people afflicted with Mr.. Bright's cele-
brated disease; the number of child
minds that will assimilate knowledge
by the new method, the number which
require the old stick method. the exact
amount of beer consumed per inhab-
liant, the number who object to con-
sumption of same and all other ques-
lions of vital Importance have been eX-
amined by experts who have made re-
liable reports for the intellectual delec-
tation of the people. About the only
thing left for a man to discuss is the
coming election and I suppose before
many years some mind reader will be
making reports of elections four years
in advance which will spoil that. The
human mind is getting so accustomed to
this sort of thing that there will soon
be a complaint because the agricultural
department does not issue bulletins on
the condition of the flora and fauna in
the MOON"
''The increase in the price of horses
during the past two years has been re-
marka ble,'' said a gentleman at the OK
ford who has had a great deal of ex-
perience in the handling of horses, land
1 attribute it to several causes. One
thing in particular that has operated to
the benefit of the horse industry is that
because of the profitless market breed
ing operations We're practically suspend
ed for years on the great ranges and the
owners did not even take the trouble
to brand their increase. In the farming
sections the horse production has been
limited to the market demands for driV-
ing and draught horses and animals for
the farm. This materially reduced the
reserve supply of animals for sale and
when there was demand caused by our
own war for several thousand head
there was an immediate prospect for a
shortage. The British-BOer war follow
ed with still greater demand and Eng
land was obliged to send here for mounts
for her cavalry. The country has been
thoroughly searched by their purchasing
agents for horses that will meet the re-
quirements. AS consequence the
price of horses has advanced 100 per
cent and in many cases more. There is
no immediate danger of a fall in the
horse market. On the contrary, 1 look
for still higher prices for at least a
year BY that time there may be a
fall, but it will be years before the mar
ket will be low as it has been in the
past, probably never again. I look for
a better grade of horses in the west
from now and think we have seen
the last of the range horse which is
shipped in from Montana and the other
northern states"
VMAMEN DATTTTNV ANG