The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-02-22
WERE OLD COMRADES
Mr.. Conkiin and Mr.. GarSt
Meet in Wichita.
1T is THE FIRST TIME
Since Separating Thirty-Nine
Years Ago.

Mr.. J. z. Conklin Of this city and Mr..
Morrison Garst of Chicago. who were
reared in the same community and after
ward joined the Union army, met in
Wichita for the first time in thirty-nine
years.
Mr.. conklin was in his Office when he
learned that Mr.. Garst was in the city.
The telephone bell rang and someone
stepped to the phone. The conversation
was as follows:
Hello Is Mr.. ]. E. conklin in?"
Yes, sir"
can him to the phone please"
Hello"
'Is this Mr. Conklin?'
yes. sir"
''Wen. this is Garst"
Say. Mr.. Conklin, did you ever know
anyone by the name of Morrison Garst?''
Morrison Garst!"
Yes, sir, Morrison Garst."
''Why. L once went to school with a
boy BY the name Of Morrison Garst. We
went to the army together"
well, if you will come over, Mr.. Conk-
lin you can see MI. Morrison Garst."
They Both Enlisted.
NJ. Conklin Immediately left his Office
on North Market street and at the Wich-
ita Steam Laundry he met the man who
when boy. played with him in his east
ern nome and later enlisted in the 67tn
Illinois regiment with him
This was the first meeting that Nor
rtson Garst and Mr.. Conklin had ever
had since they separated thirfy-nine
years ago. They had not heard of each
other only rather vaguely since that time
and the meeting Wednesday was a de-
ightful one for the two former comrades.
When they were boys together they at
tended the same school and engaged in
the same amusements. They were near
~ the same age and were comrades,
such as only boys Of certain age can be
When the excitement Of the war times
came on, the two boys having reached
their majority, went to join the army.
There were tears in the homes. hut the
young men went away, proud to carry
arms for their country. They asked TO
be in the same company, and were as
signed to the 9th Illinois 1t was after
their term of enlistment expired that the
two young men separated and went
their ways.
Now both men have boards. Their
boards are tinged with gray. Age has
shown its marks. but for all that the
men are hale and hearty. As they stood
ad lonoked at each other when they first
met after thirty-nine years, neither man
said much, the sight Of the other brought
back those scenes so many years ago.
Looks Like His Father.
Mr.. Garst said: 81 hardly realize that
that man is J. E. ConIIin. I used to see
his father, when I was a boy and his
appearance is almost identical with that
Of Mr. Conklin. I thought that he was
in Winfield and had written a letter to
him at that place telling him that L would
be down to see him. When I came here
I ascertained that Mr.. Conklin lived here
and lost no time in letting him know
that I was in town"
Mr.. Morrison Garst is a cousin Of New
ton, Garst, of this city. He has been
in Wichita before but says that he likes
the city better than ever this time. He
was here during the boom and while the
business rush now is not like that. vet
he says that since Wichita has settled
down, it is one of the best cities in the
west Mr. Garst IS travelling man and
since ne goes over a large territory, he
has ample opportunity of sizing up the
exact situation in regard to the western
towns
Mr.. Conklin and Mr.. Garst have re-
newed their boyhood Acquaintance and
the many things of the years gone by
have been brought out in the long con-
versations the two men have had