The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-17

1
was out one day locating some persons
on their claims. 1 hadn't had a bite to
eat but green watermelon. 1 was tired
and had started in. met Beverage,
enthusiastic and fun of hope because
he had kept up his end of business in
town, bringing out two or three fellows
TO locate. Well, I sent the first crowd
back with him, and took the second batch
| Of fellows out I hadn't got very far
toward town with them when again Bev-
eridse met me, almost night, with a
| third party. I went back in despair. but
| didn't get home that night. The next
| day as 1 once more started on the re-
turn trip, Beverage mad fourth party,
| and by the time 1 got them located and
desperately made my way 10 Dighton,
I was almost starved. But Beverage was
after business-he didn't mind my hun
ger.
NO, there wasn't any politics there in
those days, and if Beverage had wanted
to take part in public affairs. there was
no chance. He used to sit and dream, and
talk to me- though, about what a great
man he was going to be, but while
didn't laugh at him. I hardly thought he
would get as far as he did. l knew he
was clever enough, but gave no thought
to his future, though 1 was sorry when
he left me.
I was sorry to give Beveridge up. be-
cause he was so square and so useful.
You see the man I had before him was
such liar, and thief too, that I could
not depend on him. A liar is not bad
when he knows how to lie and lie right
but this fellow didn't have that faculty.
You had to lie in those days. If you
didn't of your own accord your man
would make you lie. Why, got to be an
adept. I could turn up a cornerstone
and make man believe there were
marks there when there were none.
''Beveridge owned a quarter near town
I don't know what ever became of it.
Perhaps he proved up; perhaps not. I
don't remember. Perhaps he mortgaged
It, like most of US did sooner or later"
And so Mcclellan went. rambling on,
telling little stories of the early days.
and of his partner. He is very proud
now of Beveridge. He says he has a no
ton some day that he will call the turn
on the senator, and ask him for place
as capitol policeman or something like
that, at Washington. He says Bever-
idge isn't president yet, of course, but
that If he remembers his parting words,
he will likely give him something.
The little old one-stery frame building
where Mcclellan & Beverage did bust
Eess, has some time since been torn down.
most any of the old timers will take you
up Dightons main street, down half a
block to the north, and show you the
place where it stood. And nearly every
Dighton man, old or new conner knows
that the Indiana senator lived there once,
and is rather proud of it.
The only fact which goes to point out
that the Beveridge of II years ago and the
self-satisfied senator of today, conscious
Of his real ability. are one and the same,
lies in the parting remark he made to
his old partner-''Wen, Nc, goodbye;
some day I'll be president of the United
States. and then III remember you.'r
-ss~vs
Some idea of the sort of campaign that
Chester I. Long is making this year may
be gathered from the fact that within the
past two weeks he has travelled, by rail
and by carriage, $500 miles.
Two weeks ago, today. the Seventh dis
trict representative opened his campaign
il the district with a speech at Omar
ron, Gray county. To reach there, he
came from Topeka. Then came the long
drives over the shortgrass country,
thirty and forty miles daily. From Cold
water a week ago today, he drove thirty
miles TO a train, and then rode 400 miles
into Kansas City. and from there went
TO Excelsior Springs 10 spend Sunday
with his family.
From Kansas City last Sunday night
Mr.. Long left on the Missouri Pacific for
Tribune. The journey was approximately
500 miles or the complete length of the
state. Then down the line he came,
through the north side of his district,
al gain driving occasionally. until from
Jetmore, last night. he left for a 400-mile
trip to Wathena, almost across the state.
where he spoke today at the Chautau-
qua assembly now in session there
It is truly a strenuous campaign
which takes a man 2.5Oo miles in less than
two weeks to keep all engagements.
Almost half the time has been spent on
train or in carriage. An this is but the
beginning
Mr.. Long will not return to the Seventh