The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-20

into his Office and after asking him some
detail OF the case. he Viii dig Up the
papers thoroughly arranged and indexed-
You would never take him for methodi-
cal man. would you?'
And talking about law suits. once
weut 10 him and wanted him 10 straight
on out title 10 some lots I bought. After
the work was done I went 10 him and
asked hirn how much The bill was.
"One hundred dollars" he said.
That's all right" said /
Il then asked him to Ill ont q Quit
claim blank for me and he proceeded reg
ularly about it. Make it r. p. Rice and
wife to Eugene +. Ware
eLooS here. what is this?" he asked.
4 simply want 70 deed YOU the lots
7 said, Tor your fee. They cost me only
$50 and You want 500 for Strengthening
out the title to them
He came near bursting his sides laugh
ing and IL didn't take Us long, after that.
+ 10 settle the fee. He thought those lots
were worth about $4,000
Colonel IS now the way all TIE young
er fellows address Mr.. Ware. a dozen or
fifteen years ago everybody called him
Gene but as he advanced in age and
dignity Only the old timers oouud lind
it il their heart to address him in the
familiar old way
Mr.. Ware has always been intensely in
love with Wichita. While he IS resident
Of Topeka, he insists that Wichita Is The
best town in Kansas.
When he comes here he puts in much
OF his spare time walking slowly about
town admiring the evidences OF metropo-
itanism.
In conversation it Is impossible to be-
come fatigued with him. lie has things
10 say and the way ne SAYS them is al
ways highly interesting. He has a pecu-
liar way Of giving additional expression
TO his thoughts with his face, as others
do with their shoulders. their heads. or
their hands ana when he is enthused with
his subject he rubs his face much with
his palms and plays havoc with his hair
II IS almost as Interesting 10 see him, (.
while in this mood, as to hear him.
While here recently Mr.. Ware told
reporter for the Eagle some stories about
prottiest pieces in the language and hav- ,
ing as much soul in it as any piece ever .
written. &c wrote it during duh day
or two while he lived at Fort Scott He
didn't know what to think of IT so he
concluded to take the postmaster into
his confidence. That same postmaster
was the acknowledged literary critic of
the town. The inveighed the postmaster
the steps of the Catholic church. Up till
this time the postmaster saw no design
In the little evening walk. Mr.. Ware
pulled out his manuscript and read it.
What do YOU think of it?" he asked
the postmaster.
Rot. regular tommy rot"
THAT was a dampner and when AR
Ware returned to his Office he pigeon
holed his washerwoman song and went
to bed disguised.
About nine months thereafter dull.
foggy, chilly day-a reporter for the Fort
Scott Monitor or Tribune dropped into
his Office.
Gene" he said, If you love me you
viii dig me up something or the paper
viii be issued white"
Mr.. Ware gave them the Washer
1T was printed"
About two weeks from that a local
banker called at his Office with a letter
10 his hand
Gene" he said. who is this washer 9
woman you've been writing about, a
friend of mine in illinois read about
her and sent me this SO note 20 give to
he poor woman
Why" said Mr.. Ware there is no I
such person; she is little creation Of
NY fancy"
The money was sent back 20 the IIli-
lois banker with the explanation of the
,ase He. be return mail. wrote a letter
hat convinced Mr.. Ware that his washer }
woman song was good. He fumed in the
etter denounced Mr.. Ware for playing J
"a the feelings of men and expressed
very positive opinion that men who t
wrote such things ought TO be subject s
O prosecution. Tho noor old fellow had s
Worried two or three weeks about a :
yasherwoman that never existed.
Il made the hard shell preachers wild Il
.ecause the poet expressed some doubt c
f TIE miracles OF old and other things
Shortly after this Nr. Ware was can f
idate for consrcss and had what he p
h0ueht was a cineh on the nomination is
he delegation from Linn county. headed r
~ preacher. beat him in favor of the p
ather If Fred Funston. The preacher p
.as gieefI in his triumph when Mr. II
Ware went 20 him and asked him why %
e opposed him. p
.'You are all right. Gene. said the n
reacher but You nave writ poem too n
lanv" n
The washerwoman song, SO fuu Of SOL "a
mely pure. genuine rellEious sentiment 81
las the cause Of his political undoine, Il
pr since that time Col. Ware has not
cen a candidate for Office.
Col Ware. a few years ago. read some >.
his songs with James Whitcomb Riley :.
"a he recently told the Eagie man q ~.
may storv about the STAGE frisht OF the m
They were at colorado Springs. Ware" p,
.id Riley Ifeei stage fright coming a,
ron me lie feit ir hy absolutely for
sttlus the very first i-ne of one of his p.
-n songs He took tie song ard re-
ssted that line exactly lal times before
.a entertainment began. ana as an extra
-ecautiol stationed 1l- Ware in one or -
e wl-gs az the opera house scenery 10 y.
-cwa1 hiu So ease ot ufcesstr 81
lvhsa Riley rose n SPEAK The piece he 81
lEht in vain @ recal the line ana o.
ra-d ms ear ia vain 81 81 Ware. 1Ir. 80
age also f1rEot b. Riley made hlm- In
4 ridiculous trying 20 recsu it that
e sudieaca Thought a. WAS giving thr
empadeaefou of c9u7t-v school
81 Vho lcreot TIE ilaes - lbs essay ~