The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-01
The Stroller
Picks Up Odd Little items
Around Town.


Wichita has many artists of many
tastes, but there is one that very few
people have taken recognizanee of but
those who have declared that this ar
tistic taste Is indeed not worth The
artist referred TO is the fiagman on the
Rock Island railroad who keeps the vir-
gil at the crossing on Murdoch avenue
His name is Dickson. Along side the
tracks he has made a beautiful flower
bed, with his own name il flowers there
on. On the little windows of the weaz-
ened red flag house, he has utilized the
pictures OF rose blossoms and now the
through winter and summer. Around his
octagan-formed dwelling are flowers in
profusion and the possessor and parent
to this galaxy is fitted tenderly to these
surroundings.
There is enc fact in regard to Dun's
escape that has never been told and
DR. Cave< himself. though one OF the
central figures therein, tells this most
interesting circumstance and yet feels
that It in no way duplicates him. He
considers it only as a good joke on the
city and the police force.
When the officers searched the doctors
house that memorable night after Dunn 9
escape, they proceeded 10 go through
every room in the house but one. In
there, the servant girl was supposed TO
be sleeping and DR.. Cave doesn't say
she wasn't but only laughs with a mer-
~ wicked twinkle in his eye.
DR.. P. D. St John of this city in run
ming over some OF the incidents of his
younger days recalled the time when
he went through Cornell university and
graduated therefrom. At that time 1t
was an institution Of hardly any conse-
Quence but had the fundamentals that
have made it what it is today. Here
the doctor burned gallons Of midnight
oil before he received the coveted certifi-
cate Of graduation. He now has a large
bronze metal with a lain inscription on
it which NJ received as second prize for
the best composition On the lectures.
He still has these same treatiseh bound
IN magazine form and prizes them very
highly
In particular, he recalled a well-worth
remembering incident which crept into
his life all unbidden by him. His room
mate was a man thirty or more years
OA4 y no l1uG q ldIulll anu WAS FlIB 70
gain honors in the university that he
might better take care of his family
When the day came for the announce
ment Of results Of the examinations. the
boys all lined UP and morched by the
professor. who dealt out the sealed en-
velopes that contained boqntiful happi-
ness or dreaded failure. Thisran stood
right behind Or. St. John and was in a
fever verging on prostration after long
nights OF toll. He received his sealed |
fate. He trembled. All the other boys
were opening their fateful packages but
no pleading on the part of the doctor |
could induce this man TO show his fu- |
ture 10 the public He crept off to his |
room. When the doctor came IN that |
night he found his companion in tears /
and as the latter saw Dr. ST. John. he /
threw himself in his arms and wept like /
a child. He had passed all right.
''Robbing the mail box" This question
Custodian Bell Of the post-ofice says is
the first question any man puts to him
when he is put fixing a street box He
says often times he viii make a wager
with some friend who is standing talking
TO him that third fellow whom neither
ever saw before win ask this question
the very first thing and he declares he
nearly always wins his wagers off these
innocent ones.
Telephones are all right and so are
the long distance ones. but half the do
nestle troubles of man can be laid 20
telephone il he brings one into his
home. In the following case. the long
distance phone plays the part of satan.
As usual it is through human agency
that the evil thing works.
About three times a week assistant
postmaster Mccoy is called to the long
telephone. The government
well knowing its business has no phones
in the postal department so that Mr.
Mccoy is compelled to take himself Off
TO a station some distance and this is
what greets him when he picks up the
receiver: This is Mr.. So and SO at
Arkansas City. Have you any mail for
me- I wish you would please forward
Ct TO me If YOU have" Now. Mr.. Nc
Coy agrees that this is very clever Of
these rapid ones who are too swife for
postal card service but he declares with
an ominous shake of his head that some
thing is going to happen unless this long
distance telephone business lets up.
The court house force was up against
1t the other day until Mr.. Bel. clerk of
the city court helped them 10 down the
obstacle. After they had cut the court
house lawn. they found that the yard |
looked like a piece Of striped goods. The
wheels Of the mower pushed the grass
down and the strips wouldn't cut. but
about the next day would spring up and
form rough ridge. Mr.. Bell told them
10 ran the mower hack and forth instead
Of around in one direction all the time
and thus the knife viii catch the grass
rom under. lift it up and cut it.
one day last week as a reporter for
the Eagle was passing the county jail
on his way home about half past four in
The morning his attention was attracted
hy a womans voice Of wonderful sweet {
ness and volume. He turned but all that
could be seen was the great silent court
house with n light of creamy softness
falling on every pinnacle of the strac-
lure. The ringing tones Games from a
ceH * the jail The voice was that OF an
Imprisoned prina donna not only in
sweetness. Let the classical instructor
analyze that voice and ne VIII ind a
most wonderful volume. q range which I
enabled The singer TO carry her voice
from the velvetry tones Of a central 10 q
The ringing notes that Guido Yaw in
quality. There was no motive nor pat
Term 10 the song but IT was like an out ;
burst OF heavenly mgsic. Q