The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-28

Everybody laughed at that. and the
ueacon's eyes filed with tears as he
looked around and said:
4 knew it would be So I've. lived in
lDis- town over fifty years. and no man
can say ever lodged the truth, and
yet Wssen come to state a solemn fact
long for this world, and don't propose
70 go out of it with a falsehood on my
los"
His earnestness sobered up the crowd,
particulars he said:
4 was over in my. ten acre cornfield
TINS afternoon. and. there met the
hopper. He was as Big as Dan Skinner s
dog over there, and he had teeth and a
tan. What l want to do is to capture
MN and sell him to a dime museum.
m sure he'll be hangin' around there
tomorrow, and if three or four OF you
Will come along We'll get him in cage
Ine deacon was the last man in Jer-
icho to be thought a liar, and, thong
there were some doubts as to the size
OF the insect. it was agreed that the
whole town should turn out next day
and make the capture. When the hour
came there were over forty men in the
crowd Every one of them had told a
grasshopDer story within the last fort
NIGHT and every one was sorry that he
hadn't lied a little stronger while he was
about it They were willing to turn out
and help capture the big hopper, but
at the same time they couldn't help but
ACCA tGclCQS " SEE Deacon dalSY walk
ing at the head of the procession.
When the cornfield was reached. the
crowd scattered through it, but no one
except the deacon found anything. He
came out after a time leading a yellow
dog, and, tying the animal to the fence
he stood back and folded his arms and
exclaimed:
Behold the giant grasshopper of the
world told you what whopper he
was, but you doubted my word"
The crowd was laughing and jeering
When couple Of lightning rod men
drove up The matter was explained to
then, and. seeing chance to have some
run. one OF them said:
gentlemen, I fail to see the humor
of the situation. If I was one of your
crowd, I think 1 should be weepin
instead of laughin"
why, what's the matter?" asks one
Don't ask me to explain" solemnly re-
plles the man. 4 never like to be the
bearer of unfortunate news. I did hope
to do some business in Jericho, but my
hopes are dashed.
He was pressed by three or four OF the
crowd to explain, and after clawing off
for awhile he said:
1T grieves me to say it, but the whole
crowd of you have gone crazy. That thing
tied up there is grasshopper and not
Dog"
There, didn't I tell you SOP" exclaims
Deacon Halsy as he swings his hat and
cheers.
L amt sayin' it's a common hopper"
continued the stranger, but he belongs
to the breed just the same. I've seen fifty
just like him in the last two weeks. If
was you. l wouldn't lose no time in get
TIN home and havin' a doctor feel of my
head You may have been sunstruck or
you may have gradually been goin in
sane for a year or two. My heart bleeds
for you, and I do hope none of you Will
become rayin' maniacs.''
The crowd waited for minute while
every man drew d long BREATH and then
it headed for the village on a run, and
the single doctor in the place was kept
busy for the next week feeling heads aud
assuring the owners that they were sane
enough to add up two and two. 1t was
Deacon Halsy who was off his head as
was later discovered, but it was an awful
scare while it lasted and for the next two
months Jericho stuck to the truth closer
than any town in the United States If
anybody forgot himself and said he had
grown a cucumber six inches long or a
tomato as big as a teacup, he hadn't fair