The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-05
OKLAHOMA FREAKS.


about the wonderful development OF
Oklahoma; its rich soil, and its sudden
storms.
Smith said it was the most fertile
place on the globe, with no exceptions.
why, a friend of mine opened up
farm on the Washita bottoms last year
He was late in breaking his sod land,
so he planted it to pumpkins.
II CHANGED to meet him in Purcell one
day and at his urgent request / drove
out to his ranch.
While the good wife was preparing
dinner we walked out TO look at the new
field The pumpkin leaves We're above
my head, and the ground was literally
covered with pumpkins larger than oil
barrels.
las we were returning from our tour
OF inspection, little cloud came up and
in five minutes the ground was flooded.
AS the thirsty earth drank up the CRATE
ful water, the vines and pumpkins be-
gan to grow anew.
I'VE could hear them as they rustled
for more room, and pushed into the tall
grass that surrounded the field.
We were approaching the house
when we heard a terrible commotion be-
hind u.s.
THE whole field had started to grow
so fast that a perfect avalanche of vines
and pumpkins was close upon US. In
vain we tried to outrun it. Then we
sought safety by climbing on the lead
pumpkins.
Mrs. Johnson saw us coming. Fear
Iul that the house would be oVerWneim-
ed she picked UP the baby and babe the
other children follow, as she started Tor
the hills. She was hardly out of the
yard when we came up. Johnson. sue
ceeded in pulling his wife and baby
upon his pumpkin, and had the good
fortune to catch the other children be-
fore they were crushed by the wreckage.
we kept down the Washita bottoms,
and no doubt we would be travelling yet
had not a second section of the storm
o Gold AZ
wind and electricity, it managed 10
sweep that forty acre lot bare of vines
and pumpkins, all of which were
dumped into the river.
of course, they could not stop grow
ing all at once. SO that tangled mass as
it fell growing into the channel, ex-
panded and formed a solid dam that
was NOT broken until the pent up waters
covered the wide valley
The flood carried out the railroad
bridge at Purcell and left great drifts Of
pumpkins on either bank. johnson sold
what he had left for over $4,000. The
Santa Fe set a large force Of men TO
saving up the pie timber that had
lodged against the tracks Fred Harvey
secured enough pie material to supply
his eating houses for three years, while
the Santa Fe after shipping dried.
canned and preserved pumpkins until
they ran out of freight cars, were
many thousands Of dollars ahead above
the expense Of rebuilding the bridge and
the loss sustained by interrupted
trasic."
Shoe fly" said McGinty. that story
is too common to be repeated
Il am acquainted with two young
ladies' who sent east and bought some
seed pearls which they saw advertised
in New York paper They planted
and watered them according to direc-
tons At the end of three weeks they
thought they would look and see if the
pearls were really growing. They near
~ tainted when they dug up pearls as
"a H1T rtzrf.
boxes were just full of beautiful gems.
They have been offered all kinds Of
money for their crop; besides they can
choose from six high priced titles held
by English and French fast PAGERS, all
of which they have under Amusement
at the present time
With true American energy the girls
intended TO SOW quarter section to
pearls. but the New York firm had
closed out its entire stock. so no more
seed pearls could be secured. This was
hard upon the young ladies. but it saved
the country the expense of fighting an
other merger For had such an acre
age of pearls been planted in Oklahoma
spl trust would have been necessary
10 protect the new industry from cut
prices, and this would have necessitated
an advance of 25 per cent. to cover the
cost OF financing and irrigating the
new venture
II often think our tornadoes are
greatly overdrawn. but 1 have known
some that were actual blessings to a
rev though they may have been a lit
tie hard on others
You know Breakpennv2 He is the
most progressive man in eastern Okla
loina- lie owns bank. an elevator
ana several farms. If he keeps on pro-
crossing ne viii own "A great prODOrtiOn
or the new territory before he dies Last
year he built new Queen Anne cottage
ll was complete except the chimney
MIS-. bre9 kpenny and he could not agree
upon design for this. so the matter
stood one afternoon as thew were
arguing their respective ideas In the
lHldst or the discussion. which was
unusually animated. they saw a tornado
come over an adjoining hill THEY
ntopped the argument and retired tn
their cyclone cellar ~
When the uprOar had died away n,
sne distance; when the sand and water
mad ceased to fall, they came forth 81
pscung 10 ind their beautiful home a
scattered wreck Imagine their sur
psise When they saw it still intact"
What is that screamed Mrs
hreakpenny 20 Henry lust look
came there?'
With bullying eyes Mr.. Breaknennv
saw tan chimney standing by the new
cottage. An examination showed thar
the cyclone had pulled their wen ont
by the roots and set it up against the
new house without SO much as marine.
the paint or woodwork.
" %. Henry cried Mrs Brea knennv
ciapping her hands in an ecstacv of iov
o, Henry this is too awfulIy utterly
sweet for anything. 1t is just what I
have longed for and dreamed about.
But my new we'll, sighed Mr.
Breakpenny. oh. shoot the we'll
calculated his better half You can
build a new well any day, but it's only
once in life time that wells are pull
ed up and utilized as colonial CHM
neys.'
she was so pleased that she had her
picture taken with the new chimney
for back ground. Then she sent the
picture and thirty cents in stamps to
the Home Missionary society asking
them to forward an orphan who want
ed a good home with liberal wages
This spring Mrs Breakpenny bought
one of those wonderful creations of
fuss. feathers and lace called an Eas-
ter hat. It was dream Of beauty and
cost 1fLv dollars. She was iustIx