The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-12
ARuIiDg Power iDF<ap@as
Sketch Of Fred PaDdegrft

ever. He went back to the desk, but
presently was up again chasing tina fly
The contending forces kept up the game
of hide and seek all forenoon, svande-
grit alternately trying to work aud chas-
ing the fly. When he turned in his copy
at noon he had written three words. They
were:
Damn fly
Vandegrift runs humbugs, fakiye, snobs,
preachers and people who battle infre-
quently in the same category and hates
them all Coming to Topeka one day from
Kansas City, he placed his haiti was
new hat and had cost ss-togeth.r with
his umbrella in the rack above the car
seat. A little later he moved for some
reason into seat in the rear Of the one
FIRST occupied. At one Of the way stations
a rss senger got on and sat down in the
seat vacated by Vandegrift After having
| busted himself for a time with the
reading of some kilograms which Van
had left in the seat he got up to put his
| own hat in the rack. In doing so he dis
lodged Vandegnrt's and the latter's new
lid went sailing out of the window. Van.
degrift went after him with all the furious
| invective at his command. The other &C.
| cupants of the car moved down closer to
enjoy the show. The man protested and
| said he would pay for the hat
| Pay for it," snorted Vandegrift. PAY
for it, You'd better take your money and
| buy yourself hat. You need one worse
| than 1, and L haven't any hat at all"
And ha
but III bet the price of a hat that
you're a preacher and that you get off at
| Lawrence"
The man acknowledged that he was
preacher and he got off at Lawrence.
A politician led Vandegrift into a cor
Ter Of the Copeland lobby one day and be-
| gan expectoratng IN his car. Vandegrift
I tshed out his handkerchief and swabbing
out the flooded member at he went, start
ed huriredly away
Where are you geing?' asked the poll
tician, when he saw Vandegrift's head
of steam.
I'm going home" replied Vandegrift,
Ito get my slicker."
II was last year on the day preceding
what We are pleased to refer to as the
Glorious Fourth. Where do you cele-
brate?" asked a newspaper man meeting
Vandegrift on the street
I'm going home" said Vandeerift. ito
spend the day under the house with the
dog"
Going into the State house one day
year ago last spring the writer met a
messenger boy whom he knew ceming
out 1t was during the Wichita coaven-
ton which nominated Bailey for Governor
and there was some division of opinion in
Topeka as to the probable outcome.
What DC you think them fellers'H NOM
mate at Wichita?" queried the boy.
The writer admitted his inability to fore
cast the result
by reckon continued the boy. "old
+VanIl git it?''
The writer regarded the contingency as
improbable and so expressed himself.
Well. replied the boy as he heaved q
sigh of relief. Il hope he don't. This
country would shore go to hell if he was
Guvnor."
Some time the boy had tarried when
Nandegrift waited impatiently and had
incurred the latters wrath. Another
messenger boy came one day to Vande-
grft in response TO a call. 1t was the
dead OF winter and the snow lay deep on
the ground. The boy was lily clad. wet
and shivering with cold. Vandegrift for
got the story he wanted TO send and TAX
ing the boy in hand marched him to a
clothing store down town and had him
clothed in warm new garments from top
to toe. Then he sent the boy home and
called another to carry his belated mes
sage to the wire
Vandegrift fell out once with the mo-
torInen on the street car line. In his
own vigorous phraseology he character
lied them as murserers assassins and
managers of human flesh expanded bv a
htue brief authority. Walking with q |
TREND one evening he saw car coming |
down the street at the speed limit Stem !
ping sQuarely into the center of the track /
ne stood there while the car slowed down |
ana hnally came to a full stop when the /
notorman saw Vandegrift had no idea |
or moving. Whereupon Vandegrift de-
liFered TO the motorman a stirring Iec-
ture on the responsibility, the careless
ness and the vonality or HIS kind and then
calmly pursued his way.
Inc files of the papers on which Van
desrift has worked contain practically
everything that he has written. He has
sought none of the bypaths Leading away
from the reporters beat, although much
that ne has created is none the less liter
allure. And 1t is as a reporter that Kan
sas viii renember him when he goes
away He has given to the state its
most accurate pen pictures of the polit-
lcaI events that have kept Kansas per
in the eye Of the nation He ,
mas coined its political phraseology. and
he has preserved without stain the ideals
or his profession. One may build no
better pedestal for his own fame. Per.
maps the most unique creation of the
2hdegrltt pen was his will. printed first
N the Kansas City Star half a dozen
years ago Its provisions were nur1er-
Gus Among other things he stipulated
that Prentis should make A talk al his
funeral, that Mrs. Lingafelt OF Topeka
should sing. and that Mrs. James l.
King should return 10 the home after the
funeral and comfort the bereaved. Pail
bearers were 10 be dispensed with en-