The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-03
lie WORLD AND 80.


A TRAGEDY m THE LIFE or a
LITTLE BOY
The boy was engaged in the censtrac-
tiau of q vast system of Notifications
The aterldl-d4mp sand and mud the
scale-perheu s one lncl TO ten feet Be-
fore him the railroad ran straight as q
ulunlh line toward the gray haze far
away to- the left which was the city
ON both sides stretched an expanse OF
tzt green meadow ard marsh. bare and
lesuIate save for the occasional shan
~ of a section hand. set back hun
drad feet or so from the track save
also for certain weird structures ad-
verrisinE the merits Of soaps. bicycles
or pills. These when viewed from q
car window. doubtless presented an
elegant appearance. hut seen IN profits.
were uusa tisracr0ry- Occasionally
coughing freight train numbered By, or
q dingy local passed with its rows Of
windows and It's brass outtoEed- I'M
passive crew To the boy these repre-
scented the inex7rable progress OF
events In which he longed to have a
part
This. with the hare little house before
which BE sat. composed the boy
world His immediate environment
was particularly barren because, Tor
some distance on each side Of him.
there was an absence even of advertise
manrs-ouly. quarter of mile away
stood CiergautIan baking powder TIN,
made ~ painted boards. very magnIn-
and mining. the boy regarded with
c1velour eyes He saw ways in which
1t might be put to great uses out alas,
TT stood close TO the house Of them
Ryans9 ard the boy had been threat
ened with dire pains and penalties
should be play in their neishborhood-
The boy lay his length in the half
baked mud and Grass. and composed q
line Of secondary trenches 1t was
soon after Deweys victory. and his
lartiaI ard0r was high. Nevertheless,
the hopeless iuadequacy Of the means
of expression filed his small soul With
grief uuspealzaole - Even baking
powder can might be regarded as 3
Spanish fort. He saw himself leading
5esnarate charges against IT, he heard
the din of battle. bur. alas. it might not
be- A voice reached him from the
hey. Here comes yer POD. Come giE
yer supper. Quick"
The boy deliberately set his bare foot
upon his carefully constructed sarth-
works and went TO the house. deep dis
consumed fried ham at the paternaI
board mighty forces worked. and q
great q stupendous thing was IEnEni-
uent
tumult- freight train had stopped
before their very door. and man were
unloading lumber from a car while the
conductor watch in hand. fastened
soon arrived busy men with tool boxes
great posts were driven and something
began % loom up-somerhlug huge
mystic. wonderful All day the boy
watched aurapt By evening the thing
had begun 10 take shape but not until
the ministraIians of other men with
paint pots and an air of 2 distraction did
the full scheme burst upon his delight
ed eyes
battIeship Respondent in white
sides and yellow Ccnre tunnels, and
bristling with gunsi What odds that
the side toward the house was a mock
cry and that on the other in large let
ters the world was informed that
-TEa two factors of America s
strength are her navy and O.Brien g
pure rye
Then began = sumner Of delIriGus de-
lght The boy nailed cfeats and made
f01th0Ids for himself on the reserve side,
and the train passengers were daily IL
verified hy the spectacle Of Wdrlike
figure perched on the very top Of the
Forward turret
you kin IRE Wlen YOU git ready
f1riilsy he would remark. and be al
most shaken from his post BY the
f-ightful conclusion which was assumed
20 follow The Ryan children l99ke6
from afar with euVIous eyes. and rIggeC
guns upon their baking powder can
The summer wore away, but the bat
tieshiD-sha was now the oragou-los
none of her Infinite charm and variety
The BOYS days were one long reTel o.
sanguirary joy. now zteamiug at in
credible speed over mighty oceans nov