The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-18

He seemed to be even more guile
less than myself, and i'll a few min
utes I was wonderin' how he had so
long escaped the Vaccinations of the
wicked. We conversed for half an
hour on the goodness and badness of
way, as if he was afraid of hurtin'
my feelin's, he made it known to me
that he also had a balm for sorrer.
He dfdn want to run in opposition to
by AlleviatOr, but here and there and
now and then, as occashun demanded,
he supplied the grievin' and unfor-
tunate with what he called Spooner's
Flowery Balm.
There was no jealousy in my heart
If there was seventeen different sorts
of alleviatOrS and balms being handed
out to the people of Oklahoma there
would be none too many for what ais
them, and everybody knows that op-
position is the life of trade. We ex-
changed bottle and discussed the mer-
its of our respective sorrer-killers, and
TO encourage my feller-pilgrim to re-
neWed ambiShuns, l took three or four
big gulps of his Flowery Balm. Five
minutes later my eyes began to wink
and blink and 1 felt a drowsiness steal
in over me, and in what seemed a
far-away voice l heard the venerable
old innocent sayin:
Rest thy head on this bosom,
guileless and sympathetic roamer of
the hills and pastures
| rested and 1 slept. While I slept
dreamed of angels flynn around with
golden wings and brass bands playin'
SIGH happy music that I wanted to
wake up and dance. More than three
hours had passed when 1 woke up
with a dryneSS of the throat and the
top of my head feelin' loose, and after
fndin' that I had not passed St
Peters gate 1 looked around to find
my friend of the Flowery Balm miss
ing. So was my hull outfit-hoss,
wagon, dog, grasshopper, and three
dozen bottles of Pain Alleviator. I
had been hocussed. 1 had been con-
fdenced-bambooz up
1t had been done by an in
nocent and child-like Teller pilgrim
When I realized that my trust in
human natur' had been misplaced
began lookin' around for wagon
tracks, and in a leetle time I diskiv-
cred that old guileless had turned to
the west and was maxim for the town
of Seldom Seen. With head almost
Dustin on account of his Flowery
Balm, and with heart achin' that the
world should hev reached SIGH a pint
of wickedness, I follered slowly on,
but it was hours before reached the
town. My money had been taken and |
[ had not the wherewithal to requite |
the keeper of the tavern. Meetin' up
with a citizen who was wanderin' be- !
meath the stars, I asked:
Hast any stranger arrived within
they gates this afternoon ?"
Yes, one" he replied.
''Was he a man of venerable look, |
the same as MYSELF"
Just the same. The pair of you
locked up in the same cell. Yes, he |
mas yaller-white whiskers f1owin' down |
0n to his breast, and there is some
hing about his smile that draws you
higher"
''And by what name is he known ?"
by that of Pilgrim Joe. He is
here to sympathize, condole., lift up
and do us good, and 1 was one of the
who purchased a bottle of |
mis- Pilgrim Pain Alleviator on the
public square tonight"
Then sat me down and shed tears
IF grief and anger, and the town had !
retired to it's slumbers before L passed |
through and hid in the bushes along
Dog creek on the other side. There
waited for the comm of the man
IF the Flowery Balm. reasoned that /
he would only tarry over night at Sell |
1om Seen and make an early start in
he mornin', and / was right.
AT about o'clock / observed him
comm my way, an with my hOwin'
vhfskers hidden under my coat, and |
lownhearted and ready to bust with
woe, I stepped out into the highway
md let him overtake me- He come
along with a song of happiness on his
fps and joy in his heart, and life was
'ull of hollyhocks and sunfiowers for
him. When he had overtaken me he /
1rawed rein and said:
Hail, fellowman, but if bound for
he enthusiastic and enterprisin' town
IF Chuck-It-Up, climb up here and let
ne help you onwards.'
"Thankee," / replied as I climbed
I'D. 1--WE got rheumatics in that left
xnee and my heart is a-weary.'
For rheumatism use goose oil ap-
olied hot For a weary heart, tell me
IF thy troubles and let me comfort
.hee.''
s'Hev you mission %
Most surely. Hast never heard OF
Pilgrim Joe who goes about foundin'