The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-05

the performance last evening was the
most successful paid entertainment
given in the entire course
The Eningham folks are cultured
crowd and yet they are Of the plain
people Mr.. Howe gave them plain
talk and they liked it.
In the building were two busts of
that plainest and best American citi-
zen, Abraham Lincoln, one in the re-
ception room near the entrance to the
building and a larger one above the
rostrum of the assembly room Flank
ed at the corners were a bust of Nc
Kinley and one of Garfield.
Wilson had arranged the stage in a
/ fitting manner. Prominent on the
wall was a large American flag, appar-
entity of silk, but really made of corn
/ husks colored with dyes. Beneath it
was a mammoth bulletin in red, cover
copies of the Atchison Globe. arranged
/ in an attractive fanlike manner about
| a large photograph of the lecturer.
Beneath the flag were four large
/ inch vein.
These represented three Of the things
which Howe stands for, the Atchi-
son Globe, the Atchison corn carnival
and the Atchison coal mine, all sue
cesses, for it is safe to say that the
last now will be a success Howe has
put much money in the coal develop
ment and his friends have initiated his
example. 1t is likely that one hun
dred thousand dollars would represent
the investment, which after many days
of trial and tribulation now promises
great things and much for the town
of Atchison, for, as Mr.. Howe says,
I'VE are just through the sand rock,
which means a clear shaft for the flu
ture. This coal mine is thousand
feet below the surface and there viii
be room in demand at the top for the
supply of black diamonds at the bot
tom.
Mr. Howe chartered a car to take
some of his Atchison friends who de-
termined to see him on the platform.
It turned out later that there were so
many who wanted to go that he had to
make it train. The cars We're filed
and the aisles were crowded with
standing passengers who paid dollar
for the round trip, including a reserved
seat, which they did not all get, either
in the train or in the hall, owing to
the demand exceeding the supply.
Outward bound Mr.. Howe was quiet
and thoughtful and deserved. His face
was pale. He wore a SLOUGH hat and
his overcoat was pulled so closely
around his neck that it could not be
told whether he wore a black stock OF
white necktie- There was no dress
ing room at bingham. and yet when
the speaker dropped off his coat he was
found to be in full evening dress. ana
looked much as he did at the COVER
nor's dinner to the president in Topeka
year ago.
ward trip was marked. Howe was
animated and laxative, his face full
Of color and he told as good stories in
the observation end of the car as lie
had told on the school rostrum. Joe
Rank, the principal reporter of the
Globe, did not intend to go to Effing-
ham. He came down to the station 10
see the party off, intending to get of
at Tenth street, where the train usual
~ makes a stop. He said he had 10
report the council and the board of
education that night and he couldn
possibly get away. AS matter Of
tine order and Joe could have written
them up quite as. we'll after the fact,
but he didn't want to see his chief
Inundated. Joe does not take -mucn
to lectures in general and he was
afraid of this one in particular. He
is very fond of Howe and did not want
to see any portion of his idol shat
tered. He didn't purpose being in ear
shot when any pieces fell. but the train
was a trihe late and it failed to stop
as usual. going by Tenth street at the
rate of forty miles an hour, so Rank
was carried on to bingham. His COM
ment on the lecture was, 1T was bet
ter than I could have hoped" which is
more than complimentary from the
bright reporter who is very matter Of
fact and not given to throwing bou-
quets, even at the man for whom he
works.
Inc pest people IN AtCnlSOn were
represented in the party. Howe's adj
dress was a series of personal remi
niscences. He told characteristic
stories about probably fifty of the men
and women of Atchison county, and
the stories seemed to go" They were
nearly all of prime interest to out
siders, just as most of the paragraphs
in Howe's paper furnish as rich enter
tainment to those not even in the
Atchison environment.
In the audience women predominated. |
Howe roasted" a number of the hus- |
bands. Perhaps some of them had an
sending their wives as reporters for |
the Family Circle. He told story |
about a man named Bowen, saying, Il
see Mrs. Bowen over there in the |
audience. If you notice a bright little |
woman, very angry, moving quickly |
out toward the door, that is Mrs. /
Bowen" But Mrs. Bowen kept a |
straight face and Rugged the arms OF /
her chair She was the center of the /
eyes of a few of her neighbors, but /
the audience in. the main did not dis /
cover her.
Howe introduced his remarks by |
saying that he was aware that he talk /
ed too much but had long desired an /
to talk without Interrupt
ton In his Atchison office somebody /
was always breaking in Howe really |
likes that because that's the way he /
keeps in touch with the people.
He confessed that he was badly scared /
in going before that audience, but he /
told a story of a boy who was scared /
worse than he was. The boy was a |
favorite declaimer and the teacher after
hearing numerous pupils recite for the |
of the parents at the /
school exercises said. Now we will hear
from Morton Owens, the best boy IN the |
school, a natural orator., but Morton |
did not come forward. His head was
lifeless upon his desk: he had been
scared to death.
Howe made no pretentions at oratory
and even disclaimed being grammar
ian. although he used good English in
his address. He said a great many sue
cassfnl people were not good grammar