The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-01
DIDN'T SLEEP ANY
Tom McNeal Kept the Audience
at Auditorium Awake.
Delivered an Illustrated Lecture
on Kansas History.
DREW ON HIS WIT.
This Supplied the Deficiency in
Historical Data.
Old Settlers Also Meet anG Dis
cuss Pioneer Days.
DREW ON HIS WIT.


Armed with a lot of information
that told him about as much as the
labels on drugstore bottles, Thomas
ATcNeal "elucfdated' Kansas history
to about 1900 people at the Audi
forum Tuesday night. and did it, as
he said, because George Martin is an
old red-headed Scotchman. and too
stubborn to do the job himself"
But Secretary Martin of the state
historical society was the saving
spirit of the hour. He prompted Nc
Neal all the way through and saved
him from trouble several times. But
the witty editor got too fast for him
one time. on the stereoptfcon screen
was thrown some sort of a fighting
picture. This is the battle of Black
Jack, said Mr. McNeal, and ratified
of a story about it at a great rate.
George Martin, who sat in the front
row of the parquet. got the veteran
editor's attention and whispered:
rom, that's not the battle of Black
Jack. It's the battle of Hickory
Point" Mr.. McNeal admitted his mis-
take to the audience.
The event was an unqualified sue
cess. 1t was very amusing. About
one hundred scenes of Kansas history
were thrown on a screen by means of
e SAFA eOpLlCOI- Inc SllQeS were made
from views, photographs, pen sketch
es, etc, in the possession of the state
historical society. Thomas McNeaI
was sentenced to tell about them.
secretary Martin provided him with
some typewriter information, but
this knowledge was short and brief
and right to the point. Mr. McNeaI
Wrestled with it and the pictures
iilan1uIiy. About every third picture
ne would refer the audience to Secre-
Iary Martin or Ex-Governor Click for
further information. I'm not ac-
quainted with these gentlemen" he
Mo4 II remark when picture of some
early pioneers was thrown on the
screen. of pictures with which he was
acquainted he would talk at length
and make the man behind the stere
ppticoh wait until he had told all
There is one thing which must he
sald Tor Mr.. McNeal, that some of the
pictures might have stood for almost
any q. lhlng, Some looked as though
they had been drawn in the DARK
pictures about which the most history
centered were of this nature and if
a speaker had wished to tell the audi
S S,4t, any ming ne would have received
niue ana Irom the picture. This fur
nlshed Mr.. MeNeal with a cue for let
ing loose his shafts of wit. In one
1ils.sll.cS mere was a prairie schooner
ul1"lI Dy TOUR horses. Look at that"
sdIu the speaker, 'the back horses
seem to be going about three tiToas &c
fast the first" And mar eitileo as
We W. true ana indicative of the draw
ing OF a good many of the others.
AS as d starter, view of the IagOOns in
Venice was thrown on the ecrear7
with that Kansas scene Won are ali
4alhlllaI' SAID the speaker Then came
me picture Of Washington. He was
not the first Kansas citizen " said M
McNeal. In that he made the r7iet,1[e
or MS life. 1t would not then have
Deen written that he could NOT ten -
s atT. 4hsh came blank prairie scene.
Inat must be a stretch of 1,ir,ein
prairie. It's all I want of il. and he ~
gave the man at the stereopticon mo-
zion to move on. A few screens aftar-
Wards the picture of an old hotel at
abilene showed up. It was a ,7ilavSf
dated. broken down affair "That
seems, said the speaker, short on ac
conmodation and long on ventilation
coming TO the pictures which showed
the presence of Kansas trOoDs in +be
White House to protect Fresider+ ~ -,
com MI McNea1 said: Lincoln LET
thern stay week and then told them
70 60 preterring to take chances with
the assassins." A picture of a white
man lying on the plain riddled win
arrows caused the speaker to say. with
preliminary apology for possible ir-
reverence That is the most stuck-up
man I ever saw The presence of ei1aH
shows on the state house grounds was
made the subject of a lively shot Pic
e9res of the state house in the process
OF Dulldlng, with stones scattered all
over the grounds We're given. That
looks rather chaotic" said Mr. McNeal.
but L think we are returning to if
again at the present time
only an inadequate idea can be given
of the calculation" because the re-
marks were contingent upon the pecuI-
1arites of the pictures. Few audiences
have ever enjoyed anything as much.
It was brand new way of doing the
thing anyhow, and novelty always de-
serves special need of praise
The Wendell orchestra of nine Der-
sons, all of one family, and all SHAW
nee county products" as Judge Carver
introduced them, furnished music for
the evening. The members range from
children to grown people, and their
work was meritorious The audience
was pleased with their music as the ap-
plause showed