The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-02

out of the oceans and seas than gets
back to them. Away out here is
where the rains come FROM Our
rains at home come from the Gulf and
the Atlantlc, ana every year the hoods
pouring into the Gulf of Mexico are a
little less than the quantity OF water
taken out by the rays of the sun, and
distributed as rain and snow. In three
or four million years, a man can jump
across the Missouri river at AtchiSOn;
but that is a matter for a future editor
of The Globe to worry about shall
not.
I would like to find a book, simply
written, devoted to the ocean; those I
have encountered have been beyond
my understanding. Why is the ocean
saIt2 The Educational Bureau does
not know. AS I suspected, she pur-
chased a little book of facts in San
studying it. We could not make much
out of it. There is so much to know,
and so little time. I have remarked
that guide books are always lame on
the points you intend to visit.
The old men in the steerage, going
back to China to die, continue to in
tereSt me. / wonder when I am lame,
and blind and sick, and start out to
find better place in which to die, will
go steerage? Among the
old men is an Englishman, formerly a
teacher. In his old age he went to
Florida, believing it to be an earthly
paradise. After trying it se9en years,
he gave up, and is now going to Homo
lulu Which he has heard has a climate
particularly agreeable to the old. The
venerable white man attracts attention
standing down among the Chinese, and
1 frequently talk with him. He is in
telligent, and has a liberal education.
He told me today that the mistake of
his life was in neglecting to marry
when young; he believes that had he
married when young. he would now
have children to care for him He
took me in to see his bed in the steer
age, and we sat on the edge of it and
talked" He had a good many books,
and said he was anxious to reach Homo
lulu in order that he might hear how
the Russians are getting along. re-
member his saying that the snowshed
on the Southern Pacific interfered with
his reading.
In the book of information the Blu
reau of Education purchased at San
Francisco, and which purported to
tell all about the world, we found a lit
tie map Of Kansas, and it was a source
of satisfaction to pick out Atchison;
and also bingham, and Nortonville.
But We could not find Singapore, or the
Straits Settlements.
I have said elsewhere that there are
five opportunities daily to eat on this
ship [ find that there are really
seven; coffee and roll in bed as ear
~ as you please: breakfast at $3.50;
beef tea at IL; lunch at L; afternoon
tea at 4; dinner at 1880, and a night
lunch at 1870. This is a discovery of
the Educational Bureau in which I am
not interested. In addition to the above
list you can piece between meals:
that IS, you can get something to eat
any time you call for it. But in spite
of this liberality on the part of the
management, I eat only twice a day,
and by that plan I eat too much.
/ wish 1 could have an Atchison break
fast at Z, and dinner at 5, as I have
been accustomed to, instead of Chin
aman's breakfast at $50, and a China
mans dinner al 7:30.
There was another slight diversion
this morning: rain fell at o'clock,
which enjoyed almost alone. as none
of the other passengers were up. I en-
joyed the rain: the kind of water I am
familiar with: cistern water falls during
/ a rain. I never did like salt water; that
/ at the AtchisOn coal shaft is more of
/ it than I care for. The water
on board is very bad. Tt assists in disor-
{ dering the stomach, so I drink bottled
mineral water, purchased at the bar.
After the rain the sun came out,
| and the weather was very warm.
Every day the passengers take what
/ they call CONSTITUTIONAL a walk
about the deck. Ten times around the
! deck is supposed to represent a mile.
/ The girl and vary the monOtony of
: the Constitutional by going once