The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-09

his clothes dasn't send in a bill for if
teen years
And did Alexander escape de trub-
bles dat come to you and me and other
common folks? Let history answer.
Read it. and we find dat his mother
in-law come to lib wild him and run de
house; dat he fell off de shed roof and
broke rib; date cherry chimney in de
house smoked; dat water got into his
cellar and fioated de 'taters about; dat
his hired gal packed her duds and quit
at an hours notice; dat his COW had
de holler-horn and sombody pizened
his dog. Alexander was great, but he
had to pay for it, and when he finally
got de measles and caught cold and
was brung to his dyin' bed he seemed
powerful glad to go.
Take somebody higher home Take
George Washington, fr instance
Ebery picture you see of him looks as
compaIcent and sTnilin' as II ne nad
won a prize in a lottery. You read OF
him in history sWellin' around and
dom mighty little for his wages. an
it has got so dat more'n miilyon
boys in dis kentry am sighln 10 De
Washingtons.
Turn de pictur' ober and gaze on de
other side. DO you imagine dat de frost
didn't kill his cowcumber vines? Dat
de hawgs didn't bust DER way into his
garden? Dat de ager didn't shake ms
bones and make his teeth chatter Dat
de crows didn't scratch uD-hls CO ana
de Guild pOpulaShun walk OH Wld MS
waternilIyons? He found buttons on
his shirts; he found Jumps in his bed;
he found de hired gal usin' his tooth
brush; he found dat somebody had
stolen de hoe and broken de ak; he got
kicked by de COW when he MIXED, and
got bit by de old boss when he cleaned
him off. Don't let nobody fool you about
! George Washington OF co'se he was
| a big man and saved de kentry, but he
had to pay for it jest de same
Most of you have a volume or two
of Shakespeare. bought on de install
ment plan, in de house When you get
sot down in de rocking-cheer, pipe in
/ mouth, and de winds howlin' around
outside. dat poetry reads so sleek ana
slick dat you can't imagine any trub-
HES comm to de man who made it. It's
test like holdin' a jug O. 'lasses up to
| your mouth as you sit on log IN de
sunshine and lettin' de sweet stuff slide
down your throat. You can't possibly
think of Shakespeare and back rent IN
de same mind.
And vet, my frens. how did de great
man lib? De constable was arter him
from Monday mawnin' to Saturday
night He was in debt whereber de5
would trust him. He nebber met a mar
/ unless he struck him for quarter. II
dere was a cold snap he was out OF
wood; if dere was hot wave he nae
no white pants to wear, bekase de
washwoman wouldn't come to de house
until she was paid what was comm t
her. He nebber had a dawg dat woule
stav wild him for a week. He nebbel
driv out into de kentry to commune vic
nature dat a humble bee didn't stinl
him or bull toss him ober de pastui
fence If he got ten dollars ahead of d.
game and was gwine to have CHECKER
pot-pie for Sunday dinner. who'll
wagonIoad of his relashuns would driv'
up and eat him out O. house and homl
and go away mad because be hadn.
q lot of Rocky Ferd cantelopes to fnisl
OF wild
"DoorIn' de last years of his life h
owned and run seben theaters, blu
) dere was SO many deadheads dat b.
/ couldnst make a cent. Only week be