The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-29
HAD A REAL LARK
Salina Business Men Walk to
Topeka.
Have Many Thrilling Ex-
periences ON the Way.
TAKEN FOR TRAMPS.
Have Difficulty to Get Anything
to Eat.
to Kansas City.

Charles McAQamS, pfeSlueIil VI IAS
Saline State bank; Frank Hageman,
president of the National Bank of
America, and F. c. York, president OF
the Commercial club of Salina, three of
the quintette of Salina business men
who started out as amateur globe trot-
tiers last Friday morning arrived in To-
peka last night in the pink of condition
after their days walk. The others in
the party when the start was made We're
w. F. Grosser, a lumberman, and Clar-
ence Wilson, an attorney.
The second days march proved too
much for Wilson and Grosser, and about
sun down Wilson recalled that fact that
he had an important business engage
ment with one of his clients, and took a
train for home, but not before Grosser
had decided that it was not treating MS
family right to remain away from home
on the pretext which he had given for
his temporary desertion. With these ex-
cuses they started for home together,
but not afoot but by rail.
This morning Mr.. Yor.1's attention
was called to the fact that tomorrow is
Decoration day and it was then that he
remembered that he had not missed be-
ing with his family on this day for years
and decided to take a train for home
today. Mr.. McAdams yesterday remenH
bered the graduation of his son this
evening and he went home last night.
Mr.. Hageman could think of no valid
excuse for disseminating the Jaunt ana
started for Kansas City this morning
and expects to reach there tomorrow
evening if he is not delayed by rains.
1.-The trip has been a most delightful
and novel one," said Mr.. York this morn
ing land / do not think that there is
member of the party who has not been
greatly benefited by the jaunt. When
we arrived in the city last night we. felt
I1xy 70 after
walk.
I'VE had a number of novel and in
tereSting experiences on the trip as we
were travelling incognito, and from what
we learned from the trip l am satisfied
and tramp life has many thrilling TEA
lures We went hungry several times
though we expressed a willingness to
pay for food and were regarded by the
country housewives with suspicion ev-
erywhere.
1.-THE second day out we stopped at
farm house about two o'clock in the at
ternoon as we had failed to get anything
to eat since eve started. There was
pretty little girl swinging on the front
gate and we spoke to her in our most
pleasant way and asked her if her mann
ma was at home. There was frighten-
ed yes and the only reason that she
did not fly to the house was because she
did not have wings.
when we arrived a few moments
later the doors We're closed and 1 sup
pose barricaded, for we came to the
conclusion that the mother thought that
we had attempted to kidnap her off
spring. A womans frightened face APP
peared at a half open upstair window
and we made known to her that we
wanted to buy some milk We were told
that she had no milk for sale and that
if we did not get out of the yard and
off the place that she would telephone
for the officers, and we got.
"A little farther on we came to
home-like appearing farm house and
delegated Frank Hageman, who has a
bewitching voice, to do the talking. The
matron of the home appeared at the
door and Frank in his blandest way
made known to her our half-starved con-
dition While the conversation was go
ing on pack of dogs began to gather
about us They came from under the
porch and the barn, and seemed to
come right up out of the ground and a
hungrier, meaner-looking pack never
chased a tramp across plowed lot.
Trouble seemed eminent and liable
to start at any moment as the ours
shifted at our heels and more with
view of getting my mind off of the sur
roundings suggested to the lady that
she had a fine lot of dogs. We'll. I don't
think so,' was her reply, or they would
have never let a pack of fellows like you
get on the place
1--WE realized that it would never do to
attempt to hasten away and parleyed
until finally the good woman agreed to
sell us a pie if we would settle in adj
vance. We were glad to do this and
while the dogs sat on their launches at
no too respective distance we ate. but
our landlady never offered to call the
dogs off.
GAS we were about to attempt to
take our departure she began search
ing in the recesses of her garment for
change for the dollar which we paid
her and her surprise came when we
told her TO keep the change. This
was too much for her and she called
off the dogs though none of us felt
safe until we were a mile past the
place and we made our escape without
the sacrifice of a trouser seat or the
loss of a drop of blood
"Hageman has streak of humanity
in him which came near getting US in
trouble the very first day out. We
were walking on the railroad track
at this point when we came on three
white kittens that some heartless man
had dropped at the roadside to die of
starvation. Hageman picked them up
and we trudged along for a mile or
so until we came to a big white farm
house with broad green meadows and !
a fine barn.
1--WE waited while Hageman climbed