The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-28
MRS. DOLBY TALKS.
She Gives the Deacon Another RaI1ing
Down.

Deacon Dolby had MIXED the COW.
fed the hog and shut the hen-house
door for the night, and he sat down in
the sitting room with a grunt of relief
and picked up the county paper and
began to glance over its columns. Mrs.
Dolby was sewing on a dress skirt that
she had turned top-to-bottom and re-
dyed. and for five minutes not word
was spoken. During this interval the
deacon slipped off his cOw-hide shoes,
scratched his heels and cracked his
toes and felt that it was good to have
a home. Then suddenly Mrs. Dolby
said:
Deacon, you went over to Medina
the other day. As I understand II.
YOU went over to see a man named
Pike about what to squirt on our plum
trees to kill the worms. You came
back and squirted, but want to know
II that was all there was to it?"
The Deacon rubbed one foot over
the other and pursed up his lips. and
while it was fair to infer that he heard
every word he made no reply. He had
struck an item about farmer being
bitten by a hog. and he seemed deeply
interested
You don't answer. Deacon. but
can answer for you You went over to
Medina on the day that there was
one word to me about the race. either
before or after. All you talked about
was the liquor to squirt on the plum
trees. Did you. or did you not. know
there was 20 be a hOrse-race, with
drinking. swearing crowd arOund?"
It was a straight question. but the
Deacon ignored it He finished the hog
item and began reading about a far
mer who fell into the we'll and was
there two days before any one found
him. Mrs. Dolby held her needle sus-
pended in the air and looked his way
for half a minute. but as no answer
came she resumed her sewing and con-
tinued:
when you reached Medina you saw
Mr.. Pike about the squirting stuff. and
then you headed straight for the race
track. You may try to make me be
lieve that YOU thought YOU were going
TO see a man about what to do for a
calf that has swallowed your jack
knife, but 1t will be all in vain. You
went straight to the track. People who
saw you pegging along the road say
that you were in such a hurry that you
sweat your collar and didn't turn out
for the mudhOles. The price to go in
and see the race was a quarter and
you had the coin in your mouth. Deac-
to me at this pint? Would you have
anything to say to our minister If he
called >"
The deacon crossed and uncrossed
his legs and hitched around on his
chair. but there was no answer He
had been caught with the goods on
him, and what was the use? Besides,
he had just got interested in an ac-
count of how wire fence conducted
q thunderbolt and killed a horse. and
he wanted to go slow and digest the
scientific fact Mrs. Dolby glared at
Him over the top of her spectacles for
4 full minute, and then seeming to
forget that she had asked a question
she said:
You wasn't content to lean against
the fence and keep out of sight as
much as you could. but you must pay
fifteen cents more and prance upon
what they call the grand stand. You
even got a front seat. You even hol-
knew. When Mr. Benjamin came
along and expressed his surprise at
seeing you there you never blushed
nor stammered. You just carried it
Off as brazen as a murderer. You even
-even-you even winked at him and
Here her emotions overcame her
and she burst into tears and uttered
two sobs. The deacon counted them
Also, from the corner of his eye he
saw that she was wiping away the
tears with her elbow. The clock licked
snufed and shifted three or four times
as a warning to her emotions to let
up. and then continued:
''I have the very words you used. I
have them written down in red ink
and shall carry them to my grave
You winked and grinned at Mr.. Ben
janlin and said you were a game old
sport Think of Ii. deacon-think of
IT. You who are supposed to be a liv-
ing example for everybody around
you. not only attending horse race,
but telling people that you were a
game old SPORT I don't exactly know
what a game old sport is, but know