The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-10


be dry. Sure enough, she had time to
go and return between showers, for it
didn't rain for seven weeks.
A year later he said: There isn't go
ing to be any fruit next season, or, if
there is, it will be very little" and,
later, There will be hardly a sign of
fruit next summer. The trees may
bloom but nothing will come Of it. If
there are any peaches they will fall off
the trees before they ripen."
So it came to pass, in the summer of
1906, when peaches, apples and other
fruit were a drug on the market, Will
liams brought home fruit jars by the
dozen and Mrs. Williams canned peach
es and plums and cherries until she was
sick of the whole business. But she re-
covered when the summer of 1907 came
round and found her cellar filled and
the whole country in the throes of
fruit famine.
'I don't think there will be any more
fruit this year than last, said Mr. VIII
lians to a State Journal reporter today.
"or, If there is, it won't be much more"
OF which prediction prudent housewives
may take due notice and govern them
selves accordingly.
The proverb that "a prophet is not
without honor save in his own coun-
try reverses itself in the case of Mr.
Williams, whose neighbors are among
his most implicit disciples though
some few affect to hold his predictions
lightly. 1t was three years ago that
he first raised his flag and the
Tennesseetown signal office went into
commission, though he had lived IN
that section ever since coming to To-
peka Previous to that he had be-
come a recognized authority on the
weather and was never chary ABOUT
telling his neighbors which way the
wind would blow or when it would De
raining and they ought to go IN.
rIJpht To MT ont YOUR sigh,
Williams" said one Of them finally
"Why don't you put out flags, same
as the government observer?
The suggestion was adopted but af-
ter a time the signals were discon-
tinued. Before that the people had
been content to be advised of the
weather by word of mouth. but now
there were mutterings for the flag
system.
1--WE never know what kind OF
weather it's going to be if you dom
raise your flag said first one and
then another, and so they got after
Williams until = in sheer self defense
he raised it again and 1t is now as
familiar feature of the landscape as
the big cottonwood alongside, or the
brick school house three blocks
away.
weather signals flashed out from the
Williams station that some are dis
posed to believe that the sunshine, the
clouds and the wind are guided by the
signal man himself and warnings half
Jest and half earnest are given now
and then.
"Dave, what kind Of flag you got
M today? I believe you're bringing
cold weather here" said one to him,
after the black flag had hung out over
Sunday and the cold wave had
knocked out the gas pressure.
eff YOU don't stop putting that
flag up I'll have you arrested" said
a near neighbor who acts religiously
upon the information conveyed from
the flagstaff
An expressman living a few blocks
distant looks for the flag every time
he steps out of doors. One evening
last summer, when the sun was fairly
clustering the sidewalks and there
wasn't a cloud as big as mans hand
in the wholevaulted empyrean, ne cast
his ewes toward the Williams home to
see the color of the bunting that
would foretell the weather for the
next day, To his unbounded astonish-
ment it was black Yet, strange to
saw. when he arose next morning the
sky was as blue as ever and the sun
shine dazzling.
sI know I'd better get at that haul
ing" he said. referring to an import
ant lob and gazing reflectively at the
His faith was too strong to yield to
the inclination to delay and ne
hitched up He, delivered the last
load in the midst of a pouring rain
and hereafter will not halt to reflect
when he sees the storm signal set
In short, witnesses all over the CEN
trail western section of Topeka tell Of
incidents of this winters occurrence
readily recalled and say Dave hits 1t
pretty fairly every tirne!" They are
disposed, now that they have become
accustomed to gratuitous home
weather service to tyrannize over Mr..
Williams, who, receiving no salary or
honorarium whatever for his public
benefactions, would be disposed to
discontinue them If he was not spur
red on by the insistence of his neigh
bors.
David Williams is a native of mid
die Tennessee, where he was born
Ian. 10. 1859 Going to Des Moines,
Ia. at the age of II, he spent 6 years
delving in the coal mines before he
came to make Topeka his home. since
which time he has been absent but
one wear. spent in Kansas City, Kan,
working at his trade, which is that OF
a pIasterer. While concerned with
such weighty responsibilities as
weather observations and prognostl-
cations. he is naturally lighthearted
and his smile would win the conf
DANCE Of the most confirmed pessf-
mist. He was married IA years ago,
his wife coming from Marshall coun-
tv. Tenn, % years ago. at an age
when, as she says. she Travelled for
half fare. 1 just grew up down here
on Lane street." she added They
own their own home, which is mod
el of comfort and neatness within,
and are both consistent members of
the Mount Olive M. p. church.
A Convenient Train.
For Topeka people who desire full