The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-28
STUBS IN A FEz.
Governor Walks the Burning
Sands Last Night.
Now He Is a Full Pledged
Shriner.
LARGEST IN THE WEST
Class Is Only Four Short of a
Hundred.
Twelve Hundred OF the Elect
Enjoy a Banquet.
LARGEST In THE WEST

If the excuses of the novices be true
Topeka is in the grip of an aWtu
plague-heart disease. Last night at the
Masonic temple just before the entering
of the immense caravan upon the hot
burning sands of the desert in which
e6 big strong men took part, including
Governor w. r. Stubbs-the mobiles OF
the Abdallah temple of Leavenworth
and Salina listened to every disease on
the face of the earth-from tooth
ache to the most fatal of heart fail
ures. Every novice who made the trip
declared in accents wild that they were
liable to be stricken at any moment
and they pleaded for mercy and lenlency.
But a deaf ear was turned to all the
long tales of woe and without an ex-
ception every would-b be Shrine went
right through the journey and landed
safely on the other side.
The biggest class in the history OF
Kansas was branded by the Abdallah
temple, Ancient Order of the Mystic
Shrine last night. And it was one OF
the best acting and most prominent
bunch of pirates ever collected and
sworn in to the set of mobiles.
The mobiles themselves claim that they
have never before enjoyed such a pill
grimage. There were mobiles here
from LeavenWorth, they conducted the
ceremonies and applied the appliances.
Then there was a big delegation from
the far away Isis temple at Sahna-
They came with their yells and their
songs. To tell the truth-there were
Shriners here last night from every
nook and corner of Kansas. 1t was
probably the biggest gathering of the
Mystic Shrine that has been held for
many moons. The very numbers of
them kept the sands hot by the intense
friction and although special provisions
had been made there were not enough
freshing shadows over the heated no
bles.
Stubbs Appeals to BeesOn.
Governor Stubbs went through the
trials and troubles like a man. He went
in in the same spirit that he came out
of pressing business to stay for the big
spread after and give the big speech,
nevertheless he was on hand during the
journey and he only broke away after
the burdens had been lifted and the
play" had commenced. 1t is said that
just before the camelS had been mount
ed last night Governor Stubbs turned
to Chalk Beeson who was standing
said:
''Chalk, if you don't stand by me now
you can consider yourself an enemy of
mine and your petitions for appoint
ments con be saved for future gov
ernors.'
1t is undoubtedly true that there were
many cold feet before the journey
last night but the sands were hot and
these self same feet took on a different
temperature. County Clerk Zimmerman
said after the feed that he had been
doctoring his feet ever since the flood
in 1903 but he believed they would be
better now because all of the skin had
been burned off and he expected a new
growth. County Treasurer Medlicott
has ordered a rolling chair for his Of
flee duties and Clarence Scott is pa
trolling the Cremerie today stepping
high and lodging with fear any irregu-
larity that might happen to be con-
fronting him.
Gather at Banquet.
After the pebbles had been traversed
successfully last night by the frighten-
ed flock of novices and the worshipped
fez had been deposited upon the
craniums of the wanderers. the big
banquet hall. There were over 200
Shriners in this room and every man
ate until he could eat no more-because
the whole thing was charged up to the
entering Shriners and no one cared for
expenses. The big banquet hall was
beautiful sight with it's 1900 blazing
red and gold feZes and its dress suits
The tables were decorated with large
glowing roses and a big supply of fruit
and camels milk was constantly on
hand. An orchestra of twenty-five
pieces played during the whole time
and when that popular tune 1T Looks
to Me Like a Big Time Tonight was
started every Shriner in the room took
up the song and the biggest mixture
of male voices ever heard in Topeka
was the result. At other times the
happy mobiles accompanied the big or
chestra by a musical tapping on their
glasses. cups and plates and when an
especially lively tune was rendered
there was a faint imitation of a
''Salome' dance given by such mem
bers as George Hart and his faithful
band of camel riders. And the college
part was not left out. Every noble in
the assemblage who at one time at
tended some college or who knew any
sort of a rah-rah yell gave it with his
hearts delight To hear them yell it
would be supposed that every noble
was at one time or other college man
but in truth some of the yells were
simply manufactured for the occasion.
If there accidentally happened to be
silence between these hilarious times
some one would yell out-'What's the
matter with Jim Jeffries?" and the
whole band would Responsibilities all
right" Everybody was all right with
the Shrine mobiles last night. But it
must be distinctly remembered that
the banquet was "dry''-aS dry as the
very desert itself. AS one of the speak
ers said-"You can not come here to
get in Topeka what you are able to get
in Leavenw orth-you must be satisfied
with our beautiful city and our big
hearts," 1t should not be construed
that it was the happy water that
made the Shriners happy last night-it
was just the spirit that always comes
to one Shriner when he meets another.
There was only one drawback to
the festivities last night. The wailing
and cries for help that came from
the burning mobiles could be heard so
plainly in the Grand opera house a
half a block away and four stories
down that the mobiles found it neces-
sary to- dam the flow of fiery flames
with cold stones of mercy until the
play was over. The noise of the bel
lowing camels and the roaring of the
burning furnaces could be heard for
blocks around and the city physicians
waited with their auto cranks in their
hands for the first call.