The Topeka state journal., 1911-07-01

long that Kiene landed early in the
game. fumed and swore, but 1t did
no good Then I began to talk about
how fish always bite best early in the
morning and how we could get to the
mole at o'clock and catch a mess for
breakfast. Then they agreed to GO
we drove the car up to the hotel at
10 O'Clock and Dave wanted to go
straight to bed. In fact, he did retire
at once, and we found him stretched
out when we all entered his room
few minutes later to get him to play
might've with us. At the head of his
bed was coiled a chain hanging from
q nail IN the wall, and 1 will take an
oath thar chain was formerly used as
the anchor attachment for an Atlantic
liner 1t was as big around as mans
arm. When we pointed it out to Dave
he leaped out of bed with a yell. 1t
looked like boaconstric. or. He had
not seen 1t when he went to bed. Then
we discovered that it was fire escape,
IN conformity to old Doc Crumbine's
motel law But imagine a fire escape
like that in a room where the windows
were only seven feet from the ground
Night to Be Remembered
If the day had been hot the night
was hotter still People who go to the
country to keep cool are foolish.
Fishing trip" sounds good, and Mill
Creek sounds like ice blinking in a
pitcher, but the fact was it was hotter
at Paxtco than Topeka. It was so hot
there you could cut the heat with a
knife like cook cuts cheese.
Dave did not want to get up, but
k1ene insisted, and I believe I spoke
awhile back about Kiene's insistence.
1t is not to be denied. So We fore
gathered in Akers' room and played
might've until after midnight. It was
better than trying to sleep in that aw-
ful heat. We made a great party
around the card table. Akers and
were satisfied with removing our
shirts, but Kiene and Dave stripped to
their underwear Kiene weighs 200
while Dave was a sight for gods and
men. He was cold, he said, and he put
on Akers old shooting coat of brown
duck over his underwear
We went to bed but not to sleep. 1t
was too hot. Just before daylight,
though, I dropped off, but was awak-
ened shortly after by voices raised in
alteration. 1t was Dave and Akers
and could hear them plainly for we
had left the doors of our rooms open
onto the corridor and all the rooms
were side by side. Akers was trying
to get Dave to get up and hike for that
fishing hole. Dave walked up arguing,
Just as a bull pup will wake up fight
ing. 1t was going to rain, Dave de-
clared. Il will go with you after
breakfast. my boy said Dave in a
wheedling tone. "You go now and
then come back for me-" In vain did
Akers wrestle with Kiene ir words and
sentences. I turned over to get an
other nap and here came Akers into
my room with his driveIing madness
about going a-fshing. I had told him
emphaticaIy just before we went to
bed that I would not go and for him
not to disturb me as the doctor had
prescribed sleep for me until o'clock
every morning in the year or pay the
penalty. But Akers was pathetic. He
said: 'They won't go with me. Dave
argued and Kiene grunted. They had
both promised to go at and I can't do
a thing with them" His voice was as
sad as an undertaker's when he calls
friends for a last look at the deceased.
Now I am always a mark for people
in trouble, so I told him I would go
with him and he went away happy and
went back to sleep.
walked up when Kiene poured part
of a pitcher of water on my head.
Kiene had heard the squeak of pump
and he wanted me to hunt him some
cold water. The water he had poured
on my head was so hot it necrly scald-
ed me. And talk about your early
morning air. It was 100 above at 4
that morning at Paxico on Mill Creek.
Watered Like Live Stock.
Now if Kiene had arisen for the
selfish purpose of finding water to cool
his scorched system, he was resolved
that no other man should sleep, so out
came Dave in his night attire and his
wrath. Water was a leading question
with us all by this time Just as I
started out to locate tbs pump, here
came the landlord up the stairs with
a bucket of cold brew fresh from the
well. I stopped him at my door and
grabbed the bucket DID 7 wait for an
individual drinking cup? Well, not so
you would notice. I buried my face in
the bucket. and then came Kiene and
drank like horse. He snorted as he
consumed the second quart and spilled
the water on the floor. I. was like
watering stock when we drank that
fever-hot morning in ehe old hotel at
Paxico, and forgave the landlord his
hotel and his iniquities for the bucket