The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-20
- COLONEL@
~ TODHUNIER ~
@<MSSOLz1 N'~'|
Dr RlnltY D. SAUNDERS
ssstr

Dr RIPLEY D. SAUNDERS.
cssyrxAt, isss. rAs Boehs- Merrill Company

jogaphy endurin' school time, subj"
The newspaper man wiped tears OF
laughter from his eyes. IN take him
away now, Colonel" he said at-last-
rising. I've got TO go back to the
office, and II always tickles him to
talk to somebody about his impress
sions. | expect he'll have a lot TO say
about you. sir"
We'll. you keep II dark. sub. II he
does" replied Colonel Todhunter.
got enough to stand up under, here In
st. Louis, without no comments from
such an almighty curious specimen o
humanity as that, subj"
And at this the newspaper man
fairly exploded. He was still shaking
with laughter when he Joined the
mysterious stranger. The latter
promptly pocketed his pencil, stuck
his bit OF cardboard under his arm
and then, together. the two departed.
ITS this here crazy-like city lie
that makes such wrecks as that poor
simple Simon, unused the Colonel
"Igad, II beats me why any human
bein' Is willin' TO live II. let alone pay
such price as that for II! But II
takes all sorts o. people to make
world, I'll just be jim-swizzled II II
don't. subj"
The next afternoon when Colonel
Todhunter's eyes fell on the front
page OF the leading Independent Dem
ocratic paper Of st. Louis, he fairly
gasped with horror. Then followed
an almost tragic pause as he absorbed
the full meaning of what had so sud
aAnly stricken him with dismay. The
next moment he handed the -newspa-
per to Colonel Strickland.
What did | tell you. Bill?" he
groaned. I'm a-goin back to Nineveh
lust as fast as the good Lord'ff take
me, subj"
Colonel Stricklands gaze rested
upon the newspaper page. He saw
Colonel Todhunter's name boldly
typed in the fiaring headline that
extended across three columns. A full
length Characterization" OF the Col
onel surrounded by 'thumbnail' I'M
pressions OF his face and bodily pose
at various interesting moments OF his
talk OF the preceding day surround
ed the larger portrait.
Colonel Strickland began reading
| of the article smile cfePt upon
| his face. Slowly his eye went down
| the printed page. The smile broaden
| ed. Soon II became chuckle. Later
absorbed in the reading, the candi-
dates shoulders shook as he read.
| Finally, with one big fist pnning the
newspaper TO the table in front or
| him, Colonel Bill Strickland leaned
| back In his chair and roared with
laughter.
Lord have mercy on US. Thursl'
he gasped TITS the best and truest
thing ever seen in my life! They've
got you finished of to the queens
taste!"
IT don't know nothin' about the
queens taste, subj spoke Colonel
Todhunter grimly, but I know one
thing almighty we'll I'm a-goin' TO
dust that newspaper mans jacket for
him the next time he comes In reach
o. me. Great name above, sub. tn
amt no man can handle Colonel Thurs
T. Todhunter like that and not get II
we'll taken out OF his hide subj!
Again Colonel Strickland shouted
with laughter. You old fool" he
sputtered. THE newspaper man knows
you better than you know yourself
it's wonderful, Thurs! He's made a
character study of you that's nothing
more or less than a miracle, my
friend"
II was the truth. Colonel Todhunter
had come under the vision OF a mas
terfully gifted newspaper expert in
character values" The young fell
low with whom he had chatted SO
freely and at such ease on the pre-
ceding afternoon had Temperament.
tally absorbed" his body and soul
Then he had gone to his newspaper
desk and written a descriptive inter
view that was sheerly the Colonel
| himself in the flesh. II was a feat OF
psychological wizardly. The man
achieving IL seemed to have put aside
, his own being for the moment and
! taken on that Of Colonel Todhunter
; instead. AS a result OF this exercise
| of the strangest Of literary powers
, Colonel Todhunter himself. the typical
, figure of a Missouri Democrat OF the
, old school, talked In his proper per
: son, a living, breathing. almost pal
, pable entity. from the printed page.
And the keenly humorous, appre
, ciative and well-nigh loving quality
that signalized the writer's perform
ance of his task was finely rein.
forced by the work Of the cartoonist
! The sketches themselves were life.
like, bringing out the Colonel's every
salient Characteristic in facial expires
sion, bodily pose and gesture.
ITO be contInued.)