The Topeka state journal., 1911-07-01

1i day of the year, or any OJher
year for that matter It is
my opinion, in the event that
I succumb to the hardship and eX-
posure of that jaunt, that my wife can
collect damages from the friend In a
reasonable sum as being accessory be-
fore the fact of my death.
I did not want to go for the reason
I am not q fisherman; and again, the
weather was too hot for health, to
say nothing Of pleasure. But this man
insisted, and when he insists 1t is ike
withstanding the progress OF rate TO
oppose him. We lett IopekA tour
strong and came back struggled
array of individual Weakn nesses- the.
party was composed of Earl Akers'
David Leahy, L. L. kiene ard the MS
torian. All newspaper men, or ex-
Journalists. They elected me as sec
retary for the reason that each one
wanted something nice said about him
However, I propose to tell the plain
truth about that awful trip and get
my revenge at the same time 1 would
not tackle the job at all, but for the
fact that I want to warn other 1nno-
cent men and useful Orn2m ents of So
cietv against the danger of yielding to
the Establishment of that class of par
anoiacs that have the fishing bug
Then again, the narrative is unique
IN that it is an account of series or
fishing exploits told by ar eye witness
who had refused to bait a hook or
touch a pole. Lies told by fishermen
have darkened the pages of history,
but this story will be a lamp IN the
blacknoss Of the night Fresh from
my sufferings and with the hardships
of that journey still resting like a
blight upon my spirit, VIII not stretch
the number Of fish caught by single
I'm, nor will I omit one jot or little of
the shortcomings and mishaps and
troubles Of my companions in joy and
sorrow.
Broke All Heat Records.
I said that the day we left was the
hottest of the year. It was But the
day following, which was the day we
returned home, broke the record es-
tablished by the day that marked our
departure.
was told we were going to Mill
Creek. That sounded good, but 1 did
not ask where this creek was located,
or down what valley it purled to the
sea. If I had this story would never
have been written for I would have
lodged the trip. The name of the
creek cOniured visions of leafy banks,
and big boulders standing up in the
rushing water. I thought of the old
mill that has had so many songs writ
ten about it, and humr1ed one as we
left town in Akers' automobile about
'Down by the Old Mill Stream" But
before We had gone five miles from
town the tune was chOked by the dust.
It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon and
the sun was a furnace. The hot winds
came upon US like the plague of
Egypt. Then it was that I asked how
far it was to the creek. Kiene replied
that the particular place on this creek
where the fishing was best was in Wa
baunsee county near Paxico. 1t was
too late to back out then, so I merely
absorbed the information as cheerfully
as a man does the germs of a fatal
malady.
At RossviIe we stopped to pour
water down the throat OF the boiling
engine Kiene hunted a drug store
with a soda fountain and inveigled
Dave Leahy to drink an ice cream
soda Dave hasn't Kiere's constitu-
ton, so that fearful ard wonderful
drink as compounded by the country
druggists kid clerk laid him low. We
worked over Dave for an hour and fin
ally revived him with ginger ale at the
next town. Kiene can eat anything
that a crocodile can eat.
Where DoIIey Lived.
Beyond Rossville lies Maple Hill.
We drove around through many
streets until We came to the ruins of
Joe Dolley's house. Akers was sore
on Maple Hill He looked awhile at
the charred remnants q what was
once a stately home and then re-
marked: "Dolley ought to thank his
lucky stars for that fire. It kept him
from living in this town. Akers' So
Mloquy reminded me of Ingersoll at the
tomb of Napoleon
Three miles out of Maple Hill we
came upon a man in a buggy trying to
hold a team of scared colts. Kiene
got out of the car and helped the man
lead his horses past the danger line.
They came by like the grand entry to
a circus, which is to say on their hind
legs. Kiene's horse carried an awful
load.
Ten minutes later we saw a girl in
q buggy with her horse UP against the
fence at the side of tho lane. Akers