The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-24
CHECKERS.
He Makes a Discovery and Goes to
Jail.

I had been working for a farmer for a
week, when he beckoned me out to the
barn and said:
Checkers. according to the yarns
you've been telling nightly you've killed
six men in the last five years."
Seven, sir / corrected.
We'll, seven then. You've also robbed
'1even houses"
"And three stores"
you've saved four passenger trains
from destruction"
-Four is right, sir"
And three others from being hello
Nd"
Just So
And been in 1s different jails."
Sixteen is the number"
! And you've been in Africa, India
Russia and other foreign countries
Just So"
"And you've shot lions and tigers
| captured whales and sharks, and beer
a devil of = Teller"
Correct, sir"
And now you are going to an island
in the South sea to be a king.
Right you are. But what of all
this2"
I'll tell you what of it. You are an
Internal liar, but my wife swallows
your yarns for truth and looks upon
you as a great hero. Last night, after
you ndu CSdSSd lying III SOLIC " pCN
she said that you were a greater here
than she had ever read or heard of"
"Wen?"
you've got to go. If you are a hero
Their it makes me out a g~rasshopper.
I'm not going to have my wife signing
to run off with you to be a queen, and
that will be the result if you stay on.
I'm a man that don't take
women are curious critters 1 said
after a bit.
'Durn my hide, but they are!" he re-
piled
Il should never think of clipping with
your wife. but as you say, it's better
that I move along. I can't help being
a slick liar"
81 know you can't. but I'll pay you
off and you can jog along. I hain't
anything agin you, hobo-nothing but
the lying. You do that so well that
YOU almost capture me-"
He handed me 80 and I took the
tracks. I hadn't lied just for the
sake of lying, but to entertain the
family, and it did seem hard to lose
my lob.
1 had walke our miles when a
heavy freight train passed me. I saw
a rail break under the rear trucks of
the last ear, and when I had a closer
look at it I started down the tracks TO
look for the section gang The train
that struck that broken rail would go
INTO the uIICh " S0AC.
After a two-mile hike I came upon
the gang and told the foreman of the
accident.
you are a liar" he promptly replied.
Not this time!"
"A hobo and a liar! This road don't
put down rotten rails. Away with you
or there'l be a neck broken"
1t took me ten minutes to convince
him tina I was telling the truth, and
then we all rode to the spot on the
handcar. It was high time. A passen-
ger train was only half a mile away,
and the private car of the boss of the
read was one of the coaches. He came
along to see what was the matter, and
when he had been told, he called out:
This section gang is discharged on
the spotP'
But why blame us?" protested the
foreman.
But don't you see how twas done.
sir? That rail lever broke under the
wheels.
How, them"
Pla enough. sir. This hobo
jumped up and down on it until it gave
way
so you did. you s~coundrelr' shouted
the big ma as he turned on me. Yes,
that was the way of t."
Tt was broken by sse freight. Sr."
I hurlbly an==ere6.
Don't talk back to me, hobo. Con-
next station turn him Yer to the con-
stable. I'll see whether the hobos run
this road or I do"
We were delayed for an hour, and
during the intervals many of the pas
sengers came to the baggage car to
on me and declare that lynch law
was needed in such cases.
Five miles down the road when we
finally got started. / was handed over
to the constable of a village and taken