Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-05-23
WHAT A TRAVELLERS SKIES
SIT 10 PURslN BOOK.

/
book? don't know, but l am writ
ing a book? Why can't / write q
/ book? have lived on this earth
SIS years and have seen many chang
es come during these years. Some
have come to me that are pleasant
to remember and some don't care
to recall. Few have been given the
opportunity to see as much OF my
country and study her people as l.,
so l am writing book.
have seen the Buckeye and the
Hoosier as he Is In his native state,
The Suckers and the Crackers have
each treated me we'll. have heard,
liz / have not talked with the great
men and women OF America. Have
seen the poor Swede land with only
few dollars and later seen him
pay for the best apartments on the
best ship going back to tell of HE
success. Have seen the negro In
his innocence on his native heath
and again viewed him as he strutted
down Fifth avenue dressed in the
latest fashion. Have seen the OK
cart and driver, six-foot tall, long
hair and barefooted, and then the
auto that cost $4,000. Have had
land offered me at 81 an acre that
afterwards brought 500 an acre;
seen a man sent to congress who
never was out of his county, and
who never had 500 of his own, who
draws $500 now, and lives like
a prince. Saw the first well come
in an oil field on which the man
had staked his all. Afterwards saw
his bank book in which was credited
100000. Have seen man get up
before a crowd who were against
his ideas and before two hours that
same crowd was begging him to show
them the way to the cross. Don't |
you think l can write book? Have
seen women sell the dearest thing
on earth for a few gaudy clothes. !,
Have seen men throw away character
and honor in order to make a show
and attract attention. Have seen |
children taught to lie and afterward |
those lies return to burn on the /
heads of those who taught them as
Goals of fire.
Have seen a boy of undersize,
poorly clad, with little earning, but
with his very soul on fire to be some
thing in the world mount over OBJ
stacles Others had feared to attack.
Yes, seen him climb until today he !
draws $4,000 a year. Have seen
one man build house only for some
other man to live in it. Have seen
a man struggle all his lifes paying |
life insurance that his wifeS If she
survived him, might not wash, and !
when he died her lazy brothers and
sisters flock down on her like Avul-
lures and eat it up in two years,
while she in her old age took in sew
ng.
have seen a man honored twice
Is president of these United. States,
cave the office loved by the nation,
70 over to Europe and there given
lonors never before bestowed on an
american. Seen that same man re-
urn and throwing all of this to the
vind get down into dirty ward and !.
tate politics and he defeated by his :
wn gang Have seen him divide
is party that had honored him and
Oved him, seen him ride the steam
Oller over the leaders and laugh =
t the act. Have seen him cry for :
lercy when the steam roller vas :
rushing him and his friends under
ne same engineer. Have seen arti-
les written against a man of wealth
hose conduct gave his wife cause
Or divorce, and inside of two years
ne same papers were full of praise d
Or his show of bravery in going l
own with the ship rather than oc- +
lpy a seat by the side of his new
life while woman or child could
3 found to go. Have seen the greed S
'r gold so strong in a young man
that he would hold messages to G
we'd ones on shore telling Of :he
lfety or loss of loved ones in the
lip that he might for dollars sell
Is story. c,
Have seen the two leading men OF Ii
lie nation fall out and tell things G
bout one another that they might n
fluence votes. IL
Have heard a candidate for the p,
gh office of president say If he pl
'uld have the votes of the common
sople his competitor could have the fC