The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-07
SUNSHINE CLUB
Larned Citizens Dodge Ray of
Old Sol and Tell Stories.
Membership Consists Principal
Iy of Retired Farmers.

Larned, Kan, Aug. 1.-THE "Sun-
shine Club" is in continuous session
from 10 a. m. until p. m. every day
They are known as the Sunshine
Club" because they are constantly en-
gagged in an endeavor to avoid the sun
In the fOrenoonS they meet on the
east side of Broadway and in the af-
ternoons on the west side and for an
hour OF two during the middle of the
day they form an elongated line up
close to the walls on the north Sioe.
When they are not engaged in telling
stories they are running the govern
ment' or discussing local conditions.
Their busy time is just previous to
election time but their really busiest
time is for several days before a rail-
road bond issue, or court house or
a city hall proposition. The main is
sue lately has been the "Grasshopper
plague" and the chautauquas.
recent subject of discussion was
sheep and the old sheep man. The
Sunshine club is composed almost ex-
clusively of retired farmers" A
member told story about an English
man who worked for him on his sheep
ranch twenty years ago. This Eng
lishman's name was Billy johnson and
during the lambing season one morn
ing, the old sheep man and Billy were
out in the sheep shed taking care of
the little lambs. There was a particu-
larly pestiferous old ram in a pen by
himself and a little wee bit of lamb
had gotten away from its mother and
crawled through into the pen with
this old ram and couldn't find the
crack he had gotten through to re-
turn.
Billy crawled over into the pen,
picked up the lamb and set it over the
fence, but before he could get out
things began to happen. The ram
caught him fair amidship, from the
rear and Billy struck the fence with
sufficient force to rebound back to the
center of the pen.
Before he could recover his breath
the ram gave him a broadside which
put him down and then the action was
could have decided who had the best i
of tin fact, no referee would have
cared to interfere although there We're
several blows struck below the belt
ly of hunts. However, the agony was
soon over. Billy managed to break
away and fell over the fence.
He got up with both hands to his ;
mouth, and the blood trickling |
his fingers; My Gawd!' he
my mouth is tore from ear
to ear-from ear to earl
The old sheep man said he finally
got him quoted so he could examine
him and found that, some way, the
Did ram had caught an end OF one
horn in Billys mouth and had las
cerated the inside of his cheek for
about an inch-a mere scratch, al
-hough it bled quite freely and Billy
thought his face was ruined.
The ex-sheriff took out his sack of
fine cut and slowed a liberal supply
n the corner of his face and began
to masticate it with every appearance
Of enjoyment. 81 remember" he be-
gan, when every one around here,
pretty nearly, had a bunch of sheep.
it was about that time I had fore
closure attachment on fellow out
about ten or twelve miles and 1 had
10 go and serve it on him. He had
been up against a streak OF hard luck
'or several years and was just about
rs near down and out as he could be.
IF an old di1apidated merry-go-round
and he had it all to pieces scattered
around over the yard-iron rods,
oelts, pulleys, track, ETC., and a great
OF of wooden horses.
He didn't have a thing outside of
his old merry-go-round that he was
working on that was worth taking, so
went back to town and repor
hat all / saw was some dead horses.
He fixed up this old merry-go-round
md run it a few seasons and bought
| good one and finally he bought a
better one and now he has two of as
good merry-go-rounds as there are
n Kansas and is worth all kinds of
He is playing the larger
airs this year and, am told, is do
ng fine.
HE took up that attachment the
lext year after I went and found only
dead horses and I have often won
Tered if, had I foreclosed on that
junk and taken it
way from him just what in the
world he would have DONE