The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-21

down the rear one, with the grip con-
tanning the antidote on Docs side-a
situation 1 never could understand
as we passed over an unusually rough,
rutty piece of road, on hearing Char
ley let out a frightful shrek
turned around just in time to see that
gentleman, with what for him was
lightning-like celebrity, reach over in
front of Doc, and almost pitch head
long out of the wagon over the lat
ter's legs, in a frantic effort to catch
his disappearing grip, which had jolt
ed off the wagon and lit lengthwise in
a rut Immediately in front of the on
coming hind wheel!
I don't deem it necessary either to
state just what Charley exclaimed
what he said to Doc about his care
lessness in permitting it to get away.
But as soon as Bill could stop the
horses-after the wheel had gone over
the grip from end to end-Charley,
after the cry, "Oh, my poor bot!"-
understood him to use the personal
pronoun "my," although Doc said he
thought, but wasn't sure, that he said
"our poor bot"-but regardless of
what he said, when the wheel rolled
off the grip Charles was there, and
retrieved it at once, and it surely was
sight! That grip lit in the rut
right side-up and the wheel traversed
it lengthwise. and when Mr.. Patrick
picked it up it closely resembled what
1 believe is called a ''pocketbook roll"
having a deep crease. a deep valley in
fact, running from end to end. A
man would certainly be an optimist
with a large 20" who could, after
seeing that grip then, even hope that
anything on the inside could pass
through that ordeal and live.
When Charley gave his first yelp,
Jess Elliott, Billie" Anderson and
Guy, the cook-oo, were riding quite
a bit ahead on horseback, but the
echo of that wall had only about half
subsidized when they all came gallop-
ing back to find out what was up.
Charley tenderly and with a deep
sigh picked up the grip as soon as
the wheel rolled off, and with tear
full, Nay, nay, Pauline; not to you;
not to youl" to Doc, who had extend |
ed his hand toward the grip saying |
Hand her up passed the same up |
to Bill. the driver, saying, Hang on |
to it, Bill, till I ascend to my seat !
Don't let Doc touch it"
Everybody. horsemen included, |
gathered around while Charley |
opened the grip, remarking just be- |
fore he did so, Seeing there isn't |
an inquest all by myself" He then |
opened the satchel and brought forth, |
first of all, the unbroken carboy con- |
tanning our-not his" altogether
anI1-Sndk0-SplO8T u6Q1Cln6! "A ISW |
articles of apparel next came out, fol-
lowed by handful of slivers a few |
minutes before constituting a cigar
box. Next he pulled forth about SO |
cigars, only some five or six of which |
were even cracked, but the box in
which they had been reposing was
all in little bits. Soon he brought |
forth another lot of pieces resem bling
and toothpicks, the remains
of the little pine box in which rested |
his fishing reel. With, IF it don't /
beat aIl,' he next fished out of the |
depths his reel, and it wasn't even
bent ever so littlel He next brought
out his roll of money from the bot
tom of the grip, counted it, found it
all there, laid it down near Docs
foot then changed it to a place near
er himself. then dipped again into
the grip and brought up his two
flashy neckties, and, last of all, his
Testament.
When we all saw that unbroken bot
tie the almost no broken cigars, the
unbent reel, the-as Billie Anderson
said-untouched roll, and Doc so near
it, and then noted the pile of splintersj
from cigar box and reel box, we ALL
well, to say the least, were simply /
and many were the express
sions of, Funny" Stranger Mighty
queer!" and Don't that jar you,''
While all this inquest and surprise
producing examination was going on,