The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-28
As NAN TO MAN.

|. "A STATE hnmAo ff1Amd OF the newspe-
Per man told him funny story ths
other day. The joke was On tho state
house 5anftors. It - . sweii known fact
tn those Who frequent the state house
| ar dr1ve or wax through the grounds
that The coloFed jauitoro over there
whose especial duty It II to look after
| the grounds take their duties seriously.
They ara keen to watch and quick to
warn those who trespaae upon tho
grass. They are alert e 1nforce the
executive council ruling assinst autos
driving ON the roadways through the
grounds. They are Suspicious
most Of the time ana oficious- all the
time
Most Of these janitors are armed with
tin stars and their especial weakness
10 to show this star to some small boy
culprit who has been caught riding q
bicycle through the grounds and then
hand him over to the iron hand of the
law. And II II peanuts and loo cream
for one of these guardians Of the dig
nifty of the state to catch an autoist
driving along the forbidden roadway.
When a janitor hears an auto horn
he drops his broom and his busters
and beats it for the outside door OF
the capitol and rushes around the build
ing to stop and apprehend the gent be-
hind the horn.
The newspaper man does not know
whether Charles Mitchell knows about
these little peculiarities Of the state
house guardians or not, but It Is
fact that Mitchell, some time ago. in q
spirit Of levity born of . sense Of hui
NOR, fastened m auto horn on his one
horse surrey. and he blows this horn
whenever the spirit moves him. He
blows it on Kansas avenue and ON the
bystreets and boulevards. He blows it
Nd cd . n han =
its warning and stop to look for an
auto and stay to swear at q buggy and
at last they laugh and wave at the
grinning driver. It has been known Of
fact that one Of Albert Patterns
street cars once lodged when it heard
this big horn on the one-hoss shay.
And Mitchelfs sorrel war horse laughed
at the motorman. And Mitchell kept
his barn locked for two weeks for fear
the motorman would try to poison the
horse.
But about those state house Janitors.
Mitchell especially loves to toot that
horn when he drives across the state
house grounds. There Is no regulation
against buggies on the driveways that
intersect the grounds. So Mitchell
points his sorrel PAGER for the state
house and when the horses nose passes
under the arch to the south steps he
blows a blast on that auto horn as
loud az Joshua blew In front OF Jericho.
And the Janitors leave their mirth and
their employmente and pour out OF the
building like hounds through a gap in
a fence. They rush around the corner
eager to levy upon tho person of some
venturesome autoast And all they see
| Is a decent. honest, respectable two
seated surrey with brindle fringe at
the top and a fat man inside ana q
| supplemented sorrel horse In front ana
the speedometer registering two miles
an hour. ~.
The front janitor breathes. 50 hot that
his breath scorches the enamel on his
front teeth. He slows up and glAres at
| the four sides Of the serene horizon.
He knows he IL sold ana tied UP and
| laid upon the ten cent counter. But In
order that the world may not witness
his shame he bends down and pretends
to look for something on the ground.
The man behind him follows suit. Then
with ears hanging down and hopes
blasted that cannot bloom again that
day. they amble back into the state
house.
Life has come to be an uphill pull
| under heavy skies for these janitors
these days. Mitchell's horn sounds just
like any auto horn on a four or six
| cylinder car. How is q poor tanftof
to know the difference? After two
grand rushes In one day to see q sor-
l ACA 11OEc0 anu u 1dt surrey, any QI1VG[
could rampse through the grounds SO
| miles an hour with a red. white and
blue auto and never see a janitor.
Morning. noon and night Mitchell
drives his honest horse and his big
surrey through the state house grounds
like Satan passing through the book
Of Job. He blows his horn like a
steamboat approaching the New Or
leans wharf. And every time the notes
| Of that horn go batting up against the
sides OF the state house they knock an
other section Of brindle fringe or the
trappings OF power so long held in
pomp and circumstance by tho ''culled
gemmen'' who are janitors at the state
house and at the Same time officers
and guardians Of the states dignity
and the majesty Of its law. C.
| POLITICAL GOSSIP.
Continued from Page One.)
mer Quaker governor that he should