The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-21
BY PICK SMITH.

Once on a time. when Mr.. James b.
Hayden, formerly of Topeka. and the
subscriber dove down into our respec-
tive jeans for the wherewithal to set
tie for an oyster feed at Pass Chris
tian. Mississippi. where President
Wilson spent his recent vacation on
Mississippi Sound-an annex of the
Gulf Of Mexico-a friend Of ours. who
resided in New Orleans. and also had
. cottage at 1.-The Pass" and had
steered us against the bivalves. ex-
claimed. mo you don't! This is my
deal. Just want you-alls to remember
our Sound oysters-that's all. You're
my guests this trip anyhow" Being
too good-natured to row over a little
thing like that, James and let him
have his way.
AS we ambled along the shell road.
Orleans asked. do you-alls like to
fish?'
DO a duck like to swim. and do a
colored gentleman like chicken" l
asked in reply, with strong accent on
the "do."
"Tm not much Of a fisherman my
SELF responded Jim, but my fat
friend here Indicating mel rather
fish than eat-or drink"
"In that case." laughed N. o.. you
alls better go before you CO."
but how can we go before we go?"
asked Hayden. II don't see." ,.
I'VE certainly can't go after We co.
I chipped in IF we don't go when
we 20, how the dickens can we go be-
fore we CO. Seems to me that II we go
then. when?"
"Aw! what's the matter with you.
alls?" roared Mr.. N. Orleans. "Or
course YOU can't go fishing before you
70 fishing, but you can go fishing be-
fore you go away from nere' can
'Sure," grinned j. B.. IT we go
fore we go-that is. before we go
well. then the question is. do you
want to go?"
"Fishing, or away?"
Roth of us assured him that nothing
would suit us better, but that we were
Intending to go to Mobile to spenu
Sunday, but would be back TUESDAY
morning ready for business; ae 4 saao
afternoon, but would make all ar
ranRements with a fisherman to take
us in tow upon our leaving the train
Tuesday morning. we excnanseu
cards again, swore to call on each
other IL ever in the right locality. then
parted-mOre IN sorrow tndn III nneoi
to meet no more.
That evening we took the train Tor
Mobile, Alabama, to see Wnat we
could see. About the only incident on
that trip. outside OF the little commUr 9n,,r
ney-the only one in fact that 1 now
recall, aside from the dust-was my
running across gentleman frieno OF
mine from the North on the railway
station platform. where we stopped
for breakfast. accompanies ny q
mighty comely woman. Speaking OF
surprises, why, that man could nave
given me cards and spades! He called
me to one side, said she was neitner
his wife, mother, grandmother. motn-
er-in-law. sister-in,law' cousin nor
thing of other female kinfolk to emu
merate, when I interrupted him ana
said, "Now, old man, is it really any OF
nv business who she is?" He tnere-
upon smiled brightly. saying, NO L
don't think it is; but I thought
But don't think" said I. You know
that a heap of the things that we
know for certain are not so; while the
things we think very seldom are.
believe. b'gosh. you're right, SAID ne'
crushed two of my fingers-almost-
in q. parting hand-clasp, and went
I'VE crossed deserts in railway
trains when it was so hot you would
smother If the windows were kept
closed. and SO dusty that you would
open, and the only way to keep alive
was to leave some OF the windows
open and some closed; but never In
all my born days. whether crossing
desert, lake or ocean. did 1 expert
ence such a dusty trip as going from
Pass Christian. Miss. to Mobile. Ala,
that day in May. A. D., 1898. 1 then
saw clearly why the colored people
who came to Kansas from tAat neck
o. woods in the early sos were called
"Ex(O) busters We met three trav-
cling men, who all agreed that the
road I'm writing about is the dustiest
in the known world.
At the station-railway, not police
at Mobile, voice that sounded
much like the Santa Fee shops whistle
here in Topeka, and operated by a
sturdy colored gentleman who was
boosting for the Battle House." led
us to take a bus for that hostelry.
It's principal distinction in those days
was. so far as I was able to discover,
that it was built long. long "befo' de
wah." Some said the Civil war, some
the Mexican war. and some the War
Of 1912, but I would be willing to lay
= small wager, II given a little odds.
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