The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-01-10

and If there's any room left maybe
money will get It,"
At this iuncture the car for which
the boy was waiting ~passed-he swung
it and a moment later was lost in the
crowd. l boarded a downtown car,
buried myself in the news columns of
my paper and later transferred to the
elevated line which goes to lesser
New York by way of the Brooklyn
bridge.
This New York incident was recalled
the other day when l crossed the
street at Third and Main in a city in
the eastern part of the state. Lost
in thought, not payingn especial at
tention to anybody or anything at the
time, was aroused when a voice called
out:
Hello, Mr. Winfield! Prof. Alden
told me you were here. Although l
have never met o personally, / read
lily recognize you at sight by what |
know of you through the papers,"
1 raised my head and looked into
the c%ongenial face of a stranger with
proffered hand.
OF course, you don't know he" he
continued, realizing my surprise.
which l suppose l showed, and it
doesn't matter much, because I'm Just
an everyday fellow"
The man who confronted me was a
Missourian and showed it in voice and
action. But otherwise he looked like
a working man of any state. On this
street his clothes seemed just as odd
and were in as much contrast to those
about him as were those of the ag-
r%icultural king who stood at the inter
section of Broadway and Twenty
third.
After keeping me in suspense for a
while he made known his identity.
Paul Flipping was clad in a broad-brim
felt hat which had evidently several
years since seen better iays-it had
been black once before the red set in.
His other clothing consisted of a short
o%vercoat, worn into shreds at the ell
bows. He wore a blue white striped
suit of overalls, and heavy, service
able shoes completed his movable
wardrobe. His complexion was red
dish-brown; hair dark streaked with
gray; uncertain eyes of brown; thigh
nose, long sandy mustache which
curled up at the ends in true foreign
style. His face was round with a few
lines carved by care and toll. He was
Of middle age; fully six feet, with a
good stride.
Mr.. Paul clipping is a farmer own
ing $50 acres of fine farm land. His
city property IS valued way up in the
thousands. Although he knows how.
he is not an active farmer himself
His busiest thoughts are on contract.
ing and building where he does a com.
petitive business.
For years." he informed me, 81 car
ried thousands of dollars in my peck
cts. They were my profits from deals
1 was then beginning and all the
whites looked upon me as a poor mar
who worked hard, but apparently wen
back two degrees for every degree o
progress. l wore, and even now, shah
by clothes except when away from
, home"
This farmer-contractor could bull
a town of his own with at least a hun
bred houses. 1 found him unpreten
tious, simple but practical, and nevei
made a front that he could not bacl
up. He was for a long time and is nov
a leader of men. He witnessed onl!
eight years of school life, but hi!
knowledge would do credit to a uni
versity man. His business transac
lions are broad and far reaching, in
lvolving many whites of position and in
fluence.. While his real financia
standing is known to but few, yet tn,
secret of his manipulations and in
creasing wealth has leaked out. Blu
Paul Flipping is now on his feet, usini
his term, and has his eyes open.
In the eyes and words of whites ar
found both admiration and envy, Will
many of his own people are neithe
admirers nor envious of him tina
hath" who would | cad them to
, brighter day, from whom they shrinl
Turk far in the dark and look throug.
eyes that see only evil, with mind
that distrustingly measure others b
their W dishonest practices.