The Topeka state journal., 1914-01-31

chute out Of offlce by another. The
american BOOK Co., name used IN
every hall and hamlet - . cause for
this ana q blame for that and . by
books are or ought to be. Surely here
was the home OF ogres' eaters Of chill
oren ana devOuferD Of men. Attcheu
ana I were scared, all right. but we
Found pleasant faced. cheerful man
who was introduced AZ superintendent
OF the plant Sure he would take US
around He stopped work and led US
about seven miles through that dig
book plant past endless rows OF presses
and trimmers and backing machines
and assemblers and every device
known to the printing trade for the
quick and cheap manufacture OF
books.
They turn books out of that plant
like the water flows to the sea. They
have brought system to the inner por-
tails OF perfection: they have bought
inventions from the four corners OF
! the earth. and they have made waste
connected with the early history OF
the plant.
It seemed to me that they could sell
book for about five cents and not
lose any money on the deal
After awhile we met the vice pres
tdent OF this concern. He was a little
man with q peaked white beard and
black eyes and a soft voice. He was
polite. this little man. He walked
with us while we looked at his plant
and then he took us to his office and
chatted in a friendly way. The fact
that Kansas was going to print
school books interested him about as
much as the moving of a citizen out
of nefghborhood would interest q
grocer who was enjoying big busf-
ness. But he was glad to meet US. he
said. and he hoped we had been well
treated. He asked If there was any
thing more his hired men could do to
give us knowledge Of the plant or a
grim journey.
And thus it was that we entered the
place of the dragon and found a wise
little man whose long suit was kind
ness.
River Rhine Gone Dry.
Mitchell and had one disappoint-
ment in Cincinnati. The River Rhine
the city that has q name Tor a place
of pleasure. were G more. They now
occupy a place in history, placed on
the shelf of the past by the reformers
of today. In Kansas we believe that
reform is only at home here. 1t Is not
in most of the states and cities of the
Union. The war on vice in every
form is making great headway in all
the cities Of the north and east except
New York. 1t may be making way
there but the city Is so big that the
results don't show on the surface.
Everywhere we went we heard men
talk of the old ordinary accepted evils
of the great city as things Of the past.
They talked history when they spoke
of these matters. And some were
glad and some were sad when they
spoke.
Joined by the 'Doc."
At Cincinnati we wore Joined by a
Chicago machinery man who was going
east to report to his New York house.
So we Travelled together, and well for
Mitchell that 1t was SO. We called this
man Doctor after he had saved Mitch
ellis life in Washington through his
knowledge Of drugs and healing.
| On the C. & o. diner that night
Mitchell again indulged his fondness
| for deep sea foods. He couldn't get
| lobster so he took finnan haddie In
i stead And 1 thought for awhile
was going to have to write his obitu-
ary instead Of pleasant little story
Of this trip. The haddie was tainted
| and Mitchell became the victim of
mild case of ptomaine poisoning. that is,
| II there is such q thing al a mild case
| Of this sickness.
I got up early the next morning to
see the Blue Ridge mountains Of Vir-
ginia and they are worth all things to
see. 1t was showing and looked at
white walls that slanted away from the
railroad tracks to gaudy heights. Lit
| tie green pine trees gave color to the
| wonderful landscape. We crossed
ravines and passed through tunnels and
cuts and out on high embankments
| where the mountains broke way from
their close formation to show us the
valleys and the blue Of the distance.
And all along the way I saw the
little cabins OF the mountaineers cud-
died up against the foot Of these noun
tains. Just a little shack with a stone
chimney, kettle in the front yard and
| a pot-hound ON the doorstep. And
those mountain towns. built long ago.
living in the long ago, mockery OF
the railroad that passed through them.
making a vanity and a jest of all the
| efforts Of the moderns to bring them to
see that the old orde-- changeth.
A Virginia Queen.
! At Staunton, Virginia, not far from
the home of Jefferson and right in the
heart of the glory Of the Dominion
state, :-irl that embodied all the
glamour and romance OF the old south
boarded the train. She had black hair
and brown eyes and a milk and roses
complexion and wore queen-of-Vas-
sar costume in order to make the list
of casualties larger and more COM
plete. We looked at this reincarna-
ton Of the divinity who danced with
Marquis de Lafayette at the famous
Richmond ball and were overcome with
the desire to inf1ict some raw Kansas
society on her. presence. She was
gracious and kindly and allowed Mitch
ell and me to talk to her. She had heard
us joking with the doctor and she
told US she knew that you-all were
from the west" Her southern accent
was delicious and 1t told US just as
plain that ''you-alP' was from the
south.
Miss Virginia left US at the Wash
liugton depot to go with relatives who