The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-02-27

BY CHEADLE
IN EARLY DAYS
HOW JOE M'NEAL LOOKED
FOR A WOMAN IN
THE MOON

Oilton, Okla, Feb. 27.---The pres
ence Of Ned Cheadle in IOilton re-
calls the early days in Oklahoma
! Territory, when Cheadle was one Of
lGuthries capitalists. His reputation
| during the twenty-six years since old
Oklahoma was opened to settlement
has been that Of practical joker,
| and he is still at it.
| Cheadle used to cut something of a
Iswath politically He was several
times alderman at Guthrie, attended
conventions as delegate, was on the
reception committees and was re-
garded generally as one OF the re-
tables. But it made no difference
what the occasion, Cheadle was for
ever playing jokes. Evening dress
suits and silk hats we're uncommon in
the Territory during the 90s, and the
man who wore either of them gener-
ally had to answer for it in some way
The Republicans Of Guthrie, and
at that time Guthrie was the hub,
were expecting visit from one Of
the higher-ups Of the party, politic-
ian of national Importance, and ar
rangements had been made to en-
tertain him with all the hospitality
that the citizens, irrespective Of poll
itical affiliations, could produce. And
committee of the local big guns"
had been designated to meet the
train and escort the notable up town.
Among those on the committee was
Uncle Joe" NcNeal, banker and lat
er to become a nominee for governor,
Several members Of the committee,
including AIcNeal, appeared at the
train, clad in dress suits, with gilt
tering shirt fronts and high silk hats
There was also big crowd OF cit
liens in general at the train and
among these was Alderman Ned
Cheadle
Cheadle saw the dress suits, van
ished for time and was soon after
ward seen busily engaged studying
the moon, for it was on the $3.50 D. M
train from the North on which the
notable was to arrive. ACheadle was
making his lunar observation through
what was evidently opera glasses
and he was so persistent in his work
paying no attention whatever to
those around him-that he was not
long in attracting general attention
Several citizens attempted to ques
ion him, but It was without avail I'M
It'll "Uncle joe McNeal stepped up.
What are you looking at. Chea-
der asked the banker.
''Just trying to figure out whether
there is woman in the moon" re-
piled the alderman without discon-
Meeting his eyes from the glasses.
Cant you make her out?" con-
tinued lMoNeal.
mo, not quite answered Cheadle.
''Well, give 'em to me-" demanded
Uncle joe as he reached for the
classes and Immediately there was
more business and less politics for
the banker.
Instead of opera glasses, Cheadle
had two beer bottles pints, rigged |
together. They were filled with
water and instead of corks they had
only small bits of black paper over
the mouths, and these had been held
in place all the time by Cheadles
thumbs. OF course, when the bot
Ties changed hands, the pieces Of
paper gave way and there was a
down pouring of water from the bot
ties that completely flooded the wide
expanse Of shirt front and made sor-
ry the appearance of the dress suit.
When the banker turned around,
cheadle had abandoned his study OF
a woman and had gone off up the ]
street to look for a man.