The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-06
in NORTH TOPEKA
Kaw Valley Farmers Spend
Fourth Harvesting Wheat.
A Good Time at the County
Poor Farm.

The busy farmer had no time Nom
day to celebrate the Fourth. The en-
tire day from early in the moFnlns
until late in the evening was spent pS
farmers in the Kaw valley cutting
wheat In several fields two or more
binders were seen harvesting. Sunday
was also used as a work day, as the
wheat is advanced until 1T must pe
cut and the storms have been dam
aging fields so extensively that all the
available time is being put to use.
Bitten by a Dog.
The small son of A G. Anderson,
1412 Harrison street, while hauling a
toy wagon down Kansas avenue this
morning was bitten on the arm by
bulldog owned by VIM. Shorey, szz
North Kansas avenue. The Dog Is OIL
a vicious nature and has always been
kept chained until Monday. when he
was let loose for exercise and failed
to return in the evening. Medical at
tention was given the child and no
fear is felt, as the dog showed no signs
of hydrophobia.
Pythian Temple Officers.
The following officers were elected
by the members of Amity temple, No.
los, Pythian Sisters, in the hall, S31
North Kansas avenue, at their last
meeting: Most excellent senior, I<ath-
crime Hanlon; excellent senior. Flor
ence Gurtler; excellent junior, Edna
Andrews; manager; frankie Ward
mistress of records and correspond
ence Nora Baker; mistress of finance,
Minnie McGrew; protector, Rose Clev-
enger; outer guard, Minnie Maze. Two
candidates were initiated and refresh
ments were served in the banquet
room. The next meeting will be held
July 16.
A Good Time at Poor Farm.
The county poor farm probably is
the last place one would choose to go
of his own free will 1t is usually
imagined to be place where one is
slowly starved to death during the
last few years of his life, providing he
is unable to have home of his own.
But not so. The Shawnee county farm,
where the 46 old and infirm persons
reside is a place where one reared in
luxury might be glad to live. The
buildings are large and commodious,
situated ideally for a place of that
kind c. w. Belts, the superintendent
of the farm, has been in charge for
the past eight years and has put the
farm on a paying basis.
One would think, it being a poor
farm, the table fare would consist of
BEANS soggy bread, black coffee and
second cuts of meat, but in the provi-
sion line is where the surprise comes.
Dinner Monday at the farm consisted
of juicy home-cured hams, baked to
tempting brown, boiled potatoes and
mouth water. The farm dining room
is kept in spotless condition. The poor
old folk who are infirm and bedrid-
den have their meals brought to
them.
Odd Characters Are Found.
The personnel of the farm would af-
ford material for a long story should
some literary genius take the time to
study the characters. One old man
called Tom, according to Superintend-
ent Belts, scarcely knows he is on
earth. When asked how old he is, he
replied, Twelve hundred years. Ac-
cording to his story, he has been mar
ried 1900 times, had 1900 children and
was a personal friend of George Wash
ington, but never heard of Abraham
Lincoln.
odd Dutch is another character
worth noticing. She is a woman near
the four score mark who was recently
brought to the farm from the state
hospital OF German descent, she I'M
derstands no English, but slight mat
ter like this makes no difference to
her. She whites away the hours from
6 in the morning until bedtime by
singing an endless song. Mr.. Belts
saws she is one of the best Tatured in
mates of the entire farm. And so it
goes-poor old men and women,
homeless and without friends, and for
the most part weak minded. 1t is a
pitifuI sight to see them, doing moth
ing but sitting around and scarcely
knowing where they are. The only
person they seem to know is the 1oVial
Mr. Belts. BY most of his boarders
he is called Boss" He always has
word of kindness or a friendly pat on