The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-17

IN compliance Win Ine request
of a friend of mine who wrote
from the east. l called on good
- natured. garrulous old Simon
Wheeler and inquired after my friends
friend, Leonidas W. Smiley. as re-
quested to do, and hereunto append
the result. 1 have lurking suspicion
that Leonidas w. Smiley is a myth;
that my friend never knew such a per-
sonage, and that he only conjectured
that If 1 asked old Wheeler about him
It would remind him of his infamous
Jim Smiley, and he would 60 to work
and bore me to death with some ex-
Rsperating Renaissance of him as long
and as tedious as it should be useless
to me. If that was the design it sue
ceeded.
found Simon Wheeler doing com,
fortably by the barroom stove of the
dilapidated tavern in the decayed min
Ing camp Of Angels, and noticed that
he was fat and baldheaded and had an
expression of winning gentleness and
simplicity upon his tranquil counte-
nance. He reused up and gave me
good day. 1 told him friend of mine
had commissioned me to make some
inquiries about a cherished companion
of his boyhood, named Leonidas w
Smiley, Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley,
young minister of the gospel, who he
had heard was at one time a resident
of Angels Camp. 1 added that if Mr.
Wheeler could tell me anything about
this Rev. Leonidas w. Smiley, l would
feel under many obligations to him.
Simon Wheeler backed me into a
corner and blockaded me there with
his chair and then sat down and reeled
off the mOnotonous narrative which
follows this paragraph. He never
smiled. he never frowned. he never
changed his voice from the gentle flow
ing key to which he tuned his initial
sentence. he never betrayed the slight
est suspicion of enthusiasm. but ali
through the interminable narrative
there ran Il vein of impressive earnest
ness and sincerity which showed me
plainly that, so far from his magining
that there was anything ridiculous or
funny about his story, he regarded 1t
as u really important matter and adj
mired its two heroes as men of trans
cendent genius in tinesse. l let him go
on in his own way and never inter
rupted him once.
REV. Leonidas W.-hm-Rev. Le-
Well. there was a Teller here once by
the maine of Jim Smiley in the winter
of 40. or maybe it was the spring of
80. l don't recollect exactly somehow.
though what makes me think it was
one or the other il because ! remember
the big fiune warn't finished when he
first come to the camp. But anyway
he was the curiouSest man about, al
ways betting ON anything that turned
up you ever see if he could get any
body to bet on the other side. and If
he couldn't he'd change sides Any
way that suited the other side would
suit him. Just sos he got IL bet he
was satisfied.
But still be was lucky. uncommon
lucky. He most always come out win
ner. He was always ready and laying
for a chance. There couldn't be no
solit'ry thing mentioned but that fell
ler'd offer to bet on it and take AIRY
side you please. as was just telling
you If there was horse race you'd
find him flush or you'd find him busted
at the end of it; if there was Il dog
fight he'd bet on it; if there was a cat
fight he'd bet on it; if there was Il
chicken fight he'd bet ON it. Why. If
he would bet you which one would fly
first. or if there was Il camp meeting
he would be there reg'ar to bet on
ParSon Walker. which he judged to be
the best exhorter about here. and so
he was. too, and good man.
'If he even see Il Straddle hug start
to go anywhereS he would bet you
how long it would take him to get to-
TO wherever he was going to. and If
you took him up he would fOiler that
Straddle bug to Mexico hut what he
would find out where he WAS bound for
and how long he was on the road
Lots of the boys here has seen that
Smiley and can tell you about him
Why. it never made no difference to
him-he'd bet anything-the dangest
Teller. ParSon Walkers wife laid very
sick once for Il COED while. and il seem
ed as if they warn't going to save her
But one morning he came in. and Smi
ley up and asked him how she was
and he said she was consid' able better
thank the Lord for his inf'nit mercy
and coming on so smart that. with the
blessing OF Providence. she'd get well
vet And Smiley before he thought
saws. Well. I'll reSk $3.50 she don't
anyway.
-@Thish yer Smiley had a mare-the