The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-12-09
HIS Gun WAS TRUE
TOpekan Tells of Faith i'm Cold
Blue Steel.
He Was Destitute and Hungry
1t Brought Cash.
Enticed Dealer to Back In
Shadows of Store.
And Then, Clutching His Gun,
He-Well, Read 1t!

'T needed money; so 1 took my six
shooter out and got it. That's the
whole story in a nutshell"
Thus a Topeka man summed up
an adventure of life.
Let him tell his n story.
81 had no money, and no chance
of getting any. 1 had walked the
streets for hours at time. and
s..ulked in the bit of a room l called
my home. I watched the holiday
crowds of Thanksgiving, and the be-
ginning of the Christmas shopping
NV pitifully small funds grew lower
and lower, as my appetite must De
temporarily satisfied at intervals. But
the instinct of desperation was grow
ing in me as watched the rich OF To-
peka glide by me on the street IN
their motor cars.
"At last I was at the end of my
tether. There remained to me, sir,
but 10 cents, 10 pitiful centavos. and
winter coming on. All, sir, can you
blame me for what did?
For another day fought the inn
pulse to do what my subconsciousness
was urging me to do. Sir have lived
a hard life and have seen much wear
and tear, but never until now have I
descended to
His Trusty Revolver.
"But, just as the dusk was closing
another day, while the people were
going to their, homes and their even
! ing meals, again skunk to my quart
ers and took from my battered valise,
my revolver. Lovingly l Inspected Il,
clear, true blue it was, save where
the wear of the holster which has
been it's home for years had brought
out here and there a shining high
| light.
"It has been my friend in times of
stress For years it was my COM
panion among the deserts and noun
tains of the southwest. 1t has pui;c-
me out of more than one bad scrape.
Its blue steel spoke to me, I am still
true, III help you thru
1T took the gun and slipped into
the dusky street. my mind made up.
my courage falsely bolstered by the
stimulus of my last cigarette.
Chose a Dark Street.
"I chose one of the darker streets
and prowled it's length to where II
ner stood a small store, the window
filled with watches and jewelry, rep
resenting money enough, ah Heavens
to keep me from want for months, ii
I but possessed it. The proprietor
stood in his door, and as 1 watched, he
glance around, 1 followed, and closed
the door
"Courteously he inquired my de-
sires Sir 1 was overcome. Guilty.
/ pretended an interest IN MS various
wares, while, still courteously, he at
tended me. Farther and farther into
the back of the room we penetrated
The light was less brilliant there, more
suited to my purpose.
"Still my resolution tagged, ano
still could not bring my courage to
the point where I might do the deed
AS I say never before had I
But time was pressing, and he grew
curious. I clutched my weapon firmly
and fought for bravery.
Suddenly 1 displayed the gun, and
| looked for an cutlery or a blow.
IT looked in vain. My compliments
to that proprietor. might have thrust
in his face a religious tract and he
would have f1inched as little.
| Trembling and irresolute, my dry
lips incapable of voicing my demands
1 stood for moment, then, in as bold
a manner as the best, 1 demanded
money. (But inwardly, craven that
4 am l shivered STILL
Then. sir, with never change in
a muscle of his face, he acted! Snatch
ing the terrifying weapon from me, he
demanded sternly: Veil, how much
you want on id?'
'we-ell. it ought to be worth five
| or six dollars I said.
| ssHe gave me three fiftv" " e. B