The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-09
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE.
(From PhiIAdeiphia Public Ledgtr.l


we do not attempt to sit in judgment
But we hazard the thought that those
who live upon the wind-swept prafries
of the Middle West, and who are at
tempting to warm numoed fingers over
the sweepings OF the coal cellar, viii
hereafter find 1t exceedingly difficult
to pity the poor coal miners"
HELL" said Uncle Jim Chambers,
as he slipped out of his wrappings and
sat down at his desk, seems to have
broken loose in Kansas City" That
we hasten to explain for the benefit of
Uncle Jim and other keen observers.
is where one of the holes in the fence
is located.
Old Frank Adams's plan of dispos-
ing of artichoke is effective, but eco
nomically faulty. Mr.. Adams throws
it out of the window. Unless one de-
sires particularly to Impress the head
waiter, a less expensive. and equally
satisfactory, plan is not to, order arti-
chokes.
1t has reached the point. too. where
ger impresses the II. W. The arrf-
choke has become SO indiscriminating
in selecting its friendsAand intimate
associates that II carries a wallop only
slightly heavier-than the alligator
pear.
at is the sort of town" said Epn
Wiley, In casual discussion of the
place of his nativity, where wowAn
wearing an orchid creates a sensa
ton"
Haywood Broun, 20 quote another
contemporary, is surprised to learn
that a former city editor. temporarily
clad in khaki and marching in the
ranks, disclosed indications of nm
usual intelligence. On the other hand.
city editors we have known have been
the keenest of men, Most of them re-
FUSED to hire US at all. These who
did lost little time in attaching the
jangling tinware to our person.
Which recalls an incident of the
days of our adolescence. For weeks
We had besieEed a certain city room
and certain city editor. the object
being permit to hang up our hat and
coat and go to work. The city editor
offered not the slightest encourage
ment.' But we continued to haunt the
city room beenuse we had read. some
where in magazine. that persistence
was the key 70 a job in newspaper
office. Finally. in last desperate eff
fort to make land, we again bearded
the city editor in his cubicle and Of
fered to work for nothing until such
time as he saw fit to attach US to the
payroll. We had read that in q maya
zine, too. The city editor looked up.
The ghost OF a sneer curled his upper
lip and half-contemptuous smile
played upon his couptenancc. THE
Times" he said. could not afford TO
hire yen at that price,
After that the years came and went
We served. briefly In most cases.
long list of city editors and reached, at
last. an insignificant sort of a Job
which carried with 1t a modicum of
authority. One day there drifted into
our cubicle bit of human driftwood
cast up by a passing freight train 1t
was grizzied. frayed and scared and
stood sadly in need OF the kindly min
istrations of a tonsorial artist but we
recognised 1t upon the instant. 1t was
the former city editor who had deem
ed our price too high. He wanted a
permit TO hang UP his coat and hat
ana go to work.
We have no notion as to what you
would have done IN the circumstances,
We have still less as to what we should
have done. All we know to Ger
tainty is that he got the Job.
After a long period OF inactivity the
word ALLEGATION has been admitted
to active practice in the columns of
the newspapers and elsewhere. We
suggest that the usual courtesies of
conversation be extended. to IT..
that Stressed be given an indefinite
leave of absence from It's activities as
verb and that a substitute for 1t be
secured.
We also haSard the opinion that the
"unauthorfzed" strike in the railway
yards of Kansas City had done moth
ing to weaken or cast disrepute upon
the anti-strike provision in the Cum
minis rail measure. s'
Mr.. Moa6eli has Offered the follow
ing legislative program: rigid econ
omy, avoiding parsimony: <construc-
tive legislation along progressive lines:
the maintenance of conditions of, or
derby prosperity and sound traditions
Americanism."
Which is all right. but what exactly
does 1t mcan7 The need and demand
in this country is for recipe couched
in elemental words not exceeding
three syilabies In length.
We find the announcement that the
first typewriter was made in 1868 Of
more than passing interest. While 81
is not generally known, that particu-
lar typewriter still is in service at thia
desk.
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