The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-14

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up to Mr.. and Mrs. Bunker and beamec
as she introduced the Reverend Gidad
Griffin.
-Ant this is Mr.. and Mrs Bunker" she
said to the Reverend Gildad.
From Oroduna, Iowa." said Mr.. Bunk
er, and he noticed that the Reverend
Glidad started nervously. Throughout
| the meal the Reverend Gildad seemed
to watch Mr.. Bunker closely. but what
| he saw evidently satisfied him. Mr..
Bunker ate placidly and plenteousiy; not
sign of suspicion showed on his calm.
nabylike face. His questions were quite
harmless: "Preachin' in this neighbor-
hood? Expect to stay here long? Know
any of the folks at this boardin' -house7"
| They were all such questions as one
| ooarder might ask any new boarder.
| Cautiously Mr.. Griffin introduced the sub
| 1ect Of Oroduna, since Mr.. Bunker had
mentioned the town, and he was relieved
to learn that Mr.. Bunker had been in
| New York several months.
4 "Oroduna Is a right smart little city"
said Mr.. Bunker. You ever been there? ?"
Never" said Mr.. Griffin with abso-
lutte untruthfulness. my activities have
| been confined to the Eastern States sole
| ly. Are you visiting in the East?''
Nope! Come East to start into bust
| ness said Mr.. Bunker."-and I'm dom
| right well at it,
"Bunco." said Mr.. Bunker. I'm a
bunco-man. I sell gold bricks and work
the wfre-tappin' game, and SO on"
Mrs WINNER. at the head Of the
I table. giggled.
.'Mr. Bunker Is always jokingr' she
Uttered. Mr.. Griffin smiled.
| The men of my cloth are used to
| that. Gear Mrs. WINNER" he said. You
| would be surprised, dear madam, were 1
| to tell you how many of those I meet
| pretend to be what they are not, in order
| to shock me. It is a form of pleasantly
1 to which have become quite accus-
| toned"
1t was plain to see that Mr.. Griffin
had placed Mr.. Bunker plump. harm
| less middle-Western BOBBY. Mr.. Bunker
| chuck1ed good-naturedly
| 81 got money in the bank he said
| 'Jabez don't have to work If he don't
| want to-" added Mrs. Bunker proudly.
The fingers of the Reverend Gildad
| Griffin twitched. After the scare he had
had in Iowa following his exposure in
| The Leaflet and Messenger, he had de-
| cided to keep low for while. Memories
| are short and after a few weeks he
meant to shift to Maine or Georgia and
| go on with his work of collecting funds
for the purely imaginary Home of Or
| phans of Reformed Zulu Cannibals. but
| for the present he had intended keeping
! dark. Now, however, chance had thrown
in his way two fat geese ready for the
! plucking. He turned to Mrs. Bunker.
ct presume pa :aave, Sister, since your
| arrival in New York. interested yourself
| in the field of benevolence?"
| IT been knittin' some socks for the
/ Belgians an givin' few cents now and
| then for somethin' or other" said Mrs.
Bunker.
I "And noble works. all of them.'' said
Mr.. Griffin heartily. '.The suffering
Belgians! How the heart bleeds! Alas"
| Eyes, don't iti" said Mrs. Bunker. 'But
DO you know Mrs. WINNER" said the
Fake Cleric, turning to the landlady.
| chat there is suffering tenfold more dire
at this moment IN Tasmania? Have you
heard Of the sufferings of the converted
Doodags? A pitiful. pitiful case! Mos
| lens the Doodags were until our Mission
| aries ventured upon Tasmania's shores
| and converted the little tribe. and now
! they are surrounded by Moslem foes-by
the Bilhaks. the Jigmiks, the Tolteks and
| the Hiptags."
/. "My, my! Do te1l!" exclaimed Mrs
/ Bunker.
| Eyes. Sister Bunker" said Mr.
Griffin. eft Is a sad case. The Doodags,
| our meek brothers with brown skins. are
| made the victims of the most cruel per-
secutions. Their fields are burned over.
their homes are robbed. their children are
carried into captivity. They starve in
the midst of plenty. The Bilhaks and
the Hiptags wax fst while the faithful
| Doodags die of starvation
i Cant something be did," asked Mrs.
| Bunker with feeling.
| Something is being DONE" said Mr..
| Griffin sadly. '-but not as much as we
would like to be able to do. 1t Is hard
| indeed to raise the money when all
charitable purses are pouring their con-
tents into Europe. My own time give
freely. It is all have to give, but
give it freely. When reflect that ten
thousand dollars would save forty thou
sand faithful lives among the Doodags,
and when I ponder over the unfortunate
fact that in the last three months have
been able to raise only three thousand
i He raised and lowered his hands in token
Of despair. 1.-THE little childrenI Thou
! added In choking voice. 'They dfe!"
l IF 1 can help" Mrs. Bunker began
but Jabez placed his foot firmly on her
toe, and she stopped.
THANK you, dear Sisterv' said Mr.
Griffin. and picked up his knife and
fork. ''I will speak to you anon. It is
no fit subject to dwell on at this bounte-
Gus board. where digestion requires a
mind free from sorrowful thoughts
f It was not until they were in their
room again that Mrs. Bunker mentioned
the Doodags Of Tasmania. She had set
tied herself into her chair with a sigh
of satisfaction and had taken up her
knitting.
i "Jebez," she said in her simple kindly
way, ST feel like I ought to give my
mite for them Doodags."
well, Ma, give, if you feel that way"
said her husband.
FOr q lew AiioAtiehlS Hirs. BUNKER XIII
in silence.
:. At reckon you could spare five dollars,
JaAez, for them Doodags." she suggested.
Ordinarily Mr.. Bunker would have put
his hand in his pocket at such a hint:
he was a generous husband.
Five dollars!' he exclaimed. Five
dollars! If you amt just like a won1-
an, Ma! Five dollars. and forty thou
, sand of them Doodags starvin' to death:
, The trouble with all you women is.
you putter out your money SO 1t don t
do nobody no good.-a dollar here and
a dollar there.-and when you hear of
| a cause that really ought to- be helped
and that really needs help. you talk
about five dollars!"
Mrs Bunker's kindly old face beaned.
| "Jabez." she exclaimed. IF you amt
; the best man in the world! It's just like
, you knew was aching to give a real
good sum to Reverend Grimm! Jabez. do
YOU suppose 1 could give him a-a thou