The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-17
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)

For the reason that they warm one
to a gentle glow and add zest to the
days work, let US consider the critics.
Enel object to the profligate and per
column. He says it makes him sick,
and he really doesn't care anything
about it. 1t is merely that he wants
to pick at something. But we are
in an accommodating mood and We
don't mind Illuminating the matter for
him, which we shall endeavor to do in
succeeding paragraph.
A column may be grave or gay. 1t
may be humorous or acerbetic- 1t may
be, and frequently is, duh and medi-
; OGRE. But always and ever 1t rides on
the personality OF the columnist. A
column which does not reflect the
personal note is fish-eyed and lack
| lustrous. To most of our lucubrations
the editorial "we'' is better suited than
the perpendicular pfonoun. That's
the reason we use it. 1t is the reason
little sickness on the part of a Gus
toner is nothing to US.
r. H. S. thinks Mr.. Waldo was%'kid-
ding the column. He says the one to
which reference was made was the
worst we have written in many
months. AS to that we agree perfect
| Iy.A And we claim to be judge of
bad columns-we've written SO many
Of them.
We have, we go on to say as the golf
course beckons us, written more bad
columns than any ether man in the
business.
''I am lady voter" writes Irene s.,
Ford will run for president" Well,
! that is practically what we told the
| leaders of a certain western legislature
the night they got together and de-
cided to submit the beneficence of
equal suffrage to a vote of the people.
Quantity Production.
Sir-"Their working quarters were
so cold that in the winter months Ford
J and Wills sometimes had to stop work
for an hour or SO and engage In a
round of boxing" writes B. G. Forbes
| in your favorite newspaper. Apart
from the spectacle of Henry engaging
| in a boxing bout, it ought to have been
distinctly stimulating to witness a
round of boxing that lasted ''for an
hour or So w n. T.
Offhand, we should say THE De-
tour" one of the new plays on view
in New York. is a tragedy.
That, we fear is a trifIe too subtle
Tor the hlLeraTy lO1SGSb COllilO
"fillums," but you'll have to admit it S
snappy.
Speaking of detours, we are some
how reminded of the experience of
Mrs Jennie S. Ferris, late an inmate
of one of Delaware's eleemosynary in
situations. Mrs. Ferris wanted to be a
bearded lady in circus. She had, as
it were, the groundwork-the err
rudiments of the profession. So, as
she explained it. lin order to have
the requisite time, freedom from
worry and means of support to grow
the beard" she stole three horses.
and thus insured herself an election
to the penitentiary during the period
of incubation. 1t is interesting to
know that Mrs. Ferris attained her
objective and that her beard is now
four inches long. That is the story; we
give it as we got it.
Now it seems to US, after having
duly considered the objective. that
was the longest~and most unnecessary
detour in the history of devious ways
and uncharted bypaths.
We can adjust other moral lessons
to the incident. One of them is that
Mrs. Ferris prizes a beard too highly.
Another is that, popular theory to the
contrary Notwithstanding, a woman.
When. dressed, can do it,