The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-27
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.l
EAST Lirerpool, ohio, Sent. 1s.

will have the distinction, such as it is,
of carrying the East Liverpool date
line for the first time in history. 1t |
is inconceivable that anything of suf-
fieient news value to get into the pub |
lie prints ever happened here. A man
owes something to his friends. If he
writes a letter from East Liverpool, |
Ohio, it is incumbent upon him to ex-
plain how he got there and why, once
having arrived, he remained. We
drove into Wheeling at noon today
happy and earefree, or as happy and
earefree as married felix's who have
been continuously in each others COM
pany for two and one-half days can
be. We had an excellent lunch on
the terrace of the hotel overlooking
the Ohio river and watched the repsta-
bouts load the steamer General Wood,
Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, with miscel-
laneeus merchandise. 1t was thrill
ing scene At any rate, it was thrilling
to me, because right there before my
own eyes was demonstrated beyond
the shadow of doubt the fact that
some of the workingmen in this coun-
try are working. 1t was after we had
finished lunch that Adelaide had her
brilliant idea. Our immediate OBJ
jective was Canton, O., and we had
before us an easy drive of eighty miles
and the haven offered by Adelaide's
friends and relatives. The haven
which Adelaidels friends and relatives
offer is a considerable one. They all
have large, comfortable homes and
stocked cellars. They have an
excellent golf course and their eve
ming piquet game always yields me
something. They have tried it many
times and never have beaten me yet.
And so, when Adelaide sprung her
brilliant idea | was Juggling at the bit
and rearing to go.
Adelaide's idea was that we should
look up the Automobile club and make
inquiry concerning the most desirable
route and the general condition of the
roads. I had my own notion as to the
route and was willing to take chance
on the roads, but. everything was SO
peaceful hated to tnterpelate sour
note. So 1 told Adelaide to go ahead
and interview the Automobile club
while permitted the hotel barber to
| interregate me in certain intimate and
personal matters and tell me his life's
story. Adelaide came back with
startling information. In effect it was
that the roads of southwestern Ohio
were all under repair, and that Sthe
only practicable way to reach Canton
was to take the river road on the
West Virginia side and cross over at
East Liverpool. The gentleman at
the Automobile club didn't say the
road was good, but he did suggest
that We drive carefully. We did;
a column for this newspaper. For
hours 1 drove along a thin line on
the edge of a pFeeipice 20o feet above
| the Ohio river. 1t wasn't hard
surfaced road; it wasn't any kind of
| a road All that was definite about
| it was that the foot of man had at
some previous time preceded us over
| the route. There were numerous
sharp corners at which the PROV of
the boat hung for a time over the
/ H.
left the river we turned into wood
road up hill. 1t was two miles to
the summit, the road was four feet
wide, the surface was yellow clay and
| a succession of chuck holes We
descended that hill and Immediately
| began to climb andother which pre-
scented an exterior Identical with the
/ first. At the bottom of the first hill
| there was a sign which will always
| puzzle me. 1t said, LOOK out for the
coal truck" Since two vehicles could
| not possibly have passed on that side
| hill road, L shall always be curious to
| know what good it did me to look out
| for the truck-what good it could do
anybody-and what could have been
done about it in case we.had met 1t.
We did see the truck, however. 1t
was parked by the roadside just be-
yond the brow of the hill, and it was
pointed downward. Thus We spent
| the afternoon. 1t would make I bet
ter story to say the roads grew worse
as we proceeded. But they didn't.
| They maintained very even eandi-
1 ton all the way. When we drove into
| East Liverpool at 6:36 o'clock we had
| made forty miles. 1t was in aus hotel
| room at East Liverpool, Immediately
| after our arrival. that Adelaide. and
agreed we would never speak
sharply or uhkindIy to each other
| again. And we haven't as yet
Nearly every town in this country
located in the vicinity of a hill high
enough to be described as preeipice
maintains a Lovers Lean" which is
famed in local song and story. GEN
orally speaking, the legend is framed
about one of the feminine gender
1 Outlines it is an Indian maiden VINO,
despairing of the return of her war
rior from the hunt or the wars, is re-
1 puted to have leaped from a certain
Iroek into the depths below Less fire.
quently it is a white lady. But the
jump inevitably is made by some one
crossed in love OF mourning for a de-
parted mate. And that is why McCol-
llough's Leap, on the hill above Wheel
ing, stands out in leaping lore and
distinguishes itself. McColiougn didn't
do it for love or because he was in a
hurry to join one who had preceded
him to the Happy Hunting Grounds.
He did it to save his skin. Mccullough
was an intrepid. daring Indian fighter
who, because of his success in his
chosen calling, was much hated by the
redmen. One dark night the treacher-
Gus redskins got MeColloueh in
Ipoeket just above the point where
Wheeling now stands. They sur
Grounded him on three sides and drove
him up to the edge of the precfRice.
AS a Caucasian, I relate with some
pride the fact that Mccullough did
not falter. He wasn't even stumped-
Being mounted, he spurred his steed
over the edge of the precipice and
landed on the jagged rocks 400 feet
below. Neither Mccullough nor his
Imount was much injured. Both sur
Ivited the incident by many years. But
the redskins were greatly discounted.
That is the story. I am disposed to
doubt it, because the feat was neither
h1a NOR r1aTSihle bY1t VVhenIfp