The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-17


sampling my gore while was seeking
cover in my little hotel bed that night.
At last, with hat and net on, was flat
on my back with hatbrifn holding up
the net over my face with the lower
end of the net tucked snugly under
the bedclothes, laughing at the dis
appointed little devils, and telling
them what thot of them. But short
". the concord. harmony-or what
ever it was-of their congregational
rendition of-as I now recall it-'How
dry I ami" lulled me to sleep, with
the tip of my nose about half an inch
below the netting-just out of their
reach.
In what seemed to me not over a
minute. I awoke suddenly. almost GER
tain that somebody had built bon
fire on the end of my nose; but
ommotion similar, I imagine, to a
thing-played by a dozen inebriated
bagpipers and Topeka's biggest cream
cry siren, both under full steam, con-
WINGED me that the mosquitoes had
somehow gotten "onto" the peak of
my system. 1t took three strong-arm
movements on my part to shove 'em
loose-and gosh, how that nose
smarted,
over at "Yim's place" during our
visit, to provide for "bobbers' for
still-fishing on our trip, put several
beer corks in my pocket While fig
uring on a nose-armor, something in
the old bean said: use a cork!"
slipped one arm out of bed. grabbed
my coat from chair alongside, and
before more than fifty mosquitoes got
a jab at me 1 had it under cover.
I took a cork and my knife with cork
screw attachment from my coat pick
ct, and, by feeling, opened the blade,
cut the cork about three-quarters thru
lengthwise, pulled the cut end apart
and stuck it on the end of my poor
old nose, like a clothespin, and when
1 again turned on my back used IT
for a centerpole for my life-saving
tent. And the next thing I knew
Doc" Goodwin was pounding on my
door and calling: IF y'want any
breakfast, Willie. y better hump your
self" Doc, On certain occasions
usually after noon, however-called
me willie
After breakfast, melted and gloved,
all our party, except Guy, who said
he had a date that forenoon, were
standing in front of the hotel. when
somebody said, Gee, that old engine
must be eatin' up coali" as he pointed
east down the railroad, where a low
down dense black cloud seemed com
ing our way. "Ho-hoi" snorted our
landlord from the doorsill; Them
amt smoke! Them bane skeeters."
Soon, however, the cloud began to
sort of dissipate-get lighter and light
Grand in few minutes had entirely
disappeared. Our Scandinavian Boni-
face told US, when asked where they
had gone: Jus scattered out" Then,
with a seemingly sympathetic grin:
''Mebby waitin' Tor GU fellers."
Deciding that it would be better to
fight mosquitoes while fishing in the
Snake river. a mile or two away, than
caravan ready that day. we started,
with tackle and lunch as directed,
up the railroad to an irrigation ditch,
and follow the ditch and you can't
miss the Snake and mebby a few
Skeeters." The sun was hot, and
Anderson hot-blooded little rooster
shed coat and vest, leaving them at
the hotel despite the landlords Bet
ter don't" Mr.. A. done fine"-for
a while,-sorry for our heavy toys.
Down the irrigation-ditch, he was
just in front of me, in his rather light
weight flannel shirt. The mosquitoes
spotted" him right soon. Well, Billy
always was favorite. so far as I
know. I'll bet I smashed 10000 mos
quitoes on his back before we got to
the Snake, where we built him a
grass-weed- brush overcoat so thick
that no skeeter dared tackle it.
Next morning, Doc, who slept with
him. said Billy's back felt as rough as
hop-toad, but feverish.
At about 10 o'clock, in a cloud of
dust and a heap of racket, Bill Will
liams word was made good. as a large
two-box, mountain wagon, with two
back. motivated by four nervous lit
tie range bronchos, and piIoted by
that gentleman, stopped before our
hotel. followed by a man on horseback,
leading two other pintoes. also sad
died and bridled; and the whole ag-
gregation, closely looked after by mos
quitees enough to cause even Mr..
Anderson, who had all the morning
brazenly and bullheadedly staggered
about without coat or vest, to hunt
cover" with much celebrity.
With the aid of several two-evening
pals We quickly had everything ship
shape in the wagon; then with Jess
Billy and Guy on horses Charley and
Doc. on the hind seat and myself in
front with Bill-all netted but Bill,
who snorted: Nav! I'm no DANCED
tenderfoot!" when we offered him one
we were ready to start. So were
three of the broncs-at first. As soon.
as the hesitater got ready. another
tongue and leather for a spell, then
to the Outstanding citizens he snarIed:
Gives a shovel"
Showing, pulling. yanking, slapping,
punching, yelling laughing they fin
ally got us off; then, on the run for
half a block, we turned to the left
down about twenty feet of rough.
dusty road into the bottom, ratified
across a plank bridge over a narrow
place in the lake out onto a road
where we began to find rnosquitoesi!I
When we started, our horses were
either dark sorel or bay. In two min
utes they were all gray with mos
quitoes-and that is no lieI Bill was
the only man-meat exposed, and there
was most beautiful halo about his
ducking, bobbing. switching head.
Jess handed me a fafr-sized tree.
Shall I shoe EN- for the Old-Timer.
Bill?" I asked our friend
Yes, dang 'emi" he roared. 'Cive-
nell! Harder! Can't hurt me-Im
no tenderfooti"
In about five minutes we crossed
the Snake river bridge, and in short
order were on higher ground, with no
mosquitoes in sight or hearing. Then
those nets were a bloomin' nuisance:
but we tucked them carefully away.