DISCUSSION. 15 



for, but I found paper had been chewed up into mice nests. After I had 

 the pantry cleaned out I had to clean out the cellar, so that, as a matter 

 of fact, I did not get to go church, neitner did I prepare the talk thai 

 1 was to give here today. 



In arranging the program 1 had the presence of mind to put Mr. 

 McMuUen down for the opening address, expecting that he would talk 

 all the afternoon, and in that event, I would not have to say anything. 

 In this case, again, my presence of mind did not avail me anything, it 

 didn't work out to do me any good. 



There were some Jews that went down to Florida during the winter 

 and got mixed up in a railroad wreck, but none of them got hurt very 

 badly. But representatives of the railroad interviewed them soon after- 

 wards, and Jacob said he would settle for $500. Little later on he 

 heard that Isaac had settled for $2,500, so he went around to see him. 

 He says: "Isaac, how is this? I heard you got $2,500. I settled for 

 $500." Isaac said: "When that car turned over I had the presence of 

 mind to kick Rachel in the face. So I had some damages coming." 



I told the committee that if they would hold their summer meeting 

 here we would have a house full of people at the meetings — have a 

 band out to meet them and all that. At that time I was park commis- 

 sioner of "VVymore and everything was going along smoothly. I thought 

 we could do it. But I have been removed as park commissioner — I have 

 been removed twice. Every time they remove me they put three men 

 in my road— that is, they try to. They used to say "it took two tailors 

 to make a man;" but there it is again about history, and I can't give 

 it straight — but it takes two men to fill a position here. We have two 

 park commissioners. One has lost interest in horticulture. They 

 are overlooking one-half of our interest. 



We have got our saloons, too. We have been working to get rid of them 

 for a good while, but they slipped in on us this spring. But we have 

 a wonderful sentiment in favor of parks. We have embarked on the 

 greatest park system ever known. Down here by the depot there Is a 

 plot of ground consisting of several lots. I have been preaching this 

 park matter for a long time, and when the question carhe up as to what 

 they should do with that plot of ground, or how to get rid of it, someone 

 said: "Oh, go up and ask McCandlass, that crazy old fool! He will 

 take it for a park." So they didn't have to come up and see me. The 

 idea had got started. I drafted the ordinance and it has been read the 

 first time. The people are in favor of it, and we are going to take that 

 and plat it for a park and add it to the park system of Wymore. We 

 will move the depot farther along toward the west, and we will have 

 a park there of 700 or 800 feet long. The council meets tonight and I 

 believe it will adopt the ordinance. It will be a great improvement 

 to the city, and it will have a great tendency to give our town a horti- 

 cultural beauty to people who pass through here on the cars. Some of 

 you have seen some of our beer houses and I know you have expressed 



