John Henry
on
Christmas
Presents
. . i
By GEORGE V.HOBART J
A! Did you ever
take what little
was left and start
out to buy friend
wife a Christinas
token T
A quaint pastime,
la It not T
Well, to make a
long story lose Ita
running, I clinked
a Cow Iron men to
gether one morn
ing recently and
started out to find
something new and
nifty In the gift
line for Peaches.
I was breectng for
ft department store when 1 ran across
Hep Hardy, limping In the direction
of a tailcab stand.
"Up late, aren't you. Hep?" I In
quired, glancing at the Waterbiry.
"I sure am running behind my Ached
ale this morning, John, Hep wheezed.
-Accident" .
"What's the matter? Fuse bl6w, but
and-ldsve you and your favorite bar
tender In darkness?" I ventured.
"Nix," he answered: "I interpolated
a nw step In the Tango about Ave
this a. m. and my partner, an. Impul
sive little thing from Spokane, didn't
get my signal, with the result that she
stepped on me and lost qne of her
French neels somewhere between. my
ankle and my Instep. I had to wait
till a Doctor Shop was open so he
could probe for it. The medicine ped
dler found it all, right and tfly left
wheel Is a bit wobbly, but lit be In
the roped arena tonight when -the bell
rings, clamoring for my favorite, rag,
you can pet on that, John,. ohl . pal."
"The dance bug has you, .fox ..fair,
hasn't It, Hep?" 1 laughdd!.. ' ". .
"Not at all.' Hep came back;" ''but
like a lot o"f other ginks who have' been
going through life with stoop 'shoul
ders and plantation feet I've suddenly
discovered how to be graceful and 1
have to stay up ail night to see It
other people notice it. Where are you
folng?' , ., ,
"I'm going down to see ona of those
stores and make a fool out of ftfty dol
larslittle Christmas present for
Peaches," I answered. " ' '
"Fifty dollnrs!" Hep sneered. "Say.
John, if 1 had a wife, and we were
speaking to each other, fifty dollars
wouldn't buy the ribbon around the
bundle. Fifty dollars! You make a
noise like a pike." , , '
"Sure!" I snapped back. "If you
had a wife you'd take her down to
your favorite jewelry store and let the
clerks throw diamonds at her till they
fell exhausted. But I'm just a- regular
'-'.1'' ' j
one of those department store mobs
and have a crowd of perfect ladles use
yon for ft doormat?
I got mine!
They certainly taught me the Huer
ta glide, 11 right!
At the door a nice young man with
a pink necktie and a quick forehead
bowed to me.
"What do you wish?" he asked.
"Well l said. "I'm down here to
get a Christmas present for friend
wife. I would like something which
would afford her great pleasure when
I give it to her and which I conld use
afterward as a penwiper or a Ashing
rod.'
"Second floor- -to the righttake
the elevator, said the man.
Old you ever try to take an eleva
tor in a department store and find
that 3,943 other American citizens and
citizenettes were also trying to take
the same elevator?
How sweet it Is to mingle In the
anus of utter strangers and to feel
the pressure of a foot we never hope
to meet again!
I was standing by one of the coun
ters on the second floor when a shrill
voice crept up over a few bales of dry
CITY FATHERS MEET
Report of City Me trlclan -Promoters
or flour Mill Want Hire
trlcal IUiUm
The regular routine business, with
a few extras, was transacted by the
city council at the regular meeting
Tuesday evening. All members
were present.
The report of the city electrician
for the light department for the
month ending November IS was in
spected and this showed a healthy In
crease over the previous month. The
gross earnings of the plant were
about the same as for the same
month last year. The water depart
ment is also in good shape financial
ly for the mpnth.
The city treasurer's report show
ed a halnncw on hand of $967.45 in
the Kcneral fund, with registered
warrants amounting to $7,294.66 un
paid. The balance on hand In the
water fund was $202.69, $1,000 In
vested in general fund warrants not
being included in this. Omitting the
$5,814.05 invested in general fund
warrants there was a balance in the
light fund of $3,151.30. The ceme
tery balance was $187.44.
The report by Police Magistrate T.
D. Roberts showed that fines and
costs to the amount of $181 had been
collected during the month.
Charles Tash was granted a license
to w're houses for electricity.
Last week Mayor Romig ordered a
half-ton of coal for a destitute fam
ily. This - action met with- the ap
proval of the board and the bill was
ordered paid.
A communication was r ecelved
from the men w ho are figuring on
the Installation of a flour mill here,
In regard to electrical rates. These
people, if they locate here, will be
the largest users of city juice - in
town, and they ask that they be given
a special rate. The matter was turn
ed over to the city electrician, who
A Lot of Eager Dames Were Pawlnfl
Over Soma Chinchilla Ribbon.
human being, working for a living, and
every time i see a hundred dollar bill
1 get rea in the lace and want a drink
ot water, iou know. Hep, my father
didn t spend nis lite wrapping it up in
bundles and throwing it into an iron
voodshed against the time i became
Id enougn to use it as a torch!"
'bay!' chirped Hep, who nadnt
paid the slightest attention to what 1
was saying. wby don t you get her an
emerald necklace T borne idea what?
1 saw one toe other day for $3,000,
Wait a minute! in give you ft pard to
the manager. '
"Uiv it to the chauffeur, l'Batd as
1 pushed Hep into the taxi. "By the
timi ne gets vou noma you'll owe him
enough to Duy emeralds. '
Then l lett aim fiat and moseyed
oil lor a department store to get ft
Christmas present tor friend wite.
Bay l aid you ever get tangled up In
The Pale Young Woman Fainted.
goods and said, "Are you a buyer or
a handler?"
"I am looking for a Christmas pres
ent for friend wife," I answered "1
want to get something that will look'
swell on the parlor table and may be
used later on as a tobacco Jar or a
trouser stretcher!"
"Fourth floor to the left take the
elevator!" said the shrill voice, but
shriller.
With bowed head I walked away.
I began to feel so ry for friend wife.
Nobody seemed to be very much In
terested whether she got Christmas
present or not.
On the fourth floor I stopped at a
counter where a lot of eager dames
were pawing over some chinchilla rib
bon and chiffon oversklrts.
It reminded me of the way an emo
tional hen digs up a grub in the garden.
1 enjoyed the excitement of the game
for about ten minutes and then I
said to the clerk behind the counter
who was refereelng the match, "Can
you tell me where I can buy a ster
ling silver Christmas present for
friend wife which I could use after
ward as a night key or a bath sponge?"
"Fifth floor to the rear take the
elevator!" said the clerk.
On the fifth floor I went over to a
table where a young lady was selling
"The Life and Libraries of Andrew
Carnegie" at four dollars a month and
fifty cents a week, and in three years
It is yours If you don't lose the re
ceipts.
She gave me a glad smile and I felt
a thrill of encouragement.
"Excuse me," I said, "but I ara look
ing for a Christmas present for friend
wife which will make all the neigh
bors Jealous, and which I can use aft-
terward as an ash receiver or a pocket
flask."
The young lady cut out the giggles
and pointed to the northwest.
I went over there.
To my surprise I found another
counter.
A pale young woman was behind It
1 was Just about to ask her the fatal
question when a young man wearing
a ragtime expression on bis face
rushed up and said to the pale young
lady behind the counter: "I am look
ing for a suitable present for a young
lady friend of mine with golden brown
hair. Could you please suggest some
thing?"
The pale young woman showed her
teeth and answered him In a low,
rumbling voice, and the man went
away.
Then came an old lady who said: "1
bought some organdie dress goods for
a shirt waist last Tuesday, and 1 would
like to exchange them for a music box
tor my daughter's little boy, Kreddie,
it you please!
The pale young woman again showed
her teeth and the old lady ducked tor
cover.
After about fifty people had rushed
up to the pale young wonan jnd then
"ushed a ay again, t weiu over an'
spoke to ner.
"I am looking,' i seld. "for a Cn--
mts present tor trlrrcn t
wll draft ft scale of prices for them
and other large consumers.
A letter received from Attorney W.
J. Connell, o f Omaha, expressed his
aproval of the action of the Jury In
the recent damage suit against the
city and prophesied that the cfty
would be victorious In the other
cases.
A communication from Secretary
Fisher was read. In regard to the
accumulation of papers and rubbish
on the side streets. It was request
ed that the city take some action In
this matter, as the unslghtllness Is
not conductive of the best opinions
on the part of outsiders w ho visit
Alliance.
The city has been planning on
having the books audited, and two
communications In regard to this
matter were r ecelved. One of them
was from an Omaha man who agreed
to furnish his services a t $10 per
day, together with railroad fare to
Alliance. He also agreed to system
atize the books of each department
and Inject new methods o f keeping
them. No action was taken regard
ing the matter, as the council con
sldered his services rather too valu
able to himself.
The matter of removing the light
poles on the Drake lot was taken up
with Vice President Byram of the
Burlington ft few days ago, In an ef
fort to get permission to move the
poles onto the edge of the Burlington
right-of-way. The request was re
fused, and the city's only course Is to
pay Mr. Drake rent for the space oc
cupied by the., eight poles. It was
said that the potato cellar people se
cured a permit from the Burlington
and that they now have four poles
on the right-of-way.
Regarding the rates for the pro
posed flour mill, the city electrician
reported that thlB load could be han
dled without raising the expenses of
the plant.
Caretaker Moscrlpt, of Greenwood
cemetery, reported that the cemetery
had been cleaned and the graves re
trimmed. He also reported that sev
eral of the g raves were out of ltne
several feet. The matter of dyna
miting the ground for spring tree
planting was taken up. J. P. Barger
agreed to dynamite the ground at the
rate of fifteen cents ft shot. The
cemetery committee was given auth
ority to make the necessary arrange
ments. Mayor Romig stated that word had
reached him that the city hall base
ment, or the police station, was be
ing used as soliciting ground tor
lawyers who are ocmplalnt chasers.
Chief Jeirers said he had seen none
of this. It was o rdered that the
police station be used only as a mag
istrate's office hereafter.
The council will sit as ft boar.l of
equalisation at their next meeting
night, which will be Tuesday, Janu
ary 11.
Miss Vera Spencer Is expected
home Sunday from Hastings college
to spend the holidays with home
folks.
THE BEST
$45 strictly all
oak tanned
western Double
Team Harness on earth, with Breech
ing, and collars, for $36.
Hame tugs, 1 in. with three
oops and patent buckle. Traces 2
in. solid single ply, with cockeyes.
THE FRED MUELLER SADDLE &
HARNESS CO.
1413-15-17-19 Larimer Street,
Denver, Colo.
Truth Ever
Will
'Prevail!
By MOSS.
Up to date business
men thoroughly under
stand modern advertising
as a business proposition.
They fully realize that
they buy advertising serv
ice as a wholesale selling
agent, just as they em
ploy salesmen.
They keep their names
and goods before the pub
lic to make sales or cre
ate a demand. They do
this honestly or else they
ultimately fail.
Our local merchants
are doing this truthfully
and in a businesslike
manner. Consider their
ads., carefully and take
advantage of inducements
they offer you.
W. H. C. Woodhurst, of Nortk
Platte, a member of the state legis
lature, is in the city adjusting the
fire loss on the Reo auto which burn
ed last week. Mr. Woodhurst Is aa
insurance expert.
?
0)
0)
IP
On account of being hailed out, resulting in a shortage of feed, I have decided
to sell at Public Auction, at my farm
VALLEY VIEW FIELD FARM
18 miles southwest of Hemingford, near Canton, Nebr., on
M
9
0)
my horses, mares and colts, as follows:-
16 - HEAD OF HORSES -16
r jTiiese Horses consist of ome very choice and attractive young brood mares-.
good size and good bone. All but one are broke to harness. Two are br d to
eood Shire horse, believed to be with foal.
Description of Horses;-
Black Mare (bred to Shire horse), 4 years old.
Bay Mare (not bred), 4 years old.
Bay Mare (not bred), 4 years old.
These young mares are large, good bone and action.
be classy brood mares. VERY PROMISING.
Black Fillcy, very nice, 2 years old.
Shire Horse Colt, very promising, 2 years old.
Black Horse Colt, good, 1 year old.
Good Milk Cow, will calve soon. This cow is
Pole Durham.
FOLLOWS:
Large Brown Horse, old. .
Bay Horse, old.
Bay Horse (good single driver), 9 years old.
Bay Horse (a good work horse), 10 years old.
Grey Horse (a good work Horse), 10 years old.
Black Horse (a good work horse), 9 years old.
Grey Horse (good cattle pony), 9 years old.
Large Shire Horse (good work horse), 9 years old.
Bay Mare (bred to Shire horse), 9 years old.
Bay Mare (bred to Shire horse), 4 years old.
IMPLEMENTS AS
Will
registered
2 Sattley sulky Breaking Plows, in good order.
1 Drill with seed attachment, in good order.
1 Two-seat Top Buggy. N
1 Two-seat Spring Wagon.
The above property will be offered at Public Sale to the highest bidder. No
"Rv'-biddino:". Horses are all as described.
TEiAlS: Cash or bankable note with interest, to be approved by clerk.
N property to be removed until terms of sale are complied with.
Hot coffee and sandwiches served during sale.
j: W. M. ROBINSON, Owner
J. N. ADAMS, Superintendent.
FOSKETT & GRIMES, Auct. K. L. PIERCE, Clerk.