Nebraska Newspapers

    The Frontier.
rum.TSIIKI) EVERY THURSDAY ltY
JAMES II. IiraOS, Editor and Prop.
CIO. D. RICOS, Associate Editor.
Ca, 1 Rarki.y, ifever before, in the HIS
te TORY OF THIS COUNTRY HAS TURKIC BERN
£ A TIME WIIKN TIIK PROCEEDS OF ONK
DAY S LABOR OR TUB PRODUCT OF ONK
i FARMED ACRE WOULD PURCHASE SO
LARUE AN AMOUNT OF THOSE THINGS
THAT ENTER INTO TIIK LIVINO OF TIIK
MASSES OF TIIK PEOPLE.— Prcsulent Har
rison's Message.
Remember the little ones at Christ
inas time.
-. .«» *-—•
The store windows of O'Neill prosent
a pleasing slirht to the eye of the Christ*
mas buyer.
There is every indication that the Re
publican party will achieve a grand'vio
lory in 1892.
■ i It is estimated that the cost of run
ning the government at Washington
for the next year will be 8409,000,000.
Mu. Harrison and Mr. Blaine undor
stand each other thoroughly, and if one
is a candidate the other's name will not
be presented.
And now Mr. Cleveland says he
doesn’t want the presidential nomina
tion. He has Ruth, and that’s enough
glory at present, thanks.
Ai>Ij will admit that you are entitled
to • (bare of the sheriff's patronage,
! Messrs. Alianct-Tribune “reformers.” If
The Frontier gets noue Tub Frontier
la not only able to stand It but will
makenokiok. Nehlier will It “let up"
if it gets a share. The A.- T. is entitled
to all it will get. no doubt of it.
The political breezes seem to be blow
ing gently through the long, luxuriant
whiskers worn by our osteeined friend
Mr. Joseph Hartley of Atkinson. Tub
Phontieh is pleased to sen the iiame of
one of Holt county's distinguished citi
sens mentioned so prominently in con
nection with the nomination of a candi
date for state treasurer: Mr. Bartley's
ability is well known, aud Holt county
; ’ is entitled to recognition by the nexi
state convention. For state treasurer in
1893, "Our Joe,” of Atkinsou.
Tub Frontier feels like congratulat
ing Judge Klnknid on the good judge
ment or good politics or what not dis
played in the appointment of Mr. J. .1,
King as his court reporter and we wish
to again say that we consider Mr. King
in all respects worthy and competent
and rejoice with his many friends at his
good fortune. If the judge will follow
this up with some needed reforms in
other respects we will givo him all due
credit. Let him do his duty as a Repub
lican and as an official and he will
strengthen himself with the people.
Preston B. Pm mu of Kansas died of
apoplexy in Washington Sunday morn
ing last. Mr. Plumb has represented
the state of Kansas in the United States
senate for three terms, and was ono or
the hardest workers and most influential
members of that body. Although not
' possessed of the brilliant oratorical pow
ers that havo made the name of Ingalls
so famous in the halls of congress, he
was nevertheless the favorite son of
Kansas, and has been for years the most
important factor in the politics of the
Sunflower state. The overwhelming Kl
> publican victories recorded in that state
j-- this fall were to a very great extent dm
to the personal enery and popularity of
Senator Plumb. lie has been a resident
of Kansas since 1838, and his first busi
ness venture was the publication of n
country newspaper. He was a practical
printer, and while publishing a news
paper in those early days he spent his
spare moments studying law, being ad
mitted to the bar in 1861. He was one
of those men who never rest, and the
real cause of bis death was overwork.
The slate of Kansas has lost a most
worthy citizen and the government of
the United States a valued servant.
Major Domo, writing in last week's
A.:T. concerning tbe character of John
Skirving and others whom it is unneces
sary to mention shows himself to he
either a knave or a fool. He seems to
think thnt anyone who does not -come
up to his standard of excellence or see
everything just as be does is not fit to
associate with men of his high standard.
Well, now, that is curious. And because
the editor of Tub Frontier does not
happen to run his pat er to suit Major
Domo, that worthy fhinks the aforesaid
editor is not entitled to any considera
tion at the hands of the people.
As for Mr. John Skirving. The Fron
tier knows, and it has every possible
chance of knowing thoroughly and well,
that John Skirving is not an immoral
and intemperate man, and we believe
him far more worthy of confidence than
the sneak who, behind a nom de plume,
seeks to smirch the character of his fel
lowmen. True, John Skirving may have
faults, the same as other men, but he is
so far above the other character men
tioned (having left the county we will
not give his name) and Major Domo as
could be imagined, be be (the major) the
greatest saint on earth. John Skirving
is a gentleman, and that is more than we
believe Major Domo is entitled to be
Called.
Christmas, 1891
THREE CHRISTMAS CHIMES.
I.
Hearken! how the Christmas chime
Sings on earth Us song sublime!
"Seethe twain whose weary feet
Wander through the village street—
Doors are closed against the stranger.
See the Child, the meek and lowly,
Christ the mighty, the all holy.
Sloeping cradled iu a manger.”
Sing your Joy, O Christmas chime!
Let us keep the Christmas time.
Be the loaf of plenty doled.
Be the poor man's heart consoled.
Thus we koop the Christmas time.
II.
Hearken! still the Christmas chime
Bings on earth its song Nublime!
•‘Wondering shepherds see the night
Flooded with celestial light—
Wondering hear the angel message:
Come and let us kneel beforo him.
Let us Hnd him and adore him.
Peace on earth this child doth pres
age.”
Sing your joy, O Christmas chime!
Let us keep the Christmas time.
, Let all strife and hatred cease,
Kindness live, good will and peace.
Thus we keep the Christmas time.
Hearken! still the Christmas chime
Bings on earth its song sublimel
“Eagerly tlio Magi sped
By the wondrous star beam led,
•Gold and myrrh, and incense offer,
lie brings most-yes, he the nighest
Drawoth unto God the Highest
Who a heart of love doth proffor.”
Bing your Joy, O Christmas chime!
Let us keep tho Christmas time.
Lovo shall bo the law to bind
In one band all humankind.
Thus wo keep tho Christmas time.
—Century.
A LIVELY OLD PAIR.
Harders Flint, Esq., lawyer, sat alone
in his bachelor’s den in a big easy chair,
his feet incased in a pair of dilapidated
old slippers, resting on the fender, his
hands thrust half way into his trousers
pockets and his head bent forward until
his chin rested on his breast. On the
table beside him lay a couple of newspa
pers and a yellow covered law book,
open at the page he had been consulting.
Lawyer Flint was deep in perplexing
thought, to judge by the expression of
his face, for his brow was clouded and
his lips compressed, and occasionally he
turned his head toward the open volume
as if inclined to seek further aid from
it, but with a slight shake of the head
relapsed again into his former attitude.
He had sat thus for a long time when
there was a knock at tin door.
“Come in,” said the lawyer, without
looking up.
A servant girl entered, handed him a
note and withdrew.
Lawyer Flint opened the note, read it,
uttering an exclamation of impatience,
aroso and paced up and down the room.
“So Rolingold can’t meet me tomor
row because it’s Christmas," ho mut
tered, as he stalked across the floor; “ev
ery day is important in this matter and
yet lie, the one most interested, delays
proceedings twenty-four hours simply be
cause it happens to be Christmas. Gad I
I can’t see how a business man like Rol
ingold can be so foolish. Well,” he con
tinued, “let him take his holiday and
enjoy it if he can; I couldn’t. It's many
and many a long day since Christmas
interfered with my business.”
He returned to his chair, but the train
of his thought had been interrupted and
his face now wore a cynical, hard look
as he gazed into the crackling fire. Once,
long ago, his Christmas days had been
bright, too, but their brightness was ob
scured by more vivid recollections of
other Christmas times in later years,
when ambition and disappointment and
poverty and greed had steeled his heart
and left no room for Christmas thoughts.
Oh, the years that he had worked and
starved and hoarded to reach his present
condition of comfortable independence!
As ho looked back upon them now his
lips closed tighter and the bitterness
deepened in his face.
From a distant part of the house came
the sound of music, and the laughter of
children, and the hum of conversation.
But the lawyer remained motionless
with his head upon his breast.
Rat-tat, rat-tat, rattle-tattle, rattle
tattle, rat-tat, rattle-tattle, rat-tat-tat.
What was that? It seemed to come
from the closet at the other side of the
room. The lawyer went over and opened
the closet door; there was nothing to be
seen except a lot of old law books piled
upon the shelves and a pair of heavy old
boots on the floor.
“That noise must have’come from be
low stairs, after all,” he said, “but it
seemed to be right in the room; sounded
just like some one dancing on a bare
floor.”
“I was just thinking of Uncle Tom,”
he continued, “and there are the boots
the old man left here when he got his
new ones at the close of his visit, a
month ago. I must tell Joe to take them
away.”
He went over to the chair and sat
down again. “Uncle Tom,” he said to
himself. “Bah! I hope he enjoyed his
visit hero. I didn’t. I’d go crazy with
that blundering old man around me,
nudging me and slapping me on the
back, ’trying to get a little fun out of
me,’ as he said, with that everlasting,
good natured laugh of his. ‘Christmas
’ll soon be here,’ he said, as he was leav
ing, ‘ ’n I hope you’ll brace up, Harders,
and enjoy yourself. I'd show you how to
do it if I could stay with you.’ Well, I
wonder now what he’d do to show me
how to enjoy Christmas?” said the law
yer, as he settled down in his chair.
Again the sounds of laughter and con
versation came faintly from below. The
. violins struck up a lively air and
Rattle-te-tat-te, rattle-te-tat-te, rat-te
tattle-te-rattle-te-tat!
The lawyer looked quickly toward the
closet, the door of which he hod left
open. He rubbed his eyes and looked
again. Yes, there could be no mistake !
about it, there were Uncle Tom’s boots
stepping about on the closet floor, rat
tling oil the time with heel and toe,
sidling across and back, right boot first, !
left boot first, up with the right, up 1
V
with the left, and, as the musio grew
lender, np with both, crack! crack! the
heels cniue together twice in the air,
landing on the floor in exact time with
the music, and finishing np with a live
ly rattle-tat-te-rattle-tatfle, rat-tat-tat.
Then they came briskly over toward the
astonished lawyer exactly as though
they hud feet and legs in them. Over to
tho fire they walked, turned heels to
ward it and Btood there wide apart.
Involuntarily, Lawyer Flint glanced
np as if expecting to see the ruddy, jovial
face and portly form of his Uncle Tom.
There were the boots jnst as the old man
would have placed them, but Uncle Tom
was not there.
“Bless my soul!” exclaimed the law
yer, “but this is mighty curious.”
The toe of the right boot be&an tap
ping the carpet gently, then they moved
over to the window, stood still a mo
ment and then walked out into the hall
way,
“Gad!” said Lawyer Flint excitedly,
“I believe they are going out I must
see the end of this thing.”
He threw off his dressing gown, hur
ried into his shoes, overcoat and hat, and
followed the boots out of the street door,
which hud opened at their approach.
Down tho steps they tripped gayly and
turned toward the brilliantly lighted
avenue. The still, sturlit night was bit
terly cold, and Lawyer Flint shivered as
he buttoned his heavy coat close up
ground his neck. Up the street he has
tened, following the empty boots, which
slipped sideways at every other step and
jammed their heels into the trodden
snow, but made their way rapidly, never
theless.
Around the corner, into the avenue, in
and out among the throngs of Christmas
eve pedestrians, dodging here and there,
stepping on toes, stopping in front of
show windows, kicking themselves to
gether and stamping on the ground—
thus went the old boots, and after them
followed the excited lawyer.
They turned into a big store. “Now,”
thought Lawyer Flint, as he entered
the door, “some one will be sure to see
them,” but strange to say, the boots
were entirely unnoticed by the buzzing,
laughing, happy people who thronged
the store.
The lawyer leaned against the toy
counter and watched the boots as they
shuttled around on the floor.
‘‘Something for the little ones?”
The question was asked by a pretty
salesgirl, and it was addressed to Har
ders Flint. He started, and for the
first time realized that he was in a
rather peculiar position. Why was he
standing around there, the people would
ask, if he did not wish to buy? How
long would he he obliged to remain? He
couldn’t tell. Should he say that he
was waiting for those old boots? No,
no; he didn’t wish on any account to
call attention to the ridiculous perform
ance they were going through.
“Yes,” he said, coloring, “something
for the little ones;” aqd then he went
about selecting tin horns, and silver
bells, and woolly dogs, and wooden
monkeys, and trumpets, and checkers,
and dominoes, growing white and red
by turns as he thought of the fearful
extravagance, and, glancing furtively,
with increasing impatience and anger,
at the boots, which seemed livelier than
ever as his purchases increased.
“Seven dollars and forty cents, please,”
said the salesgirl.
Into the silver ball went a good ten
dollur bill! click, click, it shot upward
and slid across the cashier’s desk, while
the lawyer groaned and waited for his
change.
Kattle-te-tat-te, rattle-te-tat-te, rattle
te-tat-te, rat-ta-tat! went the old boots
close by his side. Several people looked
at him with smiles of amusement.
“Happy time, isn’t it?” said a jolly little
fat man, glancing at the lawyer’s big
bundle. “I feel like dancing myself.”
“Change, sir; thank you. Merry
Christmas!”
The exasperated lawyer grasped his
bundle and hurried after the boots,
which now seemed anxious to get away
from the store. When he struck the cold
air and again drew his coat around him
he seemed somehow to feel less annoy
ance. The excitement of the chase had
warmed his blood. It was a curious
feeling that began now to steal over him,
the like of which he had never experi
enced before, or at least not for many
years, he said to himself, as he stopped
before a candy store and followed the
boots inside.
“Candy for Christmas?” He smiled
almost to think that he. Harders Flint,
should hear such a question addressed to
himself, and more astounding yet was
the fact that he did want to buy some
candy for Christmas, and that he really
stood there, pocketbook in hand, wait
ing for it.
Uattle-te-tat, te-tat-te-tat!
A smile broke over the salesgirl's face
as she handed him the package of candy,
and away went the lawyer, after the
boots, which seemed determined to give
him a lively chase before the evening
was over. Again he was in the biting
air, but the warm blood coursed through
every vein in his body as he hurried
along. Again and again they stopped,
until the lawyer’s purse was nearly
empty and his arms more than full. The
old boots seemed fairly wild with de
light, and Lawyer Flint could not, to
Bave his life, help laughing at them as
they skipped and slipped and danced
along the sidewalk.
Away they led him, out of the avenue,
down the dark side streets, until he
heard the sound of children singing. In
this direction the old boots hastened and
stopped before the house from whence
the singing came. Up the steps they
went; the door opened, and somehow
the lawyer, too much flustered and con
fused to know how it was exactly, found
himself in a room filled with children,
and a lovely lady was saying to him:
‘•Ah! you're in time, sir. Thank you so
much. We haven’t distributed the pres
ents yet. You will make a good many
little hearts glad tonight, sir.” And all
around him was warmth and light and
music and a clattering of happy tongues,
and altogether snch a joyous atmosphere
as ke would not have believed could poft
libiy exist anywhere.
I
“Good eight! Merry Christmas!” The
sound rang in his ears as he followed
the lively old boots out of the door and
back through the dark streets into the
avenue.
“I wonder where they’ll take me
now?” he said, chuckling and laughing
softly. “Gad!” he continued, “I had
more than forty dollars in that pocket
book, and there isn’t enough left to—
hello! there they go into a cigar store.
H.in, cigars are too great a luxury for
Harders Flint; not tonight, though,” he
laughed. “I’ll smoke tonight,” and he
came out of the store a moment later
with a box of choice cigars in his hand.
And then the old boots led him back
at a moderate pace to his bachelor’s
quarters. He whistled softly as he re
moved his coat and got into his dressing
gown and slippers; then he lit a cigar,
threw himself into the big chair before
the fire and sat contentedly puffing the
fragrant smoke and watching it curl up
ward toward the ceiling, and he laughed
when from the closet he heard the old
boots dancing again.
Rattle-te, rattle-te, rattle-te-tat, rat
tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat
“They must be tired,” thought the
lawyer, as the lively rattle dwindled into
a regular monotonous tapping.
Then he started, sat up straight and
opened his eyes. The tapping did not
come from the closet, but from the hall
door. It was Joe, come to replenish the
fire.
“I’ve been dreaming,” said Lawyer
Flint to himself. He turned his back to
the fire, looked over toward the closet
and smiled. Then he walked to the
window and looked out into the street.
He took out his watch and looked at it,
while a light shone in his eyes and his
mouth worked curiously.
“There's time enough yet,” he said,
and Joe was surprised to see him hurry
on his coat and hat; but not half so sur
prised as he was when he stood alone in
the room a moment later with a big sil
ver dollar in his hand.—Morris Waite in
Detroit Free Press.
! -
CHRISTMAS CHEER.
First Turkey—What is your opinion
of Christmas, anyhow? Second Ditto—
Don’t ax me.—Philadelphia Inquirer.
A ring would he a very appropriate
gift for a Christmas belle.—Norristown
Herald.
The most useful Christmas present
this year would seem to be a pair of
goloshes or an umbrella.—Baltimore
American.
The cash girl in the notion store didn’t
need anybody to tell her that Christmas
was coming.—Merchant Traveler.
A green Christmas makes a cross coal
man.—Milwaukee Wisconsin.
Miss Cumso—I don’t know what to'
give papa for a Christmas present. Mrs.
Cumso—Give him one of those new
long handled umbrellas. I need it ever
so badly.—New York Sun.
What a good thing it is that Christ
mas comes once a year. We are then
able to take note of the number of mean
men whom the Lord allows to live on
from day to day.—Kearney Enterprise.
Worked Him.
“Say, boss, give me a few pennies to
buy something to eat, will you?” said a
ragged urchin to a man hurrying
through Mail street at 6 o’clock Christ
mas eve.
Now the one appealed to had just
been buying Christmas presents for a
score of sisters, cousins and aunts, to
say nothing about the numerous rattles,
dolls, etc., which he had bought for the
members of his own immediate family,
and consequently he was feeling rather
poor.
“Can’t do it, sonny,” he said rather
gruffly, as he hurried on.
The boy assumed a tone half sorrow
ful, with a touch of independence in it,
and said to the retreating iigure:
“Boss, I hope you will have a Merry
Christmas.”
The man stopped, turned around, dug
his hand into his pocket and handed the
urchin a quarter. Then he hurried on
again.
Ten minutes later the same urchin en
tered a hallway where half a dozen
street arabs were assembled.
“Hi, Jimmy!” he yelled as he entered,
“see what de bloke give me (showing
the quarter). Let’s play ‘craps.’ ”—New
York Tribune.
Mill Believed In Santa Clans.
Faith in the Santa Claus myth hasn’t
entirely faded out of the juvenile mind,
though even the very youngest repre
sentatives of the present generation are
apt to be skeptical. The proof:
Little Bettina, three years old, has a
rag doll with whom her relations are
particularly tender and sympathetic.
A morning or two ago this doll was dis
covered near the fireplace in a shocking
condition. She was black in the face
and, in fact, black all over, and the
smell of soot about her was very strong.
It was a mystery until Bettina was in
terrogated. The condition of the doll
made her look a little rueful, but she
brightened up, and said:
“I firpered to Patty all the things I
wanted for Christmas and sent her up
the chimney to tell Santa Claus!”—Bos
ton Transcript.
Old Time Epicures.
Listen to the enumeration of good
things described by Whistlecraft to have
been served np at King Arthur’s table
on Christmas day. If the list be authen
tic, there is less reason to wonder at the
feats of courage and strength performed
by the Knights of the Round Table:
They served up salmon, venison and wild
boars
By hundreds and by dozens and by scores.
Hogsheads of honey, kilderkins of mustard.
Muttons and fatted beeves and bacon swine.
Herons and bitterns, peacocks, swan and bus
tard, ;
Teal, mallard, pigeons, widgeons, and, in
fine.
Plum puddings, pancakes, apple pies and cus
tard.
And therewithal they drank good Gascon :
wine.
With mead and ale and cider of our own;
For porter, punch and negus were not know*. 1
__ • \ — Christinas Book. 1
ABSOLUTE!?? PURE
jPlONEER HARDWARE DEALER
I carry the largest stock of
Hardware, Tinware,
Copper & Graniteware,
In North Nebraska, and make a specialty of
Superior
Barbed Wire.
IN IMPLEMENTS I CARRY THE BEST MADE
BRADLEY & GO. AND PERU CITY PLOWS.
Harrows, Challenge Planters, Flying Dutchman,
SU IK Y*PL0 WS.*PERU * CITY*CU LTIVATORS
BLISTERS AND DRILLS.e
Call and see me before you make vour purchases as 1 can
save you some money.
NEIL BRENNAN. O’Neill Ned.
First National Bank,
O’NEILL - NEBRASKA.
Paid-Up Capital, $5o,ooo. Surplus, $2o,ooo.
Authorised Capital, $800,000.
UNDIVIDED PROFITS, $4,096.
THAD. J BERMINGHAM, Puks. J. P. MANN, Vick Pans.
ED. F. GALLAGHER, Cashieu.
Money Loaned on Personal Security on the Most Favorable
Terms. Issue Time Certiticates Bearing interest.
Buy and Sell Foreign <fc Domestic Exchange.:
DIRECTORS:
0. C. Millard. M. Cavanaugh. T. F. Bkhmingiiam. J. P. Mask
E. W. Montcomeky. Ed. F. Gallaghek. Thad. J. Behminguam.
ELKHtORN VALLEY BANK,
O’Neill, Nebraska.
McCREEVY & HACERTY, PROPRIETORS
WILL DO A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS
MAKE FARM LOANS. BUY AND SELL
FARM and TOWN PROPERTY.
JOHN J. McCAFFERTY
—“DEALER IN=
HARDWARE
Tinware, Farm Implements,
Furniture, Woode y re., Wagons, Corn-Sheli.ers
Coffins and Undertaking Supplies
W il iU i-1 VJJJL w.f
^JeW C|| QUARTERS!
Enlarged Business.
HEEXaTEKXK:©©:!^
Having removed to New and Commodious
Quarters will be better than ever pre
pared to supply his numerous customers.
When wanting ,al
GROCERIES, FLOUR, FEED. KTC., KTC.. OR A GOOD SQUAKE •vb^
^HKMKMUEK I'll At' NERBKSON’S jTmsjZ}*:'#