The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, December 27, 1923, Image 6
Desert Dust 1 By €dwin t. Sabin 1 Author of “How Are You Feeling?” etc. In the confusion of that which I took to be the main street be cause of the stores and piles of goods and the medley of signs, what with the hubbub from the many barkers for saloons and gambling games, the constant dodging among the pedestrians, vehicles and horses and dogs, in a thoroughfare that was inno cent of sidewalk, I really had scant opportunity fo gaze; cer tainly no opportunity as yet to Tfct my hearings. My squat guide shuttled aside; a group of loaf ers gave us passage, with sun dry stares at me and quips for him; and l was ushered into a widely-open tent-building whose canvas sign depending above a narrow veranda declared: “The Queen Hotel. Beds $3. Meals $1 each.” Now as whitely powdered as any of the natives I stumbled across a single large room bordered at one side by a bar and a number of small tables (all well patronized.) and was brought up to the counter, under the alert eyes of the clerk coat less, silk-shirted, diamond-scarf ed, pomaded and slick-haired, waiting with regrister turned and pen extended. My gnome heavily dropped my nag. “(lent for you,” he presented. "I wish a room and bath,” I aaid, as I signed. “Bath is occupied. I’ll put you down, Mr.—” and he glane ed at the signature. “Four dol lars and four bits, please. Show the gentleman to number Six, Shorty. That drummers’ gone, isn’t he?” “You bet.” “The hath is occupied?” I exposulated. “How so? I wish a private hath.” “Private? Yes, sir. All you’ve got to do is to close the door while you’re in. Nobody’ll disturb you. But there arc parties ahead of you. First come, first served.” I persisted. “Your runner—this gentle man, if I am not mistaken (and I indicated the gnome, who grin ned from dusty face,) distinctly said ‘a bath for every room.’ ” Bystanders had pushed near er, to examine the register and then me. They laughed—nudg ed one another. Evidently I had a trace of green in my eye. “Quite right, sir,” the clerk assented. “So there is. A bath for every room and the best bath in town. Entirely private; fresh towel supplied. Only one dollar and four bits. That, with lodg ing, makes four dollars and a half. If you please, sir.” “In advance?” I remonstrat ed —the bath charge alone being monstrous. “I see you’re from the East. Yes, sir; we have to charge tran sients in advance. That is the rule, sir. You stay in Benton City for some time?” “I am undetermined.” “Of course, sir. Your own affair. Yes, sir. But we shall hope to make Benton pleasant for you. The greatest city in the West. Anything you want for pleasure or business you’ll find right here.” “The greatest city in the West—pleasure or business!” A bitter wave of homesickucss welled into my throat as, con scious of the developing dust, the utter shams, the tawdriness, the alien unsympathetic onlook*«s the suave but incisive manner or the clerk, the sense of being found “done” and through nv own fault, I peeled a greenback from the folded packet in my purse and handed it over. Rath er foolishly, I intended that tnis 4wptsy of funds should rebuke the fmlcky clerk; but he eccept ®d without comment and sought for the change for the twenty “And how is old New York, tt»h?” A hearty, florid, heavy-faced man, with singularly protruding fishy eyes and a tobacco-stained yellowish goatee underneath a loosely dropping lower lip, had stepped forward, his pudgy hand hospitably out stretched to me, a roan in wide-brimmed dusty black hat, frayed and dusty but, in spots, shiny, black broad cloth frock coat spattered down the la pels, exceedingly soiled collar arid shirt front and greasy flow ing tie, and trousers tucked into cowhide boots. I grasped the hand wondcring |jr. It closed mine with a soft pulpy squeeze; and lingered. “As usual, when I last saw it,! ~7 ' fir,” I responded. “But I am from Albany.” “ Of course. Albany, the cap ital, a city to be proud of, $uh. I welcome you, suh, to our new West, ns a fallow-citizen.” “You are from Albany!” I exclaimed. “Bohn and raised right near there; been there many a time. Yes, suh. From the grand old Empire State, like yourself, suh, > nd without apologies. Whenever I meet with a New York State man I cotton to him.” “Have I your name, sir!” I inquired. “You know of my family, perhaps.” “Colonel Jacob B. Sunderson, suh, at your service. Your family name is familiar to me, suh. I l ark back to it and to the grand dd State with pleasure. Doubt less I have seen you befoh, sur. Doubtless in the City—at Johnny Chamberlain’s? Yes?” His fishy eyes beamed upon me, and his breath smelled strongly of liquor. “Or the Astor? T shall remember. Meanwhile, suh, permit me to do the ohnors. First, will you have a drink? This way, suh. I am par tial to a brand particularly to be recommended for clearing this damnable dust from one’s throat ” “Thank you, sir, but I prefer to tidy my person, first,” I sug gested. “Number Six for the gentle man,” announced the clerk, re turning to me my change from the bill. I stuffed it into my pocket—the Colonel’s singular eyes followed it with uncomfort able interest. The gnome picked up my bag, but was interrupted by my new friend. “The privilege of showing the gentleman to his quarters and putting him at home shall be mine.” “All right, Colonel,” the clerk carelessly consented. “Number Six.” “And my trunk. I have a trunk at the depot,” I informed. “The boy will tend to it.” I gave the gnome my check. “And my bath?” I pursued “You will be notified, sir. There are only five ahead of you, and one gentleman now in. Your turn will come in about two hours.” “This way, suli. Kindly follow me,” bade the Colonel. As he strode before, slightly listed by the weight of the bag in his left hand, I remarked a peculiar bulge elevating the portly con tour of his right coat-skirt. We ascended a flight of rude stairs which quivered to our tread, proceeded down a canvas lined corridor set at regular in tervals on either hand with numbered deal doors, some open to reveal disorderly interiors; and with, “Here you sre, suh,” I was importantly hewed into Number Six. nr . _ > i i v mi c weir nut iu uc uiuiie. i ncre were three double beds: one well rumpled as if just vacated; one (the middle) tenanted by a frow sy headed, whiskered man asleep in shirt-sleeves and revolver and boots; the third, at the other end, recently made up by having its, blanket covering hastily thrown against a distinctly dirty pillow. “Your bed yonduh, suh, I reckon,” prompted the Colonel (whose accents did not smack of New York at all), depositing my bag with a grunt of relief. “Now, suh, as you say, you desire to freshen the outer loan after your journey. With your permission I w ill await your pleusure, suh, and your toilet being completed 'ac will freshen the inner man al so with a glass or two of rare good likker.” I gazed about, sickened. Item, three beds; item, one kitchen chair; item, one unpainted board washstand, supporting a tin ba sin, a cake of soap, a an ewer, with a dingy towel hanging from a nail under a cracked mirror and over a tin slop-bucket; item, three spittoons, one beside each bed; item, a row or1 nails in a wooden strip, plainly for ward robe purposes; item, one window, with broken pane. The board floor was bare and creaky, the partition walls were of onee-white, stained muslin through which sifted unrebuked a mixture of sounds not thor oughly agreeable. The Colonel had seated himself upon a bed; the bulge under neath his skirts jutted more pro nouncedly, au.l had the outlines of a revolver butt. “But surely I can get a room to my self,” I stammered. “The clerk mistakes me. This won't do at all.” “You are having the best in the house, suh,” asserted the Colonel, with expansive wave of his thick head. He spat accurate ly into the convenient spittoon. “It is a front room, suh. Num ber Six is known as very choice, and I congratulate you, suh. I myself will see to it that you shall'have your bed to yourself, if you entertain objections to doubling up. We are, suh, a trifle crowded in Benton City, just at present, owing to the un precedented influx of new citi zens. You must remember, suh, that we are less than one month old, and we are accommodating from three to five thousand people.” “Is this the best hotel?” I de manded. Jt is so reckoned,suh. mere are other hostelries, and I do not desire,suh, to draw invidious comparisons, their proprietors being friends of mine. But I will go so far as to say that the Queen caters only to the elite,suh, and its patronage is gilt edge.” I stepped to the window, the lower sash of which wasup, and gazed out—down into that dust fogged, noisy, turbulent main street, of floury human beings and grime-smeared beasts aimost within touch, boiling about through the narrow lane between the placarded makeshift struct ures. I lifted my smarting eves, and across the hot sheet-iron roofs I saw the country south—a white blotched reddish desert stretching on, desolate, lifeless under the sunset, to a range of stark hills black against the glow “There are np private rooms, then?” i asked, choking with a gulp of despair. “You are perfectly private right here, suh,” assured the Colonel. “You may strip to the hide or you may sleep with your boots on, and no questions asked. Generally speaking, gentlemen prefer to retain a layer of artificial covering—but you ain’t troubled much with the bugs, are you, Bill?” He leveled this query at the frowsy, whiskered man who had awakened and was blinking con tentedly. “I’m too alkalied, I reckon,” Bill responded. “Varmints will leave me any time wnen there’s fresh bait handy. That’s why I Ikies to double up. That there Saint Louee drummer carried off most of ’em from this gent’s bed, so he’s safe.” “You are again to be congrat ulated, suh,” addressed the the Colonel, to me. “Allow me to interdeuce you. Shake hands with my friend Mr. Bill ;Irady. Bill, I present to you a fellow citizen of mine from grand old New York State.” The frowsy man struggled up, sh'fted his revolver so as not 1o sit on it, and extended his hand. ‘broud to make yore aquain tanee, sir. Any friend of the Colonel’s is a friend o’ mine.” “We will likker up directly,” the Colonel informed. “But fust the gentleman desires to at tend to his person. Mr. Brady, suh,” he continued, for my bene fit, “is one of our leading citi zens, being proprieter of—what is it now, Bill?” Wa,ll said Mr. Brady, “I’ve pulled out o’ the Last Olmnee and I’m on spec’. The Last Chance got a leetle too much on the brace for healthy play; and when that son of a gun of a min er from South Pass City shot it up, I quit.” “Naturally,” conceded the Colonel. “Mr. Brady,” he ex plained, “lias been one of our most distinguished bankers, but he has retired from that industry and is considering other invest ments. ’' 4 4 The bath-room t Where is it, gentlemen?” I ventured. “If you will step outside the door, suh, you can hear the splashing down the hall. It is the custom, however, foh gentle men at tub to keep the bath-room door closed, in case of ladies promenading. You will have time fob your preliminary toilet and foh a little refreshment and a pa sear in tawn. I judge, with five ahead of you and one in, the clerk was mighty near right when lie said about two hours. That allows twenty minutes to each gentleman, which is the lim it. A gentleman who requires more than twenty minutes to in sure his respectability, is too dirty for such accommodations. He should resort to the river. Ain’t that so, Bill?” “Perfectly correct, Colonel. I can take an all-over, myself, in fifteen, whenever it’s healthy.” “But a dollar and a half for a j twenty minutes’ bath in a public i tub is rather steep,seems to me,” said I, as I removed my coat and opened my hag. | < ‘‘Not so, suh, if I may question your judgment,” the Colonel re proved. He is never intruded upon unless he liawgs his time or the water disagrees with him. The water, suh, is hauled from Ihe river by a toilsome journey of three miles. You understand, suh, that this great aud growing city is founded upon the sheer face of the Red Desert, where the railroad stopped— the river being occupied by a Government reservation named Fort Steele. The Government—the United States Government, suh—having corralled the river where the railroad crosses, until we procure a nearer supply by artesian wells or by laying a pipe line we are public spirited enough to haul our wtaer bodily, for ablution purposes, at ten dollars the bar rel, or ten cents, one dime, the bucket. A bath, sub, uses up consider’ble water, even at a slight, reduction you are privil eged to double up with another gentleman.'* I shuddered at the thought of thus “doubling up.” God, how my stomach sank and my gorge rose as I rummaged through that bag, and with my toilet articles in hand faced the wash-stand! They two intently watched my operations; the Colonel craned to peer into my valise— and pres ently I might interpret his curiosity. “The prime old dourbon serv ed at the fust-class New York bars still maintains its repu tation, I dare hope, suh?” he in terrogated. “I cannot say I’m sure,” I replied. “No, suh,” he agreed. “No doubt you are partial to your own stock. That bottle which I see doesnT happen to be a sample of your favorite preservative?” “That??” I retorted. “It is toilet water. I am sorry to say I have no liquor with me.” “The deficiency will soon be forgotten, suh,” the Colonel bravely consoled. “Bill, we shall have to personally conduct him and provide him with the proper entertainment.” “What is your special line of business if you don’t mind my axin’?” Bill invited. “I am out here for my health, at present,” said I, vainly hunt ing a cleta spot on the towel. “I havt been advised by my phy sician to seek a place in the Far West that is high and dry. Ben ton”—and I laughed miserably, “certainly is drv,” For now I be pan to appreciate the frankly af firmative responses to my pre vious confessions. “And high, judging by the rates.” “Healthily, dry, suh, in the matter of water,’’the Colonel ap proved. “We are not cursed by the humidity of New York State, grand old State that she is. Foh those who require water, there is the Platte only three miles dis tant. The nearer proximity of water we consider a detriment to the robustness of a community. Our rainy weather is toler’bly infrequent. The last spell we had —lemme see. There was a brief shower, seurcely enough to sanc tion a parasol by a lady, lastMay, warn’t it, Bill? When we was camped at Rawlins’ Springs, shooting antelope.” PET PICKEREL RETURNS TO HIS WINTER QUARTERS O’Neill, Neb.—“Scar Face Billy” la home again. He is a monster picker el that spends his winters in the tank reservoir on the ranch of Frank Barrett, near here. Annually "Scar Face Billy” wends his way to the huge reservoir In the fall and lazily rolls around In the sunny spots of the pool during the short days of mid-winter. His name comes from a long scar across his head received from a spear fisherman. Billy was found eight years ago by Barrett. At the time the pickerel was lying half-dazed In shallow water, crimsoned from his wound. Barrett took Billy to the tank home of the fish and nursad him back to health. In the spring the fish set out Jown stream for a summer’s wandering. That fall he came finning his way against the current back into the re servoir. • Billy is appreciative of attention, Barrett said. Scratching of his sides and back and occasional rubs on hfs nose will win favor with the pickerel, especially if they are accompanied by an occasional frog or other tasty fish tidbit. “Scar Faee" shows a great dislike for carp and continually fought with them when quartered in a small pond where the "leather-backs” were kept. The pickerel has immense teeth, slop ing backward, and has been known to successfully hold his own In com bat with muskrats and beavers. When Barrett rescued “Scar Face Billy" eight years ago the fish weighed two and a half pounds. Since that time he has grown until he now tips the beam at seventeen and three quarters pounds and measures thirty three and a quarter inches In length. PIG RUN OF TOURISTS _ Vancouver, B. C.—Vancouver hart gOO.OOO tourists In IMS. —--' —-- - 1 ' — - 1" ~ Some Politicians “Get Along” Rapidly if Given Chance; Details of FalVs Finances From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Former Secretary Albert B. Fall rose from straitened cir cumstances to affluence in the single year following his assump-' tion of office in the Harding administration as head of the depart ment of interior. Testimony before the special senatorial investi-' gating committee reveals that in 1920 he admitted that he was “broke”; that the taxes on his ranoh had not been paid for eight; years; that the ranch offered conspicuous evidences of want ofj proper upkeep; that Fall sought cash by the liquidation of his in terest in a newspaper. Then followed a series of events which call for explanation from Mr. Fall. In November, 1921, eight months after he entered the cabinet, according to the testimony, Secretary Fall bought a new ranch for $91,000, paying $10,000 down and $45,000 a month later. During tire Christmas holidays of that year the secretary entertained Harry F. Sinclair, the oil magnate, at his ranch. The following April the Teapot Dome naval oil reserve was leased to Mr. Sinclair’s company. Then there came a bounteous June, when Fall paid up his eight-year tax bill and the balance on his new $91,000 ranch. Subsequently he greatly improved his property, bought fancy stock from Sinclair’s farm in New Jersey and instal led a hydro-electric plant that cost more than $85,000. Following his resignation from the cabinet he became an agent for the Sin clair interests. About six weeks ago the report of two geologists on the physical facts of the Teapot Dome reserve appeared to have justi fied Secretary Fall in granting the lease. The geologists were selected from a list of 100 submitted by the geological survey; they were required to give assurance that they had no connection with any oil company, and their appointment was approved by both the republican and democratic members of the senate com mittee. They agreed with a report of the bureau of mines that the Teapot Dome field was subject to partial depletion by private operators in the adjoining Salt Creek field, declared that it was impossible to hold the reserve for the navy indefinitely and in dorsed the policy of developing Teapot Dome by leasing to one efficient management. It now develops that one of these experts, some months be fore he was hired by the committee, had been recipent of favors from Fall and expressed full sympathy with Fall’s policy. These revelations leave the secretary’s case in exceedingly bad shape. Any claim on the confidence of his countrymen demands that he lose no time in explaining the striking juxtaposition of events re lated by witnesses before the senate committee. BY ARTHUR BRISBANE The Harding Memorial week is drawing to a close. President Hard ing was a good American, did his best, and died In the service of .’he people, Millions of Americans that Will want to be represented in tsa». memorial may communicate with the Harding Memorial Association No. 1414 F street, Washington, D. C. How Is the country, as regards prosperity? Answer: Pretty well", thanks. Bebore you went to bed last night you read these headlines: “The Flood of Extra Dividends Continues." “Our Gold Imports Gain Heavily in November. Inflow Exceeded Only Twice In the East Two Years.” “Rate for Call Money Declines to 4% Per Cent." “Stocks Advance In Active Trad ing, All Departments Improve, Bonos Firm.” We are not doing badly. The bonus bill is back In Congress once more, with about as good a chance as Oliver Twist had when he asked for his second installment of nourishment—assuming that the ad ministration has Its way. It is certain to be vetoed by tne president. Wise people, however, say tn*s. The president declares against the bonus, thus pleasing “the big fellows ’ needed In all republican elections. The republican majority will pass the bill over the presidefit’s veto. Then the “big fellows” will say: “Coolldge did his best." Elttle gentlemen on the stump wilt say to the caowdi “That's the republican party that gave you boys the bonus.” That Isn’t a bad arrangement, politically speak ing. Anarchists have threatened to. kill the king of Denmark. His life Is one excitement after another, from crowning Dr. Cook, as discoverer of the North Pole to doubling the guard around his palace. The wise self-governing Swiss have Just elected Monsieur Chuard president of Switzerland. He was vice president last time. They manage that government very smoothly. England has given up temporarily the scheme to fortify Singapore. That’f the first result probably of the labor victory in the last election. Professor Henry Fairfield Osborne, head of the American Museum of Natural History, good judge of pre historic animals, says “the best American stock Is rapidly dying out.” Harvard and Yale would be practically empty If they had to de pend for their students upon sons of graduates. ■ ■ • 1 "I* That doesn’t mean necessarily that the “best American stock la dying out.” It means that men lacking energy and ambition to have children are not having children. And that’s an excellent thing for the “American stock.” As between a Yale or Harvard graduate, who sits in a club window, sucking the head of his cane, and mourning over the good old cocktail day*. and a y°un« immigrant proud of his wife and eight or nine children, this country would choose the young Immigrant. “The best American stock” won’t be in danger for some time yet. It is an Interesting thought and shows energy. But what does the Angel Gabriel think about it? Is it necessary for him to write down every word of all that earnest pray ing? One hundred and twenty-five gov ernment agents are guarding 160 miles of the border with “Christmas whisky and gin,” pouring in over the border. What chance do you think 125 men have to protect 160 miles? With two bootlegging agents to wattch and keep track of each guard, excepting those that bribe money can put to sleep, how are you going to keep th# Christmas gin and whisky? You can’t do It. A corporation is an organlsatlon, “without heart or soul.” So they say. But the United States Steel corpora tion gives $100,000 to the Catholic diocese to help finish a home for “Danger Age” in Children. From the New York Evening Mall. Much has been written and said of "dangerous ages.” Students of hu man behavior generally have placed it in adult years, but in defining it as the period between 2 and 6 Dr. Ar nold Gesell, of Yale, speaking to the American Child Health Association, has given mothers and fathers a new responsibility upon which to reflect. Dr. Gesell declares that almost all mental deficiency, three-fourths of the world’s deafness and defective speech and much of other affliction may be traced to an origin within those years. ! Here is something for parents to consider. From 2 to 6 is the period of a child’s life which most parents find bothersome. But Dr. Gesell says that it is the formative period, the age at which habits, friends of thought and even physical character istics are being molded. It is the period, too, that is general ly known as the "cute” age. Parents — too frequently are. concerned with those actions of a child which make office or bridge party conversation, rather than with the inculation of physical and mental training that will flower in later years. They should take Dr. Gesell’s warning to heart. _ THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST I fear lest your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that Is in Christ.—II Cor. 11:3. There is no reason why religion should ta ma<Je dark and difficult, by talking about it in long, unfamiliar, ' antiquated words which cause peo- : pie to wish for a dictionary. Nor Is there any excuse for seeking to win wonder and astonishment of men by obscure sayings and curious comparisons—mountains of eloquence which labor long and violently to produce & little mouse of practical sense. In ancient times the teachers of the people were told to read In the book of the Law of God distinctly, and give, the sense, and cause the people to' understand the meaning. Religion Is full of mysteries. The object of the Bible is not to Increase them, but to remove them. If a certain amount of mystery still remains, It lies In the Bubject. and not In the way in which It Is treated. For the most part, the teachings and rules of Christ are so clear and direct that the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein; they shed light and not darkness; they disperse the clouds and reveal thi sun. Wisdom and understanding are great possessions: yet the gates of Heaven are open to little child ren. Jesus thanked God because he had revealed heavenly things unto babes. Had Aged. From London Answers. Employer—Aren’t you the boy who applied for this position a fortnight agoT Boy—Tes, sir. Employer—And didn’t I say I wanted an older boy? Boy—Tes, sir; that's why I’m here now. Not Catching. From Everybody’s Magazine. Kitty: Come in and see our new baby. Teacher: Thank you; but I will wait until your mother Is better. Kitty: Tou needn't be afraid. It’s not catching. Henry Ford announces plans to spend over $10,000,000 In plant extension and in garages and offices throughout Canada next year. A LITTLE BOY’S FAITH He stands beside the door, and laughs to hear The thunder crash, He does not fear the moaning of the wind, The lightning’s flash. He’s not afraid. The driving rain comes down! " He does not mind. Bo fresh from heaven, he remembers still That God ls*klndl —Anne Campbell, la the Detroit