Prairieland Talk—
Used to Be Called (Hard Times’
By HO MAINE SAUNDERS, 4110 South Slot St.. Uaooln 6, Nebr.
LINCOLN How's your recession? Back in the
1890’s we had it neck deep, only then it was "hard
times". Ti»e Frontier, Biglins, the O'Neill Nation
al and First National banks are the only survivors
in the community that were doing business "at the
old stand" in those tough times and still are here.
, The public must have the news, so this newspaper
goes on forever; there are r~ ~ ~ ~~qp
forever dead td be buried, so 1
Biglins keep at it; there may «. j ”
be others like the late Cliff -v f ’
Davis who had a twenty spot
in the l>ank and looked up ,■
every time he passed that Aff' A-' f
way to see if the bank was P*
still there; Ed Kelly of the g A-.
First National cashed the first
check I ever received and
gave me a sour look and call
ing down for not putting my
youthful name on the back of Romaine
that check; but I falteringly Rounder*
explained that I could not write it because I had
no pencil Believe if it had been a guy like Ed
ward Mann Gallagher or Ed Campbell he would
have handed out that five with a smile without that
check being endorsed. I got my last ten from the
O'Neill National a hot day in dust blown 1894 sum
mer and took off for Sioux City, came back next
spring with pockets stuffed with gold and silver
coins, long since melted away.
• • •
A recent issue of The Frontier gave the
readers the story of another native of the commu
hity who has achieved success and a post of prom
inence in professional life. Nadene Coyne, an O’
Neill girl now a doctor on the staff of a hospital
of an eastern city, recently appeared before a not
able gathering of doctors in Montreal, Canada, and
addressed the assembled group of doctors. Among
the fathers and mothers in O’Neill or who had for
merly lived there and who take pride in the
achievements of their sons and daughters is the
household of Mr. and Mrs Hugh Coyne. Dad Hugh
has built up a large business from nothing much
to start with and Doctor Nadene's mother made
u home for her husband and daughters that reflects
. the devotion of wife and mother as others have in
the O’Neill community.
* * *
Westward rolls your car over the highway.
Turn in and stop at west Holt county’s first settle
ment where John Wertz started the Stuart Ledger
to promote in convincing and scholarly bits of ed
itorial gems the interests of that community, and
where some years later Billy Davis started anoth
er paper to promote the interests of a political
group at the county seat. But tarry not over long
in the charming village with the hospitable citi
zens of Stuart. Head south and roll leisurely
down Green Valley, a charming region robed in
summer green along the western limits of the
prairieland empire we call Holt. Of the many
beauty spots on farflung prairieland Green Valley
is one of the most delightful. Nature going that
way spread the green robed landscape all along
and floated down Green Valley to sing a love song'
• • •
Peon a Mexican who toils in the fields with
his hands. Add just one letter, “y’’, and you have
peony, the most lovely and the largest of the early
summer floral display. But a few steps from my
door a peony bush hangs heavy today with white
and pink and a touch of red full blooming flowers.
On Memorial day when we place the floral tribute
at the resting place of our dead the peony is the
choicest of them all. It has tx>en said that the
hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules
the world. The Hand that formed the peony, the
rose, the goldenrod, is the Hand that guards for
ever the bivouac of our dead.
• • •
I
We are told that the representatives of the
State Game and Fish setup “caught’’ 100 tons of
fish on their recent fishing trip to Swan lake down
In southwest Holt. Don’t know how they did it. I
have stood at that lake for a half day, cast in and
didn t get a bite. But at a smaller lake down in
Swan precinct I caught the game fish one day as
fast as they could We hauled out, until the guy with
me upset our canoe and dumped us out in the chilly
depths of Long Lake.
The bright blue of the summer skies, flow
ers and birds, growing things and grass robed
lands where are seen this beef state s herds. May
we take to the open where wildings roam far out
and away from the haunts men call home. Stroll
near the brink of stream and lake and begrudge not
at all the time you take, for life in the open, the
green beneath and the blue above counts not the
moments as they pass when amidst the scenes we
love. No more by the brink of lake and stream
stands a stalwart figure with moccasined feet, but
the birds, the wildings of the prairie are there and
to be among these you call it a treat.
* * *
As this is being typed out that young killer,
Starkweather, awaits his end in death row at the
state prison. Wherein did the homelife of that boy
as he grew to young manhood, or his contact with
society of which you and I are personal elements,
so shape the inner emotions of that lad that in this
civilized day on prairieland he must go to the
death chair as a confessed and convicted murder.
Could you shed a tear over his lifeless form straight
ened for the grave. No. But a prayer that your
son will shun the evil ways that lead to destruction
and ever climb the ladder of life that leads to
worthy achievement.
• * *
Just over the way at the next human abode a
group of little girls have taken over the back yard
where they romp and play, childish laughter and
happy shouts. Night comes on and the joyous
shouts of children are stilled. Father and mother
and grandfather sit out there in the gathering
gloom and their voices are heard philosophying on
life’s ups and downs -the joyous shouts of child
hood turned to the groans of advancing age.
Election Will Bob Up Soon
With the sun bearing down from a clear blue
sky most people are probably not giving much
thought today to November.
But that month this year will be quite a bit
more than just another time for a change of sea
sons. The days will be getting shorter then, to be
sure, and the leaves will be showing their last
touch of green.
But on November 4 the good people of
the state will be going to the polls for an import
ant election.
There will be voting on house and senate of
fices, the governor, state legislature, all other stale
offices and some county offices.
And by the time election rolls around, even
more issues might find their way to the voting
booths.
Editorial—
A note last week from the author of Prairie
land Talk advised that he would not be making his
annual pilgrimmage to O’Neill memorial day; in
stead would l>e traveling the highways during the
weekend headed for Indiana for a “tribal gather
ing” . . . Next on the city’s agenda is dollar days,
then O’NeiH’s big two-day rodeo. . . It remains to
be seen if DeGaulle’s demand for sweeping pow
ers will do much for decadent France. The na
tion which has had 26 governmental reorganiza
tions since the end of World War n has problems
that may prove insurrmountable.
Frontier
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Entered at the postoffice In O’Neill, Holt coun
ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: in Nebraska, $2.50
per year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per
year; rates abroad provided upon request. All sub
scriptions payable in advance.
June Is dairy month...
M.
II
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When You A I Were Young . . .
Goldie Martin Is
Top OHS Scholar
Judge Roberts’ Stiff
Finger Noted
50 Years Ago
The program of O’Neill high
school graduation consisted of:
Overature. the orchestra; vocai
trio, *'Summer Sun Shine”. Mis
ses Meredith, Craig and Roberts;
oration, "Crossing the Rubicon",
Fred F. Finch; oration, "Amer
| ica as a World Power”, Bernard
S. Mullen; piano solo, “Murmur
! ing Zephyrs”, Miss Loretta Sul
livan; oration, "Education”
John P. Murphy; vocal solo,
"Bedouin Love Song”, D. V.
Grosvendor; valedictory, Miss
Goldie Martin; address and pre
sentation of diplomas, Guy W.
Wadsworth, president of Belle
vue college; chorus, "Good
Night", high school orchestra.
After these exercises, the 11th
grade tendered a banquet to the
graduates at the K C. club
rooms. . . Bob Starr is manager
of the Chambers ball club. . .
Mrs. Mary Foster, 52, a sister
of Mrs. P. H. McNichols, died
at the McNichols home two miles
west of town.
20 Years Ago
Mrs. Frank Oberle and her
niece. Miss Beatrice Oberle, es
caped serious injuries when their
car picked up a spike and caused
a blowout. The car turned com
pletely over twice. . . Romaine
Saunders writes in "Southwest
Breezes": “Judge Roberts was
a character of an earlier day in
O’Neill. Those remembering him
will recall he was unable to bend
the first finger of his right hand.
That stiff finger is the occasion
for writing this paragraph. At
a social function one night at the
McClure home I had been hon
ored with a place on the pro
gram. My number was a selec
tion pointing to the evil of intem
perance. Judge Roberts was
among the guests and if there
was anything that interested the
judge, it was such a subject. In
dramatic cadency I was reeling
off line upon line when my eye
caught the finger of the judge
sitting directly in front and that
stiff finger aimed straight at me.
Instantly I was struck speach
less, forgetting the remainder of
the story and in utter mortifica
tion, humiliation and distress,
dove for an open door. That
finger, pointing in steady aim,
haunted me thru a deepless
night."
10 Years Ago
Mrs. J. P. Gallagher, 76, a
widow of a pioneer O’Neill mer
chant, was buried. . . During a
two week period 7.20 inches of
rain fell. . . Dale Kersenbrock,
Jack Harty and Homer Mullen
have charge of the fireworks at
the Country club.
One Year Ago
Two couples celebrated their
golden wedding anniversaries.
They were: Mr. and Mrs. Wood
Jarman of Chambers and Mr. and
Mrs. Vac Jedlicka of Lynch. . .
Deaths: Charles W. Hamilton,
107, of Port Angeles, Wash., form
er Holt county sheriff in 1892; Mrs.
John (Juba) Hayes, 90, of Ar
lington, Calif., a former resident
of O'Neill and mother of Mrs. H.
D. Grady and Mrs. H. J. Harte,
both of O’Neill; Albert Babut
zke, 89, of O’Neill. . . First Pres
byterian church of Atkinson cel
ebrated its 75th anniversary.
Joe McLeash Is 10
Joe McLeish, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Joe McLeish, celebrated his
10th birthday anniversary Tues
day at a small party for a few
friends.
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Family Gathering
at Fremont
Mrs. Pat Sullivan accompanied
her son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. William Jansen, to
Fremont Friday where Mrs. Sul
livan joined her family for a get
together at the home of her
brother-in-law and sister, Mr.
and Mrs. James Morrow.
Others present were Mr. and
Mrs. Bob Morrow and family,
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Sullivan and
family' and Mr. and Mrs. John
McGill, all of Omaha; Mr and
Mrs. Henry Barrett and family
of Council Bluffs, la.; Mrs. Pat
Barrett and her son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Broveleit, all of Sioux Falls, S.
D.
Mr. and Mrs. Jansen and fam
ily went on to Omaha with the
McGills and spent the weekend
with them. Enroute home they
reunited with Mi's. Sullivan at
Fremont and arrived home Sun
day evening.
Star News
Earl Miller left last week for
Ft. Eustis, Va., by car after
spending a leave with his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mil
ler, and his brothers, Harold and
Melvin.
Mr. and Mrs. Nels Linquist
and Vicki visited with Mrs. Re
becca Butterfield in Orchard
one day last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Johnson,
Wyn and Larry, Mrs. Ewalt Mil
ler and Mrs. Hattie Boelter at
tended the vacation Bible school
picnic at the Venus Lutheran
church last Thursday. Wyn and
Larry were among those students
attending school there.
Mr and Mrs. Ben Miller spent
Friday with relatives at Gregory,
S.D.
Mrs. Melvin Kurtz of California
is visiting her mother, Mrs. Await
Spangler, and other relatives in
the community.
Mr. and Mrs. Ewalt Miller, Mr.
and Mrs Robert Miller and Har
old, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Miller
and family, Mrs. Hulda Miller and
Dora, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton
Jonhson and family, Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Johnson and family
were among the guests observing
the silver wedding anniversary of
Mr. and Mrs. George Mott, jr., at
Verdigre. Mrs. Mott is the former
Laura Miller, daughter of Mrs
Hulda Miller and the late E. A.
Miller.
Mr. and Mrs James Carney of
Burwell divided the memorial
weekend between relatives and
friends at Bassett and O’Neill.
SD—Leo S Tomjack, Sheriff to
Holt Co. 5-14-58 $31.43—East 50 ft.
lot 2 Blk 3—Inman.
nilBMB—i"li ■■ IM Bill || ■ HI I w
Origin of Star
Carriers Retold
Veteran Officers Are
Reelected
Nearly one hundred persons
! coming from all sections of the
state and including several out
of-state visitors Sunday attended
the annual meeting of the Nebras
ka branch of the National Star
Route Mail Carriers association.
' The sessions were held at the
I Golden Hotel.
Veteran officers were reelected:
Miller Adkisson of Lincoln, pres
, ident; Eslie Sparks of Newport,
vice-president; Loren Hatfield of
I Broken Bow, secretary-treasurer.
The trio was chosen as delegat
es to the national convention and
Broken Bow was selected for the
1959 meeting.
The group heard remarks from
Carl N. Christensen of Wichita,
Kans., postal transportation offi
cer in the three-state (Olklahoma,
Kansas, Nebraska) postal district.
Christensen rode Chicago &
North Western train 13 to O’Neill
and said the postal department is
watching closely the court fate of
C&NW trains 13 and 14.
Membership in the branch dur
mg 1956 was 171 and the 1957
membership totaled 165. Hatfield
reported. The organization's new
year began with election of offi
cers.
Christensen clarified some new
postal regulations for the star
carriers (many of whom are wo
men!. Raymond Eby, president
of the Chamber of Comerce here,
welcomed the group.
Christensen said the star routes
were originally intended to supply
mail through contract carriers to
towns left "inland” when passen
ger-mail-express trains were with
| drawn.
Gradually the star carriers be
i gan servicing on route box pat
rons.
Chief problem facing the con
vention was increasing member
ship. There are two hundred star
contractors in the state.
Adisson has been a carrier 30
years and is now in his 11th year
as branch president. Hatfield
and Sparks have held their posts
longer.
The national assocation was
founded at O'Neill 25 years ago by
E. J. Velder, who later moved
from here to Bonesteel, S. D.
Velder was unable to attend the
convention, having recently sub
mitted to major surgery at St.
Catherine’s hospital in Omaha.
He now resides in Omaha.
ASSEMBLY OF HOD (O’Neill)
Rev. Robert A. Paul, pastor
Sunday, June 8; Sunday-aehool,
10 am., classes for all ages;
worship, 11 a.m., children's day
services; junior church. 7 pin,;
junior C.A.’s. 7 p.m.; Christ am
bassadors, 7 p.m.; evangelistic
services, 8 p.m.
June 9-13 will lie the dates of
daily vacation Bible school. Va
cation Bible school will begin
at 9 each morning, and at 1 in
the afternoon. Children ages 4
through 15 are invited.
Memorial day guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Dermot J. Erington anti
family were his parents. Mr. anti
Mrs. Erington, sr.. and Alvin
Mach, all of Burwcll.
Gary Waller arrived home
from Wayne college Wednesday,
M is 38 lit' is Hit' ton Of Mr
and Mrs. W W. WaUer.
Mrs. William Bowker anti fam
ily of Omaha were Tuesday
guests of Mrs. Iaiuis Reimer, jr.
Alice’s Beauty Shop
Rats. 3 doors west of Texaco
125 East Douglas
Phone 283 — O’Neill
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