Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1961)
Prairieland Talk "Circus Tents May Lure Him" By ROM AIN E SAUNDERS. 4110 South 51st St., Lincoln 6, Nebr. lx>wn by the railroad stood the circus tents, Ma, Pa. Jane and Jim they were all out to see the show. And Frank Campbell was shocked and wondered how that side show actor could do it, a snake around his neck. Hay Mc Clure went to the circus tent ring to show show-hands how to ride and manage the bucking broncos. Today the circus tent is no more. But the show boys and girls came to our Capital City a day last week and did their stuff to an admiring crowd in a "bam," an audi torium on State University grounds so called. I did not see it, Init if some day show tents Remain** are seen once more in Lincoln fUmadera Prairieland Talker may yield to the lure. • • • Thanksgiving Day and we are on our way through the woods to Grandmother’s house. Hurrah for the fun—is the pudding done, hurrah for the pumpkin pie! * • • In front of our State House on the north is a monument to the great William Jennings Bryan. On the west side a stone figure of Abe Lincoln. At the south and east entrances nothing. Why not a stone figure of that Indian Chief American Horse, and at the east entrance a figure of a woman in memory of the pioneer ladies, a monument in memory of your mother, my mother. * * • I have stood there and looked at the roaring Niagara Falls, seen the splashing waves of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but none of these held the charm of the beautiful grass robed prairies of our beloved Nebraska. • * • Mr. Ohmart is no longer a part of the O'Neill community, a preacher and promoter of religious dogmas all his own. And few if any could beat him at it. That northern Holt county patriot whose name was O'Neill and who could make about everyliody shut up in a vocal confab ran into the wrong guy when he thought to outwind Preacher Ohmart. Oh mart was not a member of any church group though in later years he attended the Presbyterian church, probably because the then pastor, Rev. Scott, let him have his say. Mr Ohmart had a number of ad herents that may carry on while he rests in the abode of the dead. * * ♦ The lifeless hotly of a negro woman was found prone upon the ground at Lincoln’s great Pioneer’s Park. It was supposed the dead woman had fallen from a wall or embankment near where her body lay and going for help had dropped dead. Editorial One newspaper was not enough for Cal Stewart So he quits O’Neill and goes to our Capital City to publish four weekly papers, each paper devoted to a community in Lincoln, College View where I hole up. University Place, Bethany and one in the north east limits of Lincoln. In the 1940's Cal and Mrs. Stewart came to O'Neill, took over The Frontier when Cal liought the business of L>. H. Cronin who was the publisher of The Frontier for about 60 years. In 19-19 Cal issued an anniversary edition of some 56 papes, the largest state weekly paper ever issued, with stories of pioneer life and the early days in Holt county. Recently a preacher friend took in hand my copy of that special edition of The Frontier, and is enjoying it immensely he tells me. Yesterday Cal’s editor came over from Bethany where the printing plant is located to take a picture of Prairieland Talker and get his life’s story, so I am to have a write up under Publisher Cal’s dir ections. Understand he plans to sell his property in terests in O'Neill, move his family to Lincoln. Good luck. Cal and your Better Half. • * • I see him again in memory as he came out of the house on South First Street ax in hand hoping to find a loose board along the board sidewalks of that day, sixty-five years ago. He would make kindling wood of the board to start fires in the stove in the morning. No gas or oil burners to turn on in those days, but dandy good griddle cakes were baked over those wood and coal burning stoves. Since the long ago when that lad got a sidewalk board for kindling wood Billy has been in Alaska, in South America, in Europe, Asia and Africia at his business as a mining engineer. Today he lives in retirement with his wife in a southern Calfomia city—that is my brother-in-law, Will Meals. * * * A cheering note comes from friend Wally Mullen out at Los Angeles, who had been sending me the IjOs Angeles Times, one of our country’s great news papers, until he learned that one-eyed old man Prairieland Talker no longer sees to read. My daugh ter, Mrs. Amy Eno, bom in O’Neill 57 years ago, is eyes for me when it comes to reading. But I can still see my typewriter keys to thus expound wisdom and nonsense in this department of Holt County’s oldest and best newspaper. Mr. Mullen writes that he hopes to visit O’Neill some day soon though but few are here now that he knew when living here. Few is right, Wally, but the sun still shines in golden glory above us and the ground under foot is that on which General John O'Neill walked. Your people are about all gone from the community, Wally, as also is Kinkald, the Harringtons, Dicksons, Bren nan, McCafferty, and the others. But you can walk up to the abode of the dead where their remains are at rest and think again of them. Are You Described Here? Between Monday morning and Friday noon last week three shoplifters were apprehended in O’Neill. How many others went undected can be only a mat ter of conjecture. It is indeed a sad commentary on the honesty of our citizens when shoplifting becomes so preva lent that three can be detected within such a short time. Strangely enough, many of these shoplifters operate on a double morality standard. Persons who wouldn't be a week late paying their bills will steal from a store. Persons who attend church regularly, act and conduct themselves in the most proper manner can be shoplifters. The cost of shoplifting to the average retail business has assumed tremendous proportions. Store owners and managers are increasing their guard against pilfering and are assuming a get tough attitude to protect themselves. One local store estimates that its shoplifting losses run nearly $2,000 per year. Many organizations publish tips to store personnel for use in detecting shoplifters . . . but many clerks are untrained in their use and the job is made in creasingly difficult by the fact that the list of tips includes many shopping characteristics of honest shoppers. Go through the list and see how many times you find yourself described. One can’t blame merchants when they get tough with shoplifters. Even though the items taken may have only a small retail value, the total at the end of the year is staggering. It has been a common practice in most small towns such as O'Neill to release shoplifters with an admonishment. However, the inveterate shoplif ter soon realizes that this punishment is usually kept a secret and he usually can continue his opera tions in another store. The stigma of punishment in court, though, is not soon forgotten. Besides the cost of the fine, the publicity resulting from conviction is a lasting punishment that is reflected on the shoplifter and his family for years. Honest shoppers can make mistakes and forget to pay for merchandise especially when they carry merchandise from self-serve stores around in their hands. It behooves everyone to use baskets or shop ping carts provided by such stores, no matter how small the purchase. Merchants will be getting tougher, too, and they should exercise great care in accusing a person of shoplifting. Now, as a refresher to shopper and merchant alike, here is a list of tips for detecting shoplifers: 1. Fast shoppers should be watched closely. 2. Very slow shoppers with roving eyes. Watch action of hands. 3. Women with large purses should be watched especially close. 4. Women wearing big flowing coats. 5. Watch for professional booster boxes (re gularly wrapped packages with disguised openings). 6. Persons under the influence of liquor are especially courageous in brazen attempts at shop lifting. 7. Men in overalls or other loose-fitting work clothing. 8. A too-friendly person many times uses con fidence to hide his true intentions. 9. Very early or late shoppers often-times take advantage of sales personnel preparing to either open or close the store. 10. Elderly couples should be watched if they separate. 11. Persons who unfolds an empty bag or shop ping bag. 12. Watch for extra clothing during rainy or cold weather. Keep a close watch on umbrellas as well as people wearing coats on warm days. 13. People who continually whistle do so, many times, in order to maintain courage enough to shop lift. 14. Watch for juveniles. 15. Watch the person who juggles an item in one hand. His other hand may be at work. This especially is true if such a person is hovering or stooping over a counter containing small items having high pilferage rate. 16. Persons who appear nervous, many times puffing cigarettes. 17. A wife and husband who separate in the same general vicinity. Numerous cases have shown the husband does not know his wife is shoplifting. Frontiers Ago 50 YEARS A(.« Last Monday the land office moved to the newly erected Gol den block south of its former location . . . The Royal was crowded last Sunday afternoon and evening to witness the moving pictures of the Passion Play, the test ever seen here . . . Clyde King has purchased the Galena Lumber yards from T. F. Birmingham and Ed F. Gallagher and will take posses sion of same as soon as the in voice is completed . . . "The Two Orphans," a melodrama in six acts, will be the season's best attraction at the Opera House November 27 . . . Miss Sadye Skirving. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Skirving of this city, was married at Leavenworth, Wash., November 15 to Mr. Ray Elmer Marble. 25 YEARS AGO Armour Creameries shipped four carloads of turkeys out of this city last week to supply the eastern cities with their holiday dinners . . . Thelma L. Aim, ' nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Aim of north eastern Holt, died at tthe hos pital Monday night after an | operation for acute appendicitis . . . Mrs. Julia Graves, Mrs. Ella | Porter and Miss Lavone Miles have been elected to district of- j fices of the Woodman Circle . . . Mrs. Eliza Groves died in her sleep Sunday night at the home | of her daughter, Mrs. Iva Dixon '• . . . Grocery stores advertise 10- 1' pound bags of sugar, 55 cents; j three cans soup 25 cents; one-half I pound large shelled pecans, 24 cents; one pound English Wal- | nuts, 17 cents. i 10 YEARS AGO j ' Chester Carsten, 38. northeast j Holt county farmer, died about | 10 a.m. November 15 in a com-1 picker accident . . . More than I 100 persons are expected at the | banquet recognizing present and i past members of the Holt county soil conservation district board of directors November 27 . . . Funeral services for Elvin H. Coker, 56, were held Saturday at the Methodist church here . . . Workmen are in the home stretch on the new half-million dollar St. Anthony’s hospital here . . . Miss Betty Jane Wil liamson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Williamson, and Billie Gene Marcellus, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Marcellus, were united in marriage November 18 at the Methodist church. 5 YEARS AGO Charles Prussa, 83, a resident of the Atkinson community more than 54 years died November 16 . . . Miss Laurine Schmitz, 16, of O'Neill was chosen “queen bee" of the Nebraska Honey Pro ducers association meeting last week in Lincoln . . . Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Manske have pur chased the Orchard News . . . Mrs. Eunice Gallagher, 60, died unexpectedly Sunday at her home . . . Mrs. Alice Axtell, Stu art, will celebrate her 105th birth day November 25 . . . Dr. and j Mrs. L. A. Carter will observe i their 60th wedding anniversary November 25 . _I; ; The Long Ago j At Chambers i 50 YEARS AGO I Gilbert A. Eldredge will pre sent a widely varied artistic and I popular repertoire of costumed interpretations of high order at a I program in the Chambers Band Hall December 1 . . . Mr. Tange- | man had a load of dressed poultry on the Chambers market yesterday . . . E. F. Porter has a force of men working on Charles Robertson's new house in Chambers . . . The ladies of Chambers will give a social at the Band Hall Friday evening for the Band boys . . . Shucking com, hauling hay and fixing for winter appears to be the order of the day around here . 25 YEARS AGO The Greenstreet store adver tises two pounds dates at 23 cents, package of mince meat at nine cents, pound of walnuts at 23 cents and two cans of sweet potatoes at 27 cents for the Thanksgiving dinner . . . Mr. and [ Mrs. L. D. Clemens were called j to Ewing Saturday by the serious illness of her mother, Mrs. Alex Napier . . . The Goldent Gate! will present “Rhythm on the Range.’’ a musical western with! Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer! and Bob Bums this w’eekend . THE FRONTIER Phone 788 114 N. Fourth St. O'Neill, Nebr. | YOU BUY BETTER FOR LESS AT S & S Come on in . . . we have a world of nationally advertised toys at our low fleet prices. You can choose gifts for the entire family in our one-stop Christmas wonderland . . . and save many dollars, too! FOR BOYS Flying Model Airplanes Tonka Nylint Structo Daisy Air Rifles Gilbert Lincoln Logs Garton Wagons Tru-Scale Farm Equipment Eagle Sports Equipment Chain Driven Tractors Tricycles Sleds Pool Tables Plus Hundreds of other items FOR GIRLS 36-in. Walking Dolls Tiny Tears Hedda Get Bedda Miss Ideal Dolls Softee Dolls Doll Beds & Cradles Doll Carriages Doll Furniture Structo Washer-Dryer It Really Works! Riding Horses Tables and Chairs Tea Sets Plus Hundreds of other items Hundreds of Toys for Tiny Tots, Too! | FOR THE FAMILY j Famous West Bend Appliances and Cookware - Admiral Radios I LADIES . . . We'll be glad to help you choose just the right gift for the man of the house. If m you are in doubt, ask us. m BUY YOUR CHRISTMAS TOYS AT | LOW FLEET PRICES at y & S Farm Supply | Your COMPLETE Farm and Home Supply Store f Check our low prices for all your Farm and Ranch Needs f O'Neill and Valentine f