Prairieland Talk
"Lives on in Lonliness7'
By ROM AIN E SAUNDERS, 4110 South 51st St., Lincoln 6. Nebr.
Fifty years ago she was an attractive young
Miss on the prairies of Wheeler county some 30
miles from O'Neill. Today she is a lonely old soul
in a ''home” in a community of our Capital City.
Forty years ago she became the
wife of a gent who was a great
pretender of all that was grand
and good, had been married be
fore and was the father of some
kids. After a year or so he
began to abuse his one time
darling, finally left her and
later married again. He is now
dead and gone and that Wheeler
county Miss that had seen and
went through what a human
devil can do lives on in loneli- Homatae
ness with her memories Saunders
• * *
For a year or less John McDonough published
the O'Neill Tribune, his little printing outfit in the
basement of the newly built First National Bank
building. John was a polished sort of gent but not
too exalted for the pioneer way of life. He had his
bed in his office where he slept at night, as did two
of his print shop workers who made their bed on
the floor. Many those days had no mansion to go to
when the days work was done. McDonough left the
little frontier town of O’Neill and went to New York
City to connect with one of the daily newspapers
there. Pioneer life to life in the country’s largest
City. Yes, we had holing up places in later years. I
never slept better than I did the winter of 31-32 on
my bunk in the basement of The Frontier building
beside the roaring coal burning furnace.
* * •
Having elected the head of the house to a county
office the family moved into O’Neill from their
prairie home some 15 miles out. After a time in
town some girls got up this one about one of the
boys of that county officials household: "He has
learned to play the flute and fiddle and to part his
hair of course in the middle.
* * *
“I'll be seeing you.” A nice way to tell you to
go on and don’t bother me.
* * *
I stood today in memory by the grave of my
dear departed loved one. And again out of the visions
of life as we traveled together the many years of
love and sweet things along the way are lived
again. Some day I too will be under the sod beside
that loved one as we await the call to come forth
to immortal life and we hand in hand walk along
the Golden Streets in our Heavenly Home to part no
more
Out of the deep blue sky above us the golden
glow of sunshine for three brief days ami the Janu
ary thaw froze over. Clouds, cold, the north winds
sullen roar, and the snow man again spread a
blanket of white over the land. So again your win
dow casement is whitened with winters chilly
rhyme as you get up another icy morning. Winter
days and nights ahead and the weather prognostica
tors tells us it is not only on Prairieland but the
same beyond the distant seas. O for a horse drawn
sleigh and the jingling bells!
• * *
John Smoot or Maylon Price would have had
to cut the hair of six gents heads to get as much
money as I paid today for a haircut.
* • *
State Senator Fern Hubbard Orme Sniffled and
sneezed as I called her this morning by phone. The
senator was just out of bed where she had rested
in her winter illness Too much holiday indulgence
lays you up out of circulation for a spell. But Fern
was soon her healthy normal self again and at her
duties at the State House in legislative committee
work. And so our law makers and state officials
keep at it.
* * *
He was the town's dude, well dressed, shoes
polished, his hat the best and worn becomingly, a
smile for those he met as he sauntered up the east
side of lower Fourth street. But fifty years later
he was the town bum. And who was he? O that was
just Sliver (Jim) Triggs who had been one of the
fireman at the great Chicago fire long ago and
who was always on hand to fight a fire such as
destroyed the Evans Hotel on lower Fourth street
about 1890.
* * *
After publishing and editing one weekly news
paper in O’Neill Cal Stewart now has four of them
on his hands here in the Capital City. My picture
recently appeared in Cal’s papers showing me
holding a section of that Ulster County New York
Gazette published the first week in January 1800
that has the story of the death and funeral of
George Washington, a paper handed down from my
ancesters. Thus appearing it caught the attention
of a Lincoln lady interested in historical matters
who is moreover a writer. She came to see me and
get my life’s story. Prairieland Talker may now
become one of that lady’s group of notables. So
thanks, Cal.
* * *
Many killed in train and highway wrecks, earth
quakes, snow and cold all over the land, and United
Nations thumbing their noses at eath other. We on
Prairieland keep going on the snow and ice.
Editorial
Rank Stupidity
D. .1. Shultz in the Adams County Record,
Hettinger, North Dakota
There was a time in weekly newspapers—and
many other small businesses—when we could take a
youngster of 13 or 14 and after school hours, during
vacations, and on Saturdays train him in the news
paper or printing profession.
He usually started out by running errands,
sweeping out, and doing some of the minor jobs
around the plant, advancing as he learned. Usually,
by the time of 18, he had learned a trade or pro
fession that guaranteed him better opportunities
than average throughout his lifetime
That time is no more. Now, by government edict,
we can’t train him. We can't even train a youngster
on a machine with a one-fourth horsepower motor.
All a person has to do is to think a bit to
realize what a silly, foolish idea is contained in
such restrictions, and to realize too, how much
juvenile delinquency is induced thereby.
Almost every farm boy in this nation handles
machinery from 14 years onward. We take them
into the armed forces before 18 and let them handle
machinery worth many thousands of dollars of we
taxpayers.
Many of our people think we ought to give the
vote to youngsters of 18 with which we could agree
if we would try to develop them into men at 18
instead of restraining their development and treat
ing them as babies until 18.
Doesn't it seem awfully silly to you that we
can’t train a youngster of 15, 16, or 17 on a machine
with a simple little one-fourth horsepower motor
when we take youngsters as young as 14 and give
them legal license to be the pilot of a 300 horse
power death-dealing automobile on our highways?
How silly and how foolish can we get?
MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT, INDEPENDENT:
“J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, says ‘Just as through research and
positive action we have isolated and conquered the
germs of so many dread diseases, so can we re
move the slaughterers who litter our highways
with broken and battered bodies. But it cannot be
done by showing pity or offering excuses for those
who wantonly violate the basic rules of traffic
safety.
“Two of the greatest dangers on our roads are
the drunken and reckless drivers. Why should any
one feel compassion for them? Their actions show
as much disregard for law and order as do the acts
of a burglar who follows a carefully laid plan to
steal in the night. Also, in many instances, they
are a far greater threat to human safety’.”
CHICO, CALIF.. ENTERPRISE-RECORD:
“Each year during the observance of National
Newspaper Week the newspapers of the nation set
aside one day for honoring their newspaper boys,
those young independent businessmen who con
stitute the final link between the newspaper and its
subscribers . . .
“In all America—according to such leaders as
former President Eisenhower, J. Edgar Hoover
and scores of other top citizens—there is no better
value in work training than the lessons of prompt
ness, service, honesty, dependability, courtesy,
thrift, obligation, selling and human relations
learned by the newspaperboy.
“The young businessmen are learning the basic
fundamentals of our business world and our free
enterprise system.”
■
Frontiers
Ago
50 YEARS AGO
The Uvick-SulJivan fight in
Omaha was cancelled due to the
illness of Uvick. . .O. B. Long,
postmaster at Scottville, died
Tuesday night after a lingering
illness of considerable duration.
. .The supervisors of Boyd coun
ty want to build another bridge
across the Niobrara near Naper
and sent a resolution to Holt
county which was rejected as
Holt county is pledge to building
another bridge across the river.
. . .The Burlington train which
was to have reached here at
11:30 Friday night did not arrive
until 3 Saturday afternoon as the
train was stuck in a snowdrift
near Royal. . .Mr. and Mrs. S.J.
Weekes entertained the 500 club
at a 7 p.m. dinner at their beau
tiful home on east Douglas street
last Saturday evening.
25 YEARS AGO
Mrs» Margaret Mains died at
the home of her son, T. S. Mains,
in this city Tuesday afternoon
after an illness of three weeks
at the age of 82 years. . .All the
members of the Holt County Pub
lishers association were guests
of D. H. Cronin of The Frontier
at dinner Tuesday evening when
they met for the annual meeting
of the association; D. T. Murfin
of Page is president. . .E. E.
Clark, the rural mail carrier at
Inman, has been experiencing
great difficulties in making his
route due to the snow-blocked
roads. . .The Methodist Ladies
aid met at the home of Mrs. Ted
McElhaney Thursday. . .Viola
Kellar, Theresa Pongratz and
Geraldine Harris entertained the
Emmet bridge club Thursday eve
ning.
10 YEARS AGO
Burglars fail in attempt to rob
Bristow bank. . .Alfonse Bee
laert, retired Ewing farmer, dies
following stroke at Norfolk. , .
Twenty-one young Holt county
men enter armed forces. . .
Thieves rob Spencer high school
and get $225 in basketball game
receipts. . .Gerald E. Gotschall,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Got
schall, Atkinson, is now assistant
special agent in charge of the
New Orleans FBI field office. . .
Former Page resident, David
Keith Denver, 62, dies at Des
Moines, la. . .Donna Vae Hajek,
Lynch, united in marriage with
Melvin C. Reiber January 11 at
Wheat Ridge, Colo.
5 YEARS AGO
Compulsory school redistricting
rapped by overflow crowd repre
senting every district in county.
. .Mr. and Mrs. R. K. Platt,
Chambers, celebrate golden wed
ding anniversary. . .Spencer
school board members pay off
all indebtedness on school plant;
town celebrates burning of mort
gage. . iLifelong Atkinson resi
dent, Mrs. Agnes Slaymaker, 68,
dies in Atkinson Memorial hos
pital. . .W. L. Noring, 47, dies
at Orchard. . . O’Neill-Emmet
Highway 20 link to follow C &
NW railroad track west. . .Karen
M. Donohoe and Harold Rother
ham exchange vows.
Dr. H. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Eyes Examined—Glasses Fitted
Contact Lenses
Phone 167 — O’Neill, Nebr.
Hours 9-5—Mon. thru Saturday
Closed Wednesday
The Long Ago
At Chambers
30 YEARS AGO
Evangelist Wright preaches
sermons that convince and con
vert as is shown by the printing
of a list of nearly 100 converts. .
A Christian men’s society has
been formed in Chambers with a
large membership which will
meet every Friday evening. . .
William Anderson has returned
to Chambers after several weeks
absence. . Mrs. Sexton, of In
man, came m on the stage yes
terday on a visit to her daugh
ter, Mrs. Thomjjson, living west
of Chambers. . The prospect is
pretty certain that Chambers
will have a German Lutheran
church early this spring. . .
The ice harvest this year amount
ed to 200 tons of the finest ice
ever seen in this vicinity.
25 YEARS A(iO
The high school teachers were
entertained with a 6 o’clock din
ner by the Rev. and Mrs. C. E.
Brittain Wednesday evening. . .
Mrs. H. Spence suffered a stroke
last Tuesday and is being cared
for by her son and wife. . Har
old Michel was called home
from barber school in Lincoln the
last of the week by the illness
of their baby who had pneumon
ia. . .Flu causes illness in al
most every family in Chambers
recently. . .Frank Porter’s truck
wheel broke through the bridge
six miles south of Brady’s cor
ner and it was necessary to un
load all of the hogs before it
could be pulled loose by a trac
tor.
Clearwater News
Mrs. Charles Curtright
HUnter 5-S29Q
Band Sponsors met Monday
evening in the high school re
creation room with 14 members
present. Wayne Switzer con
ducted the business meeting
which included payment of bills
and a discussion of future meet
ings. Mrs. Lyle Rice and Mrs.
Avalt Sanne were in charge of
the evening’s entertainment. Mrs.
L. Rutledge and Mrs. Darrel
Peters served lunch.
Kindergarten classes opened
here Monday morning with Mrs.
Ava Ruby, Ewing, as instructor.
She replaces Mrs. Francis Ander
son, Norfolk, who resigned ef
fective January 15
The fire department was called
Monday night to the Walter Min
nebroker home where a fire had
started in the chimney. It was
quickly extinguished with no
damage to the home.
M/Sgt. Walter H. Patras left
by train from Grand Island
early Thursday morning for
Treasure Island. He will serve
in the U. S. Marines overseas
for 13 months. His address is
560739 Corp U. S. Marines di
spersing office 3rd Marine Div.
F.M.F-, San Francisco, Calif,
care of F.P.O. His wife and five
children will make their home
in Clearwater during his ab
sence.
Mr. and Mrs. Avalt Sanne en
tertained at a 10-point pitch party
at their home Sunday night.
Prizes were won by Mrs. Sterling
Legate, Sylvester Bauer, Mrs.
William Knievel and Walter Min
nebroker.
O Meyer, Lake Head, Calif, left
Thursday for his home after
visiting his brother Henry and
family and the Mummert fami
lies Otto came by plane from
California to Omaha, taking a
bus to Wisner, and then by car
to Clearwater. His son-in-law,
Ralph Martins, accompanied him.
Mrs. Don Dufphey has been
named chairman of the local
March of IMrant. Boy Hcoute
will make a houiw* to hou%r
canvaa* January JO. tk»ln con
tainers have been placed In
local store*.
The Concordia Lutheran aid is
planning the annual chili ant!
oyster supper to be held at the
church January 27.
Mr. and Mrs Dwayne Mock,
Kathy, and Bobby, Sidney, were
recent visitors in the Duaine
Filsinger and Emery Carey
homes
Orchard News
Mrs. Wilbur Mahttotl
Phone TW 3 31X5
Oris Hall, local commercial
teacher, started a typing class
with 14 adults attending Thursday
evening. This will continue
through the school year meeting
each Thursday evening for a 2
hour session. Those attending:
Mmes. Allen Hill, Guemey Dray
f-“
ton. Walt LaFrera, Ixster Wlt
hee. Jack Hildreth. Darlene Sny
der. Leo C3e\ eland. Wayne
Lautenschlager, Homer Barton.
Leon Mitchell anti Archie Johns
ton. Mr. and Mrs Everett Jacob
sen. Clarence Juracck anti Mrs.
Kasim
Mrs. Hannah Johnson, Mrs
Olive Everhart and Gertrude
Gribble were guests when Mrs
Allen Hill entertained Thursday
bridge club January 11 Mrs E.
Bruce. Mrs Cecil lye and Mrs.
Ted Berry won prizes. The hos
tess served lunch. Mrs. E. Bruce
will be the next hostess. This
will be a housewarming as they
are living in their new home.
WSCS made the annual $5 con
tribution to polio when they met
January 10 Arrangements are
being made to observe World
Service Sunday January 21. as
the local minister will lx* away
on that date and then* will lx* a
guest speaker. A n<*w church
kitchen appliance is an electric
hand mixer as a token of ap^
preciation from a friend January
31 was set as the date for the
annual Ixxik review. Mrs Hoyt
Sirrk presided This will be an
all-day meeting with a pot lurk
dinner Lesson leader was Mrs
1> Lrn/. She was assisted by
Mines. Mitchell, Miller. Thelan
der and Van Ostrand
Tiie Orchard Harden club met
with Mrs D. lam/ January 8.
Mrs i). L Fletcher w is lessor,
leader on the care erf tiouse plant*.
Next meeting will tie witli Mr*.
E liruce with Mrs. Uordon Dray
ton as lesson leader.
Mrs Evelyn M< Mamgal re
turned home Thunulay from l/ia
Angeles. Calif., where she had
spent the (Hist 2 weeks visiting
in the home erf her m*i and
daughter-in-law. Mr. nnel Mrs.
Kush McManigal
Mr*, (.onion |»rayloa an*
Uelneet a crocked bom- in her
right arm when she sI1|»|mmI and
fell In tier home last Sundae
evening.
Hill and Newell Mitchell, son*
of Mr. and Mrs Harold Mitchell,
returned te> Wayne following
Christmas vacation Hill will
practice teaching physical e*eiuca
tion and In* assistant haski*tt>ail
e-oach at Wakefield for the second
trimester at Wayne
■.. •
YOUR BIGGEST BARGAIN
ELECTRICITY . . . b today's
bast buy for batter living. While the
cost of living has gone up, the overage
price per kilowatt hour of electricity
has gone down. At rotes that era
among the lowest in the nation, the
overage Nebraska home uses three to
four times as much electricity as it
did in 1942. Is it any wonder why
to many Nebretkans ore switching
to "ALL-ELECTRIC" living? Why
don't you?
Your Cadillac dealer can easily prove to you the joy you get from its performance ... the respect you
practicality of investing in a Cadillac, from the stand- receive with its ownership . . . the confidence you feel
point of original cost, economical operation and high when you drive it. . . and the elegance that surrounds
resale value. But only actual possession will reap all you. Visit your Cadillac dealer and discover how
the returns on your investment. There is the sheer wise and how wonderful it is to own the “car of cars.”
--—
VISIT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER
VAN VLECK MOTORS, INC.
1*7 NORTH TODlfe ST., OTHLL