Prairieland Talk
"Wintertime Is Here Again"
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. 411J South 51st St.. Lincoln 6. Nehr.
A cold December day. Snow and ice across the
streets and lawns. Here we are another wintertime
has come. Some of us have sur
vived many, many winters.
Now another mor.ih will bring
the anniversary of the great
blizzard- When Grandma Chap
lin was one among others found
frozen to death the morning
after that terrible blizzard. Here
in the capital city we have an
organization that perpetuates
the memory of that terrible
day I was within ten minutes Bom sine
of lieing caught out on the road flnimdrm
that morning But I did not get *
going and so I am still here to tell again the story
of that historic event
• • •
He started life in O’Neill in the day of the horse
and wagon. With a team and wagon he went at it
and did hauling of goo<ls from tlie depot to the
store and homes. He prospered. He finally married
and had a very nice home at Third and Everett
Streets. But passed from the team and wagon days
tx> the automobile and became one of northern Ne
braska's most prominent automobile dealers also
running what we call filling stations today. There
on the corner of Fifth and Douglas Streets. And
from his modest little home on Third and Everett
Streets he moved to the town's liest residential area
on the east side. He had one son who proved tx> be
not at all like his good father, J. B. Mellor.
* * *
Fern Hubbard Orme elected again as state sen
ator representing a district in the capital city in
forms me the State Legislature will meet promptly
at noon January 1 and no doubt a voice will be
heard saying, "1 move that we adjourn until this
hour tomorrow’'. Another voice will he heard to
say, “I second the motion”. Senator Orme is the
only woman serving as a state senator and is doing
a good job of it. She came from Holt County and
was a school girl in O’Neill when the Hubbard fam
ily lived there over on the east side. She came with
her parents to Lincoln and finished her education
at the State University and got into public life soon
after that. She was elected a member of the Lin
coln city council where she served for some time
with credit to herself. Then the next step along the
way in public life she became a state senator where
she is doing a very excellent job of it. What next
will this Holt County girl be up to? A candidate to
be Nebraska’s first woman governor?
• * *
The southern states are being hit hard by jack
frost this December. Below zero weather! Through
out the country snow and ice. A cold December we
are having. Maybe we must go north now to get
warm instead of going south. A cold morning! Stay
in bed and sleep!
Anyway the ice and snow has silenced the noisy
lawnmowers.
• • •
I do not know his name. I never did know his
name, but I see him again as he stands there by
the Post Office building on South Fourth Street
dressed in his boots, his leather breeches, buckskin
jacket and handkerchief about his nec k and a big
hat On each side hung his six-shooters which he
would use on a moments notice if needed. Just a
picture from the past, from the long ago, in the
days of Doc Middleton. He was not of that group
hut from the prairie range and in those days there
was one of the Blincoes who had a shooting gallery
where if one hit the target he would get a cigar
or something. And that fellow from the range could
step up and show us how it was done.
• • *
It may have been mentioned before in this de
partment that few if any communities had the able
citizens that we had here in O'Neill in days now
gone. There was Congressman Kincaid, W. D. Mat
thews who founded the FRONTIER, James II. Riggs
who succeeded him, R. R. Dixon who ended his life
as district judge, M. F. Harrington, Art Mullen,
James A Donohue, S. J. Weaks and several others
now no more. All laid to rest. But the community
continues to grow and expand and there are able
citizens here today.
• • *
At this time of year the river and little pond
holes just south of town were frozen to ice. And
we young blades with our skates went down to the
ice covered spots and put on our skates and cut
circles on the ice. There was Jim Davidson, Guy
Green, Sam Thompson, Frank Mann, Harry Gilles
pie, and our girl friends: Minnie Selkirk, Inez Smith,
Mazie Durr, Tammie Norval and the others. There
we were a group of the rising generation showing
them how to do it on the ice. Is young America of
the O’Neill community on their skates today? I
wonder. And then we had the roller skating rink
where we put on the skates and rolled around the
floor for a while. Matty Mann one of the liest and
Jimmy Riggs the champion of us all. And we had
our fun.
* * *
It was in the year 1888 in the early summer our
house from my father’s homestead was moved into
O'Neill. And it was located on a lot on what is now
South First street in the 300 block. Two rooms added
onto it and other changes made. It was the home
of my mother and her parents and my two sisters
and brother after my father had died. In that house
five of my parental family died and when it be
came my home after my marriage, five of my sons
and daughters were born there. In the year 1910
I disposed of the place and for a number of years
it was the home of L. G. and Mrs. Gillespie. The
house has been modernized and stands today a
pleasant residence.
Editorial
The Aspects of Christmas
There are two almost equally ancient but very
different aspects of Christmas. The day. and the
season, would be empty if either were missing.
A century and a half ago Sir Walter Scott
charmingly described one of them in his Marmion;
“Heap on more wood! the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it will.
We'll keep our Christmas merry still.”
This is the Christmas of celebration, whatever
the vagaries of weather. It is the Christmas of gift
giving, of feasting, of good talk, of remembrances
of old days and old companions. Above all. it is
the Christmas of children, awed and delighted by
the tree with its lights and decorations, with the
wonderful, living and breathing illusion that is Santa
Claus, with the excitement of opening their pres
ents, and with the magnificent music that has ex
pressed the spirit and hope of Christmas for genera
tions beyond counting.
The other aspect is the meaning of Christianity,
which it is the purpose of Christmas to symbolize.
This, unhappily, is the aspect that in the hurried,
materialistic modem world is so often forgotten.
The fundamental, all-important purpose of Chris
tianity can be very simply stated; Love of God and
a love for fellow-man equal to that we hold for our
selves. From this concept stems the Christian prin
ciples of honor, duty, forgiveness, and tolerance.
All the other great religions have a comparable
base.
This year, as every year, there will be Christ
mas celebrations throughout much of a weary world.
The question is whether Christian principles, bring
ing peace and solace and understanding to peoples,
will ultimately prevail.
BILL RICHARDSON, Publisher
BRUCE J. REHBERG, Editor
Terms ol Subscription: In Nebraska, #2-50 j>ei
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year,
rate abroad provided upon request. All subscrip
tions payable tn advance.
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 Asso
ciation, National Editorial Association and the Audit
bureau of Circulations.
NATION Al EDITORIAL
N
s
.¥J.
&uj (AfeMy (Aihistma} _
70e take this happy time of year to wish you
all the joys of the Holiday Season, and to join all men of
good will in a prayer for worldwide peace and understanding.
May your Holidays be merry and bright!
MEYER S MIDWEST FURNITURE
O'NEILL NEBRASKA
I pran lkm«4rw
PORK CUTLETS Lb. 59c
I . K. II. A. <’holer
CHUCK STEAK Lb. 69c
Lean Meaty I J*rj{e
roARE RIBS.Lb. 49c
\niHiuni CViltiinbU
SLICED BACON ... 3 lbs. SI
U.S.D.A. INSPECTED
OYSTERS.12-qi. 79c I
IJF*n S*Mlll a
PORK STEAK.Lb. 43c 1
l jiri O) i .in
CATFISH. lb. 39c |
Armour MUr < «’H*» l*hg. K
FRANKFURTERS 1-lb. 49c t
Lean Boston Butt ■
PORK ROAST {
to. 33c f
Young 4 to 8 lbs. C
Beltsville — Parts Missing m
■HI
0
P
:
I Firm and Fresh Firm Crisp
Cranberries CELERY
Eatmor Brand I>arge Stalk
Lb- !9c Each 19c
FRESH FROZEN
FRUIT PIES
APPLE
CHERRY
peach Each
PUMPKIN
STRAWBERRIES fresh frozen .... lOoz. 19c
\AEAT PIES Chicken-Beef-Turkey 6 for $1
TOP VALUE STAMPS {
Fl^ P P ~ Check our handbill for the many items with FREE M
t [■ STAMPS this weekend at your New Outlaw Store — M
IFolgers
COFFEE
3-lb. $479
can I
Pillsbury — Refrigerator
BISCUITS
J Stokel/s
I CORN
1 303 If)*'
1 can I ^^B
STOKELY'S TOMATO
JUICE 4
STOKELY'S
CATSUP 6
STOKELY'S
PEARS 3
STOKELY'S
PUMPKIN 7
BON AIR
ICE Ha,f :
CREAM Gal,°"
I a ■ a p^ h m m a //ED., DEC. 19 thru
|S BIG DAYS mon dec24
p———pp—PTj ~ 11
Heinz m
KETCHUP |
14-oz. *
bottles #
Jiffy — Assorted ■
CAKE MIX I
Pkg. ^
Northern
TISSUE
C M FRRY Dear Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill and Vicinity,
M I We would like to take this opportunity to wish each and
B V M A ^ every one of you a very Merry Christmas. The Outlav/s III Wf 4 \
m ^^k IVI P-S. That oar employees may spend Xmas Eve with tfaeir families we will close at 6 pm.
