A NEW YEAR'S STOIIY.
By S. BMcMamis. ,
I want to tell you this Now Year's
nljfht , wjiat happened Jlst a year ago
In ilanU Harmon's blacksmith shop.
'Tain't much to tell , nor over much for
an outsider to barken to/ but it means
a mighty night to me and , lho bpys ,
an' I , for one , jlat like lo think of It
an * talk It over hhd iclhd ' 6f hug' nutl
umbiacc the words , cxprotsln' Itaailt
wtiio , and hqld the sentences like a
bitter sweet morsel under my tongue.
My" strength don't In any wise lay In
H'lntln' things and Incidents , and it
will bo a good precaution , when I Warn
you not to break in Into me and ac
cordingly Interrupt me. for it will take
llnu-luilrcd and top sawyer work to
make my story look as if It had any
seiiKu or moanin' at all , except to nre
and the hoys as undciatand It com
plete.
.list a year ago tonight wo met In
Hank Harmon's blacksmith shop to
celebrate the day by gottln' HO para-
lyzln drunk , that we. could dlsrcnicm-
bcr the miserable homes wo had
sneaked away frum and the heart
broken ami down-lookln' wives and
children we had loft In them. We hung
a boss blanket over the biggest cracks
In Iho sides after Hank hud fastono.l
the door , and then wo was in slmpcful
condition to guzzle and pour down
our red-hot , thirsty throats , jlst as
muqh of Joe Howard's red-hot , pl7.cn-
hot whisky as we could manage to get
with our tmnblln' hands , to our weak ,
watcrln' . disgraced mouths. After tills ,
wo know what would most likely hap
pen , -judgln' of course by what had
happened before wo would fall over
amongst the cinders and boss hoof
jcallns and o'd wagon tires and drag-
tcoth and scrap iron , where wo would
Bleep like hogs hogs as had loijt their
Eclf-reHpcct until ( he cold and the
uncotnfortablcness would wake and
sober us enough to crawl homo to our
wi etched houses , which wo would
make < wrotchede ; ' and mlserabler by
our comln' .
Wo talked of this tonight , and we all
PUT THE HOSS BLANKET UP.
remembered everything that wns done
und said , aH If U was writ on the black
watts of the shop with white heat run-
nlu' Iron from the forgo , nn.d wo all
agreed too , never to try to dlsromcm-
ber that night the nlght-when God or
Bome'Of his Bhhiln' , holy angels'-come
down to us a d shamed us Into brln'
decent , sober , Cbrllovlr. ' men.
' ' 'There la recollections , " -Jim , Oam-
"eroiFBald- " "that jajlerS' ought ' tp be
recollected and Kept like a b'lazlu' torch
, tn frpntrof us. ' Some tit them' for
safety sakc'h'Hl flome Bhamb''tfakV
and Jim furthermore said we ought to
wear the memory of them disgraced
and wicked days about us as an an
cient sailor or some old salt , wore a
dead goose about his neck as n keep
sake that he had been low down and
sinful.
But drunkards as we all certainly
wan , and what Is more , vcrgln * clost
onto ) ) eln * Imr-fer-kccp3 ( old , drunk
ards as was no likely salvation for , wo
nva'ii't 'any'of us so vWyJiappy and
comfortable and easy into our mlntfs , at
the bcglnn'ln' ' of that night a year ago
In Hank Harmoil's blacksmith shop
In the alley , Jlst off the Rmly--uoino-
thing , bullygard In the city of Surdln-
upolls , where wo boys lived. We put
the boss blanket over the gaplncst
cracks to keep the wind frum Jlarln'
out the smutty lamp that stood smokln'
and wobbly on tin old table whore
Hank writ , his accounts , amongst a lot
of nails and bolts and rivets and small
geaiIn' , with a jug of Joe Howard's
cheapest , helllshest whisky in the mid
dle as a kind of devil center piece. O ,
can't 1 , and can't all of us cronlcJ jlst
remember exactly , how that Jlggly ,
trembly , dirty old table looked and I
am bound that it had the doliilum
trcmcns , If anything in the world bar-
rln' a man can have them. I can smell
the oil that Hank spilled when he
filled the lamp with his nervous ,
slinky hands and It run along amongst
the old Iron and under Hank's day
book and dropped over the edge onto
the floor and went down a crack. And
there was the white jug with the blue
lettcrln' : " 1 gal. , " with a sheaf of blue
wheat below to make It look tasty and
sell.
And this was our New Year's table !
Four men made In the Image of God !
And men for their' folks and neigh
bor ? , to bo proud of except they was
drunkards. There was Jim Cameron ,
one ; mo , two ; Jim Green , three ,
whoso father had been a preacher
and Hank Harmon , as owned the shop.
As I said we wa'n't over happy and
comfortable that night , consldcrlu' wo
hod such a , reckless layout nntl an
curly start. 1 have frequent noticed ,
tl.at you can't always kick conscience
under the fable or settee as you can
an unruly dog that whines and barks
when ho ban no call to. And some
how conscience has a habit of gcttin *
around and In the way on such doln'
days as Now Year's , Christmas and the
like. And four consciences as hadn't
had thulr just desorvin'a nor Itmlnga
for many a month , slipped their halters
that nlgljt a year ago and managed to
make things unpleasant for their own- *
crs. I suspect the troubled waters
mentioned In the scriptures means
somethln' like this. But any way We
was troubled onaccountably.
Not so onucconntably either , for wo
wasn't so old and hurdoned'aiid cvustcd
in sin and drlnkln' , but what -w < s rill
could think when wo glVo ourselves a
chance , which wo made sure not to do
ovpr frequent , because. U was not
agreeable.
Quo thing that made us feel a trlllo
do\vu and dismal was that the keeper
of the Happy Homo saloon , Joe How
ard , had jlst moved a day or so back ,
out of his old house down by the gas
.works . and the tannery , Into his hand
some new residence frontln1 the park
and the library bultdln' . It was the
prettiest , tastiest , Imposln'lst house In
Jho ClroJQ and hq had made every dollar
lar of itout , of such fcljowb as mo and
the rest of us.
Anil then Jim Cameron 1m I moved
that very day New Year's uny from
Ihe .home his falhor had given htm
and every brick uul hoard In It was
like a llvln' , lovln * thing to Jim had
moved Into a little old untidy frowsy
house with a bowed in roof and anglln'
shutters , in a part of the town where
self-respcctln * Jolka didn't generally
try to get. And Jim knew , and we all
knew that he and the rest of us and a
lot more had built Joe's house in the
park , and that every nail in it if it
was counted a dozen times , wouldn't
count up as many ner a tenth as many
as the tcais shed for Us puttln' up !
Wo callated that one of us had hand
ed enough hard earned money over his
counter to pay for the grand stairway ,
every inch of which was the premium
work of an artist and a man as made
grand stairways for a llvln' and never
botched , and I reckoned , jlst makln' a
rough , unfignrln' estimate , that I had
traded enough with Joe one time and
another to as much , or may bo more ,
than pay for the plate glass windows ,
not mciitlonln' the stained ones , that
looked like flower beds set into his
walls , with wreaths and roses and
young children and blue sky and grass
and things. And there was my wife
and youngsters at home If such a
place as we hud finally got to could be
called a home with the windows filled
with old quilts and cushions and not
enough in the cupboard to cat to much
more than prevent them from goin' to
bed hungry. And this was New Year's
night ! It wasn't a cheerful , glowln *
outlook , no odds how persevcrln' one
tried to bo chirk gleeful over It.
Hank Harmon remarked as he took
his place at the table , with his back
agin the door to prevent anyone from
droppln' in oncxpectcd , that likewise ,
makin * n rough , uneducated "callatlon ,
ho bed helped Joe Howard In the build-
in' of his mansion , as the newspaper
culled Joe's house quite a consider
able , even to the pinchln * of his fam
ily for provisions and clothln * . Hank
callated ho had done as much toward
the house , as the puttln' In of the
plumbing plpin' chandeliers , with
the furnace throwed In for fair meas
ure and good feclln' . And speakin * of
the furnace , Hank happened to recol
lect that there wasn't a fitlck of wood
or a pound of coal In his house , and
JIM BEGAN TO CRY.
hlfl wife was sick and his children not
sweatln' with belli * ovcrclothcd or
overfed. And remlnescenlng along
this line , wo naturally got dismal ant !
down-hearted and some of us It was
mo for I needn't pretend to confuse
or forget anything that happened thai
night moved that we unanlmouslj
take a drink and I accordtn' pulled the
cork from the white stone jug , will
tha blue lettcrln' and wheat sheaf
But Jim Cameron nor Hank nor Jim
Green held up their cups , but , I flllec
mine In a manly , don't-care wax
set cloco to the edge of the table by
me.
me.Jlst
Jlst then , Jim Green began to cry.
And U wasn't n drunk , maudlin'
etrashy cry that makes one tired , but
great , man , heart-breaklr. " heart
full cry. not loud nor noisy , but low
and heavy with bitterness and re-
i'itj and the useless w'flhln's that
you hadn't done some things. And
while Jim cried we- all looked away
mil kinder above each others heads
and I sneaked my cup of whisky from
he table and emptied It without mak-
n' any Hplashln' In the pall where
Hank tempers his boss shoes. After
a sp ° ll , Jim got where he could speak ,
and we was all wlllin' he should have
the floor. He said he didn't know how
many houses he had helped to build ,
Init expected he had done his share ,
t he did know , with a sad certainty
of one heart he had broken by his
wayward wicked ways. Jim didn't
say whose heart It was. but we all
knew it was his mother's. And she
md died alone and neglected jlst a
year ago. So many things happen just
year ago ! Then Jim begun again ,
( ho could talk like his father I sus-
[ iccl ) and said that while he knew he
had killed the one who loved him best
and the one that ho loved best In the
World , killed her with cruel shame and
sorrow with God's help he was re
solved to make her glad In heaven to
night , that ho would never touch an
other drop of liquor as long as he
lived.
There was stillness for a time and
the edges of the old blanket flapped
Ilko big , ragged evil wings and the
uncorked Jug sent out a smell that put
ono in mind of venomous snakes and
close by danger , while the smutty ,
croackcd lamp flared up and then al-
moit went out as If even that little
puny , crippled light was ashamed of
fts company. Pretty soon , Jim Cam
eron pulled his legs out from under
the trembling table , and straightening
himself up as best ho could , belli' so
tall and standln * as he did right under
the eaves of Hank's shop said , "Boys ,
I have a notion that amounts to dead
certainty , tint my wife and I will
move back to our old homo before long.
We are both homesick for the grass
and geraniums and big trees in the
front yard , and the stone dog on the
door step , and the little room where
our babies died. I think we shall go
back pretty soon , because you see with
God's help and God for a witness and
Hank Harmon and my neighbor , Wil
liam Wren , for witnesses , I now sol
emnly promise with my dead chil-
THERE WAS NEW YEAR'S DIN
NERS TODAY.
drcn to hear , too that I , like our
friend who has jlst left us , will never
touch another drop of Intoxicating
liquor so long as I 12vc. " And he
picked up his hat and went away.
And me and Hank was loft alone.
But Cameron hadn't much more than
shut the door , when Hank , as owned
the shop , kicked the box out from
under him and come nigh to upsettln *
the infirm old table and while he put
en his ragged overcoat , kind of care
less remarked only anyone that
knowcd Hank would have known that
ho was In solemn , awful earnest that
it didn't look neighborly nor civil to
leave company like this , but ho
guessed no , I'll bo damned If I
guess ( Hank wasn't a swcarln' man ,
never ) ho said , I know I must do as
Jim Green and Jim Cameron have
done , and with God to help me and
God and you , William Wren , to be my
witnesses , I , Henry Harmon , will never
drink another drop of intoxicating
liquor so long us I live. And the rick
ety old door dragged buck to Its place
and ho was gene , and I alone.
There was but one decent , manly
thing left for me to do , and by this
time It was the only thing I wanted
to do and standing up with only God
for witness and He was enough I
promised as the other boys had prom
ised , and then , with a thread of a
prayer that would tangle Itself with my
other thoughts , I took the jug and
smashed It upon the anvil.
#
While It como to us unexpected that
wo should begin a new and decent life
jlst Ilko a message from God , almost ,
It wna put upon \\i to help ourselves ,
jlst all Unit was possible. God stood
clost by us , though , And was always in
reach when wo most needed Him. It
was a hard won victory , but wo won It.
"In conclusion , " as they say In story
books , It Is only fair to mention that
Jim Cameron and his wife have pos
session once more of their stone dog
and geraniums , and Jim Green lives
with thorn , and there is another bab >
in the house whose name Is James G
Cameron. Thcro are no blankets in
the windows ot my homo today , am
Hunk Harmon la as happy and pros
perous as a decent , hard-workln' God-
fciuln' man can well bo , and in every
one of our homes there was New Year's
dinners today , that makes my mouth
water to even think of now.
A PLBA OF NOT GUILTY
The Oasa Against 1I\S3 Viola Horlocke.
Agaiu Continued ,
SHE APIW.S IN GCOD HEALTH.
o Longer I IIP I'lcturn of'l > lntr < > . m on
rrctlntit Oi-ciiilon When In Court A
lli-w Hull Howl Preferred MUcelliinc-
OUR Ni'br.iHU.i Neui Noten.
HASTINGS. Neb. , Dec. 20. Miss Vi
ola Horlocker , charged with the at-
empted murder of Mrs. Anna More }
n this city on the 10th of last April
by means of poisoned bonbons , ap
peared before Judge Beall In district ,
court long enough to have her case
again continued and give a renewal
of bond for future appearance for
trial.
trial.Miss
Miss Horlocker accompanied the
couit room a few minutes before the
noon hour accompanied by her broth
er-in-law , George S. Hayes. She was
attired in a close fitting black dress ,
but was without the heavy black veil
that has hidden her features from the
gaze of the public on the previous oc
casions of her appearance in the court
rcom since she became the central
figure in this sensational case. Her
step was firm , her bearing erect and
her glance steady and cool , with just
a touch of defiance in It as she looked
around the room at the attorneys and
the few spectators present. She gave
not the slightest sign of mental agita
tion , and her complexion and general
appearance would denote that she was
enjoying excellent health.
When she had taken her scat with
her attorneys , Judge Ragan , R. A.
Batty and John C. Stevens , grouped
closely about her , County Attorney
McCreary aiose and asked the court
to call the case. He then read the In
formation to which the defendant ,
standing , listened attentively without
the least perceptible change of coun
tenance , only allowing her eyes to
drop momentarily as the attorney re
peated the words , "by administering
poisonous candy. " When asked to
plead she answered "Not guilty" firm
ly and without hesitation.
The county attorney tnen announced
that by stipulation ue prosecution
and the attorneys for the defendant
had agreed to a continuance of the
case until the next term of the dis-
court , and requested that it be so or
dered.
Judge Beall announced that the de
fendant's bail would be fixed at $5-
000 , and her former bondsmen , A. L.
Clarke , George S. Hayes , John M. Ra
gan and R. A. Batty , acknowledged
themselves as sureties on the new
bond.
The Old Complaint.
OMAHA , Neb. , Dec. 20. Reports
reach the office of United Ctates Mar
shal MatUsws that the Omaha and
Wlnnebago reservations in Thurston
county are being overrun by "bootleg
gers , " who are constantly selling liq
uor to Indians. United States Com
missioner Sloan of Ponder writes that
these dealers in liquor are swarming
over the reservations , many of them
coming from Dakota City. He says
that their favorite haunt is at Homer ,
from which point they work in all di
rections. Scores of the Indians are
constantly in a state of intoxication ,
and fights and drunken rows are of
frequent occurrence. He adds that in
one of these rows two Indians were
killed.
11U Wlfci Hrouglit Itnck.
BLUE SPRINGS , Neb. , Dec. 20. Tl e
wife of William Reedy during her hus
band's absence left recently , taking , it
is alleged , $55 , all the money there was
in the house , and with their litHe
diuighter drove to Odell with lu-i
brother , where the westbound Burlington -
ton passenger train was taken for Mo-
Cook. Upon the husband's return
home and taking in what had hup-
pended he telegraphed the authorities
at Red Cloud to arrest her and o'ficers
\\ould be sent to bring ner bacic. I'
IP charged that this Is her second at
tempt to got away. Mr. Reedy scys
that he does not care anything more
for her , so he gets his child back.
Negro Charged With Assault.
NEBRASKA CITY , Neb. . Dec. 20.
At an early hour In the morning as
Miss Nellie Curtis , a dining room girl
at the Watson hotel , was coming down
Hairs In response to a call to mei't a
sister coming from Tecumseh , she was
met at the dining room dooi > by Will
iam Battles , a negro porter about th-.1
house , who grabbed her and attempted
to force her Into a room , but she
fought him , when he drew a re\o've ' :
and tried to Intimidate her. The night
clerk came and the negro escaped. The
negro drew his wages and at'omptod
to leave town , but was captured at
the Burlington depot by Chief Winion ,
on whom Battles drew a gun , but wan
placsd in Jail.
Itud Accident at llnrtliigton.
HARTINGTON , Neb. , Dec. 20. A
12-year-old son of Henry Beckman ,
living north of here , had an arm accl-
dj-ntully shot off. In getting oft a
load of hay the gun was jdischarged
and tore the right ! arm nearly off 15m
boy's body. The arm was amputated
today.
Charley Goeden had his right hand
caught In u corn shelter and lacerated
bo badly it had to bo amputated.
Stilhlied Nine. Time * .
OVERTON , Neb. , Dec. 1C.-A stab
bing affair occurred at Overtoil. The
quarrel started between two young
men , Hairy Carr and Frank Hendrich-
hon. Harry Cair stabbed Hendrlch
son nine times in the back and side ,
causing him to full from the loss , ol
bjood. Ho was carried into a barbel
phop close by. Dr. E. 0. Boardman
; was called and dressed the wouijds.
The injured man IB resting easy at
this writing. Carr was arrested ,
MOVING DAYfORMK. BRYANT.
Deputy Inntirnni-o CoininUnloiicr Pro *
iTcils to CliiMI'p HI * Offlro ,
LINCOLN , Nc ) ) . , Dec. 22. Now that
the supreme court has nnanlinoiiBly
lEteed that the \Vevavcr Insurnnce law
3 void , the very Important question ,
arises , Is there nn appropriation for
carrying on the Insurance business of
the Htate ? The appropriations made
by the legislature for this purpose
were all made In accordance with the
provisions of the Weaver law and this
: ict having been declared void there
IP gome dispute as to whether the ap
propriations are still In force.
State Auditor Cornell , who now has
cxchiHlve charge 01 the Insurance bus
iness of the state , said today that he
had not formed any definite conclusion
m to whether ho had any legal author-
Ky to draw from the appropriations.
Hq will ask Attorney General Smyth
Tor an opinion on the subject and will
be4 governed accordingly. " 7
In the appropriations provision was
made for the auditor drawing a certain
amount fiom the treasury for conductIng -
Ing the insurance business until , the
time the new law went Into effect.
Further than that , no "provision wSa
made which gave the auditor power to
upend or direct the expenditure of any
money appropriated 'for the Insurance
department. After defining the dutlps
of the deputy Insurance commissioner ,
the law expressly provided for Ins
salary , for the salary of a clerk and"tn
stenographer , for printing and office
expenses. . . s x , ' >
Mr. Bryant announced Today that he
would not ask for a rehearing of tl\e \
case. He will relinquish his , office at
the capltol as soon as h6 can complete
the record * up to date and they will
then be turned bver to Auditor Cor
nell. N
Most of the blank forms that hayc
been printed for'-the new iusurance
department will be" turned over , to the
auditor. All the stationary but the
letterheads may be used by the audi
tor , consequently' ' there will be but a
slight loss of stock. A portion of the
furniture purchased for the depart
ment will probably be returned to the
dealers. A rough estimate made
placed the value of the furniture and
fixtures at $122 , the cost of the printIng -
Ing and stationery In the neighbor
hood of $ JOO and the salary claims
will amount to nearly ? 2,000. All
claims against the department will be
presented to the next legislature and
Auditor Cornell announced that he
would do what he could to have them
allowed.
State HUtorlcul Society.
LINCOLN , Neb. , Dec. 22. The Ne
braska State Historical society will
hold its annual meeting in the chapel
of the main building of the State uni
versity January 9 and 10. The State
Horticultural society will meet on the
same days , but by special arrange
ment it , will have possession of the
chapel In the daytime and the Histor A
ical society in the evenings. Both
meetings promise to be unusually in
teresting and a 'large attendance .is
expected.
Tile Society of Nebraska Territorial
Pioneers will also meet In the city dur
ing the week , probably Immediately
after the convention of the Historical
society. This organization Is com
posed of about 150 persons who settled
In Nebraska prior to its admission as
a state , March C , 1867. Its president is
Robert W. Furnas of Brownville.
.1. Sterling Morton , as president of
the Historical society , will deliver the
opening address to the members of
that organization. On the same even
ing L. .1. Abbott of South Omaha will
read a paper on some of the early
political methods employed by poli
ticians in Nebraska In the early days
and John Turner of Indlanola will
speak on the early settlement of Boone
county. David Anderson of South
Omaha will also deliver an address
on some historical subject and sketch
es on the life of T. W. Tlpton and
Champion S. Chase will be read , the
former by Robert W. Furnas and the
latter by Clement Chase of Omaha.
Killed by n llxby Itrotlicr.
ST. EDWARD , Neb. , Dec. 22. A 4-
year-old son of William Cruise , who
lives west of St. Edward , was shot
and killed by his 5-year-old brother ,
i.lrs. Cruise had loaued the gun and
placed It under the bed. Her hus
band was absent during the night.
The boy got up In the morning while
his mother was busy preparing break JL
fast and pulled the gun out from under
the bed and handed it to his brother ,
v > ho was still in bed , telling him to
play be was a soldier and snap It ,
which be did. The contents entered
the boy\s \ head just above the right
eye. Medical aid was summoned , but
he died In a short time.
Hurglnra limn Hard I.urk
OAKDALE , Neb. , Dec. 22. Burglars
entered the , ofllre of the Torpln Grain
company , Norwood's harness shop , Mr.
Watson's drug store and Thrask's
drug store. Nothing 1ms been found
missing except a little change that
was left In the tills. Four or five dollars
lars will cover the total amount taken.
Six Kill * llroken.
HILDRETH , Neb. , Dec. 22. Fred
Best , one of the1 old settlers of Frank
lin county , was knocked down by. a
vicious horse and stamped upon. Ho
had six ribs und.hls shoulder blade
b'roken , one of the broken ribs punc
turing his lung. His chances for re
covery are fair. , (
i
tinus Iiimino on Truln.
OXFORD , Neb. , Dec. 22. An aged
lady was taken from train No. 3 he'ie
In an insane condition. In nor pos
session was found an advertising tic.t-
et Issued to Mrs. M. M. Reeves , and
at lucid Intervals hhe gave Johnstown ,
Pa. , as her home , and Denver as Iw
destination. At every station west of
Lincoln she hail attempted to leave
the train , and required constant
watching. Sheas placed in charge
of Marshall Brlethaupt and the au
thorities In.Denver notified , She Is
unable' to talk rationally as to her rel
atives ,
