- The - First - National - Bank.
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS : AUTHORIZED CAPITAL :
$60,000. $100,000.
GEOIIUE IIOCKXKLL , Prcsiaent. B. M. TREES , Vice President. W. F , LATYSON , Cashier.
A. CAMPBELL , Director. _ S. L. GREEN , Director. _
The Citizens Bank of McCeok ,
INCORPORATED UNDER STATE LAWS.
Paid Up Capital , $50,000.
General Banking Business.
Collections made on all accessible points. Drafts drawn directly
on principal cities of Europe. Taxes paid for non
residents. Money to loan on farming lands ,
city and persoual property.
1 TICKETS FOE SALE TO Al FROM EUROPE
OFFICERS :
V. FRANKLIN , President , JOHN R. CLARK , Vice Prcs.
A. C. EBERT , Cashier. . THOS. I. GLASSCOTT , Ass. Cash.
CORRESPONDENTS :
The First National Bank , -Lincoln , Nebraska.
The Chemical National Bank , New York City ,
BANK - OF - McGOQK.
j ywwj
G-eneral Banking Business.
Interest paid on deposits by .special agree
ment.
Money loaned on personal property , good signatures - >
natures or satisfactory collateral.
Drafts drawn on the principal cities of thft
United States and Europe.
OFFICEUS :
C. E. SHAW , Pres. JAY OLNEY , Vice Prea ,
CHAS. A. VAN PELT , Cash. P. A. WELLS , Asst..Cash.
PETER PENNER
wishes to announce that his stock pf
r l !
is complete , and also directs attention to his line of
WHITE RUBBER TEIMMED HARNESS ,
finest ever brought to Weetern Nebraska.
West Dennison St. MeCOOK , NEBRASKA.
$ SOOOO.QO !
TO LOAN ON . -
Improved Farms in Red Willow Gounlf
8 AT 8 | PEE CENT. 8
McCook Loan and Trust Co ,
IN FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
ttt tuvertj Stafefr e
GBA T & EIKENBERR Y , Props.
The Best Equipment in the Republican Valley ,
ft FFK k Lite Co.
= DEALERS IN-
LUMBER
Sash , Doors , Blinds , Lime , Cement ,
HAED AM ) SOFT COAL.
C. H. BOYLE ,
LAND - ATTOENEY ,
Blryeari' experience In Government
Land Cases.
Real Estate , Loans and Issuance ,
NOTARY PUBLIC.
upstairs in the Bcott building ,
gouth of Commercial Hotel , McCook , Neb.
THE COMMERCIAL - HOTEL , '
GEO. E. JOHNSON" , Prop.
This house has teen completely renovateft
and refurnished throughout , and is first-clasn
in every respect. Bates reasonahel.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ari
A. J. KITTESIIOUSE , W. R. STABR ,
McCook. Indianobu
BITTENHOUSE & STABR ,
ATTOBXTEYS-AT-LAW
OFFICES AT
McCOOK arid
J. BYRON JENNINGS ,
ATTOKNEY - AT -
Will practice in the state and United State *
courts , and before the U. S. Land offices ,
Careful attention eiven to collections
Office over the Nebraska Loan and Banking.
Co. , McCook. i
' _
THOS. GOLFER ,
ATTORNEY - AT - LAW
AND NOTARY PUBLIC.
Real Estate Boujht and Sold and Collec
tions made. Moncv Loaned on real estata
nnd tinal proof. Agent Lincoln Land Co.
Office in Phillips-Meeker block. _
HUGH W. COLE ,
LAWYER.
McCOOK , - NEBRASKA.
Will practice in all courts. Commercial
and Corporation latr a specialty.
MONEY TO LOAN.
Rooms 4 and 5 First NationalBankBuiloUnfl
_ _ _ x ,
Dr. A. P. WELLES , -
J3CO3IEOPATJBIC
PHYSICIAN AND SUKGEON ,
McCOOK , - NEBRASKA.
Spec ! * ! attention given to diseases of
and Children. The latest improved methods of
Electricity used in all cases requiring ; such treaW
ment. Office over McMillen's Drugstore. Kefr
idenco , North Main Street. _
B. B. DAVIS , M. D. ,
PHYSIC ! AN and SURGEON
STcCOOK - yUBSASKA.
OFFICE HOURS : to 11a.m. , 2 to 5 p. m.T
to 9 p. m. I have associated with mo In practice ,
JT. C. H. JONES ,
who will answer calls promptly In town 01
country. Booms : Over First National Bank.
ABXICA SALTS.
The BEST SALVE in the world for ants , braises ,
sores , ulcers , salt rhaum , fever sores , tetter ,
chapped hands , chilblains , corns , and all ikl't
eruptions , an-1 positively cares piles , or no pay
required. It is guaranteed to give perfect satis
faction or uioney rCnnded. Price 95 C U pw
box.
A BIG WITH ROLES. '
Aunt Pratt sat in the soutli "win
dow of the. kitchen , knitting. She
had a right to sit there , ibs she paid
her board punctually , - having
"means" as the neighbors said.
What the Potters would have
done without her board to help them
they could not think now they had
it. Yet before Mrs. Potter's Uncle
Ebenezer died they had lived just as
many other poor people live. Uncle
Ebenezer had never helped his niece
at all since he gave her a modest
outfit and a hundred dollars in cash
when she married Rowley Potter , a
young fellow who was getting good
wages in the great rifle factory at
H.
Louise was pretty , capable , bright
girl then ; but that was twenty years
ago. Now she was a thin , sallow ,
fretful woman. Potter still worked
in the rifle shop , " as they called it ,
but he had only § 1 a day , more wages
than when he was married , and there
were four children. Lottie , 18 years
old , pretty , pert and vain , worked in
a hosiery. Tom , 16 , was in a nut
and bolt "shop ; " Idalla , a girl of 14 ,
was a "cash girl" in Holmes & Har
per's great dry-goods store. Tom
and Lotty paid their board , "Idy"
clothed herself , she could get bargains
and remnants so cheap ; when she
should be promoted into a "sales
lady , " she , too , would pay like the
others. The fourth child , little Davy ,
was only 10 ; he went to a publiu
echool.
When Aunt Pratt was left a widow ,
she made up her mind to sell the
farm and board somewhere ; she had
no children , but she did have rheuma
tism enough to tireher with its aches
and stiffness more than a family of
the noisest boys and girls could
h'ave tired her. The farm was a good
one , well improved , the house and
barns in thorough repair , and
there were six cows and two horses ,
as well as plenty of farming imple
ments. She got § 4,500 for the
whole. The neighbors said it was
worth more ; the buyer said it was
worth less ; so shrewd Aunt Pratt
considered the price fair.
Then there was § 1,500 in the
Dalton Bank , the slow accumulation
of butter money , egg money , the
sale of poultry and calves ; § 6,000 in
all , and every cent of it her own.
Squire Hart , of Dalton , who was ex
ecutor of the will , invested the money
in sa.'e ways at G per cent , and Mrs.
Pratt began to look about her for a
home. She knew that Louisa Potter
had felt hurt aboufc her UnclePratt's
will ; he only left to her her grand
mother's mahogany furniture and
the savings bank book in which he
had deposited the profits made out
oftheFriesland hens and the white
heifer calf she had loft in his hands
when she married a sum amount
ing to $100 now.
But Louisa and her husband had
expected more , and Mrs. Pratt was a
just woman , capable of understand
ing other peoples feelings ; so she did
not wonder. After much thought
and without any suggestion from
them , she proposed to come into H.
and board with Louisa. So they
gave up to her Lotty's front bed
room , and put Lotty in with Ida ;
and as they cooked and ate in the
same room where they Bat at evening.
A.unt Pratt's rocker , her foot-stool ,
her small round table and her workbasket -
basket were established in the sunny
south window , where she could look
down into the sky , for this tenement
was on a corner , and the Potters had
the third story flat.
It was a great change for Aunt
Pratt , but she was a woman brought
up in the old New England fashion ,
to do what she perceived to be a du
ty , however unpleasant and painful ,
without shrinking or complaint ; and
she had made up her mind that it
was her dutv to help the Potters.
She missed the fresh air of the
farm , the quiet of her own house , the
new milk , the sweet butter , the good
bread : but she said nothing as she
sat , day after day , in her window ,
knitting or mending , her big Bible
open on the stand , and her thoughts
very busy with the things around
her , as well as with the things that
are above. For Aunt Pratt
had made a resolution to leave
her money in the way it would do her
relatives the most good , a.nd she
must study them and their customs
before she could discover what that
way was. She soon found out that
ttiey were always in debt. Potter
had good wages. Lotty and Tom
were off his hands , Ida had only her
board given her , and Davy , vas in
heritor to Tom's old clothes and his
father's too. It seemed to Aunt
Pratt that there must be a leak-
somewhere that she did not discover
nt once.
She was reading her bible of course ,
Jnd one day came upon a verse in
the prophecy of Haggai that seemed
to explain the situation to her , and
opened.her eyes. The next day Lot
ty came in shivering , she had cauirht
a severe coW an ' tv-iddfrd ovor-the
cook-stove wrapped in an old shawl ,
coughed and sighed and scolded all
day , till she was too hoarse to speak.
"Have you got on your winter
flannels ? " asked Aunt Prattior it
was now November.
"Flannels ? I guess not. I haven't
got any. "
"Why , Lotty ! "
"Well , poor folks can'b have every
thing. I'd got to have a winter suit ,
and there was such a lovely one at
the Boston store ; a satin petticoat ,
with drapery of camel's hair imita
tion , I mean , but awfully pretty and
a real splendid basque with satin
vest anil gilt buttons ; only § 20. I
tell you , Aunt Pratt , it was a swell
and no mistake ; but I couldn't afford
soft flannels after that. "
"Is it a thick dress ? " queried Aunt
Pratt.
"No , not so- very ; not so thick as
this shop dress ; but I don't mind that.
I ain't cold-blooded. "
"And your shoes , are they thick ? "
"Oh , they're just cheap boots ;
thick soles do cost so. My best ones
are French kyl with loVely high heels.
They can't have thick soles. "
"And have you got a warm petti
coat ? "
"Mercy ! I do'n't want to bo all
humped up with things. I've got an
old felt skirt and a striped cambric
for every day , and four white ones ,
trimmed with edging. "
Aunt Pratt shook her head.
"A hole in the bag ! A hole in the
bag ! " she said sadly.
"Why , what upon" but a fit of
coughing stopped the words and left
Dotty's chest so sore she did not fin
ish her question.
She was so ill that night a doctor
was sent for a young man round the
corner , just bnginningpractice , there
fore cheaper than a man of experi
ence. He at once proceeded to blister
his patient and give her antimony.
'
Low delirium set in , andforsixw'eeks
Lotty was unable to leave her bed ,
and for a month more she could not
go to work. Bills came in to twice
the amount of the blue dress's price ,
and could not be paid.
"Oh , what a hole in the bag ! " sigh
ed Aunt Pratt.
When Lott-y was a little better , her
father came in one noon with a hand
bill given to him in the street a
flaming advertisement of the "Black
Crook" performance.
"Say , Lou , don't you want to go
to this to-night ? It's a month o'
Sundays since we've had a lark ; let's
go. " he said , tossing the play bill in
to his wife's lap.
"Oh , pa , " screamed Idalla , "take
me. Oh , do ! Now won't you ? "
" 'N'me too , " screamed Davy , who
had a hoarse cold.
"Oh , shut up ! " snapped Potter. "I
don't want two babies taggin' atmy
heels. Somebody's got to stay with
Lott. "
"Why ; there's Aunt Pratt , " said
Ida.
Ida."Maybe
"Maybe she'Hike to go ; would 3011
Aunty ? asked Potter , blandly. He
had a mind to keep the right side of
a woman with "means. "
"Me said the old lady with a stern
reproof in her voice and face. "Me
go to such a place ? No indeed ! "
"Well , well ! everybody to their
mind. I like a bit of fun first rate ,
now and then. We go quite con
siderable , first and last ; a. body must
be amused. "
' . ' 0 , father ! ' put in Mrs. Potter ,
urged by the whispered teasing and
cross faces of Ida and Davy , "dotake
them children along ! Ida hasn't been
nowhere since Lott was took sick ;
and Davy's only a boy. Let him
have a good time while he can ; his
troubles will come fast enough "before
long. Now , do let 'em go. "
"Well , I guess they can. Lott
won't want Jem if Aunt Pratt's here. "
So at night he came lie me with four
tickets to the performance , a bag of
peanuts and a paper of candy , and
they set out to enjoy themselves ,
Tom had announced at noon that he
was "goin' to take his jrirl. "
Aunt Prattgroaned in spirit. "Ar
other hole in the bag , and a big one ! "
she said to herself.
When would the doctors's bill and
the debts at the drug store and the
grocer's ever be paid ?
Aunt Pratt had always lived in the
country and been honest. She had no
experience of the class who crowd our
theaters , minstrel show halls and cir
cuses , who buy cheap finery and ex
pensive , poor beer and bad butter ,
but never paj1 their rent or lay up
ono penny in all their lives.
As spring came on Aunt Pratt
noticed one day that Potter looked
disgusted with his dinner , and Lotty
left Tiers untasted. No wonder ! Aunt
Pratt could not eat it herself. The
potatoes were poor and boiled to a
watery , insipid mass ; the calves'"liver
fried to a black , leathery substance ;
the bread old and dry , and the
turnips rank and unsavory.
. "I say , Pa ! " exclaimed Tom , "we're
all get-tin' spring poor. . I don't care
a hang for my vittlps. Let's have a
dozen of lager , that'll set us all up. "
So the lager came , was used up ,
and another dozen ordered , and then
another ; but the appetites did not
improve nor the cooking. At last
the beer seller refused to fetch more ,
unless what he had brought them
was paid for.
"Oh , dear ! Oh , dear ! ' ' sighed Aunt
Pratt. "What a hole in the bag ! "
Next day she said to her niece :
"Lo wisy , will you let me buy and cook
the dinner to morrow ? I'll make you
a present of all the vittles I get , if you
will. " ,
Louisa consented , much astonish
ed , and Aunt Pratt came back from
market with two pounds of solid
beef a coarse piece , it is true , but
sheap and fresh. She bought a few
onions , a carrot and one small stalk
of celery , the whole cost 36 cents.
Then she prepared a stew , and par
ing the potatoes put them in cold
water till it was time tp add them ;
a _ r
p
J
j1
i ;
the celery , two or Ions , Imlfn carrot
sliced thin , was nut in with tho. beef ,
which she had cut into pieces of per
haps two inches square. Salt and
pepper were sprinkled in liberally ,
and as she put on her stew before
breakfast and lei. it simmer all morn
ing , adding the sliced potato at 11
o'clock , it was well done by noon.
"George ! how good the dinner
jmells ! " ejaculated Tom.
"Got roust turkey LOJII ? " inquired
Potter , sniffling and smelling.
Even listless Lou wanted some din
ner that day ; the rest recovered their
appetites without any more lager !
"I wish the land you learn cookin'
of Aunt Pratt ! " said Potter.
"I wonder if I have sewed up that
hole ? " thought Aunt Pratt.
But she had not. Louisa was too
old to learn new tricks , as we say
about dogs ; she continued to buy the
best meat and cook in the worst way , * ' ' l
and still the money leaked from
that hole in the bag.
"Hullo , Tom ! " said Potter one Sun
day morning , as Tom sauntered into
the room with a half-smoked cigar
in hi. , mouth. "Ain't you toney ?
\V1 . that no-fir sm < 'ln ] li'ko n. roa < ! "
Aunt i'ratc wondered what sore o )
rose had an odor like tobacco.
"It had ought to , " sententiously
remarked Tom. "Them fellers cost
me 5 cents apiece by the hundred. "
"Well , I kin put up my pipe so fur ;
but you young fellers have got to
have your fling. I reckon. By'm-by
you'll fall back on brier wood and
nigger head. " I
"Another hole in the bag , " mur
mured Aunt Pratt-who , had patient j
ly darned Tom's threadbare socks
and patched his worn shirts for him.
every week for months. ll
'Well " Potter
, here I be ! shouted
as he came in one Monday morning
about 10 o'clock.
"Why , what has fetched you rl
home ? " inquired his wife.
"Oh , our fellows have struck ;
we're goin' to have less work and
more pay ; them darned capitalists
have overrode us long enough ; we're
bound to have our share ot the dollars
lars wo makt > , now Itell you ! "
"For the mercy's sake ! " ejaculated
Louisa.
Where are you going to work
now ? " dryly asked Aunt Pratt.
"Why , back again as soon as the
bosses come to terms. "
"But supposin' they shouldn't. "
"Oh , they've got to , can't lose
their contracks , no way ; we ve got
'em where the hair's short. "
"But supposin' they hold out for a
month's or six weeks ? "
"Oh , we get allowance out of the
assessments ; we ain't going to
starve. "
"Who's paying 'them assess-
ments ? "
"The fellers what have got money
laid away ; they're taxed for the gen
eral good ; so much a week till the
strike's over. "
"Be you assessed ? "
"Lord ! do you think I've got a
cent in the bank ? Four children and
starving wages. What's § 3 a day
with four in the family , an'
clothes an' rent , an' vittles , an'light ,
an' fuel , an' doctors , an'Lord knows
what all ? "
"A bag with holes ! " ran through
Aunt Pratt's mind as she looked
back on the past six months.
Weeks passed on ; the "bosses"
were not only firm but hired other
men in the striker's places and went
on with contracts. Potter sillked ,
sind lounged and swore , and made
his pipe and himself a daily nuisance
in the house. Before long Aunt
Pratt discovered that the assess
ments were decreasing , and alarmed
lest Potter should insists on sharing
her small property amonyrhis brood ,
on communistic principles , she quiet
ly withdrew herself one day to an Old
Ladies' Home , where the payment
of a small sum insured her peaceful
and pleasant home for life , and from
her retreat she gave much aid and
comfort to the women of the Potter
family , but refused any to the two
men.
"I can't waste my pittance on beer
and tobacco ! " she said sharply ; and
she meant what she said. When she
died , her money was .ill left to the
Home where she lived , to en
dow two free admissions , the three .
women of the Potters to have the
preference.
"I have lived , said the document ,
after the terms of the bequest. " to
see what the Bible meant where it
says in Haggai , 5. G. * Y eat , but ye
have not enough ; ye drink , but ye
are not filled with drink , ye clothe
you , but there is none warm : and he
that earneth wajresearneth wages tp
put in a bate with holes ; ' and 1 will
not leave behind me any dollars to
go into that bag. ' *
"Old crank ! " said the disappoint
ed Potter , when the lawyer finished
reading.
"Who ? Haggi ? " politely inquired
that gentleman. Rose Terry Cooke.
A Great Philanthropist ,
On the last page of his interesting
recollections George W. Child's Ttrites ;
"If asked what , as the result of my
experieuce , is the greatest pleasure in
life I should say , doing good to
others. Not a strikingly original
remark perhaps , but seemingly the
most difficult thing in the world is
to be prosperous and generous at
the same time. During the war I
asked a very rich man to contribute
some money to a certain relief fund.
'Childs , ' he said , 'I can't give you any
thing. I have worked too hard for
"
my money. ' That"is just it. I'einjr
generous jrrows on one just as being
mein does. The disposition to give
and to fee kind to others should be
inculcated and fostered in children.
It seems to me that is the way to
improve the world and make happv
the people who are in it. "