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About The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 1894)
HOLLOW HORN’S 4TH Bill Briggs Tells How It Was Cele brated Many Years Ago. _N RESPONSE TO AyTf an invitation from JIJl my uncle to come l©,- and spend the l||j Fourth of July Iffi with him, I sad 7vrJ died the pony and • rode down. I ar rived there on the second, and found the town all agog for a celebration. After supper, while strolling along one of the many thoroughfares of Hollow Horn Bend, I was surprised to note the wonderful growth of the place since I first saw it. I counted two new store buildings, making four In all, and two of the saloons had been enlarged. Standing in front of one of them was my old partner, Jerky. He was dressed in a blue uniform, red collar and cuffs, brass buttons, and a silver badge as large as a tea saucer, on which was engraved, “City Marshal. ” At sight of me his mouth began darting across his face as naturally as ever. “Bill, how are you?” he burst forth, grasping my hand in a way that caused tears to fill my eyes Jerky was demonstrative in the way of hand-grip. I was pleased to meet him, and happy when he released my hand. “I thought you were in Pennsyl vania,” I said. “I was a trifle rank for those chaps You see, I was not used to having three or four men jump on me and be labor me with clubs when I went to arrest one of their gang. They tried that on me, and I shot a couple of them, and marched my man to the lock-up. The people were going to lynch me. X pulled a couple of guns and was about to open on them, when the mayor heard of it and came down on a run. He made a little speech, telling them they had asked him to get a marshal that could run the town, and he had got one; and, furthermore, he was , going to back him. They knew the mayor was determined, and let up on the hanging business; but they would not consent to my being marshal, so I pulled out and got a job "WHOA. JERRY'.” out here, where people are civilized. What are you driving at, Bill?” he asked. "I am on my uncle’s sheep ranch up on Ghost creek for five years. ” "Bill, you are a dead man. You will never live the time out. Men that follow a band of sheep for five years get like posts, and stand for hours without moving. You will have a sorrj expression on your face, like an imported ape. You will lose your self-respect, and dodge behind rocks to avoid meeting strangers. If yon do not go crazy, you will get skeepy and shy in spite of yourself. I saw a sheep-herder like that once, but they said he was none too bright to begin with. Better throw it up. Bill; you will become as stupid and stolid as he,” argued Jerky. "Thanks for your compliments and interest^ my welfare, but I guess I will stay with the sheep. ” “You ought to know the best course to pursue, but I don’t like to see you throw yourself away. Going to stay till after the Fourth?” “Y'es; I came down to celebrate. Going to have a good time?” I in quired. “Bill, you will hear a couple of good speeches. The mayor told me he was getting up a ‘dandy’ oration, and he is going to spring a surprise on the people. Well, I must make my round. They are trying to kick up a row over to Kelsey’s, but I will make - it warm for them if they do,” he said, walking away. On the morning of the glorious Fourth the booming of the black smith’s anvil and the prolonged yells of Y’oung America aroused me from a profound slumber and filled my soul with patriotism. I hurriedly donned my pants and socks and passed through my bed-room window on to the roof of the stoop, the better to see the throng around the anvil. “lie must be an officer of some kind, to judge by his uniform.-’ “Wonder if that's the latest stylo of doing hair?” “Maybe he is going to deliver an ora tion.” These remarks were followed by a giggle. I wondered where the speak ers were, and to whom they had ref erence. Turning my head, I saw four young ladies, dressed for the day's sport, standing on the roof of the stoop of the adjoining house, not twenty feet from me. I fell backward through the window, my patriotism all gone. “Who lives next door, aunt?” I asked at breakfast* “Daniel Craig. His daughter Susie was over to see me this morning, be fore you came down. She has been away, and only returned last night. I will take you over and introduce you,” she replied. “We will wait until after dinner,” I said, fully determined not to come near the house again until late bed time When I reached the street Jerky was busily engaged forming the pro cession. The mayor and the orator of the day headed the procession The mayor sat astride of a large, white mule, who occasionally whisked his tail or sarcastically pointed one ear forward when a fire cracker burst with unusual violence in his immedi ate vicinity. The mayor was attired in his Sunday suit, and wore a long, fierce mustache. His signet of office dangled at his hip, a full grown Colt’s revolver. The orator of the day was mounted on a clay-colored broncho, who could hardly keep two feet on the ground at a time, so nervous had she become over so much noise. It required all the rider’s attention to keep her in the street. So arduous were his efforts that the sweat was dropping from his nose. When Jerky at last gave the word to march, a fiend in the crowd threw a bunch of lighted crackers between the mule and the mare. They began ex ploding like a volley of musketry, and the dust began to roll up. The mare, with a terrified snort, flew across the town site and into the timber, out of view. The mule straightened up, and, turning his head, surveyed the dust and fire, and started in the opposite direction. “Whoa, Jerry!” yelled the mayor; but Jerry did not “whoa,” and was soon out of sight The crowd howled and swung their hats. Jerky spurred his horse to the front, and held up his hand. “Fellow-citizens,” he proclaimed, “we will not follow the leaders, but ; keep right up the street to the grounds. ! Music by the glee cluh. March,” he I yelled. i There were ladies and gentlemen on ! horseback, in wagons, and on foot t “There he is Sue, and presents quite an improvement over his appearance this morning.” “Hush, Clara, he will hear some more of your foolishness.” These remarks I heard from some persons close behind me. I did not have to turn my head to know who was talking, but hurried straight ahead. The mayor rode in soon after we reached the grounds, but it was an hour before the orator of the day came in, with his coat on his arm, and on foot When everything was quiet the mayor arose, and spoke as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen: You all know me, and know I am ‘off’ on speech-making; but when it comes to a shoot, I’m in it You all know what wo are here for. I do not suppose there is a person present that is old enough to take a dr-' uk, but knows this is the Fourth of July. We are here to celebrate the glorious anniversary of American Independence. The reason why we celebrate this day is because it’s a big day in this country. The reason we celebrate the day is because this is the spryest town on this line of road. (Applause.) The name of this town has always been a dead give away. It was named by unlettered men, who never gave its future a single thought They named it after a de funct cowjthat perished with a disease called hollow horn near a bend in the creek on the site of this beautiful city. For the past year I have been working the railroad company to change the name. They have consented, and from the date of this great day it will be known on the maps of the world by the name of Smith. (Groans and hisses.) What ails yer? END OF THE CELEBRATION. Ain’t that a good name? It’s named after your mayor, and Smith goes in this camp. (Groans) Now the next man that grunts will get something,” he said, pulling his gun. “Now, I want every man to give three cheers for Smith and its mayor. Every mother’s eon of you shout or I will put a fortj-five where it will make you shout. All ready! Hip, hip, hip, hurrah!” and the mayor swung his gun and the crowd yelled like fiends. “Gentleman, the man I am about to introduce to you as orator of the day is a lawyer from Red Rock, and he can talk the handle off a Dutch oven. He will tell you all about the wars, from the battle of Brandywine down to the last scrimmage with the Apaches Fellow-citizens, I will now introduce to you the Hon. Casper M. Jenks. “Cut it as short as yon can, and give it to the boys hot and strong. Jenks,” he whispered, pulling up his pants and taking a seat. At that moment the committee be gan firing a salute directly behind the stand. The mayor had tied his mule to the corner of the stand, which was only large enough for two persons. At the first shot old Jerry settled back on his lariat, and at the second shot ran away with one corner of the stand. The mayor and the orator rolled out and the structure fell on them. When they got them out the orator had a broken arm. “Friends,” said the mayor, “the or ator of the day has bnrsted a fluke; and he says if we do not buy him what we agreed to, ho will sue the town and collect damages. He can do it, for he has the cinch on us, being the only lawyer around here It will take all we raised, and we will have to send the fireworks back and stop the celebration right where it is. “Confound that old white mule! If I ever make a strike, I will shoot him the next day,” and he pulled up his trousers once more, and walked dis consolately toward his office So ended the first and the last Inde pendence Day celebration in Hollow Horn Ilend. In a year the name was changed to the more euphonious one of Briggstown and the most pre tentious residence in the place is now occupied by Mr. William Briggs and his wife, Susan. A new genera tion has grown up and the young folks think more about wheels, lawn tennis, cricket and the like than them old time celebrations. Actually the folks get ashamed when they hear of Hollow Horn Bend’s first celebration, and are glad that the name of the town was changed. But I reckon that there was as much patriotism in the old method as in the new one. William Briggs, Esq. How Willie Spent Ills Fourth. When Willie was about five years old he spent his Fourth of July in the house. He did not like that at all. He felt bad all day, and he was really glad when the Fourth was over. All the other boys were shooting off fire crackers, but, alas! he was not allowed to have any. Oh, how hard Willie pleaded with mamma to go out into the street! Wouldn't she let him shoot off “just one cracker?” “No, Willie,” said mamma; “you must wait until the next Fourth, and then you will be old enough to look out for yourself. I am afraid now you might be burned and badly hurt” Long before the next Fourth of July came around Willie had made great preparations. He had saved his pen nies and there must have been over a dollar in his iron bank. About a week before the Fourth Willie went to his papa and told him what he had been saving his pennies for. “What!” inquired papa, “do you want to spend all that money for fire crackers?” “Yes,” said Willie; “take it all.” "Oh no!” said papa; “I will buy all the firecrackers you want and you can save your money for something else.” That evening when papa came home he brought packs and packs of fire crackers, done up in red paper and with Chinese letters on the outside. “Here you are,” said papa. “I bought some fireworks too.” The next day a big box containing Kcman candles, sky-rockets, piD wheels, etc., came to the house. There seemed to be no end to Wil lie’s joy, and he talked of little else save the Fourth—what a day it would be! And the days passed quickly un til the third of July came. That night, after Willie had been put to bed, said papa, with a quiet smile, to mamma: ‘ Don’t you think we ought to have told Willie that the Fourth comes on Sunday this year?” “Yes,” said mamma; “he does not seem to know thrt. I am sure he will be very much disappointed.” Bright and early on the morning of the Fourth, Willie came running down stairs. “Where are the crackers? Let me set some off before breakfast— please do!” Then papa had to say, “No, not to day, but to-morrow.” First Willie looked confused, and then the tears came to his eyes. “To-day,” said papa again, “is Sun day. No one is allowed to shoot off fire-crackers on the Sabbath.” The poor boy was puzzled. He did not, could not, understand why the Fourth should come on Sunday. Later on the bells began to ring out all over the city. Willie saw the peo ple going to and coming from church, and he went to Sunday-school himself in the afternoon. Now I have told you how Willie spent the Fourth—in the house. You can imagine how he spent the fifth of July. A Grand Celebration. Billy and Nat and the other boys were on their way to-the village to buy fireworks for the Fourth when they saw a queer-looking wagon moving to ward them. It looked like a hen-coop on wheels, but when it came nearer they found it was a huge cage with an eagle in it. The boys surrounded the wagon at once, and fired a perfect volly of ques tions at the driver. “I took that eagle from the nest when it was little,” he explained; “and I have just been carrying it to town to sell to the show; but the show is gone, so I must cart him back.” “Why, you ought to let him £y!” cried Billy. “Don’t you know, to morrow is the Fourth, and I guess George Washington would not have liked very well to see the American eagle cooped up like a chicken!” The man laughed. “Well, now. if you boys feel so, why don’t you buy him and let him loose to-morrow? He would go up like sky rockets. ” The boys looked at each other, j “That’s so!” they all cried together. So a bargain was struck, and they carried the eagle home in triumph. That evening the following handbill was posted around Mcrryville: “Great silly bra tion! the Bird of his Country will scream for all.” The next day Billy and Nat and their eagle formed the center of the cele bration at MerryTille. They never re gretted having paid the money for it, which they intended for fire-crackers. It was afterwards purchased by the town for SI 00, and is still a feature of the annual celebration. Influence of American Independence At the birth of the American repub lic its delivereia had but a small con ception of the ultimate result of a government by the people. When they broke the tyrant’s chains they lit tle dreamt that before a century would pass the anniversary of inde pendence would be celebrated on the Pacific coast as well as on the Atlan tic. All the Pacific coast was then in possession of Spain, France and Rus sia, friendly powers that had aided the cause of American inde pendence. No sooner had the Amer ican government been firmly estab lished than it was seen that it would not do to allow European powers to exercise dominion over American ter ritory not included in the Union. How to wrest this territory from pow ers that had been friendly was a grave question. So the purchase plan was suggested and carried out and Louisi ana and Florida were ceded by France and Spain respectively. The territory of Louisiana then included all the states west of the Mississippi and north of California to Alaska. The latter owned by Russia then extended as far north as Vancouver. Before it was purchased by the United States, Russia made a treaty with England by which all of Southern Alaska was ceded to the British. That territory is now known as British Columbia. California, Texas, and New Mexico, and Nevada and part of Colorado were wrested from Mexico by conquest after all other means had failed. All the republics of South America owe their independence not alone to the patriot ism of their own people, but to the menacing sympathy of Yankees as welL Now every country on the American continent, except Canada, has its Independence day to celebrate. The celebrations in the South Ameri can republics are carried out much after the manner of those held in the United States. At the Brazilian Capital. The Fourth of July this year will be celebrated in grand style in Rio de Janiero, the capital of the Brazilian republic. Among other things on the program will be the unveiling of the statue of James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States and the promulgator of the idea which has finally become recognized as inter national law under the name of the Monroe Doctrine. It provides that no European power shall interfere with the respective governments of the inde pendent American republics of South America. European powers religious ly lived up to it until the summer of 1893, when Admiral Denham, in com mand of the South Atlantic squadron, learned that there was a well under stood plan on the part of the Euro pean powers to crush out the young republic. The American admiral very soon gave the Europeans to un derstand that no interference would be tolerated, and kept a large fleet oi American warships on guard. Had it not been for his offices, the Brazilian republic might now be a thing of the past. It is in grateful remembrance of American aid that the Brazilians have for months been preparing to make the Fourth of July, 189-t, the greatest gala day in the country’s his tory. -i In Darkest Africa. The Fourth of July is celebrated by Americans in nearly every country under the sun where fortune has wooed them. Even in the wilds ol Darkest Africa the day is always re membered by the natives as the birth day of a nation far across the sea from which comes the commercial man, who gives them yellow gold and bright silver for their ivory and shells. Of all white traders visiting the tribes of Central Africa the Americans are most highly esteemed by the black men. Sometimes this good feeling takes form in big feasts, which, as a rule, are held on the anniversary of the Declaration of American Independ ence. A Double Header, “Which end do you light, anyhow? I’ll try both ends to make sure.” July 2 and July 4. Even at this late day there is more or less dispute as to the proper day for celebrating the Declaration of In dependence. Contrary ones hold the ! annual celebration should take place on July 2, because on that day the declaration was adopted by congress. It was not until the Fourth of July, however, that the declaration went into effect. The Schoolmaster. The schoolmaster is apt to be a favor ite with the female part of creation, especially in tho rural districts.—Irving. The poet has described the dull same ness of a teacher’s existence in these words : Vitarn continet una dies.—Dr. Johnson. And while * peltry stipend earning, Ho nows the richest semis of learning; No Joys, alas l his toil beguile, His mind lies fallow ail the while. —Robert Lloyd. Btlll to be pinioned down to teach Tho syntax and the parts of speech. Or deal out authors by retail. Like penny pots of Oxford a!e; Oh ! 'tin a service irksome more Than tugging at the slavish oar. —Robert Lloyd. Bbe dwells by great Konhawa’s side, In valleys green and cool, And all her hope and ail her pride Are in her village school. —Ijongfellow. Came the preceptor, gazing Idly round, Now at the clouds and now at the green grata. And all absorbed in memories profound Of fair Almira in the upper class. —Longfellow. Neither do you, schoolmasters, a set too often cheated of your wages, despise the goddess Minerva; it is she that brings you now pupils.—Ovid. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than to be one of the twenty to follow my own teaching.— Shakspeare. Blghte lordly la ys pedagogue As any turbaned Turke, For well to rule ye district school It is no idle worke. Fullo solemn is ye pedagogue, Amonge ye noisy churls, Yet other while he hath a smile To give ye handsome girlB. And one—ye fairest maid of all— To choer his wayninge life, Shall be, when springe j e flowers shall brlnge, Ye pedagogue nis wife. —John G Saxe. BLOOD POISON By ivy or live oak, caused inflammation, emo tions and Intense Itching and burning on my legs. I decided to try Hood’s Sarsaparilla. Hood’s Sarsa~ JL parilla I have taken Hood’s -m Sarsaparilla and do not M tl i have any poison symp toms. I have gained 12 pounds since taking Hood’s.” C. E. Bobaix, West Union. Minnesota. Get Hood’s. 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