Western news-Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1898-1900, March 30, 1899, Image 3

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    EASTER GLORY.
ilay Christ , the risen Savior ,
O'erflow your heart with light ;
And may Ills gracious favor
Make ajl your Easter bright.
Upon ( ho wings o/ the morning light
Something is borne to the waiting earth ;
Something that's new and strange and
bright ,
Waking the world to a newer birth.
Breezes arc blowing o'er hill and lea.
Flowers unfolding in bud and bloom ,
Birds jir < astir in each nest or tree ,
Valleys are bathed In sweet perfume.
Over tin- meadows the sunshine lies
Tenderly breaking from zone to zone.
Cnrol-4 are lifted to arching skies ,
Chimes from the steeples are swung or
blown.
Out o-i the mountains the wild flower
springs ;
Far on the river the mist wreaths curl ,
High up above us , like great white wings ,
The clouds sweep forth from their gates
of pearl.
Ah. what Is it , this glow in the air ,
Gilding the day , tho' the skies were dim' :
What Is it , thrills thro' the soul's deep
pr.iyer ,
This sense , In the heart , of a whispered
hymn ?
Christ is risen ! Oh , marvelous word ,
Speaking forever thro' sounds and signs.
Lift Thou each soul like a soaring bird ,
Up where the Light of the Risen One
shines !
EASTEB , TO EASTER.
' There's no use talking , Theodore-
"Theodore ! " interrupted the young man
explosively.
"Yrs , Theodore , I believe that is your
name , " was the reply in a crushing tone ;
"but us I w.'is about to say , I shall never
marry a farmer. I was born for a higher
bpheiv , one broader and more more-
well , more to my taste. "
"Exactly ! ( with mock humility ) and
would it be presumption for a poor , mis
erable clod of the valley like myself to
ask what you propose to do ? "
"I have my plans , sir , but you are not
likely to sympathize with me in them , and
words are only wasted. "
"Very true , but , oh , Bab "
"My name is Barbara , please. "
"Liang it all ! " cried the young man ,
springing to his feet and grabbing his
hat. "I may as well go now as later. It's
all ever , I know , but it's terribly hard to
realize : terribly hard to forget all the jol
ly old times we've had together when you
was Bab and I was Thede , but it lias
been coming on , this change , ever since
yon came home from your visit. I thought
it might wear off , but now since you've
saiil it 1 oh , Bab , little Bab , I've always
loved jou and never had a thought or plan
that vex : wasn't in since I can remember ;
how can I give it all up ? "
And then the great , true-hearted fellow
dropped back into his chair and buried his
face in his hands. Barbara , who had
risen too , stood looking down at him , not
knowiuu' whether to laugh or cry. She
remembered that in other days she would
have done the latter to have seen
"Thede" in distress ; but now well , things
and when she
were so very different now ,
tried to ima'gine one of those well-dressed
men , to whom her cousin had introduced
her , crying because a girl had refused him ,
she did laugh outright.
Thede did not look up , but he heard ,
and as soon as he could control himself ,
he rose again , saying :
"Pardon 'my weakness , Miss Barbara ;
I will not trouble you again. 1 am sure
I wish you all success in whatever you
undertake , and many happy returns of
this Easter Day. Good-night ! "
" ! "
"Good-night
Barbara's voice sounded a little queer ,
even to herself , but she stood where he
left her until the door was shut and the
sound of his familiar footsteps had died
away ; then , with cheeks unusually red ,
she went to her room.
"He'll be around all right to-morrow ,
but I had no idea I would get rid of him
BO easily to-night. What a silly he is ,
anyway , to suppose that I could ever be
content with him and 'the dear old folks , '
as he calls them , on a farm. "
Much to her surprise , Theodore Vane
did not return on the morrow , or any
other day , though she saw him ride by a
number of times. It was annoying , espe
cially after a letter came from her city
friends telling her they had found her a
position as "saleslady" in a store. She
did so want to tell Thede ( she called him
that to herself ) , but though her little
brother told him the news , he came not.
Barbara's parents , like all sensible
country people , did not want her to go to
the city. She had education enough to
teach a district school had taught the
summer before and her help was needed
in the family , but she was determined.
She could not afford to thus let slip what
she called "the opportunity of a life
time ; " and go she did just when spring
was bursting into beauty.
She just cried the least bit when she
bade her mother good-by , but tears were
not befitting a young woman going out to
make her fortune and she was not a little
ashamed of herself. During her five
weeks' visit with her relatives in the city
she had imbibed some ideas , chief among
them that living in the country was a dis
grace , and that any show of tenderness
or feeling was vulgar.
Barbara's first letter home was full of
news concerning her journey , her new po
sition and the good time that each evening
brought. Her aunt was going to move ,
however , and in order to be near her busi
ness she must rent a room and board her
self.
self.The
The next letter told of a small apart
ment in the third story of a lodging house ,
its meager furnishing and how dreadfully
tired she was at night.
"She'll be comin' home soon , " laughed
her father , but the mother looked trou
bled.
bled.After
After that the letters were usually writ
ten in a hurry , sometimes sad and some
times with a forced gaiety. More than
once her mother urged her to come home ,
but only once did she refer to the matter ,
then to say she would come at Christ
mas.
mas.The weeks and months rolled round , and
the old farm house was full of festal pr p- i
: trations , for Barbara would arri\f on the j
twenty-seventh. Three days before
Christmas a postal card , hastily scrawled
on the counter , had announced as much ,
and that the holiday trade kept her in her
place until nine and ten o'clock at night.
The morning of the twenty-seventh *
found the family early active , and by
train time father was at the station , and
everything in readiness at home.
"They're comin' ! " shouted Ted , as he
decried the white blaze in Major's face
far down the road.
"They are coming ! " was echoed all over
the house and by the time Ted has dis
covered that his father was alone , the
mother and two sisters were at the door.
,1
! ffi jggggjg
Poor , bewildered father could only say
over and over again : "I can't toll anything
about it ; she wa'n't there that's all I
know. "
The day dragged wearily on , and still
no word. All the good things wore set
away ; probably she would come to-mor
row. Again father wont to the station ,
again he returned alone and still no word.
The third morning was but a repetition of
the others , and then mother said that
soinobody must go and see what the mat
ter was.
"You botlor go , " father said , helplessly ;
and she wont.
"Oh. Bab ; my darling child I" was what
she said , as she stood on the threshold of
the barren , third-story room , and looked
at the flushed , unconscious face on the
iiot over-clean pillow.
"Dou't you know mo , dear ; don't you
know your mother ? "
But the girl only babbled on of the
spring in the orchard , the apple blossoms ,
the birds' nest in the cherry tree , Old
Matta's kittens in the hay mow , and
Thodo.
"She came homo from the store looking
palo and tired , " her landlady said : "I
happened to moot her in the outer hall.
She always speaks pleasantly and pays
promptly for everything shengets , so I've
learned to like her , and noticed particu
larly how bad she looked. 'I'm going
home to-morrow , Mrs. Case , ' she said ,
'and won't he back till after New Years ; '
so when she wasn't about next day , I
supposed she'd gone. It was just setting
dark when Mr. Done a bachelor next
door to her came and asked mo what was
the matter with Miss Burns ; said some
body had been moanin' and takin' on in
her room all day. ( He writes stories or
something ; anyway , he's awful poor and
allors in his room. )
"I wont right up and found the poor
child ravin' in fever as you see. I sent
for my own doctor , and he's doing his
best. I didn't know where you lived , hut
'lowed to hunt through her papers to
morrow , if nobody come , to see if I could
find out. I'm so driven with work and
trying to do for her , I haiu't had time to
do nothing else. "
In the weary weeks following , spent by
Mrs. Burns in that cheerless apartment ,
while life and death fought for suprem
acy over the frail Bab , the former learned
from her wanderings how bitterly she
had repented her choice , and how terribly
homesick she had been. She learned , too ,
how the young girl had repented her of
scorning the honest love of an honest
man.
It was Easter Sabbath again , and even
ing , when , for the first time since one
year before , Thedo and Bab were alone ;
he so strong and manly , she so white and
fragile.
"Now that the other railroad is com
ing , " he was saying , as his dark eyes rest
ed anxiously on her face , "father and
mother have consented to sell out , and we
Avill move to town. My uncle has offered
me a third share in the store , and and
Avell , I thought maybe you would recon
sider your decision of a year ago i I could
offer you "
"Thede , Thede ; don't , don't ! " she broke
out. "If ever you loved mo don't remind
me of my folly ; however , I have this to
say" brightening and smiling through
the ready tears' "if ever I am married it
will be to a farmer. I have had enough
of town life ; give me the country with
its manifold beauties and luxuries. 'Got
made the country , man made the city , '
surely. "
"What a glad Easter Day , " was what
Theodore said as he bent tenderly over
Barbara's chair at leaving , "and what a
joy it will be to the dear old folks ; the
thought of giving up the old home is wel
nigh breaking their hearts. "
"One can learn n good deal of the world
and one's own heart as well , from one
Easter to another , " was what Bab saic
to herself , as the outer door closed ; "but
I knew a year ago that I could not live
without Thede ! " Farm , Field and Fire
side.
Easter Customs.
There are certain districts of Tennessee
where ecclesiastics and laics play at bal
in the churches for tansy cakes on Easter
tide. In northern Pennsylvania the men
claim the privilege to take off the wom
en's shoes on Easter Monday , and the
next day the women retaliate.
An Easter dinner in some counties of
England consists of delicate dishes of pea
cock , swan and fowls , with ice cream in
the form of nightingales' nests and plenty
of stout and ale and wine.
The Persians , the Jews and the Rus
sians all offer eggs at the festival of
Easter , but it is difficult to ascertain the
exact origin of the practice.
In a certain church in Belgium the
priests throw the eggs at the choristers ,
who throw them back again , the most
extreme caution being used that the frail
shells be not cracked or broken.
All the world over may be found the
superstition that at least one new article
must be worn upon Easter day , which ac
counts in our country for the ravishing
display of bonnets at church on Easter
morn.
German families on Easter eve place a
nest full of sugar eggs and real eggs
somewhere in the garden , so the children
will have a hunt for them on Easter morn
ing. Strange to say , these Easter eggs
are believed by the German children to
be laid by the hare , and a common sight
in a confectioner's window is to see this
species of animal sitting on a nest of eggs.
In southern France a custom peculiar
to Easter week is the assembling in the
streets of a crowd of young and gay gal
lants carrying a chair lined with rich
white silk , decorated with garlands of
TWO EASTER MORNINGS.
1038. 1890.
flowers and streamers of ribbon. The
first maiden who chances to be near is en
treated to seat herself in the chair , which
is then seized by the lawless fellows , who
start off at a full run. For the young
woman's liberation a kiss is demanded by
each youth.
The Spirit of Easter.
O lily crowned angel of Enstcr ,
Spirit of gladness and light ,
Touched by the glory of heaven ,
Pause in thy jubilant llight
And sing to us echoing carols ,
Sing till our hearts shall grow strong ,
Till their happy pulsations shall measure
The time of thy rapturous song ;
Till Faith , resurrected , shall greet us
With smiles on her rudianl face ,
While Love reaches out "of the darkness
To hold us in clinging embrace ;
Till Hope , happy Hope , shall awaken
From the languor of purposeless dreams ,
And move us to earnest endeavor
15y whispers ou glorious themes !
O beauteous spirit touch gently
Our souls with thy quickening breath ,
Till out into life and its duties
They leap from this torpor of death !
Abide till our hearts shall discover
The blessings that circle us now ,
And our thoughts grow as pure as the
That droop o'er thy radiant brow !
The Moravian Way.
One of the most significant and pictur
esque celebrations of Easter is that of the
Moravian Christians , of whom there are
many congregations in the United States.
At Bethlehem , Pa. , and other towns
where Moravians abound some musicians
with brass instruments go at earliest
dawn to the roof of the church and pla\-
music signifying the calling forth of the
dead. The people immediately flock to the
church and begin the service of the day ,
'
most of it being musical. At a give'u
signal the entire congregation rise , and ,
preceded by the ministers and trumpeters ,
leave the church and march to the ceme
tery. In Moravian cemeteries all the
gravestones are alike small , flat slabs
laid upon the graves , "for , " say the sim
ple , literal people , "in the grave all men
are equal. " The procedure of the service
is so timed that the musico-prayerful re
joicing reaches its highest expression just
as the sun rises.
An Economical Idea.
"Dear me ! " said a pretty little wife to
her husband one Easter evening. "Why
can't such lovely days last longer ? Such
music ! Such flowers ! Such dresses !
Upon my word , I wish next Easter Sun
day could begin to-morrow. "
"So do I , with all my heart and pocket , "
exclaimed her husband , "for there
wouldn't be time for you to order a new
Easter bonnet. "
Then the pretty little wife pouted.
A. Festival of Festivals.
To the church , Easter is the festival of
festivals. Christ's work for man was
then completed. This church celebrates.
It is , indeed , a day of triumph , for death
is conquered , man is redeemed , his salva
tion secured and eternal life is his.
Christ's resurrection assures man's res
urrection , hence there is good reason for
songs of jubilee , and the heart of every
Christian should send forth joyful notes
of praise to the risen Lord.
A. Not Unpleasiiijj Custom.
In Ilussia many men and women greet
whoever they may meet on Easter
morning with a kiss and the announce
ment , "The Lord is risen. " A distin
guished American civil engineer was thus
greeted a few years ago by an innocent
and sweet-faced chambermaid at a hotel
at St. Petersburg , and no explanations
would pacify the gentleman's wife.
NOTED INDIAN SCOUT.
MAJ. DRANNAN , THE CAPTOR OF
CAPTAIN JACK.
A. Veteran Plainsman Who Has Been a
Fijrhterand Hnntcr for Fifty Years
Fome of the Exploits in "Which He
Fisiirccl.
One of the most famous Indian scouts
and the last of the great hunters and
trappers common in the Rocky moun
tains fifty years ago is Major William
P. Drannan , who still sees service
among the Nez Ferces of Idaho. He
carries a knife with which he has scalp
ed thirty-five Indians , after having
killed them in fair fight.
It was Major Drannan who captured
Captain Jack , the chief of the Modocs ,
In 1S73 , and put an end to the Modoc
war. The conflict between the United
States troops and the Modoc Indians
broke out during one of Major Dran-
naa's periodical attempts to "settle
down" and farm. Couriers dashed up to
his ranch , their horses covered with
tfoar > - and brought the news that Cap-
taiu Jack and his Modocs had gone on
the war path.
The whole settlement was soon in a
state of great excitement. The In
dians killed all the defenseless ranch
ers they could and then fled to the lava
beds of Idaho and intrenched them
selves in a cave. Somebody had to ride
to Jacksonville , a hundred miles away ,
to warn the town and bring re-enforce
ments to the regular troops. Nobody
cared to undertake it. Major Drannan
saddled Black Bess and started at sun
down. All night long the sharp eyes
of the scout and the sagacious nose of
his pet mare picked out the trail as un
erringly as a bloodhound. Before sun
rise the Major rode into Jacksonville
and told the sheriff to gather a strong
posse , as Captain Jack was on the war
path and murdering settlers by the
score. General "NVheaton , in command
MAJ. WILT > IAiI M. DP.AIO'AX.
of the regular army forces stationed at
Linkville , sent for Major Drannan and
commissioned him to organize a scout
ing force. With this force he scouted
a strip of country about forty miles
long every day in front of where Cap
tain Jack and his men were intrenched
in the lava beds , because the officers
feared an uprising of the TJtes as well.
Not an Indian showed his head. Their
Stronghold was nothing more than a
big cave in the lava rock , but it was
absolutely secure. Thpre was ere - > DQ
place to get in , a narrow passage , bui
there were numerous rifle holes on the
east and south sides.
General Wheaton determined one day
on taking Captain Jack by storm and
for three days the whole command ,
backed by howitzers , were turned loose
on the Indians. The assault failed.
General Wheaton lost sixty of his men ,
while the Indians did not appear to
have been singed.
General Cauby took command and
tried to take Captain Jack by storm
himself. He lost 100 men and failed.
A conference was arranged between
General Cnnby , his chaplain , Colonel
Thomas , two interpreters , and Captain
Jack , all without arms. Before it was
held Major Drannan went to Colonel
Miller , Ganby's aid , and said :
"Colonel , if the general ever goes to
that council with Captain Jack he will
never come out alive. "
The Major repeated his warning
jigaiu and again , but Captain Thomas
said , "The Lord will protect us , " and
General Canby laughed at the idea of
treachery.
The conference was held and General
Canby , together with Colonel Thomas
and George Meacham , interpreter , were
traitorously shot down by the Indians.
Capture of Capt. Jack.
Major Draunan then had the cave
surrounded by a double ring of guards ,
knowing very well that the supply of
horse meat on which the Indians were
living was about exhausted. Soon he
found that Jack was sending the
squaws and children away , to save
food. Every Indian that attempted to
escape was captured by Drannan and
his men. They all said , "We heap him-
One night Drannnn. scouting as
usual , crossed the trail of three In
dians. One track was quite large and
long , a second smaller , and one quite
small.
"Captain Jack , his squaw , and their
little girl are running away , ' ' suid
Drannan to Black Bess. "They are
starving , and they've started out to
Clear creek to catch fish. "
The Major had been in the saddle
twenty-four hours , but he never hesi
tated. He took up the trail and fol
lowed it as rapidly as he could push
ahead. Across miles and miles of grav
el ridge there was nothing to go by
except sometimes a bent twig or a
pebble turned by the feet. Finally the
Major looked down in the valley from
" * ' L'fSfgyip ! *
the top of a high ridge , and caught
sight of the three Indians. He trem
blingly put his field glasses to his eyes ,
and , sure enough , it was Captain Jack ,
his squaw and little girl.
"Where are you going , Jack ? " asked
the Major , as he rode up to the big
chief who had been causing all the
trouble.
"Heap hungry , " said Jack , dejected
ly. "Guess go Clear creek catch fish. "
A few hours later the old scout rode
into camp with his three prisoners. The
capture put an end to the Modoc war.
Dranuan avenged the murder of the
Davis family , which was a sensation
al horror of the plains thirty years ago.
An inoffensive family of settlers was
killed in cold blood by a party of Mexi
can greasers , who then made off with
their cattle. The deed was laid to the
Ute Indians.
" " with his usual
"No , said Dranuan ,
sagacity , "this is the work of greas
ers. "
Lieutenant Jackson detailed him a
squad of men and he started in pursuit.
He traveled all day and about 9 o'clock
at night Black Bess sniffed the air cu
riously.
"Here's their camp , " said Drannan.
triumphantly. Sure enough , by the
light of the dying embers the little
posse could discern the forms of the
greasers. The cattle feeding near were
those taken from Davis' ranch.
"We'll give you five minutes to get
ready , " said the Major to the Mexicans ,
who pleaded abjectly , as they were
surrounded. At the end of five min
utes they were lined up and shot.
Draunan started on his remarkable
career from St. Louis with Kit Carson ,
in 18-17 and when 15 years old killed his
first Indian or rather two of them.
Major Drannan if to-day lithe and agile
and stands G feet 2 inches in his stock
ing feet. He still cats bear meat and
sleeps on an elk-skin bed.
BORN TO GRUMBLE.
Some People in Kvery Community
Who Arc rf ever Satisfied.
In every community there are chronic
growlers , always finding fault Avith the
existing condition of things , and no
better satisfied with attempts that are
made in the line of improvement.
A Western village had been sorely
scourged by fire , its principal business *
portion having been burned twice.
There was no fire department , the citi
zens apparently being of the opinion
that it would be lee expensive.
Among them was a man of the name
of Grinders , who , while invariably
grumbling at the lack of enterprise dis
played by the business men of the
place , opposed any and every attempt
to organize a fire department. "We are
taxed too heavily already , " he said.
But after the second disastrous fire
there was such a clamor for better pro
tection in the future that the town trus
tees purchased a chemical engine , with
hooks , ladders and the usual parapher
nalia , provided a room , and a volun
teer company was organized.
"It's a waste of money , " said Grind
ers. 'It will be twenty years before
there's another big fire. Marie my
words. Lightning doesn't strike three
times in the same place. You'll see. "
Several years passed without any
real occasion for the services of the
new fire department. The company , it
is true , turned out in response to sev
eral false alarms , and always made a
creditable display when on parade , but
Grinders was irreconcilable.
"Look at it ! " he exclaimed. ' 'Five
hundred dollars thrown aty ajiso-
lUteljT tliro n a way ! I told you w < ?
shouldn't have any more fires , but you
wouldn't listen to me. " I
One day , howevei1 , a fierce blaze broke
out In one of the stores in the rebuilt
business district. The fire company
was promptly on hand , and by stren
uous exertions put out the flames be
fore much damage was done. The work
of the "fire boys" was creditable in tha
highest degree , and it was the general
opinion that they had saved the town
from a third calamity.
"What do you think of our fire de
partment now , Grinders ? " asked ono
of the exultant merchants the one , in
fact , in whose store the fire had started.
"H'mph ! " growled Grinders. "How
much did you lose ? "
"Only about thirty-five dollars , " re
plied the merchant. "Mostly empty
boxes. The boys put the fire out before
it got into rny goods. "
"H'mph ! " growled Grinders again.
"Five hundred dollars to put out a
fire ! "
thirty-five-dollar
And after that he grumbled worse
than ever. Youth's Companion.
The "Lady" Question in Germany.
Germany is having its "ladies" and
"gentlemen" question. A controversy
has arisen with regard to the style
which should be adopted in addressing :
married women. There are , in the
language of the fatherland , four names
whereby that delightful class may be
designated gemahlin ( consort ) , gartin
( spouse ) , frau ( lady ) , and weib ( wife ) .
To save the not infrequent disputes
and heartburnings which arise from
impertinence and ignorance in the use-
of any one of these terms , it is now
proposed that one shall be officially al
lotted to each of the recognized grada
tions of the "scale social. " In this
manner , a general's wife shall be
known as his "consort ; " ' she of an offi
cial of the next lower grade shall be-
that happy person's "spouse ; " the
middle-class partner becomes her hus
band's "lady , " and the workimjman's T -
helpmate is simply his "wife/ ' New
Orleans Picayune.
Pruyn Have you heard that horrible
story about old Stiffe being buried
alive ? Dr. Bolus ( hastily ) Buried
alive ? Impossible ! Why , he was one
of my patients. Exchange.
Some men walk so lazy and worthless - ,
less on the streets that you know thejn
are on their way to a saloon. f
L