irM + * * *
T HE TALE OF A CALF.A Poem - . /A With Mora ! . n
i .1
. # / < - , *
One day through the primeval wopd ,
A calf walked home : as good calves
should.
.
But beat a trail all bent askew ,
A. crooked trail , as all calves do.
Since then two hundred years' have
fled
-I infer the calf Is dead.
_ . .
* , * -jrt- 1 ' ' Al * i Jtft > .V ' * J' j
But still he left'behind his trail ,
And thereby hangs my mortal tale.
$ > < fr # > 4 - ' - .3v * * * ijAr . > > , c 44k * ' # + ,
The trail was taken up next "day
By a. lone dog that passed that way.
* ' , '
3 , And then a wise bell wethersheep " \ p
Pursued the trail o'er vale , and. steep ,
- " , "
% v
* '
And drew the flock Jbehlnd'hlm , too ,
, PAs good bell wethers always do. "
Atid from that day , o'er hijl and glade ,
"Through those old woods a ; path was
"
" ' '
i made , ' - ' . .
* - ' I
, -And many men wound lmand out ,
* And dodged and'turned andbent ,
about , | ' ,
An uttered words of righteous wrath ,
.Because 'twas such a crooked path.
* Bnt still they followed do not laugh
first migrations of that calf ;
through this winding wood-way
stalked
. Because he wabbled when he walked.
" 'This forest path became a lane ,
* That bent and turned and turned
* again ;
This croked lane became a road ,
Where many a poor horse with his
i load ,
Toiled on beneath the burning sun ,
And traveled some three miles in one.
"And thus a centuryand a half
That trod the footsteps of that calf ;
The years passed on in swiftness fleet ,
The road became a village street.
And this , before the men were 'ware
The city's crowded thoroughfare ;
And soon the central street was this
Of arenowned .metropolis. , . _
- M 9jf ' t ' * - ' Xfi f * Jfcrv # - \ ' -
And men two centuries and a half
Trbdnhetf dotsteps * of ' 'tHatcaW , H
* - * i *
* - - * w -j
Each day a hundred thousand rout
followed the zigzag calf about , - *
* " % 4- > ;
And o'er his crooked journey went
The'straffic of a continent.
* ' ' .
A. hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They .followed still his crooked way ,
And lost one hundred years a day ;
For thus such references is lent >
To well * established precedent.
'
i
A rnoral lesson this must teach , . .
Were I ordainedand called to preach.
'
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind/
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.- *
They follow in the beaten track , . ,
And out and in , and forth and back ,
And still their devious course pursue ,
To keep the path that others .do.
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh
Who saw that first primeval calf !
And many things this tale might
teach
But I am not ordained to preach.
* *
A Story of the }
EaLflyWest. |
Oh a pleasant summer evening.some
years since , the little village of Rose-
sJe , In the western part of Nebraska ,
' , was in its regular weekly condition of
eager anticipation , and most of its
population , old and young , male and
female , had collected at the postofllce
to await the arrival of-the mail from
fae east , which was the more anx
iously looked forbecause it came , but
Tmce In seen years. The postal offi
cials had not yet learned the trick of
expediting mail routes. '
The mail was carried on horseback ,
Uje usual mode in those days--when
there were neither railroads nor
.roaches fo connect the remote set-
cnents with those nearer to ciilization.
When mails we're light one horse suf
ficed for the carrier and his charge ,
but in this case , Joe Stanton , who
was contractor as well as carrier for
4he route , used two horses one to car
ry himself and the other the mailbags
and he tookpride in owning a pair
if steeds as fleet , staunch and well
isred for as any m that country , not
cnly because he was a great horse
men , with a fine appreciation of good
i-iocfl , but because the route he trav-
* Jed was constantly beset * with more
* i > r less danger , and It might at any
, time be necessary for him to rely upon
f 4Jie swiftness of his gallant beasts for
Sus own safety , as well as that of the
' precious missies intrusted to his care.
The various Indian tribes , which , in
4helr wanderings , occasionally crossed
fais trail , had for some time professed
to be peaceable , but they were at al
most any moment sufficiently treach
erous to murder and rob a man , or a
small party of whites , whenever they
rould do so with safety , and , for a
short time past there had been grow
ing rumors that they would probably
Jtagage in open hostilities as soon as
Tin alliance of all the principal tribes
sould be effected. This danger , though
- * till regarded by the settlers as rather
remote , caused them to exercise un-
'stsual vigilance.and rendered Joe Stan-
loa more wary and"watchful while on
the road.
Joe was at this time a'young man of
twenty-five , more or less , of fine ap
pearance and great strength and a'gil-
tty. He was born and , raised in a
New England state.had received a lib
eral education , and , having little be-
rond his own resources to depend upon
Cor success in life , had gone West to
.push his fortune in whatever path
snjLght open most promisingly before
fcim. His first stopping place was in
the southern part of Indiana , where he
engaged in school teaching , and fell
-hopelessly in love .with one of his
scholars , Slillie Stacey by name , a ro
bust beauty , with .much natural
! chrewdnessbut little or no refinement.
As his passion was returned'with the
. .proper degree of ardor , Joe , like all
.young lovers , was more or'less obliv-
.4ous of the'faults and shortcomings of
'
5ils inamorata , and ; when they were
'sometimes , a little.4rudely , thrust upon
tola attention , consoled himself with
.the .reflection that"he - would .in time
'
fce able to eradicate.-them. , .
The courseAof true lova ran smoothly
.enough ; the fair/one's parents favored
Joe's suit , and smiled approvingly on
the y.oung people's engagement ; and ,
:5Fhen : the old folks decided to remove-
.4o the far Westtj \yas agreed that
jToe should accompany "them , and that ;
-the marriage shojild take placeas f
: oon as he could establish , a home of
iiis'own. '
, They set out to perform the journey
in. wagons , Joe doing a share of camp
auty , and , besides having provided
v.frtmself with a saddle horse and a good'
. rifle , he spent some time in nunting by
: theway , and thus f dded considerably
ro the Quantity and variety of the
/party's provisions. . He soon became.
-.an'expert and enthusiastic "hunter and
would often spend an entire day in
jpursuit of antelope , deer , and , occa-
-elonally , buffalo , which , however , was
c t.a _ favorite viand when anything
more tender and toothsome was to be
had.
had.He
He had gone out one day , when the
party had reached. a p'oint on their
journey near the site now occupied by
Rosevale , and , returning in the even
ing to the spot where he supposed the
camp should be , failed to find it.
Turning backward on the road , he at
length came upon , the shouldering ru-t
ins of the teams and the mangled
bodies of the entire family , except
Millie , his darling , ofwhom he could
not find the slightest trace. She had
evidently been carried off'by the sav-
j age marauders , with the horses and
such goods as they chose from the
lading of the wagons.
If-Joe had known in what direction
to pursue the cowardly and bloodthirs
ty Indians , he would certainly have
followed them single handed and alone
but 'fortunately for himself , perhaps ,
he had no skill or experience in fol
lowing blind trails , and was compeled
to abandon the pursuit. Grief strick
en , almost heartbroken , Tie made "his
way back to the nearest settlement ,
where he told the tragic story of his
lossand vainly endeavored to raise a
party to accompany him in an at
tempt to rescue his abducted love , and
take revenge on the murderers of her
relatives. The settlement could not
spare men enough to venture safely
upon such an 'errand.
As the last atrocity was , however ,
but one of a long series of such fiend
ish deeds , the government , after some
the guilty tribe , and Joe found means
to join it as a volunteer scout. But
his opportunity for revenge was scan
ty , and he was unable to get any tid
ings of Millie , when the savages sued
for peace , and obtained it , on the us
ual favorable terms.
For some time he continued to make
researches , but without avail. All the
Indians with whom he was enabled to
converse , denied that there were any
white women captives in the tribes so
far as they knew.
Determined to remain near the spot
where the massacre occurred , in the
hope of eventually succeeding In his
quest , he secured the contract to carry
the mails to and from Rosevale , then
neAvly founded , and in this occupation
he had made himself so useful to the
inhabitants of the village that they
felt almost as anxious for him as for
theirletters and newspapers , and
svould have regarded his loss from any
: ause as an almost irreparable calam
ity. He was wont also to act as ex
pressman and general purchasing
igent for the village , and many a
much-needed article , unpurchasable at
h.he village store , was brought by his
Lrusty hands from afar. On nearly
ivery trip he had a number of com-
nissions to execute , .and many of the
tillage matrons Vere ready to aver
: hat they cpuld not keep house with-
> ut his assistance thus rendered.
On the evening mentioned at the
: ommencement of our , story , Joe did
lot keep his patrons long in suspense.
Dhe more tardy ones had barely
cached the .postofllce. when a cloud
> f dust in the eastern , horizon gave the
signal of his approach , and ere long
le was unstrapping his saddle bags , t ]
ind at the same , time. exchanging
greetings with his friends.-
"What's the news , 'Jo'e ? ? ' asked an
nquisitive citizen.
"Indians , " answered Joe briefly. "I
lid not see them , but I seen plenty
if their signs. " . , . . h
"Are they on the'warpath ? " , . ha ha
"That's'the report , and , ijthii r it a
s true. " ii
"Are we In danger here ? " iih
"Not at the present , I think. They h
laven't massed their forces yet , and
or a few weeks at , least , will content
hemselves with raiding .outlaying
anches and waylaying small trains of a :
migrants and travelers , and perhaps
nail carriers. "
"No indeed ; but I shall be much dis- Bi
.ppointed if the red rascals permit
s
me to make many more trips in peace
and quietness. I think I should rather
enjoy a brush with them if they gave
me a fair show ; but there are a' good
many places on the road where they
might ambush and kill' mebefore I
had a , chance to make any' defence. "
"Don't you think , " Joef" said a
stout matron , "you had better lay off
for a trip or two ; till we see what the
Indians are going to qo [ ? We .had
better miss our mails for a while than
lose you. "
"Tiirte enough for me to lay off when
am-ideadv ordisabled , " repliedJoe. .
dryly. "The postoffice department ex
pects me to do my duty , and I shan't
iaa.lJlJ\lllll. ILiI
And .he.stated with his weary * houses
to secure the refreshment and rest
which he and they so much needed.
By his side walked Mabel Stevens , a
young lady whom everybody said
would make a good match for Joe , if
he would only give up his futile search
for Millie Stacey , and make the best
of what chance and mischance had
thrown in his way.
Joe boarded with her father when in
the village , and Mabel , an unusually
well-bred and intelligent girl , was his
dearest friend. She sympathized deep
ly with his misfortune , and was , per
haps , the only one who continued to
encourage him in * his efforts to re
cover the lost. She entertained great
admiration and 'esteem for Joe , not
unmingled with affection , which , how
ever , was of an unselfish and rather
sisterly character. She devoted much
time and care to making him comfort
able , and diverting his mind from the
grief that might otherwise have con
sumed him , and he was not ungrate
ful. He returned her sisterly tender
ness with a brother's thoughtful
kindness ; and neither of them had any
expectation of a closer relationship.
"Do you believe that , your future
trips will be attended by unusual dan
ger ? " asked Mabel , after they had
walked a few steps in silence.
"I do , " he answered. "I feel a pre
sentiment that something extraordi
nary is about to happen to me , al
though I do not anticipate any fatal
ity to myself. I sometimes feel as if
the great purpose of my life is * at
length to be accomplished ; yet there
seems to be some gloomy shadow im
pending over all. Do you believe in
presentiments , Mabel ? "
"I scarcely know whether I do or
dot. Sometimes they seem to be oc-
2asioned by one's physical condition ,
[ f I am in exhuberant health and
spirits I have delicious day dreams ,
jut if I am dyspeptic , and conse-
luently despondent , I am afflicted
vith dark presentiments , which are
lever realized. Yet there are , doubt-
ess , cases in which coming events
ast their shadow before. "
"I think mine is one of those cases , "
aid Joe , earnestly , .and lapsed into
houghtful silence.
Having rested his allotted time , . Joe
et out upon his return trip. About
he middle of the afternoon , wh'ile
iassing through a dangerous defile ,
verhung with a thick growth of
ushes , he was suddenly surrounded
y a large party of Arapahoe braves ,
nd though he fought desperately and
lanaged to kill two of them , - . they
verpowered him , and , having bound
im upon one of his own horses , start-
d for the village. They did not reach
: until next day , and meantime Joe
ras closely watched , so that he had
0 opportunity of escape. On arriving
1 camp he was delivered to the chief ,
rho ordered him to be bound to a tree
nd assembled a council of braves to P
ecide his fate.
While the warriors sat in grave de-
beration , the squaws and children
mused themselves by insulting the
elpless prisoner , who bore their an-
oyances and persecutions with b'e-
jming fortitude. At length a squaw
pproached , and she seemed to Joe as
eing quite different from the rest ,
lie . .was much better dressed , cleaner
oking , and lighter in complexion , IV
lough her face was daubed with the IVv
\v
sual red and yellow paint. vai
ai
She scowled angrily at the prisoner , air
nrled some sticks and pebbles at him r0 (
nd objurgated him with the choicest
idian expletives ; but what was his O
stonishment to hear her , in the midst Ow
! her violent tirade , address him by w
une. Then she jerked out in bro- G
; n sentences mixed with Indian , like r
lis : T
"Be careful don't look surprised
irse me spit at me do anything to et
iceive these creatures your safety til
id mind depend on it scowl and look it !
igry when you speak to me I am m
illie Stacey. Be careful , and we will
> th get free. " th
It required all Joe's self-command to
How the cunning woman's directions ar
id avoid betraying them both , but k !
succeeded. As she left and re- te
rned to him from time to time , she su
adually informed him of the decision hi
the warriors .concerning his case , hi
hihi
hich was that he should be tortured hi
hihi
i soon as a scouting party , then ab- hi
himi
nt , returned , and. also of her plans of mi
cape. So skilfully did she act. her ta
j-t , and so well did he support her hi
at not the slightest suspicion was hs
oused. he
When the camp was wrapped in
imber and darkness , Millie cautious- o\
oro
approached , cut the thongs where- ro
ith Joe was bound , led him. swiftly re
id silently to where his own .two. at
irses stood , waiting for .them , and .in ac
moment they were mounted and du
ray. Millie carried a suspicious look- Uli
S bundle , and Joe askedjarhat it was. th
thyi
'That's my baby , Joe ; you , .wouldn't yi
, ve me leave him behind , would dli
u ? " du
Ehere was no time to discuss the th
estion , for the camp was aroused , lis
d with whoops and yells the Indians fir
jre preparing to pursue. Joe had no
iapons , and they must outride the
vages or be lost ; but their horses ra
: re much superior in fleetness to the bo
, .V * * . *
ponies of the Indians , and once out of
bullet range they were safe. But be
fore they could accomplish this a vol-
.ley ' was * fired , " Millie ut ered a cry of
pain , and her child , tocy screamed as if
it had been" hit ; but she , bore up >
bravely andrejoiced that Joe had es-
cape'd unhurt. Like the wind they fled
across the open plain , until the sounds
of pursuing hoofs .were no longer
heard , behind themwhen Joe drew rein
and inquired Into Millie's condition.
"I fear I am badly hurt , " she said
in a weak voice , "and baby is so quiet
I think-he Jmust be dpad.Maybe that
would be better for your sake , Joe
but I loved the little fellow , for I am
his' Inother. I Had"to niarry White
Wolf pr dle ; andjl wanted to live. You
don't blame me , Joe ? " she asked in a
piteous , pleading tone.
"I can't blame you , Millie'he said ,
tenderly.
But there seemed to be a weight at
his heart as he uttered the words.
The hoof beats were again heard in
the distance , and Millie roused herself
for another effort. But it was her
last. When again they paused for a
breathing space she fell from her horse
and when Joe dismounted to assist her
tie found her dead. Her child was also
sold and stark.
Tenderly he kissed her lips , qui-
2tly he laid the dead mother and child
in the shadow of a clump of bushes ,
ind then resumed his flight , for the
yelling savages still continued to pur
sue. After a time , however , they gave
jp the chase as fruitless. Then he
cautiously returned to where he had
eft the dead bodies , bound them upon
lis led horse and slowly and sadly
nade his way back to Rosevale.where
.he dead were buried , amidthe sym-
Dathizing tears of the citizens , none
) f whom grieved more sincerely tlrm
Vlabel Stevens.
Years have passed and Jae and Ma-
) el have long been wedded , yet they
> ften visit a grave in the village cem-
jtery , which they deck with the choic-
ist flowers , and water with their min-
rled tears. John Clarke.
AN IDEAL CITY.
Vhat makes a city great and strong ?
Not architecture's graceful strength ,
Not factories' extended length.
Jut men who see the civic wrong ,
And give their lives to make it right
And turn the darkness into light.
Vhat makes a city full of power ?
Not wealth's display nor titled fame ,
Not fashion's loudly boasted claim ,
tut women rich in virtue's dower ,
Whose homes , though humble , still
are great ,
Because of service to the state.
TTiat makes a city men can love ?
Not things that charm the outward
sense ,
Not gross display of opulence ,
ut right , that wrong cannot remove ,
And truth , that faces civic fraud ,
And smites it in the name of God.
his Is a city that shall stand ,
A light upon a nation's hill :
A voice that evil cannot still
source of blessing to the land ;
Its strength , not brick , nor stone ,
nor wood ,
But Justice , Love and Brnlherhopd.
Charles M. Sheldon.
PEOPLE YOU READ ABOUT.
The duke of Norfolk has contributed
together $20,000 to the fund for the
ection of a memorial church to the
te Cardinal Newman.
Captain Berniex of Quebec is plan-
ng an expedition to the north pole.
e will take with him large kites fit-
fl with cameras. These will enable
m , oven if he fails to get to the
ile , t " . take photographs of many
ints which he cannot reach ,
rhe German empress has the finest
arl necklace in existence. It con-
ins three world-famous necklaces ,
ic of them formerly belonged to the
-queen of Naples , and another
oined the image of the Virgin of
akha. The entire necklace is said
be worth $500,000. .
Glliza Orzezko , the authoress of The
gonniits , is said to be the greatest
nale writer and thinker in the Slav
*
e-Id at present , and the first liter-
y artist among the women of Eu-
e. Her works , contained in forty
fl volumes , touch on the most .vital
hjects in the world about her. Mme.
zesKko is aboutfifty years old.
fhe' Uanbury gold medal for 1901
LS presented on October 1 to Dr.
prge Watt by the president of the
aimaceutical society of England ,
is medal which was established as a
jmorial to Daniel Hanburyis award-
tie nnially for high excellence in
j prosecution or promotion of orig-
il -search in the chemistary and
3
turai history of drugs.and the coun-
of thi Pharmaceutical society are
; trustees of the memorial fund.
n Denmark many odd little storje ?
? told of King Christian and hi ?
idly ways , above all the friendly in-
°
est he takes in the doings of his
i O
ejects. Whenever any. Dane make ?
ci
mark in the world , no matter what
it
situation in life , may be or 'wn'at
viewsthe king always sends for
u at the first , opportunity , thatht
y know what he is like and have a
k \vith him. He often stops .during
tl
walks about the streets of Copen- tlP
jen .and chats with any workman
chances to encounter.
! he duke of Connaught , although
fr fifty years of age'/alone of all the
'al family of GreafslBritain , looks
*
lly in vigorous health. It is prob-
y due to the open air life he leads
1 his love of sport and exercise. The
ce'of Connaught is exceedingly pop- et
r with the army and is regarded as : 'pi
i best looking of the sons of Queen IP
storia. His marked features are th
tinguished by virility. He and the th
ce of Cambridge are , it is believed ,
only living members of the Eng- id
i royal family who have been under
he recent Astor ball swelled the "b
its of New York's 400 to 500 some-
Lies.
' * . . ' " - - * > . . . V .
WHY NOT TAKE A
> * DAILY NEWSPAPER ?
- : And the : -
.
* I
NEBRASKA FARMER , * - ' ' t
.r.
Both Papers One Year for One Dollai1
j " . . .and Fifty Cents. . . |
A full year's subscription to the
Omaha Daily News ( every day in the
year , except Sunday ) and the Nebraska
Farmer ( every week in the year ) for
$1.50.
$1.50.Who
Who can afford to let such an offer
slip byA strong , reliable , healthy ,
non-partisan ' 8-page , clean , vigorous
newsy , entertaining metropolitan daily
newspaper mailed to you every day
in the year , and the biggest , strongest ,
best'and most-thoroughly up-to-date
stock and farm paper in the Great
West mailed to your address every I
week ni the year both papers * | co.m-
plete for one year for the sunv'of/$1.5pv
Both the every strong and always
reliable Nebraska Farmer and that
the West
splendid young giant among
are making" a
ern daily newspapers
special effort to push their circulation
away up higher into the thousands ' ,
and this offer of both papers for th'e
small lump sum of $1.50 is being ac
cepted by thousands. A chance to s&-
cure a first-class daily and the ac
knowledged leading weekly in farm
and stock journals.for $1.50 is a rare i
' ' > Y
' " - '
snap. * - r
( Use this order blank for Nebraska Farmer ; and"Daily > , News. )
1902
NEBRASKA FARMER CO. ' flf ' " '
( DailyNews Subscription Department. ) * ( . _
Omaha , Neb.
Enclosed find $1.50 , for which please send me both papers ,
"THE NEBRASKA FARMER AND THE DMAHA
f
f NEWS for one full year.
f NaTKi > ;
f
f Postoffice address
f
Send all remittances to NEBRASKA FARMER CO. ,
( Daily News Subscription Dept. )
1509-1511 Jackson St. , Omaha , Neb.
The Wabash Route. . .
With its own rails from Omaha , Kansas City , St. Louis and Chicago to
Buffalo , N. Y. , for all points East. Soufti and Southeast. Reduced
rates to all the winter resorts of the south. Ask your nearest Ticket
Agent to route you via THE WABASH. For descriptive matter , rates
and all information , call on or write , Harry E. Moores , Genl. Passen
ger Department , 1415 Farnam S t. , Omaha , Neb.
The Chicago Limited
Chicago a East
L-ghted Train '
Ticket Office , 1504
COUNTRY PUBLISHERS CO. , OMAHA , Vol. 5 No. 4--I9O2
Sheridan County. - Y
Like Cherry county , it is very large-
r devoted to stock interests , it being
favorite grazing section. The coun-
r has long been known as "The Ante-
> re Flats. " High , level , a rich , dark
am , only needing a reliable amount
' distributed rainfal to make it one
: the richest in the state , but for lack
E this it Is devoted to stock and veg-
ables , especially potatoes , of which
raises the best in the state , and this
jecial industry is being pursued with
roflt by the few who have taken
aid of it. The soil yields from 100 to
i Obushels of potatoes per acre , and
lis year they command 50c to 606
; r bushel at the shipping point .
A little corn was raised , but pota-
ies , stock and hay are the reliable
isources ; 200,000. tons of hay are re
nted to have been grown in the
mnty this year , worth $6.00 per ton ,
[ ndianapolis Journal : The Catholic
urch has displayed its wisdom in its
is. t displace the friars in the Phil-
pines with young priests trained in
e United States. By such a policy
e church will remove one of the
eatest obstacles which has confront-
our government.
Baltimore American : "Tour nose is
I , " declared the Captious Husband ,
ecause you dress too tight. " "And
ur nose Is red , " responded the Fond
Ife , "because you get too tight , "
and all fed at home.
s Land , unimproved , is worth $1.25 to
$3.00 .
per acre. There are over 400,000
acres of government land yet open to
homesteading in the county , , but like
that in Cherry county , most of it is
nearby and'probably appropriated by
some cattle rancher-so that it would
hardly be available without purchas
ing the adjoining watering places.
Rushvme is the county seat
, a good
town of 800 people , and is the railroad
station at which the business leaves
the Fremont , Elkhorn & Mo. Valley
R. R. ( the only railroad in' the county )
for the Pine Ridge Agency , 24 miles
distant. Hay Springs , another good
town in the county , lies nine .miles
west of Rushville.
The county , as a stock
county , is i !
rich , but does not promise to becoms
an agricultural section.
Chicago Post : A Free'ifethodfat
in Canada felt so good that over
to fly and knocked down a
Five men and three
women
fire from the blaze thus starts ?
shice then the'enthusiast ! brotht
fel the need of wings
as he never did
Philadelphia LedgerA .
clergyman thinks marriase Jf
ceptingr. don't they ?
