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Coltimom
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VOL. XVIII.-NO. 35.
COLTJMBTTS, NEB., WEDNESDAY, DECE1MBER 21, 1887.
WHOLE NO. 919.
5t
K
8bt .
,COLUMBUS
STATE BANK.
COLUMBUS, NEB.
Cash Capital
$75,000.
DIRECTORS:
LKANDEReERRARD, PrtM't.
G EO. W. H ULST, Vice Pres't.
JULIUS A. REED.
R. II. HENRY.
J. 14. TASKER, CntUir.
Baik of Deponlt- IHmeu
mad Exchaase.
CellectleBN Promptly Made
all Polaut.
Pay latereMt on Tine Wepea
Ita. 274
COLUMBUS
Savings Bank,
LOAN & TRUST COMPANY.
Capital Stock,
8100,000.
OFFICERS:
A. ANDERSON. Pres't.
O. W. SHELDON, Vico Pres't.
O. T. ItOEN, Trvas.
ROBERT UHLIG, Sec.
o
(y Will receive time deposits, from $1.00
and any amonnt upwards, and will poythe cus
tomary rate of interest.
- l
HTWe particularly draw jour attentionto
our facilitien fur uiakiuK loans on real esUitei at
the lowest rate of interest.
EBCity, School and County Bonds, and in
dividual securities are bought. lrtjune'stJy
FOR THE
CAM. OS
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Or . W. KIIKL.ER,
Traveling; KalmmaB.
jyThese organs are tirst-class in every par
ticular, and so guaranteed.
SCHIFFROTH ft PUTH,
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WIND MILLS,
AND PUMPS.
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Binder, wire or twine.
Pftaips Repaired on short notice
tyOne door west of Heintz's Drug Store. 11th
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COFFINS AND METALLIC CASES
AND DEALER IX
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iiff- EHs.r'aBmTFA 3ssBB-ir
WESTERN COTTAGE ORGAN
aar
CHRISTMAS CAROL.
There's a story olden, golden.
Laden with the sweetest peace. ''''7.
Of a stranger in a manger, - "
Couched ou autumn's rich increase.
Robed not In sable, for a stable, "
With its rude and dust clad walls.
Formed a shelter, w here did swelter J
Cattto in their stiUed stalls.
Then from heaven's azure riven,
Blutxl a star of radiance bright;
Glorious, victorious.
It paled the other stars of night.
Then it glimmered, gleamed and shimmered.
O'er the town of Bethlehem;
And brighter, nearer, richer, clearer,
Kuruod the star of glory then.
Above the stable's pointed gables
Did that star of heaven rtand;
While adoring, wealth outpouriug.
Knelt the men from Judah's land. '!
Softly saying, 'mid their praying.
While their eyes with tears were dim.
From ufar we've seen his star.
And have cotne to worship him!
Then came winging, sweetly singing.
Hosts on hosts, of cherubim,
"Glory, glory, hear the story!
lVace on earth, good will to men!"
-O. II.
MOTHER'S MENAGERIE.
BY OLIVE HARPER.
Sotuo sixty years ago Madison street In
New York was one of the most aristocratic
streets in the city, and on both sides it was
built with stately stone mansions, with wide
balls, iinmcusa parlors and largo handsome
rooms, and each had a garden in the rear.
Now the wealthy old 'Quaker families who
once inhabited them are gone and tho whole
6treet has degenerateH until it is known as a
"tenement house district," and these old
bouses aro full of ragged, half starved chil
dren; pale, wretched women", and a gener
ally honest but rough class of men. Every
house bus a family in every room, where
they eat, work and sleep, and even where
-there is the most sobriety there is still enough
of noise, unhealthiuess and misery. In most
of them -men's drunken curses and women
and children's tJirill screams are beard al
most hourly.
In the attic room of ono of the handsomest
of these old houses there lived a widow with
her two children, Ruth and Robert. No
words can picture the bare desolation of that
room, but in spite of the bitter poverty so
apparent it was neat and clean. The young
mother was born in this bouse, as bad been
her father, and though she now owned
nothing on earth but the wretched furniture
about her, and she could barely pay tba rent
of this cheerless attic, her heart clung to the
old house and here she staid. Her father had
died suddenly, as had bis father before bim,
and Abby, his only child, bad married a man
who was unworthy bis trust and in a short
time he had dissipated every dollar they
IKtssessed and then bad died, mercifully for
bis wife and little children.
Abby Hicks had tried to earn a living since
then, but with delicate health and two help
less babies she could not do much. Like the
great majority of women, she bad no resource
but her needle, and she found employ in a
shirt factory, and by slaving night and day
as long as her poor little hands could hold the
work, she managed to keep her children and
benelf alive. Their clothes were the last of
those of better days, and were almost falling
off them from sheer age, though tho patient
little fingers bad patched and darned them
over and over, and her heart sank as she
wondered where she could get more.
Hergrandfathci nad been a thrifty old man,
and everybody had supposed him ri oil ; but
when he died it was found that this bouse
and a few thousand dollars, which was at in
terest, was all be had, and it was never quite
understood; but no amount of searching in
papers or banks brought to light anything
more and the search was finally dropped,
though the question was often discussed.
It grew too dark to sew and not quite dark
enough to light the Limp, and this hour the
little mother usually took to run out and do
her marketing for the next day; and so tell
ing the children to lie still in bed, for it was
bitterly cold up there so near the roof, she
took her threadbare shawl, uftd throwing it
around her started out.
SrtE BEST BEPOBE THE WIND.
The snow was falling in great soft flakes
and lay thick upon the pavement, and she
bent before the wind as she made what haste
she could. As she walked along she wondered
for a moment at tbe holiday aspect of the
street, and "then she suddenly remembered,
with a great pang, that it was Christmas
Eve, and two sudden tears rolled from her
eyes and trickled slowly down her cold cheeks.
Everyliody she met, even tn that poor loca
tion, seemed to have something in their hands
toys, cheap and tawdry, it is true, but still
something to bring joy to a child's heart but
this poor little woman could buy nothing, not
even so much as a bit of candy, for stern
necessity had laid too strong a band upon this
desolate little family for tbe spending even
of one penny on anything but food, fuel and
rent. Choking back the unruly sobs that
would mount up the little woman at last
reached the butcher's shop where she dealt,
when she had anything to buy with, and here
she bought a soup bone for ten cents, a car
rot, a turnip and two potatoes for five cents,
and then as the fat butcher's fatter wife put
them in a paper bag she slyly added two rosy
apples from a barrel and two big red onions,
and the butcher being busy just then selling
av fine turkey to tbe proprieto of a boarding
nouse did not see it.
"For tho babbies, ma'am, with my love,"
said the jolly woman, "and I wish it was
more."
Abby Hicks stood a moment irresolute,
with tho red spots of shame burning in her
cheeks, for never before- bad she accepted a
gift, and yet her heart was glad for her
children and lighter for tho womanly sympa
thy which she felt had actuated this meager'
gift
"Thank you," was all she could trust her
self to say, and she hurried away, and' from
there she went to the little corner grocery
where her wants were supplied when accom
panied by cash. Here she bought a five cent
loaf and a pail of coal
"Nothing else?n asked tho grocer's clerk.
"We have some fino turkeys and cranberries:
chickens, too, first rate Philadelphia dry
picked ; raisins, apples, jellies, celery nothing
at all?"
"No, thank you," said Abby, hurrying
away.
Tho coal had taken her last cent. She got
out again into the street on her way back
and hurried onward, only anxious to get
back to where sho could weep her heart out
in hir woe, for where is an agony keener for
a mother than to deprive her children of tho
joy that is rightfully theirs on Christmas
day! Dear little Robbie! He would hear
the other children blowing their tin trum
pets and beating their drums, and bis sturdy
littlo heart had always desired one and tho
other by turns. And good, gentle Ruthie!
How her motherly soul had longed for a real
doll! Not the old rag doll, but a real one,
with fair hair and blue eyes. And this
mother bad promised long ago that she
would write a long letter to Santa Claus and
tell him what good little children they were,
and now they would grieve over his neglect.
Wliat should she do! She had nothing to
sell that they could by any possibility spare.
Everything hail been sold long ago that
could bring anything at all; and now, to add
to her despair, a huckster's wagon, loaded
with cheap toys, stopped just in front of her,
and the strong lunged hucksters began cry
ing out their wares. Again she quickened
her pace, and went on blindly up the stairs to
her miserablo borne, all the whilo her heart
nearly bursting with its agony as memory
pictured this home as it had been only ten
short, years ago. Yes, on this very anniver
sary, and sho dressed in white satin, with
pearls and beautiful laces, was the envied
beauty of tho great ball. Where now were
all those brilliant lights, the flowers, the ser
vants, her sweet faced mother and noble
father
t j
THE MENAGERIE.
All Were gone, and she left alone to battle
with such a bard world. Had it not beeu
thoso two littlo children up stairs the icy
river would have soon closed her book oLsor
row. Sho reached her room. The children were
fast asleep, and sho lighted the lamp and sat
ilown by the little stove.
"If wo starve," she said, "I cannot work
to-night."
By and by mechanically she went about
and put the little room to rights, and hung
tho children's worn clothing over the chair
back, and took the meat for tho next day's
dinner and supper from its bag. The vege
tables lay upon tho table, with the apples.
These she wiped softly and then sat down
again, looking at them in a dream. Sud
denly she gave a nervous little laugh, saying:
"I will. It will amuse them at any rate."
Then she took aknifo and piece of kind
ling and in a little while cut it in small
sticks, and these sho counted until she had
the number she needed, and set to work.
She found tho two potatoes adapted to her
plan, which was to make horses of them by
sticking four legs, a tuil and two ears into
them. Treated tho same way the two red
onions made rather awkward but pretty
colored cows, and the turnips became a tiger
and tho carrot an alligator.
These mado quite a little menagerie when
set uj)on tho table in a position to attract the
children's attention the first thing in the
morning, and a red apple was thrust into
each well darned stocking and they were hung
upon the board which served for a mantel
piece. Thus out of nothing mother love devised a
bit of Christinas for her little ones, and when
this was done, somehow her heart was
lighter and she blessed God for the inspira
tion and that she had her children and
health, and thanked him while she lay down
beside the two pretty if pale children.
The noise of drums, trumpets and chil
dren's shouts in streets and hall waked the
children, almost before daylight, and they
began to ask each other and their mother
what it was all about, and she told them that
it was Christmas, and lying then for once
idle during the daylight hours she told them
all the sweet story and then they began to
wonder if Santa Claus had been to them, and
they bounced out of bed to see.
Tho apples were very rare and beautiful to
them, but the menagerie of wonderful ani
mals surpassed anything they ever dreamed
of, mid as the mother told them:
"You see, dears, they are nicer than any
wooden toy animals could be, for we can
play that they are real, truly animals and
we can kill them and dress them and cut
them all up into little bits and cook them by
and by just as the butchers do."
'Oh, yes!" said Ruthie in ecstasy.
"I dont want my ollumgater cut up," de
clared Robbie, stoutly. Ho was pacified, and
tho children played contentedly all the morn
ing with their animals, though it required the
constant service of momma to replace broken
legs, horns and tails, and the children did
smell rather strong of onions; still they were
happy and her heart lightened. But when
.be time came tor the final part of their play,
itoDDie would not allow a single one of his
precious "ammuls"' to be sacrificed, and at
last he became so obstreperous that his
mother was obliged to punish him by shutting
him into a good sized closet which had
always stood between the chimney and the
gable window. Robbie did not enjoy his im
prisonment and kicked and cried until he
mado the very rafters ring, but suddenly
after a rather more violent outbreak than
usual there was a silence, and his mother
waited a while, surprised at this new freak,
and then she opened the door and looked in.
There on the floor sat Robbio, with a piece
of the baseboard lying flat, and disclosing a
hole within which was & tin box. This he
was trying to pull- out, but it seemed too
heavy for him to move, and soon Mrs. Hicks
had it out and was examining it When she
had wiped off the dust she found painted
upon it in white letters "Owen Hardcastle."
It needed no more to take every bit of
strength she had and make her sink white
and suffocating on the chair. This was her
grandfather's name! What if this box con
tained tho money be was supposed to have
hidden somewhere? It was heavy enough.
A moment's reflection convinced her that, as
she was the only living member of all the
family, this box and its contents were hers,
and so with a knife and piece of wood she
pried it open and found even ss she had
nopeu. ine box was rull of gold, and also
contained several valuable diamonds, so that
this woman, who had the night before been
on the verge of despair from poverty, and
who had had to make a travesty of her
meager dinner to give her fatherless babies a
little of tho joy that Christmas brings, was
lifted above want again.
But, though she had found this treasure,
and she knew it was her own in all right, she
was too sensible a littlo woman to bruit the
news about, and so they sat down to their
Christinas dinner of soup made out of a
whole menagerie, and up to this day, though
sho lives in a different way now, tho lawyers
never got wind of her inheritance nor sham
in it. Robbie and Ruthie havo pretty toys,
but probably none of them have ever been
quite as dear to their littlo hearts as the
strange minnl their mother's breaking
heart wrought out for their pleasure.
A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS, 1852.
BV KATE VAN NORMA GIBSON.
We reached California late in the fall of
1853, and before we knew it could be winter
in a country where the grass was freshly
sprouting and the trees bright and green,
Christmas was upon us, nnd no turkey in tho
state. The children held a solemn conclave
and concluded that Santa Claus could never
get so far, besides thero was no snow for his
sleigh to travel on.
As I said, thero was probably not one
turkey in tho whole state, and though thero
were a few chickens, no one would have con
sented for a moment to kill them when eggs
were worth $1 apiece So our hopes for an
old fashioned Christmas fell far below zero,
and in spite of our best endeavors we felt a
littlo blue and homesick.
Thero was plenty of tho poor Spanish beef
to be obtained, and also veal, but a sucking
pig would havo boeu an impossibility, and
there was absolutely no fruit in the country
except tuch as grow wild, and, of course,
there was nono at this season, but the genius
of women for making something out of noth
iug is proverbial, and tho men of tho family
thought the women would pull through some
how, though how.was that to bo without fruit,
eggs, milk or cream, or, indeed, anything ex
cept bayou beans, Spanish beef and a very
few potatoes, and no onions to season any
thing with, nor knives This was in what is
Oakland now, but at that time there were bub
three wooden houses and u few tents there.
Tho two women put their heads together
and finally decided that they could at least
mako a plum pudding, but in the littlo
"store" thero were no ruisins, nothing but
dried apples. They bought six eggs, paying
$S for them, considering the season, and took
somo dried apples. These wero put to soak
over night and on Christmas morning they
were chopped into small bits, and with tho
eggs and a plentiful supply of molasses, flour
and suet, a big pudding was put into a bag
and over the lire to boil. This success stimu
lated the women to try an apple pio or so.
In the meantimo a big rib of beef was duly
salted and peppered and surrounded with
potatoes, and was made ready to put in the
oven when Undo Cliarlio, who was a mighty
hunter, suddenly mado his appearance with
a big fat goose in ono hand und a fine big
turkey, as wo thought, in tho other, both
plucked and dressed, ready for tho oven.
Some one was sent to buy an onion, as the
grundmother said the goose really must have
onion in the stuffing, and for that one little
onion, no larger than an egg, wo paid SI
and wero glad to get it at that price. Grand
mother brought out her wonderful bag of
herbs und u little of very precious sage, and
summer savory was 6ifted into tho dressing
and the two tine birds wero put down to cook,
and wo all begun to rejoico that even in far
off California Christmas was not quite lost.
Tho two birds now cooking had been shot
early that morning. One was a honker
goose and tho other was an enormous sand
hill crane, or, as thoy were then called, Cali
fornia turkey. These immense birds grow
very fat and aro really delicious eating, as
we found ut dinner time. And when tho
table was laid out with the finest linen and
choice dishes that had followed tho family
fortunes "around the Horn," that dinner
was voted a success, but tho pudding, covered
with blazing brandy, looked just as Christ
mas like as if it had been a real plum one,
though it bad a sprig of "livo -oak" instead
of holly in it, and although it did not take
quite as good.
After dinner wo had games, nnd though
tho children missed tho hanging up of tho
stockings, they went to bed happy in tho
hope, alter ward fulfilled, that Santa Claus
might get thero by New Year's, seeing that
they lived too far away for him to reach
them on Christmas.
THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING.
From tbe shelf I hang, suspended
In the firelight's glow, distended
Till my sides aro almost split with everything
that's good;
I'm so full that it's a question
If I don't have indigestion
Never yet was I so stuffed with such peculiar
food.
In my toe (oh. goodness gracious!
I declare it is vexatious)
Some one's put a big potato and it makes me feel
so strange;
I wonder, now, what made tbem do it.
Do j ou know that right next to it
They have put a lot of candy something sweeter
for a change?
Then a bank to save up money.
And a man that acts so fuuny
When you pull him sharply by his stringy hempen
tail;
A picture book, some small tin fishes
And a set of little dishes;
Pair of mittens, popcorn and a little wooden poll.
Then on top a piece of paper.
Isn't thus a funny caper
Perhaps they want to burden me with some new
fangled dish.
Let me try my best to con it.
Why, this is. what they've written ou it:
"May you have a merry Christmas is iny hearty
wish.' Tom Massou.
A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.
"Santa Claus would be puzzled to get any
thing into nry stocking; 'cause whyl havent
got any."
ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
CHRISTMAS DAT, 1862.
By John R. Paxton, Private, Company G, HOtb
Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Thero was my old comrade, Sergt Nelson,
who had gathered somewhat of evil in the
army, whose Christian virtues were not
highly polished, and who, on occasion,
dropped into profanity as Wcgg did into
poetry. .Now I wonder which Nelson God
will keep, and which Nelson he will throw
away the rough soldier, or tne man at coia
Harbor who said, "Boys, do you heorBebout
and Stono calling our names and begging for
waterf Wo left them at tho foot of tho hill
wounded that afternoon when we charged
and were repulsed. "Boys, its mighty
risky. There is no trnco to-night, and them
rebs shoot about as fino by starlight as by
day. But I'm going out to them. You see,
if you and I were lying over thero with a hole
through us and we called for water and no
one come, though you hoard us, wo would
curse you alL Who will go with ineP "I,
sergeant." "And I." They wont, and two
of them wero killed. I wonder which Nelson
God will keep, which throw away tho Nel
son who was no saint, or the Nelson who
died for man, liko Jesus Christ?
I wonder which man is me and which will
como to the front end be on top at judgment:
this mo in the study here, with on open Bible
before lain, who flatly contradicts the other
me, who shivered with cold on the Rappa
hannock twenty-fivo years ago.
It is such a funny world! You and I load
our friends down with our aches and misfor
tunes and troubles, but when a rich old undo
dies and loaves us half a million, we do not
'd that on them.' Ob, no. But hero am I
preaching, so strong is habit. Yet which is
me this gentle, meek, apologetic clergyman,
or that other mo of a quarter of a century
ago i that other mo who wore that faded blue
roundabout hanging on my study wall, with
a lieutenant's shoulder straps on it, who woro
that sword and belt thero before my eyes?
Which is me this man acquainted with
meekness and piety tuid alms and grief, or
that me of the sword and brass buttoned
jacket ou the wall, who was acquainted with
war, deviltries, death, reckless daring, love's
young dream ? Hore a happy thought strikes
mo: to try ou that soldier's jacket and buckle
on again that sword. I am going to get into
that jacket, so faded, so small for me now; I
am going to buckle on that sword, if it
docs compel crowding, bad language, rebel
lion, pains, mid being carried off tho field
swooning, es some ladies are betimes, because
of the uproar arid rago of the incommoded
guests within. Well, il happened on this wise
that I found myself shivering on the banks
of the Rappahannock on Christmas Day,
1SW, enlisted for three j'ears or during the
war, food for villainous saltpeter.
A. HAPI'T THOUGHT STRIKES ME."
I started foi Richmond in July, 1SC3, a lad
18 j'ears old, a junior in college, and chafing
to bo at it to double quick it after John
Efown's soul, which, sinco it did not require
a knapsack, or three day's rations, or a can
teen, or a halt during tho night for sleep,
was always marching on. On the night be
fore Christmas, 1802, 1 was n dejected young
patriot, wishing I hadn't done it, shivering
in the open weather a milo back of tho Rap
pahanuock, on the reserve picket, and ex
posed to a wet snowstorm. Thero was not a
stick of wood within five miles of us; all cut
down, even tho roots of trees dug up and
burned. We lay down on our rubber blankets,
pulled our woolen blankets over us, spooned
it as close as we could get, to steal warmth
from our comrades, and tried not to cry.
Next morning tho snow lay heavy and
deep, and the men, when I waked and looked
about me, reminded mo of a church grave
yard in winter. Tho snow covered us all,
and my comrades seemed as if a small ceme
tery just liko a graveyard and its mounds.
"Fall in for picket duty! There, come,
Moore, McMhmus, I'axtou, Perrine, Pollock;
fall in!" We fell in, of course. No break
fast; chilled to tho marrow; snow a foot
deep. We tightened our belts on our empty
stomachy seized our rifles, nnd marched to
the river to take our six hours on duty.
It .'sw Christmas Day, 1SC2. "And so this
is war," in' old mo said to himself, while he
paced in tho wet snow his two hours on the
; river's brink. "And I am out here to shoot
I that lean, lank, coughing, cadaverous look
ing butternut fellow over tho river. So this
is war; this is being a soldier; this is tho genu
ine article; this is H. Greeley's 'On to Rich
mond.' ell, I wish he were only here in my
place, running to keep warm; pounding his
arms and breast to make the chilled blood
circulate. So this is war, tramping up and
down this river my fifty yards with wet fett,
empty stomach, swollen nose."
Alas! when lying under the trees in the col
lege campus last Jun wr meant to mo mar-
'TANK, KO OVERCOAT.
sni music; gorgeous ongaaiers in blue and
goid; taliyjiing men :u lino, shining in brass.
tfzr meau to mo tumultuous memories o
Bunker Hill, Caesar's Tenth legion, thechargo
of the Six Hundred anything but this.
Pshaw! I wish I wero home. Let mo see.
Homer God's country. A tear? yes, it is a
tear. What are they doing at home! This u
Christmas Day, lSfti. Home? Well, stock
ings on tho wall, candy, turkey, fun, merry
Christmas, and tho face of the girl I left be
hind. Another tear Yes, I couldn't help it;
I was only 18, and there was such a contrast
between Christmas, 1862, on the Rappahan
nock, and other Christmoscs. Yes, thero was
a girl, too such sweet ej'es; such long lashes;
such a low, tender voice! "Como, move
quicker! Who goes there!" Shift tho rifle
from one aching shoulder to tho other.
"Hello, Johnny, what aro you up tol" The
river was narrow, but deep and swift. It
was a wet cold, not a freezing cold. There
was no ice too swift for that.
"Hello, Johnny, what you coughing eo
for.''
"Yank, with no overcoat, shoes full of
holes, nothing to eat but parched corn and
tobacco, and with the denied Yankee snow a
foot deep thero is nothin' left nothin' but to
get up a cough by way of protestin' against
this infernal treatment of the body. Weuns,
Yank, all have a cough over here, and there's
no ssyin' which will run us to hole first, the
'4WrMM
i -j i- . r' T '
cough or your bullets."
The snow still fell; tho koon wind, raw and
fierce, cut to tho bone. It was God's worst
weather in God's forlornest, bleakest spot of
ground, that Christmas day of 'fcJ ou the
Rappahannock, a half mile below tho town
of Fredericksburg. But come, pick up your
prostrate pluck, you shivering private.
Surely thero is enough dampness around
without adding to it your tears.
"Let's laugh, boys."
"Hello, Johnny!"
"Hello yourself, Yank f
"Merry Christinas. Johnny I
"Same to you, Yank!"
"Say, Johnny, got anything to tradef
"Parched corn and tobacco the size of oar
Christmas, Yank."
. "All right; you shall havo some of our
coffee and sugar and pork. Boys, find the
boats."
Such boats! I see tho cjiildren sailing them
on the small lakes in our Central Park. Some
Yankee, desperately hungry for tobacco, in
vented them for trading with tbe Johnnies.
They were hid away under tho banks of the
river for successive relays of pickets.
We got out the boats. An old handkerchief
answered for a ssiL We loaded them with
coffee, sugar, pork, and sat tbe sail, and
watched them slowly creep to tho other shore.
And the Johnnies F To seo them crowd the
bank, and push and scramble to be first to
seize the boats, going into tho water, and
stretching out their long arms! Then when
the' pulled the boats ashore, and stood hi v.
group over tho cargo, and to hear their ex
clamations: "Hurrah for hog!" "Say, that's
not roasted rye, but genuino coffee. Smell
it, you tins." "And sugar, too." Thon they
divided the consignment. They laughed and
shouted, "Reckon you uns been good to we
una this Christmas Day, Yanks." Then they
put parched corn, tobacco, ripo persimmons,
into the boatst and sent them back to us.
And wo chewed tho parched corn, smoked
real Virginia leaf, ate persimmons, which, if
they weren't very filling, at least contracted
our stomachs to tho size of our Christmas
dinner. And so tho day passed. We shouted,
"Merry Christmas, Johnny." They shouted,
"Somo to you, Yank." And we forgot the
biting wind, the chilling cold; we forgot
thoso men over there were our enemies,
whom it might be our duty to shoot before
evening.
We hod bridged tho river spanned the
bloody chasm. We wero brothers, not foes,
waving salutations of good will in tho name
of the Babo of Bethlehem, on Christmas Day,
in'G2. At the very front of tho opposing
armies the Christ Child struck a truco for us
broke down tho wall of partition, became
our peace. We exchanged gifts. We shouted
greetings back and forth. We kept Christ
mas, and our hearts wero lighter for it and
our shivering bodies wero not quite so cold.
G o thou and do likewise ; push no poor debtor,
prosecute no quarrel, bear no grudge, at
Christmas time; forgive your enemies, re
member your mercies and do not brood over
your misfortunes, at Christmas time. If tho
tunes are bard do not let the children know
it, or Lazarus on your doorstep become
aware of it, at Christmas time, to his deeper
despair. Cannot you be cheerful and brave
by your firesides, as we soldiers were ou tho
Rappahannock on Christmas Day iii '02,
shouting good wills to rebels on the opposite
shore? Let us all shako hands on Christmas
aw-
-
zs-
"WE n.I BRIDGED THE RIVER."
Day. Let us all touch elbows and share with
our neighbor who needs U3 most. Then make
a truco with enemies, with care, with fears,
with tears and tcrrow, and let joy 1 uncon
fined on Christmas Day. Let justice soften
into ni-ircy. Let not hate harden into wrong,
but be transformed into love. Let anger
cease, Ice wrath be forgotten, let quarrels be
reconciled.
Let charity disense bounty. Lot the rich
man love tho poor. Let the lap of childhood
bo filled with plenty. Let all ilnppahan
nocks of estrangement, separation, bitter
ness, unequal lots, opposing interests, be
bridged by tho Babe of Bethlehem on Christ
mas Day of '87. And "bo ye kind ono to an
other, tender hearted, forgiving one another
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you." There, I am preaching ugain, in a
secular journal of civilization. Yet I can't
help it. This Christ born me lias thrown off
and left behind the other me, tbe old me,
who followed Grant and Hancock to Rich
mond in tbe wild, mad days of turbulent
youth. I have taken off that faded blue
jacket, and can stretch my arms; I have un
buckled that worn belt, and can breathe
freely. Come, jacket; come, sword hang
again on the wall. You are my old me; but
tho present, real me is a man of peace and
acquainted with grief; not so happy as a
saint as he was as a soldier, but still trying
to do his work, since God didn't send for bim
at Gettysburg. Harper's Weekly.
IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE.
Ilow Christmas Day In Celebrated In
TlioHe Statro.
Christmas day is not only tho most widely
and universally observed holiday in the
Christian calendar, but it is also susceptihlo
of a greater variety of observance than icr
haps any other holiday. Santa Claus and
the Christmas tree are known and loved of
all children. In Kentucky and other south
ern states the day is ushered in with a gun
powder accompaniment. In tho north tho
Fourth of July is made horrible by tho boom
ing of cannon and the rattle of firecrackers.
In the south these are reserved for Christ
mas morning. Among the country and vil
lage population Christmas is tho occasion of
a general turnout in fieMs and woods with
guns and dog3. On that day of nil days do
the rabbits, squirrels und qutil find them
selves pursued by about every man and boy,
both white and colored, who owns or can
borrow on old shttgun, blunderbuss or shoot
ing iron of any kind, and the fields and
woods resound from morn till night with tho
echoes of exploding gunpowder as the hunt
ers stalk up the hnples3 game. Tho dogs
lend their quota to tho day's noise and ex
citement, baying on tho trail of frightened
foxes and rabbits.
In Tennessee tho wise men who made tbe
laws in the early days of the state's existence
recognized the merit of markmanship, and
to encourage this accomplishment enacted a
law cxemp'ting wagers on marksmanship
from the general penalties against other
species oLgainbling. So that the men of a
village or farm community may congregate
and put up money, a quarter of beef or a
turkey, as tbe prize to be carried off by the
best shot. Tbe target is often the top of a
paper cap box about as large in diameter as
a silver quarter, and tbe distance ranges
from twenty-five to 100 steps. The guns
used are long single barrel muzzle loading
rifles. If the match is to be shot off hand
(resting the gun against the shoulder with
out a rest) the distance' is seldom greater
than twenty-five paces, and even at tliat dis
tance the bullets are often bunched from a
dozen rules into a space which can be covered
with a silver dollar.
These rifle shooting matches aro now
largely reserved for the Christmas day, and
are looked forward to nil the year rouuiL On
these occasions all the young men who boast
of their ability to 'vut the bull's eyo three
times out of five" gather to banter and take
tbe conceit out of such as think themselves
crack shots.
Christmas night is largely given up to
"flddlin' and dandir " lu tho homes of tho
hospitable backwoods southrons, and even in
tho towns and villages it is a very common
custom to have a dance on Christmas night.
8he Spoke Not for Herself.
'Is you 'fald of Santa Claus, niammaf If
you is I will come in your bed."
CHRISTMAS IN OLDEN TIME.
Heap on more wood, tbe wind U chill;
B::t let it whistle as it will;
We'll keep our Christmas merry still.
And well our Christian bires of old
Loved, when the year its course Iiad rolled.
And brought blithe Christmas back again.
With all its hospitable train.
Domestic and religious rite
Gavo honor to the holy night.
Ou Christmas Eve the hells wero rung:
On Christmas Eve the mass was sung;
Tnat only night in all the year
Saw th stolod priest the chalice rear.
The damsel donned her kirtlo sheen;
The hall was dressed with holly green;
Forth to the wood did merry men go
To gather in the mistletoe.
Then opened wide the baron's hall
To vassal, tenant, serf and all:
Power laid his rod of ride aside.
And Ceremony doffed his pride;
The heir, with roses in his shoes.
That night might village partner choose;
Tho lord underogating share
The vulgar game of "post and j air.
All bail with uncontrolled delight
And general voice the happy night
That to tho cottage, as th crown.
Brought tidings of salvation down.
SirWallel bVott.
CHRISTMAS THE HAPPJEST.
Among nil our holidays Christmas is tho
happiest. Other days, liko the Fourth of
Jul3 and Doeorr.lio.i Day, have a jatrioti:
association which is inspiring, and New
Year's Day luis mi admonitory significance
which is pathetic. But the tradition of
Christmas is more universal and ideal than
that of other holidays, because it is tho feast
of fraternity, of human sympathy und help
fulness. Not only is its sentiment glory to
God, but its distinctive gosiel is peaco on
earth and goo:! will to man. It is tho ono
day in the year on which selfishness ia tho
most odious sin. Its peculiar ol?rvanee w
obvious, palpaMe, active thought of others.
Wo all live under tho gcnrrul law of charity
und of doing good. But this is tho dny on
which we must m:ikc rure that our light
shines so tlir.t men shall seo our good works.
Harper's Weekly.
Stores of Bottled Sunshine.
A remarkable peculiarity of the life
these modern days is the discovery of im
mense cellars of bottled sunshine. For,
speaking unconventionally, how can we
better describe our coal fields? From these
we obtain heat, light and force, by fires,
gas and steam engines, to n wonderful ex
tent. At present we use this In a very
wasteful fashion. And as a rulo wc do not
get 5 per cent, of the energy stored in the
coal we use. At a recent trial of steam
engines one was able to use 12 percent, of
the energy stored in tho coal it burned,
nnd that .was thought a remarkable result.
The great problem evermore is, at which
shop can we get our sunshine most cheap
ly? Direct solar power can only be hail
very occasionally, nnd the cost of bottling
is high. Water power can only be had at
certain places, und hence often leads to
expenses which prevent it being economi
cal. Similar is it with wind power. Horse
power is dear; the growth of the food of
the animal, his stable and attendants run
into money. At present coal power is the
cheapest. Electric machinery is not a
source; is is only a medium; not a bottle,
but a glass, from which energy is con
sumed. It needs power to produce an
electric current. Its value in the convey
ance of energy is very great; so that in
time it may prove a cheap way of getting
sunshine to work. Christian at Work.
Wrench In a Frlntinjr, Pren.
A perfecting press, such as most leading
newspapers are printed on, is an expensive
and intricate piece of machinery. The
cost runs np among the thousands of dol
lars, and it consists of many delicate parts
nicely adjusted. At the same time it
exerts a tremendous mechanical force
when in operation, and is not a thing to be
trifled with. Imagine the sensations of a
leading publisher ono day this week, when
ho saw an iron wrench go crashing
through his press, following tho path de
signed for a single thickness of paper. It
was the fault of a careless pressman, who
had started the machine without remov
ing the wrench, which he had been using.
In mi instant, so rapid is the motion of
these presses, cylinders were broken,
wheehs twisted out of shape, thousands of
dollars of damage done, nnd, most aggra
vating of all, tho wrench came out unin
jured. New York Commercial Adver
tiser. The Typical American.
America is entirely too cosmopolitan to
furnish, as yet, any one of her citizens
who can be accepted as the typical Ameri
can. Our population is today more di
verse than when the thirteen colonies
were settled. As a nation we are a unit
but as a people, in the ethnological sensj,
we have not yet commenced toexipt. And
why should wc? No race was ever formed
in so short a time as has elapsed since the
settlement of America, to say nothing of
the constant accessions to our population
from every country in the world.
Maybe in 1,000 j'ears from now we shall
have begun to develop the typical Ameri
can, but not short of that time. San
Francisco Chronicle.
To have what we want is riches, but to
bo able to do without is power. Good
Housekeeping.
Syrup of Figs
Is Nature's own true laxative. It is the
most easily taken, and the most effective
remedy known to Cleanse the System
when Bilious or Costive; to dispel Head
aches, Colds and Fevers; to cure Habit
ual Constipation, Indigestion, Piles, etc.
Manufactured only by the California Fig
Syrup Company, San Francisco.jCul. For
sale only by Dwty & Beoter. 27-y
H WA
TBE ratsx
National Bank!
or
COLU3IBUB. Iff
-IIA8 AN-
Authorized Capital of $250,000,
A Surplus Fund of - $20,000,
And the largest PaM la Cask Capital of
any bank in this part of the fHato.
CP Deposits received and interest paid oa
time deposit.
t3T"D rafts oa the prine ipal cities in this coun
try and Europe bought and sold.
"Collections and all other hnsinsss sirs'
prompt aad careful attention.
STOOKBOLnSaS.
A. ANDERSON, Prw't.
HERMAN P. H.OEHLRICH.
VicePres't.
O.T.ROEN. Cashier.
J. P. RKCKVR
IIKKMAN OEHLRTCH.
W. A. H0AIH8T8B,
JOHN W. EARLY,
G. ANDERSON.
CARL REIN KE.
Apr33-'etf
O. 8CHUTTE.
JONAH WELCH,
P. ANDERSON.
ROBERT UHUO.
nshttss far is.
D. T. Mabtyn, M. D.
F. J. Scbxo. M. D.
Sirs. XABTYff 4k 8CHU0,
U. S. Examining Surgeons,
Local Surgeons, Union Pacific, O., N. &
H.H.andB.&H.K.R's.
ConHoltation in German and Krt'ih, Tele
phone at office and residence.
EWOflieo on Olive street, next to Brodfush
ntr'u Jewelry Store.
COLUMBUS.
NEBRASKA.
43-T
H
AMILTO.l MEADE,n. 1
PHYSICIAN AXD SURGEON,
Platte Center. Nebraska. 9-y
w
A. 91cALLlTER,
ATTORNEY f NOTARY PUBLIC.
Office up-Rtaim in Henry's building, corner of
Ohvo and 11th streets. anglO-87y
Vy M. iOKNGLIIJS,
LAW AXD COLLECTION OFFICE.
Upetaira Ernst building, 11th street.
CVLLIVAN A KECDEB,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
Office oyer First Nationnl Bank, Columbus,
Nebraska. Ui-tt
c.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON.
E-Office and roomn, GInck building, 11th
street. Telephone communication. 4-y
T M. iltACFARLAnD,
ATTORNEY NOTARY PUBLIC.
fcS.Offico over First National Bank. Colum
bus, Nebraska.
J
Oil KlIMDE.,
COUNTY SURVEYOR.
&l arties desirm surveying done can ad
ilreKrt mt, at tolnmbus. Neb., or call at my office
in ( ourt House. SmaySft-y
JOTICE TO TEACHEMS.
W. H. Tedrow, Co Supt.
I will bo at my office in tho Court House the
third batunjay of each month for the examina
tion of tenchers. 88-tf
D
K. J. CHAN. Wll.lVft',
DEUTSCHER ARZT,
Columbus, Nebraska.
i?1TPflico, llth. Street. Consultations in En
glish, rrench and German. 22martf7
WAI.GRAI BKOM.,
DRAY ami EXPRESSMEN.
Light and heavy haulinjr. Goods handled
with caro. Headqaartera at J. P. Becker 4 Co.'s
office. Telephone, 33 and 34. UOmarOTy
JOHN G. HIGGINS. C. J. GARLOW.
Collection Attorney.
HIGGINS & GABLOW,
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW,
Specialty made of Collections by C. J. Garlow.
U-m
r. p. RunrivER, 91. ik,
HOMCEOPATHIST.
Ckxeaio Disease aad Disease af
Ckildram a Specialty.
t-Office on Olive street, three doors north of
First National Bank. 2-iy
P H.KVNCHE,
llth St., opposite Lindell Hotel.
Soils Harass, Saddles. Collars, Whips, Blankets.
Curry Combs, Brushes, trunks, valises, boggy
tops, cushions, carriage trimmings, Ao., at ths
lowest possible prices. Rephirs promptly at
tended to.
RGBOYD,
MANCFACTCBXa OF
Tin and Sheet-Iron Ware !
Job-Work, Hoofing and Gutter
ing a Specialty.
SShop or. Olive street, 2 doors north of
Brodfuehrer's Jewelry Store. IC-tf
WOKINI CUSSES
pared to fnmish
all classes with pmploymont at home, tho whole
of tho time, or for their spare moments. Bnsi.
nesa new, lixht and profitable. Persons of either
sex easily earn from 50 cents to $5.00 per eveninx
and a proportional earn by devoting all their
time to tho Dusines. Both and girls enrn nearlr
as much as men. That all who see this may send
their address, and test the business, we make
this offer. To such as are not yell satisfied we
will send ono dollar to pay for the trouble of
writing. Full particulars and outfit free. Ad
dress, uxobok Stikson 4 Co., Portland, Maine.
dec22-86y
flEW&PAPER
A book of 100 pagta.
The best book for aa
advertiser to con
sult, be he experi
enced or otherwise.
srjaDers and estimates
,1... aaa. rf . .!... w.l almrm Vhf. n f)vin4la.larhn
wants to spend one dollar, finds in it the In
formation he requires, while forhim who will
invest one hundred thousand dollars In ad
vertising: a scheme is Indicated which will
meet hl9 every requirement, or can be mad
to do to by slight change easily arrketdat (y cor
retpowtenee. 149 editions have been lssued
Sont. post-paid, to any address for 10 cents.
Write to GEO. P. RQWELL ft CO..
NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING BUREAU.
U0SoruM8t.rrluUng House Sq.), New York,
flPVERTOlHe
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