THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
Fridoy,
Febold Feboldson Is Hero of U N Book
By Gay lord Marr
America's forlklore heroes are
one of the most delightful aspects
of our national heritage.
Nebraska's own Febold Febold
son. legendary Swedish pioneer
who wrestled regional adversities
in his attempt to make the state
habitable in its pre-scttlor days, is
the newest of the nation's mythi
cal strong men.
"Tall Tales of the Great Plains. '
a recent publication of the Uni
versity of Nebraska Press, cap
tures in print Febold's more
sprightly exploits. Compiled by
former Nebraska Paul R. Heath,
now with the Library of Congress,
the collection is enhanced with
bizarre drawings by Lynn Trank,
native artist and graduate of the
University of Nebraska.
Legendary before Literary
Character
Febold first broke into print
twenty years ago in the Gothen
burg, Neb., Times... Don Holmes,
editor, and Wayne T. Carroll, local
lumber dealer who wrote a week
ly column for the newspaper, en
couraged readers to submit con
tributions concerning Febold's
cavortings.
"Because I have published Fe
bold more widely than either of
his other champions, Carroll and
Holmes, I have been credited with
creating him," writes Beath in th?
introduction to his book. "I did
not. Febold and all his nephew
were in existence when I came
upon the legend."
Stories of the indomitable
Swede have circulated across the
Nebraska plains and in the small
towns since pioneer days. The
anecdotes told are typical of tho
life lived on the Great Plains and
represent the lighter side of the
Dlainsman's serious nttonmt to
I wrest a living from the land.
Bee-line Boundary
One of the many tall tales re
count Febold's re-establishing of
the Kansas-Nebraska boundary
line after Paul Bunyan accident
ly erased it when lie turned the
Kansas mountains upside down
to satisfy the settlers who pre
ferred plains instead. According
to the yarn spinners, the President
considered the Republican river
as a boundarv line between the
two states. Washington lobbyists
declared that such a decision
would be grossly unfair to the
Democratic party. Someone sug
gested that the President contact
Febold.
Like most folklore heroes, Fe
bold possessed an amazing ten
acity of purpose. It took him fif
teen years to complete the assign
ment, but he succeeded. Breed
ing bumble bees the size of eagles,
he hitched these to a plow and
plowed a bee-line for a boundary!
Typical of the Nebraska pi
oneer, Febold turned adversity
MORE
HERE'S
PEOPLE
WHY
WANT
to his credit. When the corn
borer came, he turned the pest to
producing corncob pipes. His in
genuity knew no bounds.
The Swede devised means as
effective as they were original
for combatting the drouths which
beset the state, for ridding the
region of grasshopper plagues, for
inducing rain to fall when the
elements became eontrarv. fnr
coping with the bitter prairie bliz
zards. Why shucks, there wasn't
anything Febold couldn't do, de
clare the old timers, none of whom
actually remember the Swedish
plainsman but all of whom per
petuate the tall tales of his ad
ventures. .
Febold, they assert, was the
swmest man in numan history:
he could blow out the I.nmn and
jump into bed before the room
got dark. One night, after his
trusty houseboy. Little Ptomaine
(a dispossessed Indian chief) had
rearranged the furniture in the
room without Febold's knowledge,
the Swede walked into his bed
room, blew out the light and
jumped for the bed. He struck
the side of the house with such
force, the story tellers say, that
the foundation was stretched and
the building tumbled into the
basement.
Among the countless colorful
incidents, tnese lew indicate the
horseplay and horse sense from
which are woven the many tall
tales of Febold Feboldson. '
Handsomelv bon
of rust and yellow, "Tall Tales of
the Great Plains" is available at a
special student rate of $2.50. t
the sales department of the Uni
versity Press, located in the base
ment of Architecture Hall.
.."Vrt
V
CHECK THIS LIST
PROVE TO YOURSELF
STASSEN STAND cna
THE SAME THINGS YOU DO
I STASSEN Is for cutting the
cost of government and
knows how to do it. In Min
nesota he slashed debt 30TC.
cut expenses IZTc He reduced
taxet on farm and home prop
erty 45 Tc yet had more
money for schools, welfare
and future reserves.
STASSEN is for a sound, pros
perous farm economy. He is
the only candidate with a mid
west farm background. He was
born and raised on a Minne
sota farm was three times
governor of that farming state.
He knows our farm problems,
and he appreciates the im
portance of the farmer to the
nation.
STASSEN is for a strong army
and navy ready to meet any
emergency. He has had impor
tant military experience, hav
ing served two years in the
Pacific as aide to Admiral
Halsey.
STASSEN is for a business-like
foreign policy that wilt keep
America strong. He is the
ONLY candidate who has
dealt first-hand with Stalin.
He knows what we face in the
world. He is for a firm hand
with Russia and says we
should STOP shipping them
war goods NOW!
STASSEN is for peace between
labor and industry and
knows how to get it. In Min
nesota he reduced the number
of men on strike 70 while,
during the same period, strikes
in the nation doubled!
STASSEN is for the average,
hard-working American citi
zen. Time magazine says of
him:
"Few men in public life have
exhibited more sympathy for
fVe ordinary man, more un
derstanding of the hopes and
fears of the ordinary citizen."
ii aMMfc'fch-MlTirtBl 'm I I ll 1
STASSEN it a family man. He wants
a free, well-housed, strong America
fich with opportunities for our boys
and girls.
ir"ir mmr rmr ifiinTanitfci
STASSEN visits his parents on their
farm in Dakota County, Minn. He it
for prosperity on the farm.
Movies Provide
Aid to Linguists
Says L. D, Teale
Gadgets have been a boon to
present day foreign language
students at the university.
Lloyd D. Teale of the modern
languages department reported
the progress made with movies,
phonograph records, and wire re
corders in teaching languages Sat
urday. He spoke before the an
nual meeting of the Nebraska
division of the Modern Language
Teachers association of America
held on the university campus.
He said that the new rfm-iooc
eliminate much of the disinterest
toward foreien lan(riiarrc loft k,.
older methods of instruction. He
explained that they are particu
larly useful in teaching students
to speak as well as read th
languages.
"The movies provide students
with cultural material about other
lands which gives them a greater
appreciation of the language they
study," Teale said.
He outlined the use of the wire
recorder as a corrective aid in
learning to speak a language.
Dr. William K. Pfieler of the
university is present of the association.
f iaw w-y-l temW
SHARPSHOOTER PAR EXCELLENCE With a single rifle
shot, Febold Feboldson, legendary giant hero of the Midwest states,
bagged the entire catch pictured in the top drawing above. Taken
from "Tall Tales of the Great Plains," recent publication of the
University Press. The incident resulted when the flock of ducks,
killed bv Febold's shot fpll nn t VlO rlnH frnn KinoLinrt C ;n
The trunk of the tree fell upon a bear, killing it. Honey from a
wiuiui uie tree xricKiea into tne stream attracting fish
and two turtles which apilp FphnlH nahhH xi-wk k;o i 1
In many similar amusing tales, Febold out-bunyons Paul Bunyon.
STASSEN it an administrator. Three
timet governor, twice elected by
governors of 48 ttatet to heed Na
tional Governor's Conference.
STASSEN CAN WIN!
National polls show more people
want Stassen. Gallup Poll, Roper
Poll and Fortune Magazine say
that across the nation, Stassen
stands highest of all candidates
with -independent voters. Nomi
nate a man who can be elected,
and return Good Government to
the United States.
V0T
FOR
HAROLD E.
!
A-M Campus
i
a r
IK . 81
f Ml VVI l
i ii imm
A Dynamic Leader For the Vital Years
Nebraska Stassen Committee Fred Seeton, Chairman
I
Ahead! I
Favorites
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ANTICIPATING MAnrrirJT a t, , ..
so-called inventors. Febold w J fabS invento . In the lowe"
Hit v!nL aJ-1SlLrnIr5nk pictures tbe outcoi"e of hi? ingenuTtv
His horse disabled with digestive difficulties, Febold pieced together
wkJS?-"18 br fillin two 'snakes SmS
rf . unuuiug, iiuwever.