18 THE OMAHA DAILY UEB1 SUNDAY , APHIL 14. 1895 ,
SUNSET IN THE SAND HILLS
The Editor Shoots a Swan in His Highly
Educated Mind ,
ON CRESCENT'S ' BEAUTIFUL SHORES
of the \ \ litrllng WhoM-Clint
with tint llnll rinrr * nnil Hie
Usual Weekly Urlst of
bporl.
NEGLECTED lo state
In my opening article
on spring iluck shoot
ing lost week that upon
arrival at Hamilton's
we found our genial
host suffering In the
Incipient stages of the
mumps , but still able
to be about. He was
on hand \vclcome
ns iibual and at once
Injected a lot of enthusiasm Into our respec
tive corpirosltlcs by the Information that he
thought we were just In time. Notwithstand
ing the lakes were all fro/.cn over solidly Uie
white geese had baen coming In by the thou
sand and far two days past there had been
quite an encouraging flight of ducks , princi
pally canvasback and redhead. The Brewer
and the Lawyer , despite the fatigue of. our
long and nrduoits Journey from Lakeside , were
Irreprcsslbly jubllnnt and resolved to go
right out that afternoon as soon as they had
gottqn j.'hc.lr dinner , which Mrs. Hamilton
had announced would be ready for us as soon
as wo got , washed and straightened up a bit.
In a marvelously short time our sod palace
had assumed the picturesque condition that
BO delights ( he sportsman. "
Guns and gun cases were stacked In one
corner ; trunks were unstrapped , opened up and
shooting paraphernalia hauled forth and scat
tered over the bsds and chairs. Shell , boxes ,
pipes and bags of tobacco , boxes of cigars ,
oil cans , wiping sticks , duck ctlls and other
heterogeneous articles Uttered shelves and
window sills. The warm reds , greens and
purples of extra blankets glowed In a con
fused pile , wJille valises , overcoats , rubber
boots , mackintoshes and pillows were strewn
slovenly about.
Outside Canvasback Lodge was another
picture , composed entirely cf touches of the
finniimil wilderness. To the left was a pyra
mid of decoys , canvasback , redhead , mallard ,
teal and blue-bill , hero lay an old rusty steel
trap , there some castoff harness and n broken
neck-yoke. The boats , five In number , lay bc-
hlnd the lodge , ono new and unpalntcd , and
another filled with trampled hay and rusho'
with quantities of duck feathers Intermingled
and a good sized pllo of empty shells In one
end , evincing recent service , peitiaps before
the late freeze-up came. A huge stack of
"cow-chips" the only fuel In the woodless
sandhills loomed up Just west of the big
family adobe hcus1 ; then came a tou.ded hay
stack , then the sod barn with the carcass of
a dead steer bejoml , while all about. In ono
attitude or another were setters , pointers
and spaniels , the Inmates of the big kennel
Hamilton has In process of breaking. Just
twenty-two head In all. Hex , the king of
dogs and Hamilton' ! ! pride , as well as the
greatest retriever on earth , was there , too ,
keeping a fatherly watch over all his kind
and cavorting around like a pup In keen an
ticipation of the sport , ho felt our presence
boded. A pair of whltel } bleached deer horns
crookedly surmounted the low door way ,
while from pegs driven In the walls In front
and at the ends were the drying skins of
badger , skunk , coyote and muskrat A red-
tall hawk , flanked by a pair of seagulls , was
lacked over ono of ths cisements. and traps ,
axes , oars , dog chains , empty powder cans
and oWier debris lay all about In the most
unmethodical profusion.
Add to these the shimmering atmosphere
hanging over the background sandhills , with
their splotches of melting snow and tufts of
green cactus ; Lake Hamilton lying like a re
flection of the cerrulean heavens In front , and
the golden blanket of the March sun spread
over the whole and the scene Is complete
Iut ) we had no time to waste In admlritlon
of our surroundings and were quickly seated
nt the long table , and such a dinner as lay
Irforo us , redundant as It was with the spoils
of plain and lake
A short-rib roast , as was never roastet
before , baked potatoes , watercress , corn pone ,
sand cherry sauce- and hot coffee. Is what we
stowed away under our shooting Jackets , by
th ? cartload It seemed
The banquet was too much for me I caTo
nejr foundering , and after It was over , I re
paired to the lodge and stretched my grace
fill and athletic shape upon a bd for a gooi
Binoko. Charlie and Hilly could not b <
swerved from their original resolution am
filling coat pockets with Victor shells and
shouldering their guns , they sot out , per
peJes apostolorum , for a Jog round Lake Ham
llton.
I haveno knowledge how long It was after
thc-lr departure , but I do know that I was
rudely and abruptly aroused from a most refreshing
freshing slumber by Hamilton loudly calling
mo to get my gun and come outdoors ]
sprang from my bed and , seJzIng my gun
hurriedly Inserted a couple of shells , and
scrambled forth to s'-e what was up
"Stand still , " admonished Ed. who stoo
Juit without the door ; "there's a bunch o ;
swan coming from off Crescent an' they'l
pass right over the house. "
Sure enough , the next moment I saw th
birds , seven of them , cleaving the air will
measured stroke of snowy pinion , comlnf
from the south In a line , and I saw that they
would pass directly over us. As they cleared
Hamilton's liouso they discovered us and be
gan to rlsp and veer off. Then I let them
haveIt first one barrel and then the other
and , although we hoard the shot rattle against
tlie.lr brensts , I got none down. With a
sonorous "hoo-oo-co1" the great , lumbering
creatures spasmodically beat their wings ,
_ climbed higher and higher , then with a grand
sweep , swung off over the dome of the
frowning sandhill back of us
A cottony bit of down or two , floating al
most stationary on the listless breeze , wag
tha only evidence left me of whatever effect
my shots had had.
"What sized shot' " queried Hamilton.
fUreS. " 1 answered.
"Too small , and then they were higher
than they looked "
Provident host ! I hid never known him to
be at fault whtn It carro to ncccount for a
poor shot at the hands of any of his guests.
Still I think he was all right In this In
stance , yet I was disappointed. I had counted
on one. If not a double , but had only sue-
c erleil In displacing a feather or so
It ATBS now getting- along well la the after
noon , and as a good many birds were to b >
seen flying aimlessly around the hks to the
south , I went back Into tha lodge and got a
upply of shells , rejoining Hamilton a mo
ment later Just east of th ? fimlly residence.
"When the- Ice opsns up , " ho observed , "I
think you will have great sport ; there saems
to ba a great many birds here now and all
that la required to make good shoootlng Is a
little open water. Down ! there comes a fleck
of whlto gecie now "
Wo drcpped together In the low grass , anl
glancing up I Instantly caught Eight of a long
white line against tha blue of the background
iky. They were coming swiftly on with their
usual garrulous clamor and were soon over
us , probably fifty yards high. I straightened
up to get a better shot , and , leading them
well , let go with the flrst barrel , but again
t scored an Ignominious miss.
"Lead 'emI lead 'em ! " Impatiently ex-
clilmttl Hamilton.
The birds had now passed over and their
broken ranks were welling together again ,
and , while I felt that they were out of rang- ,
I obeyed direction ! , and pulled the second
barrel.
My surprise at thl more than counterbalanced -
balanced the chagrin I experienced nt my
first shot , for with a loud squawk one of the
birds dropped from out the line and went
gyrating and tumbling off against the side
ot the sandhill. He lit with a bounce , rolled
down a few feet , then lodged against a
clump of yucca.
An half hour later the Brewer
and thi Lawyer returned , Charlie
with a white gocso thrown over his shoulder
and nilly carrying a brace of widgeon , They
had Indulged In quite a long tramp , clear
over to Ilackbcrry lake and back , and seen
slathers of gceso and "qulto a few" ducks ,
and were In correspondingly high spirits.
Mctz had gotten his goose from a nock flying
over , while the Lawyer lind made ft double
on his widgeon , Jumping them from the
reeds on Hatkberry's froren shores.
The following morning broke calm and
mantled In light cloud. The sun-Blow Inter
fusing the delicate mist , which always arises
Horn the marjhy sandhill districts , kindled
Into a veil of pearl streaming over the
row of day.
Hamilton was not well enough to leave
lie house , but hu Joined us after breakfast
nd advised us to take one of the wagons
nd pull over the range to Crescent lake ,
ill the shooting they had had this spring
.ad been at Crescent , as the birds seemed
0 frequent the place In preference to all
tbers. Two weeks before , when the lakes
ere partially open , the Ankcny boys from
eadwood were down , and one afternoon
rom off Otter point they killed eighty-five
edliead , and the day following some sixty
more. Then the freeze-up came , the birds
Isappcared as by a magician's hand , and
hey gave It up and returned home.
So of course we were not long In making
p our minds. We would put In the diy at
Jresccnt , the 111 ewer and the Lawyer going
ogcther , and I , with Alfred , the hired man ,
ho was to drive us across.
The frescoes of dawn had hardly ills-
olvcd when we got under way. The clouds
lad melted Into the merest lacework , and
ho conogated tops of the western sand-
illls were breaking Into rosy fire , and the
solemn gray was brightening Into a golden
andscape of plain and promontory , when we
: amo upon Crescent lake.
"Look at that hcaglo1" exclaimed Alfred , as
.8 pulled up the horses on the brow of the
Idge , where we could gaze off over the
eally enchanting scene stretched out before
is.
is.Uut , parenthetically , I must Insert here a
jr'ef ' description of our driver. His name
vns Alfred , Alfred Daykln. and he was a
endcrfoot , fresh from Albion's distant shores.
Mot exactly a tenderfoot cither , for he had
put In a year on a sheep ranch up In
Montana , had hunted considerably and was
_ 'ast acquiring a knowledge of American
game and American wajs of pursuing the
lame. He was a bright fellow , Inclined to
ho hyperbolic In his rccountnl of past cx-
icrlences , yet honest and conscientious when
t come to matters of real Importance. Ho
vas odd in configuration and odder In
nanncr and speech , and we had a gocd deal
f fun with him during our sojourn In the
illls , almost as much ns had our forefathers
vlth his ancestry In the memorable days of
7G.
7G."See tlia heagle ! " and he pointed off over
ho upper arm of the lake , where one of
hose huge birds was circling , probably In
earch of rabbit or crippled duck.
The broad expanse of Ice was glittering
nd scintillating like gem-bestudded silver ,
'ho sunlight also spread broad and dreamy
ver the sear grass , stretching away , clear to
he base of the darksome hills , hero sprlnk-
Ing Itself In mites of gold among the droop-
ng and withered flags , there striking aisles
.nto fields of reeds and rushes. The black
birds were alert with their sweet "kong-
ter-rce , " and off from the Icy sliest came once
n a while the squawk of a goose , the hoarse
'holler" of a swan or quack of duck , for In
numerous places out on the lake , Ijlng still
.11 the early sunshine , we saw great bunches
jf mixed birds , from the lovely swan and
Canada goose , down to merganzcr and teal ,
The Brewer and the Lawyer selected a
blind On a point In the upper end of the
ake , while I picked out one a mile below ,
on n narrow peninsular neck of rush-covered
and extending well out toward the middle.
My companions were to take the boat , and
jnloadlng this end half the decoys , I di
rected Alfred to drive me to the point I had
selected , and an half hour later we were all
snugly ensconced In natural hides that would
defy the keenest discernment of goose or
duck , nnd anxiously awaiting the coming
of the birds. My English valet had driven
ho lionet and wagon off back of the nearest
illls , and returned and taken up his stand
.n the exuberant reeds a few yards to my
right. We kept up our sharp lookout for
probably an hour without being rawarded by
the sight of any birds , but those basking In
groups on the Ice at distant points on the
lake , and I Instinctively felt that the iport
was going to be limited.
"Hlf we'd honly brought a hax , " finally ob
s'rved Alfred , "we could 'ovo cut han halr-
Jiole bout there by the decoys , an * the sun
shinln' on the water , would 'ave made the
ducks coom , I'll bet you "
yes , that wouldn't have been a bad Idea , "
1 replied , "but as wo didn't bring an axe. all
we can do Is to make the best of our sltua-
lon and come better prepared tomor "
"Mark ! "
A pair of pintails , with their long , slender
jiecks stretched out to their fullest elongation
were coming hurriedly straight across the
ake Suddenly they catch sight of our de
coys scattered over the Ice , and warily make
a sharp turn and start to circle the spot.
"If they come In , I'll take them both , " I
cautioned Alfred. "If I miss , pump It at
em. "
"Hall right. " whispered Johnny Hull.
Thcpplkcs had now swung clear round over
the hills back of us , but were coming back at a
rate of speed that was discouraging. I wasn't
In the best jfosltlon , but Just before the birds
got over me , I Jed the drake about throe
feet , anil his mottled tody came down Into
the rushes , almost within reaching distance ,
as If shot from a gun dead as a door nail
The hen , vrlth an affrighted squeak , put on
a little extra steam and did her best to get
out'of range , but she failed most lamentably
I was shooting the celebrated Peters Victor
shells , 3' drams of S.S. powder , and an ounce
and nn efghth of chilled sixes , the best I ever
used , and Mrs. Pintail caught It well nstern
and made a frantic plunge for the Ice , falling
qulto 200 yards away
"Hey ! That was hextra flne1" called Al
fred , as he started on a run out on the Ice
for the bird.
Ho had hardly settled In his reedy con
cealment again when the clangor of a mob
of white gc se broke the morning stillness
They were coming frtmi behind off towarr
Hluo lake and wo quickly saw the living
snowy trlanglo dealing the dividing hills
coming straight onto us. Admonishing the
Kngll'hman to take the rear birds I h nt stll
lower In the rushes and awalteJ the Interest
ing moment. The bulk of the big flock
passed over right between our blinds , with a
sturdy old gander at the very head of the
apex calling loudly to his followers to "come
on. " I broke his neck theflrst dash out o
the box , and then , in the frantic scramble
for the neither spaces that followed , I killci
my second , whllo Alfred also cut a brace ou
of the tall-enders.
Not a bird fell over thirty yards from the
blinds , nnl all four were dead when they
struck the Ice and the land , once more at
testing to the killing character of the Peters
shells.
There was a long Interval succeeding this
nlc ? work , during which the only moving
birds wo saw were a long way off , too far
even to be detracted from tlielr course by the
moat vigorous efforts with the call , and
was rapidly becoming disgusted , when a
bunch of canvasback , like frbled racers o
the upper regions , came pouncing down upon
us from the sky. The flrst premonition we
had of their proximity was the sharp whistle
and swish of their wings as they dished dowi
and flashed over our decoys like apparition
of the air. Alfred and I w re both startled
the Englishman half rising and lifting hi
guir"Don't
"Don't shoot ! " I commando ] , catching hln
Just In time , for the bird ) were already 201
yards away and going on and up Ilk
rockets.
"Too bad ! " I remarked , with a bit of sup
plcraentary ornamentation soothing to a vexci
spirit , and was about ctepplng'from my blltu
for a little stretching when I saw the bird
turn , way off a mile or more In the hazy
distance , swing round and head In our dl
rectlon again.
I simply had time to get In good position
la the rushes again , at such tremendous ve
locity does the hungry canvaiback fly , when
they were upon us , yet not In half decen
shooting distance , Uut no chances were t
1)0 thrown away , and we banged away , al
four barrels , as they hurtled past like a
charge of canister , Into their very midst.
On they went , every mother's ion of them
to our keen disappointment , but the next In
stant wo saw one fall behind , farther and
farther , sagging and wobbling , then let g
and come to the Ice with a plunk
fully 300 yards away. Alfred brought It Ir
and It proved to be n flno young drake In
blazonry of splendid spring plumage , am !
really , I felt satisfied with our morning's work
So much for the potent charm of a singl
specimen of the grandest bird that flies can
fill the heart of an ardent sportsman.
Wo lunched at noon , took a smoke and
then settled ourselves for the afternoon
watch. It WM a profitless vigil , from a
hooting stanJpolnt. but three more white
cc ? ( ? and nn old hen mallard being added to
he morning's hag , but the enjoyment do
Ived from a close connection with nature
n all her most hew Itching forms was coin-
cnintlon enough for the wasted day ,
Alfred became tired nnd went off to life
wagon for a doze , leaving me alone with
ny dreams. For a time I was engrossed
Ith watching the basking groups of fowl on
ho Ice , and listening to their drowsy mur-
murlngs nnd the cnnsonet of the blackbird ,
nterrupted occasionally by dlsordant blots of
ound from winnowing hawk or famishing
oyotc. All these , however , were soon un-
otlccd , ah I lay outstretched on a bed ot
ceds , with the swaying stalks environing ,
nd watched the cloud-ridges , plls upon pile ,
owerlng In a mighty form over halt the
icavens and plunging leagues and leagues of
letolate hill and plain In shadow. We bend
ur heads b fore the grandeur of a Yellow-
tone , where almost seas of , water plunge
upon the rocky heart ot that wild country
Ith reverberating thunders , but glance
nercly at some cataract of stormy vapor
ashing down the shy ilope ! Yelllowstone
> r Niagara , to this , are mere cascades ! We
Ingcr entranced upon the boomy lights and
elvet shades of the old masters ; of Titian
r Tlntorreto , whose names glitter with the
naglc tints of Italy ; but the colors born of
he artist , atmosphere , flash disdain upon the
ame blaznry of their mimic hues. Bveii the
divine frescoes of Kaphac ! must > leld to the
ommon tints of twilight on Nebraska's
vestcrn prairies. And the architecture of
Giotto and Angelo , what is It to what you
can behold by gazing upward Into the clouds
at n turbulent March sunset There Is a
natchlcss architecture then , with colonnodes
and pillars , arches nnd towers , never tiring
he sight In their satnenc1 ! * . but changing
constantly as joti gaze , resting on founda-
lens of living sapphire , and Hushed and
[ lowing with flitting tints that transcend
oven the dlvlnlest dreams ot all the mighty
masters In ages past.
We drive slowly home In the evening. The
clouds have about nil disappeared , and the
Igns are for another pleasant day on the
norrow. The Ilrewcr and Lawjer have fared
but llttlo better than I. A Canada and two
vhlle geese , thrco pintails nnd a pair of red
icnds Is all they are enabled to show , and
disappointed and In silence , we trail along
ho darkening valley road as the sun goes
down.
The blackbirds fly to their roosting place ,
Ai the sun KOI-S down ;
A.nd fur In the sky the ROOSO'S night I
trnce
In ( locks that vvnver nnd lnterUo ,
As the sun goes down.
The bullfrogs croak by the lake's black
rltn ,
As the sun KOCS down ;
And the rushes stand all Ei-lin and slim
When the mists huve gathuictl gray and
dim ,
As the sun goes down.
A teal comes past with a swish of wings.
As the sun goes down ;
And a fold of the twilight creeps and
clings
To the flagstnlks ; and a cricket sings ,
As the sun goes down.
SANDY QIUSWOLD.
of the VVhoo ] ,
LTHOUGH the Turner -
ner Wheel club Is a
comparatively n e w
organization , It Is one
of tlie strongest or-
ganlzatlons of Its
kind In the state. It
was also one of the
flrst wheel clubs
composed entirely of
active Turners In
this country. It was
flrst organized 1 n
the spring of 1892
and started out with a membership of ten ,
which has now grown to nearly fifty , all of
whom are active Turners ns well as wheel
men. An applicant must be n member of
the Turnvereln before ho Is eligible. Thus
none but active membership exists In the
club.
club.Tho
The charter members were Messrs. Doyle ,
Weber , Heyn , Wlndhelm , niodel , Johnson ,
Schurlf , ' , Ile.cker. Kuhn nnd Wolf lllo
being the flrst president and Weber the first
captain , the first year of their existence , they
took many pleasant runs and also attended
the wheelmen's reunion which was held at
Ulalr , Neb. In 1893 Its membership Increased -
creased , and among the many pleasint runs
taken during that year was the Joint run and
plcnla with the Omaha Wheel club at Helle-
vue. The present year sees It one of the first
among the clubs ot this vicinity. The elec
tion of officers took place In January , and
they are
. Echurlg riesdentTheol ! ; re Damcr. . v'ce '
president , f. Becker , secretarv , J. August
DO/IP , treasurer ; Ed HayJen. corresponding
secretary , I'lilf Mooller , captain , and Fred
Spratten nnJ II. Scliaeffer , lieutenants.
Mr SchurlR , the president. Is well known
In the city , being our city electrician He
has been a member of the Ttirnerbund for the
past five years nnd an active wheelman for
three jears.
Theodore Daumer , the vlco president. Is a
young man and very popular among his
clubmates nnd associates. Ha has been a
mcmbsr of the Turners for the past four
years.
Mr T. Hecker , secretary , has been with
the Turnvereln over ten years. He Is a
member of the bear class and has accompa
nled them on many prize winning trips.
Gua Doyle , treasurer , one of the prime
movers in organizing the club , Is one of the
best UUc-d wheelmen In the city and Is always
anxious to work for the Interests of wheel
men In any v\aj He has been a Turner
ever Blnco he wna a small boy and says he
expects to temaln one until he Is too old to
straddle the "horse. "
Mr. Hnydcn , the corresponding secretary ,
IB n popular young cycle dealer here In the
city and Is well thought of by all whwlmen.
Ho Is also a member of the Omaha Wheel
club.
club.Phil
Phil Moeller , the captain. Is also second
turnwart ot the Turncrbund. He Is an
excellent road man and picks out the mosl
pleasant runs for his men that can be found
In this vicinity.
The membership embraces some young men
from the test German families In Omaha
Its April run card calls for the following
tours :
Sunday , April 14 , Papllllon.
Thursday , April IS , Council Uluffs ; 7:30
p. m.
Sunday , April 21 , Mlllard.
Thursday , April 25. Manawa ; 7 p. m.
Sunday , April 28 , Hellevtie.
All runt start from Its club rooms , wlilcl
are In Turner hall and are among the mosl
pleasant an ! spacious to be found In the
city , by the way. Its club colors are red
white and black , and will In all probability
ba carried to victory many times the com
Ing season by Its racing team , which will be
composed of some of the fastest men In the
city.
city.Fredorlckson
Fredorlckson , one of Nebraska's fast men
hag accepted a position with the Western
Electric Supply company of this city an
will hereafter call Omaha his home. Fret
roio well last season , and with proper care
will make a "top notcher. " He will ride a
Sterling.
Mr. F. E. I'earce '
. , one of Omaha's proml
nent wheelmen. Is slowly recovery from tin
effects of a very difficult surgical operation
M. * . I'earce Is a great favorite among wheel
men In this city , having been vice preslden
of the Omaha Wheel club during 1891 and an
active cyclist for the past ten years.
Stromsburg , Neb. , Is to have a third of a
mile bicycle track. If a small town like
this can have a track why can't Omaha sup
port one ? It U ten times larger thai
Stromsburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Mcllrath , who started fron
Chicago last Wednesday morning on thel ;
tour around the world awheel , will pat
through Omaha about Thursday of this week
They will bo escorted from Council Bluff
by members of the Ganymede Wheel club o
that city. They will remain In Omaha eve
night and will bo escorted out of the clt ;
Friday morning by the Omaha Wheel clul
The trip U being made In the interests of tb
Chicago Inter-Ocean and will consume nearly
two years. They expect to reach San Fran
Cisco about June 25 and will call from ther
to Japan , thence to China , across China
upper Slam , India , Beluchlstan , Persia ant
Asiatic Turkey , thence to Great Britain am
home. They will take the same route whir !
Lentz , the famous globe glrdlor , who wa
supposed to have been murdered , between
Tabriz. Persia , and Krzeroum , Turkey
traveled over.
"Tllllo" Urlau leaves for Denver the mlddl
of this week.
Thojo who tell us that ( ha League o
American Wheelmen U losing the confidence
f wheelmen look ttje ; application list pub-
Ished In last wet-lfs bulletin nnd crawl Into
our Ignoble catttlcs. They publish 875
mines of appllcatffi for membership. Never
) eforo In the hrafary of the league have
hey opened the season with such a list.
The best previousrcoord Is D28. The flrst
1st In April ot 1S94 had hut 13G names , and
ho whole month gave but 720 members.
Once In the middle ot their best year they
luhllshcd 921 names , , They are not yet quite
ip to that , the best on record , but the
ear Is young yet nnd they hnvo taken n good
tart. New Yorfc tt/ps / the list vflth 387
mines. Best previous record by California
vlth 3SC names. The largest division list
it 1894 was 254 , by Massachusetts. Largest
olal , In one llstjlast year , was 02S names.
VIII Mr. Ilynes rlqqsc answer this ?
Chief Consul Ebersolc ot the Nebraska
Ivlslon Is mnklng ah extra effort to get the
fair sex" to join the league. As Sterling
Jlllott says. "No organization can be so
gcod that It Is not made better by the
iresencc of women.
The tobacco chewing BOX should not monop-
illze the league tickets.
The girls may have them on the same
cims.
The League of American Wheelmen Is
pen to the sisters and they are ever wel
come.
The flrst Issue of the League of American
Vhcclmcn Bulletin and Good Heads combined
s out. It Is a weekly Journal , devoted to
ilghway Improvement and other subjects of
ntcrest to wheelmen In general , nnd to the
. .eague of American Wheelmen In particular.
: t Is edited by Sterling Elliott nnd Abbott
Uassett. Mr. Elliott Is the present chief
consul of Massachusetts , while Mr Basset
secretary of the League of American
Wheelmen. The league has been without nn
official organ for several months now and
all the members will gladly welcome Messrs.
Elliott and Bassctt's edition. Members will
receive it weekly "free gratis. "
Members of the League of American
Wheelmen In this city must remember that
under the new rule the renewal season Is cut
down to sixty days. In previous years re
newals were received to July 1. This year
: hc season ends June 1 , so don't forget to re-
lew oarly.
Howard n. Raymond , ex-chairman ot the
national racing board , League of American
Wheelmen , says In last v/eek's Bulletin that
f controlled by the league professional racing
can be made n success oC In this country. In
all probability next year will see ( three
classes In the League of American Wheslmcn ,
viz class A , which will be composed of
pure amateurs or "snow whites , " as they
ire called ; class I ) of semi-professionals , or
"spotted amateurs , " and class C of profes
sionals.
Dr. AV. W. Vance ot Kearney , Neb. , and
representative of the League ot American
Wheelmen In this division , was In the city
last week attending the league board of
officers' meeting.
Plxley will ride a fifteen-pound Stearns
'Yellow Fellow" this season. He expects It
about May 1.
The Omaha Wheel club has ninety-one
members now and the applications continue
to come In , The officers nr& negotiating
with the owners of the old Rustln residence ,
which stands on the northeast corner of
Seventeenth and Hartley , nnd hope to secure
n lease of the property at a reasonable figure
If they succeed the house will bo remodeled ,
the yard sodded and a beautiful lawn will
cover the now wecdrcovered and unkempt
ground. A better place for a club house
would be hard to find anywhere In the city.
The League off American Wheelmen state
meet for 1895 has been awarded to Kearney
by the board ot officers of this division.
There were butjtwo bids for It one from
Lincoln and the other from Kearney. Lin
coln's bid amounted to but little , while
Kearney offereil to give $1,500 worth of
prl/es , have the track In record-breaking con
dition and show the boys a general good time ,
Kearney , the hustling little metropolis ,
on ? of , If not the most , enthusiastic cycling
towns of Its slza in this country. They have
the largsst cjcle factory west of the Missis
slppl located there , also a flne quarter-mile
track , a large cycling club and some ot th ?
fastest riders in the state. The state meet
was held there .last year and everybody who
attended enjoyed themselves to their fullest
capacity. Omaha promises to send down a
much larger delegation than It did last year.
The faiious "Gocglers , " who have lapsed
Into oblivion during the pist winter , will be
recrRanlzcd and attend en masse. Omaha did
not bid for the mset They have applied for
a date on the national racing circuit and as
It Is almost an assured thing that they will
g-t it , It would be useless for them to try to
hold two large meets in one season , as to
get a circuit date they will have to guarantee
at least J3.600 In prizes , and to get this sub
scribed will b ? no small task.
On account of the rain the Tourist wheel
men failed to taka their first outing of the
season last Sunday. Their run for today Is
liennlngton , Neb , over the Military road
The club will stop for dinner and return
early In the afternoon. On the return trip
the club will take a spin over the new boule
vard , start from tha pump house between
the hours of 8 nnd 9 a. m. This Is one , of
the main traveled roads and commonly Is In
the best of condition. Every Tourist should
turn out and bring his cycling friends along
The Ganymede Century club will meet
Monday night ot this week for the purpo'e
of perfecting their organization and electing
officers for the ensuing jear.
October 11 and 12 are the dates given the
Ganymede Wheel club for the national cir
cuit meet. The bays are already at work upon
the prize list and the. organization of their
committees for the carrying on of the work
Incidental to the holding of a great meet
Last year's tournament was a "hummer , "
but this year's races will have gilt edged
frills on. The Ganymedes are Just the or
ganization to hold a successful meet and there
Is but llttlo dcubt the races will draw hun
dreds of racing men , cyclists and cycle
salesmen to the city. National circuit races
are always features ot great importance to
the cycling world.
They say Kearney collared the state meet !
That Is good , what could Omaha1 do with II
any way ? Kearney held the most successfu
division meet ever held In the state. In 1894
and that the Kearney boys will make the 1895
meet a corker , there Is but little doubt.
"Where are wo at ? " that Is a question
which needs an answer In reference' to the
locil 'cycle status. Omaha has nearly 3,00 (
riders of the wheel , any number of 'cycle
emporiums , four or five wheel clubs and yet
\e haven't got enough ) enthusiasm to hold the
road trace of the midwest , to capture a. state
meet occasionally or have n tournament o :
our own. Through the hard work of Mr.
Ebersolo Omaha' has Secured a date on the
National circuit "and 'now ' the problem con
fronts Mr. Eberpole who is to get up and
push the meet No ono seems any too willing
to take the leadi rmUback him up. This Is
wrong , dead wrong ! ' Omaha wilt never
amount to a hill Of beans in the 'cycling
world until her riders and dealers get to-
gcthor and work , together for the intercut o
the whole Let us organize ! There are
enough cf us ! Let us form a dt-alers ani
club association and Uhen with a concerted
movement make Ortiaha one of the'cycling
powers of the tfplted States ; wo can do it
Who will bo the flrst to call a meeting o !
the dealers and clubs7 Mr Ebersole as i
'cyclist , a club man and a chief officer In
this division , let us hear from you Two or
three good , rousing meetings nnd our organl
zatlon would be complete. The 'cycle editor
Is confident that there la not a 'cycle dealer
or club man In the city who will not give
such an organization a support ,
The Oiualiu Unlvcrnlty Club.
This club has for some lime had all ar
rangeraents made to leave the North Twen
tleth street ball grounds for this year , bu
the directors have far exceeded their ex
pectatlons , and now have safely 'ocated In
their archives a three-year lease of thesi
magnificent grounds , and a bill of sale o
the entire Improvements thereon , which were
owned by the Young Men's Christian asso
elation , Hereafter , these grounds will b <
known as the University club grounds. Ne
gotlatlons are already under way with one
of our leading bicycle dealers to put the track
In first class > bape and giro frequent oxhl
billons by &ume > of the flyers.
The base ball team has been selected , with
the exception of two , and possible three peal
lions , and for these there are plenty ot first
class candidates , to many , Indeed , that no
election can ba made until the test ot atcual
work upon the Held has been thoroughly
applied.
The colors the club will be green and white ,
nnd will be embodied In the base ball unl-
orms , which are expected teen , These mil-
orms will ba among the prettiest ever seen
on an Omaha bait field , They will be white ,
vlth green trimmings , including green stripes
around the cap , green lettering on the breast ,
; reen belt , and green stockings , with a
> road whlto stripe around the calt of the
eg.
eg.A
A number of ditts have already been made ,
mt the best amateur bne ball gamer Omaha
las ever hod plnjed within her gates will
occur on May 2t and 30. On the 21st the
University of Michigan will be here for one
game and on May 30 , Decoration day , the
; reat nnd only Stagg. for many years the
dot of Yale , will t > e here for the University
of Chicago team for two ganiM. In the
evening he will be tendered n banquet and
reception.
So gre.it an Interest has been manifested
n the formation ot this club the directors
ire already looking for a suitable club house ,
o * be operated upon the principle of the
'Frat" houses and to furnish a place where
ho members and their friends can meet and
get acquainted with each other.
Some misapprehension seems to have arisen
regarding the associate membership feature
of the club , and perhaps a word ot explana-
Ion may not be out of place.
Many attempts have been made In ( lie paste
o establish an organization of this nature
n Omaha , all ot which have failed for varl-
itts reasons , chief of which was the lack of
'acuities ' for bringing the club prominently
before the public
To overcome this difficulty nt the start It
was the desire to make such arrangements
hat the club might be represented In the
field of amateur alhletlcs by the best talent
of the city.
So far as the base ball nnd football de
partments are concerned this object has
already been atlained The articles of In
corporation provide that In January , 1890 ,
in amendment must be adopted either con-
Inulng the assoclale member fealure accord-
; o Ilia opinion ot the directors regarding Its
adirlsslblllty. Ot course very rigid require
ments must be compiled with by any ono
seeking associate membership as regards
iharacter and standing , and In no case are
: hey allowed to either hold office or vote for
officers of theclub. . The honorary member
ship feature Is , of course , permanent.
VMii'dmrii Agree wish The Ilec.
It Is pleasing to note that The Bee's call
for a Decoration day road race has met with
the hcjrllest endorsement by local wheelmen
generally , nnd we are to have the race. The
Tourist Whc'lmen have taken the matter In
charge , hut will be aided and assisted by all
the local clubs That It will be a grand
success Is nn assured fact. M. 0. Daxon ,
Harry 1C. Smith nnd George Sancha are the
racing committee and will attend to all pre
liminary work The race will he on Ihe
Dodg ? blreet course , from Forllelh street to
the boulevard's terminus and return , a dis
tance of fifteen miles Full particulars of
this splendid event will be forthcoming next
Sunday.
A Hntcti nf lint I.lllurd.
Oh , no , there won't bo a great crowd out at
the- Charles Street park this afternoon to
witness the third game between Harry Gate-
wood's husky Salnls and the Walsh family !
Oh , no ! With fine weather the atlendancc
should equal Ihal of any Sunday during Ihe
championship season , as both teams are pul
ling up a remarkably good arllcle of ball and
will slrlve hard for the mastery this after
noon. All the crnnks who haven't as yet
had an opportunity to size up Iho local play
ers should not miss today's chance , ns Ihe
slrongest men In the whole outfit will be on
the team , and they will play for all they
are worth , for they want Ihe game like the
man In Texas wanted a revolver.
That the Omaha's uniform Is the neatest
and prettiest of any that has ever been worn
here , I think the majority of the fans will
agree with me , although It would have been
more attractive Ptlll had the order been filled
as Manager Howe sent It in. Ills directions
were for red belts , stockings and trimmings ,
but Instead ot this color they came back In
the old hoodoo maroon. This Is a color
that has been tabooed In baseball circles for
years. It Is considered a "Jonah" to any
team that dares assume It , and the fact cer
tainly exists that disaster has Invariably
overtaken every club who has llius ven-
lured lo defy Ihe fates. May Omaha prove
the exception.
The University of Michigan baseball team
has decided to take a wostcrn trip this
spring , and the local University club has
Induced them to Include Omaha In their list.
These two teams will make an especially In
teresting attraction , as among the locals are
Ihree old Michigan University , and a strong
trio they make Abbott , Jefferies and Craw
ford. Ot course , these alumni will try hard
to down the undergraduates The game will
be played Friday afternoon , May 1.
That the ladies will turn out , at least on
ladles' day , this season. In greater force lhan
ever is attested by the many letlers of In
quiry lhat have been received at this office
from Hie fair ones with reference to the
make up ot the team , who are married , who
are single , and many oilier particulars In
which the girls arc always Interested. To
bo sure there has been numerous suggestions
made as to which would be Ihe preferable
day to devote to their enjoyment , but a large
majority endorse Ihe selection made by the
management and are profuse in their ex
pressions of npproval. What If Howe and
McVlttlo had set Inadvertently aside "wash
day" for this all momentous occasion ?
Should the praclice of "farming out" prom
ising players to minor league learns continue
much longer , every > oungs > ter who shows any
promlso will be found on the reserve list of
cno ot the big league clubs. It seems as
though this practice would bo Clotrlmontnl to
tha minor IMSUO teams , In that the players
co loaned might bo recalled at n time when
It Is most Important or necessary to llic suc
cess of the ( earn that Is keeping them In
fettle for some league club , Another bid
feature ot the "farming out" Is that It pre
vent * those players signing with any other
league team thnt may need strengthening and
cannot afford to pay a large price for there -
leate of an experiment under such circum
stances. Philadelphia , St. Louis , Cincinnati
and vevcrnl other clubs hnvo farms In which
players are kept In reserve , and at tlie pres
ent rate It will not be long before every club
In tlic big league will have Its minor Icagtio
training school nnd storage warehouse for re
served plajcrs.
For the benefit of Messrs. HnsUcll , Ward ,
Snyder and other Western association umpires
I will state hero that a letter from Harry
Wright , chief of the National League um
pires , Informs me that his Interpretation
of the new rul regarding foul tips , will rule
In the major body ihls season. According to
the vcleran's definition , a foul tip caught
within tlio ten-foot limit Is counted a stiller.
Jet retains all the other effects of a foul
tip of former venrs , that Is , u base runner
cannot advance on It.
It Is really funny to see how Lincoln , DCS
Molnes nnd ttockford have already nailed the
'DO pennant to the flagstaff over their re
spective parks. Biickcrlno says he has It
won because he Is going to play In tlic team
himself ; Hugh Nlcol claims It on the score
of having the largest number of G. A It 's
In his gang , and Willie Tiaffiey swears It Is
'nls'n because he has gobbled the cream of
every team In last year's clrcull. While Old
Bill hns n good Jaw for fairy legends , he also
has Ihe biggest nioulh for pic In all Iowa
Jf you can only get the right focus on the
picture these three cherubs present It wilt
make > ou Inwf.
Jack Crooks writes me from Washington
thai Gua SclimeU threatens to shave off the
wings on the side ot Ills face as n peace offerIng -
Ing to the Tall End Pates whluh preside ever
the great and glorious garnet at the National
capital. By the way , "Well1 Well1 ' Is put
ting up better ball this spring than ho has
been guilty ot since 1889.
Some fool friend of mine writes to me to
know whether I would take the management
of a female base ball team for a tour through
Nebraska and South Dakota this spring. I
have been afraid all along that my talent In
this line would bc > overlooked. Just think ot
the sporting editor of The Bee filing Into
Pierre , S D. , with a gang of Pearls , Daisies ,
Mauds , Mays and Lillians , and tackling these
cowboy yanlgans up there for a n.lnc-iiinlng
cni'test. I replied that I would sit down and
tl Ink about it.
It doesn't require the vallclnallve properllcs
of a wild goose bone , the skin of a muskrat
or the vcrsl-colorod circle ar6und the moon
to convince President Kent that It will be a
very cold summer. The Ice Is already form
ing thick enough to cut for winter use about
seme of his original red-hot schemes. Next
F * > on I'll take the presidency ot the associa
tion myself , Howe , Kent ct al to the con
trary notwithstanding.
Some one Is authority for the statement
that BucKorino Eurlght can talk Lallu. Then
Hiram Is nn accomplished linguist , Indeed.
Ho has associated with Thomas Jefferson
Hlckey so long that he can swear In Russian
with a polish which would make the czar
blush until his face looked like a blood
pudding. With a small Jag of advance money
in his pockel , Buckcrlno can go a long ways.
And now Mr. BracKolt ot Peoray , Illlnoy ,
threatens to retire to a convent If the
Lushers do not win the championship this
year. Already Ihe convent doors have begun
to yawn for BracKetty's lltlle form. Never
was cloister In so much danger.
It Is a very strange Mlnc'dence ' that the
school house clock stopped yesterday at 2.10
p. in. and Ihercby maiked the exact time
when big George McVey turned the corner
Into Twentieth street on his way out to the
grounds
For five straight years A. A. Stagg , now
professor ot physical culture at the Chicago
university , was tha terror of all teams who
mot Yale on the base ball field. He Is now
teaching the University of Chicago base ball
team how to play ie game , and , as he Is said
to be one of the host organizers in Ihe
country , we can expect him to bring an ex
cellent learn with him when ho comes to
play the University Club of Omaha here on
Decoration day.
Next Friday , Saturday and Sunday Jimmy
Manning with his cabinet of curios wilt bo
here for "tiea trow downs. " Grasshopper
Ulrlch Is In a frenzy of Joy. He yearns to
get even with whilom associates , and de
clares that they won't get a smell. How
ever , Shaffer says that Qcorglo Is not the
seventeenth son of the seventh brother , and
that he often communicates thrcugh his lid.
The WIIcox & Draper Shoe House team are
training constantly and will shortly ba In
prime condition. They are ready lo accept
all challenges nnd are simply dying by
Inches to get a chance at the Walelt family
By the way. Messrs. Howe and McVltlla ,
hero Is a tremendous drawing card for you
a game with Ihe black boys.
The Little Casino baseball schedule- for
the National league has reached the sportIng -
Ing editor's desk , U U published by Emll
Grossman & Co. , Cleveland , O. , and Is a
valuable vest pocket volume. It contains
besides the schedule of games an almost end
less amount of baseball Information and sta
tistical mailer.
Down In Chicago , as In New York , the po
lice captain who builds a $40,000 apartment
house on a JJ.COO salary is regarded as too
good a financier to waste his talents on the
force ,
Kansas City ladles are waging war on the
smoke nuisance In street cars.
"Where are yon ftolng , my pretty maid ? "
"I'm ' going a-rldlng , sir , " she. said.
"May I go with you , my pretty maid ? "
"Yes , II you can , kind sir , " she said , "lltno la
ALWAYS AHEAD. "
Comparison and Inspection Uv.teJ. Catalogue of Katabter bicycles frti ,
M. 2 North Kith St.
. O. 9 Omitlm , Neb.
VICTOR BICYCLES J
UnilTNKSS-SIMI'LlCITY-STHKNflTll , A
Are featuroBof now VIOTOU They will , Y
run euiiler , wear lonirt-r nml vivo / n
more H.illHf.iclloii than oilier / T
hculB OttiPrwImclHiniy / A
look riirlit - VlirrolH / 7
Alt ) : HIOI1T The / A
only vvlirel In the / V
\\orlit where every / a
part In mmlo In ono / W
factory / i
A t
nALt 9i
i THE VICTOR i
OUH HIDING SCHOOL NOW OPI3N AT COUHUUM.
OMAHA. BICYCLE COMPANY
RD T. IIRYUim , Mauaacr.
323 North Sixteenth Street . . . . OMAHA , NKB
IMPERIAL
Perfectly rrntorm n rich , lustrous
color , ninkcR tlic hnlr licallhy , nml li
clrnn BtratnlnK , lt. or Turkliti
Ilalli ! " do nut nrtrot It It l a * nnt >
urn I an nnturpl Adt * not lnterfei *
with curling nna crimping.
COLO IIS )
t , IllncU , 0. Midit Chf-nlmit
2 IluU Ilrowit n Gold Illomlp.
3 , Medium I'.ioun 7 Afch Illundc.
4 , Ul.rnlnul. 1'llcejl 00 f.tOO
A mmplc ? botte ofVmis Tint , " n colorlnir fol
the cli k § will bo cnt on receipt of a 2-ccnl
itamp
ntrnniAU CHUMIUAI. wro. co. .
292 Fifth Avoniio , Now York.
IN OMAHA :
SHERMAN & McCONNELL ,
1513 Dodge Street.
'A OUR LEADKR , 1 Sr SI.25
9 2c for malllne. liC V1'
& Illustrated Dcscrlptlva Lists free.
i SCHULZ & CO. ,
T 80 Washliiffton-st. . Clilcatro ,
y rorm rr ! Dor * rohulx Xltt.Oa.
PATRONIZE
Dy purchasing goods tnsdt nt the following
Nebraska factories. If you cannot find what
youjiwant , communicate with the mcnufac-
turefi as to what dealers handle their coeds :
Jl.tdH. IWULAV Affl )
BEMIS OMAHA BAG CO.
Manufacturer of ill kind * of cotton & burlap
bags , cotton flour tack * & twin * a peclalty.
61' 1C-618 8. lltli-gt.
ItltKAKVAST)01 > , I'l.OUIt , 1'J.IST ,
WM. PRESTON & CO.
Manufacturer ! or Preiton' * California Flakes ,
Richie brand nlf raising flour & yeut. Do you
use Picston'a bett flourT
JlltKn'JSHIKI.
OMAHA BREWING ASSOCIATION.
Car load thlpmenti mad * In our own refrigerator
cars. H1U6 Illbbnn , Kllte Export , Vienna Export ,
and Family Export , delivered to alt port * of city.
FROST 4 HARRIS.
Carrlac * A Wagon Mai era. Carriages , butrglci ,
phaetoni & nagoni always on hand & made tu
order. 1313-15 Ilarney-et. , Omaha.
CONSOLIDATED COFFEE CO. ,
ColTe * Iloaiteri Bplce Grinder * , Manufacturers
Get man link Ins Powder and German Dry Hop
Yeait , 1414 and 1418 Hnrncj-st. , Omatia , Neb.
rt.ouii.
S. F ,
Manufacturer of Gold Medal Flour.
C. E. Dlack , Manager , Omaha ,
OMAHA UPHOLSTERING CO.
Manufacturer * of parlor furniture , lounges , din-
Inft lablca A folding bedi. 23th ave. , Uoyd to
Bahter Hreeto.
1CK AXit COM , .
SOUTH OMAHA ICE AND COAL CO.
Domestic & iteam coal. We have the best ON
flee 1C01 Famam-it. Telephone : ORIca 373 , yard
ITCt J , A , Doe , een'l manager.
HOllKtt.
INDUSTRIAL IRON WORKS.
Manufacturing A repairing ot all klnda ot ma >
chlnery , engine , PMUIP * . elovatorc , printing
preinei. hangers , Blinding & coupling * . KOfi-1
Howard it. , Omaha.
PHOENIX FOUNDRY co.
Fire hydrant * , water A gita pipe , peclali ; bollir
fronts A fittings , ntreet H'y car wheel * . Archi
tectural Iron works. Office 307 8. ICtli-st. . Omaha.
PAXTON & VIERLIHG IRON WORKS ,
M'fVa of Architectural Iron Work. General
Toundry , Machine and Blacksmith Work. En *
sinter * A Contractor * for Fireproof Itulldlngs.
omce nnd Works , U. P. ny. A Bo. 17th Street.
Omaha.
THE MERCER CHEMICAL COMPANY.
Manufacturer * o' fluid extract * , elixir * , pyrupa ,
& wine * , compressed triturate * , hypodermlo tab
lets , pill * & sclentlflc medical novelties. Omaha.
ti , f.'UFi , VHlllH.
L. G DOUP.
Manufacturer Mattreaie * . Spring Beds ; Jobber
Feather * * nd Pillow * . North Htl > and Nicholas
bl * . . Omaha.
TJIK
THE NONPAREIL MACARONI , YERMIC1LAL
and Noodle factory , S. C cor , 16th and Webster.
Successors to the German-American. A k for
our good * . They nro the best.
ti'KlIlTTVII \ \ , riltl ! HKItl'IOK.
AMERICAN DISTRICT TELEGRAPH ,
The only perfect protection to property. Exam *
In * It. Ilest thing on earth. Reduces Insurance
rates. 1 > 04 DouElas-it.
Ol'l HALL
KILPATHICK-KOCfl DRY GOODS CO.
Manufacturers & jobber * of the celebrated Iluck.
tkln brand shirts pant * , overall * A duck cloth.
Ing 1101-3 6 Ilarney-at. Factory East Omaha.
If IT7 VI.'UIUC ri\
UAU-AbVlNo 10 ,
Manufacturer * of men' * A bo > ' clothing , pant * ,
shirt * A overalls. ZOt-211 8. llth-st.
I'AI'Kll 1IUXK1.
THE OMAHA PAPER BOX CO ,
Manufacturer * of all kinds paper boxes , shell
boxes xinple caw * , mailing tul > * . etc , wed
ding cake A fancy candy boxes , druggist A jwtry
boxes. 120I-1Q Jone - t. , Omaha.
A/// r VAUTOKIKS.
J , II. EVANS-NEBRASKA SHIRT CO ,
Exclusive custom shirt tailors.
HU Farnam sttcM. Telephone Mi.
I'A VINO JIltlOK ,
HENRY BOLLN , OMAIIA.NEB . ,
Factory In Ixmlsvlll * . Cas * Co Quality of brlcK
guaranteed to U a * coca a * any inaBUfactluoi
outside ot this ! * . licnnr Uollo.