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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (July 24, 1897)
THE COURIER. KS tit- If r ra ! STORIES IN PASSING. He was a boy of fifteen, a light-haired, brlht-eyed fellow, who had epeof his entire life in the city; bo when a friend invited the family out to his farm and the family accepted, the boy's heart was glad. The friend of the family had a Ron about the same age and the two boys were on the go from daylight to sunset in the hay field or the orchard, down at the creek, or bunting upland plover in the meadows. "Ride him down to the tank," raid the friend's son, bringing out his pony one morning. Now the pony was a cattle pony and an animal of that kind it full of surprises and little tricks of starting and stopping suddenly. But the boy from the city did not know this and mounted the pony, caught the halter and and dug his heels into the animal's sides. Like a shot the cattle-pony started for the big round tank at the end of the yard. The halter, was of no use in holding him and the boy on his back thought the animal intended a clear leap of the tank, twenty feet in diameter. So he let go his hold on the rope and clutched at the pony's mane and held his breath. That animal went on like a rushing train straight to the very edge of the tank. Then it gave a little jump into the air and came down stiff with its . four legs rigid as iron, its head down and its back arched, in the attitude of brae. ' ing for the jerk of the Iasaoover a steer's horns. Nothing could save the boy riding horseback. The shock sent him head long into the air and thon sprawling into the tank of water, and when he pulled hisawlf out wet and sore and sputtering, he still held a bunch of the pony's mane clasped tightly in his hand. of people seemed to sway a moment un steadily and then break into a mad run down the hill, stuoabling and falling' over each other and across sidewalks and lawns. Then there was another fit. fill glare and a minature volcano broke loos), crackling and sizzling and sput tering in childish glee. Rockets were shooting in every direction, darting into the crowd and circling along the ground and ploughing up the sod and smashing into glass windows. Giant crackers ex ploded with deafening reports and showered sparks on all sides. Roman candles were zigzagging acroes ' each other's path. Gigantic pin-wheels and indescribable "pieces" were whirling and snorting and plunging amid a rain of fire which fell in sparks and sheets and balls of various colore. And above all lights of red and green and blue and purple flared up and gave the scene the appearance of a devil's jubilee. For a man had dropped a match into the fireworks for the evening's entertain saent of that town, and in ten minutes five hundred dollars Lad gone up in fire and smoke. She lives here in Lincoln, a pale-faced little woman, with deep set lines about , her mouth and a dull dead light in her eyes. She is never idle and above all, has no time for talking. At least that is the excuse she gives whec folks ask her why sho is so quiet. But those who know the drami of her life knowB she has reasons of her own. Years ago she lived back in Eastern Iowa and at her home-town loved, and was engaged to a certain young man with whom she had grown up. Then she went back east somewhere to school , where Ihey filled her headf ull of a lot of things that ia those days were supposed to constitute a finished lady. By and by he came to see her there at school and she was a little ashamed of his rather rough western ways and lack of polish. ' She couldn't help showing it just a little, as much as she loved him, and his pride was touched. A coolness sprang up then, a something that neither could understand nor very well overcome; . and then he went to Ann Arbor where . he worked so hard that there was little . time for letters. While he went abroad they drifted eo far apart that when the son of her father's partner offered his hand and pressed his suit so urgently, she accepted and came west to live. Her real lover spent Ave years in Europe and then came back to a chair in his a1 ma mater and is now president of one of the leading universities of New England. Her husband proved a failure and when their fathers' firm went up, he ran . away, leaving her with nothing but the children to look after. So now she eews and does fancy work to get along and teacfies the children as best she can and is strangely silent while the Hoes about her mouth grow deeper and the light of t bcr eyes fainter and fainter. "Z-zp boom!" A sudden gleam lighted up the hill of be little town, showing a sight -as of some fantastic carnival. The black mass One doss not realize perhaps how well lighted the city of Lincoln really is until he sees it at night from some eminence, 'such as the capitol dome or the hills to tne east or west of the city. The best view, no doubt, is that from one point of the road coming in from Cushman park the summit of the last hill just before dropping down into the valley of the salt basin. Here all of a sudden the whole city comes before one, a lake of light points across the darkness between. For several miles they extend in parel lel rows from north to south, beginning with a single light at the northern end and steadily growing more numerous until you can plainly dis tinguish O street by its. double bright ness, and then tapering out again to the single point far to the south and high above all, the four lights at the capitol look down like some watchful beacon over the city. Here and there a Bicgle arc or perhaps a whole row or circuit dies away for a moment, leaving that portion of the city ia darkness, and flash forth again. Or if you are a little late in coming in, you may be able to see them all go out, commencing with those far to the north and south and gradually working in towards the city the light dying away to a pencil of red, glowing uncertainly a second and then going out in darkness. Then darkness has fully taken the city to itself and the night is any one's. Ten or twelve years ago there were half a dozen young men in Lincoln all of family and position and influence now and too busy for such things a3 they once did who every summer spent a month at a certain farm down near Nebraska City, where they 4 fisrjed, boated, lounged about, played jokes and had a good time generally. One sum mer they were down at the farm as usual and expecting a friend from the city the next day thought best to mention the fact to their host. "Our friend Murphy will be down tomorrow," they said, "he couldn't come with us on account of some extra church work. You see he's a minister a good fellow enough when you know him but pretty straight and not eo easy and free as the rest of us chaps here. So you want to treat him pretty careful, you know no cigars or liquor or anything of that kind he's pretty sensitive on such things. We know how to handle him aLd jou just watch us. And what ever you do don't give us awav." Murphy came down the next day, a tall, lank, roleran faced young fellow but with an eye that might imply al most anything. The farmer met him at the train in the spring wagon and all ths way out the farmer talked pleasantly of the weather, and the crops and the high moral tone of the neighborhood and what excellent fellows were his friends who were boarding at his farm. Murphy listened to it all and said little, wondering to what kind of a place the bo j s had come. They arrived just at noon and he was greeted cordially but with serious facps by his friends. Then they sat down to dinner and he noticed that they were all subdued and very quiet and kept watch ing the farmer. He also noticed that thero was nothing to drink on the table but ice water, and he made a mental note to find out later why they had come to such a place. Then the farmer broke the silence by asking Murphy to ask grace. Murphy looked bewilderingly at all the grave faces of his friends and then burst out: "No. I may be good all the test of the year at home but I'll be damned it I came down here to attend a camp meeting. What's come over you fellows an how you look like a lot of deacons. And why don't you trot out snmothing to drink? I'm as dry as a Dutchman and nothing here but water. What in thunder's the matter with you chaps you're not generally carrying about such sanctimonious wings a6 this." And the others dropped the joke and laughed but it took the farmer all their stay to get over the shock. H. G. SHEDD, kondon better. At one of the banquets, last week, the Queen appeared in a truly gorgeous gown, by far the gayest she has worn for forty years or so. Her guests were all astonished and delighted to see the venerable lady in a really regal frock for once. It was of richest black moire, embroidered all over the front of the bodice and skirt with gold inlaid with jewels, the design representing lotus flowers (the IotuB is the emblem of the colonies) forget me-notsand wheat ears. Every one admire! the exquisite work, but the dear old lady's festal garb ceas ed to be a source of wonder when it was made known that the embroidery was executed at Agra, and that the Queen, after thinking what Bhe could do to help her poor famine-stricken Indian sub jects, had hit upon the idea of setting the fashion for Indian gold work. No doubt our smart people will now pro ceed to adopt it. Yju will like to hear a littlo about the preeents the Queen has had. The diamond brooch from the Princess of Wales and her children consists of one large oval brilliant, surrounded by smal ler ones, and showing no setting. She wore it on Jubilee Day, and very splen did it looked. The married sons and daughters, headed by Saxe-Coburgs, gave a chain of sixty diamond links a happy ibea having in the center of all the Imperial crown. The pearl and diamond brooch froin the household is fine, too. One of the most interesting gifts is the Empress of China's picture, painted by herself. It represents a view of rocks and sandy shore, having many red-crested storks about. Now the mean ing of all this is subtle. The stork with the red crest is the emblem of long life, as it is only supposed to acquire tnat ornament when it is 1,000 years old, and it also typifies parental love. The en tire meaning of the work is, "May you live a thousand years, and may your children be as numerous as the sands of. the sea." The Empress is a strong minded female, and considers herself and Queen Victoria the most remark able women of the day. I hear that Her Majesty has shown special respect to the Papal envoy, and that, when he presented the Pope's auto graph letter to her, she rose from her throne in token of reverence. Monsignor Sambucetti is a handsome man and very polished. By the way, it is p.h amusing fact that his presence in the procession was illegal; all diplomatic intercourse between the Vatican and the Court o! St. James is cut off by act of Parliament, and though many bills to reverse this have been introduced, they ha' e never been carried. But Leo XIII is a clever man, and did not see why his personal friendship for the Queen and for our country should be blocked by an old statute; so, when he became Pope, he didn't wasto time in sending to ask whether he might appoint an envoy; he simply dispatched the courtly Ruffo Scilla as his representative, taking it for granted that he would be received. Of ourco the envoy was received, and there the matter ended." Now the Pope's em bassador takes his place in England, as a matter of course, and even the most bigoted person doe3 not dare raise a protest. The Honors' List caused much growl, ing. The Lord Mayor openly vows that he "expected more." Altogether Lord Salisbury has not given universal satis faction. The Queen's garden-party was a great event. Five thousand guests' were pres ent, and the gardens looked lovely. Once inside them, you would never dream that you were in the heart of London; and the lake is. so pretty, brightened with the Queen's barges and the boatmen in their picturesque get-up. Her Majesty had a good deal of white about her gown chiefly whit 3 chiffon, for which she has a great fancy. She drove amon her guests in a low victoria; and afterward took tea in the tent in perfectly homely fashion, sitting in whole view of every one, with a big white serviette spread over her lap, a typical old lady, sipping her tea and Deaming! All the royalties were there; space forbids me to mention their frocks; but the Grand Duchess Ssrge, the Grand Duchess of Hesse and Priacess Maud were the beauties. The Ducbe63 of Marlborough's delicate pale green and white costume, with hat to match, was a big success; so was Lady Dudley's "rose-frock" in silken muslin. Lady Henry Soaierest looked sweet in black and steel; the young Duchess of Newcastle did not look so nice as usual; and the lord Mayor's people were "all over the place." The Bancrofts wero much congratulated on the knighthood bo3towed upon Sir Squire. Diamond ornaments were freely worn on bonnets and bats; nearly every woman sported a pearl necklace; boleros were general; and 1 am thankful to add eoft tints were universally worn. None of the early VicWian olore, with which we have been threatened, appeared, nor did the poke-bonnet; indeed, pretty little toques were almost the only wear. Somebody has discovered a blue or chid! It is to be called "Ddndrobium Victoria Regina," ia honor of the Jubilee year. I- must not forget to tell you about the Princess of Wales' dinners for the poor. She could not manage to visit more than three of the gatherings, but sho chose the poorest centers. Clorkonwell, Hol born and the Peoples' Palace. She mado herself so pretty, in a light silk frock covered with bouquets of pansios, and frill upon frill of soft peach-mauve chif fon. No wonder the poor folks were charmed! She took the Prince and her daughters with her, and they all went about among the ragged crowds shaking hands and chatting with freedom that soon made everybody at ease. You would have liked the groan of satisfaction that arose when she walked into the Clcrken well dining-ball. "Why, she's actually a-coming amongst us!" said one man open-mouthed; and come she did, to such good purpose that the rough flower girls started chatting to her as though they had known her all their lives; and one old Irishwoman, when asked it she had enjoyed it, patted her on the back with such a grimy hand, and Baid: "I have that God bless you, my dear!" "Aint she lovely?" quoth a flower girl. "My, she's a real lady. An' I tell yer toot she might walk down the New