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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1900)
TH5 COURIER S y V 1 i he would not hare precipitated it. If men of fertile resource, like Cronje or Joubert, had controlled state af fairs, instead of Kruger, Transvaal atTairs woulc not be in the desperate state they are now. These generals have let the English take the initi ative and then have fallen upon them. Kruger was convinced, like many an other fanatic, that the Lord was on his side and against everyone opposed to him. Be thought he could not make a mistake. He decided upon the war and announced his decision to his council, who acquiesced in his conclusion without discussion. The fortunes which he and bis sons have gatiiered by exactly the same pro cesses which Croker and his sons have employed in New York, will forever exclude him from the directory of patriots. He may intend to return the money of the republic to the Transvaal, but the ragged, hunted soldiers need money now, when, in their great extremity, their president has deserted them. & J Apathy. Voters are apathetic in regard to politics because they are busy with their own affairs. It was not so in 'OG. The merchant was then without cus tomers. No money was changing hands. He was neither buying goods nor selling them. The plasterers, brick-layers', stone-masons used thair hands for jesticulating and occasion ally for punching other opponents on the street corner. In politics, in 1896, there was no apathy. There was noth ing else to discuss, and the campaign that opened with the speech on the crown of thorns and the brow of labor was continued from July to November with mouth and fist, with torchlight processions and brass bands. This year the plasterer's hands are rapidly .tilling the space between bricks and r stones with plaster, the carpenter's hands grip a saw, and the chips of stone are falling so fast around the stone-mason that the walking dele gate and the orator can not get near enough to him to hold a decent argu ment. Prosperous times do not make the most satisfactory background for a political campaign, but their logic and comfort must inevitably attract rotes to the administration. T Mrs. Sarah S. Decker of Denver, who will attend the State Federation meet ing and address the delegates Thursday evening on "Club Revolution. Willis Did Henpeck die a natural death? Wallace Yes, his wife outlived him, if that's what you mean. THE SHEEP HERDER. IIY MARTHA TIERCE. For The Courier. To clubs of ten taking The Courier the annual subscription price is seventy five cents (75 cents). Regular subscription price one dollar per year It was the night of the Fourth. We came out of the stifling dance hall into the cool starlit night. Something assured us that we were come into silence and peace, though our ears, in their inmost chambers, yet vibrated with the rythmic tread of the dancers and the throb of the violin. The high black shadows against the steel blue sky, were the pine-robed mountains; and t.e strip of silver, the waters of the Big Horn, drawn down from all the Wind River slopes. Only the handful! of bouses, Hung down on the face of the desert, was new. A year ago, the river, th bare sands, the coy otes, all as it bad been for years untold. Today, a town and a celebration with none of the distinctive features lacking. Except indeed the tire works, and those only because Mclnty re s drink went to his head instead of to his legs, as it should, and in consequence the freight was upset into the No wood. Well, the feet of the dancers in the low-ceiled, stuffy, unplastered room, had come far to do honor to the day and to Burton. For after all. it wa? Burton's celebration and the trouble and the glory of it rested upon him. He had spoken who ruled from the Metfetsie to Sweetwater, not by might nor by power but by reason of his great heart and open band, and the people came. It was the first meeting together of the people of a new county at the new county seat. Burton walking ahead of us down the narrow footway was car rying his sleeping child. I came next and an I stepped off the narrow foot bridge across the gulch, a man rose out of the earth beside me. At any rate, he was not, and suddenly was. He walked beside me. "Was it much of a disappointment?" he inquired. "I don't know you.' I said. "It doesn't matter, I know you. There was no disappoin:ment that the man didn't walk the rope across the river?'' "Of course not! Everybody was glad he didn't. Mr. Burton said it was a most fool-hardy thing to attempt." "Fool-hardy?" "Yes. The river is very wide here. And the current is so swift. A dozen men came to ree Mr. Burton about it. These men are afraid of the river." He waved his bands. "Afraid!' he cried. "Afraid with a feir born of much knowledge, I think. It is a treacher ous stream." "Maybe it'e just as will.' he 6aid. "I was anxious to try it. But the current is swift, as you say, and by mooni:ght it is fearful. And I've been rather dizzy for a week now." 'You! Are you the man?'' He laughed and Muttered his hands. His hands were peculiarly restless. There was a full moon. His eyes gleamed and his hair was black and long. He was thin. He looked like a scare crow, with his loose garments and fluttering hands. "I learned it on the mountains,' he exclaimed. "On the mountains?' He nodded and fluttered. "Sheep herding," he remarked. "Did you ever see a big flock?" he asked abruptly. I was conscions of a great nausea and loathing, as I remembered the immense sheep flocks I saw in Wyoming where we drove through a few acres of the creatures one day. "They are so dirty and stupid,' I persisted, "and that interminable soft ba-a-a-a never ceases for an instant. When one sheep leaves off another be gins. I thought I should go crazy be fore wo got away from the blatting crea tures." "Crazy," he repeated softly. "And th lambs! Did you ever see such ugly things? Torpling about on their long shaky lege. I expected mom entarily that those ridiculous legs would snap under them. I was taught in the First Reader gradn that Iambs were white and wooly and dear with pink ribbons around their necks. But these things! Ugh!" "Ugh!" he said wi h exaggeration and flutters. "You're among 'em," he went on; "all day, and you watch their dirty backs among the brush, and listen to the tonkle, tenkle and the ba-a, baa. You watch 'em eat. eat, eat, and there's nothin else to do. And the months drag on, and there's nobody to speak to, and nobody to speak to you. And you sit there alono and watch the wool grow. And at first you like it well enough. But after awhile the Things come." "The things?" "Ye?! I've seen 'em and I've beard 'em and I've talked with 'em." "Did you know," he said in a low tone, looking about him with a rapid, circling glancp, "that 1 Hey 's Things in the mountains that nobody knows any thing about except the sheep-herders. But they all eee 'cm! I've asked 'em and them that's been at tho business a few j ears, have always seen "em." "Yes. But where does the rope walk ing come in?" I asked. "You Fee," he explained, "the Things is horrible! Horrible to hear and hor rible to look at. So to keep from seein' 'em or hesrin' 'em, I used to practice doin' difficult things. 1 learned to rope walk that way. When I'd see 'em comin' I'd run down the bill and wave my arms. They would go back as far as the timber, then and watch me from there. Then I'd walk the rope, and walk the rope, until They weut away. After I got so 1 could do it without payin' much attention. I'd see 'em again. So then I tried somethin' else. Two jears ago I learned to read. Sheep shearin' time an old sbupherd learned me. I've got along first rate since then. The Things don't bother as much as they used to. I've read through two titt readers and went through Roys Third Part. And last winter I studied a grammar. Mebbe you could explain the use of the infinitive! Could you?" 1 tried. When 1 had finished his only comment was: Dye have tobe examined in geografy for Third Grade Ce'tifkate?" "I am afraid so," I admitted. "And some oiher things, too." He sighed. "If I can just get studied up," he said, "so 1 c'n get a Third Grade, I'm goin' to teach school and give up sheep tendin'. I'm sick of it! It ain't pleasant work. And yet it ain't the work, and it ain't the sheep, though Lord knows, I do hate 'em. It's the Things! ' Burton opened the door. "Coming in now?"' he queried suavely over his shoulder. "Nonsense," Burton said to his wife. "I tell ou she wasn't in any danger. The fellow's harmless as a kitten. It's just another sheep herder gone daft. Too much high altitude, too much soli tude, and book on the brain. Did he ask you to explain the use or the infini tive? That seems to be worryin' him." "I must go out again. I'm mighty sorry too. But this has been a glorious day for the Basin and I must see that it ends all right. Yes, it's a glorious da for any country when the people in it find out they are "a" people. Now do be reasonable! You know I've got to go. McGrath'll get drunk sure, soon as the dance is over, if I ain't there to round 'im up and run 'im in. I guess 111 bring 'itn up and let 'im sleep in my office. And I'll hive to look after that poor crazy fool. He's a stranger in these parts ami can't get the hang of the infinitive. A MEMORY. Betwixt the blown sands and the flowing sea We stood at night fall . In the hollow west The ultimate torch of day flared for a space, Sank and expired . A wind whined round the dunes And ragged shreds of vapor. salt and chill , Went by us in the flaw . we had no tear To shed, no word to say . Our stricken heads We bowed together , and her streaming hair Swept o'er her cheek . Swiftly the gray night fell , And like a huge hand blotted sea and shore . I heard her garments rustle in the gloom ; A moment on my breast she laid her brow, Then turned, and from the darkness where she fled. A sob came down the gust . 'Twas ages since , But memory still broods on that black hour . James B. Kenyon. in October New Lippincott. LADY CURZON. Of her Friendship for Mrs. Grover Cleveland. It has been said of Mary Leiter, now Lady Cuizon, that she was not true to early friendships. "The law of nature is alteration forevermore," and every mind that expands must outgrow the objects that satisfied it at one period of its existence unless i hey are capable in a degree of keeping pace with its pro gress. As a matter of fact, while there was a grac'ousoess in her manner towards all with whom she came in contact, she formed but few close friendships, the natural reserve of her temperament rend ring it impossible for her to respond easily to those in timacies which enter into the lives of so many girls. During the second administration of President Cleveland there existed be tween his young wife and Mis3 Leiter a degree of friendship that was as flat tering to onn as it was to the other, for the Clevelands enjoyed the reputation of choosing their friends for their per sonal charm. During both of his terms of office Mr. Cleveland had a home in the sub urbs of Washington, where he and his family passed much lime between sea sons, and where they frequently enter tained the friends whom they admitted more or leos to their intimacy. Th re, during the spring of the year in which she was married, Miss Leiter passed every Sunday prior to the event. Virginia Tatnall Peacock, in October New Lippincott. "I have just read a thrilling tale of rescuing a child in the Klondike from death by freezing." "That is certainly a strange way of rescuing it." Do you get your Courier regularly ? Please compare address. If incorrect, please send right address to Courier office. Do this this week.
