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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1900)
11 .- . . . THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA . . . . SCHOOL OF nusic. THE COURSK. X. i x Would call the attention of all who desire a musical education to the unequalled facilities offered at this school. WIIIARD KXMBAr,!,, Director. &mi THE MAN-WHO WAS FOR-PEACE. KATHARINE MELICK. For The Courier. ltwai oot the smith who brought charges against Schwartz Kummelmann for the death of Freda. Not Hamlet the Dane was aa unapt an accuser of the unpunished evil doer. It waa the cooper who, riding away from hia dreary thatch, where bis unfed hens drooped over the door, and his ocangy dogs sulk ed back with fallen ears, lodged a com. ) plaint againat slanderous and libelous accusations on the part of one Gustav Kestner. The group of children who live today in .the stone house by the ruined smithy yet 'recall, with a certain stiiver, the day when summons was served upon their father, and upon the little mother, also, as chief witness, in the case of Kummel mann versus Kestner. The papers in long, great envelopes, the round, raised seals, the formidable legal phrases, pro duced a profound and fearsome stillness. In this hush moved Frau Gertrud, mak ing ready provisions for a day, in the cupboard with perforated stars in its tin doors. She spread the table with a fresh cloth, laid the kindlings on the hearth, and having swept the least scattering of shavings from the floor, went up the steep stairs to her bureau, and laid out her black dress. She placed GuBtav's garments also on the 'blue and white spread which she herself had crotcheted for their bed. The long, linen collar, with .pearl buttons beside it, the black coat, brushed and unwont ediy stiff, with the legal papers in its breast pocket, and a silk handkerchief in the right side pocki t. All these were sufficiently grim in prospect, and when the two bad donned so much of oppres sive conventionality, ard sat side by side on the "spring seat" of the wagon, their grave faces set the entire escort of children to crying. "You shall not cry tonight," the smith called, "when we bring you things from the store." "Sweet crackers," supplemented Frau Gortrud, "in shapes of bears and camels and panthers." Thinking of the little puckered faces, they drove slowly away, past the ford and smithy to the new bridge over the Tiver, beyond which lay the green wheat field that Gustav had just bought to Join his farm. The next payment might now be delayed, for the lawyer's fee already given, and the one sure to come -would tax the harvest heavily. "You could pay the fine and be dis missed," the counsel had told Gustav. ''But one of us is guilty, and it is not I," the smith declared. The lawyer had twisted his black moustache, and brought the other foot -slowly to the table, as he told Gustav. "But you should have spoken earlier, or kept quiet, now," a conclusion upon which the smith may be said to have reflected duly. He thought of it now, as they drove past the bends of the winding stream, drawihg ever nearer the red brick walls of the court room. Unsteadily, over the huge flanks of the horaee, he saw the rows of seats, the judge's 'desk, the black chairs where defendents the lawyer had been care ful to avoid the phrase "prisoner" sat. He followed the attorney once more into the small, bare cell where the jury would decide for or against his honor. Gertrud beside him on the spring seat, saw these things, too. for the smith had told her, and so it was not altogether unfortified that the two found them selves at last walking up that same dusty aisle, between the benches, and looking often for support at the black nioustached counsel. His assurance was like a narrow plank under their feet which faltered over unfathomable depths. To this day Frau Kestoerjs white hair trembles and . her brave heart sinks at the eight of wide window panep thick with fly specks and s'reaked with paint; even the smell of paint and old tobacco recall the dusty, hard, new court room. But she sat beside Gustav that day, so straight, despite the broken, sloping shoulder, so calm, with her hands folded over her black dress, that the cooper's scowl blackened, and the smith took heart. "How near are the blacksmith shop and the house of Mr. Kummelmann?''' This was the beginning of the cross questioning, and Gustav watched the grey eyebrows of the cooper's attorney, screw into tight set wrinkles, behind which a pair of eyes like little coals watched. "About one bundert rods," he said, as if measuring, and the hesitation was not lost upon the man who, Gustav had been assured, "would make him go back upon himself." "Is it more or less?" "Just about Oue hundert." "How do you know?"' "I think it is just about one hundert." "What makes you think so?" "It is five hundert fifty paces." Tne jury smileu, and Frau Gertrud ventured a look over the rows of seats, now half filled with staring faces. Only a look, for the "cat eye" of the attorney were upon her, while he made assurance that Gustav had paced the length of every field on his farm, and knew the number of corn rows in a field, without varying so man) to the acre as would have furnished two "feeds" for a drive to court; that be could compute the number f miles Freda had walked up and down the "twenty acre piece" and the "sixteen acre piecn" and much of more or less relevant material, calculnt ed to weary out even a man who loved speech. now he rests, now, the giant smith who for six !onsi years came to endure the gaz-t of court roam loungers, and the gib-B of comfortably paid attorneys, and tne machinations of pap-r in long envelopes. Tne fir-tt verdict was a complete vmdiua ion for the hug-) smith and his tiny wife, and Kmumelmaan leirning wisdom, secured a Iesa bully ing counsel, along with his appeal to the higher court. H sold, one by one, the fields where Freda hdd walnei; he employed thi best advice which was for sale; he drank deeper and lobger, but not with the smith. There could be but one end, when his fields were all "talked away," and the coop-r's at torneys realized what was left for them to do. Kummelmann was acquitted, on insufficient evidence, from the last countercharge, and Gustav, fined two dollars and costs, bore the last burden of that long war. He saw that end approaching, and he might at any time have compromised with his doom. But, unwilling recruit though he was at last, he bad a passive courage that knew no retreat. The new field across the river was not enough to pay the price of that losing -fight, and long after he slept beside the stream with which he had wrestled, his tall sons redeemed the mortgage under which he died. Did it matter whether he won or lost, whether he left them acres of unencumbered land, and ex emption from the wara be could not escape? II is were the first works of a heroic age; and the only tragedy of that calm spirit was its passing in the sad ness of defeat. Kummelmann's mouldering thatch lies dark among iron-weeds and fennel by the stream; the prairie never gives bick the fresh, smooth sod, where plough and harrow have roughened it. But the stone house holds out to the chance passerby today, the welcome of a home long held in the security won by the toils of the master And be rests quietly, I think, in the great calm that smooths over the harrow marks of time. The End. First Pub. Nov. 17-5. Notice Is hereby given that purxuunt to li cense and authority xranted at Lincoln. Ne braska, on the 12th day -f November, 1900, by the Honorable Edward P. Holmex, one of tho judges of the District Court for Lancaster coun ty, Nebraska, sitting at chambers: tho under signed executor or the last will of Nathaniel Leech, late of near the elty of Calvary, in the district of Alberta. In the North West Terri tories of Canada, will offer for wile and sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at the east front door of the court house of Lancaster county. Nebraska, between the hours or 11) o'clock A. If. and II o'clock A. M. on the 17th day of December. A. D. 1900, lot numbered twenty -one I -'!) In block numbered one 1 11 in Kennard'n addition to the city or Lincoln. Lan caster county. Nebraska. Said sale will be held open for bidden during- the whole time between said hours. Johkimi Lkech. Okokob Lkkch. Executors. Cycle Photographs Athletic Photographs Photographs of Babies , Photographs of Groups Exterior Views THE PHOTOGRAPHER 129 South Eleventh Street. ' 'M mmm99mmmmmmm yQ&TTVSi Rffl II The Rock Island playing cards are the slickest you ever handled. One pack will be sent by mail on receipt of 15 cents in stamps. A money order or draft for 50 cents or same in stamps will secure 4 packs. They will be sent by express, charges prepaid. Address, John Sebastian, G. P. A., Chicago, Rock Island &. Pacific R'y, Chicago. (First Pub. Oct. 20-4.1 Notice of Incorporation. Notice is hereby given of the formation of a corporation under the laws of the state of Ne braska. 1. The name of the corporation is tho Lincoln Golf Club. -. Tho principal place of transacting the business of said corporation is the city ot Lin coln, Nebraska. 3 The general nature of the business to be transacted by said corporation is the buying, owning or leasing.improving and maintainig of golf grounds in or adjacent to tho city of Lin coln, Nebraska, for golf purposes and athletic exercises. t. 1'ho amount of capital stock of said cor poration is two thoi sand dollars, divided into shares of ten dollars each. Every share of stock to be paid for in cash at the time of its subscription and to be non-transferable and non-assessable. 5. Said c rporation commences on the 30th of June. 1900, and continues until the 30th of June, 193). 6. The affairs of the corporation tball be con ducted and managed by a board of directors consisting ot seven stockholders. 7. Iheoticers of the corporation are presi dent, vice-president, secretary and treanunr. 8. The highest amount of indebtedness or liability to which the corporation shall at any time subject itself is the snm ot 50. Witness our hands this 30th day of August, 1900. rf. H. BcnxnAM, SI. II. HASTEN, H C YOCNG, C.V.SX1TH, F. M. Hall W L.DAYTOX. John T. Doega.v. PAINTING, 1011 sliln g. Twenty eight years experience as an inside decorator. Reasonable prices. CARL MYRER. 2612 Q Plaone 5232. kEGAfo NOTICE A complete tile of "The Courier" is kept in an absolutely fireproof build ing. Another file is kept in this office and still another has been deposited elsewhere. Lawyers may publish leoal notices in "The Courier" with security as the files are intact and are pre served from year to year with great care. THE COURIER III PER M The COURIER And any One Dollar Woman's Club Magazine I BETTER THAN COAL J For Furnace or Grate. The -a Ideal Fuel is high grade 5 coke. We have a large stock 2 J on hand. Now is the time to a contract for your winter's " supply. LINCOLN GAS AND ELECTRIC CO BURR BLOCK. $1.50