THE COURIER
ODD a BITS a OF
NEBRASKA a LIFE
mi
in
f 1'
Squirrels are regarded as sacred in
Blair. They are made pets which the
law protects and just at this minute
a number of the folks of that town who
own the little animals are putting up
a great talk on the small boys who
take a cruel delight In pelting the
bushy quadrupeds. Stones have been
tossed at them In showers, it might
be said and their owners resent it to
the utmost. Some time ago they urged
through the council an ordinance mak
ing It a penal ofTense to assault squir
rels. No special occasion for its en-
rcement has yet been made public
but the papers are studded with warn
ings of dire punishment in the jail to
the boys who harbor ill will against the
pets.
That experimental instinct in chil
dren will not be rooted out. It must be
worn out. A little girl in Ord, the
daughter of Philip Cross, wondered
how It would seem to have her finger
cut off. She lay It on a log where her
brother was one day chopping wood
and the execution was done in a flash,
the finger being severed at the second
joint. Of course a doctor was hastily
called and before the severed part had
a chance to cool it found itself sewed
back in place. The parents have hopes
that It will unite perfectly.
Everybody, old and young, delights
in getting mail. In a town in Wash
ington county, the school children es-
cially take a peculiar pleasure in in
vading the precincts of the postoffice
in a ferocious horde just after the close
of school. It happens that the post
master took no corresponding pleasure
in the Invasions and finally for the
promotion of order and peace within
his doors he Issue dan order that no
mall would be delivered between 4
o'clock and 4:30. This was a thing that
aroused the ire of his parish and one
lady who felt particularly grieved
wrote a choleric letter to the depart
ment at Washington. The postmaster
was taken to task but when he ex
plained the hubbub and confusion
caused by the Inroads of the children
at that time of day he was sustained.
Other postmasters similarly afflicted
will be patterning after this man at
once. Is the prediction of the papers In
the county.
Perhaps the most pestiferous, ma
lignant enemy Is the man who will
poison your cow. William Loosing, a
farmer living near Arlington, had such
a foe, or rather two of them, until one
night he got after them with his trusty
shotgun. Since then he has seen noth
ing of them. It was his fortune, in
the whole deal, to lose none of the
cows. To catch the vandals he lay out
one night with, a companion. It was
certainly a bitter enemy who would
wait until 3 o'clock In the mornnig to
commit his depredations. But that was
the time. Two skulking Individuals
crept Into the cow yard, quietly, lest
they should disturb the animals or
rouse some snoozing dog. Then they
were seen to scatter some substance on
the ground. A call from the owner of
the cattle sent the culprits running
and the clang of the gun pointed in
their direction Increased their speed
materially. So small were they that
the shot failed to find them.
The latest rattlesnake story Is of
J. T. EASSON.
J. T. Easson, a native of Scotland, holds the important position of
buyer of silks and dress goods, linens, "white goods, wash goods, domes
tics and linings In the Herpolshelmer store, where he has been em
ployed for the past three years. This by no means makes up the term
of his service in the profession of buyer. He has been engaged In the
business ever since 1878. Born in North Berwick, Scotland, June 22, 1862,
he went to school until 1878, when he sought out Glasgow and under
took the dry goods business. First he was obliged to serve an appren
ticeship of four years at a wage equivalent to fifty cents a week. It
was certainly not encouraging, but he stuck to It perseverlngly. A few
years after he emerged from his apprenticeship and came to America.
JThis was in 1886. He concluded that for a man of ambitions Scotland
was no place for him and he set out for America, locating in Chicago,
where he remained for three years In the employ of the store of James
H. Walker & Co., a business now extinct. At the close of his engage
ment with that firm he went to Dallas, Tex., where for ten years he was
buyer of silks and dress goods for the company of Sanger Bros., the
largest firm in the south. From there he came to Lincoln just three
years ago. Here he has had increased duties with a corresponding in
crease In pay. He has a family of a daughter and two sons. His wife,
a mate of his school days, died five years ago. Mr. Easson is a past
master workman of the A. O. U. W., and s also a member of th.e Royal
Highlanders.
ARCHIBALD A. SCOTT.
The man who disburses the funds of a grent banking institution
must possess an intimate knowledge of men and women, besides being a
shrewd judge of character. Mistakes he must never make, for errors
are liable to foot up Into thousands.
Archibald A. Scott, paying teller of the First National bank, has per
haps as wide an acquaintance as any man in the city. Thirty-eight
years ago he was born In Richmond, Indiana. In Nebraska he has lived
thirty-one years. Sixteen years he has spent in the banking business in
Lincoln.
Mr. Scott is a self made man. He received u public school educa
tion and his first venture In the banking business was at Crete, where he
filled a position vacated by a friend. He remained In Crete two years
and when he left It was to come to Lincoln as assistant teller of the First
National bank under John R. Cftirfc, cashier.
After a time the institution expanded, the business Increased In vol
ume and Mr. Scott was installed as receiving teller. Now he holds the
position of paying teller.
In 1891 Mr. Scott was married to Miss Ellie W. Leese, daughter of
ex-Attorney General Leese. recently deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Scott, with
their son, William Adrian, three and one-half years, reside at 1834 G
street.
Frank H. Scott, a brother of the subject of this sketch, is president
of the Century magazine company.
course making its circuit of the rural
papers. It Is to the effect that a rat
tler is a kind, grateful friend if you
treat him right and continue to do so.
It will do anything for your safety
and comfort that It is possible to do.
A young doctor is supposed to have
captured a rattler behind a boulder.
Though he had a club in his hand and
might just as well have taken the
life of the varmlt he desisted,
satisfying his bloodthirsty Instincts
by making a couple of passes at
the snake to show his power. So
grateful was the poor crawling thing
that it followed him home, fawning at
his feet. Thereafter he was the pet of
the lone doctor and slept with him, at
the foot of the bed. One night he was
awakened by a disturbance In the next
room. Missing his pet and wondering
what could have happened he sallied
Into the room of noises. The snake had
a burglar In Its coils and with Its tali
out the window was rattling for the
police.
The church nursery Is the newest
thing. It seems to have its origin In
Chicago and the people of Oakland In
Burt county and In other Nebraska
towns arc discussing It with a view to
adapting it to their own churches. It
Is guaranteed to Increase the attend
ance and the comfort also of those who
come. A nurse or two will have an
apartment In the basement. The in
fants who are likely to raise a dis
turbance If taken Into the church aud
itorium will be checked like wraps In
this department and will receive the
most attentive care. This will enable
many mothers to worship in church
Sundays who would otherwise feel
obliged out of courtesy to the other
members o fthe congregation to keep
their babies at home. And nobody
else would be annoyed.
When your horse kicks, plunges
and tears the furniture of his stall with
his teeth it is more than likely that he
is afflicted with rabies. A strange dog
ft horse belonging to a man near
Scribner. Nothing was thought of it
at the time but within the appointed
time it was attacked wih hydrophobia.
The family heard It kicking In the stall
and went out to see what was the ma
er. It was foaming and slashing the
air with Its feet, ears back and eyes
wild. Viciously It tore with Its teeth at
the manger and ripped off big bunches
of splinters. It broke its rope and then
a leg. A bullet ended Its sufferings.
For once at least this cow had all
the hay It cared for. And a trifle more
besides. She was a Jersey of rare
quality and estimated to be worth
nearly $300. The hard wind of last
week was her undoing. Dwelling on
a farm of her proud possessor near
Fremont she was out In the field nat
urally nibbling at the contents of a
rack piled high with hay. Along came
a sudden gust and over went the rack.
Of course she was under the lee of the
stack. When they finally got the hay
separated from her figure they found
her ready to be dressed.
An excellent specimen of the bird
parrot has arrived at Fairmont. It
was to Miss "Charlotte Jenkins from
her brother John In Puerto Principe.
Cuba. It has but one failing. In re
spect of feathers it Is all right and as
good as any. representing as many
brilliant tints and all that. But It
talks Spanish and only th'at. Natur
ally enough It Is not a patriotic Ameri
can. Though its worth Is figured at $30
It would be held fully twice as dearly
If It could talk even broken English.
When you find a man who will quar
rel with another man over a measly
dog you have found a man who Is
capable of being happy. Such a man
Is sure of enjoying life because he
likes to fight. It is easier to pick a
fight than do anything else in the
world and the man who can be happy
at It is thrice blessed. Such is the
man, be It repeated, who can quarrel
over a dog. Between two otherwise
(Continued on page eleven.)
