Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 21, 1889, Page 13

PAGES. SOUTH AFRICA UPPERTENDOM The First Families Only Wash Them- selves Once a Week. VERY PLATONIC LOVE-MAKING. A Style of Courtship Which Wonlin't Snit America’s Yonthe and Maidens—And Yet the Boer Girls Will Flire Bathing is Not De Rigenr. PRETORIA, South Africa, Feb. 18.— [Svecial Correspondence of Tk Bre.] —Of the manners and cuastoms of the Boors wo might say like the correspond- ont writing of the Russian peasantry: “Customs, beastly;manners, non Boer etiquette demands that when a stranger arvives nt a house he must shake hands with the inmatesall around without speaking, beginning with the eldest, down to the youn t. This is found not to be a very pleasint task, as the hands to be shaken are never very clean, One of the favorite bon mots of the Boers is that the English (meaning all toreigners), must be a very acty people seeing they lind it nocessary to wash so frequently, whilst thoy (the Boers) do not 80 oftener than once a week, at most They genenally scize the opportunity of the presence of wstranger who is a guest to indulge in aslight ablution, which is done as follo Bofore dinner the houschold nssemble and scat them- selves in a semi ular form. Oue of the girls brings a basin of water and a iowe’i, which she presents to the head of 'the family first. He performs his ablu- tion on hands and face. The ba: is then passed to the next, the girl hand- ing the towel, and so on_right around the circle ‘of perhaps a dozen without changing the water or towel, the STRANGER'S TURN COMING LAST, Refusal on his part to participate would be eonsidered a great insult t his hostess. One very sensible habit these people have is that when friends meet, men kiss the women, but women never kiss each other. The Boer houses are built either of stone or mud, the foprs being paved with a kind of cement made from the droppings of the cow-shed mixed with sand and clay. They frequently paint their tloo ith this material re- duced to a thick liquid; amd while it is vet soft they make pretty devices by drawing their fingers over it. This material is considered healthy, and is free from any inofiensive smell when dey. It also his the advantage of keeping off the insects, such us ants and cockroaches. The rooms, as a rule, are large and i In many cases the Boers sleep on mattings spread on the floor, only the fathers and mothers having the laxury of a bed. In cases where beds are used they are large, and five or six people sleep on ono of them. A friend of mine new to the country was traveling and put up at u Boer house for the night. Being weary, he retired early to rest. Waking un during the night he was ASTONISHED TO FIND TIRER DAMSELS reposing in the same couch as himself. This is nothing uuusual, however. These sleeping places are not too clean aud have more than a suspicion of bugs and other disagreeable insccts. are no schools mmongst the Boers; n wealthy man with a family often perma nently engages a schoolmaster or tutor, who lives asoue of the family and is bt poorly paid for his services, receiv ing little more than board and lodg- ing. In the poorer families tho chil- dren are taught what they do know by their parents. Thesum of this teach- ing mmounts to little more than bein able to read the hible, a book found in every Boer house. The Boers are very devout—attend well to their rehgious duties and never omit to say grace be- fore and afte ch meal, and copiously interlard their conversation with pious ojaculations. As a rule they are very hospitable to strangers, providing t are uot verdoomed (damned) I for whom they have a great antipathy They willoften turn a sick and hungry traveller MPTY FROM THEIR DOORS if they know him to be of that nation- ality. One poor fellow I know, an Irish- man wamed Donahue, riding through the country, being sick and tired, ap- plied at a Boer farm for food and shelter or the night, for which he was veady to pay, but was driven from the door and refused even a cup of cold water. He fell from his horse and died 100 yards from the house. A young Boer, when he goos wooing, cnls quite a conspicuous figure, Custom demands that he rig himself out in a particular costume when he goes upon A COURTING EXPEDITION His costume includes corduroy breeches, fine black cloth coat and vest, displaying an immense expunse of frilled shirt front, and a large, broud black hat, He is mounted on a black horse with a new saddle. Arrived at the house wheve he in- tends to make a convuest, he is cor- dially received and joius in con- wersation on current topics with the rest of the household until bed time, when all retire to rest excopting young Adonis and his enamorata. The former heing supplied with a pipe and an abundance of to- bacco, the two are conducted to an apartment by themselves. Here they L as fav apact as possibla and silently eontemplate each otber. Meanwhile Adonis is fill the room with eclouds of smolce from his pipe. After the laspe of several hours spent in this waythe wooer takes courage and says: “Gretehen, gy wet ek hevt gy bynje leil. (Margret, you know I love you dearly), and she ‘replies: **Ya.” An- other spell of silence until towards llurninfr' he asks the momentous ques- tion: ‘“‘Gretchen, will gv mein vrouw worden? (Margureth, will you he my wife?) The answer is again *‘Ya.” Nothing wmore is suid until when the family as- sembles for breakfast the preliminaries sottled and the wedding day fixed. Rather too Platonie, I fancy, to suit the tastes of young America. The Boers ‘do not have long engage- ments. They last three months at the wost, during which time the young couple may be seon walking iu public hand in hand or riding together. The Boer ludies ave great hovsewomen using a wman’s saddle on which they sit sideways, balancing themsolves cleverly with perfect ease and grace. The wedding is a scene of rejoicing and general festivitics. The geremony is rh'ul performed at the magistrate’s office; and then, at the ohurch, follow the religious exercises in the presence of a few friends. Alfter ehurch the party adjourns to the house of the bride’s father, approaching which may be seen, in addition to the church party, a long lire of carts and men on horseback . galloping and tear- m along in wild disorder, singing, oking and playing musical instru- meute, everybody belng more or less in- toxicated. Arrived at the house, feust- h{hdrllkhx and umh:f hold wutil exactly at midnight; all is do the bride and groom are conducted to their chamber and locked in together until at exnctly 1 o'clock, when they are brought forth again afl the revel is carried on 1l the morning wun vevealing and dispersing a of haggard, weary and vellers 'he Boers, as good eers, Besides a and round dances step-dancing, . the sailors” hornpipe being fay The ladies are hand- ome, tall good figure, gonerally however. inclining to corpulency. Blue eyes and light hair predominate. Feet and hands are large. A yvoung man zowig to n store asking for a pair of gouts’ shoes NUMBER NIN who is going to bo uncommon incident. They dress in o fantastic style. A Boer young lady considers a dress of five or six colors, a vigear in which is blended the most riling contrasts —green, yellow, red, ete.~with a handkerchiel tied over the face to serve vigeur. The elimate bein crate, they dress in i seldom wear stockin, in © Irish @i wnd FOR 18 SISTER, married, is not an lways mod- arments and Bustles and v you \ the simple blandishments she uses ing her beau to he A vory strued into som thing far move serio us than he intended, and the unlueky swain m vo 1 big lubberly brother or cousin to scttle with before he is Your correspondont once, ata duncing partyshowed some attention to ayoung lady,n 200-pounder,dancing with h After that she en- ppropriated him, until late in the evening wishing to eseape he made his way out and lay on a huy wagon. i omewhat fatigued he fell asice p. r the fair dumsel not to be ¢ eluded, for on waking up he roposing by his side on_the hay. Not being melined to enter into tho holy sta asunt consequences with the male members of her family were avoided only by my discovering thata trip to another part of the coun- try was necessury for my health. The courts of justice are generally a farce, the man with the longest purse and who dipsinto it farenough wins the indopendent_of right and jus- During the glish occupation, teinl by jury was adopted, but w Boer jury i difficult to bribe and if is between a foreigner and a Boer, former has no chanee. A wus that of Cuaptain Campbe was bratually murdered by being driven at night into the Vaal river, then shot, by Rider Haggard in ‘ampbell did not es- ohn Niel did. The murd were brought to trial, but eleven out of twelve jurymen were for acquittal, and finally the villains were free. In another instance wh Englishman had bis head chopped off with o blunt hatehet and was vobbed of $200, the miscreant Boer got off with o itence of two i Boers are natu sition, but they are half breeds, (half Boe t who sc to inherit the vices of both without the virtues of eith An Easter Sonnet. . €. Dodye in New York World. Oh, well worthy of a sounet Is the dainty, litte bonnet That wy wife will wear on Kaster When she goes to church with me; Flowers, ribbon, lace and feather Bicnding pretaly together Make a poein most exquisite And a work of art to sece. When it's time to wear the bonnet By the mirror she will dou it Aud 'l see her sunle of triumph As she, blushing, turas to show Me that lovely Easter treasuro; s will dance witih pleasure 20 of udmiration Aud the praise [ shall bestow. Then 1M walk beside that bonuet, Glaucing, ob, so proudly on it, Up the aisle on easter morning With the dearcst one on earth, Aud Pl notice the attention, (Which 1 afterwards will mention) That_the other women pay it For its beauty and its worth. Oh, ail worthy of a sonnet Is tho dainty little bonuet That tlll Kaster must be hiding All its glory on a shelf; But the sweetest thing about it Is—though other husbands doubt it— t my wite, to save my pocket, Planned and made it all Lerself. IMPIETLIES, A Qim religious light—The Rev. Joseph Cook. Sunday school teacher—We are told here thatj the prophet rent his clothes. Why did be do that! Tommy Squildig—Praps he couldn’t atford to buy ‘em. Saw Jones says that San Francisco and hell are not ten fect apart, and that tnere is moro Sunday wickedness in that city than any other four on earth combined. Ata revival meeting in Calhoun, Ky., a sherig who became converted confessed that thirteen vears ago he stole $1,000 from the county. He has made restitution. St. Peter (kindly)—"Enter.” Fair spirit (hesituting)—‘Did’ Mrs. De Fashion go in nere” “No. She went to the other place.” “0! Beg pardon for troubling you. Which way is it. ¢ *Hrethren and sisters,” remarked a plain spoken pastor, ‘next Sunday we shall take up our regular Easter collection. I trust the brethren will give according to their means and the sisters according 10 their bonnets.” ““Brethren,” said the pastor impressively, “us next Sunday shall be the last time [ shall preach to this eonfiregution. I trust there will be a large attendance.” and to his painful surprise he had the largest audience the following Sunday that he had ever scen in the church. Mr, Justice Stedhen of Kngland has as- suredly a most impartial mind, In court re- cently, alluding to the case of a defondant who sought to escape liubility for a certain expenditure by throwing the blame of order- ing it upon his wife, his lordship character- istically blurted out: *That is an old ex- scu e. 1often felt thay Adam—I meau—that is—well! I have always wished to hear Eve's accountof that transaction.” E. Randall, the mountain evangelist of West Virginia, some years ago went over the state painting texts on rocks and walls. He decorated all sorts of waste places with the text, *What shall 1do to be saved (" A patent wedicine man came along later and painted just below this, wherever he could sind it, “Use Blani’s cure for consumption.” ‘The quaiut combination got into the pupers, and Randall, seeing it, went back over bis route with his paink pot and added below the text: *‘And prepare to meet thy God.” o NGULARITLES The cattlo in the vicinity of Westphalia, Kan., are dying of brain fover. Eight sets of twins and oue of triplews have been born in Pike county, Georgia, within & week. ‘The proudest wother in Maine is a down- cast pig with sixieen piglets. iShe is blue, while cight of brer children are red and eight of them white. A bab{ with two distinctive bodies and but oue head, was born in New York on Sawur- day nigtlt, but died un hour (fter its Dirth, 00 many people who ure born with body than hoad do not die at birth, o A few days ago & large pond, about miles. from Abbeville, Gi, sprang & ek 1o the bottom and dried up. ‘The sound of the Bas Tt i, aer, bt ‘were up, bu of them followed the lake: ik | respectivel, picking his mastar up, let fly both heels at the other drunkard, who picked himsell up und got awa; Two remarkable Shotland ponios were re- cently sold at Tnv Scotiand. - They ara four years old, and 38 nches high, Their hair s fully inches heads are almost entirely ob- scurod by the wane and forelock, which measure 183 iches. The solo of their hoofs § mches, their combined weight being but 440 pounds. tong and tne - “Dying Among thoe Leper Kitie S. Blis, in ¢ loreland Leade A young Belgian Csiuolic priest, Father Daimein, gave up a promising career and vol- inteered to take charge of the lepers at Mol- kai, one of the Sandwich Islanas. He is now himself stricken with the plague. —New York world. My island home the restless sea Wears like a jewel on her brenst, Aud lapsing time but seems to me As foam upon the blue waves' crest; 1 sce the Southorn Cross at night Burning in splondor o'or my head, ®And duy but brings a new delight, " Breaking i blossoms 'neath my tread Here in this paradise of flowers What bliss to live =0 close to God, To lnden all the languid hours With prayer ond incense from the sod. All that 1 knew in that far land, Of love of nope aud dreams of fame, I write upon the shifting sand, The only record of thelr name. Heneeforth—ah Its blooming While all my As nspen orbs_sh Thus 1 forzot a de That lurks besid That follows me Nor loaves inc did that jungle whi branches in my pulscs m wher by alone, I've known the fear, I've folt its breath Steal o'er me with its blighting svell; Sure is the vath that leads to Death, And 1 huve learned its power well. I'vo seen upou the human cheek The banners of a dread decay, my own dark sentence speak tly faces day by day. A stricken throng whose steps go by Fecble and broken in their tread, I came to close cach fading eye And pray beside each dying bed. I'd feel my young blood’s poisoned thrill And dio thus siowly for their sake; Fven a leper at His will If closer at his feet to wuke. Fifty United Stutcs scnators since 1700 have been Yale graduates. Forty-one books «have been published by Yale professors withiu the last seven yoars. ‘The University of Vermont has reccived from Miss Maria Loomis a gitt of $10,000,the income of which is.to be used in buying bouks for the library A banking system was introauced in the schools of Long Island City, N. on says that after June 1, cton collego will have added to its permanent endowment fuud $250,000 through induess of many old and some new e cn o, “Theroe are now 2,500 women in the United States having diplomas from either Aweri- can_or foreign medical schovis The first cal degree given toa womun in America 'S 4g0. ion is_practiced in Cornell s o hundred and fifty students will goon different Lrips in various direc tions in search of information. Cornell is teachini the old colleges some valuable ob- Mrs. Eliza A. Clark, of Cleveland, has given §100,000 to the Cléveland College for women, u department of the Western Re- serve university. One-half of the umount is 10 be exvended in erceting the Clark Hall of Liberal Arts. he wonderfui progress of the people of Japan in assimilating wostern ideas is illus- trated by the graduation exercises of vhe lish Luw school at Tokio, which centty, and in the course of s minister to_ Japan, R. H. Hubbar, cored the address to the graduating m English. A lurge tract of land in West Philadelvhia has been purchased by the University of Pennsyly This tract, which includes three plots varying from two to five acres in arca, belonged to the city of Philadelphia, and adjoins the present university property. od that the university will offer us terms to several literary and seientifc institutions, m the wope of indneimi them to buiid on this newly-purchased ground. The kingdom of Ttaly had, in 1880, publi elementary day to the nuuiber of 46 075, attended 5,941 pupils. ‘Tiis nuni- ber is 7.2 per the entire population, and 6085 per cent of the populution six to twelve years of age. As regards secondary education, therc were in the kingdom, m 1887, secoudary schools to the number of 1,553, with an_enroliment of 97,059 students. The same year the 21 universities of the kingdom were attended by 15,517, distributed among the facultics as follo Jurispru- dence, 5,244; philosophy and literature, ( mathematical and physical science, medicine and surger 1. shing Awmelie. Rives-Chanler, upon her Washirgton, stated to a friend thit the one woman in this city whom she desired to meet was Mrs. John MeLean, daughter of i- ward Beale, says recent visit to eneral a Washington speci to the Baltimore American. Why this invidious distinction should bave been made is one of those things which, ac- cording to Lord Dundreary, *no feliow will ever find out;” but because the de- sire existed in the young writer’s breast the friend determined to bring about an introduction, which, as may be im- agined was easy of accomplishment. Mrs. McLean has been a great invalid for a month or six weeks past, and though on that account she was denied to her friends gonerully, she acquicsced at once 'in the request for a meeting with Mrs. Chunler. When the visitor was announced, Mrs, McLean lay on a luxurious lounge in her boudoir, sup- ported on a downy pillow covered with rich eastorn stuffs. Her dressing gown was a marvel of the dressmaker’s art, with cascades of soft lace falling back from the throat and down the front. brief conversation,during which isitor’s eyes wandered about the apartment, taking in every, sumptuous detail of the furnishing and the perfect harmony of color, she drew from her pocket a small note book, upon which, after a wmoment of abstraction, she wrote the opening stanza of a poem to her hostess which is shortly to appear in one of the leading periodicals. - Marriage and Avt. The moval of Miss Mary Anderson’s break down.according to the New York Sun, says the Boston Herald, is ‘‘that celibacy and the pursuit of an arduous, intellectual, brain-exhausting proles- sion do not go well together.” We su se from this that our contemporary is nelined to recommend marriage as a restorative to Miss Anderson. Marriange in a reasonable degree might be of advantage in the case, and no one who knows the purity of this lady would expect anything else in the way of murriage from her. The trouble with many actresses, however, is that they overdo this matter of marriage. 1f is net uncommon to find women among them with several husbands, ali living, and more in prospect, Whether thlfil an aid in the pursuit of an arduous, intellectual, brain-exhausting profession is questionable, It is clearly not an aid to reputation in other re- spects, 1t Made the Arabs Sick. The Arabsattached to Barnum's show in New York have joined in a protest ainst belng obliged to eat sausages :gd ?).lhcr ulfinhu urnished by their hf:.h‘ house. They have all got pepsia, Dr. Miller wt': A comn'p}:es VISITS BOSTON 1 s of the Agroement e Union Paciflo. Omaha's Damands Submitted to the Officers ofghe Railrond Company and the Long Fight Ended v at Last Writfen i the Bond. In our last conversation, as I remem- ber, we had brought the history of the bridge location down to a period which I think would date in 1868, A new bar- gain in respect to terminus, depot grounds, shops, headquarters, ote., which were not included in the original bargain for the relocation of the bridge at all, was insisted upon by our people. and the bonds voted for the relocation, which were to have been deolivered as the progress of the work on the hridge approached complotion, were refused. Omaha, for what it held to be good rea- sons, declined to comply with the origi- nal burgain aad insisted on new condi- tions. And upon that question arose another which concerned the terminus, dopot grounds, shops, transfers, finan- cial headquarters, ete. ete. Now, coming to the second period in the progress of this controversy, from which Omaha suffered continuously for many years, nothing was settled; ev- orything was unsettled. Uncertainty brooded over every Omaha interest and continued to brood over it for two years. A gentleman then connected with the Union Pacific railrond and now living iu this city informs me that Manager Sickles, himself and one other leading ropresentative of the company had in 1868, not. the least belief that Omaha would ever be, what it has been since, the practical terminus of the railvoad. Munager Sickles thought and said that the whole matter would go to the Bluffs inevitubly. Omaha was under a paraly- sis almost as damaging and linble to Dbe as fatal as that which succeeded the location of the vridge at Childs’ Miil. Tt was the second period of our troubles, and it intolved danger of ruin to every interest of Omaha, or at least perma- nent injury that could not be repaired in many year The uncertainty about whether Omaha was to be on the west side or east side of the river was held by many to be determined by the de- cision of the question whether the trans- fer, financial headquarters, shops, ete., should be on the west or the east side, Counectedgwith this was the question of lega) ternfinusg Council Blulis elaiming that it belfinged to the east side of the river, andfDmaha claiming that it be- longed tof the' west side of the river. Tlot debate and agitation leading to other dist@bynces placed Omaha in a position \VE«:Y a3t was compelled to take hich a decision could be some steps b brought about. 1 still decline to attempt dates, but T well remembér that a new committee wus raised,in our city,composed of some of its most prominent men,among others Major St. A. D. Balcombe, Hon. John T Redick and several more, who, resent- ing what they deemed a great injustice to our people, visited Boston to have a full adjustment in the interest of Omuha,- These men were much inearn- est. They were sincere and competent and they resolved upon the settle- ment of this question either for or against Omaha, ova fight.as they put it. went to Boston and called upon the and directors of the company, stating the whole case of Omaha from their point of view, with clearncss and foree, of course. The response of indifferenc No satisfaction was gained by the committee us to what the company intended to do, and the com- mittee returned and reported accord- ingly. This did not better matters at all. Tt raised the spirit of our people, however, to try again and to insist upon the set- tlement of the policy ot the company by some agency, no one knew exactly what. I ouly remember that in the very crisis of this depression and threat- ened deeay in Omaha of both trade and values, it was suggested that three or four of the old committee should voluu- teer to go to Boston, under instruction from the representatives of the city,and see what could be done towards a settle- ment of the vexed questions. Governor Saunders, the late Millard, Augustus‘Kount conferred upon the question and agreed that we would volunteer to undertake that work and renew our efforts in be- half of the city. The day was tixed for | memoranda which we took the start to Boston, but Governor Saun- ders was detained by the interest of his state banks and Mr. Millard seomed to be unable to leave the city at the time Mr. Augastus Kount ady and always encrgetic, never faltering in work for Omaha, was the only g man who found it con - venient to leave Omaha in my company for the Boston headquarters, Mr. Mil- lard and Mr. Saunders assured us th v would follow immediately to New k and join us in Boston, which they failed to do for want of time. The journey to the Hub was longoer at that day than it is at this, and before leaving the city Mr. Kountze and my- sell had possessed ourselves of oral opinions and very many written docu- ments as to what would satisfy our peo- ple in respect to the matters that wore to be discussed. The late Cald- well was conspicuous in presenting tho views of one ot of men, and other gen- tlemen among us of similar and strength were equally busy pi ing their views, but all scemed to agree Tk th our general propositions which wer med indispensablo to an adjustment. Mr. Kountze full of with us to o, nnd after led had a pocket Boston for our guidan ing Omaha telegrams in great num- L explanatory of what was wanted taining & genoral idea of the best wants of property and people, and what was demanded conditions for the delivery of the bonds and the settle- ment of the whole question, followed. Arriving in Boston with tho expecta- tion that we would have an open col- lision with the ofticors and directors of the Union Pacific, aad that it was to lead to a prolonged contost with that company on the part of Omaha, we immediately notified the president, Oliver Ames, and Mr. Duff and M Bushnell, who happened to be there, of our arrival, and of our desire to dis- cuss Omaha interests with them. We called by appointment on these gentle- men. Mr. Kountze stated the case was ono | fully, as we understood it, and after a very cordial reception on the part of Messrs. Ames, Duff and Bushnell, who were in control of the company, we were requested to put our demands in writ- ing and call at the office {0 submit them the next day at 1¢ o'clock. Tt will be nineteen years next De- cember since that visit to Boston was made by Mr. Kountze and myself,and on the 13th of that month 1871, the follow- ing memorandum in my own writing was submitted to the Union Pacitic direc- tors. It was written under the eye of Mr. Kountze and by the light of all the documents, telegrams and other sug- gestions that had been given us by the people of Omaha, and embraced every demand which had been made upon the company in these documents, telograms and other suggestions: Bos¢ Dec. 18, 1871.—To Messrs. Duff. and Bushnell, Directors of the Union P’acific Road: The under- signed, a committee to report all mat- ters of interest between Omaha and the Union Pacific company in respect to Douglas county bonds and depot grounds at Omaha, beg leave to suggest the fol- lowing conditions on which an amicable adjusiment may be reached. These conditions, affirmed in a contract in writing obligating the com- pany to comply with them, will, in our'conlildent opinian, lead to a prompt and amicable settlement of e: ing differences, and the early delivery of deeds for grounds_and honds according to agreements made in 186S: 1. The location of passenger depot and passenger transfer at Omaha.on the grounds which the people of Omaha propose to deed tothe Union Pacific company,asalready mapped and platted. That i to say, all passengers and freight coming from the east on all lines of road connecting with the Union >acific railrond at Omaha, shall, afte the Union Pacific bridge is complete theréafter deliver and transfer their passengers at the Omaha pas: gor depot, where the Union Pacific frains shall be made up for the west. All passeng arviving at Omaha by the Union Pacific railroad from the west shall be transferred to trainson con- necting roads at the same depot. 2. All machine and car shops, and all others t may be hereafter required for the use of the company at the east- ern terminus of the Union Pacific rail- road, and all permanent offices of the company required for the transaction of tho business of the company, including the land department, general superin- tendent’s office, passenger offices, gon- eral freight warehouse, ete., shall here- after be und remain at Omaha. 3. That all railvoads in Towa and Ne- braska seeking connection with the Union Pac ailroad, or with each other, at Omaha, or on the boundary of 1 bave the right to cross their r »r the Union Pacific bridge under such rules and regulations as the Union Pa company may prescribe. on equal terms and_ without un- necessary delay or discrimination, and shall also have the right oy “ A ¥ R\ ffi‘ \\r: S IAN] HV\-’UJ IRV N { 2\ Ap Ball8 5 e S S 2 ) “IOVHLINOD JO NOISATONOD J0 SIIKIS OVE o DY 70N % '1\}& 00 Mt‘ IS A { v e of way over the Union Pacific depot rounds, tracks and approaches to tho nion Pacific bridge for a reasonablo compensation. Respectfully your obedient servants, RGE La MILLE A. KOUNTZE, T want to add at this sitting that Mr, Ames, Mr. Duff and Mr. Bushnell re- coived the committee with great cor- diality, gave every attention to our requests, and promptly granted what was asked by Omahn in tho above momorandum. They went so far as to offer, in order to relieve Omaha of sus- pense, to cail a meoting of the execu- tive committo, of which Thomas L. Scott, as president of the company. was chairman, in New York, to_ratify the new contract with Omaha. That meet- ing was held, Thomas L. Scott presid- ing, on December 16, 1871, The mem- orandum was submitted to the executive committee, and after considerable dis- Cussion, was approved by a unanimous vote. Omaha was represented in the ss1on, which was long and friendly, by Alvin Saunders, chdirman of the committee, Augustus Kountze, James H. Millard, Francis Smith and myself. I will tell the restof this story at our next sitting. il “ “A Feller Namod Harte," Geen MacDonovgh n New York World. After the author of *“Tho Heathen Chir “Dow’s Flat," “Tae Luck of Roar- ing Ci mp,” Ete, That's mo—Yuba Bill. Jest goin’ to start You kin ride if you will AlL the way, or u patt, For I'm dyin’ to 'ask a few questions con- sarnin a foller named Harte, From the east? 1 thought so. Well, the darn cuss I name Lit for' thar years ago. And maybe you've came of hui trailin’ around thar—or may- be you've heard of the same! He kopt pegin’ ahout Did this Harto—known as Bret, Till his claim petered out. Then his outfit he let And loafed 'round the diggin’s a-workin' for whatever he managed to get. At the next place we stop, Which the same is Bar, ‘Was a cattleman’s shop. . Called the Overland Star, Which was kept by a gal named M'liss and her slightly inebriate par. Most a year I'd n-been Steady courtm’ M'liss, When a feelin crept in ‘Thar was somethin’ amiss, And T learned that I'd Harte'for a rival, which busted my vision of pliss. Though it's jest the squar truth Much it pains me to tell— But that long-legged youth Spurked the Overland bello Till T got a quick drop on his figger and wasted u forty-four shell. He savoyed that T t intended to stick Nary sayin’ godd-vy Ho lit'out pretty quick, But he waited and squared himself later by a low down and new fanglod trick! He wrote up a skit And put us all in— Poor M'liss had u fit, We was madder'n sin For he said thut sho lacked education and her par was a victim of gin. ) ‘The consequent row. War'nt no tenderfoot one; And when I thought how The whole circus begun s witih grief that I remembered the chance that 1 missed with that forty- four gun! M'liss kem to me Aud said: “Papa expects This ere Harte you'll go to seo And then cash in his checks, And I cannot be yourn tiil_you do fest ex- actly as papa directs.’ She's smce married—tho man's One of Blonde Jackson’s pards, Jim Oakhurst—a gam, Who plays very queer cards And they're livin’ with seven small children at the boardin’ house back of the yards, Well, we're down to the Bar, So stranger, we'll part That hotel over thar You'll find pretty smart, Good-by—and say, if you see him, give my love to that fellow named Harte! PEPPERMINT DROPS, The dearest spot on earth to the gambler is Juok's-pot. An_official who has been fired naturally burns for revenge. A fight with moonshiners should take place “oft in the stilly night.” This weather sets the sap to runnirg in the maple trees and the spring voets. A good way of putting an extmguisher on a man is to cover him with a revolver. A round of dissivation is another round of drinks not needed when the boys arc gowg home. The “On to Oklahomu” ecraze now con- tends for supremacy with that of the pigs in clover. @Oklahowa boomers who hold their claims and suryive will hereafter wear the proud title of 'S9-crs. Stranger (to man with big diamond)— Hotel clerk, obd Bojoweled individual—No, sirs Jowa druggist. Honor to whoin honor is due. didly be saia that some book bigger bores than others, The story thut Mrs, Harrison hos turned off all_the colored peovle employed in the white house is & white e, Gadby, whose father was @ circus tumbler, now goes about boasting that he s one of the sons of revolutionary s We violate no confidence i disclosing the fact that Mr. Garland’s law office in Wash- iugton will not be lighted by pan-clecuricity. Tho emperor of China is said to omploy ton men to_carry bis umbrella. It is quite evident that this youthful potentate is pre- pared for a hard reign. ‘The hen may be negligent of her duties during the winter weather, but she generally manages 0 come up to the scralch in the time of spring gardening, A live allegator has been placed in the white house by Mrs, McKee, 1t will require somothing more ferocious thiu an allcgator to keep the offico-scekers away from the president. Old ex-Senator ‘Tabor of Colorado has reached Paris weariug 60,000 worth of. dia monds, & red necktic und a pair of bott) green kid gloves, ‘They are thiuking of catel- im for exhibition at the Jardin des Let it can agents are ? exclaimed the art dealer proudly, as he looked over the eager crowd, “were exhibited in St. Louis all lust month and admired by al i less than ten minutes the room was empty, and the next day the unfortunate dealer boxed up bis pictures and shook the dust of IKansus City from his feet, e Brain Work and Muoscle Work, The dyspepsin of brain-workers 1s generally chargod to_ excessive mental work. From observations we are salis- fied that this is a mistake. 1t is not too wuch brain work, but teo little musele work, and peglect of the commonest gr nciples of hygiene in its relation to digestion, that mukes such pessimistic authors as Curlyle, such acute theolo- gians as Calvin, such savage skeptics us Voltaire. The latter once wrote to Lord Chesterficld: “My Lovd Hunting- ton tells me that you bave a good stomach, which is worth more than a good pair of ears.” Sydney Smith de- clared that he could feed or sturve men into virtues or vices, and that the character, talents, virtues and qualities are powerfully affected by beef, mutton, pie-crust and rich soups.” Good humor helps to keep a man in good digestion, but is not a substitute for dietetic recti- tude or ample muscular exercise. e Horsford's Acid Phosphate. Boware of iwitations, i HISTORY OF THE PASCH EGGS, An Emblom of the Resurrection of the Ohrist, QUAINT AND PRETTY CUSTOMS, The Real Origin ofthe Easter Fostival ~Observance of the Day in Buropean Countries— COhildren's Gamos, Easter Day and Its € From April Sunshine: pleasantest festivitios that we keep are Christmas and Bastor. Wo ocolobrate - other holidays, indeed—\Washington's ¥ day. the Fourth of July and New but none are so dear as these two which commemorate tho two most important events in the world’s history, namoly: tho birth of the Saviour aad His resurrection, Of course all the children know why we honor Christmas, but porhaps they do not know why wo welcome the EFaster with floral offerings and songs of glndnoss, e m think that it is beeause the winter isover and spien; has dawnod, but although we rejoice af that it is not the chief on. On this v Christ rose from the dead. So you will se0 that it is the central fact of our veligion which you commemorate when you weave BEaster garlands and color Pasch egyrs. Shall [ have to tell you what Pasch egus are? Therowith is connected & bit of interesting history. The origin of the Laster festival must be looked for far buck at the time whe the poor Tsraelites wont out from the land of Egypt, that dreadful night when the first-born in every ligyptian’s house was smote with death by the destroying angol, The little ones among the Israelites were saved bhecause on the doorposts of their houses was sprinkled the blood of a young lamb. Every house that had this mark on it was tpassed over” by the deathi angel. In memory of that night the Jews insti- tuted the foast of the Passover, which they observe to this day. It was at the time of this fenst that Christ,the ““Lamb of God,” was crucified, and thus the disciplos changed the Jewish feast into a Christian festival, Now the Jews alwnys kent the Pass- over on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan, which corresponds with tho Inst of our March nnd the first half of April, but the istinns were not agrocd whether thoy should observe the festival on that day or the suceeeding Sunday. Some held that as Christ, the true paschal lamb, had been slain on the very day of the Passover, it was better to observe that day in commemos= ration. These were called **fourteen= day men.” The great majority, how- ever, attaching most importance to the day of Christ’s rosurrottion, which was the first day of the week, honece called the TLord’s day, our Sunday, held to Taster being cglebrated on the Sund which followed the lourwenx day of the month of Mareh, The question was finally decided by & great council which met at Nice in Asin Minor in tho year 835, by adopt- ing the Sunday after tho full moen which happens upon or next Mar , and if the full happeus o & Sunday, Easter day is the Sunday after, By this arrangement Enster may come ¢ as March 22, or s late as April Thus you have the renson why ster sometimes happens earlier,somes times later in the season. Pasch is the name given to the festi=- val by many of the people of Kurope. It comes from the Jewish word whieh menns “He passed over.” St. Paul calls Christ “our Pacch.” The Eog- lish name Faster is ved from the Anglo-Snxon Enstic or Kaster, a god- dess worshiped by that people, who dediented to her the fourth month, ane swering to our April, hence called Eas- ter monath—‘“laster month.” When the Anglo-Saxons were christianized they gave up the worship of the false goddess, but they gave her nama to this festival, So you know now what Pasch means, and now about Pasch eggs. These are Easter eggs boiled so hard that you {»lny av ball with them, dyed with dif erent colors, and often having inserips tions or landscanes traced.unon them. The custom of making these Bllfi:ll v ye i, oms. Two of the cient. The little Nestarian and girls, who live in Turkoey-in- 5 have a game that they play with these eggs on Easter. Twostart the game by knocking the eegs together, the one whose shell remains unbroken winnin, the othor. This one then tries his eg with that of another boy., and 8o it go on. the one winning the eggs who has a whole onc. German children play the same game, In Russia, in Germai in Eogland, 1w fact, Pasoh peak of the pesur= t is this that they sym- An old iter quaintly “ob- ‘As the bird imprisoned in the sholl comes forth to life and liberty, £0 did our Saviour, on Faster morning, burat the gates of death, and so shall we at the last day arise after him,” i There was a former custom in Eng- Innd of having two very large cakes di- vided among the ngrogation ohurch on Faster, bu parliamen passed law forbidding this in 1 and provided that the money .ysuall; spent for the cakes should be used ‘z buy broad for poor people, & much het- ter plan I think. If you lived in the north of England to-day you might sometimes hear the old rhyme: At Faster let your clothos be new, Or else be sure you will it rue,” And the little Northumbrian lads would 211 you that if you Ao not put on_some- thing new on Easter day the birds will epoil your clothes. I have no idea, hLowe , that this would happen. Tn England they used to engage in & game of ball the day after Easter, both sexes ongaging in the sport. Eyon mu- nicipal corporations, with al) the parade and dignity in th orld formed into contesting parties for the prize which was sometimes a silver cup, At Bury » Bdmund’s until v ) a fow years the game was kept up with great spivit by twelve old ladics. After the sport was over old and young retived for re- freshments, which usually consisted of a dish of bacon, with tansy pudding— this last symholical of the bitter herbs they were commended to take ntthe nscal foast, and some n 8, the day after ¥ celled “*‘Heave Monday,” from an old and now happily almost discontinued custom of the men “lifting”’ the women Fastor Mond while on Easter day the women took thelr revenge by “lifting” the mon. 11 any oue re- fused to be “lifted” the person had to pay a forfeit of a kiss or o silver six- pence, Another Faster custom, whieh is really beautiful, was practiced by the early Christians, and is still in vogue among the mombers of the Greek church. On the morning of the {estel day, when one enters a friend’s house, he is saluted with tho words, “The Lord is risen,” and in answer to this firusflng he replies, “He is rison iur oed.,