Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

FLOATING STRAWS FROM PRAIRIE CREEK

Prairie Creek, July 29, 1873

Dear Times: --- Seven times has bright Phoebus, the great and glorious gran'dad of all the planets, and diurnal obliteratos of the twinkle-twinkle-little-stars, sprung from the East like a red-headed Yankee tin-peddler, hopped briskly over the Boston frog-pond in whose miasmal fogs are bred those great moral ideas that ignore the rights of the white pioneer, and inaugurate the "Indian Peace Policy" which is so successful that it only costs on an actual average, the lives of three human beings and a trifle over seven thousand dollars for each copper-colored death deserving brute in the West.

Seven times, I repeat, has all this been repeated since I took my rake (a Faber stub) in hand to collect a few "Floating Straws from Prairie Creek," for the Times.

The water in Prairie Creek lies quietly in its little bed, with a slightly downward tendency.

A rattlesnake coming in contact with my boot-leg this week, frightened me so that I went right home and swallowed a teaspoonful of "For Medicinal purposes-only." I am fully recovered, but I learn from his mourning relatives, "rattling fellows," by the way, that the unfortunate R. S. took the jimjams and committed hari-kari.

South of the Platte

The sun was west of the zenith when we mounted our charger for a visit south of the Platte. The day was hot, and we took plenty of time to look at everything of interest in our line of travel, and even turned aside from the road in several places, attracted by the beauty of the large fields of grain, or to converse for a moment with the busy farmer. We found the crops on the Island looking well as a general thing, although barley and oats are not as good as last yers, and sod corn is not as good in many places as usual.

Grandpap Campbell 's crops on the same section, look fine. The old gentleman is a regular pioneer, and full of anecdotes of the Indian adventures, which he relates in his quaint Scotch way.

We had he pleasure of a ride to Hastings, the junction of the B. & M. and St. Joe & Denver roads, with Mr. Burger . On the way we passed a number of fine farms that are being opened up this year. The town was not as hard to find as it was last fall, when it existed only in name, for it now contains about one hundred buildings and five hundred inhabitants.

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

STATE ITEMS

Lone Tree has a new cheese factory.

Blair has an organized sportmen's club.

Jefferson county has voted $10 a section as a road tax.

Extensive work is now being done at Lincoln on the State Fair Grounds.

The horse disease has again visited Otoe county. Several fine horses have died within the past week.

The Fremont Tribune says: "The grasshoppers are still at work heading the oats in this vicinity. Many farmers had to cut their oats green and make hay of them to keep the grasshoppers from destroying them entirely. They have not damaged other grains to any extent."

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

SHE CUTS HIS HAIR

You can always tell a boy whose mother cuts his hair. Not because the edges of it look as if it had been chawed off by an absent-minded horse, but you tell it by the way he stops on the street and wiggles his shoulders. When a fond mother has to cut her boy's hair, she is careful to guard against any annoyance and muss by laying a sheet on the carpet. It has never yet occured to her to sit him over a bare floor and put the sheet around his neck. Then she draws the front hair over his eyes, and leaves it there while she cuts that which is at the back. The hair which lies over his eyes appears to be surcharged with electric needles, and that which is silently dropping down under his shirtband appers to be on fire. She has unconsciously continued to bend his head forward till his nose pressed his breast and is too busily engaged to notice the snuffing sound that is becoming alarmingly frequent. In the meantime he is seized with an irresistible desire to blow his nose, but recollects that his handkerchief is in the other room. Then a fly lights on his nose, and does it so unexpect-

edly that he involuntarily dodges, and catches the points of the shears in his left ear. At this he commences to cry and wishes he was a man. But his mother doesn't notice him. She merely hits him on the other ear, to inspire him with confidence, and goes on with the work. When she is through, she holds his jacket collar back from his neck, and with her mouth blows the short bits of hair from the top of his head down his back. He calls her attention to this fact; but she looks for a new place

on his head and hits him there, and asks him why he didn't use his handkerchief. Then he takes his awfully disfigured head to the mirror and looks at it and, young as he is, shudders as he thinks of what the boys on the street will say.

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

LOCALS OF THE WEEK

On the 20th, a lot of wild horses was seen near Brady's Island.

A herd of Buffalo was seen passing West of Plum Creek, going South, on the 21st inst.

Steam has been defined as a bucket of water in a tememdous perspiration.

There is nothiing so effective in bringing a man up to the scratch as a healthy, high-spirited flea.

A car load of Chinamen passed through our city last Friday, on their way to the Sounth.

People who have lately lost friends and are troubled with an irresistible desire to play euchre can do so by using cards with a black border.

Conductor Norton , one of the most able and efficient conductors on the U. P., ejected a man from the cars at this point, last Friday, for threatening to shoot him. Old "Nort" didn't scare one cent.

A happy addition to the family of George Bochum , of the State Central Brewery, ocurred a few evenings since by the ushering into this world of a young and tender "breweress." The little one weighed nearly ten pounds. Mother and daughter doing well.

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

CALLED

John Frederick at Dannebrog has erected a new blacksmith shop, and as he is a first class workman, is full of business having all he can do.

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

MARRIAGE

On Friday Evening last a pleasant event occurred in this city by the marriage of Mr. August Engel , one of our energetic and enterprising young men, to Miss Caroline Sigmond , recently from Hamburg. The ceremony was performed by W. C. Buderus , justice of the peace, who tied the knot very tight. In the evening we accepted an invitation to attend the marriage festival at Liederkranz Hall, where we learned that a general invitation had been extended to everybody. The hall and private rooms were crowded with the happiest gathering that could be imagined. The Liederkranz Society sang their best pieces, and their rich voices thrilled the throng. They sang the "Shepherds's Sunday Song," "To the Fatherland," etc. Friend Bohl , an old settler and pioneer lent a charm to the entertainment by his performance on the violin, with his wife playing an accompaniment on the piano. Mr. W. M. Madden , of Chicago, played the canopian and piano, rendering the "Mocking Bird," and whistling chorus with fine effect. It was an evening full of enjoyment, all passed happily and merrilly, and will long be remembered by the participants as a very happy event. A long and happy life to both of them is the earnest wish of their true friends of the Grand Island Times. A. Egge was in his glory dispensing good things to the guests.

Grand Island Times
Wednesday, July 30, 1873

OBITUARY

We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Judge Martin , which occurred in this city about 12 o'clock Sunday night, after a short yet painful illness. Words are powerless to express either comfort or consolation to the bereaved family. We can only extend to them our sincere condolence in this, the saddest moment of their lives. A wife and mother when taken from our midst, leaves a void in the family circle which can never be refilled. Yet God "doeth all things well," and to his will let us ever bow in faith and humbleness of heart.