Omaha daily bee., 1889-01-25
LISTLESS AS A GRAVEYARD
Osceola a Town Where Prohibition
is Almost Enforced,
AND THE PLACE is DEAD.
Whisky To he Had by DESTINATIONS
Use OF Red Tape and Then
is Probably Vile
STUFF.
A pmritnnicnl Town.


up at the Howe house, an extra good country
hostclry. Osceola is the county seat of
Clarke county, Iowa. II is a pretty little
place of 2, 100 souls, n few less than were here
three years ago. The conspicuous feature Of
the place is its public square, an area of 600
feet square, thickly studded with dwarf cot
tonwoods and naples and having band
stand In the center, although they have no
band, and the only music the deni2ens hear
Is the wind whistling through the trees. AL
though this is the county seat, they have no
court house, and justice and injustice is dis.
pensed in small dingy room above hard
ware store.
The inhabitants of Osceola are of very
purtanical ken, and their laws are as strin-
gent as the old blue laws of Con-
nccticut. 1t is against the law
here TO do almost anything There
are no billiards. no pool and no cards. The
boys even are forbidden to exercise on the
common with bat and ball. The village is
in the hands of set of cobwebby old fogies,
and all sorts of amusements are tabooed. a
circus would as soon think of pitching its
tents IN the middle of the Sahara desert. and
as one gentleman remarked to me, 'It is
dangerous to even get close shave"
Oscoola is averitable Necropols-there is
no business here, nor will there ever be
under a continuance of the present system of
things There hasn't been a new building
put up in year ana half and you couldn't
give property away. Prices are so low that
one would be compelled to sink shaft to get
at valuations. There are no new comers in
the place-the same old forms and faces are
all that is to be seen from one years end to
another and they will continue to 90 on, it
E. 1, -,
not a biased opinion, but one given
me by three or four gentlemen, chained here
by all they own on earth, and which they
cannot dispose of at any price.
An occasional travelling man drops down
here, and his advent is the signal for a sensa
ton. He sells but little, and departs on the
first train hence. There are no manufac-
lures of any description, and the people de-
pend upon agriculture solely for subsist.
ence. 1t is IA corn and grass and stock coun-
try, but all trade and traffic is confined to the
narrow and contracted limits of the country.
The one cause or excuse for existence in Os-
ceola is apparently for the enforcement of
the prohibitory law. There are three JUS
tices in the town and twice as many consta-
bles. Their one avocation is to see that no
whisky or beer is sold or drank. My first in
quiry of the landlord after supper last
night was whether it would be possible
for me to get "httle suthin'," as sort Of a
bracer before going to bed.
'Impossble, SIR" said he with tremendous
emphasis, "unless you are a smarter man
than am.'
.'Then the law is enforced heres"
''To the letter, and yet an intoxicated in
divdual is occasionally seen, but where he
gets his booze the good Lord only knows"
Now, Mr.. Howe is liberal minded man, as
his cleanly rooms and ample table attest, and
he is no prohibitonst He sees the effects Of
prohibition upon this pretty little rural re-
treat as readily as any other man. Nor is he
afraid to express himself. He was sorry he
couldn't accommodate me himself.
assured him, however, that there was no
cause for worry on my account, and that
would 60 out and do the town, and maybe
paint it before got back.
''The cigars that you don't get a
SMELL" he jocularly bantered. / accepted
the wager and emerged INTO the cool, crisp
air. The storm clouds had scurred off to
the east, and fair Luna smiled from an un-
fiecked dome of darkest blue.
Lighte twnkled and glimmered stingily
from the darlk-browed row of little buildings
along the south side Of the square
was no OHc anu HOJ cNcH
the Standardization of sleigh bell was
heard.
The slumberug village beyond, the dark
square of cottonwood and maple, the
ghostly fields glistening white with virgin
snow, and the dismal screech Of an owl-all
made a scene Of impressive solitude.
On l went until confronted by huge
mortar on post. / was in front of drug
store. 1t was Reel & Loder's. opened the
door tmidly and stepped in. A half dozen
loafers were gathered about stove in the
rear of the room talking about the pyramid
Of Cheops. Some of them looked old and
dried up enough to have been present at its
building.
called the druggist aside and asked him
II l couldn't get a drink there.
"A drink of whatW he asked.
"a drink of what" echoed |. Snow,
what would man drink on refrigeratiye
night like thisim and gazed significantly up
at big bottle on the shelf back of
him, labeled "spiritus frumenti."
1--WE haven't got any, he blnrted.
"Oh, yes you have" said /, ''and l must
have some OF it,"
''But don't know you," said he.
'Mr. Morgan, OF New York, a travelling
man"
"Are you sicki"
"Unto death" "
swell, / won't see you croah-how much
do you want"
"About four ounces"
And he took vial out Of a drawer and
filled it for me, and ia return gave him a
good round half dollar
Here" said he. as was about to depart
"sign this" and he spread a book of certiti-
Gates before me. signed it.
Here IS the certificate. l copied it in short
hand:
oscEoLA, Iowa, January TO- 1889.
To Reel Il Loder Registered Pharmacy
No. 2.
Amount ,.... kind OF liquor ....... My
true name IS .......,....i my age ....... l
reside In ......, at No. ..., county OF .,...,,
state OF .......
The actual purpose of obtaining said liquor
is 10 make use OF same for ......... Aud
same is TO be used as follows b. ...,....,
and neither myself nor said ..,..... are in
the habit of using Intoxicating liquors.
...,.,..,......,,.
Purchaser.