Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-05-08
THE RED LANTERN.

NAE ALL AAAr = AA1A6HN - 49, A8-
tern would tickle you 10 death"
"Naw," returned Jimmy, conteriptu-
ously. II wanted one with a green light.
They're twice as nice"
"Well, now, that's strange" said
John Saunders, looking at his boys
disappointed face. "Wben / was q
yolngstor, 1 liked anything If twas rcd
"a red wagon, sled, top. As Ing rs
there was some red about 1t l thought
twas stylish and first class.
"Red is SO common. said Jimmy.
with great airs.
go long" said the father. AREN'T
yen ashamed, sir? That's The sort of airs
you learn from playing with boys that
have m%oney-at lenat their fathers have,
Red common. Well, SO am l commcn;
SOS your ma, and, for the matter of
that, so are you, too, l reckon. Don't
forgot that. Jimmy. You're tho SON Of a
laboring man. Don't try to ape folks
who are better off in this world"
Jimmy Saunders picked M the do
Rpiscd lantern aud went out to the barn
with IL. His father had just returned
from the town with a few purchases for
the family aud among them this lantern,
which was not up to Jimmy's ideas Of
lanterns. He wanted ore with a bright
green light and nickel trimmings like
the one used at Mr.. Somcrs' stables.
Charlie Somers raid they were much
nicer than red lanterns, which were
corc,non locking aud only used Ivy rail
road men. And what Charlie SClners
said was law to Jimmy Saunders.
Charlie lived in Chicago during the
winter and only spent Lis Vacations cut
in Indiana on his fathers handsome
country place. So, CT course, icing tho
son Of q rich ma and a dwollcr IL tho
cities. his word had n great weight with
tho boy vino had ncyer tocn farther
away from tho farm than to tho neigh
boring town cf Dexter.
Mr.. Saunders farm Icy next to TIE
railroad, which wound like a great shin
ing seYpout through the woods, the deer
cut beyond the creek mil across the
swamp and OF 10 Chicago, that wonder
full city Of which Jimmy never tired Of
hearing Charities descriptions.
But inst now ,hore was trouble in tie
great city-mobs and strikes and confu-
sion ard chaos almost. Every day tho
boys could bear Mr.. Solners speak Of thu
state Of Affairs TO tho gentlemen who
were visiting him, and all agreed that
there were to be terrible times unless
the city was declared under martial law.
And as the days went on and rumors
Ct fires and killing and destruction float
cd out through the cuiet countryside
Charlie and Jimmy both became groatly
interested in the now9 and piled their
fathers with questions about the great
strike.
"What did you hear in town today,
fatherI" asked Jimmy, having recovered
from his vexation over tho red lantern,
as his father was embarrassing Zcbedee,
the old gray horse.
There's all sorts Of news-tlie worst
goings on in Chicago ever yen heard Of, -
answered his father. "AEd Dexter, too,
is full of Il crowd that's threatening &c
burn the depot. They've overturned
lot Of freight cars and upset things gen.
orally around the station. ] heard folks
saying that soldiers are coming from
New York some time tonight TO re-en
force tho troops in Chicago, and they
were making threats that they shouldn'
KtN ldIllNI AnAn ON&AtAs 4 AA-lilbr
gloomily shaking his head, II dunno
what's going TO happen, bat ! tell yoV
one lhing-I'm glad We don't live il
Chicago, my son.
Jimmy secretly wished they did, 81
that he might see some Of these e~xcitin:
scenes, but as they didn't he tried 4
content himself by going to tho SomeT
country place, half n mile up the road
10 play tag with Charlie in pursuance
Of an engagement made early that morn
ing.
When he went into tho house &c asl
for his playmate, who was not outsid
as usual, he found an excited it'll
group stai-ling about the telephone i
the hall and Mr.. Somers listening in
tently to the unseen mcssengcr.
Perfect panic there tonight, be sal
NJ he dropped the repeater. Troop
fired into the mob this afternoon kilie
bali a dozen people; fires everywhere
wr0cking going Oh aud re-onforcemeni
coming from New York tonight"
"Heilo, JIM" said Charlie, comm
forward. Come on. Let's play Strike
You be a freight car, and I'll DO stril
or and overture you.
This new game was followed awhile
and then Charities fertile brain sugges
Cd another soheDe. "You be q train fu
Of soldiers coming from New York, an
I'll be the mob and stop you"
So Jimmy, with many a loot on
snort and "chug chug." rushed hel
and thore among the %shrubbery, piayin
he was a train. while Charlie pill,
sticks on the track and tagged the traI
and stopped IL with a smart green In
tern from the stable until both boz
were tired out. Tic sun had long sim
set, and the darkoess was coming
fast II must 90 home. Suddenly erie