The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-02-27
THE RED LANTERN.

"Why, my son, I thought red Lam
tern would tickle you to death.
"Naw, F" returned Jimmy, contemptu-
ously. 81 wanted one with green light.
They re twice as NICE.
'.Well, now, that's strange" said
John Saunders, looking at his boys
disappointed face. "When ! was u
youngster, liked anything if twas red
Ia red wagon, sled, top. As long as
there was some red about it thought
twas stylish and first class.
Red is SO common" said Jimmy,
with great airs.
go long" said the father. AREN'T
you ashamed, sir? That's the sort Of airs
you learn from playing with boys that
have money-at least their fathers have.
Red common. Well, so am common; !;
SOS your ma, and, for the matter Of
that, SO are you, too, I reckon. Don't
forget that, Jimmy. You re the son Of a
laboring man. Don't try to ape folks
who are better off in this world
Jimmy Saunders picked up the de-
spised lantern and went out to the barn
with it. His father had Just returned
from the town with few purchases for
the family and among them this lantern,
which was not up to Jimmy's ideas Of
lanterns. He wanted one with bright
green light and nickel trimmings like
the one used at Mr.. Somers' stables.
Charlie Somers said they were much
nicer than red lanterns, which were
common looking and only used by rail
road men. And what Charlie Somers
said was law to Jimmy Saunders
Charlie lived in Chicago during the
winter and only spent his vacations out
in Indiana ON his fathers handsome
country place. So, of course, being the
son Of rich man and dweller in the
cities, his word had great weight with
the boy who had never been farther
away from the farm than to the neigh
boring town of Dexter.
Mr.. Saunders farm lay next to the
railroad, which wound like great shin
ing serpent through the woods, the deep
cut beyond the creek and across the
swamp and on to Chicago, that wonder
full city of which Jimmy never tired of
hearing Charlie's descriptions.
But just now there was trouble in the
great city-mobs and strikes and oonfu-
sion and chaos almost. Every day the
boys could hear Mr.. Somers speak Of the
state of affairs to the 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
of fires and killing and destruction float
! ed out through the quiet countryside
Charlie and Jimmy both became greatly
interested in the news and piled their
fathers with questions about the great
strike.
"What did you hear in town today,
father?" asked Jimmy, having recovered
from his vexation over the red lantern,
as his father was embarrassing Zebedee,
the old gray horse.
There's all sorts Of news-the worst
goings on in Chicago ever you heard off,
answered his father "And Dexter, too,
is full of q crowd that's threatening to
burn the depot. They've overturned a
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 the troops in Chicago, and they
were making threats that they shouldn't
get farther than Dexter. I dunno"
gloomily shaking his head, 81 dunno
what's going to happen, but tell you
one thing-I'm glad we don't live in
Chicago, my son.
Jimmy secretly wished they did, SO
that he might see some of these exciting
scenes, but as they didn't he tried to
content himself by going to the Somers
country place, half mile up the road,
to play tag with Charlie in pursuance
Of an engagement made early that morn
ing.
When he went into the house to ask
for his playmate, who was mot outside
rs usual, he found an excited little
group standing about the telephone in
the hall and Mr.. Somers listening in
teDtly to the unseen messenger.
Perfect panic there tonight, he said
rs be dropped the repeater. Troops
fred into the mob this afternoon killed
half dozen people; fires everywhere;
1Iwrecking going on and re-enforcements
coming from New York tonight.
Hello, Jim," said Charlie, coming
4 forward. "Come on. Let's play strike
tou be freight car, and I'll be strik
y and overturn you"
This new game was followed awhile,
ond then Charles fertile brain suggest
- another scheme. "You be a train full
~ soldiers coming from New York. and
3 I'll be the mob and stop you.
" So Jimmy. with many toot and
<Gnort and "chug ching" rushed here
*1nd there among the shrubbery. playing
Z ~ wus train, while Charlie piled
&Cljckx on the truck aud tagged the train
~ stopped it with smart green lam
1sn from the stable until both boys
oge sirsd ont. The snn had long since
~ md the darkness was coming ON
'fl mast 80 home. " suddenly cried