Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-04-30
THE RED LANTERN.

ooh, pshaw, popl What made you get
a red one?'
"Why, my SOB, ! thought a red lan-
tern would tickle you to death.
"Naw," returned Jimmy, contemptu-
ously. 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 I was u
youngster, l liked anything if twas red
"a red wagon, sled, top. As long as
there was some red about it I thought
twas stylish and first class. y
cred 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 a few purchases for
the family and among them this lantern,
which was not up to Jimmy's ideas of,
lanterns. He wanted one with a bright;
green light and nickel trimmings like.
the one used at Mr.. Somers' stables.
Charlie Somms 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 i'll 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 aud a 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 Charities descriptions.
But just now there was trouble in the'
great city-mobs and strikes and confu-
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 Of. ,"
answered his father. "And Dexter, too.
is full Of u crowd that's threatening to-
burn the depot. They've overturned a,
lot Of freight cars and upset things gen.
orally around the station. I 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, II dunno
what's going to happen, but I 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.
WHICH, AC WOuv IulO tuo uOu60 W asA
for his playmate, who was not outside
as usual, he found an excited little
group standing about the telephone in
the hall and Mr.. Somers listening in
tently to the unseen messenger.
Perfect panic there tonight, he said.
as he dropped the repeater Troops
fred into the mob this afternoon killed
half dozen people; fires everywhere;
wreoking going OH and re-enforcsments
coming from New York tonight. !"
Hello, Jim," said Charlie, coming
forward. "Come on. Let's play strike.
You be freight car, and I'll be strik-
or and overturn you.
This new game was followed awhile,
and then Charles fertile brain suggest.
ed another scheme. "You be train full
Of soldiers coming from New York, and
ri be the mob and stop you.
So Jimmy, with many toot and
snort and "chug chug," rushed here
and there among the shrubbery. playing
he was train, while Charlie piled
sticks on the track and tagged the train
and stopped it with smart green Ian
tern from the stable until both boys
were tired out The sun had long since
vet, and the darkness was coming on
fast. II muDt 60 home, " suddenly cried