The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1900-01-20

ANo", ~ 10 yum oohkShoeS W
mention drop curtains to Lincoln pub
lie. There are some unfortunate men,
cries connected with the subject. But
one who has suffered before the Foun-
tain Of Youth horror can all the more
enjoy the Indian scene at the Overland.
The attack upon the stage coach which
is pictured there is historical. The
event occurred down on the Blue and is
recalled by all old timers. The draperies
OF Indian blankets, the border Of moca-
sin work, and the collection OF Indian
weapons are in keeping with the main
picture. The old coach is attacked by
q band of warriors dressed. as TO their
heads, with the usual fsathery toggery,
and undressed as to their bodies, like
real Indians" Their weapons are bows
and arrows, but one fellow sports a re-
volver. harbirger Of civilization. A few
buffalo skulls just sticking out Of the
sand are suggestive. The stage horses
are going at terrible pace. in spite OF
the fact that their legs look as il they
were done up in canvas leggings. The
artist was hardly Rosa Bonheur. A
critical old stage driver says that the
picture is all wrong. The country OF
the Blue is not rightly represented. the
bushes look too much like sage brush.
Then, he says, Indians did not attack
stage iu such country on foot. Well, it
is only drop curtain and too much may
not be required. The spirit which sug-
gested the scene is praiseworthy. 1t
points 40 moral, appeals to no passion;
it simply reminds US of old tales which
every day grow older and slip further
away into our own history.
The present fad for Indian pictures in
calendars and works OF art to frame in
red mats and moulding and hang on
your walls seems to me curious. Mr..
Rhinehart and other Indian painters
have pictures to sell. the Indian still
stands as typical of the west, though
why, cannot say, unless it be that old
ideas die hard, and we of the west regard
him as a relic of our past, therefore in
teresting- But the pictures are not
pretty, they bring no satisfaction. IG-
deed, believe the main use for these
curios would be to send them back east
to friends who would know without any
explanations from you that they were
some neighbors of yours. 1t would az
ford them much pleasure, am sure.
At the top of the arch above the stage
of The Overland is a small tree with the
motto, PLANT trees" Now. l am dis
posed to quarrel little with the apos
tie of the forest for putting the insist
ent preachment up there. / do not
know whether it was meant that the
planting OF trees would prevent all fu-
ture attacks upon stage-coaches by the
noble red men. Unless that is the
meaning hardly see the timeliness of
the moral. Mr.. Morton's work in the
interest Of our forests is worthy Of much
praise. The Conservative editorial re-
garding the slaughter Of the innocent
little spruce and cedar trees for the
Christmas festival should have been
copied in every paper in the country
though am not sure that much could
be accomplished with a world still
chained to tradition. But that motto
in the theater makes me nervous. l feel
guilty, and ponder whether it is meant
that l should go get my spade that very
night and plant an apple tree. Then,