Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1905-01-27
POLLY LARK|N

What Is the matter with old Mother
Earth that she should treat the infant
year 1905, yet in its swaddling clothes,
so numerically Such vicious shakes
it has received, one after the other,
sometimes six chastisements in one
night. The residents of this vicinity
are all in sympathy with 1905. l have
yet to find a single person who con-
fesses to being fond of earthquakes.
The old year tried to die hard, and for
few hours walled, shrieked and
moaned round the houses, turned UNI
brellas wrong side out, and shed tears
enough to almost flood the city, then
its better nature got the best of its tenn
pest tossed soul, and it went smilingly
out, radiant in sunshine for its last
day. Possibly it was taking savage
delight at the idea of how old Mother
Earth was going to show her partiality
for 1904 by giving 1905 such disagree
able reception, that San Francisco and
the coast towns would not soon forget.
The streets were crowded, packed and
jammed by rollicking, happy, good
natured people who buried strangers
and friends alike in confetti; and rung
cow bells, blew horns and made noise
and racket with every blood curdling
instrument they could get hold of, as
they waited to bid adieu to the old
year, and then with deafening cries of
" Happy New Year" and a conglomer-
alton of noises heralded the new year
1905. Steam whistles and bells from
different buildings joined in the jubilee
of proclaiming the advent of the year
which contains promises of better
things, success achieved where failures
were met with last year, the turning
over of new leaves, to be blackened by
back-sliding within the next twenty
four hours. Even though the better
thoughts for a pure and more blameless
life only lasted few minutes, who
will say they were not better for hav-
ing them take possession of their hearts
for the moment. The incense arising
from purer and better thoughts left q
memory of something sweet in their
lives.
l heard one young boy say, "My,
but | won't do anything to the old
year, but help ring it out of existence,
and [ will pound tin cans and blow
whistles for two hours before it goes
out, to try and hurry it up. 1 have a
grudge against 1904, for it has been a
hard year on me. 1t robbed me of my
mother, the only living relative had
on earth. Took her just when 1 was
able to make it easier for her, and she
would not have to work SO hard. I
had studied and kept up with my
school work while 1 tried to do some
little outside work, but that was very
little help to her. She insisted on my
school until graduated from
the Grammar school. l did that and
was not ashamed of my record when 1
handed it to my mother. Then 1 got
a position at a good salary for begin
ner, and before had an opportunity
of handing her my first wages, which
1 had been counting on with so much
pleasure for years, mother took pneu-
monia and died in less than a week. l
tell you there is not much to live and
work for when fellow loses his mother
and she is all he's got. 1t makes you
bitter and cross with the whole world.
1t would not have been so bad even If
| could have seen her enjoying little
rest and taking it easy while took
care of her. Yes, Pm glad the old year
is gone, never to return"
The death angel has knocked at the
door of many, and there are vacant
chairs, and something gone out of our
lives never to return. Yet, would we
call them back II we could? They
have passed out Of the shadows and
of lie into the world
beautiful. They have laid down many
crosses to receive crown and eternal
life. 1t is just over there and it brings
no naorar tA tho hrirht ka1,onI c~I