The Red Cloud chief., 1905-09-01

DAN Il Ebhos Shh, EhuS' -N'
To The CHIEF:
IL has been many, many months
since | penned an article for the col
umns of The CHEF, but that is no
sign / have forgotten it, for it is a vel
conn visitor to our western home
every week, containing as 1t does all
the news of my home for thirty years.
Perhaps I would not be writing this
letter today had 1t not been that my
mind was carried back to Nebraska's
hills and valleys more wildly yester-
day than it has been at any time since
leaving the Corn state.
The reason Of my memory being
turned to things Of long ago was the
annual picnic of the Nebraska Associ-
alton of Southern California, which
met yesterday at Long Beach, n of
the beautiful beach resorts for which
this part of the state is so famous.
In this association are enrolled the
names of over 5000 people who have
at some time in their life lived in Neb-
raska. This seems like a large num-
Der, but in all probability not IA third
of the Observation-Disclosures in this part
of the state have their names on that
book, because it seems like at least
half the people II meets here have Mt
some time In their life lived in Neb-
raska.
Probably IA third of the society, 1000
people, we're gathered yesterday on
the beautiful strand of the Pacific at
this spot, and to say that they enjoyed
themselves would be putting it very
mildly. 1t seemed as though people
from every walk of Nebraska life were
in attendance. Bankers and lawyers
smoking black cigars, some accompa-
MED by their wives dressed in rustling
silks, and some alone, promenaded the
strand too digni6ed to disport them
selves in the rolling surf as did "A
thousand others. Old farmers with
bent fingers, calloused by years of
gripping the corn pillow, the fork han
die and the garden hoe, soon gathered
in little knots and their talk drifted to
cattle, hogs and corn Occasionally a
whole family would be seen trudging
the walks or sands together, the chill.
dren importuning the father to buy
ice cream, popcorn or some Of the
many d~elicacies offered at every turn.
Quite often a young couple, evidently
on their wedding journey, or an elder.
ly man and a young woman, he partic-
ularly solicitous of her welfare and
constantly asking if the salt sea breeze
was too cool for her, could be seen
arm in arm or walking close together,
the latter instance showing that every
effort was being put forth to make life
more pleasant for the second wife than
foundation for IA competency was be-
ing laid in Nebraska's early days.
These were the visitors, but most of
those persons now live here.
The forenoon was given over to bath
ing, either in the surf or plunge, and
many hundreds of both sexes partici.
pated, filling the air with startled
shrieks and "Ohs!' as the breakers
rolled in upon them. Bathers of all
sizes and ages, from the tot of two to
the grandmother of eighty, raced up
and down the beach, padded in the
foamy water or disported themselves
on the clean, white sand, out of reach
of the combers.
In the afternoon the meeting was
held on the end of the pleasure pier in
a fine room a thousand feet from
shore and over blue water thirty feet
deep in which could be seen myriads
OF the fnny tribe. The meeting was
called to order by Judge Morris, a
former well known lawyer of Crete,
Neb., and a very pleasant and able
man. Songs were sung and different
orators were introduced who spoke a
few moments each of former Nebraska
life. Among others was a Frenchman
named Moriarity, who was a we'll
known lawyer at Indianola during the
sos. He made a good speech and was
loudly cheered. A MIR. McGrew of
Lexington also gave Il spirited ad.
dress,
The speaking did not last long and