The independent., 1907-03-14
NEBRASKA ~

few minutes and went out; again
this was repeated, with a sharp click
ing detonation, until it took no big
stretch of imagination to believe that
the trembling figure at our side was
telling the truth. At times the flame
would burst out into beautiful green
sheet, then it would become a small
ball of deep violet and then again 1t
would turn to a beautiful crimson, all
the while accompanied by a stacatto
like tattoo, as if someone from another
world were endeayoring to communi-
cate with us. 1t made a beautiful sight.
Nanny refused to go an inch closer to
the mysterious lights SO we went it
alone. We stood directly beneath the
tree, with sparks falling all around US
TO make. sure we were not asleep, a
spark was allowed to drop into the
palm of our hand, and as a reward we
received a severe burn The mystery
was too deep for us, so we thanked the
superstititous colored lady and went
home, determined to discover the cause
of the mysterious flames from the top
of a growing tree. Calling UP Engineer
Graul of the pumping station the next
day we asked him if he had noticed
the strange phenomenon and he said:
I told the electric light people to take
that - wire out of the tree long ago;
the branches have worn off the insula-
tion.
The warmest argumentative conflict
that has convulsed any portion of the
state in long time is the debate over
the question of county division in Gus
ter county. The chief subject Of dis
cussion is the question of whether the
small or the large county is the more
economical unit of administration. 1t
would seem for practical purposes at
least as important to prove whether or
not being a county seat does or does
not add to the value of property in a
village.
f. B. Upton writes the Seward Inde-
pendent that he finds June the best
month to SOW alfalfa. Says he: 'T have
tried both fall and early spring sowing.
and later. All things considered, have
had the best luck sowing between June
Is and 20. The early sown somehow
gets much weedier than the late sown.
Any farmer knows that about June
10 every weed known to agriculture
gets an extra hump on it in the way
of growing. BY waiting until this
Spring rush is over, you get rid of the
bulk of the weeds. Then, anyone who
ever attended a Fourth Of July cele-
bration knows that between June 20
and July 5 we are apt to have plenty
of moisture. This assures the bringing
up of the seed all together, thus get
ting a good stand, and all the plants of
the uniform age and height. find also
that it is seldom necessary to clip al
falfa sown in June, as it usually holds
its own with the weeds. This is not
true of alfalfa sown in May, which
must sometimes be clipped three on
four times, and observation has shown
me that clipping weakens the young
plants, and destroys myriads OF them.
| shodld therefore strongly advise SOW
ing between June Is and 20. OF course
one can imagine years in which this
would fail, owing to a very dry July
and August, but l will take chances
with this over the earlier or later SOW
ing"
In February, 1881, the Nebraska Leg
islature adopted the following resolu-
ton:
''Be it resolved by the senate and
house of representatives of the state
of Nebraska:
THAT the election of United
States senator by the people would
tend to produce better legislation, avoid
charges of corruption, be more in har-
mony with our state constitution, and
less expensive to the people of the
state.
Therefore our senators and repre-
sentatives in congress are herby re-
quested to use all honorable means to
have an amendment to the constitution
of the United States to that effect
properly brought to the people and
adopted.
Resolved, That the secretary Of
state be and Is hereby instructed to
transfer certified copy of this memo
rial and joint resolution to our senators
and representatives in congress"
Nebraska Is generally credited with
being the pioneer In the direct election
of senator's movement Mr.. Gcre,
founder Of The state Journal was an