Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-04-09

patriotism, the most supreme conf
dence in their ultimate success
reigned in every heart. Examples of
the most heroic self-sacrifice were not
lacking. A Japanese mother had
given her three sons to the war The
first was reported slain. She smiled
and said, 1T is well. l am happy"
The second lay dead upon the field.
She smiled again, and said, Il am
still happy" The third gave up hip
life, and they said to her: AT last you
weep!" "Yes!" she said, but it is
because / have no more sons to give
to my beloved country"
Now, this is all very beautiful, but
as my mission in life is laughter in
stead of tears, ! want to say that it
reminds me of little story of our
country and our war-the war of the
great rebellion. When, in answer to
the call for troops, the blood OF our
noble volunteers had been poured out
upon southern fields for three long
years, there arose a class of men
called bounty jumpers" who, acting
as substitutes for drafted men and
taking large sum of money for the
job, sometimes Jumped the bounty"
and disappeared instead of going to
the front to serve Uncle Sam. These
men were subjected to a medical eX-
animation which, in the hands of I'M
scrupulous physicians (who received a
large fee If the man "passed'), was
not always as rigorous as it should be.
A doctor who was seen coming out of
the examining room with a very sour
face was greeted by friend with
Hello, Doc! What's the matter?
Didn't you pass your man."
Pass nothin!"
why, he looked all right"
"All right! Why he was sound as q
nut; but the colonel OF the regiment
suggested we stand him up on a high
table and make him jump to the floor,
and, by Jove! if his COMPOUNDED glass
eye didn't fall out and spoil the whole
BUSINESS"
The working class still cling to the
ancient costume and methods. To-day
ladders are made of bamboo, the rungs
dashed fast with rope, as they have
been made for generations. The
streets are watered with little carts
having row of holes at the back
and pulled by men, who fill them slow
ly and laboriously one bucket at a
time, while the sidewalks are watered
by two perforated buckets, suspended
from a bamboo pole laid across the
shoulders of man, who trots in and
out between the people, turning and
twisting until the walk is thoroughly
sprinkled.
Everything seems to be done the
hardest way and those who work,
work very hard. The few men who
have horse dray never sit and drive,
even when the dray is empty, but al
ways walk ahead, dragging the patient
brute along. Loads are more frequent
ly carried on hand-carts, pulled by
men, women or boys. In going up
hill three or four men will pull or
push, informing sort of droning song
as they work.
In the country districts life in its
most primitive and ancient aspects
may be seen. In the rice fields men
and women work side by side, their
ankles bleeding from contact with the
stubble, welding tools of a pattern as
old as the cultivation of the grain.
The evolution of the new Japan
from the chrysalis OF the old is an in.
teresting study just now. All signs
point toward the springing up Of a
new country, full-hedged, ready TO
spread its bright wings and fly away
from the old that has wrapped il
close for SO many centuries; but the
time is not yet