The pioneers who came to Sheridan county, and the children of those pioneers, had within them the blood of independence and self-sacrifice. They had stood the test of early years, and they met the test in the supreme trials of war. The people gave of their time, their means and their own blood. The liberty loans were met and passed in regular order, the thrift and war savings drives went as usual in western Nebraska, the Red Cross and other

volunteer workers met with cordial assistance and never failed to go over the top.

Two ways were open for the boys to enter the national army, by the volunteer route and by induction through the draft. Before the draft law became effective many had enlisted, and others not in the first draft, sought service by voluntary induction. The record of •the draft in Sheridan county was happily kept by Miss M. Gillespie, in a most complete manner. And in 1920, the assessors were instructed to list all the volunteers whose names do not appear in the regular draft lists. Thus

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Sheridan county has a list of the boys who went into the war, far more nearly complete, than any county of the Panhandle, which it has been the privilege of the editor to examine. The state wide instruction to assessors, to do as Sheridan county has already done, is a trifle belated, but is better by far than not doing at all. Even then there will be a possibility of omissions.