The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-02-04
Those D0ings at lgarseIl!es,

Last IEiody evening IL occurred 70 bowman
that the nights were bright, the sleiyhinx ele.
giant, and many ladies around town dying to be
"sleighed,' drive to M.rseiles dance and
supper would be good things to DO. Accordingly
a number OF ladies and gentleman were duly
paired off in small slsighs, and twenty persons,
male and female, were loosely thrown into four.
horse sleigh, driven by Jo Rhodes and his as
sistant.
The party got started at eight o'clock, and
away they went to the lively jingle of the sleigh
bells on the horses, as we'll as the sIvery music
of the sleigh JeleS that were in the sleghs Jokes
and songs, witticisms, and ciass that were not 50
witty, aud good time not at al marred by
the oft recurring danger of an upset, prevailed
extensively. AT langth Marseilles was reached,
the precious freight deposited in the parlors of
the "Beckwith Hotol," moment for the ladies
to six" and the gentlemen to stroke out their
tangled moustaches, what tangled them I'VE
sin't going to tell, and all repaired to Smiths
Hall, where dancing was being done Here were
a number OF ITarseiil,s lads AMI las,as, the most
of whom, however, disappeared after the
Ottawa party entered.
The following are the Ottawa gents, each of
whom had lady, either his wife, sister, or some.
body clse's wife or sister, or soae lady who would
make some wife.
Cha.. Blanchard, Henry Nash and lady, VIII
Bryant and lady, f. C. Prescott, W. o. Budd
and lady, Samuel Porter and lady, John McKin.
lay and lady, Geo. Hull and lady, D. Hall and Ia
dy, w. L. Bowman an lady, Geo. livery and lady,
Henry Cotton and lady. Col. H,peman and lady,
Mr. Lamb and lady. Mr. Freeman and lady Mr.
Drew and lady, +. Murphy and lady, Theo.
Gibson and lady, "Si" Leland and lady, George
Cushman and lady, and Warren Riale and lady.
Our lady was Beemus, and she was horribly
rude and impudent.
When we went to tho Bsckwith house to sup.
per we were frequently shocked at her behavior.
She ate fourteen kinds of pio--becan with pie
and finished with pic She persisted in thrust
ing her dirty fingers into everything, and wiping
them off on our pants, which cir wore. She talk.
ed loud and said: Gosh, amt them oysters
hunkey! Say, mister, sling me another daub of
that are sass-its hunkoy.' She called tsrts
"thingumbobs, with y.ller stuff in EN-" Want.
ed to know 'if dried apple pie would give fell
, lsr the beller. ache !" When we take her again
she will know it.
The supper was good, and the landlords and
| their excellent ladies and assistants spared no
trouble or pains to please every one, and We can
assure them: that their efforts rewarded with
! success.
We started home at A. NJ, and made the
lovely night vocal with songs and laughter. At
| eyery farmers house along the road some one
shouted: Say, mistor, don't you want to buy
rooster ?"
! We can't think OF u thousanIth part OF the fun
we had, or the good jokes that were perpetrated.
We do remember hearing one wag, who was try
ing to huddle UP under the buffalo robes cry ont
peevishly, "Such girls to kick the clothes of, l.
never before s-lcighed with"
On another occasion, when all the songs in the
books had been sung at, and one chap struck up
that touching domestic ballad, 80, mother, nay
20 out to swim "Ycs nay dearest daughter" "
was interrupted by fellow who imploringly
said: "You may omit the next two lines on ac-
count of the weather being so cold.
We have not forgotten how Sam Z. laid his
head upon our favorlte corn, and sang bass with
such effect that he Jared boots off, and caus-
ed them 70 swell so that We can't wear 'em even
to this day.
We arrived home, without an upset, at last, all
but Mr. Porter and Mr.. Hull, and ladies, who,
when driving up to Mr.. Porter's door, were
treated to . splendid upset, being turned out up.
on their heads in the snow.
Whsu they had landed, and had discovered
that NO one was hurt, the driver gravely remark.
ed: That fills the bill :" and so il did.