The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-07-17
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


summer has seated herself down upon
the billowy hills and undulating wales
Of Jackson county, aud the indications
are that she has come to stay. But we
did not take up the editorial pencil TO
scribble about the heat Of the Summer.
for we have decidedly more tropieal
facts to chronicle than those Of climate.
Last week, as you remember, we wrote
you OF an invitation to lecture on the
Fourth at Willow Springs. Well, we
went and fought and conquered, though
we had no idea Of a battle when we
started in. The evening Of the third,
after we had declined all other invita-
tions for the Fourth, and after those in
terested had sent out posters all over the
country, saying we would "orateu at
Willow Springs, and when il was every
where known that the largest crowd in
Southern Oregon would be gathered at
that point on that day, partly because Of
the promised speech by a woman on the
Declaration Of Independence, the chair
man Of the committee on arrangements.
Wm. NJ. Colvig by name, aud Major on
the staff Of Brigadier- General Ream of
the Oregon militia by brevet; the right
honorable VIM. NJ. Colvlg, whom we
had once honored at a popular public
lecture in Illinois i'm 70 by asking him
to preside, and publicly complimenting
him as a fair specimen Of the average
Oregonian during the meeting; the gall
liant Major, who had stood Up for the
woman question like q man in a COM
munity where the general sentiment in
its favor was so strong that even he
could see that it would be unpopular to
do otherwise, wrote us a note, signed by
his own hand with the names Of the
two other members Of the committee,
and his own (the chairman's) as foot
piece, and curtly informed us that the
committee objected to our using any
portion Of the Fourth 0f July for a
/ speech that was presumed 10 be out OF
the usual order Of such oratlons; they
wanted the afternoon from half-past
I two-the entire time from that hour till
the morning Of the ffth-for dancing,
and their request was not unreasonable,
and they should see that it was complied
with. But it transpired, before the hol-
iday was over, that the "Jelge didn't
know the family"
On the evening Of the third we were
driven over to Willow Springs by Mrs
/ Plymale, our team an elegant turnout
from her good husbands livery stable,
our destination the beautiful country
home Of Mrs. r. McDonough, where we
met the aforesaid chairman and imagi-
nary foot-piece OF the committee, who
talked fairly enough on his own side ol
the question, saying that he had pc
cuniary interest in the dancing hall,
and the lecture would keep a large
number from dancing who would other
wise pay him for tickets for the after.
noon. We soon saw that this was only
a subterfuge, for we offered 10 pay him
in full for every minute Of the Fourth
Of July we should use, and that didn't
suit. SO we finally compromised By
agreeing, with his permission, 70 step
to the stand, before the crowd was dis
persed for dinner, and explain, for the
satisfaction Of the public and our own
justification, that we did not wish "a
occupy the time in cultivaling brains
which time-honored usage had devoted
to heels-or words to that edect-so we
would withdraw the published appoint
ment till a future day. This compro-
mise effected, we possessed our soul in
/ serenity and repaired to the grounds,
where there was some very fair singing
by choir principally ladies, Of course),
and an Grafton by the Hon. Mr.. Langell.
OF his Grafton we can say little, for we
couldn't hear much Of it. Long before
/ it was over the news had spread through
/ the crowd that Mrs. Duniway had been
ruled out by the dancing committee
and the commotion was so great In con-
/ sequence that, though we strained oul
ears TO the utmost, we couldn't even
learn the fate Of the bewitched historic
"hog with six pigs" OF whom he sought
to tell the public nor were we certain
whether he said a word about "an OK
with six calves" OF ga horse with six
colts" or ''a man with six babes" But
we presume the Grafton was first-rate
though it was lost, in the main, on that
audience. But 60 will doubtless be pre-.
served to posterity through printer,
ink, and then we shall know just what
that "hog with six pigs" had to do with
a Fourth Of July celebration. Aftel
some more singing, Major Colvig, pro
tector Of dancing, announced that they
would now adjourn to dinner, aftel
which they would have a horseback
tournament and then the dance, thereby
entirely ignoring his promise to give u:
opportunity to explain to the multitud,
that, in consideration Of the committed:
peeuniary and other interests, we
should postpone our lecture till another
day. And then the commotion in,
creased, and the fun was refreshing
More people Of both sexes and all ages
than we had ever before been introduced
to upon a single occasion, and all tbs
friends we had met before who wer,
present, and their name was legion
kept coming up and asking for tn,
promised speech. We steadily declined
TO infringe upon the prior rights o
heels; but the horseback tournament