The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-10-12
W BLOOMFIELD, PA. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 70, 1880.

affair. 1t had been talked of for months.
Invitations had been sent far and near.
The elite of the country had all been
invited, and, as there was but one class
as yet, none grieved because they did
not belong to the first set.''.
The candles had not spluttered fifteen
minutes before the neighbors began to
arrive, and were soon all there, for the
future town of Duncannon was then in
its infancy. The smoking chimneys
and groaning engines were yet buried in
the earth and only half dozen log
houses showed the site of the future
town. Soon the joyous laugh could be
heard as the young folks gathered. Some
walked, but the majority rode. Buggies
were unknown in those parts, conse-
quently horses had to take their place,
and few were the horses that arrived
that evening which had not double
burden, always male and female.
Strange as such mode of conveyance
might appear now, it was very favorite
one among the young folks in those
days. Nothing was simpler; each girl
possessed riding cushion" which
was made of some gay material and
arranged to be strapped on the horse
behind the saddle. Whenever jour-
ney of any distance was intended, the
faithful swain would bride and saddle
his horse and gallop to the house of his
passenger, where he was always certain
to find her awaiting his arrival with
cushion in hand. To strap it behind
his saddle took but moment, to ride to
the horseblock and get her on, but a
moment more, but to prevent his hearts
bursting as she clasped him around the
waist to keep herself on, was often the
hardest task of all. Thus mounted,
they rode in the good old times and were
happy.
The guests arrived rapidly, and by
eight o'clock, all that might be expected
were there. In the meantime, the cider
had been placed in the huge kettles, and
a roaring fire made under them. The
time had now arrived for dissolving the
apples, and basketful after basketful was
emptied into the boiling cider.
Four willing hands grasped each stir
rer and with many jokes and happy
laughter, spun the thickened cider
around. These stirrers were relieved at
the end of every few minutes, until the
butter was done, which was not till far
in the night.
The boiling of the butter was only a
secondary object of the gathering. The
primary object was fun and innocent
enjoyment. And they determined not
to be disappointed. For already the
notes of violin and the sound of quick
moving feet could be heard in the house,
while the apples and cider ever went
round, without
We will now leave them till L intro
duce you to two of their number, John
Thompson and Juliet Weston. John
was young farmer, with good pros
poets. He had broad shoulders, dark
hair, blue eyes, fair complexion, and a
pleasant voice. Just such a man as
half the girls these days, picture to
themselves and call their ideal" He
was worth looking at the second time,
so the girls thought, for nature rarely
endows one mortal with more pleasing
appearance. Juliet Weston was beau
tiful girl. The simplicity of her dress
but added charms to her appearance.
She was not tall but was as graceful as a
princess. She was brunette, but her
cheeks outrivaled the roses. Her hair
fell in graceful curls of raven blackness
almost to her waist. Her eyes were
dark and her smile angelic. To see her
was to admire her, to know her was to
love her.
John Thompson and Juliet Weston
had met in the past summer, and now
were lovers. John had brought Juliet
behind him on his horse, this evening,
and, as they come along, had told her of
his love, asking her to be his wife,
and while she trembled for joy, she had
sweetly said "yes."
John was happy tonight, and so was
Juliet, and their laughter rang out the
gayest of the gay. 1t was their forms
which were seen the oftenest in the
dance and received the greatest number
of tags in the ring. But they wearied
at last of these violent games, and rest
ing themselves they began the game of
button. The forfeits came in rapidly
and the auctioneer was soon crying for
their owners. Juliet's was the first
exposed, and she took two commands
and one question.
Hl,a .>.oekn. owoea N ,.I ,..tkl. =.