The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-06-23

came to the rescue.
Social entertainments were given, to
which all contributed to furnish refresh
ments, and by winning ways, which only
ladies could devise,a sum sufficient to
buy laths and nails was raised. The work
of mailing on lath was not an unknown
art in a new country, where not many
houses are finished before they are occu-
pied, and upon comparing notes it was
found that n number Of ladies had lent a
hand at this work. So these enterprising
ladies resolved that they themselves dc
the work Of lathing the church. At an
appointed day each week a company of
ladies would gather Mt the new church,
each provided with a hammer, and what
was better, the c~apability to use it. But
they did not work alone. The presence
of several pretty girls was sufficient to
draw several young men to their assist
ance, while older ones came, probably
from pure generosity, and it was not found
necessary for any lady to ascend a step
ladder, but their presence was considered
actually necessary for the accomplish
ment Of the work.
A newspaper reporter from the east
happened to visit the town during the
time the work was in progress, and
thought it of sufficient interest to write
up, but even he missed the fun and en-
joyment that both old and young man.
aged to get out of this novel procedure.
After this was lone q series of sociables,
mite societies, etc., were kept up for a
year or more, and principally through
them the building was completed and
furnished throughout. Although a Con-
gregational church, the liberality shown
by citizens in building it was not forgot
ten, and it was always open to other de-
nominations, when not occupied by the
services of the Congregationalists.
THE COURTS.
The courts for the dispensation of law
and sometimes justice-partook of the
rude and unfinished character of their
surroundings. Especially was this the
case with the town or Justices courts.
The justices were not all men of law, or
even of learning, and the pettifoggers,
who aped the practice of the law, were
not exactly graduates of II law college.
As a consequence, preference, in some
cases, and upright justice in other cases,
influenced decisions more than mere tech
nicalities of law; and the chances are
that Right stood as fair a show for gain
ing the day then, when courts were but
as experiments and law was bunglingly
dispensed, as it does where everything
runs smoothly and all the crooks and
turns of law are thoroughly understood.
Many ~laughable and grotesque Incl
dents are still kept in memory of the pro-
ceedings of pioneer courts, and even ut
the time their rough humor was not
unappreciated. The judge thought it in
cumbent on him to preserve order, and if
it was done occasionally at the expense of
knocking a man down. it was not thought
to interfere with the dignity Of the court.
An instance of this kind is related as hav-
ing occurred at Grand Rapids. A man in
the court room became boisterous, and
the judge left his seat, and taking him by
the collar, with no gentle movement of
hand and foot, landed him out into the
street. A passer-by made some remark
On the proceeding, to which the Judge re-
sponded: "Oh, that is nothing! 1 have
to knock a man down almost every day,
but the dignity of this court mast be re-
spected"
The times of holding circuit court in
new counties was held as a general gala
day by all the citizens, and every means
was resorted to to get all the fun and en-
joyment out of it that was possible, and it
would be nc wonder If business suffered a
little in consequence. Among other means
resorted to to %enliven the time were mock
lodges, which were generally carried on
every evening during court week, both
judge and jury, and lawyers taking a
part. The chief item Of these lodges was
the initiation. Any one who wal suspect
ed OF being a little green was 'roped in"
with plausible tales of the benefits to be
derived by becoming a member of the
lodge, and induced to join. He would be
led into a room, around which sat rows of
solemn looking masked figures, and put
through a series of ceremonies and ques-
tionings devised for the occasion. If he
proved verdant enough, his whole private
history, especially that Of such a nature as
he would be most 10th to tell, was drawn
out by solemn questionings and assur-
ances that such information was absolute
ly essential. The victim, being blind
fold, would be asked if he "believed in
the elevation of mankindT If he re-
piled in the affirmative, he would be
seized, placed in a stout blanket, and four
men, one at each corner, would proceed to
'elevate" him. This was but n specimen
the performance to which the candidate
was subjected, all accompanied by solemn
words and responses by the masked ac-
tors. The length of the ceremonies de-
pended upon how much the candidate
would stand. One man was taken in and
presently began to "smell a mice" Turn
ing to the crowd he said: "If 1 have a
friend in this room, l will take it
rs a kindness If he will kick me out"
No further ceremonies were needed. The
candidate was Immediately taken into full
membership, and was ready to help initi-
afa othore