Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-01-17
WIDOW LOCKERY.

I made her acquaintance at an Old
Settlers reunion. The club, which held
its yearly meetings at Gershom, was
composed of the surviving pioneers of
1889. All persons who, either as adults or
children, had settled in the district COW
cred by the organization previous to or
within that year, were entitled to enroll
ment.
A group of men were discussing wheat
prospects. They seemed to belong to that
class in whom the uncertainty of the
farmers hope had bred condition of
chronic foreboding. One said the wheat
was too strong, and would all be lodged ="
before harvest. Another thought the re-
cent rains would produce trust in the
stalk" A third predicted a hot, dry
time, that would cause it to q fire at the
root"
Old Seth Householder had been a re-
markedly good shot in his time. We
paused in our saunter to hear him tell
about it. He was a grotesque old man,
WIN NttlbN 1871, cutting IldiI, ldi1lll8 over
the collar of his clean calico shirt
- presume theirs good many old fellers
here" said he, that minds about the dog
gerry Hank Sloan KEEP over on the old State
road. He KEEP little stock of grocery,
too, and about once a fortni't he'd hev a
shootin' match. He'd tie up bundles OF
tea, and terbacker, and sugar and we'd
shoot for 'em. Well one afternoon in the
beginnin' of winter-it was the 3lst of No
vember, if mind right-Hank had shoot
Ther' was Just - of them packages, and
when the match was out, and Hank told
'cm over, all but four was marked $. House
holder Vas, that was rather fair shoOtin'
/ tell vou, gentlemen its all in the optic
nerve of the eve. Theirs WHARF ii lays"
The band began playing on the ros-
trum, and the multitude moved towards the
music.
Should aud acquaintance he forgot,
And never called to mind
should auld acquaintance be forgot.
And the days of Aud Lang Syne ~
The sweet horns seemed to speak the
very words
There was roll-call answered to in voices
VARYING from the robust, mellow tones Of
middle age to the feeble quayer of the
octogenarian. A brief biographical
obituary Of late member vas read. Then
the orator of the day was introduced
After the speech came the basket dinner
under the trees. The afternoon was de
voted TO music and storytelling. An aged
farmer named Manning said;
was Jhe first white settler in Deer
Lick township. Things was middlin' on
handy long at first. What nd folks think
now Of driving thirty miles for a bag OF
seed wheat and two Plow pints did
that in '31-druv II with oxen, too. It
was powerful hard work clearin' up my
land-timber SO heavy and help so scarce.
I had one hired man that did me heap
Of good lie was only a boy, but he was
! good one, strong-tisted and kcen-witted
He'd chop all day and study his books till
10 o'clock at night He's here to-day,
friends, and maybe some of you knows
who J mean. It's Judge Tazewell, there
on the platform. He split and laid up the
been to Congress since, and I'm proud 10
say he's as honest i law-maker a. he was
a ieuce-maker. J propose three cheers for
the rail-splittcr OF the old Tenth District
They were given with energy, and Judge
/ AEthti came uoN n tul SIepk ildiItAS WIN
Uncle Eli Manning.
The President OF the Club then asked
how many in the assembly had any per-
sonal recollection Of a two days hunt for a
lost child in the autumn Of Al,
Answer Sunday-9chool fashion, aaid
he and about half a dozen hands went MP.
% Is the Widow Lockery here he next
inquired
" ! reckon she is, came The answer in
woman's voice from somewhere in the
crowd.
Mrs.. Lockery,' continued the Pre-i-
dent, found the lost child, and If she viii
tell Us all about il, /, for one, will he much
pleased. have vague impression Of the
terror which the hunt produced, and tho
excitement it aroused in my childish
mind but | do not remember that / ever
heard the occurrence fully described by
any one who took part in the search.
He glanced again in the direction whence
came that prompt response, and sat down.
4 tall, straight woman arose from her
seat, walked slowly down the aisle between
the rude benches, and took position fac
ing the people. She seemed IN no hurry
to begin her story hut deliberately took of
her starched bonnet and laid ii on the grass
beside her. She was the most remarkable
parsonage / had seen that day Though
fully 70 wears old, She was as erect as an
Indian, and gave one the impression Of
great physical power Her iron-grav hair
grew low over her forehead, and was gath
cred into great, rough-looking knot at
the back of her head, and secured in its
;1isoe by brass comb. Her complexion
ras ssarthy, and her dark eyes were
shaded by darker brows which almost met