Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-10-10


we should ''make lots" We talked it
all over, and decided upon "Mrs. Jar
ley's Wax Works" They would be
great novelty in this benighted region.
Some OF us drove over during the
week, and made all necessary ar
rangements. The town hall was en-
gagged, parlor organ promised, and
the ''Simkins boys" said they would
''fix up a curtain" and they would
also put up a notice in the Postotfice.
Squire Simkins sent us an invitation
to stop over night.
As some of us were soongoing away,
an early date was fixed upon. Cos
TUNES of surprising designs were inn
provised. We did not need much re-
hearsingexcept for a "lockstep march"
and '.iack-knife bow" to be used for
the entrances of the choruses.
We carried small trunk containing
our various effects, and felt quite like
troupe" as we drove upto the hall.
We found it the hottest place this side
OF the equator, the hot afternoon sun
pouring in every window. Ghostly
Christmas wreathes hung disconsolate-
ly on the walls. Three smoky, I'M
trimmed lamps were in one corner.
The curtain was made of an old
calico skirt, the fact emphasized by
the pocket still clinging about mid
way. The stage furniture consisted
OF broken chair, small table and q
soap box.
At first we were daunted; then we
We're dauntless, and we went to work
with a will, making curtain with the
shawls we had brought for wagon
cushions, and manufacturing the
various articles we needed. Various
callers dropped in on US, and lent
willing helpiag hand. We were rather
Inundated by the question as to
whether we were TO play thenex week,
and il we had ever been i'll the district
before.
Tired and warm, we left the hall
| late III the afternoon to meet our sup
| per engagement. Such a supper! 1t
was Land in the large, rude kitchen on
a long table convered with oil cloth.
| Not the fatted calf, but the family OK,
! had evidently been sacrificed for the
| occasion, and n large share of him now
| lay steaming at one end of the table,
along which were ranged dishes OF boil
ed potatoes, cabbage, pork, brown
/ bread, soft butter, currants, molasses
and lemonade. Over everything and
everywhere swarmed the flies.
"Paw hasn't he'd time to put in the
screens yet" said Mrs. Simkins,
alphabetically, as she waved a dish
| cloth over the scene.
1t was the first OF August. We muir
muir something about busy time, to
which she replied:
"Oh, 'tisn't that so much, only it
seems like he never gets no time.
Well, it did seem as though ''paw"
hadn't had time for much OF anything.
He had been a bright man in his day,
but in his present twilight and toilet
you would never have suspec ~ it,
Poor ''maw" looked as If the burden
OF life had been heavy on her, especial
~ that day. Her face showed the Ell
fects OF the heat that had been neces-
sary to rost that beef, to winch the
hot stove in the corner also bore wit
nsss.
We did our best to enjoy the feast
the good woman had prepared for US,
and then we escaped to our room,
where new horrors awaited our city
eyes. 1t was little loft with two
hunks made up with pallets, patch
work quilts and calico pillow-cases.
The boys were to sleep in an adj
joining room, and were expected to
make their toilet at the family basin
at the back door, while the girls were
provided with q small mirror and
a tallow candle in a bottle by which
to Crimp their hair.
After overcoming various difficulties,
we repaired to the hall, where to our
delight, goOdly audience was gather
ing. The price of admission had been
fixed at ten cents, as we had been
assured that was all the people could
really afford to pay; the price and
the fact that they "hednt he'd no
show sence the Indian Medicine Man
was here last fall" tended to make
our affair very popular.
Well, the ''show" began and moved
along beautifully. We exhibited The
Siamese Twins, The Big-footed Boy
The Giant Princess, The Little
General, Daniel in the Lions Den,
Mary and her Lamb, and various
other "chestnuts." We sang singly
in pairs, in GLORIOUS; seriously and
/ soy ~ AlO dIlEIGllLtf tNCIy
thing was received most solemnly;
suppose they thought it would be dis.
respectful to laugh, and there was nc
fun in them, anyway. We did sue
coed after while in raising q litter
and at the close applause.
How tired we were! How hot and
hard these beds were! How the mos
quitoes buzzed and bit! Even the
stars which peeked through the chinks
were unmannerly, and stared instead
| of twinkled. At last the crickets ant
| katydids sang ms to sleep with theil
endless dispute as to whether ''sh'
| did" or "she didn't"
| think the sun rose on q specia
, time card the next morning, for w
had no sooner lost consciousness o
, our surroundings than he glared in al
the little uncurtained windows, anC
the flies, nothing daunted by the slair