The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-03-08
THE OLD-TIMER.
"reminiscences of a Washington County
Pioneer Who Game With the Valiant
Little Band of Quarter Of Century
Ago.
NO. vi.

NO. vi.
In early days the Fourth was the
principal holiday of the year. Peo-
pie lived so far apart that the summer
was the best time for all to get to-
gether for general Publication. This
time | am telling about, the settlers of
the Weiser valleys decided that Cud-
dy's mill would be the best place for
our celebration; so for some time be-
fore all were busy preparing for the
festal day After the fnery was all
made and packed ready for the occa-
sion, then the housewives tried to
Guido each other in filling the great
hampers with eatables of all kinds.
There were whole boiled hams lying
side by side with numerous roasted
fowl, hanked by a goodly array of
pies, cakes, tarts, jars of pickles and
many other dainties. The third saw
a line of wagons from each valley
vending its way to Cuddy's mill
Many of them camped close by, while
Others stayed over night with their
Salubria friends. An anvil salute of
thirteen guns at day woke us all
up. By ten O'Clock big crowd had
assembled at the mill A beautiful
grove surrounded the buildings at the
mill, in one of which a floor was laid
for the dance at night. The orator of
the day was a young man of Lower
Weiser, who had been east for year
or so attending school. His grafton
was considered excellent by all, for
while he flew the eagle high he held
the reins of fancy with steady hand,
and in sweeping circles of polished
rhetoric gently drew him down again
to this mundane sphere. Not so with
another old-time orator now living in
Weiser, who found his ideas refused
to materlalize fast enough, and if it
had not been for the race track being
close by would have been forced to
take a back seat. AS it was near
time for the first race to come off, he
when he found himself unable to
proceed-stopped and hollered, "Look
outl here they GOMEZ The most of
the crowd rushed pellmell over to the
track, but finding it a false alarm came
back, where the orator had by this
time thought of something to say.
He worked that scheme couple of
times and sat down covered with
glory; but our young man did not
need any such aid, and all agreed in
saying it was well delivered grafton.
Whether the immortal declaration was
read or not, | cannot remember. but
am inclined to think not, as sitting
still so long without chance to APP
plaud did not suit us. Then the
Star Spangled Banner" floated on
the breeze, and other patriotic songs,
after which the long tables, covered
with toothsome edibles, were set un-
der the trees. The girls waited on
the tables, and if some of the viands
were dropped in the plate of some
bashful swain, the timid 'sexcuse me"
was met by an emphatic 'you bet!"
| told you once before there wasn't
much style, and this reminds me of a
very bashful and rather awkward
young man who was there then-he
outgrew it, however-who never put
his foot down but on someone's toe,
and it was funny to watch him in
grand right and left. Every time he
changed hands he stepped on some.
ones toes and just as often said
couch for them He seemed to
think that the expression was needed
there, though | am afraid some of
his victims thought, if they did not
say it, something more forcible.
After dinner everybody visited, for
we were social crowd. Little
groups were scattered around every
where and, like kaleidoscope, con
stantly changing, for there were no
exclusive sets. OF course the bows
and girls NOW | am going to use a
suggestive western phrase) who were
"stnck' on one another kept pretty
well to themselves, and | can't say
the old maids and the old bachelors
did the same, as you could never find
one of the latter who would admit for
moment he was old, and as for the
former there was only one there that
day, and little anecdote of her will
bring to the minds of many Miss F.
Some years later, as she was leaving
Idaho, she had occasion TO pass toll
gate on Powder river. She was
horseback, her relatives being ahead
in wagon. She rode up and said:
elbow much for man and horse?"
"Fifty cents, ma'am. 80 well, you
won't charge anything for an old
maid and mare, will your and she
went on before the astonished gate
keeper could collect his senses. She
was the only old maid in the country
for Years and | am sure is, if still
living, an old maid now. When
night came the gas was turned on,
consisting Of plenty of candles, fas-
tened to the sides of the hall, and the
orchestra tuned up. l think Frank
Hubbard and the Alternately boys
played that night and Jim Gray
called, and they were "a combina-
ton, 7. c. Galloway used to say,
"that would make anyone dance "
S-WOl-ld.s Fair.