Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-12-12

"Hea, ems! Why didn't they 60 In u
buggy or carriage? The Idea 6f both II
them riding to church on the same h0rse!
why. It made them appear perfectly
ridiculous, didn't it?" asked schoolgirl.
mo. indeed, 1t did not" promptly ~
sponfed Squire McBee, ut made hel tho
envy Of every girl In the meetin' house
who didn't have beau, and 1t made him
the envy of every man who looked on his
prize tenderly. As for buggies and card.
ages, there wasn't one In this part Of tho
state at that time. Frequently one horse
carried three persons to church, and ttle
young people were always married RI
church, and always on Sunday"
esquire Camp felt that Squire xcBeo
was getting the field, SO he hastelIed .
say: Cotton pickin's were great times
for coffin them" n
.'You don't mean to say that the young
people who composed that society of that
time went into the fields and pic ked
cotton?" said q confederate veteran, Ii
amhzement.
"Well. l should say not" the squire
answered. Don't you know the differences
between cotton pickin' and cotton
pickin'? Cotton pickin' meant the remOv-
ing of the cotton from the planta by TIN
negroes, and cotton pickin' was 6Ocld
gatherin' You must femembor there were
no cotton gins then and the soed ha0to Dc
removed from the lint by hand. Some
body would give cotton pickin party for
this purpose, and invite all the young peO-
pie in the neighbOrhoOd. An immense
fire was built in the big room. The logs
were piled on the huge cast-irOn fire.
dogs until they could be piled no higher,
and light wood knott thrown on to make
blaze. The cotton was piled up in 'front.'
of the fire around the hearth, and when e
was sufficiently dry the young people sat
around it on the floor in half-circle and
removed the seed. 1t was a tedious Job,
but great fun, and, of course, every man
managed to get by his best girl. Many
were the kisses that were exchanged and
sly hand-squeezin's on these occasions. I
think there was more kissin' in those days,
than now, don't you, Squire McBee?"
mo, can't say that do" answered
Squire McBee, as he removed long,
stemmed pipe from his mouth. Il think
the young folks are slyer about it now
than they were then" 81 a @A
"Ma,be that's it," resumed Squire
Camp, ''and then. another thing, We
didn't have any Of these here microbes
then. 1 don't really believe that there
was one of the tarnatiOn things in this
country then, leastways, IL there was W.
never heard Of it down this way, and IL
was q sad time for lovers when the doctors
brought 'e,n here, for think, for my
part, kissin' the right one Is very harm
less, helpful. enjoyable pastime," and
both squires slapped each other again and
winked knowingly.
Well, to 90 on with the cotton rickin's,
refreshments were served sometimes, NOT
always by any MEANS, and when theR
were consisted of chostnuts, COOLERS,
and cider. These gatherings broke up
about eight or nine o'clock in the evening,
unless the whole crowd remained Over
night, which was frequently the case. Ii
SO, the girls slept on pallets in the biz
house. while the boys slept on the hay or
straw in the barn. Ii they went home,
however. each man escorted his best girl.
aud, oh, those long walks with her througi,
the moonlight. or. better still, through
the dark! That man whose girl lived i've
or six miles away was much envied.t'
1--WE got to see the man vet that ia
walk six miles WITH" remarked the en3
gagged girl with defiant look at her sweet
heart. ESQ
"Well don't think THAT'S mucl, harder
work than riding 40 miles with him on one
of those BICYCLES" chuckled the squire,
and then someone begged him to tell how
he won his bride, who has been dead many
q year. Ell
But the squire suddenly remembered
that the barbecue was nearly ready, and
soon those present began to discuss the
viands before them served under the trees
near the spring. The young people did
no end Of talking shout Che barbarism or
old-time courtships.-N. z. Sun.