Iron County register., 1895-02-14
Old Times.

Old Times.
Ed. Register-In my last article
spoke of that fellow that thought he
had had call to preach. Well, that
day, after he had given up preaching.
Old Pard and another fellow and my
self went home with the three sisters
that belonged to the old man that
built the horse mill, and that night.
after supper, we all got in the main
part of the house. The house was a
large hewed log house, about twenty
four by thirty. Had three beds on the
back side of the room, and the stairs
went up from the corner one side of
the fireplace. Under those stairs was
a nice. warm, cosey place to sit and
warm and get out of everybody's way.
On that Sunday night they had a
big log fire, well filed with fat pine;
and such fire is not bad to sit by of
a cold night, especially if there is a
real pretty girl by the side of you.
Well, after the old folks had gone to
bed, one couple got fixed by themselves
on the chest in the corner, Old Pard
and his girl were trying to hold them
selves together on a stool just big
enough for one to sit on, and l sat
around under the stairs out of the way.
You know I said there were three
girls, and so there we're. Maria, the
youngest girl, had never had a young
man to sit up to her. She was tall.
handsome girl as you would find in a
days travel. That girl was the most
uneasy thing / ever saw. She saw
the others all settled for the night, or
a good part of it. She would go the
water bucket and get drink; then sit
down; then get up and walk around.
| saw what was the matter, SO l set a
chair right under the stairs and said,
"Miss Maria, please take that chair. )"
AS SdIu 81 tOoh HST uduO duo Icu
her to the chair and drew another
chair up facing hers, and sat down.
And you just ought to have seen how
tickled those other couples were. As
had nothing private l wanted to tell
her, l commenced to tell her of my old
home and old home ways back in the
east. talked in my usual tone OF
voice, and soon / saw the heads in the
beds were turned so as to hear all that
l said. | told her of our schools and
what great times we children had
coasting down the steep hills, of the
ponds to skate on, and how the boys
and girls, when it was too stormy to
play out of doors, would play the
needles eye: The thread that draws
so true, it hath caught many a one,
and now it hath caught you!" l told
her of our studies. of the spelling
matches, of the sleigh-rides, and don't
you think everybody was just listening
to what 1 said. / told her of parties
of younger folks, of all the ways we
had in doing house work; of the dairy.
making butter and cheese-all of
which she seemed to enjoy very much,
as we'll as all of the other listeners.
And then told her of our churches;
how the great pulpits were built, how
the minister stood way up in the pull
pit built on the side of the house, just
as you see a birds nest built some
times; of the singers up in the CALLER
les. And every now and then some
one would ask some questions all about
those things, and / told them of the
splendid singing We had and told her
l thought singing was as much part OF
the worship of God as the preaching. /
told her one reason the meetings seem
ed so uninteresting was for tho want
of good singing. But then that will
come on in time. And l told her of
the beautiful towns and cities. Well,
kept them listening until very late
into the night; though l am not much
of talker in general, think I enter
tanned that girl pretty well.
Well, as that was the winter the
world was to. be burned up, according
to Miller, and it was so cold nobody
could do anything but keep up fires tend
the stock. eat, sleep, and go to meet
ing and hunt, we did not try to work.
So a few Sundays after this there was
a big meeting down on Big Creek,
now Marble Creek. The folks had
built large hewed log church right
hy the side of the road, and notice was
given that there would be preaching
and a foot-washing. AS / had never
seen what was called foot-washing,
thought would go and see what was
to be seen. When reached the place
saw all the country had come to see
<ho tbin'u throuuh As rode IN To