Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1900-07-05
HE S TER r-=pks
@ IT, E LANES lS1
I'M IEAIR's>> 4ll0

dress OF "sky blue delaine," trimmed
with white lace on the rufiles, and her
last seasons hat redecorated with fresh
ribbon bows. This going away cos
tune represented the savings on the
sale of eggs and butter above the fam
lily groceries for many weeks. 1t was
hand made" too, a sewing machine
the Lane household.
Early as they were, the Unfair
guests were arriving before them. The
chairs were arranged in a scmi-circle
around the room, and Jim" and Hes
ter sat down near the open door. The
company, the older members first,
came forward one by one and shook
them by the hand and offered their
congratulations. There was only one
phrase in which the good wishes could
be conveyed. Il wish you much JOY"
repeated each neighbor solemnly, and
sat down again. Then there was si-
lenee in the room, the guests staring
blankly at the bride and groom, who
relieved their embarrassment by oc-
casional whispers to each other The
young people of the company finding
the silence oppressive, went outside,
the young women sitting down on the
woodpile. and the men ranging
themselves on the low rail fence Then
dinner was announced, which was the
real Unfair" and in the good cheer
of the table the stiffness and formal.
ity vanished
| When the jests and witty sayings
which enlivened the festivities of the
Jungle were exhausted, some of the
older folks began notwithstanding oil
former wedding occasions.
It's curious how the world does
change" said Uncle Jimmy" Taylor.
He and his wife, Aunt Laura" were
the pioneers of the Jungle" 'You
young folks who get married and start
out in the world nowadays don't know
what hard times are. You've lumber to
floor your house with, and a cook
stove, and you can buy beds and chairs
and tables already made 1t wasn't
so fifty years ago. when Laura and
| got hitched.
| Laura lived at old Kaskaskia. Her
| father had come over on to the Illi-
nois side from Kentucky, and I, be-
| ing a rowing chap and tired of Ten
nessee hills, turned up there one day
| and went to work for him Seeding
was all done by hand in those days,
and Laura helped in the corn plant.
ing. We fell in love, and were mar
rled. One day after that / took Laura
| up behind me on horse, and with all
our worldly goods tied in a bundle we
started out to seek our fortunes in q
new country. We never stopped till
we reached the Jungle" and took W
a piece of land and built cabin.
made all the furniture with my own
hands, and Laura cooked on the Goals
in the fireplace. | had to go to st
Louis for almost everything in those
days, and Laura staid alone in the
! wilderness, but the Indians were gone
and there wasn't anything more dan
| gerous in the woods than varmints
and Wildcats"
And we didn't have Unfair din.
ners in those days" said "Jim's'
father I'VE had turkey and venison
which we shot in the woods. and fol
cake and pie we had good corn pones
baked in the Goals on the hearth
'Jim's' mother didn't have a store.
bought wedding dress like Hester
here, but good linsey woolsey she
wove herself and carded the wool fol
it, too. There wasn't no fine hats in
them days. the girl was proud who
could get bit OF calico to make a
| sunbonnet"
There would have been more stories
Of the good old days when simplicity
reigned at wedding feasts, but the men
must hurry away for the house
raising" and before the sun went
down the logs Yin" had carefully
hewn and piled on pretty site on the
ten acres were in their place, and a
new home wac ready in the Jungle
In the evening Bill" Bludsoe. the
rejected sutton. to show that he cher.
ished no ill-will. brought his fiddle ant
there was dance in the new house, 6
house warming" and the wedding
festivities were over.
Jim" and Hester still live in the
Jungle" and the little house has 9th.
err rooms added to 1t, and neat picket
fence and well-kept orchard and gar
Gen evidence the prosperity which Ii
Transforming the Jungle" into pro
gressiye farming community, and tn,
Unfair" and the house raising" will
soon be only memory of a pictur