Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1901-08-28
sissro Goggins and the 4h Of july.

Old t,iackfooters all remember sisero
Gogglns. Sisero was character In his
WAY. He was a rancher. aud, as he told
Il. Grid the range" His visits TO town
were most frequent In the month Of
June. His comings meant the approach
Of the Fourth Of July as much as the
coming OF robins mean the approach OF
spring,
Slsero loved horse racing and the
Fourth was his great Derby day. He
said horses ran best on the Fourth OF
July Patriotism made them go. His
visits "a town in June were TO learn
from Pars Jones how the races were
l0oked for the Fourth. pars always
kpeg and always sent him home loaded
with satisfactory race news. A load of
new. would only last day; he would
come back ON the morrow.
Pars loved fun and everyday would
take slsero aside to talk racing confi-
deutially; he had the habi, OF picking
up ,traws aud breaking them into half
Inch measuring sticks, and telling that
the races Tor the approaching Fourth
would Dc the besl 90 record that they
would be dead on the square, " and
that men like Rube Damn. Judge Stey.
ems. John Watson, Juic Bassett, Bill
Howard, A. whitlan aud Al Stout
would be the judges, then sisero would
rlraighten up aud do the rabhering act
10 perfection. The morning aud even
log would be another great day To Sis
ero. And 80 I, would 90 on up 70 the
Fourth.
All the Gogglns family had holiday
on the Fourth. Snd the day TO them
meant from The rising Of the sun 10 the
gnng down thereof. They all came to
tu~u the wifc and ehlidreu 10 srn the
husband ard father achieve greatness
or hasc greatness thrust upon him. aud
the husband and father 10 DO the grca,
act Of the race man.
l.Scing Ia those days we're on The
straight road track. slsero cared moth.
Ing FOR literary cxerci.sS Of the Fourth.
lie walked Among hts tsllownen, said
bat Lille and l,,nked mysterious but
Il "a. worth circns ticket "a sce him
about two o'clock Ia the afternoon on
the track when the races were Ia be-
giu. VI. MAS the oaHcr, tralner and
rider ut hi, own hyers.
HIS hrst act was to lead his sieed
over the track. Ic wonld place tNU
dnssrs Of either hand in the rings oi
the Bit aud with his weight bow the
n"ok "i hi, fyor down aud then step of
measuring distance Rs 81 hy 3.iooi rod
Them h, would return. mount aud ride
over the track at walk. sil the tinic
Inoktng wise snd sayin. ao,hIng.
When ihn race sas called then would
romc The fun lie would throw of hi.
hat, tie u bandsna handkerchief over
hi' head, a Ia Missouri darkry style
uubuttDn his shirt collar, throw his
suspcnders OF bis shoulders, kick Oh
shoes aud mount. thrust his sock feet
socks ~ tho last winter's knit and
wear far through the riirrups, spit IL
hts hands. rub them together aud when
III" word 'go" was given he weut
1t was y picture to see Sisero ride
Every part Of the man was under the
strain ~ exertiuH. His heels far back
Ia the horses tanks wcut like the levci
ot tn" driv. wheel of locomotive run
Mug a miIp n minute, his hands In their
whtpplngs we're swiit like dove
wings Ia Its flight and his neck WA
stretched 10 its utmost tension as II q
add speed to his flyer.
When the race Was over Il could ncv
cr he tuld from his talk whether HI
had won aud how he did or whether HI
hHd lost and was making excuses for u
In his wild xcitement he iabbered lik'
~ dagos, fresh arrivals on depot plat
TORN waiting for the backing up OF
construction train. Yes, the Fourtl
was glorious day to the Gogglnses
stsero rode race, the wife WAS pton'
iosee him ride and the children 20
lcmunndc and stick candy. The Cog
pinses are gone now. When Blac'sfoo
put on style and built regular rae
track, with grand stand, band stan'
and stretched the judges wire acros
The track, the Gogpinses sold thci
ranch, hitchrd up their teams and drov
away over the hills.