The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26
MINNEAPOLIS SOCIETY IN '78
Social Life Was Simple and Informal, But
People Enjoyed Themselves.

I lowed, for the street proved too. narrow
! for the coach and the six horses and
the turning around was a serious
| matter. r.. Is ~
| During the winter there were sure
to be a. dozen or more shedding parties
to one of the neighboring houses where
a dance and an, oyster supper awaited
| the guests. These were most informal
affairs and the hospitable farmer
would ask some friend he CHANGED to
| meet to bring out a sled load of peo-
pie some night while the moon is full"
No matter how far the mercury drop
ped the sled was filled with merry
makers who gathered close under the
buffalo robes and who did not mind
the piercing cold, as they enlivened
the ride with songs and stories. Coast
ing parties were almost as popular. as
sleigh rides, and Lowry hill was
thronged with old and young.
Cards and dancing were the popular
forms Of amusement and whist was
the game commonly played, altho
now the men and women who played it
marvel as to how they managed such
whirl Of jokes and talk. The Virginia
reel, Old Dan Tucker and Money
Musk and the lanciers We're the dances
most In favor, and none Of your six
teen steps as one woman famous for
her own steps" said contemporary
lie pdilltS were nearly all nome al
fairs, altho when the proprietor of the
hotel would receive a fresh barrel of
oysters or some special delicacy he
would notify one of the well-known
men that he would serve a supper at SO
much a couple on certain evening.
It was always easy to find fiddler,
and with a fiddler and supper it was
an equally simple matter to obtain
guests.
IF my granddaughter is up until
IL o'clock at night she wants to sleep
until 10 O'Clock the next morning"
commented one belle Of 1S78."We new
er went home from a party until 2
at the next day. We had to be, for
we had to look after our families our
selves. We didn't have half a dozen
servants making more work than they
do
The, people who were leaders then
were the Blacks, Pettits, Lorings, Hef-
felfngers, Washburns, DeLaittres.
sons, Stevenses, Sides, Wagners, Hales,
Thompsons, Walkers, Merricks, East
mans and Pillsburys. From st. Paul
came the Ramseys, the Sibleys,
Thompsons, Flandreaus and a, score or
less more, and even Saltwater con-
tributed the Nelson's and the Bron-
sons to special merry-11 laking.
Mr.. and Mrs Mahlon Black cele-
brated their silver wedding just be-
fore 1873, and the attendant festivities
called together their friends in func-
ton which became famous. Mrs.
Black carefully treasures the quaint
account OF the party which comment
Grated the twenty fifth anniversary Of
her marriage, and it reads like royal
time with its list Of hearty, whole
souled guests, and one grows inter
ested in the array of gifts and hungry
at the story of the feast. The regrets
with their humorous wording are very
funny indeed, signed as they are by
names now known to belong to sober
capitalists, physicians and bankers.
The mention of quilting bee or of
a donation or tea party brings flood
OF "reminiscences to the men and wonl-
en- who enjoyed them a quarter Of a.
century ago, and they all agree with
Mrs c. B. Heffelfinger that those
We're the days when people were hap
Ply, for it did not require all creation
to make them so.'
II would give all I've got to live
them over more than one has said.
and no testimonial could be more sin
cere. It was a, period Of great hard
ship and Of great enjoyment and the
one compensated for the other.