Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-05-27
The Rural Swain

49, 49, ~S0 OoOSO
Zekel creep up quite unbeknown
An peeked in thru the winder,
An thar sot Hubby all alone
18th no one nigh to hinder"
Cupid works overtimes in the coun.
try. A hard-worked little god he is
indeed in the rural districts. II it
be true or false that it is love that
makes the world 60 round" it is Ger.
tainly fact that the main world for
the boy between II and Fl in the
farm lands, is that delectable land of
Hearts Desire, bounded on the east,
west, north and south by the vision
of his "best GIRL" and festooned by
dreams of various circuses, band con-
certs, dances, Sunday school gather
tngs, fish frys," picnics, barbecues,
and buggy rides.
TO see boy emerge from the chrys.
ais stage of 16 or Whereabouts, into
the full-grown butterfly of II or IS, is
something marvellous to behold, and
instructive to contemplate. The trans
formation is invariably accomplished
by means of a red-wheeled buggy.
This really marks the time when he
strikes off the shackles of boyhood
and energies into the fierce white
light of country society. He becomes
at once target for the side-splitting
witticisms of the country editor with
his: Jake Beaver seems to be driv-
ing out pretty regular towards the
Osgood farm now, Sunday nights.
Hey! Jake! When shall we send our
congratulations" This makes Jake"
feel as though he had drawn a capital
prize at some grand lottery.
A boy without buggy is absolutely
not in the running" at all. A great
deal of "sparking' is done while on
the road to the various entertain
ments, and Cupid in the country would
be especially appropriate with wings,
for the boys usually drive at break
neck pace, just to scare the girls and
impress their sweethearts with their
prowess as drivers. A boy who is
driving "the old mans rig, feels about
as important as If he was wearing his
elder brothers old clothes, and every
one knew it. But with a new buggy,
with heavy near-fur robe for winter,
and fancy blanket for summer, and
a new buggy whip, and "steppy'
nag to leave the dust in 1.-The other
fellows" face, the rural swain is in
his element, and on the top wave of
delight
We saw great deal of the evolu-
ton of the rustic cavalier at the farm.
Saturdays and Sundays especially
were his busy days, and the road in
front of the house was scalloped with
the print of his buggy wheels. You
may be sure that the question of dress
was q most particular point with him,
and to save time and be strictly en-
regale, he always wore patent leath-
er" shoes. Soft hats were the style,
black in the fall and winter, and light
in the summer and spring. Some of
the boys were prone to silk muf-
flers and elaborate ties, and were
really gotten up regardless.
AS 10 usual in such cases, there is
always some one boy who is known
as 'the best dressed fellow in the
township" and he is especially care
full to live up to the reputation, even
II 1t takes nearly all he can earn to
appear with the latest novelties in
dress. Some of the boys were vari-
ously the best dancers, the best box
ers, the best swimmers, skaters, etc.,
but the most important member of
society in the community, the Ward
McAllister" of the district. was the
boy who was the best dancer and
"caller-off' at the dances, for he could
make or unmake either a boy or q
girl who wanted to shine at these az.
semblages.
A curious feature of the "courting''
which was carried on, was the gath
erings of the young boys and girls who
played games among themselves, but
who did not dance. These embryo
society events would often be attend.
ed by eager crowds of as many as 80
or 40 couples, most of them girls and
boys of about IA to 16, and they al.
ways went home early, and it was as
II Cupid was merely making tenta-
tive arrangements for more serious
affairs. Sometimes at these little
parties as they were called. there
would be an attempt to have a quad.
rifle or two before the party broke up.
some of the more ambitious of the
girls wanting to try their wings before
budding" out at the regulation dances.
Then after year or more you
would see some of the boys and girls
who attended these parties" at
dances, and you would know that
nevermore would they be seen with
the youngsters, but that they had
fairly entered the arena of society.
and were now escorted by the bows
who owned their own buggies, and
who were preparing to enter the
doubtful state of matrimony in the
immediate future.
Boys and girls marry early on the
farms. A great many of them are
married, the boys at 81, the girls at
IL or younger. A good many are mar
ried, boys before they are 20, girls at
16. This makes for early grand
parentage, and extensive families.
Courtship, therefore, is confined to a
period Of from two to three years. to
five at the furthest. A years court.
ship is a fairly long time and mar
riage and giving in marriage occupies
but a brief space, all things consid.
cred, in rural community.
When the staring and flaring cir.