Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-01-03

heir ancestors had done the like no
doubt for years, as this was their
fishing and hunting ground. The
Bannocks were fine looking lot of
men. Many of them were feet
tall, every muscle well developed
and as straight as the arrows they
carried. They wore no clothing,
except a breech cloth. Occasionally
one would have the scalp of some
conquered foe dangling from his
waist belt.
The virgin soTfrespenGed- Rebly
to our efforts to obtain food, but as
much oAthe wheat was sown late,
most of twas frozen by the early
frosts IN the fall, as result of
which great deal of wheat had to
be hauled from Cache valley, where
it cost So bushel. The next year
the frosts again froze, a great deal
of the wheat Much of it was used,
however, and was ground up in
what the people called coffee mills.
Later on Francis Pomeroy made a
burr mill from rock he picked up in
the Paris canyon. He run the mill
by water power.
The winters for several years
were eStremely~hard. Snow fell in
November Of each year. and, stayed
on the ground until May. -
Schools were taught in every
settlement where there were child
ren to atteud, the teacher collecting
his pay from the patrons in the cur
rency that was used.
To provide clothing was grave
question. The wise men said i'm
port sheep and raise wool, spin and
weave 1t, which was done. The
mother ran the loom and the
daughter the spinning wheel. She
sang more songs in one day while
running the wheel than all the girls
now attending our academy do in a
year. The deft manner in which
she took the loose wool, placed it
on the spindle and brought it off in
a nice, even thread, w1uld be a
revelation to the glrls of today.
Our entertainments were varied,
consisting of spelling schools, de-
bates, dances and the drama. Web
ster was considered authority on
language. In debating about -four
ona side would be selected. A judge
and critic would also be chosen, the
| former to decide which side wor
and the latter to point out the gram
) matical errors o1the speakers. Tht
, critic was generally quite severe or
the young men, his, apology fol
; being moderate with the older onei
was, 'ethat it was hard for old dog
to learn new tricks
Dancing was a very popular
amusement, and all dances wer,
: opened and closed with prayer TO
J they were considered beneficial t,
a body and mind. Violins were tn
0 only instruments we had for music
G They were called tiddies in thos
II days and the men who played then
II were tiddlers.
Y tFm drama waE also popuia
amusement. The plays consiste
4 mostly Of farces and light comedies
IL Shakespeare was read some, bu
= seldom was an attempt made to pu
% any of his pieces on the stage. Tn
Ie Paris Dramatic Association wa
p organized, and the stars were of n
at small magnitude, as the piaudii
at from thr patrons affirmed. II
Id regular currency of the valley WI
as accepted for admission to the play
ms and the currency varied iii lool
10 and value.
:
II Every man was his own bank
D. and issued his own money, who
h; contested Of wheat, oats, potatoe
ms turnips, wood, poles, lumber ar
d; shingles. Wheat was the hig
ke standard, but frozen wheat was tak'
lH- l...t 0o@a nofafnao or