Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-07

+ The continuation of Mr.. Cald- 4
+ wells letter follows: =
+<++*+++#+*****+** +
My father and oliver Harlan were
partners in the livery business-the
stable being on the lot upon which
Charley Lawrence built his three story
brick store. Let's see-didn't old Doc.
Order occupy the second story Of that
building? l hauled the McEvoy family
and their panorama of Ireland, to Fair
field over, on and under the most
abominab1e roads in the breakup OF
one early spring. Father and Harlan
stipulated that for certain sum they
would make the trip. The parapher-
MALTA Of the show was piled on big
lumber wagon and the family were
conveyed in q carriage. l drove the
team to the wagon. the carriage fol
lowing. It took us just five days an
nights to go and return. Hope you
folks have worked that road little
mite. Frequently my team would stall
50 that we had to take the carriage
team and double up; at such times old
McEvoy would make the atmosphere
smell very sulphury with language. or
course understood most Of it, At one
place we passed over a long stretch
Of corduroy highway, but before get
ting clear across, my wagon upset,
splitting myself out in the mud and
mixing me up very promisc uously with
the Irish painted people in the pic
lures OF scenes in Ireland. Then Nc
Evoy did cuss q bit. They had to
spread out and wash off every foot OF
that panorama, in Fairfield, before it
was at to exhibit. Bear in mind that
there were no railroads west OF the
Mississippi at that time. I'll bet the
linotypist, in his mind, is saying, "I'll
bet the author of this cussed some,
too. mol was a goody-goody Sun
day school boy then, which is very,
very different nowadays. In those
days young and old were held by the
preachers dangling over the hell of
burning lake of fire and birthstone. |
do remember the first tine l ever
swore. Mart Gephart and I had a
misunderstanding and Mart. undertook
to make his understanding mine also
by punching me on the nose. l was
infatuated and made for him uttering
damn you'll" which SO appalled, me
that I stood stock still like blubber-
ing idiot and took a severe drubbing
from Mart. Sunday school in those
days was torment kindergarten, for
you know the times we're but little re-
moved from the witch burning orgies
and stocks wracking religion of New
England. Gee! If you should now
hear the infiammable, blood-curdling,
hair-raising, exhortations of the
preachers Of the 4O's and sos, you'd
set 1t down as the rawlings Of lu-
matte; but it was the sign OF highest
culture and most devout religion when
the preacher was most able to frighten
his congregation into religious fits.
It causes my blood to boil when reflect
ing over the ignorant superstition
that made Of my father Sunday
tyrant. don't approve Of swearing
that is taking the name of the almighty
in vain-but have learned that say
ing q smooth little cuss word on oc-
casions (like plying galley or form OF
type, for instance), has not yoked me
up with the devil in hell-nor do in
tend to get into his company through
that avenue. Why, say-right there Ii
Ottumwa have heard the science of
geology. the beautiful demonstrations
In astronomy, the unfolding of the mys-
terry of life itself stamped from the
pulpit by famous preachers as the
works of the devil to be Stunned oy
everybody and especially the believers
in the faith and dogmas Of that par
ticular church. Pardon this tangent.
Speaking Of Mccoy, his son Eugene
was for some time the manager Of the
Grand opera house here in Topeka,
and staged the spectacular Silver
Queen" Don't know where he is now.
BY the way-pve often wondered ii
the star actress Minnie Madden is the
same Minnie Maddern whose family
were amateur actors there in Ottum-
wa; she often appeared In plays in
the old Doc. Taylor opera house;
which brings to mind dancing party
In the old (new them court house at
the corner of Court and Fourth. 1t
was at the time when crinoline (hoop-
skirts) were in flower. A certain young
lady Il know her well, but shall not
name her) was dancing but tripped
and fell to the floor. She was assisted
in rising, by her partner (seems to
me 1t was Fred Close);- at once she
turned and hobbled out of the cotil
lion set, stopped and began to draw
something from apparently the hem OF
her dress; she pulled and dragged,
dragged and puned at least fifteen
feet of grape vine that she had
utilized in lieu of regular crinoline,
then took her place and went on in the
dance, Joy unconfned but very
shrunken object. Chang and Eng, the
Siamese twins, together with the wild
boy and girl from Borneo,> exhibited
IN that same room dedicated to law