The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-03-30
The Blue Ribbon
Pumpkin
b M Quad


huu uAAAru AHr fAiAuEr VI luAAIf ~
western state. Moses was the head
and front II was only when the In
habitants got 20 number 200 that tr0u
bic came to him. A church was want
ed. Of course. For two or three years
the people gathered In a barn when q
circuit preacher came that way. but
the day came when Moses Smith said
the devOut must be ready TO make per.
sonai sacrifices. Not a family In the
village but agreed with him. Each
subscribed all, and IN some cases more
than he could really afford Lumber
was bought and piled against the day
Il would be wanted. and things were
going along Dlacidly and peacefully
when the county decided 70 hold its
FIRST fair. II was 10 mean much TO all
farmers and villagers. for each family
OF the latter had a big garden and
could compete for prizes.
The soil around Unity was nne for
all sorts OF vegetables, but parficu-
larry pumpkins. Pumpkins had been
grown there that had been the won
der OF four counties. As soon as the
fair WAS announced every head Of
family Ia the village AZ once mentally
decided 70 grow a prize pumpkin for
the blue ribbon to be given They car
Red this decision 70 the public meet
ing called. and At which Moses Smith
presided and said:
Friends. I have sorter planned this
thing out for all OF as. Aaron Temp
kins win grow the prize squash: Felix
White VIII grow prize cucumbers; sam
mel Davis VIII grow prize tomafoes;
old Mrs Tompkins win grow prize
beets." and be read the list to the end
and announced that be would grow
prize pumpkin as big as a -four barrel
There was q row at once. Each was
for a prize pumpkin. and no one was
willing TO give way. Moses argued
and protested. but Il was pumpkins or
nothing.
Moses Smith couldn't positively for
bid the others 10 grow pumpkins.
however be might discourage, and the
result was pumpkins on every hill and
10 every hollow.
One day Il was reported that at night
some one was 70 make a raid on
every pumpkin patch In the village
and wreak his spite. That night a
score Of men sat up an night prepared
70 sell their lives and their pumpkins
at any cost After that the situation
became more tense. The circuit nd
er came again and again. but 70 ind
that the church interest had been
overshadowed by the pumpkin inter-
est and that most Of those who
should have formed his congregation
were IN the fields or gardens. he
went 70 Moses Smith. as the head and
front. to see how the church building
progressed and was met by the reply:
Nothing doing. elder. and may not
be for two or three years 10 come. I'm
sorry 10 say that the town seems to
have backslid. and ! shouldn't be a
BIT surprised 70 see lIghtnin' strIkin'
around Us any time"
By the date Of the fair a stranger
coming into the village would have
found everybody down on everybody
else He would also have learned that
forty-one families were growing prize
pumpkins and that each family fully
expected to get that BIT OF blue ribbon.
The show pumpkins must be got 10
the county seat ten miles away. Tive
wagons could have conveyed them.
but mol Each pumpkin must be got
there by itself IL was carried there |
IN a sheet. on a stretcher. in a buggy,
By a team. When they were on ex-
hlbltion at last they all looked 10 be |
about the same slze and weight. and |
as a matter OF fact they were. Each |
one had been nursed and encouraged |
to do It's best OF course a row could
be looked for. The pumpkin commit
tee had heard about the trouble at
Unity and did not wish to add to Il.
The contest was 50 close that they
could very well bring in a report OF no
decision. but that was far from salts
fying the exhibitors. The upshot was
an almost complete failure OF the
whole show.
The fair over and the pumpkins re
turned home to be made into pies. the
common sense way would have been TO
drop the whole matter and let unity
prevail IN spirit as well as name.
Common sense had nothing TO do with
Il. however. The exhibitors blamed
the judges ~ well as each other, and
that kept the quarrel alive for another
year. Meanwhile nothing more was
done toward church. and the sorrow.
ful circuit rider got the people together
for a last sermon and said:
"where pumpkins prevail instead OF
The teachings Of the gospel there Is no
and no work. for a pilgrim.
As many OF you as will pledge your
selves not 20 grow pumpkins for ex-
hibition another year please stand mp"
Not a person arose. and the good
nan closed his Bible and put ON his
hat and rode away. Oh. no. he didn't
AXE the town with him. It's there
ret The name OF Difficulty has been
for Unity. and I've simply
been telling you how Il came about.
had a curiosity TO inquire and didn't
Enow but you had some as well. Right
opposite one OF the half dozen saloons