The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-07-31
Some "reminiscences.


friend handed me copy Of your paper
Of the 10th inst. Looking over that
beautiful mountain scenery brought
back memories OF many years past and
caused by old blood to tingle and my
memory to revert back to my boyhood
days, when l stood on those tall
mountains and viewed those beautiful
valleys and gorges. Now once more,
alter a lapse Of n years, can view
the promised land in my imagination.
l was interested in the article by
old friend D. B. Wood, usually called
Dan, for short. Dan was quite an ac-
QUESTION to our locality. He was very
gentlemanly in all his transactions and
manners, but did not 60 back into the
dark days Of uncivilization. Dan
mentions one OF his adventures at a
candy breaking Is years ago, but it
don't compare with one that l attended
in 1856 at old man Golfers, at the
forks Of Bear creek. The difference in
Dams candy and mine was, my candy
was home spun and Dams was ring
slreaked and striped and brittle, so they
called it candy breaking. My candy
was some softer and we called it candy
pulling. Now at the time Of my ad-
venture, it was the custom to have
what was called our Christmas hop in
some locality where there was plenty
Of material for the dance. So Uncle
John Collier sent out his edict far and
wide that festive time would be held
at his hoouse on Christmas night. l
arrived on time and found a good turn
out Of young folks, made up mostly OF
Stockstills, Keithleys and Weather
mans, and occasionally you could see
a red head pop up in the whirl, and
that was Jack May Of Galena, Mo.
About dark, the fun commenced. l
had me a girl that l thought was the
prettiest thing on earth. l thought
she was prettier than striped kittens,
and you know a boy about Is years
old can love harder than at any other
time OF life. So every time l looked
my little angel in the face thought
there was a volcanic eruption near the
fourth rib on the left side. The dance
went on till about midnight. Then
me and Hester Ann concluded to
make some candy-not Dams striped
candy. So old Mother Collier brought
from her CLOSET fine cake Of maple
sugar for the occasion, and me and
Hester Ann proceeded to the kitchen,
got out a big pile Of Goals on the
hearth, also Dams big irving pan that
they fried Dams fat bear meat in and
proceeded on the job. When the
candy got to thickening down Hester
Ann would get little on the tips oI
her beautiful little fingers, and I would
lick it off to see if it was done. After
awhile we proceeded out into the yard
and set the pan down in the snow
for it to 60 through the cooling opera.
alton. About that time Old Boss, the
old coon dog, the pride Of the Collier
family, being rather past his three
score years and ten ard his eye. sight
somewhat dim, spied the pan in the
snow, and mistaking it for spot 0
dry ground. sat down fiat in the ho
candy. o, great Creator Of mercies
Such howl never went up since the
days Of Moses. The first move ht
made he reached the lane in front o
the house, and with his ears siraigh
up and his caudal appendage at al
angie oi IS degrees he went down tht
lane like cyclone. All Of suddel
the howl ceased. Next morning earl.
me and Hester Ann started on Ok
Boss's trail and near the end Of tn
lane about six rails high in the fenc
was sticking the frying pan with abou
l6 inches Of dog hide and hair and hi
tail hanging down, and poor Old Bos
gene, we supposed, where all goo
coon dogs 90.
There was another little reminiscenc
Of Bro. Wood-that was in regard I
the manners and dress OF the natives {
that part Of the country. Now, Brc
Wood. you shave very close to tn
r,,,k uban vou tell Of the homespu