The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-01-31

n. Z. HOIALINI.
brought to Mapleton where it has
since taxed all resources available
to care for the many who are anx-
ious and eager to do the ploughboy
poet honor.
The early meetings of the club
were not such pretentious affairs as
those OF today, there were less
frills, but not less true enjoyment
and genuine hospitality.
The program was always informal
and consisted largely of Scotch
songs, as an Illustration in 1885 the
program consisted of 22 numbers of
which twenty were songs. Forty
years ago the gathering would have
been presided over by James Ellis
or Joseph Dobie, as postmaster. Mr.
Ellis had an unlimited repertoire and
would probably be the first and the
last on. the program. He undoubt-
eddy recited, Sandy the Tailor" or
Donald and His Dog" Mrs. Rob
ert Taylor was also ever ready to
respond, and many will recall with
pleasure her singing 20 Whistle and
I'll come tae We my lad" following
with several other favorite selec.
tons; James Slater and Jessie Bis
sci would sing, when We gang away
jamie Mr.. Joseph Dobie would
generally render some patriotic or
sentimental song like Scotland For
ever" Mrs. James Ellis was often
called upon to sing and Geordie
Clark would be ready with some
poetry of his own creation. Daniel
Grey or Dannie, as he was always
called would sing, Wa haze where
Wallace Bled;" James -Iorrow's Sc
lection would be to sing something
that would run like this "Bluther-a-
rum7de-a" and John Slater would
bob up and respond with For the
Rafting old Grey Mare" George
Lang generally sang Teddy Roe"
and he never heard of Teddy Roose-
welt either for it was forty years
ago. Alex Mcdonald and Collin
Macbeth, of Mankato, would con-
tribute their share of songs, Mr.
Macbeth's selection being, Blame
the man who NEEDLES with the Mig
ger on the Fence" a medley show
ing that it is not a good plan to
NEEDLE with other peoples affairs
Mr.. Mcdonald, who was for many
years night watch at Mankato and
was called upon to try the doors of
the business houses to see that their
owners had not left them unlocked
might also have given a Halloween
selection, entitled axle Greece on
the Door Latch or my experience as
Ia night policeman" Mrs. jamie
nf N
Bonnie Wee Window" Miss Glen
dining, of Waseca, a talented violin
is, helped out the program and VIM.
Brisbane, of the same place, grand
father CT Mrs. B. F. McGregor, talk
ed on every opportunity offered of
the beauties of the heather clad hills
of old Scotland, where he was born
in matched covered hut very SINH
lar to the one in which Burns saw
the first light on a January morn.
The first gatherings were, small af-
fairs, comprised of the few Scotch
families living along the Maple river
and in proximity of Lura and Bass
lakes. Whenever a new Scotch fam
lily was heard of they were notified
or the society. In that early day it
was learned that there was Scotch
family near Fairmont, settlers were
few and far between, this was
thought near and they were duly
nouhed as was also a Scotch fam
lily at Waseca, thus indicating the
widespread interest even in the in
FAINT days of the organization. In
order to enjoy the national game
Of curling the good housewives fiat
irons were brought into use and 1T
is said on many occasions when Mrs.
Robert Taylor wanted wood to burn,
she had only to look over the river
bank, where she would find not only
her six sons, but her six flatirons
also. So popular did the sport be.
come in the winter months that the
women hailed with delight the first
wooden curling blocks as it meant
an opportunity to do the family iron
ing without the interruption of hav-
ing the fiat irons spirited off by the
auld man or the boys who were
more interested in the national
game than they were in having the
household linen ironed. This curl.
ing block of wood was brought to a
gathering at Robert Taylor's by
George Lang, of Lyra an uncle OF
George Lang of Meadowbrook farm.
1t had been turned out on lathe
and had a wooden handle. The
men folk looked upon the new prod
uct with many doubts as TO it's util-
ity. 1T was taken down on the ice
and tried out and from that day on
the wooden blocks were all the 60
and mothers fiatirons were allowed
to rest in peace on the kitchen stove.
Then there came a day when the
pride and prosperity of the curriers'
reached point that the wooden
blocks were consigned to the scrap
heap and nothing but the real
Scotch granite would suffice and to.
day there are many hundreds of dol.
lars invested in the stones which
have made the Scottish game ia
nous the world over.
In the early days of curling James
Currie. of l1elavaii- : is.aSs q .isss.-.-s-