East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-06-20


Bailey. also lives there,-the others
have gone to rest. Then there was
the then new. now old, Malarkey home
in the west end. The Van Shull fam
i!y We're living there then
Well those were busy days. We
housekeepers were certainly self-de-
pendent and so must needs be busy
There were no bakeries, no laundries.
few prepared meats, or vegetables,
There We're no dairies so we had to
keep our own cows, take care of the
milk and make the butter. We did
not have hot and cold water within
i arms reach; no electric lights. About
/ all the help we could get was from
the rvation,-sometimeS a squaw
to wash, or an Indian man to work
4 in the garden. We had no time for
club life or afternoon parties,-and
little time to read, although many Of
oompanionship But we did enjoy
the few diversions we had and We'll
never forget them. Do some of you
remember the "Old Court House
Well?" It was in the northwest
corner of the court house block)
where the Peoples Warehouse stands
now. 1t was to us very attractive,
surrounded with grassy plot,-but
best of all was the fine, cool water
from the depths of the well,-differ-
ent from any in town. We could never
account for the difference, unless in
digging the we'll, a spring had been
tapped. 1t was the social center on
warm summer evenings. l am sure
all the older friends remember it.
Men. women and children took the
pleasant stroll from their homes to
the court house we'll"
In addition to the pleasure of the
well, we had a good chat with each
other-the children romping about in
sight of their parents; then home
again, refreshed There were no
soda fountains, no ice cream parlors
no movies" Was 1t not the simple
life? How much of the sorrows oi
our own Pendleton, do you think
might never have been if the God
given cool, sweet water from the
"Old Court House Well' had beer
the. only drink procurable from tha
day to this, outside, of course, of eul
harmless, innocent home drinks
, Well. those were ''good old times,
: and true enough, "there are no friend!
/ like the old friends
But to be regretted, the Sabbath
was not observed then, stores and sa
i looms stood wide open. Little wa
seen or heard that would counterac
the influences for evil which thes
conditions made possible. No church
es Once in a while ''circuit riding
minister came and preached either II
, the school or court house. oh, hoy
glad we were to hear them! Som
, were men of education; some not. Blu
, IL seems to me that all were goo
, men. and so long as they were sin
cere, we were glad to listen. Thos
men who were willing to sacrific
tc come to us will always be remem
bered with loving hearts. Their
were Reverend Ogilsby of the M. L
church South, DR.. Strong of the NJ
E. church, and Reverend Lane an
DR.. Hines. His granddaughter live
in town now-she is Helen Cranston.
Then of the Episcopal church, re
member only the Reverend Lemuel +
Wells-now Bishop Wells. Thes
3 good men with the help of the peo
e pie soon were making plans for build
e ing Shortly thereafter the founda
tions for the NJ. Z. and the Episcopi
5 churches were laid. One east an
n west of our home. They are now re
e placed by the beautiful new edifices
: which we are justly proud-but OF
# pride is not to be compared with tt
+ joy we felt as we saw the new, no
q old structures rising l always smi
: when I think that there is some iii
q pute as to which church was fir
Il finished and occupied. / do. not r
: member, but 1 think, perhaps, WI
r. Mays. our own townsman, then
= young builder and living in our hon
"a while he worked on the NJ. E. churt
N might tell us.
4 ct has since been learned fro
= Mr.. Mays that the Episcopal churt
was the first one built In Pendleton
/ used to long for the green gra
= and flowers, and at last when the o
Ryers mill was built and the wat
was running in the race, Mr.. Bye
allowed us to use the waste water 7
l our yards and gardens. We soon n;
e ditches and plenty of water runnil
:. sll about-then green lawns, o
fashioned flowers and kitchen ga
" dens We had all around our pla
e Lomb hardy poplars rising grandly
Az shall never. forget Colonel La Dow
Is beautiful yard. ct was where the
'e, Dow block now is) and their roor
10 old home in the midst of it. DR..
IL Dow also had lovely yard and hor
Id on Water street. But alas sol
es trouble came up and the water W
re taken from us and then our bean
he full trees died. Well, at last we Il
wv plenty Of city water and we aga
he reveIed in growing things 1 no
'e- some Of you will remember my flo
IT, ers and my weeping silver birch a
err ether trees on the old home place
RS. SO far I have written mostly
ey pleasant things-but now comes
'as period of the awful scourge of d
lly iberia taking away entire families
est children. 1t seemed to be that TN
er. was dark pail hanging over us, a
be TO make that summer more awf
oy came the Indian war. We were f
an tunate that our own children oscar
the scourge, but so many of
= friends were in such deep sorrow, Il
we were sorrowing with them.