The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-12-22
The OBSERVATORY
CHRISTMAS

then made much of, and after the
d-day meal we were all back on the
ice; one party called themselves lex
plorers," and followed the course of
the Saugus river (named for noted
Indian chief of the early days., into
the next town; the river was the
boundary line of town and county, and
thus in imagination we went into "a
foreign country" at one point the
mainland of the town towns and
counties came close together forming
narrow strait just above which an,
other stream joined the river, the two
making a strong current which would
freeze only at high water and in very
cold weather, and the narrowness and
curves of the channel were such that
utmost care was necessary to get
through on skates, which made it all
the more inviting to the daring. We
| had been told that some distance be-
yond was "Reedy Meadow" where
genuine reeds could be found; some
searching party discovered them, the
olyin patch of them known to exist
in that whole region; they were tall,
some seven or eight feet in length,
jointed like cane or bamboo, with a
feathery plume top, not more than
three-eighths of an inch in diameter,
reminding us of a bamboo fishing
pole; out of them we could make
writing reeds and squit guns. l have
occasion to remember the place for
there / got cut on my wrist, the scar
of which l still carry A little way be-
yond we came to railway embank
ment of gravel, over which we had to
crawl on hands and knees to protect
our skates.
We were approaching higher level
and the next obstruction was county
road with sawmill, with the old fash
toned up and down saw, and to get
above this dam we had to either take
off our skates or carefully pick our
| way over grass or snow to the ice of
the mill pond above, at the upper end
of which we came to the rivers
source, beautiful Lake Quanopouit,
named for another Indian chief. who
sold the surrounding lands to the
white settlers, among whom were sew
eral of my ancestors, and who was
always a friend of English. Then
crossing a sandy road, with loud
whoop we were at the headwaters, or
ice rather, and mile away saw the
| "town-boys," with whom we soon
mingled, and showed them some fancy
| and fast skating, and then home
Since morning we must have skated
scores of miles, if not nearly hum
| dred; but there was to be full moon,
and after the hearty farm supper we
were accustomed to, with apple pie
made from genuine Greetings, we
/ oil
many more in the evening, old and
| Dartmout college student, stood on
the shore. l remember calling to him
Come on Guss! get your skates" He
shook his head and said 81 used to
skate, but now don't care for it,
distinctly remember thinking II Won
der if the time will ever come when
shall not like to skate better than
to eat feast" That was 1857; the
last time was on skates was in 1875.
From the woodlands surrounding the
marsh ice we boys brought great piles
of pine boughs and a barrel. of shaw
ings from the sash and door mill near
by, which were piled on a small is
land, lighted and the blaze cast glare
all over the great surface, and for four
hours we played "Hill-Dill Run
When You Will What Christmas
that was!
| But there was no festival with tree
land gifts; no Sunday school observ-
lance; it was not thought Of in 1865.
| was in Hartford, Connecticut; in
that state there were many more
Episqopalian churches, and they OBJ
served Christmas with appropriate
services, and Christmas Eve attended
l. church servie, not Episcopal, but
Congregational; the Puritan had out
grown his prejudice, and from that
day the custom steadily grew in all
churches and Sunday schools. And a
christmas tree became almost uni
versal, as also gift-making; and the
after grew into an evil; families began
bringing their gifts to the function
loading the tree with often extrava-
CANT presents, and strife was be-
gotten to show who could make the
most show in the matter of gifts
soon the evil was corrected, family
gifts relocated to the home circle, and
n Sunday school every pupil having
gift. as now practiced. That ex,
travagant gift making showed amusing
> features, exhibiting the weakness Of
human nature to try to excel in show
: OBSERVER.