The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-11
Days of Long Ago
Brought to Mind

said former native to Bob few days
ago. He remembered it and also the
cry Of 'chaw beef" when the rats who
left the water first tied up our shirt
sleeves and pants. We had nothing more
those days, not even shoes-except for
Sunday.
We played prison goal down at the
mill lots or the Crangle pasture by
day, and BLANK" by night around the
buildings in West Main street
Times have changed. The boy of
period forty years ago or less was
looking for the homely amusements
afforded. He spun his top with dozen
or more, put on the skates, which re-
CURED a generous supply of cordwood
to keep the straps tight, went home
with wet feet and started for school
in the morning
Times change. Now the boy of fiji
teen Or Whereabouts fastens his neck
tie before the mirror, sees that his
hair is parted just right-middle Or
side-his pants creased, and goes
forth to see his "best girl" Time was
when his best girl wore calico dress,
went barefooted and INDUCED in all
the sports known. Croquet was ia
vorite pastime. Is there a croquet set
in existence now.
The man who wore the big heavy,
knitted scarf ten feet long, has passed
to his reward He would have lasted
"a while longer but for the prevailing
style.
The election night bonfires with
their recurrent scraps are ancient
history. The McCabes, the Ryans, the
Dennis boys, Jack Evans, the Quig-
legs, Harry Dougherty, J. w. Moors,
the Blairs, O'Byrnes, Callaghans,
Charles N. Moore, Jimmie Norton,
Eugene Callaghan, the Collins boys,
the Nellins boys, all took part in the
amusements of those days. Then there
was Tim Rickett, M. O'Rourke, Foxy
FeebOn, Charlie Roper, the Dacys,
George Weissert, the Morrisey boys,
the Donovans, Mowders, Powers,
Bealieus, McLaughlins, the Hills,
Ushers, the Dervin boys, Jack CHASER,
Gus Chaser, Art Malloy, Jim Malloy,
and lot of others.
During the winter season a dance
was held in the home Of some of the
boys once a week. Dick Usher, Joe
Usher, Jim Usher, some of them mu-
sicians, were called upon to display
their fitness for the job, while Tom
O'Brien was the caller and a favOrite
with ALL
Then were the times when boys had
fun and were the makings of the men
today now past middle life and some
gone before.
McLaughlin's hill was the mecca
for them all in the winter months
Attaching a score of sleds to a farm
er's front bob, they went at a rapid
pace down the hill, 500 fet at least,
and they loyalty dragged it up again
until the warning call of home"
was sounded
While this was going on at the west
side of the river there was always
something stirring on the east side
Len Jaehrling was one of the prime
movers in everything and when Alb
Kruger wasn't learning to shoot a
gun Or get into other mischief, he
was on the job
Roxy Reber and some other leading
theatrical lights staged a perform
ance in the old Cordes saloon, now
| occupied by Otto G. Schott. On Satur-
day evening the door was guarded
and you were admitted after paying
ten cents, which called for two five
cent cigars or beer.
Harry Moore, now in Chicago, or
ganized theatrical troupes at that
early day and the writer took a minor
part in one of his productions at the
old Music Hall in North Second street.
Johnny Long and a man named Lam
sing were the leading lights, while
one of the leading ladies was Mrs
Henry James and Miss O'Brien, both
of whom are still in the land of the
living.
That was the time when one of the
police night watches sent in an alarm
of fire when he saw the moon rising
in a golden glow at II p m.
John Reihardt was city marshal dur
ing a portion Of this period We got
hold of an old boat near Lewis shop,
which was worked by hand, having
one side wheel off, He corralled the
whole bunch and took us up town,
when luckily a team of horses at
tached to a load of hay ran away
and when he stopped their career we
also ran away.
Old Judge Ducasse and Judge
Beckmann were the early justices dis
pensing the law. Joe Barber was mar
shall at one time and also carried the
mail to and from the depots in bug
gy without a. top.
A Circassian show blew up near
Main street bridge next to the river
While the two girls with the flowing
locks were on the outside
Peter Bertholf ran stage and mail
line in an earlier day and carried the
mails and conducted livery stable