Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1920-11-05
SlLETZ

The Halloween party given at the
government School building, drew a
Dig crowd that taxed the seating capa-
city or the room to the walls and some
mad to stand. The stage and room
were beautifully decorated with the
usual number Of providers at night,
such as cats, owls, bats, witches, ones,
ghosts, pumpkins with big eyes, new
moon with stars glittering, ghosts
moving about in white garments and
occasionally chattering noises as
though the spirits were talking. The
room was darkened and one felt as
though you were in a land of spooks
and spirits fitting and running about
the room made the cold chills run up
ones back. The decorating committee
consisted Of Mrs. NJ S. Collins, Mrs.
w. S. Hall, Miss Mary Henery and
Miss Augusta Smith and Miss Alma
Ross. w. S. Hall acted as chairman
OF the meeting and had charge of the
program which was gotten up by the
Siletz M. e. Church Sunday School.
Song America, by five small girls;
piano solo by Ghost; duet, Sena Firing
and Harry Christopherson; solo, Miss
Larsen; pumpkin drill by ten boys;
solo. Verna Strong; piano SOLO. Miss
Treat; the Larsen orche -ra kept the
audience in good spirits by playing d
number OF pieces OF music during the
evening. After the program was com.
pleted, cake, coffee and ice cream
were served. 1t was a most enjoyable
entertainment without a single thing
occurring to mar anyones pleasure. A
story was told by. William Beck who
was an employee at the Agency dur
ing the time Hon. Ben. Simpson was
Agent. A Halloween party was held
at the Agency. Beck was a farmer
at the Upper Farm and he conceived
the idea Of having Halloween party
at the Upper Farm to see how the
Indians would take it so he prepared
two or three dozen pumpkins, making
them look as hideous and grotesque
as possible and placed them in the
: brush along the swamp and when
night came on Beck lit the candles and
1t wasn't long till the Indians saw the
horrible faces Of these pumpkins ap
parently springing up all over the
swamp. 1t was something new. The
Indians had never seen anything like
1t before. 1t was a new kind Of
Ta-mah-na-wus bad Spirit nesikahi
as kwash very much afraid, gave vel
-'Uh" and all the Indians started fol
One woman had a sick husband and
she put him in wood basket, threw
1t over her back and struck out. They
soon reached the Agency and Simpson
wanted to know what the matter was
and they said the woods at the Upper
Farm was full of devils with big glar
ing eyes and mouths like balls of fire
Simpson told them to go back, there
was nothing wrong; but the InH;ans
would not return till the Agent sent
some of the white employees with
them. When they got back to the
Upper Farm the mystery was soon
explained. The pumpkins and candles
were found and the Indians saw how
they had been fooled. Beck kept the
matter quiet till he left the Reserva-
tion as it would not have been good
for him had the Indians found out who
played the joke. Beck often told this
story and seemed to enjoy it. But
alas, William Beck and most of the
actors in that drama have passed to
the Other Shore
Jim Brassfleld has bought the Dick
johnson place of eighty acres, price
$500. This place is nicely located on
the public road about one mile this
side of the Orton store. 1t Is consid
cred good buy.
Sheriff Simpson was over Sunday
looking after his political fences. He
says it looks alright but he feels the
fences are kept up by the Republicans
and he Is very thankful to them for it