The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1920-08-19
HAAKoN COUNTY TYPES.
(The Old-Timer At Play

LAY and his 'frolic has made the
Vest the lard of Romance. A hum
lred novelists have made his
lances and his round-ups their
themes, and have therby delighted
eager young men and women as |
far away as Boston.
AS he goes, the old-timer is al
rather solemn individual. You see
him on a Philip street corner
peacefully rolling a cigarette, and
you would not believe that there
was one good kick left in his
bones. Most of the time he will
behave himself just that way and
act as piously as an important pill
lar in church, but there comes
a day when he lets himself out,
and then there is the very Devil
to pay and no legal tender on
hand. When the old-timer gets
off the reservation and starts out
to have a good time, such as will
be noticed by the natives, you
might as we'll move into the next
county if you want to save any
of the pieces.
In the good old days the old-timer
then not so old, used to ride Old
Frozen Ear to town couple of
times a year, and have spree. Of
course, he never pulled the stuff
they show in the movies, but he
did have some fun in a quiet way,
and did afford some excitement for
the peaceful toWns-foik. These
were the days when strong men
loved strong drink, buckcd fierc-
er tiger than roams these jungles
nowadays, and specialized more or
less raisenel generally. Many an
old-timer woke up the week after
dead broke, scratched and sore,
thirsty and unshaved, with no
hope of happiness in this world
orthe next, but knowing that he
had had bully good time and
that several of the boys and girls
in the little old town were richer
and happier because he had left
the reservation for few brief,
eventful days.
But those days are gone, gone,
gone. Yea, they are gone. And
now the old-timer, who is in fact
growing old, wants to have a fro
lie he organized an old settlers
association and puts on an annual
Reunion. That would seem likely
a descent in the scale of deviltry
toward the realm of the common
things for man who used to step
along right lively in the good old
days. Yet the annual re-union is
not SO tame. 1t has more than ITS
per cent of kick in it, and that is
a high average for these daya
The real old timer arrives early
on the first day. He wants to be
on hand and see the world made.
And he stays until the morning
f the next day after, and tries to
invent excuses for staying longer,
when his wife wants TO take him
home. He means to take In the
whole show, and he does. He even
rides on the merry-go-round and
his wife rides it too. In fact the
old-timer is Just as likely to be
woman as a man. and just as like
ly to be just as foolish. Indeed we
hear of two Lady Old-Timers who
rode the merry-go-round at Mid
land the other day until the poor
horses became stiff-kneed.
And a new tangled invention
like the lovers-tub is sure to catch
the old-timer. Indeed, he would
rather ride in the lovers-tub with
his neighbor's wife than do almost
anything this side of the River
Jordan. And the neighbor's wife,
like the true old-timer that she is,
likes the experience too.
The old fellow may slip away
when none of his women folks are
watching and enjoy friendly
little game with several old cronies
in some secluded spot, and he may
even turn UP later at the tent
where the Girls of Forty-Nine hold
forth, dancing with allcomers for
a quarter and drink. But it
must be recorded as the everlast-
ing truth Of history that no mat
ter what pleasant indiscretions the
old-timer may commit, no matter
how high and wide and how hand
some he may step, no matter how
swift the dance may become, the
gypsies do not steal his money.
But yet the annual reunion Of
the old-timers in Haakon county
is rather strenuous time. One
member lost his false teeth while
at Midland the other day and is
living on soup until he can get
new teeth made. Other casualties
could be mentioned, but that