The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-01-06
Rambling Observations.
Father or s0n!--Auts.mObiles and
Pedestrians Okar0ga Valley
Land Brings Luck.

| QualHtdnceS since drrlgiHS mere, Hlei
| whom we knew when Spokane was II
the bud, men whom Il is a privilege
| to speak of as friends, rand they seen
to be as pleased to meet us as VIZ
has laid heavy haih on most o
| them. and the vast majority of those
we knew have Joined the innumer
able host that have blaged the way tt
| that bourne from whe.lse no traveller
| returns. Many of those we have me-
we have not seen for ifany years. VIZ
remember them as thvy. were in the
golden age of life. They have changed
The same old genial spirit exists sc
apparent when the world was theii
oysts.., but the tenamelst of that spirit
has taken OH that Transformation that
is the inexorable debt of years thai
all who survive must pay. There are
no more young old timers, and the
species will soon pass sway forever.
We met with a startling surprise
the other day, that took on the nature
of an amusing joke. but we cannot say
exactly who the joke efwas on. upon
meeting an old acquaintance whom we
had not seen for a sco,@ of years. The
gentleman is we'll kno.vn in mining
circles, and as an expert had occasion
in former years to visit the Okanogar
country. more than onse. Those visits
were made long, long ago His greet.
ing was warm and Kindly, but he
seemed somewhat at sest in placing us
His hesitation was bat momentary
"Why, Frank" said he Il know your
father, who is publishing paper at
Oroville." When inforn;ed that he was
speaking to the old mnn in the flesh
a most jolly exchange of congratula-
tions followed. and if il had not been
for that darned cuss, stead there
no doubt would have peen iocund
popping of corks.
According to the fiaires given out
by the thirteen show pouses in Spo-
kane that furnish m'&e or less de-
lectable entertainment "a the stabiliz-
~ .z 90 G
600 people during 1921 entered the
portals of these establishments devot-
ed to amusements, in every case, ex-
cepting three, the silent comedy and
drama. or so often grotesque carac-
ture Of comedy and drama. being the
chief attraction. These theaters, if
they may be so called, range all the
way from small, stuffy, smelly holes
in-the-wall to handsome metropolitan
show houses, their paint and tinsel
gaudy under the flood of electric light
The number who partook of this
ocular pabulum, for much of it would
hardly appeal to the average mental
ity, during the past year fell short
OF the total of 1920, yet four million
odd patrons for the past year would
indicate that quite per centage of the
population is inoculated with the
movie germ.
Like many another who has lived
for long periods upon the husks in
the way of amusements, and pretty
often rather moldy husks at that, we
have been rather liberal patron of
amusments since arriving here, MAX
ing up, as it were, for lost opportunity
There have been few high class at
fractions. and in their absence any old
thing that gives promise of an hour
or two of entertainment has been
grabbed at The discovery has been
made, and we are not a Columbus in
this matter. as no doubt others have
made the same discovery,-that the
peculiarities of the human animal as
to what can be classed as amusement
are about the same everywhere
whether it be in the small town or the
larger cities. In proportion there are
about as many in the small town who
can discriminate between good and
bad stuff on the screen as in the city.
but in both communities there is an
element that can guffaw over inanc
slapjack stuff that is an insult to COM
edy, and so-called dramatic presenta-
tions, the performers, having about as
much knowledge of acting as a wooden
Indian, will draw crowds day after
day. Why even Bill Hart will play to
large houses, and that is the limit.
What people pay out for amuse-
ments is somewhat barometer as to
how times are, at least so it is con-
sidered. although we have come to the
conclusion that people will play false
to their stomachs and deny themselves
OF the necessities of life in order to in
dpige their weakness for pleasure.
However. we are not blaming them for
that eccentricity, for with Accumulate
ing years we have not lost the capac-
lty for pleasure in any shape it may be
dished up. and hence are pulling a
stroke oar in the same boat. But let
that go as it reads. One who sees the
| crowds in show houses in Spokane