Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-23
WRITES ABOUT
VALLEY FETE
Billings, Okla, Told
Of Gathering Here
Of Old Citizens

VI DAAiHkcs Ohtd.s Dub uoW
wintering in Brownsville and FL Jar
ain, has written back home, to the
Billings News, an account Of the
annual gathering Of former Billings
folks now living in FL Jardin.
The article follows:
Had any Of you old timers Of
Billings or vicinity by chance been
suddenly dropped off into the lower
valley OF the Rio Grande river on
Thanksgiving days and stopped off
ut what Is known here as Commun-
ity House No. 1 in the FL Jardin
district, you could have hardly real
lied but what you had been taken
back several years in time and fairly
made to believe that you were in
the midst Of one OF the old-time
gatherings of homestead days in the
good old Cherokee Strip, for here on
this day were assembled, probably,
more citizens who helped in the up
building Of Billings and vicinity
than could be assembled in the old
town itself.
Each year for six years past,
Thanksgiving day has been looked
forward to by those who have set
tied in the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley from Billings and vicinity, also
from Noble and surrounding coun-
ties, as one Of the gala times to
cherish in their memories, and this
Thanksgiving day was no exception
10 the previous years. y.
There are many Of you in the old
home section that have been down
here and realize what these gath
erings are and mean TO 'te and ALL
but you who have not can have but
n faint conception. Neither do you
who have not visited this section
have but the smallest Imagination
OF the environments that would
greet you, for instead OF being
greeted by your friends and ac-
quaintances in winter attire, you
would have seen them in summer
rarb. with the men and boys sitting
around on a large ~veranda, the chill
dren playing about in light gar
ments as they do up there IN sum
mer. the doors of the large COM
munitv housesopen and the ladies ar
Ranging the tables and all were
dressed as though il were June.
The landscape that greets your
ayes would be wonderful when you
rontrasted IL with that up there.
The lawns here are as green as June
time. the acacia, ebony. mesquite
ard other native trees are in full
Leaf: the grapefruit. orange. lemon
lime banana and other fruit bear
ing trees are grand sights laden
heavily with fruit and in their
deep green foliage.
Each automobile that stopped nj
this gathering place carried not
onlv a load Of happy folk bent on
eniovinr the occasion 20 the utmost
hut thew were laden also with edibles
that would appeal 10 everyone.s ap-
retite. and by the time the call Tor
roon-day meal was heard there
seemed To be enough "grub" in sight
% feed n regiment. but when fifty
nine (which was the number pres
ent) had finished their meal ano
m~eaningly or ~begrudgingly gotten up
from their places there was httie
left.
Mr.. Macy furnished the venison
as the greater part OF the meat
served. as he has done on such occa-
sions before from his herd OF deer.
Of which he has nearly a dozen. and
which il is needless to say all did
ample justice to and were very
thankful for his treat, while all the
ladies had stripped their larders
and tested their skill in preparing
culinary delicaoies 70 satisfy the
inner man.
Only one year has there been a
larger assemblare than this and that
was four years ago when the writer
was here and the gathering was
held ut the homo Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Panta, there being over sixty pres
ent then. And let us say right here,
that there Is no colony in the lower
Valley az the Billings colony OF
the Fl Jardin district. and a more
contented and happy lot cannot De
found either. IL We were to judge.
IL was an ideal day for the oc-1-
sion and brought hack memories OF
the days Of the old-time picnic,
when the whole community was like
one big family. which has seemed
10 pass with the advent Of the pres
ert mode of rapid travel. and the
good old picnics bid fair TO live in
memory only.
Those to enjoy this wears Thanks
giving feast as another OF the
sweet memories we're: Mr.. and Mrs.
Claude Macy. Mr.. nd Mrs. A.. L.
Banta. Mr.. and Mrs. Dan Neil. Mr..
and Mrs. Frank Wright, Mr.. and
YRS. W. A. Renfrow. Mr.. and Mrs.
e. l.. Cobble. NJ. ard Mrs. Fred
Smith. Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Greer.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Kingerv. Mr.. and
Mrs. Bert Neil. Mr.. and Mrs. Troy
Porte. Mr.. and Mrs. Tn Gohhlc. Mr..
and Mrs. Wayne Gobhle. Mr.. and
Mrs. G. &. ventz. Mr. end Mrs. q. A. |
reckstein. Mr.. and Mrs. - Geld
we'll. Mr.. and Mrs. - Caldwell. Mrs.
Relic Crossfield. Freda Brown. ~ A.
Reaty. Ike Cluhh. Wilbur Wright.
John Eenfrow. Roy and Fred King
or. Robert Barr. John Bildnrback.
Lewis and Ernest pecksseir. Thelma
Lacy. Alma Caldwell. Neil. Donald. |
virginia. Colleen and Jimmie Smith.
It - nil Neil MI ~ # n /