Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 1916)
riAtrsMsuTK journal nOMt S3Ml?ifi gfrifcfo fciXAX AUGUST 31, 1316 J - J. : The Blackberry Patch By Douglas Malloch. ilE' Hiram on his ranch tei'bjf home paper that they were going to have a Ilome-Com-ing week back in the old home town he slapped himself on the knee and exclaimed, "By gosh. I'll do it!" It was forty years forty years, think of it! since he had seen the place of his birth, forty years of wan dering like a lost sheep at first, and then settling down on some "gov e'lnent land" to raise real sheep and acquire a modest fortune. He never had lost his affection for the old town, and he never had permitted himsrlf to get quite out of touch with it either, fur the County Times had come to him week after week, wherever he was. to remind him of old plai es and old faces. "Guess I'll just go along with this bunch myself." he said to the ranch foreman; and five days later he was on the train with his sheep, armed with his shipper's pass, and jolting eastward. "No use spendin' a lot o' money just for a fcol idea." he said. When the last sheep had been deliv ered and the draft was in his pocket for the last head, he climbed into a day-coach, and in four hours was set down at the old town. The place had c hanged some, he had to admit. The old depot was pone, and even the new one that Ik- had read about was begin ning to show signs of age. lie missed the mud. for a neat pavement of creo soted blocks had replaced it. The old oil lamps were gone, and a row of in candeseents shone in their place. Up Main street, rounding a curve, he cp.upht a glimpse of an orange-colored interurban car. Vet. withal. Main street still ran north and south as it always did. across the tracks, and it was the Earn old town, only in new clothes. There seemed to be fewer idlers around the depot, though the town had grown; and not one of those who were there seemed to know him. He walked tip to the new hotel, and felt just a little lonesome when the hotel man, a stranger, showed no excitement or surprise when his signature was scrawled across the page. "ilomp-romer?"' asked the landlord, acting ?.s though Hiram and not he were the stranger. "Yep one o' the Wilkinses," an swered Hiram. "Don't know as I ever heard of them" and Hirani felt a bit Ione bomer than ever. Uut aa old fellow with a badge on. and a smile, followed by two yonnger men similarly adorned, hopped from th'dr chairs in the lobby and came fcr uanl with outstretched hands. "Hi Wilkins?" asked the old man w'.Va v i J.- opcu r j er a .d . look cf de light that did Hiram's heart good to EfcP. "The guilty Tarty," Hiram replied; and Judge Bennett, "Ked-head Ben nett." who swem frcm Maple Bend to Picnic Point, you remember, all but took him in his arms. "By gosh. Red I mean 'Judge' this was worth the wfiole darn trip," said Hiram, after they had visited. "Hi Wilkins" did not mean much to most of the young folks in the com munity, but it meant a lot to certain persons who used to play shinny, and likewise hookey, with him. So the vord spread around. But one young person heard it with interest and some amusement. Mary, the wife of the hardware dealer, went right in to mother when she heard about it. "Who do you suppose is here for Home-Coming week?" she asked with a teasing laugh. "How should I know?" answered her mother carelessly, yet with a shade of curiosity in her voice. "Hi Wilkins. that poor father used to josh you about." plumped out Mary. "Well, land sakes, what do you think of that!" ' I'll tell you what I think of it, mother I'm going to invite him up to supper!" "No, you won't do nothin' of the kind. Why, I wouldn't have him see nut now for worlds!" "How foolish, mother. I know what you're thinking of that you're a little older but I don't imagine h's been ; :mmir.g in any fountain of youth. A iid I know he'd just love to see one of his old friends." It took a lot of persuasion but then, maybe the widow knew more about Hiram than her daughter did but Mary eventually had Judge Bennett on the phone and invited the judge and Mrs. Bennett, who was a newcomer in the town, having lived there only twen ty years, and asked them to bring Mr. Wilkins up that very night. Five minutes later mother appeared in the kitchen in her gingham apron. "Why, mother, what are you going to do?" "I'm goin' to make a blackberry pie. That Wilkins boy was always a terror for blackberry pie." Meanwhile the judge was having al most as much trouble with Hiram as Mary had had with mother. "Why, gosh almighty, man, I ain't hardly spoke to a woman, except ranch help, in gosh knows how long!" But the hcur for the supper came, rnd with the hour came Mrs. Bennett, and with Mrs. Bennett the judge, and with the judge came Hiram. And it was about the merriest supper that ever happened over a hardware store. My, my, how Hiram and mother laughed over those old days! They talked about thecelebrated swim from Maple Bend to Picnic'Point rio other j fool kid had ever swum it since, the judge assured Hiram, trying to con ceal his pride under that word "fool." Sometimes the harp of memory was played in a minor key, for there were some whom Hiram recalled who had responded to the final Home-Coming. Yet always the conversation swung back to some funny happening of forty yeais ago, andmother laughed as she had not laughed in years, and Hiram laughed as he had not laughed since the last tenderfoot broke a broncho. The judge and Mary's husband told Hiram about the Community club, and about the six trains a day instead of two. and the creamery with a laundry attached, and the township high school, and the interurban, and the pickle station, and the farm demon strator, and a lot of other things. "What change do you notice most?" asked the hardware merchant. "That darn park that used to be the '.ild blackberry patch," answered Hi ram, with half a laugh and half a sigh. But mother's laugh -was not a half one by any means. She laughed un il she was ashamed of herself. She laughed herself, to the kitchen and came back laughing with a blackberry pie. And the half-moon gash in the crust, to let the steam escape, with its red lips, looked so much like a mouth that the blackberry pie seemed to be laughing itself. "Do you remember the last time we went blackberry in'?' asked Hiram. A very clever person might have dis covered a tone of tender recollection in his voice. "Indeed, I do," said mother. "And remember how you dressed all up be cause I was goin' along, and you tore your pants and dassn't go home?" "No, that wasn't the last time. The last time was long after that, just be fore I went West. Why, I guess I was about twenty then." Well, mother remembered some thing about that, but not very much. So the conversation drifted back to the park and the playground, but Hi ram expressed the idea that the chil dren nowadays didn't get any more fun out of the slides and the swings than he did out of the blackberries. "But," said mother, as they rose from the table, "you see, now we have both the park and the berries only we have the berries out in the back yard." So Hiram and mother went out into the bark yard to see the berries. And, as they walked and talked, mother re membered the last afternoon in the berry patch much better. Somehow, they stopped laughing about it. And they stayed out there long enough to inspect each individual berry. After the company had gone, moth er sat up talking about them later than she had been up in years. "And what do you think of Hi of Mr. Wil kins?" she asked. "I think he's a fine old man!" Mary answered with enthusiasm. 1 don't see why you call him old," said mother with spirit. "He looks twice as young as the judge." Hiram dropped in nearly every day during Home-Coming week, and he lingered a week after the big week was over. Then one day he showed up at the courthouse, suitcase in hand. "Well, off for the West?" asked Judge Bennett. "Yep." A pause then a grin from Hiram. "Yep goin to sell that ranch and come home and settle down." A LARGE CROWD IN ATTENDANCE AT CARNIVAL LAST NIGHT Full proof of the fact that amuse ment loving: public were awaiting the opening of the Brundage shows was in evidence last evening at the tented ;ity east of the Burlington station, .vhen an immense crowd fell in behind :he band and proceeded to take in the feast of high class attractions that ire offered by this splendid company. Here are offered a varied line of .musements all in keeping with the Brundage slogan, "We Comply with he Pure Show Laws." Due to the ate arrival of the' company and the fact that it was necessary to remove the wheels from a number of the wagons before they could be taken through the subway, several of the shows were unable to give a perform ance, but those who were fortunate to get started did a fine business with the immense crowd that filled the mid way. This spot will be the Mecca for the town people of our city as well as the influx of visitors from outside points that will be on hand the last two days of the week, as young and old want amusement and the Brun dage shows offer good, clean attrac tions. A string of lights has been placed to the Burlington subway, lighting the approach to the grounds. The Mcintosh military band is a splen did feature to the carnival that is al ways enjoyed by young and old and their concerts on the street in which they are assisted by Billy Kearn, is proving a decided hit. LOST Brown imitation leather suit case, containing girl's wearing ap parel; was lost on road between Papillion and LaPlatte, or Platts mouth. Finder please return to The Journal office. ltd&w VERY INTERESTING PIONEER STORY BY MRS. C. H. PARMELE A most interesting story of Pio neer life and times is told by Mrs. Catherine Parmele, widow of C. II. Parmele, who was an active factor in the early history of Plattsmouth and Cass county. She with her husband, located in Plattsmouth in 1857, Platts mouth at that time was a lively fron tier town, and an outfitting point for Pike's Peak and the mountains. Mr. Parmele was one of the early freight ers, making many trips across the plains; the Indians on some of these occasions giving them much trouble. In 18."7 the Pawnee Indians were still around Plattsmouth, and the Parmele family had the usual experiences with these aboriginees. They were always a source of annoyance, and created a good deal of fear among the women and children. Mrs. Parmele calls to mind that the business of the village was transacted on Second street, for several blocks north and south on the liver front. Boats were constantly landing and discharging their cargo. It was one of the amusements of the times for the young people of Platts mouth to have dances on the boats, and frequently these parties would last for the trip to Omaha and re turn. In those days people were gen erally very sociable and more unselfish than in later years. Mrs. Parmele mentions among leading citizens of that date, T. M. Marquet, Willett Pot tenger. Tootle and Hanna, Wheatley Mickelwaite, Samuel H. Elbert and many others who were the moving spirits of that time. Houses were scarce for renting purposes and their first home was in what was known as Patterson Row, which was situated near the Catholic church. Mrs. Par mele has resided for over fifty years in the residence she now occupies on Vine street, which was considered at the time of its construction a preten tous building. Mrs. Parmele is the mother of one of our fellow townsman, C. C.'Parmele; T. E. Parmele, banker at Louisville; Mrs. Myrtle Atwood, of Lincoln; and Mrs. Nellie Agnew, now visiting in this city. CAME TO PLATTS MOUTH WHEN ONLY THIRTEEN YEARS OLD O. M. Streight, another pioneer of experience, came to Plattsmouth with his father, from Montgomery county, Iowa, in 1857, when he was 13 years of age. He calls to mind that the leading hotel was a three-story frame building called the City hotel, situated on the ground now occupied by the Plattsmouth hotel. It was run by Mrs. Uray, who was the mother of Mrs. J. C. Peterson. He attended school in a frame building occupying the ground where Egenberger's sa loon now is. At this time Platts mouth was a greater outfitting point for the west than Omaha. It had some live business firms, among them being Amison and Dovey, Tootle and Hanna, Staud and Anderson, Simpson, Mickelwaite and Sharp. During the years 1SG5, 18GG and 1867 Mr. Streight was engaged in driving teams across the plains to Denver and the mountains for the freighters, and had many varied experiences with frontiersmen while thus engaged. He has seen Plattsmouth grow from a frontier town into a pretentious mod ern city, and does not regret having cast his lot with the early pioneers here. AUTO PUT OUT OF COMMIS- -SION FOR SHORT TIME Saturday evening the fine new Hud son touring car of C. F. Vallery, the road overseer, was put out of com mission for a few hours through the breaking of one of the front wheels of the machine. The car was being driven by Max Vallery along the road just west of the Oak Hill cemetery, where the roadway is rather narrow, and the driver ran to one side to allow a team to pass and while on the grass and weeds at the side of the road the machine slipped and slid to one side, with the result that one of the front wheels had all the spokes broken out of it. P. T. Becker, the agent of the Hudson car in this ctiy, soon secured the agency in Omaha, and by Sunday morning Mr. Vallery had a new wheel and the Hudson was back in commission, as good as ever. The accident was wholly unavoidable and was not in any way the fault of either the driver or the machine. If you have anything for sale adver tise in the Journal. id? I 11 " "Shake" 1901 1905 C.E. 1894 1900 C. E. 1879 1893 C. E. c.E. Wescott Wescott Wecsott's Wescott & "The Bos Clothier" UT Son Sons o bons "One price "Everybody' Store" and no monkey business" OUR Thirty -Eighth YEAR r THE LAST SAD TRIBUTE TO MS. JOHN H. BECKER A Large Concourse of Sympathetic Neighbors and Friends Assembled. Yeseterday afternoon the funeral services of the late Mrs. John H. Becker were held at the home on West Pearl street and they were attended by a very large concourse of sorrow ing relatives and friends to pay their tribute to the memory of this noble lady who had been taken so suddenly from their midst and the large number in attendancs spoke eloquently of the deep feeling of grief at the loss they had sustained in her death. The old neighbors from the community where the Becker family had lived for so many years were present to bid fare well to the one they had known and loved for so many years and who had endeared herself to them by the many acts of kindness and care. The services were conducted by Rev. C. E. Perlee, pastor of the Christian church, who spoke eloquently of the life of the departed, of her many acts of kindness that had endeared her to all who had known her and of her beautiful and faithful Christian life, and to the family it brought a sense of comfort as they anticipated the time when once more they might meet with the wife and mother in the better land where there would be no more sever ing of ties of love or bitter partings. During the services at the home Mrs. E. H. Wescott and Miss Hazel Tuey gave three very pleasing num bers, "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," 'Asleep in Jesus," and "In the Sweet By and By," each with their message of comfort and hope to those who had been bereaft by death. The house as well as the lawn was filled with those who mourned with the family and the wealth of floral beauty placed on the .casket spoke of the feeling of great esteem in which Mrs. Becker had been held in the en tire community. Among those attending from out of the city were: Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Miller, Archie Miller, Lyle Miller, Lehy Miller, Mr. and Mrs. John Woods, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hardnoek, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hardnoek, all of Alvo; Mr. and Mrs. Will Becker, Mr. and Mrs. George Beck, of Mason City, Illinois; Mrs. Alice Weinheimer, of Pekin, 111.; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Wall inger of Elmwood; Mr. and Mrs. George Wallinger, South Bend; Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Baumgart, Lamar, Ne braska and Miss Emma Tresham of Seattle, Wash.; Frank Gustin and wife of Elmwood. The interment was at Oak Hill cem etery and the pall bearers were sons and sons-in-law, P. T., H. E., W. A. Becker, G. A. Kaffenberger, Frank A. Cloidt, and C. T. Peacock. FARMERS' UNION PICNIC. The Farmers Union of Elmwood are to hold a big picnic gathering on Saturday, September 2nd, at Clapp's park in that city. The picnic will in clude big ball games and a big din ner at noon as well as a band concert that will be well worth hearing. The boosters for the event, Williard Clapp, A. F. Turk and Joseph A. Capwell were here today to bill for the event. & After a long walk, a if thought is of a WHY? Because it should be oftenest thought of for its delici ousness. Highest thought of for its wholesomness, refreshing and thirst quenching. Demand the genuine MffldS P,(BirE(BS5 Always to be had at the Peerless Bar GOOD SINCE 1854 Also a Fine Line of Imported and Domestic Wines, Liquors and Cigars at a very ripe age, at reasonable prices. We will be glad to serve you. Give us a call. JOv1acc Z2P fci JT UmJGdM 9 XWfLff JfUMCU&9 Opp. Court House. While in the city visit The Greenwald Studio and look over the PLATTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL CLASS PICTURES from 1903 to the present time You may be in one of them. Have pictures taken IDEAL, CAMPBELL and QUAKER HOT AIR FURNACES Plumbing and Watersupply Systems. SHEET METAL, TINWORK and PUMPS Telephone 98. dusty ride, or any time, your first and best refreshing drink. Be sure you think of Tv ErVf VT)Tnr?4 4 th and Mai H-W-CO, as long ago as 1885. re 1 4th and Main Street Bauor ft i i i