Involuntarily the writer’s hands went up into the air, as if describing the tossing up with which he had been indulging the child. This was invitation enough for the youngster, who started for the other end of the table regardless of any seeming obstacles in the way. He bounded out of his high chair, plunking his fat little fists into the consomme, one foot kicking over the custard pie. Tea, coffee and milk were brushed ruthlessly aside, the dozen hard boiled eggs met an ignominious fate on the floor and the apple sauce and canned berries were tipped over. Halting for a moment in the middle of the table where he squatted in the center of three sirloin steaks, he proceeded to his journey’s end, creating havoc and destruction in his wake. Everything seemed to be a target for the youngsters efforts, and just as he was about to spring in triumph into his guest’s arms, both parents arrived on the scene of such wanton destruction. The boy had done a complete job and the tempting viands of a few moments before became immediate “candidates” for the little barrel furnished by the garbage man.
Recriminations between the “newly-weds” and apologies for Master Webster’s rudeness were in order, but the occurrence was so humorous that the whilom guest is still enjoying the memories of the untouched dinner with the Prague family.
["Knifin’ de Dough."]
In the earlier days of Oregon the State Fair at Salem was the great event of the Fall’s doings, and countryman and merchant alike contributed by their presence to make the fair a success. It was a week when the old pioneer, who lived in the Grand Ronde Valley would expect to meet his former neighbor in the East, who, perchance, located in Yamhill County and, railroads being scarce, old Bob and Florrie would be hitched to the prairie schooner that bore them across the plains years before, to participate in the annual gathering in September at Salem.
More people came from Portland in those days than at present, notwithstanding the increased population.
There were no bridges across the Willamette at Portland, and ferry boats handled with ease all the travel between the East and the West Sides.
Two brothers were the proprietors of one of these ferry boats, and the husbands and fathers of the two families indulgently gave over the proceeds of one day’s collection to their wives and children to spend as they wished in a day’s outing at Salem. Thursday was the day generally selected and every member of both families excepting the husbands took the early train for the State Fair.
On one of these occasions, along about 1882 or ’83, the members of both families were a little slow in getting started, and Capt. Robinson brought the previous day’s collections, a good sized canvass bag full of silver and some gold pieces also, to the train, where he handed it to the mothers for distribution among the flock.
“How will we proceed to divide the money,” was asked.