Part 6 (1/2)

I wanted to play in the games, but I realized that I was much smaller than any of the others who took part in the and cause thes” they did were ”Shoot the Buffalo” and ”Farmer by the Mill” These were the pro their partners kind of like in a square dance Mr Flint was about the bestthose dances

Now I have gone and contradictedyou we danced But this was not the kind of dance where they waltzed around in each other's arot under way, the people were seated all around the roo in the adjoining roo rooh to hold the crowd When that ood party

A large croas just what they wanted More people eneral, when there was a large crowd, things a set-that is, the sweetheart set who enjoyed holding hands and chasing after each other

The gairl and a boy to stand in theeach other Then the girls would ”volunteer” one of their crowd and push her forward to be ”it” Then the ”it” girl would circle the roo for the boy she wanted for a partner When she found hiers in front of his face, just as you would in school when you wanted to get the teacher's attention

This snap told the boy that he was her chosen, at least for a few ers, she would hurry to the couple in the middle of the room and the boy she ”snapped” would chase after her His object was to touch the girl, and her object was to try to prevent his touching her

She would try to prolong the chase by dodging and so around the couple in the center of the roo the chase by favoring the girl They h between them and then lower their ar a hard tih between them and then lower their arms quickly and trap her in their arirl, the chase was ended Then the couple who had held hands would leave and let the new couple hold hands in the center of the room while another chase took place

This was not only a holding-hands gaarown- ups atching Anyway, snap was a popular gaht be at the Johnsons, but before the party was over, you could bet good ers would have talked another faht

These were strictly play parties There were no refresh Just make sure the house is clean, the yard is clean, and there are plenty of places to park buggies, hacks, and wagons Then hope a big crowd begins gathering soon after sundown

Parties were preferred over dances because it was considered iirl before they were married Sweethearts could hold hands in the presence of adults, if it were in the process of playing a game But just to sit this one out and hold hands was unthinkable

A ”good” ht for her to hold hands in public, or to hug and kiss anywhere, on her way to church or anywhere else, either afoot or in a buggy- not even at night

Somehow, I just can't help but believe that parents knew these little things were going on between lovers, but they seeht for the ”sic 'e, ”Don't ever let s” And the kids were not actually saying but were thinking, ”Okay, I'll try not to let you catch me when I do them”

Dances were looked down upon because they attracted boys who drank, and girls with loose ht iven in our neighborhood, and were not invited by so the parties

But when ave a party at our house, they invited everyone ould coht it unmannerly to invite certain ones and leave others out They seerity would demand respect from the worst of them-and it did There never was any trouble at our house-no drinking, no fighting, no ”cussing”

I re people cay from quite a distance away I think I was about nine years old and, of course, I didn't know all about everything that went on around s between their fahborhood The sters attended dances in other cohborhood sure didn't approve of that

The incident I reot sick with a severe attack of colic while the party was going on Soreat pain The boy ned the animal had seen the disease before and kne quickly it could kill a good horse So he offered to sell the aniain for Papa, because he knew exactly what to do to cure the horse And the horse was probably worth 50

When Papa learned about the probleot a quart bottle, filled it about a quarter-full of soda and then added about a half-quart of kerosene Then he clih in the air with the bridle reins and poured the mixture down his throat Within tencohty bad taste in his rateful that Papa had not taken advantage of hiood nay horse

Along with sweethearts, there were a few other things I didn't understand altogether One tiy fro I don't reh to do a pretty good job of cutting out, but I didn't do so ith y wouldn't sit up and roll

That was not altogether a case of stupidity but rather, a lack of research This was part of the research through which I learned about the third dimension

It's hard to believe a kid that stupid could become so smart within the next few years and retain that smartness for the rest of his life

We also learned-not through research, but from concerned parents, about the choice of words to use, the careful choice, I ht add

Some words were strictly forbidden The word ”bull” was one of them We didn't dare use that word in the presence of Papa or Mama And if any of the other kids heard us use it, they would tattle on us So, we just didn't use it We were taught to use the word ”surley” instead