by Harvey Lee Ross

Pages 18-21

In the Democrat of June 10 I find the story related by Major Newton Walker about his fiddling at our Havana ball sixty years ago. He has always been noted for his accurate memory, but in this case he has forgotten some of the incidents. It will interest young people to know about the pioneer manner of conducting parties. It was Dr. Price, and not Dr. Allen, who went with me to Lewistown to secure the services of major Walker as our fiddler. Dr. Price then lived in Havana, but afterwards moved to Lewistown. Dr. Hillburt was also a Havana doctor. When the Major agreed to go with us we called for him at Truman Phelps’ tavern in a common two-horse wagon. He was evidently expecting a carriage, but was too polite to say anything. The only seat was a board laid across the wagon bed. The Major came out with his violin in a beautiful case, and the case was wrapped up as carefully as if it had been a baby. We got on very well until we came to the bottom road beyond Waterford where heavy teaming had made deep ruts. The front wheels would occasionally drop into a deep rut, and down would go our seat with all three of us sprawling in the wagon bed. But we finally

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got to the ball-room, and the dance commenced much as the Major described it. The man who wanted him to play faster was Dr. Hillburt. He was very portly, and weighed some 200 pounds. After Hillburt had danced about half an hour, he pulled off his coat; a little later away went his vest; and as he got warmer he kicked off his shoes and finished the "French four" in his stocking feet. In regard to the Major’s comments on my dancing I have only to say that he had not lived long enough in Illinois to know what good Sucker dancing was! After the dance was over we took up a collection of about $10 to pay the fiddler, but Major Walker declined the money, and said he would only ask us to send him back to Lewistown. I can only say that if he had run for office he would have gotten every vote in Havana.

But he is in error in saying that it was the first time we had ever met. I remember very well when Col. Simms and major Walker passed through Havana with their caravan from Virginia. They stayed with my father over night, and the next morning we ferried them over the Illinois river. They had the most splendid traveling outfit I had ever seen. Their horses were large and fine. They had several carriages and wagons, and one tremendous four-horse "prairie schooner." The wagon was about twenty feet long and eight feet high, and all heavily ironed off in old Virginia style. The ferryman said that it was the biggest wagon that had ever crossed the river.

About two months later I took a carriage and light pair of horses to drive my mother over to Lewistown to visit her brother, Mahlon Winans, who the lived where Major Walker now lives. Three or four miles out of Lewistown one of our axletrees was broken. We then made our way afoot to the cabin of Nathaniel Bordwine (still living in Lewistown), hoping to get a wagon from him, but it was in Lewistown. I left mother at the cabin and with my horses went on to Mr. McGeehee’s farm, but his wagon was not at home. Thence I went on to Minard Van Dyke’s, then to Dr. Rice’s, and then to George Bennett’s, but their wagons were away or busily employed. Lastly I went to Hiram Wentworth’s place (just east of Lewistown), sure that I would get a wagon there. When I rode up to the house the first thing that struck my

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attention was a strapping big Negro at work in the yard, and in the lane stood the mighty "prairie schooner" we had ferried across the river. Major Walker came to the door and told me that he had bought the Wentworth place. I told him of my predicament; but Col. Simms had driven the carriage into town, and there was not a wagon on the place except the huge four-horse one. I could not wait for the carriage, as a storm was brewing; so with the negro’s help I hitched my two little horses onto the big wagon. The stiff tongue stuck six feet out ahead of them, and when I climbed into the wagon the front end-gate came up to my chin. The big negro said to me: "Young masssa, what y’er goin’ to do wid dat big wagon?" I told him that I was going to take a lady a riding. It tickled him tremendously, and as I drove away he stood with his mouth spread and nearly in convulsions of laughter. He had doubtless seen many strange things, but to take a lady riding in a four-horse wagon was too much for him.

And so I drove back in state to get mother. Fortunately, there was a high rail fence at Mr. Bordwine’s; so mother climbed the high fence and so got into the wagon. [Mrs. Ross was very fleshy.—Ed.] There was a huge chain on each side of the wagon, and at each hill I had to climb out and lock the wheels to keep the big wagon from running over my little horses. We fortunately arrived in Lewistown after dark, and escaped the astonished gaze of the people. But when we got to Uncle Winans’ there was no high fence, and no ladder. It was a profound problem as to how we would ever get mother out of her chariot. But finally a common wagon was run up close to the big one, and by the aid of a high chair we managed to get her safely to earth. The next day mother sent me back with the big wagon to Major Walker, and gave me a half dollar to pay for its use. But I said it was such a big wagon the price might be more. So she gave me another fifty cents. When I drove out, there stood the big negro in the same spot, his mouth wide open, laughing, just as I had left him, giving me the impression that my joke had paralyzed him the night before. But I gave him the dollar to pay Major Walker.

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He soon came out and said: "De folks say der ain’t no charge, and you’m pufecly welcome to de wagin."

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