The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 58, July 1954 - April, 1955 Page: 212
650 p. : ill., maps (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
either had to ride him or I would spoil both the horse and myself.
As there was no one around to tell what had happened, I got back
on him again, as I knew then that I could ride him and I did.
I spoke of cowboy and cow pony horse races. We really had
them all kinds. The cowboy boot races were probably the most
amusing. We would all line up facing opposite from the direction
we were to run and at the word "go" we would whirl our horses
around, run the distance agreed on, cross the line, dismount and
remove our boots, get back on our horse and return across the
starting line, return and dismount and put our boots on and get
back across the starting line, the first one across being the winner.
It was a feat that required speed in the horse and action on the
part of the rider, and it was lots of fun.
During this period, social life was never at a low ebb and
supplied the need of the youth of the community. One Sunday
morning at the instruction of my refined and cultured mother, I
took a pie pan and with soot from the chimney and cream from
the milk crock and a woolen rag, I proceeded to black my boots
and then was inspected as to condition of my hands and neck and
ears. School was from eight till four o'clock and each Friday after-
noon all scholars were lined up on two sides for a spelling match.
Farmers hauled in pole wood free, and we boys had to cut it up
and build the fires in the big old stove early in the morning in
wintertime and carry water a half mile. On Friday after school
closed two boys would be named by the teacher to remain and
sweep out the schoolroom.
In the spring and summer it was neighborhood singings and
play parties and protracted meetings; in the fall and winter it
was dances. Everybody that desired was supposed to come, and
frequently someone would get on a horse and spread the news
of the party or dance so that all who wished to do so could come.
It was at this time that the first new type of social function was
introduced. Along in December a widow with two grown daugh-
ters and young boys moved to Whitemound from Jefferson, Texas,
and during Christmas-time they gave a dance and invited those
guests whom they wanted to be present. Perfectly proper, of
course, but never heard of before up to that time. The next
morning after the dance, when the sun came up, it shone on quite
a scene in the front yard, as there, tied to the picket fence were all212
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 58, July 1954 - April, 1955, periodical, 1955; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101158/m1/253/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.