The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941 Page: 415
546 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Life of Colonel R. T. Milner
talks grew, and upon the celebration of any public holiday or
community affair, he was sure to be speaking somewhere.
One type of gathering at which he spoke often, peculiar to
that period and preserved only in the memories of the old-
timers, was the bran dance. These communial affairs were a
customary part of the entertainment at most of the celebra-
tions of July 4, at political meetings, St. John's Day cele-
brations, or any occasion where there was a picnic or other
all-day gathering. Usually a brush arbor was erected, the
ground cleaned off, and sawdust (hence the name bran) broad-
cast generously three or four inches deep. A platform at one
end of the arbor accommodated the performers upon the fiddle,
which was the only instrument used. The belles and beaux,
after listening to speeches, patriotic "orations," and partaking
of the generous refreshments spread on rough board tables
supported by a sort of carpenter's horse, would gather at the
place prepared for dancing. The fiddler would strike up some
such lively tune as "Turkey in the Straw," "Georgia Camp
Meeting," or "Sallie Goodin;" the couples would take their
places; the caller would swing lustily into "Honor Your Part-
ner," and the dance was on. Soon the shuffling in the sawdust
would raise such a cloud that everyone's complexion was the
same. Beautiful white dresses would become dirty, limp, earth-
colored affairs, "and even Hoyt's German could not disguise
the odor of perspiration; but still the dance went on with vim
and vigor until couple after couple had to start for home in
order to reach there before dark."25
Such gatherings as these afforded Bob Milner an opportunity
to meet people and to expand his acquaintance."' He taught his
last school at Mt. Enterprise, and while there he began to write
as a "contributor" to the Henderson Times, owned and edited
by J. G. Garrison.
For a year, R. T. Milner had no settled employment. This,
according to his closest friend's testimony, was probably the
darkest period in his life up to that time.27 He was thirty years
of age and he had arrived nowhere-he had no job, no occupa-
25Mrs. C. A. Lanier to Margaret Lanier, July 16, 1939.
26"Col. Milner attended many of these affairs and was in demand as an
orator and perhaps took part in the dance. It was considered quite re-
spectable. Texas was young in those days and entertainment was scarce."
-Mrs. C. A. Lanier to Margaret Lanier, July 16, 1939.
27Brown, "Biographical Sketch," Henderson Times, June 28, 1886; clip-
ping from Mrs. Milner's Scrapbook, p. 1.415
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 44, July 1940 - April, 1941, periodical, 1941; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146052/m1/466/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.