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Chronicles of Oklahoma
Our school house became a sort of civic center. A Sunday
school was organized, and once in a while we had preaching services.
These services were conducted by Brother Sharp, father of the Sharp
brothers with whom he made his home. The old gentleman was
illiterate but he claimed to be an ordained minister. What he lacked
in literacy, he made up in fervid oratory and dramatic gestures. He
preached a literal hell-fire and brimstone doctrine and one of his
favorite expressions was, "Worship in spirit and truth, and avoid
that burnin' lake of brimstone where all you sinners is goin' to
burn forever and forever."
There were many social activities going on among those early
settlers in 1889. Literary at the school house where once a week
we met and debated on such profound questions, as "Which is the
most destructive, Fire or Water?" or "Did the Hen come before
the Egg?" followed by a program of songs, readings and recitations.
When school was going on, we would have a "spelling bee" once
in a while. Then there were the card parties where High Five was
the popular game. The bachelors had card parties, too. No one
was invited but men, and I can assure you they did not play High-
Five. Poker was the game. The stakes were not high, twenty-five
cents being just about the limit. We had just as much fun as if the
stakes were larger.
Once in a while someone would give a dance, usually when he
added another room to his claim shack. There was one dance I
remember quite distinctly. Will Wall abandoned his dugout and
built a sod house. He made it large enough so he could have two
good rooms. The reason for the extra improvements, he was ex-
pecting his young sister, a lady about fourteen or fifteen years of
age to come and make her home with him. The other bachelors up
and down the Skeleton prevailed on Will to give a dance before he
put the partition in his house.
That dance was long remembered as the most important event
that ever occurred in our community. There was a large crowd
present. It is needless to say that all the young bachelors were present
with their lady friends, that is if they were fortunate enough to have
a lady friend. Young ladies were a premium back in '89. I
remember that "Oklahoma Alice" accompanied me to the dance,
and that we came horseback. Hot coffee and sandwiches were
served. Jerry Hatfield with his violin, and another young man
with a mandolin furnished the music. Will Walls' young sister
was the belle of the ball. She had the time of her life. She danced
every set. It was morning before the dance broke up.
Right here, I am going to digress from my tales of the 89 'ers
and take you to Arnett, Ellis County, Oklahoma in 1911 or 1912,
for the purpose of showing how trails will sometimes cross. All of
the early residents of Arnett will remember Mr. and Mrs. E. L.
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