"Everything had blood in it's eye...."

by Betty Jane Wilson, society president

Bad day at Black Rock, blue Monday, alarm clock failure, flat tire, bad hair day, etc. Apparently “one of those days” can happen any time, any place, any century.

G.A. Huron, editor of the Kansas New Era, predecessor of the Vindicator, cited the following events one Thursday in February 1876:

“As we came down the street in the morning everything had blood in its eye. First, our “devil” printer wanted a leave of absence to attend a wedding. Recognizing the fact that his majesty always manifested an interest in such things, the request was granted.

“We said everything had blood in it’s eye, that was the matter. There was not a man in town that did not act as if his opinion was worth more than that of all the world . . .

“Dr. Gephart had started armed and equipped as the law directs to capture the handsomest young lady in Jackson County, it was discovered that he had left the very necessary requisite, the marriage license at home and ‘Caspar’ ever ready to do a kindness, was dispatched post hast with the missing paper.

“Meritt McDole went into the Michigan Lumber Yard to load his wagon when, at the rattle of a board, his team started to jump, the wagon was distributed over town but was gathered up, taken to the shop and mended. Returning to the lumber yard the same trick was played again and this time the horses dragged their driver several yards before getting loose and when under good headway turned to suddenly that the hind wheels broke loose and sent jumping like a rabbit into Dr. Northrup’s handsome fence.

“Rev. Gill was in the way of the wheels and though he makes no claim to agility, it would have excited the envy of the most experience acrobat to have seen the ease with which he dodged the issue.

“A gentleman from Tippinville persusaded himself he needed just one more glass of lager, so he left his team in the street while he went to interview Stevins, but that buck in the beer or something else startled the team. Prunes, sugar, coffee, etc. were scattered and sifted for two squares, and by the time the wagon gets fitted up with three new springs and other repairs, that glass of lager will prove rather expensive. For a wonder nobody was hurt, and if another town in the state can show a livelier record for the day, we want to see it.”

The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be closed Saturday.