Beaver Creek Pioneers, Children, Poem - QUEER THINGS, Fremont County, Colorado Submitted by Robyn Asimus and her son Chris Asimus. The below poem was written in the year 1894, about the young folks of Beaver Creek, Colorado, most of whom were soon married to the ones they were then keeping company with. It was written and read, at our literary and debating society, by Chas. G. McGowen QUEER THINGS Yed the world is full of queer things That somehow we can't make out, And queer things done by some people Almost turns our heads about. And I find this not excepted In our little valley here, The way that our young folks are doing, Seems to me is very queer. Now there's Myron our Chairman, Who we've placed upon the throne, Quietly of Sunday evenings Takes a trip to neighbor Jones; And I don't know why he goes there, Unless it is to visit John, But it's queer he never goes there When it happens Mary's gone. And then there's that Willard Biddix, Queer he would a buggy buy After all his crop was freighted, But perhaps he thought he'd try And keep up with Beaver Fashions Like the other boys have done, Now he's running down to Coffman's Just to see how that rig runs. But that rig will not run easy, Only when it's holding two? So he slyly takes our Nettie, Of course no other girl would do. But of all the queerest queer things Is that man, Fie Patton's boy, All the people call him Tommy, He's his parents pride and joy. But he has the queerest notions, Queerest I have ever seen; Tommy says he most likes people When their altogether Green. And then there's that Micheaux Curtis, A modest, well behaved young man, Always minding his own business And molesting no one's plan. But on Sundays he grows restless, Seems to rather feel depressed, Nothing but a trip to Cob Green's Gives that poor boy's mind a rest. Then there is another young man, By some mystic fit is seized, William Smith I believe they call him, I believe his mind's diseased. For it isn't many seasons Since that boy was everywhere, All alone or with companions And was under no one's care. But now days you never see him, Only with a guardian fair, And when Clara is not with him, Then Will seems in wild despair. Another fellow called Ed Curtis Who we all have known so well, Seems of late some sad misfortune Has to that poor boy be fell, For he cannot or he will not Mingle. With the world of late, And if something's not done for him Something sad will be his fate. But I think I know a lady Who'll effect a speedy cure Who it is of course you'll wonder, Why it's Hattie to be sure. That young man we call Grant Flesher, And his younger brother Joe, Think this world is sad and lonely As they wander to and fro Both have made good resolutions That they'll lead a better life And they think the way to lead it Is to lead a little wife. I don't mean to say they're married Because I know they're not you see, But the way that things are working, It won't be long until they'll be. Now a young man lives in Canon, His name is Black, but color's white, And a school ma'am, well my niece here, Thinks that fellow's out of sight. And I know that some attraction Also takes Miss Teape to tow; She and Cora take my buggy When each Saturday morn comes 'round And they'll fly up to the city, And the last time, so I hear , That they took some fellows riding, In that buggy, ain't that queer? They are welcome to that buggy But I get confounded mad When they say I can't go with them, Still they'll take that rig and gad All around that Canon City With some spider legged dude, But they think that I'm just horrid, In fact they tell me I'm no good. Submitted by Robyn Asimus and her son Chris Asimus. FOOTNOTE: Nettie Coffman was Robyn Asimus's great-grandmother. Clara Coffman and Nettie Coffman were sisters. Clara did marry Will Smith, but Nettie ended up marrying Robert Burns. ------------------------------------------------------- Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) Archives and by the COGenWeb Project Archives (http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm) USGenWeb Project NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the internet, data may be used by non-commercial researchers, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format for profit, nor for presentation in any form by any other organization or individual. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than as stated above, must obtain express written permission from the author, or the submitter and from the listed USGenWeb Project archivist.