Paul Family Reunion ~ 1929

 Paul Family Reunion ~ 1929

The first annual Paul Reunion was held at George Watson's residence at Faribault, Minn. July 30th - 31st, 1929.

Those present were Melvin, Ernest, Evelyn, Betty, Eugene, Margaret, Freeman, Ira, Arthur, Lillian, Grace, George, Paul, Florence, Waverly, Marion, Curtis, Emily, Clara, Phillip, Maud, Walter, Ralph, Bernice, Alice, Kenneth.

Most of the folks arrived by auto, and the rest came by train, arriving about 11 AM July 30th. Immediately after the late arrivals we all went to Roberds Lake for a picnic dinner and supper and to spend the afternoon.

The day was very warm, but with plenty of magnificent shade trees near the lake everybody kept fairly comfortable. We had some large tables under the trees with plenty of room for all to sit down to our meals as though we were in a large dining room. The chief attractions in the culinary line, were a whole baked ham, baked beans, watermelon and ice cream.

After dinner a time was spent in general visiting and story telling after which some of the party went for a swim in the nearby lake, while the others sat on the shore to watch. When the swimmers were done, the entire party went for a walk through a large grove on the south side of the lake. In this grove was an old stone mill building, on the banks of a small brook. Grace, Clara and Lillian, harking back to their childhood days, removed their shoes and stockings and went wading in the brook. The men folk watched them for some time, making appropriate comments about wood nymphs, water spirits, woodland fairies and the like, until they too seemed to forget their years and joined the wading party. After sitting on the bank a while dabbing our toes in the water, we took some pictures, then put on shoes and stockings, loaded into the cars and went to Florence's place for the evening.

When supper-time arrived, Florence had a wonderful meal prepared for the crowd, and with suitable wit, and repartee scintillating among the more intellectual (?) ones present, we all fell to and did full justice to the eats.

Later most of the party went back to Watson's for the night. It was late in the evening when Paul mystified us with his slight of hand performances, some of which were almost uncanny, and in fact we are still wondering how he did some of his tricks.

Later in the evening, Arthur, Freeman and Eugene essayed a return trip to Florence's where they were supposed to stay for the night. After bidding the rest of us good-bye, they boarded Arthur's car, pulled their caps firmly down on their heads, released the brakes and coasted merrily down the hill and out into the blackness of night. Looking out of the right hand car windows might be seen the Pole star gleaming as of old to guide wayfarers on land or sea, ahead of them shone the bright lights of Faribault, and way, way out beyond lay the long and dusty road to Christie's farm,- their ultimate goal, and, for the time being the apex as it were, of their ambitions.

After a while frequent telephone conversations took place between Florence and her mother as to what had become of the wanderers, and still the clock ticked off the minutes and struck the half hours with no tidings; and we each one watched the others to see which would be the first to break under the suspense. After about an hour the three travelers were back at Watson's trying to explain that they had lost their way and had returned for a new start. Saying good night the second time, they carefully turned the car, then again released the brakes and rumbled away into the night, the Pole star could still be seen out of the right hand windows, the long dusty road still lay before them as it had done earlier in the evening, but lots and lots of the Faribault lights had gone out as the owners were in bed. More telephone messages flashed back and forth and again tidings were lacking, until towards midnight a car came creeping up the hill, stopped in front of the house and the three occupants got out to ask if they might stay the night, as there were too many roads around west of town for them to get anywhere on after dark. After a good laugh all around, Grace phoned Florence that her expected guests had changed their schedule and would be out the following morning.

The next day some of the party went out to Florence's place and helped Waverly with his farm work, others visited one of the local nurseries, some drove out in the country on short sight seeing trips in the surrounding country. In the afternoon the party began to break up. Arthur and Lillian stayed a few days with the Christies.

It was decided to hold the next reunion at Duluth and to try to make it a larger gathering then this one with possibly some visitors from the east.