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MICHIGAN FOOD & BEES BY A. D. P. VAN BUREN
As we have said, the drones stayed east. None but the working bees came to this new hive of industry in the west. Hence the class of young men and young ladies were first in point of worth and industry. Among them we now have some of the best citizens in this part of the State. While some have died, and others have removed to different parts of the country; and some have married the girls with whom they "played the beau, " or made "a double-and-twisted lordy-massy, " in the frolics of the olden time, and are now living on the old farm where they first started life in Michigan.
The following incident at a party at my father's, one evening, will be remembered by many. A company of young folks from Goguac Prairie and our own neighborhood, were present at this time. While the party were promenading, two by two, around the room and singing a lively march, just as they sang:
"Love, fare you well, darling fare you well, " a young couple who had at that moment stepped on the trap-door before the "fire place, instantly sank down into the cellar, to the astonishment of the whole party. The company immediately gathered about the hole made by the disappearance of the door, and called to those below: "Are you hurt ?" The response came back: "No. "
The trap-door had worked loose by the repeated tramping of feet on it, and had finally given away. They came up out of the cellar unharmed, and were the hero and heroine of the party the rest of the evening. William Michael,
of Goguac Prairie, was the song-singer, wit, and delineator of character on these occasions. His bon mots and witty sayings were always sure to enliven the company. He, some years later, (near 1842), went to Illinois with the Thomases.
Michigan
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