This poem is taken from a notebook of hand-written material found in the library of Westfield High School in Westfield, Massachusetts. It claims to be "published every five weeks by the Psi Alpha Delta Society." Other writings in this book are riddles, anecdotes, and bits of humor largely designed as good-natured joking by a group of high school students. As nearly as can be estimated, the date of this writing is about 1890. The identity of "Leonard" is not known, nor is that of "Blanche Cannon," the Blandford Belle in the poem.
*For more on Blanche Cannon, see below.
*For more on Blanche Cannon, see below.
I went up into Blandford
Clear up in the hills so high
And there they have the prettiest girls,
The slickest ones, O! My!
I went out to a kitchen dance
With a sugar-eat mixed in
And in such a queer and jolly clique
I think I've never been.
The girls up there wear brogans
Instead of dancing pumps,
And in the waltz they have a way
Of taking several jumps.
They dance all ways and fashions.
They hop and skip and prance.
I wasn't on to half the styles
Of the Blandford kitchen dance.
I had one girl for a partner
As strong as an ox or two.
They said she often plowed a field
And ran a horse rake, too.
There were two pretty damsels
And I had a honey moon
Sucking sugar with them
Off the same big spoon.
If I'd known up in Blandford
There were girls like these, I know
You can bet your new spring trousers
I'd skip Orange Street long ago.
The one that I am struck on
Has beauty that's known to fame
And the country lads are all mashed, too.
Blanche Cannon is her name..
But there's another one who thinks that I
Am quite the proper stuff.
I don't know which I like the best.
Both are slick enough.
They sat upon each side of me
And were surprised to learn that I
Had several summers spent up there
In their neighborhood near by.
They said, "You'll call on us this year.
We'll go to walk or ride."
And to go to Blandford this same year
You bet your boots I've tried.
I'm going to go to the meetings
In the church up on the hill
And see my darlings safely home
In the evenings dark and still.
The fellows all feel mad at me
For cutting them out so,
But it don't trouble me at all,
And with Blandford girls I'll go.
There are other folks who think it mean,
The girls who have big feet
Who live in that ill famed place
Called Upper Orange Street.
But I don't care a fig leaf.
I'm glad "their head is dough."
My Blanche and I will wave on high
In spite of friend or foe.
Clear up in the hills so high
And there they have the prettiest girls,
The slickest ones, O! My!
I went out to a kitchen dance
With a sugar-eat mixed in
And in such a queer and jolly clique
I think I've never been.
The girls up there wear brogans
Instead of dancing pumps,
And in the waltz they have a way
Of taking several jumps.
They dance all ways and fashions.
They hop and skip and prance.
I wasn't on to half the styles
Of the Blandford kitchen dance.
I had one girl for a partner
As strong as an ox or two.
They said she often plowed a field
And ran a horse rake, too.
There were two pretty damsels
And I had a honey moon
Sucking sugar with them
Off the same big spoon.
If I'd known up in Blandford
There were girls like these, I know
You can bet your new spring trousers
I'd skip Orange Street long ago.
The one that I am struck on
Has beauty that's known to fame
And the country lads are all mashed, too.
Blanche Cannon is her name..
But there's another one who thinks that I
Am quite the proper stuff.
I don't know which I like the best.
Both are slick enough.
They sat upon each side of me
And were surprised to learn that I
Had several summers spent up there
In their neighborhood near by.
They said, "You'll call on us this year.
We'll go to walk or ride."
And to go to Blandford this same year
You bet your boots I've tried.
I'm going to go to the meetings
In the church up on the hill
And see my darlings safely home
In the evenings dark and still.
The fellows all feel mad at me
For cutting them out so,
But it don't trouble me at all,
And with Blandford girls I'll go.
There are other folks who think it mean,
The girls who have big feet
Who live in that ill famed place
Called Upper Orange Street.
But I don't care a fig leaf.
I'm glad "their head is dough."
My Blanche and I will wave on high
In spite of friend or foe.
From: The Descendants of William Horatio and Eliza Hanchett Wyman of Blandford, Massachusetts, by Gary Hart
(3.14) BLANCHE LOVINA CANNON, b. May 12, 1878, at Blandford, MA, to Franklin L. and Cornelia Melisa (Wyman) Cannon, m. Oct. 7, 1903, at Westfield, MA, FRED WALKER DALTON (b. April 8, 1871, at Montgomery, MA, to Frederick L. and Ellen [Searle] Dalton).
4.33 Everard Winston, b. Aug. 31, 1904.
4.34 Vernon Frederick, b. Dec. 16, 1905, d. Dec. 17, 1905.
4.35 Gordon Franklin b. Dec. 16, 1905.
4.36 Richard Franklin, b. Jan. 1, 1916, d. Jan. 4, 1916.
Blanche Dalton died July 20, 1923, at Westfield, MA.
Fred Dalton died March 21, 1937, at Westfield, MA.
According to the 1900 Federal Census, 22-year-old Blanche was a teacher, living in Blandford with her parents and sister, Mamie (3.15). After marrying Fred, they lived in Westfield where their children were born. Blanche passed away at 45 years old when Everard was 18 and Gordon 17.
(3.14) BLANCHE LOVINA CANNON, b. May 12, 1878, at Blandford, MA, to Franklin L. and Cornelia Melisa (Wyman) Cannon, m. Oct. 7, 1903, at Westfield, MA, FRED WALKER DALTON (b. April 8, 1871, at Montgomery, MA, to Frederick L. and Ellen [Searle] Dalton).
4.33 Everard Winston, b. Aug. 31, 1904.
4.34 Vernon Frederick, b. Dec. 16, 1905, d. Dec. 17, 1905.
4.35 Gordon Franklin b. Dec. 16, 1905.
4.36 Richard Franklin, b. Jan. 1, 1916, d. Jan. 4, 1916.
Blanche Dalton died July 20, 1923, at Westfield, MA.
Fred Dalton died March 21, 1937, at Westfield, MA.
According to the 1900 Federal Census, 22-year-old Blanche was a teacher, living in Blandford with her parents and sister, Mamie (3.15). After marrying Fred, they lived in Westfield where their children were born. Blanche passed away at 45 years old when Everard was 18 and Gordon 17.