The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-08
FROM OUR TRAILING CORREe>
PONDENT.
snns1p4s, jan 18Th, 1871.

Hs'I Inc January stnAW WHICH H1o UccsA IT z -
ing for the last week. has been very salutary
I'll its effects in reviving the dropping spirits
| Oh the st. ok owners of this vicinity, some o.
whom were feeling terribly down u INC
mouth at the sorry prospects they nad g
wintering their herds with the exceedingly
limited quantity OF feed on hand, but the
prevalence or snutllsrly winds has largely
decreased the amount OF snow in the valleys
and on the foothills. and although cattle can
not come out very fat in the spring. our
craziers are feeling more confident than they
were. and hopeful that they win be able to
push through the winter without any serious
loss. III
T severe Is the lesson has been, It will have
been productive Of good, il our ranchmen
will profit BY the experience Of the past sea-
son, and take proper precaution m the future,
and discard the stpenny wise, pound foolish"
practices of the past, to say nothing OF the
inhumanity Of allowing animals to perish in
THE storm when by the exercise OF little
forethought and judicious management much
suffering might be avoided, aud consequent
dollars and cents saved. II.
1t is an ill wind that blows nobody good, y
and rye merry haymakerss have reaped q
golden harvest this year. Hay has been sell
ing freely at twenty Ave dollars in the stack,
and some men have been holding it at still
higher figures. but if the present state. of the
weather continues, those who have pursued
50 illiberal course, and refused to sell at the
highly profitable rate above named. will be
apt ere long to curse their luck Ter rather
greed in not taking the tide OF fortune at its
food, instead Of waiting for the turn, and
making the misfortune of others a stepping
stone to the qualification Of their inordinate
desires. Should the remainder of the winter
be not more than ordinarily severe there will
be hundreds of tons OF hay unsold, which
might have been disposed of at large profit,
had it not been held SO high that cattle own-
ersprcferred to take chances rather than pay
the exorbitant prices demanded. Il
During the past year there has been a large
number of very fine stock imported to these
valleys. indeed to such an extent that already
i..scrub'' cattle, and cayuse ponies are at
discount. Prominent among the importers
and owners of bleoded stock may be mem
tione d Messrs. Orr s. Poindexter, r.. .. Hick-
man, Alex. Metzel and others. who deserve
great praise for their energy and enterprise
in their efforts to encourage the breeding and
rearing Of superior stock. s.'a' ! & e.@o !.
Notwithstanding the inclemency Of the
weather there has been constant round OF
an,usements during the holidays. The New
Years Bal at Lofts Bridge under the man
agement of Mr.. Henry J. Price, the genial
and enterprising proprietor Of the Twin
Bridges Hotel was grand success; and the
supper-well. for goad squire meal of any
kind, commend me to the care of the amiable
Mrs. Price. for she suits me to nicity.
But, Mr.. Editor, the grandest thing of the
season was at, Sheridan on Thursday last.
While q. route for Mill Creek your cores
pondent called on an old time acquaintance,
and vas astonished- -nonplussed-com
" bewiIdered by a female woman of the FEM
mine gender coming At me point blank, and
with smile that was l'.'chi!dlike and bland
but withal look of determination that would
not be. denied, requested the honor. OF my
company to the Leap Year Ball to be given
at Sheridan that evening. You. Mr.. Editor.
who know the bashfl.lness of my nature, can
readily picture my CONSERVATION. * was
thunder stricken struck all Of heap.! fab
bergasted!.! In vain protested; i'll vain
proffsred all the excuses int the calander with
a volatility and rapidity of utterance worthy
of Sarah Camp; in vain as deraicr
hor II uil.ilifu and
that probably at that very moment Loving
wife and several babes were xioilsiy await
ing the return of husband and father; she
stood there in all the fullness of her Leap,
year glory and calmly informed me that she
wouldn't take no for an answer, SO perforce
had toIsubmit to be led Ikea lamb to the
slaughter to the Sheridan Hall, where the
guests were assembled and the musicians
were executing the most unearthly preludes,
II think they they were selected from Robert
de Dable or Mephistopheles. When | ha9.
sufficiently recovered my equanimityst TO take
observations, n.irabile dictu! whata sight met
my astonished gaze! On one side of the
spacious hall. and mafshailed under tlle GEM
=Inand of Mrs. Ira Phillips and Miss Mary
Christensen, the floor managers of the eyen-
ing, beheld such a galaxy of beauty, such
an array Of sparkling eyes ana heaming
smiles'' as itnever fell to my lot to witness 30
far from the -'genial influences OF eiyiliza-
tion,p darting triumphant chances at crowd
sof poor hon,nes On the other side who looked
as happy as a lot of 1es in molasses Jug,
and as much at home rs litter of pigs on
picket fence. However, did not get much
time to moralize ON the situation, for the
word Of command was giyen-Ladies. take
partners for quairilles, when the way they
went for the boys would have astonished the
natives. and led them on the floor looking
(the boys. / mean. Us If they were going TO 4
funeral instead of 4 dance. Ever and anon,
i cast anxious glanees toward the door ex-
3pecting tosee the Minister or Justice of the
Peacss come in and settle some poor fellows
hash for life; but this catastrophe was fortu-
nately ayerted in the first instance By the alb.
4shnce OF the preacher, who was atthe Capitol
sendeavori,.g to convert the Legislative As
sembly, hopeless task y and in the lseccid
by the forethought1of the boys, who had or
ganized themselves into q Mutual Protection
Society, and furnished tile ]. IL. with four
bitssand aabuckin9 eayuse and sent him to
Virginia to buck at faro. These causes of an.