Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1875-12-23

cfaslnatlon preyed upon the hours. one by
one, until it was 4 o'clock in the evening.
pelore we We're on our way. Our compan-
IONS We're Messrs. Kelly, Thompson, Phil
ups, Douglas, Mexican, with Kent at the
relns, as merry a party as ever set out to
have fun. Glee filled each heart. and
corked packages, overcoat pockets, sufficient
to recuperate spirits should they flag. We
were over an hour in making the mouth of
the gulch. 1t was just shutdown, and the
farewell beams We're lingering upon the
clouds that piled up high against the West
ern sky and extended in long red streaks to-
wards the zenith. The road was splendid.
and by the time the last trace of the reced-
ing light had died out among the clouds we
were whiting down the last five miles of
u Journey at the rate of seven miles an
hour. But arkness set in suddenly, and
we We're soon off the road, rambling in
fields. and following untrequented paths
with difficulty. Sometimes deep guilies in
tercepted u progress; then, again, we
Were brought to a stand abreast of a fence
or pair of bars, which we spread wide open
leaving the farmer to conjecture who had
been opening a new roadway by the pale
light which stars shed from%a cloudy sky.
Notwithstanding our haps and mishaps, we
reached Canyon Ferry before s O'Clock, a
distance of twenty miles.
The general appearance of the place is
very much improved by the erection of a
large two-story building, 33x5O feet. 1t is
az -
built Of pine logs, hewn square with inside
edges beveled, a thin coat of mortar put in
each erevice, and pieces of wood cut and adj
justed to fit perfectly. In this way a smooth
surface has been given the walls, while at
the same time they are rendered proof
against the wintry blast. 1t is decidedly the
most comfortable building of the kind we
have ever seen. The inside work is not vet
completed, but when it is it will be a mag
nificent building and afford comfortable
quarters to the weary traveller.
A large crowd had already assembled, and
at this early hour the large hall upstairs
was thronged with merry feet whirling in
the giddy mazes of the dance. The neigh
boring mining camps were out in full force.
French bar, Eldorado bar, New York, Ore
gon, Cave, Maybe, Hellgate, Avalanche and
Whites gulches were all well represented.
besides q number from the rural districts.
There was also a party of ladies and gentle
men from Helena. All were mingled in one
happy throng, each one bent upon having a
good time. The ladies, whom we are pleased
to relate made up half the attendance,
seemed unusually bewitching and floated in
the giddy waltz as lightly as an egg-shell
upon a smooth sea. To attempt a full de-
scription of their several costumes would be
folly in an inexperienced hand. While we
know our readers in the States would take
delight in a full pen picture of the female
paraphernalia OF a Rocky Mountain ball, we
for once ask to be excused until expert
ence shall render us adequate to the task.
Suffice it to say that a greater variety of
make-ups never mingled together III so
small a number. A greater variety of head
dressing we have never before witnessed.
There were massive suits of hair lone up
"a Ia Marie Antoinette, y 6 a la Marouritte,"
"a la Pompadour,' chignons of a variety of
sizes and locations, and other suits of gold
en-, auburn and of raven hue were left to
f1oet in wavy lightness with the music.
There were others with massive curls-some
long, some short, some that lay with artistic
precision. each one in its place, others
strayed more carelessly, while some We're
scrambled and formed a perfect mass of
wavy ringlets. Others were caught up and
tied together in a tumble at the back of the